#bro is ZOOKED

[q-uzi]

slingshot doing cat things probably idk

[ermdotorg]

zook and jenko are just minho and gally in a non-tragic universe.

[pointyfruit]

I need tsams Earth to strangle moon personally. Only a little bit. It'd be good for him. /j

(ERREHRHHRKKFKGJKFKJNFJ YESSPAIIN PAIINN PAAJNDJD RAAA AANGST RAAAA)

[latealzalost]

Have you ever tried thinking about what a "canon"-esque team for Wes and Michael would be? I mean that, what feels like a team an official adaptation of these games would go for. In my opinion for instance, I think Michael would use the Zangoose snagged from Zook since its semi-plot relevant, as well as Eldes' Shadow Salamence for the one battle left after it. You could either make him pick an eeveelution (I'd suggest flareon or jolteon aesthetically) or going with the beta starters of Vaporeon and Jolteon. Wes' would entirely depend on if you think using the legendary beasts is fair game lmao

Ah nah. I know some people try to make a "canon" team for trainers. But "canon" and stories in Pokémon games don't really mix. All versions of a game are true and they happened in their own universes. Every possible way a game was played is real and has already been done before you've even thought about it.

I believe in the definite fact that Michael snagged and purified every shadow pokemon. I also believe that Michael traded his Togepi back to Hordel for his Elekid named Zaprong, but I know some may opt not to do that. So whether or not he actually gave Togepi back it really doesn't matter cause he has and hasn't at the same time.

Now, there is an exception to that rule for my personal bias. It's canon that Michael is a good kid with a big heart and loves his Pokemon and family very much. So that scenario where he releases his Eevee to see the eeveelution captain's other dialogue is completely unlike Michael. And I don't believe he would release any of his Pokemon ever. I refuse to believe that anything that would be uncharacterstic of Michael are canon and part of the multiverse in any way.

Hypothetically speaking, referring to the story of Pokemon Masters EX, if Hoopa were to drag a Pokemon Character out of the infinite universal contexts represented by how their game could be played, Hoopa would never drag Michael from the universe where he releases his Eevee, but he could take him from the universe where he kept the Togepi and not give it back to Hordel, since I remember Hordel being a somewhat okay with Michael keeping Togepi. (Correct me if I'm wrong)

I believe that every possible universe is canon, but there are limits because the constant is Michael is a good boi. The variable is how the player plays the game. The multiverse of a game can be determined by the infinite possibilities of play, but only the reasonable universes that don't betray Michael's character should be canon.

And same goes for Wes, obviously. Anyone who releases Espeon, Umbreon, or Plusle outright assassinates Wes's character.

And you know, by extension, I'd say that also goes for the main-series games too. If Pokemas Hoopa ever dragged a protag from their universe, it would have to be a universe where they kept their starter all the way to the end of their story, or at least up until the point they were warped to Pasio.

In certain media I've seen Michael officially matched with Flareon and Jolteon in two different universes. I've never played through the game with Flareon nor Vaporeon so my bias tells me it would be Jolteon (at least it matches Michal's jacket aesthetically, I agree Flareon suits him too.)

Beyond that it's a toss up between all of the Shadow Pokemon and a few Pokespot Pokemon. At the end game he might opt to have tanky Shadow Pokemon like Snorlax. He might have an Aggron from evolving an Aron from the Cave Pokespot. He could have a Walrein from one of the Hexagon Bros's Shadow Spheal. He could have kept Teddiursa and evolved it into Ursuring. It's so hard to make a canon team without that bias you know?

As for Wes, as you know, he'd probably keep one of the Johto starters from either Bluno/Verde/Rosso and his two starter eeveelutions. Depending on which Johto starter, he'd keep Entei/Suicune/Raikou respectively. Hitmontop is a favorite. And last one, a Flygon, another favorite.

Scrolling back up to read your question, I see for an "official adaptation" I agree that Zangoose could be plot relevant. Though the one time you get to snag Zangoose is the last time you see Zook. Unless some liberties were taken with the game's story I can't see Zangoose becoming a main-stay for some rivalry with Zook. Miror B. is a better rival than Zook, and Lovrina along with other Cipher admins (excluding Ardos) have a character arc of starting out as enemies and accepting him as a friend by the end of the post-game so Shadow Pokemon belonging to them might be something to toy with for a rival thing. Zook is just a meat head masculine macho mohawk dukey-nukey wannabe who's more of a joke jerk character for how nothing goes his way after bumping into Jovi at Gateon Port. They'd have to do a bit more like how they developed Team Rocket (Jesse, James, Meowth) for the anime and how they're pretty much loved by everyone despite being the bad guys.

What I wouldn't give for an official anime adaptation, but alas all we have are obscure game walkthrough manga that few have seen and have (but I believe more should see and have)

[justzooks]

are u the same person who runs ask-gadzooks? :o

That's actually my twin brother. Gad is his OC, and Zooks is mine. My bro always consults me when Zooks answers a question.

[faerieorbitars]

i think i’m fully starting to understand the cat experience because i just looked at parsnip and said “i know you’re being so brave about the surgery you did today, but you can’t have my slices of mozzarella” like he was a guy and not an animal

[puff-world]

I'm gonna rank every skylander and ripoff @jelloapocalypse

This will not be based in gameplay but design because fuck that noise any how les go

PART 1: MAGIC

Wrecking ball: [insert dead joke] -6

Voodood: dood you are like totally forgettable 3

Spyro: [insert joke about his face] 6

Double trouble: despite being forgettable, you survived -6

Pop fizz: he drinks mountain dew, truley a gamer 7

Ninjini: ok your fucking cool 8

Trap shadow: who 1

Star strike: yall remember those egg theives from spyro? 7

Hoot loop: CRAZY ASS -8

Dune bug: my apologies to trap shadow, who are you? -1

Enigma: you look like a wow boss 9

Deja vu: cute pigtails lazy name 5

Cobra cadabra: COBRA COBRAAA 7

Blastermind: kaos what are you doing here 4

Splat: dranie bob Ross 6

Pain-yatta: how are you magic dude: 7

Mysticat: eh 1

Buck shot: and eh 0

Over all score: 5

PART 2: UNDEAD

Hex: who's goth gf is this? 7

Ghost roaster: why did they scrap you? 7

Cynder: why are you here? 6

Chop chop: he has a bone to pick with you 7

Freight rider: you look like a common enemy 5

Eye brawl: ok ngl really fucking sick -9

Roller brawl: my bad this is the goth gf 5

Rattle snake: yall ever watch rango? 7

Night shift: I dont get it 7

Grim creeper: dopey but cute -6

Short cut: hesh gonna gecha! -7

Krypt king: chop chops top boyfriend 8

Funny bone: play dead! -6

Bat spin: bleh both literally and figuratively 4

Fiesta: drip 9

Wolf gang: London 8

Pit boss: this sssssucks 3

Chopscotch: your pun name is your saving grace or grave -1

Over all score: 8

PART 3: LIFE

Zook: [insert soldier tf2 quotes] -5

Stump smash: neat -7

Stealth elf: porn bait 6

Camo: you're not very camouflaged 4

Tree rex: man going hard 9

Shroom: mama mia -7

Zoo lou: uhm 3

Stink bomb: gross 5

Grilla drilla: isnt a drill counter active to the eco friendly drip 5

Bumble blast: [buck bumble theme] -7

Tuff luck: furry bait 4

High five: hesa pupper 7

Food fight: trigger happy rip off 5

Bushwhack: whack off! Wait? 3

DONKEY KONG: DONKEY KONG 9

Thrillipede: he gives a 1000% 8

Crash bandicoot: WOAH 9

Chompy mage: dr livesly walk 9

Boom bloom: coolio 7

Ambush: not expected 7

Over all score: -7

PART 4: FIRE

Sunburn: sqwaaaaa 6

Ignitor: kinda lit 7

Flame slinger: the writers were blind making him 4

Eruptor: I finna puke, in a good way 7

Hot head: kinda dopey but also really neat 6

Hot dog: stop drop and roll over: -5

Smolderdash: yall watch moana 8

Fryno: I'm kimda loving it -6

Fire kraken: he so dopey I love him -7

Blast zone: ignitors top boyfriend wait didnt I make this joke already 7

Wildfire: anduin if he liked fire 7

Trail blazer: my little arson 7

Torch: she hot literally 7

Ka boom: compensating much 7

Spitfire: lit but not in the good way 5

Bowser: look up @were-Ralph 9

Tae kwon crow: is this a fried chicken joke? 5

Flare wolf: furry bait 5

Ember: she was better in danny phantom 7

Over all: 7

PART 5: WATER

Zap: alotta spyro ripoffs 6

Wham shell: dont look at me with those big ol eyes 6

Slam bam: for being so chilled hes kinda hot 8

Gill grunt: this man goes hard 9

Thumpback: thumpback mountain 9

Chill: not really cool tho 7

Swash buckler: disney lawsuit 9

RIP tide: here comes the crimson chin -7

Punk shock: kinda cool kinda forgettable 5

Freeze blade: "I like your cut g" 7

Snap shot: yall play pokemon 7

Lob star: is mayonnaise an instrument 5

Flip wreck: [vulgar dolphin noises] 4

Echo: zap became a goth gf 6

Dive clops: scooby doo vibes 7

Tidepool: meh 5

King pen: 7

Grave clobber: excuse me what 0

Over all: 7

PART 6: EARTH

Terra fin: did he get fatter over time 8

Prism break: the pun was under utilized 8

Dino rang: picks up phone* "what's your favorite dinosaur" 7

Bash: awww rock pupper 8

Flash wing: theres the spyro rip off 5

Crusher: blag blag blah prism breaks top boyfriend 8

Slobber tooth: a pale imitation of bash 6

Scorp: sorry I'm a scorpio -6

Rubble rouser: uga uga -7

Doom stone: sorry but naw 4

Wallop: furry bait 5

Rocky roll: a lil guy 8

Head rush: I want her to kick my ass 9

Fist bump: hows it going bros its [insert n bomb] 4

Smash hit: yall watch ice age 3? 6

Tritip: pick up the phone a lil kid wants to talk dinosaurs 5

Golden queen: yasss queen 8

Barbella: once again hit me 8

Over all: 8

PART 7: AIR

Whirlwind: spyro ripoff again 4

Warnado: I like turtles 7

Sonic boom: good show 6

Lighting rod: move that cloud so I can see that lighting rod: 7

Swarm: buck bumble literally 8

Jetvac: kirby still better 7

Scratch: again 4

Pop thorn: oh hey it's that balloon I lost -7

Free range: I thought it was a piss joke

Boom jet: human??? 6

Thunder bolt: lighting rods less slutty brother

Gusto: oh my 6

Flip kong: MONKEY!!!! also Nintendo lawsuit

Storm blade: she so pretty 8

Wild storm: I dont get it 4

Bad juju: why are you here? 0

Air strike: bird shit every where -6

Over all: 6

PART 8: TECH

Trigger happy: he has a gun -8

Drobot: another one 4

Drill sergeant: show me your war face 7

Boomer: pfft 7

Sproket: kenzie from saints row 8

Bouncer: DR LIVESLY IS ALIVE AND HE IS AN IRON GINAT RIPOFF 10

Wind up: hit him so hell shut up -8

Spy rise: [sam Fisher voice] 8

Magna charge: yoooooooo 9

Countdown: soccer fans be like -6

Tread head: how do you drive that -5

Jawbreaker: he looks like an orc made him 9

Gear shift: robo waifu 7

Chopper: dinosaurs!!!! -7

High volt: he has a little blue line flag on his car 5

Robow: ok this goes hard 9

Dr neo cortex: jaundice 9

Dr krankcase: gangrene 9

Chain reaction: robo viking 10

Over all: 9

PART 9: LIGHT

Spotlight: must I say it 7

Knight light: palidins be like 6

Astroblaster: the only space themed skylander 8

Blaster tron: what's light about you? 0

Aurora: at this time of day in this part of the country 8

Over all: 7

PART 10: DARK

Knightmare: death knights be like 9

Black out: despite being a spyro clone hes really cool 9

Night fall: Lovecraftian ass 9

Starcast: slam bams emo cousin 7

Hoodsickle: you should be undead 0

Over all: 9

PART 11: KAOS & OTHERS

Kaos: DESTROY US ALL DESTROY US ALL DESTROY US ALL 10

Cyclops snail: theres a reason he was scrapped -10

Over all: 10

PART 12: RANKING TOP 10 AND WORST

10. Cyclops snail

9. Eye brawl

8. Head rush

7. Jaw breaker

6. Chompy mage

5. Fiesta

4. Black out

3. Kaos

2. Chain reaction

1. Bouncer

THE WORST: buckshot

PART 13: thoughts over all

So..after ranking every skylander, no I will not do enemies or trapped bosses, I can kinda get a method with them

Magic are based on religions and the arcane

Undead are often dead or malicious

Life are based on flora and fauna

Fire are based on fire, magma, and explosives

Water are based on ice and marine life

Earth are based on rocks and Crystal's with a few rough boys

Air is based on flight, avians or weather

Tech is based on machinery, metal and demolition and man made things

Light is based on holy and benevolent forces

Dark is based conversely on lovecraftian and malicious things

I originally intended on looking at all scrapped skylanders too but I realized there were too many so I only covered the one that was most well known scrapped skylanders

I also noticed some of the sensei's in imaginators were really independent of their element

And another thing was that some skylanders were dropped. In the original generation they had 4 skylanders and then replaced one for giants then again for swap force but the ones they keeped were given ultimate versions that sometimes looked wholly different and then in superchargers some where brought back again ang given new armor.

Anyway I hope you enjoyed this look into skylanders history thank you and have a nice day

[honestlyitsjustsam]

What would be the worst way to punish zeke for all that he did?

hmm thats a hard question cuz Zook already hates life, his race and a lot of stuff (well recently in the manga he in a way found some beauty in life though)

For me the worst thing may be something involving Eren because he already had a shitty childhood with zero parental love and now that he found his half bro(even tho in the manga it seemed like he only started liking eren because he pretended to work with him and his plan) i believe he would tresure Eren a lot. So maybe Eren breaking him mentally and idk physically can be a great punishment for him( its so hard for me to say anything rn because of everything happening in the manga and with zook being💀 ahshdhjdkd)

What do you think?

[clonepa2]

Gad-fuckin-zooks, Bro.

[that-buckley-gal]

Delirious #4 | Supposed to Be Here

After we settled down, Rooster and I split up to mingle amongst Zeta’s guests. He had to because he was Zeta’s vice president and I mingled because I was going to be seeing the pledges a lot at Omega/Zeta get-togethers. Along the way, I met a few cool dudes and a few lame ones. My list of names kept growing in my head, and I had a long mental list of guys who seemed like they’d fit in with Zeta.

I sit on the porch to take a fresh breath and to write down some of the names.

Just as I finish writing, the front door opens and a red-hawked guy steps onto the porch.

“Found you. Come inside, me and you are gonna play winners in beer pong.”

“Who’s playing now?” I ask as I stand up. I take my boyfriend’s hand and he leads us back into the house, through the living room and to the gaming room. I see Christian and a guest standing on one side of the table. Looking over at the other, I see Zook and McQuaid are playing against them. “Five bucks says Zook and McQuaid win.”

“You’re on. Christian’s got this.”

“Come on, bro. You got this,” I said loudly to Zook who nodded his head. “You too, McQuaid.” Brad smiled slightly and the boys continued the game. It got down to where both sides had one cup left and McQuaid and Christian were shooting.

Half the room, including me, cheered for McQuaid whilst the other half, Rooster included, chanted Christian’s name. The boys locked eyes with each other and Christian took the first shot; it missed the cup and McQuaid swiped it at an awkward angle with his paddle after it bounced once, and the house went quiet as the ball soared to the other side of the table landing directly in the last cup. Since Zeta’s rule was “no rebuttal”, Christian saluted Zook and McQuaid before finishing the last cup, which deemed my brother’s the winning team. Rooster groaned beside me.

“Awh, sweetie. Look at it this way, Zook and McQuaid are probably buzzed and will lose this time,” I smirked at him.

“If we win, I don’t owe you five dollars.”

“If we lose, you owe me ten dollars.”

A few of the Brothers from Zeta chuckled at the fact that their normally hot-tempered VP was playfully bantering with his girlfriend, a member of Omega, but Rooster didn’t seem to mind tonight.

As we took our paddles, Zeta’s Treasurer read out Zeta’s house rules in beer pong while the brothers set up the cups. Just as they started to fill them up with beer, Christian said they should mix up the liquor in the cups since a team consisting of Omega/Zeta partners was playing. Zook thought about it for a quick moment, and when he looked at me I nodded briefly, and he agreed.

Normally, I wouldn’t go for drinking mixed drinks, but since both Zook and Rooster were here, I knew I’d be safe to do so. So I watched as 5 guys came out of the kitchen with 5 different liquors in their hands.

Corona Extra was emptied into one cup. Jack Daniel’s in another. Grey Goose and Smirnoff in another two. I cringed when I saw Four Loko being emptied in another cup and grew confused as I thought we were playing six cups.

I close my eyes as the boys passed around the sixth cup, pouring a little of each of the drinks-in-hand in before Christian set it down. Then the process was repeated for Zook’s cups.

“This is gonna be so fun,” I tell myself. “It’s just drinking with friends.”

Eventually the game started, and we all agreed that both team members could hit the ball, and if a ball lands in a cup, then the person who last shot the ball would be the one to drink.

Zook and McQuaid weren’t as sloppy as I thought they would be because the ball was back and forth for a while until my hand slipped. The ball sailed over to the other side, getting hit by Zook and coming back. It didn’t even bounce on the table before it landed in one of the cups.

“Dang it,” I pouted playfully and grabbed the cup the ball landed it. I removed the ball and handed it off to Zook, taking a quick sniff of my drink. “This is definitely vodka, people.” I raised the glass and drank the double shot all in one go. I coughed slightly as I threw the cup to the ground. “You’re going down now,” I pointed at the other team, which caused everyone to cheer.

___

In the end, Rooster had drunk the Four Loko and the Corona whilst I had the Smirnoff, JD, and Grey Goose. Brad had taken Grey Goose, Corona, and Four Loko. Zook had the JD, Smirnoff, and finished the game with the mixed drink.

“See? I told you fuckers you were going down,” I slurred at my brother and his friend who simply shook their heads and laughed at me before saying good game. By this point, it was nearing 11 P.M. and Zook just asked if Brad had any special talents.

Rooster supported my tipsy self as we watched Brad scratch his neck awkwardly as he thought about talents he possessed. Eventually he shrugged and said he knew various ways to open up a beer.

“Let’s see then!” a random dude yelled.

A six-pack of corona was set in front of Brad and he grabbed one. I watched in drunken amazement as he twisted the lid off with the inside of his elbow and upper forearm before grinning at the bottle and flicked off the top.

The crowd let out a few excited murmurs and the night progressed with Brad showing various ways to open up a beer bottle with various body parts including: his eyes, ear, and crotch.

I looked at Rooster who looked star struck, and then around me to see almost every Zeta brother was amazed by McQuaid’s tricks and shook my head, smiling to myself. These were my friends, and looking back McQuaid, I knew that my brother was going to make him a pledge. As the boys finished messing around, I wandered over to the stereo and slowly turned the volume up and made Jasmine dance with me.

The girls in Omega slowly began to move with the music while encouraging the boys of Zeta to dance with them. The guests began to slowly move in odd ways with the music until everyone in the room was dancing in some way. Jasmine and I stayed close together, but our eyes wandered over the guests. The guys who were all walk-on day today were all jumping around, fist pumping and having fun.

Eventually, the awesome dance party came to an end. By now I was slightly drunker than when we finished the beer pong because the drinks kept coming while we were dancing. Penny and a few of the other girls were helping the drunker girls back to the house. Zook assured her that I would be staying at Zeta that night due to my drinking and wanting to be sure I was okay, which was a minor relief to Penny.

After the house was emptied out, with the exception of the Zeta members and Brad McQuaid, it was nearing 2 AM. I currently sat on the stairs, nursing a water bottle while Zook told his brothers goodnight before asking if we (Rooster, Brad, and myself) wanted to go to the stadium. Brad and I agreed and Rooster grunted out his agreement before we all began shuffling towards the stadium.

The fresh, crisp air sobered me up a little more, but I still stumbled along beside Rooster, who kept his arm out at an odd angle beside me ready to catch me if I fell. I loved him, my tough and protective boyfriend.

When we got to the stadium, I picked a spot on the grass a few feet away from the goal post and lay down, staring at the stars. Brad and Zook shimmied up the goal post while Rooster paced around, drinking more beer.

“You okay, Gem?” Zook called.

“Fine!” I yelled back. After a few minutes, Rooster began throwing himself at the goal post, hoping to bring it down while Zook and myself told him to not do that. I lean up on my elbows and watch as the red-hawk guy peeled his shirt off and got into his defense pose before McQuaid asked him what his tattoo was.

What’s up with the McQuaid brothers and tattoos? I ask myself but then jump up when Rooster knocked himself out. I yelled at Zook and McQuaid, who merely watched as I made sure Rooster was okay.

“Dude has a thick skull,” Zook chuckled once I sarcastically yelled that Rooster was okay. “I knew he would be.”

I flipped my fraternal twin off before simply laying back down in the grass, this time closer to Rooster and listened to Brad and Zook talk about football, feeling like I was supposed to be here, in this moment, all along. I smiled to myself and shifted closer to Rooster and rested my head on his chest, feeling his heartbeat against me.

[profzook]

ZOOK MEDITATIONS FOR TUESDAY, 2022-SEP-27

ZOOK MEDITATIONS FOR TUESDAY, 2022-SEP-27

According to various reports, Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) is in trouble. From $50 billion in debt to only having enough cash on hand to release up to three movies annually.

WBD has two significant assets on its spreadsheet: 1) HBO (not HBO Max) and 2) the DC Universe. HBO is doing well as always and can hold its own in a fight. DC is a different story completely.

If you do a Google search on “Warner Bros Discovery,” there will be more negative results than positive results. As previously mentioned, WBD has a $50 billion debt load, restructuring arguments, internal disputes, and general chaos and disorder.

I am going to focus on the DC issues and problems for this post.

Superman and Batman are among the oldest and most well-known comic book characters in the world. Yet DC and to a greater part WBD leadership cannot seem to market Superman, Batman, and other DC properties to compete with similar companies; the Mouse is beating the Rabbit.

Simply stated The Walt Disney Company is a well-run and well-organized company organization. Marvel Lucas Film Ltd, Pixar, and Disney properties are siloed, separated, and run as independent companies under the Disney corporate umbrella; none of this is true at WBD and specifically DC. Leadership is the differential in the equation.

I do not think WBD should poach someone from Marvel or Lucas Film Ltd to run DC, but I do think WBD should hire an outsider to WBD and the movie industry. Poach an executive from a Silicon Valley company like Google or Apple or an auto executive from Detroit who manages large projects like designing a new EV.

The important part is the new DC President has no ties to the company or industry, so the chances of corporate politics and favoritism are greatly lessened. Ultimately, WBD would be hiring The DC Visionary Officer (to quote Simon Sinek); unlike Disney, WBD has no vision and specifically for DC. I do not suggest trying to become Marvel Studios, but having a vision, a plan, and GPS coordinates.

I am hoping that Comcast purchases DC from WBD, but I am also hoping the Detroit Lions make it to the postseason.

@profzook = Blogger, Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, Gab, Parler, Patreon, Locals, Pinterest

WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Viber = +1-480-528-1656

[scadatlradio]

Charts (July 31, 2018)

1. GORILLAZ The Now Now (Parlophone/Warner Bros.) 2. BROCKHAMPTON "1999 Wildfire" [Single] (Question Everything/RCA) 3. KAMASI WASHINGTON Heaven and Earth (Young Turks) 4. ASTRONAUTS ETC Living in Symbol (Company) 5. WILD PINK Yolk In The Fur (Tiny Engines) 6. JIM JAMES Uniform Distortion (ATO) 7. PARQUET COURTS Wide Awake! (Rough Trade) 8. CHAMPAGNE SUPERCHILLIN Beach Deep (Broken Circles) 9. JACKIE COHEN Tacoma Night Terror Part 1 (I've Got the Blues) [EP] (Spacebomb) 10. DRAHLA "12 Divisions Of The Day" [Single] (Captured Tracks) 11. TY SEGALL AND WHITE FENCE Joy (Drag City) 12. NIGHT FLIGHT Wanderlust / Carousel (CRC) 13. DAN ISRAEL You're Free (Self-Released) 14. BEACH HOUSE Seven (7) (Sub Pop) 15. PROTOMARTYR Consolation [EP] (Domino) 16. BARRIO MANOUCHE Aries de Cambio (double0one) 17. HARVEY TRISDALE Harvey Trisdale [EP] (Baby Blue) 18. SUDAN ARCHIVES Sink [EP] (Stones Throw) 19. HATCHIE Suger & Spice [EP] (Double Double Whammy) 20. CHASTITY Death Lust (Captured Tracks) 21. TANCRED Nightstand (Polyvinyl) 22. DEAFHAVEN Ordinary Corrupt Human Love (Epitaph) 23. WILDERADO Favors [EP] (Bright Antenna) 24. THE CREATION FACTORY The Creation Factory (Lolipop) 25. SEAN HENRY Fink (DDW) 26. JENN CHAMPION Single Rider (Hardly Art) 27. HENRIK APPEL Burning Bodies (PNKSLM) 28. THEM ARE US TOO Amends (Dais) 29. INTERPOL "The Rover" [Single] (Matador) 30. BAD RELIGION "The Kids Are Alt-Right" [Single] (Epitaph)

Top Adds

1. BOY WILLOWS Woods At Night [EP] (Self-Released) 2. THIN LIPS Chosen Family (Lame-O) 3. ZOOK Garden Variety (Self-Released) 4. BOY PABLO "Sick Feeling" [Single] (777) 5. CHARLES BRADLEY AND THE INVERSIONS "Whatcha Doing (To Me)" b/w "Strike Three" [Single] (Daptone) 6. YOKE LORE Absolutes [EP] (Big Indie) 7. MASSAGE Oh Boy (Self-Released) 8. T SOOMIAN Love Relief [EP] (Self-Released) 9. SLOWCOACHES Nothing Gives (Sonic Unyon) 10. BILLY MOON "White Shoes" [Single] (Old Flame)

[junker-town]

We asked for your wildest World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party stories. Here are your, uh, best

Florida vs. Georgia (or Georgia vs. Florida) has a case to be considered the trashiest rivalry in all of college football, and it’s pretty clear a whole lot of fans like it that way. (Some of these are obviously NSFW.)

Anyone who’s familiar with the rivalry between Florida and Georgia can agree that it’s one of the wildest rivalries in college football, and not just because it’s so hard to predict on the field. It can get a little rowdy, given the copious amount of alcohol that’s consumed all weekend. You could even make the argument that Jacksonville becomes the silliest fan scene in college football every year.

After all, for years, this game was called the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, even though CBS isn’t allowed to call it that anymore. One of the rivalry’s most famous moments, Georgia’s 1980 game-winner, even ended with UGA announcer Larry Munson predicting an especially eventful late night:

Do you know what is gonna happen here tonight? And up at St. Simons and Jekyll Island and all those places, where all those Dawg people have got those condominiums for four days? Man, is there gonna be some property destroyed tonight! 26 to 21, Dawgs on top!

Naturally, we decided to ask some fans of games past to submit their messiest WLOCP stories and memories.

You folks did not disappoint!

These aren’t all the submissions, but I tried to pick the best ones.

Nick, a Georgia fan who attended in 2012:

I was in college. My best friend and I traveled form Birmingham last minute to go to the game. Needless to say, we got to Jacksonville late (5 a.m.). We sleep under a bridge in the car and we woke up around 8 a.m., surrounded by UF fans who at this point have made fun of us for two hours by now for being sleep. We party like every other kid that day. We go into the stadium an hour early so my friend could sleep before the game, and he lays down in the aisle.

Game kicks off, he is still sleep. The people next to us didn’t mind and kinda laughed — a guy mentioned that he hasn’t seen his granddad and he was supposed to be here by now.

Granddad shows up with hand cuff on his hand screaming ‘I ESCAPED!’ I couldn’t believe it. I asked ‘from what?!’ He apparently got arrested or detained before the game and as they were putting cuffs on him, a fight broke out, and he slipped into the stadium.

My friend meanwhile wakes up at the end of the first quarter and looks at me and says ‘Have I missed anything?’

Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

Tripp, a Florida fan who’s attended every year but one since 1993:

The year was 2008. Tensions were high, and beverages were flowing. My girlfriend, who is now my wife, and I were really getting after it. Bloody Marys at 9 a.m. Beer all morning. Bourbon in the afternoon. Typical day at the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. We let the day get away from us.

Before we knew it, it was about 20 minutes to kickoff and we had forgotten to go get our tickets from my parents' tailgate. We had no way of getting in touch with them at that point, because phones don't work down there, but fortunately we were able to find their spot. They'd been parking there for years. Unfortunately, they were long gone. Our only hope was that they had left our tickets in the car, which I was able to unlock via numerical keyless entry. Meanwhile my girlfriend, who "wasn't feeling great," took a load off in the front seat, I ransacked the car from bow to stern. No tickets.

Then the barfing started. My girlfriend tried her best to point it out the door, but she yakked all over the floorboard of the driver's seat of my mom's Mercury Mountaineer. I removed the floor mat from under her feet to shake off as much puke as I could, uncovering TWO TICKETS to the 2008 Florida-Georgia Game. I found some paper towels and wiped things down as best as I could, started the car (my dad always leaves the keys inside), cranked the air, got some water for my future bride who was now sleeping peacefully in the front passenger seat, put her ticket in her jacket pocket, locked the door, and sprinted for the stadium.

I didn't get to see Brandon Spikes ruin Knowshon Moreno, but it was the only play I missed. My girlfriend, on the other hand, missed most of the game. She joined us, feeling refreshed, just in time to sing "We Are The Boys of Old Florida."

Tripp, do you have a brother? Chivalry is not dead!

Jack, a Georgia fan who attended from 2008-11, and 2013 and 2015:

Friday of the WLOCP Weekend is known as Frat Beach Day to the Georgia students who make the trip down to St. Simons Island. It’s day drinking on a strip of beach with 5,000 of your classmates. By the end of the day the beach is a battlefield of blackout 20-somethings staggering through sand, publicly urinating, and, in the case of 2013, engaging in the timeless art of public sex.

Those of us still on the beach in the late afternoon that day were treated to a, uh, “public display of affection” when a couple of coeds confused the Atlantic Ocean for their hotel bed.

Jack submitted a photo of the act (which we’ve edited to obscure identities by putting old Georgia logos on the faces of the people who are making love in the ocean in October), and it’s well, something!

Josh, a Florida fan who’s attended most of the 1990s, as well as 2004, 2004, 2007, and 2011:

I am reliably informed that I was found halfway under a truck, singing the chorus of “I’m Alright” by Kenny Loggins (2007). My female friend was pushed into a bush by a Georgia frat bro. She responded with the hardest nut kick I’ve ever seen (earlier in the week, 2007).

Someone at our tailgate got into the vodka-soaked pineapple and ended up grabbing a hot grill with his bare hands. He finished the day in an induced coma. He went off to medical school the next year.

Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

Joe, a Florida fan who’s attended from 1979-this year: Stealin’ golf carts!

1986 we were staying in the motor home, under the bridge, and had walked to the other end of the stadium. This was the Friday night before the game, to check out everything. A lot of cocktails were being consumed, and we were heading back to the motor home, which was a long walk ,and all of a sudden we saw a golf cart sitting empty. We looked at each other, and both at the same time jumped in and took off.

As soon as we pulled up to the motor homes and got out ,everyone was like ‘what the hell did you guys do, steal a golf cart?’ And we were like ‘well kind of, it was just sitting on the side of the walk.’

We rode it all over that evening; finally the batteries died. The next morning, we wake up, and come to find out ,the golf cart was owned by the city of Jacksonville, and they were letting their police officers drive them around for security purposes. We left it where it died, and it was still there when we left on Sunday. Never heard a word about it, and still park in same lot to this day.

Raul, Florida fan: Years attended: 2000-06, 2008-12, 2014 and 2016:

2002 (year we played at night) game Nov 2. Halloween was Thursday night. We decided it would be a good idea to drive to Jacksonville on no sleep at 7am. On the way to Jax, we decided it would be a good idea to kidnap this random freshman we were sort of aquatinted with name “Miami Mike”. We drove to keys complex and knocked on his door. He opened the door. We told him to get his stuff because we’re taking him to Jax to make a man out of him. There were two girls sleeping in his bed at the time. He looked back at them sleeping and said that he was in. He just left the girls in his room, didn’t pack clothes or toiletries and got in the car.

A big part of our crew played on the UF hockey team and they had played UGA in hockey that afternoon. A fight broke out, so they were fired up. We got drunk and belligerent in the hotel that evening . At 9 p.m., Gator City Taxi took us to the landing. UGA fans were extra chippy that year because they were undefeated in Richt’s 2nd year and UF had three losses (sound familiar?) in Zook’s first year. Several fights broke out at the landing including a 25 minute tug of war over a UGA flag, that was hanging on the stairwell next to Hooters, with a group of croakie wearing UGA fratties in long sleeve button downs and khakis. The UF crew eventually won the tug of war and burned the UGA flag around us chanted ‘it’s great to be a Florida Gator.’

The next night we beat UGA in the only night game in the series and dashed their hopes of a national title.

Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

Will, a Georgia fan who attended from 1999-06:

I am pretty sure it was in 2000. Our group was walking to the game from our tailgate, we had a few road beers in hand and it was a pretty typical walk to the stadium, cheering as we walk etc. About 500 yards from the stadium, a Gator fan with orange and blue paint on his face and chest runs up to our group. He is yelling ‘Go Gators’ and doing the Gator Chomp. Innocent enough to start, we laugh and keep moving, but he follows us and gets louder and more demonstrative in his chomping. We get to the queue to enter the stadium and he is still yelling now louder and more in our face. We ask him to stop, he gets louder.

After a good five minutes, I take my half full beer and do the only thing I know to get him to leave. I throw it in his face. A dick move for sure, but we were out of options at this point. A cop witnesses the whole incident, the painted Florida fan is aghast and points to me and yells at the cop and says that guy threw his beer on me.

The cop just laughs, and says I saw it all go down and you deserved it; now leave them alone and get in the stadium.

Tyler, A Georgia fan who attended from 2014-17:

I’m a member of the Redcoat band, and it never fails that there is some crazy fans that love to taunt us when we go on to the field for halftime. Last year (2016) we had just gotten out on to the field when some Florida fans started waving Milkbones in our direction.

A friend of mine decided to show off a little so he asked for them to throw a bone down to him. The fans obliged and my friend decided to take a HUGE bite out of the dog treat. The Florida fans went wild and so did everyone in the band.

After our performance my friend said that he didn’t regret doing it, but that the treat didn’t taste great.

Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

Anonymous Florida fan who’s attended “Since dad could carry me into Alltel Stadium (still will only call it this):”

I want to say 2010 or 2011, when the city wanted to really crack down on the partying outside of the stadium. All the UF fraternities had their tailgates at the usual spots in Lot J, right up against the pond. About an hour or two into our tailgate we get raided by ATF agents. Not normal cops doing security, but guys in bulletproof vests and machine guns. Tables covered in liquor and mixers start being flipped — ‘we know you're underage!’ being yelled.

The next day, a friend of mine appears on the front of the newspaper holding his head in his hands with some ‘has the partying gotten out of control-esque’ headline. Good times.

In 2010, EDSBS asked fans to submit stories, and there were some great ones in this batch as well.

bba:

We go over near van buren just north of the stadium each year. old houses that let you have bathroom access. plus there is this shady guy across the street that cooks a mean batch of ribs. there is also a house that was/is full of animals. this dude has all sorts of birds and such. one year we lost a friend and looked up to see her standing in the window w/ a macaw on her shoulder w/ the animal dude holding a raccoon beside her. i don't even have time to get into the lizards or pelicans. i really am not making any of this up.

Hogtown beatdown:

Back when they would sell the 32 oz beers at the Landing, we would go up to the food court where they were only $4 apiece. This was also where most of the Greek system partied when at the landings. I’ll never forget this as long as I live. Upon buying 2 of the big ass beers, a Tri-Delt girl I had hooked up with from BALLS bar at UF saw me and asked if I wanted a "gameday line", as she pointed to their table. That’s when I saw the 6 Orange Adderall lines alternated with 6 Blue Xanax lines.

Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

hailtogeorgia:

After a long night drinking on St. Simons, everyone awoke early in time to board the charter buses leaving the island at nine to head down to Jax. My fraternity had purchased kegs and cases of beer for the bus rides, but since the buses are loaded more or less first come first serve, I was stuck on a different bus without beer. Thus, I was forced to crack open my handle of Jack for the ride down. Needless to say, a few short hours later, I was quite possibly the drunkest I've ever been without blacking out. I had a girl taking care of me who thought I was going to be sick, so she asked if I needed to go to the bathroom. Naturally, I took this as her implying she wanted to go to the bathroom with me to hook up, so I answered affirmatively...off to the row of porta-potties we go. We get inside, I make my move, and somehow, she's semi-OK with this. One thing led to another and finally was ended with her realization that she was, indeed, about to have sex with a drunk guy in a porta-potty at the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. We decide that she should go out of the john first, so out she goes. Unfortunately for me, she couldn't inform the 60-year old woman waiting in line next that I was still inside, and I promptly had the door opened up to me zipping my pants with an obvious erection. She screamed, I screamed, pulled the door back shut, and waited it out for the next 10 minutes peeking out of the top of the door until she walked off.

Shawn:

A fist fight started between a Georgia fan and a Gator fan amid a large crowd. There was cheering for both sides and occasionally it looked as though it might pull in a few participants. This isn't rare. This happens all the time. What was odd was how the fight stopped. A giant Miller High Life truck was rolling down the street toward us with many people with cameras following in tow. We're all still watching the fight - what do we care about some photogenic beer truck? Turns out that Windell Middlebrooks, who I'm sure everyone knows better as The High Life Guy was sitting in the passenger seat, hanging out the window talking with people and getting pictures and such. As soon as this was discovered, the residents of greater Duval county and beyond immediately dropped any interest in the fight and became starstruck. Maybe 30 seconds later, the fighters themselves finally heard that the huge celebrity, High Life Guy, was here! They could not disengage from their fracas quickly enough to go and meet this guy. Florida fan had a ripped shirt, Georgia guy had a bleeding cut on his face, neither of them cared. They had to meet him.

Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

Silver britches:

My best friend is a train fanatic. It's disturbing. The man had a Microsoft Train Simulator. This was not an exciting game.

In 2001, while walking to a liquor store in a questionable part of Jax, we came across some tracks about 1/4 mile from our hotel. The wheels start turning. We get back to Athens and he locks himself in his room. He comes out with satellite images of railyards, schedule tables, and pictures of engines and various cars. He's hopping a freight train to Jacksonville in 2002. He wants me to come with him. He was no stranger to this - he constantly hopped from Athens to Abbeville, SC and back. But. . . this. This was going to be his Mona Lisa. My rail experience consisted of taking MARTA to Hartsfield on occasion.

A year later we give our bags to a friend that's driving down and we're dropped off outside a railyard in Athens around midnight. We hop a fence and start looking around. He knows what train to hop because he has the engine number of the one we're looking for. This guy couldn't figure out the UGA bus system, but could find out which freight train to illegally hop to go to the Cocktail Party. After hiding in some scrub, we hop on once it starts moving. He says for the most part we'll be doing between 5 and 65 mph, but once we get south of I-20, we'll spend some time in excess of 80. After an interminable (yet scheduled) layover in Waycross and a train transfer, the last leg seems to take forever. He starts checking landmarks and rail switches, blah, blah, blah until he tells me it's time to get off. The only problem is that the train is going much, much faster than it was when we got on. He informs me it's not slowing down again until roughly Tampa. The trick is to kind of roll into the landing. At 1:45 a.m. Friday morning, our friend answers the door at the hotel to find the two of us, completely black from grime. It only took us about 23 hours what a Ford Explorer accomplished in 6.

Then we fucking lose.

My personal highlight from the 2014 game was seeing this dude passed out in the press box.

Morgan Moriarty, attended in 2013 and 2014:

Someone spent too much time at The Landing before coming to the press box. #UFvsUGA http://pic.twitter.com/IZIiv1htIL

— Morgan Moriarty (@Morgan_Moriarty) November 1, 2014

My colleague, Richard Johnson, who’s been to the game from 2010-15, also weighed in:

My fraternity in college used to get two parking spots right next to each other in the stadium parking lot donated by alums. For the visual, head to the 31-second mark in this video. Those are my fraternity brothers standing on pickups:

The year was 2012, and that day, everyone jumped on the trucks so often during pregame that the shocks on one of the trucks got ruined, and it had to be towed out of EverBank Field's parking lot.

We salute you, Florida and Georgia fans, for admitting your debauchery!

[classiclasvegasblog]

A Great Review for "Gambling on a Dream"

Writer John L. Smith wrote a dynamite review for my book, Gambling on a Dream: The Classic Las Vegas Strip 1930-1955:

It was just before Christmas in 1955 when New Orleans sax man Sam Butera received a phone call at home.

It was his old pal and occasional running mate Louis Prima on the line. Prima’s high-energy performances with Keely Smith had made them a must-see act on the Las Vegas Strip.

But the act needed to kick it up a notch. Prima was calling that Christmas Eve with a request for Butera to hop on a flight to Vegas and let that tenor sax rip.

Vegas would have to wait, but only until the day after Christmas. Butera’s decision helped define Las Vegas lounge culture forever.

It’s safe to say those of us who were fortunate enough to interview Butera never tired of hearing the generous spirit tell that story. It figures that Lynn Zook would have that anecdote – along with so many more — in her new multimedia book, “Gambling on a Dream: The Classic Las Vegas Strip 1930-1955.”

Available on Amazon, iTunes, and other sources as a download, the book includes rarely-seen photographs, interviews with Butera and many more great Las Vegas characters from the past, with nearly 40 videos. The design itself is a delight, but if you’re a lover of Las Vegas of a certain age, its the content that will make you want to jump and jive.

The book takes you through the histories of some of the most iconic hotel-casinos in the history of the Strip. They were gambling joints, sure, but between their entertainment policies and their flashy architecture the Boulevard’s best resorts dazzled hip and square alike, offering many dining experiences plus a party atmosphere 24 hours a day.

If that pitch sounds a little like the way most Las Vegas resorts portray themselves in the modern era, it’s because it’s the undeniable formula for success. Check out the clubs and pools on the Strip today – the ones with the party atmosphere are anthills of activity. Only the hairstyles and tattoos have changed.

Zook comes by her love of neon Las Vegas honestly. She moved with her family to Las Vegas on Labor Day in 1961. Her mother took a job as a showroom waitress — a great gig in that era — first in the Sky Room at the Desert Inn, then to the Sahara, and then over to the Stardust. When mom landed a coveted spot at the Circus Maximus at Caesars, it was one of the best duties on the Strip. And there were side benefits.

With a parent working in close proximity to the stage, Lynn was able to see the Smothers Brothers, “Fiddler On the Roof,” “Mame,” “Sweet Charity,” and even Elvis.

“Probably one reason why I have such a love for the town is that I had a very memorable childhood,” says Zook, a Los Angeles resident who works as a digital librarian in the consumer products division of Warner Bros. “I grew up in Las Vegas in the 1960s and 1970s in that mythical era when the city was known as the entertainment capital of the world.”

In the book, the El Rancho, Last Frontier, Flamingo, Thunderbird, and Sands are featured in fine style. And, yes, she’s already planning a followup that will highlight more resorts from the Las Vegas pantheon.

The best way to familiarize yourself with Zook’s Las Vegas love affair is to go to her classiclasvegas.com site, where you’ll be reminded that her devotion is “part of a nearly two-decade long historical preservation project documenting the history of Las Vegas and the stories of the men and women who transformed it from a dusty railroad town into one of the most legendary cities ever built.” Her blog posts are fascinating.

She left Las Vegas in 1977 to attend college in California, but “over the years, going back and forth visiting family I realized the city was changing rapidly and the town I’d grown up with was vanishing from the landscape.

“I wanted to help preserve sort of as many of the stories as I could.

Like Butera and Prima and all the other finger-snapping inhabitants of her new book, Lynn Zook doesn’t miss a beat.

If you still haven't read my book, you can learn more about it at my website Classiclasvegas.com

It's just $4.99!

[that-buckley-gal]

Delirious #3 | Rush Party at Zeta

Jazz: Hey girl. Where are you? jw. Don’t forget rush party @ zeta tonite.

Gem: Hey, sorry Jas. Was at walk-on day with Rooster n Zook. Didn’t forget – I’m at zeta now helping the boys set up. Come over n help if you want (:

Jazz: lol ok. Be there soon. See you.

Gem: See you.

“Better warn your boys that Jazz and co. are coming over,” I tell Zook. He groaned as he looked at me.

“Hey! Don’t look at me like that!” I said. “You know she’d be storming over here anyway if I didn’t answer. I just saved myself from being yelled at.”

“Does she still have a crush on me?” Zook asked.

“Brother, I’d rather have her crushing on you rather than Rooster any day,” I said. This made us fall into a silence that was slightly uncomfortable because we both knew where this conversation would go if we continued it.

“I know,” Zook said quietly. “And I don’t blame you, but you still gotta wish for her to fall in love with someone other than me.”

“She will after she graduates this year!” I announce. “Hopefully.”

Zook laughed, and any uncomfortable air floated away.

“Hey, we get that you two are twins and all, but you think you can help us?” Christian, Rooster’s best friend, called up to us.

“I can help. You can just stay here for now and chill,” Zook said before he disappeared downstairs.

“I love your brother,” Rooster announced suddenly. I flinched at the loud tone and his sudden closeness before turning to him. His face clearly read mischief. “I really do. Now that you’re free from chores…”

He grabbed my hand and all but dragged me to his room down the hall. He had me pinned to the door as soon as it shut and forced his lips onto mine, not that I was complaining. However I knew that if we kept this up, we would both be getting side-eyed by our respective housemates all night along with potential ear beatings for skipping out on decorating.

“Stop, Jazz and the girls are gonna be here any minute,” I muttered against Rooster’s lips. “And then we’re gonna need to finish up.”

“Uh-uh,” Rooster said, grabbing my waist and leading me towards the bed. “They can handle it.”

“Rooster.”

Rooster pushed me on the bed and climbed over me, pressing his lips more forcefully against mine, and my heart rate increased with excitement. But then the thought of Jazz walking in on us, and seeing Rooster’s bod, and falling in love with him clouded my mind and I just stopped.

When he picked up on my refusal to fool around, Rooster pulled back and stared at me.

“What is it?”

I closed my eyes. “Jazz.” Rooster sighed and he rolled off of me and lay by my side. “I just don’t want her to want you.”

“And you think her seeing us together will make her want me?”

I purse my lips and shrug.

“Awh, Gem. Don’t do be an idiot,” Rooster scolded. “I know I don’t say it a lot, but you should know that I’m never going to hurt you because I fucking love you too much.”

I sniffed as a smile formed before it fell again. “I know you wouldn’t hurt me, but Jazz – ”

“But nothing. It’s you and me. Everyone else can go fuck themselves.”

“I love you,” I said quietly. “James.”

Rooster gave me a lazy smile at the mention of his real name before closing the distance between us. He then stood up. “Well, I guess we can go down and help out, right?”

I stared at him, surprised. “Excuse me?”

“What now?” His smirk. He knows. He’s playing.

“Nimrod,” I seethe playfully.

“Idiot,” he said back as he continued to head towards the door. As he moved, he picked up a sock. Just as he steps out the doorway, I turn my phone on silent before reaching over and doing the same to Rooster’s while he locks the door after putting a sock on the knob.

I run into Jazz and Penny a while later, and say that I was helping Rooster with something. Both older girls pick up on my cover and give me knowing smiles before telling me to help set up the snack table.

“Happily,” I tell my co-presidents before heading to the table.

A short while later finds me standing awkwardly on the stairs, nursing a coke, while Zook and I make arrangements for Friday’s Omega/Zeta “family” dinner party.

“And please make sure the boys dress up in tuxedos. Bowties will be acceptable. I only say this because Jazz nearly gave herself an ulcer at the end of the year dinner-bash last semester when a fourth of y’all showed up in jeans and sweaters.”

“Really?” Zook took on a philosophical look.

“No.”

Zook sulks for a second and lets his eyes rescan the room whilst I finish my can of coke. “Yo! Brad! Hey!” He suddenly called. “What’s up, dude?”

I follow my brother down the four steps to the main floor and watch as he greets his guest of honor.

“Whoa; same puka, man.” Zook grabbed at Brad’s necklace before pulling on his own. My eyes then wander over Zook and Brad’s outfits to see that they’re dressed similarly and I chuckle to myself, taking a sip of an imagined beverage.

“Puka bros!” I shuffled closer to them as they high-fived. Only then did I realize that Brad brought along Dave as well. I can see he’s not taking Zook and Brad’s growing bond lightly as he narrowed his eyes at my brother as he and Brad compared themselves. He stopped once he realized I could see him, though.

Brad made a comment about his connection with Zook, which made Dave sarcastically suggest that they (Brad and Zook) ‘tie their dicks together and get married’. I shook my head at him, thinking that he should be happy if his brother was happy.

As I raise my empty can to my lips again, Rooster stumbles by and gets pulled into our group. He raises a brow at the empty can in my hand and I give a lame shrug. He shrugged too and laughed before greeting Brad and commenting on the puka. I noticed that Dave was trying really hard to get my boyfriend’s attention, which he failed to do.

“Well, I think my girl needs another drink,” Rooster told the other three boys as I took my place by his side. I gave him the empty can as Zook and Brad nodded approvingly before turning to their own conversation.

“Hey Rooster. Gem. How you doing?” Dave asked as we passed, but Rooster kept on walking. He probably didn’t hear poor Dave. Oh well.

We reached the snack table, which was still neatly organized. Rooster grabbed another can of coke and handed it to me.

“Dude, I think Zook’s in love,” I tell my boyfriend. We both look over at Zook and Brad whom chest bump and make their own sound effects to go along with it.

Rooster scoffed with a smirk and shook his head at me. “Bromance at most.”

“You’ll see,” I said in a singsong tone. Rooster shook his head and turned back to the junk food buffet and reaching out for a full bowl of chips.

“Hey, what’s up?”

Rooster stopped and turned sharply to the voice. I looked and saw that it was Brad’s brother. What was his name again?

“What’s up? I’m Rooster. This is my girl, Gem.”

“Oh, yeah, no. I’m Doug… We’ve met before.”

Okay, his name is Doug. Not Dave. Doug. Not Dave. Ugh, does it even matter?

Rooster looked at me and I stared back at him. “Oh really? I don’t remember that at all. You must just have a really plain face.”

“Yeah. They call me Ol’ Plain Face.”

I sniggered into my can while Rooster’s eyebrows furrowed. “They call you that?”

“So… Uh, do either of you have any body art? Or, like, any ink I could see?”

Because that’s not an oddly specific question, I think to myself but set my drink on the table and grab the bottom of my shirt ready to show off my only tattoo. Rooster grabs the can and hands it back to me before looking at Doug suspiciously.

“That’s a pretty random question,” Rooster said. There was suspicion in his voice and I stepped closer to him and wrapped an arm around one of his.

“Right,” Doug shrugged. “Anyway. Um, it was very nice meeting you, man.”

“Nice to meet you,” Rooster said, reaching forward to shake Doug’s hand. As soon as their hands touch, Doug’s free hand shoots up Rooster’s arm and tries to push his sleeve up over his tattoo.

“What the hell is wrong with you, man?” I snap at Doug and take a step towards him. I was extremely protective of my Rooster, who was also surprised by Doug’s actions.

“Yo, what the fuck are you doing, dude?” Rooster snapped. One of his hands grabbed my hip and pulled me back towards him.

“You…” Doug stammered backing away.

“You serious right now?”

“You’re being weird,” Doug stepped back, away from us. “You’ve been weird.”

Rooster glowered at the shorter man before trying to fake him out. Doug kept an eye on Rooster before high-tailing it out of the room. Rooster turned back to me.

“What is with that guy?”