#Greats vs Superstars

[newsepick]

Shikhar Dhawan Dazzles With Maiden Fifty In Legends League Cricket (LLC) 2024 |

Shikhar Dhawan, captain of the Gujarat Greats, showcased impressive form in the Legends League Cricket 2024 match against the Southern Superstars, scoring his maiden half-century with 50 runs off 37 balls. Opening the innings, he quickly reached 25 runs in just 12 balls and formed a 63-run partnership with Morne Wan Wyk. However, despite Dhawan's performance, the Greats lost to the Superstars by 26 runs, managing only 118/9 in response to the Superstars’ 145. Chaturanga de Silva's 53 off 28 balls was crucial for the winning team's score.

[fortjester]

going thru all the posts i almost made sitting on my hard drive and damn. there's some good stuff here. if only i had the energy

[trippinsorrows]

10 things + r. reigns

authors note: so, a lot of this stems from convos with the lovely @fearlesschimera where one tree hill was brought up. and i loved me some nathan and haley. plus, i'm loving everything about this otc era and needed to write something about it now vs having to wait with my other stories cause we ain't there yet lmao

might be a part two. idk if this even makes sense tbh

words: 3.1k

warnings: none, really? some language? kayfabe story.

There are exactly two sides to Roman Reigns.

The good side and the bad side. 

And Nova Reigns has experienced them both with an unfortunate increase in the latter versus the former. 

She can pinpoint exactly when it started, too. 

When things started to get difficult again.

2020. COVID. While the world was an absolute mess, chaos and death occurring globally every day, her husband of over ten years wasn’t much better. He’d decided to stay home, not wanting to risk bringing home anything that could put her pregnancy with their first daughter, Arabella, Bella as they affectionately called her, at risk. 

It was also so he could figure out just what the hell he was doing with his career. Roman was frustrated. Tired of going along with what was always told of him instead of doing it his way. And it’s why when he returned back to work that summer, he came back a completely changed man. Bigger, stronger, meaner.

This was a different Roman Reigns. The likes of which the WWE had never seen.

And it’s been a ride ever since.

Up and downs along the way. 

A lot of ups up until WrestleMania 40 where after 1,316 days as the undisputed universal champion and unable to let go of a betrayal from so many years ago, Roman lost. He lost his title and something so much deeper that night.

His sense of self.

Nova did the best she could in the months he’d been off to keep his spirits lifted, to support him, often encouraging Bella to ask her dad to do stuff with her even when Nova technically could. Asked him to care for their two year old daughter, Camillia, Cami, as she worked from home, something she’s done for almost the entirety of her post college career. 

But most importantly, Nova worked to help Roman repair the relationship with their oldest son, Roman Jr., RJ, as they’ve called him since the day he was born.

To say the relationship is awful would be an exaggeration. No, it’s just…..fragile.

A fragility that Nova has tried so hard over the past couple of years to strengthen to no avail. A large part of the issue being the fact that her twenty year old son is just as stubborn as his father. Twins, she often calls them. Similar heights, build, personalities, etc. 

Great when they want to be. A pain in the ass when they don’t need to be.

A painful situation all around though, especially when she thinks back to how this all started, to how someone like Nova ended up with someone like Roman.

And it’s a simple answer, really.

He was an idiot.

Well, when it came to English, that was.

Once upon a time ago, Roman wasn’t the massive WWE superstar that he is now. He was just Roman Reigns. The typical, popular jock of their high school. A football player with the stereotypical ego to match. And she was just Nova, the geeky underclassmen who always had a secret crush on the boy she never thought in a million years would look her way.

And truth be told, if not for the fact his coach threatened to bench him if he didn’t raise his English grade, he probably never would have. Hell, she’s certain the only reason he knew she existed was because she was the best and smartest kid in class, so of course their teacher would recommend her for a tutor. 

The answer was initially no. Not necessarily because she was opposed, but more because her crush on him was too big to not get distracted. Even though his jerkish tendencies should have done just that. 

But Roman has always been charismatic and persistent, and before she knew it, she’d agreed. And that agreement changed everything because it showed her for the first time the nice side of Roman, the side that secretly loved music and was surprisingly good at math. The side that struggled with feeling like he’d never be good enough or live up to his family’s athletic reputation both in football and wrestling.

It made her realize and see that Roman was just as human as everyone else. 

It made her fall in love with him.

And that was rocky, too. Navigating his constant struggle of wanting to admit his feelings for her while also being embarrassed about her and wanting to hide their relationship. It created a fair set of conflict, and Nova shed her fair share of tears.

Especially as she sat on the floor of her bathroom, plush, purple rug cushioning her bottom but not the blow that was the two lines on the pregnancy test in her hands. But, seven months later, with her mom on one side and Roman on the other, she shed a different set of tears. Different kinds of tears.

Happiness.

Happiness at welcoming her first child into the world, Roman Reigns Jr. 

RJ

Being teen parents, especially at the tender ages of 16 and 18 was most definitely nothing like it was depicted on the reality shows. It was rough, especially as Roman started college, opting to stay local to help her raise their child as she finished her senior year. They fought, they argued, they disagreed, but at the end of the day, they still loved.

And it was that love that carried them through the rocky years of Roman trying to figure out just what he wanted to do with his life as Nova worked a job and raised their son while pursuing her degree in software engineering. She also stayed local to benefit from the help of her family while chasing her dream. It was rough, it was hard, but they did it.

Even with having to be on food stamps and financial assistance at times to take care of their child, Nova struggling to enter the male dominated workforce of tech and Roman not always having consistent income, they did it. 

And they were happy.

They still are. Just….not like it used to be. 

Nova still loves her husband with all of her heart and soul. They’ve been through too much together for her to ever really leave him, but she’d be lying if she said it didn’t cross her mind from time to time. Especially over the past four years, watching him almost revert back to that bully from high school as he manipulated and mentally abused his family, his cousins, his lifetime best friends so much so that the Bloodline he worked so hard to create crumbled right before him.

And it’s only deteriorated since he lost the title to Cody Rhodes. Solo had turned on Roman, brutally kicked Jimmy out of the Bloodline and invited in non-family. Week after week, taking shot after shot at her husband, his cousin, his flesh and blood. 

Going so far as to take the sacred ula fala and declare himself the tribal chief. An honor that was bestowed upon Roman by the elders of his family. It finally reached a point where Roman had enough, making his grand return at SummerSlam and preventing his once enforcer from taking the very title Roman still believes is rightfully is. 

He’s made intermittent returns since then, each one proving just why Roman Reigns is being considered one of the greatest of all time, even while still in the middle of his career. His aura is unmatched. The sales don’t lie. The numbers don’t lie. 

The OTC is WWE. 

But, Roman has been a bit on edge since he was unexpectedly jumped by his other cousin, Jacob, Solo’s latest dangerous addition to the Bloodline.

Nova especially knows he was even more pissed because she’d taken the girls to his show that night, at his request.

He hates looking ‘weak’ in front of him, despite the fact that both were too consumed in kids' devices to pay attention. But, she was. And if anything, it was hard for her to see him be attacked like that, all alone. 

No one in his corner.

Jey’s moved to Raw.

Jimmy is still trying to figure out if he even wants to come back.

Solo has lost his damn mind. 

Sami…..no comment.

And Paul is still recovering from his brutal assault by the new Bloodline. 

The island of relevancy has a population of one. And while that one is formidable as all outdoors, he’s still just a man.

Granted, as much as it pains her to see Roman go at this alone, it’s hard for her to feel all the way bad for him. He did this. His actions drove his family away. 

Well, not all of them.

“Game!” Bella’s soft voice pulls Nova from reflecting on memory lane as she redirects her attention to where her son sits on the sofa in Roman’s locker room, Cami on his lap, grabbing his phone.

RJ chuckles, unlocking the iPhone and asking, “what you wanna play?”

Cami gasps and claps her hands. “Cookie!”

“Cookie Kingdom?” RJ asks, clicking around on his phone and handing it to her. “There ya go, lil’ bit.”

Nova’s smile is warm as she reflects on what feels like so long ago. “I remember when you were that little.”

RJ looks up at her, and it never ceases to amaze her how much he looks like his father. Complexion a little deeper, melanin he inherited from her, but outside of that, Roman could never deny paternity. 

He sucks his teeth. “Mama, don’t start that.”

“What?” Nova pouts, leaning back into the sofa, Bella tuned out of the conversation as she watches Bluey on her tablet. It’s always a bit funny to her how uninterested these kids just are when it comes to seeing Roman at work.

At least, not until he’s actually in their line of vision.

“You’ll always be my baby.” Because he will. Twenty and over 6ft tall or not, he’s her baby boy. “And speaking of baby, what’s going on with you and that girl you been dating?”

RJ rolls his eyes and adjusts Cami on his lap. He’s so good with his little sisters. “Nothing.”

Nova smirks knowingly, picking up on the faint hit of redness on his cheeks. “Sure don’t seem like nothing.”

“Mama, she’s just a friend.”

“So ya’ll aren’t sexually active?”

RJ turns up his nose, clearly disgusted. “Ma, how you just gon’ ask me that?”

“Because I’m your mama and not ready to be a grandma, and your daddy would kill you if you were to get a girl pregnant halfway through college.”

It’s not missed upon Nova how the mention of Roman seems to completely dampen his mood. RJ rolls his eyes. “Like he cares at all.”

His comment hurts her. Deeply. “RJ….”

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to upset you.”

She ignores that apology, wanting to focus on the initial comment that has her stomach knotting for all the wrong reasons. “Your dad loves you, Junior. You have to know that.”

There’s a slight delay in his answer, and that alone is enough to make Nova know she needs to talk to Roman again tonight about actually talking with his son. A below the surface level conversation. A heart to heart.

“I know that, mama. I do. It’s just….” RJ blows out a breath and shakes his head. “You know how he is.”

She does. Very well. “You can say it. He’s an ass sometimes.” She’s so grateful for the headphones on Bella’s ears and the deep infatuation Cami has with her brother’s phone.

“You said it. Not me.” Mother and son share a laugh, RJ admitting, “I know he means well.”

“He does,” she agrees. “But, that doesn’t mean he can’t do better. I’ll talk to him again.”

RJ immediately looks like he feels bad, which only makes Nova’s chest ache more. “You don’t have to—”

She lifts her finger to silence him. “You’re my son. He’s my husband. I love you both, and it kills me to see ya’ll like this. I’m gonna do what I can.” And that’s a vow. The three of them have been through too much shit over the years for her to just allow the relationship between the two most important men to fall apart. She won’t let that happen. 

She can’t.

And speaking of, the door to Roman’s locker room opens, her husband walking in looking every bit as strong, powerful, and determined as he looked when he interfered yet again with Solo’s match and especially as he closed the door of that cage and challenged Jacob. 

Nova shifts in her seat, the memory bringing up other kinds of feelings which are entirely inappropriate given the presence of her children.

Cami is the first girl to notice him, lifting up her little arms and reaching for him, nearly dropping RJ’s phone in the process if not for his quick reflexes.

He most definitely got that from Roman as well, because Nova has not an athletic bone in her body.

Roman walks over and takes her from RJ, kissing her cheek, gaze almost reluctantly falling on RJ. “I didn’t know you were coming.”

Nova starts to scold Roman for such a cold introduction to their son they haven’t seen since he left for his sophomore year of college over a month ago. “Mom asked me to.”

She’s good at reading between the lines, picking up on the fact that he’s essentially saying he’s only here because of Nova.

Not Roman.

Roman notices this, she’s sure. He’s a perceptive bastard. But, he says nothing. “How’s school?”

“Fine.” 

“RJ.” And her son can be a petty bastard. Like father, like son. She directs her statement to Roman, “I was thinking we could go to his game tomorrow—”

RJ, however, is quick to dismiss this. “You don’t have to.”

Nova’s gaze on Roman allows her to see the hurt that flashes in his eyes at the rejection. But as has been the case lately, he pushes it aside, replacing it with indifference. “You heard what he said. He doesn’t want us there, so we wo—”

“That’s not what I said.” RJ leans back against the chair and shrugs his shoulders, shaking his head, clearly frustrated. “You always do this. Always hear what you want to hear.” He scoffs, head turned, muttering, “I see why everybody left you.”

Nova gasps. “RJ!” She sees it, the hurt that’s just tripled and is about to be expressed in anger, leading to another big blowout between the two of them. Thankfully, this is the moment Bella finally becomes aware of Roman’s presence.

“Daddy!” She pulls off her headphones, climbs off the sofa and runs over to him, hugging his legs. 

Roman doesn’t hesitate to pick her up, both daughters in his arms as Nova leans over, running her hand through her fresh silk press. This. This is what she wanted to avoid. These are the kinds of situations that leave her in tears as she vents to her therapist about her ever growing stress levels, how torn she feels in what to do in moments like this. 

Roman is her husband, but RJ is her son. Neither is fully right, but neither is fully wrong either. How does one handle that?

Thankfully, it’s not long after that Roman is being called to prepare to get back out in the ring. This means a probably needed separation from the two titans in her life. Nova holds Cami this time, while Bella hangs onto RJ as they’re escorted ringside. 

It takes a bit of persuasion to get RJ to agree to come with her. She can see he’s ready to just leave.

But, reminding him of how big a help he is with the girls seems to win him over because while he’s certainly not in the best of places with his dad, RJ is a mama’s boy through and through. He loves him some Nova and would do anything to help her. 

Even if it means helping her with the two siblings that came as a complete shock to him.

It still makes Nova laugh a little as she recalls the horrified and almost disgusted expression on his face as she and Roman broke the pregnancy news to him.

“I didn’t even know ya’ll still did that.” And if his statement wasn’t bad enough, he just had to add insult to injury as the blunt almost 16 year-old he was at the time. “Ain’t ya’ll kinda old to still be freaking?”

No. 

Never that.

“Daddy!” This time it’s Cami who’s calling out to Roman, recognizing his new music before he even emerges from the back looking as badass as he always does. Nova is temporarily in a state of awe, overhearing Bella asking RJ to hold her so she can see better. 

Roman has come so far, done so well for himself, even with things with his family being a hot ass mess, there’s still no denying he is it. That he has it. It’s undeniable. She almost feels bad for Cody.

He’ll always be stuck in Roman’s shadow. 

The thought makes her suddenly curious about what could be one of the reasons behind the strife between her firstborn and husband. Nova tucks this in the back of her mind, planning to discuss it further in therapy.

As Roman moves into the ring, Nova stands on the sidelines, holding her baby girl on her hip, smiling back and forth between the two. She watches Roman move around the ring on their commercial break

And when his gaze falls on the set of them, her heart swells as he mouths ‘I love you’ before seamlessly transitioning back into that hardened, determined expression.

And this is why there’s two sides to Roman Reigns. The good side being the one that she sees in that brief, vulnerable exchange. The one that used to kiss her pregnant stomach as he confided in her his fears about not being a good dad, about feeling not ready, about worrying about failing in life. 

Failing her. 

Failing himself.

Failing their child.

The man who worked so hard and gave everything his all to prove he was someone, becoming that someone, yet somehow losing something in the process.

Nova knows it’s still in there though, knows that he is still the boy he fell in love with many moons ago. She knows that as frustrated as he makes her, as cold he can be, as disconnected he can seem, that love is still there and just as strong. 

And she’ll fight for it. 

For him. 

For their son.

For their family. 

She has to.

[whumpthemusical]

Whump: The Musical Prompts!!

As stated before, this challenge will run from March 1- March 31, 2024. All fandoms are welcome to participate despite it being prompts based off of musicals. Once again, all types of media are allowed. This challenge has the standard "choose one for the day" style, but feel free to do all three prompts if that's what you want to do!! All types of whump are allowed, but please be respectful to your fellow audience members and properly tag it!! Some of these prompts are sensitive, so make sure you warn your readers correctly! There will be an ao3 collection and an FAQ post coming soon, so if you have any further questions or comments about this challenge, feel free to drop me a line. Happy writing, my beautiful ingénues, and enjoy the show :)))

The prompts will be listed under the cut for those who have difficulty reading fonts!!

Cats- Sabotage • Second Chances • "I Can Dream Of The Old Days."

Wicked- Mob Mentality • Propaganda • "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished."

Jesus Christ Superstar- Whipping • Betrayal • "Then I Was Inspired, Now I'm Sad And Tired."

Les Mis- Survivor's Guilt • Failure • "Drink With Me To Days Gone By."

Heathers- Poison • Reluctant Whumper • "Wanna fight for me?"

Newsies- Chronic Pain • Exploitation • "Let 'Em Laugh In My Face, I Don't Care."

The Last Five Years- Infidelity • Gaslighting • "I Will Not Lose Because You Can't WIn."

Hadestown- Deals • Doomed Narrative • "Doubt Comes In."

Sweeney Todd- False Imprisonment • Razors • "Have You Decided It's Safer In Cages?"

Rent- Substance Abuse • Poverty • "Feels Too Much Damn Like Home."

Bare: A Pop Opera- Outing • Religious Trauma • "Please, See Me."

Waitress- Unplanned Pregnancy • Abuse • "She Is Broken And Won't Ask For Help."

Tick Tick Boom- Atychiphobia • Working To Exhaustion • "Is This Real Life?"

Dear Evan Hansen- Deception • Broken Bone • "Words Fail."

West Side Story- Star-Crossed Lovers • Prejudices • "A Boy Who Kills Cannot Love."

Come From Away- Stranded • Aftermath • "Blankets And Bedding And Maybe Some Food."

Spring Awakening- Withheld Information • Suicide  • "I Don't Scream, Though I Know It's Wrong."

Hamilton- Hurricane  • Dueling • "I Will Kill Your Friends And Family To Remind You Of My Love."

Falsettos- Sickness • Identity Issues • "Death Is Not A Friend."

Into The Woods- Blame • Lost • "Nothing But A Vast Midnight."

The Great Comet- Abduction • Letters • "Did You Love That Bad Man?"

In The Heights- Grief • Homesickness • "I Know That I'm Letting You Down."

Be More Chill- Mind Manipulation • Panic Attack • "Everything About Me Makes Me Want To Die."

Moulin Rouge- Class Differences • Sex Work • "Come What May."

Chicago- Cold Blood • Trial • "He Had It Coming."

Six- Execution • Trauma Bonding • "Playtime's Over."

Ride The Cyclone- Unexpected Tragedy • Forgotten Whumpee • "I Hear The Anguish Of The Street."

The Rocky Horror Show- Obsession • Wrong Place, Wrong Time • "I've Seen Blue Skies Through The Tears."

Nerdy Prudes Must Die- Bullying • Ritual • "Who Will Pray For You?"

Jekyll And Hyde- Duality • Good Vs Evil • "If I Die, You'll Die."

Phantom Of The Opera- Disfiguration • Shunned • "My Power Over You Grows Stronger Yet."

[tkachuktkaching]

Matthew Tkachuk returns to Edmonton as Public Enemy No. 1

Tkachuk spent the first six seasons of this NHL career with the Calgary Flames, combating in the Battle of Alberta, the decades-spanning rivalry in which the Flames and the Edmonton Oilers would bludgeon each other to the delight of neighboring fan bases. It's a feud that stands next to any geographic rivalry in sports based on its championship prestige, Hall of Fame talent and unwavering vitriol.

Tkachuk remembers those rivalry games well.

"I guess I know them more than probably most guys by playing in Calgary," Tkachuk said. "But we just had the one playoff series against them that they won, and played a bunch in the regular season. There's a lot of different guys over there now."

Calgary traded Tkachuk to the Panthers two years ago. He has returned to Edmonton twice since.

"I know last year I was booed every time I touched the puck. This year there was nothing, so I have no idea this time," he said.

How close did Tkachuk come to becoming an Oiler? Four years ago, he told TSN Radio that they appeared ready to draft him before Dubois went to Columbus.

"During the draft, on the draft floor, it was kind of a weird moment where some people at the Edmonton table -- you could ask them, they would probably deny it -- but they're kind of staring me down and kind of giving me some smiles. The only people that saw it were me and my mom. So we're like, 'All right, we're going to Edmonton,'" he said. "Then Pierre-Luc Dubois went third overall, and the phone started to ring like crazy at the Edmonton table. They threw the jersey under the table and it looked like they stripped off a name and gave it to Puljujarvi with the next pick."

Tkachuk was drafted sixth overall by the Flames. The rest is (alternate) history.

TKACHUK SAID HE HAD "kind of like a Christmas Eve feeling" before the Stanley Cup Final, giddy with anticipation for trying to win the Cup after the Panthers lost in the championship round last season to the Vegas Golden Knights.

When asked about the Oilers, there was no trash talk, no bulletin board material.

"They're a great team. Finally got to watch some of their games against Dallas, since we were playing every other night. It was good to watch their games," he said. "They played really well and ultimately deserved to win the West. It should make for a great final."

After Florida went up 2-0 in the series with its Game 2 victory, Tkachuk was asked if the Oilers were rattled.

Again, he deferred.

"No, I don't think so. It's just sometimes the way it goes," he said, before leaving the media scrum.

The story of Matthew Tkachuk vs. the Edmonton Oilers is also a story of a young, brash superstar at the apex of his brashness who says he's a much different player today. Tkachuk speaks with pride about what he perceives to be the Panthers' maturity as a team and his own discipline on the ice, in contrast with how he'd played in the Battle of Alberta, for example.

"I'd say that used to be a part of my game. Now it's pretty nonexistent," he said. "I've kind of learned what works, and what works is playing as hard as I can for 30 to 45 seconds -- well, sometimes I take the long shift, so 30 seconds to a minute. There's no need to waste your time doing extra stuff."

Panthers coach Paul Maurice has cited the 26-year-old Tkachuk's maturity throughout the season, starting with how he approached this campaign after Florida's stunning run to the Stanley Cup Final last season.

Maurice said Tkachuk was part of the leadership group that got the Panthers locked in to their defensive game this season, which was a byproduct of missing Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour at the start of 2023-24 after surgeries. He said Tkachuk's attitude from the start of training camp help set the efficient, business-like tone of Florida's approach.

"Last year, I think we were just kind of riding the wave," Tkachuk said before the conference finals. "Going into this, we know what it's going to take to ultimately come out on top."

Tkachuk is tied with Aleksander Barkov with 19 points to lead all Panthers scorers. He hasn't had the soaring moments as regularly as he did last playoff run.

But Maurice is confident that Tkachuk is still capable of them.

"His game is better. He's more disciplined. He's matured with this group over two years. I think he's ... primed," the coach said. "I would never bet against him coming up with some heroics, but it's certainly not the only thing we have to expect now when we come to the rink from him."

Article taken from espn.com I Photos : Getty Images

[slippinninque]

Fontaine vs Usher

Notes: fluff, short n sweet, pouty 'taine, goofy reader, I added a bit more cause this one wouldn't leave me alone lol.

Fontaine video called while you were puttering around your kitchen cleaning up after your snack, your laptop still at the table open and flickering through playlists.

"Ugh, I had the biggest crush on Usher-- I'm glad he's still doing alright .."

"....Fuck him."

You snorted, pausing in wiping down your counter, "Now, 'Taine..."

"Mhmm, I said it...fuck 'em."

"What did he do to you?!"

"It ain't about what Usher did, it's what he does. He come over here an' call himself serendaing-- he'll be finishing that hook up at them pearly gates...."

You crumbled onto the counter, outdone and incredulous at your man. Fontaine's expression was every bit serious aside from the slight lift of his brow.

"You are terrible, Fontaine, you can't be out here taking out the greats!"

Fontaines face was suddenly up against his camera, "Turn me 'round, lemme see him..."

"You acting like he's here!"

"I said turn me, woman!"

Dutifully doing as you were asked, you held him in the direction of your laptop right when Usher took off his shirt, tossing it into the crowd.

"See? Look at 'em.... whore."

You couldn't stop laughing as Fontaine wished the absolute worst on the singer.

"I hope you roll your ankle the next time you slide up to a lady, you audacious bitch. Aight, I'm done."

Sighing as you wiped away tears, you shook your head once he could see you again, "You're terrible, but I'm lucky to have you."

Fontaine huffed, "Let him breathe in your direction, Imma bust his head down to the white meat."

Lost to your giggles, you went and plopped onto the couch as you reassured your the superstar in your life.

-------

The radio played aimlessly as you waited for your food to come up at the drive thru. Fontaine was watching the flow of traffic in front of him, when his ears perked at the music playing.

"Right in front of me?" He matched your surprised stare with his own, unimpressed one.

You floundered for a minute before tucking it behind an saccharine little grin, reaching and turning the radio up a bit louder.

"Its 9:00 on the dot I'm your green car parked on the street/ you got a real pretty pretty lil' thing that's waiting for yooooou..../ You-you pull up, anticipating good love, I won't keep you waiting/ I got plans to put your haa-aands in places you always see, boy you know what I mee-eean..."

Unbuckling your seatbelt, you threw yourself over Fontaine as much as you could, wriggling your brows as he tried to ignore you and your terrible remix.

"Gonna take me to a place nice and quiet/ so there were no one left to interrupt, ain't got to rush, you just wanna take it niiiice and sloooow..."

When you tried to kiss him, he turned his face away making you crack a bit.

"No, I don' want kisses." He said, petulant.

"Don't kiss you? I can't kiss you now?"

Saying nothing, Fontaine shifted away from you as if he was rolling over in bed and stared moodily out the window.

"Here, lemme sing to you some more, that might help-- NOW TEEEEEELLL ME, DO YOU WANNA GET FREEEAKY?"

He jumped at the sudden volume of your voice and you slapped a hand on the center of his back, sliding it every which-way as you babbled through the next few rhymes.

Giving your best show, you unzipped your hoodie and rolled your body in the passenger seat. The ruckus of it all making him turn to face you with surprise.

"What... in the Pretty Ricky is happenin' right now?"

"I'm serenading you! We can be each others Usher--

The window finally spun open and your carry out was provided. Fontaine hurried to grab the bags after handing you the drinks.

"I don't wanna be no damn Usher, girl, you lost yo' mind--can I get some straws, please?"

"They call you F-O-N-T-A-I-N and they need an' E-- now why you laughing like that at me in front of this nice Coney Island lady?"

It wasn't really a question, afterall to get that pout off his face was all you wanted.

Fontaine accepted the straws from the giggling worker and you thanked her before Fontaine pulled off and into the street.

"Yo' lil tail play too much." Fontaine eventually said, shaking his head and putting a hand onto your thigh. He was smiling, though, so at least your show was appreciated.

"Just say the word and I'll play you all the jams. Ooo, y'knowanothergoodone-- I'll be yo' grooupie, babyy, 'cause you are my suuperstah--

"Stop, stop!"

Pausing to cackle for a moment and turn the radio completely off, you went back into show mode much to the mirth of your Fontaine.

[maplerunner0207]

For Sinc

Just a little something for the GOAT. Thanks Sinc.

You’re sitting in the changing room, soothing music pumping through your headphones. Your teammates and the staff bustle around you, downing electrolytes and getting final treatments.  It’s showtime: Portland vs. Gotham. You’re not starting, but you assume you’ll be subbed in for Reyna around the 60 minute mark if all goes well. You hope that the Thorns can get the win. It’s been a tumultuous season, and you’ve all had to deal with a lot of shit along the way. But mostly, you hope you can send Sinc out on a high note. You close your eyes, and think back to your first interaction with the woman who had been your childhood hero.

You were 16, still in high school, and fresh out of junior team camp. Canada’s Next Superstar is what the sports journalists had called you, even going so far as to liken you to a young Jessie Fleming. It was a lot of pressure. But then your parents had gotten a call from head coach Bev Priestman. You had been selected, at only 16 years of age, to train with the senior team in a September camp. To say you were elated was an understatement. Which is how you found yourself, jetlagged and luggage burdened, tripping over your feet as you entered your assigned room at the team hotel.

“Can I help you with that?” you heard a voice chuckle. Blushing and looking up from the suitcase you had unceremoniously tripped over, you locked eyes with Christine Sinclair. The Christine Sinclair. So much for first impressions. “Oh, uh-sure thanks.” She grabbed a few of your bags, leaving you standing in the doorway, mentally slamming your head against the wall and cursing your two left feet. She set your bags down on the bed closest to the door and beckoned you to come in. “So, it’s your first senior camp, huh?” she said with a knowing smile. “Yeah,” you replied. “You’re pretty young,” she countered, after a few moments of silence. “Yeah,” you said a little quieter. “Hey, I’m not trying to scare you,” she laughs, “I just want you to be comfortable here. We’ve had plenty of young girls on the national team, and they’ve all turned out ok. You can ask-” “Jessie,” you cut in, “Jessie Fleming. She was younger than me. I’m 16.” She stared at you, then said, “You remind me of her, when she was your age. You know, I think you two will get along pretty well.”

And so began your national team journey. Christine was right. You and Jessie did get along. Vanessa called it the “wallflower alliance”, but you kind of just clicked from the get go. There was a silent understanding between the two of you to be the first on the field for extra passing and touch drills. And with all of the bubbly and enthusiastic personalities of the team, silence was exactly what you needed sometimes. Sure, you liked being around people, but you had always functioned best independently. And you were an observer. This same quality had saved you from a fair share of havoc from the team’s pranksters. But it also enabled you to read people with a scary accuracy.

Before even stepping foot on the national team, you had known that Christine Sinclair was a world-class football player and leader. She was an all-time great in Canada Soccer history. But after getting to know her, you found that Christine Sinclair was a giver. She touched lives in meaningful ways. If you had to choose a single embodiment of good in the world, you would choose Sinc. From reaching out to any struggling team member after a rough game, to coming over to your lonely apartment to celebrate Thanksgiving after you had signed with Portland, Sinc showed how deeply she cared about so many others. And even after going out of her way to help seemingly anyone but herself, Sinc hated recognition for any act of goodwill. It was something you really admired and also despised about her.

Which is why you slip your headphones off and stand up on your seat. “Can I get everyone’s attention!” The changing room stills and all eyes turn towards you. You fight down a blush and clear your throat. “I just want to say from the bottom of my heart, thank you Sinc.” You turn your body towards her as your other teammates start cheering and urging you on. “You’ve inspired a whole generation of girls and boys in this sport, including me. And that young girl all those years ago in my first senior camp is so grateful for the role model and caring figure that you’ve been. We’ve all been lucky to have you leading this team. Through ups and downs, you’ve always worn this badge with pride. And now, when we go out tonight to defend it, just know that we’re doing it for you too.” She smiles up at you. Rallying one last shout, you say, “For Sinc!”

[johnslittlespoon]

all the actor/celebrity au posts lately combined with troye bringing ross on stage last night for one of your girls has got me thinking...

a musician x musician au where gale is a troye sivan–esque ultra–famous queer pop star, and john's the singer of a well known indie rock band, and he gets asked by gale's team to star in a music video similar to one of your girls...

to everyone who doesn't know him personally, gale feels like this untouchable pop star. he's been in the industry for years, one of those classic 'i used to make music in my bedroom in my small town' stories, working his ass off before finally a song of his blows up and gets traction and then it's such a fast rise to stardom that he doesn't have time to wrap his head around it.

he never gets used to it, but he doesn't get an ego from it; he still hangs out with the same group of friends he's had since high school, and his team does most of his social media posting for him, because it freaks him out having all that attention, as grateful as he is. he's not shy by any means, not like he was when he started out, but he's not the biggest fan of all the fanfare and interviews and being put on a pedestal and all that. he keeps himself pretty distant online, and that coupled with the diva/superstar energy in his music/projects gives him this air of being on another level– a rare type of star all around.

john has a similar story, the whole growing up on the internet thing, making music in his basement in high school with the friends he's now in a pretty popular indie rock band with, working tirelessly to make a name for him and his friends. but that's kinda where their similarities end.

because john is known for being an absolute shit–poster, a little fiend online, a running joke in his fandom that 'john doesn't know that he's famous', 'should someone remind him this isn't a finsta?' type of vibe. he feels so accessible and down to earth, and while he's just as level headed and humble about his celebrity status as gale is, he displays it by being more present and trying to show the human side of it all, vs gale trying to create distance between gale cleven and the gale persona the world knows.

the band is first and foremost john's thing, but as he's grown in popularity, he's of course gotten offers for other avenues here and there, and at the insistence of his manager he decides to agree to try out a modelling shoot one day. he's not naive; he's more than aware of all the comments going on about his looks, stumbles across more tiktok thirst trap edits of him sweaty and shirtless on stage than he can count, isn't all too sfw in some of his band's songs, either.

he finds it all funny, but he also is someone who will always jump on new opportunities/experiences, and he ends up having a good time modelling, and picks up more gigs as time goes on. this is how gale becomes aware of him, somewhat because gale does occasional modelling too, but mostly because he's worked with a lot of big fashion names for tours and videos, so his and john's circles occasionally crossover, though they never actually meet in person.

so then comes this music video shoot, one that gale's been agonizing over for months, planning every little detail and making sure everything is perfect. it's something that drives his manager (marge? <3 gotta include the angel in every au obvs) insane because gale's got so much on his plate as is, but he likes to be so hands on with his projects, and she knows by now there's no talking him out of that. and everything is going great, until the person who's meant to be starring opposite gale has to pull out last minute due to a scheduling conflict or personal emergency or something.

and the usually very collected and put together gale is freaking out. it's the day before the shoot, everyone involved has already travelled to be on location, choreography is set in stone– this is his nightmare scenario, never doing well in situations where he has a lack of control. it's half of what scares him so much about being as famous as he is, is that he doesn't have a lot of autonomy or control over his own image or how he's perceived in the public eye (and digging deeper into backstory, probably stems from wanting to take back control after a childhood filled with being controlled by family.)

but it's situations like these where he's reminded why marge is his manager and he isn't, because she leaps into action the moment they find out about the cancellation, calming gale down so they can put their heads together to find a replacement. they reach out to a few of the names they have connections to, but it's too short notice for all of them, so maybe marge even just resorts to going through the people gale follows on instagram, and stumbles across john's page. he's got a good rep in industry and has worked on less 'conventional' projects before, so marge shuts down gale's fretting over "would he be comfortable with something like this?" by telling him there's only one way to find out, and contacting john's manager.

john agrees before he even hears the full pitch, and he's just as keen afterwards (albeit a bit nervous because by no means is he a professional dancer), knowing it'll be good publicity, and curious to explore a more artsy/out there gig, but also curious about the illusive gale, who he'd been surprised to receive a follow from a few weeks back.

john is flown out that night to the city of the shoot location, barely having a few minutes to change and head to the rehearsal space, where he meets a very frazzled but very thankful gale for the first time.

maybe they both have some preconceived notions about each other, despite having mutual respect and no actual interactions; john probably expects gale to be a bit stand–offish or conceited given his high celebrity status, but finds gale's actually bashful and quiet and easygoing when the cameras are off (when they're on, it's like he flips a switch, slipping into this persona, exuding confidence and sexuality and it honestly blows john's mind to witness in person).

gale probably expects to john to be loud and abrasive based off his well known social media posts, maybe even a little uncomfortable around gale, who is openly queer, whereas john isn't– maybe john hasn't ever stated his sexuality, has never given much thought to it, it doesn't matter much to him. instead he finds john's actually a little shy, much less bravado than he'd anticipated, but very enthusiastic and eager to learn and get the choreo and everything else right, assuring gale repeatedly that he's down to do whatever is needed.

so the two of them rehearse till the early hours of the morning, john taking it as seriously as though it's his own project he's invested months into, and gale gains such admiration for his commitment and willingness to stick his neck out for a borderline stranger (even though he's obviously aware this is a big boost for john's career). john gains a newfound appreciation for gale's work ethic and how much effort goes into every little thing for a huge artist like him.

and inevitably... there is sexual tension during the rehearsals. they're both overtired and sweaty and it's such a strange situation to meet for like five minutes and then jump right into dancing together so intimately, having to shed any inhibitions and self consciousness, but it's a blessing in the sense that they have to get comfortable around each other so quickly. there's no room for modesty or shyness, and john is genuinely speechless at how gale puts business first, and after double checking that john isn't uncomfortable, how he has no qualms about physically directing john, moving him how he wants him.

it's hot to john, the way gale knows exactly what he wants and is so passionate about his vision, and he'd be lying if he said the combination of being starstruck and being lowkey manhandled isn't getting to his head a bit. which is a whole other thing to unpack, because aside from vague acknowledgement of some men being attractive/beautiful, he's never actually found himself flustered by one like this, and it catches him off guard. he stays professional, but he still can't help but let his naturally flirtatious/joking personality slip out as the night drags on; he's like that with everyone he works with or hangs out with, and he thinks it would be weirder if he wasn't like that with gale, like everyone else would somehow notice.

meanwhile gale is fighting his own demons because he's got a very sought–after, very hot, very straight man dropping everything for him and letting him puppeteer him, on top of being so stubborn that even though gale can tell he's exhausted, john's refusing to call it a night until gale does, and THEN as if all that's not enough, john's effortlessly witty and complimentary and flirty. and gale's not one to mix business and pleasure, so he's not even entertaining these emotions, but he can't help but feel flattered by it all, while also reminding himself that john probably doesn't swing that way.

basically they both are discovering they have competence kinks lmao, like objectively they both find the other attractive, but it's not like they aren't constantly surrounded by beautiful humans in their lines of work, so it's more so the emotional side/work ethic that gets them both flustered, coupled with the inherent sexuality of dancing with very little clothing, hands on sweaty skin and toned muscles. but neither of them act on it, too tired by the time they call it a night even if they'd wanted to, and then it's back to their respective hotels to get a few hours of sleep before the shoot.

john isn't called to be on location until mid afternoon, and when he wakes up to his phone ringing and glances at the time, he freaks out, thinking he's slept through the shoot or something because he'd expected to be called early in the morning. he's told that he didn't sleep through it, but he's disoriented until he shows up, when he's told that gale had moved things around, filming as many scenes as he could without him before john was needed for his part, so that john could get more rest. (john swoons. just a little.)

he gets swept up in the capable hands of hair and makeup and wardrobe in his own trailer, and he doesn't see gale until it's time to film, and when he does, he almost doesn't believe it's gale. the glam makeup, the long blonde wig, the form–fitting sheer black dress and heels– gale's pretty as is, but with his features accentuated like that, john doesn't even know what to do with himself, feels like he's going through a midlife crisis at the ripe age of 25. he'd known gale would be in some sort of getup for their choreo, but nothing could've prepared him for this.

it makes it even more endearing that gale seems so awkward about it when he greets john, clearly out of his comfort zone in the ensemble, but john knows there's no way gale doesn't know how stunning he is, it's not a lack of confidence that's making him awkward. john keeps it together, reminds himself to be professional. tells gale it was really sweet that he let him sleep in, that he didn't have to do that, to which gale waves him off like it's no big deal. and he compliments gale too as they walk onto set, tells him, "you look great, wow," tame as he can be, and gale tells him "could say the same for you," and john snorts, gesturing to his simple jeans and boots and lack of shirt, says "feeling a bit underdressed, actually," and it gets a laugh out of gale.

when the cameras are rolling, any of that visible discomfort or awkwardness in gale disappears like someone's snapped their fingers and rid him of it, movements fluid like water, not an ounce of anything other than confidence and power and sensuality seeping through as he commands the camera with his energy. despite his aching body, john's grateful they ran the routine into the ground last night to the point that it's nearly muscle memory, because it's hard to concentrate when gale's looking down at him through long faux–lashes and gloss–plumped lips, caressing his jaw, playing with his hair, the sway of his hips and roll of his waist beneath john's hands so mesmerizing, john's half convinced he's being serenaded by a siren.

the tension would be insane, but equally confusing because neither of them would be able to discern what's an act and what's not, or if it's all just an act, pushing and pulling at an invisible line but never quite stepping over it even once the shoot wraps, both for the sake of professionalism but also for fear of rejection.

maybe after it all, john's on his flight back home and realizes in the whirlwind of everything, he never got gale's number (has a moment of 'why would i need it? this was just a gig' lol okay yearner). john's not even sure at that point what/how he's feeling about gale, the conflicting emotions of feeling attraction to him while in borderline drag doing nothing to help the confusion, especially because he can't excuse the attraction as just that when he was feeling things during rehearsal in casual clothes too.

he knows he could easily ask his manager to reach out to gale's manager for his number, but then he gets in his head convincing himself that if gale had wanted to talk further, surely he would've asked for john's number, since gale has way more reason to be selective with his own with his status.

he doesn't realize that on the other end of things, gale's realizing he also never got john's number, only he's talking himself out of reaching out because he doesn't want to read into john's friendliness as something flirtatious when as far as he knows, john is straight, and this was likely just a job for john, as well as they seemed to get along.

cue miscommunication when one of them actually works up the courage to dm the other on instagram since they're mutuals– either john dms gale something simple, a 'thanks again for the opportunity', and because gale is never on his socials and gale's team doesn't check messages much, it's weeks before anyone clocks john's message, during which john becomes sure he's nothing more than a coworker to gale, which he understands but is sad about. or, gale dms john, but from a private account with an innocuous username that he has just for friends and family, and john never even opens it because the lack of profile picture and generic user blends in with all the other message requests he gets a day.

they only end up reconnecting when the music video actually drops, because obviously it breaks the internet, and john happens to be doing promo interviews and radio shows at the time for his band's new album and tour, so an interviewer of course asks him what the experience was like working on a set like that and working with gale. john gives a glowing review, goes out of his way to praise gale– "the nicest guy you'll ever meet, and the craziest work ethic i've ever witnessed firsthand in hollywood."

when the interviewer asks if john would ever consider working with him again, y'know, the classic question an interviewer has to ask so they can drum up clicks with a 'john egan hints at possible future project with gale cleven!' title, john lays it on thick the way he always does with a wink at the camera and a "he can call me up anytime," but then adds a serious "no, really, i would love to work with him again, he was great."

predictably, the people who are already losing their shit over the music video and making edits and fan theories about the two of them go even crazier, spam–tagging gale and his team in the comments of this interview post, which leads to it eventually making its way to gale, and gale then realizes that john hasn't been uninterested; he must've just not seen his message since surely he would've replied if he had (marge looks at him with so much disappointment when gale mentions his attempt to reach out– "gale, no one with that kind of following is going through dm requests from faceless, private instagram pages, you of all people should know this").

gale hasn't told marge about his possible feelings, but marge isn't dumb; she didn't stand on set for nearly 24 hours with her eagle–eyes and not notice the way gale had been looking at john. to anyone else, it might've just seemed like he was leaning into his persona, but marge has known gale for a long time, and she could tell it wasn't all him playing it up for the cameras.

so marge puts her manager–brain and best friend–brain together and decides that with all the hype surrounding the new song and video, the two of them being seen together in public and making a few posts together would be a great boost for both of them. but she knows gale will never go for it if she voices this to him, because he'd see it as using john for popularity; she reasons that if he doesn't know, it can't be using. so she reaches out to john's manager and figures out when they'll both be back in the same city, and relays her plan as if it's just business, asking for john's manager to let john know that gale will be in town the next week if he wants to set something up, and she gives the manager gale's number for john to contact.

when gale wakes up one morning to a 'hi, this is john! my manager passed on your number to me, hope that's okay. i was told you're in town next week? :)' and then 'egan. btw. lots of johns out there.' and then 'the music video guy.' (john, absolutely panicking on his end, worrying that gale might not even remember his name, not knowing gale's been stalking his socials and confusion–pining just as much as john has been doing the same.)

and then more miscommunication after they arrange to hang out, because john assumes this is just for publicity based on what his manager told him, and he understands, as much as he wishes they're hanging out properly. but gale assumes this is a genuine hangout, because john never says otherwise, until the end of the evening, when gale has to leave for a dinner event and john says "we better take those pics for the 'gram before we say goodbye, or the big guns'll have a fit."

and either gale masks his surprise and then disappointment and goes along with it, thinking maybe he missed a memo or misread things, and this conflict and miscommunication is dragged out even longer, or gale doesn't hide his confusion in time, and john is then equally confused, says "your manager didn't...?" and gale says "sorry, i didn't know; i guess i misread your texts," feeling stupid that he's been thinking the hangout is anything other than a pr stunt. and then there's the awkward "no! no– well, yeah, i was told that this was to promote the video, so i thought– i mean, i would've liked to hang anyway, i just didn't think you wanted to?" from john.

gale is slowly connecting the dots in his head and he's so embarrassed, but also relieved that he hasn't misread things and made a fool of himself. john looks on the verge jumping out of his skin as gale sits quietly, so gale puts him out of his misery, smiles and pushes his irritation about the incident down and says "i do want to, john. i think marge– it doesn't matter. it was a miscommunication, i guess." and all the tension evaporates out of john's body, and he lets out a laugh, and a "oh, thank god. fuck. i was about to walk into the street," and gale lets himself relax too, scoffing at john.

so they decide to have a redo the next week, since they both do feel obligated to take their stupid pictures now to please their teams (and the internet), and thus a tentative friendship is born, the two of them dancing around each other and around feelings because everything is confusing as is, let alone with the way their careers affect every aspect of their lives. so much slowburn, lots of john trying to figure his attraction out and gale keeping his walls up because the thought of literally becoming the person he's singing about in his music video is laughable, he doesn't wanna be strung around or used as an experiment for john.

and john respects this unspoken boundary and also appreciates that they can get to know each other as friends while he tries to stop freaking out every time he pictures him and gale doing less than platonic things. probably a whole lot of chaos on john's end with the absolute tornado that he is, ie: '4am 'am i gay' quizzes taken in the dark of his bunk on a tour bus, asking an openly queer friend from his band if his feelings toward gale are normal, rumours started by a fan that they saw john in a gay club after a show, etc.

because john doesn't do anything halfway– he's ready to literally go out and kiss men and explore his newfound feelings, not just to prove himself to gale, but to figure himself out, because he's terrified of hurting gale since john doesn't have the best track record with relationships. overthinks the shit out of everything and doesn't realize it's not that deep, that liking gale doesn't mean he's suddenly attracted to all men, that all gale wants is for john to be confident in himself and his feelings for him before pursuing anything.

there's a lot of back and forth and messiness and emotions stacked on top of their already crazy hectic schedules and lives, the theorizing and prying from fans and paparazzi, caution from management, but when they eventually have their point of no return moment and cross that line from friends to more, the chemistry is so intense that both of them feel stupid for dragging things out for so long.

when the initial new relationship shyness wears off, the sex is also insane, all the exploration and playfulness (and inevitability of the whole feminization thing coming back into play since that's what starts everything in the first place lol). they're barely able to keep their hands off each other, almost always spending the night at each other's places, stealing as much time as they can to make up for the time apart when there are tours or other events separating them.

they try to keep things private for a while, but with how active john is online, he slips up a good few times– tiktoks where a hat or something of gale's is accidentally left in the background, story posts where john's wearing one of gale's hoodies unthinkingly, mirror selfies where there's a mystery hand or leg in the background. the internet is torn, some convinced it's coincidence, some certain it's all a pr stunt to get people talking, some adamant that they're in a secret relationship. gale's never upset about it; they both just know how much things will change if they go public.

months are spent sneaking around, rarely going on public dates, the odd paparazzi shots still leaking out until it finally gets to the point that there's no point hiding things anymore, it's obvious that they're not just friends. they never actually announce it or make some relationship launch post; they just stop caring, and it's freeing and neither of them expect to be so affected by being able to publicly show affection for each other, but it's such a sweet thing and makes things feel so much more real.

john goes to gale's sold out arena shows and stares up at him in awe and can't believe that gale chooses him every day, and gale goes to john's band's high energy festival sets and watches his golden boy light up with joy every time he glances at him side stage and can't believe john chooses him too.

:-)

lol this post was meant to just be the two lines above the cut but then i got to thinking about origin stories and whoops new au drabble because i'm a master at getting carried away!!

[panelshowsource]

there are a lot of fun lil things to catch up and enjoy and shout out so think of this as my lil newsletter of the week :)

been a lot of great discussions on the rest is entertainment recently! a few i recommend: 1) in this ep richard discusses the former (😥) importance of the edinburgh fringe and how the pipeline standup>stage>stardom has completely changed with the popularisation of social media and the instant delivery of topical comedy (loved the vittorio shoutout!); 2) in this recent ep (8:17) richard talks about the integrity and motivations of professional tv quizzers, like those on the chase; and 3) in this another recent ep (20:33) richard passionately criticises the emmys allowing the bear to compete as a comedy series and yet again stands up for out-of-work as well as underappreciated comedy writers

rob beckett & romesh ranganathan are doing promo for the new season of rob & romesh vs, so here is a ridiculous video of them doing "impressions" on ladbible lmao

david mitchell's new series ludwig comes out this week!!! this is a wonderful interview with david + rave reviews are rolling in from the guardian, the radio times, and more

larry dean had a small speaking part in the netflix film this time next year, which is out now!

icymi global superstar, drag artist, and scottish comedian/enne lawrence chaney took over trixie's channel a few weeks ago

GRAHAM NORTON SHOW IS BACK ON FRIDAY!!! 9/27 Lady Gaga, Colin Farrell, Demi Moore, Richard Ayoade, and Jack Savoretti & Miles Kane 10/4 Hugh Grant, Sebastian Stan, Greg Davies, and Neneh Cherry

i know i talked about this last week but just so everything is in one place here are the links for bobby mair's and harriet kemsley's episodes of the divorce podcast

vic reeves recently made a few comments about wanting to get back with bob to do something new 🥹

some new books out! and most of these include book tours — including richard osman in the USA this week!!! tickets here We Solve Murders by Richard Osman Friends of Dorothy by Sandi Toksvig Jokes, Jokes, Jokes by Jenny Eclair Frankie by Graham Norton

speaking of people coming to north america here are a few coming up: 9/5–10/3 Jamali Maddix 10/11–10/27 Sindhu Vee 11/8 Michael & Jack Whitehall 11/9–13 Paul Chowdhry 2025 Romesh Ranganathan, Mo Gilligan (can anyone else believe ben elton went to mf abu dhabi but couldn't make it over to the usa for a show or two 🥲)

david o'doherty has a new podcast out with max rushden called what did you do yesterday?, and the first guests include elis james, lou sanders, alex horne, josh widdicombe, and suzi ruffell

just a reminder that fin taylor is still...fin tayloring over on ig

joe lycett is currently filming a series for sky where he goes to all of the birminghams in the usa LMAO he's giving sneak peeks of his country-wide travels on his social media so check them out hehe

fern brady won big at the sky arts awards :")<3

[saintmagx]

✨ Cruel Summer ✨

Part 2

pairing: Solo Sikoa x reader, Jey Uso × reader (briefly)

AN: If you’d like tagged, let me know 💖

⚠️ Warnings: 18+ , swearing, violence (this is the WWE after all) slight smut, infidelity (if you squint), jealous Jey, toxic behaviour, bad/embarrassing writing ⚠️

doesn't follow a specific timeline however it is more recent, total divas making a return.

✨ Said I’m fine but it wasn’t true, I don’t want to keep secrets just to keep you ✨

The match was going off without a hitch, I had Charlotte in a headlock ready to execute my finisher when I’m taken down from behind by Rhea, the plan was for her to beat me down then escape through the crowd laughing and holding her title up high, I sold the beat down like a pro and the heat she was getting was phenomenal. Corey Graves and Michael Cole were doing their part on commentary making this look like a sickening attack, though as per his character Corey was doing his best to be a little shit that he is and side with the heel superstar. Smackdown ended with me out cold in the middle of the ring. What a way to kick off this rivalry.

Backstage, Gorilla

Back in the gorilla I’m met with hunter.

“Amazing job out there yn!”

“I’m afraid that was all Demi, I just followed her lead.”

A thick Aussie accent fills the gorilla.

“Nah, don’t sell yourself short yn, I wouldn’t have been able to look half as good if your selling of the beat down wasn’t as great.”

I’ve finally come face to face with demi, her aura radiates confidence and raw sex appeal.

“Okay ladies, you both did good.” Hunter states “but now, we have to incorporate the Uso’s into this, so next week on Smackdown the Judgement Day will meet the Uso’s.”

There is a real buzz backstage about this upcoming Smackdown. I just hope it’s something that the fans can really sink their teeth into.

Yn interview (TD segment)

“I always try and look at social media after a match, everyone things I’m crazy but honestly I need to know how it’s coming across to the fans.”

“If something isn’t working or isn’t believable you best believe the WWE universe will make their opinions known.”

Yn picks up her phone and goes into twitter.

“See, look at these comments.”

Mami vs yn????? TAKE MY MONEY NOW #smackdown #wwe

Mami stepping all over yn, me next jkjkjk unless👀 @RheaRipley_WWE #smackdown

Rhea why????? What did yn do to you :( #wwesmackdown

My two favourite woman beefing 😭 this will go down as the greatest rivalry ever!!!!!!!!!! #wwe #smackdown

“Okay, yeah some are a bit more extreme than others, but it shows that what we are doing, the story we are trying to tell is getting over with the fans. I just hope the Uso’s and Judgement Day can pull it out the bag too.”

The next day after I’m on television, I always wake up to messages from family and friends congratulating, consoling or just trying to get details out of me about what’s happening next, but my lips are sealed.

If I don’t see Jon, Trin or Josh before leaving the arena I always have multiple messages from them too, and today was no different.

J 💖

Get yo ass ready, we going for breakfast

Or we could stay in and I’ll have breakfast 👀

Did you get message?

You better be getting ready!!!!

I’m leaving now

Yn?

*10 missed calls J 💖*

Shit.

As I’m getting up, I hear banging from the other side of my hotel room, I don’t have to guess what, or who is making that noise. Opening the door, I’m greeted with an unamused Josh.

“Why didn’t you answer my calls or texts? I thought something had happened to you!”

“Well as you can see, I’m fine, so if you don’t mind, I need to get ready for breakfast.”

As I turn to walk away, I’m pulled into the familiar arms of his, my forbidden safe place. If Josh knew I was harbouring these feelings for him, this would all stop, and I could potentially lose him and I’m not ready for that.

Whispering into my ear he says the one thing I’ve been desperate to hear:

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry for yesterday and the way I acted when you were talking with Orton, I know he’s just a friend but fuck, I hate when other men talk to my girl.”

“Your girl? So, are you mine then too?” I say sarcastically, knowing his answer.

He smirks “You know all this can’t be tied down.”

As much as we have had this conversation before, and I already knew his answer - it hurt but I couldn’t let him see that.

“Exactly Josh, so how about we cut the bullshit and call this for what it is? Two friends having fun.”

He spins me around and lifts my chin so I’m looking at him, his eyes dark and fiery – he was pissed.

“Okay, lets call it for what it is, you are mine.”

His large soft lips engulf my own, filling my body with the same euphoric feeling I always get with him.

“Now go get ready, Trin and Jon are waiting for us.”

At Breakfast (TD Segment)

“Hey girl, you took your time.”

“Ay did my brother try keep you from us AGAIN?”

“Trin, I overslept and Jon no one can keep me from you guys.” I say sitting next to Trin.

No matter what I’m going through, being with my family always makes me feel better. My happy place.

“Ya’ll mind if I sit?”

Joseph Fatu. As much as we run in the same circles, I’ve only ever met him once and that was in Hunters office. From what Trin and the boys have told me he’s quiet at first, but when he warms up, he is truly a special soul.

“Sit yo ass down, you aint gotta ask uce.”

I can see the Fatu resemblance. The dark mysterious eyes, the infectious smile and in contrast the brooding stare. These boys have good genes. My eyes start to wonder to the ink across his arms, studying each piece as if I was an art enthusiast. Looking back up I see his eyes are already on me with the signature Fatu stare, I smile and return to my conversation with Trin, hoping he hadn’t realised how long id been staring.

Unbeknownst to me, the waitress that had been serving us had been making heart eyes at Josh the entire time, and he had noticed this. Whether it was to get back at me for speaking up earlier or Josh being Josh, he started flirting with her at the table, she was over exaggerating her laugh and he was pulling out all the usual material that worked on these types of women. Watching him flirting wasn’t something knew and normally I wouldn’t bother much, however they exchanged numbers and arranged to meet up tonight. My stomach became heavy, and I felt like I was going to throw up, my heart was breaking once again and the cause? Josh Fatu.

Trin and Jon interview (TD segment)

“I love my brother deeply, but he is such an idiot.”

“Flirting with another girl right when yn is sitting at the table? That’s messed up.”

“Yeah Jon, your right your brother is an idiot. How could he do that to her?”

My eyes begin to sting as I excuse myself. This behaviour is nothing knew but each time it happened it took a little piece of me. Why did I have to fall in love with him of all people?!

tagged: @southerngirl41 @christinabae @raya-hunter01

[virgoilluminati]

World Class

next chapter

Chapter 4.

Previous chapter

A/N: hey guys! It's been a while, I'm so sorry that I haven't posted in AGES but I started Uni! And its honestly just one of the weirdest experiences of my life. This is the next chapter of this world class series, honestly dk when this will be finished or when the next chapter will be but enjoy :)

Word Count: 3.4k

Warnings: y/n being main character lmao (the angst is so extra and unnecessary but i wanted to make this story so extra). Jude Bellingham being a cutie pa tootie and swearing lol. 💕

leahwilliamson

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leahwilliamson we won the fifa match

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keirawalsh you may have won the battle but i will win the war 💥💥

leahwilliamson Leah 1, Keira 0. Easy peasy!

y/nmorrison @leahwilliamson I have now officially had a coffee overdose thanks to you two.

The soft morning light struggled to pierce through the curtains, and there you were, dragged into an unexpected adventure. Leah, the early morning dynamo and the team's captain, had leaped onto your bed with the grace of a ninja sloth.

"Rise and shine, superstar!" Leah declared, bouncing on your bed like it was a trampoline.

You, still half-asleep, attempted to process the bizarre situation. "Leah, what on earth are you doing?"

But Leah was on a mission, grabbing your wrist and dragging you downstairs like a determined detective chasing a criminal. Downstairs, in the living room, she pointed to the TV with the seriousness of an FBI agent about to crack a case.

"The TV."

You blinked, slowly realizing the gravity of the situation. "Leah, it's just a TV."

"No! It's FIFA!" Leah protested with the conviction of a conspiracy theorist. "I've been trying to beat Keira since the dawn of time, but she always wins. The only way I can beat her is by practicing."

You, still in your pajamas and jet-lagged from a recent trip to Spain, sighed. "When's your next game?"

"Today at 8 AM," Leah replied, her eyes gleaming with determination.

"So, let me get this straight," you said, trying to wrap your head around it all. "You woke me up at the crack of dawn to help you practice FIFA so you can defeat Keira at 8 AM?"

Leah nodded vigorously. "Exactly!"

You rubbed your eyes and reached for the coffee maker. "Alright, alright. But first, coffee. Lots and lots of coffee."

As you all gathered around the TV, your FIFA boot camp began. Mary joined in at 6 AM, bewildered by the early morning antics. "Leah, Y/N, what are you—"

But one glance at the TV, and she got it. "You've been sucked into the Keira vs. Leah saga, haven't you?" she asked, shaking her head.

You, already on your second cup of coffee, groaned and begged Mary to show you how to take a penalty kick, realizing that this absurd adventure had no end in sight.

As if on cue, the door swung open, revealing the towering figure of Bronze, the star defender. She surveyed the scene with an arched eyebrow and a bemused smile.

"What on earth is happening here?" Bronze asked, her voice a blend of curiosity and amusement.

Leah, still fervently determined to achieve FIFA greatness, answered before you could. "We're gearing up for the ultimate showdown with Keira. It's a matter of life and death, you know!"

Bronze chuckled, crossing her arms. "Alright, let me show you kids some of my international soccer wizardry." With that, she grabbed the controller from your hand and began demonstrating advanced maneuvers, earning impressed nods from the rest of you.

The living room had transformed into a battleground of FIFA enthusiasts, with tips and tricks flying faster than a Messi free-kick. The clock ticked on, the sun climbed higher, and the smell of coffee became a permanent fixture in the room.

Just when you thought your day couldn't get any stranger, the door creaked open again, and in strolled Daly. She eyed the chaos with a raised eyebrow, her imposing presence making the room feel smaller.

"What's all this commotion?" Daly asked, her deep voice cutting through the virtual crowd.

Leah, still on her mission to recruit everyone for the Keira vs. Leah face-off, eagerly explained. "It's Keira vs. Leah, Daly. I need to outmatch her at FIFA, and we're in intense training mode."

Daly considered this for a moment, then grinned. "Count me in. Let's give Keira a run for her virtual money."

With Daly on your side, your team was complete. The living room had evolved into a makeshift soccer arena, where tactics and skills were honed with determination. As the sun reached its zenith, you were more resolved than ever to dethrone Keira from her FIFA throne.

Keira, little did she know, was about to face a united front. A team of fierce competitors, armed with newfound FIFA skills, and fueled by caffeine and sheer determination, was poised to take her on in the virtual soccer showdown of the century. The saga had become a sideshow in itself, and it was only a matter of time before the epic showdown unfolded on the pixelated pitch.

The living room had been transformed into a battlefield of pixelated glory as Leah and Keira prepared to face off in the ultimate FIFA showdown. Each was seated on one end of the sofa, clutching their controllers like they were the keys to victory. On either side of the room, their respective teams had gathered, divided into passionate discussions of strategy.

Keira's dream team consisted of Millie, Chloe, Alessia, and Ella, all known for their formidable FIFA skills. The tension in the room was palpable as the match commenced.

Leah, her eyes fixed on the screen, whispered to herself with determination, "I've trained for this moment. It's time to show Keira what I'm made of."

Keira, on the other hand, couldn't resist a sly grin. "Ready to be humbled, Leah?"

The virtual soccer field came to life, but it wasn't just about the game; it was about the comical chaos that unfolded around it.

Millie cheered enthusiastically for Keira. "Go, Keira! Score that goal!"

Georgia, on Leah's side, leaned in and whispered, "I heard Keira practices her penalty kicks in her sleep. No pressure, though."

Alessia, trying to distract Leah, chimed in, "Hey, Leah, did you hear there's a new cafe in town? Great place to celebrate your impending defeat."

Ella, sipping on a smoothie, added casually, "Oh, sorry, Leah. Were you trying to concentrate?"

Leah's team wasn't about to be outdone in the banter department.

Daly couldn't resist mocking Keira. "Keira, did you confuse the FIFA controls with your phone again?"

Bronze joined in, feigning shock. "Oh no, Keira scored? Must be a solar eclipse or something."

Mary, pretending to be a commentator, announced, "And Keira makes a pass... to the wrong player. Classic Keira move."

The living room was a cacophony of shouts, laughter, and exaggerated victory dances. Even the cat decided to join the spectacle, chasing an imaginary ball across the floor.

Leah, nudging you for help, said urgently, "Y/N, give me some tips!"

You, struggling to concentrate amid the chaos, replied, "I can't, Leah! I'm still recovering from the espresso overdose this morning!"

As the match intensified, the score remained neck-and-neck, and the room's atmosphere became increasingly charged with suspense. It all came down to the final minutes of the game.

Keira, her nerves showing, urged her team, "Come on, team, we can't let Leah win!"

Leah, filled with unwavering determination, rallied her team, "This is it, folks! Let's show Keira what we're made of!"

Then, in a moment of sheer absurdity, Leah's team executed an unexpected maneuver, resulting in a goal that left Keira's team in stunned disbelief.

Leah's Team erupted into cheers, shouting, "We did it! We did it!"

Daly laughed heartily, "Looks like Keira's reign of terror is over."

In the final seconds of the match, Leah's team secured their victory, much to Keira's chagrin.

Leah, grinning triumphantly, declared, "I did it! I actually did it!"

Keira, grumbling and refusing to accept defeat, growled, "Rematch. We need a rematch!"

As celebrations erupted and laughter filled the room, the living room had borne witness to a chaotic, comical, and utterly unforgettable FIFA battle. The rivalry between Leah and Keira had reached a new level of absurdity, and it was certain that this saga would be recounted with laughter for years to come.

y/nmorrison

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y/nmorrison football ilysm

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realmadridofficial thank you for coming to see us perform

y/nmorrison @realmadridofficial you guys never disappoint

y/nmorrisonno.1fan. Wait- she came all the way from australia? For a match?

user234 @y/nmorrisonno.1fan and it was jude's debut?

user345 are they making it official?

judebellingham

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judebellingham Thank you to everyone that came out. Tonight was extra special. 3 points up, we go on...

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user190 extra special for what reason jude? 😏

y/nmorrison no.1 fan <3

user2457 not y/n using the same comment as jude earlier this week!

user567 guys! they are soft launching so hard right now.

You sat in your hotel room in Australia and a phone call come through. You answered, and fran's voice came through the line, tinged with concern. "Hey, Y/N, it's Fran. We wanted to talk to you about Jude. He's been a bit down lately. Missing you, I think."

Your heart sank at the thought of Jude feeling lonely and stressed. "Oh, Fran, I miss him too. I want to do something special for him. Can you help?"

Fran grinned, even though you couldn't see it. "That's exactly what we were hoping you'd say. We've got a plan to surprise him before the match. Wear his favorite color and bring his favorite flowers. We'll make sure he is ready."

The Santiago Bernabéu stadium buzzed with electric anticipation as you prepared for your most anticipated match of the season. Jude, your beloved boyfriend and the newly signed star player, was about to make his debut in the iconic white jersey. The air was thick with not just anticipation but also an underlying sense of suspense in the locker room.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, you found yourself in Australia for the Women's World Cup, where you were a talented soccer player yourself. Your team had a few days off, and while you were enjoying the thrill of the tournament, you couldn't shake the longing to see Jude before his momentous match.

You had planned meticulously, coordinating with Jude's teammates for your surprise visit. You knew that blue had always been his favorite color, and you had chosen a stunning blue silk dress to wear for this special occasion. In your hands, you held a bouquet of fresh white lilies, knowing they were Jude's preferred flowers.

As you entered the stadium, your heart raced with excitement, but there was an undeniable sense of suspense in the air. The journey from Australia had been long, but you were determined to be there for Jude on this significant day. Your presence would serve as a symbol of your unwavering support for each other's soccer careers.

The match began, and the stadium roared to life. You sensed that something extraordinary was about to happen, and the suspense was almost unbearable.

As the final whistle blew, signaling Real Madrid's victory, the crowd erupted in jubilation. Jude had played brilliantly, scoring a crucial goal. The suspense that had been building throughout the match reached its peak, and the stadium lights shone brightly, casting long shadows across the field. The cameras and microphones surrounded Jude as the interviewer started asking questions about the game and how he felt scoring the goal.

skynews

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skynews: Shortly after his much discussed transfer to Real Madrid, Jude Bellingham scores on his debut! Full interview in our bio.

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user120 his eyes are somewhere else...

user618 @user120 i think you mean on someone else 😏

user120 that boy is absolutely smitten 🥰

judebellinghamsswife this man is so fine, y/n is a lucky girl🔥

Jude began to speak, trying to keep his focus on the interview. But then, amid the chaos, his eyes searched the stands. And there, like a beacon in the night, he spotted you. Your blue silk dress seemed to glow, and the bouquet of white lilies in your hands was a vision of beauty.

The suspense that had been lingering suddenly exploded into a moment of pure astonishment. The crowd held its breath as Jude's face lit up with surprise and joy. His voice wavered as he answered the interviewer's questions, clearly distracted by your presence.

"You're stunning," Jude whispered, his voice filled with admiration as he gazed at you in your beautiful blue silk dress.

You blushed, a warm smile gracing your lips. "Thank you," you replied softly.

His eyes were locked onto you like a magnet, tracing every curve of your form. Unable to contain his affection, Jude leaned in and showered your face with a cascade of sweet, tender kisses, each one filled with his overwhelming love and joy at your surprise visit.

"Ew, Jude, you're sweaty," you teased, crinkling your nose as you embraced him.

"Just how you like," he replied with a playful smirk, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

You rolled your eyes but couldn't help but smile at his charm. You leaned in to hug him tightly, reveling in the familiar scent of his sweat and the warmth of his embrace.

As you shared this intimate moment, Jude's keen eyes caught sight of a nearby camera. Concern flickered in his eyes, knowing that your surprise visit might not sit well with some fans, and your typically discreet nature when it came to public displays of affection.

"Y/N," he murmured, his voice low and cautious, "there's a camera over there."

You, ever fearless and passionate, followed his gaze and spotted the camera as well. Instead of pulling away, you pulled Jude closer, capturing his lips in a sweet, lingering kiss. The audience erupted into a loud cheer, their love and support for the couple evident in the thunderous applause.

Your relationship with Jude had always been a beautiful blend of openness and privacy. While you never officially announced your romance to the public, it was an open secret among your closest friends, family, and avid fans. You chose to softly reveal your relationship to the world, letting moments of your love story unfold naturally, leaving fans to connect the dots.

Your relationship became a game of reading between the lines for your followers, who delighted in the subtle signs of affection you occasionally shared. There were stolen glances and knowing smiles, but never a direct confirmation of your romance. Well, until now.

Jude, momentarily surprised, couldn't help but smile into the kiss. He realized that sometimes, the world just had to know about your love. As you finally parted, he whispered, "Well, I guess everyone knows now."

You grinned mischievously, "Let them cheer, Jude. We've got nothing to hide."

In the post-match interviews, reporters couldn’t resist asking Jude about that iconic moment. “Jude,” one interviewer grinned, “that kiss with Y/N at the end there was quite a spectacle. Can you tell us more about your relationship?”

Jude, initially taken aback by the attention but never one to shy away from his feelings, chuckled and replied, “Well, I guess the cat’s out of the bag. Y/N and I have been together for a while now, and she’s an amazing person. We met through our love for soccer, and it’s been a fantastic journey together.”

Another reporter, eager to keep the conversation going, chimed in, “Jude, your girlfriend is a phenomenal player on the Women’s England team. Can you share your predictions for her upcoming match?”

Jude’s face lit up with enthusiasm. “Absolutely! Y/N is incredibly dedicated and skilled on the field. I have all the confidence in the world in her and her team. I predict they’ll give it their all and come out with a resounding victory. I’ll be there cheering them on, just like they were there for me today.”

Just as the interview was hitting a high note of positivity, a third interviewer, with a stern expression, jumped into the conversation. “Jude,” they began in a somewhat accusatory tone, “some people argue that women’s football is not the same as men’s football and that your girlfriend, Y/N, might have gotten away with some questionable plays. What’s your response to these critics?”

Jude’s smile faded, replaced by a determined look. He leaned forward and replied firmly, “I have to disagree with that sentiment entirely. Women’s football is just as competitive, skilled, and exciting as men’s football. Y/N and her teammates train just as hard, and they play with the same passion and integrity that I do. Accusations of cheating or undermining their abilities are completely unfounded.”

Jude’s words resonated with a sense of conviction, and it was clear that he was ready to defend not only his girlfriend but also the entire Women’s England team. The interviewer, taken aback by Jude’s strong response, quickly changed the subject, realizing that they had struck a sensitive chord.

hellomagazine

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hellomagazine Real Madrid and English football player Jude Bellingham spotted kissing and holding hands with fellow english footballer Y/N Morrison after she came to a real madrid match during her camp at the womens world cup in Australia.

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user156 leave them alone, poor guy looks so bothered

user350 poor guy is just trying to get to his car and protect his girlfriend

user103 i heard one of the paparazzi started harassing y/n, and he had to step in. Why can't people just leave them alone man. They are humans too!

But as Jude and you tried to leave the stadium, you find yourself surrounded by a persistent crowd of fans and reporters. Despite Jude’s best efforts to steer the conversation towards your respective careers and love for the sport, the questions about your relationship grew increasingly personal and intrusive.

“Jude, can you tell us more about your romantic getaways with Y/N?” one reporter pressed.

You, visibly uncomfortable, interjected, “We’d appreciate it if you could focus on our soccer careers and the game we love.”

But the questions kept coming, probing into their private moments, and both Jude and you began to regret ever announcing your relationship in such a public manner. You exchanged frustrated glances, realizing that your intention to celebrate your love had unintentionally invited a wave of invasive curiosity.

Before you could reach the safety of the car, the relentless paparazzi continued to hound you, snapping photos and shouting questions.

Paparazzo 1: (shouting) “Jude, over here! Tell us about your relationship with Y/N!”

Paparazzo 2: (shouting) “Y/N, how does it feel to be with Jude? Any wedding plans?”

Jude, his patience exhausted, turned towards the paparazzi, his voice filled with frustration.

Jude: (shouting) “That’s enough! Show some respect! Give us some space!”

His voice rang out, commanding attention, and for a moment, the paparazzi fell silent, taken aback by Jude’s sudden outburst. In that brief respite, he continued to guide you to the car, determined to protect you from the invasive questions and cameras.

Furious at the paparazzi who had continued to hound you with intrusive questions and cameras despite your distress, Jude couldn't hold back any longer.

Jude: (shouting) "Can you all just fuck off."

His voice carried a powerful anger, and for a moment, the paparazzi fell silent, taken aback by Jude's fierce outburst. In that brief respite, he continued to guide you to the car, determined to protect you from the invasive questions and cameras.

But before you could reach the safety of the car, the situation took a horrifying turn. An angry fan, infuriated by his team's loss, shoved you away from Jude with a forceful motion. You stumbled backward, your shocked expression giving way to one of disbelief and fear.

Jude's reaction was immediate and protective. His face contorted with anger as he stepped between you and the fan, his voice laced with a threatening edge. "Touch my girlfriend again and I'll fucking kill you. I don't know who you think you are, but you're a fucking idiot. It's a football match get over yourself.

The fan recoiled, shocked by Jude's intense response. The surrounding crowd, already outraged by the fan's behavior, now watched in stunned silence as security personnel rushed in to apprehend the individual responsible for the attack. They ensured that you and Jude were safe from further harm.

Once inside the car, the overwhelming emotions finally overcame you, and you collapsed into Jude's arms, sobbing uncontrollably. Jude held you tightly, his protective instincts firmly in place, as you both sought refuge from the relentless scrutiny.

Inside the taxi, after the harrowing encounter with the fan, you and Jude found a moment of respite. Emotions still ran high, but the leather seats and the warm glow of the city lights outside offered a semblance of security.

Jude held you close, his protective instincts still coursing through him. The trauma of the fan's aggression weighed on both of you, but the taxi ride allowed a brief pause in the turmoil.

Y/N apologized softly, "I'm so sorry, Jude. I just wanted to surprise you."

Jude, gazing into your eyes, furrowed his brow in confusion.

"What?" he asked, curious.

You continued, "I'm sorry-"

Before you could finish, Jude cut in, a mixture of concern and frustration in his voice, "No. Why are you apologizing? You did nothing wrong. If anyone is in the wrong, it was that fucking fan. If I see him again, I'll-"

At that very moment, the taxi's engine roared to life, propelling you away from the chaos. The vehicle became your sanctuary as it glided through the city streets, the comforting embrace of the backseat cocooning you both.

A faint smile crossed your lips, appreciating Jude's protectiveness.

"You'll what?" you teased, looking at him.

Through the taxi's windows, the city lights passed by like a shifting dreamscape.

"I'll kill him.," Jude declared,before cringing. "He touched my girl. He atleast deserves a good punch."

As the taxi journeyed further from the ordeal, you and Jude found solace in each other's presence. Gratitude welled up between you, an unspoken acknowledgment of the support you had offered each other during a trying moment.

Amidst the hum of the engine and the soft glow of the taxi's interior, you shared affectionate glances. The city's rhythm became the backdrop to your unspoken connection.

Jude winced slightly as you two shared another embrace, the ordeal now safely behind you.

"What?" you asked playfully.

"Nothing, it's nothing-" Jude replied.

You pressed further, "No, what is it?"

Jude couldn't suppress a mischievous grin.

"It's just... you smell like booze," he teased.

Smiling, you responded, "You like it."

With those words, you nestled your head on his chest, finding solace in the comforting rhythm of his heartbeat. The taxi carried you both through the city, offering a sanctuary where you could cherish these moments of connection and affection amidst the chaos.

y/ns story

After the chaotic surprise at Santiago Bernabéu, Jude and you decided to make the most of your precious time together in Madrid and not let the match get to you. You strolled hand in hand through the enchanting streets of the Spanish capital, admiring the architecture, savoring delicious tapas, and enjoying each other’s company.

As you walked along the picturesque cobblestone streets, you couldn’t help but express your awe at the beauty of the city. “Jude, Madrid is incredible. I can see why you love playing here.”

Jude nodded, his eyes never leaving you. “It’s even more incredible with you here, Y/N.”

You found yourselves at a charming outdoor café, where you settled into a cozy corner table with a view of the bustling plaza. The warm evening breeze carried the scent of flowers and laughter from nearby tables.

Over glasses of rich Spanish wine, your conversation deepened. You talked passionately about your journey in the Women’s World Cup, describing the dedication and hard work that fueled your ambition.

“Imagine if you did win the World Cup,” Jude mused, a glint of excitement in his eyes.

“Jude,” you started, a hint of modesty in your voice.

“What?” He leaned closer, his gaze locked onto yours. “You must have pictured it! Imagine scoring the winning goal! It would be life-changing.”

Your cheeks flushed, but you couldn’t help but smile at Jude’s enthusiasm. “Hmm, I guess.”

Jude chuckled, his hand reaching across the table to gently squeeze yours. “You guess! Y/N! You’d be everywhere, I’d be chasing you around. Billboard after billboard. It would be inspiring—”

You interrupted, your voice filled with humility, “It would be pretty amazing, wouldn’t it?”

Under the Madrid moonlight, Jude and you felt closer than ever. Your love was as boundless as the cityscape before you, and you knew that no matter where life's journey took you, you would face it together, hand in hand, just as you did on that unforgettable night in Spain.

Your conversation about the future and the Women's World Cup continued to flow, weaving seamlessly into your dreams of a family.

"Imagine the things you could do with that kind of influence," Jude continued, his voice filled with wonder. "The futures you could inspire."

Your eyes sparkled with the possibilities. "And imagine our future. Imagine our kids running around and being able to play wherever we are in the world."

Jude's heart swelled with warmth at the thought. "Now that's something I would love to imagine..."

As you gazed into each other's eyes, your thoughts turned to the family you both longed to create together. Jude's expression softened with a dreamy smile. "I've imagined it, you know. Two boys who look exactly like me, brown scruffy hair, brown eyes, and that mischievous grin of mine."

You laughed, picturing the future he described. "Two little Judes running around, huh? They'd be a handful."

Jude nodded, his gaze filled with affection. "A handful, but they'd have your spirit and determination. And then," he continued, his voice gentle and dreamy, "our little girl, a perfect mix between you and me. With your beautiful eyes and my stubbornness."

Your heart melted at the image he painted. "Our family sounds incredible, Jude. I can't wait for that day."

You held onto that vision of your future, where love, dreams, and the joys of parenthood awaited you. In that moment, as you shared your hopes and dreams under the Madrid moonlight, you knew that your love was strong enough to overcome any obstacle life might throw your way.

The Madrid morning sun streamed through the curtains, casting a warm glow across the hotel room where Jude and you lay tangled in each other's arms. The night had been filled with laughter and whispered promises, but the dawn brought the inevitable parting.

You sighed softly as you gazed at Jude's peaceful sleeping face. You knew you had to leave for your training camp in Australia, but the thought of saying goodbye tugged at your heart.

Jude stirred, his brown eyes fluttering open as he felt your gaze on him. "Morning," he mumbled, his voice husky with sleep.

"Morning," you replied, your fingers tracing lazy patterns on his chest. "I have to go soon."

Jude's arms tightened around you, pulling you closer. "Can't you stay a little longer?"

You smiled sadly, brushing a strand of hair away from his face. "You know I can't, love. Duty calls."

Jude sighed, pressing a gentle kiss to your lips. "I'll miss you so much."

You returned the kiss, savoring the taste of him. "I'll miss you too, Jude. But we'll be together again soon."

You both reluctantly untangled yourselves from each other's embrace and got out of bed. Jude, determined to make your last morning memorable, surprised you with breakfast in bed. He had ordered a delicious spread of pastries, fruits, and coffee, arranging it all on a tray with a single red rose.

Your eyes sparkled with delight as you took in the sight. "You really know how to make a girl's morning special, don't you?"

Jude grinned, handing you a pastry. "Only for you."

You spent your morning indulging in breakfast, sharing stories and laughter as if time were standing still. But the clock on the wall ticked relentlessly, reminding you of the minutes slipping away.

As the moment of departure drew nearer, Jude showered you with kisses and cuddles, trying to make every second count. His lips found yours repeatedly, and his arms refused to let you go.

"I wish you didn't have to leave," Jude whispered against your lips.

You held him close, tears brimming in your eyes. "I wish that too, Jude. I love you."

"I love you too," he whispered, leaning in for a tender goodbye kiss.

Then, with a heavy heart, you stepped out the door, leaving behind a piece of yourself in Madrid as you embarked on the journey back to Australia, where training camp awaited. Your love would endure the distance, and you both held onto the hope of being reunited soon.

judebellingham

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user1890 they finally announced it!

user3567 you guys!!! I am so happy for you

user2019 they are so cute!

y/nmorrison my no.1

judebellingham @y/nmorrison mine

[taylor-swift-bracket]

💘What is Taylor’s Best Love Song?💘

(Links will be added as polls go live)

🦋 Debut Era 🦋

Our Song vs. Mary’s Song (Oh My My My)

Tim McGraw vs. Stay Beautiful

Invisible vs. Teardrops On My Guitar

I’m Only Me When I’m With You vs. Beautiful Eyes

✨Fearless Era✨

That’s When vs. Today Was A Fairytale

Jump Then Fall vs. Fearless

Love Story vs. You Belong With Me

The Way I Loved You vs. Hey Stephen

Untouchable vs. Superstar

Come In With The Rain vs. The Other Side Of The Door

🎆Speak Now Era🎆

Mine vs. Sparks Fly

Back To December vs. Speak Now

Enchanted vs. Last Kiss

Ours vs. Superman

Electric Touch vs. When Emma Falls In Love

I Can See You vs. Timeless

🧣Red Era🧣

State Of Grace vs. Red

Treacherous vs. I Almost Do

Stay Stay Stay vs. Holy Ground

Sad Beautiful Tragic vs. Everything Has Changed

Starlight vs. Begin Again

Come Back…Be Here vs. Run

The Very First Night vs. Message In A Bottle

🏙️1989 Era🏙️

Style vs. Out Of The Woods

I Wish You Would vs. Wildest Dreams

How You Get The Girl vs. This Love

I Know Places vs. Wonderland

You Are In Love vs. Slut!

Say Don’t Go vs. Suburban Legends vs. Sweeter Than Fiction

🐍Reputation Era🐍

…Ready For It? vs. Endgame

Don’t Blame Me vs. Delicate

So It Goes… vs. Gorgeous

King Of My Heart vs. Dancing With Our Hands Tied

Dress vs. Call It What You Want vs. New Year’s Day

💘Lover Era💘

Cruel Summer vs. Lover

I Think He Knows vs. Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince

Paper Rings vs. Cornelia Street

London Boy vs. False God

Afterglow vs. It’s Nice To Have A Friend

All Of The Girls You’ve Loved Before vs. Daylight

🌲folklore era🌲

cardigan vs. august

invisible string vs. betty

peace vs. the lakes

🍂evermore era🍂

willow vs. gold rush

‘tis the damn season vs. ivy

cowboy like me vs. long story short

🌌Midnights Era🌌

Lavender Haze vs. Maroon

Snow On The Beach vs. Labyrinth

Sweet Nothing vs. Mastermind

The Great War vs. Paris

Glitch vs. Hits Different

✒️The Tortured Poets Department Era✒️

Fortnight vs. The Tortured Poets Department

But Daddy I Love Him vs. Fresh Out The Slammer

The Alchemy vs. imgonnagetyouback vs. So High School

🎸Other🎸

Crazier vs. I Don’t Wanna Live Forever

[vgtrackbracket]

Video Game Track Bracket Round 3 (Three-Way Poll)

Do You Remember (We've Been Through This Before) from In Stars and Time

vs.

Battle! (Summer Superstars) from Pokémon Masters EX

vs.

Connected (Yours Forever) [In-Game Mix] from Tetris Effect

Propaganda under the cut. If you want your propaganda reblogged and added to future polls, please tag it as propaganda or otherwise indicate this!

Connected (Yours Forever) [In-Game Mix]:

A great song for a great game. It is absolutely worth watching this song alongside gameplay or the theater mode version of its stage, it is a visual experience as much as it is an auditory one.

[leveloneandup]

Extra Time: Two World Cup Champs Aren’t Scared of the Dutch

Holland day

So, two-time World Cup champion Christen Press, what scares you about the Netherlands, America’s second-round opponent at this 2023 World Cup? The U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) will face the Orange Lionesses tonight at 9 p.m. E.T. in New Zealand's capital city of Wellington.

Press, who won titles in 2015 and 2019 as a forward for the U.S. but recently underwent a fourth surgery to repair the knee preventing her from playing in this World Cup, is mildly offended by this question. “As soon as you say, ‘What scares you,’ I took that as a player,” Press says. “And I’m like, ‘Nothing scares me.” Press, 34, laughs. “OK, go ahead, Tobin …"

As in Tobin Heath, who’s also on this call—and was also on the 2015 and 2019 USWNT World Cup teams (in addition to the 2011 one)—and has also won a pair of World Cup titles, in 2015 and 2019 with the USWNT. Like Press, Heath, 35, has been sidelined due to injury. So I called on the duo—who are among the founders of the lifestyle brand RE-INC, often finish each other’s sentences, and are co-hosting an excellent podcast and YouTube program during the World Cup called The RE-CAP Show—to break down the U.S.-Netherlands matchup.

Heath agrees with Press. She doesn’t find the Dutch all that frightening. “The Dutch are a good team,” says Heath. “They're not a great team in this tournament.” Heath concedes that the Dutch are the best team in the USWNT’s group, which also includes Vietnam—whom the U.S. defeated 3-0 on Friday in the World Cup opener—and Portugal. “Outside of us,” Press chimes in.

“Outside of us, yes,” says Heath.

Yes, U.S.-Netherlands is a rematch of the 2019 World Cup final. But Heath cautions against reading too much into that. “There were a ton of better teams we played in 2019,” says Heath. She and Press point to games against Spain in the Round of 16, France—in France—in the quarters, and England in the semis as much tougher tests. The U.S. won those games 2-1, but shut out the Netherlands, 2-0, in the title game. “We always say our final was one of the easier games for us,” says Heath.

What’s more, the Dutch—who beat Portugal 1-0 in their World Cup opener—are down a superstar. Vivianne Miedema, the country’s all-time leading goal scorer, is missing this World Cup due to an ACL tear. “We don’t have to significantly adjust what we’re doing in order to take care of an individual player,” says Heath. “I don’t think they can do much damage to us.”

The one Netherlands player Heath mentioned in our conversation as a threat to watch—striker Lineth Beerensteyn—is now unlikely to play, because of an ankle injury she suffered against Portugal. Heath notes that the Dutch have a solid aerial presence off set pieces. And the Orange Lionesses could exploit the tendency of U.S. outside defenders Crystal Dunn and Emily Fox to play “inverted” positions—meaning they sometimes serve more as midfielders, moving into more centralized spaces on the pitch, getting involved in short passes on the attack. That strategy can leave the U.S. defense susceptible to Dutch counterattacks out wide. “You are leaving a big area to exploit,” says Heath.

Still, the former USWNT players aren’t all that worried. If anything, this is a huge opportunity for the Americans to make a statement. Germany made its mark, with a 6-0 crushing of Morocco. Brazil cast itself a real threat, with its 4-0 opening game victory over Panama. Spain beat Zambia 5-0 on Tuesday. “There’s a few teams that are like, we’re here,” says Heath. “We didn’t have that game against Vietnam. We can have that game against the Netherlands, if we want. I don’t see there being any reason why we can’t.”

~~~

Parting thought

Since they’ve played in past tournaments, I asked Heath and Press what it’s like for players at the World Cup between games. The U.S. did travel from Auckland to Wellington in the five days between its matchups against Vietnam and the Netherlands. Still, that’s plenty of downtime.

Enough to make you go stir-crazy?

“It’s almost like surrealism,” says Press. “The days are a little gray and foggy. You almost can’t remember. You’re very careful with when you look at your phone and who you even connect with. Or how much you walk. Your whole life is bubble-wrapped. Every second of the day. And then you have to go out and do this incredibly physical and risky and hard and emotionally draining thing. And then you just are bubble-wrapped again.”

“We sit around and talk and try to get a little bit of relief. It's this incredibly difficult experience to explain. You're with the only people in the world that get it. And that creates a bond with every single player I've played with in a world championship that's unlike any other. Because there's this respect. There's this knowingness. You don't even have to say anything and you know what's going on with your teammates.”

“We eat too many meals. We’re really just trying to fuel, fuel, fuel. And we talk and we laugh and we make it to the next game.”

[puroresu-musings]

NJPW WRESTLE KINGDOM 18 in Tokyo Dome Review (Jan 4th, 2024)

New Japan Rambo **

IWGP Jr. Tag Team Championship - Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney vs. TJP & Francesco Akira ***1/4

NJPW World TV Championship - Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi ****

Yota Tsuji vs. Yuya Uemura ***1/2

Shota Umino & Kaito Kiyomiya vs. EVIL & Ren Narita ***1/4

NEVER Openweight Championship - Shingo Takagi (c) vs. Tama Tonga ****1/2

IWGP Tag Team & STRONG Openweight Tag Championship Double Title Match - Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI vs. El Phantasmo & Hikuleo ***3/4+

IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship - Hiromu Takahashi (c) vs. El Desperado ****1/4

Inaugural IWGP Global Championship Match - Will Ospreay vs. Jon Moxley vs. David Finlay ****1/2

Kazuchika Okada vs. Bryan Danielson *****

IWGP World Heavyweight Championship - SANADA (c) vs. Tetsuya Naito ****1/4

Photos.

This show ruled. Full disclosure, I've fallen behind with NJPW in the last couple of years, and only really get to fully see the major shows, so going in this looked like a solid little card on paper, so my expectations weren't exactly sky high. However, the New Japan crew knocked it out of the park with an excellent, Show of the Year contender. Things started as they always do: The annual "cram everyone humanly possible onto the card" Rambo. We all know what to expect here, and this was better than a lot of previous offerings, but the surprise appearance of Fujita "Jr" Hayato in this years really raised it up for me, as I'm always super pleased to see him back in the ring after all he's been through. Takashi Iizuka turning up was also a nice surprise (absence makes the heart grow fonder, and all that), and it was a kick to be transported back to 2013 with him mercilessly going after poor Shimpei Nogami on commentary. The ending though was very deja vu, as I could have sworn some incredibly similar variant of this was the outcome last year. The final four of Great-O-Khan, Taiji Ishimori, YOH and Toru Yano advanced to face off for the KOPW Title tomorrow.

The main show started in style with the prerequisite Jr Tag Title Match, which featured TJP debuting his new demon gimmick, The Aswang, because he was locked in a casket when last we saw him, you see. My English feed froze at the opening bell on the Aswang mask for ages, and by the time I'd gotten back onto the Japanese feed, I'd missed like three minutes of this, there were brawls all over ringside, The Aswang was wearing a dog collar, and Moloney was bleeding. The final 5 or so minutes I did see were pretty damn good though, so that's what my rating is based on. TJP got this win for him and Akira after he blew the dreaded Dokukiri into Drilla's face, then Catch 22 hit the double knees to regain the titles at 9:38. Next up, President Tanahashi put an end to the 365 day TV Title reign of ZSJ in an excellent 8:53 sprint. These guys always have excellent matches together, and this was no exception. They worked a fast-paced thriller, which boiled down to them hitting a sequence of cradle reversals, before Tana counter a Zack Victory Roll into one of his own, and won the belt to a big pop. President Ace thanked everyone for coming in the post match, and wished us all a Happy New Year. Godly.

Career rivals Tsuji and Uemura had their first non-Young Lion outing on a major show next. This was a very good little match, I've always been high on both guys since they were rookies, and I firmly believe they have incredibly bright futures in New Japan, and are destined to be focal points in the years to come. Even though I do wish they'd do more with Yota. The guy came in super hot, with a ton of hype, and now he's kinda just floundering in the mid-card. And more mid-carders is most certainly not something this company needs! They always have really good matches, so add this one to that list, which ended at just under 11 minutes, when Uemura got the much needed win with his beautiful Deadbolt suplex. Fellow future superstar Shota Umino drove into Tokyo Dome on a motorbike to start his and partner, NOAH "Ace" Kiyomiya's tag match against HoT goons EVIL and Ren Narita next. This was going along really nicely, the three young guys all looked great, and the crowd were very much into, until the standard shenanigans started, which lead to a fairly abrupt finish, which saw Narita deck Umino with a steel plated push-up bar, then score the pin with his Double Cross finish at the 7 minute mark.

The fifth bout saw company MVP Shingo defend the NEVER Title against Tama Tonga in a hard-hitting war, which was by far the best match on the show up to this point. The near 30K in attendance were going crazy for this as they hit all their big spots, massive Lariats and Gun Stun counters. After Takagi scored a great near fall with Made in Japan, Tama went to the Bullet Club well, hitting a Gun Stun, Bloody Sunday AND a Styles Clash, before putting Shingo away with the DSD at 13:46 to claim his 4th NEVER Championship. Excellent stuff here, though seemingly Tama announced afterwards that he's finishing up with the company at the end of the month, so him winning is an... interesting decision. The double Tag Title match followed, which was a rematch of the Tag League Final between Bishamon and GoD. This was another great match, a fun sprint which saw the STRONG Champions win both sets of belts after ELP hit Goto with CRIII, and Hikuleo came off the top with a massive, but very unattractive, Big Splash to win the belts in 9:47. Just before this match, Nic Nemeth (the former Dolph Ziggler) and his brother Ryan turned up to sit at ringside. I think we all know there's some kind of angle coming here.

Speaking of career rivals, Hiromu and Despy faced off for the Jr. Heavy Title in the next bout. We've seen many versions of this match in recent history, and they're pretty much always excellent, so this fit that mould no doubt. Things started hot as Despy hit Hiromu with a Tope con Giro as he made his entrance, and they worked 100 mph from there. The challenger worked over the champions leg to set up the Numero Dos, but it wasn't to be. The finish saw Desperado escape the Hiromu Roll, then hit a Jay Driller, kept a hold and nailed Takahashi with a second Pinche Loco to win the strap at the 14:21 mark to end another great outing. We crowned an inaugural IWGP Global champion next, as Ospreay, Moxley and Finlay had a wild Triple Threat Match. This started with Mox and Ospreay agreeing to work together for the first 5 minutes in order to take out Finlay, then turn their attention on each other, before BC War Dogs Alex Coughlin and Gabe Kidd ran in. The babyfaces rallied a comeback though, which saw Ospreay put the invaders through tables with a Swanton Bomb to the outside, and Moxley took a post bump and gigged himself. Which I'm sure will shock many. The finishing stretch was insanely hot as Mox kicked at one from a Hidden Blade, but was put down with Stormbreaker, only for Finlay to hit Ospreay with his new Overkill finish, which is essentially a Brainbuster into a Go 2 Sleep, to become the inaugural Global champion in 22:17. In the post match, Finlay got into a shoving match and pull-apart with Nic Nemeth at ringside, which culminated in Nemeth chasing him to the back. So that looks to be Finlay's first title programme. Finlay going over was 100% the right call, with Ospreay leaving as a full-timer, they need to start making some top guys, and he's a good place to start.

Semi final time, and a true dream match next as Okada faced Danielson in a match I'd spent a good decade fantasy booking. After their slightly disappointing first encounter at Forbidden Door in June, due in no small part by Dragon legit breaking his arm during it, they came out with a lot to prove. And they certainly didn't disappoint this time as they had a superb wrestling encounter based around aggression and emotion. As anyone who's been watching Danielson since the ROH days can attest, when Bryan has a grudge with someone (Morishima, Nigel), he goes all out with the intensity, and it usually produces classics. The pacing, the limb-work, the storytelling, the drama... everything about this was essentially perfect. After Okada broke Danielson's arm in their previous match, Dragon obsessively set out to do the same here. And it lead to his downfall. The American Dragon was coming into this one with a fractured orbital bone, so Okada worked over that for a while too. Okada kicked out of a Busaiku Knee, Danielson locked on the same arm submission he tapped Okada out with at Forbidden Door, but The Rainmaker made the ropes. Dragon then stomped his f'n head in and locked in the LeBell Lock, only for Okada to hit a Rainmaker, but he was in too much pain from his devastated right arm, and couldn't make the cover. Danielson hit a big head kick and another Busaiku Knee, but rather than go for the cover, he elected to do the "Yes!" gimmick in the corner, and try another knee, but Okada hit an Emerald Flowsion, a Landslide, then another Rainmaker to fall on top of Dragon, and score the surprise win at the 23:24 (which it felt half of, by the way). This was a masterpiece, and I was legitimately shocked when the three count came. I could have watched this for an hour, it left me very much wanting a rubber match, and this is easily the best match of 2024 so far. They bowed to each other and shook hands in the post match.

The Keiji Muto fan club imploded in the main event as former LIJ stablemates Naito and SANADA (who was even dressed like Muto circa 1995), battled for the World Title. This was an excellent match, one that I didn't have a massive amount of interested in going into this show, but they had a really great clash. It's worth mentioning that something happened to SANADA here, I don't know if it was the biceps injury he's been dealing with since G1, or if he seperated his shoulder or something, but he was in noticeable discomfort through this, and it let to some wonky botches near the finish. They tried multiple times to do a Destino counter, but they couldn't pull it off. SANADA hit Dead Fall for the double down, then an Asai DDT, but Naito escaped a second Dead Fall attempt, and went for Valentia, but SANADA countered into an O'Connor Roll for a super close near fall. A Shining Wizard followed, but Naito turned another Dead Fall attempt into one of his own, finally hit Valentia, then finished the champion off with Destino to win his first World title at 25:42. It's worth pointing out that they clashed heads on the way down on the Destino, and Naito got busted open pretty bad over his eye. With Naito having finally won again in the main event of Tokyo Dome, he was about to Finish His Story, when EVIL and Dick Togo, of all people, ran-in in an attempt to ruin things like KENTA did in 2020. However, they hadn't bargained on SANADA, who nailed his former tag partner with a Shining Wizard, and Naito sent Dick packing with a low dropkick. SANADA then let Naito finish the story a decade in the making, and do his "De-Ja-Pon!!!" roll call to end the show and send everyone home happy. Whilst I applaud NJPW for giving SANADA a go, or just giving ANYONE NEW a shot at the top of the card (it's been very Groundhog Day for a long time up there, and this is something I've been encouraging since NAito at WK8!), I don't think it payed off liked they'd hoped. SANADA is a very good worker, and amazing athlete, but he's just missing something that would make him that major star. Which is obviously something Naito has in abundance, so I'm very pleased he got his big win here, as it was pretty much last chance saloon.

This was a tremendous card, not quite as good as last year's, I don't think, but still great, great stuff and well worth checking out. Especially the Okada/Danielson match!

NDT

[katanashipping]

@love-killed-the-superstar​ I hope you don’t mind but this particular part of your recent liveblog just... really sparked something in my brain that I need to get out, re: Fast Forward, and it’s this repeating theme of FF rehashing a plot point from S1-4 but worse. Like the turtles version of a live action Disney reboot.

This turned into a massive rant, oops, more under the cut. Clearly, I have a lot of feelings about this.

Example: Shredder vs. Sh’okonabo

Consider the Shredder. He is an evil alien. He comes back time and again for four seasons before being defeated for good by the turtles’ allies. Every thing we learn about him is more messed up than the last, and learnt often at great personal cost. Notable henchmen: Karai (right hand woman & very skilled fighter), Hun (leads a notorious gang & very skilled fighter), Stockman (kind of a hostage situation, super smart guy who gets punished via mutilation) and later on, Chaplin (Stockman light)

Now consider Sh’okonabo. He is an evil alien. He pops up a few times over one season before being defeated for good by the turtles. We learn most things about him from an expositional voiceover from other characters, and he doesn’t evolve much beyond that. Not that good a fighter by himself. Notable henchmen: Darius Dunn (debatable, he has his own stuff going on), Zixx (debatable, he has his own stuff going on), and Viral (hostage situation, smart person who gets punished via mutilation). Every aspect of him mirrors the Shredder, if the Shredder had decided to try world domination by just... stumbling into the food hall of the UN one morning and feeding everyone poisoned porridge. And also had no friends subjects working for him.

Example: Things Change vs. Future Shellshock

Plotline: The turtles and Splinter have a normal day at home when something unexpectedly rips them out of their routine and throws them into the unfamiliar streets of New York City to fend for themselves. Making their way across the city, one of them gets trapped in an armored car and separated from the rest, turning the episode into a mixture of finding-their-feet and rescue-mission. At the end of the episode, the family finds a new home.

Things Change is the first episode of TMNT 2k3. It sets up the characters in their most archetypal ways, but also shows their connection as a family. The episode begins with the turtles training their ninjutsu skills when they are attacked by the mousers. Raph gets trapped in a Purple Dragon van in an attempt to evade danger, and the family follow in pursuit. Throughout the episode, the brothers might fight, but they never abandon one another. We meet  a few of the villains for the first time (Baxter Stockman, the Purple Dragons, and the Foot). At the end of the episode, the family reunites and find the Outpost Lair, thus finding a new home. Change, Splinter reminds us, is Good.

Future Shellshock is the first episode of the Fast Forward “reboot” and as such reintroduces the characters a little. The episode begins with the family fighting over the TV remote, a battle which Splinter wins (and which somehow comes up again in several other episodes of Fast Forward) when they are zapped to the year 2105. Mikey gets trapped in a newspaper van in an attempt to play a video game, and the family follow, but are distracted for 2-6 hours by Cody showing them around his penthouse and turtle museum before they are reminded by Cody that Mikey is still missing and resume pursuit. We meet a few of the villains for the first time (the Street Phantoms and the Peacekeepers). At the end of the episode, Cody explains that he’s the one who trapped them all here and graciously allows them to stay in his home (which they proceed to wreck in every single episode to follow). Change, we learn, is something you have to make the best of when it hits you unexpectedly from behind.

Example: Playtime is Over vs. Christmas Aliens

Plotline: Mikey is obsessed with a specific toy that is newly released. Initially unable to get one for himself, he suddenly finds himself involved in the local gang’s plot to steal the lot for money. Despite being briefly mistaken by the police for a co-conspirator in the theft, he manages to return the toy to its rightful owner/distributor in the end.

Except in Christmas Aliens, we get a fully fleshed out episode highlighting Mikey’s independence, competence under pressure, fighting skills, and compassion for his fellow humans (when he decides to steal the toys from the thieves and return them to the owners (orphanage) himself. He even goes one further in the end and decides that what he really wants is to give the toys away himself, and the whole family ends up volunteering at the orphanage and agreeing that he has done a Good Thing today.

In Playtime is Over, we get an entire episode of Mikey as a selfish, single-minded and obsessive “gamer”, fulfilling every early 2000′s stereotype of the same: he doesn’t shower, there is trash everywhere, he doesn’t care about his training or his family; the entire “subplot” (such as it is) of getting Cody to hook up with Starly in the mall passes him by entirely; and the only reason he gets involved in the theft at all is because he wants to get a game for himself, not to help others. He cheats, he lies, he cuts in line, he belittles others. At several points, he screams “GIVE ME MY GAME” at the episode’s villains. The entire episode is about Cody finding balance, yet Michelangelo serves only as the bad example of how not to be in contrast; he doesn’t learn anything. When Starly reveals that she got him a copy of the game in the end, he immediately goes back to video gaming, and his whole family agrees that he’s being Bad About This in a way that somehow warrants an entire second episode later on to resolve.

It is actually ridiculous, upon my most recent rewatch, how very similar these episodes are, except Playtime is Over is so much worse in every aspect and the perfect example of the Flanderisation that’s going on in FF. Like, if PiO came before CA somehow I’d call that character growth, but since they are several seasons apart I’m just... ???? what ????

ANYWAY:

These are just two episodes that stuck with me during the recent rewatch that serve to portray my frustrations with Fast Forward as a show. We’ve already seen most of these plotlines, and we’ve already seen most of these villains, and Fast Forward just falls short at every single turn. I am still baffled how they made an entire episode featuring “Raphael says out loud that they finally have a chance to walk the streets in daylight and wants to go do human things for fun, but the rest of the family prefers to stay at home and play video games” and then just... kept having everyone stay inside to play video games for the next 20 episodes after that. Talk about a missed opportunity.