#i stopped playing league at around 2018 but every time they come out with new skins/lore the urge to reinstall comes back 😩 | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

nijiiropokemame · 2 years ago

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ok I’m already slowing down on my violet playthrough (I was slowing down after like 4 days) so I want to get my thoughts out now before more time passes.

Overall reaction: I really like this game.

I haven’t played every pokemon game, but this’s...my sixth core series? seventh if you count Arceus. And this game makes a case for counting Arceus, since that was the testing ground for a lot that went into SV.

The 3D areas in SWSH did make me come back to that game more than I would have expected, since I was just so-so on the main game. Then Legends: Arceus came along and blew all that out of the water. I loved the mechanics in Arceus. I loved initiating battles by throwing out a mon, I loved running for my goddamn life from a level 60 giant Stantler, and I especially loved being able to bean critters in the back of the head with pokeballs without having to engage them in battle.

Obvs SV didn’t have the battle-less catch mechanic, but Let’s Go mode is some of the most fun I’ve had with a pokemon game mechanic ever. I actually avoided the Team Star bases for a while bcs I thought it’d just be, y’know, take down the Team Rocket base version 9.0, but once I did and it forced me to use Let’s Go, the whole game really opened up for me. I’d been having a little more fun stopping my critical path to catch and breed some eevees, but nothing beat the first experience of starting at the top of the snowy mountain and bowling my ceruledge down the slope into oncoming hordes of ice-mon.

As much as I feel the sandwich making is a poor sequel to the curry making in SWSH, I think the picnic mechanic is a great evolution of the “spend time with your mon” screen. I was a little overwhelmed when I saw how many ingredients were available, and more so when I saw that they all had powers, but...it’s actually not that scary, and it’s still a more-fun-than-not minigame. I’ve had mixed success with egg power, but boy howdy when I wanted to farm sinisteas to get more armor to evolve more charcadets, the ghost-appearance power made a huge difference. The play ball mechanic is a good idea, I just wish my character could...y’know actually kick the ball. Instead of awkwardly clip through it and occasionally vaguely influence its direction. But it’s still so fun to see my trainer with their pokemon, I’m really happy with this direction.

So, as to new pokemon, this is the installment that made me realize something: when I first got back into Pokemon games in 2018, I was very much of the mind that animal- and plant-like pokemon were not just best, but sort of the point of the game. With this game I realized that I’ve completely turned around on that, and why. Pokemon have much more in common with the idea of like, yokai or spirits or similar mythic beings, except what if those but they’re everywhere all the time in plain sight. Some are deeply affiliated with nature, some are much more closely connected with mankind, which is why mon that look like manmade objects make sense. And, in the same vein, so do anthropomorphic mon.

All this is to say goddamn do I love armarouge and ceruledge. And tinkatuff (yeah I like tinkatuff more than tinkaton...but I still love my girl). And I don’t think I laughed at anything in the game harder than when my sprigatito evolved and was immediately bipedal, but then floragato ended up being another of my favorite new designs (its evolution not as much...that makes two mid-volutions that I like most, which is very unusual). But yeah the armored exclusives shot way up on my list of favs of all time, christ they are cool. I was immediately drawn to armarouge but I’m playing violet, and I didn’t really see the point of starting a scarlet playthrough until I’ve beaten this. I’m ready to challenge the league tho, so maybe I’ll do that and leave the end of the other two plots til the next game.

Yeah, so the diverging paths. They work pretty well! Limiting the usage of your -raidon til you hit a few early goals is pretty smart. I think challenging the gyms in any order worked out really well. The Team Star assault is a slog mostly because the cutscenes are unskippable, man do I not care about that plot, but again the base assault is really fun, and an old-fashioned battle at the end is not bad. The most fun is coming across a titan pokemon in the wild though; I wish cutscenes didn’t play as you approached, at least once I managed to glimpse one in the distance first and said out loud “what is that!?” (it the klawf if I recall), it really captured that Breath of the Wild “stumble upon a thing and then investigate it” feeling.

Oh yeah how could I have not yet talked about the bike. This game is obviously very slow, transitions to different modes like from overworld to battle take forever, and at a couple of points it completely glitched out and kicked me out. Fortunately enough things trigger saves that this wasn’t really a problem. So taking that into account, the fact that miraidon is an absolute joy to use is even more amazing. It handles so smooth, and skidding and changing directions is so cool. I just got the glide ability and I like how it’s implemented. It’s no paraglider from Breath of the Wild, but it still makes descent more seamless and fun. I do wish you could go faster, but I get there are limitations on how much they could design the world with a turbocharged player in mind. The faster you can go, the more they have to think about how much open space to let you have, and if all that open space will make it hard to get from one place to another if you don’t want to spend a bunch of time traversing it with your bike. Anyway this was a feature they obviously spent a lot of time on and it shows. Arceus had the one thing were you could seamless transition from land to water and back, but you still had to select climbing or flying (or...the bear. I never used the bear), and having one mon that just goes feels so much better.

Well, I guess that’s it! This right now ranks as my third favorite game, after my beloved Ultra Moon and then Arceus, both of which had stronger stories imo, and even if pokemon stories are simple I tend to prefer story-centric games. But after a rocky start to this game where it just seemed to be slow and glitchy, it really has a lot to offer by itself, and makes me very excited for new mainline pokemon games in a way I haven’t been in a while!

#catfishchat

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female-buckets · 3 years ago

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Cuz I'm a player by nature but I'll always keep it honest

So for you, there's one more spot left in my roster, baby

Alongside familiar faces, Tina Charles ready to make an impact with Phoenix Mercury

Jenna Ortiz, Arizona Republic

The wheels began turning in Tina Charles’ head back in Tokyo.

Playing alongside Diana Taurasi, Skylar Diggins-Smith, and Brittney Griner during Team USA’s gold medal winning run in the Olympics, Charles admired the high character of each player and the dedication to the game from the trio. Knowing she was entering free agency following the season, conversations started flowing more about the dynamic with the Phoenix Mercury.

It only intensified watching the Mercury’s run to the WNBA Finals two months later and knowing she could find her way there.

Given her previous playing experience with Taurasi while overseas in Turkey in addition to time spent in two different Olympics with Griner, Charles is very familiar with the Mercury. But the final domino fell when guard Diamond DeShields was acquired by the Mercury in a trade on Feb. 3.

“When she told me she was signing, it sealed the deal, and I was like, all right, this is where I want to be. It made this roster that much stronger with how special of a player she is,” Charles said.

Charles and DeShields have a relationship that dates back to 2018 when both were playing in China. DeShields, who was coming off her first season in the WNBA, was new to the overseas experience and Charles saw that it was harder for her and gave her phone number to DeShields to keep in touch. Since then, the two have kept in contact throughout their careers and hold a great respect for each other.

Joining the Mercury on a one-year contract reported to be worth $108,000 was an easier decision for Charles due to her existing relationships and willingness to take the next step in a potential Finals run.

“Frequently, players will tell you it’s not about the money, but it’s not often that it’s really not about the money and it’s about winning. In this case, it’s about winning,” Mercury general manager Jim Pitman said. “She’s a great representation of everything we want in a player. High character, highly competitive, highly talented, everything we could want, she is.”

The Mercury will showcase one of the league's top front courts with Charles, Griner, and Brianna Turner. Charles saw more versatility in her game when paired with Griner during their times with USA Basketball and is excited to be able to spread the floor with Griner.

Charles, the league's reigning top scorer and 2012 MVP, spent most of her 11-year career known for her abilities around the basket and mid-range with hook shots and drop steps. Looking around at other centers in the league, Charles wanted to push herself. After being ruled medically exempt from the 2020 season, she took the time to reinvent her game and become a stretch four.

“To be honest, I got bored with my game when I sat out of the bubble.I challenged myself and I was thought there was another level I could get to,” Charles said.

As a result, Charles had her best season from 3 in 2021, notching career highs in 3-pointers with 50 and in shooting percentage with 36.5 percent. Charles also led the league in scoring, averaging 23.4 points per game.

Charles has taken major steps in her career at different points, including a pivotal time playing with Taurasi in Turkey in the 2011-12 season.

“I would also do individual workouts with her and there were little nuggets that I would always take from her and it led to being my MVP year. Having that time with her and just being able to watch her approach in every practice,” Charles said. “Just the intensity level night in and night out and her approach. She told me the minute you stop playing is the seconds you become worse as a player and that’s something I always keep in mind from that time playing with her.”

Charles has spent time in Phoenix practicing with her new teammates, including Taurasi. And although the years have passed, Taurasi still contains the same intensity.

“There’s something about her. She doesn’t have to say anything, but it’s a respect. Just what she’s done for our game, just what she’s done for women in this league, it’s just a presence that makes you want to play harder. It makes you believe that you can do anything out there because she’s there,” Charles said.

#wow see??? i'm always right about everything. I said they started hatching this plan in Tokyo and guess what? That's exactly what happened!!#Also... Tina's a very private person but oh my god. I am now shipping Tina/Diamond 200% more #and yeah i'm still not over that song. i'm just gonna keep posting it. it's the 2022 mercury theme song #diana taurasi #tina charles #brittney griner #skylar diggins smith #diamond deshields #wnba #wospo #phoenix mercury #usa basketball #usab #usabwnt #brianna turner

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toughguywithbossygirlfriend · 4 years ago

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Superman : Heroes #1 ... Diana and Bruce

In “Superman(2018) #18″ Superman revealed to the World that his name was “Clark Kent” and the comic book “Superman:Heroes #1″ presents the immediate aftermaths.

(Edit from DC Comics Rebirth Superman(2018) #18 and Superman:Heroes #1)

This Issue had a unique and delightful little story with Diana and Bruce, 0% Action, only talking,.. a dance between two people caring for each other ... It revealed a bit of the real man behind the “Bat” and the “Playboy”. I loved Diana’s wisdom in this, especially when she compared Bruce to Clark.

As a first result, not every one in the Justice league looked happy about that “Scoop”..

(Edit from DC Comics Rebirth Superman(2018) #18)

Batman’s POV about secrecy shouldn’t be a surprise, ... but Diana’s behavior seemed rather unsettling... First I thought she was still angry after her speech about the loss of trust during their last exchange in DC Comics “Batman/Superman (2019) #6.

(Edit from DC Comics Batman/Superman (2019) #6)

Her whole speech was about the morality of keeping secrets ... Diana’s speech may have encouraged Clark to go Public with his Identity ... but after he’d done it her comment shows she didn’t seem so sure about that part ... Why would she be unsatisfied if Clark just followed her theory about secrecy ?

(Edit from DC Comics Rebirth Superman(2018) #18)

Revealing everything to the world wasn’t what she meant ... She’s a diplomat, she understands that there is an “in between”, a compromise to make ... not all truths can be thrown around without care... Diana was making them a lecture about “keeping secrets” earlier, Yes, but... it was mostly about “keeping secrets from each other” ... so this new “secret” Clark had kept again from them was actually what she was complaining about previously and had to hurt both, Diana and Bruce,... once again one of them took a secret decision without sharing it with the others. Leaving them to face the consequences once everything was done ... Bruce is so angry that he ironically tells Clark that the Kents are completely “off the grid” (something he surely invested some hard work and a lot of time to achieve) because Clark just busted all of his hard work in a second... Yeah, Clark, how should he feel about that ?... XD

(edit from DC Comics Rebirth Justice League(2018) #47)

Finally Clark understands how much he hurt Bruce later and apologizes (see “Justice League(2018) #47″)... He may now have understood what Diana talked about earlier...

But lets get back to our subject “Superman : Heroes #1″

The stories of DC Comics “Superman : Heroes #1″ have been written by Brian Michael Bendis, Matt Fraction and Greg Rucka.

Greg Rucka is one of the best writers of the pairing Wonder Woman/Batman (“Blackest Night : Wonder Woman”, “The Hiketeia”, “The Solstice”, ...) he has usually a great touch when it comes to tell in a more subtle way how much Diana and Bruce care for each other.

(Edits from Some of Greg Rucka’s Work for DC comics)

In the comic “Superman:Heroes”, Greg Rucka is behind these 8 Panels out of the 35 that the comic contains, pretty much one quarter of the whole book about Superman, and his story is only about Diana and Bruce ... already a message in itself ... and he did an amazing work again. Few words but so much was said (pretty much the opposite of what I am doing right now ! XD )

The Art is amazing as well.

It happens shortly after Superman’s meeting with the JL, and starts with Bruce standing alone in front of his Parents grave. Lost silently in his thoughts.

(Edit from DC Comics Superman:Heroes #1)

Suddenly a well known voice breaks him out of his reverie. Diana is here. Bruce is Classy as always, while Diana wears more casual clothing ... I think Rucka chose on purpose to drop the uniforms for this exchange ... because the uniforms are not really “them”. This is not really about Batman and Wonder Woman but about the people behind those masks.

.(Edit from DC Comics Superman:Heroes #1)

She came to look after him. She could have gone anywhere, with anyone. She could have celebrated with Clark and the rest of the league this unique moment, this huge step Superman made... but she choose to go to a most lonely and sad place for one of her closest friends : Wayne Manor’s graveyard.... and she knew she would find him there... She knows his reaction was excessive ... there is something hurting him hard and she needs to know what...

“Thought I would find you here ... How are you doing ?” A useless question because Diana already knows the answer to her question ... otherwise she wouldn’t be there, she wouldn’t have come directly to the graves...

(Edit from DC Comics Superman:Heroes #1)

Bruce turns around and walks away ...then, in the distance, just says “Fine.”. Diana stands silently while he flees into loneliness again... Bruce knows she won’t go away after just a “Fine”, he knows the truth, she will dig further, so he retreats from the battlefield because she won’t leave him to his dark mood...

3 sentences, 11 Words, that's all you get for a full page with 5 great pictures...

All 8 panels of that story are really wonderful. They are made like a movie, using silences to show the depth, the seriousness of the subject, the loneliness, sadness and deep closeness of both characters. Pictures with perspectives, enhance the effect of their loneliness ... Diana and Bruce may be in their home world but it is as if they were both still with only each other in the plane of Gehenna ... Diana and Bruce ... all alone.

(Edit from DC Comics Superman:Heroes #1)

Second panel ... Bruce stops somewhere facing in silence a magic sunset matching his current mood ... Diana follows until she stands next to him.

(Edit from DC Comics Superman:Heroes #1)

Again he tells her he doesn’t want company ... “mhm”, she acknowledges ... the wind blows in her hair, she tries to fix it ... silence ...

(Edit from DC Comics Superman:Heroes #1)

The wind blows, she gives up, letting her hair flow around her face... A little chat ... Bruce turns around, fleeing the battlefield again ...

Third panel ... Hell ... a full page , 7 pictures, only two sentences, 8 little words... pure magic from G. Rucka and the other artists.

(Edit from DC Comics Superman:Heroes #1)

This time Diana is inside Wayne Manor ... looking at the giant painting of Bruce’s Parents... deep in thoughts ... wondering what exactly pushed Bruce to their graves after Superman’s revelation.

(Edit from DC Comics Superman:Heroes #1)

Bruce is in the kitchen ... Diana enters as if she was at home and drops her jacket ... approaching the table, they exchange a look ... She takes a seat, her usual seat? then Diana waits for him to make his move ... She smiles ... She just owns the place ... Bruce isn’t surprised, he expected her, he waited for her, even made some tea in the meantime... did he flee earlier ? or did he just want to get them a comfortable place to be and talk ? ... He probably wouldn’t have made tea “for two” if he wanted to be left alone ... He knew she wouldn’t give up on him no matter how strong he would push her away, so there was no need to put more conviction in the game ... that’s what they learned in Gehenna ... they may both give up the fight for their mission, but they never ever give up on each other... Bruce knew he wouldn’t win that battle. Not with Diana, so he didn’t really try. Actually Bruce needed her and she came ...

(Edit from DC Comics Superman:Heroes #1)

And the only sentences exchanged between the two in the whole panel are so domestic ... “Tea ?” ... ”That would be lovely, Bruce.” ... That bright, sly, smile on Diana’s face reveals everything ... she knows she was right and won their little fight ... he won’t push her away again, he doesn’t even want her away ... they are going to talk. But she needs to let him space ... Diana just has to let him lead the way now.

Is it even possible to make it more obvious how much they know each other, care for each other ... those two don’t even need J’onn J’ozz to communicate without speaking ... they only need an brief eye contact.

Fourth panel ... more silence ...

(Edit from DC Comics Superman:Heroes #1)

Bruce needs to collect his thoughts ... Diana sips her tea ...

Then he talks, but Diana plays dumb ... she wants him to express his problem, to name it... Diana is very smart here ... because she cannot really get a grip on what is hurting him so hard. She needs to get it out of him ... she knows the real problem is hidden deep under layers and layers ... and this isn’t really about Clark keeping a secret from him ... from them.

(Edit from DC Comics Superman:Heroes #1)

Of course they talk about Superman revealing that he was “Clark Kent” and even if Diana plays dumb, she still says something very interesting here ... she calls him “KAL” while Bruce is upset because of “Clark” ... I think this way Diana tells him that Superman still didn’t tell the truth ... because “Clark Kent” is just another identity ... “KAL” is the kryptonian man who lives on earth under the disguise of “Clark Kent” and who is called “Superman” when he plays Superhero... just like Bruce is a human who lives a fake life as a Playboy and CEO when he is not playing Superhero and called “Batman” otherwise ... I think it is her way to say the Superman is still Lying even if it is to himself. Still she can give “Superman/Clark Kent” a name describing the real him “KAL”... while “Bruce” uses his own birthname for a partly faked persona ...

In “Superman : Villains #1″, Supergirl, still under the effect of the Batman Who Laughts Toxin tells pretty much the same as what I think Diana tries to convey here.

But Bruce is too upset to listen to her ... So he gives her a list of reasons why this is bad, partly accurate partly disputable ... so she counters him even if her own arguments is accurate/disputable as well ... nothing is simple ... but this isn’t about “Superman”, something Diana understood quickly ... if it was only about “Clark” or “Kal”, Bruce wouldn’t be this upset... How long have Diana and Bruce been married again ?... Yeah, Right,.. something like 37 years in Hell ...

(Edit from DC Comics Superman:Heroes #1)

Several millennia and all the Wisdom of Athena speaks thru Diana while she harbors that sly smile. Bruce gets silent again, Diana saw right thru him, maybe better than he did himself.

(Edit from DC Comics Superman:Heroes #1)

Bruce flees again ... but does he really ? Since the beginning he doesn’t really push hard and Diana knows it ... You just get the feeling he wants her to follow him ... maybe he needs her to help him figure out why he really is that upset..

(Edit from DC Comics Superman:Heroes #1)

The Batcave ... it looks as if they were getting more and more deeper, more personal ... First the world outside, then inside his home, and now his most secret part... maybe another symbolic meaning ... to show how Diana is getting closer to the real hidden reason.

(Edit from DC Comics Superman:Heroes #1)

By the look of Bruce’s sneer, you can tell he is angry, hateful even... but Diana never feels threatened in any way, she feels safe, even “Poking the Bear” a little as shown by her mischievous look... until it suddenly downs on her !! ...

(Edit from DC Comics Superman:Heroes #1)

Can we just relish in that view for a moment ? ... Perfect female body meets perfect male body .... Aargh !! ... can’t they just go down on it ! ... OK ! I need to get some self control back ... sorry !

What Diana sees... is Bruce staring at his suits, his disguises, his secrets, his ... enemy ? ... Batman ? ... now she can SEE what hurts him so hard !

(Edit from DC Comics Superman:Heroes #1)

Diana figured out the truth ! ... Bruce is first in denial, then thinking and accepting it ... Bruce goes from angry, to sad and beaten...

One part of the amazing points of this story is Diana’s statement when she compares “Bruce” and “Kal”. Whoever thought Wonder Woman wouldn’t value the “powerless” Bat when compared to the “godlike” Superman is going to wake up with a serious headache ... For Diana, the only thing Clark can do, that Bruce can’t, is what we all do ... “live without a secret identity” ... anything else she considers Bruce does at least as good as Clark if not better ... BAM ! ... I honestly didn’t expect to read that in a comic about Superman ! ... And this coming from non other then Powerhouse number two Diana Prince, Wonder Woman, Princess of the Amazon, daughter of Zeus gifted with the Wisdom of Athena ... that was mind-blowing !!

But to be honest such appreciative comments from Diana, somewhere in between admiration and adoration, happen more and more often lately in different DC comics.

(Edit from several DC Comics books)

I would say we’ve gone back when Diana considered Clark as “Good husband material” for Lois, while “Bruce” was “Fast, Dangerous, the thrill ride..” ... back then, even Clark understood who Diana’s heart would settled with...

(Edit from several DC Comics Trinity(2008) #6 and Blackest Night:WW(2010) )

This was of course before the New52 nonsense hit the fan...

(Edit from DC Comics Superman:Heroes #1)

The other great point is that “Bruce” ... is jealous of “Kal” ... What !? how is that great ?

For the Dark Knight, admitting this kind of weakness to anyone is pretty much unthinkable ... unless it is to Diana. I think Bruce and Diana are now closer than Bruce and Clark ever were. But this jealousy is as well the proof that there is a man behind the Batman, behind the Playboy ... someone who doesn’t really like either of them, someone who dreams of family, home, of the freedom to live a normal happy life. The Princess of Themyscira is one of the only women (if not the only one) to have access to that man, the real “Bruce”.

Bruce is someone who can’t be reduced to “the Batman” as often said. He is a man, a Hero who decided to play that role, a man who made it his duty to fight crime and to protect those who can’t do it for themselves. Just like Diana did when she chose to become “Wonder Woman” and leave the paradise island of Themyscira for Men’s world. He is jealous, and is ashamed of it, because he should grant it to his best friend Clark/Kal. It is his dream to have that kind life, a dream Diana shares as well ... but both have decided long ago that their Duties were more important and had to be done at any personal cost.

(Edit from DC Comics Superman:Heroes #1)

But there is another message in this Jealousy ...

Over the last 50 years, it had been explained several times that Bruce Wayne chooses his romantic partners with a purpose as described in the story with Bekka (in January 2008): Relationships must fail.

(Edit from DC Comics Superman Batman(2003) #42 - story with Bekka)

If Bruce is Jealous about Clark’s “Home, Family” life this means he is now ready to a real longtime commitment with a woman. He wants that now. Over the years he matured (just like “Batfleck” in the DCEU). Keeping his distance with Diana because of their friendship all those years was only part of the excuse. He always chose his partners to fail ... and with Diana he knew a relationship would have a high risk of succeding. I think Diana was always more ready to start something with him at least judging by the way she smiled when she woke up from the “Transconciousness Articulator”, but she changed her mind once he told her he didn’t want to know what was “lurking in his mind” ... Back then Diana knew he wasn’t ready.

Bruce Wayne is ready now ... Is this what Tom King meant when he said he changed Batman for the Decade to come, that he put his “Mark” on Bruce Wayne ? His Batman/Catwoman run proved one thing to the shareholders... the Batman fans are ready to have their Hero seriously committed to a Woman. In fact the love story didn’t drop the sales but supported them. Tom King showed Batman sells better as a “Man in love” then as a lone Wolf ...

Still a lot of fans understand that an untrustworthy and still active criminal like Selina can’t possibly be the best match for the crusader of Justice ... and while Diana seems still to adore him, after that little chat in the Cave and the 37 years in Gehenna, she should have understood by now that he is ready for something really serious ... So ... “Perhaps ....” hopefully in the near future ...

#wonderbat #wonder woman #diana prince #batman #bruce wayne

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playitbackreplay-moved · 4 years ago

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FAMILY TIES !

SUMMARY :: In which Jinhwan's life takes a turn when he finds out the truth about his father. CHARACTERS :: Jang Jinhwan, Jang Jinhee, Maisie Park, Della Jang WORDS :: 3.3K WARNINGS :: implied infidelity, family issues, implied sexual content, fighting, yelling, drinking ( if i missed anything let me know ! )

2015 !

Jinhwan wasn’t sure when the bitterness started to set on every time his father would come and visit, though he knew that it was one of the more recent developments. His father was something like an enigma to him, though it wasn’t like he really got to know much about the man that would show up on their doorstep whenever he was in town, leaving just after getting everyone’s hopes up. Maybe the bitterness set in when he was finally old enough to read his father’s patterns, maybe it was the protectiveness that he felt over his mother and sister that set it off.

Ever since Jinhwan was little he had been protective of Jinhee, even if she was ten minutes older than him. Jinhee was too kind, too optimistic, and gave everyone the benefit of the doubt, it was only natural for Jinhwan to want to protect her, to make sure her fragile heart didn’t get broken. It was no surprise that Jinhee, sweet and kind Jinhee, would get excited and giddy whenever their father was in town, hoping this would be the time he actually stayed. Every time, Jinhwan was left to pick up the pieces of Jinhee’s broken heart in their small shared bedroom, under the nightlights, careful to not let their mother see. Maybe Jinhwan knew when the bitterness set in, and maybe it was after he was left to pick up the pieces of a broken family who hoped for something more every time, and every time got disappointed yet again.

Jinhwan wasn’t surprised when his father showed up again just after his and Jinhee’s birthday, just a year and a few days after the last time he had walked out, going back to whatever life he lived without them. Jinhee had been ecstatic when their father showed up, a set of high end makeup for her, and a PS4 for Jinhwan in his hands, like one gift would make up for all the time pushed them to the side. Jinhwan, on the other hand, had been sitting on the couch, glaring at the way his mom and Jinhee hung onto every word of their father’s travels, things that Jinhwan were sure never even happened. He could see them get pulled into their father’s orbit once again, falling back into the feelings they said was over the last time he walked out on them.

Jinhwan, at only fifteen and a few days, wanted nothing more than to go up to their father and tell him to leave, but he knew his mother would be upset. He couldn’t stand the little sparkle in his mother’s eyes as she looked at their father, the only man she ever truly loved, as she had mentioned right after he left the last time, her mind full of the alcohol she drank to forget the pain that night, not sure of the words coming out of her mouth. Jinhwan had almost cried with her that night, but he held strong, helping his mother to bed that night before venturing into his and Jinhee’s shared room, which fared no better. The gifts their dad left them were strewn across the floor, Jinhee left laying on her bed, her cover pulled up over her head, but that didn’t stop Jinhwan from hearing the faint sniffles coming from her side of the room. That was the worst of his father leaving and he vowed from that day that he wouldn’t let this man ruin their lives again.

He knew there wasn’t much he could do, other than sit back and wait for their father to finally leave again. It hurt knowing that no matter what, his family would get hurt. Jinhwan sighed, pulling himself off the couch, at least if his mother and sister were fawning over the man in front of them, he didn’t have to be around to see it. He made his way through the small apartment, into the kitchen where he wanted to get a glass of water. Jinhwan shuffled his way into the room, kicking his father’s jacket along the way, his small brown wallet falling out of it and sliding across the tiled floor. Of course, he thought with a sigh, leaning down to pick up the cursed object, a small piece of paper falling out as he did so. Jinhwan reached out, his hands curling around what looked to be a small worn picture that had fallen. The picture held three people, all gathering around a camera for a selfie. One was Jinhwan’s father, who had his arm around an older woman, leaning in to kiss her on the cheek, the last girl looked much younger, smiling brightly into the camera where she was taking the picture.

He has another kid. The thought flooded his mind immediately, looking at how the younger girl, who couldn’t be much older than Jinhwan himself, looked like a perfect mix of his father and the other woman. He felt his stomach dropped as he flipped the picture over, looking at the neat scribbling on the back.

Dad! Make sure you keep this with you at all times when you’re gone, we don’t want you forgetting what we look like! Love, you favorite (and only) daughter, Della!

Jinhwan let out a shaky breath, putting the picture away in the wallet and tucking it carefully into the jacket it had fallen out of. He knew his dad was a piece of shit, but he didn’t expect him to have a full double life. He knew in his mind he had to tell them, even if it broke their heart. He couldn’t let his mother and his sister fawn over this man that only had them in a quarter of his.

He set his jaw, walking through the winding hallways of the old apartment, into his shared room. He would tell Jinhee when she came to bed tonight, he couldn’t ruin their fun now, not right in front of their father. Though, when Jinhee walked through the door that night, the light sparkle she got in her eyes whenever she so much as thought about their father was very much present, Jinhwan knew he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t be the one to break her heart like that.

2018 !

Jinhwan wasn’t sure what possessed him to sneak into Jinhee’s dorm that night, but he knew he could never say no to his sister when she was feeling a bit down. He had snuck past the rest of the girls in her dorm many times before, careful to keep himself out of the sight of the manager who lived in the dorm with them. It was a practiced science he was used to.

Jinhee was curled up on the top of her bed, her eyes still red from crying over some guy who didn’t deserve to even have had a chance with his sister. She was focused on the small computer in front of her playing some new Mnet survival show that Jinhwan had no intention of paying any attention to. Anything to keep his sister happy.

The show was slow, much like many other survival shows that Jinhwan couldn’t even bear to watch, and it relied on far too much drama to even make any sense of what was going on. Jinhwan was just glad that Banana Culture wasn’t putting them through a stupid survival show for their debut, he’s not sure he could have stood that.

Jinhee, on the other hand, loved the drama. She was always watching over dramatic shows and she watched any survival show she could get her hands on. Jinhwan’s almost surprised he didn’t get herself on some sort of survival show, just so she could live out the drama herself.

“She's really pretty,” Jinhee spoke, mostly to the room at this point, probably being able to tell that Jinhwan was paying little attention to the show in front of them.

Jinhwan snapped his head up from where he was staring at his hands, catching a glimpse of the girl that Jinhee was talking about. She was lanky and tall, her hair cut in a short dark bob, which really showed off her facial structure. The girl might have been the prettiest girl Jinhwan had ever seen, and at the ripe age of seventeen, Jinhwan had seen lots of pretty girls.

Movement in the corner of the screen caught his eye, and he looked over at the girl that was sitting next to the pretty goddess he could barely take his eyes off of. His heart skipped a beat as he looked straight at the girl he had seen once before. It wasn’t like he had seen the girl in passing at school, which happened to quite a few of these girls that were wandering around the screen. No, Jinhwan had only seen that face once before, three years ago. That was the face of their father’s other daughter.

“Who are these guys?” Jinhwan asked, his eyes still locked on the screen, not being able to tear them away from the girl that is his sister.

“Why does Jinhwan have a little crush?” she nudged him. “Honestly, she’s a bit out of your league, but-”

“Jinhee, who are they?” he cut her off, and maybe if it was any other day he would have felt bad about it, but today he couldn’t care less.

“Jeez, okay,” Jinhee put her hand up in mock surrender. “They’re the KQ trainees, Jinri, Maisie, and Della. We don’t know much about them but they’re about to actually perform.”

Jinhwan just nodded, but said nothing else. Della was here, she was in Korea and far too close to home. He had barely thought about her since the last time their father had walked out on them. He watched the rest of the episode, unable to keep his eyes away from his sister every time she came across the screen.

2020 !

Jinhwan wasn't sure how things fell into place. Maisie was basically everything he had hoped for when he had seen her on Produce 48, trying his best to gauge the personality of Della. He would never admit it, but Maisie was the reason he kept watching even after Della was eliminated.

Jinhwan hadn’t expected anything to happen between him and Maisie when they ran into each other backstage at a music show. They hadn’t talked long, Maisie having to rush off and perform, but they kept running into each other again and again. Jinhwan still remembered the way that his eyes bugged out of his head when Maisie had asked him out on the last day of their promotions together, though it wasn’t as bad as the way Jinhee’s jaw dropped when Jinhwan had told her about it.

‘There’s no way someone like her asked someone like you out! You have to be lying!’ she had said, hitting his arms light enough that he could barely feel it, though that might have been due to him feeling like he was on cloud nine at that moment.

Maisie was perfect, all except for one thing. Della. Jinhwan knew what he was getting into when he started dating someone who was slated to be in the same group as his new sister, but he hadn’t expected them to be best friends. Della, for some reason, also knew how to call at just the most inopportune time.

Which left Jinhwan laying back on his bed, his whole body flushed with the way Maisie had been hovering over him just minutes before when her phone started ringing. His girlfriend had taken the call right away, telling Jinhwan that she would be back soon, but Della had just gone on a date that night and she needed to be on call. Jinhwan wasn’t mad, in fact he thought it was sweet that Maisie cared so much about her friends, but he was annoyed that it was Della of all people. Jinhwan wanted to push Della to the back of his mind and forget about her, just like how he did once all those years ago.

“Okay, Dells, I’ll talk to you later,” he heard his girlfriend say from the other side of the room he shared with Donghan. He didn’t look over, but he could practically feel Maisie glancing over at him every second. “Bye.”

Jinhwan kept his eyes trained on the ceiling as he heard Maisie’s footsteps across the room. Her leg swung over his body in a matter of seconds, straddling the younger man, quickly leaning down to press a quick kiss to his lips.

“Now, where were we?” she smiled, leaning back down to kiss him again. Jinhwan let his hands travel up her bare sides, trying to put his mind back into where it was before the phone call had interrupted them, though his mind kept wandering.

“How’s Della?” he asked suddenly, looking up at the ceiling again as Maisie started to kiss down his jaw.

He felt her still, looking up at the younger with a raised eyebrow. “You want to talk about Della while you’re half hard?”

Jinhwan didn’t answer, he just continued to stare at the ceiling, annoyed that his brain wouldn’t let him enjoy one of the few moments he can spend with his girlfriend. Maisie waited a second, but she didn’t get a reply she sighed, leaning back.

“What’s up with you? Every time I so much as mention Della you get this weird look on your face like you’re constipated or something.” Jinhwan finally looked over at his girlfriend, only to see a confused look on her face. “And I know you don’t actually know her because I asked her, so spill.”

Jinhwan sighed, wondering how he was going to explain this to his girlfriend, who he had only been dating for a few months at this point. He didn’t want Maisie to have to be in the center of whatever weird shit he had going on with Della, but he also didn’t want to keep secrets from her.

“Della’s my sister,” Jinhwan blurted out, looking anywhere but Maisie’s eyes. “Well, half-sister, we share a dad and nobody else knows but me.”

“Oh,” she said quietly, her voice small, almost like she didn’t mean for the words to come out.

They stayed quiet for a bit, Jinhwan biting his lip waiting for any sort of response, and Maisie processing the words that Jinhwan had just said.

“So, you and Della are siblings?” she finally said after minutes of sitting in silence. Jinhwan just nodded in reply. “And she has no idea that you two are siblings?” another nod. “How did you even find out?”

“I saw a picture of her in my father’s wallet a few years ago when he came to visit.”

Maisie nodded but stayed quiet again, looking around the room and biting her lip lightly. Jinhwan knew she had something she wanted to say, but she was second guessing herself.

“Were-” she started, cutting herself off like she was thinking better of the words she was about to ask, then she closed her eyes and sighed lightly. “Were you only with me to get closer to Della?”

“What?” Jinhwan shot up, sitting face-to-face with Maisie, who was looking anywhere but Jinhwan’s face. “No, of course not. In fact, I half wish you weren’t so close to Della so I could forget all of this even existed.” his words didn’t seem to make Maisie feel any better, with the awkward look on her face. “Look, Maisie, I love you so much and I really don’t want to have to put you in the middle of this situation because she’s your best friend, but I didn’t feel like it was fair to keep it from you.”

Maisie smiled a bit, wrapping her arms around Jinhwan’s neck. “I also don’t think it’s fair for you to keep it from Della either.”

Jinhwan sighed, shaking his head. “I haven’t even told my own sister, I don’t think it would be fair for me to go up to a girl I don’t even know and ruin her whole family.”

“Is it fair to let her keep thinking her father is the best person in the world when he had a whole double life going on?”

Jinhwan bit his lip, but didn’t reply.

Maisie let out a small sigh. “Look, it’s up to you, it’s your family, but that’s what I think.”

Jinhwan just nodded, leaning forward to hug his girlfriend tightly, not wanting to think about any of this anymore.

2021 !

Jinhwan bit his lip nervously, looking across the small room that he recognized so well. He hadn’t been to Jinhee dorm for a while, the older girl had been working hard on the final preparations for their debut and she was far more excited about that then spending time with her brother.

“Hwannie, guess what?” she bounced around the room, going no particular place.

“Hmm,” he contemplated, looking up to the bottom of the bunk on top of her’s. “You tripped on your way out of the practice room and everyone just stared and laughed at you.”

“What? No.” Jinhee gave him a confused look, before she went back to her bouncing. “I texted Dad about my debut coming up and he responded saying he was proud of me!”

Jinhwan tried to smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes and Jinhee could tell in a second. “Oh, come on Jinhwan! I know you don’t really like Dad, but it was nice that he actually responded!”

“Jinhee, I need to tell you something about Dad,” he sighed, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees.

“No, you’re not ruining the first thing I’ve heard from Dad in months, I-”

“Dad has another kid!” Jinhwan blurted out, knowing if he left it any longer, he would chicken out.

Jinhee’s face dropped, looking back at her brother with wide eyes, which already looked like they were filling up with tears. He cursed himself for bringing it up so carelessly with Jinhee’s sweet, fragile heart. “What?” her voice was small and quiet, filled with many emotions Jinhwan hadn’t felt about this situation in a while.

“Dad has another kid, and a whole other family,” he shrugged, not being able to look Jinhee in the eyes.

“How do you know?” Jinhwan knew Jinhee didn’t want to believe it, she didn’t want to believe the man she looked up to could be anything like this.

“I found a picture of her in his wallet when he came to visit a few years ago,”

“A few years ago?” she questioned, her voice now angry. “You knew for years and you didn’t think to tell me? Not even all of those times when he left and I was upset about it?”

“I didn’t want to pile onto the hurt you were already feeling and every time he left I was hoping he would never come back!” he countered, looking up to see his sister’s angry face. The one he had only seen during the times that they were fighting when they were younger.

“Get out,” she said, her voice dangerously quiet and low. “I don’t want to see you right now.”

Jinhwan just sighed, knowing he needed to let his sister calm down. He got up from the bed and made his way to the door before turning around to look at his sister one last time.

“By the way,” he started, seeing his sister's teary eyes meet his. “Dad’s other kid is Della, the one from Blue Moon.”

He didn’t wait to see her response, knowing she was going to be even more mad that it was someone that they knew over. He let himself out of the room, giving her all the time she needed. He knew her and he knew she would call by tomorrow anyway.

17 notes · View notes

akaashisupremacy · 4 years ago

Text

Chapter 2: Chasing Springtime (Summer)

Tsukki x fem!reader/Oc

genre: romance, angst, friends to lovers, lowkey nsfw (wc: 5072 lol)

Summary: Kei Tsukishima, now in college is reacquainting himself with a childhood friend. Old feelings that he has long shoved aside resurface.

Notes: Kaori Miyahara is an original character, but readers are free to put themselves into her shoes! There will be more chapters to come and let me know if you have any feedback or if you want to be in the taglist.

Chap. 1 (Ao3) || Chap. 2 (AO3) || Chap. 3

Summer (July) || Sendai City || 2018

It was a warm summer evening in July. The gentle summer breeze swirled with a bit of humidity plied on Kei Tsukishima’s skin as he made his way into the train station. Usually buying a strawberry shortcake was an errand he readily undertook, but the day has been long and he was hungry that he was almost ready to neglect his errand. Besides, the anxiety building at the pit of his stomach as he walked towards the store was of no help.

As he selected a cake from the display stand, Tsukki tried to shake off his nerves. He was tired, worn and a little bit sticky, but today required special effort. Today was Kaori Miyahara’s birthday and he promised himself that he would surprise her with her (and his) favorite cake. He saw her regularly around the Sendai University campus, but he only ever hung out with her on Sundays. Today was Tuesday.

Tsukki was a second year college student playing professional volleyball in the Division 2 league. Since school was out, the training hours have extended themselves into the day. His schedule looked similar to a signed professional’s during his breaks, testing his stamina and his patience to their limits. His sport was fun, but sometimes it could be draining and Tsukki was the type of athlete who needed to rest.

The shopkeeper asked if he needed anything else. He requested for a candle to which she willingly obliged. He paid for his purchase and briskly walked in the direction of Kaori’s apartment which was located in a nearby residential street. He found his feet taking him into a dark brown door with a single pale of light lighting the doorstep. He rang the doorbell door.

A girl that barely hit the height of his chest opened the door. The smell of a maturing dinner wafted out into his Tsukki’s nose. He could hear the sizzling of meat and smell freshly cooked rice.

“Tsukki!” exclaimed a surprised Kaori. She looked like she just got home; she was still dressed in training shorts and her team shirt. Kaori trained with their university’s rhythmic gymnastics team.

“I didn’t expect you’d be dropping by,” she said. Her cheeks were flushed from the heat of the cooking, but her face looked drained. She too looked like she had a long day.

“I came over to drop this off. Happy birthday.” he said, handing her the paper bag containing the cake box. He tried to be cheerful in his tone, but Tsukki had never been great at being sunny.

“Thank you!” she smiled brightly, ”You really shouldn’t have-“ She stopped midway to take her cooking out of her pan and throw her windows open before rushing back to the door. The smoke from her pan had quickly filled her small room.

“You really shouldn’t have! I’m sorry to have caused you trouble on a weekday, I know how hard training is lately. Anyways, have you eaten dinner yet? Is your brother home for dinner?” she asked, with one hand holding the cake and another hand fanning herself. She had forgotten to put it down on her table.

Tsukki lived with his brother who was working in the city. They usually made dinner together.

Tsukki shook his head, “He’ll be out tonight. I’ll be heading home to get started on dinner. Sorry to bother you, I hope I didn’t distract from your cooking.” He shrugged his shoulders and put his hands in his pocket, slightly embarrassed that he had caused a ruckus in her home.

“Why don’t you stay over for dinner? I’ll make a little more teppanyaki beef. Okasan came over last weekend and she brought over enough food to stuff my fridge.” she said, ushering him in. Tsukki tried not to show that the smoke lightly fogging his glasses was bothering him.

Tsukki put down his bag and put himself to work. He filled two bowls with rice, plated some pickles and vegetables and helped her set the table as she made more beef. Kaori seemed to have run out of miso paste, so instead he made soup from powdered miso from her cupboard. This was the first time he’d been inside her home in the city.

While he helped her prepare their dinner, he quietly observed her little apartment, which was little more than a glorified room. Her dining room was her bedroom when her bed was rolled up. Her left wall was occupied by a desk and shelf stacked with books, memorabilia and some baskets of clothes. What looked like sliding doors to another room were where she kept her bed things and some clothes. Kaori was by no means big, but the room looked too small for her (at least in his eyes). The two of them making dinner off a minute counter quickly crowded the space.

Her apartment was drastically different from her old family home near Karasuno, just outside of the city which was a relatively spacious concrete home with wooden floors. The house had a backyard that was the size of a small half court. The house had multiple rooms and a wide receiving area. If Kaori did mind the size of her apartment, she did not show it. In fact, she was almost oblivious.

Once dinner was set, the absent sound of cooking begged to be filled by conversation. They sat down on her table on the tatami floor and began their dinner.

“How’s your birthday so far?” he asked. The table they were eating on was so small for Tsukki that even when his legs were folded and crossed, his knees would still touch Kaori’s toes. He felt conscious about touching her and moved himself back.

Kaori’s teammates had surprised her with some home-baked treats as birthday tokens, but other than that her training went on as usual. She proudly showed off some of the treats and told him a little about each team mate that gave it to her.

“How was your day? ” she asked in return.

“Nothing new,” he shrugged.

“Any ideas for internship plans for your senior year yet?” she asked. Tsukki was aiming to eventually enter a historical or science museum.

Kaori hesitated a bit, “When Okasan was here last weekend, she talked about her retirement plans. She is thinking of retiring in the Kansai region and I might move there after I graduated to be closer to her. I’m a bit concerned if I can get a job there considering our internship will be here.”

“So you’re moving again?” he asked as casually as he could. He could sense his nerves building while remembering Kaori’s last move. He had almost forgotten about that memory.

As far as Tsukki remembered, Kaori had moved a lot when she was in elementary. At one point her family lived overseas because of the nature of her Otoosan’s job. When she entered Junior High, her family moved into the house next to Tsukki’s family home. She stayed there until she abruptly left during their second year of high school which was the last time he saw her before college.

Kaori nodded, “Probably, if I can find a job in the region.”

Tsukki’s facial expression shifted. His face stiffened and then immediately erased any semblance of emotion.

“Is anything the matter?“ she asked, as she looked up from her food. She sensed his tension. She knew he was holding back.

“Nothing, it’s not my place to say. You should do what you like.” he said, shaking his head. He could sense his temper rising.

“Tsukki, I feel like you have something to say.” she said, treading carefully. Tsukki definitely had opinions even if he was quiet most of the time, “Just air it out.”

He put his bowl down unintentionally slamming it onto the table.

“ I can’t believe you’re moving…again! Every time things start to fall into place, you leave.” His voice was brimming with hurt and anger. His eyes were beginning to feel hot. It was taking all his control not to let angry tears roll down his eyes.

Kaori had never seen Tsukki so emotional. He kept trying to hold his outburst down without much success. Whenever he was disappointed or angry, Tsukki was always careful not to show it and now he had just exploded. She was stunned into silence.

“At least this time you’ve said it ahead of time, last time you didn’t even bother to say goodbye.” he said, crossing his arms and avoiding her eyes, “You just left.”

“Tsukki, I wanted to say goodbye. I had prepared to say my goodbyes to everyone -“ Kaori was pleading with her voice.

“You literally said goodbye to all you other friends except me!” he exclaimed with his hands.

Suddenly Tsukki felt like he was sixteen again, sitting in his high school classroom during lunch. He mentions to one his few friends that he had not seen Kaori yet after summer ended. A friend replies that Kaori had moved away during the break. Surprised that Tsukki had not known, his friend asked if Kaori had spoken anything about her move. Tsukki sits on his desk shocked and unable to process what he had just heard.

Tsukki remembered being asked to walk with Kaori to school on their first day of Junior High. His mother informed him that their new neighbors had a daughter that would be attending the same school.

“Moving to some place is always hard, it would be nice if you can be a friend to the Miyahara girl.” she said.

Tsukki grudgingly obliged to walk her to school on the said day, barely talking to her on the way there. Although he only promised to walk with her on the first day, they somehow left for school almost the same time every day. And so for all three years of Junior High, they walked to school together. Their friendship wasn’t particularly chatty, but Tsukki knew about Kaori’s dream to qualify for the national team for gymnastics and secretly thought it was cool whenever she got invited to selection camps. Kaori learned about Tsukki’s admiration for his older brother who played volleyball and was not surprised to find that he had barely made any friends in his volleyball youth group.

“Tsukki, I think your experience at volleyball would be richer if you made more friends.” she said, looking up to the sky with her hands in her pockets on their way to school, “I wish I could have teammates, you know. In gymnastics even your teammates are your competitors so it can be difficult to find lots of support from them during high pressure moments.”

Some time in their first year at Junior High, Kaori was invited to a selection camp for junior level gymnasts hoping to compete internationally. She found the experience stressful.

“Then why don’t you just join a team?” he asked. That seemed like a pretty obvious solution.

“Coach says I can better polish my individual skills if I work alone. Group routines take longer to choreograph and clean,” she sighed, “Joining a team will require me to learn a different skill set too. We don’t really do teams for individual competitions if you’re qualifying for elite.”

“See even your coach thinks team mates are unnecessary for improvement.” he pointed out.

Kaori retorted that it was because she competed in an individual sport.

“You compete with a team. You can’t compete alone.”

“Whatever, I still think I don’t need to be friends with my team.” he said, shrugging his shoulders.

“It’s like you weren’t listening to what I just said,” she said with her hands on her hips as she stopped walking. Tsukki ignored her and continued strolling to the direction of their school.

“Hey! You can’t just pretend not to hear me.” she exclaimed, with her hands still on her hips.

“Yes, yes I can.” he called out, turning his nose to the sky.

“You can be such a snob sometimes,” she said, her nostrils flaring while running to catch up with Tsukki’s long strides.

Tsukki chuckled on the inside as he walked slower so Kaori could catch up.

They began drifting apart in High School when Tsukki could no longer regularly walk to school with her because he had morning training. Still they tried to keep in touch, Kaori would sometimes go to his games and he would keep tabs on her competition scores. After summer training ended in his second year, he noticed he hadn’t seen the light in their house for a while. He heard about her move at school and hurriedly asked his mother as soon as he got home to confirm if it was true. His mother validated that the Miyahara family moved away because her parents had separated. Kaori would be living with her mother, who got a job somewhere else in another city.

“I was so tired by the end of it all explaining why I was leaving them that when it came to saying goodbye to you, I couldn’t do it anymore. I was so so tired of having to keep explaining a move I didn’t even want. I felt that we had drifted apart and that was excuse enough not to tell you at that time.”

Kaori looked worn. She had not anticipated Tsukki’s reaction. With her back against the wall, she could not decide between letting Tsukki vent or airing her own frustrations about him. She decided to pick up another piece of beef and continued chewing, too tired to do more than ignore the conflict at hand.

“Kaori, we’re next door neighbors. Could you really not have said anything?!” he snapped. His eyes glared at her intently. Tsukki did not have many friends so he felt particularly betrayed by her sudden move.

His last line incensed Kaori. She forcefully stabbed her chopsticks into her bowl of rice and crossed her arms. She couldn’t believe he was laying all the blame on her. Part of the reason they had drifted apart was him too.

“Tsukki, we barely talked during High School. We were both busy and you weren’t making time for me either. Qualifying for Nationals in important and hard work on your end, but you can’t just toss people aside while you compete. You would never even talk to me at school, because you were afraid that people would tease you about it like they did in Junior High. It made me feel like you had outgrown me. Every time I tried to reach out it felt like you were pushing me away.

I know and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I was only thinking of myself. I didn’t think you’d be so affected by my move. ” she said. Tears started welling up in her eyes. He realized too late that he went too far. Kaori was clearly hurt. His anger shifted to guilt.

“I was just so tired, Tsukki. My parents had been fighting all the time for years at that point and they were getting divorced during our first year. I was pretending that everything was alright even if I’ve been wearing thin all of freshman year.” she continued, not meeting his eye. She buried her face in her hands, sighing heavily.

Kaori knew from the moment she decided not to let Tsukki know that it would eventually backfire if they had met again and that moment had definitely arrived.

Tsukki slowly regained his composure. He didn’t mean to yell at her on her birthday. He hadn’t expected that he would be confronting the resentment that he held for her tonight and now that he finally did it his anger was slowly evaporating. He pulled the box of tissue beside him and handed it to her. He hated to cry and he even felt worse that he reduced her to tears.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to lash out.” he sighed, his temper finally cooling. He stood up to make another pot of tea to make himself useful. After adding more cold water and some ice onto her small pitcher of mugi cha, he poured the drink into her cup and gently pushed it towards her.

“I was so hopelessly attracted to you for so long, but I preferred to just shove things down. I liked you so much that I didn’t know how to deal with it when you suddenly left. At the end of the day, you don’t owe me an explanation. You don’t even have to apologize.” he acknowledged, nodding his head.

Kaori was quiet for a long while after that. At a loss at what to do next, Tsukki awkwardly kept eating his dinner in silence. When they were done, he brought out the cake and lit a candle for her to blow. She looked at the cake thoughtfully and waited a bit before she blew it out. She silently cut the cake in half, giving a slice to Tsukki, who started clearing dishes into the sink to make room for dessert.

“Where do we go from here? What do we do now?” she said in a subdued tone, not meeting his eye. Dinner was so still that one could hear the soft clacking of utensils on plates. Tsukki was tempted to wash her dishes to avoid any more conversation.

The two only ever met up every couple of Sundays under the guise of aiming to explore more museums in the area. Any conversation they had were usually related to school work or their current living situation.

“Well…ahh” Tsukki stammered, “We always talk about what we’re doing now, but we haven’t really caught up on the things we’ve done when we were apart….”

He was conscious of his wording as not to put the blame of being away on Kaori, “Do you want to start there?”

What supposedly began as a quick weeknight dinner dragged into the night. Kaori narrated how she was injured through most of her high school gymnastics career from a combination of pacing, stress and growth spurts which made her determined to pursue gymnastics through college so that she could have another chance to rediscover her love for the sport. Since she joined her current team, her training was lighter allowing her to be healthier.

“I’m doing so much better I feel like I’m having a resurgence of sorts. Competitive gymnastics is not really a long term career so to still be doing this now makes me feel so happy,” her eyes glistened as she spoke, “I can’t do all the tricks I used to do but I’m the healthiest I’ve been in a long while.”

She turned around and lifted her shirt a bit to show him her back. It was a slim back with some athletic tape here and there.

“I used to be covered in tape, like it was the only thing holding me together. Now, I feel so much stronger.” Kaori beamed as she talked about her health. Tsukki vaguely remembered a time in High School where she lost her spark for gymnastics.

“I mean if you’ve been in sports rehab for most of High School I should hope you really did come out stronger,” he said, sipping his tea.

Kaori put her shirt back down and patted herself, “That is true, but I don’t expect you to understand since you’ve had a relatively healthy career. What about you?”

Tsukki was slightly taken aback but tried not to show it. He talked about qualifying for nationals all three years of his high school career and how he found his passion for volleyball. In Junior High, he felt like he was only playing because he needed something to do, but that changed during the finals for his first prefectural.

“Nobody thought we could beat Shiratorizawa High because they’ve been unbeatable in the finals at the prefectural level the past three years, even I thought we were going to lose. When I learned how to block his spikes and play against them, we won. That really changed the sport for me. It stopped being just a club. I realized how much I liked playing and winning.”

“It’s still not fun all the time, but it started becoming fun some times.” he added.

Tsukki briefly touched on how he was recruited to play professionally in Division 2, which was a far less exciting story than qualifying for his first Nationals.

Their conversation kept going and they began talking about their future plans for after college. Kaori explained why she was so adamant to be near her mother and how she found it difficult to be away from her so long now that she worked in another region.

“After my parents divorced, I felt very lost. I knew I was a child, but I had no choice but to be an adult. After she started getting part, I was set to start out college and she moved south. I want to get some time with my mom back. It’s very important to me Tsukki.

When she retires, she might not like it here in Japan so she might just move back home to be with the rest of her family. She said she might stay in Japan for a couple of years in her retirement to give it a shot.”

Tsukki stated that he would like to work for a museum and that he was aiming for Sendai City Museum. He wasn’t really sure if that would pan out with his professional contract, but he is quite looking forward it.

The night ended quite late with Tsukki standing just outside her door. He had felt much lighter than when he first stepped foot into her apartment earlier that evening but he also felt more exhausted. Not only was he physically drained, but the emotional weight of the evening was wearing on him.

“If you really want to move to Kansai, I’ll move with you.” he said in all earnestness. Tsukki caught himself after he made his promise, “Depending how things pan out I guess.”

Kaori was caught off guard. It was near impossible to get him to be expressive and vulnerable and here he was promising to plan his future with her.

“What about your career? How will you continue to play volleyball professionally if you move?” she asked, sounding concerned.

“We can talk more about this another time. I don’t have to play professionally. I can just find another league. I’m not sure I can keep playing like this after I do get a normal job.” he shrugged.

“Really?“ she smiled brightly.

“Kaori I just said I would,” he said, raising his eyebrows, his cool had returned after an evening of being unnerved.

“It wasn’t loud enough. Could you say it again? I don’t think I heard you right the first time,” she teased, laughing while cupping her ears closer to him.

“You’ll have to wait another day.” he nodded while tilting his head and turning his back on her, “See you on Sunday.”

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

Summer (August)

Sendai City

2020

On a rainy August afternoon, the change of weather had finally eased the sizzling pavement of its heat. The unyielding sun and the dry air gave way to a cooler temperature made it an easy enough day to spend under light summer blankets.

Although there was a little bit of sun out, Kaori’s apartment was barely lit. Her curtains were drawn and the lights were off. The only sliver of light in the apartment escaped from a part of her window that could not be covered. The light barely grazed Tsukki’s head, illuminating the strands of his hair.

Despite the darkness, Kaori was aware of exactly where Tsukki was. He was laying on his side atop of her futon bed with a thin blanket covering most of him. She could see the outline of his toned body draped beside her. He had one hand on her waist and another running back and forth her hair and her spine.

“I called Okasan to tell her that I would like to work a bit in Sendai before I move to Kansai. I told her it might be easier to get my start here since I’ll be doing my internship in the area. She must have sensed that I’m seeing someone because she immediately told me to make sure that I put my career ahead of my priorities,“ she sighed her forehead pressed against his throat. She could feel his throat rise and fall as he listened to her.

“She went on a tirade cautioning me about getting into a serious relationship too early. She went on about me being in the age of curiosity - a time to explore what I like and don’t like. Now was not the time to be committing to something I might later regret was what she said.” Kaori murmured, her hand around his neck while she lay across him. She could feel his fingers continually running through her hair and bare back as she talked.

“I’m sure the advice was well-meaning.” he murmured into her ear, his fingers drawing shapes on her hips and lower back.

“Do you think she really knows?” her tone sounded a bit troubled.

Tsukki adjusted his glasses and gently pushed her away to look into her eyes, “She is probably just casting out a wide net honestly. I don’t think it’s anything to be worried about.”

In truth there was probably no repercussion if Kaori’s mother found out she was seeing someone. Kaori was just intensely private about her personal life and she felt mortified at the thought that her mother would know about her relationship.

“Do you ever get curious though?” Kaori asked.

“Curious about what?” said Tsukki, looking somewhat confused. He kicked the blankets down to his feet which were barely covered just because he was just too tall for her blanket. Kaori instinctively covered herself as her blanket slid down. Tsukki, grabbed his jacket from his side and covered her.

“What it’s like to be with other girls? Athletes have lots of fans, right?” she asked, only half paying attention.

Tsukki thought back to incidents with fans. He did remember hearing his name occasionally from the spectators during big matches. There would be girls trying to go up to talk to him every now and then and he opted to ignore them or shake them off.

“I don’t have the time nor the interest to entertain romantically interested fans frankly. Even when there were girls approaching me in high school, I thought it was just annoying,” he said, scratching his head, “I think Yamaguchi would have been a better audience for their attention honestly.”

Yamaguchi was his best friend and teammate from his High School Volleyball Club. One of his pet peeves was that girls would often approach him to ask about Tsukki. Tsukki felt that Yamaguchi was probably more suited to the attention Tsukki received from girls his age.

Tsukki was puzzled by the direction of the conversation especially considering how they had just spent the afternoon together. Just thinking about the intense pleasure he had experienced half an hour ago made tingles up his spine. How could he be thinking about other women during an hour like this?

“Are you actually jealous of my ‘fans’ ?” he smirked, then feigned shock, “I didn’t think you’d ever be the jealous type. My my!”

Kaori punched his ribs.

“You play in a Division 2 league, get over yourself.” she huffed, turning her back on him. Tsukki didn’t even play in the top tier professional league. There were more tiny children asking for his autographs than women shrieking for his attention. “You’re not Kageyama.”

“I’ve known you since we were in Junior High. If I was more curious I think I’d opt to look for someone I didn’t know as well or maybe a flashier girl…maybe I am the country bumpkin simpleton you tease me to be.” he said, “If country bumpkin equates to my lack of attachment to fame and attention.”

He tried to put his arm around her waist to draw her back to him. Kaori instantly swatted his hand away. Tsukki resigned to himself and lay flat on his back with his arms on his head.

“I mean I wasn’t even looking for a relationship, we kind of just stumbled onto each other. I really like you, I do but if we hadn’t been seeing each other I wouldn’t be actively going around searching for someone to date.”

He flipped the question onto her.

“How do you feel about your fans? Are you curious what it would be like to date one of the people cheering for you in the stands.”

“Not really? I mean I feel thankful and respectful for the people cheering me on, but honestly I’ve never thought about being romantically linked to any of them. Liking the same sport is not a good foundation for a relationship.

Also, the majority of gymnastic fans are either hardcore fans of the sport, former gymnasts or families of budding gymnasts. There are very few casual fans looking for a date in the audience, you know?” she said, turning towards him with her arms crossed.

“Oh wow, that’s very balanced of you.” he said.

“Are you not curious?” He asked, suddenly conscious of being her lover.

“Curiosity doesn’t always pay off.” she swiftly answered, “Every guy that has tried to ask me out either looks like trouble or believes me to be a different person from who I am.”

Kaori thought back to the time her friend tried to set her up on a double date with a guy that asked her to be more “kawaii” and lady-like because he felt she was taking too big a bite of her food. The boy thought she would be more attractive if she demurred herself. The experience made her shudder at the audacity of men.

“Does that mean I look like trouble?” he gasped, faking his dramatics.

“No, you’re too anti-social to cause trouble.” she laughed.

“Then are you not content with me?” he followed up.

Kaori quickly paused to think and said, “I am.”

Tsukki moved over closer to her, covering her body with his. Kaori wrapped her arms around his neck as he pressed himself onto her. He could feel her breathing in his skin.

“Then I don’t see what’s the problem.” he said, planting a kiss along her neck.

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dreamonminecraft · 4 years ago

Note

oh yes, tell me more about this beautiful lesbian slowburn. I’m a sucker for a good love story

Okay so to start off, My sexuality fluctuates greatly throughout this story, but as of now I identify as a Bisexual lithsexual lesbian, which means that I am attracted to lots of people but lose attraction when the feelings are reciprocated, and I'll only date girls.

The story starts off August of 2018. I was starting 6th grade (middle school) and didn't really have any friends aside from a few people that I had last talked to in 3rd grade.

It's important to know that I'm a GT kid and so I almost always have the same group of about 20 kids. This started when I changed to an all GT class for 4th grade.

While it's nice to have a comfortable learning environment, it also means that there's no escape from any drama, and you get to pick friends from the very small pool of kids that you'll spend the rest of your education with.

This is a pretty long story as well and I'm not sure I'll be able to accurately retell many of the things because dates get mixed up and stuff. Anyway, I'm gonna try my best to explain but these are really only the things from my point of view and I don't remember a lot of the things. (This is also gonna be written like a fanfic because that's all I know how to write, I apologise)

So start of sixth grade, I don't really have any friends, I'm kind of this awkward nerd, there's 2 people in my class (we switch classes like normal middle school, but I'm with the GT kids for most of the day so that's what I'll refer to them as) that I've known for years, a few I've met before, but mostly new people.

I sit by some old friends from volleyball at lunch for the first few days but begin to feel unwelcome. One day I decide to sit by these two people that I know are in GT but haven't talked to before. I don't say anything, but I sit and they don't mind.

The next day we get new seats in English. I'm behind a boy named Owen, Inara, who is one of the girls I sat with at lunch, is to my right, and in front of her is a girl named Emilyse.

Inara and I hit it off immediately.

It's kind of crazy because we're both crazy anxious introverts, but we gel nicely. I'm a boyband-obsessed 11 year old and she's a mature and mysterious 11 year old.

She's a lefty. I'm a righty. The way we've been placed makes us bump arms everytime we try to write anything.

We have every class together. Somehow, we sit next to each other in every class as well, even in the ones where we didn't pick our seating chart.

It's September. I cry over boybands. She watches curiously.

For the next couple of months we casually talk. She spends every lunch period in the library. We text occasionally.

I have another friend who takes priority. His name is Logan. We got introduced by his friend Lennox when she asked for my phone number to give to him.

Lennox and I don't talk. Logan and I text nonstop for months. We discuss possibly dating in the future. I identify as bisexual and biromantic at this point.

I've been in this position before. Having mainly guy friends growing up puts me in a lot of awkward friendship/relationship situations. They always end the same.

I have an issue with dating in middle school. You're not dating if you don't go on dates, hold hands, kiss, or cuddle. But you can feel like you are.

In December Logan starts being mean. We start a game where we step on each other's shoes at lunch or in the hallway. It's fun.

Eventually, he recruits his friends to do it to me, too. It's a joke a first, but eventually there are 10 middle school boys chasing me and trying to hurt me.

I get kicked in the hallway and fall. Someone steps on my arm and people laugh. Logan watches. I tell Inara and she steps on his shoe for me.

Logan and I stop talking. Inara and I hang out more. By early January, Inara has stopped going to the library at lunch. We hang out with Emilyse in the field instead.

I text Logan one day in mid January and ask why we fell out. He says that I told someone that I was going to punch him in the face.

The person he said I told, only talked to me at the bus stop, and he didn't ride my bus. I had never said it in the first place, but his logic made it even more frustrating.

I tell him I got scared because I had a crush on him and didn't want to make things weird. It was a lie.

In February I came out to someone for the first time. They asked if I was bi and I said yes.

By March I had accepted that coming out didn't really make a difference. Inara and I hung out at school but not really anywhere else.

My birthday's in April. I invite her, Emilyse, and Rebekah. We paint rocks and draw on a table cloth. Emilyse feels distant.

Emilyse is homophobic. We find out in English one day. I don't remember how. Inara and I look at each other. We know we're both queer but haven't come out to each other.

I ask Emilyse if she would hate someone in GT for coming out. She says yes. Inara and I stop talking to her.

By May I've become obsessed with Marvel. Inara's interested in it and I decide to be, too. We talk about the movies. It gets awkward. She's not as interested when I get in on it.

By June we're best friends. We hang out fairly regularly, have all our classes together, and text all the time. Logan is forgotten.

School lets out at the start of June. We keep texting regularly. We make plans to see the new spiderman movie in early July with one of our other friends.

I have a complicated relationship with said friend. They're non-binary, although I didn't know it yet, and I've known them since Kindergarten. Inara met them in an advisory this year. I get jealous easily.

The day of the movie I shop at Kohl's. I buy the two of us matching shirts. We meet at the movie theater and it's awkward. I pay for popcorn and sneak in snacks that we share. Our friend's dad is there, but Inara and I don't have parents present.

We sit next to each other during the movie. At a certain scene, I start to get anxious. My stomach hurts and I can't breathe, I start to get sweaty.

I get up and rush out of the theater. I get to the women's bathroom and sit down on the floor of the very last stall. I'm panicing, dry heaving into the toilet, and trying not to cry. I try to text my mom that I'm having a panic attack but don't have reception.

I go back into the theater room after a few minutes. I'm still anxious, but better. Our friend is highly concerned, Inara just glances at me worriedly.

It's my first panic attack, and it sucked.

We leave awkwardly after it ends, trying to avoid the obvious elephant in the room. My mom is concerned when she picks me up. We don't talk about it. My dad and brother are watching it illegally when I get home.

We don't see each other until August of 2019, but continue to text through the rest of the summer.

When 7th grade starts, I'm still into Marvel. I've seen all the movies at this point, but there haven't been any new ones (even now) since FFH. Inara's interested, but not fully.

In late August/Early September we take BuzzFeed quizzes for fun and text each other the results. I take one about soulmates. I get her initials. I send her the link. She gets mine.

We take more and they all point to us being soulmates. We propose by sending pictures of rings over text. The wedding date is set for September 28th, 2019.

The time comes. It's Saturday and my brother has a double football game. We've planned to pick her up and take her there. It's a Christian league, so the games are at a church.

We go to the garden. There's a small white bench in some rocks, surrounded by flowers. We joke that we've had our ceremony. We wander around for a while longer.

My dad suggests that we go to the taco bell across the parking lot. We do. When we're done, we walk back to my house. Its not far, but we're alone. I carry her halfway back.

When we get to my house we pick things from my garden. We're barefoot and I'm wearing overalls. I joke that we're gonna get a farm one day when we're older.

She picks things while I stand back and watch. The sun hits her dyed-red hair just right. I vividly remember smiling at thinking "holy fuck she's pretty" you would think I'd put together my crush by then.

October rolls around and she cancels plans to go trick-or-treating with me. I'm upset but understand.

We "work" on a school project at her house. We don't actually get anything done before cuddling up on her bed and falling asleep to black panther.

In November, it's Emilyse's birthday party. We've gotten distant but still talk occasionally. Inara and I both go to the party.

We're watching Spiderman Far From Home because that's what Emilyse wanted. I've seen in twice, Ianra has too.

We're given candy and popcorn and then curl up on the couch. Inara and I sit next to each other.

(I forgot to mention this but at some point she stayed the night at my house. She slept on the floor in her swimming suit even though I asked if she wanted to sleep on the bed. Swimming was fun though. We also go to an arcade. We mini-golf and play laser tag. We also danced in the rain together at some point that day.)

Once we're no more than 15 minutes into the movie, I'm cuddled into her chest. It's important to mention that at this point I'm 5'6 and she's no more than 5'0.

We cuddle the entire movie. We share candy and pretend no one else is there. It feels great.

We don't talk about that night for months. Nobody brings it up. I come out to Rebekah around this time, saying no more than that I like girls. I still haven't told Inara.

By December, I've brought her to church a few times. I don't enjoy going to church, but my parents always encouraged it.

(I'd like to say at this point as well that I have been raised Christian and identify with the faith despite the fact that I despise Church and disagree with many of the common teachings. If I ever had to choose for some reason, my sexuality matters more to me than my religion. Regardless, I respect your beliefs if they differ from mine :) )

Inara's birthday is in mid December. Her party consists of us making gay jokes with our enby friend despite not being technically out to each other.

My church youth group plans ice skating. I invite her and she accepts. I'm worried about it. It's essentially a date. Neither of our parents will be there.

We carpool with the youth leaders, who are actually pretty cute for a hetero couple. Inara and I share awkward glances the whole time.

When we get there I learn that Inara took ice skating lessons as a child. She's much more confident than I am, but pretends she doesn't know what she's doing. I skate about once or twice a season, but also rollerblade.

There's a wet, sloped, melty part of the rink. I get nervous and grab her hand. She holds it until we're out of the melted ice.

Every lap around I grab her hand at that point. Eventually, we just keep holding hands for an entire lap.

By the end of the night, we've both fallen a few times but held hands the whole time. We drop her off and I say goodnight.

That night, I rant about the adventure to one of my (ex)friends, who excitedly listens to my talk about holding hands with a girl.

There's a GT Christmas party at Hannah's. Inara and I carpool there. It's an all together boring party with the exception of a few interesting truth-or-dare questions.

(side note, remember Owen? Well he's one of Inara and I's best friends and we were actually close enough that the three of us were basically cuddling on the couch during part of the party. Also the whole class knows about Inara and I's wedding and calls us wives.)

Paislie asks me if I wanted to "marry" Inara before we got "married". I mumble an answer that nobody hears. I don't repeat it. When it's time to leave, Inara and I have our legs intertwined on the couch. We don't mention that, either. We drop her off and I say goodnight.

January is good. There's a night, the 4th I believe, that we really connect. We officially come out to each other for the first time on that night, and it gets really real, really fast.

She says she's pan, I say I'm bi but confused.

In mid January she texts me that she's crying because one of her favorite YouTubers finally hit a million. She cries for hours but never tells me who. I pay it no mind.

A few days later, she mentions a YouTube channel called Unus Annus and tells me that it's super interesting. I text back but don't look it up.

A few more days pass and I'm randomly on the trending page for YouTube, which I never do. I see a video trending called "Mark and Ethan go casket shopping". The thumbnail is interesting enough that I check what the channel is. I notice it's the one Inara told me about.

I watch the video and subscribe within 5 minutes. I text Inara quotes from that video, Ethan Finally Becomes a Man, and the Lie Detector test videos, until she responds and is surprised that I found the channel.

I obsess quickly and depend on her to know the new video at 1pm everyday. She gets annoyed and we drift apart slowly.

In February things get rocky. We fight often. If I win a small argument she doesn't talk to me for hours. She gets pissed at refuses to tell me what the Unus Annus video is called if I ask too many times.

At some point I get fed up and confront her. I don't remember what about, but we stop talking all together.

Friends pick sides. I'm left alone. We don't talk for a month. She tells me that she pushed me away because she thought I'd react badly to her telling me she loves me.

I confess my crush. She tells me she feels the same.

We finally make up at about 8:30 on a Sunday night in March. It's not fixed but we plan to talk. And 9:00, the school district announces that it's shutting down until least after spring break.

We stopped trying to communicate, but eventually, slowly we started talking again. We text a few times a day now, mostly about UA and anxiety, the best combo.

We haven't seen each other since. We're probably going back to school in person in about a month, but I'm not sure. Nobody is.

I've called her my girlfriend on here before, simply because I don't know what we are. I joked the other day about how the youth leaders would react if I said I was texting my girlfriend.

Here's how that went:

So we're just jokingly married for now! It's a confusing pile of garbage but we both came out as lesbians the other day so that's a new development.

I don't know if any of that makes sense but I'll answer any questions anybody has :)

#asks #elle has girlfriend issues #unus annus #crankgameplays #markiplier #yes the guy who hit a million was ethan #thank you kait #im sorry this is so long #lesbian #wlw post #wlw culture #LGBTQ

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staystrange · 4 years ago

Text

a masterful melody

Schitt’s Creek • Patrick Brewer / David Rose Rating: T • ~2k words • ao3

"What was so great about the last one we had? Isn’t one open mic night enough for a while?”

Patrick looks appalled for a second before the smirk returns. “Are you kidding me? First of all, it’s been over a month since the last one, and didn’t you see that improv troupe? And Bob’s poetry? I should probably put them towards the beginning of the setlist next time, so that everyone is sober enough to really appreciate their impeccable performances.”

David couldn’t stop the look of displeasure from appearing on his face even if he tried. “Oh my God, please don’t.”

-or-

Rose Apothecary hosts its second open mic night.

The song that Patrick sings to David is Out of My League by Stephen Speaks, which I would argue is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. The title of this fic, obviously, also comes from that song, though 2018 me really screwed 2020 me over by naming another fic for a completely different fandom after this song as well.

A week after David and Patrick say “I love you” to each other for the first time, Patrick brings up the idea of a second open mic night.

It’s the middle of the afternoon on a Tuesday; the midday rush is behind them, and David and Patrick are alone in the store for the first time since they opened the doors that morning. Word of the limited restock of their most popular soap must have spread since they sold the first one to Jocelyn yesterday.

David’s automatic reaction is no, absolutely not. Heck, he barely knows how Patrick had managed to talk him into agreeing to the first open mic night, though he suspects it might have had something to do with that look that Patrick always got in his eyes when he looked at David, the one that David was absolutely powerless against. It also might have had something to do with the amount of kissing they did after David agreed, effectively preventing him from changing his mind. He had, of course, still been skeptical, especially when Patrick walked into the store with a license and everything was suddenly very official, but once Patrick stood onstage and opened his mouth and that came out, even David had to admit he saw the appeal of these things.

“Come on, David,” Patrick says now, smirking as if he knows that since the first open mic night went so well for both the store and their relationship, there’s no way David can say no.

David refuses to let him win that easily, though. “Hmm, I don’t know. What was so great about the last one we had? Isn’t one open mic night enough for a while?”

David couldn’t stop the look of displeasure from appearing on his face even if he tried. “Oh my God, please don’t.”

“Ooh, I know, I should give my time slot over to Alexis so she can sing that song from her reality show — what was it called again?”

“A Little Bit Alexis,” David mutters, rolling his eyes. “And no, don’t you dare, you were by far the best performer up there that night. In fact, I think we should just nix the open mic night idea and just have you perform solo instead.” David takes a step closer to Patrick and rests his hand on Patrick’s shoulder; Patrick’s smirk melts into a smile, and David knows he’s a goner. “Fine, I guess we can have another open mic night, but only if you sing to me again.”

David honestly can’t believe the words coming out of his mouth, but there’s no taking them back now.

“I don’t know, David, I can’t make any promises. What if two improv troupes show up this time? I might have to give up my time to them,” Patrick teases, and David just shakes his head with a soft smile, pulling Patrick in for a kiss.

They’re interrupted by the sound of the bell and the door opening, and David reluctantly pulls away, turning to greet the customer as Patrick returns to the counter and the spreadsheet he has open on the computer.

An hour or so later, David tells Patrick that he’s running across the street to the café for a caffeine boost, but he really goes to see Ronnie to get another license for the open mic night on Friday. He can’t help but feel a burst of nervous energy as Ronnie hands him the warm, freshly printed piece of paper, but the look of happy surprise on Patrick’s face when David returns to the store and slides it onto the counter makes it all worth it. And besides, he has a precedent now, something to prove to his anxious mind that he has no reason to fear and every reason to look forward to Friday night.

———

Friday evening arrives in a flurry of last-minute preparations. Patrick leaves right at five to get his guitar from Ray’s house, leaving David behind in the store to set out the wine and cheese and hang up the fairy lights that he only lets Patrick hang in their store for open mic night. When he’s finished and the first guests start arriving, David’s surprised to find that the nerves he anticipated, the ones that almost led him to ask his mother to pull the fire alarm as Patrick publicly dedicated his performance of Tina Turner’s The Best to him, are nowhere to be found. Patrick has yet to return with the acoustic guitar, so David allows himself a smile, hoping that Alexis, who has just walked in with Ted, won’t notice and tease him mercilessly for it.

By the time Patrick returns (turns out, he’d also showered, changed, and stopped at the bakery in Elmdale to pick up a few slices of David’s favorite pie for them to share later), Rose Apothecary is filled with Schitt’s Creek natives and even some people from neighboring towns. People chat excitedly as they fill up on wine and browse the products that David had triple-checked were perfectly organized before they reopened the store for the event. With the pie safely stored in the back room and out of sight, Patrick leans back against the counter next to David, handing him a glass of rosé. “Don’t drink more than this until I’m done singing,” Patrick says. “I want you to remember this.”

“I thought you were giving up your performance time to Alexis, or another improv troupe,” David teases, taking a sip. Patrick chuckles. “I’m kidding, of course. I won’t, I promise.” He takes another sip. “This is very good rosé, though.”

“Glad to hear you approve. I figured this was a good time to test run the rosé that we just got from that new vendor before we start selling it in the store next week.”

David hums in approval, setting the plastic wine glass down on the counter before nodding to the stage. “I think they’re ready for you,” he says quietly.

Patrick glances up toward the back of the store and nods in agreement. He leans in to kiss David quickly before walking up to the stage with his guitar on his back, tapping on the mic to get everyone’s attention. David cringes, but allows himself to relax as Patrick plugs in his guitar and strums out a chord.

“Hi everyone! Welcome to Rose Apothecary’s second open mic night!” The audience cheers, quieting down a few moments later as Patrick lowers the mic stand a little bit to fit his height. “I’m Patrick Brewer, and I will once again be your host for the evening.” He stops, glancing down to adjust the capo on his guitar. “I’d like to dedicate this song to my boyfriend, David Rose.” Unlike last time, David doesn’t feel the need to run to the back room; instead, he smiles sheepishly and waves to the crowd before looking back at Patrick, who catches his eye and mouths “I love you” before finger-picking the opening notes.

It’s your hair and your eyes today That just simply take me away And the feeling that I’m falling further in love Makes me shiver, but in a good way

David is so caught up in the lyrics and the fact that Patrick is singing them to him in public in front of the entire town that he barely registers the fact that he recognizes the melody, though he’s not sure where he knows it from.

All the times I have sat and stared As you thoughtfully thumb through your hair And you purse your lips, bat your eyes, and you play with me Sitting there, slack-jawed and nothing to say

‘Cause I love you with all that I am And my voice shakes along with my hands ‘Cause you’re all that I see and you’re all that I need And I’m out of my league once again

David feels tears forming in his eyes and quickly looks away from Patrick, his eyes finding Alexis across the room. Her eyes are wide as she glances between Patrick and David and mouths “oh my God” to him when she notices that he’s looking at her. This only encourages the tears to start falling, so he quickly turns back to look at Patrick, blinking them away as best as he can as a crooked smile settles on his lips.

It’s a masterful melody When you call out my name to me As the world spins around you You laugh, roll your eyes And I feel like I’m falling but it’s no surprise

‘Cause I love you with all that I am And my voice shakes along with my hands ‘Cause it’s frightening to be swimming in this strange sea But I’d rather be here than on land Yes, you’re all that I see and you’re all that I need And I’m out of my league once again

He thinks that nothing could ever surpass The Best for him, but he’d be lying if he said this didn’t come close.

The roars from the crowd snap David back to reality (Stevie’s cheers are somehow the loudest; David can tell she’s had a little bit too much wine already and makes a mental note to bring her a glass of water) as the last notes ring out. Patrick takes a modest bow and mumbles “thank you” into the mic, his eyes never moving from David’s.

After introducing the next act (Ted, with an entire set of punny jokes prepared), Patrick unplugs the guitar and walks back over to David, resting his hands on David’s hips and tilting his head up to kiss him. When they break apart, Patrick leans his forehead against David’s for a moment before turning around to rest his back against the counter, his right arm in its usual place around David’s waist. They watch the rest of the show from there, and despite all of Ted’s puns being eyeroll-worthy, the smile never leaves David’s face.

———

David doesn’t figure out where he knows the song from until he hears Patrick humming it once everyone’s gone as they stack chairs and rearrange the store so it’s ready for the next day’s customers.

“Oh my gosh, you’ve been humming that song all week, haven’t you? That’s where I know it from, right?”

Patrick smiles, setting a stack of chairs against the wall. “I was wondering if you’d notice. I’ve wanted to play this song for you for weeks but I was saving it for another open mic night.”

“I’m so glad you did but I also kind of wish you didn’t because now that I’ve heard you sing it, the original singer will never be able to compare. I feel bad for him a little bit.”

Patrick laughs. “You know, every time the original lyrics said ‘she’ and ‘her,’ I had to change them to ‘you’ and ‘your’ so I could sing the song to you and about you.”

“Did you actually?” David asks.

“Yeah, wanna hear?” Patrick steps away from the stacked chairs and pulls his phone out of his pocket, pressing play on the song and setting it down on the counter.

“Okay, first of all, it sounds so gorgeous on piano, but overall your version is so much better.” David says after a minute, pausing the song and handing the phone back to Patrick. “You’ll have to sing it again for me sometime.”

“Sure, I’d love to.” Patrick not-so-subtly glances down at David’s lips, and David obliges, kissing Patrick more deeply than he has all night, now that they finally have the store to themselves again.

“Ready for pie?” Patrick asks after a moment, breathless from the kiss.

David grins. “Fuck yes.”

#original #fanfiction #schitt's creek #david x patrick #david rose #patrick brewer #alexis rose #inspired by open mic night #takes place a little bit after singles week #blink and you miss it spoiler for season 5 #sorry it took me so long to get this one up on tumblr!

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bamon4bamily · 4 years ago

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TVD 9x11 - Jukebox Feels (part 1) Enjoy! =)

Cut to - 2018 prison world, the Salvatore mansion. Katherine walks through the front door, dazed and confused. She must be having a nightmare, she thinks to herself; this can’t be happening, she can’t possibly be where she thinks she is. Although her intuition tells her the contrary, she gives it a shot, on the slim chance it might not be true…

KATHERINE: Hello? Anyone there? (She searches the house; as expected, it’s empty. She tries different techniques to escape the situation. Pinches herself to wake up, nothing. Taps her feet together, and with her eyes closed whispers: There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home… doesn’t work either). Maybe if I go to sleep, I’ll wake up and everything will be back to normal… Yes, I need to sleep (she goes into Stefan’s room, puts on one of his pajamas and lies in his bed. Not even a minute in, and she’s off dreaming of sheep.

Cut to – Akumal, Mexico. After a beautiful moonlight dinner, Damon and Bonnie sit on the beach, admiring the full moon’s glow, and some real good tequila.

DAMON: (Randomly) Truth or dare…

BONNIE: (Laughs) Are you serious?

DAMON: I’m dead serious, come on, scaredy-cat!

BONNIE: Please! I just don’t want to humiliate you, cry-baby!

DAMON: Oh, it’s on! Brace yourself for defeat!

BONNIE: Bring it!

DAMON: One rule, no magic or psychy stuff!

BONNIE: Fine, no vamp tricks.

DAMON: Deal. Truth or dare?

BONNIE: Dare.

DAMON: I’ll start easy, (smirks) don’t want you loosing so fast. I dare you to take a shot of tequila while doing a handstand.

BONNIE: Piece of cake! (Delivers to perfection) My turn, truth or dare?

DAMON: Truth.

BONNIE: Okay, let’s settle this once and for all; do you steal from the bank when we play monopoly?

DAMON: (Grins) Not every time…

BONNIE: (Whacks him with her elbow) I knew it!

DAMON: What can I say, Bon, too much temptation. Okay, truth or dare?

BONNIE: Dare.

DAMON: I’m sensing a pattern here, but suit yourself. I dare you to go up to one of the people at the bar and tell them, in a very low and creepy voice, I see dead people…

BONNIE: I’m gonna get you back for this one! (Although hesitant, she delivers; freaking the hell out of the poor soul unfortunate to be approached by her. They go back to their spot) Okay, Mr. smarty pants. My turn, truth or dare… and you better choose dare!

DAMON: Dare… I say truth!

BONNIE: I’ll break you, eventually. What is the most embarrassing thing in your room?

DAMON: Oh, you’re going there! You already know the answer…

BONNIE: I do, but I want to hear you say it.

DAMON: Fine, my unicorn onesies.

BONNIE: With a butt crack… can’t forget the butt crack (she laughs)!

DAMON: They’re cozy! Okay, missy, shit just got real! Truth or dare…

BONNIE: I’m going with truth; just cause I know you’ll make me do some crazy shit after that one.

DAMON: (With a wicked grin, rubbing his hands) Excellent… What is your guilty pleasure?

BONNIE: Oh, come on! You know that…

DAMON: I do, but I also want to hear you say it, so, go on…

BONNIE: Fine… occasionally I like to dress up like Whitney Houston in the Queen of the Night video from the Bodyguard, and perform in front of the mirror…

DAMON: Occasionally? More like every other Sunday... and it’s HOT AF!

BONNIE: Can’t believe you caught me doing that!

DAMON: One of my fondest prison world memories! I have to hand it to you, Bon, you really got creative with the costume.

BONNIE: I’ve perfected it since then… Well, there, I said it! Happy now?

DAMON: Never been happier… (leans in to kiss her) and you are, beyond a doubt, the queen of the night…

BONNIE: Don’t think for a second that’s gonna get you out of what’s coming…Truth or dare?

DAMON: I’m a mix it up and go with dare.

BONNIE: (With a wicked grin, rubbing her hands) Been waiting for that since we started.

DAMON: I’m instantly regretting my decision.

BONNIE: (Laughs) Oh, and you should! You’re in trouble now… Mr. Damon Salvatore, your mission, which you have no choice but to accept, is to (she opens a portal to their room, goes and comes back).

DAMON: Hey, we said no tricks!

BONNIE: You said no magic, no psychic stuff, but you never mentioned teleporting, so suck it! Here (hands him one of her outfits and her make-up kit) Put this on, make-up and all. Once you are ready, and looking gorge, you are going to perform Queen of the Night to the guests at the beach bar. Good luck, doll! (Laughs hysterically).

DAMON: Oh, Bon-Bon… when you least expected, I’ll get you back.

BONNIE: (Mocking) I’m sure you will; but for now, come on, dancing queen, your audience awaits. (Damon performs, surprisingly well, or at least good enough to receive and applause from his audience, who, although very confused, found the show quite entertaining. They go back to their spot). You did great, almost nailed the choreography.

DAMON: Well, I learned from the best.

BONNIE: I think it’s safe to say I won this little game.

DAMON: This time around…

BONNIE: How bout you get out of those clothes, I get out of mine, and we go for a night swim?

DAMON: Don’t have to ask me twice! (As he is taking the high heels off) How do you guys walk in these things??

BONNIE: You get used to it, (teasing) just don’t get too used to it... Ready, my night queen?

DAMON: (Carries her) Let’s go, witchy! (They swim under the moonlight; then make love till sunrise).

Cut to - The secret facility, Edward’s cell. He has been sleeping for quite some time. He slowly begins to wake; as he opens his eyes, he sees someone lying on the floor under a pool of blood, right next to his bed. He jumps up in a scare.

AUGUSTUS: Oh, don’t be alarmed, son, it’s not me, I’m doing just fine. Meet your uncle Pete; granted it might not be the best introduction, but hey, you wanted to meet your family… well, there you go.

EDWARD: (Disgusted and in shock) What is this!!??

AUGUSTUS: It’s a dead body, son. And, from what I hear they start to smell pretty bad once they decompose; so, I suggest you move fast and bring your cousin Matty back. Feel free to use our tech if it helps, Eddie here (points to the strange man that has been standing outside his cell everyday) is more than happy to help.

EDWARD: (Crying in despair, looking at the corpse) Oh god, oh, god!!! (To his father) You are fucking insane!!!

AUGUSTUS: Language, boy! I taught you better manners than that… guess I should have never left you in Tamara’s care; what a waste of an ivy-league education. My fault for bringing in the trash. Oh, well… time is ticking, and that body is stinking… Ha, that rhymed, maybe I should pick up poetry? I always did love Literature… Anyway, (belittling) Mayor Powell, let’s see just how smart and powerful you really are. Rest assured, if you get the job done, I promise I will make it worth your while (he leaves; Edward can’t stop crying, imagining Matt’s pain).

Cut to - Munich, Germany. Sam, Elena, Sage, and Alex, are having some drinks, after their first days of the program.

SAGE: I knew this program was going to be out of the ordinary, but it’s totally blowing my mind!

ELENA: I agree, it’s amazing! The equipment we have access to is unbelievable! Never knew those types of tools and tech even existed.

SAM: (Putting his drink up for a cheer) Here’s to an unorthodox quality education, and to new awakenings!

ALL: Cheers! (They drink, share some laughs and anecdotes; at some point, the boys get into their own conversation in another area of the bar. Elena and Sage have no option but to interact more closely).

ELENA: Listen, I’m sorry for calling you a bitch.

SAGE: I’m sorry for being one. (Holds her hand out for a handshake) Do-over?

ELENA: Do-over (shakes her hand). So, tell me, why are you so obsessed with Pietro? Not judging, just curious.

SAGE: I know a lot of people think he is just an entitled jerk, but he is so far from that. I mean, yes, he is arrogant and pretentious, but when you’ve accomplished what he has, you kind of earn the right to be.

ELENA: Still don’t get it, what has he accomplished? He’s not even a Doctor…

SAGE: He owns the world’s most groundbreaking technology companies. Ai, IoT, nanotech, you name it, he is behind it. He might not be the science side of the operation, but he is the business side that makes it possible. Just between us, I’m pretty sure he is a vampire. Get this, while I was doing research on his background, I stumbled upon some pretty crazy documentation that dates his birth back to 1865. It’s either that, or he stole some real old dead guy’s identity.

ELENA: That is definitely not a coincidence… Do the names Stefan and Damon Salvatore ring a bell?

SAGE: Never heard of them, who are they?

ELENA: Besides my ex-boyfriends, I think they might be Pietro’s half-brothers.

SAGE: (Laughs) That’s impossible…

ELENA: Put two and two together…

SAGE: Oh, they’re also…? OMG! So, you slept with two vampires, and they were brothers??!! I totally miss read you, you’re a badass!! I love it!! (Holds her drink up) Cheers for that!

ELENA: Well, the brothers thing is something I’m really not proud of. I was young and gave in to my darkest desires; but I guess karma got me served, because they both fell in love with my best friends; so…

SAGE: Hey, nothing to be ashamed of; more power to you! I mean, it’s okay when men do it, but as woman we get shamed for it… Fuck that shit!

ELENA: Good point... (holds her glass up for a cheer) Here’s to woman equality!

SAGE: Fuck yeah! So, tell me, how did you end up getting involved with vampires?

ELENA: It’s a long and complicated story… Let’s just say I look exactly like someone they were once very obsessed with, and it grew from there.

SAGE: Who did you go out with first?

ELENA: Stefan… my first true love; but then I fell for the bad boy, who just happened to be his brother. Like I said, not proud, but that’s how it went down.

SAGE: Was it serious?

ELENA: Very. With Stefan I could see my entire future; it was like a fairytale love. With Damon, I lived for the moment and was consumed with passion.

SAGE: Sounds like you were quite in a predicament.

ELENA: I was, for a while; but I ended up choosing Damon.

SAGE: So, what happened? Why did you two split?

ELENA: There were many reasons, but every time I go back to it, I think it’s because we got off to a wrong start. When I became a vampire, I was sired to him… not the best way to start a relationship.

SAGE: Wait, you are a vampire!!? Are you kidding me?!! This story keeps getting better and better!

ELENA: No, no! I’m not one anymore, but I was.

SAGE: Oh, okay, you freaked me out there for a sec! Anyway, then, what happened? Spill!!

ELENA: Well, a whole bunch of crazy stuff... then I took a cure, became human again, only to be put into a three-year sleeping spell, then I woke up. At first it was bliss, but then, once we moved in together our deeper problems began to surface…

SAGE: Did those problems have to do with him falling for one of your best friends?

ELENA: Not expressively… but in part, yes. I knew he was in love with her, and that there was nothing I could do to change that.

SAGE: Ouch, that’s gotta hurt.

ELENA: I mean, he never cheated or anything like that, they didn’t even get together until recently, but just knowing he would never love me like her, hurt for a while… then I met Sam…

SAGE: Wow, that’s quite a story!

ELENA: Straight out of a supernatural YA book, am I right?

SAGE: I’m a big fan of YA drama, and supernatural lure, so, right up my alley! Okay, let me ask you one last question. If you could go back, would you make the same choice?

ELENA: What do you mean?

SAGE: Stefan or Damon? Who would you choose?

ELENA: (Laughs) Uhm, okay, that’s a weird question…

SAGE: Oh, come on, just for fun, and keeping with the YA context.

ELENA: I’d say as a human, I would choose Stefan; as a vampire, Damon. But I guess it wouldn’t matter who I would choose, since they wouldn’t choose me a second time around, that’s for sure.

SAGE: (Teasing) Well, good news for Sam.

ELENA: Okay, I shared my stories; now it’s your turn.

SAGE: Well my stories are quite boring compared to that!

ELENA: Still, spill! It’s only fair, you have leverage on me, I should have some on you.

SAGE: Fair enough. What do you want to know?

ELENA: You and Alex, what’s the story there?

SAGE: Oh god, no! Nothing like that, he’s like a brother to me.

ELENA: Aw, that’s too bad, you two are cute together. How about you and Sam, anything ever happen between you two?

SAGE: This conversation is getting dangerous...

ELENA: Oh, come on, what’s in the past is in the past; there’s nothing dangerous about that.

SAGE: Fine, you asked for it. Long time ago, one crazy drunken night; that’s all.

ELENA: I know, he told me; just wanted to check if you would be honest with me.

SAGE: (Teasing) Now who’s the bitch!

ELENA: Sorry, trust issues. Now, for real, any past epic loves?

SAGE: Uhm, not really… I mean, I’ve had many relationships but nothing serious. I’m not the deep connection type; I just like to have fun, and I don’t like to put in the time, so short and sweet works out perfectly for me.

ELENA: Crazy hookups?

SAGE: Now that is my area of expertise! Wow, where do I start… I’ve done all the clichés, mile high club being my favorite one. But I have to say, the craziest has been with someone you actually know, (mocking) the renowned city Mayor of Mystic Falls.

ELENA: (Spits out her drink) Are you serious? You had a thing with Edward Powell? How do you even know him?!

SAGE: From NYC, our hometown. We were both part of the upper east side elite; a real Gossip Girl type thing. And let me tell you, he might seem like a Nate on the outside, but inside, he is a full-on Chuck Bass. Anyway, we went to this masquerade ball at an exclusive mansion outside the city. Long story short, we ended up covering for a murder which turned out to be anything but that; it was just a really drunk-ass Wall-Street magnate, that passed out in a tub filled with red wine. Good thing he woke up before we finished filling the whole… and that he didn’t see us having sex next to what we thought was his corpse. In our defense, we were also really drunk, and high as fuck.

ELENA: Holy shit! And you call your stories boring? Wonder what the exciting ones are like!

SAGE: (Laughs; then sees that Alex and Sam are heading back to their table) Well, that’s a conversation for another night… this has been fun, but I think our girl time is over; I’m glad we had a chance to talk like this.

ELENA: Me too, and I’m sorry I was so quick to judge you.

SAGE: Dido. Friends?

ELENA: Friends.

Cut to – Akumal, Mexico. Bonnie, Damon, Stefan and Caroline are having a nice beachfront brunch.

CAROLINE: I can’t believe this is our last day! Time went by way too fast!

BONNIE: I know, seems like we just got here.

STEFAN: How about we make a deal, right here, the four of us.

DAMON: (Teasing) Bro, we are not even done with brunch; plus, it would be way too weird…

STEFAN: Of course your mind would go there… Anyway, no, Damon, that’s not what I want to propose. How do you guys feel about spending some money and investing on a property down here? That way we can come back whenever we want.

CAROLINE: I love it, yes!!!!

BONNIE: I’m in!

STEFAN: Damon?

DAMON: Just tell me where to sign!

BONNIE: La Bruja is coming over for dinner tonight, maybe she can give us some tips on property here.

STEFAN: That be great. I’m thinking nothing too fancy, but definitely beachfront.

BONNIE: And secluded.

CAROLINE: 2 master bedrooms, 1 kids room, and two or three guestrooms for when Ty, Lexi, Matt and Alaric come visit.

DAMON: So much for “not too fancy” …

CAROLINE: I’m not saying it needs to be fancy, just spacious, there are way too many of us.

BONNIE: We’ll also need a garden, good footprint area so we can grow our own food.

CAROLINE: And a pool of course, for the girls.

STEFAN: And I think we can all agree, we need a big bar.

DAMON: And a wine cellar.

STEFAN: Maybe we’re gonna have to build it from scratch, I’m pretty sure we won’t be able to find a place that checks all of our boxes.

BONNIE: If we have someone design it for us, I’m pretty sure La Bruja and I can pull it off.

DAMON: It’s settled then, we’ll brief La Bruja over dinner and start to plan our perfect Belvafore hide-away!

STEFAN: Belvafore?

DAMON: Yes; Bennett, Salvatore, and Forbes… Belvafore!

BONNIE: (To Stefan, mocking Damon) I’m telling you, not even with his vamp back on…

CAROLINE: I like it! It’s like Steroline and Bamon!

BONNIE: Steroline and Bamon?

CAROLINE: Yes, Bamon, aka, Bonnie and Damon; isn’t it perfect?! Stefan came up with it.

STEFAN: Sorry, Bon, just a fan.

BONNIE: (Laughing) Oh, Stefan, didn’t see that one coming... And Steroline, is Stefan and Caroline...

CAROLINE: You got it! (With pride) I came up with that one!

BONNIE: (With a y’all crazy look) Okay...

DAMON: Oh, come on, Bon-Bon; Bamon, gotta love it!

BONNIE: Fine, I’ll admit it... y’all crazy but I love it!

CAROLINE: (Holds her mimosa glass up for a cheer) To Belvafore and building new traditions!

ALL: Cheers!

Cut to – The Salvatore school, Alaric’s study. Alaric, and Radka, are trying to figure out their next steps.

ALARIC: How could I have been so reckless and stupid…

RADKA: It was an honest mistake, Ric. How were you supposed to know what would happen?

ALARIC: I know how dangerous that little gadget is, it was my responsibility to keep it under lock and key. Now, thanks to me, Katherine is probably being hunted down by a psychopath.

RADKA: Katherine is strong and witty, if anyone, Kai is the one that needs to worry. I’m sure she’ll be fine; we just need to figure out how to bring her back.

ALARIC: The only one that can help with that is Bonnie, and I’m not letting her go near Kai. We need to figure out a way to do this without the need for Bennett blood.

RADKA: How about 2 werewolves, 2 vampires and a hunter… think we could pull it off?

ALARIC: The problem is not getting in, but out… there’s no way out without the right ingredients.

RADKA: Okay, I might be thinking crazy here, but we need to think outside the box. What if we ask Margo to summon a Bennett witch, she can open a temporary spirit realm and do an incarnation spell so she can be materialized; then, we go to this prison world, get Katherine and use the blood of that Bennett witch to come back…

ALARIC: That sounds insane… but it might actually work. Isn’t Margo still on sick leave?

RADKA: She’s better now, called me up this morning to let me know she’d be back tomorrow.

ALARIC: Do you think she would be up for it?

RADKA: Not sure, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.

Cut to – 2018 prison world, Stefan’s room. Katherine wakes up to find herself tied up with her mouth covered. Kai is sitting on a chair, reading. He looks quite different than expected; very clean cut and intellectual, glasses and all.

KAI: I’m sorry I had to tie you up, but I do not appreciate intruders. God, these new generations have completely lost their manners. Sneaking into other people’s homes, putting on their nightclothes, sleeping in their beds… The audacity!

(Kai gets up, walks towards one of the many jukeboxes he has installed around the house, and plays a song...)

youtube

TVD 9x11 (part 2), coming soon! Hope you stop by, read and enjoy! =)

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jaspersspx040 · 4 years ago

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Who is the ref who blew Saints?

These fans didn't care. Referee Bill Vinovich looks on during the NFC Championship game between the Rams and New Orleans Saints on Jan. 20.

The Rule currently express measurements with approximate metric matchings, though use royal units remains popular in English-speaking countries with a reasonably recent history of metrication, such as Britain. The ball is spherical with an area of in between 68 as well as 70 cm, a weight in the series of 410 to 450 g, as well as a stress in between 0.6 and 1.1 conventional ambiences (8.5 as well as 15.6 pounds per square inch) at sea level. In the previous the round was comprised of leather panels stitched, with a latex bladder for pressurisation but modern balls in all degrees of the game are now artificial. A game is officiated by an umpire, who has "complete authority to implement the Laws of the Game about the match to which he has actually been appointed", as well as whose decisions are final. In many high-level video games there is also a fourth authorities who helps the referee as well as might change another official must the demand arise. The fundamental equipment or kit players are needed to wear includes a t shirt, shorts, socks, shoes and sufficient shin guards.

The Pitt side protector racked up 20 total stress in his video games against Notre Dame, Clemson, Virginia Technology and also Boston College, the 4 ideal collections of deals with in the ACC this year. McNeil played 87% of his complete snaps at heads-up nose tackle this year, making his manufacturing nothing except incredible. Only one player considering that 2014 has actually produced a greater PFF grade at 0-technique than McNeil's 90.5 this period. Kinnard preserved his status as one of the leading takes on in the run game this year, raising his run-block grade from 89.1 in 2019 to 92.3 this period.

Who hasn't won a Superbowl?

There are now 12 NFL franchises that have not won a Super Bowl after the Eagles earned their first title in 2018. The Bengals, Bills, Browns, Cardinals, Chargers, Falcons, Jaguars, Lions, Panthers, Texans, Titans and Vikings have not won a Super Bowl in their history.

The Crimson Tide and Battling Irish will certainly meet for the 8th time in the background of the collection that dates back to 1973. Alabama trails, 2-5, in the previous pairings but came away with a victory in the most recent matchup between both teams at the 2013 BCS National Championship in Miami, Fla . Discover resources and possibilities to get included as well as play football. There's no Michigan-Ohio State to highlight the normal period's final complete weekend, yet high risks and negative blood aren't difficult to locate. Sun Belt commissioner Keith Gill is being a lot more proactive regarding making cases for his teams, with Coastal Carolina and Louisiana both ranked. A previous college quarterback, Coen concerns the Wildcats after 3 season with the Los Angeles Rams.

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bomberlandia · 4 years ago

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Burning Questions: Return to play, 2020 expectations, Heppell, Hooker back, BZT, Cutler’s intrigue and more

Dyson Heppell is back. Cale Hooker is back too. And Joe Daniher is trending in the right direction for the first time in years. Football is back.

The coronavirus pandemic has halted every sport in its tracks. The NBA is still yet to resume and still hasn’t figured out a safe method of finishing its year. Major League Baseball hasn’t worked out if or when it’ll start its season. And the NHL are fine tuning a path to return to play but nothing is final yet. These are just a few leagues to name, but every sport league has stopped. And every league is now trying to figure out how to come back safely. There’s no blueprint either. It’s one messy, minefield.

If there is a silver living here for the AFL, it’s that, any club who had long-term injuries, or newly sustained pre-season concerns over players have been given the lifeline of 83 days to help prepare, heal and get right before Round Two. For the Bombers, this period has been favourable. Hooker and Heppell had short-term injuries that would have seen them miss multiple weeks — in Heppell’s case, he would have missed at least half the season. Same with Joe Daniher. But with the three-month hiatus Hooker and Heppell will play against Sydney. And Daniher is weeks away from playing so he should see a good chunk of the 2020 season.

But fit bodies are just that. There’s still a slew of unanswered questions that need addressing. Some will get answered this weekend. Others will take weeks to answer, if not, a year or two. After three consecutive years of 12 wins, 2020 was meant to be the year that the Bombers delivered better than that, moved up from mediocrity and won a final. But, the pandemic has added another layer of uncertainty around the Bombers. With that, here are some burning questions that will impinge the Bombers in 2020.

Can Devon Smith pick up where he left off before his PCL operation?

We will know soon enough when he takes on the Swans but from all reports the knee has never been better. “My knee’s been pulling up the best it has since I can remember, so I’m really excited about the season,” he told news.com.au. My only real concern for Smith, is can his knee stand up to the rigours of AFL intensity? He’s had a decent 12-month stint without AFL competition. And being a hard-at-it player, someone the Bombers need in trenches, we’ll only know just how good Smith’s knee is in the days and weeks to come.

But let’s go back to 2018 when Smith won the Crichton Medal. That was the year Watson, Stanton and Pop Kelly retired. Heath Hocking got delisted. The Bombers went 2-6 early in the season. Mark Neeld got the boot. Daniher got shutdown with a season-ending groin injury. And the midfield had some serious holes. But Smith stood up. He averaged 22 touches and 8.5 tackles — both career highs — and kicked 17.16. And if you remember, he carried the team during the big games. Against Collingwood in R16, he collected 31d, 8m and had 13 tackles in their 16p loss. Against Carlton on a wet MCG, he laid 15 tackles along with 21 touches. His pressure and hardness around the contest was made more obvious in a midfield that was lacking grunt. He filled that void.

The complications of COVID-19 has forced the AFL to make quarters 16-minutes long. That means Smith can go full-tilt for an entire game. There’s upside to that. But, to my earlier point, can his knee withstand that kind of onslaught in shorter, more intense sets? The Bombers missed Smith in 2019. His return will make opposition midfields more accountable. He’s another goal-kicking option. And his high tackle count (in 2018: 186) will cause turnover opportunities, something the good AFL teams do regularly.

Essendon haven’t won in Sydney since 2009. Can they break the drought?

It’s hard to definitively say the Bombers can win this one when there’s an existing 10+ year SCG drought to consider. But when you think about the 83 days between R1 and R2, both teams are operating on a clean slate. It’s like the start of the season take two. On paper the Bombers have a good balance for the small SCG ground: tall key defenders, small, quick and bullish forwards. They bring back their captain, Dyson Heppell. Hooker, Hurley and Francis should stand up against Heeney and the Swans’ potent forwards. That gives the Bombers a chance to steal this one.

There’s a growing concern over the Bombers forward line in 2020, with Joe Daniher still out, Fantasia missing. Will the Bombers struggle to kick goals?

For this week at the SCG those outs won’t matter. The Bombers should be able to cover Daniher and Fantasia through a core group of Smith, Stringer, Townsend, Tipungwuti. For the Bombers to go to that next level, adding Daniher and Fantasia is a must. The good news is that the Bombers have worked out other ways to kick goals. And it sounds like this year they are relying on midfielders and small forwards to do the damage on the scoreboard. But if Daniher and Fantasia do come back soon, the Bombers will have their strongest forward set up since the 2000 Premiership: Stringer, Townsend, Fantasia, Joe Daniher, Tipungwuti, Smith. That’s not too shabby.

Dustin Fletcher is on the cusp of being inducted in the Hall of Fame but some are saying that he might have to wait a few years because of the 12-month ASADA ban. Should he have to wait?

If they decide Fletcher has to wait another year or two, because of the ASADA ban, in the grand scheme of things it’s not that big a deal. As long as he’s inducted. He’s a lock. Let’s not forget Fletcher had a decorated career with 400 games and two premierships. Let’s also remember he meets the criteria: record, ability, integrity, sportsmanship and character. No-one could argue against any of those things with any great certainty. Whether it’s now or years to come, it’s happening.

Of the players picked to play against the Swans for R2, who should we watch, and what should we look for?

Tom Cutler. I liked what I saw against Fremantle in R1 and how he moved between the backline and forward 50. His speed is impressive for his size considering he’s carrying a 192 cm frame. I think he’s going to be a match up headache every week. Andrew McGrath is another one to watch. This year will be his first year as a full-time midfielder, or at least that’s how the Bombers intend to use him. He keeps getting better, quicker, smarter. He has Cotchin attributes.

The most intriguing duo in the team right now are Townsend and Stringer. Two bulls. They really need to impose themselves against the Swans on a small SCG where spacing is tight. Both have the ability to kick three to five goals each on any given week. In the absence of Daniher they’re going to have to seize on every opportunity.

Do you think the 16-minute quarters will work in Essendon’s favour?

What I think this means for the Bombers is that they can leave their best mix of players on the ground longer without breaks. And there shouldn’t be any issues with not being able to run out games. Also: with the speed the Bombers have on their team — Fantasia, Saad, McKenna, Tipungwuti — the shorter quarters gives them breaks just in time when they might be gassed. Worsfold will still have to think about rotations.

Townsend is playing his 50th game this week. What did you make of his game against Fremantle?

He kicked three goals from nine kicks against Fremantle. It was impressive. He looked dangerous in that game each time the ball came near him. His hard-nut approach and big body will give the Bombers flexibility to play him forward with stints inside the midfield. I can’t wait to watch more of Townsend this year. He’s my new favourite player and he’s only played one game.

There will be no crowds at some games for the foreseeable future. How will this impact the Bombers?

After this week, the Bombers are in Melbourne against the Demons, Blues, Pies. It’s not really an issue yet. For most teams playing away, no crowds should neutralize the home advantage. Without the parochial and constant barracking it’s going to create more parity.

What’s up with Zerk-Thatcher breaking the rules around coronavirus?

He’s young. He’s 21. There were 16 Adelaide players who broke the rules too and didn’t get punished. There will be more young players who break the rules around coronavirus moving forward. It’s unfortunate. But he owned it. Zerk-Thatcher is a player that the Bombers need to get more games into and develop him as a replacement for Hurley or Hooker. He’s fine. Everything is fine.

The Bombers still haven’t won a final since 2004 and they’ve won 12 games in three consecutive years. What should Bomber fans expect from here, in a pandemic year?

With a clean bill of health the Bombers should be setting themselves up to win their first final in 16 years. Since 2009 their finals record has been putrid. They have scraped through to the finals five times for a 0-5 record and boast an average losing margin of 59.2. The worst defeat of that lot was in 2009 against the Crows to the tune of 96. It’s hard to predict what will happen in a pandemic year, where life is changing every day. So expect good weeks and bad weeks. I would say for this year, watch how the Bombers transition, how they defend, how the midfield holds up against intense pressure. Those are the areas they need to improve in.

Justin Robertson is a journalist who writes AFL + NBA features for publications including The Guardian, ESPN, Bleacher Report, VICE and Complex Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter @justinjourno

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bamon4bamily · 4 years ago

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TVD 9x11 - Jukebox Feels (part 2) Enjoy! =)

Cut to – Akumal, Mexico. Damon, Bonnie, Stefan, and Caroline, are enjoying their last beach day. Caroline is doing cartwheels by the water; Damon has gone to get everyone drinks.

BONNIE: (Looking at Caroline and smiling) She’s so crazy…

STEFAN: (Also smiling) Absolutely insane, I love it. (Turns to Bonnie, looks into her eyes) Thank you.

BONNIE: For what?

STEFAN: For giving me a second chance.

BONNIE: Hey, we’ve talked about this, there is nothing to be thankful for.

STEFAN: Of course there is, I hurt you very badly, and you still found it in yourself to forgive me.

BONNIE: What you did had nothing to do with you. That was ripper Stefan, not my friend. And yes, it took me a while to get over that, but I understood. You are not that person, you never were, so forgive yourself.

STEFAN: If I do this revamp thing, there’s a risk that monster might come back.

BONNIE: No, there’s not, and even if there was; for you, for your life, it’s worth the risk.

STEFAN: You are an amazing woman, Bon. Thank you for being my friend.

BONNIE: (Teasing) You’re not so bad yourself, and I’m glad to be. Now, enough with the seriousness, this is our last day, let’s indulge and enjoy! (They smile and hug) How about we play a little prank on those two? Payback for the other night…

STEFAN: I’m so in! What you have in mind?

BONNIE: We book a nice boat ride, then… Shit! Damon is coming; if you let me, I’ll telepathically message you the rest of the plan.

STEFAN: Shoot!

DAMON: Okay, margarita for the lady (hands it to Stefan), tequila for the woman (hands it to Bonnie), and… (turns to see Caroline still doing cartwheels) a gin for the child (places it down on the table).

STEFAN: (Laughs uncontrollably) Oh, that’s too good!

DAMON: (Smirking but a tad confused, Stefan is laughing so hard tears are coming out his eyes) Okay… but it wasn’t that funny...

STEFAN: Oh, it totally was! Hilarious! (He laughs with Bonnie in complicity).

DAMON: (Looks at Bonnie) You two have the weirdest sense of humor…

BONNIE: It was a great joke! The child… pure gold!

DAMON: Did you guys smoke that stuff while I was gone?

BONNIE: Nop… maybe it’s the mimosas? (Her and Stefan keep laughing).

CAROLINE: (Comes back and grabs her drink) Okay, got my work out, time to sit back and relax!

BONNIE: How about we take a nice boat trip by the bay? No stealing the boat this time around.

CAROLINE: I’m so down with that!

DAMON: Me too!

STEFAN: (With a smirk) Oh, me three!

BONNIE: Great! Stefan and I thought you’d be on board, so we booked in advance. We leave in an hour.

Cut to – the Salvatore school Library. Radka, Alaric, Lexi, Tyler and Margo are planning for the prison world mission.

MARGO: Okay, let me see if I got this right. You want me to summon a Bennett witch, while simultaneously opening the spirit realm, and doing an incarnation spell. Then take all of you to a prison world, get Katherine, avoid a psycho killer, and successfully bring everyone back?

RADKA: I know it’s crazy… but we thought we’d at least ask.

MARGO: You do realize I’m not nearly as powerful as Bonnie, right? A lot of things could go wrong, starting with summoning a Bennett witch. That’s major league witchcraft we are talking about, they don’t appear just like that… Why not ask Bonnie? If anyone can pull this off, it’s her.

ALARIC: We don’t want her involved; she has a dark history with Kai. Please, Margo, just give it a thought?

TYLER: Okay, hear me out. What if we get the Madame and Danae to help Margo? One can do the summoning, the other the spirit realm stuff, and the other the reincarnation spell? Power of three witches can definitely get the job done.

ALARIC: Slight problem with that, the Madame is not a witch.

TYLER: But she does that psychy woo with her mind; can’t that help?

MARGO: She is a psychic?

ALARIC: A psychic vampire to be exact.

MARGO: Wow, I’ve never encountered one of those… Well, all witchcraft is rooted in psychic energy, so she can use that to open the realm.

LEXI: You really think this could work?

MARGO: If I have help, yes, I think it could.

ALARIC: So the plan could be, Danae summons a Bennet witch, I suggest Emily; The Madame opens the spirit realm, and Margo, you do the incarnation spell. Lexi, Sergei, Radka, Ty, Emily, and I, go in, get Katherine, and get out.

MARGO: You make it sound so simple, Ric. But I am in, as long as they agree.

ALARIC: I’m on it (grabs his cell).

MARGO: And here I thought my peaceful retirement would only involve teaching newbie witches some old tricks…

Cut to – the Powell mansion. The Madame and Anthony are getting desperate, Edward is still nowhere to be found.

ANTHONY: It has been days, Madame; I’m starting to lose hope. Dare I ask, do you think he is…

THE MADAME: No, that I am sure of. Augustus might be a sadistic soul, but he would never kill his own son. What I’m worried about is Edward’s mental state, you know what can happen if he has a breakdown.

ANTHONY: Oh, dear, please, no… He has been doing so great, I don’t want him going through that ever again.

THE MADAME: It is very frustrating that all my power is absolutely useless at this moment. How I wish Tamara where here, she would know how to handle this… except if she were, she’d probably kill us for letting this happen.

ANTHONY: Absolutely, then again, she would have probably found him by now; there was no one as headstrong and determined as she.

THE MADAME: That’s for sure. (Her phone rings, it’s Alaric). Well, this is odd, it’s that Saltzman professor… (she picks up).

Cut to – 2018 prison world. Katherine, still tied up and with her mouth covered. Kai, still sitting on a chair in front of her, reading. He pauses for a moment to make small talk.

KAI: Did you know that Shakespeare wrote King Lear while in quarantine? Amazing things can be achieved while in isolation, if you have the talent and patience. Not that I assume you even know who that is, let along that you have read such a literary masterpiece. All you people know how to read are your facebooks, twitters, and instagram’s. Talk about involution…

(Sees that the boy is struggling to let himself loose). Yes, it’s uncomfortable, I know from experience, but I can’t untie you. I will, however, take your mouth cover away, eventually. You need to be fed, and I need to know how, and why, you are here. But for now, be calm while I finish reading my book. (Plays the same song on the jukebox, and continues reading).

Cut to – the Mikaelson mansion, New Orleans. Klaus, Abby and Danae are having dinner. Danae gets a call from Alaric.

DANAE: (As her phone is buzzing) That’s strange, Alaric is calling me…

KLAUS: That is strange, but if you don’t pick up, we won’t find out why, love.

DANAE: (Picks up) Hello? (…)

KLAUS: (To Abby) Wonder what trouble they have gotten themselves into now, that’s the only reason they call. (Danae gets up from the table, signals them that she will be right back).

ABBY: Guessing it’s something big if Bonnie needs back up…

KLAUS: I reckon that is precisely why they are calling; Bonnie is unavailable at the moment; (mocking) she’s on a “love vacation” with Damon.

ABBY: (Spits out her drink) Did you say, Damon?!

KLAUS: Oh, love, I haven’t told you… well, I suppose this is as good a time as any.

ABBY: Oh, please, say it ain’t so…

KLAUS: Let me pour you more bourbon, you are going to need it.

Cut to – Akumal, Mexico. Belvafore are on a dock, about to embark on their boat trip adventure.

CAROLINE: (Amazed at the boat, which turns out to be a luxury yacht) Guys, this is amazing!! When you said boat trip, that (pointing to the yacht) is definitely not what I had in mind. I mean, look at that thing, it’s like a floating house!

DAMON: (To Bonnie and Stefan) Gotta hand it to you, it’s perfect! Way to go Stefonnie!

BONNIE: (Teasing) It’s not going to stop, is it?

DAMON: (With a smirk) Oh no, Bon-Bon, I’m on a roll! (Kisses her on the cheek).

CAROLINE: You guys really outdid yourselves! I love it!

BONNIE: (Mischievous smirk) Well, we wanted our last day trip to be grand, so…

STEFAN: (Also mischievous, yet nervous, trying to hide their alternative motive) Yeah! Big pimpin' style… spending the gees, you know? (They look at him with a WTF face, such an awkward comment, specially coming from him; they can’t help but crack up).

BONNIE: Okay, well, what are we waiting for? Let’s hop on board! Oh, one minor detail, we weren’t able to secure a captain, it’s his day off. We had to prove that one of us had a sailing license, so I used a little trick to make them think Stefan did. No biggie; he’s driven a boat before, I’m sure he can do it again.

STEFAN: Oh, yeah, totally can. I think it comes naturally to me; don’t worry guys, you are in good hands.

DAMON: Hey, as long as you don’t sink this thing, I’m cool with it.

CAROLINE: Me too! (They go on board, as Damon and Caroline are checking the yacht out, it embarks; once they check out every single spot, they go back on deck to find that neither Bonnie nor Stefan are on board. As they head-off, they see Bonnie and Stefan waving to them from land).

Oh, my god, Damon!! (In a funny panic) They left us!!!! What are we going to do?!! Neither of us knows how to drive this thing!!!! We are going to die; we are going to die!!!!!

DAMON: Relax, woman! Let me think… I knew they were up to something!

CAROLINE: I say we jump in, and swim back while we still can!!

DAMON: No, Blondie; that’s just what they want us to do; I say we give them a little taste of their own medicine…

CAROLINE: Uhm, hello??!! Don’t you get it? We don’t know how to drive this thing; we are going to crash!!

DAMON: That’s what I’m saying!

CAROLINE: What?! You’re not making any sense!

DAMON: I know!

CAROLINE: Well then do something, Twiddle Dee!

DAMON: You know that makes you Twiddle Dumb, right?

CAROLINE: Oh, shut up! I’m going to kill those two!!! This isn’t funny!!!

DAMON: It’s sort of funny, in a dark sense of humor type of way…

CAROLINE: For you, because you are a freaking crazy person, just like them! You better learn how to drive this thing really fast, or I swear!!

DAMON: I can’t tell left from right, there’s no way in hell I can drive this thing!

CAROLINE: God, I can’t think of anything worse than being stuck on a death ride with you!!

DAMON: Feeling is mutual, barbie!

CAROLINE: Okay, let’s think clearly, no need to panic. We are both vampires, so we are definitely not going to die, unless this thing crashes and one of the wreckage pieces drives through our hearts… Oh shit, we are so going to die!!!

DAMON: No we’re not; they’re just pushing this prank as far as they can; so again, I say we push back.

CAROLINE: Okay, so what’s your masterplan?

DAMON: (He sees they are rapidly approaching another yacht) I got nothing… fuck it! Let’s jump in and give them the win on this one.

CAROLINE: Oh, hell, no! I changed my mind. If they want to play games, it’s game on!

DAMON: You realize this ship is about to crash?!

CAROLINE: Nah, they’re playing chicken, and I’m not about to lose! (Sees that the boat is about to hit) Then again, who cares about pride! (She vamp-jumps off board, Damon follows. Once they resurface, they see that the second boat is gone, and that the yacht hadn’t even left the dock; it was all just a mind trick. Up on deck are Bonnie and Stefan looking down on them, laughing and having a glass of champagne).

BONNIE: Payback’s a bitch! That’s for the little prank you pulled on us the other night.

CAROLINE: (Looks at Damon) Oh, I forgot about that one… Oops.

DAMON: Me too… talk about holding a grudge. (To Stefan and Bonnie) Well, guess we are even. Now, can you please get us out of here! (They get them back on board, and give them some dry clothes. After, they all sit on the deck, laugh, drink, and enjoy a beautiful boat ride).

Cut to – the secret facility, surveillance room. Augustus is on a call with Pietro.

AUGUSTUS: I knew you would throw that in my face; some things never change, regardless of how long they’ve been on this earth…

PIETRO: You know that torturing you is my main source of entertainment. By the way, I’m sorry for your loss.

AUGUSTUS: (Laughs) Aw, you’re too kind.

PIETRO: Anyway, back to business; has your son solved the situation?

AUGUSTUS: He’s on it, shouldn’t take long; he contacted the wife’s mother, so Donovan should be receiving the news soon, and on a plane back here for his daddy’s funeral.

PIETRO: That mistake of yours cost me a lot of money, and I expect to be paid back.

AUGUSTUS: Don’t worry, I’ll wire you whatever the sum. Well, there, my part is fixed. Now, how are you doing with the program? Are our recruits ready?

PIETRO: Not by a long shot, but we still have time till they come to play, so, no delays from my part, right on schedule. Plus, your little mistake bought me some extra time, thanks for that.

AUGUSTUS: (Teasing) I did it on purpose, just to help you out. On another note, I’m going to need some extra funding for more of our fun gadgets; I’m thinking going with children, they are the perfect bait.

PIETRO: I’m not going to deny your genius, but you’re a sick puppy. Just send me the amount and I’ll transfer it; minus the sum you owe me. Oh, and I also want you to bring Darius back from la-la land, I know he is a liability, but he can be very helpful too, as long as we can control him. I’m sure one of your toys can help with that.

AUGUSTUS: Really? Darius? I hate that guy, but yeah, I can see how he can be useful. I’ll work on something… definitely with a switch off button.

PIETRO: And a mute button.

AUGUSTUS: I’ll let you know when it’s done, but that’s gonna cost extra.

PIETRO: Fine, cheap-ass, consider it your debt payment.

AUGUSTUS: Done. Oh, before I forget, just as a fun FYI; guess who is trapped in a Bennett prison world, inside another body, with the Gemini psychopath…

PIETRO: That’s an easy guess, those kinds of things can only happen to Katerina Petrova.

AUGUSTUS: Ding, ding, ding! (They laugh).

PIETRO: Oh, Katerina... guess she should have stayed dead. Did I tell you her doppelgänger is part of the program? You know, the one that my dear half-brothers were head over heels for. I have to say, she’s definitely overrated. But anyway, enough with the chit chat, we have a lot of work to get done.

AUGUSTUS: Always a pleasure talking to you, wise-ass.

PIETRO: Always, geek-ass! We’ll talk soon. (They hang up).

Cut to – Matt and Khuyana’s cabin. Matt is reading a letter that has been sent by Khuyana’s mother. As he reads it, he begins to cry.

KHUYANA: Matt? What is it?

MATT: My dad… he’s… dead. (She hugs him).

KHUYANA: Oh, my god… what… what happened?

MATT: I’m not sure; the letter is from Edward; all it says is that he has passed, and that I need to go back. It also has some sort of encrypted message, but I can’t quite figure it out… (hands the letter to Khuyana).

Cut to - Akumal, Mexico. Belvafore and La Bruja are having a beachfront dinner.

LA BRUJA: This place is lovely, thank you for inviting me.

BONNIE: Thank you for coming.

CAROLINE: I’m so happy I finally got to meet you! Bonnie was right, you are so beautiful, inside and out! Grams really knew how to pick them!

LA BRUJA: (Smirks) Carolina, you are such an authentic soul. God bless you.

CAROLINE: Aw, Bruja, you are too sweet.

STEFAN: Can I ask, what’s your real name? We can’t keep calling you La Bruja forever…

LA BRUJA: (Smiles) No, I guess you can’t. It’s Ixchel.

BONNIE: It’s beautiful, what does it mean?

LA BRUJA: It means “Lady Rainbow” in Mayan.

CAROLINE: So fitting!

LA BRUJA: Thank you. So, you are heading back home tomorrow?

BONNIE: Unfortunately, yes. Our moment of bliss has come to an end.

LA BRUJA: Well, you will be back soon enough. I have the perfect spot.

BONNIE: Thanks for your help. And you know, once it’s built, you can stay there for as long as you want.

LA BRUJA: I’ll take your word on that. Well, this has been lovely, but I must be heading off now.

DAMON: So soon? It’s not even 12! Come on, stay for a bit longer.

LA BRUJA: I’d love to, Damon, but I have a midnight ceremony to attend. It has been wonderful meeting you all. (Holds Bonnie’s hand) Remember, brujita Bennett, no matter what is to come, stay true and strong, and you will overcome. Keep that amulet close, trust me, you will need it. (As is her usual MO, she disappears into thin air).

CAROLINE: She’s so amazing!

BONNIE: She really is. Kind of wished I had the chance to see her with Grams.

DAMON: Something tells me you might (sweet smile)...

STEFAN: (Holds his glass up) Guys, this trip has been nothing less than spectacular. To new beginnings! (They cheer, and have a wonderful last night, laughing, dancing, talking, and teasing one another).

TVD 9x12 - There’s no place like home; coming next!

Hope you stop by, read, and enjoy! =)

You can also read the fic here:

https://mytvdfanfic.tumblr.com/

https://archiveofourown.org/works/17683253/chapters/41709824

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ivalice-tifalucis · 5 years ago

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Alright speaking of football, I really and completely dive back into this again. I notice the last time I watch football religiously (like waking up at early morning almost every week just to watch Barca’s game) which was around 2013, I wasn’t active on tumblr yet. I did occassionally reblogged football stuffs. I watched important games like few El Clasicos or Champions League finals. I did sporadic live blogging during the last World Cup. But now that I’m back like really back I notice things are different.

First, women’s football. I once ramble in someone’s post about the inequality of women’s football compare to men in USWNT. I said that women’s football didn’t really develop until 1970s while men’s football was starting to develop since 1900s and so it will take time for women’s football to get more developed. The difference that I notice is that now more mainstream media especially in England, where the center of football is, promotes their women’s team more. I notice Barca also do that for quite a while now, I just couldn’t believe that others do the same!! What I love even more is that if you take a look at let’s say Barca Femeni (who just got a new stadium fyi) or Liverpool’s women videos on youtube, the comments are mostly positive and most come from fanboys. They wish the female team all the best and to succeed, even include them in some banter. People also discuss how to improve women’s football since no matter what female will always going to be physically inferior than men and football is very physically demanding. Like many people suggest that women’s football need to have different regulation with the game. This shows that people care about female football. People also comment on footballers daughter who was just playfully kicking ball with “wow imagine if she becomes a footballer too” like these kinds of comments and discussions didn’t exist 5 years ago.

Second, the wheels are turning. Like a circle of life, there’s also circle of football domination. Last time I’m in, Barca was still a club that everyone are afraid of. Today, we are so poor it makes me sad. Liverpool comeback is just one of those moment. No, not the worst football club yet. We’re just becoming clown now, it’s embarassing. La Masia is also such a mess. That little boy Takefusa Kubo is now Real Madrid young player???!!! I hope we will get better soon (after the board members sacked!!!). I even missed out that Real Madrid won 3 UCL in a row (I only notice 2 until I went to Bernabeu tour and realized they have 13 trophies now 😑). Premier League dynamic has changed a lot. No more big 4 teams, they now have Leicester City too as dark horse. I was shocked when my brother told me they were about to win Premier League like what even the hell was that club?! Manchester United is sucking hard, Chelsea is shifting from rich club who buy everything to so so club to club who grow talents, Liverpool is only few weeks away from ending their 30 years of no league title (no longer a club who only talk about history), Manchester City is undisputedly giant crazy rich team along side PSG. Arsenal is the only one who stay the same, because Arsenal. Germany is suddenly not so good anymore.

Third, best player in the world. Apparently my favorite players are now old and soon will retire (some even have). The banter has shifted to discussion and general consensus that *insert player A* is great player instead of trying to compare A with B. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo fans have finally find consensus that both players are the best ever. Sergio Ramos is now the best defender ever??? (Make sense tho the guy captained Real Madrid who won 3 UCL in a row, forget the fact that he loves collecting red card so much). Gerard Pique also the best now. Neymar since his departure to PSG has become mediocre, sad. Frenkie de Jong, I root for him to be successful. Who else hmm... Jamie Vardy is top scorer (I like him in a way that his life is motivating that sometime good things don’t come immediately like his life and career is quite insane for pro footballer standard, he supposed to not even become a football superstar!!). Mohamed Salah, I heard a lot about him because I have a cousin who is Liverpool die hard fan and media talk about him, he’s great (and sorta feel proud for him because he’s conservative moslem from Egypt, sadly a politically unstable country, and arab which is great for representation. He manages to lift the image of arab people and moslem especially around Merseyside just by being great). Another talent from Liverpool would be Virgil van Dijk that gd soft tall man and good defender but most important is Trent Alexander-Arnold (corner taken quickly which breaks my heart and amaze me at the same time). Kevin de Bruyne is what Pep really love in midfielder and indeed what a talent he is. Erling Haaland is looking good, I hope he’s not just one season wonder. Manuel Neuer is no longer as good as he used to be since terrible injury (now I understand his bloop in WC 2018) but now there are more sweeper keeper just not as crazy as him. He definitely set standards for future goalkeepers.

Fourth, retired players. One by one, players that I watched while growing up have retired. I saw Puyol and Xavi retired. Then Iker Casillas, the most recent one to retired after heart surgery scare last year, now a candidate for RFEF President. Iniesta is soom gonna be retired. David Villa, Fernando Torres. My favorite Spain NT players are now all retired ☹️. Schweinsteiger, Lahm, Robben, Mertesacker. Mertesacker is now Arsenal youth coach??!!! Mikel Arteta is now Arsenal’s coach. Other star players from Premier League like Frank Lampard (now Chelsea’s manager), Steven Gerrard, all have retired and become football manager. And a bit unrelated because I never actually see him playing (because I only start properly watch football since 2010 and by that time he had retired and I only heard stories) but Gary Neville as Valencia’s manager for short time?? 😂 (of course I would know that’s important information for all Carraville shippers). Everytime I hear news about footballer retirement I would be reminded again that I’m old.

Fifth, shipping. If you don’t notice this already, I now ship Jamie Carragher with Gary Neville which is not surprising since I always low key ship Gerard Pique with Sergio Ramos anyway. Apparently I always have a thing with pinning rivaling defenders who are hot headed, reckless, and hate each other at first until one day they don’t. And I swear that’s the most random ever. I’m not even Liverpool fan and never really into Man United (although my brother is sorta fan because he knows much about MU). But it all starts from me going around Liverpool’s tag on tumblr and found Carra’s instagram live. After watching all of their videos in Sky Sports on youtube, consider my self as a carraville. I even always try to find live streaming from Sky Sports for every Premier League matches that I watch. I must say, they’re the ones that make me want to go back to football fandom again.

All in all, I will never stop loving FC Barcelona. I may watch other games, less Barca games maybe because they’re not that enjoyable to watch these days. But now I understand, the feeling of watching Barca loses is different. It just so heartbreaking 😭 my heart only belong to that team. I’m so happy I finally got to be in Camp Nou even though I just lost my wallet at that time.

#my ramblings #story of my life #football #men’s football #soccer #fc barcelona #lionel messi #premier league #liverpool fc #manchester city #manchester united #carraville #real madrid

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cypher2 · 5 years ago

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It's two days before Jess Fishlock flies back to America. She’s been back home in her native Cardiff for a month: the longest period she has been home for since she moved away to Holland aged 19 to pursue her football dream.

She’s 32 now.

The first thing she did after suffering a horrific anterior cruciate ligament injury was book flights to Cardiff.

Home acts as her stabiliser.

“Coming back to Llanrumney and being around my people, it just makes me feel safe,” she says.

Fishlock is a distinctively cool character. Wearing an almost entirely black outfit, the globally-recognised athlete is rocking ankle-skimming trousers, a black tee and leather jacket, with her trademark short blonde hair styled. In one pierced ear is a stud, in the other a gold cross hoop earring, and she wears a low silver chain around her neck.

Jess and Llanrumney

We’re probably within a 10-minute drive of Jess’ family home; the heart of the city suburb that acted as her playground during her childhood.

“I’m a Llanrumney girl, through and through, born and bred”, she proudly says.

“I have that rough side to me, I have that cheeky side to me, I’m fearless.

“I’m lucky because there was so much grass around so I was always playing loads of sports. I was one of six kids, so I was never alone, I was always getting into trouble with my brothers and sisters.

“The beauty of Llanrumney as well is my dad’s one of seven boys, all named Fishlock, all in Llanrumney. So I couldn’t get into too much trouble before my mum would get a phone call, and then I’d be found."

While at home, Jess admits she forgets that she's 'Jess Fishlock MBE': Wales’ most-capped footballer and one of the most recognisable Welsh athletes.

“I went over to watch one of the girls’ teams play the other day on the field and one of the girls just broke down in tears, just from seeing me. I didn’t even say anything to her.

“Her mum was like, ‘Why are you crying?’ She said, ‘I can’t believe it, Jess Fishlock’.

“When I’m home, I forget that.”

As if it’s what every professional athlete would have done, Jess adds, fairly nonchalantly: “So I took her to my house, actually, and gave her one of my shirts, because that’s what Llanrumney is.”

Back to school in Llanedeyrn, and the children - boys and girls, a mixture of ages - have entered the room.

'School's not for everybody - that's not a myth'

We’re at Jess’ former school, St Teilo's Church in Wales High School, although it's not the same building anymore. When Jess attended, the school was the other side of the hill but it’s now housed in a huge, modern, impressive home.

When telling her friends she was heading back here to speak to pupils, they had joked that she was brave.

In an interview published earlier this year, Jess had described her time at school as “hell on Earth”.

She’s here to set the record straight.

When setting her mind to doing some community work while home, she decided she absolutely wanted to return.

After her saddening comment was published, the school’s headteacher Ian Loynd dug out her email. When it pinged in her inbox, she knew going back was the right thing to do.

“Coming back here after me coming out and saying that school was hard for me, I don’t want this school to think it was because of them. It wasn’t, it was a time of my life and school isn’t for everybody - that’s not a myth.

“But although it was a very hard time in my life, it was still a school that I went to every single day, I got through it and it helped to mould me into who I am, whether that be great or bad experiences.

“You can’t just shut out all the bad stuff, because it’s the bad stuff that actually makes you a better person.”

She elaborates, and clarifies she wasn’t exactly the perfect pupil.

“I could have applied myself a little bit better in school, probably. But if you’re not comfortable somewhere, it’s hard to do that and I think that goes in any part of life.”

'Nothing about school helped me be me'

After the school talk, Jess shares a vivid memory that would make any listener uncomfortable, but if offers an honest insight into her school experience.

“Back then, the stairs wherever you went were segregated – boys only, girls only. And for someone like me at that point, I had short hair as I do now - which is far more acceptable nowadays than it was back then - you could only imagine what was being said in these stairwells.”

She would also go into the girls’ locker room and be told, “You’ve got short hair – you’re a boy”.

“At the time, when you don’t know what is actually going on with your own body, you don’t know, you don’t understand it because back then there was a rule that you couldn’t educate anybody on homosexuality, it was just ‘boy and girl’.

“They’re the most important years of your developmental life and everything that I was, in school I could not be.

“I couldn’t play football, I wasn’t really comfortable going from class to class because I’d have to go through these stairwells where I knew something was going to be said.

“Going into school every day there was nothing about it that helped me be who I am or who I wanted to be from a professional perspective, and who I was as a human. Just try to imagine that as an adult.

“And then try to imagine that as a child.”

Remarkably, she holds no bitterness.

“A generation of people went through the same stuff, it’s just I’m talking about it and I don’t want it to happen to anybody else.”

Jess says she knew she was gay around the age of 12.

“I knew really young. But knowing it and accepting it are two different things.”

She was terrified, not in herself, but of people knowing.

“Knowing it would be hard for my mum and dad, hard for my family, impossible for my grandparents and in a different kind of world, really, to the rest of society, now that is scary, especially for a 12-year-old.”

Sport, and nature-filled surroundings, acted as her respite.

“I was lucky because I would go out in the evening and I would play football.

“And then I would have a terrible day and then I would play football, and everything would be fine, and I’d go back to school. That was just what it was.”

When one of the pupils asks her how many league titles she’s won, she literally has to stop, look down and count.

“One sec,” she says, prompting a few giggles.

“I don’t know, more than 15.”

Every story starts somewhere.

And, for this double Champions League winner who has played in countries from Australia to Germany and France to America, her football story starts aged seven.

Elder sister Kathryn wanted to go to a summer football camp near Heath park. Jess had no interest, but it was either join in or stay in her bedroom.

Jess’ mum still has the picture of Jess that day that was published in the newspaper, where she has a mushroom haircut, ball in arms, looking at the camera.

Jess name-checks Cardiff City Ladies’ club chair Michelle Adams MBE and secretary Karen Jones MBE as pivotal figures who helped her.

She was allowed to train with teenagers at the club when she was seven years old, and then with the adults aged 12 onwards.

“I remember I’d be shouting and crying to my mum if I’d go to training and Karen and Michelle would say ‘you can’t train with them today, you have to train with the youth’. I would just bawl!”

Seattle Reign

Jess is settled in Seattle having played for the city club, Reign FC, for almost seven years.

For an athlete of her profile and success, she is astonishingly grounded.

Frequently acknowledging how others have guided her, she uses the word ‘lucky’ no less than 11 times during an hour-long interview to describe her journey.

But it hasn’t always been a smooth ride.

After dropping out of college to concentrate on making football her career, she got a job - working in customer services for a telecomms provider. She was working 40 hours per week aged 16 to be able to pay her way and afford her football equipment.

“If I went back, I’d probably change my decision, even though it’s worked out.”

A few years later, aged 19, Jess had moved to Holland to play for AZ Alkmaar. It was her first time living outside of Llanrumney, pretty much, and she wasn’t coping well three months in.

“I rang my mum, crying my eyes out, ‘I can’t do this, I hate it, it’s not what I wanted, it’s not what I thought it was going to be, I’m coming home’.

“Her response was, ‘You’re not coming home, but if you do come home, you’re not living here’.”

Her mum Sharon can’t believe she tells this story to other people, Jess comically concedes.

“She said, ‘Give it until after Christmas and if you don’t feel any better, I’ll fly you home’.”

That was another three months away.

“Obviously I got upset and hated my mum at that point in time, which she always says was the hardest thing for her.

“She wanted me to go home, of course she did, but she knew that was selfish of her to want me to come home, because she knew that I wanted my career more than I wanted anything.

“In three months, I was having the time of my life. I just turned a corner, I don’t know what it was, broke through it and signed a two-year deal.”

It’s clear to see how much family means to Jess. She envisages returning to Wales to live permanently at some stage: to be closer to them, and to enjoy being an auntie.

Jess says she learned one of the most important lessons in life from her parents when she told them she was gay.

“Their love for me never faltered and all they needed was education and understanding.

“That’s one of the best lessons of my entire life that my mum and dad have taught me, without knowing, is the ability to understand something and want to learn to understand something for the sake of somebody else, is the most powerful thing."

December 2018 saw the Wales footballer become Jess Fishlock MBE at Buckingham Palace for her services to football and the LGBT community. At the time, she said it meant so much more to receive it for both, and not just football.

In August this year, she was named in our Pinc List as the most influential LGBT+ person in Wales.

“It’s nice to be recognised for being visible and pushing the LGBTQ agenda, but I think I will always do that anyway.

“I think a massive part of LGBTQ ignorance and the darker side of it comes from a lack of understanding. I don’t think it’s genuine hate. I mean, that does exist, but I don’t believe that it is that, I truly believe it is a lack of understanding and visibility of what it means and what you feel and that kind of stuff.”

'Your influence on society won't stop when your career is over'

Jess is adamant that she could not just disregard her platform.

“Sports is at a point right now where so many more sportspeople are coming out and trying to change life things and politics, and that’s not a bad thing at all, but it is up to us to also be a little bit humble with that.”

Referring to her Reign FC teammate and USA World Cup winner Megan Rapinoe - who, along with her team, came in for a lot of negative attention during the Women's World Cup - Jess says: “When you get to that point, like Megan is now, winning games and winning these championships is amazing, but it’ll end at some point.

“What won’t end is your influence on society and your influence on the next generation.”

Jess agrees that the public reaction to the USA team speaks volumes about how sportswomen are generally expected to behave.

“I think they expect women to behave differently. I don’t think they expect women to have the little bit of arrogance to come and do a celebration, although it’s brilliant and it’s funny.

“And yet Ronaldo and Messi can take off their jerseys and hold their shirts up, but [USA star] Alex [Morgan] can’t sip a little bit of tea, which, by the way, was hysterical, and Megan can’t just pose after she’s just knocked out France. What is the problem with a female kicking ass, celebrating it, why does that bring you so much negativity?”

Wales' hopes for Euro 2021 and progress

She has missed the start of Wales’ new campaign as they bid to qualify for Euro 2021, being hosted in England. We won’t see her in a Welsh jersey again probably before April.

“Every day is like, ‘I’m going to retire’ and then, ‘Oh, I’m fine’, and then, ‘Oh no, I’m going to retire’ again. That’s kind of the everyday mental progress of it.

“But, physically, it’s fine. My biggest drive to get back is to put on the Welsh jersey again.

“I think if we were able to qualify for Euro 2021, I think it would change the nation. It would change the dynamic, completely, and ultimately that’s what we want to try to do.

“If we don’t qualify then we can really deem it as failure because we have a good enough squad, we have a good enough group to be qualifying for a major tournament."

Just one poignant sign of progress made in recent years is the surprise that players were given at a friendly against Italy back in January: having their names on the back of their shirts for the very first time.

It had been organised by FAW backroom staff, and how much this meant is not to be underestimated.

“People who we’d worked with for a few years behind the scenes, they were fighting it for us – I think that is more powerful than anything else.

“That means so much more to us than us going into a boardroom and trying to fight with the FAW, which we would never do. We have a great relationship with the FAW and Jonathan Ford.”

Beginning the previous campaign with a couple of hundred supporters per game, The Red Wall flourished as Wales’ hopes of qualifying for the World Cup grew over the last campaign, before their final test against the Lionesses saw them miss out. That match was watched by more than 5,000 fans inside Rodney Parade.

Addressing the increased interest, Jess says: “It’s huge.

“It’s what it should be, but ultimately it’s what it should be because of who we are and what we’ve done.

“It’s wrong for us to say this should just happen anyway, because there has to be an element of development and an element of success.

“You don’t just demand stuff because you’ve got a job. You have to work at it.”

There is a long way to go in terms of catching up with the growth, visibility and commercial aspect to the men’s game.

Given the generally inclusive, accepting and welcoming vibe in women’s football - and men’s football not exactly being known for such qualities - I ask if there are aspects of the game and what goes with it that Jess would not want to see inherited from the men’s game.

“A hundred per cent, and that’s one of our biggest fears in women’s football is that we’re going to grow it, and we want to grow it so fast, that we make the wrong decisions and then it becomes exactly like the men’s game. And we don’t want that. Categorically.

“People might read this who are in the women’s game and be like, ‘no’, but I’m telling you now we don’t want that.”

She cites racism, abuse at players and the negative side of social media.

“What is beautiful about the women’s game is that it is inclusive, it is relatively safe and, as we grow it, we have to keep that. It is the most important part of it as far as I’m concerned.”

It’s approaching the end of the school Q&A on a sunny Friday afternoon in September.

“I would love to say I went to all my classes, but I didn’t. Don't listen to Jess Fishlock! But I’m not going to lie to you and say I was the best student in the world, I wasn’t.”

There’s the cue from the FAW’s media officer that it might be a good point to end the visit.

She laughingly agrees.

The headteacher explains there is a ban on mobile phones in the building, but makes an exception for selfies and pictures in honour of their special guest, to which Jess seems delighted and breaks into a cheeky smile.

“Breaking all the rules, I am back in school! Nothing’s changed!”

Let’s hope she carries on breaking every rule she sets her mind to.

Katie Sands | Wales Online Oct 6, 2019

#wales women's football #wales wnt #jess fishlock #woso #women in sport #i love her with all my heart #my baby tiny dragon

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emperorsfoot · 5 years ago

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New one-shot while I procrastinate on the latest chapter of my serialized fic.

Hordak and Entrapta will keep working on the portal until it's perfect. After all, Hordak can't go home until it's perfect.

Catra chose to stay in the Crimson Wastes with Scorpia. To rule the desert as Warlord and her Princess. They got their happily ever after.

Adora was not dragged back to the Fright Zone.

No deus ex First Ones Runesword was ever thrown at Hordak and Entrapta’s feet.

The portal was never opened.

Reality was never unmade.

As Entrapta suggested, the pair just kept working on their project. Refusing to declare it ‘Done’ until it was perfect. It could not be done until it was perfect.

Hordak could not go home until it was perfect.

…

“I’ve added new grounding stabilizers.” Entrapta was explaining.

Hordak watched how her prehensile hair moved as she spoke. Pointing out on the diagrams and animations of the displays what the truly important details were. How the tendrils would curl around to frame one image, or thrust out and straighten like pikes to point out other details. No one in the Horde Empire possessed a physical attribute like that. This was something that could only be found on Etheria. This was something that could only be experienced with Entrapta.

Once he left, he would never get this animated and enthralling briefing experience again.

“That should prevent any future overloads and explosions, and also allow us to hold it open longer. Maybe not long enough for solid matter to pass through. But at least long enough for you to get your signal out. That way, at least- Hordak?” She paused in her rambling explanation. Hair stopped coiling and undulating around the computers display and instead frizzed out slightly with her sudden frustration. “Are you paying attention?”

He cleared his throat. Hordak hadn’t realized he was staring. Staring with an absurd expression of dreamy admiration on his face. “Ah, ahm. Yes. Your improvements appear sound in theory. We shall implement them immediately! I cannot return home until it is perfect!”

Off to the side, Imp fluttered down from the rafters to perch next to Emily. Both deamon and robot exchanged a look. As if they somehow knew more than their masters did.

…

Talons clacked against the keys of a lab console as Hordak typed furiously. Line, after line, of complexed coding. In the peripheral of his vision, he saw a shadow of lavender and violet slink up around him.

“What’cha doing?” Entrapta asked from above him. Her hair lifting her up to suspend her over the console so she could both examine the lines of complicated code, as well as look down into his face to read his expression.

“I am composing the message we will send through the portal for Horde Prime.” He supplied easily enough.

“Oh.” Entrapta looked at the lines of code again. They filled the whole screen. “I didn’t realize it had to be so complexed. I thought it was just gonna be a series of beeps. Like ‘SOS’ or something.”

Hordak’s taloned fingers paused, mid-typing. He looked back up at the lines of text he’d already composed. Then he looked away again, refusing to admit that he might be embarrassed. “The Emperor of the Known Universe does not answer to random beeps without context. He must know it is form me.” He informed her. “It must be perfect. I cannot return home until it is perfect.”

…

Entrapta set down her welding torch and lifted her mask to smile at her work. Using her hair to lift herself off the floor. “I think we’re ready for our next test. Pull the lever!”

But Hordak wasn’t looking at her. He had picked up something from the floor of her work station. Something on the floor suspiciously close to the waste bin, as if she tried to throw it away but missed. An ivory colored envelope bade from heavy cardstock. He opened it to discover an invitation to a gathering of some kind.

“Oh, that.” Entrapta had slunk up beside him, her hair never making a sound as she moved. “You can just throw that away.”

“What is this?” He asked, genuinely curious. It was not an invitation to any event in the Fright Zone. The fact that no paper so nice existed in the Fright Zone aside, the invitation stated that the event would be held in Plumeria. A territory of Etheria that was in open resistance of the Horde. Why would they be sending invitations to gatherings to someone they knew was working in collaboration with the leader of the Horde?

“It’s just the traditional invitation to Princess Prom.” Using a single tendril of hair, Entrapta snapped her welding mask back down over her face –although, there was nothing left that needed to be welded. “They only sent it to me because I’m a Princess. They have to. But I wasn’t going to go.” Hordak watched her pitter around the lab, her mask down over her face. A coping mechanism he noticed she did only when she was about to feel difficult emotions. It hurt her to receive the invitation. Why? Because she had placed herself on the other side of the line. Because she was in league with the enemies of the Hostess and probably every other Princess there? Was she afraid they would ostracizes her if she did attend? If they did, they why invite her at all? Because of the convention of ‘tradition’.

“What do you do at this… Princess Prom?” He heard himself asking slowly, turning the invitation in his hands.

“Me? Mostly I just people-watch.” Entrapta explained. Then lifted her mask to smile at him. “Princess Prom is the best social experiment on Etheria! So many people all shoved into one room together. Competing motivations and desires, everyone’s the same rank and royal status, but social hierarchies form, relationships are formed or destroyed, it’s very exciting!”

It sounded like an average political affair to Hordak. Not unlike some of the state dinners or court hunts Horde Prime hosted back when Hordak was in favor as top general at the Emperor’s right hand. But that wasn’t the part that he focused on, all Hordak heard was that nobody interacted with Entrapta. Even before she took up residence in the Fright Zone.

For some reason, that made the dark Lord’s hackles rise. How dare they snub so brilliant and clearly superior a creature as Entrapta! This would not stand!

According to the invitation in his hands, Entrapta was allowed a plus-one. She could bring one guest of her choice. His thin lips curled into a smile. “Imagine how much more exciting the experience would be if you were to arrive with the Lord of the Horde as your companion.”

Her eyes lit up, excited. She did actually want to go, and his offer to go with her made her happy. Hordak felt an off warm fuzzy feeling in his chest when she smiled and he feared his implants, or perhaps the new exo-suit might be malfunctioning.

“Really? You’d come with me?” She said through a smile. “I’ve never had a date to Prom before! One year I tried bringing one of my robots, but they made me check him at the door. Apparently, robots and non-sentient constructs count as ‘weapons and accessories’, not guests.”

“They cannot make you leave me at the entrance.” Hordak proclaimed. “I will not allow it!”

She was smiling so wide now. She was so happy. But then Entrapta’s smile faultered, her mile-a-minute mind reminding her that they had other priorities. “But what about the portal? If we go to Princess Prom, we’ll lose a whole day of work.”

“An acceptable delay.” He assured her. “When Horde Prime comes through the portal to collect me, he shall see the state of things here. He shall see that I am… delayed in my conquest. Since the militaristic approach has not worked, diplomacy must become a viable option. Everything must be perfect when we open the portal. I cannot go home until things are perfect.”

…

The look on the Princesses’ faces alone made the break from the portal project and the trip from the Fright Zone worth it.

Hordak did not like Plumeria from the first moment he set foot within its borders. It was early evening by the time they arrived at Princess Prom. The event was held outside. With delicate tiny fairy-lights strung between the trees, tables draped in natural linen with sage burlap table runners, the music was lutes and harps playing a gentle –bland- melody, and all the offered food was not only vegetarian but vegan as well.

As per custom, Entrapta and her plus one approached where Perfuma sat under her Heart Blossom tree, to give the traditional greeting to their Honorable Hostess.

Hordak gave a measured bow of the appropriate depth and held it for the appropriate count of seconds. He had been a general on the Imperial cabinet, he studied the rules of etiquette for this event the same way as he would any pertinent intel prior to a military strike. When he raised his head, it took every ounce of carefully drilled military discipline not to smirk at the blond tree-hugger Princess.

Brown eyes wide with shock, freckles colored red emotions she was trying hard to conceal. As Hostess of this event, she had to maintain composure at all times and not offend or alienate her guests just as much as her guests could not offend or alienate her. “Uh- I-“ She cleared her throat. “I welcome you under the Ancient Rules of Hospitality. Leave conflict at the door and please enjoy the Ball.”

She chewed on her bottom lip nervously. Hordak wanted to wait there a moment longer just to make the Princess more uncomfortable.

“Thanks!” Entrapta wrapped tendril of hair around Hordak and pulled him away from Perfuma, almost pulling him off her feet as she did. “I can’t wait to compare the data of this year’s Social Experiment to last year’s!”

She pulled Hordak over to the buffet table. A long spread of cucumber and non-dairy cream cheese sandwiches, radish rosettes, avocado toast, stuffed mushrooms, spinach puffs, and a boring vegetable tray with a dip. There was absolutely nothing on the table Hordak could eat –Horde Clones being carnivores by nature.

But Entrapta filled a side pouch of her overalls with spinach puffs and tiny sandwiches. All the while talking into her recorder. “Tensions are already high and we’ve only just arrived.” She narrated. “Perfuma was visibly upset by my choice of guest, but under the Ancient Rules of Hospitality couldn’t turn us away. Results to follow.”

She switched off the recorder and beamed up at Hordak.

He couldn’t help smiling back at her.

The recorder was slipped back into another pocket of her overalls. “Thank you for coming with me. This is… I’m so used to coming to these things alone, and I just-“

“I can’t believe you!”

The angry shout drew both their attention.

Glimmer, Princess of Bright Moon stood in a ball gown, flanked by former-Force Captain Adora, and the Rebel Archer Bow –similarly dressed in formal wear. The Princess’ shoulders were hunched, her eyes hard, teeth bared as if she were readying for a fight. Glimmer fumed at them. “How could you bring him as your plus one!? After everything he’s done!”

The recorder was back in Entrapta’s hand as Hordak just stood there, unsure as to what he should do. His base instinct as a Horde warrior was to dispatch the hostile element with extreme prejudice. She was very clearly threatening his… companion. But the calculating general part of his brain had to hold him back, remembering that conflict within the ball was expressly forbidden. Besides, he was here for Entrapta and Entrapta did not seem to feel particularly threatened.

“Hostilities rise as old grudges bubble to the surface.” She narrated into her recorder. “More than just Perfuma are upset by my Guest’s presence.”

“Do you even care?” Glimmer demanded.

Entrapta tapped her chin, looking up in thought. “Well… you guys didn’t seem to care all that much when you left me in the Fright Zone, so…”

Glimmer could only growl.

Adora stepped forward. “We didn’t mean to abandon you!” She insisted. “We thought you were dead!”

“Based on what evidence?” The tone Entrapta used when she demanded that was almost regal. Hordak knew she was a Princess and ruler of her own Queendom of Dryl, but that was the first time he’d ever actually seen her act or sound like a Queen.

“We saw you die!” Adora insisted.

“But I didn’t die.” Entrapta reminded her. “So what did you see?”

“Well, the blast door slammed shut behind us before you could get out, then it was purged and- we just-“

“So, you didn’t see anything.” Entrapta crossed her arms over her chest with the conclusion. “You just assumed I was dead and wrote me off.”

“That’s not-“

But they were cut off again when the crowd breathed a collective gasp. The latest guests to arrive and pay their respects to Perfuma as the Honorable Hostess were two people they did not expect to attend either. Hordak thought they were dead. Adora thought she’d never see them outside of the Crimson Wastes again.

Scorpia, with Catra at her side, were just straightening from their ceremonial bows to Perfuma.

Hordak had to suppress a snort of irony. “This event is just full of reunions.”

“Catra!” Entrapta went sprinting over to her friend. “You’re alive!”

Before the others were even aware of it, Glimmer, Bow, and Adora were left alone with Hordak. The trio stared up at the Lord of the Horde. He was tall, but somehow seemed less imposing hallowed by the fairy lights of Plumeria’s trees.

There was a pregnant pause in which no one said anything.

The Bow, ever the arbiter of peace, gave an awkward little chuckle. He lifted the veggie tray off the table. “Carrot stick?” He offered to Hordak.

The Lord of the Horde just brushed past him to rejoin Entrapta as she caught up with her other friends.

“Yeah…” Scorpia was saying. “Things were just going so great for us in the Crimson Wastes that Catra and I just decided to stay. She’s practically Warlord of the Wastes now. And I’m her Princess. We’ve ever got a kid!”

“Really?” Entrapta’s eyes lit up upon hearing that her friends were no only alive, but also happy, healthy, and thriving.

“Yeah!” Scorpia reached into her clutch purse and pulled out a pocket holo-projector. She pulled up the image of a tiny baby, with fuzzy pointed cat ears and a scorpion tail. “She’s only six weeks old, it’s hard being apart from her. That’s why we’re late, and we’re gonna leave early too. I just wanna hold her all the time! Ya know.”

Catra caught someone else approaching their group and turned to face them, a scathing smirk pulling at her lips. “Hey, Adora.”

The former-Force Captain stopped short. “Catra.”

There was another pregnant pause in which nobody said anything. Adora’s eyes flicked to the picture Scorpia was holding. Of a new born infant, balled thus far, with Catra’s fuzzy brown ears, and Scorpia’s red poison tail. They did not have pincers, but the fingers of the hands were fused together to give the appearance of pincer claws. Scorpia and Catra’s daughter.

Adora’s eyes flicked back to Catra. “I’m glad you finally found happiness.” She said. Then ran back to Bow and Glimmer.

The recorder was back in Entrapta’s hair. “Ooh… feelings are hurt as old friends move on from past rejection.”

“Still stealing food and spying on people.” Catra observed, smiling at Entrapta. “Nice to see somethings never change.”

“Oh, but something has changed!” Announced the eccentric scientist. She wrapped one tendril of hair around Hordak’s arm and pulled him closer to her. “I have a date!”

Catra looked up at him. Just as tall as he always was, but somehow less intimidating in the soft lighting with the gentle sound of lutes and harps wafting around them. “Lord Hordak.”

“Force Captain Catra.” He nodded back, wondering if he should bring up the fact that she and Scorpia basically deserted the Horde and remind her that they had penalties for desertion.

“It’s ‘Warlord Catra’ now, actually.” She corrected him. “I’m ruler of the Crimson Wastes.”

“Hey! Maybe the Crimson Wastes could make a treaty with the Horde!” Scorpia suggested happily.

Hordak paused before shooting the idea down outright. He did tell Entrapta before coming here that the military approach hadn’t worked. That he needed to try diplomacy instead. The Crimson Waste was as good a place as any to start. He could not face Horde Prime as a failure. Everythign had to be perfect when they opened the portal.

He could not go home until it was perfect.

…

The day after Princess Prom they both rested for the majority of the day. The only time spent in the lab was when Entrapta had to recalibrate Hordak’s exo-suit. All the pollen in the air in Plumeria hadn’t done any favors for its filtration systems.

Aside from that, the majority of the day was spent in restful relaxation.

“Are you sure you don’t mind that we didn’t work on the portal at all today?” Entrapta asked when a soldier brought their dinners to the throne room.

Hordak waited until the soldier was once again out of the room before answering. “It is fine. You are of no use to me if you are exhausted from yesterday’s frivolities. We shall return to our work tomorrow. The portal must be perfect.” He reminded her. “Otherwise I cannot return home.”

Imp fluttered down rom the back of the throne to sit on Hordak’s thigh. Opening his mouth, the little deamon threw the dark Lord’s last word back at him. ‘Home, home, home.’

��

“We should move it outside.” Hordak suggested.

“Huh?” Entrapta blinked at him. She was about to switch it on so he could send his signal though. “Why?”

“When Prime opens it from his side, he will send his army through.” Hordak reminded her. “I cannot have dreadnaughts and capital ships materializing in my lab. The portal needs to be moved outside.”

Hard to argue with that logic. After sending the initial signal, whoever was on the other side would seek out their portal as a sort of ‘receiver’ to connect to the other side. The portal could not be inside the central Horde command building when things started coming through it. “Okay.”

They spent the entire rest of the day moving the delicate equipment outside, enlisting Lonnie, Kyle, and Rogelio to help them.

By the time it was done, everyone was exhausted and Hordak’s exo-suit needed to be tuned again. They did not switch the portal on and send the signal through. The soldiers were dismissed for the night and Hordak retired to his Sanctum to be attended to by Entrapta.

But that was okay. Hordak was not frustrated. Taking their time and doing things right just means that, when they finally did switch it on, it would be perfect. Hordak could not go home until it was perfect.

…

They didn’t work on the portal the following day either, because the party from the Crimson Wastes arrived to negotiate their treaty with the Horde.

Hordak spent the entire day sequestered in lengthy meetings about weapons exchange, technology sharing, intel on She-Ra and the First Ones, what benefits the Horde got out of the arrangement, what benefits Catra expected out of the arrangement.

Hordak didn’t even get to see Entrapta all day, never mind work on the portal with her.

But the next day… the next day found them both outside, at its new location.

Entrapta double checked the connections to the power source, while Hordak ran one final diagnostic of his transmitter and message.

He looked up at Entrapta, focused on her task. Eyes bright with enjoyment of her craft. Hair undulating with her motion, deftly moving at their detailed work.

He could not take Entrapta with him when he returned to the Horde –to the real Horde, the Empire. She wouldn’t have a place there. They had their own scientists. They had no use for small alien tech-gremlins with no concept of fear or personal preservation. Entrapta would not last a week in Horde Prime’s court.

“Wait!” He found himself barking at her.

“Huh?” She looked up at him, confused. “Something wrong on the diagnostics?”

Hordak froze, unable to put these strange alien feeling he was having into words. “I can’t-“ He faltered. The Horde did not teach vocabulary to describe these symptoms he was feeling. “The color. The casing.” He said instead. “The portal looks cobbled together out of garbage!” Because it was cobbled together out of spare parts. “The Emperor of the Known Universe cannot come through this! It must be prefect. I cannot go home until it is perfect.”

…

The next day, Entrapta cornered Hordak in his private chambers, before he even rose out of bed.

“Morning!” She hung half out of an air vent above him, shocking him awake.

“Entrapta!” Hordak pulled the blankets up around his chin to cover himself. He wasn’t sure what rules of modesty she was used to on this backwater mud ball of a planet. But where he was from, males and females did not just drop in on each other in their bed clothes! (Or lack of clothes.)

Swinging on her hair, Entrapta dropped down from the vent to land on the foot of his bed. “I painted the casing on the portal.” She informed him. “It’s red. Red and chrome. It should be fine for your Emperor. We moved it outside so the capital ships don’t destroy your base. You’ve already got your signal coded and ready to go.”

He blinked at her. “Your efforts have gone above and beyond that of a-“

“So, it’s perfect.” She cut him off. “You can go home any time.”

It was perfect. He could go home.

Hordak stared at her. Fuchsia eyes bright with anticipation. Hair frizzed out with excitement. Perching on the foot of his bed on her toes. Usually Hordak abhorred shoes on his bed. But, when it was Entrapta… he seemed not to mind so much. It seemed… right, somehow. Her. Here. In his most private chambers, where he slept, and took off his exo-suit, and allowed himself to be most vulnerable.

He had already allowed himself to be vulnerable around her before. It was that very vulnerability that prompted her to build him the exo-suit. It was a level of safety he could never and would never find in the Horde. Being vulnerable around her even made him stronger.

In a sparkling moment of horrifying clarity, he realized, all this time he spent saying he could not go ‘home’, he was no longer thinking of the Empire as ‘home’.

“What if…” He began, doubting himself. But she would just hound him until he finished his thought. So Hordak pressed on. “What if I decided I was already home?”

Home was wherever Entrapta was.

It was perfect.

…

END

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