#I mean come on bro you never found even ONE ping pong ball?! | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

captainkippen · 5 years ago

Note

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.

#tyrus #andi mack #my writing #tj kippen #cyrus goodman #Anonymous

60 notes · View notes

clubdolan · 6 years ago

Text

& They Were Roommates ... | NC

When long time friends become housemates and everyone sees it but them.

“Whoaaaa-kay, Noah. Who is that, why is she here and why haven’t I met her?” Erik stopped dead in his tracks as he walked into Noah’s kitchen.

“My name is Brooke, I’m staying here for a while and.. you’re meeting me now.”

Noah nodded at Erik as she had answered all his questions. “We were friends in high school, lived in the same neighborhood and our moms are good friends…. and our sisters are the same age.”

“So you just moved your girl-next-door in without telling me? Or anyone?”

“I lived across the street and down a few houses.” She corrected him, “not next door”; grabbing her plate of food and heading to the room that she had been given.

Noah lowered his voice, “It was super last minute, she got a job out here and needed to move. We’ve kept in touch and I saw she needed a place so until she finds one by herself, I said she could stay here.”

“And I ask one more time, why didn’t you tell me?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t know you needed to know who was living at my house.” He shrugged, grabbing a drink from the fridge.

“I needed to know, because she’s… gorgeous.”

“Yeah, she’s cute.” Noah said, “She’s a dancer too, I know you’ve got a thing for—

“Ughhh, fuck yeah. Hook me up, bro. Give me the digits, introduce me, let’s all go get—

“Not gunna happen.” He laughed, “She’s on the ‘independent I don’t need a man’ train right now.”

“She didn’t know she needed a man until she met me.” Erik brushed off his shirt, “I’ll go introduce myself—

“Duuuude, you’ll see her here sometimes. Talk to her then. I don’t want my friends annoying her, I said you all would be normal…”

Two months in and Brooke’s schedule was never the same as his. She would leave at six in the morning and arrive back home to a living room full of boys yelling at video games. Noah would be gone for three days in New York and she invited her friend Shanna over who just gushed that ‘everything smelled like Peter Kavinsky’. They went to eat with groups of friends, went shopping with people, her mom and sister visited for a few days and he invited her to the movies with Jack and him.

One day their schedules collided, both heading to work out at the same time. “Come with me to Unbreakable, do some boxing.”

“I’m more of a hot yoga type.”

“C’mon, try something new.” He nudged her shoulder as she grabbed a banana off the counter. “It’s fun, you’ll get muscles and cardio at once.”

“Fine. You want a banana?” She asked, tossing one to him as he nodded and following him out to his car.

Two hours later they were both laying on the floor of Unbreakable Performance Gym, out of breath from the trainer doing fast sets with them.

Brooke held her hands over her face, trying to catch her breath and gain feeling back in her legs. “Told you it’d be fun.”

“Yeah, loads of fun.” She felt someone sit next to her and water dripped on her chest.

Her eyes opened quickly to see Noah holding a cup of water over her, “Drink.”

“I can’t even sit up.”

Noah groaned and sat the cups down, grabbing her hands and pulling her to sit up. “Hot yoga must not be much of a workout?”

“It’s more of a relaxing work out.”

“Punching things isn’t relaxing?”

“Two different types of relaxing.” She agreed.

“Big workout with Noah Cent today!” The trainer videoed them, walking in a circle. “It hit Brooke a little hard or I might have just gone a little tough on her for her first day.”

“Not fair!” She pointed right at the camera before drinking her water in one gulp. “Totally not fair.”

They headed home, grabbing food on the way. Brooke tried to stay awake and get some work done but as she did some internet research in the living room while watching Noah play video games, she fell asleep.

She woke up on the same couch. Her computer was on the table next to her and a blanket was draped over her body.

“Bout time.” Noah laughed, “It’s almost four.”

Brooke fidgeted with her phone, “What are you doing?”

“Scripts.” He pointed to the pile next to him, “I need to read through them all and see what I’m interested in.”

“Got any for a girl that can’t feel her legs or arms… orrrr whole body?” She groaned sitting up, “I’m going to get a hot shower.”

“If you want to take a bath there’s a tub in my bathroom. Tay left some bath bombs or something in the cabinet that I will never use.”

Brooke didn’t object his offer knowing his bath tub was loaded with jets and could fit about four people at one time. Hot water ran, bubbles piled up, bath bomb fizzed under the water leaving glitter in its path as she tried to relax her sore muscles.

“Hey B, did you fill the fridge?” Noah asked, staring at the contents, “I swear there wasn’t any milk, yogurt or fruit here yesterday.”

She paused on her way out the door, “You said yesterday, I wish we had yogurt and fruit and so when I went to get a few things I grabbed yogurt and fruit.” She shrugged, closing the door behind her.

“I thought tonight was video game night or something?” Brooke asked, passing Noah on his way out the door. “Usually there’s a bunch of dudes here—

“Oh, you said you had some friends coming over for the finale of that show you watch, so I told Jackson we needed to play at his house.”

The door closed before she saw a perfectly clean living room, no video game controllers in sight. The fridge not only had her bottle of wine but a few more plus her favorite snack, strawberries dipped in chocolate.

Brooke: Did you really supply the wine and snacks for The Bachelorette finale?

Noah: I figure we’ve ruined enough of your girl’s nights yelling at Fortnite so I thought I’d be nice.

Brooke: You didn’t have to! But thank you! We’re all enjoying it. :)

“Wait, don’t come in!” Brooke yelled as she heard the front door open. Noah froze mid way, “Just, stand by the door and don’t come any further!”

She hustled around the kitchen, finishing icing on the cake and checking the clock, “You said you wouldn’t be home for another two hours!”

“They cut my last scene for the day, so I’m early. Do I need to leave? Do you have someone here? I ca—

“No, just give me one second!” She lit a candle and pushed the pan to the edge of the counter. She caught her reflection in the glare of her iPhone before looking down at her outfit; icing on her cheek, her hair tied up out of the way from baking, barely any makeup on, an old t-shirt she found and a pair of leggings.

Brooke had planned to look a little better as she threw a ‘mini red carpet’ for Noah since his movie came out on iTunes that he filmed two years ago. She had remembered hearing all about it and saw it never released until now.

The cake was white with a red square across it, a toothpick with a picture of Noah’s head was poked in the top of it, ‘SWIPED’ written in black icing, below it ‘#2 on iTunes all day’ was written in chicken scratch of leftover red icing.

“Okay, you can come in.”

Noah turned the corner slowly and a party popper went off in the air, “Happy movie release day!”

“Oh yeah, it came out today.” He reminded himself, laughing at the cake. “This is awesome, thank you.”

“I was going to make it fancier in here, I had a whole red carpet planned but you came home and you don’t have a red carpet.” She kicked the rolled up red rug that set on the floor.

“No, no, this is fine. This is amazing. The last time anyone did this was… the Austin and Ally episode.” They both laughed, “You and your sister’s made that horrible cake and you all threw it at me before we all watched it.”

“I promise this cake is much better.” Brooke pointed to the box of ready made mix that sat on the counter, “And I wanted to make this like the Austin and Ally party. Every movie needs a red carpet.”

“I mean they’re fun but Swiped was such a small budget. I didn’t even think it was going to come out after that long of waiting.”

Brooke looked in the reflection of the microwave and tried to fix the messy bun on top of her head, but there was no hope for it. “I look like complete shit.” She wiped under her eyes, remnants of mascara were smudged below her lashes. “I should have—

“You look fine.”

“Huh?” She turned around, picking a piece of dry icing off the back of her hand.

“You said you look like shit and I was saying, you look fine.” He leaned on the counter near the cake, “You always do.”

“I look like I have slaved over this damn—

“Shut up, Brooke. You’re beautiful. You never look like shit.” She finally looked up from her red stained hands and made eye contact with him, “What?”

“I mean... I just... thanks?” She awkwardly leaned on the counter opposite of him, “Even though like my hair—

“No, no, no, stop. You look fine.” He stood up and gestured to the cake. “This is more than you needed to do. Thank you.”

He opened his arms for a hug but Brooke barely looked at him, “Oh, sorry...” She stopped herself from rambling and quickly hugged him. Her stomach flipped and her face went hot as his arms wrapped around her, they hadn’t hugged in a long time. Since he left to move to California; when they were sixteen.

“You even smell like cake.” He mumbled into the top of her messy hair. “You need to stop being so negative about yourself.”

“Huh?” Brooke asked, pushing herself back from him.

“You constantly put yourself down, I hate it.”

“I don’t realize I’m doing it. I’m my biggest critic, I guess.” She tried to laugh it off, “Speaking of, I suck at alphabetizing and need to get a whole box done before work tomorrow, so I’m gunna…” She pointed behind her, “Enjoy the cake.”

“Do you—“ He paused, hearing her door close, “Want a piece?” Noah mumbled to himself, sticking his finger in the top of the icing and licking it off.

“Wow a house party, is this the LA life style?” Brooke joked, walking in after work. People flooded their kitchen and living room, “Excuse me…. excuse me… oh hey, Kyle… where did that ping pong table come from?”

“We bought it today!” Noah yelled, trying to shoot a ping pong ball backwards into a red cup. “You better not hide in your room.”

“I’m just going to put my stuff down.”

After forty minutes of ‘putting her stuff down’ and two interruptions from Kyle and Jack she finally made her way to the living room.

Brooke recognized a few girls and chatted with them while she downed a few glasses of wine. Kyle got her to open a cabinet which he ‘iced’ her with and she got him back by hiding one behind the radio and asking him to change the song.

“Everyone in here! Game time!” Jack yelled, standing on the ping pong table. Chairs pulled up around it, the couch was drug towards it and a few people stood.

“It’s an easy game just read the card you pick out loud and do whatever it says, kapeesh?”

Brooke walked in as piles of cards were being sat around the table. Two guys did rock, paper, scissors to decide who would go first.

“Brooke! Over here!” Noah waved from their couch which was parked at one end of the table. She balanced a beer and a hard cider in one hand while she weaved in and out of the people waiting their turn.

“Scoot over!” She yelled at the company on the couch, “Guys! Move over, I’m sitting here.” She pointed next to Noah and watched Jack yell at the person drawing a card. “I’ll go get a chair out of my room—

“Just sit.” Noah opened his arms and looked at his lap.

Brooke did a bit of thinking, taking time to watch a girl chug the rest of her beer before she sat down on his legs. “On a scale of one to Jack, how drunk are you?”

Noah closed his eyes and thought, “Six? You?”

“On a scale of one to Jack, I’m about a four.”

“BROOKE!” She turned and looked at the table, everyone was looking back. “Brooke I nominated you to drink.”

She tipped her cup back and finished the beer, tossing the empty cup on the table before drawing her own card. “Person to my right has to chug.”

“Noah!” Kyle yelled.

“Kyle!” Noah yelled.

She looked at the both of them before Noah spoke, “Technically, I’m underneath her.”

Without an argument Kyle chugged his drink and picked his card.

The pile of cards was endless. People were dancing, singing, drinking, making other people drink and some had left as it was already around one in the morning.

“There’s no fucking way I’m getting into an uber and riding somewhere when my bed is fifteen feet away from me.” Brooke groaned, leaning back on Noah. “Please tell me you’re not because I don’t want to get up—

“I’m starving so I am.” He laughed, wrapping his arms around her and standing up, “The diner is right down the road, are you sure?”

“My bed is right there.” She pointed to a door across the room.

An hour and a half later Noah, Jack and Kyle came back in the apartment, begging for a bed, couch, or “literally anywhere with a blanket”.

“Couch!” Noah pointed to the living room, choosing to ignore the mess in the kitchen and just turn the lights off. “I’ll be in my—

“If she’s sleeping here I am one hundred percent taking her bed.” Kyle pointed to Brooke asleep on the couch that still sat at the end of the ping pong table.

“She will kill you.” Noah laughed, making his way towards them, “B, come on, go to your bed before Kyle gets in it.”

“Don’t fucking touch my bed.”

“Then get up!”

“C’mon..” Noah grabbed her hands and pulled her up. Brooke stumbled and fell into the ping pong table, blaming Noah. “Ten feet away.” He wrapped his arms around her and guided her to her room, “Do you want to—

Brooke groaned and tugged her shirt off, tossing it across the room. “Ohhhh kay, Brooke. I will see—

“Take my shoes off.” She demanded from the edge of the bed, holding her boot up in the air.

Noah cautiously tugged at the black leather before grabbing the other one, sitting both of them beside her bed.

“Can you get the red sweatshirt from my closet?” She yawned, pushing her covers back. Noah walked to the closet, pulling the red sweatshirt from a shelf.

By the time he turned around her pants were off and she was under the covers, “Do you still want this?”

Her hand stuck out and she grabbed the fabric, pulling it towards her, “Thanks babe.” “You’re welcome?” He laughed, “You’re going to feel like shit in the morning.”

“Happy birthday, Noelle!” A group of girls yelled, snapping pictures, boomerangs and video of their friend blowing out candles on a cake.

They all shuffled around taking selfies, posting before they went out, eating cupcakes and continuing their drinking from the dinner they had just gotten home from.

Brooke left the girls to chat and ventured down the hall, “Hey No…” She knocked on his bedroom door, “Noah?” She opened it when he told her to come in, “We’re about to leave, can you take a group picture of us?”

“For sure.” He tossed his book on his bed and followed her down the hall.

“Noah!!” They all screamed as he walked in.

He laughed and said hi, “I’m just here to take a picture.” He held up Brooke’s phone. The girls all moved around, getting into a row of six, “Smile!”

“Okay but we need a serious one too.” He took a few more.

“And a funny one!” He took three or four.

“Try a candid!” Another suggested. They all moved and talked while he continued taking pictures.

“Bus is here!” One yelled, looking at her phone. “Get your birthday sash on, Nora!”

In no time they all had gone out the door and down the drive way, “Thanks.” Brooke smiled, taking her phone from Noah. “Be honest with me. Do I look like a slut or just like.... an average LA girl?”

He took a few steps back and looked her up and down, “You look better than an average LA girl but a little on the provocative side.” He saw her face change, “It’s not a bad side, it’s good. You deserve to show off your lil boxing abs.”

Brooke glanced down at her flat stomach, a few abs finally poking through from weeks of early morning boxing.

“And I like your hair up.”

She looked back at him, the ponytail swinging behind her. “Thanks. I trusted Jen with my hair and makeup.”

She kept glancing in the reflection of the fridge next to her, fidgeting with lipstick and mascara. Noah kept looking at her, taking her in head to toe, “Are you going to go?”

“Oh yeah.” She tossed her lipstick in her clutch, “Everyone’s going to their own houses when we’re done so it’ll only be me coming home.”

“Why do you keep pulling at your outfit?”

Brooke caught herself tugging at the cleavage of her shirt, “I just.. I’m not used to the top or bottom.. or shoes. I feel like everything is hanging out.” She laughed, pulling at the bottom of her skirt. “Is my butt hanging out?”

Noah laughed, watching her spin around, “Not at all.”

“It’s dark in the club too, no one will even see anything.”

“You’re right.”

“I’ll just stand in the middle of everyone.”

“Good plan.”

“How are they so comfortable in like no cloth—

“Brooke, they’re all waiting on you. Call me if you need a ride.”

“Oh shoot, yes. Bye!” She tried her best to walk fast in her heels, slamming the door behind her.

Different pictures were posted all night on each girl’s profile.

@brookeitsme: Happy Birthday @NO_L !

—@ncentineo: photo cred: ME

A picture of Brooke and Jen hugging in the girl’s bathroom.

@brookeitsme: MY H&MUA BABE @jennyfaye

—@ncentineo: team ponytail

A picture of Brooke behind the DJ booth with his head phones on.

@brookeitsme: How did I end up at the DJ booth?

—@ncentineo: 😍

“Brooookieeee I’m going home with you so I can go find Noah.” Her friend Steph mumbled in her ear, holding onto her arm. “Let him take more pics of me if you know what I mean.”

“Nice try but Noah’s after Brooke.” Jen laughed, helping steady Steph.

Brooke almost spat out her drink, “What? No he’s not. Oh my god.”

“Are you oblivious? To the both of you?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Yeah..” Steph got closer to them, “What are you talking about? Because I want th—

“Have you been on instagram? Seen the notifications?” Jen grabbed her phone out and began typing and searching. Brooke had her notifications off since people realized she lived with Noah. Her instagram was non-stop so every notification was annoying.

“He commented on all three pictures you posted. The one of you has a HEART EYE EMOJI.” Jen put the phone in her face, “And he likes your ponytail.”

“Yeah he told me that earlier.”

“Did you see the look on his face when he looks at you? Do you pay attention?” Jen laughed, “You too! You get the melty look when he’s around. I’ve only seen you like that one other time and it’s when we saw Zac Efron at The Grove.”

“And he’s always complimenting you.” Steph added, “I get SO jealous. Like isn’t my outfit hot enough for Mr. Noah Centineo??”

“Ask any of us, we’ve all noticed it.” She pointed to their table of friends, “Right, Meg? Noah and Brooke?”

“Oh their constant oblivious flirting?”

“Are you all joking? You planned this. I told you all I didn’t like him that way—

“You didn’t. Past tense.” Steph pointed out, still leaning on Jen for balance. “What about now?”

“We’ve been friends forever, there’s nothing more than that—

“She didn’t say no.” Jen smirked, “Have you even been looking at apartments to move out?”

“We went a few times but…”

“But what?”

“Noah didn’t like the ‘area’ I had picked out.” Brooke looked down at her heels, “It was sketchy or something.”

“What about the other time?”

“It was too far from his place.”

“What did he say before you left?”

“To call him if I needed a ride.”

“BROOKE!” It seemed like they all yelled her name at her, “COME ON!”

“What? It’s what friends do…”

“When we went to eat the other day he was allllll about you.” Meg said, “He drove us, paid for your food, drove an extra like forty minutes to get you your favorite tea and then carried your to-go food in the house.”

“Well when you point it all out…”

“And you told me about the day he said you were beautiful.” Another friend spoke up, “That you always look beautiful.”

“It was because—

“He said he loved your laugh at that party one night. He let you sit on his lap. He kept wrapping his arm around you. You almost fell asleep on him. He helped you change before you went to bed….”

“He calls you B all the time, even to his friends. Ster told me.”

“You always talk about him too.” Jen laughed, wrapping her arm around Brooke’s shoulder, “You always see movies with him and go eat with him and sit at home and watch shows with him and you’d rather order pizza in than go meet me for lunch and then I find out Noah’s home. When he’s not there you always ask to stay with one of us…."

“Why are you all just telling me this now?!” Brooke asked, overwhelmed.

“We thought you would catch on at some point.” Meg laughed, “Apparently not.”

“First of all, rude. Second, where is Noelle?”

“She left with that youtube guy she’s been seeing.” Steph downed a glass of water, “I’ve been waiting to go home with you but now I won’t be inviting myself.”

“Meg was trying to get the attention of homeboy over there but his friend keeps winking at her.”

“I’m here for moral support of everyone and their decisions.” Jen said, “And to make sure we all get a ride home.”

“Can we drink a little more, not you Steph, and dance a little more before I have to go home realizing everything you’ve all just thrown at me?”

Two hours and two bottles later they were all on their phones ordering rides, ��No, don’t get an uber.” Meg covered Brooke’s phone, “I asked Noah to come get you.”

“MEG!” She whined.

“BROOOOOKE!” She mimicked her, “You live in the hills and fares are tripled right now. All of us live downtown except for Steph who’s going with me tonight. He’ll be here in like ten minutes.”

Brooke flipped to her texts with Noah and clicked the info button, a map popped up of where he was at that exact moment.

“You’re tracking him?”

“We both share locations in case I get stolen and sent over seas to be sold as a sex.” Brooke explained, “It’s a big fear of mine... He’s right down the road.”

“My car is almost here, I’ll get Steph and we can go wait outside with you.”

The little breeze was welcomed on their skin as they exited the muggy, hot club. They ignored the random guys who shouted at them and stood down from the door, watching for their rides.

“Really, man?” Meg asked, rolling her eyes at the guy who kept looking at them. “We’re probably half your age, leave us alone.”

“I’m always looking for Sugar Babies.”

“You’re disgusting.”

“Just an offer for—

“We’re not interested, please leave us al—

“But the three of you can—

“Please, leave us alone.” Meg tried to look around him for the specific car picking them up.

“I was just—

“Oh my fucking god, stop it!” She screamed, grabbing Broke and Steph’s hands. “Please move so we can cross the street.”

The man didn’t move, he kept looking at all three of them; up and down, up and down.

“Excuse me, sir. Please move so the ladies can get through.” Brooke looked up at the familiar voice and Noah stood there with his hand out. She grabbed it and stepped aside the guy; pulling her friends with her.

“Oh my god, thank you, thank you.” Meg sighed, “I was losing all will power not to punch him in the face.”

“I parked across the street and saw you all with him. Figured it wasn’t going well. Do you guys have a ride?”

“Yeah” Meg looked at her phone, “Black Ford Escape, license plate Y35— right there.” She pointed up a few cars. “Thanks, Noah.”

“Yeah, thanks.” Steph grinned, following Meg to the car.

Brooke grabbbed onto Noah’s arm and rest her head on his shoulder. “I feel like I’m on a boat.”

“You’re a little wobbly but I’ve seen you worse.” He joked. “Seems like you guys had a fun time?”

“Yeah, even though Noelle left with some dude early on. We kept the party going.” She laughed.

“I saw the DJ booth picture, did you have a good set? Play some jams?”

“Killed it. Got a job offer immediately. I even did the one head phone on and one off, felt like a real DJ.”

The car ride home they chatted. She told funny stories of the night, he asked about certain instagram stories, she played a new song she heard and he even stopped by McDonalds so she could have french friends and a Coke.

Her phone started firing away, their group message was blowing up. “Oh fuck off.” She mumbled, shoving it back in her bag, hearing dings continue to go off.

Meg: Snuck a picture of our favorites. *picture*

Jen: SHUT UP I DID TOO *picture*

Meg: Great minds think alike.

Steph: I told her it was creepy, she made the uber driver slow down.

Noelle: BROOKIE that’s so cute.

Steph: He was so hot in sweatpants and a hoodie.

Jen: Are you alive, Brooke?

Noelle: Is she finally getting the D?

Steph: He deserves it from someone tonight.

Meg: NOELLE! lolololol but really

Jen: She’s going to kill all of you.

Steph: Not if she gets good enough D.

Steph: She’ll be a happy B.

Meg: Happy B because of the D

Noelle: HAPPY B BC OF D OF NOAH C

Meg: Shut up Noelle I hate us.

Jen: I truly wonder what’s happening. Maybe she’s just ignoring us?

Steph: Maybe she fell asleep?

Meg: Maybe she’s finally getting the french fries she’s begged for all night.

Noelle: I still think she’s getting it onnnnn.

Noelle: And then she’s gotta tell us every detail.

Steph: Literally every detail. I need to know these things.

Brooke pulled up the photos and swiped back and forth. Meg’s was a view from behind of her leaning on Noah’s arm as they walked to his car. Jen’s was from across the street as he let her in his passenger door.

Brooke: You all are sneaky little bitches. I finally got my french fries and Coke. We aren’t even home yet you freaks. Of course I could tell you some details if THAT EVER HAPPENED but he’s just driving me home. I could fall asleep at any moment though.

She recorded a video with random alternative music playing as she ate french fries, her lipstick was half off her lips as she sipped her drink and put it back in the middle console. As she bopped her head to the beat a random hand snuck into her french fry bag and stole some. She followed him with the camera and Noah smiled as he snuck them all in his mouth, looking at the road.

Meg: Brooke you are living the dream.

Jen: I want a guy that gets me french fries.

Steph: I just want a guy.

Noelle: His little smirk he does at you!! I can’t take it!!

Jen: Do you see it now, B? Are you noticing things?

Brooke: I’m noticing that he carried my shoes inside and made sure I didn’t fall up the stairs.

Brooke: He offered to make me a BATH but I’m too lazy so I’m just laying on the couch resembling a dead body.

Noelle: GET. IN. THE. BATH.

Meg: Fuck youuuu, B. I’ll come take a bubble bath.

Jen: It’s funny because I know exactly what you look like right now without even seeing it.

Brooke: Oh you can see. Noah took this picture of me. *picture*

One leg hung off the couch, one was up on a pillow, her bag of french fries on her chest and her ponytail was let down, giving her a major bad hair moment.

Steph: Brooke you’re a dream girl.

Jen: I like your smudged lipstick.

Brooke: IT’S FROM EATING.

Meg: You do kind of look dead. Dead but enjoying fries.

Noelle: Can I use this as album cover art? I’m not even joking.

Noelle: 100% would use this for a single. Black and white.

Brooke: I give you my drunk permission to use it as an album cover but don’t forget to thank me when you win album of the year.

Jen: The party girl song, Noelle! The one you played a clip of on our way to Brooke’s.

Noelle: SHUT UP YOU’RE RIGHT

Meg: Wait, why did he take that picture of you? To prove you’re a mess? lol

Brooke: Because I told him not to speak of how messy I look right now so he CAPTURED IT FOREVER.

Jen: Can’t wait to frame it at your wedding.

Brooke: TOO FAR JEN

Brooke: I’m going to throw my phone in the toilet so there’s no chance that Noah ever sees these messages.

Brooke: He could easily look right now because he’s right next to me.

Meg: Feet or head?

Noelle: Head or feet?!?!???

Jen: Both of you can stop being twins.

Brooke: ………

Brooke: …….

Brooke …… I may be resting my head on his lap.

Brooke: He wanted more fries and thankfully I ordered two larges.

Meg: Stop texting us and talk to him.

Steph: Just turn your head over and go to wooooork!!

Jen: He put you on his instagram story. I’M DYING.

A black and white picture of Brooke from the neck down with the caption: “Two large fries and a coke, please.” You couldn’t even tell she was laying on his lap, but all of her friends knew.

“Oh fuck youuuuu.” She groaned, looking up at him, “I look so stupid and drunk.”

“No one even knows it’s you.”

“Jen did.”

“Okay well your outfit may give it away.” He shrugged, “It’s just funny you’re so content eating french fries right now.”

“I love french fries.”

“I know.” He smiled, continuing to look at her. Without a word he wiped his finger along her face, trying to remove the stain of lip stick she had smeared while eating.

“It’s a lip stain.” She laughed.

He tried to wipe it again, pushing harder. “They don’t joke when they say stain.”

“It’s three in the morning.” Brooke groaned, “I need to get up and wash my face and change and probably brush my hair and probably go to bed.”

“You definitely need to go to bed.” He pushed a hair from her face, “And wash your face or you’ll be angry when you wake up. Do you want to go to brunch whenever you wake up?”

“If there’s bacon involved, yes.”

“Those are like.. front row…”

“It’s called court side, but yes.” Noah laughed, “Please go?”

“Doesn’t Jack or like.. any of your guy friends want to go?” Brooke asked, sitting cross legged on the kitchen counter, eating a bag of pretzels. “Not that I don’t want to but I’m sure they’d be willing.”

“But I want you to go.” He leaned on the counter next to hear, flipping the two tickets in his hands. “Please?”

“How much time do I have to get ready?”

He glanced at the clock on the microwave, “Two hours.” He smiled up at her, shaking the gold and purple tickets. “We can go eat anywhere afterwards.”

“Anywhere?”

“Anywhere…” He sighed, tilting his head on her leg, “Please just tell me you’ll go. Because I really want to go.”

“Awwww..” She messed with his hair, “He really wants to go.” She frowned, “If he gives me forty-five minutes I can be ready for a Laker game and In and Out.”

Brooke filmed the outside of the arena as they walked in their ‘private’ door before Noah put his face right in front of the camera and yelled, “GO LAKERS”.

Paparazzi caught them as they entered, Noah guided Brooke with his hand on her back, not answering any of the questions they were yelling.

As they entered the building they ran into someone Noah knew immediately, “Noah Centineo…” James Cordon shook his hand, his other held onto his son who was sporting a bright gold Laker’s jersey.

“Nice to see you again, James.” He waved down at the boy, “Hey little man.”

“This is my son, Max. He loves basketball games.” Max looked up at the both of them, “He has no idea what’s going on.”

“This is my friend, Brooke.” He put his hand on her back as she shook James’ hand. “It’s her first Laker’s game. She also loves basketball.”

James took a picture of the four of them and shared it on his instagram. Both Brooke and Noah shared it to their stories as they sat down. A few fans noticed Noah and yelled at him across the court before the game started.

Brooke’s friends were texting her that she was on TV a lot and she had to laugh at some of the screen shots she got sent to her. But one caught her eye, it zoomed in on Noah and had a title on the TV screen, “Movie Star Noah Centineo” to inform all that were watching that he was there.

But Brooke didn’t notice that. Neither did her friends. They noticed his hand on her thigh, sitting there nonchalantly as they watched the game and didn’t see the camera zooming in across the court.

People caught pictures of them laughing together, Brooke whispering something in his ear, him stealing her popcorn, her resting her head on his shoulder for a selfie and of course, the internet went wild.

They were a trending topic, every news outlet had them on the front page, her instagram ‘tagged’ page kept continuously changing as his fan accounts posted images.

Neither of them spoke a word. They smirked at each other as they left their seats after the game, she grabbed his arm and followed him through the crowded halls till they were outside. They needed to make it to the parking lot next to the stadium which required leaving the gated space and entering the public.

It seemed like hours but Brooke finally got her hands on In and Out, snacking on it as they made their way home and onto the kitchen counter where they ate most of their meals late at night.

“All of these pictures of us. Endless instagram opportunities. Good thing I wore a good outfit.” She scrolled through her instagram tags and saved a few, sipping the end of her milkshake.

Her feet dangled off the side of the counter as she answered back her million texts from friends. Normally she would hate the attention but for some reason she didn’t even care.

“Oh, this one’s cute.” She showed Noah her phone, a shot of them exiting the venue, holding hands, both smiling; until her phone started ringing ‘MOM’.

“Don’t tell anyone that I’m muting her call right now, I don’t want to talk anymore. She’s called me three times today.”

“What about?”

“She said since it’s been six months I need to move out so she’s going to come out here to look for apartments with me since I can’t ‘do it on my own like an adult’.” She rolled her eyes, “My mom has no idea about apartments or neighborhoods around here.”

“So she wants you to move out?”

“It’s been six whole months.” She mimicked her mom, shaking her head. “Like I get it, but I really don’t want her to come help. She’ll be checking crime reports and make me get a place somewhere expensive so I’m not in danger.”

“You’re in danger everywhere in LA, does she know that?” He laughed, tossing their empty bags away before standing in front of her. “You’ll be in a cardboard box in Calabasas if she bases it off safety.”

“I’ve told her that so many times.” Brooke groaned, pushing her phone to the side as her mom texted her.

“How about you tell her something else?”

“What? Tell her I’m moving home? Tell her I’m moving to the neighborhood full of gangs? Tell her I’m movi—

“Tell her I don’t want you to move out.” He rested his hands on her knees. “I want you here… with me…”

Brooke tried to hide her smile, “I’m sure that’ll go over well.”

“It’s safer than living alone, right?” His hands moved up the side of her legs, “Security system, good neighborhood, you’ve been here for six months already so why move?”

Brooke grabbed his cheeks, “Because it’s been six whole months.” She mimicked her mom again, watching him laugh and push his face against her hands. “You’re not serious, are you?”

“I’m very serious.” He moved closer, his hands went around her bottom and he rested his body between her legs, “I don’t want you to move out. I want you to stay here.”

“Wouldn’t it be… tricky… to continue…. this…. and for me to live with you?”

“It would be opposite of tricky, it’d be easier.” He winked, “Not that I would tell your mom that.”

“Oh now you’re going to talk to my mom about it?” She laughed, “Go ahead.”

“Hi, I don’t want Brooke to move out… I promise she’s not a pain…” He faked being on the phone, “No, no, I’m not just being nice…. yes I’m talking about the same Brooke…..” He fake laughed as her hands fell around his neck, “No she’s not annoying… opposite actually…” Brooke laughed, “….my friends get along with her fine, I promise… it’s just that…. I don’t want her to move out.. I think I’ve realized in the past…” he checked a fake watch, “...six years. That I really like Brooke… like reallllly like her.”

Brooke’s eyebrows rose up at the statement before she whispered back to him, “And I realllllly like you, Noah.”

He hung up his fake phone and stood up in front of her. He bit his lip and held back a laugh, looking down at her. His hand went up to her neck as he brought his face down to hers and they kissed.

For the first time in six years, they kissed.

“So you’ll tell your mom…?” He asked, his thumb rubbing along her jaw.

“That I’m not moving.”

“Perrrrfect.” He smiled, picking her up and carrying her down the hall, kicking his door open, “I hope you don’t mind sleeping in here tonight.”

“Every night.” She quickly said back, tightening her grip on the curls at the top of his neck.

It made Noah stop in the middle of his room and smile before dropping her on to his bed and falling on top of her before repeating, “Every night.”

#me #mine #fanfic #noah #noah centineo #tatbilb #peter kavinsky #imagine #writing #write #Sierra Burgess is a Loser #jamey #charlies angels #the stand in #swiped #valet #fanfiction

241 notes · View notes

gamersonthego · 6 years ago

Text

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.

#goty #gotggoty2018 #chase koeneke #minit #golf peaks #alto's odyssey #final fantasy xv pocket edition #florence #pokemon let's go #holedown #super robot wars x #dead cells #into the breach

5 notes · View notes

siodymph · 8 years ago

Text

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.

#sciencebrosweek #science bros week #science bros #day 5 #pinball

15 notes · View notes

thewandrblog-blog · 8 years ago

Text

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.

0 notes