#but as a guy who is a tennis player hes alright

[brightlight-dazzlingeyes]

can you compete? | pedri gonzalez

🎾 synopsis: You’re a young, rising Spanish tennis player focused on success. But focus is harder to keep when your condo neighbor happens to be Pedri González. He thinks you’d make a perfect team; you’re convinced he’s nothing but a distraction. warnings: light enemy-to-lovers vibes, fluff and mentions of alcohol consumption. (around 3.2k words)

part 1

It’s early morning in Barcelona, and you’re grateful for the quietness. These moments, the rare times you’re actually home, are precious to you. It’s just you, your racket, and the comforting rhythm of a tennis ball echoing off your condo’s shared court.

You’re midway through a rally with yourself when you sense him leaning against the gate. He’s watching – no, studying you. And he doesn’t bother hiding it.

It’s almost embarrassing how often you’ve been catching sight of him lately – like the universe is playing a joke on you. Every time you glance up from the courts or the gym, he’s there, flashing an annoyingly perfect grin at anyone who looks his way.

And everyone’s always looking.

You’ve heard all the stories, of course. That he’s a playboy, a heartthrob, the kind of guy who seems to walk into every room with his own spotlight. His type is trouble for someone like you, focused, aiming high. You don’t need a distraction that comes with a fan club.

But then, here he is, leaning casually on the chain-link fence at the edge of the court, watching you with a crooked smile that makes your pulse kick up. He’s not even pretending to play it cool, and that makes you want to hit your next serve a little harder.

“Trying to impress me?” His voice carries across the empty court, the hint of a challenge lighting up his eyes.

You roll your eyes, hoping he doesn’t see the hint of a smile tugging at the corner of your mouth. “Not everything’s about you, you know.”

He laughs, pushing off the fence and jogging over to where you stand. 

“Alright, fair, maybe I’m the one trying to impress you.”

“Don’t you have a game to train for?” you say, catching the ball mid-bounce, one eyebrow raised. 

“I’d rather watch you,” he replies, completely unbothered. It’s easy to see why he’s got a reputation: handsome, self-assured, carrying a charm that, by now, must be fine-tuned.

You roll your eyes, turning back to your practice, but you can feel his eyes on you. It’s hard to ignore the magnetic pull, the way he just… assumes. Like there’s no reason you wouldn’t feel the same spark he claims to see.

For him, it probably makes perfect sense – two rising stars, two athletes pushing the boundaries, both of you Spanish, both young, single and pretty. He probably thinks you’d make some kind of dream team.

But for you? You’re not sure you want the spotlight blending with your private life. Yet here he is, waiting, watching.

You toss the ball up for another serve, ignoring the way his presence makes the air feel charged. You tell yourself it doesn’t matter that he’s watching, that your focus is on the court. But when you glance over and he’s still there, a spark of determination flickers through you.

You could show him, really show him, what focus looks like.

“Want to join?” you call over, keeping your tone nonchalant.

His eyes widen a fraction, surprised at your invitation, but then he grins, crossing the court toward you. “Think you can handle it?”

You don’t bother replying; you just toss him a spare racket and settle into position. His confidence doesn’t faze you. You know your game, and as he takes his stance, you can see he’s trying to match the intensity in your eyes.

The rally begins, and it doesn’t take long to feel the rhythm of the game settle into place. He’s athletic, fast, clearly used to dominating on a field, but it’s different here. On the court, you know how to control each swing, each movement, the pace building until he’s panting, chasing after shots that hit just out of reach.

He misses a return, and you catch a quick, surprised look flashing across his face. It’s almost funny. 

“You’re really good,” he says, breathless, as he jogs back to his position.

You shrug, adjusting your grip on the racket. “Didn’t think I’d have to go easy on you.”

His laugh is loud, echoing around the empty court. “Alright, I get it. No mercy, then.” He wipes his brow with the back of his hand, and when you serve again, he’s throwing himself into every swing with even more energy, trying to keep up.

You keep pushing, refusing to let him break your concentration, but there’s something amusing about watching him struggle to meet your pace. The confidence he wore so easily when he first arrived is slowly giving way to real effort. A few more rounds, and you can tell he’s getting frustrated – and determined, his movements sharper, his brow furrowing as he chases down each shot.

But then, he misses again, his racket slicing through air, and he doubles over, panting. 

“Okay, I admit it,” he says between breaths, grinning up at you. “You’re better than I thought.”

“Thanks,” you say, barely out of breath, relishing the look on his face. You’re both laughing, the tension between you feeling easier now, almost natural.

And then he pulls his shirt over his head, wiping his face as he does, revealing a torso that’s as infuriatingly perfect as his smile. He catches you glancing, and his smile widens, clearly pleased with himself.

“Trying to distract me?” you question, raising an eyebrow.

“Is it working?” he shoots back, his voice full of playful arrogance as he drapes the shirt over his shoulder.

You shake your head, scoffing, but can’t help the small smile that tugs at your lips. You’re still not interested in the distraction, but you can’t deny he’s entertaining to have around.

“I’m Pedri, by the way.” He finally introduces himself, sticking out a hand.

“Yes, I know,” you reply, just barely resisting the urge to roll your eyes. “And you know who I am too, don’t you?”

He nods like he’s pleased you called him out. "Of course I do. Hard not to know."

It’s strange, though – after all the crossed paths and stolen glances, this is the first time you’ve actually exchanged names. His hand is warm when you shake it, and there’s an easy confidence in his grip.

“It's funny, right? Somehow, we never got around to introductions,” Pedri says.

You shrug, pulling your hand back. “Guess it didn’t seem necessary.”

“Or maybe you were avoiding it,” he teases, letting his eyes linger just a bit longer than usual. “Hard to get close to you, isn’t it?”

“I’m just here to train.”

His laughter fills the empty court. “Yeah, I noticed that,” he says, running a hand through his hair. “And I thought I worked hard.”

“Some of us don’t rely on charm alone,” you counter, tossing the ball up for another serve.

He watches, and though his expression is playful, there’s something else in his eyes – an understanding, maybe, or a spark of recognition. You might both play different sports, but in some way, he seems to get it: the drive, the endless hours, the need to push yourself to the edge.

For a second, he’s just another athlete, a competitor with the same fire you have.

Then he breaks the silence. “Maybe I’ll have to start coming to the court more often. Could use a rival like you.”

“Or someone to keep you humble,” you add.

part 2

You didn’t expect to see him here, not like this, face flushed and bright from a few too many drinks, eyes lighting up the moment you step into the room. You’re barely through the door when Pedri spots you; he makes his way over, steady but just a little wobbly, and you brace yourself for whatever antics he might have up his sleeve tonight.

“Hey, superstar,” he greets you with a dramatic flair, slinging an arm over your shoulder like he’s known you forever. “You’re late.” He says it as though he’s been waiting all night just to see you, like maybe his whole night’s been on pause until now.

Your friends exchange looks, hiding laughs, but Pedri doesn’t notice. He’s too busy guiding you toward the kitchen, asking if you’ve eaten yet, if you need a drink, if you’re “sure those heels are comfortable” because they look way too high. He’s eyeing them like they’re an injury waiting to happen.

“Careful,” he says, putting a hand on your elbow as you step over a stack of cups. “Don’t need you twisting your ankle, okay? They’re valuable assets to Spain.”

Turns out your friend who’s turning 21 today is actually a mutual friend, and Pedri makes sure to explain that detail to you, like he’d hoped it would be his ticket to seeing you here tonight.

You’re not usually one to drink, but come on, tonight is your close friend’s birthday party, it feels impossible to say no. And a couple of drinks? What’s the worst that could happen? It’s almost the end of the year, and the seasons have been bleeding together – match after match, the endless bounce of the ball inside those white lines. You’re not quite at burnout, but you’re close enough to feel it hovering around the edges. So you let yourself have a little fun.

After a couple of drinks, you’re as drunk as everyone else in the room, feeling light and fuzzy. And suddenly, Pedri makes all the sense in the world. You’re both nestled together on the couch, close enough to feel the warmth of his arm draped around you, the noise of the party fading in the background as you both look at each other like the world just zoomed in on you two. For anyone outside, it’s a ridiculous sight.

Pedri leans close, his mouth just by your ear. “Do you need water? I’ll get you some water.” His voice is earnest, like he’s on a mission, and before you can respond, he’s up, making his way across the room in a slightly unsteady line.

The moment he’s gone, your friends are on you, smirking and whispering. “Oh, he’s definitely into you,” one of them laughs.

You roll your eyes, trying to downplay the warmth creeping up your cheeks. “He’s like that with everybody,” you murmur, brushing it off just as he returns.

“Not everyone, no,” he meets your eyes with a seriousness that catches you off guard. “Just you.” he says, his words drenched in sincerity. And it might have been more meaningful if he didn’t almost drop the glass of water as he tried to hand it over.

You laugh, steadying the glass in his hands. “Maybe you need this more than I do,” you tease, guiding the water to his lips and watching as he drinks.

“Let’s get you some fresh air,” you say, placing a steady hand on his back as you guide him outside the party.

Outside, the night air is cool, and you’re both silent for a moment, just letting it clear your heads. Then, Pedri leans against the wall, hands in his pockets.

"I haven’t been to one of these in a while," he admits, glancing around.

"You mean a party?” you laugh, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, I’m serious,” he says, his tone soft but serious. “I’ve been working hard, trying to stay in good shape. And when I found out about tonight, I just thought... well, I’d probably get a chance to see you here. I figured it was worth coming. Then you didn’t show up for a while, and I thought, okay, maybe I’ll have a few drinks and head home. And now… now I’m half-drunk and probably made a complete fool of myself in front of you.”

You feel the warmth creeping up your cheeks, shifting your weight from one foot to the other. His confession hangs between you, and for a second, it’s almost too much. You’re not ready for this – at least, not tonight.

“I know what it’s like, not having time for parties or friends,” you say, looking anywhere but at him. “I’m just… I’m just glad we’re getting to have fun tonight.”

He’s quiet for a beat, and when you finally look back at him, there’s something unreadable in his gaze – a hint of disappointment, maybe.

“Yeah,” he says, nodding slowly, his smile dimming a little. “Me too. I’m glad we’re both here.” He straightens up, brushing the moment aside. “Do you want to go back inside? I think I’m feeling better now.”

Inside, Pedri keeps his distance, giving you space to be with your friends. There’s a subtle shift in him, like he’s taken a small step back, maybe a little hurt by how you brushed off his words earlier. But even with the room he’s given you, your eyes keep finding him across the crowd, drawn back to him.

As the party winds down, your sober friend offers to drive you both home. You and Pedri are tipsy, giggly, and hushed into the back seat, his shoulder pressing against yours. Every little bump on the road sets you both off into laughter over nothing in particular, the comfortable kind of closeness you wouldn’t have allowed at the start of the night.

When the car pulls up in front of your place, you both stumble out, waving goodbye to your friend as they drive off. Pedri follows you to your door, hands in his pockets. There’s a quiet pause between you, and for a moment, everything feels lighter, warmer.

Without much thought, you lean in, ready to end the night with a kiss. But he puts a hand up, stopping you gently.

“No, wait,” he says. He scratches the back of his neck, glancing down before meeting your eyes again. “I want to do this right, you know? Take you on a real date.”

You blink, surprised, his words taking a second to sink in. He stands there looking different somehow – uncertain in a way that’s almost too sincere.

“Why?” you ask, brushing off your own awkwardness with a smile. “What if I don’t feel the same way tomorrow?”

He laughs, but there’s determination in his words. “Then I’ll ask you tomorrow. And we’ll see.”

It’s hard to tell if he’s playing some long game or if he actually means it. But tonight, you decide not to question it. You nod, turning your key in the door, and before stepping inside, you shoot him a small smile.

“Goodnight, Pedri,” you say, not entirely sure about what comes next.

part 4

The court feels different this morning. Usually, it’s your escape – a place where everything falls into rhythm. But today, every bounce of the ball feels heavier, slower. You keep glancing toward the gate, distracted, wondering if he’ll actually show up. The fact that you’re even hoping he will surprises you.

Finally, after what feels like forever, you catch sight of him. He’s lingering at the fence, scanning the court with a nervous edge before his eyes settle on you. There’s a hesitation in his expression you haven’t seen before. It’s a strange look for him.

You’re sweating from practice, and as soon as you realize how out of breath and flushed you must look, a wave of self-consciousness hits. You’re suddenly aware of every strand of hair stuck to your forehead and every patch of dampness on your shirt. Not exactly how you pictured this moment, but there’s no backing out now.

“Hey,” he says, stepping onto the court with a tentative smile.

“Hey,” you reply, doing your best to keep it casual as you wipe your forehead with the back of your hand. “You’re here.”

“Yeah,” he chuckles, scratching the back of his neck as he glances around like he’s never been on a court before. “I told you I’d show up.”

You both fall silent for a second, and it’s almost...awkward. He’s usually so confident, but today there’s something different – a softness, maybe even a hint of uncertainty. Like he’s trying to gauge if you’re still open to this, whatever this is.

You hand him the spare racket, and he takes it with a sheepish grin. “Promise you won’t be too hard on me?”

“No promises,” you tease, falling into an easy rally.

As you both start hitting back and forth, the tension loosens, replaced by a comfortable rhythm. He’s not half bad, but you’re still making him chase the ball from one end of the court to the other. It’s fun watching him struggle, laughing every time he stumbles but refusing to give up.

“Wow,” he says, catching his breath, “This is... intense.”

You shrug, laughing. “Or maybe you’re just out of shape.”

He shakes his head, laughing along. But then he stops, staring at you for just a second too long.

“You should go on a date with me.” His voice is soft, almost vulnerable.

You blink, momentarily caught off guard. “A date?” You toss the ball lightly in your hand, trying to keep your composure.

“Yeah.” He nods, his eyes not leaving yours, searching for your reaction. “I know I’m probably out of my league here, but I thought it was worth a shot. Just one date.”

There’s something disarming about his honesty. You hadn’t expected this level of sincerity from him, especially not after the way he usually carries himself. You bounce the ball again, the motion a nervous habit. “What makes you think you can keep up with me?” you ask, attempting to sound playful.

He laughs, reaching up to catch the ball mid-bounce. “I’m tougher than I look,” he says, holding the ball out to you, but when you reach for it, he keeps it just out of your reach, a playful challenge.

“Oh, I see,” you say, trying to swipe it from him, but he pulls back, chuckling.

In the end, you stop reaching. You pause, crossing your arms, your heart racing. “Okay,” you say finally, surprising yourself with your willingness. “One date.”

His eyes light up with delight, and the earlier hesitation fades. “So, are you going to let me kiss you after the date?” you ask, half-joking, remembering how he held back after the party.

He gets serious for a second, then breaks into a big smile. “You can kiss me right now if you want!”

You laugh nervously, hyper-aware of the sweat on your skin. “I don’t know… I feel kind of gross right now.”

He shrugs, totally unfazed. “I really don’t mind at all.”

The sincerity in his voice cuts through your self-consciousness, and before you can second-guess yourself, you step forward and press your lips to his. 

The kiss is sweet and a little messy, but honestly? It’s everything you didn’t even know you needed. It’s like a light switch flipped on, sparking something deep inside you. For that moment, the whole world outside the court just fades away. His lips are soft, and there’s this warmth spreading through you, making you forget all about the awkwardness from just a second ago.

When you pull back, you’re both breathless, caught in the moment, and the connection is still buzzing between you. His eyes are wide, like he can’t believe what just happened, and it’s kind of adorable watching him process it all. You can’t help but smile back at him. Seeing him distracted, you reach for the tennis ball in his hand. “See you on our one date, then.”

He just stares as you walk away, surprise and delight flickering across his face. “Hey, you can’t just run off with that!”

You laugh and give him a cheeky wave over your shoulder as you head off.

[mousemannation]

Ben has literally liked transphobic posts by Vivek Ramaswamy. People like to uwu him for transphobia but he’s no better than Andrey. Just smarter for keeping it under wraps

DISCLAIMER: this is a long ass post im so sorry anon I kind of used this ask to talk about what I expect from players in general.

as i was writing that post i was like someone is definitely going to send me an anon about something problematic he did. this is no slight on u dear anon but let me explain why i still made the post.

on the most basic level, the post was hyperbolic, I think we all know this. Any sort of definitive statement like that is going to have exceptions. So my first reason to still make the post is that people will generally know to take it with a grain of salt.

The second reason is that I am not looking to sportspeople as beacons of morality. Whether our opinions align can and often does affect my support of them, but my support of them as an athlete is never a blanket support of them as a person. I don't know them and I almost certainly never will; i just like watching them hit a ball.

The third reason, and one that isn't always applicable but I'd say is extra applicable to someone like Ben is that I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. I'm a generally forgiving person, which has its pros and cons, but it means im naturally inclined to see the best in people. Ben is young, he's my age actually, and he lives a life that i could never hope to imagine. All these athletes do. Is that an excuse for prejudice? No, but it gives me hope that that prejudice comes from a place of ignorance not hatred.

The last three incidents of player prejudice (at least that I know of) have been Andrey, Paula and now Ben although i have not personally seen proof of this. Two counts of transphobia and one of anti-asian racism. I'm trans and asian (not Chinese, which is worth mentioning since Paula's incident was ostensibly anti-chinese, but is also an act used indiscriminately against all Asians).

Maybe I should expect more, but I'm almost always operating on the basis that a celebrity would hatecrime me, intentionally or not. I'm never really surprised when it comes out that a player did something problematic. And in these specific instances they are prejudices against groups I am a part of (or sort of adjacent to, not that white people know the difference between East Asians and South East Asians lol).

I am still mad at Andrey for his transphobic remarks against Imane because they were rash, uninformed, and very public. But I also don't think he's a terrible person. He's done a lot of things I don't agree with, but I'm not personally totally blanking him from my support, just sort of toning it down.

I was never that mad at Paula for that photo, again, maybe I should have been but to me it never came off as hateful, just ignorant. I mean i don't think she would have let the photo be taken and posted if she'd done it with intentional prejudice. I know the post got deleted but I don't know if she ever officially apologised, I wasn't keeping up, but I do think she should have. To me, that was the action of a sheltered western european white woman who wouldn't recognise intersectionality if you hit her over the head with it.

Now on to the man in question. You say he liked posts by a transphobe. Liking a post can mean many things, and it doesn't always mean unequivocal support. Liking several posts does, admittedly, get a little murkier. But my relationship with celebrities does not and can not account for their private beliefs. If a famous person is a bigot but they never mention it anywhere and there's no way for me to know what am I supposed to do? Sure, for some the absence of word or action against prejudice is bad enough (and this is a totally valid position to take) but I must refer you back to point 2. I'm simply not expecting explicit social justice from professional athletes. Am I positively jubilant when they do engage with it? Of course! But these are people so far removed from regular society. They spend every waking hour either hitting a ball or thinking about hitting a ball. I follow them to watch them hit said ball. (It also feels pertinent to mention that i only speak English and many of these players do not have english as a mother tongue. I can't expect perfect nuanced conversations this way).

So. Ben liked some transphobic posts. Could he be transphobic? Maybe. But also maybe not. Or maybe with a couple conversations he could learn to not be. I can't affect that. What I can do is find him funny and nice enough in videos, and talented at tennis. I can recognise that he is young, and deals with a lot of racism himself, which I'd hope would make him more sympathetic to people experiencing other kinds of prejudice. I can decide to continue to support him. Despite what I said in my last post about him, you do not have to.

TLDR my support for a tennis player is not unequivocal support for them as a person

[norrisainz33]

Seeing Doubles - GR63

☆ summary: George Russell attends Wimbledon and meets the tennis it girl, Y/N

☆ pairing: gr63 x reader

☆ fc: none

☆ warnings: none

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liked by landonorris, y/nuser, mercedesamgf1 and 543,322 others

georgerussell63: always a pleasure watching tennis 🎾 Congrats to y/n on your first of many wins at Wimbledon!

view all 1,234 comments

user12: Y/N AND GEORGE CROSS OVER?! dreams do come true

user10: who is y/n

user12: only one of the best women’s tennis players in the WORLD! don’t disrespect my mother like that

user10: my bad @.user12

user2: BARK BARK BARK

user3: Prince of England 👑

landonorris: omg! I think i saw you there! *liked by georgerussell63

mercedesamgf1: that’s our driver 😍

user4: ok toto

liked by serenawilliams, georgerussell63, wimbledon, and 143,630 others

y/nuser: dreams do come true 🤍

view all 546 comments

user12: CONGRATS QUEEN

Wimbledon: Congratulations Y/N!

Adidas: Congrats y/n/n!

user13: peep george in the likes. what’s he doing here

user14: omg do you think they’re dating?

user16: chilllll they just met!

user12: MAMA Y PAPA

user16: alright @.user12 let’s get you to bed

georgerussell63: congrats y/n! impressive performance! 🎾🍓

y/nuser: thank you george! was wonderful meeting you 🏎️🍓

user12: AHHHHHHHH

f1gossip: GR63 seen leaving posh restaurant in London with Y/N Y/L/N after their supposed meeting at Wimbledon earlier in the week. New WAG alert?

view all 102 comments

user34: omg first date vibes??

user17: Y/N would make the best WAG trust

user40: she’s just using him for his fame smh

user17: be so serious rn she just won wimbledon she has no need for his “fame”

user12: they are going to get together just you wait

user14: i just hope she makes our Georgie happy

y/nuser posted to their story

view story replies:

y/bff: GIRL WHO IS THIS

y/n: heheh i’ll never tell 🤭

y/bff: DONT TELL ME ITS THE VROOM VROOM GUY

user12: LOOKS LIKE GEORGE TO ME

user14: GEORGEY/N SUPREMACY

user19: please give me one chance i beg

georgerussell63: no need to be nervous gorgeous 😉

y/n: such a charmer

georgerussell63: only for you

liked by landonorris, georgerussell63, maxverstappen1, mercedesamgf1 and 51,436 others

y/nuser: alright guys - i get the hype now. thanks to mercedes for having me!

view all 867 comments

user13: tennis x f1 crossover! my favorite fr

mercedesamgf1: it was a pleasure having you y/n! You are welcome back any time 💙

y/nuser: i’ll definitely take you up on that 😉

landonorris: noooo come to mclaren instead

alex_albon: no williams

lilymhe: what alex said

y/nuser: @.lilymhe: ok fine maybe ill stop by the williams garage but only for you

lilymhe: YAY 💙

georgerussell63: @.alex_albon mate you’re supposed to be helping me seal the deal not steal her comment has been deleted by user

user54: DID ANYONE JUSY SEE GEORGES COMMENT

user67: WE SAW YOUR COMMENT GEORGE liked by y/nuser

user67: OMG Y/N LIKED. u a real one for that girly

liked by lewishamilton, y/nuser, y/bff/user, mercedesamgf1, and 650,150 others

georgerussell63: an unforgettable weekend! i am so proud of this team - thank you for everything. Now on to summer break ☀️

view all 1,456 comments

user19: CONGRATS GEORGIE

landonorris: had a good luck charm with ya this weekend huh? congrats mate

user18: lando what do you know

user12: he’s def talking about y/n

mercedesamgf1: congratulations George!

y/nuser: congrats george!

georgerussell63: thanks y/n! glad you were able to watch me win at your first race 😉

user22: oh he shooting his shot fr

user26: did yall see the shot of her smiling up at him while he was on the podium 😭

georgerussell63 added to their story

view story replies

alex_albon: so you got the girl or what?

georgerussell63: i don’t kiss and tell

alex_albon: yes you yabba dabba do

georgerussell63: 😔

georgerussell63: i did get the girl tho 🤭

y/nuser added to their story

view story replies

y/bff: you’re with him aren’t you

y/n: yes 🤍

y/bff: i can’t believe i lost my wife

y/n: you’ll always have me bb girl

georgerussell63: pic creds when

y/n: shhh this was the softest of soft launches

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☆ a/n: this is my first ever smau so please be nice!! had a lot of fun writing this. I was inspired by george's wimbledon fit today. likes and reblogs appreciated 🧡

☆ part 2 is definitely going to happen so stay tuned!!

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© norrisainz33: please do not rewrite, translate, or copy any of my works posted here on to any other platform

[callahanisms]

body talk

seeing challengers was a mistake guys because all i can think about is challengers and how much i love challengers and how cinema is back after people declared the death of cinema like three years ago and how much i wanna go see challengers again—

anyways uhhhh did challengers make me hop onto the mike faist train? yes. because i love a man that clearly worships his wife and kisses boys.

character: art donaldson

for vibes: "physical" by olivia newton-john

context: stanford university. 2007.

if you had a choice, you wouldn't be working as a receptionist in the gym. instead, you'd work in the infirmary. it was more in line with your desire to pursue sports medicine.

your father himself was an athlete who sustained a career ending injury and went into sports medicine. you wanted to follow in his footsteps.

but for now, you were working as a receptionist at the gym for your federal work study. college wasn't going to pay for itself unfortunately and your parents could only provide so much support.

art donaldson recognized you while you guys were at a party. "you're the person at the desk in the gym!" he sounded so excited. almost like a puppy.

"yeah..." you look down at your red solo cup. "you're like a regular. with tashi duncan."

"you know her?"

"well, i've talked to her a few times. she's great." who wouldn't like her honestly? you weren't the biggest fan of tennis but whenever tashi duncan played, she always managed to make it magical.

"you're also in my bio class, right?"

"you're in my bio class?"

"oh don't tell me you didn't notice."

you shrug. "i didn't. you're not very...noticeable, i guess."

art took personal offense to that statement.

okay not entirely. because to some extent, you were right. he wasn't as noticeable as some of the other people in class, like the lacrosse player on the guys team or the girl from the basketball team, both of whom you seem to be close with.

growing closer to art was just a matter of being in a lot of classes together, something you didn't realize during the first month of college.

to be fair, it was a lot.

but the good thing about having a lot of classes with him was that it meant you always had a go to person for group projects. and god were professors adamant about assigning group work.

at the very least, you had a workout buddy when you guys were free. sometimes, you were even joined by tashi duncan. so it was cool to be able to work out with a famous tennis player.

perhaps the gym is where you started to notice art's...physicality.

he wasn't entirely imposing, aside from being quite tall. but he had a surprising amount of muscle. perhaps the tank tops he wore didn't help much. it left little to the imagination.

because of your familiarity with the body and your desire to go into sports medicine, art called you when he was feeling a bit sore.

he opens the door with a smile, seeing you with your bag and clementines. "what's the fruit for?"

"just in case you get hungry." you step in and remove your shoes. "just lay down."

"bed or floor?"

"whichever you prefer. the bed might be more comfy. we'd have to move stuff around if you were on the floor. oh and take off your shirt."

"what?" he could feel his cheeks beginning to heat up.

"take off your shirt. a massage won't be that effective with your shirt on."

"alright. umm..." art just does what you ask of him, taking his shirt off and setting it aside on his desk chair. he gets on the bed and lays down, front side down.

you pull out a bottle of lotion and crawl onto the bed, straddling him at his waist. you are unaware of how red he is feeling you against him.

you feel around his back for bit, asking him where in particular is tight. once you got a good idea, you squirt some lotion onto your hands, rub it a bit, then begin to massage.

art would be embarrassed from the sounds that came out of him. but he was craving for the relief from his overworked and tired muscles. he could feel just how deep your hands went in, twisting and rubbing. your hands felt so good. they glided smoothly and your touch soothed him greatly.

"damn dude. when was the last time you massaged yourself?"

"don't know." he mutters, burying his lower face into his own pillow. he could feel himself growing warmer all over his body.

your palm pressing into him, dragging itself through his muscles, rubbing baby lotion into his skin so he's soft.

your hand reaches a part of his lower back, your palm rubbing through the muscle. and he moans.

you stop for a moment. "something wrong?"

"no...nothing's wrong..." he mutters.

"you sure?"

"yes. keep going."

he enjoys the way your hands move lower, and lower. he wants them to sneak to the front. massage him a different way.

your hands linger on a particular spot of his back though, feeling the defined muscle. there's something particularly...satisfying, about running your hands over his body. you were tempted to feel more. especially his arms.

art's arms were utterly gorgeous, as if sculpted out of marble by a renaissance artist themselves.

"i think you're all good."

"all done already?" he smelled like baby lotion. whatever that mean.

"unless you want me to massage elsewhere." you get off of him and he turns on his side to look at you.

the tank top you were wearing was a little bit tight.

art gently grabs your wrist. "magical hands you know."

"it's beneficial to learn how to massage. for your own betterment and health. though i will happily help you with the spots you can't reach."

he rubs circles into your wrists. "are they tired?"

"a little. it was because i took an exam yesterday. writing in those blue booklets is absolute torture."

"that's fair." his eyes flicker up to yours. the room was warm, the atmosphere right. "do you...like my body?"

"it's nice. you're very beautiful." you smile.

art pulls you forward, your legs hitting the wooden bedframe of the shitty college provided furniture.

"do you want to feel it?"

you bite your lip. "i think i do."

[bugtoonz]

Alright guys, here’s the official introduction of the infamous

McClintock High Teen Ninjas!

While not the only ninjas present at the school, these seven are the clear leads of the operation. For more information on each of them, check below the cut!

Stacey Pérez

- Cheer captain of the McClintock Cheerleading Squad as well as the unofficial official leader of the McClintock Ninjas

- She also cheers competitively; she’s, like, really good

- Probably the meanest girl you’ll ever meet, but only if you try going against her demands; stay on her good side, and you’ll escape her presence with only a few snide remarks and maybe a new insecurity

- Likes Chad’s face and hair, but likes flirting with other guys even more; besides, it’s not like she hasn’t totally heard from Cree that he was making out with Shelly Rivers underneath the bleachers last week!

- Has a super annoying KND operative brother that keeps stealing her BRAs!!! GET OUT SAM!!

- Despite her agility and cunning, was never a KND operative… she was never a fan of the whole “protecting helpless kids” bit; why go out of your way to help someone that can’t do anything for you in return?

Chad Dickson

- Former KND Super Star and Super Leader; current running back for the McClintock Wolverines

- Stacey’s on-and-off-again boyfriend; their relationship is more related to status than anything; think of it as a symbiotic relationship… Chad gets firsthand access to all Teen Ninja information and gossip, and Stacey gets some nice arm candy to make the girls on the squad jealous

- Occasional bassist for the ScumBucketPunks, founded by elusive Teen Leader The Steve

- Secret Doctor Time Space and the Continuums enthusiast; tell anyone and you’re dead. like, for real

- Secret double agent for the Teens Next Door; also, a double double agent for the Galactic Kids Next Door; it’s complicated.

Justin Cavallero

- Linebacker for the Wolverines; he loves pummeling people almost as much as he loves chugging offensive amounts of root beer at houseparties

- Twins with Chuckie; Yes, they’re identical. No, they are not the same person but with different hairstyles

- Him and Chuckie have an older brother that’s just gone off to college; he used to lock them in the closet when they were little and play scary ghost noises from his CD player until their mom found out and unlocked the door; he’s awesome

- Chad Dickson’s best friend, kinda; it’s sort of split between him and Chuckie, but he thinks he reigns supreme; Chuckie’s too soft

- Guitarist for the ScumBucketPunks. Has a totally straight bro-crush on The Steve.

- IT’S NOT GAY TO APPRECIATE PERFECTLY STYLED HAIR, CHUCKIE

Chuckie Cavallero

- Also a linebacker for the Wolverines; him and Justin are blessed with identical broad shoulders and thick skulls, so it makes sense

- The more sensitive of the two brothers, but still shares Justin’s puppy dog attention span and live while you’re young outlook on life

- Chad Dickson’s second best friend; he’ll admit it! It’s not like he doesn’t have plenty of other dudes to hang out with… not to mention the new girl at school who might be the coolest person he’s ever met

- Drummer for the ScumBucketPunks; pretends not to mind when The Steve accidentally calls him Chunky for the third time in one day

- Him and Justin were both KND operatives at one point in time, though both accepted decommissioning; they both just think they have childhood amnesia from all their rough-housing, or something

Violet Dau

- The newest student at McClintock High, and Stacey’s current pet project

- She thinks she might be getting the hang of the whole being a popular girl thing, but she’s not quite sure; at least she doesn’t totally suck at cheerleading; she misses playing tennis at her old high school, though

- Has a secret, massive sweet tooth; strawberry milkshakes are her favorite, but she’ll settle for vanilla if she’s really desperate

- Secretly working with Chad as a TND operative; he’s kind of a jerk sometimes, but she’s warming up to him, sort of? It doesn’t help that it always feels like he’s hiding something from her…

- Lives with her dad in a small apartment close to the school; they don’t talk much

Cree Lincoln

- Not a cheerleader (she’s captain of the girls’ volleyball team), but still high up in the ninja ranks thanks to her insider KND information and close connections with Father himself

- Sometimes friends with Stacey, but sometimes not; It’s complicated girl stuff; there’s a mutual respect though, and she’s smart enough to know not to jeopardize that if she ever wants to sit at the popular kids’ lunch table ever again

- Totally crushing on Maurice, and they might be kind of dating? She’s not sure yet, but she’s hopeful

- The best hand-to-hand combatant in the group, easily; the only way Chad is able to beat her during sparring matches is by riling her up and making her angry enough to drop her carefully planned attacks in favor of hard punches; Chad might be able to take her down in the end, but he’s the one with bruises along his ribcage for the next week

- Loves trashy teen magazines and pop punk girl artists; hates the classical music her mom plays in the car on the way to school

- Wishes her dumb little sister would finally grow up and join her in the teen world, which is super cool and mature, obviously

Maurice Wells

- Much too busy with international TND missions to do any sport or club; he doesn’t mind though, the high school social hierarchy majorly freaks him out

- Often works with Chad and Violet, reading over their mission reports and trying to apply their gained information to the grander scheme of fighting adult tyranny

- Does NOT get paid enough (wait, he doesn’t get paid at all!) to put up with their constant bickering; seriously, how can you even find a way to argue about the color of the sky??

- Likes to read on his days off, preferably science fiction or fantasy; with as stressful as his job can be, he’ll take all the escapism he can get

- Might be dating Cree? He doesn’t know; she scares him a little bit

- Secretly meets up with Abby about once a month to catch up and share field notes; he’s an only child, and in a lot of ways she’s like the little sister he never had

- Has the sneaking suspicion that there might be something even bigger than the TND out there pulling the strings, and that Chad is in on the deception, but knows that it’s smarter to wait things out on the sidelines than to charge headfirst demanding answers; Maurice may only be a teenager, but he’s wise beyond his years in a way no one expects

[shortystack75]

Another very niche post about Stars Align / Hoshiai No Sora

This one is in regards to the characters' worldviews and mindset, based on a few very specific factors and things I noticed while rewatching it for the 5th(6th?) time.

Long post so its all under the cut

Random people who know nothing about Stars Align can also read if you want to see a loser 21 yr old lose their mind, I explain everything so you'll only be a little lost

Teirlist graphic to grab your attention and more easily show you:

So as you can see im basing it off of 2 main axis, one with 2 points and one with 3. I'll give a brief little overview of what I mean by each category and then go into why I think each character is in each category. Solitary vs Inclusive refers to how they center themselves in the world, this does NOT mean whether or not they are self centered, it refers to how they view themselves and other people IN the world and whether or not they believe other people can be outside of their mindset, i'll explain more later. "Me vs the World", "Me vs Them" and "Us vs the Them" refers to how the characters view 'sides'. Do I think that character is likely to think of themselves as as singular? than they fall under one of the "Me vs" categories. Do I think the character perceives a specific crowd/type of person to be a 'side' or do I think the character perceives everyone as the opposite side until proven otherwise? that denotes the "vs Them" or "vs The World" part of the mindset I'll start from the bottom up, left to right for anyone who doesn't know the characters or cant remember the names.

Starting with Maki Our main character, I put him as Inclusive "Us vs Them" because of a few key reasons we see throughout the anime. For the Us vs Them mindset, we consistently see Maki being a team player heavily in regards to not only the tennis team, but people he identifies or gets along with. Before he ever gets to know Yuu and before they're part of the club, Maki has already mentally categorized Yuu as part of his "Us/We" the same goes for Mitsue after they get along in class. We can actually see him interact with Mitsue before he categorizes her when he bumps into her. He apologizes and makes sure she's alright because he's a good person, but otherwise is off-footed towards her. She's not a "Them" in his mindset, but she's also not yet "Us/We". The main part of his Them" is of course his father and anyone who goes against his "Us/We" such as the bully Itsuki hit with his racket "He had it coming" Isn't something he would say about just anyone. As for the Inclusive or Solitary part, there is NO shot Maki was ever going to be Solitary. He's inclusive because of what i've already said about how he interacts with Mitsue ^. He doesn't just see the world as "Us vs Them" he knows not everyone is against him and his, and therefore not everyone should immediately raise his guard, it's why he's so casual in the first episode while not being necessarily friends with Toma yet. Toma isn't included in "Us" yet. at the start of ep 1, the only ones in "Us" is Maki himself, his mom, and Shou, but he very easily and relatedly lets his "Us" grow throughout the anime. I didn't even mention Arashi but he's another great example showcasing Maki's mindset.

Rintaro So most of the rest of these guys in this category will have a much shorter section than Maki's, mostly because we see less and I have to explain less. It's pretty easy to see that Rintaro doesn't view himself as an island and does his best for the club and his parents. This is all in his small actions and ease around the tennis club, it's hard to say whether or nor Mitsue or Arashi are included in his "Us/We". Similar to Maki, Rintaro clearly has no guard against people other to him and doesn't believe everyone not in his circle is against him.

Yuu I'll be honest I almost put Yuu into the Solitary space, mostly because of their (rightful)fear, but realized that Yuu hadn't put the club or Maki into the "Them" category immediately. While cautious with Maki upon being approached, they quickly categorize Maki as "Us/We" when he is open and kind to them, and when with the Tennis club nearer to the start, it's clear that they don't think of the club as "Them" OR "Us/We" yet. At the start of the anime, the only people in Yuu's "Us/We" besides themself are Toma and their sisters, but much like Maki, at the end the entire Club and Mitsue is clearly included in their "Us/We"

Taiyo Taiyo is mostly a repeat of things I've said about Rintaro, we don't see very much of Taiyo at all but what we do see I've determined to be in this category, and as 3 other people will probably read this I doubt any of you will fight me on it, but you would be welcome to! Even 5 years in the future.

Onto Shingo As the first and only part of our Solitary "Us vs Them" grouping, he kinda makes this category. While having a similar mindset to our other "Us vs Them"s, he doesn't really see people outside of those two categories. As shown with how he interacts with people outside of the club and his family, other people are kinda the enemy to him. He was slightly(not like Ituki and Tsubasa) antagonistic to Maki when he joined to club but swapped him over to "Us/We" seemingly easily, doing the same to Yuu when they become the club's manager. While he has an Solitary "Us vs Them" mindset, he doesn't come across as overaggro to others because he's not a naturally aggressive person, just loud and protective. As a good example, the two boys who appeared in the club room and started to mess with Yuu, their manager and part of Shingo's "Us/Them". He's he first to intervene and does so easily and calmly, Yuu is part of his "Us/We" and these boys are not, making them "Them" automatically.

Up to Istuki Itsuki is in a really interesting spot as an Inclusive "Me vs Them" By having an inclusive mindset, he knows that not everyone is against him and some people are just chilling. He does not have an "Us/We" mentality but he still has friends and people he cares about, shown how along with Shingo, he steps in when Yuu is being harassed. He does it in a more antagonistic way, calling them names with no remorse. Yuu may not be "Us" because there is only "Me/I" for Itsuki, but these two idiots have still come into Itsuki's space, his club room, and are messing with his club member, his manager. Anything like this becomes personal because he's "Me/I" centric which is why he reacts slightly more aggressively than Shingo. However. He doesn't see these as attacks, just slights, because they were against Yuu, not himself directly. The racket incident, were clearly attacks. When two bullies come up to him and bad talk his homelife, he has no hesitation. He talks back, responds once or twice, these are warnings to back off, to reason. These bullies instantly were painted as "Them" as soon as they opened their stupid mouths but Itsuki would have let them go, but they kept talking, kept insulting, kept attacking him. So he strikes to defend himself, with his racket. He feels no remorse, in his mindset this jerk deserves it(kinda did but the racket was a bit much i agree with Maki). We didn't get to see much else of his mindset throughout the anime except maybe how he feels about Nao's mom ("Them").

Onto Arashi! Starting off our Inclusive "Me vs the World" off strong with our dear walking contradiction! To easily sum up his Inclusive part, he isn't actually antagonistic to anyone unless they've recently slighted him, seen as him snapping at Sunaga(his doubles partner) but soon realizing he was wrong to do so and apologizing. While Arashi is very much "Me vs the World", it's not active in his brain at all times. While everyone is against him in a general sense, he doesn't believe they are constantly against him all the time.

Toma! Most of what I would be saying about him is a repeat of what I said about Arashi^ you could argue he's Solitary "Us vs Them" but I just don't see him like that. From how he talks when at the bbq to his surprise at Maki telling him he's having fun playing tennis with Toma, etc etc he's a very lonely boy surrounded by people he doesn't think are on his side and expects one day to be against him.

Up to Tsubasa!!!!!!! I love analyzing Tsubasa he's like a little angry bug to me. Tsubasa has a solitary "Me vs Them" mindset, which means once he's placed you into the "Them" category he doesn't really let you out of it, and upon meeting you he expects you to prove you're not automatically in the "Them" category. Despite not everyone being in the "Them" category, he does not touch a "We/Us" category with a 10 foot pole. Nobody is on his side and he's afraid his own actions will cause people to choose to be in the "Them" category. He didn't look for help from his mom or brothers when his father pushed him down the stairs, he ran. He ran because he had to get away from the "Them" he found his way to Shingo's house, the closest person to an "Us" he's probably ever had, but freaks out upon Shingo actually seeing him and trys to run. He's not running from Shingo himself, he's running from the prospect of Shingo no longer being a neutral, safe, space for him. He's running from Shingo seeing Tsubasa crying and hurt and seeing any reason to slide into the "Them" category. He doesn't know he's part of Shingo's "Us/We" he can't know that. He's used to testing people and see if they leave or push back, he's used to seeing people either fail or not fail. He's not used to people actually winning.

ONTO NAO!!! If Tsubasa is the bug i study, than Nao is the salamander i begged my dad to keep in a lil fruit cup as a kid. Do i know how to care for him? hell no. Do i want him anyway? yes. Nao's mindset knows no neutrals or positives. Everyone is against him in someway including himself. His mother is actively against him, his father is there and does nothing, possibly making everything worse by being around but not around, therefore his mind has taken neutral presences to also be bad. Nao is all about appeasal, about prevention. If he can appease people he meets before they know him than maybe they will just be passively against him instead of actively against him. He lies to Maki and the others to try and appease them, to tell them what he thinks they want to hear. He lies to his mother, in body and mind, tells her what he thinks she wants to hear and pretends to eat he food she makes while he stares into nothing, likely tasting nothing but ash. Taiyo tries to comfort him? He reacts in a way he thinks Taiyo wants, because to Nao he himself is broken and having other people realize this is dangerous and he wants to minimize it. Most of all he lies to himself. He may not even realize he is doing it, like with the infirmary incident, where he convinced himself he didn't know where Shingo's younger sister was. Because he views everyone as against him, he doesn't get them all laughing it off and forgiving him. To him he's messed up again and shown them a broken part of him. He, like Tsubasa, doesn't understand Shingo on an intrinsic level because to Shingo Nao is part of is "Us/We" and Shingo doesn't see Nao as an enemy, as an outsider.

Mitsue :) Lastly Mitsue, Similarly to Nao but with less delusions and mental illness, she views the world to inherently be against her. Unlike Nao, she isn't against herself(most of the time) Maki and the club are good friends to have for her because she keeps convincing herself they're all stupid and incompitant. Whenever Yuu mentions Mitsue actually thinking of Maki as a friend, she always shuts them down and spouts off something negative, putting on a tough front. In her mind they won't become actively against her as long as she is either useful(helping them spy on Joy) or as someone disconnected.

Anyway, if you're one of the 3 people to have read all of this, feel free to argue any of these i'd love to read or debate about it.

[bluespring864]

Alright guys, who on tumblr is getting a paycheck from the ATP for these? ;-)

"His two boys and two girls have him wrapped around his finger. Although McKnight is not allowed to step out of the car when picking them up at school, he does anything to make them happy.That includes early-morning wakeups to play dress-up."

"Murray often plays long matches — sometimes lasting more than three hours — and is known to roar in many tones. Some of his screams are in delight after winning a key point, and others are more of a moan towards his player box."

Seriously who wrote this? 😂😂😂

[cherrrysue]

Football AU

Unbelievers by isthatyoularry

E, 136k

It’s Louis’ senior year, and he’s dead set on doing it right. However, along with his pair of cleats, a healthy dose of sarcasm and his ridiculous best friend, he’s also got a complicated family, a terrifyingly uncertain future, and a mortal enemy making his life just that much worse. Mortal enemies “with benefits” was not exactly the plan. Or: The one where Louis and Harry definitely aren’t friends, and football is everything.

Whirlwind by dolce_piccante

M, 21k

AU. Acclaimed actor, Hollywood heartthrob, and Oscar nominee, Harry Styles, seems to have the world at his feet, but seeks out an old friend when he needs a date for his big night.

Pull Me Under by zarah5

E, 140k

AU. As the first British footballer to come out at the prime of his career, it helps that Louis Tomlinson is in a long-term, committed relationship. Even if that relationship is fake. (Featuring Niall as Louis' favourite teammate, Liam as Louis' agent, and Zayn as Liam's boyfriend, who just happens to be good friends with one Harry Styles.)

burn this flame by rainbowninja167

E, 13k

“You’ve played keeper before?” Tomlinson asks suspiciously, hands on his waist. “Er, yeah,” Harry coughs. “Loads of times.” “Alright Popstar, if you’re sure,” Tomlinson tells him with a shrug, his professional expression already curling into laughter. Harry tries not to read too much into it. After all, how hard can goalkeeping really be? When Harry gets invited to play in a celebrity charity match with Louis Tomlinson, Manchester United's star player, he's determined to impress him with brilliant football skills. The only flaw in Harry's otherwise foolproof plan? He has absolutely no football skills, brilliant or otherwise.

We got nothing to lose by iwontseecadyagain

NR, 12k

“Oops!” A deep and slow voice fills Louis’ ears as an arm reaches around his waist, to keep Louis from rebounding into another white-outfitted body – this time a short young girl who could only be gymnast. “Hi,” Louis replies as he turns to smile up at the person and thank him for preventing Louis’ life from dissolving into a real-life game of Pong, but the words dry up in his throat when he sees. The person is a boy, tall and lanky with curly brown hair pushed away from his face messily and held back by a gaudy Union Jack scarf, green eyes sparkling from all the camera flashes and impossibly pink lips curled in a wide smile that nearly encompasses his whole face. And Louis recognizes him instantly. And he thinks that maybe if walking into the Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony wasn’t enough, having Harry Styles’ arm around him might be the killing blow. Also known as an Olympics AU where Harry is a pro tennis player, and Louis is a pro footballer. They meet at the opening ceremony and fall in love, obviously.

Ain't That A Kick In The Head! by keysmashlesbian, wreckingtomlinson

T, 22K

[deleted, the link will lead you to the pdf file]

“Well.” Niall unlocks his phone. “It wasn’t getting the traction I wanted on Snapchat. So… I tweeted it.” What. “You tweeted it,” Harry states, nearing a state of brain dead. “To your ten thousand followers.” Niall nods, handing Harry the phone. “You’re a meme, Harry.” “I’m a what?” “A meme. It’s like an internet—” “I know what a fucking meme is, Niall! Why did you make me into one?” Niall has the fucking balls to cackle at that while Harry looks at the mess his former friend created. Videos of him screaming at Tomlinson about Tide Pods and his ass are being quoted and combined with memes to a create a level of memeception Harry has never seen before. That isn’t even including the thousands of tweets of him falling up the stairs remixed with random Top 40 songs. ~ In which Harry’s a disaster gay who doesn’t know shit about soccer, Liam drinks too many blue raspberry Coolattas, Niall knows everyone, Zayn looks dead, and Louis is Not Happy about sharing his breakout moment with “Drunk Hawaiian Guy.”

Sing When You're Winning by hazsementir

NR, 90k

Harry is fifteen minutes late to the office on the day Louis Tomlinson comes out as gay. Or, the one where Harry's a chronically underpaid magazine intern and Louis is the Premier League's first gay footballer and pretty much the last thing they need is each other.

[zingaplanet]

I'm curious if anyone else feels sad at the rise of Carlos Alcaraz...part of me wants to root for him. More than his brilliance, he seems like a really nice guy. BUT...I don't want Rafa's supreme legacy challenged in any way, shape, or form. I selfishly want Rafa to always be Spain's biggest icon and for his tennis records to be untouched. So I find myself rooting against Alcaraz. I just miss Rafa...

Anon that's completely normal! I completely get it. I think the feeling of idolation we have of someone is very unique, it's love, it's respect, but most of all it's wanting someone to do well (without any discernible reason or direct benefit to us!) I think tbh being a fan is one of the most positive acts (except when you over-imposed on their privacy of course!) one can do, you shower someone with love, support and admiration without expecting anything back. So you are definitely not being selfish, in fact, you are being selfless for the sake of another (although unfortunately since this is competitive sport and not the music industry where the winner takes all principle doesn't really apply, this might clash with other people's interests).

I think for me at least in sports, a good practice is to try and support/love with no expectations or demands. Our heroes don't really owe us anything nor us to them. There will always be another person, another winner, another number one, and there's nothing really we can do about it! History is always rewritten because nothing is ever eternal. But that also doesn't mean that it's not emotionally difficult. A bit like you always want your childhood memories to stay the same, your best friends to remain close to you as you grow old, and your favourite tv show to always plays on Friday night for the rest of your life. But time always moves on, especially in sports when career expectancy is very short! This past 5 years we're already seeing generations change not just in tennis but in all sports (And what a generation it has been!), no more Phelps, Serena Williams, Vettel, Federer, Kobe, etc. I personally think it's painful because these athletes are not just who we support but they've also become parts of our lives to a little bit (and maybe our youth), ways we remember good memories with! It's completely alright not to support the new generations, maybe that's something our children will have the privilege to discover (Someone their generation that they'll grow up watching!). But the danger maybe is when that fear of change turns into negative thoughts and actions, and for me I guess maybe that's why I kinda stopped watching tennis since awhile now. Players I used to watch growing up are no longer actively on tour, and that's ok, they grew up too! I just don't want to find reasons to irrationally hate anybody because I think I hate it the most when sports become a divisive force instead of a uniting one.

I think the key is knowing that records can be broken but legacies are forever. Because legacies are so much more than physical achievements (tournaments won, grand slams gained, etc), but how somebody is remembered in the memories of many! For me I'll never forget how watching the Wimbledon Final 2008 made me feel, the adrenaline, the rush, being surrounded by family during a nice, warm summer, or the inspiration I felt when watching Rafa get back up and up again from his injuries! That's what matters, I think, and that's what he said he wants to be remembered most by, not the guy who wins the most grand slam title, spain number one or anything, but just a good guy who competes fiercely and fairly, who are kind to his friends and fans, and who leaves the sport better than when he entered it! In a way, I think that's how they themselves as athletes make their peace with this, and why Federer was able to have such a happy retirement.

I don't know if this helps at all, sorry for accidentally being your tumblr psychologist, this is prob a weird answer to an ask! hahaha just giving you lots of mental support and hug <3 (Also sorry for the late reply! just had the time to go through tumblr properly now)

[2jaeh]

Country Club | Kim Doyoung

Genre: smut , daddy

Warnings: dilf! Doyoung, uni! Reader, RichAU,

Praise kink!, public, just DY being a hot rich dad tbh.

WORD COUNT: 2,9K

Author! SIN

Your father invited a friend to join you for your Saturday morning golf game, the catch was his friend and you have a very dirty secret.

A/N: admin SIN here! Sorry I’ve been IA, I’ve had so many commissions and I’m still working on the freaks prequel and another Yuta fic (help), so here’s a little smutty DY fic while y’all wait !

TAGS: @infnteen 🖤 thanks for the cute msg!

—————————��————————————————

It was a cool morning and the smell of the wet freshly cut grass signaled the first rain of spring. You were up in your room, taking a break from university, and you found yourself longing for the Mountain View’s of the country club.

Thankfully mom and dad were aching to host a spring party for their friends and you were able to tag along with them to your summer vacation home. It had been awhile since you’d been here, and the last time you set foot on these grounds you were almost in trouble.

Almost.

“Sweetheart dont you think the gardens look absolutely ravishing today” your mom marveled as you made your way downstairs in a white mini tennis skirt and a sky blue golf shirt.

“Absolutely mother” you smiled and placed kiss on her forehead before grabbing the pitcher of lemonade and poured yourself a glass. You stood in front of the clear glass sliding doors watching your father pace the lawn probably talking to a work friend on his phone.

“Mother I thought we were going to the golf course today, he’s not planning on working is he ?” You pouted, stuffing a blueberry muffin into your mouth.

“Your father will never miss a golf session dear” your mother chuckled, “just get your things together sweety your dad will be with you shortly.”

Sighing you downed the last of the lemonade and went to the shoe rack to find your white tennis shoes and asked one of the estates employees to load your golf bag into the golf cart.

Shortly after, your dad followed, a huge smile spread across his face as he noticed your cheeky pout obviously knowing what mood you were in.

“I’m sorry hun but work called, those varsity tuition isn’t going to pay itself now is it ?”

You rolled your eyes playfully and slipped into the golf carts driver seat and patted the seat next to you,

“Ok fine but I’m driving.”

The two of you made your way down the courtyard and into the country club’s entrance. The gravel road was covered by huge oak trees, placed strategically along the sides leading to the huge mansion at the end.

Your father directed you to the golf course and one of the gates men welcomed you in before all you saw in front of you was the bright green golf course.

“I’m feeling lucky today hun, I can feel it” your dad squeezed his fist while you let out a chuckle, “easy there Tiger Woods”

“Well I’m definitely going to beat Doyoung that’s for sure”

“Doyoung ?” Saying his name already brought you a flash of memories.

“Yeah you remember my work buddy Mr Kim right ? He’s here helping out with the party, he brought over his sons too” your dad spoke as you pulled up to the first hole.

“What about his....wife ?” You swallowed, as your mind raced back to last year’s Christmas lunch.

First and fur-most Kim Doyoung was the hottest dad at the country club. He was still quite young in comparison to the other fathers thanks to his choices of getting hitched way too early. Most people would describe him as helpful, responsible the kind of guy who genuinely helped out the people around him.

But you knew a very different side to him.

It was the evening of the lunch that you and a friend had snuck outside for a smoke, knowing your fathers would be tremendously upset with that action for their little girls. After your friend ran off to God knows where, Doyoung had emerged and the look on his face as he watched you drag in that cigarette was...something.

“You’re such a naughty girl y/n disobeying daddy like this” he said in a silky voice, taking the cigarette with his slender fingers and placing it to his own mouth.

You watched him in awe, pulling in that cigarette and exhale the smoke up into the sky like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

“Please don’t tell my dad Mr Kim” you had said in a high tone, surprising yourself at the hint of desperation in your voice.

“Don’t worry it will be our little secret love” Doyoung winked taking in another drag but this time he grabbed your chin and blew the smoke into your mouth. It felt intoxicating. But a sudden call from his wife had pulled you out of your fantasy and he disappeared, not seeing him since then.

Until now ofcourse.

“Oh your mother didn’t tell you ? Doyoung and Hani are divorced now, yeah she took off with some model and left him with the kids” your dad shrugged and greeted the caddy waiting on the course for him.

“Oh I see” you responded, placing a baseball cap on your head and watched your father tee off.

It wasn’t long until you heard another golf cart behind you as you began setting up your shot, wanting to look back desperately.

“Kim Doyoung” your father bellowed as you took your shot and turned around to meet your guests.

You noticed Doyoung had brought both his sons, Jeno a guy somewhat around your age and his little brother Jisung. It was quite surprising to see them outside when you knew they preferred to stay couped up in their bedrooms playing video games.

“Hey y/n, I didn’t know you’d be here too” Jeno shyly waved while Jisung inspected a golf club.

“Yeah I’m on spring break, so I decided to spend a bit of it here” you replied, moving a strand of your hair behind your ear.

Doyoung smiled at you innocently and held out his hand, “it’s good to have you back y/n” he said as you took his hand and nodded shyly. Doyoung returned to his conversation with your father and all you could do was stare at how gorgeous he looked today.

Dressed in white slacks, a navy blue polo shirt and black rimmed glasses, girls your age may not understand your desires but to you Doyoung was incredibly sexy to say the least.

He was well built too, his wide shoulders and small waist gave him a swimmer physique, it was all too tempting to know what he looked like underneath his attire.

“How about we mix the teams, you and y/n versus Jeno and I ?” Your dad suggested and Doyoung looked over at you briefly and smiled,

“You got yourself a deal, winner gets that Sauvignon Blanc you’ve been hoarding in your cellar” Doyoung chuckled and set up his ball for his shot.

You tried not to stare but God was it hard. You watched as his eyes narrowed on his target and his dark hair waved as he swung. Doyoung twisted his body posing as he watched his almost perfect swing lead his ball closer it’s target.

“Jeno get ya head in the game boy” your father grumbled as Jeno found himself lost in a game on his phone.

Jisung snickered as Jeno sighed and removed himself from his game to join the one he was supposed to be playing in reality. You could already tell that your competitive father immediately regretted his decision of swopping teams when Jeno’s swing only had the ball drop just a few feet away from him.

“I mean, that was a hit alright” You stifled a laughter.

“I’m not used to these golf clubs!” Jeno whined as his father tapped him on his shoulder, “A good player never blames the equipment son, y/n let’s head over to the hole shall we ?” Doyoung said jumping into his cart.

“Are we not waiting until we’re done ?” Your father grumbled still watching Jeno struggle with his form.

“Seems like we’ll be here all night if one team doesn’t get a move on” Doyoung pressed his lips together, hiding the smug smile that was beginning to form on his face,

“The caddy’s will make sure we’re not...cheating, let’s go win this y/n.”

You hugged your sulking father and hopped in the golf cart next to Doyoung, keeping your eyes on the path ahead of you.

From time to time you found yourself staring over at him, taking in that side profile as he casually maneuvered the vehicle over the greenery until you arrived at your destination.

“Shall we ?” Doyoung said, wetting his bottom lip with tongue and placed his cold hand on your exposed thigh.

You felt a shiver run down your spine, much like that night with the cigarette. You wanted more, you wanted to test just how far you could go.

And knowing that sneaking around in secret like this only made it more exciting.

“It’s going to be pretty easy to sink this” you pouted as you noticed your ball was just mere centimeters away from the first hole.

“You sound disappointed” Doyoung raised an eyebrow as he watched you set up your shot.

“We’re going to be quite far ahead of them”

“That’s not necessarily a bad thing”

You looked up at Doyoung who causally waited aside, watching you line up your shot. He wasn’t going to say it just yet, but he was definitely enjoying the view.

Sucking in a deep breath you hit the ball, but missed the target completely and felt your cheeks heat up when Doyoung lightly chuckled.

“Your form is correct you just hit it way too hard, here let me help you”

Doyoung dropped his club and made his way over to you as you got into position for your shot. Your breathing hitched when he stood behind you, a hand placed around your waist and the other on top of yours on the golf club.

You could feel his warm breath on your neck as he pulled your hips against his, bending you slightly over to feel a little more of you.

Your eyes fluttered up to where the caddy was, nervous that he’d feel some type away about this interaction but he was too invested in his phone to care.

“He’s not going to say or do anything, trust me” Doyoung whispered into your ear as you felt his hand tighten around your waist and pull your ass even closer to his crotch.

“Like this ?” You pushed your ass up to grind up against him, satisfied when you heard a small moan escape his lips.

You hit the ball and watched it sink into the hole in satisfaction. Doyoung pulled away from your body and clapped at your victory,

“Well done love” he praised and it made you rub your thighs together. You don’t know why but hearing him praise you made you so wet, all you wanted to do was be his good girl.

Doyoung’s turn was next and he easily sunk in his shot and before you knew it you two were already on your way to the next hole.

This time in the drive Doyoung had one hand on your thigh, squeezing lightly as he drove through the course casually. Finally pulling up to the next hole, you immediately got into position to tee off,

“Am I doing it right ?” You pouted back at Doyoung who stood a distance as he downed a bottle of water.

“You got this love, hey I’ll tell you what” Doyoung ran his fingers through his hair and unbuttoned the first button of his Ralph Lauren polo shirt,

“If you get this in with Atleast three shots I’ll give you a reward.”

You swallowed hard, your mind buzzing with what the reward could be. Shaking your head that was filled with fantasies you took your shot, surprised that it was a pretty decent one at that.

“Well done love, you must really want that reward” Doyoung mused, his small praises driving you into a frenzy once again.

Doyoung quickly took yet another perfect shot and the two of you hopped in the cart headed for the final stretch of the play.

Again not wasting anytime you took your shot and managed to complete the round in just two shots, immediately turning to Doyoung and gave him a dashing smile.

“Wow love, you did beautifully” he praised, coming over to stroke your back and sent your thoughts into overdrive,

“Let me finish up here and we can sort that reward out” Doyoung’s voice was filled with mischief.

Just like he said Doyoung finished his round quite quickly and went over to the caddy whispering to him before heading back to you in the cart.

“What did you tell him ?” You asked as Doyoung started the ignition and began driving on a slightly different, more secluded path.

“Told him not to follow us, and just meet us at the next hole” Doyoung pressed his lips together and you watched his eyes search for a spot that was hidden from passerby’s.

Doyoung stopped the engine and jumped out of the cart, quickly pulling you out and leaned your back against the hood of the golf cart. His eyes were dark and a smirk grew on his face as his fingers brushed against your cheek, over your chest and eventually landed on your thigh.

“You love to praised y/n, I’ve taken notice of that” he hummed and his fingers separated your legs slightly as it moved higher up your skirt.

“I want you to know how good I am” you fluttered your lashes at him, leaning back into the hood and licked your lips.

“You think you’re good ?” Doyoung chuckled darkly as his finger grazed your soaked underwear, “I think you’re a bad girl y/n, just so fucking bad.”

You bit down on your lip as Doyoung pushed your underwear to the side and pushed his index finger into your core. You threw your head back as Doyoung slowly fingered you, bringing his mouth to you jaw and kissed you gently.

“But you know a promise is a promise and you deserve your reward” Doyoung responded by inserting two more fingers in you, quickly using his free hand to cover your mouth before you moaned.

“I’m good...daddy”

Doyoung’s ears perked at the nickname and responded by moving his fingers even faster, pushing his large frame into yours as you began chasing your orgasm.

Just as you were about to come undone Doyoung removed his fingers and wiped your wetness on your skirt before pulling you into a hot and sloppy kiss.

“If you think you’re a good girl, how about doing something about this huh” Doyoung growled into your ear and grabbed your hand, placing it over his hardened member.

You immediately slipped down to your knees and unbuckled his pants, waiting to please him. Doyoung freed his member and looked down as you took him into your mouth, making sure every inch of him entered before slowly sucking him off.

“Fuck...that feels so good, you’re doing so good my love” he sighed, throwing your cap aside and grabbed tufts of your hair as you sucked him off in the middle of the country club golf course.

Doyoung began thrusting into your mouth until you felt him hit the back of your throat and he came undone, feeling every bit of him slide down your throat.

Doyoung brought you up and swiped his thumb across your lips before inserting it into your mouth while you sucked on it gently.

“You’re right, you’re such a good girl” he praised and began rubbing his member in between your thighs as you felt him slowly grow hard once more.

“Do I get a reward again daddy ?” You placed your manicured hands on his chest and looked up at him with barely innocent eyes.

“Ofcourse, anything for you my love” Doyoung mused and spun you around, bending you over the golf cart and dropped your panties down to your knees.

Doyoung pushed his member into your core and slipped a hand in front between your legs to stimulate you while he fucked you senseless. He placed a hand over your mouth once more, the last thing he needed was your father or his own damn kids walking in on this.

But he wanted to feel as much of you as he could and removed the hand from your mouth and slipped it under your shirt, giving your breast a squeeze.

“Don’t you dare make a sound my love, or else I’ll stop” Doyoung grunted as he heard your soft whimpers in his ear.

Doyoung felt himself getting closer again and pulled out, leading you to the seats of the cart and propped you up on it and entered you again. Your legs wrapped around his waist as you felt him twitch inside of you. Grabbing onto the seats for support you nodded at him, signaling that you too were close and Doyoung sped up until you came all over his member and he pulled out waiting for your mouth to return to his tip.

“Take it all in again my love, you’re such a good girl” he groaned, biting down on his lips and your mouth wrapped around him once more and felt his liquid run down your throat for the second time that day.

You finally cleaned up and Doyoung neatened himself before texting the caddy that the two of you were on your way.

“What’s the next reward daddy ?” You raised your eyebrow at him as you watched a smug smile spread across his face as he drove,

“Well after this game is over and you get yourself cleaned up, how about meeting for another reward daddys room ?”

[blackbat05]

University Blues

Shangqi x Reader 

A/N: Man... I’m really on a roll here! Maybe after this I’ll switch to a different character, either MCU or DCEU. But for now, enjoy this idea that I randomly conjured up on a Saturday. Thanks for reading! Also some of these are actually what I dreamt of when I was younger - like being a forensic scientist. 

Genre: PG 13 

Warnings: Fluffy and sweet? Nah that shouldn’t even be a warning. Here’s to satisfying my fantasies...? Apologies for the longer than expected headcannon. Like this gif, who needs hugs too cuz I need them.

You’re both in the same year at University - your taking a degree in forensics and Shangqi’s in physical education. 

The first time you guys met each other? It wasn’t exactly dreamy… He was playing basketball with a group of friends, while you were running late for tennis practice.

Maybe you shouldn’t have taken a shortcut by cutting through a competitive game. You collided - real hard with Shangqi who was trying to receive a pass from his teammate.

‘Oh god!’ He sees you sprawled on the floor, rackets a few feet away from you. ‘I’m so sorry!’ - When you should have been the one apologizing instead, which you did a few seconds later.

‘No no it’s my fault I shouldn’t have, I’m so sorry!’ You thank his friends who returned you back your rackets. ‘Well… enjoy the game guys!’ You ran off without turning back to the amusement of Shangqi. He hopes he’ll see you again soon. But first he needs to know who this mystery girl is. So he asks Katy.

‘Oh (y/n)? Yeah I know her, she’s one of the main players for the team. A sick doubles player if you ask me. She trains at the university courts three times a week, usually in the evenings after- wait a god damn minute why are you interested?’ Katy springs of her bed, abandoning her journal that she was supposed to work on.

‘Nothing, I just… eh saw her one of my general elective classes…’ The moment it came out of Shangqi, he knew he was cornered. There was nothing Katy didn’t know about him.

‘HAH! Yeah right. Please don’t take me for a fool dude. You like her don’t you?’ Shangqi sighs. Yeap, there was nowhere to run.

He tells Katy about the whole saga at the basketball court. By the time he was finished, Katy was almost rolling around the floor in tears. ‘She literally ran into you and you decided, hey she’s cute!’

Yes he knew how stupid it sounded. He was always skeptical about love at first sight - but I mean look at his parents, his mom gave his dad a literal ‘ass-whooping’ on their very first meeting. Maybe he was his dad in more ways than one…

Anyways, he forces Katy to tell him your schedule for the evening. He doesn’t want to look like a creep - purposely going down to visit you. He wants it to be as natural as possible. So, Shangqi brings a basketball for good measure.

It was a Friday evening. As he walks down the path leading to the tennis courts, he can see a set of lights, shining on the centre court. You were practicing some drills with your coach where you were too focused to even pay attention to your surroundings. Shangqi decides to take a seat on the stands.

He’s absolutely mesmerized at how you contact the ball cleanly for your ground strokes. The intensity that you display never slows down as you let out a grunt after each hit to control your breathing. Your serves go in a flawless motion that allows the ball to fly over the next in a beautiful arc, landing neatly into the box.

Your coach signals the end of the session. A thumbs up for a job well done. Shangqi’s heart races as you spot him sitting on the stands. He has no idea what to say that isn’t out of the blue.

‘Hey! It’s you again, basketball guy.’ You tried to make conversation. ‘I hope you’re alright! I’m so sorry again…’ Seeing you turning your feet awkwardly, he gives you a small smile. ‘No, I’m fine. I was just finishing up my game and saw you while I was going back. Saw some tennis matches on TV and wanted to see what’s it like in real life.’

Unknowingly, you beam at him. Recently, your performance hasn’t been at your expectations. It was only with the help from your coach, you managed to pull through. But the mental block still lurked within your mind. To hear something heartening from a stranger you’ve just met, it really made your day. As warm and fuzzy as it was, one thing was still at the back of your mind…

‘Easy game today? The last time I saw you, you were sweating buckets!’ You joked. Shangqi freezes in his spot. Crap, now he’s really done it. Maybe it was best to come clean. 

‘Um... yeah... well if I were to be honest with you, you were pretty interesting- that day and I thought I could, you know, get to know you better...’ He trails off, ruffling the back of his hair. You bit your lips as you tried not to grin in front of this adorable man in front of you. The truth is, Katy had given you the heads up about her friend coming to see you earlier.

‘Don’t tell him I told you! It would seriously ruin his ego.’ 

You decide to help Shangqi a little. ‘I know a boba place 10 minutes away from the university, wanna go there sometime? Actually if you’re free tonight, we could go there... like now.’ He stares at you, momentarily stunned. He hit the jackpot. 

‘Sure! Tonight sounds great. Just let me know when you’re done,’ He gestures to your sweaty frame - yeap, you desperately needed a shower. ‘I’ll be here.’ 

This night turned out better than expected. You were preparing to just laze around watching your favorite shows in your sleepwear, inhaling Korean takeout from the Korean Mart that you visited last week. 

Instead, you found yourself having great laughter with Shangqi while sipping on your favorite peach tea with golden bubbles. 

A beep goes off Shangqi’s phone, it’s a picture of you and him in the boba shop with the message - ‘You can thank me later dumbass.’ 

God damn it Katy. 

A/N: Hope you enjoyed it as much as I had writing it! I don’t know why this past two weeks I’ve been feeling a bit shitty but just coming up with this fluffy content makes things much better. If you wish to talk about anything, feel free to slide in and I’ll try to get back to you as soon as possible. Stay healthy, stay safe! 

[kaunis-sielu]

Sidelines: Coach Cat

Thank you @loving-life-my-way for the prompt.

You don’t know how you get roped into these things sometimes. But when Frank had begged you to be his co-coach for your nephew’s football team you couldn’t say no. You’d made it very clear that your job came first and Frank knew that, but he also knew that it was almost impossible for you to say no to your nephew.

“Alright dudes let’s go!” You call clapping your hands together. You’ve got leggings and tennis shoes on with your Raven’s team sweatshirt with ‘coach’ on the back. Frank is calling out a play and you nod, it’s a good move but it’s one of the newer plays you’ve worked on with the kids so there’s no guarantee that they’ll remember exactly what to do.

“Mikey! Left side! Left side!” You call and Mikey moves to where you want him. The play starts and with a beautiful spiral pass from Foggy to his best friend Matt your team scores a touchdown. “Yes!” You cry jumping up and pumping your fist in the air. “Alright, Nick, head out for the kick. Remember to stay calm, and don’t worry about making it. Just do your best okay?” You tell the boy, with a gentle hand on his shoulder. He nods then jogs onto the field as another player gets your attention.

“Coach, Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes are here!” He says excitedly and you stare at him.

“What?”

“Over there.” He points to the corner of the crowd and sure enough Steve and Bucky are staring at you. You give them a small smile then lean over to Frank,

“I’ll be right back.” You tell him before jogging over to where the two football stars are standing. “Hey guys.”

“What’s going on here?” Bucky asks and you glance over your shoulder.

“You’d think you’d know a football game when you see one.” You tease and Steve laughs.

“You’re such a smart ass you know that?” Bucky asks poking you in the arm.

“It’s one of my better qualities.” You snark with a smile causing both men to laugh again. “What are you guys doing here?”

“We usually jog this park, it’s a six and a half mile run.”

“That sounds terrible. But I have to get back you’re welcome to stay and watch but be prepared if you do you’re gonna be bombarded after the game.”

“A chance to watch the prettiest coach in football? Sounds like a fair payoff to me.” Steve flirts and you laugh, before giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

“I gotta go, I’m offense.”You tell him and Bucky before jogging back to your team.

“I see lover boy is here.” Frank grumbles but before you can respond Karen gives him a little backhanded swat on his stomach.

“Shut up Frank. You’re adorable together. That man practically has heart eyes for you.”

“I have them for him too.” You admit softly and Frank retches, this time you punch him in the arm. “Let’s go guys! 2-3!” You call to Foggy who nods and calls the play. After two more downs there’s a fumble that ends up being a touchdown for the other team. That touchdown ends the game at a loss for the Ravens. Foggy comes off the field looking devastated, he’s like his dad in that way he hates to lose.

A warm hand lands on the small of your back and you don’t have to look to know that it’s Steve.

“Can I talk to him?” He mutters and when you glance up at him he’s got his eyes on Foggy.

“Yea.” He presses a quick kiss to the top of your head then goes to talk to Foggy. You watch as Steve crouches down and chats with Foggy for a minute. When he’s done Foggy gives him a little smile and nod and Steve pats his shoulder then the two make their way back to you.

“Looks like Buck’s having a good time.” Steve says with a glance over your shoulder. Bucky is surrounded by most of your team and all the other team. The rest of the boys are standing behind you gaping at Steve.

“Looks like you’re about to too.” He chuckles and you give him a little smirk. “I don’t know what you said to him but thanks for cheering up Foggy.”

“Anytime. Can I take you to dinner tonight?”

“You’re awfully optimistic that these boys are gonna let you leave any time soon.” You tell him as he curls an arm around your shoulders. You wrap your arms around his waist and close your eyes, you sigh softly as he slides his fingers up and down your spine a few times.

Nearly an hour and a half later Steve signs the last football and takes a picture. You’ve been chatting with your family and now that the last kid is gone both Steve and Bucky look relieved.

“Hey Sweetheart, wanna do dinner?”

“You should come to our house! Auntie Cat always has dinner with us after a game.” Foggy tells him,

“Thanks for the invite Foggy, we have to talk about it, just Steve and me okay?” You tell him and Foggy nods then allows Karen to shoo him away.

“You’re more than welcome to join us but don’t feel like you have to.” She says following her husband and son to their car.

“Completely up to you.” You tell Steve who’s watching you quietly.

“I still have to run home, literally. But I’d like to do something with you tonight.”

“Why don’t I cook something and bring it over? Wanda is home with her boyfriend so I don’t like to intrude.”

“I didn’t know that Wanda had a boyfriend.”

“He’s a lawyer, he lives like four hours from here and only comes on the weekend so I try to stay with my brothers when he’s back.”

“So maybe you stay with me tonight?” He offers softly taking one of your hands.

“I don’t know, it’s awful fast.”

“You’ve spent the night before.” He points out, looking amused.

“We we’re just friends then.”

“Sweetheart, I never wanted to just be friends, you can stay in the spare room again? I just want to spend time with you.” God he’s so sweet it just makes your heart melt.

“Okay, I’m going to go home and get some stuff first. What should I make?”

“Why don’t you just come over and we can cook together?”

“Okay.” You agree.

“Did you drive?” You nod, “Why don’t I walk you back to your car? Make sure it starts.” He teases and you narrow your eyes at him. Steve holds a hand out to you and you take it to walk to your car with him. “Let me know when you’re home safe okay?”

“You too.” You tell him before Steve presses a kiss to your lips.

“Get a room!” Bucky yells and you pull away from Steve with an embarrassed laugh.

“Sorry about him, he’s an idiot.”

“I’ll see you in an hour?”

“Okay Sweetheart.” He agrees as you slip into your car. You start it, the car whining as it turns on but it turns on and that’s the important part. “Drive safe, see you soon.” You give him a smile then pull out of the parking space, as you head through the parking lot you glance in your review mirror only to see Steve chasing a laughing Bucky.

Boys.

🏈🏈🏈

This is a series of one shots, the series isn’t posted in order. If you have ideas for Steve and Cat please let me know.

Tag list:

@memyselfandmaddox @thefanficfaerie @patzammit @dsakita @dramadreamer14 @killcomet @thesassmisstress @sophham @andahugaroundtheneck @loving-life-my-way @thefridgeismybestie @dumblani @im-just-another-monster @mywinterwolf @giggleberts @biskwitmamaw @geeksareunique @paintballkid711 @lumar014 @also-fangirlinsweden @connie326 @inkedaztec @eralen @valsworldofcreativity @strangersstranger @dontbescaredtosingalong

[deluxewhump]

Cam and Zee find a runaway pt 2

part 1

CW: bbu, collars, pet whump, mention of torture, cam gets a little rough.

***

Cam made Zee stand in front so he’d be the first one they saw when they looked through the peephole. 

It was after one in the morning, but Cecelia was wide-eyed and alert when she opened her front door. She clearly had not been sleeping, though she was wearing a satin pajama set. Zee thought she looked younger with her face bare and her bobbed hair in a mini ponytail.

“Shit, guys, is everything alright?” 

“Hiya, Cissy,” Cam took a step forward so he was brushing shoulders with Zee. “Everything’s fine. Weird night, though. Can we come in? Is the lumberjack home?”

Cecelia closed the door to unlatch the security chain and swung it wide to usher them inside.  

She and Dominic had moved in three blocks from Alex and Zee and called it their “summer home”. Their townhouse was bigger than Alex’s apartment. It boasted vaulted ceilings with exposed wooden beams, floors that shone the color of glossed cherries and tall, recessed windows. The two of them already had another house in Austin. Zee had seen it in the background facetiming with Dom before, and it made this east coast townhouse look like a dark little cottage by comparison.

“Babe?” Cissy called. She was going around her living room turning on lights. The Great British Baking Show was playing muted on their flatscreen.  “We, uhm… company!”

Dominic came out of an upstairs bedroom looking more like a history professor than a football player. He was wearing a maroon bathrobe and had a pair of glasses pushed onto the top of his head. He paused on the landing when he saw the three of them in his living room. Cam was peering out the window like a fugitive, trying to look up and down the street as far as he could without actually pressing his nose to the pane.

The would-be carjacker was standing stiffly by the television. He was wearing black denim and a nondescript black hoodie, a pair of white Adidas tennis shoes with scuffed toes. Zee noticed the purple-red birthmark splashed over his jaw again. It was difficult not to. He raised his hand at Dom in an awkward wave. 

Dom raised two fingers back in greeting. “What uh… what’s up, y'all?”

“You can’t see your parking lot from the street, right?” asked Cam.

“What?”

“Your parking lot! You can’t see the cars from the street, can you?”

Dom scrubbed a hand over his face. “No. I guess you can’t. You’d have to pull in.”

“And there’s a gate to get in,” Cissy reminded, eyebrows raised. She looked at Zee, knowing he had probably been the one to punch in the code to get them inside, since Cam wouldn’t have known it. He looked at his feet sheepishly.

“Does one of you wanna tell me what the hell’s going on? And who’s your friend there?”

“This man just tried to steal my car. Ran up out of nowhere like a lunatic.” Cam pointed, as if there was any confusion on who he might be accusing. “Just sticks a fucking knife in Zee’s face and says ‘get outta the car’. Then when we drive off, he jumps IN. Won’t get out.”

Dominic stood behind Cissy with his hands on her shoulders. Every time, Zee was surprised at his physical size when he entered a room. His southern accent had not abated in his travels. “...Come again there, Cam?”

“He’s a damn boxie, dude. Red, white, and WRU. He’s on the run from the fuckin… refurbishment police, I guess.”

Zee shuddered.

“WRU is after you?” Dominic asked darkly. “The WRU?”  He looked like a suburban dad in this big grownup house, his bathrobe. He didn’t look like he’d belong in his room at the fraternity house anymore, with his college football jerseys and team flags on the walls. 

“Jesus,” Cissy breathed. She looked at the stranger with open sympathy, just as she had looked at Zee the first time she’d met him. He’d been drawn to her like a moth to a porchlight. “You poor thing.” 

“Poor thing, my ass,” Cam managed to give Cissy a once-over when she wasn’t looking. His eyes lingered just a moment too long on the outline of her nipples poking through the thin fabric of her pajamas. “Tell me how a boxie is capable of holding people at knifepoint?!”

Zee didn’t remind him of the time he’d held a broken bottle to his face, though part of him wanted to. 

“Where’s Alex?” asked Dominic. “Why did you come here?”

“Probably sleeping? I needed the private parking.”

“Wait. Did they follow you?!”

“Nah. We lost them when Zee was doing his Baby Driver bit, but they still saw my car.”

Cam approached the boxboy slowly, watching his every reaction with an almost perverted interest. He had a couple of inches on him, and he knew how to use it to be as intimidating as possible. As Cam drew near, he visibly tensed. Cam hooked a finger on the neck of the black hoodie and tugged it down, revealing the collar. 

“You’re wearing one of these, but you don’t talk like a boxie. You don’t act like one.” He nodded back at Zee. “This one could barely string a sentence together back when we first got him, on account of tripping all over himself saying his Yes Sir’s.”

Dom made a sharp, exasperated sound.

He looked up at Cam, one wide eye seagreen, the other brown. “He’s your…?” he looked over Cam’s shoulder at Zee. 

Zee swallowed uncomfortably. The runaway hadn’t realized he was a boxboy himself. Why would he? 

“You could kick him up and down the stairs, and when you were done he’d ask you if you wanted the crusts cut off your sandwich,” Cam continued. “But you? You tried to steal my car and stuck a knife in our faces. Sus, man. How do I know you’re what you say you are? How do I know you didn’t kill some poor old lady for the Oxy in her medicine cabinet and make this whole boxboy thing up?”

He wasn’t even listening. He was still processing the information about Zee. 

“You have a boxboy?” he whispered, looking at each of them in turn. He took a step back. 

Cam frowned. “Where you goin?”

“You’re— oh, shit. No way. You've got to be kidding me. Oh, fuck me.” He took another step backwards, then another. What tentative trust he’d had that these strangers might help was gone. They were complicit in the whole system. They were like his mistress, like the men who had chased him down the street. He began muttering under his breath, soft curses that had the edge of panic to them. 

“It’s not like that,” Zee said, taking a step toward him. “They’re...” he trailed off. They’re what? They’re good people?

Zee didn’t actually know for sure what Dominic and Cecelia would do with a situation like this one. Would they risk hiding a fugitive? Would they break multiple local and federal laws for someone they didn’t know from a hole in the ground?

Dom had always been good to him, but he never wanted him. He was one of the brothers that refused to put down money for him in the first place. Though Zee’s strong instinct was to help, he didn’t know if he could really stomach even the possibility of getting in trouble with WRU. He would be taking part in defying them, in hiding their property from them right under their nose. 

His legs were shaking. They didn’t want to support him. He staggered back until his calves hit Cissy’s velvet couch and he dropped onto it gracelessly.

“Don’t touch me,” the runaway warned Cam from between clenched teeth. He went for his pocket, but found it empty. He went for the other one, patting it frantically like someone who’s just realized they’ve lost their wallet. 

"Is this your card?” Cam pulled the switchblade out of his back pocket and held it up like he’d pulled off a magic trick. He tsked. “And you told me it fell. You’re dumber than you look if you think this is my first rodeo. By the way, Cecelia, I wouldn't bring somebody into your house if I thought there was even a chance they were armed.”

The runaway’s face fell, realizing how hopeless his situation had just become. He was truly defenseless now. He looked at the windows, then the hallway that led back to the front door. He made a break for it, but his foot slipped almost immediately on an area rug and he fell hard on one knee. 

Cam lunged for him just as he scrambled to recover from the slip. He caught the boxie’s arm and pulled him back to the floor, pinning him.

“Oh, now you wanna leave?” Cam’s laugh was almost frenzied. “You wouldn’t get out of my fuckin’ car the nine times I asked you to, but now you wanna dip?”

“Byrne!” Dominic barked. He crossed his living room in three strides and pulled Cam off the other boy. “I am not doing this shit again with you. Sure as shit not in my own house.”

“How are we supposed to just trust that he’s what he says he is?” Cam argued, pushing Dom off him and straightening his shirt. “And if it is true, why was he being sent for refurbishment, anyway?”

Zee’s anger was sudden, whitehot. “For any reason they want! They can say anything they want.”

Cissy put her hand between his shoulder blades. It grounded him so suddenly and effectively he felt dizzy. He clenched his teeth and took a deep breath through his nose.

“I’m just saying! We don’t know. Maybe he deserved it.”

“No such thing, Cam,” Zee answered. He knew Cam’s heart well enough to know he would be horrified by what he was saying if he knew what it truly meant. But he didn't know. He was being ignorant, and loud. Cissy rubbed his upper back in gentle circles with her palm. 

“Nobody deserves what they do to people in there,” he said quietly. “Ever.”

That, at least, made Cam go quiet. 

“Which is why we’re not turning him in to those pigs,” Cissy said, clear as a bell. She looked at each of the boys in turn, and Zee felt a pang of guilt for having doubted her. “We don’t want to know another thing about it. The less we know, the less culpable we are. But we’re not turning anybody over to WRU. That’s not on the table here.”

Dominic looked at her with a tenderness that made Zee almost shy to witness it. “She’s right,” he said. “But I’m not holding anyone captive.” He gave Cam a pointed look. “If he wants to take his chances out there, he can. If he wants to wait it out and get a plan first…well, WRU can’t do shit without the police. And I won’t let police in here without a warrant. You have my word on that, at least. Do what you’d like with it.”

He extended a hand to the man on his floor. He looked at it warily, as if Dom might just as easily change his mind and hit him. He glanced in Zee’s direction and they made eye contact. 

Zee nodded to vouch for Dominic. Do it. It’s okay.

He took Dom’s outreached hand and Dom pulled him easily to his feet. “What’s your name?”

They could see his chest rising and falling with his rapid breaths. Zee could imagine the way his heart was pounding. Unbidden, he remembered the first faces he saw in the fraternity house. Alex and Paul. Alex had tried so hard to be gentle with him.

Don’t run, he willed. Stay with us. They’ll get you for sure if you go back out there tonight.

“Roman,” he said. “My— my real name’s Roman.”

“What's your serial number?” asked Cam with narrowed eyes.

Roman didn’t hesitate. “X8-42295H.”

“Well. Doesn’t prove anything. Anyone can rattle off some numbers.”

“Are you hungry?” said Cissy. “Thirsty?”

Zee ached at the loss of her hand on his back when she got off her sofa. “Let me make you something. You can decide if you want to stay or go while you eat.” She held out her hand, tilted her head. “Please.”

Hesitantly, Roman took it.

Cam was adamant. “Alone? With you? No way. I’m coming.”

“We can all go.” She rolled her eyes at Roman, as if to apologize for Cam. “The kitchen’s ten feet away.”

Zee was glad cooler heads had prevailed. The only thing that still bothered him was that Cam hadn't been wrong about a single point he'd made.

He was almost positive that the men chasing Roman had been WRU, that he'd managed to give them the slip. But other than his terror of being captured and the obvious collar... Roman didn't act like he'd ever been to one of the infamous training facilities a day in his life.

[seventeenlovesthree]

@digiweek​​ 2021: Day 1: Beginning (1998) 

When Izumi Koushirou (9) decides to join the football club in third grade, he doesn’t intend to become a star player. Or make any friends. He just wants to join a sports club in which he could blend in before returning back home to his beloved computer. When the teams of the different grades get merged, he becomes nervous - he obviously didn’t expect to get approached by an upperclassman in such a friendly manner. A fourth grader named Yagami Taichi (10), whom he had never met before. A year before they’d go to Summer Camp - and falling into a strange new world, experiencing quite a different kind of adventure together. Koushirou doesn’t know yet that Taichi will become his best friend - and, one day, maybe even more than that. But this is just the beginning of their story… 

When Koushirou had heard that the football teams of the lower grades would be merged together with the upper grades, he was sure that this was not going to be a good day.

Ever since he had decided to join a group sports club instead of a club focusing on individual achievements, he had successfully managed to blend in with the crowd. He wasn’t all too enthusiastic about putting himself in front and on the spot and up until today, he had been fine with playing alongside the other third graders, who happily played without paying much attention to him. And after all, everything was better than having all eyes upon himself when he had been trying out the table tennis club in second grade…

Now that a big flu wave had hit the school, several club activities had to be put to a halt due to a lack of students – until the club representatives had decided to let the teams train together.

“To improve the team spirit, communication and competition.”

Koushirou looked around – and swallowed. He wasn’t built for athleticism, he was pretty short, even for a nine-year-old, and not the most skilled runner. If anything, he had always been lucky to get back home safely without any significant bruises. Now he wasn’t too sure whether he would make it out alive anymore – one could practically smell the overly competitive spirit of the upperclassmen and he had already sensed grim glances upon himself when he had, once again, missed a pass.

It was unnerving. Oh, the things he would have given to sit in front of his computer and write e-mails instead of…

“You’re one of the third graders, right? Ignore them, they’re just jealous, because more players mean less chance for them to get into the first team without actually working for it… So don’t worry.”

He hadn’t even noticed that somebody had stepped next to him – so Koushirou turned around to face the taller figure the voice was coming from and was immediately greeted with a warm smile and even warmer hazel eyes.

“I’m Yagami Taichi, fourth grade!”, the smile turned into a bright grin and Koushirou couldn’t suppress the urge to turn around to make sure he was actually the one he was talking to. “Who are you?”

“Izumi Koushirou”, he replied politely, bowing down a little. Under normal circumstances, getting approached like this somewhat triggered a flight impulse – but not this time. 

“Nice to meet you! Looks like we’re on the same side today! What position will you play?”

“Eh, I was assigned to play as central defender.”

Taichi was still smiling at him – Koushirou visibly didn’t have the appropriate height for a centre back, being almost an entire head shorter than the boy next to him. But being responsible for defending the goal appeared to be less straining than running up and down the line all the time. Which he had done before whenever the ball had changed sides and he had at least tried his best to give the opponent a harder time, even if it meant to completely exhaust himself. Taichi didn’t comment on his height – or anything else for that matter and just said: “Alright, then let’s have fun! Just watch out for these guys over there, they can get icky…”

He nodded over to the two boys whom Koushirou had already heard whispering over his head before. Koushirou was used to classmates gossiping about him and usually, he didn’t even care about that as long as they left him alone, but hearing the other boy warning him like this felt oddly soothing.

“Yagami-san…“

“Just Taichi is fine!”

With that, the older boy jumped forward again – he was obviously an attacking player and joined a girl with short, red hair in midfield, who seemed to be in the same grade as him.

Once the match had started, Koushirou found himself occasionally running up and down the line whenever the ball came back into their half – as much as he tried to save his energy, the sun was hot and despite weeks of light training, he still wasn’t used to the quick pace, thus he began panting and nervousness rose in his chest.

“Then let’s have fun!”

He still heard those words, up until now, they hadn’t really made much sense in his head. But when his eyes caught the boy with the big, bushy hair on the other side of the pitch again, watching him – or the girl with the red hair – score, it genuinely made him want to try his best.

Then he saw the opposing team approaching their side of the pitch again – he didn’t know how to physically stop the tall players like this, tackling and fouling was nothing he thought he would ever grow accustomed to, but then again…

He had read a lot about football in preparation. About tactics and maneuvers. He knew that there were other ways to put an end to an attack – and that physicality wasn’t the most important thing…

“Koushirou!”, he heard a familiar voice shouting as a warning and he already saw Taichi running towards their own goal – but Koushirou was faster.

With a quick step, he ran towards the middle of the pitch at the exact moment one of the opponent players attempted to pass the ball to one of his teammates who was closest to the goalkeeper. No more than two seconds later, the whistle could be heard, stopping the match.

“Offside!”, the referee exclaimed – and Koushirou, who had stumbled due to the speedy movement on the turf and now kneeled on the ground, heard a clapping sound near him.

“Nice offside trap, that was amazing!”, Taichi yelled and Koushirou couldn’t help but smile as well this time. The older boy, who had already been on his way to protect their goal himself, now kneeled in front of him, probably intending to help him up to get the match going again as soon as possible – but instead, he just held up his left hand for a high five.

Something that had never ever happened to Koushirou on a football pitch before.

The smile still prevailing, he didn’t leave him hanging and gently clapped his own right hand against his.

“Thank you very much, Taichi-san…!”

Maybe football wasn’t so bad. Maybe mingling teams wasn’t so bad. And maybe this day also wasn’t so bad after all.

~

A/N: Loosely based on how Koushirou described how he became friends with Taichi in the Digimon Adventure novels.

[lochtayboatsong]

The Jesus Christ Superstar essay absolutely no one asked for.

Last weekend, I watched the pro-shot of the 2012 arena tour of Jesus Christ Superstar starring Ben Forster, Tim Minchin, and Melanie C, because it was Easter and it was up on YT for the weekend.  I never managed to do my annual listen-through of Leonard Bernstein’s Mass this year, as is my usual Easter tradition, so I figured “Why not watch/listen to this instead?”  It was my first time seeing and hearing JCS in full, and Y’ALL, it has been living rent-free in my brain ever since.  I have a mighty need to get my thoughts out, so here they are, in chronological order by song.  

1) Prologue: I love the way JCS 2012 makes use of the arena video screen.  The production design and concept clearly took a lot of inspiration from the “Occupy ______” movement, which makes it feel a bit dated now.  But every single production of JCS is a product of its time period, so this is a feature and not a bug.  

2) Heaven On Their Minds: This is a straight-up rock song.  It wouldn’t be out of place on any rock and roll album released between 1970 and 2021, and it boggles my mind that Webber and Rice were both in their early twenties when they wrote it.  Also, the lyric “You’ve begun to matter more than the things you say” hits hard no matter the year.

3) What’s the Buzz: A+ use of the arena screens again, this time bringing in social media to set the tone.  Also, this song establishes right from the outset that Jesus is burnt out and T I R E D by this point in the story.  Seriously, can we just let this man have a nap?

4) Strange Thing Mystifying: Judas publicly calls out Mary and Jesus claps back.  Folx, get you a partner who will defend your honor the way Jesus defends MM in this scene.  Also Jesus loses his shoes and is mostly barefoot for the remainder of the show.

5) Everything’s Alright: Okay, this is one of the songs I have A LOT to say about.  First, it’s important to know that I was a church musician throughout all of my adolescence and into my early adulthood.  The pianist at the services I usually played at was a top-notch jazz pianist, and also my piano teacher for about six years while I as in high school and undergrad.  (Incidentally, I had a HUGE crush on his son, who was/is a jazz saxophonist and clarinetist and also played in the church band, but that’s a story for another day.)  One of the hymns we played a few times a year was called “Sing of the Lord’s Goodness,” which is notable for being in 5/4 time.  Whenever this hymn was on the schedule, it was usually the recessional, or the last song played as the clergy processed out and the congregation got ready to leave, so we were able to have some fun with it.  After a couple verses the piano player and his son would usually morph it into “Take Five,” a famous jazz standard by Dave Brubeck which is also in 5/4 time.  Anyway, the first time I listened to this song in full, it got to Judas’s line “People who are hungry, people who are starving,” and I sat bolt upright and went “HOLY SHIT THIS IS ‘SING OF THE LORD’S GOODNESS/TAKE FIVE.’”  And I was ricocheted back in time to being fourteen and trying to keep up with this father/son duo in a cavernous Catholic church while simultaneously making heart-eyes at the son.  Final note: This is the only song in the musical to feature all three leads (Jesus, Judas, and Mary Magdalene) and is mostly Jesus and MM being soft with each other in between bouts of Jesus and Judas snarling at one another.

6) This Jesus Must Die: I LOVE that all the villains in this production are in tailored suits.  LOVE IT.  Also, Caiaphas and Annas are a comedy duo akin to “the thin guy and the fat guy,” except in this case it’s “the low basso profundo and the high tenor.”  Excellent use of the arena video screen again, this time as CCTV.

7) Hosanna: My background as a church musician strikes back again.  It honestly took me two or three listens to catch it, but then I had another moment of sitting bolt upright and going “HOLY SHIT THIS IS A PSALM.”  Psalms sung in church usually take the form of call-and-response, with a cantor singing the verses and the congregation joining in for the chorus.  If I close my eyes during this song, I have no trouble imagining Jesus as a church cantor singing the verses and then bringing the congregation in for the “Ho-sanna, Hey-sanna” chorus. 

8) Simon Zealotes: This is part “Gloria In Excelsis” and part over-the-top Gospel song.  Honestly it’s not my favorite, but it marks an important mood change in the show.  The end of “Hosanna” is probably Jesus at his happiest in the entire show, and then Simon comes in and sours the mood by trying to tip the triumphant moment into a violent one.  Jesus is not truly happy again from this moment on.

9) Poor Jerusalem: Also not my fave.  It kinda reads like Webber and Rice realized that Jesus didn’t have a solo aria in Act I, so they came up with this.  But it has the distinction of containing the lyric, “To conquer death you only have to die,” which is the biggest overarching theme of the story.

10) Pilate’s Dream: Pontius Pilate might be the most underrated role in this entire show, and I love that this production has him singing this song while being dressed in judge’s robes.  

11) The Temple: The first half of this is one of the campiest numbers in Act I, at least in this production, and it’s awesome.  The second half is one of the saddest, as Jesus tries to heal the sick but finds there are too many of them.  Also the whole scene is almost entirely in 7/8 time, which I think is just cool.

12) I Don’t Know How To Love Him: Mary Magdalene’s big aria, and one of the songs I knew prior to seeing the full-length show.  This production has MM taking off her heavy lipstick and eye makeup onstage, mid-song, which is kind of cool.  Melanie C says in a BTS interview that MM’s makeup is her armor, so this is a Big Symbolic Moment.

13) Damned For All Time: The scene transition into this song is played entirely in pantomime, and I love it.  The solo guitarist gets to be onstage for a bit, A+ use of the video screen again to show Judas on CCTV, etc.  Love it.  And then this song is Judas frantically rationalizing what he’s doing, and what he’s about to do, with Caiphas and Annas just reacting with raised eyebrows and knowing looks.

14) Blood Money: This is where the tone of the show really takes a turn for the dark.  I think this might be one of Tim Minchin’s finest moments as Judas, because his facial expressions and microexpressions throughout this scene speak absolute volumes.  And the offstage chorus quietly singing “Well done Judas” as he picks up the money is a positively chilling way to end Act I.

15) The Last Supper: Act II begins with major “Drink With Me” vibes.  (Except JCS came WAY before Les Miz, so it’s probably more accurate to say that “Drink With Me” has major “The Last Supper” vibes.)  Jesus and Judas have their knock-down, drag-out fight, and it’s honestly heartbreaking, thanks again to Tim Minchin’s facial expressions.  A well-done production of JCS will really convey that Jesus and Judas were once closer than brothers, even though their relationship is at breaking point when Act I begins.

16) Gethsemane: This is Jesus’s major showpiece and one of my faves.  Jesus knows he has less than 24 hours to live, he knows he’s going to suffer, and worst of all, he doesn’t know whether it’s going to be worth it.  It’s an emotional rollercoaster to watch and to perform, and it goes on for ages: something like 6 or 7 minutes.  Fun fact: the famous G5 is not written in the score.  Ian Gillan, who played Jesus on the original concept album, just sang it that way, so most subsequent Jesuses have also done it that way.  Lindsay Ellis has a great supercut of this on YT.  John Legend notably sang the line as written during the 2018 concert.  

17) The Arrest: Judas’s Betrayer’s Kiss is played differently across different productions.  The 2012 version is pretty tame - I’ve seen clips and gifs of other productions, including the 2000 direct-to-video version, where they kiss fully on the mouth and have to be dragged apart by the guards and it is THE MOST TENDER THING.  Then the 7/8 riff from “The Temple” comes back and the 2012 version lets the video screen do its thing again as Jesus is swarmed by reporters.

18) Peter’s Denial: Not much to say about this one, as it’s basically a scene transition.  But it’s a significant moment in the Passion story, so I’m glad they included it.

19) Pilate and Christ: The 2012 production continues with the theme of Caiaphas, Annas, and Pilate all being bougie af, since Pilate intentionally looks like he just came from tennis practice during this scene.  Also he does pilates...hehehe.

20) King Herod’s Song: Tim Minchin says in a BTS interview that JCS works best when Jesus and Judas are played seriously and the rest of the production is allowed to be completely camp and wild and bizarre all around them, and he is bloody well CORRECT about that.  Case in point: King Herod.  There is not a single production of JCS that I know of where Herod is played “straight.”  He’s been played by everyone from Alice Cooper to Jack Black, and everyone puts a different zany spin on him.  In JCS 2012 he’s a chat show host in a red crushed velvet suit, who is clearly having the time of his LIFE. 

21) Could We Start Again Please: This is another of my faves.  Just a quiet moment where MM, Peter, and the disciples try to grapple with the fact that Jesus is arrested and things are going very, very badly.  This is also my favorite Melanie C moment of the 2012 show.  Her grief is very real, and the little moment she has with Peter at the end is very real.

22) Death of Judas: This is basically Tim Minchin screaming for about five minutes, and incredibly harrowing to watch on first viewing.  

23) Trial Before Pilate: Possibly my single favorite scene in the entire 2012 production.  This is another harrowing watch, but there’s so much to take in.  The “set” that the entire show takes place on is essentially just a massive staircase, and the people with power are almost always positioned above the people without power.  In this scene, the crowd shouting “Crucify Him!” is positioned above Pilate, which is a very telling clue to Pilate’s psychology during this scene.  Jesus is at the very bottom of the stairs, of course.  Excellent use of the video screen once again during the 39 Lashes, to show the lash marks building and building until the entire screen is a wash of red.  Pilate’s counting also gets more and more frantic, especially starting around “20.”  And all the while the guitar riff from “Heaven On Their Minds” is playing.  Jesus’s line “Everything is fixed and you can’t change it” is played quite differently in different productions - here it’s defiant, but elsewhere (in JCS 2000 for example) it’s almost tender, like Jesus is absolving Pilate for his part in the trial.  But it always ends the same - with Pilate almost screaming as he passes the sentence and “washes his hands” of the whole sorry business. 

24) Superstar: The most over-the-top number in the show.  Judas, who died two scenes ago, comes back to sing this.  There are soul singers.  There are girls in skimpy angel costumes.  The parkour guys from the prologue are back.  Judas pulls a tambourine out of hammerspace midway through the song.  And Jesus is silently screaming and crying as he gets hoisted onto a lighting beam while all this is going on.

25) The Crucifixion: More of a spoken-word piece than a song, it’s Jesus’s final words on the cross over eerie piano music, and another harrowing watch.

26) John 19:41: An instrumental piece in which Jesus is taken from the cross and carried, at last, to the top of the stairs, before being lowered out of sight as the video screen turns into a memorial wall and everything fades to black.

So.  I know I’m anywhere from three to fifty-one years late to this particular party, but I am on the JCS bandwagon now and I’m thoroughly enjoying myself.  :)

[melancholyblues0]

𝓌𝒽𝑜 𝓃𝑒𝑒𝒹𝓈 𝓎𝑜𝓊

𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝑜𝓃𝑒 : 𝑔𝑜𝑜𝒹 𝒸𝑜𝓂𝓅𝒶𝓃𝓎

brian may x reader series

warnings : swearing, alcohol, future chapters will have smut so... be aware of that ig lol. like tiniest mention of weed

a/n : thinking of making this a bit of a series but we’ll see ? i also have a heavy week of exams next week but i am free from school for like three months (yay fucking hey) so i’ll try to prepare a second chapter because we all know i won’t revise lol. also loosely based off of a roger taylor x reader fic i read a while ago ! i can’t remember the name/author, but if i find it again i’ll tag the author. all characters are mine, aside from brian may/anita. thank you for reading ! this is set in 1994, and freddie doesn’t die/ john doesn’t retire because we’re not gonna deal with that kettle of fish in this fic.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧

it wasn't raining today, surprisingly. it wasn't as if it was unusual for the uk - it was always like this - rain, and then a week straight of blazing hot sun. you could even say you'd grown to love it. you'd enjoyed playing with little anya colston the day before, the thirteen year old who lived next to your parents. you'd been in the pool her parents owned, when you heard of a new couple moving in two doors down. rumours had gone round of the husband being famous, but for what you nor anya knew. you both just hoped they wouldn't be as dull and empty as the other adults were (something you and anya had bonded over - your mutual hatred for prissy adults).

~~~

"y/n, darling, please hurry up. you know your father and i don't want to be late." your mother called up the stairs, watching as y/n slid down the bannister. "and the countless times you've slid down the bloody bannister. you'll break your neck one day." she added, sighing as she gave you a once over. "where's xavier ? xavier, hurry up !" she called, and the heavy footsteps of her older brother sounded above them. "why is he always allowed to be the last one out, but i get a bollocking if i am ?" y/n groaned, sitting on the step. "because, you know how xavier's like." your mother said, sighing as xavier finally made an appearance. you huffed as she stood up, and stalked towards the door, xavier not far behind you. 

the second the family entered the maybank home, your mother made a beeline for the champagne flutes on the breakfast bar; your father to the men outside (also where more alcohol was), and xavier followed suit, albeit reluctantly. and although you could think of nothing worse than talking to the women, you followed your mother - entirely for the champagne. "y/n ! how are your a levels going ?" diane asked, peering at you over her wine glass. "i think she's doing alright - she did drop literature for psychology, but i suppose it's better than what she could've chosen." your mother smiled patronisingly. "oh ! darling, this is anita - she's just moved in." diane smiled, gesturing to the woman next to her. you had to admit, she was beautiful. and even better, she didn't share the same patronising smile your mother and the other women donned constantly. "it's nice to meet you, anita." you smiled, taking a sip from your flute. "not too much, sweetheart," your mother said. always the one to take the fun out of everything - and what was the point in not being able to drink; these gatherings were hardly tolerable sober, and you were seventeen. "i'm gonna go find the kids." you muttered, snatching your glass from the table. 

soon enough, you found three girls, only a few years younger than you, sat by the pool. "y/n ! c'mere !" anya called, waving her hand. you made your way to the girls, and anya introduced you - louise was the older girl, recently turned fifteen, and emily the younger, was ten. they were the daughters of the new family, so you and anya made sure to give them the run down on who was who. dominique and otis rains, your own parents; they only had you and xavier. diane and emanual colston were anya's parents (admittedly the least snobby), and had anya and carlson, who was louise's age. then there was adrianna and henry maybank, who had mina (the only girl your age, but after her parents found the pot you frequently smoked under her bed, they sent her to boarding school somewhere out west in the country). florence and alistair bohr (florence was the youngest and prettiest, but the one who tried the hardest. alistair was a sixty - something year old ceo. in your eyes, a perfect match). then finally, there was louise and emily's parents, anita and brian may. they said they also had an older brother, jimmy, who, when you looked over, looked deep in conversation with xavier. the girls appeared to sound equally as disdained by the adult snobbery as you and anya were (mina also - speaking of, it was a shame she wasn't here. you thought she'd broken up from school by now). you warned the girls of the sunday brunches too. it was either you tired yourself out by playing tennis, or you drinking sangria's and champagne with the women, who all ogled the fit male tennis players and bartenders, and seemingly had endless shit to talk.

you glanced up at the men - the very people you found trying to avoid at all costs, but you were curious as to who this brian was. you could've sworn you recognised his name, but from where you couldn't recall. as you scanned the group, you noticed an unfamiliar mop of curly hair - in which became familiar to you very quickly. how could you not know ? that was when the memories of your poster clad walls, concerts that left you and mina with sore throats, and various records with those four faces adorned across the front strewn across your bedroom floor rushed back. "one second." you murmured to the girls, as you got up, and dusted off your skirt, making a beeline towards the group in a spurt of confidence. 

"y/n ! i was wondering how you had been with those women for so long, i didn't see you leave. this is brian, our knew neighbour." your father smiled, wrapping an arm around your shoulder. "my youngest, y/n." your father grinned to brian, and you looked up at him. and christ, you knew he was tall, but he was a bloody giant. "i think what my father really means is that it'll be nice for another man around. he's getting bored of these three dinosaurs." you grinned, the same cheeky grin you'd inherited from your father. "glad to know you don't seem like the others." he laughed, shaking your outstretched hand. "god no, i like to think i taught her better than to end up like those women. in secret, of course, the missus would slaughter me." your father laughed, the others following suit. but you liked the look of brian, a lot. more than you should, but who could blame you ?  you'd practically been in love with the man since you were twelve. not that you would tell him of course. and then you heard the squeal, one you'd known all your life - mina was here. "i'll be back." you smiled uneasily, and rushed inside to find the tall brunette in the doorway. "get here you silly bitch !" she shouted, barrelling into you, tackling you to the ground. "language, mina." adrianna sighed, tossing the keys onto the shelf near the door. she too, like your mother had, rushed to the wine and the women. she needed a drink, after picking up her spritely daughter and managing to cope for a two hour car ride. you and mina rushed upstairs into her bedroom, and you slammed the door behind you. "right, do not freak out. we have new neighbours." you began, looking at mina's flushed face. "and ?" she asked,

"it's brian may."

"it's who, now ?"

"brian may."

"brian may ? the new - new - new guitar guy ? the man we've been gushing over since before we had tits ?"

"yeah, that's the guy."

mina laughed, tossing her hair behind her shoulder. "good god. glad you haven't pounced him yet. if it was roger, i know i would've." she smirked, making sideways glances to her own queen poster above her bed - that had been signed by every member during their '86 tour. "well, not only is his wife and three kids downstairs, he was bombarded by males. shame, really." you joked. 

"kids ?" she gasped, hopeful they were like anya. 

"thankfully, louise and emily are exactly like anya." you smiled. 

"i'll finish this later. i wanna meet the newbies." she wiggled her eyebrows, running out of her room, with you tow.