#and like this wasnt a decision made by the group chat but just the three in it i had lunch with

[skid-the-mighty-poet]

[girlwithnomemory1563]

r u serious

pardon my lack of posts; i actually haven't had much time to make poor decisions! just smoke too much, sleep too little and work all of my days away! :,} so actually, a pat on my back is needed since i've been good these past weeks. despite my lack of activity, i have lots of yapping to partake in. i'll try to include a TL;DR at the end to sum it all up.

so we went out thursday! i slept most of the day and then met up with my friend, jane to get ready together. we smoked with her family (hello) and i ended up leaving with a cool ass ashtray! its a pyramid and it opens up to hold all of my roaches :3

ok ok then we head off to her boyfriends dorm and we pregammed with some sort of peachy alcohol... i forgot. but we drank almost the whole damn handle between the three of us before going so i came into the bar just looking for some funsies. immediately, omg, i spot this tall ass hunk of guy (so cringe but if y'all saw him, heeyunk is all you'd think) so ofc im like, ok mental note made. idk if the universe wanted us to meet or if we're just both tall so we saw each other over the crowd LMAO. anywho, we get in there and start dancing after chatting with all of our friends. i got to see an old coworker from my first job! then got scolded by her for being underaged! she actually unleashed a whole bunch of lore onto me abt this other girl we worked with who i actually had such a huge crush on. blah blah basically the girl cheated on the coworker i ran into with her ex and her now current bf. and then ran off to texas! huh!

ANYWAYS OMG we get back onto the dance floor and i see the large man in my radius again. he was like blonde and had the serial killer glasses and a good ass pedo stache. and he was just sooo beefy you have no idea oh my god. and he was 6'5. 6'5!! i'm a 5'10 girl so he's already won me. so we've like seen each other at this point but i keep dancing obviously. the music was so good that night actually, wasn't the normal overplayed playlist. and while im dancing, he somehow ends up in front of me with my group of friends between us and shoves into my friend! and my friend yells at him so obviously i watch with intent and then im like "guys WAIT hes literally a cadet PLS show some respect" so we all saluted him. and he rolled his eyes and i came. lmao jk but it was stupidly attractive and made me reflect abt myself.

we keep going in and out of the bar to smoke and finally, and i've forgotten how we started talking, but he ends up beside me and my friend so i talked to his hunky ass! he was wearing one of those baja (? i googled the style) hoodie in the bar so im like "are you not hot?" and blah blah blah. and we start dancing. and his strong ass beefy arms stayed around me and he was so big grrr. and this bitch bumped into jane so obv jane apologizes. and then the bitch's little goonie ass friend is like "yeah sorry you were in the way.." pardon? so jane comes and tells me and i whip around real quick to find this munchkin bc hey, i have my snake belly ring in so like obv i can do so damage..../not serious at all. and this man...this hunk man...like moved me to be beside him and was like looking for her too! he was down for the gang!

oh god im yapping and i havent even gotten to the GOOD PARTTT. ok so we all go outside and i sit in the chair next to him and we're just chatting. and then he just seamlessly pulls me into his lap??? didn't even struggle? came once again. so im sitting in his lap chatting with him and we go to get up and leave and this man...picks me up and does curls with me still in his arms....never wanted to ride a man's face more than right then and there. so in this moment i have decided im not leaving without this man. and it wasnt even that hard! i mentioned i was going to sleep in jane's boyfriend's floor and he was like "pls i have a bed for you to sleep in" and i was like "say less". i do need more survival instincts BUT you dont get it. if u were feeling the liquor like i was while feeling his huge buff arm around my neck in the bar then you'd understand that i had no other choice. actually lmao as we left, my other friend stella grabbed me and was like "ma he looks like jeffrey dahmer, think abt it" and did! i did think! with my dick!

so we drive to this dingy frat house in the woods (once again, survival is not my middle name hey) and we get in this room that's not even his btw, and there's a bed with a futon next to it. this jackass tells me im sleeping on that futon! and as we were leaving, he was like "no funny business tho, im going to bed" like ok! right! ok ok! but he was just pranking me after i had already started cleaning it up. so we get in bed and start watching tv and im like, abt to explode from horny since i now have this beef cake down to his underwear next to me in bed, so i say "fr no funny business?" and he's all like "i guess some wouldn't hurt" so we start kissing. ok kisser! not a lot of tongue but i get it! and then i move to give him head eventually and he's like instantly "how tf are u so good at blowjobs" and it really stroked my ego so bad. and he came really quick and it didnt throw me off bc for some reason, every man ive been with has ejaculated prematurely in everything. and then we try to go to bed and we're spooning and his boner is pushing into me so im like "you don't want to have sex?" and he says "nope!" and im like "ok! can i ask why!" and he's like

"i'm waiting until marriage!"

ok! ok...! ...ok... i respect that completely bc he went on abt how its like the highest form of discipline to be able to resist sex. so i'm like "ok just put me in the queue when u start sexing people" and we talk a little bit more and then off to sleep we go. so ive made him cum once so far and ive came zero times. which is ok! no its not. but whatever.

we wake up and like, he seemed sorta into me the previous night but i think he saw what i looked like in normal daylight and with no makeup so it turned him off. but we talk some more and i find out my friends killed my vape the night before so obv i bitch abt it. and hes like "i have another vape for you" and he meant his penis! so i give him head again and then he goes to pee. and this man farts so manly and loudly that i could hear it from the room and i cant even say anything. like i knew his tummy felt so much better after that. but then he gets a cup of coffee, doesn't offer me a cup minus 5 points, and then we talk some more. and he checked himself out in the tv reflection as he talked to me. minus like 2 points bc once again, hes beefy so i get it. then he drives me back to my rink dink ass 2005 honda accord and hes like "ah..it says a lot abt you" Hello? Get tf out of my face??

but yeah i left and we haven't talked since! i doubt i'll ever see him again bc hes currently a student at an out of state college. he went to the college in my town for the previous three years and studied biochem...splooged again. but yeah he was just down here for his birthday weekend. so i'll most likely never see him again but if i do, im coming with a wedding certificate so we can bone.

tl;dr: met an amazingly hunky guy, hyped him up so hard in my head, got to his crib and drops the abstinence bomb. i made him cum twice, i came zero. a lose for me but hey...he was so fucking fine i'd do it again any day of the week.

[aidenoes]

Im kinda bored so this is a little story time about a toxic best friend i had for many many years

Tw : s*lf-h*rm, s*icid*l thought, forced coming-out

To make the story easier let's call her Fish.

So... it started in primary school, i had moved out into a new city when i was in 3rd grade. That's when i first met her and we never really talked much. Then came 5th grade when we actually became friends.

And middle school happened and that's when everything went downhill real fast. In 6th grade i was still friend with her and i tried to get along with her other friend who was a bitch at that time, and i was too, so we never got along (even tho she is now my best friend bc we realised how much Fish was toxic lmao). So i had made new friends and she had too but we still made up over time and the other girl wasn't hanging out with us anymore.

Moving on to 7th, there was a new girl that came at the school at the beginning of the school year (who is also my bestfriend, props to her for staying with me all these years) and Fish immediately started talking to her. Eventually we have a group of 5 friends :me, her, our boyfriends and the new girl. The thing is that there was a trend of s*lf-h*rming yourself just to pretend to be depressed and sad, and Fish was one of the people who followed that trend. Me, being an absolute idiot, had no idea of the gravity. Well, i mean, i knew it was bad but my bestfriend was doing it so it's fine right ? No, it was not and i almost gave in to but i was afraid to harm myself so i never did. And that example is just to show how much i copied her, i destroyed my relationship bc i wanted to be like her and my ex-boyfriend was so good to me. Her relationship was like an light switch, you never knew when they were back together or not. We also had a skype group and messenger group of just three people: me, her and the new girl. Me and the new girl would badly roleplay and she would tell me, and only me, that i was cringy and leave the group chat like that. And i had no right to tell her i didn't like something about her, but she could though ? I let it slip anyway. I thought i was really happy, then came the worst year of my school life.

8th grade. At this point, Fish and her boyfriend had broken since he apparently abused her (im not sure since she is prone to lying) but i was still in good terms with him. Well we were not the best of friends but i wouldn't punch him (now i would bc he became such a fucking dick). But Fish started to become distant, as if she didn't want me around anymore but i ignored it thinking it was all in my head. One day, our teacher assigned us new places in class and i was next to her ex-boyfriend. We of course talked in class and laughed together. But out of nowhere, she started doing the sign where you slit your throat with your finger, y'know ? I thought she was doing it for kidding and i was just really confused, it was break after that class anyway so i can ask her wtf that was. She came to me and thought i was plotting against her with her ex-boyfriend and just told me to go fuck myself basically. I waited for my now ex-boyfriend and my friend to come-out of their class and explained to them what happened while containing my tears. They tried to go to her and try to understand wtf went wrong and funfact: nothing went wrong and she was just being a bitch and i later learned she just wanted to move on and discard everything from the past year, including me. But i didn't know that, i thought i broke everything, i thought i broke our group friend, i felt guilty and i felt, alone. My boyfriend that got out of school just before me went to my mom that was there to come pick me up, that i wasnt really well and he went away when i got out. My mom did ask me what was wrong and i told her that i'll explain when we're home. At home i explained everything and broke down in my moms arm, i dont know if i cried out of anger or sadness, but seeing me cry was enough for my mom to hate her with all her guts. I've felt so lonely after that. I had no one to eat lunch with, i had no one to be in group in class with and i had no idea of how to occupy my brain when i had no one to talk to, i read in the morning waiting for the friends i had left, i would draw whenever i had to wait alone and i would eat fast to get out the fastest possible. I also lost everything i was since at that time i was like a sponge of personality and just squeeze out whatever the personality people wanted out of me. I had lost everything and i didn't want to be here anymore, i just wanted to die honestly. And i think i wouldve if i didnt think there was my family and my friends. However, it does not end here ! Bc my dumb ass made so many more mistakes ! Bc one day in our technology class i had to work with her for an assignment and we gradually made up until we became friend again, but i was still wary of her and my s*icidal thoughts were still very present. So i was still very toxic and pushing the people that were there for me away. My boyfriend broke up with me. I didnt know what to do, but looking back this was such a good decision for him and for me. I am so thankful for him to have broke up with me, but at that moment i was a bit hurt but at the same time i saw it coming so i had so time to grief about it. A month later my mom decided to bring me to Mauritius (where she is from) bc she thought i had a hard time no having her around for the first time which is kinda true but not all the truth. I had no wifi and no way of contacting anyone. That was so refreshing ! That's when i started to understand that i had the right to think for myself first and not be a fucking carpet for everyone to walk on. I was not out of the shit but i started to understand how to get out.

9th grade, was my savior. This was the best year of my life with nothing to worry about except an exam at the end. You remember the girl in 6th grade that was a bitch ? Yeah we became close friends during that year bc i realised she was a bitch bc she was badly influenced on in 6th and 5th grade. And the new girl remember her ? That's also the year when we got close, the year where we became best friends, when i learned to be and love myself and the year when i started to stand up for myself. I have some bad daddy issues and i have almost always shared my problems with Fish but i started sharing less toward the end of 8th grade. One day i was complaining that i had to be basically the messenger bird of my parents and she looked at me annoyed and tell me 'why don't you go to the police ?'. Like we didnt ??? Like she thinks that my dad was harassing my mom and we didnt ?? That's basically saying 'don't be' to someone who is sad. And i explained that to her and she was like 'don't complain to me if you're going to flip off like that when im giving you a solution', excuse me bitch... what ? I was hella mad. She came fake apologising like a few weeks later. And one day she came out to me as pansexual, great for her, and i was also questionning my gender and thought i was genderfluid so i came out to her. She was like 'oh ok' and i sent her some memes about genderfluidity and she was like 'stop this is annoying'. So i shut my trap. I also learned that during a school i didnt went she faked some anxiety and was being a bitch bc her friend wouldnt come to a shop with her even so another one was ok with going with her. I eventually started to understand that she was bad for my mental health, so i just started ghosting her bc i just didnt want to talk with her anymore and i didnt know how to confront her. She came up and grabbed and pulled me by my backpack that was full of shit just to ask me why i didnt answer to one of her text. I was so scared i just told her i wasnt feeling well and just told her i needed time. The year went by it was great and i didnt want to be in cold with Fish but i also didnt want to be her friend, i wanted to just be classmates, however when she was told this she understood : 'they want to be friend again'. So she clung with us next year.

10th grade, was last year and was full of drama. And we only had 6 months of school. 10th grade is the first year of highschool and the only year where we don't have an exam. I also had a forced new friend that we're going to call Taz so we don't get mixed up. She was also very clingy and it felt like having a leech stuck to me. And Fish was being very, let's say embarrassing and making us feel uncomfortable. She would make ton of sexual joke and we told her it was making us uncomfortable but she would apologise just to do it again the week later so we just gave up. She also outed me in class, thankfully the class was really noisy and only my bestfriend heard it but this fucking bitch just asked outta nowhere 'so you're still on this whole thing about being genderfluid or what ?' And she wasnt talking low, she was talking loud and clear. I felt so embarras and i hoped that no one else heard it. I answered as very quietly 'no.. i think im genderqueer now' and she just said ok. That's also around when i discovered im bi so i was so glad that i didnt tell her about that. And a few months later there was some shit going around about bullying and Fish was one of the targets. And let's say that our english teacher held up a trial so i opened up my big ass mouth to talk and defend Fish. And guess what, Taz just blurted out that i and my best friend were bullying her. Excuse me ? I defended her ass and when i talked to her about it she told me 'no you didnt, you just yelled at me once in physics'. So bc i yelled at her bc she wouldnt listen to me when we had to work i bullied her ? What a thank ! And when i tried to talk it out with Taz, she fucking ignored me and left. I was enraged. I was crying out of fucking rage and still aced a test in english. At the end i explained everything to my crush while i was walking home with her bc she lived next to my moms restaurant. When i stepped into the restaurant, there was my moms friend, which im kinda close to, and my mom who asked me how was my day i cried out of anger. They comforted me and supported me. At school, one day the assistant director called me and my best friend in his office. And told us that in highschool there are no bullying only misunderstandings (i dont really agree with that but anyway) and asked us our side of the story. We explained that we didnt get along with her anymore and made it very clear that we were uncomfortable with her but she wouldnt take a hint. And we left the office just like that. The assistant director probably told Fish our side and she never went to talk with us bc of covid.

Now, im in 11th grade, we do not talk anymore and this feel so much better. Now i'll just drop some bonus drama

She accused me of drowning her when it was her ex-boyfriend that did and made her scared of water, while i was there to support her when she was dealing with her phobia.

And her mom thought that i was a bad influence for her sweet sweet daughter when she was the one to incite me to c*t myself like paper, wow ok.

This is just a personal share and just maybe a way for others to recognise the toxic behaviors of fake friends.

[nctrenjunie]

Posessive~ Haechan(M)

Author: Sera

Pairing: Haechan x Reader

Warnings: If you have any problems wit mature content written about the nct 00liners, just don´t read it.

Comment: I don´t know if it turned out that well since it´s late and i´m not in my right mind to really understand what i wrote… i´m tired sry. Also i´m really conflicted like I like cinnamon Chewinggum but it can also be to spicy but I still prefer it more than mint Chewinggum because it tastes like cinnamon. Well I need sleep..bye  

Request: Can you do a “Hate fuck” with haechan???

You weren't surprised by the decisions your parents made. It was pure business. Not only for them but also for you. Someday you have to take over your family's business, like everyone else in your kind of world. Arranged marriages between different mafia groups weren´t unusual. You just wondered why it had to be him.

Loathe. It was the first feeling you felt for him. More likely resentment. The car races you attended weekly before you had to learn more about the business, came back to your mind. You remembered the day clearly. The familiar smell of gasoline and asphalt entered your nose, unusually accompanied by a light scent of cinnamon.  Forgetting about it, the car races started. You felt high. The feeling of speeding up and racing through the finish line made you feel unreachable. Everyone was gone as the morning started to show itself. You were about to race one last time alone, before going home as a black car parked next to yours. You haven't seen it around, darkened windows so you couldn't see who was driving.

“What about a last ride babygirl?”

You couldn't even see him but his cocky voice made you boil with anger and the want to win became bigger. Trying to stay calm you answered with a quick chuckle, as you turned on the motor. Starting at the same time you started to laugh as you noticed the difference between both of your cars, yours being way advantaged in comparison to his. Your thoughts, sure that you would win by now didn't notice his car speeding up, passing yours. He took you down from your euphoria, shocked at his speed you started to concentrate again. You took advantage of the place you had to nail the curve, speeding up again. Ramming his car a tiny bit as you pass him you are the first again. Staying concentrated you speed up to the limit. You pass the finish line, turning around once again. You were angry, someone really could win against you. You rode straight ahead, making a full break before both of your cars would hit.

Getting out of your car you walked to his car, putting your hands on the cars hood. You still couldn't see anyone because of the darkened windows. Suddenly the door opened. He looked handsome. His tan skin looked like it got kissed by the sun while the tips of his hair, falling on his forehead were a little wet. Still, you needed to hold your composure. Yes, it was resentment what you felt for him, a big smirk plastered on his face as he knew how angry he made you, even tho you won.

“Who are you?”

“Everyone calls me Haechan, but you babygirl, can call me Donghyuk if you want.”

“What a pleasure.”

The sarcastic tone in your voice could be clearly heard. You were too tired to deal with some guys bullshit now as he already made you pissed enough. Without any words you were about to go back in your car and drive home, as Haechan grabbed your wrist, pulling you to him. Your chest bumped against his while his other hand went up to take your chin in it. Pulling your head closer to his, only now you notice. It was him. The smell of cinnamon that came through breathes out of his mouth bringing you back to the start of the night, remembering the smell. He kept on chewing his gum, not breaking the eye contact between both of you.

“  You know Y/N, the moon goes down so the sun can rise.”

Confused by his words, you stared at him perplexed, trying to figure out what he meant. Haechan loosened the grasp around your wrist, looking you deep in the eyes before he turned around, driving away in his car.

And now here you were. At your own engagement party, more seen as an event to get contacts between the families, with your most hated person that was also your fiance.

You couldn't forget his satisfied look that day, he pulled you out of your own euphoria, from winning. His sassy attitude, allowing himself to act like he could do what he was pleased to do. Even tho it has already been some years since that day. 

The second time you met him wasn't as worst as the first time, nevertheless you felt the urge to jump on him, to choke him to dead. Yes, the first time you found out you would be marrying Haechan you were angry but thinking about the time that has passed after your first encounter, you thought both of you could behave normal and just marry without any problems. You thought. But the second time you met him, he behaved the same way he behaved at the car race. The smell of his cinnamon chewing gum getting into your nostrils, as he approached you. Your hopes for a normal arranged marriage splattered, as you saw him walking over with the same annoying sassy attitude as last time. Even the conversation that was only meant to get to know him or just for paperwork tired you as he commented everything with some annoying worlds.

To summarize it, you hated him. Still it made you feel something. It was the third time you met him now, at your own engagement party. You were sitting at the bar, exhausted from greeting everyone as you spotted him in the crowd. You didn't notice at first, thinking he was just talking to god knows who but as you looked clearly he talked to a group of women. It bothered you and you didn't even know why. You kept staring at them, trying to figure out what you felt. His eyes met yours for a millisecond before you turned around asking the bartender to fill your glass again. Jealousy, no it can't be. Pushing away your thoughts you gulped down your wine.

The party kept on going, now and then some of the guys around sat next to you, telling you boring stories as you tried to look interested. You sipped from your wine glas as another men sat next to you. Trying to stay polite you greeted him and both of you started a conversation. You didn't expect it but he was kept you entertained since he wasnt as boring as the other ones. The conversations kept on going, the thoughts about Haechan already forgotten as you suddenly felt an arm slip around your waist.

You looked back. Haechan pulled you closer to him, intertwining one of his hands with yours as he glared at the guy in front of you. His head wandered down so his lips went down to your neck, leaving a light kiss making you shiver by his touch. Haechan pulled himself up again, looking deep into the other mens eyes.

“Sorry to interrupt your chat, Sir but my fiance and I have something important to talk about.”

He got the hint. Awkwardly bowing down before both of you he turned around, leaving you both alone. You were about to ask him what all of this was about when he interrupted you.

“ I think we have to talk a bit, babygirl.”

He sounded angry. Pulling you through the crowd both of you entered a bathroom. Locking the door behind him, Haechan pinned you against it, holding you deep in his grasp. He looked you dead in the eyes. He looked pissed and you didn't even know why. After some seconds, Haechan still didn't let you go, coming closer to your body. You lost your patience starting to resist against his grasp.

“Why are you always so annoying Haechan? Just let me go.”

You kept on telling him to let you be as you started to grow impatient. Haechans head fell back in his neck, eyes closed. His head got up again, landing on your shoulders. He started to breathe loudly, the smell of his cinnamon chewing gum getting back in your nostrils.

“ Cant you for one fucking second shut up Y/N, or is that too hard?”

Shocked by his words you stared blankly in the room for some time. Haechan pulled you by your wrist, throwing you against the bathroom counter. Putting your arms around his neck, he seated you down on it. Positioning himself between your legs, you tried to pull away. Haechan took hold of your wrist while pulling his face even closer to yours.

“ Possessive Y/N. Im fucking possessive. Do you think you can just talk to every men on your own engagement party in this tight dress while your fiance is watching you. You look fucking hot and imagining you with another men makes me want to kill them all.”

His words made you wetter than you would like to admit while Haechans hands touched over your whole body, trying to feel every piece of you. His hands went up to your face, taking your face in them fixating your eyes on his.

“ Fuck you Haechan, you did the same. Do you think I didn't notice you talking to those womens earlier, I just...I.. I hate you.”

You were confused, your mixed feelings driving you crazy as you started to touch down his body. You wanted to talk it into your head. That it was just desire or maybe you drank too much, it doesn't make sense, having feelings for Haechan. You hated him and he hated you right?

Haechan smirked. You let out a yelp as he started to touch over you pussy, feeling how wet you already were. Loosening his tie and unbuttoning his first three buttons, Haechan started to sip his finger under your underwear, touching over your folds.

“ If you hate me that much babygirl, who are you so wet for?”

Haechan started to slip one finger in your core, his lips leaving traces along your neck. Your hands went down from his shoulders pulling his jacket off, letting it fall down on the ground. The moans that slipped out of your mouth started to grow louder with every move he made. You looked down on his crotch, his big boner in his suit pants clearly to be seen. His finger pulled out of you as he entered you again. You let out a loud yelp as he started to finger you with two finger while you pulled your hands over your mouth. Controlling your moans you pulled him closer to you. Your hands went down, working fast on unbuttoning his pants and pulling them down with your underwear. You started to move your hand up and down his shaft, sweet moans leaving Haechans mouth. Precum leaking out of his tip landed on your fingers. You pulled your hand up, Building eye contact with Haechan as you licked your fingers clean. His hand went up to your mouth pulling your fingers out of your mouth, bringing your hand back down to his dick. You started bobbing your hand up and down his dick, his hand on yours, putting pressure on it. You looked at his plump lips, taking the hint, Haechan started kissing you into both of your moans. Going down with your lips you left hickeys on his neck. Suddenly Haechan pulled his fingers out of you, leaving you clenching around nothing. Getting closer to you, you felt his dick sliding up and down your folds. Your hands went up into his hair, pulling lightly on it.

“ Im gonna fuck you like the little whore you are baby.”

Sliding his dick into you, both of you started to moan out loud. He didn't let you adjust, already starting to ram in a fast pace into your tight pussy.

“Oh my god baby you are so tight...fuck..”

He didn't stop. Sad about the already approaching orgasm, Haechan pulled you even closer to him. His thrusts started to become sloppier still ramming hard into your pussy. You started to moan out his name making him laugh into his moans.

“ Call me Donghyuk..baby... fuck i'm so close.”

Both of you were already on the edge. Moaning out his name Donghyuk pulled you up from the counter leaningyou against the wall, ramming deeper into you. You were about to cum and your walls clenched around his dick.

“Oh look at that babygirl… your pussy is recognizing its owner. Nobody can fuck you as good as I can baby...No one will ever treat you as well as I will babygirl. Now...cum with me.”

You screamed out his name as you came around his cock. Still ramming into you, Donghyuk spilled his seed in your pussy, trying to catch his breath. You feets touched the ground again, Donghyuk catching you by your waist as you almost fell down. His forehead fell against yours, the prominent cinnamon smell mixed with the scent of sex filling your nose.

“I hate you Donghyuk.”

“I hate you too Y/N.”  

[dolce-fritz]

So being the new evil girlfriend is fun

So recently my Partner has had some majorly stupid ass drama with their ex. Like this girl, she’s loopier then the Olympic oval, Like normally I’m nice and don’t slander people but like. She’s just, hoo boy. A mess.

And yeah this is from a completely biased stand point. And I’m about to tell you why that I feel the way that I do about this girl from my own experiences. This is going to be long winded, so I’m putting it under a read more. 

So I moved from the lovely state of Utah this year, my homelifes never been 100% great. I love my mom but our issues clash and we do better separate. Not to mention I really wanted to try it out in another state again and this time the right way and not just a spur of the moment decision while i visited like what happened with Florida.

Well, planned my vacation to See my at the time friend to see if I really liked it there.  I knew about their recent split with their Ex, and the two seemed pretty amicable about it. The other roommate was.... hoo, a mess to say the least. and My friend didn't want to be alone with her because they actually had been wanting to tell her to leave because of the issues that she'd brought into the home. anyways that in itself was a bit of drama.

So I was like OK. I'll come check it out and if I like it I'll be your new room mate.

Well. I plan my trip about four weeks out. and end up pretty excited about it. Come to find out with no real surprise that My friends Ex is going to move out before Octobers over.

My friend starts panicking. again doesn't wanna be alone with the other roommate that they're having hardships with. So I say ok... I'm going to do this vacation, then im just going to move on the 20th so I can get my stuff packed.

Shits already starting to go down hill.

I get there. everything seems fine. The ex seems nice, things seem ok. the other roommates.... already trying to cause shit with me and im not even physically in the house. I'm sleeping on a mattress on the floor in an old office space. bought a bunch of furniture because at this point. I know I'm moving here. Its going to happen. This is where I'm going to live might as well help my friend end up getting it taken care of.

Well. Day three of my vacation hits. The ex drops that her dad wants her to move out that day. completely screws the pooch for my friend and the other roommate. And basically bails on them and leaves the house just with the things she wants and then just leaves all the rest of her junk here like its her own storage unit. claims she’ll be back for the rest [ Spoilers never happened]  so that... right there puts this sour taste in my mouth. Cause yeah, me and her ex at that point are sharing a bed. Because like theres only three beds in the house until she ends up leaving and so my friends like ill just sleep with you. me i’m very fine sharing my sleeping space with my friends. i’ve done it literally all my life. hell a its not a goodnight sleep unless your on your best friends bed snuggling the shit out of her kaneki ken body pillow listening to true crime documentaries on the TV but like seriously it was no big deal to me. which im begining to wonder if it was a big deal to her. Either way apparently instead of waiting till i officially moved. she bailed and forced my hand. So I had to stay, I couldn’t properly say goodbye to my mom. couldn’t properly get my shit packed. all cause I really didn’t want to leave my friend alone till I could officially move in. So already, I started getting a slight distaste in my mouth for her. but I let it slide. I know how overbearing parents are sometimes.  well, so i cancelled my flights. money spent that i was never going to end up getting back that I could’ve later used towards something for the house.  The girl left. and I was left, Cleaning up the mess that she walked out of and left behind.  Turns out my friend was the only one that was cleaning up around the house. and working a part time job, while trying to side hustle some art for extra money.  They were the one that was handling all the utilities, while their ex was buying everyone food. Separate it would’ve been an easier task if it was just the two of them. but you add in the extra roommate that was only paying her share of rent and none of the food and utilities and shit starts piling up. Well.  sat down and looked at all the finances. found out that while yeah the Ex was making the most money. She didn’t bother to help out with any of the chores. I mean, they split the dish duty. And i’m sitting here wondering how long this pan of fish oils been on the stove for. had to buy new pans cause they were growing cultures.  Hell half her chores and the other roomates were doing the cat boxes. dude it was shit mountain in there. it was so bad the cats were going in the corner. Yet it was like my friend was expected to pick up after them and pick up their slack because they didn’t work as many hours as the other two. Which I’m sorry. if you can’t balance cleaning up after yourself. and working how the hell are you going to live on your own.  Well in comes me, the living off disability. [ which is not a glorious life] I have a lot of time on my hands. so first few days we douche out the house. things start looking good.  in comes the ex to get something and brings this utter douchebag of a man that boasts about him being the whole reason that they broke up. Which like when we were moving out the ex. the ex’s dads...girlfriend??? was like dont let them take advantage of you. which like made me pull up a shit ton of questionmarks. cause yeah i wasn’t going to let the other roommate do that cause i was kinda aware what her game was and it wasn’t playable with me.  everyone had their part to play in this household, and I wasn’t going to play mother for anyone. Well in comes this guy. boast about how he wont let anyone take advantage of her again and im like sure w/e dude. but like i started like... questioning wtf she was actually telling people that my friend actually did to her.  see, what i was told was that it was an intimacy issue. my friends pretty Asexual so like there wasn’t alot of physical involvement. and that things just weren’t going the way that their ex wanted them to. Turns out it was SOOOO much more then that. so curious me, got digging about this girl cause shit just wasnt really adding up.  and I started finding out things. At this time, friend started turning to partner. and eventually we started dating which made shit a lot more uncomfortable with me and this girl. cause yanno, new girlfriend. ex girlfriend. two things dont usually mesh well in situations like this.  Well so, started finding out that while in a relationship she was leading on a bunch of other guys, and at work would like do this whole “im bi” thing if the guy was cute. like she was very male centered for a “lesbian”  She was super horny on main during DND which made EVERYONE uncomfortable. to top it all off she was a narcissist, that had a victim that she could toy with.  She tried to convince my partners parents while they were still together, to talk to their child when there were behaviours that she didnt like. She tried to have an intervention with their friends to force them into transitioning FtM when they were happy just being nonbinary.  they would gaslight them, manipulate them, and  abuse them. I watched this girl in the span of three weeks tear my partner down with her words in front of me. and be nothing but venomous to them. for no other reason then they were actually happy.   While spining all these stories of how she was the one that was wronged.  Well, I started having enough of her coming around just so she could be mean to my partner. She’d come over. immediately go to our fridge to drink some of the booze she left and then pick at my partner for small insignificant things only because she wanted to fight. When i had enough of that. I told my partner, we’re going to DnD early. she can find her own ride.  She came to a family party, invited unknowingly by my partners brother that’s been over seas and in the military. She thought she was going to get a hookup complained she wasn’t having fun because he wasn’t paying attention to her. Snapped at my partners nephews because they wanted to play and made one of them cry. and was just toxic to be around.  That was strike two.  Strike three was watching how she conducted herself around our dnD group. she’d had this guy, mister “ i saved you from your bad relationship” on speed dial, and would tell him things. and then sit and shit talk him when she was bored with him to everyone. We were all sick of it.  The ending straw with me, was when we finally wanted to be done with this drama. told her three months before hand to get off the car insurance. and it wasn’t done. ended up causing a big thing.  She started saying that she’d leave the DND group to make things easier. because Thats what my partner would want. At this point i couldnt stand it any longer. Three months talking to everyone that physically knows her. and see’s what she’s becoming lead everyone to say the same thing about her She was turning into her mother.  No i know fuck all about that. i dont know her mother, i dont know anything about her. I know she’s on a shot that fucks with your brain and ends up messing with your body. I also was on the DEPO shot for three years of my life and its caused so many problems after i was off it.  and thats what i tried to impart to her my wisdom on.  therapy, and a depo shot.  now how we got there is really long winded, and highly dramatic.  id admitted to her our dnd group wanted to chat. she was pushy, respected no ones boundaries, and left our friends house a complete mess. just like she left ours... and god, she ended up pissing me off cause the girl left slippers caked in cat puke in my tub after staining my bathroom doing her hair dye. she disrespected my home, she disrespected out friends, and our friends home. and she was needlessly mean and cruel to everyone around her that didnt serve some purpose to her.  So yeah she had to go.  Here i am thinking that this is the end of it. but i get updates about how I’m apparently the worst abuser in the world just cause I told some spoiled brat of a woman to get off a shot that messes with the brain, and to seek therapy cause this girl needs help. Funny thing is im not the only one that said it. apprently just the loudest voice to have said it.  and this bitch still thinks i dont like her cause she’s not ‘ providing for us financially” We may not have a high roller life. but damn we’re doing just fucking fine. 

[sunlitroom]

Gotham – s5e05 – Pena Dura

 As I watched it, and some random observations here and there.

Previously on Gotham:

Selina went stab stabbity stab. Alfred told Bruce he can’t save Selina from herself.  Ed woke up on a rooftop.  Jim gave speech #357 on the value of hope. Then Haven exploded, proving that hope can only do so much against an RPG. Jim’s been promised help for weeks!  He also won’t stop until he finds who’s responsible for Haven.  Ed was responsible for Haven, albeit in a weird trance-like state.  Jim stared at the charred remains of Haven.

As always, long post will be long.  There are likely to be rambling digressions. Gobblepot might appear (although I welcome all shippers and non-shippers alike :)).  There will be naked favouritism and naked not-favouritism.  Broader comments at the end on plotlines and parallels and general direction.

In a church, a man is watching an old black and white film.  From what I can figure out from the actors involved and the character names, it’s a George Brent film called Tangier Incident.  It’s not a particularly interesting film.  He is, however, in a good creepy film called The Spiral Staircase, which I recommend.

Anyway

Jim and Harvey approach him, guns drawn, and ask him turn around.  Apparently, he’s the one who sold the RPGs.  He seems pretty unimpressed by them, and rather insolently asks if they’re going to arrest him.

Jim says he wants a name. Old film guy addresses some unseen minions

What do you say boys?  You wanna show the lawman how we feel about uninvited guests?

No-one is backing down. The stand-off is broken up by the arrival of lots of large people dropping through the stained-glass ceiling, who promptly take the thugs out.

While this is happening, Jim wrestles the weapons dealer/film enthusiast.  He still wants a name.  The fight is pretty even until the old guy is shot in the head.

We now get a slow-motion shot of shiny army boots approaching to some foreboding music.  Jim rises, frowning in confusion as shiny boots man removes the mask covering his face.

Eduardo?

Nice shot right?

We get the military music we last had with Barnes to let us know that Jim likely met this man in the army. His men are still pointing guns, one at Harvey, so he tells them stand down.

Jim asks Eduardo what he’s doing here.  He tells Jim he last saw him running through sniper fire to save him from a burning truck.

Jim claims he had the old guy where he wanted him – but he’s glad he’s here. Eduardo says he is too

 They wander through the church chatting. Jim tells Harvey they hated each other in boot camp. Jim thought Eduardo did things too fast, while Eduardo thought Jim was too careful.

A sarcastic Harvey says that Jim’s taught him a thing or two about being careful.  

Jim and Eduardo lapse into military jargon – talking about the mission plan. Eduardo says that they’re helping Walker (the woman Jim’s been talking to on the radio). They’ve to make this hellhole safe.

Jim, disgruntled, comments that all it apparently took for them to be sent help was the murder of hundreds.  Eduardo says they’ve to remove all criminal elements and make the city safe.  He introduces his second in command, who hands Jim a ledger they’ve found.  On it – we see Ed’s name against two RPGs.

Jim turns to Harvey. He and Eduardo will go after Ed. Harvey is to set up a command centre at GCPD.  Harvey protests.

I’m not as fast as I used to be, but I still got some fight in me. I’m not some desk jockey – I’m a street guy

Jim says Harvey’s the best cop he knows.  Ed tends to think ahead.  If this goes sideways, Harvey will need to take over.

I need your help buddy

Harvey nods.

GCPD where Bruce runs into Alfred.  Alfred tells him Jim isn’t there – they’ve got a strong lead in the Haven bombing. He asks Bruce what’s wrong.

Bruce tells him worriedly that he can’t find Selina anywhere. Alfred replies that Selina is capable of looking after herself.  Bruce says that she’s not herself, though.   Alfred pulls a face and tells him that Jeremiah deserved to die.  A resentful and upset Bruce says that Jeremiah made Selina a murderer – just like Ra’s did him.

(An aside.  Much like Alfred, I don’t really have a problem with Selina stabbing Jeremiah.  But this is only one of many times this episode will get a bit forgetful.  Selina was a murderer before she killed Jeremiah, Bruce.   You were there when she shoved that guy out the window.  Not that I really have any time for Alfred’s ex-army friend who stabbed him and robbed you – but Jeremiah wasn’t the first time she’s killed)

Alfred quibbles this, claiming that Ra’s goaded Bruce into murder, but Selina did what she did with open eyes

And you’ve got to learn to respect that son

Bruce wants to find her, though, and leaves – as Alfred watches.

(An aside - Eh.  On one hand, yes – Selina can make her own decisions.  She has autonomy.  On the other hand – Selina did what she did while still struggling to cope with the trauma of Jeremiah shooting her.   Alfred excusing Bruce but condemning Selina – even though he agrees Jeremiah needed to be removed – doesn’t really sit well with me.  On top of all that – Selina’s endangered herself for Bruce on a number of occasions, gone out of her way to help him, in fact.  She’s clearly not coping now – and leaving her to her own devices seems off to me.)

In the library, we see Ed listening to his blackout recordings.  He howls with frustration, unable to establish a pattern.

It makes no sense!

He catches sight of himself in a nearby mirror

You're not a murderer, Ed.  Except Kristin Kringle, and Officer Doherty.

He goes on

But all those people.  And children. How could you do it?  Why?

He roars

It doesn't matter – it’s you - not me

(An aside.  This is really a bit of a mess.  So.  Am I to assume that Ed is being a massive hypocrite, and selectively editing his criminal record?  Or am I to assume that Ed differentiates between murders committed by Ed and those committed by The Riddler?  Maybe, that doesn’t really work here – since some of these were committed before he discovered that persona.  Besides – wasn’t one of the features of his ‘becoming’ his personalities becoming fused?  Or are the writers choosing to forget some of Ed’s other murders?  Who knows.)

Hearing a sound, he turns. It’s Jim and Eduardo – who have arrived to arrest him.  He holds his hands up defensively.

No - Jim - I can explain

Jim is taken aback.

Explain?  You son of a bitch - you actually did it?

(Interesting. Although Ed’s name was in the ledger, Jim doesn’t seem to have thought that Ed was truly responsible – or didn’t want to believe it might be true.)

Eduardo tells Ed to get on his knees.  That’s three Eds in this show now – not counting Ed’s many personalities.  For reference, if they’re all ever in the same scene, the dog is Ed1, the lanky green one is Ed2, and beardy army guy is Ed3.

Ed protests, and says he didn't – but he needs a little bit of time

Eduardo is still pointing his gun – and tells Jim to just say the word.

Ed pleads.  You know me, Jim.  People that I have...hurt - they hurt me first

(Eh? There are multiple gif sets going around which show how ridiculous this remark is.  Ed’s hurt plenty of people just because he wanted to.)

I didn't know a single person in Haven

Eduardo glances at Jim

Your call, buddy – he basically confessed

Ed watches carefully as Jim thinks and then decides,

Bring him in – he stands trial

We’re saying this again? What kind of court will this be? Who is the judge?  Lawyers?  Jury?

Ed isn’t enthused by this. He touches a book from the bookcase. Eduardo is apparently standing on pressure-plated ied.  One twitch, and he’ll repaint the room with his organs.  He smiles.  

Jim points his gun. But apparently Ed has also devised some sort of watch that monitors changes in Ed’s heart rate if it deviates by more than 10 bpm up or down, and can cause an explosion - if necessary - from as far as a mile away. Whatever. Apparently, in a fit of sexual frustration after his recent contact with Lucius, Ed sublimated his lustful stirrings into an inventing binge.

Ed and Jim try and stare each other out a bit.  Jim says Ed will be a target once news of his guilt gets out.  Eduardo says he thinks Ed’s threats are bluffs.  Jim says Ed doesn’t bluff.  Well – there was the time with all the cops and the poison gas that turned out just to be sleeping gas, but - hey.  This episode is having severe difficulties remembering details, storyline, characterisation….take your pick.

Jim lets Ed leave. Summarising because this recap is lengthy – Jim uses his cat-like reflexes to leap across the room and finds the right book to free Eduardo – whose whole take on the puzzle is that he’d like

to wring this nerd’s neck

Jim gives him a welcome to Gotham.  Wanting to wring Ed’s neck is just part and parcel of visiting. He adds that the city grows on you, before contacting Harvey and telling him to put the word out: Ed is wanted for the attack on Haven

Bruce strides into Sirens, looking for Selina.  A fairly happy-looking Barbara leads him towards a booth.   With a flourish, she tells the crowd to raise their glasses for the killer of Jeremiah Valeska.  The crowd parts, and we see Selina sitting in a booth with a group of girls.  Is this the booth of Bruce’s downward spiral?  Is this the ‘I am having a long dark night of the soul’ booth?  Do you have to book ahead?  

Selina raises her glass, but her smile is more ironic than anything else.

(An aside. Barbara seemed happy.  It's hard to say whether having the killer of Jeremiah Valeska at her club is bring extra cachet, whether her one-night stand with Jim brought her some closure and happiness, or whether she and Jim are still having sex and she’s pleased about this.)

In some abandoned building, we hear a radio send out the message about Ed being wanted by the police.

A tall skinny man wearing a green suit and eyeglasses

They left out his BritPop hair.

Outside an angry mob gathers and chants.  We see Ed hiding from them, before slipping off.

 At City Hall, Oswald stands, flanked by his henchmen, as a visitor opens a box for him.  Whatever it is seems to make him happy – and he pays the man 200 bullets in return – telling him to go have fun and keep up the good work.  

As the man leaves – Oswald is brought a message

He reads aloud

Edward Nygma is the monster responsible for killing the innocents of Haven

Oswald looks incredulous for a moment, and then worried – wondering aloud,

Ed…what have you done?

The mob from earlier runs past.  Ed hides – but is walloped on the side of the head.

GCPD.  Eduardo tells Jim they’re pushing uptown – but there’s still no Nygma. He’s confident they’ll get him though.  He then asks Jim to tell him about Scarecrow.  Jim says his guys would need gasmasks – but taking him down would be a big one.

We’re on a sort of rural street.  We pan up Ed’s body.  I own those boots.  He’s unconscious and tied to some kind of deck chair.

An older blonde woman leans in towards his face.

Time to wake up!

Forgive me – American readers.  I can only tell that she sounds Southern, which I know isn’t very specific.

She tells Ed she’s the woman who will carry out his execution, along with her two boys – two men, who are sitting in a truck parked facing Ed.

They’ve basically created a makeshift electric chair.  There’s a lot of whooping and laughing as they give Ed a tester jolt.  He yells in pain, gasping when they stop.

The woman tells him that was only a taste.  It’s fair that Ed should die to pay for JoJo, who was in Haven when Ed blew it up.

She holds up a photograph. Ed seems afraid to look at it – then bursts into laughter when he sees it’s a dog.  For good measure – he calls the woman an anthropomorphizing nincompoop when she claimed that JoJo was happy and smiled often.

They give him another burst of electricity.  Ed hallucinates – seeing a spiteful Oswald telling him

I'm going to fix you, Ed

Ed blinks – confused. They jolt him again.  This time he sees a sincere Oswald, repeating the same phrase.

Everything stops when there’s some kind of fault with the electricity.  Ed quickly spots a way to trick them and escape.  In doing so – one of the men’s legs catch fire. As Ed runs off, he declares that he’ll fix Oswald.

 At City Hall, we hear distant explosions.  One of Oswald’s henchmen tells him that the army has invaded and men are heading this way. Oswald asks him if Nygma has been located – to which the man replies he has feelers out.  Oswald tells him the first man to find him gets to live.

Turning, he tells his dog he is surrounded by morons.  If he didn’t have his empire – he’d go get Nygma himself

(An aside – it’s actually something that has been frustrating about Oswald in later seasons. Season One Oswald was very mobile. He moved around a lot: think of all the places we see him.  Fish’s club, Gertrud’s apartment, GCPD, Jim and Barbara’s place, Maroni’s weird lodge, Falcone’s mansion, Loeb’s house…. It helped give a sense of how he had a finger in every pie, but also how much he truly inhabited the city.  He was everywhere.   But after they have him empire building – he becomes much more static.  He’s usually stuck in a grand house or hall, and has to send other people out to do his bidding.)

He spots that the gun on his desk has gone. He turns – and now it’s pointing at his head

It’s Ed2

(Ed gets demoted if the dog is in the same scene)

Hello Oswald.  We have a great deal to talk about.  But first - did you name your dog after me?

(An aside.  You know – that dog is sweet, but the naming decision feels like self-indulgent fic territory.  Unpopular opinion, I know – but there it is.)

 At GCPD, Harvey says Nygma’s been seen at City Hall – he’s going after Oswald.  Eduardo says Oswald is at the top of their list – so this sounds like a twofer

Jim says Oswald has all the ammo in town – so they need shock and awe

Eduardo says that’s his default, and asks Jim if he’s ready to go.

Jim looks a little dubious, and tells him to take Harvey.  He’ll keep things locked down here

(An aside – it’s possible that Jim does this because he wants to salve Harvey’s bruised ego from earlier, although sending him to City Hall with Eduardo to face a heavily-armoured and very irritated Oswald would seem to be a bit of an over-correction of that earlier moment.  It is amusing to consider, though, that Jim did not want Eduardo to witness what would likely have happened at City Hall if Jim had gone instead – i.e. Oswald wheedling his way out of a visit to the precinct, Jim telling Oswald to please be good this time, and then some emotionally vulnerable and sexually charged staring.)

At Sirens, a flippant Selina tells a serious-faced Bruce he’s killing the buzz. Bruce tells her this isn’t her.  Selina smiles, and asks Bruce if he really thinks he knows her. He solemnly tells her better than she knows herself.

Selina smiles.  She tells Bruce that the night his parents were murdered she watched it all and did nothing.

Her eyes fill

She says she watched

That guy shoot your father and shoot your mother and through it all - I did nothing

She lets out a laugh that turns into a sob

I didn't call for help. I didn’t scream at him to stop

Bruce tells her it wasn’t her fault – she was a scared kid.  Selina tells Bruce he was the scared kid.

Bruce has teared up now too. She continues

We are not the same.  I didn't do anything because I was not willing to risk my neck - because I didn’t care.  That's who I was and that's who I am

A different song starts playing.  Selina puts on a faux-smile and says she loves this song.  A tearful Bruce watches her walk away.

 Back at City Hall, an irate Ed is questioning a confused Oswald.

What did you do?

What are you talking about?

Ed is insistent

You!  You are the reason I killed those people!  How could you?  You have made me some murderous puppet!

(Just a reminder here that when Ed found a seriously injured and traumatised Oswald in the woods, he took him home, injected him with God knows what, told him he had no option but to stay there, and rubbed his hands with glee when he figured out the best way to manipulate him to his own ends – which was through his grief for his murdered mother.  You know, just while the story is touching on stuff like taking away someone’s agency, and using them for your own selfish ends.)

Ed rants that he’s spent weeks waking up strange places - driving himself mad, thinking he’d gone mad - now he knows that it’s all been Oswald’s doing

Of everything that you have put me through - this is the most cruel

(Just another reminder that - you know, while we’re discussing cruelty – Ed tried to drive Oswald insane, dug up his father’s remains, humiliated him, attempted to demonstrate that he wasn’t capable of love (so – you know – tried to completely dehumanise him), and then shot him in the gut and pushed him off the end of the pier. Just, you know, in case we’re looking for some kind of gold standard for cruelty).

Oswald blinks in confusion, and tells Ed that he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.  Ed quotes the ‘I’ll fix you’ from his hallucination.  He goes on – telling Oswald he didn’t fix him: he broke him

Realisation dawns on Oswald’s face.

Wait - I said that to you on the night the bridges blew!

He tells Ed that he saved his life.  He found him and paid Hugo Strange to save him – but Hugo must have done something when he was patching him up.

Ed is incredulous. Oswald is indignant – asking him what he was supposed to do?  After Butch, Ed was his only friend.  Ed exclaims that he shot Butch, to which Oswald retorts that’s why he needed Ed alive.

Oswald is frustrated. He sighs and turns to him

Edward Nygma - if I wanted you to suffer, I would never do it in some backhanded way.  If we are ever at odds again, you will know without a doubt that I am your enemy.  I promise you that, as a friend.

(An aside.  I have made no bones about the fact I’ve found just about everything they’ve done with this relationship over the seasons to be utterly forced - clunky and leaden.  If anything ever exemplifies a lot of what I don’t like about it, it’s that moment just there.  Compare how natural and nuanced almost any other interaction in this episode was in comparison with this moment.  It’s self-indulgent and melodramatic in a manner usually reserved for bad fanfiction. Bear it in mind particularly when we get that lovely scene later with Bruce and Harvey, and compare the two.)

Ed considers him for a moment, then yells

What a mess!  I might have killed you, Oswald.  And if that day comes, I swear to you that I will stare you in the eye as I stab you in the heart.

We already saw that, Ed. Back when you shot him in the gut

Oswald nods tearfully

(An aside, something else I hate about what they’ve done with this – insta-woobie ooc Oswald)

Oswald tells him to look on the bright side.  If Strange messed with his head, then Ed’s not responsible for what happened.  Ed asks where to find Hugo – but the conversation is interrupted by an explosion.

One of Oswald’s men tells him that GCPD and the army have blown the gates

Oswald whispers to him

Grab Nygma - they want him, not me

(An aside – the speed with which Oswald is willing to sell Ed out is honestly hilarious)

Ed – however – has legged it, leaving a fulminating Oswald behind.

The doors to the main hall are blown open, and a smoke bomb is rolled on. Harvey and Eduardo enter.  Oswald waits amidst all the smoke – probably for the drama more than anything

Why hello Harvey!

He teases him about the ammo situation last time.  Harvey tells him they don’t want his territory. They want him to put down his weapons and hand over Ed Nygma.

The situation, I think, is now more about Oswald being pissed that his turf has been invaded than anything else. He tells them to leave by the time he counts to three, or he’ll shoot everyone.

Harvey stands his ground.

Oswald smiles

You’re not thinking clearly, Harvey.  Maybe call your boss - see what he thinks

(An aside – Oswald is so offended that he’s even having to look at someone from GCPD who isn’t Jim.  Ugh. This day just gets worse.  Funnier yet is his conviction that Jim will tell Harvey to come back to GCPD and stop bothering him)

There’s a staring match. Oswald’s men all wind up shot, and Oswald is taken in to GCPD. 

Ed is in Sirens - on his knees in front of Barbara.  She tells him all Gotham is looking for him

He replies that he needs information – your speciality

(An aside.  What?  Since, like - when?  When did information become Barbara’s speciality?  I know she likes power and money.  She’s also fond of violence and casual cruelty.  But information?  When was that supposed to have happened?)

Barbara says she’s going to cut his face into a jigsaw puzzle.  Ed urgently asks her if he’s dumb.  If – in all the years she’s known him – he’d ever done anything as brutally idiotic as this.  He didn’t kill those people.

Well…. not exactly.

Barbara dismisses her guards.  Ed tells her about Hugo Strange’s involvement, and how he suspects mind control. Whoever is responsible for the mind control killed those people, not him

Barbara says if by some miracle she believes him – why would she help?

Ed piques her curiosity by wondering what kind of powerful person would hire Strange and have Ed adapted in this way.  He says that Barbara must know where Hugo is, and when he finds out who was responsible for the chip – he’ll share the intel.  She’ll want to know, because, after all

Information is your lifeblood

Sure, whatever. 

Barbara doesn’t know precisely where Hugo is, but can direct him to his Igors.

 An interrogation room in GCPD.  Oswald lies on his front on the floor, his lip bleeding.  He looks up at Jim, who is apparently watching, and his face twists for a moment into a combination of pain and an appeal for help

For his part, Jim looks troubled.  He’s not enjoying this – in fact, I would go so far as to say it looks like he can’t stomach it – but he’s tolerating it.

Jim replies to his pained look

You’re protecting a mass murderer - don't look to me for sympathy

(An aside. Yes – I ship this, but even with shipper glasses off – it’s pretty much there in the text. Oswald knows that he can appeal to Jim for sympathy.  In responding to his look as he does, Jim is openly acknowledging that he would usually be a source of sympathy for Oswald.  It’s an admission from them both that there are dimensions to their relationship that go well beyond cop/gangster and – more than that – an admission that they’re both aware of that)

Oswald spits blood

Fine.  But not with that meat head around

Jim nods, and Eduardo leaves

Oswald laughs and rises from the floor

You know – they say you can judge man by the company he keeps

Jim retorts

This from a man who has no friends

(An aside – that sounds meaner than it actually played.  It’s delivered in that slightly schoolyard  tone Jim reserves for teasing Oswald – it’s not earnest or cruel.  Also – as we’ve seen this season, just saw in this scene, and will see again in a moment – it’s just not true.  Jim and Oswald have a relationship beyond work.

On top of that, you know – Jim – if not for the fact that Harvey is an extraordinarily forgiving man, your own friend list would have tumbleweeds blowing through it.)

Jim and Oswald take a moment to give each other a long, complicated look.  This scene is full of long complicated looks.  Neither of them particularly want to be in this situation, but their hands have been forced.

Oswald tells Jim that Nygma is a patsy, not a mass murderer.  He likes puzzles, games, killing – but killing hundreds of people – that’s not him, Jim knows this.

Jim asks who set him up

Oswald laughs, and leans back in his chair.

Jim - you want info, I want to go home

Jim grimaces.  

Eduardo’s not going to go for that.

Oswald smiles before pressing Jim’s button

I'm sorry – I thought you were in charge

Jim grimaces angrily and leans on the table

Even if I were to let you go – the army is going to come after you: things are changing in Gotham

I'll take my chances

Jim blinks.  He seems, to be honest, tired and uncertain.

Do you want Nygma or not?

Jim looks at him, and then glances sidelong at where Eduardo waits outside.

Jim leaves the interrogation room and talks to Eduardo

I know where Nygma’s going

Eduardo looks at him, then past him, nudging the door to let it swing open – revealing an empty room. He looks back at Jim

I trust you know what you’re doing?

They leave to go find Ed

(An aside. Quite a complicated little scene.  Neither Jim nor Oswald want to be in that room – but external forces have shoved them in there anyway.  

There’s a lot of history in the looks that are going back and forth.  Like I said, we have the explicit acknowledgment that Jim is likely to offer Oswald sympathy when others won’t.  We also have the open admittance that Jim knows Oswald sees him as a soft touch, and that he will likely give in anyway – just not in this particular circumstance, because the destruction of Haven was such a big deal.

Oswald also knows that pressing Jim’s buttons over control and power is likely to be effective.

Last up – we have Jim obliquely warning Oswald of the danger the army poses to him.  He’s not threatening him here, or trying to intimidate him.  If anything, his tone is almost pleading.  He doesn’t know how handle this situation.  He’s asked for help – and help has finally arrived – but Jim’s not actually sure what to do with it now it’s here.  Eduardo plainly told Jim that Oswald was at the top of their hit list.  Jim’s response?  Let him go, warn him that danger is coming.)

 In some lab facility somewhere, a body slides down a hatch.

It’s Hugo!

He’s complaining that the last body he was brought was gangrenous and completely unsuitable. When he turns, though, he sees Ed pointing a gun at him

Mr Nygma

Ed want to know how he control of his alter ego.  He’s rambling a little, talking about his Ed side.

A curious Hugo remarks that he is Ed Nygma.

Ed says he’s also the Riddler.

Hugo’s professional side makes a rare appearance

How interesting

He adds, though, that he knows nothing about all that.  He just tinkered and inserted a chip in his brain.  

Ed wants to know who requested this.  Hugo says he’ll write it down, so he can truthfully say that he didn’t tell Ed who was responsible.  His pen, though, contains knock-out gas – which he sprays at Ed.

Hugo says that he’s mystified as to how Ed regained any awareness – and that he’ll just have to open him up and take a look under the roof.  

 Bruce is at GCPD looking for Jim.  Instead, he finds Harvey, working at his desk

Sorry kid – it’s just me

He quickly takes in Bruce’s obvious distress, and takes his glasses off to regard him more carefully.

You all right?

Bruce says he’s fine – just looking for Jim. He remarks that he saw soldiers downstairs, trying to make some conversation – but still seeming distracted.  Harvey watches him, concerned.

Yeah, the Army's finally gotten off their asses and decided to help.  Jim's out with them now.  Are you sure you're all right?

A tearful Bruce says that he doesn’t know.  His usual careful defences crumble.

I see people losing their will to do good.  People I love.  What if we don't make it out of this?

Harvey looks at him. His face is sombre.

I'm not gonna lie, kid.  These past few months, I've wondered the same thing.  And when I don't know what to do, I come up here and I dig into these case files. I sit my ass down and I get to work.  I used to hate this kind of paperwork; now it's the only thing that keeps me going.  Why? Because the little things matter.  Act by act, deed by deed, it means something.  Even if no one notices or cares.

Bruce listens – taking in what he says

Thanks, Harvey.

He then does the classic Batman quick exit – leaving a slightly befuddled Harvey

(An aside - This scene between Bruce and Harvey was really lovely.  Bruce is tired, upset, and worried about Selina.  He's lost his conviction that things will work out, and everything looks hopeless to him right now.  Harvey doesn't have the answer to any of that - but he does have an honest way to go on with things: do the work.  It doesn't have to be showy and praised by all and sundry.  Do something useful - and know that the deed itself and the results are both worthwhile.

It was an understated scene that still got across some very big issues.

There’s the flagging of some key differences between Jim and Harvey – Jim’s need to be seen as a hero, and Harvey not sharing that same concern.  There’s also insight into how someone who is as fundamentally unhappy and alone as Harvey finds a meaningful way of living.  There’s also how much Harvey has changed since we first met him.

It's sweet, too, that Bruce confides in him.  They don't know each other well - but he's still been a constant.  Equally sweet is how Harvey talks to him.  He doesn’t coddle him, or just try to cheer him up in the way that Alfred or Jim might.  He’s simply honest.  No platitudes, and no inspirational speech.  He tells Bruce he’s just as scared as he is, and then offers him a way to deal with his fear.  

Now - compare that simple moment of compassion, all the subtleties and pathos, and all the meaning it holds with the yelling and stilted dialogue at City Hall with Ed and Oswald.  The difference is glaring.)

Hugo has top of Ed's skull off – pretty much like Hannibal tried to do to Will. According to Hugo, the gas he used on Ed immobilised him – but he can still feel pain.  A simple reboot will fix the problem, though.

 A City Hall, Oswald carries his dog along to a hatch in the floor.  He carefully descends a ladder, still carrying him, and turns on a light. It’s a massive vault – full of gold and money and shiny things.  

He smiles and tells the dog that the time has come for a change of scenery

I’ve said this for ages, sweetie.  You’ve got all that crime money.  Buy yourself a flat in Paris, another in Berlin.   Florence, Athens, Barcelona…. go for it.

 Back in the lab.  Hugo says the electric charge must have overloaded the chip – but he’d fixed it.  He will pass the good news to his handler.  His smiles disappears when he realises that a gun is being held to his head.

He protests.  He’s just helping a man who needs medical attention! Hugo is vile – but BD Wong is fantastic.

Jim walks round Hugo to look at Ed, whose eyes are open.  Hugo petulantly says he gave him biomedical anaesthesia – and brings him round.

Ed screams in pain and then immediately protests his innocence

I told you wasn't me!

Jim tells Hugo to talk. He says a contract came along, and developed a tool – gesturing to Ed, who is indignant.

How dare you

Eduardo contacts one of his men and tells him to escort Hugo out.  He leaves with a ta ta

He smirks at an incredulous Jim

Sorry pal - this part of the op is need to know

Apparently Walker – the woman Jim has been talking to one the radio – wants Ed taken out now.  

Jim is puzzled – asking if Walker is behind this - controlling Nygma

Eduardo shrugs that he hates the spooks crap.  He just follows orders

Jim mentions Haven – reeling from the idea that Walker might have been behind it.

Eduardo says Jim is to put a bullet in Ed's brain

Jim replies with a flat no

Eduardo tells him to call it proof of loyalty - what Walker needs to see from him before she implements the relief plan.  He tries to persuade him

Look at him.  He's a loon. A cop-killer.

(An aside – the strong feeling we’re getting from Jim at this point is ‘yeah – but he’s my loon’ – in the same way that this is his screwed-up home, and his tyrannical gangster.  I suspect this storyline might have lasted longer had the season not been truncated – and we’d have seen Jim gradually pull away from Eduardo, the man he thought was his friend, to acknowledge that he belongs to Gotham, and has emotional ties there that he’s not willing to break.)

Jim just wants the truth: did Walker destroy Haven?

Eduardo tells him ours is not to reason why – and says this is his chance to be part of the plan.

He adds that if Jim can’t pull the trigger on Ed – I’ll pull it on you

Jim stares

You’d kill me for some bureaucrat?

Eduardo is unperturbed. There’s really not one thought rattling around in that big beardy head of his

Mission comes first - you taught me that.  What's your answer?

Jim says he saved his life one too many times.  He feints putting his gun down, and then runs and escapes down the hatch in the wall we saw earlier.  Wheeee!

Eduardo presses a button, and orders EdBot to find Jim and kill him

EdBot immediately complies, and also goes wheeeeee down the chute.

Eduardo watches him go – secretly envious that his orders apparently don’t allow him to go wheeee too.

Aha – so this is where that absurdly beautiful image of Jeremiah came from. He’s lying down, eyes shut, in some kind of cave.  We see a rock pulled aside by Ecco

Boss - wake up

Jeremiah winces as he sits up.  Ecco asks sympathetically if the stitches are still sore, and tells him he should have worn the armour she made.

Jeremiah curls his lip contemptuously, and tells her the bullet is making her sentimental – she should gave it a shake.  Ecco obligingly does so – and nods excitedly when he asks her if that’s better.

He tells her he had to let Selina stab him once - verisimilitude trumps precautions.  Ecco nods – and says Bruce and Selina had to think he was dead.  Jeremiah rolls his eyes at her summary, and comments impatiently that he takes it she has news.  She replies that it’s all systems go, and they head out.

(I suppose this is essentially canon, but – wow, does Jeremiah treat his ‘girlfriend’ with contempt).

Is Jeremiah in Wayne Manor? He addresses a man in a white coat, telling the dr he’s hearing good things.  The doctor tells him his assistant thought he’d like to see the results.

Jeremiah is wide-eyed as he approaches two people we can only see from behind – who look, as best as memory serves, to be Bruce's parents.

Jeremiah laughs for a second, then opens his eyes wide – and tells them they look beautiful

I just love family reunions - don't you?

Jeremiah, confronted with the problem of what gift you can buy for your billionaire crush who likely has everything, has seemingly got very creative and cloned his dead parents.

General Observations

Jim is doing a classic Jim. He's been unhappy about the situation in the city for weeks – pleading for help.  But now that official help of a sort has shown up - the kind Jim should want, and should back, and should identify with - he's wobbling. He balks at the idea of shooting Ed.  He had no interest in arresting Oswald, let alone any qualms about letting him go, and looked downright unhappy in the interrogation room.  When push comes to shove, Jim has relationships with these people - whether he’ll acknowledge it or not

To analyse it more closely in terms of Jim's psychology - the army element plays a role too.  He might talk about his time there fondly - but, ultimately, he chose to leave. When Barnes - who was father figure and army past combined - showed up, Jim barely waited until the end of his first episode before disobeying him to going off to see Oswald – leaning on their special relationship and warning him about the new regime.

He repeats that pattern again here.  Jim might want to represent that kind of authority - but a part of him is always looking to buck it, too.  It's part of the reason, I think, that he and Oswald are more likely to squabble during Oswald's particularly tyrannical phases.

And all of that disquiet is even before we find out that Walker is likely corrupt and dreadful.

 The whole thing with Ed. Eh.  I know what they’re trying to do here. The problem, for me, is that it’s not really outside the bounds of possibility that Ed could knowingly have destroyed Haven.  Sure – the whole affair would have been showier, and Ed would have made some kind of speech beforehand – but still.  Ed - and Barbara – actually, both watched from a high window while Gotham tore itself apart under the Tetch virus.  Neither of them flinched at what they saw.

It’s weird – because you don’t need to downplay Ed’s capacity for sadistic violence in order to also entertain the notion that part of him might be horrified by it.  That, after all, is a crucial part of his characterisation: that he is frequently fractured, with various facets of his personality more or less dominant.  In season one, we saw that certain aspects of his personality were almost completely suppressed.  Later, we saw the season one version of him humiliated and berated by darker aspects of his personality, as well as horrified by what it had him do when it ‘took over’.  

So – you can have your cake and eat it really – you can have a character who is capable of dreadful things, as well as the tragedy that some drowned part of him is horrified and disgusted by what he has done, and simply endures it with no ability to speak up. That would work with Ed’s extreme rage and fear at the loss of control he’s been enduring.

What doesn’t work, though, is retconning him to be a better person than he is. I’ve watched Ed torture because he enjoyed it.  Kill because he felt like it.  I’m not entirely sure I buy that he’d be horrified by what happened to Haven.

Miscellaneous

I have no idea whether Selina knows about Tabitha yet.  She must – it makes no sense that she wouldn’t – but there was no indication of her reaction to that.

Similarly – I don’t really understand why no-one has said a word about Lee yet.  I’m guessing it’s because we’re simply not ‘there’ yet in the story – but it makes no logical sense.

Alfred said a lot that was true about respecting Selina’s decision, but – ultimately- his advice to leave Selina alone simply comes off as callous.

Lucius must have had a day off today.

[womanism]

so i was in this cod clan, and everything was fine but then the leader started telling us that we can only post clan related things in the messenger group, and then suddenly the leader and the person who had previously complained BOTH posted unrelated things in the chat, so i asked where the line was because i wanted to know for myself and they all ignored me.

so i called the leader out on being a hypocrite and so the three leaders and two people defending me invited me to a Xbox party to basically witch trial me because the Leader was mad at me and couldnt handle it himself. They told me that a member they kicked for sexually harassing me was my fault and that i wanted it DESPITE MESSAGE PROOF that i didnt, and when the incident first happened i wasnt going to say anything about it i was gonna let it go. and another member vouched for me.

Then the co-Leader told me that me being in the clan is a risk because im cancer to the group because i have "influence" over other members to leave EVEN THOUGH I NEVER DID THAT. they felt claiming i was "benefiting" from something and they wouldnt even tell me why they think that or how they got to a conclusion.

what makes me the most mad is that the Leader made the decision to kick the member who sexually harassed me our, after viewing the proof. Co-leader, the one who said i "wanted it" is the same person who originally told me i "did the right thing by getting proof" and that "if i had encouraged it this would be a different story" and so he either lied then or lied now but either way hes a liar.

and when the other two members were defending me, they questioned their "loyalty" to the clan. like what the fuck.

and juet before i was invited to this witch trial (again all because the Leader couldnt handle some criticsm over his hypocrisy which everyone has a problem with) the 3rd leader told me "i dont want you to leave" just for me to find out 10 minutes later that all 3 leaders voted to kick me from the clan.

ive been so fuckin depressed and the worst part is they know im a CSA/SA victim and to sit there and tell me i "wanted it" despite proof that i didnt, just because they wanted to feel "valid" in kicking me because the leader is a giant pussy.

ive been so low and crying all the time. i didnt even bring up the member who sexually harassed me, another member did because he didnt think that guy should be in a clan with us. i didn't even want anything to happen but somehow now theres a "hidden motive" apparently...

[lostinthelightss]

literal chaos fire (ch.8)

amazing banner by @downn-in-flames​ / down-in-flames@FFT

find it elsewhere: fft | ao3 | ff.net | hpff learn more: chaos universe link to other chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 link to missing moments: 5.5, 7.5, 8.5, 15.5

pairing: Lily Luna Potter / OC genre: AU, Humor, Romance rating: mature audiences

summary:

Victoire Weasley is a masters student in infectious diseases handling a devastating break up with her girlfriend of two years. Lily Potter is a first year law student navigating a figurative minefield that is the star quarterback’s unrequited affection. Molly Weasley is pursuing her bachelors in engineering while pining over her best friend - who doesn’t seem to realize it.

Three women, three vastly different lives, all coming together with group chats, family dinners, and a whole lot of chaos.

chapter summary:

James [the older twin]: look, i just came out to have a good time James [the older twin]: and honestly im feeling very attacked rn James [the older twin]: also @Fred [the smart dumb one] are you not gonna say anything??

Fred [the smart dumb one]: lol yeah, fuck you james <3

OCTOBER 30TH, 2021

‘literal chaos fire' (psychiclilz, mollydramatic, VickyBaby) 9:39am

VickyBaby: still on for tonight?? VickyBaby: no one will know what hit em when we show up together

psychiclilz: yeah, but after last night i think im going easy on the drinks

VickyBaby: WHAT??? VickyBaby: its halloween eve VickyBaby: last year you called it ‘hoe christmas eve'

psychiclilz: hey i threw up again last night psychiclilz: i need one night off

mollydramatic: urghhh me too mollydramatic: not the vomiting part mollydramatic: the needing a break part, even if i probably wont

VickyBaby: you both went home hella early, wtf happened??

psychiclilz: i got a drive home after puking in the bathroom sink psychiclilz: it went 0-100 real quick

mollydramatic: *YOU* DID THAT???

psychiclilz: SORRY, I THOUGHT IT WAS BETTER THAN THE FLOOR

mollydramatic: THERE WAS A TOILET TWO FEET FROM YOU mollydramatic: ROSE MADE ME UNCLOG THAT

VickyBaby: ew, now im gonna vom

psychiclilz: call it payback for the couple costume

mollydramatic: bitch

psychiclilz: you know u love me

mollydramatic: ... mollydramatic: ugh i do mollydramatic: fine, i forgive you

VickyBaby: anyways, where'd you go last night mollz? VickyBaby: you usually dont tap out that early...

mollydramatic: just wasnt feeling it mollydramatic: oops, rose is calling! mollydramatic: haha, gotta go mollydramatic: talk soon! mollydramatic: see ya! mollydramatic: text me if you need me! mollydramatic: or dont, ill be busy mollydramatic: hahahhhaha

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Lily Potter, Victoire Weasley) 9:52am

Lily: she's acting really squirrely

Victoire: yeah, somethings off Victoire: kind of like you that night flynn picked us up... Victoire: what did happen between you two?

Lily: how am i supposed to remember? Lily: it was like 2 months ago Lily: psssh Lily: wow, like you remember all ur drunk nights Lily: get real vic Lily: you black out like the rest of us

Victoire: neither of you are good at hiding things Victoire: you know that right?

Lily: shut up, this isnt about me Lily: do you think it had to do with the angel girl? Lily: emily? Lily: and why she left early too?

Victoire: emerson Victoire: idk Victoire: if there was a fight over lysander, dont you think we wouldve heard?

Lily: yeah, you would think...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Lily Potter, Scorpius Malfoy) 2:07pm

Scorpius: you guys are still coming over tonight right?

Lily: why, are you planning another costume mix up? Lily: i dont think molly will let go of totally spies, so whatever she said, shes lying

Scorpius: i told you last night i had nothing to do with that Scorpius: you asked me not to get involved between the two of you Scorpius: and i havent

Lily: yeah but rose has

Scorpius: i have no control over rose Scorpius: she makes her own decisions Scorpius: i, however, will do whatever she tells me to

Lily: ur such a sub

Scorpius: hey, dont knock femdom til you try it

Lily: VOM Lily: I DIDNT NEED TO KNOW THAT

Scorpius Malfoy set his nickname to rosie's sub.

Lily: oh my god, i think i might actually have to astral project over there just to slap you Lily: *this* is what you break your nickname rule for??? Lily: THIS???? Lily: VOM

rosie's sub: rose would like me to tell you she knows it was you who puked in the sink

Lily: yeah, molly already gave me the third degree Lily: also she cant be okay with that nickname

rosie's sub: actually im fine with it -rose rosie's sub: he vetoed rosie's peggee -rose

Lily: VOM Lily: UGHHHHHHHH

Lily Potter cleared Scorpius Malfoy's nickname.

Scorpius: i thought it was funny -rose

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

‘literal chaos fire' (psychiclilz, mollydramatic, VickyBaby) 2:28pm

psychiclilz: Attachment: 2 Images psychiclilz: VOM

mollydramatic: WHY???? mollydramatic: WHYYYYYYYY mollydramatic: I LIVE WITH HER mollydramatic: I SHARE A WALL WITH HER mollydramatic: oh my god, can you faint from traumatic news? mollydramatic: im seriously light headed mollydramatic: if i die from a heart attack this is your fault

psychiclilz: I KNOW!!! psychiclilz: i actually almost threw up again

VickyBaby: ... VickyBaby: i dont think ill ever be able to look either of them in the face again

mollydramatic: and yet, we're expected to be there in like... mollydramatic: 6 hours

psychiclilz: i actually dont know if we should go psychiclilz: oh god what if shes wearing leather as part of her costume tonight psychiclilz: i will actually have a breakdown

VickyBaby: oh god, i actually just retched

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

‘old fogies' (Fred [the smart dumb one], Lily [ur 15mins older], James [the older twin], Molly [the dumb smart one], Rose [the granger], Vic [the science beb]) 8:38pm

Fred [the smart dumb one]: WOOOOO @Rose [the granger] tell ur bf we are heeeere Fred [the smart dumb one]: let me innn!!! Fred [the smart dumb one]: let me innnnnnnn!!!!!!

James [the older twin]: *shakes gate*

Rose [the granger]: calm down Rose [the granger]: buzz up - 265

Fred [the smart dumb one]: thaaanks rosie

Rose [the granger]: <3

9:14pm 

Vic [the science beb]: SORRY!!! Vic [the science beb]: it took a little longer than we expected Vic [the science beb]: plus there's no parking on scorps street

Rose [the granger]: buzz up - 265 Rose [the granger]: WAIT WHO TF IS DRIVING???

Lily [ur 15mins older]: after last night im taking a night off from drinking, so DD

Rose [the granger]: good, dont throw up in scorps sink

James [the older twin]: THAT WAS YOU???? James [the older twin]: OH MY GOD, THAT IS WEDDING STORY POTENTIAL!!!

Molly [the dumb smart one]: fukc yu james, i cleaned itt up, is my story

Lily [ur 15mins older]: yeah, fuck you james Lily [ur 15mins older]: dont forget i have access to all your baby photos Lily [ur 15mins older]: AND all the photos Fred sends in the group chat

James [the older twin]: look, i just came out to have a good time James [the older twin]: and honestly im feeling very attacked rn James [the older twin]: also @Fred [the smart dumb one] are you not gonna say anything??

Fred [the smart dumb one]: lol yeah, fuck you james <3

[travellers-survivor-old-west]

Episode 4: “Just gotta try to wiggle myself in some where”- Austin

I kinda wish our tribe would lose just so I could see where the lines are tbh. Also I have a bad feeling that at a swap/merge our tribe is gonna be picked off because we’re going in with the most numbers and on a base level that’s dangerous; however, I do think it could be deeper than that because of the preconceived relationships and I’m looking forward to seeing who goes home tonight and where we go from here.

This round was a little wild for me. Austin has been my fave since the beginning and we finally created an alliance. We both liked eve so that was easy but we wanted one more person. This is where things got a little complicated. Him and eve both liked isaac but honestly i wasnt feeling isaac and love pat. But i didnt want to push too hard so we just went ahead with isaac. 

BUT we also talked to pat and will have ANOTHER alliance with him (so austin, pat and me). SO basically im working with everyone right now except keaton. Im glad our tribe has been killing it because that means no TC wooo 

We tribe swapped so that is fun. It's always interesting to have a switch up. I have still yet to be screwed by a tribe swap in my entire history of playing ORGs which is something I am happy with. This is one of the best iterations of a tribe I can think of actually. I can forge a closer bond with Xander and Dylan, because now if we lose I won't need to vote one of them out, they become my core 3. So, right after the swap I made an OG Malakoff chat with myself, Xander, and Dylan. I just wanted the immediacy to show that I was serious in wanting to stick to that, which I am. I have communicated several times that I want to work with Isaac, so ideally Austin will go in the event that we lose. I feel bad because he is a sweetheart, but he doesn't fit into my strategy, and if anyone understands game being game, he does.

I love my new tribe??? Not only is nick still here so that gives me a safety net, the sammy I like is here. Pat is here. No idea who eve is but that’s okay too. I’m loving this. Inb4 I get voted out next Bc they actually really fucking hate me :^). Byebye payton it was nice kinda knowing you? Hello ~hopefully~ friends <3

I forgot Austin has a date with Mary Jane daily so Im gonna have to cut him some slack.

Tribe swap....just what I didn't want to happen . I dont ha e my #1 ashley with me but at least I got issac here. Jared is on my tribe now too so that could go either way for me because he knows how I play the game. Gonna have to pull something out if my ass here .

This is for Alyssa you dumb ugly fat white bitch why you keep asking me for a confessional with trifling dirty white racist ass big fat bitch x Anyways. Made an alliance with Pat and Sammy! V excited to work with them but we’re snapping in immunity so, I don’t see why we would need to vote off Vi.... I mean someone at tribal! Hehe

Well....we got our last handed to us. I'm not happy going to tribal bc I feel I'll be the one going. I talk with jared and issac the most but I feel jared will stick with xander and dylan. Just gotta try to wiggle myself in some where.

I have been busy the past couple of days so this challenge being a endurance/speed comp was a struggle. And it looks like my team didn't do much. To help... It's fine we can get out one of these other two dead weights. Speaking of them. Im glad the swap merged me with two allies but the other two just suck to talk to... And that's coming from me .. Jess knows what I'm talking about. Anyways I don't want them here and want them gone. As for my allies. I like Jared a lot we are getting along and enjoying ourselves. He's definitely the one I trust most in this game and hopefully it gets me to merge where I can start phase 2 and hopefully get far. Dylan is fine .. he's offline a lot but he's from old tribe so like it helps. 

Just finished the challenge, OH MY GOD i suck at trivia but thankfully sammy snapped and we won, thank u sammy love u so much!!! Still dont believe he is straight tho x IM JOKING PLS DONT KILL MEDFHNSJFDH

I hate confessions. That’s my confession for the round... jkjk. Eh there isn’t much to talk about now that it’s tribal time. I hope whoever from our og tribe stays safe but I forgot who is there so oops. Sammy killed it. I still call bs on the centipede question but oh well. It wouldn’t have changed the result. It would have just made the gap close by 1. 

LOVE MY NEW TRIBE. So happy we swapped. I’m with actual love of my life ASHLEY!!! And Chloe is amazing too. Aidan popped off in the challenge. Keaton is Keaton. This is a good group and I’m glad they did rlly well in the challenge. I love this kind of thing but I wasn’t able to constantly be on my phone all weekend bc that’s rude :( so I’m glad it worked out. Hoping the tribe swap works out in our favor and Xander jared and Dylan stay together for the vote. Idk if Isaac and jared are friends??? I hope Isaac leaves because he knows I’m a ‘threat’ in games and because I think Ashley yelled at him once. Idk who Austin is but Ashley likes him. But idk how likely that is if Isaac and jared have a connection. As long as jared stays safe ifgaf who leaves.

Yowza. We got absolutely wrecked in the challlenge. I don't WANT to lose any challenges, but I believe in the long run I should be happy to take this L. As another way to show my loyalty, I decided to give my idol progress in the chat with Xander and Dylan. I noticed Dylan never reciprocated so that gives me 1 reason to be wary. Then, Dylan posted a very inappropriate joke in the tribe chat in reference to Survivor Thailand, and the word "rape" was used, so that was the 2nd thing to make me uneasy. At first, Dylan and Xander had no opinion on who to vote, so I voiced that I would like to vote Austin- then Dylan remembered who Isaac is and said "he can go." I eventually got things back on track to target Austin, but Dylan better be careful- it's 3 strikes and you're out with me. I have a good relationship with Isaac so I wouldn't be surprised to see Dylan go if we lose again.

Day 9 on the survivor tribe. My thoughts are about toes and only toes. They are consuming my entire day. I exist merely to think of toes. 

Also Chloe...

Okay so I’m just gonna throw down some of my thoughts right now since I’ve been very quiet in confessionals. I fucking hate these small ass fucking tribes. It makes the thought of going to tribal terrifying because your odds of going home are increased. Since the swap ive actually really been enjoying my time, I really like my new tribe and I feel I can actually connect with these people better than on my first tribe. I am glad to actually have Aidan with me because he’s like THE person I want to work with from my og tribe, along with Vi. I still have my reservations on Nick even though I think he’s nice I can’t trust him as far as I could throw him. I really feel that the trivia challenge brought us closer together as a tribe since what’s a better bonding experience than yelling at Jess that she’s wrong 50 times in one day. I think we’re all collectively quite strong and I really hope that means we can slide past for a while without going to tribal. 

Honestly i always forget what i confess from last time but i still think I’m in a good position in the game. However I really do not want to go to tribal because I don’t want to show my cards. Eve and Pat both want me to work with them so we have an alliance and then Vi and Nick approached me and want to work with me as well. This was completely surprising to me bc I felt as if I would just be an easy vote out if we were to go to tribal since I’m a lone wolf. However I’m in the middle and I feel somewhat powerful knowing that people want to keep me and want to work with me. Me and nick have had a rocky relationship in past games but i think he’s a great person. He’s just a wildcard. I love vi and i think she’s the sweetest person to have ever existed but my gut is telling me to work with pat and Eve atleast for the first vote. Hopefully I don’t have to make the decision but who knows. That’s all I have for now other than I think the idol system isn’t anything I keep getting zapped. I feel like a fly in a southern home...ZAP.

I couldn’t remember the day so I put 69. I hate this tribe with my whole heart and my whole bussy. Jared is the only one giving me any sort of shot at making it passed this round. Austin is a slime ball who will do anything to save his own skin, Xander is dead apparently, and Dylan has been tracking down places where famous people died. I feel like this is my own personal hell and while I’ve been assured that Austin is going home (which I wouldn’t be surprised was a lie) I still have to make a swap or a merge and with the clowns on this tribe being inactive and never talking about anything but Star Wars or not talking at all I don’t know how possible it is to win a goddamn challenge. 

*insert Da'vonne pretends to be shoocked gif at a swap* Since it didn't happen at 16 I wasn't surprised too see it at 15 but I'm glad because three tribes provides for much more buffer. My initial reaction to my tribe was positive as I saw that I had Chloe and three new people in the mix. I'm not gonna lie that I was getting bored on my old tribe but I do hope that Nick is doing alright. He's one ally that I'd love to connect with again... Vi is alright too but I don't know how strong of a connection we fostered. First impressions of my new tribemates: Keaton - I heard he was fucking with my friend in another game so my guard was up but I tried and he seems aloof and random with his contributions but it makes sense since he's playing 4 games at once. Will probably work off of the others who contribute in challenges? We'll see. Ashley - Sweet and seems like a hard worker. Not too much of a read on her yet Owen - He seems nice and genuine but not much of a read from a game perspective yet. It seems the split is 2-2-1 on my tribe from previous tribes but I don't know how strict to tribal lines people are going to play but I can feel some aloofness with Keaton and Ashley is traveling so... that's that on that. If we were going to tribal I have no idea what the fuck would happen but I want to strengthen connections. Honestly I think we can make it to the merge without hitting an elimination but who knows. THANKFULLLLLLLY my ass had a lucky night on the railroads and jumped to spot number fifty and apparently found a STEAL A VOTE. This is what I DESERVE. Thank you Old West Gods for blessing me, the star, with this iconic power. I'm glad I have it in my back pocket and I'm not telling a fucking soul. If it needs to be used, it will be flaunted and I will pop shit. Hopefully I can save it for after merge but if I need to control a pre-merge vote just to get my way, I'm going to do it. 

https://soundcloud.com/user-327042896/dylan-ep-2

[circle111e-blog]

A decade on, did David Beckham's move to MLS make a difference?

This week marks 10 years since the former England captain announced his move to LA Galaxy. But how did his decision shape soccer in the States?

Wednesday marks 10 years since David Beckham confirmed he would leave Madrid and head to California to sign with the Los Angeles Galaxy. Then footballs most recognisable star, he arrived in Major League Soccer with the goal of improving the American game. Beckham promised to make a difference Stateside, but where did he fail and where did he succeed?

Successes

1) He raised the profile of MLS

Like it or not, MLSs profile improved with Beckham in the league. At the time, the midfielder was a global superstar, a status that drew eyes to a league that had, until then, had a low profile internationally.

His arrival and positive rhetoric regarding the league has also heavily influenced other professionals in considering North America as a place to play their football. Whether it was Frank Lampard or Sebastian Giovinco, Beckhams decision to go to the US amid interest from other high-ranking European teams gave the league a certain legitimacy. It constructed the notion that there was something to be built in the US, and that players could earn more than just a hefty salary, something Beckham touched on when he arrived.

With me, its about football, he said. Im coming there to make a difference. Im coming there to play football. Im not saying me coming over to the States is going to make soccer the biggest sport in America. That would be difficult to achieve. Baseball, basketball, American football, theyve been around. But I wouldnt be doing this if I didnt think I could make a difference.

Whether he remained true to that is up for debate, what isnt is that the leagues profile improved with his arrival.

2) He raised his own profile

David Beckham and Tom Cruise greet each other at an NBA game in 2011. Photograph: Andrew D Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Images

It was a moment that left Robbie Keane a tad red-faced. The Republic of Ireland international was captioned as an unidentified fan while posing for a snap alongside Galaxy team-mate Beckham, and Russell Brand at an LA Lakers game.

It was a moment that raised a smile among football fans, but the same awkwardness would never befall Beckham. Whether he was court-side, or on David Lettermans talk show Beckham was unmistakable.

Its a testament to his legacy or maybe just his army of PR staff that Beckham is still active on the US talk show circuit. It can be tough for an athlete to stay relevant after retirement, but Beckhams blend of talent, good looks, and charm has made him a well-known figure in the United States with his move to MLS catapulting him into the consciousness of the US audience.

Theres only one player in the last 20 years that is iconic in the way that David Beckham is, Grant Wahl told CNN in 2013. I think part of it is, hes a tremendously good-looking guy who has embraced the positive and negative that comes with being a global celebrity. Women love the guy.

Whether Beckhams victory in promoting Beckham helped anyone other than his family is another question.

3) He delivered on the field, eventually

Its fair to say Beckham was not an instant playing success in MLS. He reinvented himself as a central midfielder as his 30s wore on, and the former England international saw injury curtail his debut season, but he did eventually show his quality on the ball.

In terms of on-field performance, Beckham was only ever likely to be evaluated by the silverware he accrued while with the Galaxy. When he signed for the club in 2007 they had two MLS Cups, while DC United were the most successful team in the league with four. Fast forward to 2012 and the teams were tied, thanks to Beckham winning two of the three MLS Cup finals he contested.

Beckhams success wasnt confined to show-piece occasions though. He produced many memorable moments on the field, including trademark free-kicks and one goal from inside his own half. Still a fierce competitor even as his playing career wound down, his best season was arguably 2011 in which he recovered from a mid-season spine fracture to record 15 assists.

The failures

1) His proposed franchise remains in a state of limbo

It speaks volumes of David Beckhams MLS franchise that it still does not have a name, despite being announced almost three years ago.

Beckhams franchise bid was confirmed in February 2014 at a lavish ceremony, but his goal of MLS dominance has been hindered by an inability to secure a stadium in downtown Miami. An issue many sceptics highlighted at the time, there are also concerns about the general viability of a team in Miami. The city housed the Miami Fusion from 1997 until 2001 when financial problems forced the team to fold.

Seemingly undeterred, Beckham has maintained a positive outlook on things with a belief his persistence will produce rewards. Meanwhile, Don Garber the leagues commissioner has begun to lose patience, admitting in December that a conclusion was required soon.

Everybody needs to understand, including David and his partners, that weve worked hard, and its time for us to reach a conclusion, Garber told the Miami Herald.

Beckhams ownership group had acquired land in Overtown, Miami, but bureaucratic delays mean there has been little tangible progress in 2016. Garber did state that he was more confident than a year ago about the teams prospects, but if the franchise fails to materialize it will be a failure for the usually successful Beckham.

2) His loan spells were disrespectful to Galaxy fans

David Beckham was subject to the ire of sections of the LA Galaxys fans. Photograph: Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images

David Beckham may have left with general goodwill when his MLS career ended in 2012, but there was a time when he was much maligned among his own supporters.

Go home fraud, read one banner. Hey Becks, Here Before You, Here after You, Here Despite You, said another.

Beckhams meek start to life in the league wasnt helped by the fact he missed the start of the 2009 season so he could remain on loan at Italian giants Milan. Understandably met with criticism from Galaxy supporters upon his return, the midfielder cited a desire to prolong his England career as the reason behind the temporary stints in Serie A.

When he returned to Milan again in 2010 he suffered a torn achilles tendon, which left him out for six months of the season. Beckham was far from the only MLS star to engage in a post-season loan the likes of Thierry Henry and Robbie Keane both returned to the Premier League but they came back in time to start their seasons in the US.

Beckhams commitment to the league was subsequently questioned, and team-mate Landon Donovan also criticized him publicly for his lack of commitment (although the US international later apologised). On the plus side, the aforementioned banners may now be worth something if not a unique piece of American soccer memorabilia.

3) It was more about his celebrity than football

When the Beckhams moved to Los Angeles they rubbed shoulders with a host of celebrities. In fact, during Davids first game with the Galaxy, (a 1-0 loss to Chelsea) a host of stars came out to watch, including Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Eva Longoria and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Its fair to say the Beckhams embraced the celebrity culture. As David toured the chat shows, his wife Victoria landed her own reality show, Victoria Beckham: Coming to America. It lasted one episode.

In fairness to Beckham, the focus did seem to shift to his football towards the end of his time in Los Angeles, with the midfielder admitting in 2013 he had been hurt by criticism of his celebrity driven persona. At the end of the day Im a footballer who has played for some of the biggest clubs in the world, with some of the best players in the world, and under some of the biggest and best managers, and achieved almost everything in football, he said. I hope people will remember me as a hard-working footballer, someone who was passionate about the game and someone that gave everything that they have, because thats how I feel.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/jan/11/david-beckham-la-galaxy-mls

The post A decade on, did David Beckham's move to MLS make a difference? appeared first on Soccer Elite Group.

[celestialallstars]

Episode 11: “The odds are against me but I’m gonna make it....” - Loris

FUCK YOU MATT. FUCK YOU JACK. FUCK YOU STEPHEN. FUCK THIS CAST. YALL LYING ASS HOES SUCK MY FUCKING NIPPLES

Right now, I've got a mixture of feelings. On one end, I guess the tribal showed were some people's loyalties lie, but on the other I couldn't help but feel like it was a bit much. Like everybody in this game has literally lied and like I don't know, I understood Jack and Matt's frustration but it was a big yikes to see it get so tense and everyone get worked up. Like had my laptop not shut off, I would have likely snapped tonight and I think I'm seeing the good and the bad of things right now and it's just...a mess. Not to mention the 8 man alliance couldn't get it together until the 11th hour.

Fuck. Fucking fuck. Matt is finally gone, and this time we pulled it all off to keep him until Jared fucking pulled out an idol. How did he even know it was gonna be Chloe anyways? Man. I can't help but wonder if he wouldn't have played it had Matt and I shut our mouths but I think he would've anyways. I couldn't help myself, I couldn't let him lie again in public about that I had to expose him. Now he's got no idol, he's got few allies (I think), he's totally vulnerable and I pray to god we get him in the next 2 rounds.

It just occurred to me that I had a part in the chaos tonight. Stephen was already worried about the vote, but if I don't talk to Jack/Mitch then none of the last minute plan to vote Chloe happens I feel or gains as much momentum, then half the craziness that happened tonight at tribal does not happen at all....I saved Steph but at the cost of seemingly having Jared cost his game.

________________________________________________________________

I'm really drained at the moment between the school stuff and this game and now Jared claims my name was around for this round, or at least it was Bryce's plan. It did not phase me because I already wanted to go against Bryce/Zach but now it at least gives me another reason. AS of all of the craziness, my gut told me to try and stick it out with Michael/Chloe. I believe that between Rhys/Bryce/Zach's sketchiness, Jack just being himself, and Loris, I'd rather just try things out with the others. At this point, I'm kind of over a lot of the BS that people keep trying to sell. Having that said, I firmly believe that things need to get outted tomorrow unless we attempt a full on blindside.

I keep checking my messages as though someone wants to talk to me. Spoiler alert: they don’t.

Sooooo YESTERDAY WAS A DAY!

It started off so simple, Matt seemed to be the target for the majority alliance and Michael/Chloe didn't seem very interested in keeping him around. So I came up with a scheme that I think may have tied into someone else's scheme. But I didn't know it at the time. ANYWAYYYYY...

Matt's going home, but I don't want to vote him. Why? Because I wanna strengthen my relationship with Jack, so I approach both of them to talk about things and figure out who they're voting for. Matt was very antagonistic and I figured out this is because he heard I was saying his name, which was true! I get them to say a name they'd rather have taken out, and it's Chloe. Sure. Me and Chloe barely talk tbh. So I essentially go around getting pissy about wanting to vote Chloe instead of Matt to my alliance because I need to sell it anddddddd........

They... Want to vote her out? SKDJSKDKSKSKSKSKAKSK

Ummmm this wasn't the plan! Everyone except Loris and Jared want to do it. Okay. Whatever. I'm too deep in now to flip back, sorry Chloe!

THEN JARED PLAYS THE IDOL SKSKDKDMSKSKSKSKSSM

Ok but why didn't you use that idol to save Mitch hm?

Sketchy bitch.

Soooo I hear afterwards that Zach and Bryce had a chat with Jack and Matt and apparently they might have wanted to vote Chloe anyway????? But then why let the vote be Matt for the entire day? When we all would've voted Chloe if they just said her name originally? And now Jared also has a chat with Chloe and Michael? Worst allies ever.

Idk Zach and Bryce are sketchy and I've known that since the Mitch vote. Maybe they should watch their backs in the near future ......

First off I was SO happy for Loris! It would have been nice to immunity, but I know with all of the distracting things I had for the day that I did good with the few hours I had. This makes me wonder if it will continue a trend I see in a lot of orgs where I begin to place in the top 4 a lot in the late game. Only time shall tell. Going into this tribal, I for once feel great. Making a new alliance with Loris/Michael/Chloe/Jared all the while keeping Stephen in the loop. I'll still smile and wave in the 13th, three kings, literally any other chat but as far as I'm concerned, I'm ridding my hands of that. Hope its not too early to feel good (it is)

________________________________________________________________

So I did some thinking and for a bit I had a feeling me or Bryce would get 10th. This was just because Karth came in 20th and Kori in 15th, which had to mean one of us would come in 10th and the other in 5th. Time to see how accurate this prophecy is

Day 25......... gross. So disregarding the challenge because yikes the whole game seems to be flipped on and the best part is that I don’t put myself forward as a target and Jared and Chloe are seen as this tight duo so I expect them to be targeted over myself. However chris and loris both expressed disappointment in how the game has been progressing and Bryce and zach both came to me to strategise so hopefully I’m in some sort of power position in the game however chris has pulled this before where he’s so sad he didn’t get his way and so disappointed and nothing has changed so right now my focus is on how to get myself forward in the game with hopefully more to come and Bryce will hopefully be eliminated this round.

Soooooo I had to abstain from the challenge for work but that's okay. I don't think I'm the target anyway.

The biggest news is that Jared has added onto his old group of Chloe and Michael to create a new majority. One that is planning to overthrow the old one in the near future. Based on what Chris has told me, the additions are himself and Loris.

The issue is, based on what Jared has told me, that Loris wants to wait one more round before locking things down. I see why he'd want to do this. Jack could easily slip through the cracks of the impending majority vs. majority war and that puts him within reach of an easy win at FTC in my opinion.

Jack might actually go home unanimously if things keep up like this. It'd be sad, because I just really started putting work into my relationship with him recently, but it really doesn't seem worth it when, even if I save him, I'll likely be targeting him within 2 or 3 rounds anyway. Cyrena? More like, sayonara.

Of course, if last vote is any indication, this can all change in a couple of minutes! So who the fuck knows. There's still 3 hours until tribal and if I can convince the 5 in power to pull their move now I wouldn't mind it at all.

hi!! ok so like... I won immunity??? and it was a creative challenge???? I’m so shocked and proud of myself I rlly tried to snap and things went wrong but I still SNAPPED!!! and now I made single digits oh my god!!! like... 9th or above I’m so happy with but of course I’m gonna win anyways. so. I suggested an alliance with me chloe Chris michael Jared to Chris and Jared and now it’s a real thing and like.. we just need to get people to vote jack for themselves and then we can run the game perry add. That could be a serve. I genuinely feel like I’m in a rather good spot this game I don’t think anyone should want to vote me out except stephen  maybe??  jack is hard to read because I’m not sure he talks To that many people ... idk... also oh my god so I just need to survive 3 more tribals and then I can play my legacy.... and like I’ll be so proud of myself if I get to do that. both seasons I find the legacy in round one(?) and I manage to hold onto it until the final six both times ?? like.. the odds are against me but Im gonna make it....

girl idk. i feel in danger because of lack of talk. everyone wants jack out. id prefer chloe. the only votes we can get are bryce, rhys, jack and myself. loris is dumb. HE WONT idk. jareds legit playin super well and good for him but ppl needa wake up and start knockin off his +1’s so hes easier to take out in the future. but who cares. these people are gonna end up lettin like jared or chris win .. and good. i suppose they deserve it.

im just super tired. partly due to this game but partly because of irl factors... so i just cant go chaotic. its so fun but soooo draining, and its hard when everyone leaks things and jared wants to be dumb and idol. it wasnt dumb. im petty. its real dumb.

im just trying to get ppl on my side but it seems so hard NNNN so . we’ll see

My names going round again 🤠

Ever since I played the idol on Chloe (which was indeed an in the moment decision), I feel a lot better about my spot in the game.

I revealed basically everything to Chris. There was very little that I left out. I told him about the F2 with Bryce, and my motivations behind every decision so far.

Sometimes overbearing trust comes out of overbearing promises. I still need someone to have my back no matter what, so being open with Chris was necessary. I still will try my best to keep Bryce in the game. I need them to war with each other because it will be a long term buffer for me. In terms of F3 plans, I'm not sure. I have options between Chris, Rhys, Chloe, Michael, Stephen, and Loris. I wouldn't mind staying true and taking Bryce as far as I can, but eventually his number will be up and I think that will be better for my chances to win anyways.

Today I finally pulled the trigger and Chris and I put together this 5some of him, Chloe, Michael, Loris, and myself called "starpower."

I will have to be cheeky with Chris to stay in a better spot than him, because he doesn't have strict promises with Bryce as far as I know.

Tonight Jack will go home which was Loris' call. I think it's fine because either way next round Stephen will want a big target out and he needs me to make it happen. I want that target to be on Zach, because I think Zach is the current frontrunner to win, and I think voting him will suit Stephen.

With that being said, it will take a smooth game from hear on out to not be a total goat. I'll try my best.

Feeling very strange about this vote. It's another sort of last minute vote, we've all kind of agreed to do a hard reset and vote Chloe again, but now that I've seen one idol play I can't help but feel like there's another coming, and this time it'd directed towards me potentially. I think I'm gonna propose possibly splitting votes just to cover our bases, because I do feel like Jared and Chloe are now gonna want to target me for no reason other than it's convenient.

If someone idols Jack tonight I’m gonna scream 🤡

So, I wanted Chloe gone this round, because I'm scared she will just float through this game and take a spot at the end. Which is exactly what is happening this vote. People want Jack instead so here we go. Haven't been too active so couldn't have gotten the numbers. Sad times.

Hi so the vote seems to be on  jack which is a little bit anti climatic because everyone was like let’s make a move and then boom jack goes like I thot we were going after bryce zach or rhys but I guess not? Anyway I hope im not being played by bitches right now and people stick to their words. Or at least vote jared/Chloe out

________________________________________________________________

The thing that makes me most nervous going into tribal is that it makes strategic sense for Stephen not to vote with us and instead vote out Jared who’s a far bigger threat than Jack but hopefully the fear of a tie will mean that he makes it 6 and I hope he realises that I’m ok with going against Jared sksksksksk.

THIS game is so sad liek nothing i want happens ppl are just not wanting to do what i want and thats so unlike my first season KJFHDASKJ i just want total control and someone to run the game with but jared is so annoying and is trying to work with the ppl who will vote him out bc hes such a big threat like girl pls just let me have my way and i wont cut u at 4th! im still fuming over the idol play like who does he think he is playing it without letting me know thats all i ask i literally feel pathetic trying to work with him when he clearly has chris/loris/chloe interests ahead of me

________________________________________________________________

Jack is voted out 8-1-1. He becomes the third member of our jury.

Watch Jack’s exit interview take place below:

[survivornavarino]

Tribal Council #12

Welcome, Tesoro, to your third tribal council.

Heather, during the revote, you made a comment on call that people don’t approach you or talk to you about the vote until it’s time to submit parchments. Why do you think that is? Do people not trust you to keep secrets? Do they see you as too big of a threat to let in on their plans? How do you go about changing things and being part of the plan instead of an afterthought?

Oof yea the comment. I mean I didn't want it to sound mean and all but yea I wasnt really approached much. I take some of the blame cuz I was unexpectedly busy but it would have been nice to have gotten some kind of message like a hello. I think people just assume who I am close to so they say "Oh don't tell Heather" I guess I'm just not important to people.  How will that change? I guess we will see.

Julia, you’ve been the center of a lot of arguments and blow ups in the tribe chat. Is this a tactic to get the votes to fall somewhere other than on you? Do you just have a short fuse and people are using that to their advantage? What’s going on?

Umm idk what ur talking about. Ive been a good girl this game. And i personally believe by me holding myself to a high standard and being good i can make it 2 the end. I have been in 0 fights

Mitch, you’re the lucky person who gets to be asked about idols this round! Again, another crazy tribal, and again, zero idols. Why do you think they haven’t been played, even though everyone expected there to be a tie last night? Do you expect to see one tonight, or any time soon?

Everyone expected there to be a tie? Girl what the fuck is that common knowledge??? shit I feel as though whoever has the idol is doing a stellar job of staying out of the spotlight and waiting for their moment to strike. Will tonight be that night? My ass doesn't hope so

Shoib, congratulations on winning immunity! You beat Autumn by literally a millisecond. After having the vote tie between you and Autumn last round, resulting in a rock draw, tell me how you’re feeling with the immunity necklace on. Do you use this chance to make a move while you have safety? Or do you try to just blend in and be forgotten for the round?

Blend in and be forgotten, I want everyone to know that I am useless, am not winning this game and if you want a free win then I am your guys,. Now that I am immune I am just gonna sit back and relax and wait for something to happen

Rebecka, after last night, it’s clear that this tribe is divided completely down the middle, and with Mo going home, it leaves four of you on the bottom of a tight group that just went to rocks for each other. How do the four on the bottom make sure that they aren’t picked of at the next four tribals? Do they even have a chance to work their way up the imaginary totem pole?

HAHA um ur asking the wrong person, the easy answer would be that the bottom 4 are fucked but it's also survivor and you never know what's going to happen. Usually when I expect things to go one way they go the complete other HEHE um ya sorry for the lame answer but it's all I got!!!

Jake, you, along with seven other people, opted to draw rocks last night, rather than just switch your vote and avoid potentially being rocked out. Explain to me your thought process during the revote. What were the pros of going to rocks, leaving both target in the game?

no one was going to flip and i did not want to flip and lose a potential number. survivor is about taking risks to go farther so i took the risk to survive and it paid off, especially with getting someone out who i did not work with in the game.

Trixie, only four fans made it to the merge phase of the game, and all four are still here. Going into this tribal, the favorites only have one up on the fans. Do you think the fans are “making a comeback,” or is the “fans vs favorites” stigma a thing of the past?

tbh i completely forgot this season was fans vs favs, so no, that aspect of the game is a thing of the past, at least for me

Autumn, last round resulted in a rock draw after the votes tied between you and Shoib, and then he beat you in the immunity challenge by an extremely small margin. What’s going through your head right now in regards to making it past this tribal?

I’m literally just living day to day what can I say. There’s a lot of misinformation going around about me so is it fair to me? No.  Is it great for everyone else that I’m now a shield packing heat? Absolutely and they’re welcome

Eddie, you and Julia have been very vocal in the tribe chat, and even exchanged words on call during the revote last night. Tell us what’s happening. Are these instances affecting how you vote tonight?

i think who I cast my vote for tonight is mot effected by the arguments that have been happening in the tribe chat. I’m just riding the wave of this game and hoping I’m not on the wrong side of the vote for a third time in a row

If anyone has a hidden immunity idol and would like to play it now and would be the time to do so. 

Nobody stands.

Once the votes are read the decision is final, the person voted out will be asked to leave the tribal council area immediately. I’ll read the votes.

First Vote:

Second Vote:

Third Vote:

Fourth Vote:

oh my god I don't know what's really going to happen here but I feel like it won't be you. It's nothing personal. I'm just trying to stay.

That;s 4 votes for Julia

Fifth Vote:

Sixth Vote:

I’m sorry but this just seems to be how the votes are falling. 

Seventh Vote:

Eighth Vote:

bec bec bec bec bec again

Thats four votes Julia, four votes Rebecka. If the next vote is for either of them they will be going home. 

Ninth Vote and the next person voted out of Survivor Navarino, and the fourth member of our jury:

.

.

.

.

.

sarry

Rebecka the tribe has spoken, please bring me your torch.

Well, Tesoro, with each tribal that passes, one thing becomes more and more clear: This tribe is completely divided, and some of you are on the wrong side. Let’s see if you can work your way out. Grab your torches. Head back to camp

[15001700tt]

Comeback Home?

A few weeks later.

As they rested and recovered, they made themselves comfortable in the castle. The girls had gotten closer to the Goners, and became good friends. They bonded over mutual interests. The didn't rush the introductories this time.

The guys used this time to catch up on what they missed. As the royals brought back the order and organized the planet once more, they finally felt like everything is back to normal. The people were not happy to be left for such a long time, but after explaining they eased up and congratulated the younger generation fr surging such a traumatizing experience.

The girl's stay was getting shorter as they have lives back on their planet and they needed to get back to it. Since Ji Mi had mentioned to Kyungsoo that she mulled this was all done by monday, she went back to earth on monday and requested more time. She needed to recover in the planet.

The Royal family called for a meeting. Like always the others do not know what it is about, but they could feel that it had something to do with leaving. It was dinner when they all gathered and started eating. The girls were all in light and flowy dresses that resembled old fashioned fashion. Honestly to them, this was more comfortable than the jeans. Except for Nat, she stuck to her nice and warm jeans.

"What did you guys achieve today?" Suho asked the guys.

"A nap" Baekhyun smirked triumphantly. He had just won an argument with Hyun Jin over whether he could sleep for more than six bourse. He had proved her wrong, but now he felt the consequences of an aching body and foggy head.

"See, i couldn't do that because i was forced to get p up in the morning to practice putting things on fire." Nat rolled her eyes. Chanyeol chuckled at her grimace.

"Oh come on, it wasnt that bad." He confronted.

"You weren't the one wearing a flowy dress that got caught one fire!" She retorted causing the girls to giggle.

"So thats why youre wearing the jeans." Soo Mi finalized.

"Other than getting on fire, what happened?" Suho mused, sipping on his glass of water.

"I painted the garden of eden" Chloe offered.

"With the colors of the wind?" Jongdae teased, Chloe shook her head groaning. Sehun laughed.

"You just had to say that? Now everyone wont stop" she whined hitting Sehun's shoulder.

"You should dye your hair again, its fading" Sang Hee commented.

"That would be possible once i find a convenience store on this planet" Chloe stated, cashing Kris to clear his throat.

"This actually brings me to my point of the meeting." He looked around. The faces showed discomfort. They didn't want to confront it, they were so comfortable here. They tried to convince themselves that life on earth wont be bad. But they wont be able to see their new friends or their...boyfriends.

It is now official. They are already chosen by the Nonagons, it was just a matter of time before they confronted their actual feelings and not what the Noangon made them feel.

"You have to decide where you reside" Tao stated. He was testing the giuys.

"Either here or on earth, once the decision is made well decide what happens next." Luhan said, he really didn't want to go through with this.

"Your choices are being the representatives of your kind, or be spared of your duties and live on earth." Kris gave out, his wife was watching attentively. She knew what he was playing at.

"Can we mix and match?" Jongdae finally answered after the silence. Kris raised an eyebrow.

"We'd like to keep our positions and live on earth" Suho finalised.

"How would you make it work?" Luhan questioned.

"We'll use the Nonagons" Kyungsoo suggested.

"You cant. the girls have the Nonas" Mi Na shot down. The Protectors were running out of ideas. The girls stayed quiet, they felt down. Although they liked living here, they had to go back and they honestly wouldnt mind if the guys came and lived with them. It would definitely spice up things.

"Jongin can teleport us" Minseok suggested.

"I...have an idea" Ji Hee said. It was hysterical yet sad how much they liked each other. She rose from her seat and went to one of the drawers and got a big silver box. She urged them to get up too and they hurriedly stood in a circle.

Ji hee got out three smaller bags. The girls were confused, were they getting jewelry? Because that's what the bag looks like it contained. She handed Jae Eun and Mi Na a bag and discarded the big box.

"This will be able to function like the Nonagons you'll always have this on you as it hold part of the Nona and the other part in the lightstick so they can teleport" Ji Hee explained as she handed each girl a cubic necklace. It felt light in their hand but had so much power within.

"Is it the same with your wedding rings too?" R.J. asked eyeing the necklace in amazement. Jae Eun nodded in response raising her left hand, Tao raised his too. Two parts of a black Nona was what they saw. It was peculiar though. It seemed that the Nona had two parts to it, an outer shell and inner one. Tao had the outer shell on his ring finger, and Jae Eun had the inner.

"So youre saying we keep our position but we can reside in earth?" BAekhyun confirmed.

"Basically, oh and we might need to install some portals around now" Luhan commented.

"So you're seriously letting us do that" Sehun asked carefully, Luhan nodded. The tension i the air dissolved as some of the boys hugged the Royals. After their thanks were given they went over to their girlfriend and smiled widely at them.

"What now?" Je Ki asked.

"Nothing we wait until monday because that's when i really need to get back to work" Ji Mi shrugged.

"Damn! All i wanted to do was know their names. We won a war and got powers. It seems such a long time ago" Sang hee and Soo Mi laughed at Nat's comment.

"I am glad i got to know your name" Nat turned around to gaze at Chanyeol's face before kissing him quickly before running away laughing.

"Oh no you dont" he shook his head and followed her out. Kris laughed at the couple, his attention turned to chen.

"We dont have to talk about this" Soo Mi whined.

"Oh yes we do" he argued back.

"It was my reward to you, were done now" she hastily tried to run away.

"I am not" he turned her around and kissed her deeply, she melted against his grip

"Yo! Get a room" Luhan yelled at the couple. They broke off and laughed at his childness.

"So...ready to redye your hair?" Sehun asked Chloe.

"Only if you let me dye yours."

"As long as it isnt a crazy color"

"Oh dont worry i would never dye orange or anything" she waved off.

"You know, now that you got your powers, your job will be so much easier" Kyungsoo stated.

"I never told you what my job is" Ji Mi turned to look at him.

"I did my research"

"Sure you did"

Can we take at least one of these dresses home? They are so comfy!" Alex asked Mi Na who laughed at the strange request.

"Sure"

" i am not in a hurry to leave this place, can we stay longer?" Sang Hee asked Yixing.

"Sure, i am not the one with human job" he chuckled.

Come on Baek, were going to work on your relationship with children" Hyun Ji teased causing him to groan and protest.

"I think it would be a good idea to add you to the group chat" R.J. paused, " i made a small trip back to earth to get you guys a gift". She handed each Royal a box. It contained a phone.

It had the code and name of group chat so they could text each other anytime they visited earth.

"I dont think they'll work on the planet to be honest because i couldn't find wifi" R.J. sheepishly explained. Suho hugged her behind and whispered a quiet thank you for her thoughtfulness.

"I told you we can get through this" she reassured.

And everyone lived in harmony...until Baekhyun made another inappropriate comment.

[n0rdicalien]

Little rant

Dear Diary

Lol

Yea well here is the stitch. I called out someone for what I felt theyre being a hypocrite. Theyre interest in social issues, and their view is generally really good. But theyre insensitive as fuck, and socially awkward themselves. I mean we are all in our own way. But this guy has just always represented as some kind of angry hostile mood even if he doesnt mean it. But after hanging out I see a general scheme of different treatment in comparison to the 2 others I hang out with. And it didnt make me feel good.

For the past couple months since middle of illustration class. The circle of friends that I was part of I felt like was unintentionally pushing me out the group. The experiences were like...

- Profoundly being cut off from contributing to discussions. Like forced interjection over me when I talked. 

- The discussions became very abrasive it was very discomforting. Like loud because everyones talking over each other. ANd I just shut up when people get the loud. It was claimed that I did similar but Im pretty known for having a soft voice. ANd I am generlly very good at self critiquing. I wouldnt feel like this if something didnt feel off.

- I felt totally disregarded when making suggestions. Kind of felt motivating disconnection because no one wanted to take part in common interests. Everyone said they enjoyed video games. But they didnt care less. They all enjoyed drawing and art. But almost everyone was feeling a drought. Except me and Angry boy.

- Distance made it a struggle because we only mostly got together at school and after. But on non-school days. It was far to expensive for me to drive out to them on my budget; literally could only afford drive back and forth to school. And it turned into hang out at your own convenience where it was like minus me. They didnt want to drive out to me unless i bitched about it where hanging out down where i live made me feel guilty. I got really triggered when they went to a fucking museum without inviting me. 

- One of the three I felt doesn't like me because i felt treated different in comparison to the others. Which is the person I identified as a hypocrite. Doesn't practice what he preaches and is totally insensitive. When the other 2 were going through their artist drought. He bitched about it, regressed, and openly self-talked people had issues. It really grossed me out. Pretty frustrated about it and made me have a different perspective of him.

--- We were carpooling to a coffee shop and the dude acted like he was stuck with me in my car. He sat slouched and tried talking to him and it was just incredibly awkward and unwelcoming. He texted on his phone which is cool but like just trying to chat casual, but he expressing a bit of anger which people say “He just does that” but he was totally different when we got to the place where everyone was at. It bummed me out.

- One of the three was more friendly with the lady of the group and it just made me feel like I was being treated differently.  The other non-angry guy in the group feels a bit disconnected too but he doesnt care to elaborate. 

- I was called out i think a couple times for identifying when a dude was cute (Literally just cute) but when this Angry boy was dick thirst as fuck blatantly sexualizing men. NO ONE SHAT ON HIM. And I was made to feel like crap for simply saying a guy was cute.  Angry boy was hypersexual as fuck and it bummed me out so much which justified my feelings that i was being treated differently.

Couple weeks ago I distanced myself because it was just exhausting I didnt feel like any of these people were my friends even though I care about them. I felt lonely in a crowd kind of thing yaknow? It was kind of unnecessary.  Though it seems like this group of people was slowly disconnecting? And some people felt disconnection after I left our group chat the first time. Which was after are last big hangout where i determined distancing myself was maybe a good decision.

I expressed concern to these guys but it just was like “Im starting drama, pointing fingers, youre insecure how do you know?” type nonsense like my integrity of myself and my observations were at stake because i felt like there was a problem between me and them. It wasnt even about acceptance or anythign but like this blatant lack of consideration where im just like an extra. I felt like a fucking extra in a group of friends i thought i was mutual with and it didnt feel okay. 

A lot of shit with my now ex. Hes like my friend now but like i been sick for the past 2 weeks and he doesnt get i cant hangout right now.

[circle111g-blog]

A decade on, did David Beckham's move to MLS make a difference?

This week marks 10 years since the former England captain announced his move to LA Galaxy. But how did his decision shape soccer in the States?

Wednesday marks 10 years since David Beckham confirmed he would leave Madrid and head to California to sign with the Los Angeles Galaxy. Then footballs most recognisable star, he arrived in Major League Soccer with the goal of improving the American game. Beckham promised to make a difference Stateside, but where did he fail and where did he succeed?

Successes

1) He raised the profile of MLS

Like it or not, MLSs profile improved with Beckham in the league. At the time, the midfielder was a global superstar, a status that drew eyes to a league that had, until then, had a low profile internationally.

His arrival and positive rhetoric regarding the league has also heavily influenced other professionals in considering North America as a place to play their football. Whether it was Frank Lampard or Sebastian Giovinco, Beckhams decision to go to the US amid interest from other high-ranking European teams gave the league a certain legitimacy. It constructed the notion that there was something to be built in the US, and that players could earn more than just a hefty salary, something Beckham touched on when he arrived.

With me, its about football, he said. Im coming there to make a difference. Im coming there to play football. Im not saying me coming over to the States is going to make soccer the biggest sport in America. That would be difficult to achieve. Baseball, basketball, American football, theyve been around. But I wouldnt be doing this if I didnt think I could make a difference.

Whether he remained true to that is up for debate, what isnt is that the leagues profile improved with his arrival.

2) He raised his own profile

David Beckham and Tom Cruise greet each other at an NBA game in 2011. Photograph: Andrew D Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Images

It was a moment that left Robbie Keane a tad red-faced. The Republic of Ireland international was captioned as an unidentified fan while posing for a snap alongside Galaxy team-mate Beckham, and Russell Brand at an LA Lakers game.

It was a moment that raised a smile among football fans, but the same awkwardness would never befall Beckham. Whether he was court-side, or on David Lettermans talk show Beckham was unmistakable.

Its a testament to his legacy or maybe just his army of PR staff that Beckham is still active on the US talk show circuit. It can be tough for an athlete to stay relevant after retirement, but Beckhams blend of talent, good looks, and charm has made him a well-known figure in the United States with his move to MLS catapulting him into the consciousness of the US audience.

Theres only one player in the last 20 years that is iconic in the way that David Beckham is, Grant Wahl told CNN in 2013. I think part of it is, hes a tremendously good-looking guy who has embraced the positive and negative that comes with being a global celebrity. Women love the guy.

Whether Beckhams victory in promoting Beckham helped anyone other than his family is another question.

3) He delivered on the field, eventually

Its fair to say Beckham was not an instant playing success in MLS. He reinvented himself as a central midfielder as his 30s wore on, and the former England international saw injury curtail his debut season, but he did eventually show his quality on the ball.

In terms of on-field performance, Beckham was only ever likely to be evaluated by the silverware he accrued while with the Galaxy. When he signed for the club in 2007 they had two MLS Cups, while DC United were the most successful team in the league with four. Fast forward to 2012 and the teams were tied, thanks to Beckham winning two of the three MLS Cup finals he contested.

Beckhams success wasnt confined to show-piece occasions though. He produced many memorable moments on the field, including trademark free-kicks and one goal from inside his own half. Still a fierce competitor even as his playing career wound down, his best season was arguably 2011 in which he recovered from a mid-season spine fracture to record 15 assists.

The failures

1) His proposed franchise remains in a state of limbo

It speaks volumes of David Beckhams MLS franchise that it still does not have a name, despite being announced almost three years ago.

Beckhams franchise bid was confirmed in February 2014 at a lavish ceremony, but his goal of MLS dominance has been hindered by an inability to secure a stadium in downtown Miami. An issue many sceptics highlighted at the time, there are also concerns about the general viability of a team in Miami. The city housed the Miami Fusion from 1997 until 2001 when financial problems forced the team to fold.

Seemingly undeterred, Beckham has maintained a positive outlook on things with a belief his persistence will produce rewards. Meanwhile, Don Garber the leagues commissioner has begun to lose patience, admitting in December that a conclusion was required soon.

Everybody needs to understand, including David and his partners, that weve worked hard, and its time for us to reach a conclusion, Garber told the Miami Herald.

Beckhams ownership group had acquired land in Overtown, Miami, but bureaucratic delays mean there has been little tangible progress in 2016. Garber did state that he was more confident than a year ago about the teams prospects, but if the franchise fails to materialize it will be a failure for the usually successful Beckham.

2) His loan spells were disrespectful to Galaxy fans

David Beckham was subject to the ire of sections of the LA Galaxys fans. Photograph: Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images

David Beckham may have left with general goodwill when his MLS career ended in 2012, but there was a time when he was much maligned among his own supporters.

Go home fraud, read one banner. Hey Becks, Here Before You, Here after You, Here Despite You, said another.

Beckhams meek start to life in the league wasnt helped by the fact he missed the start of the 2009 season so he could remain on loan at Italian giants Milan. Understandably met with criticism from Galaxy supporters upon his return, the midfielder cited a desire to prolong his England career as the reason behind the temporary stints in Serie A.

When he returned to Milan again in 2010 he suffered a torn achilles tendon, which left him out for six months of the season. Beckham was far from the only MLS star to engage in a post-season loan the likes of Thierry Henry and Robbie Keane both returned to the Premier League but they came back in time to start their seasons in the US.

Beckhams commitment to the league was subsequently questioned, and team-mate Landon Donovan also criticized him publicly for his lack of commitment (although the US international later apologised). On the plus side, the aforementioned banners may now be worth something if not a unique piece of American soccer memorabilia.

3) It was more about his celebrity than football

When the Beckhams moved to Los Angeles they rubbed shoulders with a host of celebrities. In fact, during Davids first game with the Galaxy, (a 1-0 loss to Chelsea) a host of stars came out to watch, including Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Eva Longoria and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Its fair to say the Beckhams embraced the celebrity culture. As David toured the chat shows, his wife Victoria landed her own reality show, Victoria Beckham: Coming to America. It lasted one episode.

In fairness to Beckham, the focus did seem to shift to his football towards the end of his time in Los Angeles, with the midfielder admitting in 2013 he had been hurt by criticism of his celebrity driven persona. At the end of the day Im a footballer who has played for some of the biggest clubs in the world, with some of the best players in the world, and under some of the biggest and best managers, and achieved almost everything in football, he said. I hope people will remember me as a hard-working footballer, someone who was passionate about the game and someone that gave everything that they have, because thats how I feel.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/jan/11/david-beckham-la-galaxy-mls

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