#going by the FIFA date but adjusting the year

[mead-iocre]

FIFA | Leah Williamson x Reader

synopsis: you play FIFA

warnings: none. just fluff x

wc: 1.7k words

The late afternoon light filtered through the sheer linen curtains, casting a warm golden glow across the living room. You sat curled up on the couch, legs draped over Leah’s lap, idly scrolling through your phone. The rhythmic clicking of the Xbox controller’s buttons was the only sound filling the room, a counterpoint to the quiet hum of the outside world.

All of a sudden, the clicking of the controller stopped. Leah nudged your leg, palm wrapping around one thigh and squeezing. ���Hey, baby” she said, her voice light with a hint of something else. “Wanna do something fun?”

You look away from your phone, arching one perfectly groomed eyebrow. Leah took a moment to admire you, dressed in your favourite Izaak Azanei pink shearling cuff button cardigan with the matching leggings. Leave it to you to be overdressed, even in the comfort of your own home. 

“What do you have in mind?” you asked, letting her phone drop onto the sofa beside her. You were intrigued now.

“I was thinking…FIFA,” The blonde said with a shrug, pushing her hair back as it falls over eyes. Her bangs haven't grown out just yet.

You blink up at her, slightly caught off guard. You had never shown the slightest interest in football or video games. You could barely remember the rules, let alone the offside rule.

But one thing about you, you were just as competitive as your professional footballer girlfriend– if not even more.

“FIFA...?” you ponder over it for a moment. You were never one to back down from a challenge-- even football. “Okay, you’ve got my attention. Let’s play.”

The big smile that took over Leah’s face could’ve blinded a man.

She squeezed the leg that was still draped over her lap, and grabbed the second controller that was conveniently left on the coffee table. She hands it to you, grinning when your hands awkwardly fumble around with the buttons. 

Her competitive girl.

Rosy tinted lips settled into a pout, sweet wrinkles form across the middle of your forehead as you study the device in your hands. “Lee–” You huffs, cutely. “…how does this even work?”

Leah chuckled softly, leaning in to adjust your grip. Her fingers brushed skin. “Okay, first things first. You use the left stick to move your player,” Leah said, her voice gentle but firm. “Try it. Push it to the left.”

Your brows furrowed, lips curling in confusion as you nudged the left stick to the side. On screen, the character shuffled a few steps, the motion awkward and unsure, much like you when you went to your first couple of football matches. “I’m– uh, not sure if I’m doing it right,” 

Leah’s lips quirked into a soft smile as she leaned a little closer, unable to stop herself from touching you somehow. She lets go of one side of the controller and instead drapes it over your shoulder, fingers rubbing the little bit of exposed skin by her hip. “That’s good. You’re doing great, baby. Here, let me show ya.” Leah gently took your hand, guiding your fingers to the controller so you were holding it more comfortably.

“Like this,” Leah murmured, moving the stick smoothly, making the player glide across the pitch. “See? Just a gentle nudge.”

You watched, captivated not by the moving avatar on the screen who looks eerily similar to Viv, but by the blonde shuffling closer beside you. After a year of dating, you should be used to this, but you weren't. Your heart still squeezed when you look at her.

It's almost ike when your Hermes sales associate pulled out your new Hermes Birkin 30 in Mauve Sylvestre Bag with Epsom Palladium Hardware.

Almost.

“Okay, I think I got it.” You pushed the stick forward a little more confidently this time. Your player jogged across the pitch—clumsy, but moving.

“There you go, baby” Leah praised, her eyes on you, soft with affection. “Now, let’s pass the ball.” She pointed to the ‘A’ button on the controller. “Press this to pass it. Lightly, okay?”

You pressed the button, and the ball rolled a few feet—straight to the opposing team.

Leah laughed in pure, utmost affection. You couldn’t help but admire the curve of her neck and the way her soft tendrils of her hair brushed against her cheek as her eyes met yours again. They were like crescent moons and you love the way her cheeks flush slightly the more she laughs.

One hand slides in between your knees, affectionately squeezing your inner thigh. “Okay, that was... a bit too light. But you’re getting there, baby”

You bite your lip, shy now, tasting your favourite Summer Fridays lipgloss. “I swear I’m trying,” you pout but nevertheless straightening your back to lock back in. “This is harder than it looks.”

The blonde just smiles a secret smile. The scent dewy sweetness of pink peony and fresh lily of the valley mingling with the soft, delicate rosy smell of your hair. You feel her press a kiss against the crown of your head, her lips moving against your hair as her jokes “It’s okay, baby. Sometimes I pass it to the opposing team too”

Too soon.

You recall the last game where Leah accidentally kicked the ball to an opposing player and nearly assisted an equaliser. Luckily, the goal was saved.

You gasp playfully, looking up at her only to be met with her pretty blues. The skin around the corner of her eyes crinkle as she laughs with you. Leah’s ability to not take herself so seriously is one of your favourite things about her. 

Turning back to the screen, you tighten your hands around the controller. “I think I might be terrible at this.”

“You’re not terrible,” Leah insists. “You’re learning. And that’s what matters.”

After a few more attempts, you finally managed to pass the ball with some semblance of control, sending it to your own teammate. “Look, I did it!” you bellow, your voice filled with genuine pride. Stacks of Tiffany and Van Cleef bracelets jingle and jangle as you pump a fist in the air. 

It was like when you scored your rare Dior Metallic Lambskin and Rose des Vents Satin bag– but without having to swipe a card.

You press the right buttons, watching as your avatar on screen kicks the ball up the pitch. “That’s what I’m talking about! What a pass, baby!” Leah turns to you, throwing her arms in the air, before leaning in to give you a sweet kiss. When she pulls away, a shiny sheen of your lipgloss is left on her own lips.

She doesn’t wipe it off. 

You grinned at her, fully locked in now. You rolled up your pink shearling cuff sleeves up your arms, because this was serious now. “Okay, now let’s see if I can actually score a goal.”

“Woah– okay, Messi. Lets see how you get dribbling first”

Reaching into the pocket of your pink joggers, you pull out your Summer Friday lipgloss, swiping it over your lips a few times. Leah just watches you with a small smile, your lip gloss still lingering on her bottom lip. You twist the lipgloss lid closed, pressing your lips together. “I can do this. Watch me.”

The Arsenal defender took that as her queue to sit back and observe as you focused back on the screen. The intensity in your gaze was almost palpable, and for a moment, Leah found herself mesmerised not by the game on the screen, but by you.

You pressed the ‘B’ button with a confident flick of your thumb, and watched as the ball sailed through the air—past the defenders, past the keeper—and into the net.

You gasped as the words– GOAL!– lashes on screen, eyes widening in disbelief. “Did I- did I just score?”

Leah was stunning. Her breath caught in her throat as she tried to make sense of what her girlfriend just did. “You... you did,” she said, her voice barely a whisper, awestruck. “You scored, baby. What a bloody good goal.”

Turning to her you gasp wide, sparkling eyes, lips parting in shock. Your curls bounce as you turn back to screen– wanting to make sure it was real– and then back to your girlfriend. “I... I really did? Oh my god--”

You squeal, jumping up from the sofa and clapping your hands. A breathless laugh escapes your lips as you twirl around in pure, unfiltered joy. Your eyes sparkle, cheeks flushed rosy with the thrill of victory, raising your arms raised in mock triumph. “I’m a footballer!” 

“Okay- okay don’t come for my job just yet” Leah reaches over, gently snagging your wrist and pulling you into her arms. You melt into her willingly, the controller slipping from your grasp as you both collapse into a tangle of laughter and affection, bodies close. The victory feels sweeter, somehow, in the warmth of her embrace.

“Told ya you could do it” Leah murmurs, pressing a kiss against your forehead. 

You laughed, burying your face into her chest, the familiar smell of her hoodie washing over you. “Yeah, well, maybe I’m not completely terrible at it.”

“I think you’re more than just ‘not terrible.’” Leah snuggles you closer to her, a hand sneakily creeping underneath your top. When did that happen, you have no idea. Unable to help it, you shiver slightly at the feel of her nails dancing across your back.

And of course she notices.

Her voice is low, teasing. “You’re kind of a pro, actually”

"Alexia Putellas better watch out" You say, haughtily. Your taunt is rewarded with her raspy laugh. She nuzzles her face into the crook of your neck, leaving a kiss on the spot where you neck meets your collarbone. "I'm coming for that Ballon Dior"

“Ballon D’or, baby– not Dior”

You look at her, the love of your life. Her pretty blue eyes, bright as they stare at you. She's got a small smile, head tilted slightly as her eyes roam your face. You blush at the intensity of her gaze, still not familiar to the privilege of getting to look at her every single day.

Leah pulls you to her so you're laying over her chest. You snuggle closer, bringing your knees up, and making yourself comfortable. "You should get one.."

An eyebrow raise. She presses her lips together, holding in a laugh. "Wha-- a Ballon D'or? Bit hard to do as a defender, love"

"No," You roll your eyes, petulantly. You shake your head. The soft swish of your hair moves, a playful flutter through your locks thanks to your freshly blow-out. "a Dior"

Leah laughs. The kind of laugh where she throws her head back, crinkles form by the corner of her eyes, and her entire body contorts, uninhibited, because of you. It’s the curve of her neck, the subtle arch of their brow, the way her breath catches just before another laugh bursts free.

"C'mere" Her hand grasps the side of your neck, squeezing it gently, a few lingering chuckles leave her lips. She pulls you closer, pecking your lips once, then twice.

"I’ll get you your Ballon Dior"

back on my spoiled!reader x leah bs. she's just a girl (wants her Ballon Dior)

thank you to the anon who sent the request <333 i hope you love it even if i changed it a lil bit <333

・❥・- kisses, butter

*This work is my original creation. Please don’t copy, share, or translate it without asking for my permission first. Thanks for respecting that!

[jamietarttsnorthernattitude]

Happy 27th Birthday Jamie Tartt <3

[talkdutchtome]

Glitch- chapter six

pairing . . . max verstappen x reader / mason mount x reader )

summary . . . when mason mount finds out that his assistant has been harbouring feelings for him for years, he makes it clear he doesn't feel the same way. but once he sees her become closer with formula 1 world champion max verstappen, he realises he may have underestimated his feelings towards the girl he has now pushed into the arms of another )

genre . . . angst )

song . . . glitch- taylor swift )

series masterlist . . . available here )

a/n . . . this isn’t proof read because between this and my uni work i’ve been staring at my laptop all day so my eyes are killing me, sorry! )

Mason's living room buzzed with the friendly banter and laughter as Y/N, Ben, Reece and Mason gathered for a night in. It had been a while since the four of them had spent time together casually, so they all found time for a night of takeaway pizza, beer and video games. The glow of the TV screen illuminated their faces, casting a warm ambiance across the room and the air was thick with the camaraderie of a makeshift FIFA tournament.  

Ben and Reece started them off, their thumbs dancing across the controllers in a fierce match. It was a close call, but Ben emerged victorious, celebrated with an exaggerated victory dance that drew laughs from the others. Up next was Y/N and Mason, it was no secret that Y/N wasn’t particularly skilled in FIFA, in comparison to Mason who had dedicated a large portion of his teenage years to the game. The game had started with Mason going one goal up in a matter of seconds, however once he had seen a look of subtle disappointment spread across her face, he very slightly adjusted his play, letting her take the win. She was more than taken aback when she secured an unexpected win and Mason's mock disappointment was met with Y/N's triumphant grin, and a knowing look passed between the man and his friends as they sussed out what he had done.  

As the next match kicked off between Ben and Y/N, the room echoed with a mix of playful taunts and infectious laughter. The game was fast-paced, and because Ben had no reason to let Y/N win; she quicky found herself trailing a few goals behind.  

“So, Y/N, when’s your next date with Max?” Reece asked her as she was trying and failing to stop her opponent from scoring once again.  

Ben, momentarily distracted from the game, swiveled his head in surprise, "Wait, you guys went on a date? Why am I always the last to know?" 

Mason remained silent, observing the situation and wishing that Reece hadn’t brought up Max. Y/N, with a nervous chuckle, downplayed the encounter, "It was just a casual thing. Next time, I promise to give you a heads-up, Ben." 

Reece, ever perceptive, probed further, "Any plans for a follow-up date?" 

Y/N sighed, an air of disappointment trailing her words “I don’t know, we wanted to do something but it's so hard with our schedules and being so far away. He’s in the UK this weekend but with the charity gala on Sunday I’m just swamped with stuff to do.” 

The sadness in Y/N’s eyes was unmissable to Mason and without a second thought he blurted out, "Why don't you invite him to the gala?" The suggestion hung in the air for a moment, and he felt a twinge of uncertainty. Reece shot him a subtle, questioning glance, recognizing the potential complications, but Mason's gaze was fixed on Y/N.  

A spark of hope flickered in Y/N's eyes, and she hesitated for a moment before responding, "You don't have to do that for me, Mason." 

Yet, Mason could see the excitement building in her, so he insisted, "I know I don't have to, but I want to. Invite him. It'll be a good time." 

Y/N's response was a delighted squeal, and she abandoned the ongoing FIFA match with Ben to envelop Mason in a tight hug. Ben, interrupted mid-game, groaned theatrically, but Y/N didn’t even hear his complaints; too busy thanking her best friend. As she hugged Mason tightly, he couldn't deny the warmth that spread through him. Her joy was infectious, and he found solace in the simple act of having her in his arms. The comfort of their embrace was undeniable, a familiar feeling that stirred emotions he had grown accustomed to. 

Yet, beneath the surface, there lingered a bittersweet tinge. Mason couldn't ignore the slight disappointment that crept in when he realized it was the thought of Max that lit up Y/N's eyes so brilliantly. He cared for her deeply, and her happiness mattered more to him than anything, even if it meant setting aside his own desires. 

The evening past quicky, and soon the men found themselves alone, with Y/N going home to get an early night. The second she left though, Mason found himself getting whacked over the head semi-gently by Reece.  

“Ow man what the fuck was that?” he asked, completely baffled as to what he had done to make his friend do that.  

“Why the hell would you tell Y/N she can invite Max on Sunday?” Reece asked, before smacking his best friend around the head again. 

“Fuck ow stop that” Mason said pushing him away and sighing “I don't really know. She looked sad, disappointed, and I wanted to cheer her up. So, I suggested she invite Max to the gala. It's not a big deal." 

Reece, never one to let things slide, persisted. "You remember the last time you had to be around them together, right? And that was when they were just starting to get to know each other. Now, they've been on dates. How are you going to cope with that?" 

Mason waved off the concern, a forced nonchalance in his tone. "It had been a bad few days that weekend. I'll be fine now." 

Ben, chiming in with a touch of confusion, asked, "What's the problem? Y/N seems to really like Max. Isn't that a good thing? You can stop worrying about her liking you." 

Mason managed a half-smile, but there was a depth of complexity in his expression. "Yeah, exactly. That's why I suggested she invite him." Despite his words, a tinge of dejection lingered, and Reece caught on. There was something more beneath the surface, but he decided not to press further in front of Ben, though as they continued their evening, he couldn't shake the feeling that Mason's nonchalant demeanor masked a more profound turmoil. He silently resolved to keep a watchful eye on his friend, sensing there might be more to Mason's emotions than he was letting on. 

As Sunday approached, Y/N found herself immersed in a whirlwind of preparations for Mason's charity gala. The days leading up to the event were a blur of coordinating details, arranging decorations, and ensuring everything was in place. In the midst of her busy schedule, Y/N managed to invite Max, who enthusiastically accepted the invitation. 

However, as the day of the gala arrived and Y/N finally had a moment to breathe, a wave of anxiety and anticipation washed over her. The realization that she would see Max again, especially with Mason also present, brought a mix of nerves and excitement. The thought of navigating the evening with both men in attendance added an extra layer of complexity to her emotions. 

Mason, for his part, seemed to have reverted to his old self. Their interactions resumed a sense of normalcy, with one notable exception – the majority of their physical contact had faded away. Y/N understood the reasons behind this shift, but it still contributed to the charged atmosphere surrounding the gala 

As Y/N adorned herself in an elegant ballgown, Mason arrived to pick her up for the gala. The moment he laid eyes on her, he was utterly gobsmacked by her beauty. A quiet awe filled the space between them as he took in her appearance. 

Driving to the venue, Y/N attempted to focus on the logistical details of the event, discussing what needed to be done throughout the night. However, Mason interjected, informing her that she had the day off. He insisted that he could handle the responsibilities, emphasizing that she deserved to enjoy the evening without being burdened by work. 

Surprised by his gesture, Y/N questioned his decision, pointing out the multitude of tasks that required attention. Mason simply responded, "I've got it covered. You should spend the night with Max; it wouldn't be fair to bring him here and then have you running around all night." 

Grateful for his consideration, Y/N thanked him again, a genuine smile gracing her face. They stepped out of the car, and she couldn't resist giving Mason another appreciative hug before entering the venue. 

Max arrived shortly after in a tailored black suit, looking effortlessly sharp. Y/N couldn't help but notice just how good he looked as he kissed her on the cheek and complimented her appearance. They made their way to the table where Mason, Reece, Ben, and Ben's girlfriend were seated. Max greeted everyone with a warm smile, shaking hands with each person. Mason, determined to appear calm and collected, reciprocated the gesture with a firm handshake. 

As the night unfolded, the group engaged in lively conversation. Max, ever polite, directed his attention toward Mason, expressing genuine interest in the charity work he was involved in. Mason shared his longstanding commitment to Together for Short Lives, explaining that he had been supporting the organization since the early days of his football career. He emphasized his desire to give back and contribute to meaningful causes. Y/N chimed in, “Mason has always been so great with this stuff, I love working with someone who devotes so much time to helping people���. Mason, though modest, felt a surge of pride at Y/N's words, appreciating her admiration. 

Dinner was served, and the atmosphere around the table buzzed with conversation and laughter. Y/N and Max, engrossed in their own dialogue, spoke quietly, creating an intimate space between them amidst the lively ambiance of the event. Mason couldn't help but find his attention drawn toward them, curious about the nature of their conversation. He observed Max leaning in, whispering something that prompted Y/N's laughter. The sight of her hand resting casually on Max's biceps, the way she bit her bottom lip while looking at him, stirred a complex mix of emotions in Mason. It was an involuntary response to witnessing the dynamics between them. 

As Y/N and Max excused themselves to go to the bar, Mason's eyes followed their every move. He noticed Max's hand gently placed on the small of Y/N's back as they walked away. Reece, observing Mason's silent contemplation, sipped his whiskey, sensing the tension in the air. The quiet yet intense scrutiny Mason directed toward Y/N and Max didn't go unnoticed. At the bar, Mason watched with an almost laser-like focus as Y/N leaned in, whispering something to Max. The image of her cherry-red lips grazing Max's skin lingered in Mason's mind, leaving an imprint that he couldn't quite shake. 

Y/N, however, was far too wrapped up in Max’s company to notice Mason’s lingering gazes. Any anxiety that she had that things between them would be awkward after she ran away from their date was quickly proved wrong, with the pair of them seemingly only getting closer. 

“Have a mentioned how beautiful you look tonight Y/N” he whispered in her ear, prompting a small giggle to escape from her lips. 

“Oh, only a few dozen times I think” she feigned uninterest before breaking into giggles, resting her head on the Deutchmans shoulder beside her; suddenly feeling herself becoming very flustered.  

"Do you want to step outside for a bit? It's a bit crowded in there." 

Max agreed, and Y/N slipped her hand into his as they strolled away from the lively gala. They found a quiet bench under the stars and sat down, the ambient sounds of the night surrounding them. 

"Thank you for inviting me," Max said, breaking the comfortable silence. "I've had a lot of fun with you tonight." 

Y/N smiled warmly. "I've had a great time too. I just wish we could see each other more." 

Max's eyes sparkled as he responded, "I'm racing in Austria next week, I’d love for you to come along. And, I know you said you want to take things slow and I respect that, but you know, the offer to take you to Monaco is always open." 

His words hung in the air, and Y/N found herself looking at him, drawn in by the magnetic connection between them. Before she could process her own actions, an unexpected surge of courage propelled her forward. Without a second thought, she leaned in, capturing Max's lips with hers. The kiss was a revelation, a moment suspended in time. Y/N felt a gentle warmth spreading through her, a tender acknowledgment of shared feelings. Max's lips were soft against hers, and the world seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them in that quiet corner under the stars. 

For Y/N, the kiss was nothing short of magic. It was a sweet exploration of a newfound connection, a silent affirmation of the unspoken desires that had lingered between them. Their lips fit together like they were made for each other, and when Max deepened the kiss Y/N saw stars. As they pulled away, she couldn't help but marvel at the enchantment of that stolen moment, leaving her heart fluttering with anticipation. She had never had a kiss like that before, there was so much passion and chemistry it left her feeling a little dumbfounded.  

The gala resumed its vibrant atmosphere as Y/N and Max returned, smiles adorning their faces. Unbeknownst to them, Mason's eyes were fixed on the faint smudge of red lipstick around Max's mouth. His attempt to remain calm was futile as a whirlwind of emotions swirled within him. 

Max and Y/N rejoined the table, the shared moment still lingering between them. Mason, increasingly agitated, couldn't shake the unsettling sight before him. The barely-there mark on Max's face became a glaring symbol of something he couldn't fully comprehend. 

Unable to contain the whirlwind of emotions, Mason downed the remainder of his whiskey in one gulp before abruptly standing up, his chair scraping against the floor. He mumbled something about needing a moment and hastily excused himself from the table. The others exchanged puzzled glances, unsure of what had transpired. Y/N, sensing that something was wrong with her best friend, began to stand up, but Reece, ever perceptive, also rose from his seat. He looked at Y/N and asked, "Mind if I go see if he's okay? I think he might need a moment." 

Y/N nodded, still puzzled, and watched as Reece followed Mason out of the gala. The atmosphere at the table became tense, shrouded in uncertainty, as they all wondered what had just occurred. 

Reece stepped out into the cool night, his eyes scanning the surroundings until he spotted Mason pacing in a corner, his hands running through his hair in a display of frustration and turmoil. The sight was disconcerting, and Reece quickened his pace. 

As he approached, he noticed the raw emotion etched on Mason's face, a mix of anguish and vulnerability. It looked like he was about to burst into tears, and Reece could sense that something profound was troubling his friend. 

"You were right," Mason's voice cracked, his eyes desperately searching for some semblance of understanding. Reece furrowed his brows, concerned about the depth of Mason's distress. 

"I was right about what? What's going on, Mase?" Reece inquired; his voice laced with worry. 

Mason, unable to contain the storm of emotions within him, continued to pace, his fists clenched in frustration. "I can't watch him all over her, I can't. I fucking love her, mate, and I don't know what to do. I pushed her away; I pushed her into him. I was scared, and I panicked, and I've ruined everything." 

Reece felt a wave of shock wash over him. Mason's raw confession about his feelings for Y/N was unexpected, and it left him grappling with the weight of his friend's emotional turmoil. As much as Reece wanted to comfort his friend his frustration surged to the surface as he spoke, a mix of concern and disappointment evident in his voice. "Mase, I don't want to be harsh, but you've got to get your act together," he urged, his eyes piercing through the darkness. 

Mason, taken aback by Reece's directness, listened intently, unsure of what was about to unfold. 

"You treated Y/N so unfairly when you found out about how she felt. You pushed her away, and it broke her," Reece continued, his tone unwavering. "She loved you, and you found out, told her she ruined everything. She would never tell you this, but that broke her." 

Mason's expression shifted from surprise to a dawning realization of the impact of his actions. 

Reece, not mincing words, pressed on. "If she's found somebody that makes her happy, then if you're her friend, if you really care about her, then you will shut your mouth and not tell her any of this. It's not fair. I know you've known her longer than me, but anyone can see that she is the sweetest girl in the world. And no matter what or who comes along, she will always love you. She deserves to be happy, and if Max makes her happy, then let her be happy with him. Don't confuse her with your feelings, not now. Not after what you did." 

The weight of Reece's words hung in the air, and before Before Mason could respond to Reece's blunt but necessary words, Y/N and Max approached, their entwined hands a visual testament to the complexity of Mason's emotions. “Hey guys, I think we’re going to head off if tha-” she started before  

observing the tension etched across Mason's face, and immediately picking up on the strained atmosphere. Her concern seeped into her voice as she inquired, "What's going on, guys?" 

Mason hesitated, teetering on the edge of transparency. His gaze flitted between Y/N and Reece, contemplating whether to lay bare his inner turmoil. However, as he looked at Y/N standing beside Max, Reece's earlier counsel echoed in his mind. He realized that now wasn't the time to burden her with his feelings. 

A forced smile appeared on Mason's face as he replied, "Everything's perfectly fine." Y/N, unconvinced, began to ask again, but Mason, interrupting her, expressed gratitude, "Thank you both for coming. Max, your generous donation means a lot. It was lovely to see you again." 

Y/N's perceptive eyes searched Mason's face, detecting something amiss. However, Reece subtly signaled to let it go. With a parting goodbye, Y/N walked away with Max's arm around her waist. 

Mason watched them leave, the internal struggle vivid on his face. The desire to run after her and ask her to stay battled with the understanding that letting her find happiness, even if it wasn't with him, was the right thing to do. 

Max navigated the city streets, his fingers lightly tapping on the steering wheel as he drove Y/N back to her apartment. The car's interior cocooned them in a tranquil atmosphere, the hum of the engine blending with the soft music playing from the radio. As they merged into traffic, Max couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. "Mason seemed really bothered by something tonight," he remarked, glancing at Y/N. She nodded, her brow furrowed with concern. "I don't know what's wrong with him, but I'm really worried," she admitted. 

Reaching over, Max placed a reassuring hand on Y/N's thigh, giving it a comforting squeeze. "I'm sure he'll figure things out. Sometimes, it just takes time," he offered, his gaze returning to the road. 

The rest of the drive continued in comfortable silence. Eventually, as the city lights painted a picturesque backdrop, Y/N broke the quiet with a nervous giggle. "I think I would like to come to Monaco with you at some point, if that's still up for grabs." 

A broad grin stretched across Max's face. "Of course, it is, I’d love that" he replied, his eyes briefly meeting hers. 

When they arrived at her apartment, Max, displaying a gentlemanly gesture, asked if he could walk her up to her door to ensure she got in safely. Y/N agreed, and they strolled together through the dimly lit corridor. Upon reaching her door, the ambiance shifted. Max leaned down, capturing Y/N's lips in a gentle kiss. Y/N’s hands reach up the back of his neck, her fingers lacing themselves in Max’s hair as their lips moved against each other. Their connection lingered for a moment before they pulled away, breaths slightly labored as Max rested his forehead against hers.  

“Do you want to come in?” 

Tag list-

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[tinykpopstories]

I've been thinking about omegaverse Ateez living their post-idol pack life a ton lately and the way hongjoong would just deadass ignore the fact that hes in labor until someone points it out to him is kinda sending me but in like a soft way lmao

Hongjoong is achey and grumpy and can't get comfortable, so he can't sleep, so he might as well be working since he won't have time to work when the baby comes.

He's been working from the apartment for the last week-ish between having had a pretty heated fight with Mingi the last time he was at the studio and the fact that he's pretty much constantly leaking slick being so close to his due date, so he's been going through sweatpants like crazy.

He finally says "fuck it" and packs his shit to go to the studio for a distraction, kisses his barely-awake husband and leaves.

Seonghwa sleepily wanders in barely an hour later with an americano for himself and a chai latte for Hongjoong. His beloved mate is totally in the zone, eyes locked onto his screen as he makes one adjustment after another, but he does catch Seonghwa's hand when he sets down the latte to press a kiss to his knuckles with a murmur of thanks.

"You didnt have to get up just because im up, love. You could have stayed in bed." Hongjoong says quietly between clicks.

"Couldnt get back to sleep." Seonghwa admits as he settles onto the couch with his stuff. "Felt like I couldn't relax without you nearby so I thought I'd come keep you company." Hongjoong knows the feeling. While he's still not the most touch-feely, even after years of being together, being surrounded by Seonghwa and their other packmates' scents relaxes and grounds him when he's tense. Seonghwa isn't at all surprised that Hongjoong is bundled up in one of his favorite hoodies, zipped all the way up and hood pulled forward to envelop himself in as much of Seonghwa's scent as possible. Somehow he looks tiny like this, hunched over in the oversized garment, though it fits snug around the belly taking up so much of Hongjoong's frame. Seonghwa smiles softly to himself. His husband is so cute. He busies himself with the newest animal crossing game, determined to not be a distraction for Hongjoong, but he can't quite immerse himself in his game the way his husband is with his own screens. He looks up to see Hongjoong wince and shift slightly in his seat.

"Is he going FIFA mode in there again?" Seonghwa asks with an amused smile, thinking of Hongjoong's complaints about his his insides being used for soccer practice the last few weeks. Hongjoong shakes his head.

"Contraction. Had one or two the last couple days."

At thirty-nine weeks, that was to be expected. Warmth fills Seonghwa at the prospect of meeting their little boy. He's a little apprehensive, as any good husband is, but Hongjoong is in good health and their doctor had said everything looked perfect just two days prior, so he's more excited than anything. He glances at the clock on his game out of curiosity. 6:42 AM. Early, but nothing like when they'd been active idols back in the day. Sometimes he missed performing onstage with his pack and his mate, but he much preferred these later starts to the 3am wakeup calls they used to deal with.

He goes back to his game, dutifully plucking weeds and rearranging flowers and furniture to suit his vision, peeking up now and then to admire his husband as he works. Hongjoong's desk chair squeaks slightly with movement and Seonghwa glances up to in time to catch hongjoong wince again, one hand gently pressed to the bottom of his bump. Seonghwa glances back at his in-game clock again. 7:38. He frowns lightly. Less than an hour apart. He starts watching Hongjoong more closely then, tracking every time he pulls a face. Years spent working together had taught Seonghwa to read Hongjoong like a book, and he can easily read which faces are made at something in his project not turning out the way he wants and which faces are a reaction to physical discomfort. Silently Seonghwa marks in an app every time  his mate tenses up in discomfort and measures the time between. Forty five minutes. Forty two. Thirty seven. Thirty six. Hours roll by, and Seonghwas tension grows and grows.  Today is the day. He's sure of it. He lets Hongjoong work uninterrupted, apart from trying to nudge him into eating something around ten or so. Hongjoong barely glances away from his screen, but he does eat a little, and Seonghwa's not about to demand his husband detach from his work just to experience his increasing contractions with no distraction. Not yet at least. It's not until Hongjoong has been fiddling with the same stretch of track without making any solid changes for a while and Seonghwa's tracker is showing a pretty consistent 10 minutes between contractions that he gathers his things and gently places a hand on his husband's shoulder. Hongjoong removes his headphones with a soft questioning noise, looking up at his mate from under the hood of his jacket with that doe-eyed gaze Seonghwa loves.

"Its time to go, baby." Seonghwa says gently.

"Go where?" Hongjoong hasn't quite caught up with situation.

"The hospital, Joong. I've been timing your contractions. they're like ten minutes apart, so unless you plan on having the baby here in the studio, we should go now."

Before Hongjoong can think to say anything another contraction squeees down on him, ten minutes exactly from the last. His face pinches in pain, breath coming in a hiss as he inhales sharply through gritted teeth. It's a lot harder to ignore the feeling of being headbutted in the cervix once it's been pointed out to you, he finds. He takes a moment to really take stock of his body and all its sensations. Seonghwa's right. They should go now.

Seonghwa's hand is firm in his, gently pulling him to his feet, keeping him steady on the way to the car, keeping him grounded as they drive. Hongjoong shoots a few texts to the rest of the pack and to his and Seonghwa's parents. He's full of an energy he hasn't felt since the stage. He's excited and a bit frightened all at once, but he's never been one to back down from a challenge, especially when he wants something, and he wants a family with Seonghwa more than he's ever wanted anything in his life. With his husband's hand in his, he waddles a determined march through the hospital doors and into the next chapter of his life.

A few hours later Hongjoong is awake, vaguely rested, and ready for visitors. Yunho and Mingi are the first to arrive, finding their pack leaders cuddled up together, Seonghwa pressed so close to his husband's side if he got any closer hed be in the hospital bed with him. Mingi plops into the chair at Hongjoong's free side and shuffles in close, doing his best not to cry. He chokes out an apology for the fight they'd had earlier in the week that Hongjoong handwaves away with a tired smile. They've fought in the studio for years before, they'll fight in the studio for years to come. Mingi opens his mouth to protest but his voice dies in his throat when Hongjoong carefully passes him the baby. Mingi does cry then.

"He's so beautiful, hyung. I cant believe how tiny he is." Hongjoong makes a face at Seonghwa at those words and Seonghwa laughs quietly. He'd said the same thing when he'd first held his son and Hongjoong had grumbled a tired "Didn't feel tiny, that's for fucking sure."

"What's his name?"

"Park Yonghwa" Hongjoong answers, beaming at Seonghwa.

Yunho carefully strokes a finger over the baby's cheek and wraps an arm protectively around Mingi's shoulders, and he leans into quietly whisper in Mingi's ear.

"Eight months baby, and we'll have ours. They'll be best friends." That warms Mingi's heart. The thought of their kids growing up together as part of the pack, playing together, fighting and making up and learning together as one big family. He hands Yonghwa back to Hongjoong gently and his heart flutters in his chest watching him and Seonghwa curl around their child. Soon enough that will be him and Yunho.

"I'm pregnant" Mingi blurts out, then claps a hand over his mouth.

Three shocked faces look to him and he flushes bright pink. "Sorry, that just slipped out. We weren't going to say anything and now I just said it and, fuck, I messed this all up, this is your moment and I-"

"Breathe, princess." Yunho tells him, cutting off his panicked rambling. He rubs a comforting hand down Mingi's back and gives the new parents an apologetic look. "We were going to wait until you came home to tell you, didn't wanna take away from your moment, but I guess the secret's out. Surprise?"

Hongjoong and Seonghwa exchange a look before soft smiles spread over both their faces.

"I told you something was up with them." Seonghwa says, the barest hint of a smirk on his lips.

"Yeah yeah, you were right. You always are." Hongjoong rolls his eyes but he's openly smiling. "How far along?" He turns back to Mingi.

"Like a month? We're still kinda wrapping our heads around the whole thing to be honest."

"Wooyoung's going to be jealous." Hongjoong teases.

Wooyoung is away on a final tour, having moved back to Hybe as one of BTS' backup dancers when KQ shut down, and they all knew he was counting down the days until his contract expired so he, San, and Yeosang could start trying for a baby. He had already texted that he would facetime them as soon as his show was over, and San and Yeosang would do the same. They didn't want Wooyoung to be the only member of the pack to not meet the baby and were visiting Yeosang's parents until Wooyoung's return in three days. In between, the grandparents arrive to coo over their grandson, Hongjoong melting under his mother's doting care while Seonghwa proudly presents Yonghwa to his own parents. Wooyoung and his mates all facetime at once and Wooyoung's baby fever kicks up another notch. Now all they're missing is the youngest, now second-youngest, member of their pack. Jongho arrives just as Seonghwa and Hongjoong's parents leave for their hotel, quietly ducking through the door with a large bouquet of flower and an even bigger smile. He giggles when Seonghwa tells him the baby's name, claiming it's fitting for the news he wants to share with them. Just then a soft knock sounds at the door and somehow Jongho's smile lights up even brighter.

"Hyungs, there's someone I want you to meet," He says. He pokes his head out the door and quietly gestures for someone to come in, and they're met with a familiar face from years ago. "This is my boyfriend, Lee Yongsoo."

[theasstour]

𝐔𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝.

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 𝟕.𝟕𝐤 𝐍𝐁: 𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐡𝐨𝐥, 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞, 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞, 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐚

Tuesday, 13 December 2017

Tooley Street was always busy, whether there were a horde of people walking to and from the riverside and underground, or cars driving by at a ridiculous speed. London Bridge station on the other side of the road to where Y/N and the gang sat at Caffé Nero, looked like a small insect in comparison to The Shard that reached like a pillar above the partly cloudy winter sky. The blue painted brick building beside it, The Shipwright Arms pub, was a lively addition to an otherwise very bleak street.

The winter wind by the riverside was horrendous, but Y/N had offered to come with Annalise on her cigarette break, so she had only herself to blame for exposing herself to more of the biting cold than completely necessary. From where the two were sitting, they could just make out Tower Bridge behind them, bare trees rising up along the streets that indicated summer was long gone and winter had arrived.

Y/N had spent a lot of time just sitting outside the last few days. Whether it was on a bench by Regent’s Canal, in the grass at Shoreditch Park, or at a table outside a café with a coffee in hand. She had just been sitting there, staring out at nothing. Thinking. All she had been doing since finding that watch was think.

She had tried to find some kind of logical explanation as to why that watch had the coordinates for her family’s Newport cabin, but there was none. What kind of connection did George have to Newport? To that cabin? Had he just fucked her and left it there because he knew who Y/N’s sister was? And where was George now? She had not seen him since that night in October, was he still around? Or had Y/N just missed him when he had been, and this had all just been a huge coincidence. But Y/N somehow knew, deep down, that this was far from a coincidence and she should not treat it as one.

“You have to come to Monnickendam,” Annalise said, blowing out a puff of white smoke.

Y/N looked away from a man across the street who was arguing passionately with someone on his phone. Shoving the thoughts of the watch that was laid on her desk in her room, out of her head. She had not told anyone about it, this was not something she wanted everyone to know about because she had no idea what it meant. The only person that knew was Harry, and she would like to keep it that way.

“I’ve never been to the Netherlands,” Y/N said.

“Even more of a reason to come.”

Y/N smiled. “Buzzing. I haven’t travelled much in Europe, mostly been to Brazil with my family.”

“When you come to Monnickendam, we have to take the train to, like, Germany or France. Andorra is also so beautiful, I think you’re gonna love it.”

“Make a roadtrip out of it.”

“Exactly.”

Y/N’s smile grew. “Had you been to London before you came here for school?”

Annalise brought the cigarette up to her mouth. “Loads of times.”

“Really?”

“Yes, we went here around Easter in 2012 the first time, and I fell in love. Went here four more times, then to an Open Day last year.”

Y/N nodded. “Was Helmond your first choice then? Did you like it the best?”

“No, Battersea was, but I’m happy I ended up at Helmond.” Annalise breathed out white vapour. “Helmond’s prettier.”

Y/N laughed. “The aesthetic is more important than the uni itself, innit? If you can’t take decent Instagram pictures there, what’s the point of spending the next three years at that place?”

Annalise laughed along with Y/N, taking a last drag. “I rarely use Instagram.”

“I used to. I loved to like document my life, to let all my friends and family know what I was doing at all times. But then I found Snapchat, and it’s just better.”

“You know that if you, like, save a picture or video in the Snapchat app, Snapchat owns it?”

Y/N blinked.

“At least what someone at home told me once.”

“Doesn’t Instagram do the same?” Y/N asked.

“Think so,” Annalise said, walking over to the litter and stumping her cigarette out in the ash tray on top of it. “Ground rule: don’t save anything onto social media. Anyone can save and see your pictures.”

“Basically,” Y/N mumbled, looking over at the man she had watched earlier. He was still arguing with someone over the phone.

“Ready to head back inside?” Annalise asked.

“Yeah.” Y/N got up and the two strolled back over to the Caffé Nero their three other mates were sat in. Thian, Hayden, and Chloe were all sat with their laptops in front of them and books in the centre of the table behind their screens. Chloe was talking animatedly as Y/N and Annalise approached, Hayden busy with something on the laptop in front of them while Thian sat with a book in his hands, looking at Chloe as she spoke. Y/N took off her puffer jacket, hanging it off the back of her chair as she sat down, adjusting her black V-neck jumper and loose denim jeans.

“…the problem isn’t that. The problem is the fact that they never clean up after themselves. That’s the problem,” Chloe said, groaning loudly. “And when I ask in the flat groupchat if anyone wanna be social, no one answers. I swear, all of them hate me.”

“Maybe they’re just busy,” Thian suggested.

“They always say that, but I know two of the boys are in Dave’s room playing something on that PlayStation.” Chloe crossed her arms over her chest. “Should I learn how to play FIFA?”

“You don’t have to impress them,” Y/N said, turning her laptop back on to finish the essay for Critical Reading that was due that Friday.

“No, I know. But if I want to hang out with anyone in my flat, I gotta do something. What games do you play in the PlayStation, Thian?”

Thian stared at Chloe for a second, mouth working before he mumbled, “I didn’t bring one to uni.”

“Alright, then what did you play at home?”

“Call of Duty.”

Chloe scrunched up her nose. “Isn’t that a war game?”

“Yeah.”

“Nah, I’m not into that.” Chloe grimaced, looking at something further away. “I’ve never really played PlayStation. One of the blokes I dated in college gamed a lot, but I couldn’t be asked to sit around and just watch.”

“The three in my flat play GTA,” Y/N said. “At least that’s what Nathan wants to play, Harry and Mason just go along.”

Chloe’s face instantly lit up. “Oh, my word, Y/N. You have to make Harry teach me how to play something on the PlayStation.”

There was a slight pang in Y/N’s chest at the sound of his name leaving Chloe’s lips in that way. Y/N opened, then closed her mouth, then opened it again. “I don’t really hang out with them when they play it. I’ve had so much to do these past months.”

“That’s fine, Nathan can keep us company,” Chloe said, leaning back in her seat. “Make Mason come, too. God-“ She grinned, letting her head fall between her shoulder blades. “-Your flatmates are fit.”

“Harry’s fitter than Mason,” Hayden chimed in.

“No, definitely Mason,” Annalise said.

“I can’t choose. Depends on my mood,” Chloe mused.

Thian kept quiet, staring pointedly at his laptop.

“Can you do it? Make them teach me?” Chloe begged, sticking her bottom lip out at Y/N.

Y/N took a deep breath. “I’ll try.”

Chloe grinned.

“They might be busy, too. Might not get to it till after Christmas break.”

Chloe waved her hand. “That’s fine. I just want to hang out with someone from my flat eventually.”

Y/N glanced down at her laptop again, trying to forget the conversation she had just had with the other three. Chloe continued chattering on about something of no significance, Y/N did not care to listen as she wanted to finish her essay before she had to leave for home coming Saturday. Though her coffee was cold now as she took a sip of it, Y/N still appreciated the taste of caffeine. It woke her up, made her more alert and focused.

Ever since she was seven years old, her papai had made her coffee to drink. He always said “coffee is as vital to a Brazilian’s existence as tea is to a Brit’s” and she had drunk it ever since. She loved the taste of it much more than tea, but seeing as tea was much easier to make, she had come to resort to it here in London. Home in Nottingham, there was always a brew in the making or one ready for whoever felt like having a cup, made with a proper coffee machine that Davi had invested proper money in. He had bought it back in 2001, and it worked just as well as it did back then. Y/N, like her papai, loved the coffee from that old coffee maker more than anything else. She could not wait until she was home with her parents so she could drink proper coffee all the time without going to the nearest coffee shop to do so. The instant coffee Nathan often made smelled and tasted rank, Y/N would have no other coffee than her papai’s and a cup made at a coffee shop.

“I’m gonna go buy a muff,” Hayden said, getting up from their chair. “This essay is doing my head in, I need something to sooth the pain.”

“Oh, could you buy me a scone?” Thian asked, putting his hands together as if he was begging on his knees. “I’ll pay with five stellar knock knock jokes.”

“Make it six.”

“Deal.”

The two shook hands and Hayden grinned as they looked at the other three. “Anything from the trolley, dears?”

Y/N and Annalise chuckled. “No thanks,” Y/N said, Annalise saying the same thing.

“No, I’ll just add to this,” Chloe said, patting at her stomach.

“Add to what?” Hayden asked.

“A belly.” Chloe gripped the little that was protruding from her tight denim jeans. “I’m trying to start working out for bikini season, to remove that extra uni weight, you know?”

Hayden looked absolutely lost, so did Thian, and Annalise looked to not be paying any attention at all. Y/N, however, felt a familiar pang in her chest. It was a small explosion she had felt before, one that would taint the rest of her day. Instinctively, she put her scarf around her chest, letting it fall over her stomach.

Hayden did not comment, instead they just walked up to the till, ready to tell the lady working there their order. The table fell silent, but not for the reason Y/N wanted it to. No, they were all just busy with their essays. Y/N knew that it would be impossible for her to concentrate on the assignment now that the only thing she would be thinking about for the rest of the day was Chloe’s comment. Chancing a look over at her friend, she saw her flicking through a book in her lap, completely unbothered, Annalise was cocking her head to the side as she wrote something on her Mac, while Thian was watching Hayden pay for their food. None of them had batted an eyelash. Which was nothing new, Y/N was used to no one picking up on covered up fatphobic comments.

She knew that Chloe had not said those things with her in mind, that the statement had been about her own body only. But Y/N could not help but feel the comment in her very soul. She could remember her mates from school in Nottingham making comments similar to that one, so hearing it wasn’t alien, but it stung as much as hearing it that first time.

“Here we go,” Hayden said, putting the scone down on Thian’s keyboard.

“Scones are so bloody good,” Thian moaned, taking a huge bite out of his. “If we had to fuck a food, I’d fuck scones.”

The table went quiet, all looking at Thian. He just continued on eating, humming some Alesso and Conor Maynard song that was always playing on the radio.

“Why did you just say that?” Hayden asked.

“Felt like sharing my thoughts with the class.”

Hayden raised their eyebrows before looking at the laptop in front of them. “The class did not need to know.”

Thian shrugged his shoulders and Annalise laughed, Chloe joining in after a little while. Y/N smiled at them, but her thoughts still drifted back to Chloe’s comments just a minute earlier. She spread her scarf out over her stomach, wishing she had worn something that wasn’t so tight fitted.

Friday, 15 December 2017

“Sorry we’re late,” Mason said as him and the rest of the rugby team streamed into the seminar room. Hayden, Y/N, Thian, Chloe, Annalise, Nathan, and Annalise’s two friends were all sat around one table, already having started a round of Uno.

“Oh, don’t worry,” Hayden smiled. “I’ve put Uno decks on the other tables.”

“Cheers.”

Mason and the rest of the team sat down, all chatting amongst themselves and letting go of heavy sighs as they took their seats. It was clear that the last training session for the team this year had not only been cold, but also immensely tiring. They all looked very ready to travel home for Christmas break, and it looked like a few already had.

Y/N felt their struggle with the cold. She herself was wearing a mini linen skater dress in black. The skirt was loose, making it comfortable to hide her belly in – she had not stopped thinking about Chloe’s comment all week, but it would not stop her from looking really fucking good – and the waist was open, baring some of her skin and rib tattoo to everyone. Her skin protruded around the straps that were wrapped around her waist, connecting her skirt from her top, but there was nothing she could do about it, so she just tried to stay out of Chloe’s vision. The plunge neck revealed a very deep cleavage and skin, making it so Y/N had put on two silver necklaces to top of the outfit. The rest of the top had long sleeves and a nice collar, which was why Y/N had bought the dress. It was slutty, but in a modest way.

The rest of the gang around the table had also dressed up, ready to go out after this. They all had their last lecture of the semester today, meaning that their Christmas break had just started, and they wanted to celebrate before everyone travelled to their separate locations the next day. Chloe to Oxford, Thian to Bristol, Hayden to Sheffield, Annalise to Monnickendam, and Y/N back home to Nottingham. It would be weird not to meet up with them, to not go to lectures and stress about assignments for the next month. Then again, Annalise had made a Snapchat and Messenger group to ensure that the gang would talk every single day. And knowing her mates, Y/N was sure they would.

During a break between rounds, Y/N got up from their table after making sure that her polyamide shorts underneath her dress didn’t roll down her stomach. She wore them to prevent chafing, knowing that if she did not wear them underneath her skirt, it would be hard for her to wear anything the next day. She did the zip of her chunky sock boots before making her way over to Mason’s table.

“Alright, Y/N?” Mason said as she came closer, giving her a small smile.

“How’re you lot finding the society?” she asked, looking around the table, meeting Kai’s eyes.

Kai beamed. “Good, it’s nice to spend some time with the whole team off the rugby pitch.”

“You’re dressed up,” Mason pointed out. “What’s the occasion?”

“Uno Society.”

Mason smiled. “Trying to pull some rugby players, are ya?”

“No. No, rugby players.”

Mason only raised his eyebrows as if he didn’t believe her, smile widening.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “You’re just as unbearable as Harry sometimes.”

“Nah, Harry’s worse than me.”

“Right.” Y/N took a big breath. “Chloe over there, the blonde,” Y/N said, motioning behind her with a nod of her head. Mason’s gaze immediately fell on Chloe. “She’s wondering if you and Harry can teach her how to play the PlayStation.”

Mason blinked, looking over at Kai as the bigger man clapped his hands together before laughing.

“Is that funny?” Y/N asked.

“No, it’s not. I just knew Kai would react like that,” Mason said. “But I’ll do it. After Christmas at some point.”

“Nice, I’ll tell her that, then.”

“Why does she need someone to teach her how to play PlayStation?” Kai asked, and though there was laughter in his voice, Y/N could tell his question was sincere.

“Some blokes in her flat never want to be social, they just stay in this one room playing PlayStation, and she’s kinda left out ‘cause she doesn’t really know how to play.”

“That might not work out,” Kai said, smiling still.

“Worth a shot, either way.”

“Maybe she just wanna spend time with this hunk,” Kai grinned, putting a hand on Mason’s shoulder. “Or the other hunk that’s not here.”

“Speaking of him,” Y/N said, putting a hand on her hip. “Not that I care, but where is he?”

Kai grinned, sitting back in his chair. “You don’t care? Not at all?”

“No, Y/N doesn’t like Harry much,” Mason explained, completely unbothered. “He’s working. The team’s popping by The Stag’s Head later to check on him since it’s his last shift and all that.”

Y/N nodded, suddenly remembering how Harry had told her that a few weeks ago.

“What’s the bellend done to you?” Kai asked.

“Another time, Kai. We’re in the middle of a round,” Mason said. “I’ll find a day that’s good for Chloe to come over.”

“Wicked,” Y/N smiled. “See ya.”

“Later, mate.”

Y/N walked back to her table, sitting down in her seat again. “Sorry,” she said when Hayden gave her a look. “Chloe, Mason said he could teach you how to play PlayStation sometime after Christmas break.”

Chloe squealed. “Really?!”

“Yeah, he’ll text me saying when.”

“Ahh! Buzzing!”

Y/N gave her a smile before the gang went back to playing.

Though she was physically present over the next hour or so, Y/N’s mind travelled back to the flat and the watch on her desk. Besides assignments, Christmas, and what Chloe said on Tuesday, that was all Y/N had spent her time thinking about. She would be in bed, about to go to sleep, then just get out of her bed and look at the watch, study it carefully. Maybe there was another message of sorts on it, maybe she was supposed to do something with it. But other days she did not want to touch that watch. There was something about it, something about how it had just been left in her possession so casually, something about the fact that she had not seen George since that night, that did not sit right with Y/N at all.

Throughout the rest of the night, after the Uno Society, while the gang was sat at a pub, and then dancing at a club later, Y/N could not bring herself to enjoy herself thoroughly. All her energy went back to that watch. She wanted to understand what it meant, why George had it, and what she was supposed to do with the information. Was she even supposed to do anything at all? It only made her want to travel down to Newport even more. She had to now. Her parents might think about getting rid of that cabin, but Y/N had to revisit it one last time before that happened.

Y/N did not drink that night; she was afraid of the conspiracy theories she would form if she did. She had one cocktail at the pub they went to, but could not do more than that, and her mates did not ask questions as to why she was not drinking, something she really appreciated. It was late when she announced she would be going home, and so she called Nathan and made him stay on the line with her as she took the tube back to Haggerston Station. Once she reached Orsman Road, she could hear his snores on the other end, and hung up halfway down the road to the flat. However, in the distance, she saw a stag’s head sign hanging out on a metal pole, protruding from the building opposite her flat building. She suddenly remembered what Mason said, and crossed the road, making her way over to the pub.

A small group of lads made their way out of the pub as Y/N reached it, the last one holding the door for her. She smiled and thanked him before walking inside. Now that she wasn’t affected by alcohol, Y/N was finally able to take in the pub properly without having the slight haze of alcohol taint it. The lights were comfortably dimmed, not too much so you could not read the menu, but just enough so that a person’s facial features would be a tad blurry. The red that ran along the wall behind the dark bar counter was subtle, giving the bar a sense of holding onto the secrets of each person who walked through the front doors, like a Victorian murder mystery. Y/N could see Sweeney Todd’s barber shop trapped in the same colours.

“Excuse me, miss,” a man walking out from behind the counter said, grey hair and broad shoulders. “We’re closed.”

“Oh,” she said, looking around the dark pub. “I… I thought I might find Harry here.”

The man narrowed his eyes a little. “He’s got a new girlfriend? So soon after the other ones?”

Y/N felt herself narrow her eyes back at the man. Girlfriend? Harry’s had girlfriends – plural – since he started working in The Stag’s Head? There was a very strange combination of a lot of different feelings that swarmed around Y/N’s body, suddenly making her feel seasick. She was about to abort her mission, to say she would just catch Harry at home, when there came a voice from the door leading out into the smoking area.

“Y/N,” Harry said, turning the lights off outside and closing the door. It looked as if he could not quite believe his eyes as he saw her standing there, like he had not thought she would ever show up to his work like this. Without seemingly able to help himself, his green eyes fell down to her green dress and her exposed legs. He quickly looked to his other co-worker, clearing his throat as he walked behind the pub counter. Y/N could swear she saw a slight pink hue to his cheekbones.

“I’ll leave if you’re busy.”

“No,” Harry said, the word coming out a little too quickly as if desperation got the better of him. “No. Not busy.”

The grey-haired man raised his eyebrows at Harry. He must have seen something in Harry’s demeanour, because he said, “You’ll be alright to close up on your own?”

Harry smiled. “It’ll be a nice way to end my time at Stag’s Head.”

“Nice,” the man Y/N now suspected was Harry’s boss, said. “Pop by with the keys tomorrow, will ya?”

“Yes, sir.”

The man gave both Harry and Y/N a smile each before he started on his walk up to his office. The pub was suddenly very quiet, not a single sound came from inside, just the distant siren outside and the low buzz of the city. A place that was usually bustling with noise, energy, and anticipation, was now left with the latter. Y/N looked around the place, unsure of what to do with herself now that it was only her and Harry there. Harry watched her, picking up the Cif spray from where it stood under the counter. She felt his gaze on her as she walked along the booths, touching the red velvet cushions, a rush of goosebumps travelling up her spine at the knowledge that she had his full attention.

She turned around, leaning her bum against a table as she took in the liquor behind Harry. He was washing the counter, looking over at Y/N again, eyes falling to her mid-area that was expanded slightly at the pressure the surface behind her was providing. He quickly looked away again, biting his lips together as he focused on the counter in front of him. Y/N could not help a small smile.

“What made you show up to my work, then?” he asked.

“Can’t a friend show up to another friend’s work?”

Harry let out a strangled chuckle. “Alright. That’s very nice of you, but I don’t buy that for a single second.”

Y/N raised her eyebrows. “You don’t?”

“There’s gotta have been another reason as to why.”

“Okay…? What’s that?”

Harry shrugged his shoulder, spraying more Cif onto the counter. “You were bored. You didn’t want to be around your other mates any longer. You wanted to see a delicious man with an irresistible Northern accent clean up a pub since it’s his last shift ever here tonight.”

Y/N let out a laugh, placing her hands on either side of the table beside her. “None of the above.”

“Alright,” Harry said, coming out from behind the pub. “What didn’t I cover?”

“You weren’t at the Uno Society meeting.”

The answer came so effortlessly, as if her subconscious had been holding onto the answer for Y/N until she was strong enough to know the real reason. Her hands instantly gripped the table harder, feeling embarrassed for admitting vulnerability so easily. She blamed how easy it was to talk to him, how he just seemed to throw a lasso around her deepest secrets, her most private desires, and drag them out of her.

Harry looked over at her from where he was cleaning the tables a bit further away in the pub. “Had work. Would’ve been there if I didn’t have to be here.”

She nodded, looking down at her black boots. For some reason, his words warmed something inside her. Hearing someone care about something she cared about made her feel special. Then again, someone she just met on the street could tell her they hated Marmite, something Y/N also did, and she would feel equally as fuzzy inside. Finding small bonds, small preferences, small somethings that connected you to other people, made you feel like you weren’t alone, but it also made you feel special, made you feel seen and understood. It was as if someone opened a door into their soul, and giving you a warm handshake, welcoming you into them and their life.

“The lads had a blast,” Harry said, now closer to Y/N as she had zoned out for a minute and some.

“They did?”

“Yeah, it’s nice to just sit down and relax like that. We don’t really get to do that.”

Y/N watched as Harry hovered by a table, leaning over it to clean it. His black tee shirt stretched over his broad back, his shoulder blades visibly working as he ran the cloth over the table in front of him. The outline of his muscles, the way they were so hard against the soft fabric of the tee shirt, made Y/N’s body feel very hot all of a sudden. He worked so carefully, sliding his hand holding the cloth so slowly over the table, paying it his undivided attention. She adjusted her position against her table, looking away from Harry as he stood back up, his black trousers that had been tight around his buttocks, slacking at the lack of pressure on the material. Get a fucking grip, Y/N screamed at herself in her head, focusing on the wall in front of her. She saw Harry look at her over his shoulder, gaze lingering on her for a few seconds. Y/N suddenly found it very hard to draw a proper breath.

“You’re mad I didn’t show up?” Harry asked.

Y/N was silent, her brain completely blank. “Didn’t show up…?”

She could see his smug smile in her peripheral vision. “Yeah.”

“To what?”

His smile widened and he focused on a table closer to her. “The Uno Society.”

She closed her eyes. Her checking out Harry while he had his back to her had not just made her forget the whole reason why she had showed up to The Stag’s Head in the first place. His body looking the way it did, him caring about the society, him teasing her to get a reaction out of her… Why the fuck did he have that effect on her?

“No,” Y/N said, refusing to look at him still. “I’m not mad.”

“Then why won’t you look at me right now?”

Y/N could feel her hands instinctively grabbing harder onto the table behind her. “No reason.”

“You know,” Harry started, she could hear the smirk in his voice. “You can try all you want, but I still know you.”

She huffed. “You wish.”

“I don’t gotta,” he said, chuckling a little. “Don’t gotta wish when I already do know you. Wish I knew you better, wish you’d just open up to me like you did so easily before, but that’s for a later time.”

That made her look over at Harry, her eyebrows drawn together as she just watched him clean yet another table. He… Did he really think she would one day open up to him again and they would go back to being friends like they used to? Was he really that optimistic? Had he thought about it? About them and their friendship? And what a future with her alongside him at uni would look like? Her eyes landed on his bicep as it flexed, holding his body weight as he leaned against the table again. Her gaze following his arm all the way down to his hand, long slender fingers wrapped around the edge of the table, and the thick veins over the dorsal part of his hand made something in Y/N’s brain short circuit. That along with the casual way he was leaning his hips against the table, staring down at it with his head cocked.

What the fuck, Y/N said to herself again, looking away from him. What the fuck what the fuck what the fuck?! How was she supposed to stay neutral, to not find him attractive, to not want to sink right back into old habits when she allowed herself to study him and look at him like that. She had to stop. This was getting out of hand.

“You’re uncharacteristically quiet tonight,” Harry said, working slowly as he cleaned up the table in the booth beside the one she was stood leaning against.

“No, I’ve just got things on my mind.”

“What things?”

Your broad shoulders. Your hands. The way you stick your tongue out of your mouth when you are concentrating. But Y/N said none of those things, as doing so would sentence her to a lifetime of humiliation.

“Insignificant things.”

“When they’re taking up a lot of space in your head and preventing you from being present, they’re not insignificant,” Harry said, sounding a little serious all of a sudden. “Everything alright?”

“Yeah, there’s nothing inherently bad on my mind, just… I’ve got a lot of… thoughts,” Y/N said, not knowing how else to explain it without giving something away.

“What thoughts?”

Y/N narrowed her eyes at him. “Thought you did Architectural Studies, didn’t know you also had a degree in being Nosy.”

Harry let out a laugh, coming to stand in front of her with the spray and the cloth in his hands. “I’m very nosy.”

“Glad to hear you’re self-aware.”

“But right now I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

Bloody hell, Y/N thought, could he just fucking stop being so nice? So fucking adorable? And fit? It made hating him so much harder than it already was.

“I’m okay.”

He took a step closer. “What’s been on your mind then?”

“Just… life.”

“Has uni exhausted you?”

“Yeah, but it’s not what I’m thinking about.”

Harry took another step closer. Y/N’s palms were suddenly very clammy.

“What’s on your mind?” he asked again, a small smile on his lips as if he was challenging her.

“Maybe you just have to face the fact that I won’t tell you and you can’t figure it out on your own.”

“Nah,” Harry said. “I’ll figure you out.”

Y/N watched as Harry took another step closer, her heart suddenly beating very fast inside her chest.

“I just gotta…” He trailed off, now standing directly in front of her. Tip of his shoes against the tip of hers. Without a warning of sorts, he leaned closer, bending over her until his head hovered beside her own. Chest wavering above hers, touching as she drew in a precipitous breath and he did the same. Their bodies did not brush against one another again, an invisible, burning shield was built to keep them apart the second their upper bodies made contact. As if the universe was telling them that by touching like that, the world would go up in total flames around them.

Harry’s sudden closeness made her breathe in a little too harshly, she was sure he must have heard it but she simply did not care. The reaction her body was having to him being so close was electric, it made all the hairs on her body stand on end. She didn’t know what he was doing that close to her, thinking at first that he must have wanted to whisper something in her ear, to say something to her that would undoubtedly make her glad she was leaning against something solid for support.

But she heard the familiar sound of the Cif spray, and a second later, Harry reached his cloth behind Y/N’s back, cleaning the table. She felt his breath against her neck, triggering something radioactive inside her. The oud aroma of his cologne, with notes of cedar, patchouli, and spicy saffron filled Y/N’s nostrils. In those seconds when Harry hovered above her like that, his warm body inches from hers, breath fanning against her skin, his aroma, and aura mere inches from hers, Y/N was conflicted as to if she wanted time to speed up or slow down some more. She knew that if she stayed like that, with Harry so close to her, for much longer she would go absolutely mad and have an impossible time resisting him if he were to try something like he had done in the living room the week before.

No sooner had she thought that, he pushed off, face lingering just centimetres from hers. “I just need to take a look,” he said, speaking as if he did not mind if the whole world was watching them. He raised his hand, about to touch her chin. For what reason, Y/N did not know, but she didn’t ask any questions. However, he stopped, as if touching her was something he could not do. Y/N was glad he hadn’t, because God knows how her body would have reacted had he tenderly touched her jawline like it looked like he wanted to.

“Take a look?” Y/N mumbled.

“At you.”

A small breath left her lips.

“Maybe the answer to what’s been on your mind is somewhere in your eyes,” he said, eyes suddenly falling to her lips. “Or your lips.” He glanced at her forehead. “Or in the slight lines that appear between your eyebrows when you’re deep in thought.” He looked down at her hands on the table edge. “Or the way you’re gripping the table so tight right now.”

Jesus Christ, she was about to explode. Y/N let go of it immediately, standing up and forcing Harry to take two steps back. His intense glance lingered on her, falling to her lips as she opened her mouth to take a breath.

“It’s getting late,” she said, fingering the hem of her leather jacket as her heart continued to hammer away inside her chest.

“Wait for me, yeah?” Harry walked over to the next table to clean it, doing it way faster than all the other ones. Biting his lip and moving his hand with the cloth over the table as if to make up for time spent on something else, cleaning very slowly and standing too close to her.

“No, I can walk home by myself.”

“I know you’re capable of walking, but I don’t like you being out in the streets all alone late at night.”

Y/N looked over at Harry as he cleaned the last booth, seeing the determination to finish as quickly as possible.

“It’s just across the road,” she said.

“Please just let me walk you across the road, then.” Harry walked behind the bar counter, putting the cleaning supplies away.

“You make me sound like an old lady.”

“Just-“ He appeared from behind the counter. “-Wait.” He then disappeared into the backroom where he only stayed for a few seconds. Y/N would have thought that since he enjoyed working at The Stag’s Head, he would have at least lingered for a few moments to take in the last time he would ever be back there. But instead, he emerged wearing his coat, locking the door behind him, mere seconds later. He turned the lights off, and, walking over to where Y/N was standing, placed a gentle hand to her lower back, guiding her in the direction of the door that she could only barely make out in the dark. Goosebumps instantly ran up Y/N’s back and she inhaled at the pressure of Harry’s hand on her body. He held the door open for her and Y/N stepped outside, watching as Harry locked the front doors to The Stag’s Head for the very last time.

He looked around them after locking the door, checking up and down the three streets that came to a crossroad just outside the pub. Once his eyes finally met Y/N’s again he gave her the smallest smile, then motioned for her to lead the way back to their flat. She wanted to roll her eyes, but she could not find it in herself to do just that in that moment. Though it was just across the road, she very much appreciated Harry’s company back to their flat. Distance was nothing when the roads were dark and the faces of the figures walking past were left blurred by the dim streetlamps.

Harry held the door for Y/N once again, letting her be the first to enter the building. She strolled upstairs, unlocking their front door and watching as Harry gestured for her to walk on inside. The flat was dark, except for the warm yellow lights Nathan had twined around the railing of their terrace and the changing colours of the luminous Christmas tree in the living room. The kitchen was usually left in darkness, as was the rest of the flat, but since their eyes were used to night outside, it wasn’t hard to navigate their way to the stairs. They took their jackets off, and without her leather jacket on, Y/N was very aware of how much of her skin was exposed to Harry. Her dress showed off her legs, arms, and parts of her back to him, and she knew that, if he walked behind her up the stairs, he would get a good look at her bum.

She took her boots off and started up the stairs with her purse in her hand, hearing Harry make his way up them as well. If any man were to walk behind her up the stairs, Harry was one she trusted not to take the mick, to not look up her skirt and make her feel uncomfortable. But… after everything… she still didn’t want him to see her knickers. However, facing her door, she heard Harry walking up the stairs. Taking a deep breath, she turned around to face him once he reached the first floor. What happened next happened so suddenly that Y/N barely managed to wrap her head around it before the moment was gone.

She had just turned around to face Harry when he walked up over to her. Taking a step back at the sudden closeness, she felt herself breathe in sharply as Harry’s face lingered only centimetres from her own again. Though the person standing in front of her was a man, a completely different person, something inside her brain took her back to that night when they were 16. He hadn’t been this close to her since then, had not touched her or looked at her like this since then. His eyes flicked down to her lips, and then to meet hers, wet lips parting as if the anticipation was killing him.

And Y/N had to painfully admit, it was killing her, too. As much as she had tried to fight it, it was impossible to now. She wanted Harry to kiss her. Not tenderly kiss her like you would peck a person you were in love with, or to gently rub his thumb over her cheek as a show of affection, or to hug her tight when they met up for lunch. No, she wanted him to fucking kiss her. She wanted him to grab her face and kiss her hard; desperately, needily. She wanted them to fumble to take each other’s clothes off, and for him to make up for how bad that first time together was. There was absolutely no denying it, Y/N wanted Harry. She really wanted him. All these months, all those moments spent trying to push the thought away, she simply could not anymore. There was a hunger inside her for him, but only in the sexual sense. She could never fall in love with this man, she just wanted to fuck him. And she wanted to fuck him bad.

Her own lips parted, and she looked into his eyes with an expression she hoped he could read, because she needed him to understand. Once again, Harry raised his hand, hovering between them as if he were unsure what to do with it. Fingers twitching, she could see he was conflicted, whether he should touch her cheek as it looked like he wanted to, or if he should stop himself. Y/N let her eyes fall to his hand, to tell him she wanted him to touch her. She wanted to feel him somewhere, anywhere on her. Just looking at him, she could see he wanted the same as her. He wanted to feel her body, to explore it in a completely different way to last time.

Harry’s hand fell out of view, and just as Y/N thought he was going to let it hang limply, uselessly, at his side, she felt something on her waist. A warm pressure, snaking around the black linen of her dress. She waited for him to pull her closer to him, for their torsos to connect, but it never happened.

“Y/N,” Harry whispered, eyes falling to her lips again.

She did not answer, instead just tilted her head so it would be easier for him to kiss her. With her eyelids hanging low over her eyes, her body language not showing any sign of protesting, and with her lips parted, Y/N hoped the message was coming across clearly. Harry leaned in closer, his nose almost touching hers. Her heart was beating so fast and hard it hurt. Her hands were clammy. All her attention focused on Harry and the electricity they created on that spot where his hand rested. He leaned down, lips hovering just over the crook of her neck, making her close her eyes. Breath against the hair of her shoulder, lightning shooting up Y/N’s back. He slowly leaned back out again, nose hovering beside hers. The anticipation was absolutely killing her.

“I…” But he drifted off, eyes falling to her lips again. She could feel his breath on her mouth, could smell his cologne. The tension was making her dizzy, she just wanted him to bloody kiss her already.

She was just about to do it herself when she felt his warm hand drop off her waist. She blinked, and the next second, Harry took a step back. He only looked at her, mouth working as if he was trying to find the right words to say, but there were none. So, as if blinking himself awake from a sort of dream, he took another step back. Suddenly, he opened the door into his room. He stopped in the doorway, looking back at Y/N. Again, he tried to say something that must have died on the tip of his tongue, because again, he did not utter a word. It looked like he physically could not say them out loud. Instead, he closed the door, leaving Y/N standing alone out in the dark hallway.

Y/N’s eyes rested on the door to the bathroom, trying to go over in her head where it had just happened. Had… Had Harry just walked away just now? Had he teased her in the pub, then done almost the same just now, only to walk away? What had gone wrong? Why had he not kissed her? What had made him step away? What had made him stop? Y/N could not answer a single one of the questions, and she doubted Harry would give her any. She closed her eyes, resting her head against her door behind her. This was exactly why she had not wanted to live with Harry, this was why she had not given in to his charms and flirts before. Now, because of what had just happened, because of how awkward that had just been, they were back to square one. Just living under the same roof as him infuriated her. She could not fucking stand Harry Styles.

NEXT UPDATE: Sunday, 4th April, 9PM GMT!

Huge thanks to my AMAZING beta readers! 🏛️ @aileenacoustic 🏛️ @devil-in-bw-the-sheets​​ 🏛️ @sunflowerstache​ 🏛️ @fromyourstrulyh​​ 🏛️

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[remywrites5]

can you do some jegulus?

           James was sitting on his bed playing FIFA when his roommate, Regulus, came in and slammed the door shut. Reg was clearly upset so James quickly paused the game and watched as Reg went over to his bed and flopped down onto it. He put his face into his pillow and let out a scream.

           James walked over and poked Reg in the back. “Problem?”

           Reg turned his face to the side and looked up at him. “I just saw Barty at the campus coffeeshop flirting with one of the baristas.”

           “Ah,” James said, nodding in understanding. Reg and Barty had been talking for the last few months after hooking up at a campus party. James didn’t really see the appeal but he had kept his mouth shut because he wanted Regulus to be happy. Barty always seemed to come off as a prick and James was pretty sure Reg wasn’t the only person he was talking to.

           In truth, James had a complicated relationship with Reg himself. Reg’s twin brother, Sirius, was James’ best friend and they had roomed together for the first year of University. But then Sirius met Remus and fell in love, blah blah blah, and now they were rooming together. Having been out a roommate, James had agreed to room with Reg. The only problem was James had been crushing on Reg for over a year now, so rooming wasn’t exactly the best idea, but James Potter liked to be accommodating. Also he didn’t have a good enough reason to tell Reg no.

           Since then it had been a bit torturous watching Regulus talk to a bunch of guys who were, in James’ honest opinion, a bunch of wankers. They might have been perfectly nice guys, but James had no choice except to loathe them entirely.

           That’s why James said the thing – the completely idiotic thing  - that he would immediately regret. “You want to make him jealous?”

           Regulus sat up and looked at James in confusion. “How?”

           “He follows you on Snapchat, right?” James said with a grin. “We could take a couple of pictures and post them to your story. When he sees them I bet he’ll be hella jealous and come crawling back.”

           “You’d do that for me?” Regulus asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow at James.

           “I mean nothing too risqué,” James clarified quickly. He didn’t think his heart would be able to handle that. “Just, you know, pictures that could be interpreted as us getting pretty cozy with each other.”

           “That would be amazing!” Regulus exclaimed excitedly. He hopped out of bed and went over to James’ closet.

           “What are you doing?” James asked, sitting down on his bed and watching as Regulus rifled through his stuff. Reg held a few pieces of clothing up to himself in the mirror and decided on James’ team hoodie from his football days. It was in his old high school colours, red and gold, and had Potter written on the back. Reg stripped off his own shirt and tugged the hoodie on.

           James had a good ten centimeters on Reg and was a lot more muscular and broad shouldered than his roommate. What this meant that Reg was swimming in his hoodie a little bit with it falling to his mid-thigh. James swallowed thickly as his heart relocated to his throat. Suddenly James realized just how incredibly dumb he was for thinking that he could pull this off without Reg finding out how gone James was on him.

           Reg bit his lip and played with his hair for a moment in the mirror before turning to face James. “How do I look?”

           James cleared his throat. “Really good,” he said as evenly as he could manage.

           Regulus smiled and walked over to the bed. He grabbed James and moved his limbs into the position he wanted. James let out a yelp of surprise as Reg crawled into his lap and buried his face in James’ neck. “Do you mind taking it?”

           James took Reg’s phone and opened it easily. They both knew each other’s codes for their phone for emergency purposes. James held the phone out to get a good angle, making sure his name was visible on Reg’s back, for entirely selfish reasons. “Glasses or no glasses?” he asked before he took the picture.

           “Glasses,” Reg said softly. “I think you look sexy in them.”

           “Yeah they help me see,” James responded dumbly because his mind had apparently decided to go offline without his permission.

           Regulus laughed and slid his arms around James’ waist. “Just take a couple and we’ll adjust as needed.”

           “Okay,” James said, resting his chin on the top of Reg’s head. He’d never really though he’d had a thing for a height difference but he found himself really enjoying it. Reg felt so small and soft in his arms and James felt this overwhelming want to protect him. Although he knew if Reg could hear what he was thinking then he would hit him for it.

           James snapped a couple of pictures and then handed the phone off to Reg to see. Reg sat up straight and looked through them, taking his time to examine each one. “I think I like this one best, what do you think?” Reg held up his phone and displayed the picture to James.

           “Looks great,” James said encouragingly. He let his fingers play with the hem of his hoodie that Reg was wearing, his fingers just barely brushing over Reg’s warm skin.

           “Can I kiss you?”

           James felt his entire body tense up at the question. ‘What?”

           “It would really sell it, don’t you think?” Reg asked, chewing his bottom lip as he posted the picture to his story. “Or would it sell it too much? I kind of want him to come crawling back like you said.”

           “Oh, um, I think that might be taking it too far,” James said, sliding Reg off his lap and standing up. The last thing he needed was to be snogging Reg just so he could get that prick back. Why did he want his attention in the first place?

           “It would just be one kiss,” Reg promised, looking up at James pleadingly. “Just one little kiss and nothing more.”

           “I said no, Reg!” James yelled, tugging his fingers through his hair. “I don’t want to, okay? I don’t want to do that.”

           “Then that’s all you had to say,” Regulus said icily, narrowing his eyes at James. “This was all your stupid idea to begin with.”

           “Well you got your picture,” James shot back, grabbing his wallet and keys and shoving his feet into his trainers. Suddenly their dorm room felt so small and if he stayed he was going to say something he would regret. He couldn’t handle any of this, especially not with Reg still wearing his hoodie. Why did he have to go around trying to help people all the time? “So leave it, Reg.”

           “Fine, I’m leaving it.” Reg lowered his eyes to the floor. He stood and went over to his own bed, pulling the covers up to his chin with his back to James.

           James slipped out of their dorm, locking it behind him, and starting to walk with no real destination in mind. Why the fuck did he have to be so bloody awkward around Regulus? Why couldn’t he have just kissed him like it was no big deal? It would have been easy to pretend it was just a game like spin the bottle. Now Regulus had to know that it meant something to James and it would make everything uncomfortable.

           James sat down on the front steps of their student housing and buried his face in his hands, pushing his glasses up to his forehead. After giving himself a few moments to wallow, he opened his phone and pulled up Snapchat. He immediately went to Reg’s story and saw the picture of the two of them. He kept reopening it so that he could look at it over and over. It looked so real that it made James’ heart ache in a way it hadn’t since high school when Lily Evans had rejected him over and over. Since then, he liked to think he’d been a bit smarter with his heart, but apparently not that smart.

           “You fucking dumbass,” James groaned to himself.

                                                           ***

           James figured their picture had worked based on that fact that Reg started hanging out with that prat, Barty, again. James would come home to find Reg and Barty cuddled up together watching Netflix on Reg’s bed. James had no problem ruining their evening, turning on his game or doing his homework at his desk, so they couldn’t fool around.

           Things hadn’t really improved between Reg and James since the night they’d taken that picture. James had found his hoodie hanging back in his closet and it had clearly been washed. James had no idea why the idea of that made him so extremely angry. Maybe it was the fact that Reg had been too much of a coward to give it back to James directly. Instead he had just hidden it back in James’ closet and erased any trace that he had worn it in the first place.

           James tried to move on so that things could get back to normal. He got Tinder again and went on a few dates with a very nice girl named Mary McDonald. It felt disingenuous to continue to see her though so he ended things as gently as he could. As terrible as it was to admit, being with Mary wasn’t making James feel any better about being in love with his roommate. It was unfair to her to pursue anything while he still had feelings for Reg.

           He couldn’t help thinking about that night and would have happened if he had taken Reg up on his offer to kiss. Would things have been even more awkward once Reg realized just how into it James was? Or maybe it would have been the start of something – something so precious that it made James hurt just to think about it.

                                                           ***

           “Will you please – for the love of God – stop being such a pathetic mess?” Sirius begged, tousling James’ hair playfully. “We’re on our way to a party not a funeral!”

           James did his best to smile and nudged his best friend. “I guess I’m just still distraught that you’re not in love with me.”

           Sirius snorted. “Tough luck, Prongs. I don’t go for speccy gits with no fashion sense.”

           “Remus wears reading glasses.”

           “It just hits different,” Sirius assured him, throwing his arm around James’ shoulders. “Besides, I have a feeling your type is me only worse and with less personality.”

           “Shut up,” James grumbled, feeing his face grow hot.

           “So you do have a thing for Reg!” Sirius crowed with laughter, hitting James on the chest. “I had a feeling. That picture the two of you took was a little too convincing. You looked so fucking smitten in it, I swear to God.”

           “Doesn’t matter,” James muttered, kicking a pebble by his feet. “It was just a means to an end. He’s with Barty now. What a dumb name. Barty. It sounds like a stupid children’s show character.”

           “You’re thinking of Barney,” Sirius corrected him with an amused huff. “Besides, the bloke got stuck with a name like Bartemius. I don’t think there’s many ways to salvage that.”

           “I kind of hate him,” James confessed, feeling himself relax a little bit. It was nice to be able to talk with Sirius about this finally.

           “He does seem like a dickhead,” Sirius agreed with a heavy sigh. “Reg always did know how to pick them.”

           “So you’re saying I have no shot with him?”

           Sirius shot James a look. “I don’t know, you have your arsehole qualities.”

           “Oi!”

           “It all comes from a place of love, Jamie!” Sirius insisted, giving James a big wet kiss on the cheek. They got to the street corner where they were meeting up with Remus, who was coming off a shift at work. Remus was already there waiting for them, wrapped up in a scarf against the cold, his cheeks tinged pink. “Now why would I want you when I can have that?”

           Sirius bounded over to his boyfriend and put his arms around his shoulders. Remus gave him an exasperated but fond look and indulged him in a kiss. James shook his head and walked over to join them, third wheeling it as usual. “Alright, Moony?”

           “Hey James,” Remus said, smiling kindly at him. “Excited for the party?”

           “Well alcohol couldn’t hurt, right?” James joked, shoving his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

           Remus’ brow furrowed in concern. “He’s in love with Reg,” Sirius explained, sliding his hand down Remus’ arm and then grasping his hand. He tugged on it and began walking towards the party.

           Remus glanced over his shoulder and shot James a sympathetic look. “If you ever need to come over to ours just let us know, okay?”

           “Thanks Remus,” James said, falling in step behind them. “I’ll be fine.”

           Remus nodded encouragingly even if his face said he didn’t fully believe James. “Of course you will.”

           They were only a few blocks away from the party and James could already hear the music blasting some early 2000’s hip hop. It was the Prewett twins birthday party bash. The twins were a year older than James, Remus and Sirius, and their birthday party was always legendary. They lived in a shared house off campus with about six other guys and were always doing crazy shite. Last year they had rigged up a slide from their second story window. The party usually got broken up because of noise complaints but until then it was a blast.

           They got to the front door and were each handed a beer. It was policy for a Prewett party that you had to shotgun a beer in order to ender. James and Sirius grinned at each other and both pierced their beers before starting to chug them. They were both fairly competitive with each other and tried to beat the other. Of course Remus smoked them both easily and Sirius could only wink suggestively. “My man knows what he’s doing.”

           Remus rolled his eyes and led the way into the party, already unwrapping his scarf from the heat from all the bodies piled inside. “Oh my god they have a trampoline,” Sirius said, smacking James in the arm. Out the back porch door they could see a huge trampoline set up on the lawn and people were jumping off the balcony onto it and then back up. “We have to!”

           “Absolutely not!” Remus said, shaking his head emphatically. “I don’t fancy going to hospital tonight.”

           Sirius pouted for a moment and then turned to James. “You in, Prongs?”

           “Yeah!” James said, needing something to get his mind off of things. A huge adrenaline rush seemed like it would do the trick.

           James and Sirius raced up the stairs to the second story balcony. “Alright there, lads?” Gideon greeted them as they went through the window. “Feeling brave tonight?”

           “Definitely!” James said, bouncing on the balls of his feet excitedly.

           “Just have to go one at a time,” Gideon informed them. “Don’t want anyone getting hurt.”

           Sirius turned towards James and they did a quick rock-paper-scissors to see who would go first. James won and stepped up to the edge of the balcony. He took a deep breath and jumped, his stomach dropping as he fell through the air. Then it was like he was falling in slow motion as his eyes locked on none other than Barty Crouch Jr. snogging someone that was definitely not Reg. He hit the trampoline and went back up, his body flopping around like a ragdoll for a moment before dropping back down again.

           “What the fuck was that?” Sirius shouted from the balcony. But James was already rolling off the trampoline and heading for Barty.

           “What are you doing?” James shouted, his hands curling into fists. Barty and the bloke he was snogging pulled away from each other. Barty barely had a moment to realize what was about to happen before James’ fist connected with his smug face.

           “What the fuck is wrong with you?” Barty yelled, holding his nose.

           “How could you do this to him?” James said, ready to hit Barty again. He could hear people rushing over and then Sirius was there behind him, looking like he was unsure if he should hit Barty as well or restrain James.

           “Who?”

           “Reg!” James growled, his fist tightening. He swore he was going to hit him again. “Regulus Black, remember him?”

           Barty looked at James as if he were crazy. “Regulus and I broke up a week ago. He said he had feeling for someone else.”

           “Oh,” James said, blinking a few times. “Shit, I’m sorry mate. I didn’t know – “

           “Yeah, whatever,” Barty said, walking towards the house with his face tilted up to stop the blood dripping down his face. “Fucking mental case.”

           “What the fuck is going on?” Sirius asked but James was already pulling his phone out and dialing Reg’s number. All the air left his lungs the moment the call connected and he heard Reg’s voice on the other end.

           “James?”

           “Where are you?”

           “I’m at our dorm,” Regulus answered in confusion. “No need for me to guess where you are.”

           “Stay right there.”

           “James – what – “

           James rang off the phone before Regulus could ask him any more questions. He smacked a big kiss onto Sirius’ cheek and then took off running. He hopped the fence instead of trying to go back through the party, as it would only slow him down. He sprinted through the streets, his breath stinging from the cold, his mind singularly focused on getting to Reg as soon as possible.

           When he burst through the door of their dorm room, Reg was in bed scrolling through his phone. He sat up when James entered, his eyes wide in surprise. “James, did you run the whole way here?”

           “That’s not important,” James said, waving him off.

           “What happened to your hand?”

           “I punched Barty,” James said impatiently. “It’s not important!”

           “It’s not,” Regulus said slowly, looking extremely concerned. James knew he must look slightly manic, his hair a mess from the wind, breathing heavily and his hand bruised. “Then what is important, James?”

           “Do you have feelings for me?” James asked, his chest still heaving as he tried to get his breath back.

           “I – I don’t think that’s a very fair question,” Regulus said, ducking his head down.

           “Why not?”

           “Because you didn’t want to kiss me,” Regulus said, pulling his knees up to his chest, looking small and vulnerable. James wanted nothing more than to gather Reg into his arms. “And that would have been fine but then you ignored me for weeks. Now you rush in here demanding to know if I have feelings for you and it doesn’t feel very fair.”

           James soaked in Reg’s words for a moment. “Fuck, I’ve made a right old meal of this, haven’t I?” he said, scratching the back of his neck nervously. “Let me ask that again. Reg, I’m in love with you and I’d be very interested to know how you feel about me because I really want to kiss you.”

           Regulus’ gaze snapped up to meet James’, looking for any sign that this was a joke. When he found none his mouth dropped. “Oh,” he said softly, a small smile playing on his lips. “Yes. I love you and please kiss me.”

           James walked over with every bit of self-control he had left and sat down next to Reg. He cupped Reg’s face in his hands and watched Reg’s steel grey eyes flutter closed. James felt his own eyelids drift shut at the first press of his lips against Reg’s. It was soft and sweet and already addicting. He forced himself to pull back after a moment and something caught his eye. “You’re wearing my hoodie.”

           Regulus blushed a deep red. It was utterly adorable. “Yeah, um I wear it when you’re not here. I’m sorry, I’ll wash it and put it back. “

           “Keep it,” James said, grinning. He pressed a few more soft kisses to Reg’s lips just because he could. “It’s yours now.”

           Regulus laughed. “Are we talking about the hoodie or you?”

           “Both,” James said, tugging at Regulus until he was sitting across James’ lap, tucked in against him. Suddenly his only plans for the weekend were to kiss and cuddle Regulus as much as possible. And maybe ice his hand because it bloody hurt. “Both is good.”

[anthonyed]

Finding Bucky : stevetony for @stonyweek day 1, universe:mcu (Ao3)

They win the battle. They lose the tesseract.

“I was having a heart attack,” Tony points out when Fury glares. “What’s his excuse?”

Captain America stands, head hung and silent, he looks far away from this world, stripped off of his title and for the first time, he looks like a Steve Rogers.

Tony pointedly looks away, something coiling akin to guilt in his gut and he chases that away. “What’s the plan?” He asks Fury.

“For you people? Nothing,” Fury spits. “SHIELD will handle this from now on. You can help with the clean up.”

“Not a janitor,” Tony takes his leave, marching out of the office and he soothes at the loud slam of the door at his departure.

He taps away an assuring text to Pepper and Rhodey each, steps into the elevator blindly and right before the door closes, someone catches him by his shoulder and he startles so badly that his chest aches, reminding him of how fresh the attack was.

“Mr Stark,” Rogers starts, looking harried yet sounding composed. “I need to look at the surveillance footage.”

“I thought we did. Six times and they’re still running it somewhere in here for SHIELD cretins to catch what we didn’t. So you can go join them.” Tony rattles off dryly, rubbing his chest with one hand while he jabs the button for lobby with the other.

Rogers doesn’t bother, making it clear that he’s only in here because he wanted to corner Tony. “Do you have another copy?” He asks, glancing at the shifting numbers as the elevator moves and he turns to Tony urgently, “The other me. He said something and I -,” he pauses, blue eyes bright and searching and Tony tries hard not to blink, as surprised as he is by this new information.

“You said he was taunting you.”

Rogers looks sick for a second, jaw working tightly and he mutters low, “I may not have told everything.”

Tony blinks. Well, will you look at that, “Captain America; the paradigm of virtue. Did you just admit to lying?”

The elevator pings. Tony steps out, the prickling in his chest now a growing burning sensation, travelling from gut up to his mouth and he swallows with a shudder.

“Are you coming or not?” He glances over his shoulder. Rogers barely hides his surprise before he follows.

Tony’s body demands medical attention and vasodilators with an extended leave from physical duty but the six years old Captain America fan in his head is thriving from this attention. He might as well risk another attack if he could be of use for Cap.

-

“You sure about this?” Steve asks, two months after the New York battle. He desperately needs a stylist, Tony keeps telling him. But the man is stubborn and irrationally fond of dull checkered shirts that make Tony run in the other direction.

Maybe that’s why I wear them, Steve had shrugged casually, when Tony asked him about it and that’s when it properly cemented in Tony’s brain that Steve Rogers is not that much of a stick in the mud. Guy can joke too, apart from looking like the pinnacle of perfection. Not Fair.

Two months later, they’re what Tony begrudgingly (and Steve, with fond exasperation) admits are friends and that’s that.

“I don’t trust them.” Tony murmurs, tapping away at codes, infiltrating yet another layer of security in the SHIELD’s dark system. That’s what he dubs it based on its unusuality and how discretely it was hidden. At least, before Tony spotted the layers and started digging.

“What does that have to do with Bucky?” Steve asks from where he’s sat on the couch, flicking the top end of his New York Times to look at Tony.

Tony minimises the window and pulls out another, zooms it out and crooks a finger at Steve, calling him in.

“Look at this,” he says, pointing at the virtual webs of connection he’d spun out of all the datas he’d gathered. “All these people. I know SHIELD is not squeaky clean but some of their connections are concerning. This one,” he jabs at Senator Stern.

“Tried to take away my suit two years ago. Wanted to make it government property to ensure safety. Personally, I think the government gives shit about people’s safety so I dug up and found he’s had a standing appointment with Obadiah Stane before his passing. Had a few before and one of it was about the secret project Stane had brewing in SI’s basement; trying to replicate the Iron Man armour. They fixed a deal under the table. No government overlooking it.” Tony sinks back in his chair, arms across his chest and surprise flicks across his face when Steve holds out a water bottle for him.

“Thanks,” he says dubiously, screwing open the cap. Steve grunts distractedly, eyes dancing across the screen, studying all the details. He waits until Tony’s done drinking to ask, “What’s that?” He points at a different folder, on a different window. Tony sits up, holding out the bottle which Steve silently accepts and he taps on that folder. “An algorithm,” he states.

“For what?”

“That,” Tony leans back, taking in the list for the umpteenth time. “I’m still trying to figure out.”

He follows pages as Steve scrolls down, stopping at the end and he takes a step back, standing next to Tony. “All the Avengers are in there.”

“As well as a disturbing number of children.”

-

Six months after the New York Battle, Tony gets a call from Fury which he promptly dismisses. And another and another and - “Mute.”

He asks Jarvis for his email folder and finds a bunch from mariahill@shield.com. He clicks on the latest one and it’s a clipped paragraph demanding him to consider a proposition. He clicks on the attached folder and it’s the Hellicarrier’s engineering plan with its flight system replaced by what looks like a resized repulsor tech. Tony stares at it for a minute before exiting.

“Tell Happy I’m on my way, J.”

-

He brings it up to Steve, over fish chips in the heart of London and he regrets their pick.

“Should have known to not trust the brochure,” he sighs, giving up on the fries that are too limp to be saved.

“I’m hungry,” Steve mumbles, shoveling another forkful of the equally limp fillet and Tony makes a face at that. “Had worse,” Steve grins.

“Not on my watch,” Tony grumbles.

“So what did you say?” Steve asks, leaning back in his chair once he’s done demolishing both of their orders.

“To what?” Tony hums, scrolling up his inbox and shooting a quick reply to Pepper.

There’s a part of him that shrivels when he thinks about her while sitting with Steve, across the ocean. It’s been like that lately. Ever since she walked in on them playing FIFA one evening and quietly reminded Tony that it was supposed to be their date night before she turned away, leaving Tony hugging a pillow to sleep.

“To Hill.” Steve says, “Come on, let’s go.” he catches Tony by his elbow and pulls him towards the exit, Tony’s coat is already in one hand as he holds the door open with the other.

“We haven’t paid,” Tony tells him, louder when the outside air hits and his voice gets drowned by London traffic.

The door snaps close with a jingle and Steve hops down onto the pavement with a grin, “I did,” he tugs urgently.

“Slow down, eager beaver. She’s not running away. In fact, I don’t think she physic-,”

“Please don’t complete that sentence.” Steve warns lightly.

Tony shuts up, puts up his hands in apology and chuckles when Steve shakes his head.

It’s barely a walk to their destination. Steve stops by at one of the fruit stalls to buy some apples and oranges and,

“Blueberries?”

“They’re yours. You didn’t eat your lunch,” Steve hands the box to him, and a bottle of water. “Wash them first.”

Tony wrinkles his nose, “The hassle… I much prefer bananas,” he sniffs, pouring the water over the berries and he shakes them a little.

“C’mere,” Steve snags them. He holds out the other fruits wordlessly and Tony takes them, watching him march towards the vendor again and for the love of God, he purchases bananas just because Tony asked.

“You’re scary,” Tony tells him when Steve demands he finishes both blueberries and a banana before their journey ends.

-

Peggy Carter is lucid. Sometimes, not so. But she recognizes Tony and twists his ear for missing her birthday.

“I was busy pulling out your Steve,” Tony lies. He doesn’t say he was flying a nuke into the space and almost died from a heart attack that day.

She forgives him for Steve. He leaves them be for an hour and a half before Steve peeks out of the door and says she’s asking for him.

“Your father and I founded SHIELD,” she tells them, wrinkled hand in Steve’s careful grasp and she looks adrift as she recalls. “Colonel Phillips was in it because the government needed an insight and what was better than the entire military.”

Tony suspects Steve must have brought up their private little investigation, and he’s miffed, but he nods along.

“We made a lot of adjustments along the way. A lot of compromises,” and she pauses, placing another hand over Steve’s. “Some of them, you wouldn’t approve, but Howard had his reasons.”

Tony’s breath stutters. Starks seem to fuck up through the history. “It must be the gene,” he mutters blithely.

Peggy turns to look at him and she blinks. Something shifts in her eyes and the next second, she’s slapping him hard across the face.

“Ow,” Tony cries.

Steve splutters their names, grabbing onto Peggy’s hands and he asks concernedly if Tony’s okay.

“Tough smack right there, Auntie,” Tony grins.

“Steve Rogers dedicated his mind, his body, his life to the SSR and to this country. Not to your bank account.” Peggy snarls, her shaky voice breaking in anger even as she holds composed under Steve’s hands.

Tony stares at her, unblinking. “Peggy?” he calls faintly, blood sizzling up his veins, and he clenches his fists, sitting straight in his chair. “Peggy, it’s me. Tony.”

But Peggy Carter is lost. Somewhere between old memories and contained anger, and she sniffles, “I will not let you replicate the serum.”

-

No. He sends to Hill.

No. He receives from Pepper when he asks if she wants to go on an impromptu vacation with him.

No. He tells her when she asks if he’ll ever put down the armour.

No, he tells her when she asks if he wants to have a kid one day.

“White picket fence is a fairytale, babe. Howard fucked me over seven ways to hell. I wouldn’t be a good father or a husband.”

“You have potential,” she murmurs, brushing his hair back, manicured nails scraping soothingly over his scalp and Tony sighs. He leans back into her and she secures her hold around him. “I love you, you know that?” She asks softly.

“Love you too,” he breathes, sinking into the mattress and the pillow and he’s so warm and safe, he’s tipping out of consciousness.

“I know,” she says, one arm around Tony’s midriff tightening before it loosens. “It’s not working is it?”

Tony stops breathing. Pepper’s fingers don’t, sticking to their rhythm and she’s so strong, she’s lending her strength for him. She presses a kiss over his head and she tells him gently, “We’re not working.”

“We want different things,” Tony works his mouth. Sleep lost to nerves and the cruel ache in his heart.

She says, “I want a kid, or two. I want a family. I want to settle down when I’m forty.”

“I want to save the world,” says Tony.

-

Tony stares at the text, Saturday morning bright as the Sun beams from over the adjacent building. Rays spilling in rainbows over the white tiles of his living room as he sits gloomily at the dining table.

Did you find out?

He discards his half-written reply, taps back, eyes catching Fury’s 21 unreplied texts and voice messages and he ignores them all.

“Call Rhodey.”

The dial tone goes; on and on and on and -

“Hello?”

“Can you come over?”

A short pause, and then, “I’m not in the States, Tony.”

Tony taps twice over the table; two fingers up and down and up and down, a little over the edge and he says, “They were murdered.”

“Who?”

“Howard.” Tony stops. “Mom and him. They were murdered. It wasn’t a car crash.”

There’s a beat of silence down the line. Longer than before. Strenuous and Tony can hear when Rhodey pulls in a breath.

“How did you find out?”

Long story is, he started looking into super serum replication. Found the connection between Peggy’s accusation and his dear old father and Tony latched onto until the report ended at Howard Stark’s successful experimentation in 1991. He dug deeper and he recovered filth.

Short story is, “I hacked into SHIELD’s server.”

There’s an exasperated sigh on the other end but Rhodey doesn’t follow through. “I’m sorry,” he says instead. There’s a slight hesitation and he adds, “I’ll be over next weekend.”

“You don’t have to,” Tony says. “I’m fine.”

“Like hell you are.”

The truth is, Tony cannot hold it in until next weekend.

He calls Steve.

-

“How did you find him?” Steve asks, half in awe, half in agony.

“Easy,” Tony says, pulling out the file JARVIS has picked up for him. “When you dig at the right spot, you’ll find what you’re looking for.”

He takes a step back and watches every flicker of emotions that flit across Steve’s face; from relief to horror to determination.

“They brainwashed him,” Tony briefs, “Electric shocks to meddle with his memories and they groomed him to be their weapon.”

“He doesn’t look a year old,” Steve sounds faint, sick to his bone, and he shakes minutely when he reaches to touch the image. “I went back. I swear. I went back.”

“I’m sorry,” Tony says. He is. Truthfully, he is. But it’s largely polluted by his boiling rage. The need for retribution.

He grips onto the logical part of his brain and he turns away. Dum-E nudges his elbow, holding out a wrench and Tony is not working on anything that needs it but he grabs it for the desperate need to ground himself. Channel all the vengeance into the metal and he’ll fling it later; hard and swift and it’ll break all of his glass panels and he’ll be satisfied for a bit.

“How did you find him?” Steve asks, rough edged and unaware.

“I was looking for my parents’ murderer,” Tony tells him.

-

There’s a period between Steve’s departure and Rhodey’s arrival that Tony feels slightly unhinged. Prone to stupidity more than usual and he refuses to call Pepper because she deserves better.

They just parted, he knows she loves him, and he knows he loves her. But he’s too fragile for her. If she touches him, he’ll shatter and she’ll break her skin and bones trying to hold him. He told Steve to leave - “I need some time to digest this” - and he waits for Rhodey to arrive to get drunk on whiskey, rum and too much skittles.

They puke rainbow the next morning.

“I’m never doing this,” Rhodey swears, but he’d broken that over ten times going steady. Tony grunts at him and wipes his face. They have brunch in front of the TV and Tony grunts from his hangover headache, “I think I have feelings for Steve.”

Rhodey chokes on orange juice, spits it all over the coffee table and Tony groans in disgust. “Exactly,” Rhodey says. “You’re emoting what I feel.”

He piles plies over plies of tissues over the spill and turns to Tony. “You’re serious.”

“Don’t,” Tony says. He doesn’t know where he’s going with that. He sighs. “I guess.”

Rhodey chews on his cronut thoughtfully and makes a face. He switches the cronut with a strawberry sprinkled donut and asks, “Does he know?”

“No!” Tony seizes, his own big bite of the chocolate sprinkled suddenly dry and lumpy in his esophagus. He swallows painfully and shrugs, “I don’t know? I didn’t tell him.”

“Are you going to?” Rhodey asks, not missing a beat.

“I don’t know,” Tony snaps. “What is this? Make Tony feel bad Sunday?”

Rhodey flicks a sprinkle at his face. “You brought it up first,” he says, facing back the TV, and he switches the channel. “I was trying to enjoy my hangover donuts in peace and you ruined it.”

Tony grumbles something under his breath but otherwise he lets it go.

-

“Let me know if I have to give a shovel talk,” Rhodey says conversationally, stepping into his War Machine armour.

Tony punches his fists into his pants’ pockets and leans against the rail, “Not happening,” he tells him.

“Don’t drink without me.” The helmet closes, the eye slits come to life.

Tony grins at him. “I thought it’s not happening again.”

“It’s not,” comes the mechanical voice. Rhodey takes a step closer and ruffles his hair with a gauntleted hand.

Tony swats at it, hurting himself more than the other and he hisses, glaring at the mechanically cackling Rhodey.

“Take care.” Rhodey says before he shoots up into the night sky, like a blinding star, growing further and further out of reach and Tony whispers a thank you after him.

-

Two days later, someone disengaged JARVIS and tried to break in.

“They must have found out about my SHIELD servers’ break ins,” Tony groans, scrubbing his face as he paces.

JARVIS had sent out a help signal to Steve’s phone before he was shut down. Tony was awake during the attempt so he managed to not only stop it but garner evidence in the process as well.

“Do not come,” he tells Steve over the phone. “They don’t know your involvement. Let’s keep it that way.”

Thirty minutes later, Steve’s in the elevator.

“Let him in,” Tony permits weakly. The door opens, and Steve walks in, calm and composed. His eyes however are a whirlwind of storms brewing up an apocalypse.

They study Tony from head to toe and all over until satisfied, and he nods, “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” Tony exhales, turning towards the kitchen. “There’s no need for you to come.” He fetches a glass and fills it with water, holding it out for Steve. Once taken, he fetches another and repeats the process, draining the content in a second. Steve offers his for taking and Tony chugs that down too.

“How are you?” Steve asks.

Tony leaves the glasses in the sink and moves to the living room. “I’m fine. Startled. But, fine.” He insists. “Are you staying over?” There’s a lilt to his question, an accidental giveaway; hopeful.

“Yes,” Steve says. Period. No place for arguments and it’s definite. I’m staying. Whether or not you like it.

Tony glances at him over a shoulder, “You know where your room is. I’ve got some work to do, I’ll be in the shop.”

Steve follows him instead. Sits on the couch and reads a book while Tony does his work. When the Sun comes up, he excuses himself to freshen up and make breakfast. When he returns, Tony’s face down on the couch, drooling into Steve’s jacket.

-

Steve stays.

“I’m not running a free bed-and-breakfast,” Tony tells him on day seven.

“Nope,” Steve agrees. “It’s bed, breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks,” he crunches pointedly on the Cheetos. Tony glares at him.

The alarm blares. The lights shut down. JARVIS is unreachable again. Tony’s insides clamp down painfully and he shoves the sickening feel away to retrieve him.

Before he could move, he’s shoved down hard behind the couch and something shatters in the near distance. Once, twice and then several times.  

He grappled for Steve but couldn’t find him. He tries not to worry about JARVIS, confident he’ll find his own way back but -

“Steve,” he hisses into the darkness, temporarily blinded and he’s shivering from fright. His entire core is shut down; from electricity to the armour’s response signal. He feels as naked and vulnerable as he was in that cave in Afghanistan but this time, it’s in his own home.  

“Steve?” he calls again, crawling blindly. Something breaks the window and lands next to him and hits his toe. Barely a time to react, and he’s flung across the room and he only remembers a clean thud to his skull before he blacks out.

-

He wakes up with JARVIS’s name on the tip of his tongue and an irritating beeping sound surrounding him. He swats at it. Someone catches his hand.

“He’s fine,” They say. It’s Steve. “Natasha fixed him.”

Tony probably scrapes his throat trying to swallow dryly and rasps out, “He doesn’t need fixing.”

“Of course,” Steve hums, holding out a glass of water and Tony struggles to take; hand shaking like a leaf. He curses and Steve stands, tipping the glass closer to his mouth, placing the end of the straw in between his lips and he casually confesses, “I thought I’d lost you,” while Tony sips.

“Thought I killed you with my own hand.”

“There was,” Tony pauses to cough, “A grenade,” he finishes exhaustedly.

“I threw you across the room,” Steve informs in that same disconnected voice. Tony catches his free hand and gives it a squeeze, albeit weakly. Steve’s hand starts to shake.

“How long?” Tony asks.

“Two days,” Steve exhales, his head falls, forehead hits the edge of the bed and there’s a shiver that wrecks through his spine as he holds onto Tony’s hand through it. “Fuck,” he swears airily.

Tony shifts a little so he could card his other fingers through Steve’s hair and pets him idly.

“It’s him, wasn’t it?” He asks.

Steve nods, “We caught him.”

-

Turns out, Fury had Tony tracked without his consent and Natasha was strategically there to shoot Bucky Barnes in the abdomen. Two bullets through and through; both in the right hypogastric region and Steve got there just in time to knock him unconscious.

“Sorry, I don’t really know where to keep him,” Steve says abashedly, explaining why Bucky Barnes is now in the tower in Hulk’s containment, being treated by Bruce and Helen Cho.

“Where else would he go?” Tony shrugs, adjusting the strap holding his broken left arm for the nth time. When he looks up, Steve’s staring at him with some skin to bewilderment and fondness. He doesn’t know where he falls in between those two emotions so he huffs disgruntledly and tugs again at the strap. “I hate this.”

“Leave it be,” Steve’s voice is soft, his fingers gentle when they pry away Tony’s. “I know what you’re doing,” he tells him.

“What?” Tony scoffs.

Steve’s eyes are a brilliant shade of blue and they stay fixed on his as he fixes the strap, Tony’s collar and he says, “Sometimes when I look at you, what I feel shows and everytime you catch that instance, you look away. You change topics or you do something absurd to burst the moment. Either you choose to pretend that you don’t know how I feel for you or you don’t feel the same so you’re trying to be polite for my sake.”

Tony’s throat runs dry. This time, he can’t look away. Try as he might, his breath catches and his heart stutters. “The former,” he confirms shamefully.  

Steve’s hand over his chest stills, plastered over his breastbone, fingers tickling the edge of his collar and he asks, “Why?”

“Because I’m terrified of the idea that if I tell you how I feel, you will reject me.” Tony pauses. And then, because he’s got nothing else to lose, he adds, “There’s also the fact that you deserve so much better than me.”

Steve swallows, Adam’s apple bobbing along his throat and Tony glances at it distractedly, promptly snapping back to the sea of blue; now bleeding black, inside out.

“What if I want you?” Steve licks his lips.

Tony follows that motion, eyes zeroing in on there. Longing and lust all melting into something warm and thick and he rasps, “Then you have me.”

-

“This is so not how I imagined it.” Tony pulls away. He wastes two seconds glaring at his useless left arm and goes back in.

Steve’s chuckle breaks into a gasp when Tony yanks at his hair hard, nips at his lips, licks into his mouth and kisses him stupid.

“This is so not how I imagined it.” he groans.

-

“How’d you imagined it?” Steve asks, pressing the elevator button up and he turns to face Tony. “Do you imagine making out with me often?” There’s a leer to his smile, hidden behind mischief and pure Steve-ness and Tony leans in to taste it. “I imagine doing a lot of things to you, Rogers. Kissing is just the tip of the iceberg.”

-

They step out of the observation room; Barnes still drugged up to the gills until his bullet wounds heal and Bruce kindly let Tony know that his penthouse is destroyed while Steve winced.

Tony enters the elevator and he’s lost for a second before Steve follows in and presses the button to his guest suite. He takes Tony’s uninjured hand and kisses the inside of his wrist. “In your imaginations,” he asks, still not letting up and Tony snorts at him. But Steve persists, “Am I getting fucked or are you?” He’s a little flushed in the cheeks and that’s all there is to give away his abashment.

Tony hums, deliberately stalling. “How about I show you?” he offers impishly.

Steve stares him down, full Captain mode, sending shivers down his spine. “You’re not doing any strenuous activities until you heal.”

Tony stares him back, “Pretty sure, sucking your cock doesn’t fall in strenuous activities. Or laying there, letting you fuck me,” he taps at his chin thoughtfully. “Although, riding you would probably have to wait.”

Steve shudders. The elevator door splits open and Tony steps out.

-

Steve wasn’t kidding about the celibacy. Tony looks at him gravely and declares, “I am injured and horny and you are making this especially difficult for me.”

He receives a soft shirt to his face and a towering Steve who orders, “Stay still,” while he methodically helps Tony out of the arm sling and his t-shirt and into a new one. “I’m not doing your pants,” he draws the line.

Ten minutes later, Tony climbs onto the bed and shuffles closer to Steve. “I’m holding you accountable for this,” he points at his half-erection. Steve rolls his eyes and coaxes him into a prone position; tucks his broken arm safely out of the way and Tony’s body snuggly into his curves. There’s a hard line pressing into Tony’s ass cleft and he digs his fingers into Tony’s hip when Tony tries to rub up.

“Stop,” he warns, lips brushing over Tony’s nape. Breath hot and wet and something clench and shiver in Tony’s chest. “Once you’re healed, I’ll fuck you so hard you forget your name so, be patient. For now.”

“Fucking tease.” Tony growls into his pillow. Steve’s thumb over the arch of his hip bone rubs a circle and he nips at Tony’s lobe, “I know.”

There’s a war coming on; it’s somewhere near the horizon and Tony can almost taste it on his tongue, his bones ache from the revelations. There’s a prisoner of war two floors below who needs more than regular healing. Upstairs, his penthouse is in crumbles but that’s for next morning. Along with the calls he has to make to Pepper and Rhodey to elaborate what short-sentenced assurance Steve has given them when he was out of it.

For now, he’s right where he wants to be and he savours the feel; grabs onto Steve’s arm around his chest, sinks closer into his hold and he falls asleep to the pulse of Steve’s heartbeats.

[evak-fic-rec-turtleanon]

Evak Fics - Jealousy

*** Smut  *** No smut  *** Other’s are jealous 

SMUT (MOSTLY SHORT FICS)

The Edge of Almost by riyku (1.6k words) - They've been at it for days, weeks, at least an hour. 

come again, get me excited by ourheartsintertwined (1.8k words) - Isak flirts with another guy and Even punishes him about it. 

ride it, my pony by LouisCutie (1.8k words) - Isak gets turned on by Even's protectiveness and gives him a strip tease. 

Chapter 2 of It Takes a Moment for Your Eyes to Adjust by orphan_account (2k words) - Isak recognizes him. And if it weren’t for the reasons why he recognizes him, his eye probably wouldn’t be twitching and his hand probably wouldn’t be threatening to crunch his can of beer. 

ride on you baby by LouisCutie (2.7k words) - Isak gets jealous and rides Even for the first time Deleted 

taking care by orphan_account (5k words) - There's a new man in Isak's life. Even doesn't notice the signs until it's too late. 

I'll Be Your Trainer by Victory4 (5k words) - Isak starts going to the gym. Even discovers that he loves the fact that Isak goes to the gym. 

Heaven Help a Fool by photographer_of_thoughts (5k words) - Even knew Sonja was going to be here soon. But that didn't stop him. 

The one where Isak has a jealous ex by colazitron (9k words) - Different take on the jealousy trope. Even meets Isak at a party and they immediately hit it off. Even's pretty sure they're headed towards a nigh of mutual orgasms when Isak's boyfriend shows up and throws a wrench in those plans. 

Built from the Ashes by Sabeley (43k words) - Twist to the jealousy trope. Even and Jonas are roommates who get along a little too well and Isak is not the least bit jealous about it at all (Except he totally is). 

NO SMUT or MILD SMUT

oblivious by spoopydumpling (388 words) - oblivious isak 

Maybe I´m a little jealous by parttimehuman (743 words) - Just Isak not being jealous at all. 

i'll defend your every breath by wolfsbanex (806 words) - a game of truth and dare escalates and Even defends his boyfriend. 

No matter what by xoxoxo333 (877 words) - Even meets Isaks friend Julian.

Jealousy by mango22 (923 words) - Yousef is Jealous™ of Isak of all people and Sana finds it funny (and maybe even likes it a little bit).  

you know you have me by Hawkes617 (928 words) - He doesn’t want to be mad. Really. And he knows he’s properly overreacting. It's just so easy to visualise, cause it happens, even when Isak is there. 

because it shines upon the one i love by prettyisak (1k words) - Isak is maybe just a tiny bit jealous. 

spill yourself in fearing to be spilt by withoutwords (1k words) - Even tries to pull away, tries to make some room, but he can’t. Isak’s so warm beneath his hand, and the sound of his laughter pricks at Even’s skin, and the thought of leaving to let some strange boy revel in it all - Even can’t move. 

Don't You Let Me Go Tonight by isakbeanie (1k words) - Basically, Isak gets tipsy at a party and Even gets jealous about some things that go down. 

Who The Hell Is Eirik? by givemepizza (1k words) - Turns out Even has a hot friend that Isak doesn't know about, and Isak is not happy about the discovery. 

help, i lost myself, again by ewkch08 (1.3k words) - Isak is being a bitch, Even is a good person 

Honey, I'm Good by tech_ftw (1.3k words) - the not jealous fic. In which Even is amused, Isak is annoyed, and everyone is better than Magnus at FIFA. 

Four Times. by Skamtrash (1.4k words) - Sonja texts Even constantly and one time Isak sees the message. 

That was cheating by yourfriendlyneighbourhoodme (1.4k words) - As part of Kose group's team building, Isak finds himself dragged on a Laser Tag trip which turns out to be more exciting than he hoped, thanks but no thanks to a certain Even Bech Næsheim. 

You're Mine by bluexside (1.6k words) - Isak and Even are drunk at a party. Isak gets jealous when he sees Even flirting with a girl, which leads to a drunk angry, mostly stupid, fight. 

Pumpkin King by i_once_wrote_a_dream (1.7k words) - Isak grins, and taps the crown. “You’re the dumbest king I’ve ever met.” 

His, forever by TeaHouseMoon (1.8k words) - "What are you hungry for, then?" Even stares back. "You. I'm hungry for you." 

Platonic Love Story by burningDarkness (1.8k words) - platonic jealousy (awww). Jonas is jealous about all the attention Isak was giving Even lately, totally forgetting his best friend over it. 

i think i see some green in your eyes by Bellakitse (2k words) - Even pulls his mouth off Isak's, his eyes darkening when Isak licks his lips to chase the taste of him. He turns his gaze from his pretty boy to Chris and decides then and there as Chris gives him an amused look that he hates the guy. 

Ring On It by TotallyTinkerbell (2.4k words) - Isak's room is the biggest mystery of the kollektiv, and only the guys that Isak hooks up with from time to time, get to see it. Needless to say, Even is jealous. 

PTA Nightmare by DustyAttic (2.5k words) - Isak has to go to PTA meeting alone, as Even has a work dinner, and spends the whole night grumpy until his boy picks him up. 

jealousy by evak1isak (3k words) - light smut. Isak has a gay flatmate, Even, and he can't stand seeing him kiss other boys. He thinks he's a homophobe, but maybe it's just jealousy? 

I Wish It Was Raining (Yellow Curtains) by eavk (3k words) - Isak and Even are unlikely roommates at University, and Isak’s still the ball of grumpiness he was in high school. Albeit probably for another reason. 

Four times Even got jealous, and one time he didn't by lolamit (3k words) - More importantly, the photo Eskild had pulled up on his phone. Isak was laughing as some guy Even had never seen before had his arm around him. Around Isak. And when he scrolled down he realized that this dude was in every single photo Isak was in, always standing alarmingly close. 

break up with your boyfriend, i’m bored by slvtherxn (3.4k words) - Even meets Isak but Isak has a 'boyfriend'. Or Even is jealous because he is an idiot

Without you I've got no air to breathe in by bluesterek (4.4k words) - Isak is in love with Even. Even is drunk. Even is flirty when drunk. 

before i ever met you by Skamtrash (4.8k words) - different take on jealousy. Isak has had a boyfriend for four years and then he suddenly meets even 

It's just a little crush by samgreenstorm (6.5k words) - Even is not staring, he is not. Isak can talk to whoever he wants, even when the other guy looks like a model and they seem to be having the time of their lives. 

DKLA (Don't Keep Love Around) by dobrien (10k words) - Isak is an up and coming artist dating his highschool sweetheart, Chris. Even is a little jealous. 

Life is Now by BluebeardsWife (12k words) - a sequel. Two years have passed since the events of s3. Even returns to Norway. Isak has a new boyfriend. 

OTHERS ARE JEALOUS 

Even’s Mine by Lilacpotter (5.6k words) - Basically everyone pining over Even until they realise he’s been taken by Isak. 

[fifamobile19-blog]

FIFA 19 – Play On Your Mobile Phone

Now, who hasn’t heard about EA Sports FIFA? If you are into the gaming scene, you might as well have played the earlier versions of it on your mobile screen. In today’s era, games are a very good form of entertainment for people from all walks of life. As a matter of fact, it continually grows as time passes by because of the presence of the worldwide web. It is already undeniable that mobile-based online games are booming in terms of popularity.

As you know, most of EA’s games are made for PC’s or Consoles, but there was a time when they also launched FIFA 14 for mobile. Since then, there has been numerous updates for FIFA and currently we have FIFA 19 in our hands.

The only way to play FIFA 19 until now was to either own it on your gaming console or your PC so that you can stream it to your phone using streaming apps or use steam to buy the game and then stream it directly to your phone through online servers. This won't require you to have the game on your console or PC because the game will be streamed from servers.

But, thanks to the demand of FIFA fanatics, FIFA19mobile is finally here. Yes, you heard that right! Now your favorite game is available on Android and iOS. Do not wait, choose your software and play FIFA 19 on your phone!

FIFA 19 android is what you’d expect, but in a better way than last year. It improves local multiplayer for the first time in a while and adds some more superstar sheen and in-game touches to an already polished franchise. In comparison to the original version, the game has been adjusted to the mobile devices specifics, which resulted in some simplifications. It is free with micropayments model and was created by EA Mobile, being the part of Electronic Arts.

FIFA 19’s gameplay innovation is precision ball control which, when used effectively, creates new openings through subtle movements, body feints and fancy flicks. But for every slick piece of control there is an equal moment of miss-control as the ball gets away from you. It’s unforgiving at first, resulting in untidy passages of play with balls bouncing off the knees, chests, and heads of supposed top-class professionals.

However, once mastered, the free-flowing football (using the right analogue to lead the ball away from you first time) creates some of the game’s most eye-catching moments. Letting the ball run across your body or flicking the ball before hitting a first-time shot adds a new level of satisfaction to attacking play.

The noticeable thing (if you’re a die-hard fan of the FIFA legacy) is that the FIFA 19 mobile is simplified in a number of aspects in comparison to the popular series available on PCs and consoles. It is a game of skill and enables the players to control single football players during the matches.

But, the game wouldn't be complete without light managerial options, enabling to manage a team and set tactics. The production ensures a well-adjusted match speed so the games are realistic and dynamic, both for a single player and multiplayer game.

The additional advantage is the use of official license thanks to which there are 30 leagues, 650 teams and more than 17000 football players in the game to choose from.

In comparison to the past releases, FIFA Mobile, launched for AND, iOS and WP, offers a lot of changes. One of them is adding the Attack Mode, enabling to play short, lasting less than two-minute games. Curious enough?

So, why should you opt for the FIFA 19 mobile version? Well, for starters, you carry your mobile alongside but not your gaming console. So, with the mobile version, you can play as and when you want to.  You can launch the game on any mobile phone that has got up to date operating system and its hardware is capable of launching the title without any freezes.

FIFA 19 is the undoubted successor of FIFA 18. FIFA 19 has better mechanics, controls, graphics and more content to play like UEFA Champions League. No connection problems like FIFA 17 and no problem in playing vs friends like in FIFA 18, 70 % of the players couldn't play vs friends due to an unknown error. Its fixed in FIFA 19.

Also, it is a must-mention fact that the FIFA 19 apk is very small in size. Thanks to many hours of programming and coding, it was possible to compress the game, so it weighs very little. It doesn’t eat up huge space on your phone, thus allowing your phone’s storage and RAM to be at ease.

With all these cool features, we are sure that you are intrigued to know where you can download the FIFA 19 mobile game from. Right? Worry not, we will tell you all about it. You can download FIFA 19 apk from https://fifa19mobile.club/index.html at no cost. Go on then, play in multiple modes on your mobile device- Live Events, i.e. special challenges and the Season Mode, in which you can play against the real clubs.

As a matter of fact, one of the most important things is that once you click download for your device type, you will receive an access to a game within minutes, if not quicker. It is because the developers have made sure that the whole process of downloading and then installing the game is clear, problem free, and it does not require from you any special, sophisticated knowledge. You just click one of the FIFA 19 download mirrors and enjoy the game on your mobile device!

Just visit the website Fifa 19 Mobile Club, click on one of the FIFA 19 mobile download links, and download the application on your phone. Remember to enable the option to download files from other sources than Google Play Store or iTunes – in that way the access to FIFA 19 download installing device will not be disturbed.

That’s it! Now all you need to do is install the game and launch it. Complete the process of verification by simply following the steps that will occur on your screen. Restart the game and enjoy it thanks to access to FIFA 19 free download!

FIFA 19 is pure fun, and you deserve fun!

[guysbeingdudesbeingbros]

Jealous ~ Reece Imagine

Prompt: Hiiiii could you maybe do either a jealous Reece one or play fighting one (with Reece also)? It’s up to you hahah thank yoouu

You weren’t a jealous person. Seeing Reece with loads of pretty fans that were girls didn’t worry you. You trusted him completely, never questioning his feelings for you. When he hugged fans or liked their pictures, it didn’t make you feel upset or mad. Usually you would also like the same pictures, requesting to follow or retweeting some tweets. They were his fans, supporting and adoring his dreams. So why would you be jealous that they loved him as much as you did? 

And you always though Reece wasn’t the jealous type either. You have loads of guy friends, having grown up and known them for years. You hug them, go out to bars with them without Reece, and he never says anything about it. He always tells you to have fun and asks you about them occasionally. Never once did he hint that he could get extremely jealous. 

You joined Reece for part of his tour with The Vamps. You offered to help out Ben with managing, not wanting to just been seen as his girlfriend that he brings on tour. Having a “job” made you feel better about being on tour with Reece. 

And you loved being with him on tour. It was awesome to travel to different places, meet new people, and watch Reece, Blake, and George perform. They were so passionate about music, it was so amazing to see live. 

You also got to spend time with The Vamps boys. Prior to going on tour, you never met them. Reece talked about them loads and of course you’ve heard their music. But, this was the first time you would meet them. 

“Boys, this is Y/N. Y/N, meet the boys,” Reece introduced when you stepped onto the bus on the first day. You waved shyly, smiling a little. Everyone called out greetings, Blake and George hugging you quickly. You were super close to all the NHC boys, being best friends with them for years before dating Reece. 

“Hi Y/N, I’m Brad,” Brad said, getting up to shake your hand. 

“Hi Brad, nice to meet you,” you say, smiling at him. He beams, before grabbing your hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it. You laugh, making him laugh too. You feel Reece suddenly put his hand on your waist. 

“Come on, Y/N. Let’s go put your stuff with mine,” Reece said quickly, gently pushing you out of the room. You went with him, feeling confused by his behavior. 

“What’s wrong?” you ask when you are alone by the bunks. Reece is putting your suitcase next to his, spending extra time adjusting them to not meet your eyes. You stand there with your arms crossed and feeling slightly amused. You had a feeling that you knew why he was acting like that, but didn’t say anything yet. You were going to test your theory first. 

As tour went on, you found yourself bonding a lot with Brad. He was funny and sweet. You had a similar sense of humor as him, making it enjoyable to hang out and laugh with him. 

You also were like 95% sure Reece was jealous. But, you needed more proof. And you wanted to tease him a bit, because it was fun. 

You, George, Brad, Connor, and Reece were sitting in the back room of the bus, having an intense Fifa tournament. You were on Reece’s team, obviously, but were currently versing Brad and Connor. 

“Oh you are going down, Simpson!” You shout, leaning forward closer to the television. Reece is shoulder to shoulder with you, nudging you occasionally and cheering when you guys scored. You were currently beating them 2-1. 

“Nope! You are losing, babe!” Brad shouted back, pushing you almost completely over into Reece’s lap. You sat back up immediately, pushing him over. You both were laughing like maniacs, Connor laughing at you two taking it seriously. Reece was being very quiet all of a sudden. 

“Yes! We beat you! Hah, losers!” You cheered, standing up and doing a victory dance in front of the tv. Reece just smiled, taking an Instagram video story of your celebration dance. Blake was cackling. 

“Wow nice moves, Y/N,” Brad said between laughs, trying to catch his breath. You just smirked at him, watching Reece out of the corner of your eye. 

“Oh yeah? You like these?” You say, continuing to dance. You see Reece tense up, staring between you and Brad angrily. 

“Can I talk to you, babe?” Reece gritted out, grabbing your arm. You waved bye to the boys, who were ‘ooh’ing at you. 

“What’s up?” You ask innocently, making Reece stare at you in disbelief. 

“What’s up? What’s up is you’re flirting with Brad right in front of me!” Reece exclaims, throwing his arms up for emphasis. You smile a little, finding it very cute that Reece was jealous. 

“Love, calm down-” You start to say, reaching to grab his arms, but Reece cuts you off. 

“No, I won’t calm down! I don’t want you flirting with him! You’re dating me, you’re supposed to flirt with me! Not him,” Reece spat the last part at, glaring in the direction of the back room. You burst out laughing, making him snap his neck to look at you shocked and confused. “What’s funny, Y/N? I’m serious about this,” he says, sounding offended. 

“I know, babe. It’s just, I was messing around because I knew you were jealous. It was a joke, you know I only have eyes for you, love,” you say, giggling a little as you speak. 

“I-I’m not jealous,” Reece tries to claim, looking away from you. 

You just laugh, “you are so jealous,” and Reece looks at you with a mischievous glint in his eyes. 

“Nu-uh,” he says maturely, stepping closer to you. You just smirk, taking a step back. 

“Yeah-huh,” you say back, nodding at him. He smirks before pouncing on your and tackling you to the floor. You yelp in surprise, finding yourself trapped underneath him. He straddles your waist, pinning your hands beside your head. 

“Not jealous,” Reece practically sings, and you smile at him, before flipping you over. You sit on top of him, staring down at him innocently while he just looks shocked. 

“So jealous,” you mumble before leaning down to press your lips to his. You kiss him passionately, convincing him that he’s the only one for you. 

The boys walk by a few minutes later, trying to investigate the yelling coming from the front room of the bus. They find you and Reece locked in an extreme play wrestle match. You had Reece in a headlock, demanding that he tap out. 

Instead of helping Reece, they just shut the door, figuring you have the situation handled.  

Hah this is so bad!

Thanks for requesting, much love

xx

[irvinenewshq]

Sandton Rea Vaya mission to be accomplished in 2024

Building work on Sandton Central’s Rea Vaya part 1C route, which started in 2014 however suffered a number of delays together with attributable to political instability and pandemic-related halts, will resume on Monday (17 October). The station – positioned on Rivonia Street between Katherine Road/Sandton Drive and Fifth Road – is one in every of two such stations underneath growth in Sandton, which is dwelling to the JSE and the headquarters of main banks and different listed firms. Building of the stations was initially scheduled for completion in 2019, however Covid-19-related delays and different challenges has pushed the date to someday in 2024.  The preliminary part is estimated to take as much as eight months and can embrace widening of the street and the relocation of underground cables. Throughout this time, two lanes of Rivonia Street will stay open for motorists.  “Because the nation’s monetary hub, on a regular basis Sandton Central attracts many individuals for enterprise, tourism, purchasing and pleasure,” says Elaine Jack, supervisor of the Sandton Central Administration District (SCMD). “Whereas there will probably be some short-term disruption to visitors, folks from across the metropolis and past will profit from this new, handy type of transport.” “The brand new Rivonia Street station is the ultimate component of the numerous infrastructure enhancements already made to roads, pavements and public transport to help the Rea Vaya service in Sandton Central. Tasks like this assist Sandton Central stay on the forefront of well-managed central enterprise districts,” she provides. The part 1 C route runs from Johannesburg’s Park Station to Parktown, Orange Grove, Wynberg, Alexandra and on to the stations in Sandton’s Katherine Road and Rivonia Street. An artist’s impression of the second leg of the Sandton Central station on Rivonia Street. Picture: Equipped. Instability in Metropolis of Joburg The Rea Vaya fast bus transit mission has been over 10 years within the making, having begun preliminary operations in 2009 forward of the Fifa World Cup. Its first route linked Soweto to the Johannesburg CBD. When conceptualised within the early 2000s, the goal was to create transport linkages between communities on the periphery of Johannesburg to the province’s monetary centre Sandton. Since then, makes an attempt to attain this activity have apparently been held again by a number of management adjustments throughout the metropolis council, partnership negotiations between the town and taxi operators and the arrival of Covid-19.  The Metropolis of Johannesburg has seen not less than seven mayors come and go since 2014, when the Sandton leg of the mission started building. Infrastructure enhancements Regardless of the delays, Rea Vaya has ushered in much-needed infrastructure growth for the town, enhancing entry to Sandton Central by constructing new bridges, widening essential roads and setting up biking and strolling amenities.  In response to SCMD, the brand new Rea Vaya infrastructure can even characteristic 30.5km of strolling and biking paths in addition to a biking and strolling path linking Alexandra and Sandton.  Jack says the event will carry out the important operate of additional integrating the town’s transport system, competing with world class cities.  “These fast bus transport providers are a regular characteristic of main cities worldwide. “For Sandton Central, it ensures that South Africa’s monetary hub continues to be properly positioned to draw enterprise, funding, customers, vacationers, workforces and residents, with its availability of straightforward, sustainable, and inexpensive private transport.” By Akhona Matshoba This text first appeared on Moneyweb, and was republished with permission. Learn the unique article right here. Originally published at Irvine News HQ

[ciloading184]

Fifa 13 Mac Download Torrent

FIFA 19 represents 26 parts of football matches from a series of the same game. Its developer is the famous global corporation called Electronic Art. To date Fifa 19 download torrent it is possible on a personal computer with the Windows operating system, Nintendo, as well as on such consoles as the PlayStation and Xbox. The face of the game is the well-known football player from Turin Juventus (at the time of the implementation of the new version on the playgrounds) Cristiano Ronaldo.

Fifa 19: a detailed description of the innovations in the gameplay

Review FIFA 13: FIFA Soccer 13 is the 2012 editproton of the FIFA video game series. The game is the most complete version of the soccer sim to date. The game is the strong rival to PES 2013 in the battle to be the king of soccer games. The demo version of the FIFA 13 downloaded a record 1.99 millproton times within only three days. FIFA 18 Mac OS Download Free Download FIFA 18 (2017) for Mac FIFA 18 Mac Torrent FIFA 18 Free Download Mac OS X FIFA 18 crack How to play on macOS (Macbook, Macintosh)-Minimum System Requirements: OS: Mac OS 10.6+ Memory: 4 GB RAM Graphics: The game requires a 1GB NVIDIA 650ti graphics card or bette Storage: 20 GB available space. FIFA 13 - RELOADED Download Torrent - (6.83 GB) FIFA 13 - BlackBox Download Torrent - (3.65 GB) FIFA 13 FiX Link. Download.torrent 13.4 GB About game: Release year: 2015. Game Size: 13.4 GB. Developers: Electronic Arts Canada. Publishers: EA Games. In new FIFA 16 when building your own team group, you have to consider science, adjust, and heaps of different variables, for example, whether they play in the same alliance. Fifa 13 Torrent Download. Fifa 13 Torrent Download this single and multiplayer football video game. This new version is featured with players having the option to deal with a worldwide group just as a club. Players dealing with their specific clubs can figure out how to stop their positions as a public mentor. Players Similar post.

Before fifa 19 download torrent, you need to know that this setting is directly related to the UEFA Champions League, including such moments as:

Registration;

scoring;

cast

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Game info

Year: 2018 Genre: Simulation, Sports Developer: EA Sports Version: 1.0 Update 7 Full (Last) Interface language: English, Russian Tablet: Sewn

Minimum system requirements

Operating system: Windows 7, 8, 10 Processor: Intel Core i3-2100 Memory: 8Gb Video card: GTX 460 Hard Drive Memory: 50Gb

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Simon smut 'here?'

Prompt: chair sex/wee bit of sexting Warnings: yeahhh Simon x reader __________________ You were in your apartment, it was quite late around two am you had just revived a text. You were sat in the living room. So You moved to London with your two best friends Monica and Soph. You moved into a big apartment together as you were all single at the time of moving. The apartment had a minimalist vibe with a few pieces of art and posters of bands and Polaroids all over the walls. The buzz of your phone re caught your attention and you read the text Simon ;): Hey, come over? X That simple text, has so much meaning. You and Simon have been dating a year, you met very soon after moving to London. You liked each other from the first time you saw each other to be super cliche but, you met at a party and spent the whole time getting to know each other. You instantly fell in love with his goofy personality, his piecing blue eyes, the unnatural blond of his hair and you always had a soft spot for a tall guy. So from that day on you spend almost everyday together, you lived at the sidemen house, sleep there eat there and be in all kinds of videos. You were in uni, not looking to be a YouTuber to be honest, but that didn't stop you getting involved with the guys videos. You've learnt new skills like FIFA, football and all sorts though been involved in videos. Y/N: Ummm not sure You decide to tease him a little as you always get the short end of the stick, he constantly teased you, about your height, during sex etc.. the list goes on. He replied instantly Simon: Y/Nnnnnnn I need you if you didn't realise You leave it five minutes and he sends another text but this one was longer, you open up the message Simon: Okay, Y/N I want to kiss you, it would be full of need and want, my hands would be desperate to touch you all over. I would then, kiss your neck finding your sweet spot instantly, biting and kissing that one spot that makes you so hot. Then I would move my hands to your trousers taking them off and instantly pressing my thumb to your clit making a figure eight shape, driving you crazy then when you think you couldn't take anymore I would Insert two fingers into you, curling them so they hit all the right spot to have you cumming in minutes. That text had made you so hot and bothered,you were almost to flustered to reply Y/N: Simon I'm coming over, be there in 5 x I went to see Monica and Soph before I left, I walked into Sophs room where both were. Lying on the bed chatting and looking through social media. "Heading out lads" you say "The fuck you going at this time of night?" Monica asks "Why are you so flustered?" Soph questioned "Wait! She's going to Si for a late night booty call" Monica smirked Fuck she figured me out, well Iv been caught red handed. I'm the worst lier so I have to tell them the truth. "Yes I am, won't be back so don't wait up" I say "Whoooo go girl" "Get it girl" they both shout You grab your car keys, and leave the apartment. You walk down the hall to the lift and press 'G' for the ground floor where my jeep was. I hop in and make the drive to Simons with my glasses on. The drive goes quick you play some music to make the ride more enjoyable. You finally pull up to the sidemen house and you hop out of your car and lock it. You walk up to the front door, unlock it with your spare key. You open the door quickly and relock it after you're in, you sneak your way up the stairs to Si's room. You open his door only to find him watching a video with headphones on so you decided to sneak your way up to him and you kiss his neck and he jumps in shock. "Holy shit, Y/N you scared the shit out of me!" He says breathless "oh my lord Si, you jumped feet" you giggle "Come here" he says gesturing to his lap You do as he says, putting a leg ether side of him facing him. "You look super cute in your glasses" he says You had forgotten you had them on, you never where them around him. You think there ugly. "Thank you" you replied sweetly "Mhhh, Iv missed this" he says low Instead of replying you grind you hips down on to him, rolling them at the same time. "Shit Y/N" he moans out "Christ Si, you are horny" you state "Can't help it, when my girlfriend looks like this" he says slyly cocking a brow You blush at his comments, he grabs your hips grinding them down again and the two of you meet for a kiss. Tongues fighting as soon as your lips touched his soft ones, he wins the battle and his tongue explores the familiar territory of your mouth. You hands run up his arms, and eventually finding his hair which you find yourself running your hands through touching the spiky locks, he starts to kiss your neck and instantly finds your sweet spot abusing it with kisses and bites. A moan erupts from you "Aghh" Simon smirks carrying on kissing your neck. He fiddles with the hem of your top, signalling he wants it off so you take it off and he unclasps your bra. You then remove his top, your hand instinctively go to his chest as he brings your lips to his again. His hands are in your hair, the kiss is desperate and needy, I could tell Si needed some attention. So I get off his lap and we both take our bottoms off and I kneel down in front of him and he already had semi hard on, my thumb pressing over his tip, spreading the pre cum. I slide my hand up and down his erection, various different pressures and twisting my hand sometimes. My name falling from his lips, his head falling back. "Mhhh fuck Y/N" he moans Then I take the tip of his length into my mouth and then remove it slowly, I do the same until I hear Simon moan in frustration " Y/N please no teasing I need you right now" You decide to do what he asks and you take his full length in your mouth and then proceed to bob your head up and down, pumping anything you can't fit in your mouth with your hand expertly twist you tongue around occasionally. Si's hands grip your hair as encouragement, he gives an occasional thrust into your mouth but with that he's unraveling under you. You leave him, flustered and almost at his climax you, stand to meet his gaze his hair plastered to his forehead and you give him a quick kiss, while he rolls a condom on then you climb back on to his lap, you slowly insist his length into your pussy. Once he's completely inside, he allows you time to adjust, then you start to roll you hips, bouncing up and down as moans erupts from you and Si. "Si ahhh, mhh fuck" you cry out as he stretches you out "Y/N" he grunts out He then meets your trusts, his hips bucking. You kiss his neck while his hands roam all over your body. You hands bunched in his hair, you felt so good. His trusts get harder and faster when he hits your g-spot, driving you crazy. Already feel that knot in your stomach "Si I'm going to cum" you cry out He then places a finger on your, clit pressing down hard. This triggers your orgasm. You legs start to quiver your head falls back, vision going blurry as you're sent in to waves of pleasure, you hold on to Simon for support. His thrusts get sloppy riding out your orgasm. His eyes begin to shut as he gives it a few more thrusts before his climax washes over him. "Fuck Y/N mhhh" he lets out a breathy moan You hop off the chair, putting some joggers on and his white shirt while he disposed of the condom putting some new clothes on. He sits on on the edge of his bed and you sit next to him and give him a loving kiss. You both head down stairs to grab some food. You hop on the island while Simon was getting his food. He walks over to you and stands in between your legs and you two start to make out again, his hands on your face, your copying and you moan slightly into the kiss and josh awkwardly walks in and coughs. *cough* We both quickly turn our heads, to see josh smirking. "Some would of called this a booty call Si" he teased while getting a drink You two just blushed in embarrassment. Once you got your food you head up to Si's room and ended up cuddling and falling asleep very quickly. K- I'm not sure if I like this :)

[tipco613]

New Post has been published on https://cryptonewsuniverse.com/a-collision-course-ai-marketing-people-and-process/

A Collision Course: AI Marketing People and Process

A Collision Course: AI Marketing, People and Process

In many cases, AI marketing continues to obscure reality.

What is artificial intelligence? Is a smart speaker truly intelligent? And what makes a factory, building, or even a home for that matter smart?

As for the first question, there are three key pieces, said Marcia Walker, principal consultant at SAS. “AI can learn from experience, adjust to new inputs, and accomplish tasks without manual intervention,” Walker said.

The term AI itself dates back to at least 1955, when four researchers, two hailing from academia and two from industry, proposed a research project to investigate the thesis that “every aspect of learning or any other feature of intelligence can in principle be so precisely described that a machine can be made to simulate it.”

If people must be present to continually fine-tune a program’s algorithm, it, therefore, cannot be said to possess artificial intelligence in the classical sense of the term. Yet AI marketing often uses the phrase in ways that are more artificial than intelligent. “Many times, I think the term ‘artificial intelligence’ is aspirational,” Walker said.

  Smart in Name Only?

Is a smart speaker, which has become the prototypical smart home device, an example of artificial intelligence? Alas, no. At least not in the case of Amazon Alexa, which, according to Bloomberg, relies on a global team of thousands of people to listen to voice commands and help them fine-tune the assistant’s responses to specific queries in the future.

While Amazon describes Alexa as living “in the cloud” and “always getting smarter,” the voice assistant’s improved accuracy in understanding voice commands is at least partly a byproduct of manual intervention over time.

While the specific details about Alexa’s inner workings were new, that hasn’t stopped users from lamenting in recent years that the “smart speaker” didn’t live up to its name. “Amazon’s Alexa isn’t the future of AI — it’s a glorified radio clock,” wrote Quartz writer Alexander Aciman in 2017. Gartner observed in its AI Hype Cycle report last year that the majority of conversational user interfaces, of which smart speakers are an example, remain “primitive, and thus are not able to respond to complex queries.”

Conversational user interfaces such as smart speakers also represent a continuing blurring of the lines between the Internet of Things, which is a broad technology trend that has received its own share of hype, and artificial intelligence, a word often applied undeservedly.

Of course, voice assistants, including Alexa, have improved steadily over the years. The venture capital firm Loup Ventures asked prominent smart speakers hundreds of queries and found, in December 2018, that Alexa correctly answered 72.5% of the time, its accuracy improved 9% compared to 12 months prior. By comparison, Google Home had an accuracy rate of 87.9% in December 2018.

While a firm scientific definition of intelligence, or even consciousness or thought, may be elusive, smart speakers won’t be passing the Turing test any time soon. And while the smart speaker is but one example, it is a convenient microcosm reflecting the gap between AI marketing and reality.

  Looking for the “Invisible Hand of God”

While smart speakers may be an example of a technology that trails our expectations for intelligence, there is also a fear AI will have significant negative effects on at least some of humanity. While AI’s threat to automate jobs is likely the greatest social fear, Hollywood and a handful of public figures helped make the threat of an AI takeover famous, theorizing that advanced artificial intelligence poses an existential threat to society. The fact of the matter is: researchers widely disagree on when and if AI can develop an intelligence level matching or superseding human intelligence at large.

The computer scientist and AI researcher Jaron Lanier takes something of the opposite viewpoint. “The machines don’t mean a thing. They are barely even there without us,” Lanier said in one interview. “In order to support the fantasy of some kind of pure AI or freestanding AI, we are telling the people [who] supply the absolutely necessary data, that they are not needed.”  

While analytics is fundamental to artificial intelligence, Walker said “I would argue the real base is intelligence, period. If we are going to talk about AI, we have to decide what is real intelligence.”

Critics have long accused tech companies of misrepresenting systems reliant on human input as artificial intelligence, but obscuring that fact. Some chess fans alleged as much after the 1997 victory of IBM’s Deep Blue chess engine over champion Garry Kasparov. Grandmasters Miguel Illescas, John Fedorowicz and Nick de Firmian helped provide Deep Blue with a database of openings and thousands of board configurations and hundreds of thousands of grandmaster games.

Kasparov won the first game in 45 moves. Before the second game, IBM enlisted an additional grandmaster, Joel Benjamin, to help hone the chess engine, which was allowed under the rules. Kasparov lost the next round, even though the engine, at one point, made an apparent blunder. Kasparov accused IBM of manually intervening during the game, which the rules forbade. 

Referring to the famous human-machine matchup in a 2014 NPR interview, chess author Mig Greengard sympathized with Kasparov’s 1997 suspicions: “How could something play like God, then play like an idiot in the same game?” After the loss in the second game, Kasparov requested a summary of moves from Deep Blue’s recent games. He was denied access, although the Deep Blue team had access to hundreds of Kasparov’s games.

Deep Blue ultimately triumphed over Kasparov in game six of the match. While initially accusing IBM of cheating, he eventually accepted the chess engine’s superiority. “Deep Blue was intelligent the way your programmable alarm clock is intelligent. Not that losing to a $10 million alarm clock made me feel any better,” The Financial Times quotes him as saying. As for Deep Blue’s unwise move in the second game, IBM research scientist Murray Campbell explained it was a random glitch.

For IBM, Deep Blue was arguably its clearest AI marketing win until its Watson computer won Jeopardy in 2011. A number of chess buffs, however, continue to question Deep Blue’s victory, questioning the extent of human involvement in achieving that milestone. “They wonder if there was a sort of an ‘Invisible Hand of God,’ so to speak,” said Zulfikar Ramzan, chief technology officer or RSA, comparing the matchup to the controversial ‘Hand of God’ goal in the 1986 FIFA World Cup when Argentina defeated England. In that goal, the ball bounced off of Diego Maradona’s hand beforehand. A referee said he didn’t see the infringement.

The 1997 chess match between Kasparov and Deep Blue could have established a scientific precedent for artificial intelligence, but it didn’t. “We lost the opportunity to understand whether there was something novel about how chess was being played and whether you could apply these types of [computing] techniques to problems previously thought you couldn’t apply them to,” Ramzan said. “For a long time, people thought chess required human intuition.” But the collaboration between grandmasters and computer scientists over the years has resulted in even free chess engines such as Stockfish with scores considerably higher than those of the top-ranked human players of all time.

A game engine from Google known as AlphaGo also defeated a human in 1997, which was another game where at least some experts felt humans had the upper hand. “It may be a hundred years before a computer beats humans at Go — maybe even longer,” Piet Hut, Ph.D. an astrophysicist at the Institute for Advanced Study told The New York Times in 1997. “If a reasonably intelligent person learned to play Go, in a few months he could beat all existing computer programs. You don’t have to be a Kasparov.”

  Enough With the Games

But deploying artificial intelligence or related techniques such as machine learning, deep learning, and analytics to thorny real-world problems — for instance, predicting when complex machines will fail or how to make health care or a cluster of factories more efficient — can still be challenging. “Oftentimes, it’s not just a matter of deploying a technique to help solve a problem, but understanding the domain and all of the context around it,” Ramzan said. Hidden biases can also creep into algorithms, or they could be sabotaged by ill-willed humans.

The clear victories of AI-themed demonstrations such as Deep Blue’s victory in chess, AlphaGo’s victory in Go, and broader applications of machine learning to solve concrete specified problems helped fuel the imaginations of marketers promising their software can revolutionize any company’s business. Attending a trade show dedicated to the industrial sector highlights the sheer number of companies promising to help any company revolutionize your business with AI and other cutting edge technologies. “There’s a flurry of buzzwords that don’t mean anything,” said Saar Yoskovitz, co-founder and CEO of Augury, which uses a combination of hardware and algorithms to monitor the health of industrial machinery.

While the promise of implementing techniques like machine learning to drive transformation within industrial environments are well-founded, Yoskovitz laments many general industrial techniques used in the sector are old-fashioned. “The tools haven’t changed since the 1980s in some cases,”  Yoskovitz said. “There are flip charts, and maybe an earpiece system where you can log maintenance.”

Part of the challenge is that while leading industrial companies have experience in analytics, machine learning, and so forth, those techniques haven’t historically been a core focus. “They tend to be really good at making equipment to run big industrial processes, but that’s a different skill set than understanding big data and what it takes to do true advanced analytics,” Walker said. “It’s a parallel world.” In general, industrial companies pursuing projects under the artificial intelligence umbrella may struggle with basics such as preparing data for analytics.

A gradual change is underway, however, toward software-as-a-service applications that could potentially change how industrial environments are managed. “It should — I say should because it is not yet — be truly revolutionary,” Yoskovitz added. But in order to drive such a transformation, and to unleash the potential of AI, ML, and related techniques, requires changes to people and process. “I’ll give you one example of this from the software world. Look at what happened to sales organizations in the past decade,” Yoskovitz said. “It used to be that people looked at quarterly revenues. And today, you would call that a lagging indicator, not a leading indicator.”  SaaS for sales staff made it simpler to track how many phone calls sales reps make along with their conversion rates. Sales professionals can use that information to “tweak their messaging because whatever change we make today will affect revenue in six months,” Yoskovitz said. “So how do we, very similarly, in our industry go from lagging indicators — uptime, for instance, is a lagging indicator — to leading indicators?”

Organizations that can come up with firm answers to such questions, matched with a careful application of technologies will find themselves ahead of the vast majority of the competition. Doing so requires aligning the three elements of the people, process, and technology framework. Walker concluded: “And I think, for us to be really successful at AI, we also have to be really successful at looking at what it means to be human.”

  Written by Brian Buntz of IOT World Today

https://www.iotworldtoday.com/2019/05/02/a-collision-course-ai-marketing-people-and-process/

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9 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Is There Olympic Soccer | Is There Olympic Soccer

TAMPA — Fresh off a championship at the 2019 Apple Cup, the U.S. women’s soccer aggregation has started its adventure for a gold badge at the 2020 Olympics. The adventure started this anniversary at the Clash SportsPlex of Tampa Bay, area the aggregation is captivation its training affected afore arena in an Olympic condoning clash begins this ages in Houston.

Everything You Need To Know About Olympic Scores Soccer .. | is there olympic soccer The training sessions are bankrupt to the public, and no exhibition matches are scheduled.The agenda will be pared from 26 to 20 afterwards Wednesday, back the aggregation break camp.In the six Olympics in which women’s soccer has been contested, the United States has won four gold medals and one silver. Its alone non-medal achievement was in the aftermost Olympics; it absent in amends bliss to Sweden in the quarterfinals and accomplished fifth in Rio de Janeiro.Here are four things to apperceive about the Americans as they adapt for this summer’s Amateur in Tokyo.The aggregation is about as complete as it can be. The alone amateur who was on the 2019 Apple Cup agenda not aggressive this year is Alex Morgan, who is pregnant. Morgan, 30, played on the gold-medal-winning 2012 Olympic aggregation and the ’16 team. Megan Rapinoe, Carli Lloyd and Ali Krieger are amid the notable players abiding from the aggregation that denticulate a Apple Cup-record 26 goals aftermost year.The bigger change is drillmaster Vlatko Andonovski, who took over for Jill Ellis in October. Andonovski, 43, spent the accomplished seven years apprenticeship in the National Women’s Soccer League. He knows expectations are aerial and what ability appear if the United States doesn’t win gold again.

Great Britain to hold talks on entering football team at .. | is there olympic soccer “Go advanced and say it; I’m activity to lose my job,” Andonovski joked. “When I took this position, I was able-bodied acquainted of the pressure. It’s the best aggregation in the world. They are accepted to win. I’m acquainted of that.“But we don’t accept to reinvent the caster here. We do charge to accumulate evolving. The added countries are accepting better. They are aloof us, aggravating to amount out means to exhausted us. We accept to get bigger in adjustment to affected that.”Rapinoe, 34, who was voted the best amateur at aftermost year’s Apple Cup, gave the new drillmaster her abounding endorsement.“Having Vlatko is a new vibe, an animating vibe,” said Rapinoe, who was the top scorer in the Apple Cup with six goals. “Everyone has a apple-pie slate with the new apprenticeship staff.”The United States is in Accumulation A for CONCACAF Olympic condoning forth with Haiti, Panama and Costa Rica. Accumulation B has Canada, Mexico, Jamaica, and Saint Kitts and Nevis.All Accumulation A amateur will be played Jan. 28-Feb. 3 in Houston. Accumulation B amateur are Jan. 29-Feb. 4 in Edinburg, Texas.

U.S. soccer calls up almost entire World Cup roster ahead of .. | is there olympic soccer The Americans are a abundant admired to beforehand to the Feb. 7 semifinals in Carson, Calif. Both semifinal winners condoning for the Olympics. The championship bout is Feb. 9 in Carson.Which are the teams to watch?“Us,” Rapinoe said. “Actually, the arena is absolutely difficult. Women’s soccer as a accomplished is accepting so abundant better. Canada is absolutely strong. Costa Rica has a absolutely able team. It’s difficult because there are a lot of amateur squashed into a baby space.”The aggregation continues its gender bigotry action with U.S. Soccer.The players sued U.S. Soccer in March, charging institutionalized gender bigotry that includes caitiff advantage back compared with their counterparts on the men’s team. The alliance countered that pay and allowances for both teams, bargained by abstracted unions, can’t be compared and said there was no base for allegations of actionable conduct.A balloon is appointed for May. The Olympics are July 24-Aug. 9.

BBC SPORT | Olympics | Football | Why is there no GB Olympic .. | is there olympic soccer With yet addition all-embracing clash this summer, the aggregation will accept the spotlight for added than aloof its play.“You can’t actualize change by blockage in your lane,” Krieger said. “I anticipate we’ve done a acceptable job as a assemblage and alone to action for things we appetite to see changed. We use our voices, at the accomplished date back anybody is listening. And for bodies who don’t accept a voice, we charge to allege up. We charge to action for approaching generations.”Rapinoe has been the best arresting backer for gender equality. She was called Sports Illustrated’s sportsperson of the year aftermost year for her Apple Cup comedy and activism.“We’re activity to action for adequation back we’re the ones actuality discriminated against,” Rapinoe said. “It’s activity to booty everyone. It’s array of a civic about-face in the way we anticipate about things. There needs to be a alertness to accessible things up, not alone to go afterwards the best being but to additionally body that foundation that you can accord women those opportunities.”Since the 1995 Apple Cup, no best has gone on to win Olympic gold the abutting year. That accumulation additionally includes the 1999 Apple Cup best Americans, who absent in the 2000 Olympic final.Why is it so difficult to win an Olympic gold badge the year afterwards acceptable a Apple Cup?

Special Olympics Unified Cup presented by TOYOTA - is there olympic soccer | is there olympic soccer “There’s a bit of an breathe afterwards (a championship),” Rapinoe said. “It’s aloof difficult to win the Olympics anyway. There are so abounding amateur in such a abbreviate time. If you end the year badly, you apparently accept that added animus factor. If you win, you accept to refocus quickly. But a lot of it is the added absorption on us and the appeal on our time.”Contact Rodney Page at rpage@tampabay.com. Follow @RodneyHomeTeam. 9 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Is There Olympic Soccer | Is There Olympic Soccer - is there olympic soccer | Pleasant in order to my blog, on this occasion I'll demonstrate regarding keyword. Now, this can be a initial impression:

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CLAW G11 Dual Driver Gaming Earphones with Dual Microphone and 3D Stereo Sound for Mobile Phones, Tablets, PC, Laptop, PS4, Xbox, Nintendo Switch (Black)

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[Dual Noise Cancelling Microphone]: The detachable boom mic is 360 degree adjustable to pick up your voice clearly delivering accurate and smooth communication. Simply detach the boom mic to use the in-line microphone when not in gaming mode. [Robust and Rugged Cable]: The 1.2 m cable has been constructed with a rugged textured TPE material while the 3.5mm gold-plated plug has a 45 degree angle to increase its durability. Also, included is a 3.5 mm to 2 x 3.5 mm PC adapter. [Gamer Approved]: We’ve got local gamers to test the G11 and they approve it as a great choice of earphones for playing games such as PUBG, Call of Duty, Fortnite, CS, FIFA and many more. [We’ve got you covered]: The CLAW G11 Gaming Earphones are made with premium quality materials and comes with a 1 year warranty from date of purchase. Kindly register your product on www.myclaw.in