#I mean come on bro you never found even ONE ping pong ball?!

[glitteringobliteration]

on a scale of yes? to yes! how fucked do u think brennan would’ve been if fabian had bothered to pay someone to clean his house?

[spaceskam]

here you go @bisexualalienblast 😘

"If you leave me alone, I will never forgive you."

"I'll be right back!"

Alex glared at Liz as she disappeared into the sea of frat boys with not enough clothing and too much alcohol, each one of them dripping in sweat and trying to attach to the side of any breathing woman they spotted. He didn't want to be here. In fact, he explicitly said at orientation that he would never be caught dead at a frat party. Then Liz met a boy and now he was here in hopes this boy would notice her.

And now he had and Alex was left alone.

With a huff, he pulled his headphones over his ears and started to scroll for something that could efficiently block out the noise of utter chaos. He'd only been there an hour and he'd already seen a guy fall off a table, heard at least one girl crying, and seen more sloppy make-out session than his eyes cared for. Why the hell did people willingly sign up for this?

Alex was roughly a minute into a Paramore album when a hand clapped onto his shoulder. He moved away instinctually, looking at the owner of the hand like they'd lost their fucking mind touching a stranger. His irritation didn't fade when he came face to face with a smiley, shirtless guy with a beer bottle taped to his hand and unruly curls.

"Sup, bro?" he said.

"I'm not your bro," Alex scoffed, "Weren't you ever taught not to touch strangers?"

"I tried just talking, bro, but you couldn't hear me!" he countered, voice light and happy as if Alex's genuine annoyance was going straight over his head.

"Wearing headphones means don't talk to me, bro," Alex pointed out. The guy scrunched up his nose and laughed and, fuck, it was cute. Why did he have to be cute? Alex refused to find someone with a beer bottle taped to his hand cute.

"But I need a partner for beer pong!" he argued, "Come play!"

"I'm not playing beer pong," Alex told him, shaking his head, "Go find one of your friends."

"But I asked for you, bro!" he insisted.

Alex looked at him, hoping to channel a truly dead-eyed look so he'd see how uninterested he was. But why would that work?

"Bro, listen," he said, putting his not-beer-bottled hand on his shoulder, "You're my last hope at being the beer pong champion of all time in this house. I need a hot partner to boost moral. Please? I'll be your best friend."

Alex continued to glare, but clearly that wasn't an option. He grabbed his arm and started tugging him towards the kitchen. At this point, he figured he might as well since this guy seemed way too set at getting him to play. Maybe it would pass the time.

"Ay, Guerin!" a few too many guys in questionable states of undress cheered as they reached the table. Alex felt like he was about to have a moron induced aneurysm.

"No fair!" the guy on the other side of the table claimed. A pretty blonde stood at his side which Alex assumed was his beer pong partner. At least she looked like she was enjoying it. "You didn't say we could chose guys!"

"Not my fault your sense of hotness sucks," Guerin, apparently, shot back with laughter, "Now, I know I'm the hottest here, but I can't be two people and Alex is a fuckin' meal, so."

Before Alex even had time to unpack that this chaos-personified man knew his name, he was being handed a ping pong ball and all sorts of cheering began.

If someone would've told Alex hours prior that he'd be actually participating in a drinking game at a frat party, he would've laughed. Then suddenly, he was on his second round (they won the first), slightly tipsy, and actually enjoying himself. Alex, enjoying himself at a party. Who knew?

"Fuck!" Guerin yelled, still laughing as the other team sunk a ball into a cup. He picked it up and held it to Alex. "Drink up, bro!"

"I hate you," Alex told him, genuinely laughing as he tossed it back and put it aside. When he shot the next ball, it landed in one of their cups which left them with two and Alex and Guerin with six.

"Fuck yeah!" Guerin yelled, raising both his arms and not even caring when he spilled beer on himself. Alex laughed and shook his head, painfully fond of his beer bong partner after way too little time. He blamed it on the beer.

The other team sunk their next shot and Alex picked up the cup, mindlessly feeding it to Guerin who looked at him like he was a literal gift. He coped with that by laughing so hard he could barely breathe and had to take a second while Guerin shot anything, sinking it despite the giggles and alcohol shaking his system.

"How the fuck?!"

"Sorry, man," Guerin laughed, "Gotta impress the man, can't let you win."

And he didn't let him win. In fact, they won three rounds before they were ceremoniously announced beer pong champions. He wouldn't ever tell anyone about that title, but he felt proud of it in the moment nonetheless.

"Told you I needed you, bro," Guerin said once they escaped the table and went outside. Liz had texted him and said she wanted to leave in a few minutes since she still had homework. He just had to wait until she found the front door.

"Yeah, you're lucky I didn't tell you to fuck off like I wanted to," Alex said, voice light as he carefully started unwrapping the duct tape that was keeping the beer bottle in his hand. Guerin gave a big, wild smile.

"So lucky."

"So, I have a question, bro," Alex said, eyeing him slightly. He was clearly wasted beyond belief and probably wouldn't remember anything by the next morning. He didn't know if he should be upset by that or not. "How'd you know my name?"

Alex watched as his cheeks started turning redder (which was impressive since they were already red from his alcohol intake) and tried to focus on not hurting him when he took the duct tape off.

"You were in my trig class freshman year, sat two rows ahead of me," he admitted, wincing only a little when the tape tore at the hair on his hand, "Waited two whole years for you to come to a party so I could have an excuse to talk to you."

Alex sure as hell didn't know how to respond to that, so he didn't. Instead he just freed him from his beer trap and took a step away.

"You think I could, uh, I could get your number or something, bro?" Guerin requested, looking half asleep now that he'd sat down for more than a couple seconds. Alex debated it. What could it hurt? If he regretted it, he could just not respond.

"Sure, I guess," Alex agreed, "Where's your phone?"

Despite being drunk and sleepy, Guerin basically scrambled to find his phone that was in his impressively large pockets. Alex wondered if he wore those so he wouldn't lose his phone when he got this drunk. Instead of thinking about that, he typed in his number and saved it before giving it back.

"Alex, let's go," Liz said as she appeared in the doorway, lipstick smudged and hair noticably less pristine than when they got there. He decided not to comment on it.

"Don't fall asleep out here, bro," Alex told Guerin who just smiled sleepily and nodded.

"Bye, bro!" Guerin called after him as they walked away.

"Since when are you friends with Michael?" Liz asked in confusion.

Alex looked over his shoulder one last time and shrugged.

"Tonight, I guess."

[captainkippen]

prompt tiiiimeeee shovel talk shovel talk shovel talk i need the ghc+jonah talking to tj abt being nice to cy and rOLE REVERSAL the basketball boys telling cyrus what a softie tj actually is and to be nice to him 🥺

Four Times TJ Got Given The Shovel Talk + The One Time Cyrus Did Instead

Buffy and Jonah

In hindsight, TJ probably should have seen it coming the first time. It had been three weeks since he summoned up the courage to tell Cyrus how he felt at Andi’s party (the most terrifying moment of his life) and all their friends had been suspiciously quiet about it. At first he’d assumed maybe Cyrus hadn’t gotten around to telling them yet, even though that seemed unlikely in the face of his love for gossip, and when it became apparent that they did know he just assumed they didn’t care enough to bother him about it.

Oh, how wrong he was.

Jonah and Buffy cornered him in the music store one afternoon, waiting until Cyrus was sufficiently distracted picking up the box of guitar picks he’d sent clattering to the ground by accident just a few moments before.

“He really likes you, you know that right?” Buffy asked, pretending to peruse a box of records. “Cyrus, I mean.”

Jonah loomed behind her looking like he didn’t quite know what he was doing there, just shrugging in response when TJ shot him a bemused look. 

“Yeah. I got that,” Said TJ. “I like him too.”

“Good.”

After a moment of silence, TJ assumed it was safe to turn back to the Back In Black vinyl he’d been looking at. He’d only just flipped it over when Buffy cleared her throat again, and forced himself to hold back a sigh. 

“If you hurt him, nobody will ever find your body once I’m through with you.”

“Jesus Christ.”

“I’m serious.”

“She is,” Jonah agreed firmly.

“Yeah, I got that too,” TJ said. “Look, I’m not going to hurt him. I like him, like I said. I don’t know why he’s with me - you and I both know he could do better, but he is with me. And I’m not gonna risk screwing that up for anything.”

Buffy rocked back on her heels, evaluating him carefully in a way that left him feeling like he’d just been x-rayed with her eyes. It was unsettling. Finally, she gave a satisfied nod and looked back to the boxes. 

“Do you think my mom would like any of these?”

TJ grinned and began listing recommendations. 

Andi

The second time, he felt totally justified in being blindsided. He was new to this dating thing, but TJ was pretty sure the shovel talk was meant to be a one time thing. Apparently Cyrus’ friends hadn’t got the memo.

“Cyrus is a really good person,” Andi said, making TJ jump as he closed the refrigerator door to find her lurking behind it. 

“Are you trying to give me a heart attack?” He replied, trying to calm his rocketing pulse. 

She was sneaky -- too sneaky. He hadn’t even heard her coming. It was a Saturday, one that they should have been spending out having a frisbee game in the park, but the rain had come in heavy the night before and washed that idea away fast. Instead they had settled for a ping-pong tournament at Cyrus’ house. The whole group was there, which TJ already found intimidating enough. He wanted them all to like him. Thankfully, they all seemed to be just as competitive at the game as he was and he’d felt himself slipping into place alongside them all just before he’d slipped out to grab a soda. It was nice, that feeling of camaraderie. Nice to have friends whose competition was more teasing and fun than built on impressing others like Reed and Kira’s always had been.

Andi looked unimpressed. “I could do worse than give you a heart attack, but I won’t. As long as you don’t hurt him. If you make him cry I will destroy you.”

His eyes widened involuntarily. Andi wasn’t particularly big or threatening and she’d never had the same feistiness that Buffy had, but her tone meant business. He believed she could destroy him if she wanted to. Her parents would probably help -- they loved Cyrus almost as much as they loved their daughter.

“Okay,” he said, unsure of what else to do.

It was a little frightening how quickly her face went from deadly serious to sunshine and rainbows.

“Cool, can you grab me a Dr Pepper? It’s way too hot downstairs.”

Amber

The third time was unexpected because TJ hadn’t even realised that Cyrus knew Amber, let alone was friends with her.

Amber and TJ had floated in and out of one another’s peripheries for most of their school careers - friendship circles overlapping and all that jazz. He didn’t know her well, but they’d talked a few times. She seemed cool, if a bit intense. He’d never thought of her as scary before. Well, not until now.

“So you’re dating Cyrus,” she said, sitting down across from him as he waited for Cyrus at The Spoon. They had a full day of stuff planned starting with Baby Taters and ending with the movies. He’d been looking forward to it all week.

“Uh…” Was all he could say in response, but that didn’t seem to matter. 

“I don’t really get why,” Amber continued on like a steamroller. “‘Cause he’s a giant dork and everyone knows you’re like… kind of a dick. Completely opposite ends of the spectrum, but even though he’s a dork, he’s really cool. And he was nice to me even though I was kind of a dick too, and he had no reason to be. So if you’re mean to him I will kick you in the balls so hard you have to get surgery. Okay?”

TJ just nodded, still trying to process what was happening.

“Awesome,” Amber said brightly, standing up with a smile as if she hadn’t just threatened him with physical violence. “So can I get you anything to eat?”

“...Baby Taters?”

She tapped her notepad. “Coming right up.”

How many times was this going to happen? Surely there weren’t any friends left to threaten him, he thought to himself. But then the little bell over the door tinkled and Cyrus walked in, and TJ forgot about everything other than his smile.

Marty

It was going to happen at least four times, apparently. TJ was getting sort of tired of the shovel talk now. It had been funny at first, but it was getting old. 

“Look, I get it, okay?” He huffed despairingly at Marty. “I’m not good enough for him, you’ll beat me up if I hurt him, yadda yadda yadda.”

They were in the middle of a pickup game of basketball in the park -- he’d been pleasantly surprised when Marty invited him along. They hadn’t spoken often, and usually when they did it was in a group of other people, but when they’d been at the movies last week Marty had brought up that they needed another player and asked TJ to join without even missing a beat. It had given him a warm fuzzy feeling in his chest (not that he’d admit that to anybody out loud), and Cyrus had smiled so brightly about it that TJ was sure he hadn’t known Marty was going to ask either.

“No dude, that’s not what I was gonna say,” Marty laughed as he stole the ball back from TJ. “I don’t think you’re not good enough for him. Jonah told us how you apologised to him and stuff, and you guys are always together. You obviously really like each other. He talks about you like all the time.”

Oh. Well, that was sort of nice he guessed. At least someone didn’t think he was a terrible choice of boyfriend for Cyrus. 

“I was just gonna say be nice to him, okay? ‘Cause I think Buffy might break your face if you don’t, and it would suck to be down a player again.”

TJ snorted. “Yeah, okay.”

Marty grinned. “Sick. Hey, you wanna get milkshakes after this?”

And if that was the conversation that kicked off a life-long friendship between the two of them? Well, that was nobody’s business but their own. 

The Basketball Team

The terrifying thing about jocks, Cyrus thought, was that they travelled in packs. It didn’t seem to matter where you went in the world, if there was one athlete lurking about, then ten more were sure to follow. It was intimidating. Especially when they decided to focus their full scrutiny on you. They had a habit of surrounding you when you least expected it.

This is what happened about a month into the new school year. It had been going alright so far. Better, at least, than Cyrus had thought the first few weeks of freshman year was going to go. It was nerve racking; it didn’t matter that he was one of them now, high schoolers would always be terrifying. Considering this, he felt justified in saying it was only natural that he’d drop his books and let out a little shriek after turning around from his locker to find half of the basketball team around him. 

“I don’t have any money!” He said, shielding his face. It was all very cliche.

One of the boys laughed, but it was not a cruel laugh.

“Relax bro, we’re not trying to mug you. We just wanted a chat.”

Slowly, Cyrus lowered his arms. The guy seemed genuine, in fact Cyrus even recognised him. He wasn’t sure of his name, but he’d seen him hanging around the hallways with TJ some mornings before class. He might’ve even said hi to him at some point, who knew?

“Um, okay?”

“TJ says you guys are together.”

Oh God.

“Yes?”

“Cool. We just wanted to say we’ve got your back, just so you know. If anybody gives you any trouble you should let us know and we’ll handle it.”

The boys nodded collectively. Cyrus wasn’t sure what to do with himself.

“That said,” The boy continued, leaning in dangerously. “If you hurt TJ we will fuck you up. Got it?”

“Got it,” Cyrus said weakly. 

The boy leaned back again and beamed, then bent down and picked up Cyrus’ textbook for him and handed it back with a jolly pat to his shoulder. “Cool. We’re gonna go get some food at The Spoon after class. You wanna come?”

Together

When Cyrus told TJ about it later, TJ laughed so hard he got a stitch. When he’d finally recovered and sat up, he tangled their fingers together and leaned in to give Cyrus a soft kiss on the forehead. 

“I’m really happy when I’m with you,” he said.

Cyrus leaned his head back on his shoulder and smiled a blissful smile. “Me too.”

And just like that, they knew they would never hurt one another.

[gamersonthego]

Chase Koeneke’s Top 10 Handheld Games of 2018

2018 could’ve been a bummer of a year. The game I was most excited about – Fire Emblem: Three Houses – got pushed to 2019. We were getting a new Pokemon game...but it was based on a mobile game and was fundamentally changing the formula I loved. And outside of Smash Bros., there was little left I was anticipating.

And yet, 2018 turned out to be a fantastic year in handheld gaming. I got a turn-based strategy game that’s up there with any Fire Emblem game I’ve ever played. That Pokemon game ended up being pretty great! And there were a bevy of unexpected indies that kept me entertained all year long. Here are my top 10 handheld games from 2018 (as well as a few honorable mentions).

Honorable Mentions: Mark of the Ninja Remastered, Gris, Kingdom Rush Vengeance, Donut County, West of Loathing

10. Minit (Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC)

I like to take my time in games – fully exploring worlds, talking to NPCs, reading item descriptions. In that sense, Minit, a top-down Zelda-style game that only allows you to play in one-minute sessions should be my nightmare. But it’s not. In fact, I really liked it. Minit’s limitations freed me from my thinking and made me engage with the game on its level. In a world dominated by GPS and a games’ landscape dominated by easily accessible maps, there’s something refreshingly challenging having to commit the area to memory and make plans on not only what to do next, but how to make it there in time.

9. Golf Peaks (iOS, PC)

I’m bad at real golf, but golf video games, especially the ones that don’t try to meticulously recreate the sport, are my jam. Mario Golf on the Game Boy Color is one of my favorite games ever. Golf Story was one of my favorite games last year. And Golf Peaks takes that crown in 2018. Golf Peaks expertly mixes golf, card and puzzle mechanics to make for a uniquely pleasing combination. New obstacles are layered in world by world and get increasingly bizarre, until what you’re playing is barely recognizable as golf. Golf Peaks feels meticulously crafted, and it makes for a difficult, but rewarding experience. Unfortunately, because it’s so bespoke, it’s a finite experience, and once you’ve completed it, there’s little reason to revisit it. A new world has been added since the game’s release, but after completing it in less than an hour, I’m back to waiting for more.

8. Alto’s Odyssey (iOS, Android)

Alto’s Adventure was one of my favorite games of 2015, a gorgeous and fun take on the infinite runner genre. Alto’s Odyssey further refines the formula by adding in even more things to do. The silky-smooth jumps, grinds and backflips return, along with the sublime wingsuit power-up, but they are joined by Tony Hawk-style wall rides that add a new dimension to the game. With uniquely skilled characters to unlock and upgrades to literally and figuratively grind for, Odyssey will keep you busy for a long time. It’s one of those rare phone games that’s good for play sessions both long and short, and its action never gets old.

7. Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition (iOS, Android, Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC)

I was intrigued by Final Fantasy XV on the PS4, but ultimately bounced off its combat and general milling about. Pocket Edition fixes both of those issues and lets me enjoy what I really like about the game: its story and its characters. The miniaturized version of FFXV has turned it into a linear game with simplified controls (touch controls if you’re playing the phone version). The way it retains quite a bit of the themes and depth (and voice acting) of the original game despite streamlining it never ceased to impress me. And weirdly, playing Pocket Edition has actually reawakened my desire to play the original game. I want to see this treatment given to other Final Fantasy games.

6. Florence (iOS, Android)

Florence is not a game I would traditionally play on a phone. It’s not an infinitely replayable, puzzling experience like Threes or Drop7 or even a Kingdom Rush. But it is an experience, and one I deeply appreciated. Florence made me feel more than any other game this year, and it did it in a game that takes only about a half hour. It tells a mundane, yet impactful story about relationships. It’s beautiful. It’s funny. It’s tragic. But most of all, it’s real, and it uses its touchscreen controls to great effect to make you feel like you are an active participant in the story. It’s somehow simultaneously abstract and extremely specific, and I think it’s something everyone should witness.

5. Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu/Eevee (Switch)

This is the Metal Gear Solid 2 of Pokemon. Let me explain. In MGS2, you play as Raiden, and you learn that you are being put through a similar adversity to the original MGS’ Shadow Moses Island in the hopes of turning you into another legendary hero like Solid Snake.

In Pokemon Let’s Go, things start familiar enough to anyone who’s played the first generation of Pokemon games (particularly, Yellow). You get a starter, you battle your rival, you face Brock and Misty and the other gym leaders and you stumble into and interrupt a nefarious Team Rocket plot. It’s all there. Except then you run into Blue, who is the real rival from the first generation of Pokemon. Which means your rival isn’t your rival. And you aren’t you. It’s fascinating and I ended up loving it.

Mechanically, it’s a weird mix of adding from more recent games while also stripping away complexity. Mega Evolutions are in. Held items are out. HMs are out. Steel, dark and fairy types are in. And there are some brand-new mechanics like catch combos that are a fun and new way to engage with Pokemon. It’s not all rainbows (I’m still not sold on the GO-style catching system,) but I hope the next mainline Pokemon game takes a little inspiration from these games. And I hope they remake Gold and Silver in this style too.

4. Holedown (iOS/Android)

Holedown became my go-to phone game for most of 2018. While you can beat it in a manner of hours, the game is so addictively fun and replayable with its final, seemingly endless level that you’ll be happy to dive back in again and again to improve your score. Holedown is satisfying in every sense of the word. Endorphins rush when you see and hear massive streams of balls ping-ponging off walls. Hitting the perfect angle to keep the combo going higher and higher is intensely gratifying. It’s so easy to play and understand, and yet you’ll be learning new tricks after your hundredth attempt. Holedown rules. Play Holedown.

3. Super Robot Wars X (Vita, PS4)

OK, this one’s a bit of a stretch. Super Robot Wars is not available in the US last I checked (though it is available in English.) Also, I did not play its handheld Vita version. Instead I played it on the PS4. So, on one hand, this game doesn’t really belong on this list. On the other hand, I love Super Robot Wars X so much, so it’s staying.

This was my first dip into the series and immediately found it to be an incredibly dense and confusing experience. It’s a turn-based strategy game like Fire Emblem, which sounds right up my alley, but the number of things to account for is staggering. To list all its mechanics would be a daunting exercise. Slowly, but surely, I learned to engage with more and more systems until finally, I felt like I could see the code, that I had entered the Matrix. I suddenly knew strategy game kung-fu. The game would set up almost impossible odds and, sometimes after an insane amount of consideration, I’d find a solution. I could boost the range on one weapon for the one turn I need it. Or maybe that shield I’ve never used would actually come in handy here. Oh wait, this pilot has a special skill I could utilize. The solutions are always there, you just have to look for them. It’s a beast of a game, but one I became utterly mesmerized with.

2. Dead Cells (Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC)

I jealously watched early access PC players make run after run on Dead Cells. I heard people extol the game’s virtues on countless podcasts, and then, finally, the game released on Switch and I too could experience its splendor. And boy, did it deliver. Dead Cells bends over backwards to tailor the game experience to you. It allows you to choose what and when to unlock new skills, letting you further customize your arsenal as you play. It accounts for novice players who need to take their time getting through its sprawling levels while also providing options for crafty veterans who are able to speed through its content. And yet, as much as it caters, you’ll inevitably get to a point in your run where the game says “OK, now we’re going to test you.” I have failed that test every time. I have not beaten Dead Cells. But I am damn sure ready to try again.

1. Into The Breach (Switch, PC)

Where Super Robot Wars X is a turn-based mech strategy game on a macro scale, with an inconceivable amount of systems and options to deal with for your double-digit army of robotic fighters, Into The Breach stuffs all the same intensity into a comparably tiny grid and only a trio of battlers. It maintains the perfect amount of complexity, making every unit, every weapon, every move and every choice matter. It’s the ultimate chess game. And just when you think you’ve wrapped your head around its mechanics, it hands you a new team of mechs that plays completely differently. Runs are short, but meaningful, and the optional challenges (that let you unlock more new teams) push you out of your comfort zone to learn new strategies. Not only is it my favorite game of the year by a country mile, it might be one of the best games of all time.

[siodymph]

Science Bros Day 5

I decided to try doing something cute and fun for “Triumph”. Tony and Bruce duke it out to see who’s the true pinball champ! (Fair warning I know nothing about pinball scoring, just that they’re big numbers lol)

And just a reminder, I’m also taking science bro request all through this and next week till the 21st.

And you can read this story either under the cut or over on my AO3!

word count: 1635

In the common space at Avengers Tower, there was one room entirely dedicated to games. It had everything. A chess set at one end, several flat-screen TVs and nearly every video game consul known to man at the other. A pool table, a ping-pong stage, a foosball table and a round table that was perfect for any tabletop gaming. Arcade games and shelves of board games lined opposite walls. And the most recent addition to the room was a retro pinball machine. It was a great addition to the room, and secretly it was one of Tony’s favorites.

Lined up with all the arcade games, it gave off a warm glow from incandescent bulbs all over the thing and whenever the tiny stainless steel balls would bounce around they’d mike this happy sounding chime. It gave off a good vibe whenever the whole team was hanging out together, nice background noise. But Tony also enjoyed playing it even when he was one of the only guys in the game room. It reminded him of being a kid. Skipping pointless classes and sneaking off campus to hide-out in arcades.

And that’s how Bruce found him on one of their free-days. Most of the team had gone out to explore the city, but mostly everyone was taking their small break to catch up on sleep, relax. Tony seemed to be relaxing by playing pinball. But relax seemed like the wrong word. He was hyper-focused on the game in front of him. Eyes following the tiny silver ball as it bounced all over the board. Hands practically trigger happy, ready to punch the levers on each side of the board at a moment’s notice. It was a sort of fixation Tony usually saved for calculating difficult math work, or piecing together new equipment.

Bruce padded into the room quietly, trying not to blow Tony’s focus.

“Hey you!” Tony called out, not looking away from his game for a single moment. “Didn’t wanna go on a field trip to Brooklyn with Steve?”

Bruce shook his head, stepping close behind Tony, watching him play. “Nah. I decided to try reading some journals.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Seems like everyone’s working with stem cells right now. Pretty fascinating medical breakthroughs…” Bruce trailed off, really watching him play.

Tony’s reaction time was near impeccable, always keeping the ball from plummeting down yet also not sending it blindly crashing across the board. And he was raking in a pretty decent score so far, upwards of 700,000 and still going strong.

“Hey you’re pretty good!” Bruce commented, watching Tony go. “How long have you been playing?”

Tony smirked at him and began singing under his breath. “Ever since I was a young boy, I played the silver ball-”

“Should have seen the Tommy reference coming a mile away.” Bruce sighed. Honestly, how could he not expect it? The guy was a walking encyclopedia for rock music, especially the classics.

“Probably. But it’s actually true in my case. When I was in boarding school I’d sneak out of all the boring classes.” Tony said. For a few moments though, he lost his concentration and he lost the ball. “Dammit! Eh, ain’t my best. At least I got on the leader board.”

“Not bad at all. You know I use to play a lot when I was younger too.” Bruce agreed. He didn’t remember everything that well from his childhood but he recalled going to a local arcade a handful of times

He could tell when Tony got an idea, smirking up at Bruce as he put more quarters into the machine. “No kidding. Why don’t we make this a little more interesting then? You vs Me. Whoever gets the highest score wins. You game?”

“Alright, I’m game.” This should be fun.

Bruce went first. Preparing for the worst. No doubt Tony was going to be cheating this whole game, he was certain. And as soon as he pulled back the spring and set the pinball loose, Tony leaned up on one side of the machine.

“Sooooooo,” Tony began, tapping his fingers against the glass obnoxiously. “Do you need silence when you play? Can’t afford losing you focus.”

“No, I’m good.” Bruce replied easily and refusing to make eye contact with his boyfriend.

“Oh good, good, that must be nice. Being able to get in the zone. Filter everything out. That way you don’t get DISTRACTED!”

Bruce was unfazed, continuing to play.

“Damn your good. Didn’t even flinch!”

“I’d hope so, I’ve spent years training to keep my nerves in check.” Bruce said with a little pride of his own. “It’d be a waste if I couldn’t handle a little cheating.”

“Hey! I’m not cheating, just a little taunting!” Tony defended himself.

“Sure. And it’s definitely not the fact that you’re a sore loser.” Bruce taunted. Smiling a little when he saw Tony straighten up from his faux-relaxed state.

“I’ll do whatever it takes to win. You know I will Bruce. Second place is first loser! And Starks don’t lose!”

Bruce stepped away from the machine as the words game over flashed across the board. Along with his score, 800,056. “I guess so, especially when there’s only two people playing.” Bruce replied with a smirk.

He watched as Tony read over his score. He bit the inside of his cheek and tried not to show how impressed and threatened he was.

“Looks like it’s your turn, Wizard.”

When Tony stepped over to the pinball machine, he glanced back at Bruce with a quick smile. “Go easy on me big guy, not all of us are meditating masterminds with nerves of steel.”

“Oh? What happened to doing whatever it takes to win?”

“I do what it takes to win.” Tony said, pointing to himself. “You’re the sweet nerd who would never stoop to lying or cheating... Trying to get into your boyfriend’s head to win. Right?”

“I don’t know Tony. You said it yourself, second place is first loser.”

Tony didn’t respond to that. He just pulled back the spring and started his game.

Bruce was ready to strike. And he stepped directly behind Tony. “You ok if I stand right here?”

“Sure, sure you’re fine.” Tony said dismissively, trying to block Bruce out.

“What about now?” Bruce asked as he set his chin on Tony’s shoulder.

Tony’s shoulders moved a little but he didn’t try to dislodge Bruce. “You’re good. Just don’t try to poke me or mess with my hands. That’s low even for you.”

“Oh I’d never!” Bruce said smirking, but he kept his hands to himself. Even if both of them were playing dirty he still had a code of honor. Instead he kept trying to pull at Tony’s focus. “So I gotta ask T-Bone, which hand are you dominant with? Cause you seem to be relying on that left hand pretty heavily.”

“You think?”

“Yeah. I mean, just look at it. You keep using the left levers. Even when the balls on the right side you keep hitting the left instinctively. Besides pulling the trigger, your right hand barely does anything. In your defense, the left side does have two different levers. I always wondered about that, you know. Why does the left side get an augmentation? Why did that ever become a thing? The right side doesn’t have any advantage. That means if the ball falls onto the right side of your board you’re more likely to lose.” Bruce carefully timed each thing he said. Saying left when the ball was on the right, keeping his words always opposite to try to annoy and throw Tony off.

“Yep. That sure sounds interesting or whatever. Keep talking.” Tony for his part tried to keep his cool. But he hissed when the ball narrowly missed falling through the center. As he played he kept sparing quick glance up at the score board to see how far he was from Bruce’s score. He’d broken 777,000. If he could just hang on a little bit longer…

Bruce wasn’t making it an easy task. He kept his hands to himself and didn’t shout randomly, but he did keep talking about opposites and all the technicalities to pinball.

But then he lost track of the ball, accidentally swayed by Bruce’s taunting and the ball fell.

“Shit!” He seemed disappointed, but when Tony turned to Bruce he was grinning. “Oh my god, that was diabolical, Bruce. I thought you were supposed to be the nice one.”

Bruce shrugged, smiling back. “It’s always the ones you least suspect!”

“Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up! If I’d done something like that I would have won for sure. And you would have complained the whole time, saying I was-” Tony’s grumbling was cut short when he caught sight of his score. 800,074. “Ha! In your face! I still won anyways!”

Bruce was surprised by the score as well, they’d come pretty close. But a win was a win and Tony’s triumph had been decently earned. Though Bruce couldn’t help but wonder how much better they’d both be when they weren’t terrorizing one another while they played?

“Nicely done. So what did you win exactly?”

Tony paused from his gloating. “I don’t know, we never agreed to any prizes…” He looked like he was thinking for a moment before looking back towards Bruce. “Wanna go again? This time whoever loses has to… Loser has to revise all the paperwork from SHIELD.”

“Oh you’re so on.” Bruce said, ready to play again. Though, if Bruce were honest, he didn’t care either way. Even when he lost he felt like he was winning.

And so did Tony.

But neither of them were looking forwards to the mountain of reports and tedious forms SHIELD expected the Avengers to take care of, so it was game on.

[thewandrblog-blog]

My Top 10 Best Places to Drink in NYC

Last week, I wrote about my Top 10 Best Places to Eat in NYC, and so it's only fitting that I follow that up with something to wash it down... 

As I mentioned in the aforementioned post, there are just way too many establishments in New York City to ever really experience them all. Your journey through NYC Food & Drink discovery engenders itself entirely through recommendations or random trial and error.

The bars that made this list were based on my own experience, and I know there's a hundred other great ones! These were just the ones I'd recommend you if you asked me, based on the great memories I made there, or the experiences that left a lasting impression.

Enough already- you're thirsty!

 10. Angel's Share

Address: 8 Stuyvesant St, New York, NY 10003 (East Village)

The amazing thing about New York City is that there are all of these really cool, hidden bars that you would never find, and offer something truly unique inside. They literally don't advertise themselves, because word-of-mouth moves everyone in the city. This is how the locals get away from the tourists in an already over-crowded city. 

Angel's Share is one such bar, unsuspectingly located above an asian restaurant downtown. The cocktails are unique and excellent, and the angel-themed art on the walls are something to marvel at. It's a cool part of the city too, and a fun place to walk around before and after.

 9. The Three Diamond Door

Address: 211 Knickerbocker Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11237 (Bushwick)

I had to get at least one place in Brooklyn on the list, and I chose "Three Diamond." If you're a fan of hole-in-the-wall bars with good music and a grungier, darker atmosphere, this is your spot. There are three major sections that open up to you once you get inside, including an outdoor patio. They've usually got some great tequila-tecate combo deals (like the rest of Brooklyn), and they've got prosecco on top. I mean, come on. 

 8. The Tippler

Address: Chelsea Market, 425 W 15th St, New York, NY 10011 (Chelsea)

One of many underground old, rustically-themed speakeasies in NYC, The Tippler sits directly underneath Chelsea Market, one of the attractions you should definitely familiarize yourself if you visit the city, and where I used to work for Major League Baseball. The Tippler has excellent drinks, and some great live music every now and then, and is a hotspot for the locals. The cocktails are even pricier than many of its highly-priced peers, but you're paying mostly for the atmosphere here. It's definitely worth a visit.

 7. Yotel Terrace

Address: 570 10th Ave, New York, NY 10036 (Hell's Kitchen)

I can't find enough good things to say about Yotel. I stumbled upon this terrace with amazing city views when I randomly reserved a room here one night because of a great Cyber Monday deal I found a year and a half ago that gave me a sweet discounted rate on an awesome room. To learn more about how to find Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals (aka How to Ball Hard) click here.

Again, great drinks, a nice mediterranean menu to go with it, and an atmosphere that's hard to beat whether it's day or night. They also set up an outdoor movie theatre periodically that feels like a drive-in theatre with the city in the backdrop. How cool is that?!

 6. McSorely's Old Ale House

Address: 15 E 7th St, New York, NY 10003 (East Village)

This bar was established in 1854. Abraham Lincoln drank here.

*drops mic*

*picks up mic*

No, but seriously, this is one of the oldest relics New York City has to offer, and one of the first places I ever had a drink in NYC. You have two options: Light Ale or Dark Ale. And you'll get two mugs when you order. It's cash only, and when you see their register and how busy it gets, you'll understand why. It's awesome to watch. Take a look around when you go in to see some amazing history.

 5. Barcade

Address: 148 W 24th St, New York, NY 10011 (Chelsea)

If you were born in the 1960's or earlier, this is the closest thing you will ever get to experiencing the epic life that Jeff Bridges lived in the movie TRON. There are three (I think) in the NYC area, but the one in Chelsea seems to have the best selection of classic arcade games, including Mario Bros, NBA Jam, Crazy Taxi, and Pacman. It doesn't stop there though- their draft beer selection is on point, and it's worth going to even if you're not going there to play any games. But, who would do that? 

 4. Pod 39 Rooftop Lounge & Bar

Address: 145 E 39th St, New York, NY 10016

This is one of the best bars, visually, I've ever seen in my life. I can't get over architecture that surrounds the perimeter of this rooftop bar. It feels like you're in some ancient ruin that was remodeled for your lounging pleasure but the roof was purposely left off for your viewing pleasure. I've come up here several times, but was only able to get a drink once because this place gets slammed around dinner time. Check it out during the day if you can, or find a way to get in early at night. 

 3. SPiN

Address: 48 E 23rd St, New York, NY 10010 (Flatiron)

Best place to play Ping Pong in the entire world. SPiN plays host to all kinds of events; ping pong tournaments, corporate gatherings, and parties, as well as being an everyday spot for good drinks, good food, and great music. One of the coolest things about this bar is that you can see people swinging away from the subway. Since it's underground, those who are riding The 6 Train through 23rd Street Station will catch a glimpse of all the fun. I was almost a regular here. Just make sure to go during off-peak hours, or it can get pricey in a hurry!

 2. Baita by Birreria (aka Eataly Rooftop)

Address: 200 5th Ave, New York, NY 10010 (Flatiron)

Can you tell I like rooftops? Let's be real- who doesn't? There are dozens of them in the city, though, and there are good reasons this one tops the list in my mind. The atmosphere is hard to beat- especially on a summer day, and some of the best food in the city (supplied by a giant Italian market a few floors below called Eataly) is at your disposal. They've got great wine and beer on tap (as expected), and for all those reasons it became one of my go-to spots when people came into town, as well as when those people left it.

 1. Library Bar at Hudson

Address: 358 W 58th St, New York, NY 10019

I had a hard time choosing a #1 from all the great places listed above, but I settled on the Library Bar for a few reasons that are completely subjective. It was perhaps my favorite place to have a drink in the city because it felt so good to sit there and feel what it would be like to realize one of my biggest dreams. I genuinely wish to have a giant library in my future home someday, full of books I've read, with a giant ladder and catwalk leading to them all.

This is where I would relax, ingest knowledge, ponder, and sip on a cocktail. So, it was a miniature heaven for me, and an opportunity to work towards manifesting heaven on Earth. It would double as a lounge, with dark wood tones and dim lighting, yet welcoming with cozy fireplaces. 

The cocktails are pricey, but living the dream is priceless. 

I hope you enjoyed this list make some new discoveries because of it! I'd love to hear about your favorite places in the comments section below! Make sure to stay in touch by following me on Facebook and Instagram for more Travel Tips and Inspiration.