#but most of my followers are tre people so nobody else will see it anyway 👍

[deaddove]

hello radiant emperor fandom. i heard you guys like dark historical fantasies about genderqueer warlords and their ruthless pursuit of Revenge and/or The Throne… well let me put you onto something:

need more emo femboys with daddy issues? doomed siblings? lord/vassal dynamics? romantic stabbing? corruption arcs? sexy masochism? you 🫵 should consider reading

Requiem of the Rose King by Aya Kanno

loosely based off Shakespeare's Henry and Richard plays, this manga follows intersex protagonist Richard III (yes he has straight black hair with the bangs covering one eye. yes it’s to hide his heterochromia) through England's War of the Roses.

(he is so cute don't you just want to see him snarling and covered in blood. don't you want to see him slowly abandon his ideals in a desperate bid to be accepted by the world that shunned and demonized him.)

battle, bloodshed, and court politics ensue! also because it's a shoujo manga, Richard becomes the psychosexual obsession of most of the male cast and engages in a toxic doomed relationship or two.

this is not a series for those looking for good queer rep, but perfect for anyone who wants to read about beautiful criminally insane people tearing each other's throats out and being horny about it. it is fun, violent, melodramatic, sexy, and utterly devastating. and although it is tonally very different from TRE, it has so many similar ingredients that i think it deserves to be on your radar. actually it deserves to be on everyone's radar, it's so fucking good and doesn't get anywhere near the attention it deserves...

yea there is an anime that is unforgivably ugly and so heavily censored it's a mystery why they even bothered to adapt it. would not recommend it at all but i guess you can watch it if you want, i am not the police.

actually no i changed my mind. Aya Kanno's work is stunning and deserves to be appreciated. ok case rested.

[eerythingisshaka]

PTA III

[Trevante Rhodes x Reader]

Word Count: 2.2K

Summer had come and gone in the blink of an eye yet felt as long as finals week when you were earning your teaching degree.  School ended last quarter with a clumsy splat seeing as the first wave of virus knocked everything out of order very quick. You stressed out running lessons to the school for kids to pick up and working with families with limited to no internet access pulled your patience to its thinnest layer.

So when all had officially finished, you had to take the time to yourself as best as you could.  In a normal summer, you would plan a getaway to just about anywhere you hadn’t seen before and the more solo the better.  Sipping something alcoholic in a warm climate with the Sun toasting your skin to its peak melanated beauty was all you would need to pack you full of endorphins that could last you into the next year.

But that wasn’t the plan now.  Travel restrictions keep you from going out of town and you can’t even get a decent dinner anymore seeing as most restaurants are dine out only.  The only silver lining you can muster is the mask mandates allowing you to keep from smiling at strangers in awkward politeness when they get in your way.  It is a layer of protection for your sanity and solitude.  

However that wasn’t the only silver lining you have from the summer.  Mr. Rhodes, or Trevante as he has to still remind you, became very generous with his time with you outside of the classroom.  As much as you try to keep things professional for your jobs sake, he won’t let you be for any little thing.  Your email has message after message from him asking about simple math for everyday things that apparently Nemour needed refreshing on, followed by a ‘so how you been doing?’

Email 1

“Dear Ms. (Y/N), I am contacting you in regards to my son, Nemour.  While in the grocery today, we came across a sale for oranges, 3lb. for $5.  But then this other store has 5 lb. for $6.  Now he is itching to know what price would be the better one to go for?”

Your response:

“Dear Mr. Rhodes,  Although my primary concentration is History, you can tell Nemour that he should go for the second deal with 5lb.”

“Perfect, that’s why you’re the teacher!  So...how’ve you been?”

Sometimes you reply, and sometimes you leave him on read, it depends on how conversational you feel.  But as time progressed, you got excited to see his emails asking to remind him what the 3 branches of government are or what amendment means what?  He even got you on video chat to discuss.

“What?!  So slavery isn’t really abolished on that bullshit?”  Trevante exclaims in awe.

You throw your hands up, aghast as if you just learned it yourself.  “That’s the thing about American government.  They will throw a loophole where you least expect it and throw a parade like the shit ain’t bout to pop out.”

“Damn!  That’s like some Trojan horse shit honestly,”  he shakes his head, taking a swig of his beer.

You snap your finger, “Exactly, my man, exactly!  That’s why nobody can agree on anything worth a damn.  There’s gonna be a clause somewhere that adds some shit that makes the whole thing rotten. But you didn’t hear it from me, so don’t let Nemour know I’m saying this kind of stuff.”

He twists his face in confusion.  “Why wouldn’t I?  My son got a right to know about what this country is founded on.  Everyone does.”

“Yeah I know.  Just...when topics like these pop up it’s difficult to keep it all…” your voice trails off as you search your bedroom for the words you are looking for.

“Politically Incorrect?”  he offers.

You nod a little.  “Kinda, yeah.”

He sets down his beer, sitting a little closer to the screen.  “You shouldn’t have to worry about that.  History is literally set in stone.  If we didn’t have it, we wouldn’t know what to do with ourselves now.”

“Do we know what to do now though?”  you ask in a higher pitch, squinting like you stepped in hot coals.

Trevante took a minute looking at you before dipping his head down to chuckle.  You could hear the pounding baritone in his chest from your speakers.

“What?  What’s that about?”  you ask.

He sits up again, stroking his beard, “It’s cute when you make your face like that.  That’s all.”

You roll your eyes, pulling your scarf further down your forehead to make up for slipping.  

Trevante tuts at you.  “I need a bucket or something to catch these compliments you keep throwing away that I toss at you.  You don’t believe me or what?”

You give a very dignified look, “I believe I am beautiful.  I just don’t believe in entertaining a parent, is all.”

Trevante sighs.  “Summer don’t count (y/n).  You’re not his teacher now so what’s the issue?”

You look off to the side and back at him.  The crisp white t shirt he has on is obstructing more of the view of his body then you care for but the tightness at the sleeve around his bicep makes up for what you know is already there.

“Hello?”  he says.

You blink a few times, crossing your arms.  “Hm?”

“You go off into space a lot too.  What’s on your mind when you do that?”

His arms around your waist that tightly bind you to his body as you inhale his sweet cologne that is perfectly distributed from his neck to chest.

You scratch your neck, and tell a half lie.  “Oh, just this new school year.”

“See this is a perk of having a teacher friend.  Fill me in, what’s up?”

“Well, all I have right now is that we are doing hybrid learning, so some classes at the school and some at home.  Now the district just need to provide the materials for the kids to be able to do that.  The internet, the laptop/tablets, and make sure we can all connect and no one is behind on lessons.  And since I am on the front line, I have to get creative with the lesson plans and keep people on task and on time.”

Trevante nods.  “Well me and Nemour are excited to see what you have for us next year, whatever it is.”

You smirk at the encouragement.  “Thank you Tre, but I can’t guarantee we will be together for the next school year.  That’s decided at random.  Plus the grade he is in next year is the last one I teach.”

“Nah, we gonna be in there.  If I have to sign a petition or boycott like these hot breathed whites out here not wearing masks, we will be in your class this fall.”

You bust out laughing at his determination.  “Dang, Tre!  Don’t go starting a ruckus up there cuz of me!  He will still be taught well, whoever he has a teacher.”

He makes a cut it motion across his neck.  “Nah, we only rock with the best and that’s you up there.  I will make all the, what you call it?  Ruckus?  That shit!  So I will be seeing you first day in the fall, ok?”

You feel heat spread over your skin from shyness.  His brash attitude comes out and makes you feel like a superstar.  “Ok, I’ll hold you to it.  How’s Nemour doing anyway?”

Trevante nods, picking up his laptop as he changes rooms.  “He is doing well, being a regular kid.  Playing and doing his chores.”

You nod.  “Great!”

He closes a door behind him as he lays the laptop down, you can tell he is laying across his bed on his stomach as he speaks.

“He has been asking me a lot more questions about police and like, if they stop me or him, what’s gonna happen and what do we do?  Should we run away?  Can we not live by cops, stuff like that.”

You heart breaks hearing this. “Wow, and this is coming from a child?”

He nods, resting his chin on his forearm.  “It’s part my fault.  I’m always looking at the news and if he sitting at the table eating breakfast or whatever, he’s gonna see it.  I cut it off when they show bodycam footage though cuz that is nothing but toxic.”

“I can’t count how many times I had to see them replay that man dying in the street.  And in front of people watching, they don’t care who is watching cuz what can you do?  You can’t interfere or that’s a charge on you but he could’ve lived.”

Trevante looks spaced out for a second hearing this.  “I know, and that’s why it’s hard explaining to Nemour what everything is about.  I give him the basics though:  Do what the officer says, don’t argue, and don’t get into shit that’s gonna get the cops called  on you either.  But it sounds played out to even say.  What did everybody else do that’s dead now?”

“Nothing.  Sleep in their bed, going to the store, jogging.  Not a damn thing that warranted a bullet.”

Trevante gives a small shrug, looking sad like he is staring at his reflection in a pond.  “Yeah, so he been grappling with that and that’s a lot for a kid his age.  That’s why I want him to be your student still too cuz you’re one of the only Black teachers there and I honestly think he is uncomfortable with white people right now.  We went to the store the other day and he calls himself protecting me saying if the man getting bread bothers me, he put on his little Timbs so he can stomp him for me.”

You gasp at the thought, giving a weak smile.  “I mean, that would go viral for some child to curb stomp a big old white dude.”

Tre smiled some too.  “I think Nemour was this close to saying ‘Don’t worry bout it sweetheart.’  I can’t let him look at no internet again.”

You put your foot up and say, “He finna give him that SPLAHH!”

Trevante laughs heartily, wiping his eyes, “You more hip than I thought too.”

“I had some wine earlier, so that might’ve helped.”  You put a finger to your mouth and pull up the glass from the nightstand.  

“Oh shit!  So this is Turnt Teacher!  Go head then, don’t let me stop you”

You wave him off.  “You aren’t stopping anything.  If nothing else, you keeping me going.  All this house shit is working my last nerve, it’s nice to see a familiar face every once in a while.”

“I think so too.  You’ve been a great addition to some weeknights this summer.”

You put a thumbs up as you sip your wine.  “Are we still doing a movie tonight?  I think it’s my turn to pick.”

Trevante curls up a lip.  “Nah, I don’t think so.”

Your heart sank a little, already having queued up a selection to watch.  “That’s ok, it is late.”

“Yeah, but really I wanna see you in person.”

Your body tensed at the invitation.  Thinking over the last few months of chatting, he has warmed up to you as an individual, but you aren’t sure if that feeling can translate outside of a screen.  Behind the camera it’s safe, you can be cute and mysterious but vulnerable and clumsy and it all comes up roses for him.  In person, cute and mysterious can seem pretentious and vulnerable and clumsy could just be a weirdo geek to him.

“Well,” you start, “I would but...you know this...pandemic is just…”

“I know,” he says.

“...awful, right?  So I just don’t think I can comfortably do that...now?”

Trevante thinks for a second.  “We can stay within the parameters of the guidelines though right?  Six feet, masks, no crowded space.  If you want, we can do that.  I just…” he sighs heavily, looking tired as he rubs his eyes, “...I have been getting stir crazy and you are the main one I have been keeping contact with outside of family, yet I only spent time in person on Valentine’s Day that one meeting we had.  And you had a date later!”

You laugh at him, remembering their first meeting that could’ve been an email no doubt.

“Yeah, you’re right.” 

“Do you wanna go out with me?  Be honest!”

“Tre, I told you-”

“See?  You even call me Tre now.  We familiar right?  I don’t usually have to beg like this but ma’am, you almost got me on bended knee!”

“Uh…”  you start to feel bad but your mouth stops working under pressure.

“Six feet,” he reminds you.  If nothing else, that makes you less inclined to want to go because what can you do?  No kissing that’s for sure.

“I don’t want to confuse Nemour,”  you rebuttal.

“He will be watched by a guardian, trust me.  He won’t be cramping out grown folks business.”

You feel a flutter in your stomach that fuels your excitement.  A plan to go out, with a man no less!  This could turn the summer around or be a disaster on the horizon.

“Don’t overthink it.  You’re a smart woman, but I don’t want you to overcalculate this.  You wanna see me, I wanna see you.  We’ll play it safe, and finally see each other in some natural light.”

You nod slowly, a smile creeps across your face as his argument finally sways you.  “Ok, I’m in.  Pick the time and place.”

Tag you!

@chaneajoyyy​

[callmehopeless]

2k BABY

Holy shit! TWO THOUSAND FOLLOWERS FOR MY LITTLE SLICE OF PARADISE. I am completely in awe of the fact what started as a little blog for me to post about my obsession with Atton Rand and Quicksilver turned into a long-running fanfic site.

So naturally, I feel this occasion demands I thank a whole lot of the people who got me to this point. I’ll definitely forget some of you, but know that all 2k of you (yes, even you spambots) have continued to inspire me in some of my hardest and also happiest times.

To everyone who came out in support of my boys Peter, Peter, Peter and Peter: namely @shoyzz-art, whose art of my Peter fic I still stare at on a near weekly basis with love and affection. Also @samsationalwilson who fangirled like nobody else. Also, one of my closest friends on this site, @ghistwrite, who is a dependable sweetheart and has been here through the ages. There are many, many more of you: and I still think of you fondly and often.

To everyone who I’ve met through my love and vague obsession with Adam Driver: namely @kylokiwi (who has always been adorable and made me laugh), @a-whole-damn-sackler (who never ceases to have something hilarious to say about my fics, @ravenj84 (whose messages I enjoy all too often because she’s brilliant), @oh-adam (who reblogs all the good shit I need to see on my dash), @jezibelleinhell (who I am totally not surprised to see was my number 1 follower for this month and is basically a god among women), @baensolo (that girl got the thirst to no end and that shit’s inspiring), @bellaren18 (who is simply hilarious and lovable to no end), @mrsmookie (for her devotion to always writing tres flattering comments that make me swoon), @kirah34 (who celebrates a good and pure holy trinity and has consistently made me smile), @hplotrfan (you really are fangirling to the max and I looove it), @badbitsh13 (who is fluently pro-Adam and I love entirely), @kjyrose (who is SUCH a sweetheart) and @just-another-starwars-fangirl (who appreciates my gifs when none of you fuckers did!)

To the writers that have constantly inspired me on this journey and have caused me to refine my own skill: namely @rosalynbair, who is honestly one of the most talented individuals I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. Similarly, @aclamclriver writes such poetic and beautiful stuff that my heart swells just reading it. @kylo-renne also deserves a mention in this department for her shameless, filthy Clyde Logan headcannons that have kept me awake many a night staring at the woodgrain in my ceiling and wondering: how did I manage to fall in love with a redneck ex-con? And also @dreamboatdriver - jesus christ, those Flip ficks got me hot under the collar. There are definitely a HUGE number more of you - but these are the ones who have skimmed my brain.

And last, but by no means least: my favourite RP blogs. @rustynaillogan, your poetry has captivated me heart and soul. Your tiki lights make my whole body ache. To @askpaterson, who I’ve only vaguely interacted with but has continued to be such a gorgeous man in all he does. To @asksackler: who is a shameless pervert and a huge flirt, but has won my heart  sometimes enthusiastically made me blush. And finally, to both of my boys: @iamsupremeleader and @thisisgeneralhux. Despite the fact you live the majority of the time in my brain, you irk me to no end. But I love you anyway.

We did it. I did it. Someone did it.

Probs Adam Sackler. That boy’s nasty.

And to everyone I haven’t listed here: you are gorgeous, wonderful, powerful, inspiring humans. You have made my art worth writing. This blog would not survive without your love and support, and I am humbled to say my experience here has not once been negative. Bless you all.

[quack-and-yellow]

Nobody Compares to You – Marko Pjaca One Shot

For @4rsene-wenger, who deserves the world. ❤️

I’m so sorry this is late. I didn’t change anything so let’s just pretend you’re reading this at New Year’s Eve askajsdasasda Also, what do you guys mean Marko is no longer in Turin? Stop saying nonsense. 😌 Huge thanks to @elleficient for beta reading. Inspired by the song mentioned in the story.

—

Gaby knew better than to stay in a room with him. Even if there are other people, a sea of faces between them, she knew she would swim through it all and still look for his face. She would still gravitate towards him, seeking his warmth. For three months it has been a habit. Now she’s trying to unlearn it.

Gaby slipped out of the house by the backdoor, a half-filled wine bottle tucked by her side. She didn’t bother bringing a glass. She could finish what remains of it – and she would. The loud music and chatter from inside immediately faded as the door shut. New Year’s Eve parties. She used to enjoy it. Getting wasted. Making out. Waking up past noon the following day. Now she just wanted to be alone with a bottle of wine and her thoughts. That’s what he’s supposed to be – a passing thought. A memory. What was he doing here tonight, anyway? They were her friends after all. She was the one who introduced them to him, when he was still new in Turin and didn’t know anyone else.

Gaby slowly breathed in the cold, crisp air until her nose hurt and her eyes watered. Well, fuck. If he’s here, she’d rather pass out in the cold and freeze to death. She opened the bottle and drank directly from it.

The door flew open and she almost choked on the wine from shock. There he was. Without warning. Looking tall and handsome as ever. Their eyes met, and Gaby hastily lowered the bottle from her lips. The door automatically shut, surrounding them in silence once again.

“Gabriela,” Marko said.

Gaby winced. She has not heard that in a long time – her name in his voice. He was the only one who insists on calling her by her first name. She looked away.

“I saw you sneak out.” He smirked, noticing the bottle in her hand. "Thought I’d say hi.”

She did not reply and kept her gaze away from him. Her heart was beating rapidly and the sinking feeling in her stomach was making her want to vomit. Marko sat beside her on the old bench by the wall. Her whole body tensed.

“Care to share?” His arm brushed against hers when he gestured with the glass on his hand.

Gaby impulsively moved her arm away. It scared her – being that close again. Feeling his skin against hers. With a trembling hand that she hoped he didn’t notice, she poured him half a glass.

“Grazie,” Marko said, raising his glass. He took a sip and gazed at the distance where a few fireworks lit up the night sky, their pops faint.

Gaby gripped the bottleneck, praying he would leave already, but he wasn’t showing any signs of doing so. From the corner of her eye, she saw him take out his phone and scroll through it.

“Look at this,” he said with a grin.

It was a picture of the party inside. Marko zoomed in on a couple making out in the corner of the living room.

“Stefan and Anna?” she asked.

“Yeah,” he answered, chuckling. “They thought no one could see them.”

“They’re together since last month.”

Marko’s grin disappeared. “They are?”

Gaby shrugged and took a sip of wine.

“Shit, I didn’t know that,” he muttered, frowning, as he deleted the picture.

Of course you didn’t know. It’s not like you still hang out with my friends after leaving, Gaby thought. She took another sip to fight the urge to say it.

“Well, I guess that’s it,” Marko said, stuffing his phone back in his coat pocket. “I was thinking of posting it on our WhatsApp group.” 

“Our?” Gaby spat before she could stop herself.

“Yeah?” Marko shrugged nonchalantly. “I mean, I know I haven’t been active lately, I was busy –”

“You haven’t been active for three months,” she scoffed. “And you know why.”

He opened his mouth to speak, but she held up a finger to silence him.

“Okay, I know you’re not just here to say hi,” Gaby said, facing him. “What is this about, Marko?”

He twirled the glass in his hand, watching the dark liquid swirl. In the distance, more and more fireworks kept popping. Then with a sniff, he looked at her seriously. “I want you back.”

Gaby searched his eyes, expecting him to crack up any moment. She used to love looking into them. How they make her melt. How they make time stand still. Now she couldn’t look into them without thinking about the pain.

Marko’s fingers found their way into the spaces between hers, slowly entwining them. His hand was warm against her cold one. He gave it a squeeze. “I miss you.”

“Y-you…” She squinted as tears stung her eyes. She quickly removed her hand and stood up. “W-why are you doing this?”

“What do you mean why?” 

“You can’t just say you miss me and expect me to come back,” she shot back.

He looked down at his hands. “I’m sorry, Gabriela.”

She laughed sarcastically, even if tears were threatening to fall. “And that is supposed to make everything okay again?”

“I… I realize now it’s still not.”

Gaby bit her lip and brushed her tears angrily. She said too much, revealed too much in her little outburst. There’s no use redeeming herself by pretending to be fine. Because she wasn’t, ever since he left. She has never admitted it to herself or to anyone. Now that she did, she plopped down in defeat.

Marko sighed, letting out a huge cloud of air. “If it makes you feel better to know… I haven’t been myself since we broke up. I wasn’t playing in any of the last few games, if you noticed.”

“So you want me back so you can start functioning well again?” she scoffed, taking a sip of wine.

“I want you back because I love you,” he said, as if it was that simple.

It was that simple, and it made her furious.

Gaby glared at him, her temple throbbing from the alcohol and her fury. “Why did you leave me in the first place?”

Marko took a deep breath. “I was scared.” His eyes darted from the sky to the glass in his hand. “I was out for so long because of my injury. I’m torn between fighting for my place at the club and giving myself up for a loan. I didn’t know what to do. I was losing it all, Gabriela.”

Gaby’s grip on the bottle tightened. She was hearing this for the first time because he just left after a heated argument and neither of them made an effort to patch things up. She had convinced herself that it was the end for them.

He lifted his eyes to her face and kept them fixed on her. “We were fighting most of the time because I was bad-tempered and depressed. I was scared… of what I was turning you into. I could see that you were no longer your best self when you’re with me. I know what you are at your best.”

She brought the back of her hand to her lips and let out a muffled sob. “Why didn’t you tell me this? I still want to be there for you no matter what…” 

“I know,” Marko said, his voice trembling. “I know you will do everything for me, and that very reason scared me. Like what if I got loaned to Germany or Russia? Will you move with me? I can’t have you doing everything for me and losing yourself at the same time.”

She winced and shook her head.

“I’m sorry. I hope I’m not yet too late.” He reached out and touched her tear-stained cheek. “I never stopped loving you, Gabriela. I never stopped wanting you.”

Gaby closed her eyes and clenched tightly at the sleeve of her sweater, resisting the urge to fall back into his arms. She was giving it her all, but she was losing with every second that passed.

A welcoming distraction came in the form of a couple that burst out of the back door, tangled in each other’s arms. They were kissing and only broke apart when they noticed Marko and Gaby watching them. The couple gave an awkward smile, nodded at them and then hurried back inside. The door closed, cutting Gryffin’s “Nobody Compares to You” mid-song, which was blasting at full volume. Marko began laughing, and Gaby allowed herself a few seconds to listen to it – a sound she dearly missed – before bursting into laughter herself.

“That… that wasn’t Daniela, right?” he asked.

“That’s definitely not Dani,” she answered, wiping a tear. “That dumbass Luca. I thought he’s finally in a serious relationship. I will kill him.”

Marko shook his head. “Remember last year’s celebration at Stefan’s house?”

Gaby rolled her eyes. “Ugh. I still cringe every time I use the bathroom there.”

They laughed again until awkward silence took over when they realized that, last year, they were the couple trying to look for a secluded place to make out. They had just started dating then. They didn’t even last a year.

Gaby looked up and saw the horizon began to light up with even more fireworks, this time in quick succession.

“What time is it?” she asked.

Marko glanced at his wristwatch. “Almost midnight.”

She pursed her lips and nodded. “I should go.”

“I wouldn’t go inside if I were you,” he said, leaning back against the wall.

Gaby knew what he meant. Either she would get caught in the middle of couples kissing or she would be forced to kiss any of the available singles – and she didn’t really want to kiss anyone tonight.

“Oh. Right,” she mumbled.

Maybe Marko didn’t like her kissing someone else too? Maybe he wanted to kiss her?

Her heart pounded at the thought. She’d rather die than admit it, but a tiny part of her missed him.

The countdown began. They could hear their friends inside shout in unison. 

Dieci! Nove! Otto!

Gaby hugged her knees and looked at the distance. Beside her, Marko absently drank the rest of his wine. 

Sette! Sei! Cinque! Quattro!

The fireworks were becoming bigger and more splendid, lighting up the sky with a burst of colors. Gaby heard him clear his throat. She took a long sip of wine, just to have something else to do.

Tre! Due! Uno!

They heard party poppers and shouts of “Buon anno!” from inside. She slowly glanced at Marko, the fireworks casting green and red lights on the side of his face. He was no longer watching the spectacle. He was watching her. A small smile slowly spread across his lips, and Gaby’s heart squeezed at the sight of it. She ran a hand on the stubbles on his jaw and saw his throat bob with every hard swallow. Marko held her hand in place and leaned forward, gently resting his forehead against hers.

Gaby drew out a shaky breath. “I- I wish I could take back all the things I said that night.”

Marko chuckled softly. “I deserved it. And yes, it hurt, but I needed it. You’re the only one who can do that to me, you know?”

He tilted her chin to look into her brown eyes. “I’m not sure about my future, but I’m sure I want you in it.”

Gaby dropped her head as tears shimmered in her eyes.

“You don’t have to answer right now,” Marko whispered, kissing the top of her head. “Take your time. Just know that I will wait for you, Gabriela.”

That was all she needed. Someone who would wait. And it’s not going to be an easy decision, with his career and her studies and their dreams together on the line. But she knew she would never feel for another man what she feels for him.

And if that doesn’t deserve a second chance, then there isn’t much in this world she could fight for.

The new year’s making her hopeful. That’s a good sign.

[mcglynntheredonethat]

CUBA

This isn’t a normal Cuba guidebook write-up. If you want to know where to sightsee, Google “things to do in Cuba”. My list is at the bottom, but first I’ll tell you some do’s and don'ts.

Traveling there: It’s really easy to get to Cuba now! You don’t need a special tour or to worry about booking your trip through a company or group. As of November 21st, 2016 all you need to do is book your flight and choose one of the 12 sanctions - I chose journalism, but they never check and there’s no follow up or anything so it doesn’t really matter what you choose.. I booked my flight with JetBlue and they took care of everything. The ticket price included the mandatory travel insurance that Cuba requires, as well as most other fees for coming and going from the US. The only additional fee you have to pay is a $50 visa that they seamlessly take care of when you arrive at the airport for your flight.

Food: Do not come to Cuba for the food. Everything you know about Cuban food in America is not the case there (except for all the ham). Not only is good Cuban food hard to find, but sometimes any food you want is hard to find. It is common for restaurants to be completely sold out of many items on the menu by about 4pm. Most meat dishes are made with pork, so if you want beef you need to ask for beef. Breakfasts options are limited - you will eat eggs, toast, and fruit every day. On the plus side, lobster is inexpensive! We really enjoyed our meal at Biky Restaurante in Havana – there’s long line to get in, but it’s worth the wait (or do what we did and have Yeilia get your name on the VIP list).

Shopping: Don’t go to Cuba for shopping! There are souvenir shops around, but they’re mostly selling the same thing over and over - little wooden cars, magic boxes, magnets, and other small handmade items. There is a central market called San Jose, near the cruise ship piers. It’s big and they sell stuff, but again mostly all the same items at each shop.

Money: Credit cards, especially American, don’t work. Cash is king and it’s all you will use. There are two currencies in Cuba, convertible (CUC – sometimes called ‘kook’) and National (CUP aka ‘koop’). It’s super hard to get National, but you may be able to get it as change. The exchange rate is about 1 USD = 1 CUC = 25 CUP, so don’t be alarmed if a local food place charges $25 for a hamburguesa – they list their prices in CUP.

Convert your American money to Euros before coming to Cuba because the exchange is much better. American currency is charged the normal 3% conversion tax, plus an additional 10% fee, so you’re paying 13% on every dollar you exchange. If you use Euros it’s only 3% and you can probably get them from your bank in the States for free. Figure about $100/day per person. Convert your money at the airport when you land – there may be a long line but they’re long at all the Casa de Cambia (Cadeca) and it’s easiest just to get this out of the way. Get small bills whenever you can! Many places can’t make change for even a 20.

Transportation: You will see the notorious old American cars driving around, as well as new European cars and everything in between. Pretty much anyone is a taxi in Havana and the price is always negotiable! You’ll pay more for nicer cars. Paying around $10 to get anywhere is normal. It costs $25 or $30 to get from the airport to downtown Havana. I tried to ride around in the cool old cars as much as possible, but take any car that stops for you.

There are old American cars everywhere! Some look nicer than others but they are all over the place, and the outside doesn’t always match the inside. Take photos - they won’t mind! They’re proud of their cars and want to show them off. The especially nice ones do city tours - for $50 they will drive your group all around the city for an hour showing you sights along the way.

Safety: Cuba is very safe! It’s literary the safest country I’ve ever been to. I never felt nervous to walk down empty streets at night, and neither did any of the girls I was with. Or get into a stranger’s car. Nobody is going to try to harm you. It’s so safe it’s almost weird.

Everyone is nice and helpful! Pretty much anyone will help you and be friendly. If you need anything, they will make it happen for you. It’s very refreshing how helpful and kind every single person is.

Internet: There is no internet. You won’t find restaurants with free wifi or hotel lobbies or anything. Quickly get over the fact that you won’t have internet access. There are a few street corners where you’ll see like 30 people standing with phones and laptops paying by the hour to get online. If you absolutely must get online, the best place to go is the Hotel National. (It’s cool to see this place anyway) They charge 7 CUC for an hour and you type in a code and can go online while you sit in the AC. It’s nice but the wifi will drop every few minutes and it will get annoying. You should really only bother trying to get on wifi if you have no self-control and must get online!

Lodging: You should get an AirBnB. There are plenty of “fancy” hotels that you can book but it’s way more fun to stay in an authentic Cuban home. The hosts are amazing and kind and will bend over backwards to make your stay great. You can find rooms for $20-$30 per night on either AirBnB or Hostelworld – make sure you have the address and your host knows when you’ll be arriving, since you won’t be able to get in touch with them when you land.

Stay here in Havana:

They are so wonderful! The host Yeilla (pronounced “YAY lee”) is amazing! I can’t recommend these guys highly enough! She will call you a taxi to anywhere, make you breakfasts and cocktails on their nice outdoor patio and she will even set you up with a car and lodging to Viñales or any other destination! They only have 4 rooms and book up fast so make a reservation in advance – however she has lots of friends in town so if your group grows she can find you more space.

Sightseeing: Havana is fun, but you don’t need to spend more then 2 or 3 days there. The sightseeing list looks extensive but you can see pretty much everything in that time. Go on day and overnight trips to other parts of Cuba also!

There’s a bunch of stuff to see on the lighthouse side of the water. Go under their famous tunnel (they love this tunnel and every cab driver will get excited about it, but if you’re from NYC, we have 4 of them and it’s nothing more special than the Holland or Lincoln tunnel). On that side of the water is the fort with the lighthouse, another cool fort where they do a ceremonial cannon shoot every night at 9pm (get there by 8:15 for a good spot), and more stuff if you get the taxi to drive you around. Tell him to bring you to the big Jesus statue and you can walk to the Che museum and Missile Crisis Museum in the same area.

Out of town: Go to Viñales. It’s a 2 ½ hour drive from Havana. You can take taxi one way with 4 friends for $25 each. It’s a nice drive. Get a fun car for the trip and see if the driver will show you around when you arrive.

Stay here in Viñales:

Rafael is awesome and speaks perfect English. He has hookups everywhere. Even with the government. He can book you literally any kind of trip or excursion you want. He has one guest house, which his daughter Solange runs, with 3 beds.

Viñales is where the tobacco plantations are. You will see the fields and learn how they roll cigars. You can buy a bunch of cigars cheap out here. They sell them without labels here and there are no factory chemicals in them. You’ll pay the same price for one in Havana with a label that you’ll get 20 for in Viñales.

Go horseback riding in Viñales. It’s awesome! You will go on a 4 hour horseback ride through the Viñales countryside. You will stop along the way every hour at a different spot. You’ll see more tobacco plantations, a coffee plantation, some beautiful viewpoints and a lake to swim. The best part is it only costs $25 per person.

Beaches: Don’t go to Cuba for the beaches. They aren’t anything special. There are better countries for beaches. It’s a fun day trip but not a reason to come. We took a ‘57 impala taxi for the one hour drive to Jibacoa. It’s nice, you can go to an all-inclusive resort and go scuba diving and stuff but there’s not much else there.

Playa del Este are the beaches near Havana, about 30 minutes away. They’re nice if you can’t make it all the way to Jibacoa or Varadero.

Tips: Carry toilet paper! The bathrooms don’t have toilet seats and most don’t have TP either. You may also have to pay a few coins to use the restroom at some places (the importance of having small bills and change!).

Take a nap if you plan to go clubbing. Cuban nightlife starts at about 1:30am so after dinner take a nap and rest up because when it’s time to go out, you’ll wait in line to get in some clubs and the live music won’t start until well after midnight.

You’ll need to meet you friends the old-fashioned way, since you won’t have phones or internet. Pick a meeting place and a time and be there.

Most people run businesses out of their homes, so check out some local places to eat, it’s literally just a person cooking you dinner in their home kitchen – these are called paladars.

It’s fun to bring gifts for locals and kids. Anything from matchbox cars to bouncy balls are perfect little gifts. The kids went crazy for a ¢25 bouncy ball. It’s a nice thing to do and requires little cost/effort and makes a difference since decent toys are hard to come by.

Bring all of the toiletries you need and leave them behind when you go – there are basically NO stores and people have a hard time accessing even basic supplies.  

SIGHTSEEING:

• Old Havana (Habana Vieja)

• Plaza Vieja (popular public square)

• The Malecón (seafont boulevard)

• Castio de los Tres Reyes del Morro (also known as El Morro Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabana (sits atop La Cabana hill)

• Ceremonia del Cañonazo (actors in 19th-century costumes perform a cannon-firing ceremony at 9pm each evening

• El Capitolio (National Capitol Building)

• Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (National Museum of Fine Arts)

• Paseo del Prado (beautiful street in Havana)

• Gran Teatro de La Habana (one of the world’s largest opera houses)

• Plaza de la Revolucion (Jose Marti Memorial)

• Museo de la Revolucion  (must see)

• Hotel Nacional de Cuba (World Heritage Site and a National Monument)

• Central Commercial (San Jose shopping market)

• Catedral de San Cristobal (Cuban Baroque style)

• Castio de la Real Fuerza (an impressive military fortress)

• Plaza de Armas (popular public square)

• Palacio de los Capitanes (home to the Museo de la Ciudad or City Museum)

• Camera obscura (35-meter tower)

• La Bodeguita del Medio (a former Hemingway hangout)

• Museo de Comandancia del Che (with the office of Che Guevara preserved)

• Fusterlandia (small artist village on the outskirts of Havana)

• Maqueta de La Havana  (with a scale model of the city) (in Miramar)

• Playas del Este (a long stretch of palm-fringed beach that runs for miles)(20 mins east of Havana)

• Finca La Vigia, San Francisco de Paula, Cuba  (residence of Ernest Hemingway)

• National Botanical Garden of Cuba

Viñales

• views (hills that are rounded in shape)

• traditional tobacco plantations

• caves

• tranquil little town

• horseback riding

[flauntpage]

The Good, the Bad, and the Broken Wrist: Observations from Titans 27, Eagles 10

Well, that sucked!

The Eagles lost backup quarterback Nate Sudfeld to a broken wrist just before halftime in preseason game number one, which means that depth behind Carson Wentz looks absolutely razor thin moving forward. Cody Kessler is probably not the guy and Clayton Thorson is definitely not the guy, so you’ll probably hear all kinds of suggestions for a new backup on social media and sports radio today.

Colin Kaepernick anybody? <ducks>

.

.

.

So that’s the bad news.

The good news is that Sudfeld’s injury is not season-ending, according to Doug Pederson. Suds will undergo surgery this morning and we’ll get the future prognosis sooner rather than later. I’d also imagine that we don’t see Carson Wentz until the season opener as a result of last night’s events.

As for the other 80-some guys on the team, here’s who Doug singled out last night when asked:

“Offensively, I think Andre Dillard and Jordan Mailata both did some good things. Looking out there, Marken Michel had the big touchdown reception. Dallas (Goedert) in his second year, he did some good things early. Defensively, I thought Daeshon Hall came in there, once he settled in, made some plays on the D-Line. There were just enough guys that, you know, one of the biggest things I think for me, too, is just getting (Friday), just taking a look at this film and evaluating everybody. Wanted to get everybody in the game. I believe we did that. Those are just a couple of guys.”

Some observations of ours, after the jump:

Nate Sudfeld, pre-injury

I liked the deep shot to JJ Arcega-Whiteside on the second play. Just missed him.

In the second series, a nice easy seam to Dallas Goedert followed by a bit of no huddle offense, but then he threw behind Goedert on a short out route on 3rd down, the same play where Matt Pryor was flagged for illegal hands to the face.

On the first play of the third drive he had the nice dodge and scramble outside of the pocket to hit a moving target for a first down. That was a nice display of mobility. Unfortunately that drive ended with a 3rd down sack with an overload blitz coming from his right side.

Nice touch on the TD, which came against Adoree Jackson, who I thought could have probably played this much better defensively:

The heck is Adoree doing here pic.twitter.com/y97DUZPXtj

— John Barchard (@JohnBarchard) August 9, 2019

Overall I thought he looked comfortable enough inside the pocket, so it’s a bummer he’s gonna be out for a while.

Cody Kessler

He finished 3-6 and the Eagles had one first down during his time in the game, which game on a Tennessee penalty.

Clayton Thorson…

…not good, but it’s his first NFL action, ever.

His finished 2-9 for 7 yards with an interception and threw an all-time duck, one that would make Donovan McNabb proud.

Here’s the pick:

Clayton Thorson is not good at football. #Eagles pic.twitter.com/SnLxwrhT2U

— Philly Influencer (@PHL_Influencer) August 9, 2019

Andre Dillard

He looked good, pretty polished for a rookie.

Of course the juxtaposition of playing on the opposite side of Jordan Mailata is going to result in noticeable differences, but technique-wise he looks like he knows what he’s doing, and he every time I focused on him during a play, he just seemed very steady at left tackle. Perhaps he could have been a little better in run blocking, but I didn’t see anything negative that jumped out to me in pass protection.

Matt Pryor

Multiple penalties against him on Thursday night. Not a great outing for the second year left guard.

Jordan Mailata

Still has a ways to go. I’d like to go back and watch more of his performance on the all-22 film, but I also don’t want to watch the all-22 film of a terrible preseason game.

Dallas Goedert

If we did a “winners and losers” column he’d be the first guy listed in the “winners” column.

3 catches for 50 yards for the second-year player, who looked very “Zach Ertz-like” out there at times, hitting the seams and creating mismatches and looking difficult to cover. I’m really, very truly excited to see some 12-personnel in the red zone this year.

Daeshon Hall

Another winner.

He had a very solid second half, finishing with six tackles, three for loss, a sack, and two quarterback hits.

Well done, young man:

Daeshon Hall is honoring Steven Means with the preseason show out pic.twitter.com/mwhS77fUfM

— Tyler Jackson (@TjackRH) August 9, 2019

Miles Sanders and Jordan Howard

Selfishly, I need more and I want more, but I also don’t want to see either of these guys go down injured.

We only got 6 combined carries for 11 yards last night and unfortunately didn’t see anything interesting or explosive, but that’s okay, because it’s coming. Oh boy, is it coming.

Josh Adams

Fumble!

He probably wasn’t going to make the team anyway, but that didn’t help. He caught a few passes, which was a step forward, but I think we may have seen the end of the Josh Adams era.

Josh Sweat

People expected more from him. Jury is still out, for sure.

Linebackers

Nate Gerry and Zach Brown were the starters in nickel, which mirrors what the Birds did in the public practice. L.J. Fort was the third guy in there, and I thought he had a pretty nice game overall, just seemed to be around the ball on most plays.

On the touchdown pass where he got beat down centrally, the Eagles were playing in zone coverage and I’m pretty sure Johnathan Cyprien was supposed to playing deep middle on this toss:

Wow, Marcus Mariota threw a gorgeous touchdown pass!

Oh, never mind, it’s the #Titans new starting quarterback… 🤣😉

pic.twitter.com/h9zdsiNPro

— Peyton2Luck 🏈 (@Peyton2L) August 9, 2019

  Gerry:

I think he’s pretty mobile, seems okay in pass coverage as a former DB but seems to have trouble shedding blocks and his reactions could probably be better. I certainly think Fort and Brown stood out much more than he did.

Secondary

Rasul Douglas and Sidney Jones started on the outside with Avonte Maddox in slot, which I think is what was expected. They played one series before coming out of the game. Andrew Sendejo was in there as well, had a nice pass breakup and a good pressure early. I thought he looked pretty good.

Nobody else in the defensive backfield did anything interesting. Tre Sullivan looks like the same player he’s always been, which is not great.

Need to see more from:

I didn’t come out of this game with any sort of takeaways on –

Shareef Miller

Hassan Ridgeway

Treyvon Hester

Stef Wisniewski playing center

Big V at guard

most of the receivers, since Thorson and Kessler couldn’t really get them the ball

If I do put myself through the misery of watching the game again, I’d try to focus on the trenches and the ultimately fruitless route-running.

Ross Tucker

Poor guy has laryngitis! Can’t believe he still did the game. What a soldier, leaving it out there on the field. Or in the broadcast booth. He’s a Berks County guy and he will always have my support. I thought he did a really nice job, all things considered.

Dave Spadaro

Presented without commentary:

Dave Spadaro believes the U.S. women won the "Gold Cup, Gold medal" in France this summer 🏅🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/63BLgsk4mM

— Kevin Kinkead (@Kevin_Kinkead) August 9, 2019

Time’s yours!

Happy Friday.

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