#it can be incredibly overwhelming for new players

[dawnbreakerluna]

Here's my biggest complaint: I think Infold missed a huge opportunity by not making Love & Deepspace an action, open-world RPG game compared to a mobile otome game. While I do understand the safer route it takes and how it can appeal to a certain audience for the better of profit and accessible marketing, it's becoming a bit overwhelming with how broad the lore is becoming and how the storytelling is incredibly multilayered. And while I'm always for the method of irregular storytelling to leave more mystery and opening room for interpretation / discussion with other players, I think there is only so much that Infold can actually maintain on a mobile platform.

I've spoken countlessly about how L&DS shares elements similar to that of the modern Final Fantasy games and Devil May Cry (particularly DMC5 since it's the most recent). While I initially thought this was just for the character design and the design of the combat system, I'm soon realizing that the amount of theories I see about the story are beginning to venture towards a bigger platform.

I think even Infold themselves is realizing this big oopsie they did because I feel like after the big release of Sylus's debut, there's beginning to feel like a strong lack of focus and care towards the main story. I thought Zayne's story branch was going to be bigger than it was when the trailer dropped... only to feel really underwhelmed at the end? I've restrained myself from playing Rafayel's latest branch for this reason because I don't feel as excited like I used to and I'm unsure of what I'm going to get since Infold's lost my trust as they're in a cash-grab cow era at the moment!

But in truth, if Infold isn't going to change this up soon, the game is just going to get boring. I think player burnout is more prevalent now because of the overwhelming amount of content and the announcement of a new quad banner. I'm not the only player who is being vulnerable about the difficulties of being f2p compared to those who can afford pulling for every banner and spending beyond $1k on this game.

That's the thing, as well. The controversial thing I believe is that Infold would've made the same profit, if not more, by making L&DS an RPG. It would still have the same effect, and fans would still be making the same kind of lewd content. You think hack-and-slash games are free from the perverted freaks of fandom? Absolutely not, LMAO. Here's an example of how this could've gone:

The main story as the open world exploration, as the main quest the player can engage in. MC is still customizable entirely in the functions it has now, but if for an open-world RPG, I would suggest adding the option for more diverse body types. I would love to see the Hunter HQ and Linkon City as open spaces to walk around and explore. Imagine how sick the N109 Zone would look.

There can be MULTIPLE ways to attain the Memories. In my opinion, with this format, all the perma-banner Memories are attainable. You can get Memories by completing boss fights, side quests, or unlocking them by doing secret quests. It's like basic game achievements. As for the limited Memories, Infold could STILL program codes for temporary events, collabs, DLCs, etc. Ex. Final Fantasy 15 did this for something related to Assassin's Creed, and by participating in that event, you would unlock the event outfits permanently for the whole party. THAT is how it should be for the limited Memories. By completing the event's tasks (can be with any LI of choice), you unlock the Memories, the outfits, and so on. If players want the limited event content after, they can and should be purchased with IN-GAME CURRENCY.

Abyssal Chaos can still be a thing with the same reward system. This would be a great way to complete challenges and encourage people to improve their combat play style. However, there could be more missions beyond Tobias' story to complete. More levels of difficulty too, that way the challenges are bigger and it gives people ample time to actually prepare if they're trying to 100% everything even on the hardest difficulty.

The additional base game outfits that are perma-available to unlock with Chocolates, etc. should be able to be unlocked with leveling up your character. No payments. I said what I said.

Oh, also, conclusively, the main story would be finished. It's just that it would take a VERY long time to complete the game and on top of wanting to get all the achievements, it would take you even longer. I know certain people prefer a canon ending, but this type of game and story format would benefit from a choose-your-own-path type of path. I'm not even sorry, LMAO. Plenty of games in this format have done this, and once again, it gives you more incentive to play the game more if you want to achieve all four endings with each LI or something. You'll be fine, you'll live!

[oathofkaslana]

i cant talk for any other hyv game but i do think it’s interesting how hi3 and genshin’s story flaws/ideals are bc of the very specific medium they’re in.

[racke7]

Me vs FF14 part... 2?

It's taken me pretty much three full days of running from cutscene to cutscene. But I've finally reached Heavensward.

And like... on some level? I'm kind of offended?

Like, a part of me genuinely wants to replay the entire game from the start "as something else" (different main-class, different race, different starting-area, whichever), because the dungeon-queuing system is actually really fun when you start to Understand it.

As in, FF14 has somehow made an MMO that has almost eliminated the feeling that it is a level-grind? Partially? It's turned the whole thing into a surprisingly comfortable level of (limited, but genuine) social interaction.

To the point where even someone who isn't obsessively grind-focused like me, can genuinely enjoy themselves. Just queuing up for dungeons, Hunting some bounties, and-...

And then FF14 has so many fucking quests that it literally chokes the life out of the gameplay.

As an example, one of their biggest dungeon-draws (bcs high rewards) is a quest that almost everyone hates playing. Because doing that dungeon means watching literally eighteen minutes of unskippable cutscenes.

And that's with them having reduced the amount of cutscenes in that dungeon, because the players complained so much about them.

Like... I'd be perfectly happy replaying the game from the start with a different character, even knowing that leveling isn't some kind of pain-free thing. But the thought of having to restart the fucking Main-Quest? Of having to spend literal days just running back-and-forth to cutscenes?

I'm currently feeling a bit burned-out as a result of the binge I went on to get here, but I'm pretty damn sure that I wouldn't replay this fucking thing even if you paid me for it.

(And, of course, Heavensward also has a Main-Quest continuation that you have to follow. And now I'm not even allowed to fly everywhere to cut down on the "running back-and-forth"-part of my complaints. Not until they arbitrarily allow me to discover flight for the new areas, by going through even more of the Main-Quest.)

(Not to mention that now I have to go back and do even more Class-quests, with their own cutscenes, in order to unlock a bunch of skills.)

(I'm very fond of the "the church is evil because it doesn't let you fuck dragons"-meme, and I'm very much seeing it. But like... come the fuck on. Why is this MMO a feature-length movie-series? Why can't I just play the game and have fun?)

[ziracona]

Iirc Griffin did something similar in Amnesty, when Aubrey succeeded on a roll that should've saved another character's life, but it didn't work and I don't think they ever explained why

Yeah!! And in Amnesty, Ned used a point of LUCK. To get a 12. That in MOTW is a guaranteed success. You do not take harm in Protect Someone if you use luck. Also, a fucking shotgun does not DO 7 points of harm anyway. It’s 3. And he fucking KILLED him. Never forgiving Griffin for that one >.>

[santaeofficial]

Week One Kickstarter Recap: Fully Funded In 28minutes, SIX Stretch Goals Achieved, Official Dino-Pet Reveal, Newest Pet Name Reveal and A Huge Thank You to our Beautiful Community!

We are officially at our 1 week mark into our Kickstarter Journey, and what an incredible journey is has been so far. Our absolutely wonderful community never ceases to amaze us! Thanks to the outpouring of love and support, not only were we fully funded in 28 minutes, we have officially unlocked SIX of our stretch goalsand are closing in on the seventh! We can hardly believe the momentum, and we are beyond grateful to every single one of you for making this possible. Santae is truly coming to life in ways we never imagined possible this soon, all thanks to YOU ALL!

We’re also excited to announce that we’ve added another new stretch goal! At the $65k mark, we will be unlocking a Dynamic Animated Weather & Seasons Systemthat will transform the world of Santae. This feature will introduce animated weather changes as well as animated seasonal effects that directly influence gameplay and provide a stunning immersive experience. Imagine your adventures under sun, snow, or rain—each weather change will bring new events, bonuses, and challenges, making Santae feel even more alive! (We also, as with our current animations, will be adding the toggle feature to turn any animations off to only showcase the static images for any players with sensitivites.)

And now, for a formal reveal… the completed Velotra! You’ve all been eagerly awaiting this, and we are thrilled to present the completed pose and rendering of this dino pet species! The Velotra is officially Santae's first dinosaur-inspired pet, and we couldn’t be more excited to see it roam the world alongside your beloved companions. This is a huge milestone, made possible only by the continuous overwhelming support from this incredible community. We can’t wait to see which pets will join the Velotra next!

Speaking of new pets, the most recently unlocked pet species will be revealed soon, so stay tuned! We are excited to announce the Official Name of this newly unlocked pet species has been chosen: Zephera, which will become our 27th Pet Species to come to the ever growing world of Santae!We know you’re all eager to meet this latest addition, and we promise it will be worth the wait. Keep an eye out for updates as we get closer to the official reveal. 

As always, we are eternally grateful for every kind of support, from backing the campaign, being a part of our community to sharing Santae with friends and family. You all have made this journey something truly special, and we couldn’t have done any of this without you all. We are also excited to share that many more gifts will be coming your way, as well as an exciting adventure in our next upcoming newsletter from The Santae Team, so be sure to watch out for that!

Thank you once again for being the heart and soul of this project. With your endless love and support, we’re creating something truly magical together

With Love and Gratitude, ~The Santae Team

[atleastpleasetelephone]

Kinktober Day 13 - Oral

A/N: This was inspired by recently seeing the white and gold Cadillac Limousine in Nashville and falling in love with it. Also, absolutely ages ago @peaceloveelvis was asking for a fic with Elvis in the outfit below. Strictly speaking, reader isn't going down on him in the cinema, but she kind of is...

Pairing: Elvis x reader

Word count: 2.1K

TWs: Oral, reader has a bit of a fixation with Elvis' leather gloves, public-ish sex, car sex, think that's about it.

Kinktober masterlist

When Elvis invited you for a ride in his new car, you had no idea what you were letting yourself in for. You’d been in cars before, obviously. You’d been in caddies. You’d even been in a caddy with Elvis, once. But nothing could prepare you for the gold Cadillac limousine. 

He’d woken you up at 3am, the phone ringing off the hook whilst you staggered down the stairs wondering who on earth would call at this time. It took you a while to recognise his voice. You’d met him at the recording of the Timex Special, and he’d taken you on a date, in one of his other caddies in fact. But that was it. So you assumed he wasn’t that interested, and now you’re standing in your bedroom, staring into your closet, trying to work out what on earth you should wear to a date with Elvis Presley in the middle of the night. 

You’re not actually clear what this date is going to entail or why it has to be at 3am, although you assume it has something to do with that big crowd of girls that’s normally outside the Graceland gates. Anyway, he said he’d come and pick you up so you try to concentrate on your outfit and doing something vaguely sensible with your hair. It’s not long before you see the beam of the headlights outside and so you rush downstairs, grabbing your coat and heading out of the door. It’s lucky you live alone, really. 

Elvis is standing outside of the car, holding the passenger door open for you. It’s a warm summer night and you can’t help noticing his leather gloves and captain’s hat, placed on his head at a jaunty angle. 

“Hi,” you whisper. Best to try and avoid waking the neighbours if possible. 

“Hey, baby,” he replies, his leather-clad hand on your waist, pulling you in to kiss you gently. 

Your head spins. It’s very the-middle-of-the-night for all this. He grins at your reaction, he can already see he’s got the upper hand. Gesturing for you to get in, then closing the door behind you and going around to get into the driver’s seat. You stare at the interior of the car, wide-eyed. There’s so much going on. It’s white and gold and the floor is carpeted. You stare at the floor for a while. It’s white sheepskin, and it looks soft. Your mind starts racing at a mile a minute, wondering why anyone would get that kind of carpet fitted in their car. 

Once you get on the road Elvis flips a record player on, and gleefully informs you that it’s got a 10 LP changer. The speakers are incredible - the sound comes out crisp and clear and all around you. He carries on explaining everything he’s had fitted to the car in the way of modifications, and you sit there, slack jawed, overwhelmed by the opulence. And overwhelmed by him. He’s gorgeous, somehow even more beautiful than the last time you met him, and he knows it too. He’s smirking and winking and he can clearly tell the effect he’s having on you. You’d almost think that he came and got you in the middle of the night deliberately. Your eyes keep being drawn to his hands on the steering wheel, driving with such purpose and with those damn gloves on. Those gloves are doing something to you. You try to look away and then find your eyes trailing down his body to his pants, and you’re suddenly confronted with the fact that they are lace up. Lace up. You tear your eyes away and stare out of the window, wondering where you’re going and trying to ignore the thoughts about the gloves and the carpet and the lace up pants that are all crowding into your brain at once. 

Eventually he gets to where he wants to go - a deserted parking lot, tucked out of the way in the daytime but even quieter in the middle of the night. He parks and switches the record off. 

“I wanted to take you to a movie,” he says, by way of an explanation, “but I’m too famous to go to a drive-in these days. So I thought we could get in the back and watch the TV.”

You blink a few times, trying to process all of this information. No, it’s no use. Your brain is still coming up with nothing.

“The TV?”

He chuckles. “Yeah. There’s a TV in the back. Come on.”

He gets out and then opens your door for you like a gentleman. You let him lead you to the backseat and the two of you sit there together. He gestures to a small box. 

“There it is, see?”

You nod dumbly. You do see. But he’s also incredibly close now, his thigh against yours, his breath on your face. You look from the TV to him and he’s so near you could count his eyelashes. He puts an arm around your shoulders and grins lazily. 

“I’ll put it on.”

“Okay,” you almost whisper in response, feeling yourself get hot. You’re sure he didn’t make you feel quite like this the last time. 

Elvis turns his attention briefly to the TV, switching it on and fiddling until he finds something vaguely watchable. Not that he’s intending on watching that much, but he likes the background noise. He’s about to peel his gloves off when you stop him. 

“No, leave those on,” you tell him, sounding more confident than you feel. 

He turns back, eyes a little wide. He can’t believe he left it so long for a second date, but he’s been a little overwhelmed with offers since coming back from the army. If he’d known you were going to react like that to his gloves he’d have done this sooner. 

“You like them?” He asks, his thumb stroking your cheek. 

You nod and he puts both gloved hands on either side of your face. The feeling of the leather on your skin is deliciously soft but it’s also making the hairs stand up on the back of your neck. It feels dirty somehow. You feel a tingling between your legs and you’re dying for him to kiss you. He stares down at you through hooded eyes until you feel like you might catch on fire, and then very slowly moves to close the gap between you, pressing a gentle kiss to your lips. 

You moan in response and he takes that as encouragement to continue, kissing you again, his tongue gently parting your lips as one of his hands moves to hold the back of your head. Everything is spinning, your stomach is doing somersaults and that tingling feeling between your legs is growing. His tongue pushes in further as you feel his nose pressing into your cheek. You find your hand going to the back of his neck, pulling him in somehow even closer. 

He smiles that lop-sided grin when he eventually pulls away, after making sure he’s nibbled on your lips and messed up your hair a little. You’re breathing hard and you can’t work out why he’s stopped and is just staring at you. Admiring his handiwork. Looking away, almost shyly, you find yourself looking at his groin again. Those damn pants. And the outline of something in them. Your eyes go a little wide, and then you’re back to looking at the fluffy white carpet. Fuck it, you think.  

“I bet this is soft,” you say, slowly getting down off the seat onto your knees on the carpet. Nodding sagely, you continue, “I was right. Very soft on the knees.”

It’s Elvis’ turn to be wide-eyed, staring down at you as you kneel between his legs, your hands travelling up and down his thighs. 

You swallow, hard. It's not like you're never given a guy head before, but this is a lot of pressure. This is Elvis. He's probably had a lot of great head. But he chose you this evening, and he wore these pants, and he’s taken you to a secluded location in the middle of the night in his caddy with a sheepskin rug for a carpet. You stare at the bulge in his pants as you gather your courage. He looks excited, anyway. 

“D-doll…” he stutters, looking down at your pretty little face staring at his crotch with such concentration. “Y-you don’t have ta…”

You slide your hands up to the top of his thighs as you lean forward, starting to mouth him through his pants. His jaw clenches at the feeling and a little moan escapes through his gritted teeth. Encouraged, you move your mouth along his clothed length, feeling the size of him, your spit making his pants wet. He whimpers a little, watching you. He’d intended to be the one touching you, maybe even with the gloves since you seemed to like them so much. But he’s hard and your mouth feels good even through his clothes. 

You move your mouth back along his length again and then set to work unlacing his pants with your teeth. He moans loudly when he realises what you’re doing. Obviously he had something in mind when he put them on earlier today but he never dreamed you’d be doing this. It’s easier than you thought it might be, and they fall open allowing you to carefully take his dick out with one hand. 

“Ya… ya really don’t have ta d-do this…” he tries again, eyes closed, fearing for your reaction once you realise he’s not cut like probably every other guy you’ve been with. He supposes part of the reason he didn’t do anything with you the first time was when you mentioned your ex-boyfriends. He enjoys girls with no expectations, and he’s afraid you must have a lot of them. 

“I want to,” you tell him, rolling his foreskin back to expose the sensitive tip. 

You run your tongue around it and look up at him, enjoying his reaction. You haven’t ever seen an uncut dick before but it doesn’t take you long to work out what to do with it, licking spirals around the most sensitive parts. One of his hands comes to rest on the back of your head and you know what he wants. But you don’t want to give it to him just yet, licking him from the tip to the base and back again, and then taking his balls in your mouth as you stroke him. 

“Shit, honey,” he murmurs. He’s spent a lot of his time with virgins telling them how to do this, being patient, asking them to mind their teeth and not suck so hard. Or suck harder. You remind him of some of the girls he met in Paris. You know what you’re doing. 

You smile as you move away from his balls, jerking him a few times and then sliding your mouth over the tip. His hand starts to grip the back of your head a little tighter, your hand still working him as you tease him with your mouth and tongue. His dick is a little too big for you so you keep up the combination of mouth and hand, looking up at him as his head falls back against the seat, his chest rising and falling faster and faster. 

You speed up your movements, knowing he must be close now. 

“Doll… I’m gonna… I’m…” he murmurs, unable to say the actual words. 

You know what he means though, preparing yourself for his bucking hips as his orgasm shoots through his body and he finally cums in your mouth. You stroke him one or two more times as he curses and calls out your name, then carefully lick him clean, stopping when he starts to whimper a little. 

“Goddamn,” he mumbles, pulling you up onto the seat next to him again. “That was so good.”

His compliment makes you grin. “It sounded like you enjoyed it,” you tease. 

He leans close and kisses you, his hand gripping your arm. You enjoyed sucking him so much you’re sure your panties must be soaked. 

“My turn to make you feel good now, doll,” he tells you, dropping to his knees on the floor in front of you, those gloved hands making their way up your thighs, pushing your skirt out of the way. 

Looking up at you, questioningly. “You want me to take the gloves off now?”

You shake your head. “No baby. Leave them on.”

Taglist:

Please let me know if you want to be added or removed:

@vintagepresley @arg-xoxo @from-memphis-with-love @msamarican @blursedblegh @returntopresley @another-identityofmine @eapep @everythingelvispresley @i-r-i-n-a-a @sissylittlefeather @arrolyn1114 @jhoneybees @cattcb @polksaladava @lookingforrainbows @jkdaddy01 @ccab @epthedream69 @lustnhim @elvisslut @pomtherine @that-hotdog @ladelinee @angschrof @fairybloodsucker @deltafalax @makethemorning @elviswhore69 @ilovequeen978

[sugrhigh]

BACKSTAGE - ( m.s )

REQUESTED**

summary- your best friend caught the eye of the bass player in a band local to boston, your hometown, so you’re invited to the second to last stop of their US tour. they can definitely put on a show, and all of them are very welcoming when you meet them backstage. then there’s the asshole grumpy drummer with the inflated ego, who can’t seem to stop staring.

warnings- cursing, smoking, drinking, ???

band au (triplets are in their mid 20s)

drummer!matt x fem!reader (this song ^^ inspired me and it’s good af so i’m including it)

a/n: this has been brewing for a while and i kinda forking love this concept, i hope i brought it to life well! hope u enjoy and as always my inbox is open for whateva #kisses ****part 2 to come

@fawnchives @55sturn @teapartyprincess4two @l9vesick @sturnlova @cupidsword @junnniiieee07 @mattnchrisworld @cherrypostsposts

“are you sure you want to do this?” you ask her as you two linger by the bar at the back of the venue.

people are clearing out, all happily chattering after an incredible concert. you have to admit that it was a great performance, and the sold out crowd helped.

they’re a pretty talented band. and the bass player really wants your best friend.

all it took to get him interested was a single comment on one of his recent posts. adelaide is undeniably gorgeous, and she’s also built a decent following through her recent modeling jobs.

she stands out in any comment section and in crowds like these, so it makes sense that he hit her up. that’s why you’re here anyways.

mister bass player had invited you guys to the first of two sold out shows in this place. it’s the last stop on the band’s US leg, in their hometown, which happens to be where you and adelaide live.

“yes dude, for the hundredth time, im sure. and he’s waiting on us, so stop stalling. i know you have more balls than that.” adelaide gives you a pointed look.

you can’t help but roll your eyes. “i promise you i don’t care enough about what these guys think to be scared.”

“now that sounds more like you.” she teases as she pulls her phone out of her back pocket.

the light from the screen illuminates her face, and you watch as she taps something out quickly.

“chris said someone is gonna come get us.”

“can’t wait.” you smile sarcastically as you respond.

addy doesn’t even get the chance to yell at you about your attitude before a big buff guy dressed in all black approaches the two of you, dark hair slicked against his skull. SECURITY is printed across his jacket in bold yellow letters.

“you ladies enjoy the show?” his voice is deep, which matches his huge stature perfectly.

“oh, it was amazing! i’m assuming you’re jason?” adelaide beams at him, pushing her dark curls out of her face.

he nods once. “that’s me. you guys ready to head backstage?”

“yup, just lead the way.”

the two of you follow jason back down toward the front of the stage, around the protective barricade to a door that almost blends right in with the venue’s dark walls.

he knocks on it three times. another tall man opens it for him and ushers the two of you inside before people start to pay too much attention.

“dressing rooms this way.” the new guy leads you through the backstage area, down a narrow hallway until he stops in front of one of the doors. there’s a little placard with their band name on it, which is cute.

this time nobody thinks to knock, because it’s already pretty loud. once the door swings open the sound is even more overwhelming.

you count seven people, all sitting around on the couches and vanity seats in the dim lighting. three of them are nearly identical, which surprises you. you thought there were only two brothers in the band.

several bottles of champagne crowd the coffee table already, and they’ve only been off the stage for ten minutes.

all of them are watching the two of you now, and it makes you want to crawl out of your skin.

“look who it is.” one of the twins (or apparently triplets) that’s sitting on the couch sets his glass down and gets up to greet you.

his brown hair is long, longer than the others, hidden slightly by a black boston hat. he’s dressed in a celtics jersey and baggy jeans, clearly happy to be representing his city tonight.

“good to see you, chris.” adelaide smiles into his chest as he pulls her into a tight embrace that lasts for a few seconds too long.

“i promise it’s better to see you.” he smirks as he finally pulls away, not even trying to hide his gaze as he admires the way her outfit hugs her body.

then he turns to you, and you suddenly feel like a spotlight is shining directly in your face.

“it’s nice to meet you too, y/n. addy tells me you’re even cooler than she is.” chris says, wrapping his arm around your friends shoulder lazily.

“can’t argue with that.” you shrug with a grin, impressed that he remembered your name without having to ask.

he looks around and clears his throat, and the others stop chatting. “everyone, this is adelaide and y/n. introduce yourselves.”

one of the clones that was sitting beside chris speaks up now. “shouldn’t they know who we are?”

he looks directly at you with an uninterested gaze that’s somehow still so intense you almost lose your breath. he’s in all black, fluffy hair styled a bit shorter than chris’s.

his harley davidson muscle tee is cut off right above his black pants, revealing just the smallest sliver of his stomach as he leans back against the cushions casually. so many tattoos, so many rings.

it’s annoying that you notice this, even despite how pissed off you are at his stupid question.

“i hate to burst your bubble, but i wouldn’t be able to guess your name even if someone put a gun to my head.” you bite back without thinking, and laughter erupts around you.

“that’s exactly what you deserve for a dickhead comment like that, matt.” another currently-unnamed guy says.

he’s on the other sofa with the last of the carbon-copy brothers, arm around the waist of the beautiful girl that’s perched on his lap. the couple smile at you and adelaide.

“feel free to ignore him. i’m nathan, lead guitar.” he introduces himself.

“i’m his girlfriend jen.” the dark-haired woman chimes in, offering you a friendly wave.

“im nick,” the triplet sitting next to them finally reveals his name, “i’m not in the band, i’m just their tour photographer. my brothers got the musical talent.”

“kids a genius with a camera though.” chris adds, still sidled up against adelaide.

“names sam. i’m the singer.” a blonde boy with hair cropped close to his skull says with a nod.

he’s sitting on one of the vanity chairs that’ve been set up in a half circle, tipping the rest of his champagne back after he speaks.

“and i’m just his older sister gabby.” the girl beside him sticks her hand out, and you take a step forward to shake it.

“dont say just. and i love your necklace.” you compliment the barbed wire chain around her throat, and she waves her free hand at you, flushing slightly.

“you’re sweet.”

“it’s nice to meet you all. the show was fantastic, we had a blast.” adelaide addresses everyone with that award-winning grin you know and love.

chris leads her over to the couch and they sit down, pressed against each other like they’re attached at the hip. you have to admit it’s a little cute. you take the open chair next to gabby, opting to avoid sitting next to matt just to be near your friend.

“are you both from boston too?” sam asks, reaching to refill his drink.

jen gets up from nate’s lap to grab two more glasses from one of the cabinets, which is a kind gesture that you weren’t really expecting.

“yeah. we met in college and ended up staying in the city together.” you answer as he moves to pour your champagne next.

“that makes you what, 22? i am about to serve you alcohol.”

you can’t help but laugh, so adelaide answers instead. “we’re 25, but i’ll take that as a compliment.”

he puts his hands up in apology as you grab your glass. “so not recent graduates then, my bad.”

you can still feel matt staring at you, and when you meet his gaze over the rim of your drink he doesn’t shy away. your own eyes narrow slightly, because you dont understand why he won’t fucking quit it.

“what do you do for work?” nathan questions, and you finally break out of your trance to look over.

“i was in publishing for a bit, but i mainly model now.” addy responds first.

chris’s hand goes to grip her thigh endearingly as she sips her champagne. “can’t you tell?”

“stop it.” she nudges him slightly, though you can see a faint blush appear beneath her bronzed skin.

nate rolls his eyes before looking your way. “and you?”

“i’m a media manager for a few different brands.”

“really? like who?”

it’s matt speaking, you know even before you turn your head to meet his cold eyes once more. he’s challenging you, inked arms crossed over his chest defensively as he waits for an answer.

“well for one, those pants you’re wearing? i work with that company.” you reply bluntly.

you’d recognize those cargos anywhere, the faded star patches are a dead giveaway. matt’s face drops in surprise, and nick snorts, giving you a nod of approval that doesn’t go unnoticed.

“i can’t believe you work for vamped. we all get like, half of our wardrobe from there.” he admits.

“raiding her closet is a real treat, trust me.” adelaide makes it sound like a joke, but she actually does love to come over and steal all your favorite pieces.

it would be annoying if you didn’t love her so much.

jen smiles, cuddled back up on her boyfriend’s knee as she looks between the two of you. “i like you girls already.”

“yeah, and i respect anyone who can humble matt that quickly.” sam nods along in agreement, and you recognize that he’s talking about you in particular.

“oh, so i take it he’s like this all the time then?” your question is directed at sam, but you’re looking at the subject himself as you ask it.

“pretty much.” chris nudges matt with a silly grin, and he scowls in return, though he’s still watching you.

you can’t decipher what he’s feeling, what he’s thinking, and you don’t like it one bit. to be fair, you don’t know him at all yet, but you know the type.

you’ve met enough high profile people through vamped to understand that this kid thinks he’s some kind of god, probably because his friends tell him so.

but you’re not his friend, and you don’t owe him any politeness if he can’t bother to reciprocate it. you keep your eyes on him as sam redirects the conversation away from the two of you, another challenge of your own, and he finally looks away a moment later.

you take it as a win.

a few rounds of drinks later you can feel the heat creeping up your cheeks, blissfully tipsy as you continue to swap stories about anything and everything with the rest of the group.

chris and adelaide are in their own little world, whispering shit back and forth to each other like school girls.

matt hasn’t said a single word to you since you name-dropped your highest paying client just to embarrass him. he watches the rest of you interact, though that burning gaze of his always seems to meet yours anyways.

its driving you crazy, and you’re itching for a quick pause from the socialization, as nice as (almost) everyone has been.

“i’m gonna go for a smoke.” you address the group, mainly adelaide, and you’re met with a couple nods.

“same.” matt replies gruffly, and your heart falters.

of fucking course.

he pushes himself to a standing position before you can protest, or say anything really. his shirt is even more cropped now that he’s stretched to his full height, and you’re staring straight at his exposed happy trail and v-line. you’re pretty sure you see the top of a small tattoo by his hip.

your mouth goes dry, and you busy yourself grabbing your little purse from the floor.

“hurry back, i wanna hear more about this PR box fiasco.” gabby points a finger at you as you get up next, and you smile even though you know it’s a weak attempt.

“i’ll be quick.” you promise her.

adelaide gives you a little wave goodbye, which doesn’t quell your nerves as you turn to follow matt, who doesn’t wait for you to catch up.

he just throws the dressing room door open carelessly, letting it swing back so you have to stop it with your hand before it hits you. you glare at the back of his head, though you follow him in silence because you don’t know the way outside.

another security guard stands in the hall, and matt greets him with a quick nod as he heads outside, once again neglecting to hold it for you.

you mutter a quick hello to the man before stepping onto the little back patio. it’s the end of summer, edging toward fall now, so there’s just a slight chill in the air.

he’s already leaned up against the brick wall, situated on one of the steps down to the gated parking lot. for the first time tonight, he’s actually not looking at you, and it’s somewhat of a relief.

you dig around in your bag to retrieve your crinkled carton of cigarettes, flipping the lid open to pull one out and stick it between your lips. you’re about to put them away when matt clears his throat.

“can i bum one?” he asks softly.

it’s the least aggressive he’s been all night, and it throws you so off guard you can’t find anything to say back so him. so you just nod slowly, grabbing another cigarette for him and passing it over.

“thanks.”

“you got a light? couldn’t bring mine in.” you mutter, though your words slur because of the cig that’s between your teeth.

matt nods, ruffling his hair with one hand as the other slips into his back pocket. he pulls out a red disposable lighter and ignites it in one swift motion.

he holds it up to your mouth, burning the end of the thin roll of tobacco. he’s staring at your lips, thinking about how soft they look wrapped around that filter paper.

matt doesn’t want to be wondering what it would be like to feel them against his own, because you embarrassed him. he hates being embarrassed, especially by someone who walked right into his dressing room like she owned it.

you’re unlike any girl he’s ever met, and he’s fucking entranced.

you inhale, glancing to meet his blue eyes as the smoke fill your lungs, completely unaware of his thoughts. it’s familiar, and it calms you down a little bit.

you pull it from your mouth to exhale, watching as he lights his own before slipping the plastic device back into his pocket. he slumps back up against the wall, kicking one leg up to steady himself.

it’s silent again for a moment while you both enjoy the brief hits of nicotine, letting the clouds swirl up into the night. you both go to ash at the same time, and he breaks the tension first.

“so, what did you think of the show, sweetheart? your friend spoke for you, but i’m sure you have your own opinion.” he says, one side of his mouth tilted up.

you weigh up his statement, rewinding to an hour ago. you guys were in the upper wing, right by the stage in the front row. the view was great, and the energy was definitely there.

you remember matt, sweaty and focused as he banged on those fucking drums like his life depended on it. your eyes were drawn to him for a lot of the performance, to the intensity he brought to the stage.

that was before you knew about his superiority complex, though you should have been expecting it. he is, after all, a rising rock star.

“it was good.” you reply bluntly, shrugging as you bring your cigarette back to your lips.

he fully smiles now, though it’s not a warm one. then he follows your lead and takes another drag as well, his tattoos shifting as his muscles flex and relax due to the movement.

“don’t fucking humor me.” matt finally says seriously, and you narrow your eyes.

“i wasn’t, but it doesn’t matter either way. you think you’re the shit regardless.” you snap back.

matt softens a bit at your tone, but he’s also backed into a corner. you confuse him, because you’re impossible to read. that’s never happened to him before, and it’s annoyingly enticing.

“you don’t know a damn thing about me.”

“i know your type.” you argue sourly, sucking in another mouthful of smoke.

he turns his full attention to you now, shifting so he can look you right in the eyes. you wish it didn’t intimidate you so much, but the way he’s been leering at you all night makes you sweat.

“and what type would that be, hm?” matt goads.

you nudge at the concrete with the toe of your sneaker, pausing briefly to compose your answer.

“you’re arrogant, which either comes from the fame or the praise, or most likely both. in fact, you’re so cocky that you probably can’t be around anyone without patronizing them. i bet they all tell you how talented and badass you are, but you wanna know what i think?” you ask him, taking a hit of your cigarette for dramatic effect.

and it works. matt is hanging onto every word, waiting for you to deliver the final punch as you take a step closer, blowing the vapor toward him.

“i think that the whole time, they’re just waiting for you to shut the fuck up.”

for a second the world is still, and neither of you move an inch. he’s just studying you, eyes skipping across your face like he’s trying to commit it to memory.

“you want to know what i think?” he questions you quietly, and you can’t help but watch his lips as they move.

so pretty and pink, and you know he would taste like tobacco and sweat. you want to give in, but you won’t. one thing about you is that you’re stubborn, and you refuse to make the first move for this asshole.

“i think you like it.” matt finishes, so close to your lips now that he’s practically whispering his words against them.

just as you think he’s about to kiss you, to give you the power you crave, he tosses his cigarette to the ground and snuffs it out before stepping around you.

the only reminder that the moment was real is the door slamming shut behind him.

[indie-ttrpg-of-the-week]

Flying Circus

No not the Monty Python variety Touchstones: Porco Rosso, WW1 media, Ghibli Movies (add a quarter to the jar)

Genre: Aviation game, Fantasy (kinda)

What is this game?: Flying Circus is a game of high octane plane action, where you play as messy mercenary pilots in a WW1 inspired post apocalyptic setting

How's the gameplay?: Flying Circus' narrative side runs on the standard PBTA 2d6 resolution and playbooks rules, but the main difference comes when the cast is on air, wherein the game takes a much more realistic approach to its design. Planes are complex beasts, and the game approaches this by having many mini systems that must be kept track of at all times, it's very overwhelming on paper, but in practice it's honestly quite bearable. The game also has a fairly simple economy to upkeep your planes, a simple relationship system, and a vice system similar to Blades in the Dark

What's the setting (If any) like?: Flying Circus' setting is honestly its strongest point, a post-apocalyptic society who just left a WW1 style war, with many fantasy elements such as witches, dragons with nuclear breath, friendly fishy cultists, and ancient wandering machines of war. It's one of the more "In-Depth" settings I've seen, helped along by having a few novels and stories by the developer set in the same universe.

What's the tone?: Hopeful and Gritty, the world's healing, the people are fighting against their past oppression, and things are getting better, but stuff's muddy and scummy for now. Another thing is that this game is pretty damn horny, nothing egregious but probably not a "read on the subway" Type deal

Session length: 3+ hours should be plenty of time 

Number of Players: 3-5 is ideal 

Malleability: Flying Circus' actual mechanics can usually be used for any plane heavy setting, though frankly the default setting is part of the reason why you'd be playing flying circus, in my opinion at least

Resources: Flying Circus has multiple expansions, adding new mechanics, new planes, and even a complete spin off in Chariots of Steel, focused more on tank battle

Flying Circus is a game that is incredibly impressive and clearly a labour of love, do yourself a favor and check this one out, even if its on the pricier side

[jennyfromthebes]

Hey! I wanna talk for a sec about the Live Music Archive. If you're a tMG fan who's on here you probably already at least know about it, but for anyone unfamiliar I want to do a quick post talking about what it is and how you can listen!

The Live Music Archive is a collection hosted by the Internet Archive for audio recordings of concerts. Specifically, the LMA hosts, with permission from the band, user-contributed recordings of concerts. Some fans will go to concerts with recording gear to take a full audio recording of the show and then upload it to the archive under the band's collection. As of writing this post there are almost 450 live tapes uploaded to the tMG LMA collection!

There's a few ways that you can listen to recordings on the Live Music Archive. The webpage works pretty well both on desktop and mobile browsers, and that's what I typically use. You can also listen on web without having to make an account on the Internet Archive, which is convenient for browsing. I also use the webpage to download mp3s of favorite tapes to my phone, so that I can listen to them in my local music player.

However, if you don't mind making a free account and prefer the convenience of something more like Spotify, you can also listen to anything on the LMA via the Taper's Section app for Android or the Live Music Archive app for iOS! (Obligatory disclaimer that I use an Android and can't personally vouch for the iOS app, but afaik they have similar features.) The apps have the same functionality as the webpage in a more streamlined mobile-friendly interface, plus things like notifications when there's a new tape added to a collection you follow and downloading in-app for offline listening. The Android app also has a tab for tapes from today's date, there's often at least one (there are FOUR for today!) and that's a really fun way to find tapes to listen to.

If you're looking at this going, wow, that sounds really cool but there's so many tapes that it's a little overwhelming to get into this, don't worry! I'll leave you with a couple recommendations. As mentioned above, I like to listen to shows from the current date. Another fun way to find shows is looking for a specific song - you can go on the wiki and it'll list every show at which the song has been played live, and then just search until you find one of them that has a tape on the archive. Lastly, a few specific favorite tapes of mine:

- 2014-06-15 has the entirety of Taboo VI: The Homecoming played live + one of my absolute favorite performances of both Woke Up New and The Best Ever Death Metal Band In Denton.

- 2015-06-01 is the only time Straight Six has ever been played live and it's interestingly pretty different from the EP version, plus a phenomenal back to back Spent Gladiator 1 & 2.

- 2021-08-06 was the first show after the band started playing concerts again post 2020, and it has a really incredible energy and a phenomenal setlist.

- 2024-03-01 is from the recent run of solo shows, this one was at Grace Cathedral and the ambience is truly truly incredible, it feels so ethereal.

Please feel free to add any additional notes or some of your own favorite tapes to the post as well! Happy listening!!

[gabriellelouise19]

Why I Still Play Stardew Valley After Hundred Hours of Gameplay and Why You Should Too

Stardew Valley is the game that absolutely changed the way I view video games. It has been more than a year of playing and five hundred hours into this masterpiece and now, I want to dive in and share my experience with you all so you can see why playing this game is a hundred percent worthwhile.

Now, if I'm going to be honest with you, I would say that it actually took me a while to appreciate this game. It had already been a huge success in the video game industry and everyone was singing its praises, telling me how good it is, and it was even my family who got me into it. As someone who had no prior experience playing video games of this caliber (I only played your classic mobile games like Subway Surfers, Temple Run, etc.), I was skeptical that I would find it enjoyable in the slightest. In addition to that, it was a paid game and I definitely haven’t spent anything on games, making me wonder if it was going to be worth it. It was only a free Apple Arcade subscription that got me to install it. And looking back now, it was one of the best decisions I had ever made.

Stardew Valley is a cozy open-ended country-life role playing game wherein the player takes the role of a farmer who inherited their grandfather’s farm. Above the surface, it’s really just a simple game. You farm, build relationships with the NPCs, go fishing, mining, and just full-on experience that countryside life. But go beyond that, and you will see the absolute treasure of a game it is. Its gameplay, graphics, and storyline make it the most enjoyable game I have ever played, although I might be a little biased. Its soundtrack is also top-notch, encasing you in a comforting vibe. I get incredibly engrossed playing this and it feels like it takes me to a different world. The variety of gameplay it has to offer can even be overwhelming with its abundance, but that is something I deeply appreciate about it and now after “finishing” the game, I still long for more and find myself starting new playthroughs because it never gets old or boring.

It was the highlight of my summer, and getting my friends hooked into it as well was one of the unadulterated joys I felt. The point is, whether you are a professional or a novice at playing video games, Stardew Valley is for everyone and there is no way of playing it wrong.

Reynes, Gabrielle Louise P. | BSIT 1A

[limnsaber]

To explain what I was talking about late late last night but ended up talking around: The X Files wonderfully embodies a spectrum of human emotion, but to me, does none so as well as the way it talks about wonder and love.

On the part of love it says: the truths we look for are in other people. The way we love other people is how we win. Not out of fear but out of love and the bonds we have with each other are the most important truth we can hope to know.

On the part of wonder the X Files says: to look into the unknown is so wonderfully human. To gaze at the stars and wonder at what we find there is human nature. To search for truth -- the truths of the universe, of the unknown, the truths between me and you, is wonderfully, essentially human. It's part of our nature to search for these things and Samantha is the heart of this. Aside from Samantha's disappearance being the inciting event of the show, she is the embodiment of this mystery. To wonder at the stars knowing she's up there, to search for the truth and find greater ones in turn -- Samantha is the key to this.

So to kill her off as an aside just to reach 'closure'; to make her nothing more than a victim rather than the person who invites and embodies for both Mulder and Scully the part that's so achingly unknown seemed like a horrible tragedy to me. Where did it go. Was the truth we found human cruelty??? Was that it the whole time????

In s4-s5 and Fight the Future, it seemed that we inched ever nearer to finding Samantha. It was teased that she was alive: that like the truths we hoped to find, she was still out there, waiting. There was a point at which the extraterrestrial mirrored the human. FTF and these middle seasons almost seemed to say: no, there is no fundamental difference between extraterrestrial and human cruelty. The extraterrestrial forces were in conflict just the same way human forces were. Samantha was sent away embodying the hopes of humanity, however horrible that decision was. Of course, we can't ignore that Samantha was a victim, and the later seasons of the X Files lean into this. Abduction is a violent act, and what Scully, Samantha, and the MUFON women went through was horrible. I really would've loved it if they explored this more, but they didn't, and still there's this contrariness to Samantha's abduction.

It's said in FTF that Bill Mulder held two hopes -- that Mulder would uncover the abuse of the Syndicate and reveal the truth, and that Samantha would be allowed the chance to survive and would be able to give that to the world. There were extraterrestrial rebels fighting against colonization and the Syndicate the same way Mulder and Scully do. This contrariness, this uncertainty, is part of the X Files too.

Samantha's abduction always implied that she would be returned. We were teased that she would be found. Over and over, we are told that she is alive, that she is still out there for Mulder to find. Whether she was a human test subject or off in the stars, the truth was living and breathing, waiting to be found.

The X Files says the truth is out there, that looking to the stars is part of the human experience, that our connections to each other are so fundamental to our worldview and that they enable us to endure anything. The X Files is wonder at the heart, the intersection of the unknown and known, and that the truth is each other. Samantha was Scully and Mulder's first step to that truth. Even with everything that they endured, the wonder and love that is the motivating force of everything that we see is inextinguishable. Samantha is the vessel for these beliefs.

Retconning Samantha Mulder from her place embodying the hopes and dreams of humanity, however horribly that came about, to a child that was abused until she died weakens the sentiments at the heart of The X Files.

yk i’m at the point that i literally don’t accept s7e11 “closure” as canon. it makes me ANGRY now because the more i look at all the past seasons and everything they’ve done with the samantha arc and how important it’s been to mulder’s character, it just defaces and denies all of it. it just- it’s not fair. after all mulder has been through to continue to believe that samantha was abducted just for it to be thrown out the window? for him to accept it finally in a way which was supposed to be meaningful and big but altogether uncharacteristic and hollow? it’s like they tried to abide by paper hearts ideologies but through a seemingly unnessary dark meandering of new paranormalities. it also creates so much more inconsistency along with what we started to see from s5 and beyond in the samantha plot, it doesn’t explain it. for instance, in the colony arc, the samantha-looking clones say “how could we know so much about her” and WHO if not samantha is this woman they were modeled after??? did the clones just grow old from the little samantha’s on that bee farm thing so they knew what she’d age like?? IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE!!! IT’S NOT ENOUGH!! CC YOU CANT GET AWAY THAT EASY!!

[leveloneandup]

Christen Press on returning to soccer following ACL tear, season three of The RE—CAP podcast

Christen Press, the all-time leading goal scorer in Stanford history, has starred for club and country since graduating in 2010. With the USWNT, she has won two World Cups and scored 64 international goals. Press has played overseas professionally, including a stint at Manchester United, as well as in the NWSL with the Chicago Red Stars, Utah Royals and currently with Angel City FC.

After tearing her ACL in June 2022, Press required four surgeries and an arduous recovery. She returned to her first training session on Tuesday, after which she spoke to SBJ about her rehab and the new season of her podcast. Along with Tobin Heath, Megan Rapinoe and Meghan Klingenberg, Press founded a media and lifestyle brand called RE—INC in 2019. She and Heath are the co-hosts of the RE—CAP podcast, which returns for its third season on Thursday. The first episode includes appearances by USWNT legend Abby Wambach and author and podcast host Glennon Doyle.

On returning to the pitch . . .

I am currently in the car driving home from my first training. I would say the road to recovery happens very slow, and then yet it happens all at once. I have been back in the team environment for almost four months. So it's been a long time that I've been integrated into the environment, and it took four months for me to get ready to be in a warmup and a passing pattern — really simple, basic stuff. And I felt very ready for it. I felt almost underwhelmed by how easy it was because I've done a lot more complicated things, and yet it was also entirely overwhelming and joyful to be so connected to my teammates and be celebrated in the way that I have been these last two days.

I'm very grateful for that. They say it's the hope that kills you, and as I drive home, I just have this big smile on my face because I can't help it. I can't help hoping. I can't help believing that I'm going to make it back, and it's going to be everything that I see in my head. I'm relentlessly optimistic, I'm naively positive, and I like that about myself, and I'm not I don't intend to change it. I think the way that it left me feeling was just like, yes, I can do this.

On monitoring her rehab . . .

I'm a person of devices, so I have quite a toolkit, I'd say, of ways that we're tracking and measuring. The truth is we're really still working through issues with my knee, and I have chronic scarring of the knee, so I can experience some discomfort and some swelling that could lead to more scarring, which is incredibly rare, because most people don't scar after a couple months after their surgery. I'm now over nine months for my surgery and still at risk of scarring. So it just means that I have to try very carefully with how much impact my knee can take.

We're being careful, but we're progressing. In terms of my overall fitness, what my GPS has said is that I've got to like 60% of a match load, which is all that I really need to get in terms of volume. And yet, in the warmup and the passing pattern today, it felt like I played a 90-minute game. I was so fatigued. There's training, and then there’s really training. There's no way to get fit for football, except for playing football. And I've done a ton of running, I've done a ton of lifting, and now it's time to play.

On how deep she gets into data . . .

My performance staff would laugh because they said they've never worked with a player that cares so much. So right now, I wear a Polar Watch that I was given in like 2015 from the national team. It's just old school. And I wear my Apple Watch, which is connected to my GPS so I can see all my data live, from heart rate to distance to speed to all that. And then I do sleep with an Oura ring — although I'm not endorsing any of these products, I'm not connected to any of these products — but I do sleep with an Oura ring and track my sleep and my stress levels.

On season three of the podcast . . .

Our show really is about authenticity, and it's about creating a more inclusive space for sports and including diversity of perspective. And so that means we have hard conversations, and we have honest conversations and we have vulnerable conversations, and we have a lot of fun — the same spirit and joy that you saw last year during the World Cup edition of the show. We're back, and we're bigger than ever.

On the origin of the creating the podcast . . .

I never thought I would be in media. I think that's even more true of Tobin. There's two typical paths for athletes after soccer, and it’s coaching and broadcast. ‘So Christen, do you want to be a coach?’ ‘No.’ ‘So Christen, then you must want to be a broadcaster? I was like, ‘No.’

That's an interesting part of the story, but first and foremost, we decided to launch this show as current and active players, and that's unique and different. It's not really a stepping-back-from-soccer thing. It's current players trading stories and having a little bit more space to dictate the narrative.

And then secondly, we really approach this as business leaders. This is our business, this is our company. We are a 3C company: content, community and commerce. The most amazing thing about women's sports is the community, and we're trying to build the coolest women's sports community in the world in our membership, and we're feeding that with amazing content.

And I think because we have such an authentic and vulnerable relationship with our audience that we've developed over the last five years that we've been building this business, it made sense for Tobin and I to be our first piece of content that was really more large scale and more widely accessible. But the plan will be to find like-minded people that sit at the intersection of sports, progress and equity, to continue to hear stories from an insider's perspective. It really disrupts the industry in that way.

On topics they plan to cover in season three . . .

We're going to be talking about women's health, particularly in sport, which is obviously a really hot topic, and representation in sport — how we make it more diverse and equitable for more people, be it across the gender spectrum, the orientation spectrum, across different races and classes. I think that's incredibly important. Soccer in America is an upper-middle class sport, and almost everywhere else in the world, it's a very accessible sport that's found on the street. That's really the spirit of football, so that's really important to us.

On the role of athletes as activists . . .

The interesting thing about the community that surrounds women's sports in particular is they care about a lot more than the sports, and the values transcend beyond the pitch. And that's about diversity, inclusion, progress. And I think that's just inherent because it is disruptive in itself to see women embodied, powerful, unapologetic and also very celebrated the way that you do in the professional sports world today. The people that it's drawing in are the same people that want to march, and they want to create change and they want to stand up for what they believe in.

It's so embodied in the Angel City culture. The professional team that I play for has just nailed it. And when you're in the stadium, it's electric, and win or lose, it's a different type of vibe than any other sports arena I've been in because there's a connection point for all of the audience. They care about more than the X's and O's. They care about what we represent to them, the progress and the opportunity that we as women athletes represent.

On the versatility of women athletes . . .

It's always been that way in women's sports, and it's just becoming more popularized. I think the expectation is that we would always be multifaceted as women and expected to do multiple jobs in multiple roles, if we were going to have careers. And so it really did take to me and my personality to be a player and also be a leader off the field, on the US women’s national team, going through the Equal Pay lawsuit, going through the reestablishment of our players association.

For me, it was such a balancing sense of purpose that I continue to create space in my life for that, and I think that's what we've done with our business, RE—INC. RE—INC is reimagined, incorporated. We set out, in 2019 when we started this company, to reimagine the status quo, to reimagine the way women are seen and experienced in sports. And it's a very bold and ambitious goal, and we do it in a multifaceted way. And I'm really, really proud of that.

[boobo13cambridge]

I’ll Take Care of You | Kylian Mbappé

Pairing: Kylian Mbappé x f.Reader

Warnings: none just angsty and some passionate kissing

Summary: Kylian is feeling stressed as the news that he will not be extending with PSG comes out. He seeks comfort in you. 

A/N: Hello, everyone! When I got this request I absolutely adored the idea and wanted to get right to it. As always, please leave me feedback and don’t forget to reblog. I would greatly appreciate it. Enjoy, lovelies ❣️

The sun had long set over the city of Paris, casting an ethereal glow upon the Eiffel Tower as its lights illuminated the darkened sky. In the midst of the bustling city, a heavy atmosphere hung over Kylian Mbappé's lavish apartment. The young football prodigy, renowned for his incredible talent on the field, now found himself at a crossroads that weighed heavily on his heart.

Kylian had spent years with Paris Saint-Germain, captivating fans and leaving a lasting mark on the club. Since his arrival in 2017, he had steered his team to five Ligue 1 titles, secured three French Cup titles, and clinched the coveted Player of the Season award on four occasions. Yet, beneath the surface of success, a storm of discontent brewed within him. He felt betrayed by the club. He wasn't happy with the Mercato, he wasn't happy with the coach, and he was even less happy about practically being threatened by the president of the club that he would never be able to leave.  The project that they tried to sell him was all a lie, leaving him consumed by frustration. 

Paris was his home, his people, and his beloved city, and he never desired to depart its embrace. But his relentless ambition gnawed at his conscience, whispering that remaining stagnant would be a betrayal to the dreams of the little boy from Bondy who yearned to conquer all. The time had come to draw a line in the sand; he had reached his breaking point. Enough was enough.

As he lay sprawled on the couch, his gaze fixed upon the sprawling Paris skyline, an overwhelming headache descended upon him. It felt as though the weight of the entire world rested squarely upon his shoulders. The relentless media scrutiny only exacerbated his turmoil, incessantly hurling names at him and peddling baseless stories about his character (as if they even knew him), and practically harassing him on social media. 

He was just so tired.

The young French captain longed for your presence by his side, but fate had conspired against him as you were working until 6 pm that day. Gazing at his iPhone, he saw that it was merely 5:30 pm, and a sense of dejection washed over him. With a heavy heart, he decided to text you, hoping that he could somehow persuade you to leave early.

Kylian: bébé can u leave early?

Kylian: tu me manques 🙁  (I miss you)

You: aww mon bébé 🙁  (aww my baby)

You: ouvre la porte je suis là 😘 (open the door, I'm here)

Surprised and filled with a glimmer of hope, he swiftly rose from the couch, his anticipation mirrored by the chime of the doorbell. A small smile spread on his fatigued face, as he felt a fraction of the weight burdening his shoulders dissipate. 

Opening the door, he felt a sense of relief surge through his body as he saw your smiling face. 

"Surprise, Kyky," you said, winking at him. Kylian didn't know what had come over him, but he felt his eyes welling up with tears as he pulled you inside, enveloping himself around you as he kicked the door closed. His heart weighed heavy, and he struggled to control his sobs, burying his face in your hair.

Surprised, you wrapped your arms around him, gently stroking the back of his head. "Mon bébé, what happened? Are you okay? Talk to me, mon cœur."

Hearing your voice only intensified his tears. He yearned to share his innermost thoughts, to unburden his soul, but he found himself unable to articulate the complexities of his emotions. The past few days had been gruelling for him. People knew him as a confident, self-assured individual, seemingly impervious to the world's judgments. He felt they took advantage of that side of him and perhaps his confidence enraged them. He felt that it was unfair that they used that to vilify him at every given opportunity. This time the footballer just couldn’t take it anymore, he had reached his breaking point.

You were filled with worry. Never before had you witnessed Kylian break down in such a way. Even after the heart-wrenching moments of missing a penalty at the Euro or losing the World Cup in Qatar, his composure had remained intact. However, the recent news of his decision not to renew with PSG had evidently struck a nerve far deeper than anticipated. You knew people wouldn’t take it kindly but you didn’t think it was going to be this bad. 

"Shh, allez mon amour. Ça va bien aller. I'm here for you," you attempted to console him. Gently pulling back, you held his face between your hands.

The sight that greeted you shattered your heart into a million pieces. Kylian's face was flushed, his cheeks stained with tears. Seeing him in such anguish brought tears to your own eyes. "Ky...," you started, softly wiping away his tears with your thumbs. Shaking his head, Kylian pressed his forehead against yours.

"I can't do this anymore, bébé. Je suis tanné, putain," he cried, gripping your hips tightly, seeking solace and grounding himself in your presence.

"Je sais, mon cœur, je sais," you consoled him, gently guiding him to the couch as he lay down, his head buried in your lap. You caressed his head, your other hand soothingly rubbing his back, placing tender kisses upon his head as you whispered words of comfort.

Gradually, Kylian's sobs subsided, and he lifted his head from your stomach, wiping away his tears as you used a tissue to dab at his runny nose. "Let me get you some water, Ky," you attempted to rise, but Kylian shook his head. "Non, stay please... I just want you to hold me."

"Okay, bébé. Anything you want," you said, placing a gentle kiss upon his forehead. "But please, talk to me, Ky."

Kylian was lost in a whirlwind of thoughts, uncertain of where to begin. His emotions and feelings tangled within him, threatening to overwhelm him. It took him a few moments to gather his thoughts.

"I don't know what to do anymore," he whispered, his voice laced with vulnerability. "It feels like the weight of the world is on my shoulders. Everyone has a fuckin’ opinion about everything I do. If I stay at PSG, I'm a fuckin’ loser who's ruining his career by staying in a farmer's league. If I leave, I'm a traitor who doesn't care about the club, only about money. I can't catch a break, bébé. No matter what I do, I'm always the bad guy, always painted as the fuckin’ villain in whatever fairytale they cook up every week. I feel suffocated, and on top of it all, I feel like a complete piece of shit for dumping all my feelings on you. I've been a shitty fiancé."

“Mon amour, don't say that. You are not a shitty fiancée and I want you to know that I love you so much. Secondly, I want you to talk about your feelings with me because that's what I'm here for. We're in this together bébé. We're a team, and I’ll always be here for you whenever you need me. As for the media, those assholes are just jealous because you’re this confident young man who’s so incredibly talented. They could never hold a candle to you, mon amour. Besides,  most of them are just a bunch of racist fucks.”

“I feel like no matter what I chose, people will still make me out to be a bad guy.”

"Bébé, you can't control that. At the end of the day, you have to make the best decision for yourself, and I'll be right by your side through it all."

You gently caressed his cheek, trying to smooth the lines of worry etched upon his forehead.

"Are you sure, bébé? I just..."

"Kylian, mon amour, mon cœur, ma vie. You mean the world to me. Your dreams are my dreams, and your happiness is my happiness. Wherever you decide to go, I'll be right there beside you, every step of the way."

Gazing into your eyes, Kylian's heart swelled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude. These past few years, sharing his life with someone as extraordinary as you had transformed him into the luckiest man to walk the earth. With every beat of his heart, he recognized that you were not just a partner, but the missing piece that completed his very being—the woman he had always yearned for in his wildest dreams.

In an instant, he surrendered to the intensity of his emotions, his hand instinctively finding the curve of your neck. With a gentle yet possessive grip, he drew you closer, erasing the space between your bodies. Their warmth melded, and the world around them faded into insignificance as their lips collided in a moment of fiery passion.

Time seemed to stand still as their mouths moved in a fervent dance, their souls entwining amidst the raw fervor of their connection. It was a kiss that transcended words, conveying depths of love that mere language could never capture. In that single act, Kylian poured his heart and soul into the embrace, a testament to the profound love and desire he held for you.

The taste of his lips, the electric touch of his hands, and the fusion of their breaths ignited a blazing fire within both of them. Each kiss carried an unspoken promise—a vow of unwavering devotion, a pledge to traverse any obstacle that lay in their path. In that fleeting moment, the world existed solely for the two of them, bound by an unbreakable bond that defied all logic and reason.

As you broke apart, your noses nuzzled together. "But, you know, now that you've decided to leave once your contract ends, maybe choose a city with better weather, oui? I absolutely refuse to have our future babies be born in a cold, rainy place."

A soft chuckle escaped Kylian's lips, blending relief with joy. "I was only joking, bébé. I'm not actually going to Manchester United or Liverpool. Don't worry your pretty little head, princesse."

"You better have been joking because there's no way you're dragging me to a whole new country and knocking me up in the frigid cold.”

“Oh, please. You love it when I do you raw, princesse.”

“ Oh yeah? I'll fly right back and give birth to your child in Marseille,” you retorted, cheeks turning red.

"Take that back, bébé. You're not allowed to say that. No child of mine is going to be a Marseillais."

Laughter filled the air, a melody of hope and love. In that moment, you both knew that no matter the challenges ahead, your bond with Kylian was unbreakable. Together, you would face the uncertainties of life, drawing strength from the unwavering support and affection you shared.

As the night progressed, you held each other close, finding solace in the arms of the one who mattered most. And in that embrace, you both understood that regardless of where fate led the brilliant Kylian Mbappé, love would be your guiding light through the storm, ensuring that the journey ahead brimmed with hope, adventure, and an unyielding bond that would endure forever.

[shitsndgiggs]

Can we get something with Marc Guiu? Maybe where she is a long-time Chelsea fan and she was the one who enouraged him to move to them which was met with a lot of hostility towards her by his fans?

HATE FROM THE FANS - MARC GUIU

In which Marc’s fans are assholes

Marc Guiu x fem! reader

︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿

The crisp London air felt invigorating as I made my way toward Stamford Bridge, my heart pounding with a mix of excitement and anxiety.

Today was a big day for me, and for Marc. We had spent countless evenings discussing his move from Barcelona to Chelsea, and I had been his biggest supporter throughout the process.

It was a dream come true for me to see him play for Chelsea, but the journey had been far from easy.

The move had been a huge decision for Marc, one that I had wholeheartedly encouraged.

I’d been a Chelsea fan for as long as I could remember, and seeing Marc join the team was a dream I had hoped for, not just for him but for me as well.

But the transition hadn’t been smooth. Many Barcelona fans had directed their anger at me, blaming me for Marc’s departure and calling me a traitor.

On social media, I had become a target for a wave of anger and resentment from some Barcelona fans.

The vitriol directed at me online had been overwhelming, but I had tried to ignore it, focusing on supporting Marc and celebrating his achievements.

As I settled into my seat, I glanced at my phone, where the notifications from social media were relentless. I opened one of the many apps, dreading what I might find.

I scrolled through the comments, each one a harsh reminder of the backlash I faced.

It was painful to see how my support for Marc had been twisted into something negative by those who didn’t understand the situation.

Despite the harsh words, I knew that the love and respect I had for Marc were genuine, and that’s what mattered most.

The match began, and I tried to push aside the negativity, focusing on the game. Marc’s performance was spectacular.

He played with a passion and skill that lit up the pitch, and when he scored a stunning goal, the stadium erupted in cheers.

I was overwhelmed with joy and pride, my earlier anxieties momentarily forgotten as I cheered him on.

As the final whistle blew and the crowd’s cheers echoed around the stadium, I couldn’t wait to congratulate Marc.

I hurriedly made my way to the player’s tunnel, eager to share in his joy.

When I reached the tunnel, my phone buzzed with a new notification. Glancing down, I saw a new flood of messages and comments from social media.

As Marc approached, his face was lit up with joy. He spotted me and grinned. “Did you see that goal?” he asked, his eyes shining.

“I did! You were incredible out there!” I exclaimed.

We hugged tightly, and as we pulled away, my phone buzzed again. I fumbled to silence it, but Marc noticed.

He raised an eyebrow and looked at me with a mix of curiosity and concern.

“Everything okay?” he asked.

“Yeah, just—” I started, but my words were interrupted by another notification. I quickly grabbed my phone, but Marc’s hand was faster. He gently took it from me before I could react.

“Let me see,” he said softly, his eyes scanning the screen.

His expression shifted from confusion to a subtle frown as he read through the comments. The hurt and anger from the online attacks were evident in his eyes, but he remained silent.

“I—” I began, but Marc cut me off gently.

“Let’s not let this ruin tonight,” he said, his voice firm but kind. “You don’t need to deal with this right now.”

I watched in confusion as he began deleting the social media apps from my phone.

“What are you doing?” I asked, feeling a mix of surprise and gratitude.

“You don’t need this right now,” Marc said, his tone gentle but resolute. “Focus on the positive. You’ve been a huge support for me, and that’s what matters.”

I felt a lump in my throat as I watched him work. The weight of the online hostility was heavy, but Marc’s gesture of deleting the apps was a small but powerful act of kindness.

It meant he was looking out for me, even when things were tough.

When he finished, he handed me my phone back with a reassuring smile. “Let’s just enjoy tonight.”

I nodded, feeling a wave of relief wash over me. “Thank you, Marc. I just didn’t want to burden you with this.”

He pulled me into another embrace, his warmth comforting. “You’re never a burden. We’re in this together.”

[taurasiluvr]

how you can help palestine

★ req: "HEY HI HEY ok i saw youre accepting requests and thought why not. how about something where reader plays for barca fem and when she first moved to barcelona pedri reached out to her online and offered to show her around and they just bonded REALLY well yk???? thank u ^_^ have a nice week!"

 ⠀ ── ⠀warnings ;; seriously nothing but fluff, flirting and some teasing !!

 ⠀ ── ⠀rylin's notes ;; my requests are open if you guys want to send in something! i write for barcelona + barça femení and some other premier league players, send some innnn!!!!!

 ⠀ ── ⠀word count ;; 1.5k

you first moved to barcelona to join barça femení, leaving behind your time with arsenal. it was your dream team and you had finally gotten a deal, and signed with little hesitation. leaving your teammates was the hardest part ─ however, they understood.

the city felt both exciting and overwhelming, a whirlwind of new experiences and challenges. adjusting to a new team, a different style of play, and a foreign culture pushed you out of your comfort zone, but you embraced it all. the vibrant streets, the passionate fans, and the warm climate quickly made barcelona feel like a warm welcome.

you were a bit nervous but after your first few weeks at training, you slowly adjusted. one of your teammates had invited you out to dinner one night with the team and you agreed, hoping to make some new friends.

after a great night with some friends, you got home with a full heart. barcelona felt like home, now too ─ you knew you'd made the right decision.

while you were scrolling on instagram, you felt your phone buzz. you instinctively glanced up to look at the notification, your eyebrows furrowing at the name.

pedri gonzález | hello! i saw you at the party tonight and wanted to say hello :)

your face flushed at the name, pedri gonzález? the young barça star? you couldn't believe it. you had noticed him at the party, but you'd never imagined he'd take the time to message you. taking a deep breath, you typed back a reply, trying to sound casual despite your excitement.

you | hey! thanks for reaching out. it was a great party, sorry i wasn't able to come say hi lol

you hit send and waited, your mind racing with thoughts of what this could mean. was he hitting on you, or just being polite? you shook your head, reminding yourself to stay grounded. after all, you'd just moved to barcelona and had plenty on your plate with your new team.

a few moments later, your phone buzzed again.

pedri gonzález | absolutely! it’s always fun when everyone gets together. by the way, i’ve seen a few of your matches. you’re an incredible player!

pedri gonzález | since you're new to barcelona i'd love to show you around sometime, maybe a smoothie after training. only if you are free 😁

your cheeks flushed as you read his message. was this really happening? it felt surreal. you took a moment to gather your thoughts before replying, trying to keep your cool.

you | that sounds great! i'd love to. a smoothie after training sounds perfect 😁

you hit send and exhaled, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. the idea of spending time with pedri was thrilling, but you also didn't want to read too much into it just yet. maybe he was just being friendly and welcoming.

either way, you decided to enjoy the moment.

the next day at training, you couldn't help but feel a bit more energized. you pushed yourself harder, feeling a renewed sense of motivation. after the session, as you were packing up your things, you saw pedri waiting near the entrance, a friendly smile on his face.

"ready for that smoothie?" he asked, his accent thick as his lips curved into a smile.

you nodded, returning his smile. "absolutely. lead the way."

you and pedri both walked down the hallway, a silence creeping up in between you. however, before you could get too far ─ you heard some noise from the end of the hallway.

you made eye contact with gavi and joao, who were grinning mischievously as they approached.

"look who’s getting cozy," gavi teased, nudging pedri playfully.

joao joined in, chuckling. "taking our new star out already? smooth move."

pedri rolled his eyes but couldn't hide his blush. "come on, guys. just showing a friend around."

gavi smirked. "sure, sure. have fun, you two."

joao gave you a friendly wink. "not too much fun, though-"

"okay, shut up." pedri cut off before sending you nervous smile.

you laughed, feeling more at ease with their playful banter. pedri led you down the hallway, the laughter echoing behind you, you couldn't help but feel a little lighter. the camaraderie among the players was heartwarming and reassuring.

once outside, pedri led you to a cozy smoothie bar. the warm barcelona sun was beginning to set, casting a golden glow over the city. you both ordered your smoothies and found a spot to sit, enjoying the warmth around you, a stark difference from england.

"so, how are you finding barça femení?" he asked as you both sipped on your smoothies, sitting at a cozy outdoor café.

"its been amazing, honestly. the team is fantastic, and the city is incredible. but you know, i'm still adjusting, but it's been a great experience so far," you replied, feeling at ease in his company.

"thats good to hear. i'm sure you'll do great here. and if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to reach out," pedri said, his tone sincere.

"thank you, seriously. you didn't have to... you know, show me around." you smiled, a soft blush spreading on your cheeks.

"no, i know. i wanted to," he remarked, a teasing expression on his face. "you know, i don't show just anyone my favorite smoothie place."

"oh really?" you replied, a teasing edge to your tone. "so... you're saying i'm special?"

"very." he answered, not missing another moment. "very beautiful, too."

wow, he wasn't even being subtle anymore. you laughed, shaking your head at his antics. "wow, you really don't hold back, do you?" you said, laughing and shaking your head at his antics.

pedri grinned, leaning back in his chair. "why should i? life's too short for that."

you couldn't help but admire his confidence. It was refreshing, and it put you at ease. "fair enough."

"how'd you like arsenal?" pedri quippied as he glanced back at you. "you liked it?"

"yeah, of course. it was my first team and that kinda just sticks with you, right?" you answered honestly.

"absolutely," pedri nodded, his expression thoughtful. "your first team always has a special place in your heart. mine was a small club, but it means a lot to me."

you smiled, appreciating the shared sentiment. "yeah, it's where you grow and learn so much. arsenal was like that for me. the fans, the teammates, the whole atmosphere — it was something else."

pedri leaned forward, his interest evident. "what was your best memory from arsenal?"

you thought for a moment, a smile spreading across your face. "probably the day we won the FA cup. it was such an intense match, and the feeling of lifting that trophy with the team was unforgettable."

"that sounds amazing," pedri said, his eyes sparkling. "i've watched some of those matches, you were incredible."

"thank you," you replied, feeling a warmth in his praise. "what about you? what's your favorite memory from playing?"

"scoring my first goal for barça," pedri said without hesitation. "the roar of the camp nou, the feeling of the ball hitting the net... i'll never forget it."

"wow, i can't wait for that feeling." you replied, a small smile on your face. "first goals are always special for... you know, anyone."

he laughed at that, nodding as he leaned back. "very special, indeed. and you'll get it. who knows, i may be watching, too."

you felt a blush as he looked at you, a nervous laugh leaving your lips at his intense gaze. "yeah? you'll cheer for me?"

pedri laughed, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "oh, obviously. i'll be your biggest fan. just make sure you celebrate big so i can spot you from the stands."

you giggled, feeling the warmth of his support. "i'll hold you to that. no pressure, right?"

"none at all," he teased, his smile genuine. "but seriously, i'm looking forward to seeing you make your mark here. you've got a bright future ahead, i can tell."

"thanks, pedri. that means a lot," you said, your blush deepening.

the conversation continued, light and easy. you talked about your favorite places to eat, your hobbies outside of football, and even shared a few funny stories from your respective teams. pedri's stories about his teammates had you in stitches, and you found yourself relaxing more with each passing minute.

before you knew it, hours had passed, and the sun had long set. the city lights twinkled around you, casting a magical glow over the evening.

"i should probably get you back," pedri said, glancing at his watch. "its getting late."

"yeah, you're right," you agreed, though you were reluctant to end the evening.

pedri walked you back to your place, the conversation continuing effortlessly. when you reached your door, you turned to him with a smile.

"thanks again, pedri. today was amazing," you said sincerely.

"anytime, y/n. i'm glad we got to hang out," he replied, his smile warm.

you hesitated for a moment before stepping closer and giving him a quick hug. "goodnight, pedri."

"goodnight, y/n," he said softly, his eyes lingering on yours for a moment longer.

as you watched him walk away, you couldn't help but feel excited about the future. barcelona was starting to feel like home, and with new friends like pedri, you knew you were in for an incredible journey.

if you enjoyed, any interaction is greatly appreciated!

with love, rylin 𝜗𝜚

[echoesofwisdomcountup]

what are your non-spoilery thoughts on eow so far?? i’m curious about it but trying to decide if it’s worth dropping $60 or not

I've been having a great time. To be completely fair, I haven't experienced the full story but the bits and pieces I have seen have left me incredibly intrigued and excited for what the rest of the game may hold. There really are a lot of options when it comes to echoes. I feel like everyone's play style will be pretty unique because you have a lot of choices. I have run into enemies where the echo I was using just didn't quite cut it so had to switch to something else. I like that you can try overwhelming things with smaller monster echoes or pick one that costs more but doesn't go down as easily. Also it was really smart of Nintendo to make you fight a monster and kill it to get the echo. This way you have a sense of what it's weak against and what is weak against it. They also give you a lot of echoes from the get go. It's pretty immediate that you have a lot of options and you are rewarded for exploring caves and sections that have new monsters. The warp function is pretty forgiving, there are a lot of warp spots. Also there doesn't seem to be fall damage which I'm happy about because I'm not the best at judging distances and have already fallen off in the rift sections. Overall, so far I feel it's pretty nice to casual players but I'm also in the beginning so I have yet to understand the full difficulty. Yup. That's it right now.