#We started that a year or two after we moved to Ireland

[afaroffsong]

Tell me a favourite Christmas tradition of yours.

[alotofpockets]

All grown up | Alessia Russo x Irish Arsenal!Reader & McFoord x Platonic!Reader

Where you've been with the team since you were young and have always been seen as the baby of the group, even when you aren't the youngest by far, and the team finds out you've grown up when they figure out you're dating Alessia

Woso masterlist | Words: 1.6k

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When you first joined Arsenal, you were still a teenager, and quickly your nickname became “the baby” as you had been the youngest one on the team. Katie had taken you in when you made the move over from Ireland, you hadn’t played together a lot because she had a few years on you, but to have a fellow Irish around made you feel more at home. 

You were a shy kid, and had a tendency to follow Katie around, at least for the first few months that you were at the club. A lot had changed in all those years since, but you would always be seen as the baby of the group, even when you weren’t the youngest anymore by a long shot.

Moving out of Katie’s place hadn’t changed much to the dynamic the two of you had. The girl was like an older sister to you, and you still found yourself at her and Caitlin’s place more often than not. Besides the two of them, the team was your family away from family, and you could not be more grateful to have them in your life, but sometimes you would like to be treated like anything besides “the baby” of the group.

That is exactly what you found when Alessia joined Arsenal. It was refreshing to see someone treat you the way they treated the rest of the girls. Most girls that joined the team, easily fell into the rhythm of mothering you around, like you weren’t a grown adult yourself by now. Not Alessia though.

You had fallen into a different rhythm with her. She wanted to get to know you for you, and not the person everyone saw you as. It wasn’t long before the two of you fell for each other and started dating.

Together you decided to keep the relationship hidden from the rest of the team. You knew they would treat your relationship differently than any of the other girls starting one, and you didn’t want all the eyes that would be on you, to ruin what you and Alessia had started. 

“Hey Kiddo, are you still coming over for dinner tonight?” Caitlin asked with her arm around your shoulder on the way back to the locker room after practice. “Yeah, of course. You know I wouldn't miss it.” She patted your back and moved over to Katie.

You thought you and Alessia had been good at hiding your relationship. Making sure you were the last to leave training so you could slip into Alessia’s car unnoticed, but Beth had noticed how you would always take forever to get ready and had set her mind on figuring out what was going on. She dragged Steph to the side when they walked to their cars and explained her plan.

Together they watched you and Alessia walk out, happily chatting, and getting into Alessia’s car before driving off. After seeing this, she decided she was going to watch the two of you closely, to see if she could figure out what was going on.

When you arrived at Alessia’s apartment you immediately pulled her towards the couch to get in some much needed cuddles. “I hate having to keep my distance from you around the girls.” The blonde wrapped her arms around you and pulled you closer into her side. “I know, love. Have you given any more thought about telling them about us?”

You shook your head, “I don’t want what we have to change the moment everyone finds out. They are all so protective, all their eyes would be constantly on us, and I don’t want it to feel like our relationship is constantly being watched by the adults.” 

Alessia presses a long kiss to your forehead. She sighed softly while running her fingers through your hair. “I get it, they can be a lot. But you know that no matter what they say, I’m sticking around, right?” You smile and nod, “Yeah, I know.” You cuddle up to her further and start a movie.

Once the movie was finished, it was time to head over to Katie and Caitlin’s for dinner. “Want me to drive you home or to Katie’s?” Alessia asked as she got up and stretched her arms out. After checking the time, you opted for Katie’s. 

At a red light a couple blocks over, you took the time to kiss your girlfriend and thank her for driving you. So, when you got to Katie’s you got out of the car after another quick thank you, so neither Katie or Caitlin would see any of the couply stuff. 

And good thing you did, because the first thing Katie said as you entered the home was, “Was that Alessia’s car?” You froze for a split second, thinking she might be onto you. “Yeah, we were hanging out and she gave me a ride.”

Katie narrowed her eyes at you in suspicion, but didn’t press any further. “Alright, get in here Kiddo. Dinner is almost ready, and Cait is already complaining that I’m doing it wrong.” You chuckled as Caitlin’s voice rang out from the kitchen, “That’s because you are!” The tension you were feeling flooded away as soon as you stepped further into the home. 

After dinner, Katie insisted on driving you home to not let Alessia drive back and forth again. You knew that if you went against her offer, you would only be giving her signs that something was going on between you and Alessia, so you accepted the offer.

Once you got inside you called Alessia to fill her in and ask if she would still come over to your place. When she got there, you were pacing the living room. “Do you think she suspects something?” 

“I don’t know about Katie, but Beth and Steph are the ones I’m worried about.” Your head shot up. “Why?” Alessia sat down and shrugged. “Beth has been giving me these weird looks, like she’s trying to figure something out. And then when our eyes meet, she quickly starts chatting with Steph, and I don’t know, I just feel like they’re talking about us.”

Alessia realises she’s only worrying you more with what she’s saying, so she quickly gets up and moves her hands to your cheeks to get you to focus on her. “We can handle their teasing, and everything that they can throw our way. We’re going to be okay no matter what.” 

You take a deep breath. “No matter what.” You repeat her words. Alessia kisses you, before guiding you to your bedroom. “Now, let’s get some sleep.” 

The next day at lunch with the team, you sat between Caitlin and Alessia, with Katie, Beth, and Steph sat across from you. The atmosphere in the hall was great, conversations flowed easily at all the tables. 

Alessia’s knee brushed against yours and you were trying to focus on Katie’s words instead of the warm feeling that filled your body. Then all of a sudden Beth leaned forward with a sly smile, clearly ready to stir something. She looked directly at you, and you could feel your nerves kicking in instantly.

“So,” She began, looking from you to Alessia and back. “How long have the two of you been dating behind our backs?” The table went silent and the whole team was watching you after they heard your fork clatter on your plate.

“What?” You stammered, “What are you talking about?”

“Oh, don’t even try to deny it.” Beth smirked. “Steph and I saw you getting in the car with Alessia, looking a little too cosy if you ask me. We’ve all seen the way you two look at each other, and the lingering touches when you think we aren’t watching.”

You could feel the heat rising in your cheeks as you were being called out in front of the whole time. “I- We-” You tried to form a coherent sentence, but you had seemingly forgotten how to form one, so you just sighed in defeat and nervously looked over to Katie.

She was leaning back in her chair with her arms crossed, you thought she was going to be mad, but then her smirk grew, matching that of Beth’s. “Well, well, our baby is all grown up.” Caitlin jumped in as well, “Guess that means we can double date now, huh?”

The whole room erupted into laughter and teasing comments. All you could do was sink lower into your seat, and bury your face in your hands. Alessia reached over to squeeze your leg under the table, trying to ground you amidst the chaos Beth’s comment had created. 

You leaned into her side and buried your face into her chest, blocking everyone from seeing your reddened cheeks. Eventually, Katie reached over and ruffled your hair. “Relax, Kiddo. We’re happy for you. Russo, you’re coming to dinner next time, alright?” The blonde nodded, not having spoken a word, too afraid to mess up herself. “Yeah, ehm, I’ll be there.” 

You finally looked up, and glanced around the room. Despite their teasing, you found nothing but love and support on the faces of your teammates. Maybe Alessia had been right, telling them wasn’t so bad after all.

“Come on, love birds,” Caitlin said as she got up and put a hand on both of your shoulders, “back to training.”

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[woso-dreamzzz]

Play, Sleep, Repeat

Arsenal Women x Teen!Reader

Summary: You're Katie's cousin

Katie has never quite understood you.

You'd always been on the fringes of her awareness.

She has all her siblings. Her close family is big. Her extended family is even bigger.

You're her cousin, on her mother's side.

She'd never really kept up with your life. She'd see you at family reunions maybe once, twice a year and it would all be a quick conversation before she moved on.

She'd never been close enough to her uncle, your dad, to really know what was going on the two of your lives. All she really remembers was that his wife (your mother) had left him and he was a single dad.

It was surprising to see the Arsenal announcement photo with you smiling at the camera, a big Ireland flag draped over your shoulders.

It should have made her feel bad that you didn't drop a text to say you were signing but Katie didn't even know you played football until the announcement so she decided that she didn't really have room to have her feelings hurt over it.

She had hoped this would be the opportunity for you both to grow closer but, as she looks at you now, horsing down your lunch, she kind of thought that was a pipe dream.

You get up immediately after finishing, avoiding the table with the other younger players and heading back out onto the pitch.

It was like clockwork with you. You were either crashed out asleep in the break room, eating like you'd been starved or practicing for hours before or after training.

"What's up with your cousin, McCabe?" Leah asks, watching you leave as well," She never hangs around."

Katie shrugs. "I dunno. She's always been like that, I think."

"You think?"

"She's being raised by her Da. I guess she's never been around this many girls in her life."

"Surely she played on a girl's team before coming here."

Katie shrugs again.

"You don't know?"

"I've got a big family, Williamson. I hardly see her back home. Sue me for not stalking her every move."

Kim slides into the seat next to her. "I'm worried about her," She says," She's always here early and she stays late too. I've never seen her Dad pick her up."

"So what? She's a big girl."

Kim raises a brow. "I wasn't worried because she promised me that you've been dropping her off."

"What? She told me Kyra was doing that."

Kim sighs. "I got her address off Jonas. Do you and Caitlin mind popping by tonight? I'd do it myself but she might respond better to you."

Katie stands at your door a few hours after training has finished. She'd been waiting in her car for a while now, unable to believe her eyes when you'd stepped off the bus barely ten minutes ago still in your training kit.

Her hand hovers over the door, unmoving.

Caitlin nudges her to the side, pressing the doorbell.

"Hey," She says when you open it," Can we come in?"

Your eyes dart to the side. "Er..."

"Is your Da in? I need to talk to him."

"Da's busy," You say.

"That's okay. We can wait." Katie barges in and Caitlin follows her before you can stop them.

"How long will he be?" Caitlin asks and your eyes dart to the door.

"Well..."

"Have you had dinner yet?" Katie asks," 'Cause your fridge is bare."

"Stop it!" You say, pushing her out of your kitchen," Stop snooping!"

"Are these takeout boxes?"

"Katie, I mean it! Out!"

"Nah, where's your Da? Surely, he can't be letting you eat all this crap."

You mumble a response that Katie forces you to repeat. A response that gets regurgitated to every responsible adult on the team.

Your Da didn't come with you to England. In fact, your Da hadn't even be to one of your Arsenal matches.

"He'll come when I make it into the Ireland squad," You'd told Katie and Caitlin," He promised."

The team keeps a close eye on you. Your back prickles with awareness and every time you look behind you, someone is watching.

Things change as well, slowly but surely. It's enough to put you on edge.

It starts with Caitlin and Katie driving you to practice. You usually leave hours ahead of when training starts so you can get the bus and still have time to practice before it begins.

(Maybe if you have a bit extra training then Gleeson will have no choice but to call you up for the next international break).

You have no idea how long they've been camping in their car because you get up stupidly early.

They bundle you in with them. They grab breakfast at a quaint place in town before getting you to training on time.

Next comes Kim. She sits with you at lunch and talks to you enough that you finish the same time as everyone else.

Leah helps you with your kit.

Lia sits with you on the bus.

Lessi, Vic and Kyra splash you with water during the changeover at training.

Beth lets you nap against her and Viv makes sure you have a protein shake ready for you when you wake up.

Slowly but surely, you're folded into the team that is Arsenal. You existed on the fringes of life in London, focused on nothing but finally having your father support you in football.

Now though, you have the team to celebrate your goals with. You have Katie shaking you with joy when you score the last minute winner against Everton.

You also have the text from your Da nitpicking your every move in the match.

You feel lucky that he even kept the match on with how shit you were apparently making. A few months ago, you would have gone back to your own habits. A few months ago, you would have ran until your legs gave out.

But it's no longer a few months ago.

So, you just put your phone away and let Steph ruffle your hair on the way back to her seat.

You're actually part of the team now. A key part of the team if you go off how many times you've started a match.

A key part of the time if you go by how you seamlessly tackle Cuthbert and send the ball rolling straight to Caitlin to collect. You're about to stand up but Cuthbert can't stay on her feet and she stumbles, falling with a sickening crunch onto your ankle.

The scream you let out is guttural and you push her off you to grab at your ankle, as if touching it would suddenly make it feel better.

You slap the ground with your fist and scream again. Leah comes sliding in next to you, pinning your ankle to the ground with a firm hand.

"I know," She says," I know but we need to keep it still. Just stay still."

"Leah," You sob," It hurts!"

"I know," She repeats," The physios are coming straight on. Just keep it still."

Katie comes running to you next, tucking your face into her chest as you sob, shielding you from the fans.

Caitlin has taken her job at yelling at the ref, desperate to get some kind of compensation even if it was all a complete reaction.

"I...I..." You manage to get out through your tears," I don't think Gleeson's going to call me up for the break."

Lia, who had gently removed your cleat, laughs. "You don't need to focus on that right now." She peals your sock down. "But it's nice that you've still got your sense of humour."

You hiss as someone else touches your ankle.

"Hey!" Katie snaps," Careful with her!" She turns back to you. "Can you walk?"

"I don't even think I can stand up."

"You're going to be okay," She says as the stretcher is brought on," They'll fit you with a boot and you'll come back to mine."

You groan. "God, not your place."

"What's wrong with my mine?!"

"You can't cook! Can I go to Kim's instead?"

"I think I preferred it when we didn't talk."

You grin. "Didn't your Ma ever tell you lying's bad?"

[footygirl114]

Operation (Leah Williamson x Reader)

This is definitely a result of too much Grey's anatomy but I was told that I need to let some of the ideas out of my noggin so here you go? (I think). Also I could be persuaded into this becoming a series...

Your pager going off interrupted the scrolling of TikTok you were doing while enjoying your morning coffee, after rounding on your patients. You glanced at the screen and noticed it was a 911 to the ER for an incoming Trauma. Kicking yourself into gear you moved and started to make your way down, the whole time kicking yourself for jinxing your pager since you were hoping to catch the Arsenal vs. Manchester United Game at the Emirates on TV during your shift. 

Knowing that wasn’t going to happen as you walked into the ER and it was organised chaos. You walked towards the head of the ER and asked “what happened?” 

He turns to you and says “A car jumped a curb at the Emirates stadium before the game, ran into a few pedestrians including an 8 year old and her dad. We have the driver, a 43 year old male, and the two victims on route now.” 

“damn it, how bad?” you ask him as you move to pull your hair back, and put on a trauma gown and gloves. 

“the dad, is in critical condition, they say he was able to get the girl out of the way but she sustained injuries when he shoved her out of the way.” He says as you walk with him to the ambulance bay waiting for the incoming ambulances. 

As you wait for the ambulance you listen to the other doctors conferring over what they think the driver was on, but you take the second to glance at your phone and double check the texts with your fiancé. They state that she was there an hour prior to this happening, and knowing the teams timing you knew she was on the field for warm up. 

When they finally pull up you wait to find out what one your patient is in. Once you know where the child is you step up and move beside her gurney listening as the paramedics rattle off her name and vitals. She meets your eyes and you can see how scared she is and you say to her softly “Hi Kenzie, I’m Dr. Y/L/N, and I am going to be taking care of you.”

She’s shaking as she asks “where’s my dad?” 

“Sweetie, he’s being taken care of by some of my very good friends, You and I are going to get you checked out so you can be ready for him okay?” you tell her as you move your hand to tuck a loose piece of her hair behind her ear checking her pupils as you do this. 

When she nods, you move to grasp her hand as you gesture for the team to get her gurney moving. You had waited so they could get her father inside so she wouldn’t have to see him too injured. Once you get her into a room and transferred onto a gurney you start your exam on her. 

She’s stays silent as you explain what you are doing, you tell her that you specialise in helping kids who have been injured or sick, and when you press on her belly and he’s hisses and pulls away in pain you know she may have some internal injuries. 

Once you determine she’s stable and waiting for scans you go to move away from her but she grabs your hand and says “don’t go.” 

You turn and squeeze her hand back and says “i am just going to check on your dad and then I will be right back, I promise.” 

She shakes her head and holds up her other hand, leaving her pinky up as she asks softly “pinky promise?” 

You smile at her and wrap your pinky around hers and say “I pinky promise sweetie.” 

She lets go of both of your hands and you move outside the door, watching as your favourite ER nurse immediately steps in and starts talking to the patient, keeping her distracted, you walk out of the room and the last thing you hear is them talking about the arsenal team. You smile to yourself knowing that she will be okay for a few minutes. 

You take the time to order scans for her, and check on her dad, you also manage to talk to someone from social services who is looking for her next of kin, but they are having no luck since her fathers License is from Ireland, you know it will take some time for anyone to get over here. 

Walking back into her room you smile at her and say “Hi Kenzie, I am going to take you upstairs now.” 

She meets your eyes and asks “how is my dad?” 

Moving back towards her you sit down on the edge the bed by her legs and say “he’s been taken into surgery, by those friends of mine. He’s getting the best care possible and they will do everything they can to help him.” 

She starts to cry and you move to grasp her hand and she says “I want my daddy.” 

It breaks your heart and you move closer and pull her into a hug softly whispering “it’s okay sweetie, let it out.” 

After a few moments of letting her cry she’s sniffles and pulls back and says “I’m okay, I can be a big girl.” 

You smile and wipe under her eyes and you say “you are strong sweetie, now lets go get some scans of your belly and then we can get you fixed up to be ready for your dad okay?” She nods and you gesture to the nurse to get her ready for transport upstairs for scans then into the paediatric floor. 

**

Less than an hour later, you walk into her room on your floor. You were one of the attending surgeons on the paediatric floor. “Hi sweetie” you tell her as you walk into the room when she turns and smiles softly at you, you continue “They called your grandma, and she should be here tomorrow.” 

“Grandma is old and cant move fast” she chuckles at you. 

“Well she does have to fly over her, like you and your dad did sweetie. Why were you over here?” you as her as you fiddle with her IV. 

She gasps and says “the game! I missed the game.” 

“The arsenal one? Were you guys over here to watch it?” you ask her. 

“It was my first game, daddy saved up and finally was able to bring me over to watch my favourite team play. Did I miss it? Can I still go watch?” she asks you with wide eyes pleading. 

You sit beside her hip on her bed and say softly “sweetie, your scans came back and I need to go in and fix your belly, we are going to do it now.” 

“So i wont get to see the game?” she pouts. 

You smile sadly and hold up your pinky and ask “I pinky promise when we’re done, I will come and watch the full game with you right here.” 

She smiles and wraps her pinky around yours and says “deal.” 

Before you can say anything more the surgical team walks in and you know its time to go, You turn to her and say “We’re going to take you in and put you to sleep and when you wake up we will get to watch Arsenal kick butt okay?” 

She nods and says “okay.” 

You follow the surgical team push her towards the OR, you help them transfer Kenzie over and you stay with her until she’s out. You move into the scrub room and pull out your phone, texting Leah like you did before every surgery, and told her that you would be in the OR and will update when you are done. 

**

Almost 6 hours later you were sat beside Kenzie’s bedside, it was dark and quiet and you were not expecting her to be awake anytime soon but you wanted to be here when she did. It had started to get late and when your phone buzzed you knew it would be Leah. You saw it was and you turned and looked out into the quiet hallway and decided to take the phone call there. 

You had been with Leah for almost 5 years, and it was the best 5 years of your life. You had been still a resident and Leah was gaining popularity and you both decided that you wanted to keep your relationship quieter. Leah was worried that some of her more enthusiastic fans would attempt to contact you through the hospital and she wanted to make sure that you were safe. 

It was sweet and when the opportunity came up to be an attending at this hospital in the middle of London you jumped at the chance to be close to your fiancé. You had been at this hospital for 6 weeks and as far as you knew, no one was the wiser to if you were single or in a relationship. Which is why you would make sure no one was around before you answered a phone call from her. 

“Hi babe” you greeted her when you picked up the phone call. 

“Hi love, are you still working?” she asks with a chuckle. 

“I am, I’m gonna stay here tonight actually.” you tell her with a soft smile, eyes on the sleeping form of Kenzie in front of you. 

You can hear her moving and she says “Are you going to be in surgery all night?” 

“no actually, this patient came in and I operated on her” you tell her softly. “She’s 8 and was here with her dad to watch your game, but she was hit by a car on the way to the stadium.” 

“Oh, love, is she okay?” she asks softly. Your heart grows three times the size as she just immediately understands why you need to be here and why you cannot leave her.

You pause on answering when Kenzie moves in front of you, but when she settles you say softly to Leah “she’s all alone Lee and I promised to watch the game with her when she wakes up.” 

“You’re amazing and I love you” she says “and I will miss you tonight.” 

“I miss you too babe” you tell her with a soft smile.

You listen as she moves around and it sounds like she’s gotten into bed and she asks “can you stay on the line with me while I fall asleep?” 

Smiling you move and adjust the chair so you are reclining as you softly ask “Do you have training tomorrow?” 

“No.”

“Good, I will definitely be home tomorrow babe” you say softly. 

“Mhmm I want you here” she sleepy says. 

You stay on the line listening to her breathe evening out and you smile to your self, thinking about how much you love this woman. “Sleep tight babe, I love you.” you whisper when you hear her softly snoring you hang up the phone. Turning in the chair to settle into a light sleep. 

**

It’s early in the morning when you hear Kenzie moving around in her bed in front of you. You open your eyes to see her eyes open looking around. You wait to see if she will fall back asleep but when her eyes lock on yours you says “Hi sweetie.” 

“hi” she whispers. 

You move to stand up and check her vitals and move your hand to check her incision site and you ask her “how are you feeling?” 

“Tired” she answers softly. 

“do you want to go back to sleep?” you ask her, and move your hand to tuck her hair behind her ear. 

She shakes her head and says “Can we watch the game now?” 

You chuckle and tell her “yeah? lets watch.” 

You move the table over the end of the bed to be closer and you pull out your phone and find the recording of the game. You always set Leah’s games that you miss to be recorded so you can watch them back. You pull the chair closer and you set the phone up so you both can see. The first 15 minutes are quiet but when Arsenal scores one she gets excited and sits up more. 

After the third goal she’s more animated and is excitedly talking about the game and the players. The game has made her feel a lot better and more like a little girl and you are happy that she seems to be doing better. 

You are lost in thought watching when she says “holy crap thats Leah Williamson.” 

You chuckle without taking your eyes off the screen and say “sweetie she’s been on the whole game.” 

“No, she’s right there!” she shouts. 

You turn and meet the eyes of your fiancé standing in the doorway of the hospital room with two coffees, she winks at you and says “I heard we had a fan here that wasn’t able to make it to the game.” 

You pause the game and move to stand up and step closer to Leah and you say “this is Kenzie.” 

“Hi Kenzie” Leah says and she hands you a coffee and brushes by you to stand beside the bed “are you watching the game back?” 

“yeah, I missed it cause Dr. Y/N was operating on my belly.” Kenzie says, the smile bright on her face. 

“she’s pretty Awesome” Leah says and then continues “Can I watch the rest with you?” 

“Yes please!” Kenzie answers quickly with an excited smile. 

“I guess you don’t need me anymore” you say with a chuckle. 

Leah smirks at you and says “Sorry love.” 

“It’s okay, you guys enjoy I am going to shower and change.” you tell them both. “Kenzie please make sure to ask Leah all the questions okay?” 

“I will! She’s my favourite player.” Kenzie says with a smile and moves to press play on the TV as she says to Leah “What did the ref say to you there?” 

You chuckle to yourself and move outside the room, and you stand on the outside of the window looking in and you feel your heart grow again watching as Leah and Kenzie both talk with their hands about the game and you can feel the smile growing on your face knowing it may be time to have a conversation with Leah about what you want next. 

[greynatomy]

falling for mccabe

lia wälti x reader

don’t really know how to feel about this

———

You and Katie were like two pease in a pod. Growing up, you had different interests, but that didn’t stop you from supporting one another. You moved away from Ireland first, wanting a change in scenery, be more independent. So when you got hired at a hospital in London, you accepted right away. Telling Katie was the hardest part of leaving home.

Just two years later though, Katie signed for Arsenal, the choice was a no brainer for her. She got herself her own apartment but came over to yours as much as she can. Her team, once they were all comfortable and got to know each other better, would tease her, saying that she needs her big sissy cuddles. Katie, however, was never once embarrassed by the teasing. She loves to be able to call her her big sister.

You never really got to know any of her teammates from Arsenal until after the lockdown. Katie’s teammates told her to invite you over to the club. You got along with the team, some more than others, and maybe got to bring one of them home with you.

The same person you brought home was now your very secret girlfriend. You were going to tell Katie the moment it became official, but you found out from your girlfriend that your sister’s girlfriend was her ex-girlfriend and became stuck.

You and your girlfriend were still fast asleep, your arm slung over her waist, holding her close that you didn’t hear your front door opening and steps coming closer to your bedroom. 

“Rise and shi—WHAT THE FUCK!”

You shoot up from the bed, falling over the side, bumping the side of your head on your bedside table. Lia gets out of bed just as fast.

“Ow.”

“Oh, baby.” Lia crawls over the bed to you, her hand replacing the side of your head that you were rubbing.

“Baby?” Caitlin speaks for the first time.

“Couldn’t you fucking knock. Fucking almost killed me you cunt.”

“Oi! I don’t appreciate that tine, missy!”

“I’m older so I can talk to you how I want.”

“Woah. Okay, sassy.” Lia covers your mouth with her hand. “Why don’t you both wait in the living room while we put some more clothes on.”

Caitlin drags Katie out to the living room by her arm. A minute later, Lia comes out and Katie walks back towards the bedroom, leaving the two exes by themselves.

“Would you like something to drink?” Lia asks.

“A coffee would be good. One cream—”

“—Two sugars.”

“You remember.” Lia gives her a tight lipped smile, not knowing how to reply. “So… how long has that been going on?”

“Uh, a year or so ago now. Since that time at the bar after lockdown.”

“No way.” Caitlin states in disbelief.

“What?”

“That’s when Katie and I started seeing each other.”

“Wow.” Lia whispers, shocked with the information. “Who would’ve thought we’d fall for a McCabe at the same time.”

“Don’t sound so shocked baby. I’ll have you know that I am quite the catch.”

“It’s the Irish genes I tell you.”

Both of the sisters’ girlfriends roll their eyes at their cockiness.

“Know what’d be funny?” Katie looks at you and you smirk in understanding.

“What is it?” Caitlin asks impatiently.

“You and Lia are still friends right? No hard feelings?” You ask.

“Yeah…” They were both now skeptical.

“Why don’t we mess with your fans for a bit.”

“What do you have in mind?” Lia wraps an arm around your waist, now very curious.

“Nothing too crazy. Just start interacting more. Be best friends. You’ll be in-laws sooner than later anyway.”

The next few days, the fans have been gong crazy over all of the Caitlin and Lia interaction they were seeing. Walking out of the coach together, walking to the locker room together, walking out to the pitch together, celebrating goals together, signing/taking photos with fans together. Are they together? Everyone was confused, including their teammates and national teammates, but they both simply ignore all questions.

You had a very rare day off from your job which lined up with Arsenal’s off day, so what better way to celebrate than to stay home and get drunk. Katie has been known to be a crazy drinker and knowing you just a short time, its safe to say where Katie got it from.

You and Katie were drunk, at the phase where everything is funny. Lia and Caitlin are a bit tipsy, still in control of themselves. Ever since catching you and Lia in bed together two weeks ago, the two became close again, like before. No romantic feeling left for each other and care now very good friends, you and Katie being a common denominator.

Caitlin and Lia were in the living room when they no longer heard the two of you. A silent McCabe meant something was wrong, but two silent McCabes… they knew you were up to no good. They slowly crept into the kitchen, hoping to catch what the two of you were up to, going unnoticed. They were both greeted by the sight of the siblings focused on something on Katie’s phone, identical furrowed eyebrows on you faces.

“What are you two up to?” Lia asks cautiously.

“Hey!” You perk up from the sound of your girlfriend’s voice. “Katie is doing this instagram thing and I’m just a bit confused.”

“Yeah, cause you’re old and don’t know how to use social media.”

“Well, what would I post? “‘Hey, instagram! I’ve just finished fixing up this person’s brain for ten hours.”’ You like have to be on it.”

“Are you allowed to take pictures while you’re in the operating room?”

“I’d probably have to get some consent forms signed.”

“You should facetime me sometime.”

“Wait. What is it you don’t understand?” Caitlin now asks.

is that caitlin? did i hear caitlin’s voice i heard lia’s earlier caitlin and lia together again??

“It keeps saying your names now. How does instagram know your names?” You were very confused now. Your drunk self couldn’t make sense of anything.

“Give me that.”

Lia grabs the phone off the table, Lia looking over her shoulder to take a look herself.

“Ohmygod.” Caitlin was quick to move the phone away from her face, setting it on the table face up. “Katie!”

“Yes, sugarplum?” Katie answered at the same time you asked, “Did you figure it out or not?”

“You’re on instagram live!”

People watching the live are now freaking out. Some confused, but most are freaking out at the quick sight of Caitlin and Lia together.

“Okay, um, we have to go. Bye guys.” Lia quickly ends the live.

Just second later, both Caitlin and Lia’s phones are ringing from calls and messages from their friends.They looked at each other and silenced their phones, making sue to turn off the tracking privileges for some of their friends. No one would be able to find them as you were all at your house.

“Want to just post something to freak people out more?’

“Great idea.”

———

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liawalti from exes to in-laws

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leahwilliamson huh?

kyracooneyx PARENTS!

katie_mccabe11 hi sister in-law

↳ caitlinfoord how’d you get your phone back?

↳ katie_mccabe11 a magician never reveals their secrets

ynmccabe hi, honey!

↳ liawalti since when did you get instagram?

↳ ynmccabe right now. katie did it for me

user now that’s gold

user not everyone freaking out that they got back together

↳ user me… i was everyone

user not you two falling for sisters

[httpswritings]

The Great War — Katie McCabe x Reader

Additional info: Story inspired Taylor Swift’s The Great War. I’m in my Katie era, but I’m also planning on writing about other players, especially Alexia, which I have like four ideas to write about. We’ll see. I also have a draft of Ruesha x Katie inspired in Moth to a flame by The Weeknd, but I’m doubting about posting it or not. Maybe in the future I’ll write a Caitlin x Katie fic, but I don't have a clear vision of them yet to properly write about them.

Warnings: Mentions of anxiety, throwing up and therapy, sensitive topics overall, avoid reading if you find them triggering. Angsty Katie.

Word count: 1691

Right after Katie ended her relationship with Caitlin Foord, she met Y/N. After some time, they got into a relationship together. They enjoyed every single second of the magical connection they seemed to have. With the passing of time, Katie became more and more anxious about her relationship with Y/N. She doubted she could be what Y/N deserved, even though her girlfriend took her time every day to remind Katie that she's never been as happy in a relationship as she was with her.

«My knuckles were bruised like violets

Sucker punching walls, cursed you as I sleep-talked»

Two heartbreaks in such a little time, with both her Ireland National Team's member Ruesha and girlfriend of seven years, and her Arsenal's teammate Caitlin Foord, who was her girlfriend during half a year, made the Irishwoman insecure about her ability to love, to trust, to have a happy fairytale ending. Katie knew these thoughts would damage her relationship with Y/N, but she couldn't help but to spend most of her day tracking every single detail that built her relationship to the obsessive point where she felt absolutely sick of herself.

«Spineless in my tomb of silence

Tore your banners down, took the battle underground»

When she reached her limit, she told Y/N about what was going on. Y/N responded well and helped Katie, and it started well. Really well. But after some time, Katie fell back into a cycle of doubt and anxiety, and those sensations kept growing when she noticed any change in Y/N's mood, as she took it too personally. This made her re-experience in her mind those moments of stress while she was with Ruesha or Caitlin.

«And maybe it was ego swinging

Maybe it was her

Flashes of the battle come back to me in a blur»

Y/N tried to understand her, she tried and tried but eventually, she reached her limit.

“I want to help you. I really do. But I can't continue like this. I'm not Ruesha, nor I am Caitlin. I am aware that being in a new relationship it's difficult for you, so maybe we should take things a bit slower. I don't mean to take a break, but maybe I should go back to my flat. We will move on slower than we did before, but I do think it's the only way to work it out.”

«All that bloodshed, crimson clover

Sweet dream was over»

“Yeah, maybe you're right´”, that was Katie's only response. Y/N limited herself to sigh. That night, Katie slept alone in her bed. Her body reacting to the cold sheets and crying herself to sleep.

«My hand was the one you reached for

All throughout the Great War»

Sweet morning messages from Y/N, “Good morning, baby. Do good at training today! Love you ;)”

Surprise visits from Y/N, lovely gifts, usually handmade ones, brought Katie to tears as she felt endlessly loved.

«Always remember

Tears on the letter

I vowed not to cry anymore

If we survived the Great War»

Katie prayed for things to get back as they were during the first months of the relationship. The feeling of her not being a good girlfriend to Y/N haunted her even in her sleep.

«You drew up some good faith treaties

I drew curtains closed, drank my poison all alone»

Y/N suggested going to a therapist together, but Katie was unsure about that. She thought that if she couldn't quite open to her girlfriend about her feelings and thoughts, she wouldn't be able to talk about what was bothering her to a therapist. Such a huge contrast between the two parts of the relationship that drew them even more apart.

«You said I have to trust more freely

But diesel is desire, you were playing with fire

And maybe it's the past that's talkin'

Screamin' from the crypt

Tellin' me to punish you for things you never did

So I justified it»

“No, I'm sorry, but I'm not doing this. I feel uncomfortable talking to a stranger about our issues.”

“I know, baby, I was just suggesting it. Let me explain you why. We are aware of having some problems in our relationship, but we don't really know how to get through it. We've tried and things keep getting worse. Maybe talking to someone who's out of our relationship can make this whole situation clearer for the both of us.”

«All that bloodshed, crimson clover

The bombs were close and

My hand was the one you reached for

All throughout the Great War

Always remember

The burning embers

I vowed not to fight anymore

If we survived the Great War»

Katie took some weeks to meditate Y/N´s idea. She was terrified of being judged by the therapist they would talk to. Even more scared of Y/N realizing she didn't do any good to her. Eventually, she agreed.

“Maybe she's right. People attend therapy sessions. It's normal, Katie. It's normal”, she said to herself.

«It turned into something bigger

Somewhere in the haze, got a sense I'd been betrayed»

Katie was not new to getting help from a therapist. She was very open about her mental health in different areas of her life, whether that included football or not. The first time she attended a therapy session was when she was a teenager. It went well, so did the first sessions with Anna, Katie's and Y/N´s psychologist.

Making progress is not a linear process, and making mistakes is a part of the success. Mistakes are a victory in themselves, it means that you're still trying. One day, Katie had an individual session with Anna. Anna felt it was Katie's time to open about her two past relationships; a young adult romance that lasted for more than half a decade and a short but intense romance of one year after a breakup.

It was a slow conversation filled with many pauses from Katie.

“Are you gonna tell Y/N what I'm telling you?”

“No, Katie. This stays between me and you”, said Anna.

As Katie told her her experiences in love, she broke down.

The wall she had built, in order to avoid being hurt and judged, collapsed in that therapy room.

“Don't be afraid to cry. You have nothing to prove to me nor to Y/N. This is about you and your healing process. Y/N will help you and accompany you, but it's crucial for you to work on yourself, especially being a public figure.”

«Your finger on my hair pin triggers»

As Katie arrived home, she unlocked her phone and asked Y/N to come over.

“I've asked Anna, and she told me it was a good initiative and a great way of gaining some independence in our relationship, leaving her out of it for a while. Don't feel obliged to!”

“I am exhausted, baby. Work was something else today, and I’m a little bit irritated because of it, lol. Maybe another time? Love you.”

As Katie was about to spiral, she remembered Anna's advice. She breathed deeply. Y/N was setting her boundaries. She trusted Katie enough to tell her the truth and not to make any excuses. She felt tired from work. Y/N is not mad at her. She didn't do anything wrong. Everything’s okay.

«Soldier down on that icy ground

Looked up at me with honor and truth

Broken and blue, so I called off the troops»

The next day Katie woke up to a text from Y/N.

“Good morning, princess. I had a great sleep, what about you? How did you sleep? I’m up to seeing you today if you feel like it. Love you.”

Still slightly asleep, she smiled.

“I can't wait to see you today, beautiful girl. I had a good sleep, too. Good to have the bed all to myself ;))”

She frowned after sending the text with that joke at the end.

“Breath, Katie, let these useless thoughts pass. Both you and Y/N feel comfortable teasing each other”, said Katie to herself.

“Ha, ha, really funny. We both know you missed having me snoring next to you.”

“How do you know?!?!”

«That was the night I nearly lost you

I really thought I lost you»

As Katie was preparing herself to go out with Y/N to have lunch, she remembered the night where Y/N left her house.

She doesn't freak out to the thought of it, but instead she does an exercise of introspection. She sees herself in her mind, almost throwing up, completely emotionally depending on her girlfriend while pushing her away and bottling up her feelings.

«We can plant a memory garden

Say a solemn prayer, place a poppy in my hair

There's no morning glory, it was war, it wasn't fair

And we will never go back

To that bloodshed, crimson clover

The worst was over»

Now she looks at herself in the mirror. She sees herself, Katie, as the woman who knows that she's loved, and she's deserving of being it. The woman who respects her girlfriend’s boundaries and doesn't freak out at the tiniest change that she perceives. The woman who's going to take her girlfriend out to have a good time having lunch, not worrying about anything but what order she's going to have.

«My hand was the one you reached for

All throughout the Great War

Always remember

We're burned for better

I vowed I would always be yours

'Cause we survived the Great War

I would always be yours

'Cause we survived the Great War

I vowed I would always be yours»

As they arrived home back from the restaurant, Y/N walked towards Katie.

“I’m so proud of you, baby. You did this. You are doing it every day. I’m so excited to see where our relationship leads us to.”

As Katie sobbed, she softly laughed, “It’s nice to cry sometimes. God, I feel so relieved. I’m so proud of myself, too, of us! Thank you for being there for me, Y/N, thank you. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life as your girlfriend.”

“Even when you'll wake up to my snoring?”

“Especially when I'll wake up to your snoring.”

[scotianostra]

The Scottish actor David McCallum was born on 19th September 1933.

Born as David Keith McCallum, Jr in Maryhill, Glasgow, the second of two sons of Dorothy Dorman, a cellist, and orchestral violinist David McCallum Sr. When he was three, his family moved to London for his father to play as concertmaster in the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Early in the Second World War, he was evacuated back to Scotland, where he lived with his mother at Gartocharn by Loch Lomond.

McCallum won a scholarship to University College School, a boys’ independent school in Hampstead, London, where, encouraged by his parents to prepare for a career in music, he played the oboe.In 1946 he began doing boy voices for the BBC radio repertory company. Also involved in local amateur drama, at age 17, he appeared as Oberon in an open-air production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream with the Play and Pageant Union. He left school at age 18 and was conscripted, joining the 3rd Battalion the Middlesex Regiment, which was seconded to the Royal West African Frontier Force.In March 1954 he was promoted to Lieutenant. After leaving the army he attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (also in London), where Joan Collins was a classmate.

David McCallum’s acting career has spanned six decades; however, these days he is best known for his starring role on the police procedural NCIS as medical examiner as Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard. I first really remember McCallum for his role in another US show, The Invisible Man which ran for 13 episodes in the 70’s. McCallum by then was a veteran of many TV and Film roles, starting in the 50’s including Our Mutual Friend and The Eustace Diamonds, in the 60’s he was in several ITV Playhouse shows before moving across the Atlantic to take roles in The Outer Limits and his big break as Illya Kuryakin in several incantations of The Man from Uncle.

His most notable films were The Greatest Story Ever Told as Judas Iscariot and of course Ashley-Pitt ‘Dispersal’ in The Great Escape.

As well as the aforementioned Invisible Man in the 70’s he took time to pop back over to our shores to star in two quality series, as Flt. Lt. Simon Carter in Colditz and Alan Breck Stewart in an adaption of Robert Louis Stevenson’s, Kidnapped.

The 80’s saw him team up with the lovely Joanna Lumley in Sapphire & Steel and several guest roles in the likes of The A Team, Hart to Hart and Murder, She Wrote as well as a one off reprise of Illya in the TV movie The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E.: The Fifteen Years Later Affair.

The 90’s saw David in Cluedo and Trainer on our TV screens over here and American science-fiction series VR-5 in the states..

During the last 20 years or so he has been in the kids TV show, Ben 10: Omniverse as the voice of Professor Paradox and of course Donald Horatio “Ducky” Mallard in a remarkable  436 episodes of the popular NCIS.

David has been married twice. He married his first wife Jill Ireland in 1957. They met on the set of the movie Hell Drivers. Together, they had two sons and a daughter, Paul, Jason and Valentine, with Jason being the only one who was adopted. In 1963, David introduced Jill to his co-star on The Great Escape, Charles Bronson, and she left David and married Charles in 1968. In 1967,

David McCallum passed away aged 90 on September 23rd last year, he is survived by his wife of 56 years, Katherine McCallum, his sons Paul McCallum, Valentine McCallum and Peter McCallum, his daughter Sophie McCallum and his eight grandchildren. NCIS paid tribute to him in an episode called The Stories We Leave Behind when the tagents find comfort in working on one of his unfinished cases. The episode features clips from several old shows.

[stxuxrniolochris]

fake dating p2 ~ chris sturniolo

p1 p3 p4

slow burn ( i think ), your both seniors(18), also i live in Ireland so idk how American like years ik school works so just go with it, use of y/n, half based on to all the boys I’ve loved before but not really, highschool!chris

Summary ~~you both need to get peoples attention but you might just end up catching eachothers~~

This chapter explains the backgrounds of the characters more but in the next it will focus more on Chris and y/n 🫶🏼

~~

Me and Chris sat down at our own table without our friends. It was weird but since me and Chris were close it wasn’t awkward. “ So there’s a party at James’ tonight..” he starts. “Chris you know I don’t do parties.” I said sternly so he knew I wasn’t joking. “Come on y/n, Amelia went to all the parties with me and she’ll be there so you have to come so she sees you with me.” I roll my eyes. “Fine but we’re leaving when I say”. He nods quickly. “Deal” he said while shaking my hand, which causing me to shake my head and laugh. Until I catch Amelia’s eye across the cafeteria, glaring at me and Chris, which makes me stop laughing quick.

Chris pov

The bell rings indicating it’s time for class so y/n stands up and gets ready. Even though she’s my bestfriend, i can’t deny she’s really pretty. I used to like her back in freshman year, but I realised she was just feeling platonic towards me when she used to come to me with boy problems and talk about her dates. I got jealous of when she talked about her dates so I started going on them myslelf. That’s when I met Amelia and I ended up really liking her and my feelings for y/n drifted but I never stopped thinking she was beautiful. Matt and nick think I still like her, and that’s why I’m doing this whole fake dating thing, but I just want Amelia back. I think. No. I know.

“Chris are you even listening to me” y/n pulls me out of my trance. “Sorry, what did you say?” “I was just telling you to come on or we’ll be late, you’re already falling behind in physics.” She said while walking away. “Wait up.” I said while rushing to get up. I latched my hand to hers and she tensed up a bit. I don’t know why I mean we’ve always had touchy relationship. “Relax” I bent down to whisper.

Y/n pov

“Relax” he whispered right beside my ear. His hot breath tickling, sending shivers down my spine. I don’t know why I was tensed up, I don’t like Chris like that. I think it was the idea of being in a public relationship with him. I’ve never had a proper relationship before. It always kind of scared me. I never had a great relationship with my parents growing up, till my dad left when I was 13. After that me and my mom got closer but not close. Seeing how my dad treated me and my mom I always had an idea that relationships won’t work out so it’s easier to stay away. That’s the one of the two things I’ve never told Chris. No one knows what really happened with my dad they just know he’s not around anymore.

School just ended. It was my favourite and least favourite time of the day. I didn’t like school but I also hated being home. Chris had is arm lazily around my hip while we walked out of the school. We were walking to the car and I had my head down looking at my phone, when I felt Chris stop and his arm coming fully around my waist and holding me infront of him. I looked up wondering what he was doing, and then I was face to face with Amelia. It was silent for a moment of Amelia staring at me, “What do you want Ams.” He didn’t have to use her nickname infront of my even if we were just faking it. “I was wondering how you moved on so fast and with her.” She said in a condescending tone, which made me roll my eyes. “Look Amelia I don’t have time for this, you broke up with me remember.” Chris said while resting his chin my head. Amelia just scoffed and walked off. Chris turned to me with a grin on his face. “She was totally jealous.” Chris exclaimed. “Yup.. haha” I said not trying to be rude, I don’t know why him liking her annoyed me.

We pulled up to my house and I saw my mom’s car meaning she was home. I took a deep breath in and closed my eyes, it came out shaky. I never know what to expect with my mom but lately it hasn’t been good. “Hey are you good?” Chris said looking back at me. “Yea it’s just my mom- no yea I’m good.” I said but the uncertainty was clear in my voice. “Alright just let me know if you need anything.” He said with a reassuring smile. I smiled back and thanked Matt for the ride and I walked up to the front door.

I looked in the window and saw empty vodka bottles everywhere. I took another deep breath before unlocking my door and stepping in. The smell of alcohol filling my nose straight away. I walked into the living room and saw my mom passed out on the couch. I sighed and started cleaning up the mess she made. “What do you think you’re doing.” I heard my mom snap. “Oh s-sorry I thought you were asleep s-so I was just helping sorry.” “Stop apologising and I know you were snooping.” My mom said while slurring her words. “What no I wasn’t” I protest. “Yea, yea sure get out I have company coming.” I sighed knowing this meant another stranger coming and getting drunk with her, then me cleaning up. “For how long?” I questioned. “Just come back tomorrow.” She said in a monotone voice like it wasn’t a big deal. “Tommorow?! Mom where am I meant to stay.” I panicked. “I don’t know y/n figure it out.” She snapped harshly. I sighed knowing nothing good would come out of fighting with her.

I called Chris and he picked up straight away after one ring. “What’s up?” I sighed. “I don’t know if I can make it to the party tonight, sorry.” I said “what why you said yes earlier.” “It’s complicated Chris.” I said not wanting him to know everything. “If you can’t tell me why, you’re coming.” This man. “Chris seriously I can’t.” I said then hung up on him. I wasn’t bothered trying to explain everything to him.

I went upstairs put a few things in a backpack before going back down. “I’m leaving now!” I shouted to my mom. No answer, great. I rolled my eyes and left. I don’t know where I was going yet.

While I was walking I saw a familiar car drive up the road, it was Matt and Chris. The car slowed down beside me and Chris hopped out. I kept walking, I wasn’t mad at him I was just mad. He jogged up to me “hey wait” he said catching up. “What Chris.” “What’s up with you, you’re acting weird.” “No I’m not.” “Yes you are. Tell me what’s wrong, did I do something?.” He said while putting his hands on my arms. “No it’s just my mom.” I said my voice slightly breaking. I looked down not wanting Chris see me cry. We stayed like that for a moment before I let out a small sob breaking the silence. “Oh y/n.” Chris said with sympathy behind his voice while pulling me into a warm hug. Chris knew that my mom wasn’t perfect but didn’t know everything because he knew I didn’t liek to talk about. After a few moment he pulled back but still had his hand on me. “Now tell me what’s wrong.” He said firmly. “My mom- she-she doesn’t care and she said I can’t come back till tomorrow and I don’t know w-where to go.” I said rambling. “Shh shh I know, it’s ok you can stay with me.” He said embracing me in a hug again. “Are you sure, I don’t want to like intrude or be a burden, don’t worry about-“ he cut me off “I’m sure now come on.” He said taking my hand and bringing me to the car Matt was patiently waiting in.

a/n: I know this doesn’t make sense right now but trust me it will soon!

[the-nerdiest-insanity]

Home Is With You

Also on Ao3

Day 3 of the Dead Boy Detectives Pride Month Prompts- "I miss home"

Three days after returning from Port Townsend, a new case sent the trio out of the country again. The boys barely had a chance to start accommodating the office, and Crystal hadn’t even figured out where she would want to stay in London yet. Someone from Crystal’s past, currently residing in Ireland, needed their assistance. Apparently, old Crystal threw around information on her powers as freely as her parents’ money.

A painful hour and a half flight later, the agency had landed in Dublin. Crystal was attempting to calm the boys down the whole time, telling them it would be a quick and easy case. Edwin was making it well known that he still objected to traveling the long way even though the other two clearly saw how fascinated he was with air travel every time. Oddly, Charles was pacing both the airport and the plane like a caged animal the whole time. He brushed off both Crystal and Edwin’s advances in conversation, constantly keeping his head on a swivel. 

Crystal’s friend, Emily, picked them up from the airport while debriefing them on the current status of the case. Emily recently moved into a new apartment, and it appeared to be haunted. Objects of hers disappearing, banging in the night, things moving through the air on their own, etcetera. Crystal shot the boys a few looks, attempting to tell them, “See? Easy.” Edwin still appeared annoyed, and Charles agitated.

The drive was short, and they were swiftly at Emily’s door. As she was about to turn the handle, she turned back to Crystal, saying, “Be careful walking around in there.” Her eyes drifted passed Crystal’s shoulder to look at the boys. “All of you.”

Charles instinctively reached an arm in front of Edwin while reaching one toward the back of Crystal’s jacket. “Crystal, wait–”

Emily opened the door, and a black cat scrambled out through everyone’s legs. The agency members all jumped back while Emily sighed, “Tinks, what did we discuss about scaring new people?”

The cat squinted at their owner and meowed indignantly. 

“They’re here to stop whoever or whatever is messing with us, so play nice,” Emily replied.

Tinks glanced over the newcomers, their gaze lingering momentarily on Edwin. Charles stepped slightly in front of the other ghost. Seemly satiated, Tinks trotted back into the apartment.

“Sorry about her,” Emily said, now moving in as well, “She’s very territorial, especially with everything strange going on.”

The detectives lingered outside the door, staring in. They could see a sitting room on the left with a connected kitchen and a short hallway on the right leading likely to Emily’s bedroom or whatever other rooms she had. In the bit of the kitchen they could see, there were herbs hanging to dry with a bookshelf separating it from the living room. A couple of the books had copies on the agency’s shelves.

Charles gently grabbed Crystal’s arm and led her a couple more steps away from the door. “You didn’t tell us your friend knew about the supernatural.”

Crystal looked just as stunned and confused. “I didn’t know! She wasn’t this invested in it the last time I saw her.” She glanced around the still-empty complex hallway and stepped closer to whisper, “The last time I saw her was three years ago when I made out with her girlfriend after she told me she thought I was hot. I wasn’t exactly keeping tabs on her lifestyle choices after that.”

“Did you really lead us to a different country yet again to help someone who, this time, actively dislikes you, last you knew?” Edwin butted in, having overheard.

“I’m trying to be a better person,” Crystal defended. “In case you forgot, and part of that is trying to help people I hurt and fix our broken relationships.”

“Alright,” Charles broke the two up harshly. “Let’s just get the information we need and get out of here. I don’t like the feel of this place.”

“Are you three going to come in or just keep whispering about me at my door?” Emily asked.

Edwin and Crystal both huffed. “Let us begin our investigation,” Edwin declared before finally entering the house.

…

Three hours later, they were getting nowhere. None of the strange phenomena occurred, and physically searching the place came up empty. It was getting dark, so Crystal politely declined Emily’s spare bedroom in favor of going to the hotel she’d booked.

Crystal threw down her small bag and flopped onto the bed. “Don’t wake me until 9 or there’s a fire,” she mumbled into a pillow, knowing the boys would get the gist.

Edwin sat down on the couch, flipping through his notes to see if he might have missed any possible leads. Emily clearly can see ghosts and communicate with supernatural creatures, so why can’t she see what’s in her apartment? Unless they were using some form of cloaking, but he’d need something more specific. “Charles, do you have…” Edwin trailed off as he looked up at his partner. Charles was pacing again. His brow was furrowed as his hands were opening and clenching at his sides. “Are you alright, Charles?” Edwin asked instead.

Charles stopped and plastered on a smile. He opened his mouth before letting his face fall and rethinking his words. “I just…” He fidgeted with his jacket’s zipper. “It’s been a lot lately, yeah?” He began slowly pacing once more. “I mean, Post Townsend was a whole thing itself, then we barely get a moment’s peace at the office before being shuffled off to another country again. Plus, we got Charlie and Crystal, and we’ve still got no idea what Jenny’s doing. We went to Hell, got tortured, and lost Niko and…” He stopped pacing, grunting in frustration.

Edwin stood, trying to figure out how to help when Charles continued, “Don’t get me wrong, Crystal and everyone, they’re aces, but I just miss us, you know? It was so much easier.” Charles stopped and turned to stare Edwin down. He was breathing heavily looking on the verge of tears. “I miss home,” he whispered, his voice cracking.

Before Edwin had a chance to wonder what Charles’s parents had to do with this, he was being enveloped in a hug. Oh. That kind of home.

Carefully, Edwin reciprocated, holding tightly as Charles hiccupped sobs onto his shoulder. As the tears slowly died out, Edwin gently and firmly said, “Home will always be right here. I’m not leaving, and you certainly won’t let anything take me away.” Charles huffed out a weak laugh. “We’ll be back at the agency very soon, and I will talk to both Crystal and the Night Nurse about not taking any long-distance cases for a year.”

Charles sniffled and pulled away just enough to look at Edwin as he said, “You don’t have to do that, mate. It’s fine.”

Edwin squeezed his shoulder, refusing to let go until the other did. “No, it’s not. I don’t like these types of cases either, and we shouldn’t have to push ourselves. We didn’t for thirty years and shouldn’t change now for others.”

Charles’s eyes fluttered over Edwin’s face, making him want to look away. Softly, Charles brought their heads together. “Never change, Edwin Payne,” he whispered.

“Nor you, Charles Rowland.:

[mariacallous]

A little over two years ago, Steve Okeke, 34, quit his job as a store manager in Nigeria and moved to United Kingdom in search of a better life. Six months later, his wife and their 1-year-old child joined him.

“We decided to embark on a life-changing adventure in a foreign land,” he said. “I wanted a better life for my family, and I felt this was the best place to be.”

Okeke settled in a middle-class neighborhood in the northern English town of Chester and started working at a local care home.

But after a wave of violent racist and anti-immigrant riots across England following the brutal killing of three girls in Southport, another northern town, Okeke has been confused and scared for the safety of his family.

“I started monitoring the news more frequently to keep up with what was going on,” he said. “I want to be safe and make sure my family is safe, too.”

Before moving to the U.K., Okeke had witnessed violent protests in his home country. In Jos, a city in north-central Nigeria where he lived for 10 years, politically motivated fighting between Christians and Muslims is random and common.

“I never expected to witness something like this here,” he said. “I thought we had escaped this sort of thing and can only see it back home.”

Okeke is one of many Nigerians living in the U.K. who have been caught up in violence they’d hoped to leave behind. According to 2021 data, 270,768 U.K. residents were born in Nigeria.  Despite the high costs of relocating to the U.K., it remains a top choice for study, work, and family settlement. Many Nigerian immigrants see it as both close to home and offering a refuge from the political chaos that often convulses Nigeria, such as the current protests against the government’s economic reforms. But Okeke said this view is gradually changing for him and many other Nigerian immigrants who have been witnessing the ongoing carnage.

On X, dozens of Nigerians living in the U.K. have been sharing their experiences since the unrest started, from avoiding certain spots to restricting their late-night walks to locking themselves up in their apartments.

Dami Ajayi, a writer who moved to the U.K. five years ago, said the ongoing unrest reminds him of his experience in 2020 when English soccer fans unleashed violence during the European championship final at Wembley Stadium.

“I lived in Wembley then, and I could hear the mayhem unleashed by disgruntled English fans,” he posted on X. “What they expressed that evening is what keeps me away from British pubs.”

The riots have mostly targeted Muslim immigrants, asylum-seekers, and people of color. Far-right groups have been whipping up anti-immigrant sentiment, which has been exacerbated by misinformation. More than a dozen towns and cities across England and Northern Ireland have seen violent riots, arson, and lootings.

The government is trying to reassure the British public they’re safe. Prime Minister Keir Starmer accused far-right groups and individuals online of exploiting the deaths of the three girls to fuel attacks on asylum-seekers and people of color, promising to prosecute all those involved in the riots.

In less than a week, nearly 600 arrests have been made in connection to the riots, with some 150 charges filed. The number of arrests is expected to triple in the coming weeks. The government has announced plans to make more than 500 new prison places available to deal with arrested rioters.

“There are fears it will escalate to this area, but we are being reassured of our safety,” said Chinedu Onyigbuo, a Nigerian who lives in the London area. “Reassurance is coming from our working place. But then we have to keep safe and watch our moves. The authorities are really trying their best to quell the whole thing and make sure that citizens are safe and holding people accountable.”

Onyigbuo said he doesn’t walk alone or take dark or deserted paths since the violent riots escalated.

“I’m very careful wherever I’m going, and that’s the only way to keep yourself safe. I keep my ears open, listening to news to know what’s going to happen in the next minute. I’m on alert.”

Back in Nigeria, there are growing concerns about the escalating violence, with families and loved ones checking in frequently.

In the wake of the riots, the Nigerian government issued a travel advisory for Nigerians planning to visit the U.K., warning of an “increased risk of violence and disorder.” This was the first travel advisory issued by an African nation since the riots started.

“I would leave here if this [situation] gets out of control,” said Matthew Nnamdi, a Nigerian student who shares a flat with an Indian roommate in Peckham, a popular Black-dominated neighborhood in southeastern London. “We are all worried by the developments and want everything to return to normal like they were before.”

Nnamdi, a self-sponsored student who arrived in London last spring, said he had high hopes and expectations of the country but isn’t sure anymore with the current developments.

“Tensions are still high, and no one knows what’s coming next.”

Across the U.K., counterprotests and dozens of anti-racism demonstrations have been held, with many more planned in the coming days to denounce the ongoing riots, stand with the migrant community, and support the government’s efforts at quelling them. Okeke said he will be joining any movement to end the carnage and bring about peace in his community and across troubled spots in the country.

“I still want to stay here and create a better future for my child,” he said. “If the riots come to an end, it will be better for everybody.”

[fans4wga]

“This Was A Negotiation For The Future”: Fran Drescher & Duncan Crabtree-Ireland On SAG-AFTRA Deal, AI & Informed Consent + Importance Of CEOs

"'We know that generations from now they’ll be talking about this seminal contract and reaping the benefits of it in the way that we have been for the last 65 years with a contract that was negotiated when Ronald Reagan was in my position,' says SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher of the new contract the actors guild made with the studios on Wednesday after 118 days on strike.

Worth more than $1 billion over the next three years, the tentative agreement has an “extraordinary scope” and is full of “unprecedented provisions,” according to SAG-AFTRA. While the fine print won’t be made public until the 160,000-strong guild’s board votes on it Friday, we know the new deal includes increases in minimum rates, a streaming participation bonus, new health and pension caps, diversity guardrails, and hard fought for AI protection provisions.

The recently overwhelmingly reelected Drescher and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland were at the heart of the strike and the talks. “This strike was about people who are trying to make a middle class living, and I think when the whole deal is put out in the public and people have all the different pieces of it, they will see that there is an overall commitment to improving the economic viability of a career as an actor in this business,” Crabtree-Ireland notes.

Frequently attacked and underestimated by the AMPTP and others, both the union president and national director were out on the picket lines day after day as well as in negotiations with the CEOs Gang of Four of Netflix’s Ted Sarandos, Disney’s Bob Iger, NBCUniversal’s Donna Langley and Warner Bros Discovery’s David Zaslav. Back at the bargaining table for the second set of renewed talks starting on October 24, a month after the WGA reached their own tentative agreement with the studios, the duo, SAG-AFTRA’s chief contracts officer Ray Rodriguez and other members of the negotiating committee unanimously approved the deal Wednesday evening. That vote came as the studios had set a 5 pm PT deadline that could have seen everything go back to square one.

Today, Drescher and Crabtree-Ireland spoke with me about getting to that deal, power of the picket lines, role of the Gang of Four and the importance of the new contract for the entire industry. The duo also revealed some of the AI specifics in the new contract and the battles to come.

DEADLINE: What was the turning point that brought this deal together?

FRAN DRESCHER: We got the protections we needed in AI. We got the funds that we needed for the new revenue stream. That was the two biggest outstanding pieces.

The money was in place earlier, it was the protections that we really were holding out for. With AI, things move very fast, and three months is equivalent to a year in how things can change. So, if we didn’t close that up now then you’ll be so far behind you’ll never be able to catch up. It was really important to us, that we got the protections we felt that we absolutely needed to sustain this contract until the next one. I mean, there’s still things that we’re already working on to get for the next contract, but there are so many milestones in this one.

DUNCAN CRABTREE-IRELAND: I would say it’s been a roller coaster since we got back in the room late last month.

DEADLINE: No doubt.

CRABTREE-IRELAND: Yes, and AI has proved to be one of the most challenging topics in this negotiation from the very beginning all the way to the very end. It was on the table Day 1 and it was on the table on Day 118 of the strike.

DEADLINE: So, how did you seal that deal, so to speak?

CRABTREE-IRELAND: It’s clear that the direct engagement of CEOs was essential to reaching the deal. I think that it is also clear that the companies had to push beyond their initial comfort zone to find a path that could actually give us enough assurances that our members could say yes, we’re going to walk forward into this coming couple of years with a feeling that there is sufficient protection against any kind of abuse from the way AI is being implemented.

For me, I think the key moments really had to do with the kind of dialogue that we had directly with the CEOs, and with Carol, and our committee which has just been so strong and so united. That really gave us the power we needed. Outside the room, the other thing I would just add is having the chance to be out on picket lines in our rallies with our members. That was incredibly not only energizing for me and for the committee but also really helped us make sure we were hearing from all facets of our membership.

DEADLINE: How so?

CRABTREE-IRELAND: Because the picket lines are a very democratizing unifying place and members from all walks of life and all aspects of people’s careers, and all types of specialties are all there.

DEADLINE: In this final round of talks, one of the things that came up a lot from the studio side, but also on the picket lines, was the notion that everyone was running out of time. Running out of time to get a TV season and summer slate off the ground. Running out of time to get people back to work. As we reported yesterday, the AMPTP even gave you guys a 5 pm PT deadline Wednesday or they were going to take their ball home. How real was all that to you?

CRABTREE-IRELAND: You know, I took it as an expression of how concerned they were about this timing and that they were really trying to send us a message of the realities of their production environment – that meant that the timing was real for them. I never take a deadline like that as a given because we’re we live in a world of human beings and our committee was working as quickly as we could. So, I personally thought we were going to be ready before that anyway and we were – but, that deadline was what partially drove us. The desire to make sure that that we could make a deal as quickly as possible because of the ongoing harm that that being strike causes to workers. That’s really what drove us.

The other thing, Dominic, that I will say made it possible was the studios coming through with the final pieces in AI. We’ve made it clear to them from the very beginning and it was true all the way along: AI was existential for our members. And if we didn’t have the right protections, we weren’t going to be able to make a deal. So, I think they ultimately believed that, understood that and they did what they had to do to give us those assurances.

Also, people need know that just strike was not about celebrities per se, this strike was about working actors. This strike was about people who are trying to make a middle class living, and I think when the whole deal is put out in the public and people have all the different pieces of it, they will see that there is a overall commitment to improving the economic viability of a career as an actor in this business. And that’s really good for all of us.

DEADLINE: Fran, did you worry with the deadlines the studios were trying to impose, that this could go off the rails?

DRESCHER: Well, I didn’t know what you mean by go off the rails because it was either going to protract the strike or they were going to appreciate the gravity of certain points that really were deal breakers. About AI, I told them that to their faces: This is going to be a deal breaker, I could tell you right now.

DEADLINE: Clearly, they got the message at some point…

DRESCHER: In a negotiation, you don’t ever get everything, that’s understood. But when the opposition in a really appreciates that we are prepared to go longer, that we’re already on strike. We were prepared to go the distance on this. They heard us, so thank God.

DEADLINE: You’ve indicated you’re already thinking about down the line, the next contract. From what I know about this contract, while it is a three-year contract, this seems multigenerational and it plants pillars that are going to be a strong part of a vastly changing industry. Do you see it like that? DRESCHER: Without question? I mean, we said that to ourselves last night when we passed this, without objection, which in itself is a historic triumph. We know that generations from now they’ll be talking about this seminal contract and reaping the benefits of it in the way that we have been for the last 65 years with a contract that was negotiated when Ronald Reagan was in my position.

DEADLINE:I know that we’re going to get more details tomorrow on AI when the board votes, but Duncan can you give us a sense now of what these protections are?

CRABTREE-IRELAND: I will say, I think our proposals are more specific than the ones that you’ve seen in other contracts because our members are experiencing the use of AI right now. This is not something that’s coming down the road. This is something that’s currently happening.

So, we do have very specific protections around the creation and use of digital replicas, including informed consent for any creation and use as well as compensation structures for how people should get paid both for the creation and use of digital replicas.

DEADLINE: How will that work?

CRABTREE-IRELAND: One way is to protect against the use of generative AI to create what we would call synthetic fakes, which are synthetic assets that are created out of potentially multiple actors inputs. Where there’s any kind of recognizable elements of that there will be protection and a right of consent, as well as a right for the union to be notified when they’re created and a right to bargain for compensation.

Really, the theme around all of this Dominic is informed consent and fair compensation

 Also, I do want to just say because I know people have wondered this whole idea about zombie actors. There are now the consent requirements that apply if an actor is deceased. It wasn’t always that way during this negotiation, but where we’ve ended up is the producers will have to seek consent from the heirs or representatives of the estate of a deceased performer to get concerned for ad use of their image like this voice or performance and the creation of a digital replica, unless that consent was explicitly granted informed consent prior to the person’s death. Just with those examples, I think you can see it’s a very robust set of protections. Protections that address all of the areas of concern that we’ve raised in connection with how actors should be treated as the industry moves forward. Because, let’s be honest, nobody’s immune from evolution, and that includes the studios

DRESCHER: Also, part of the caveat of this negotiation is that the guild and the studios have agreed together to meet semi-annually so that we can always stay on the pulse of where technology is going. Because in many ways, we’re going to find ourselves on the same side fighting in Washington for a kind of legislation that protects all of us against piracy, and more.

DEADLINE: To that, on more than one occasion you guts put out stuff publicly about bullying techniques that AMPTP loves to use and has used over the years, and more How did that affect the tone in the room and or the tone in the virtual room sometimes? CRABTREE-IRELAND: You know,  it wasn’t really acknowledged directly in the room. You know, as an openly gay man, I’ve been bullied plenty in my life including as a kid, and what I’ve always found is when you call it out, that takes away some of its power.

DEADLINE: Amen.

CRABTREE-IRELAND: So, to me, if I feel like those kinds of tactics are being used, my first reaction is to just acknowledge it publicly, openly and take away the power that it has as a result. That was our approach. I will also say, I’m not sure everything is as tightly choreographed on the studio side as people would think. There are multiple companies and there are different opinions, even within their group about tactics and strategy and things like that. Even so, in the end, I think it’s important to just really be open and be direct about it. And when we were in our meetings with the CEOs, you know, I didn’t perceive that as was happening there. And nor was that topic specifically ever discussed during those meetings. DEADLINE: One thing that was discussed, as Deadline exclusively reported at the time, was Netflix’s Ted Sarandos saying to guild leaders last weekend, once the studios had presented their so-called last, best and final offer: We didn’t just come towards you. We came all the way to you. What’s was your take on that, was it true? CRABTREE-IRELAND: Well, I mean, I don’t think that’s correct. I think it’s a good rhetorical point and Ted is a very powerful orator and persuader, obviously, but you know, this has been a negotiation.

We started out with an admittedly aggressive side of asks in our initial proposals, and we knew we weren’t going to get everything that we were trying to achieve it just as they knew they weren’t going to get everything that they were trying to achieve. In fact, where this deal has landed. I think it’s very favorable. It’s very successful. For us, it’s groundbreaking, but it’s not everything that was in our initial proposal package, and there are battles that will have to be fought another day.

So, did they come all the way to us? No. Did they come far enough to us to make a deal that provides our members the protections that we that we really need and provides them with a level of respect to this agreement that members can be excited about? Yes, and I do appreciate them ultimately getting there, although I wish it would have happened a lot sooner.

DEADLINE: Of course, but also there was a lot of bitterness, a lot of agendas in this strike, in the negotiations and in the getting there. What do you think, if anything the studios and the AMPTP leadership learned from this half year of strikes?

CRABTREE-IRELAND: One thing I do wish, and I hope that this will take hold in the industry and future cycles of negotiation, which is if there are strikes, it’s not a good strategy to just let everyone sit there. It’s not going to wear us down. It’s just going to cause more harm to the industry and it’s unnecessary. So, hopefully in the future, there won’t be these long periods of time, like the 100 days before the studios went back in with the Writers Guild to restart talks. There shouldn’t be those kinds of time periods of no talking, because the only way to solve these problems is through discussions and negotiations

DRESCHER: As we said all along: One day longer, one day stronger.

DEADLINE: Fran, there were a lot of attacks on you, on your leadership, on your abilities – some of which you have responded to. Some of the attacks were open, many were whispering campaigns. Now, with this contract, do you feel vindicated and what would you say to those who took potshots at you?

DRESCHER: The people that know me were not surprised that I was going to rise to the occasion. Yet, I think that sadly, women in leadership positions often are faced with the lowest hanging fruit ploy, which is to find any way to discredit them. Duncan’s actions in the negotiating room were a non-issue, never discussed. For me, the pendulum swung from being you know, overly aggressive to frivolous to everything in between. But I will tell you, I merely saw that all of that as an opportunity to create a womaqn and girls movement that I can lead and be exactly me, which is what I did.

DEADLINE: It seems there was a lot of underestimating and undermining here…

CRABTREE-IRELAND: I agree. I think they didn’t think they were going to go on strike in the first place.

DRESCHER: I don’t think so either.

CRABTREE-IRELAND: This entire process has been one of the studios opening their eyes to the reality of SAG-AFTRA, its membership and its willingness to do what it takes to make sure that they’re protected.  

We came in with a strike authorization vote that was unprecedented. We then tried really hard to get a negotiated deal without going on strike, including the extension, which was also unprecedented. We did that and then I really think that they believed at the end of that we were stop.

DEADLINE: But you didn’t, why?

CRABTREE-IRELAND: Because the thing was, it wasn’t good enough for our members at that point. So, we couldn’t do that and so we went on strike with the WGA.  Even then, I believe that their strategy was to wear us down, but our members didn’t get worn down. Yes, everyone’s hurt the whole industry, all the workers hurt and I don’t want anyone to ever think we didn’t know that and feel that. I did, all of us did. But what we’re fighting for something that was wasn’t just a regular three-year marketing cycle, we always knew that.

DEADLINE: How did that manifest itself?

CRABTREE-IRELAND: This was a negotiation for the future. For the future of our members and our industry. And members stayed strong at our picket lines. I’d say the last few days have been as strong as ever. Our members did not get weakened. They did not get discouraged. They knew that we were fighting a battle we were going win. Ultimately the studios and the streamers had to recognize. Also, the fact that the public and the rest of the industry really did hear us when we talked about we were fighting for was great.  Between us and the Writers Guild, I think the public support was extraordinary, and I think the studios had to acknowledge that as well. So,  there was a lot of elements that came together to really help us get here.

DRESCHER: One thing I made sure of too was that every community and every major concern for this contract was well represented. Represented by not only our amazing staff and chief negotiator, but experts. Our experts were with us every step of the way, in all fields, and that’s why we got so many, I believe, groundbreaking new things language in the contract that never existed before. This time called for that. I’m just grateful that the AMPTP recognized where we were coming from heard us and met the moment.

CRABTREE-IRELAND: Yes, there was a lot of progress made, and the last very last thing was negotiation on the toughest issues. I guess that’s to be expected, because all of the underbrush had been cleared and all of the points that could be addressed most easily had been addressed. In the end, we did things to send signals that we were not holding on to anything that we didn’t really need. To let the AMPTP know, and see, at the end this wasn’t a case of negotiating just for everything we wanted. It was for things that our members really needed, that were really important. As the studios really started understanding that, they realized that if they wanted to have an agreement in the timeframe that they were looking for, that they would have to do something to address those needs. And they ultimately did. So, a day after we agreed on a deal, I appreciate that very much, because that is what helped us get this across the line in the end.

[michellemisfit]

Weekly Tag Wednesday Thursday

Thanks for the game @jrooc and thanks for the tag @blue-disco-lights @deedala @energievie @lingy910y @creepkinginc @crestfallercanyon

Name: Mys

What is the most listened to artist in your music app of choice this month?

The Libertines - They’ve just released a new album

What song do you know all the lyrics to?

Erm… most? Well, at least most songs I regularly listen to. Back in the day when we’d still buy CDs I would get a new album and sit in my bedroom listening to it beginning to end, while reading along to the lyrics in the booklet. And oooooh, I would get so furious when bands had a booklet that did not include song lyrics. Wtf is wrong with you?? SO ANGRY! haha

What song do you pretend to know all the lyrics to and sing along to even though you don't?

It’s the End of the World As We Know It by R.E.M. I get to ‘eye of a hurricane, listen to yourself churn’ and then I’m lost until we hit the chorus lol But it’s such a fun song to pretend to sing along to, and really just making vaguely appropriate noises at the right time, until the chorus kicks in again… and of course we’re all ready to shout LEONARD BERNSTEIN! Hahaha

If you were to be crowned Queen/King/Royalty of listening to a band or artist, who would that be?

That would have to be Dirty Pretty Things. I fell in love with The Libertines just as they were falling apart and a few weeks away from calling it quits for good, so when Carl Barât announced the first tour of his new band Dirty Pretty Things I wasn’t gonna miss out again. So I flew to Ireland and then to England and attended the first 5 gigs of their first tour. And that pretty much set the tone for the next couple of years of my life. I ended up flying to the UK so much and meeting so many people that in the end it only made sense to move to London. Dirty Pretty Things had a tour booked starting two days after my moving day and we were gonna go to a few of the gigs. Then the day before I got on a plane they announced it would be their farewell tour, so we bought tickets for every single gig, which meant that I moved to the UK and then spent all of October, November, and half of December on tour… I didn’t start job hunting and thinking about real life until January lol

So yeah. Them. They’re my boys. As coined by the NME in their ‘sad to see them go’ article… “They were well fit and nice!”

What band/artist surprises you the most on your frequently listened to artists?

I’m ongoingly surprised by how much I managed to trick myself into liking Taylor Swift

Favourite line from a song (or one you have been thinking about lately?

Fame and Fortune by The Libertines

The deal was done, the trade was rough, Doubloons down for a double bluff, Dip your quill in your bleeding heart, Sign there and there and there

Guilty pleasure band or song?

I don’t believe in guilty pleasures.

Liking what I like don’t make me a bitch.

Okay let's talk fandom music:

Fave band or song you've discovered from a Fan Fic?

The Libertines lol My friend really wanted me to get into this band she liked, and I just wasn’t massively into music at the time, so she sent me a Libertines fanfic, and that, as they say, was that. Oh, she knew me very well… hahah

Fave Fanfic Playlist?

Right now I’m REALLY into The Menagerie playlist!

Fave Gallavich song?

Do you listen to music recommended by the writer or an included playlist? 

Almost always, yeah. Though sometimes that can go terribly wrong. When someone’s like OMG THIS SONG!!! and you’re just like ‘eh, I don’t see it’ lol

What song do you think is Gallavich coded?

Well, thanks to @deedala this will never not be Season 5 Gallavich

What’s a bop you want to share with your mutuals today? 

Love the original, but I also love Darren Criss

And this, because I’m dying for the next season of The Bear!!!!

Oooookay… I’m late and I’ve been way too busy, so if you’ve already played and I didn’t see please tag me in yours so I can check it out!! If not, and you’d like to do it, I’m tagging @heymacy @heymrspatel @darlingian @too-schoolforcool @palepinkgoat @vintagelacerosette @crossmydna @captainjowl @mikhailoisbaby @rereadanon @the-rat-wins @tsuga-of-mars @loftec @sickness-health-all-that-shit @deathclassic @rutherinahobbit @faejilly (you can skip the Gallavich questions!!! Hahahahah)

[alotofpockets]

New surroundings | Alessia Russo

Pairing: Alessia Russo x Reader & Katie McCabe x Best Friend!Reader

Reader pronouns used: she/her

Prompts: "If there is nothing going on between you two, you don't mind if I ask her on a date, do you?" & "You love me?"

Warnings: Toxic ex, some slight angst, and alcohol consumption. Plus, I feel like drunk ex trying to get back together should be one.

Masterlist | Woso masterlist | Words: 3.8k

Arsenal was the closest team you had ever been a part of. You joined the club about four months ago, back then you had only known Katie. The two of you had played together for Ireland since you were around fifteen, and she had become one of your best friends years back. Katie had taken you under her wing at this new club, and introduced you to all your new teammates. You felt like a part of the team right away, loving the team bonding nights they had, it made you get to know the girls better, and it helped to keep your mind occupied. 

When Arsenal’s offer had come your way, your long term relationship had just ended. You loved Manchester and playing for Manchester City, but training and playing alongside your ex-girlfriend was a lot, especially since the break-up wasn’t on good terms. So, you took the offer and moved to London, after finishing the two months that were left on your contract with Manchester City. So far, you loved playing for Arsenal, and the girls on the team had quickly become your friends. 

Tonight’s team building took place at Leah’s house, you had all just headed inside after enjoying a lovely dinner in her backyard together. You weren’t paying much attention to the conversations around you, as your eyes kept making their way towards Alessia, she looked absolutely stunning. Katie had noticed you staring, and walked your way, “Enjoying the view?” You roll your eyes at your best friend, regretting over and over again that you told her about your crush on Alessia. “When are you going to ask her out?” Your smile falters slightly, “You know why I haven’t.” You had endless late night conversations with her, about not knowing if you could allow yourself to trust a person like that again. “Plus, it’s not like you have asked out Caitlin yet.” You add, lightening up the conversation quickly. “Fair point.” Katie places a reassuring hand on your shoulder, knowing where your thoughts were at. Even though you were worried about allowing yourself to open up to another person that way, you would be lying if you said you hadn’t thought about trying to with Alessia. 

On the other side of the room Leah nudges Alessia, “I see you’re having a great time tonight, Russo” The woman mocks, having just witnessed the forward stalk your Instagram page. “She’s in the same room, maybe you should just talk to her.” Alessia quickly scrambles for an excuse to be on your profile, and finally comes up with, “Oh, I was just looking up something that I was talking about with Katie earlier.” Leah nods like she believes her, "If there is nothing going on between you two, you don't mind if I ask her on a date, do you?" Without waiting for a response Leah starts making her way over to you. Alessia quickly comes into action, and gets to you before Leah does.

“Can we talk?” Alessia says when you notice her speeding your way. “Yeah, sure. Is everything okay, Less?” She nods, and asks you to follow her, more so to create space between you and Leah. Completely unaware that Leah was just trying to push her closer to admitting her feelings for you.

Alessia walks you to the backyard, where the two of you sit down. “Less, you’re worrying me, what’s going on?” It only just dawned on Alessia that now she would actually have to tell you something. She takes a deep breath before going for it. “This wasn’t how I planned on telling you this, but Leah was going to ask you out but I couldn’t let her without telling you something first. Y/n, I like you, like in the I want to take you out on dates and stuff, and I’ve just been too scared to say anything. I just knew that I had to before Leah talked to you, unless you would rather have her be the one telling you this, then I’ll go.” You shake your head, “No, I want it to be you. I like you too, Less.” Alessia’s smile widens, and you feel your heart melt at the sight.

“I do want to be open about something before we continue this conversation.” You say nervously, not having thought you’d be having this conversation, let alone with the girl you’ve been crushing on. “Of course, anything.” Alessia reassures. ”So, I don’t know if you’ve heard the ins and outs by now, but my last relationship ended pretty badly.” Alessia shakes her head, “I try my best to let people's private lives stay private.” Your breakup had been pretty public, as your ex was spotted with a new partner only a week after she had broken up with you, most of the public not even aware that you had broken up yet. So, hearing Alessia say that meant a lot. “If you don’t mind I don’t want to get into that too much now, let’s just say that that relationship left a lot of emotional scars.” You take a breath before continuing. “I guess what I am trying to say is that if you and I were to start something, I would need us to take things very slow. So, yeah, just that as a heads up, because I would understand if that’s not something you’re looking for.” 

Alessia, who was listening carefully to your words, simply nods. “We can take it as slow as you need us to, I’m not going anywhere.” Her words mean so much to you, you could already tell that she respected your boundaries, you hoped that it would stay that way. “Can I kiss you?” You ask shyly, hoping that you didn’t ruin the moment by sharing what you just did. “Yes, you can.” Alessia smiles and leans in, you share a short but sweet kiss, knowing your teammates are all inside. 

The following weeks, you felt yourself getting more and more comfortable around Alessia, she kept respecting your boundary of taking things slow. The two of you had spoken more about what went down with your ex, just because you wanted to give Alessia some insight into the things you might struggle with more than others. It was hard not to fall for her, she was kind, thoughtful, and loving, still you had your doubts that it wouldn’t all switch up to the moment you got too comfortable.

“So, how are things going with Russo?” Katie asks as she sits down on the couch with you, having planned a relaxing evening together before your match tomorrow. “Yeah, I think it’s going well. I really like her, she has been amazing so far. We went on our first date yesterday, which was really nice.” It makes Katie happy to see you smile so much when talking about Alessia. “Though, if I’m being honest, I’m still scared that she’ll start treating me the same way that Jenny did.” Katie takes a moment to make sure she will say the right thing, Jenny got her angry and she knew you needed a different side of her right now. “I understand why you would feel scared, Jenny was well she was horrible to you, and like I’ve said before you deserve someone who treats you well. I think that Alessia is someone who will do that, I mean just see the way she has got you smiling. Alessia isn’t Jenny, and though it might take a bit for your mind to wrap around being treated in a good way by your partner, I know you and Alessia are good for each other.” You smile at her reassuring words, “Okay, enough about me, what about you? Any update on the Caitlin front?” By the way Katie starts blushing you know there is. “McCabe, why did you start with me? Tell me everything!” Katie tells you about how she asked Caitlin out for lunch yesterday, how great it went, and about walking her home and kissing her on her front porch. “I am so happy for you.” You say as you give your best friend a quick hug. 

Katie was getting some snacks from the kitchen while you opened up Netflix to pick out a movie. You had just set up the movie you chose when your phone buzzed. You quickly grab it, hoping to see Alessia’s name on your screen, but your smile falters when the name on your screen reads Jenny Jones. Without opening the message you quickly put your phone down on the couch again. Katie comes back into the living room, and you start the movie. Your phone keeps buzzing, but you try to ignore it. “Will you please just look at your phone?” Not wanting to make a scene you grab your phone and open your messages, not reading the words on your screen.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Katie says worriedly, noticing the change in your facial expression. “Nothing.” You lie, even though you know Katie won’t believe you. Katie takes your phone from your hands, and you let her. “Why is she texting you? I thought you told her to stop contacting you.” You shrug, “I did.” Katie reads through the messages. “She makes me so angry. Y/n, you know that none of what she’s saying is true right?” You nod, “She’s probably just trying to get in my head before tomorrow’s game.” You’d be playing your old club, and that still included your ex-girlfriend. You talk a bit more about the messages with Katie, “Are you going to tell Alessia about the messages?” You weren’t looking forward to it, but knew that it would be best to tell her. “Yeah, I’ll tell her tomorrow morning. She’s picking me up for the match.” 

You rush to the door when you hear the doorbell, Alessia was early, and you weren’t done getting ready, probably because you were going over and over again how you could best tell her about the messages from Jenny. Nonetheless, you open the door with a smile, “Good morning Less.” She returns the smile and pecks your cheek. “I got some coffee on the way.” You thank her and let her into your apartment. “Just give me one second, I still have to get changed.” You quickly make your way over to your bedroom, to change into your training gear. 

Once you’re back in the living room, you sip on your coffee. “So, how are you feeling about playing your old club?” Alessia starts the conversation. “I have mixed feelings about it. It will be weird playing against them, but I am also excited to see some of my old teammates again.” Alessia nods, “Yeah, I completely get you. Playing my old club left me with very similar thoughts.” She pauses for a moment before she continues. “Tell me if you don’t want to talk about it but what about-.” She struggles to find the right way to ask you, so you guess the rest of the sentence for her, “Jenny?” She nods. “I am not looking forward to that part, I haven’t seen her since I moved, and that’s been really nice. There was something I wanted to share with you, now that we are on the topic. She started texting me yesterday, I said to Katie that she’s probably just trying to get into my head before the game. I’m not planning on responding or anything, I just wanted to let you know.” You show her the texts, not wanting anything to come between what you and Alessia were building.

Jenny Jones: Getting your first start tomorrow, congrats. I can’t wait for you to screw it up

Jenny Jones: You think you’re a part of the team but the only reason they tolerate you is because of McCabe

Jenny Jones: They just petty you

Jenny Jones: Anyways, see you tomorrow x

“I’m so sorry she said all of that, it’s not true you know?” She puts a reassuring hand on your shoulder, and you fall into her arms immediately. Alessia holds you while you cry, whispering sweet nothings into your ear. “You are going to be amazing. You are such a great defender, and you will ace this match. Jonas put you as a starting player because he believes in you. I believe in you, the whole team does. We love having you here, and you are as much a part of this team as the rest of the girls.” Alessia was saying all the right words, she continued stroking your back even when you stopped crying. “I love you, Less.” The words slip out before you realize it. Alessia’s hands freeze in place. "You love me?" You felt like you should be stressing out more about having just told her that you love her, but it felt right so you sit back up so you can look her in the eyes. “I do. Is that okay?” Alessia’s smile grows, “Yes, that is very okay.” She pulls you back in for a hug, “I love you too, y/n/n.” 

Alessia drives the both of you, and you arrive into the locker room with a big smile on your face. “I’m assuming this means telling Russo about the messages ended up going well.” Katie says as you take your place next to her. “You could say that yes. I might have told her that I love her and she might’ve said it back.” She pats your back, “Aw, I’m so happy for you.” Everyone gets ready for the match, and lines up in the tunnel. Alanna was standing next to you in the tunnel and gave you a quick side hug before you entered the field. Like you said earlier, it would be nice to see some of your former teammates again. 

While shaking hands with the opposing team you so badly wanted to skip Jenny, but you knew you had to show your sportsmanship. So, you shook her hand anyways, looking to Leah standing in front of you instead of to Jenny. You move on to the next person quickly, not wanting to linger. Kerstin sends you a knowing smile and pats your back after the two of you exchange a handshake. 

After the team huddle you make your way to your spot on the field with Manu, Katie, Leah, and Lotte. The referee blew the whistle and the match started. You put your full focus on the match, knowing you were going to need it as Jenny and Chloe kept pressing forward. Manchester City was putting their pressure high, so your defense pushed back hard. Chloe earned her team a corner kick, and your team positions themselves for the corner. You feel a slight push to your back, not uncommon of course, until you hear the voice that belongs to the person pushing you. “Didn’t respond to my messages, sweetheart.” You ignore her and keep your eyes focussed on the people around you in the box. The corner gets taken and the ball comes flying your way, before you can respond Jenny speaks up again, “You’re going to flop today.” You freeze in place, her words getting to you. Jenny takes the opportunity to move around you and head the ball in the direction of the goal, luckily Manu was able to grab the ball out of the air. Katie runs up to you, “Don’t let Jones get into your head, okay? You’ve got this. You’re better than she is.” She pats your back before running to her position. 

Katie and Leah took you aside during half time, they reassured you, knowing how Jenny was playing tricks with you. You took their words with you into the second half. Alessia managed to put Arsenal in the lead with a goal in the fifty eight minute, which only made your opponents push back harder. They earn another corner kick, and you get ready in the box once again. This time being prepared on who would come standing behind you, and entirely blocking out the words that were spoken to you. If it’s not about football, it’s not important. Leah had said, the words keps playing in your head. This time the ball didn’t reach the far post, so it was Lotte who headed the ball away from the goal. Though, Katie’s blood was boiling after she heard what Jenny said to her. She wasn’t holding back on her tackles and shoves, almost earning herself a yellow card a couple of times. You were grateful for your best friend having your back, but you also were not wanting her to get sent off the field by her actions.

There were only two minutes left of the match, your team had been playing high up on the field when the ball got intercepted by Kerstin who quickly played the ball to Jill. You are standing a little below the midfield line when Jill sends a long ball over your head. You spot Jenny making a run for it and quickly turn on your feet to run after it. Manu was already back in her goal, but besides her you were the only defender this low on the field. Jenny reaches the ball first, but you are close behind her. You divert slightly to the left so you can flank her. She is a step ahead of you, so there was only one way you’d be able to stop her attack and that was by a sliding tackle. The timing had to be perfect, you needed to prove Jenny wrong, needed to prove that you earned this spot on the team. You slide down, and time seems to slow down as your foot nears the ball. 

The crowd at the Emirate erupts in cheer as you perfectly time your tackle and hit nothing but the ball. Jenny trips over your body, but no foul was given since it was a clean tackle. Katie, Leah and Lotte are the first one by your side, as they were trying to make the run back to aid you, the three of them running into a hug as the final whistle blew. The rest of the girls joined in on the group hug just moments later. 

To celebrate the win, the team went out for some drinks. Nothing too crazy because you had training again tomorrow, since you’d have another game in a couple of days. The group of you just wanted to spend some time together outside of football. You were enjoying your evening, talking with your teammates and sipping on your drink. Alessia’s arm was draped around your shoulders and you were leaning into her side. The happiness you felt in your girlfriend's arms, with your friends surrounding you, was something you weren’t used to. You were excited to start getting used to it though. 

You hadn’t even noticed that some of the City girls were in the same bar until a very drunk Jenny was standing in front of you. “You shouldn’t go out with her.” She said, slurring her words, and pointing to Alessia. Alessia who protectively held you closer to her body. “We should get back together, make it work this time.” You shake your head in disbelief, “Jenny, go home, you’re drunk.” Jenny doesn’t listen, and instead only takes another step towards you. “I want you back, y/n. Doesn’t matter if I’m drunk or not.” You give a quick squeeze to your hand that was intertwined with Alessia’s before getting up. “Look, Jenny, it is never going to happen. You never treated me right, and I should’ve left a lot sooner than I did, because I have found someone that treats me so well. There is no way that I would ever get back with you, please just leave.” 

It seems like Jenny isn’t even listening to a word you said. “Come on, we’ve had some good times together.” Alessia heard enough, and got up to stand by your side. Her hand resting on your lower back, showing that she is there for you. “Jenny, she asked you to leave.” Your girlfriend said sternly. Jenny moved forward again, this time Katie stepped in between the both of you, her hand on Jenny’s shoulder keeping her back. “Look, mate, she is never getting back together with you, because you treated her like shit. So, my advice would be to leave before you embarrass yourself more than you already have.” Alanna and Kerstin heard the commotion and made their way over. “JJ, come on.” Kerstin said, pulling her away from you. “Let’s get you home alright?” Alanna stays for a moment, to check on you. “I’m okay, Lani, thank you.” She gives you a quick hug before she goes and helps Kerstin get Jenny home. 

Both Katie and Alessia sit back down, both checking in on you as well. You lean into Alessia’s side again for comfort. “I am okay, really.” You reassure them. “I do think that I want to go home though.” Katie is already on her phone ordering an uber. “I got you.” You walk outside with Alessia’s hand in yours, along with Katie and Caitlin. “Want to stay over tonight? Caitlin is coming to mine too.” You nod, “Can Less come too?” Katie smiles, “Of course, she can.” You look over to Alessia, realizing you should also ask if that’s something that she wanted. Alessia simply nodded and gave your hand a reassuring squeeze. 

When you arrive at Katie’s home, you turn to Katie right away. “Do you mind if we head straight to bed? I'm exhausted.” She brings you in for a quick hug, “Of course, whatever you need.” You give Caitlin a quick hug as well, before you take Alessia's hand. You stop before you leave the room, “Thank you for today.” You say looking between the girls. “No worries, we've got your back, always.” And with that you guide Alessia to the guest bedroom, you had some stuff laying around since you stayed over at least once a week, per your game day ritual.

“How are you feeling?” Alessia asks as she lays down on her side next to you, her head propped up on her arm. “Exhausted but okay, I know I have my people, including you.” She reaches out her free hand to put a falled strand of hair behind your ear. “I hope you know that I would never treat you that way.” You nod, “I know, you've been pretty amazing, actually.” You lean in and kiss her lips, the kiss is sweet and more passionate than the few kisses you have shared before. “Hm, I really am exhausted, Less. Can we continue this later?” Alessia leans her forehead against yours and smiles, “I would love to.” She lays down on her back and opens her arms for you to cuddle into her. You lay your head down on her chest, and she instantly wraps her arms around you. “Goodnight baby, I love you.” Her words make you smile, you could get used to falling asleep like this. “I love you too, darling. Sweet dreams.”

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[adolin]

what's your ranking of the stormlight books?

ooooh. thank u for asking

1. Words of Radiance. THEE platonic ideal of a contemporary epic fantasy book. when Kaladin jumps into the arena. when Kaladin shows up at the battle at the end. the Helaran death reveal. Shallan in the chasms. the Adolin & Kal friendship arc. Elohkar. Shallan's backstory. I remember reading this book in March 2014 while backpacking through Ireland and using shitty hostel wifi to connect to discussion boards in the evening. I love it to bits

2. Rhythm of War. epic in every sense of the word. the stakes are huge, the pacing is great, the tension is through the roof. everything is happening at once!! Navani my beloved. Shadesmar is weird and crazy. Kal is Going Through It. it's just so huge in scope in so many different ways and the way everything is tied together is truly beautifully done. my personal experience of reading this book was that it took me months to start in the middle of lockdown depression + OB had lowkey disappointed me, and I liked it SO much that it singlehandedly got me back into reading after a couple of years of a big slump.

3. Way of Kings. I love how it's clearly the first step on a much grander journey, even on first read, but it really strikes the balance of being The Beginning Of A Series and self-contained. the way Kaladin's backstory is introduced still makes my jaw drop. with every reread I love Shallan more. I still remember reading it the first time (summer 2011 on vacation) and being struck by how bizarre and unique the world was. plants that moved! storms that stormed! one of the first books of all time.

4. Oathbringer. I didn't love this one at the time but I think RoW made it better in hindsight. back when I first read it, I remember being disappointed with how quickly certain emotional beats that had been fundamental in the first two books were resolved or glossed over (Amaram first and foremost) even if I understood the series needed to jump to the next level pacing-wise, but it still grated. I still don't love how the book handles Dalinar and Moash both, and I think we should ban Branderson from writing about love triangles for so many reasons, but it has some really really great emotional beats and imagery and I enjoyed it much more on reread

[I'm on chapter 22 of WaT — will report back :D]

[s-che]

Reporting from the Dream Library: Sagas of the Icelanders

This month, the Dream Library is pairing two extremely good first(ish) generation Powered by the Apocalypse games for our TTRPG book club: Gregor Vuga’s Sagas of the Icelanders and Jason Morningstar’s Night Witches. We had our first session (of Sagas) last Friday and it was an absolute hoot — I’ll jump in to talking about everything that happened in just a moment, but first, as a reminder, if you’d like to swing on by for our ongoing RPG book club, play sessions, or just to talk games and design, you should come do that. I will kiss you on the head if you do that (I will not).

Anyway, let’s talk about Sagas.

What is this game like?

Sagas of the Icelanders is an old PBTA game — one of the first generation after Apocalypse World itself. There’s a dedicated subforum on the old lumpley Barf Forth Apocalyptica forums with posts going back as early as 2010, although the full game crowdfunded in 2013. On surface mechanics, it’s a pretty typical MCed 2d6 plus stat mechanical structure, set in the Iceland of the early 900s, a setting which is (to paraphrase the text), as dramatic as high fantasy, as lonely and communal as the post-apocalypse, and as tense with social pressure as a western. We play as a handful of people eking out lives on a broadly unpopulated island, struggling to survive far from their ancestral homes in Scandinavia or the British Isles. 

The most immediately eye-catching part of the game is it’s emphasis on gender in society in the setting: almost all of the playbooks in Sagas are gendered, and the basic moves too are divided into those available for men, those available for women, and the (very) few shared between them. It’s a hard swing for a historical game — especially one that came out in 2013 — but, for reasons which I’ll talk about in a moment, it works really, really well.

What was this session like?

Our session opened with, hmm, I would say maybe an hour of loose chatter. I would normally call this a pretty inefficient start to a 3-hour oneshot, but it was honestly worth the time. We were playing with materials designed by Jason Morningstar (of Night Witches) — a family tree with blanks left for us to slot playbooks into. Like the gendered basic moves, this felt good — it hit the right balance between suggestion and restriction — and we spent the first third of our time in what we might call idle dreaming, working to slot our characters into a community together and figure out where things stood. In a real way, the session underscored for me the value of good players — it felt collective and collaborative in a way which required a lot of trust and a good group.

Our first hour of actual play was dedicated on family drama: Vermund, the witchy eldest daughter of a recently deceased goði (a kind of local judge), watched from a cliffside as travelers from another community (a goði named Magni and his daughter, Halla, betrothed to Vermund’s younger brother) picked their way along the road towards our homestead. A wedding should be a time of celebration — yet when she read the runes, Vermund saw danger in the future: a plot by Magni to seize control of the property through this well-timed marriage. To make matters worse, Vermund knows a secret: although Bjorn is in fact her mother’s son, his father is not her father but the Christian thrall, Olan, who was brought back twenty-five years ago from a raid to Ireland.

Back at the homestead, Bjorn and Vermund’s husband, Gisli, relax in a hot spring and are briefly taunted by Egil — a foster-brother adopted by the goði before his death, and several years Bjorn’s elder. After insults fly, a holmgang (a formal duel) is planned for later in the evening, and Egil continues on his way, carrying meat for the welcome-feast for Magni and Halla. Yrsa, the goði’s widow, butchers it herself then assembles the full household to give some sage wisdom on how not to ruin things this evening.

In the last hour of our play, Magni arrived — accompanied not only by his daughter but by a priest — and revealed himself to be a recent convert to Christianity. The welcome-feast settled in more or less peacefully (with some stress over Egil’s seat, which was turned over to Magni’s priest)... although Bjorn did not hit it off with his bride-to-be nearly as well as his sister did. When Egil, motivated by drunken passion and perhaps a legitimate sense of brotherly love, attempted a toast which called more attention to Bjorn’s weaknesses than to his strengths, a brawl broke out between the two brothers which ended — tragically — in Bjorn’s accidental death. We ended our session as Magni’s priest prayed, Yrsa wept, and everyone wondered what could possibly happen to our poor community (and the inheritance) next. 

Holy shit did we have a good time. The first and most obvious thing to say — in case it wasn’t obvious from that play summary — is that Sagas of the Icelanders is a deeply social game in a way I think few other games have really successfully mastered. This is where the gendered stuff starts to really come out strong: the playbooks are full of these cascading moves, webs of insult and honor for the men, soft power and tense circumstances for the women, and an altogether sense that things have the possibility to fall apart — or spiral into a blood feud — at any moment. Of course, they eventually did — and in a way I don’t think anyone was expecting. I was excited for the potential of a holmgang, but where we ended up felt somehow more poignant, more tragic and stupid and pointless — and generally more in line with the Icelandic family sagas, the epics from which the game draws its name. 

There were friction points, of course — as we discussed afterward in the Dream Library the game, while it does a really terrific job of modeling what it’s like to participate in gendered society, has no real mechanical scaffolding  for what it might mean to see yourself outside of the role you’ve been assigned. You can fail at performing gender, of course — but never intentionally subvert it. That being said, the game has a real hack-friendly tone to it (one of the perks of being so early in PBTA as a movement, I think), and I think some custom moves would easily resolve those issues for longer-term play.

Speaking of that hack-ishness, I do also want to shout out that Sagas, like Apocalypse World, has a kind of maximalist sensibility that was eventually lost, I think, from a lot of indie RPGs and has only recently begun to be found again. In the race to prove that indie games are easier to learn than D&D, there’s a tendency to slim down as far as you can — turning thick games into zines and zines into one-pagers — which I think is, genuinely, tragic. Sagas of the Icelanders revels in bits of scale and extra content: historical information, appendices on the legal system during the period and how it changed over time, some mechanics to help ease the transition into a Christian Iceland should your campaign cover the decades that process took, and even a short essay reading Iceland as a successful stateless/anarchist society. There are names, dates, recipes, and snippets — Sagas of the Icelanders is crammed full of little details in much the same way Apocalypse World is. 

All in all, it was a really lovely game. I was glad to leave off where we did — and I could have played for another dozen sessions and told the story of multiple generations of this extended family. Sagas is simply good — and more people should be talking about it.

What comes next?

Next on the docket is a oneshot of Night Witches sometime next week as the Dream Library transitions into discussions about that game. I’m really excited — Night Witches, like Sagas, has been on my list for years and I’ve never gotten around to actually playing it. I can’t wait to see how the actual play will shake out. If you’d like to get in on playing, there’s still time! If you just want to come and chat about the game over text, that’s also good! If you’re enjoying reading along with these play reports, well... Keep reading them! 

I’ll be back in a couple of weeks with some war stories.

[dreamerfms]

[ … ] ❀ you’re not from around here , are you? i figured because you totally just missed { kai finnegan } walking by. don’t tell me you don’t know who { he } is ? they kind of look like { alex fitzalan } and i could be wrong but i think that they might be { 28 } years old right now. they’ve been living in palmview for the last { twelve years }. and i don’t know if anyone has ever told them this before but they kind of remind me of { jess mariano } from { gilmore girls }. if you stick around the town long enough you might catch them in action working at { - } as a { arcade attendant/musician }. you see this town isn’t really that big of a place, some folks like to call them the { the sombre soul } of palmview! they took a liking to the name too after a while, go figure. oh crap, they must have heard me yapping. they’re coming this way. i got to warn you though, rumor has it they can pretty { unpredictable } at times. i wouldn’t take it too seriously though, from the times i’ve spoken to them they seemed pretty { creative } to me. we see each other all the time since they live in that { three room } apartment beside me over in { sunny shores }.

full name : kai finnegan birthplace : portstewart, northen ireland date of birth : 05 / 07 / 1997 parentage : john finnegan & aofie finnegan ( estranged ) sibling(s) : twin, maeve finnegan occupation : arcade attendant. guitarist/singer/songwriter relationship status : single gender identity : cis male ( he/him ) sexual orientation : bisexual faceclaim : alex fitzalan

BACKGROUND

tw: cheating, teen pregnancy, homophobia & public outing, anxiety & depression.

kai and maeve were born to two teen parents barley turned sixteen themselves. while still so young they both decided to keep their children and start a life together. for many years that life was happy despite many struggles. as a young boy, all kai knew was that his parents were content and happy. it seemed like nothing could burst their family dynamic.

john was a photographer, quickly gaining notoriety for his work in fashion. a lot of kai's spare days would be spent on sets with his father, and while he showed an interest in photography himself, his main passions lay in music and writing. always had a way with words ... so long as they were being written down and not spoken.

aofie was a stay at home mother until the twins started high school, at this point she got a job at the local council office as a receptionist. whilst working here she began to realize how bored she'd been, and when on of her male colleagues began to get to know her, things would take a turn the rest of the family would never see coming.

aofie would embark on a year-long affair which would eventually lead her to leave her husband and move out of this family home. this caused total devastation, trust shattered and bonds broken. seeing how heartbroken his father was, kai could no longer stand to look at his mother and soon all communication was cut. the worst part being that she never really fought to stay in their lives.

when kai turned fifteen his father would be offered a job in a whole other country. kai was hesitant to leave, enjoyed his quiet little life by the beach and the friends he had. but feeling like it may bring his father some new happiness, he reluctantly agreed.

fifteen and starting a new school in a country he'd never been to before, kai struggled, thankful to at least have his sister by his side. but friends were difficult to make for a boy who preferred his own company most of the time. who was rarely ever seen without a pair of headphones over his ears. but one friend came, a boy named jj. but this friendship would bring him two things: his first taste of love, and his second dose of heartbreak.

the closer the two boys became, the more it became clear that there was more there than just friendship. eventually they became an item. a secret one. jj's father an important figure in town with a lot of unkind opinions- he wouldn't be happy to discover his son was gay. and so they hid it well, until someone caught wind of what was going on. the truth being out there should have been a relief, but instead it was hell.

not only was his own sexuality outed before he even had the time to process it, but jj turned his back. betrayed him in ways he isn't sure he'll ever get over. instead of dealing with it together, jj told everyone that kai had come onto him, pressured him into things. this lie made the last few years of high school a living nightmare, with kai being shunned due to jj's popularity even if many didn't believe the stories he'd spun.

the only outlet he had was music and writing, and still to this day they're what he clings to most. but the things he's been through have made him extremely avoidant.

FACTS

always has headphones on, or hanging around his neck. he can appear very rude at times because if he doesn't like the way a conversation is going ( or more likely bc he's anxious ) he will put them on and turn his music up, ignoring you entirely.

he loves the beach. whilst it's vastly different from the one back home, it still makes him feel very connected. it's for sure his favourite place to clear his head.

he's in an alt rock band ( name tbd )

is sadly very prone to anxiety and bouts of depression.

he's very self-sabotaging without really meaning to be.

more tba.

WANTED

a best friend - preferably someone slightly opposite, who can bring him out of his shell and drag him along to things. roommates ( 1/2 ) - genuinely think about mix of personalities could be fun. a more recent ex - he struggles to let people in emotionally so it was probably a shitshow, but the fact he even tried says a lot. past/current hookups / bandmates / friends / someone he butts heads with bc he can be a sarcastic little fuck / idk idk it's late. oh a select few he has been friends with since high school bc i'd love some connections of people who stuck with him despite false rumours.

c