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shervonfakhimi · 6 years ago

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The Annual Gasbag, Totally Wrong 2019 NCAA Tournament Bracket

The sun is out. The birds are chirping. Spring break is approaching. Gasbags on television are absolutely positive the Anteaters of UC Irvine will beat the Kansas State Wildcats despite never seeing them play. That’s right, get a whiff of it all and inhale. March is here ladies and gentlemen, which means people will finally begin watching college basketball and maintain that they have been watching all season long trying to win their bracket pools (I somehow won mine last year after years of trying. Shoutout Moe Wagner and Donte DiVincenzo!) pretending to know everything in the process, when we all know nobody knows anything at all. Who the hell is Gardner-Webb? Wait, they’re a team, not a player? What? So with that being the backdrop, let’s run through my picks and all laugh at how horribly wrong I will be in three weeks. As the late Heath Ledger said as the Joker in ‘The Dark Knight,’ “Here. We. Go.”

EAST

Round of 64

1 Duke vs 16 North Dakota State/NC Central: Zion smash. Duke wins.

8 VCU vs 9 UCF: VCU lost to Rhode Island in the A-10 tournament, losing one of their guards in the process. UCF has guards in BJ Taylor and Aubrey Dawkins to match a talented frontcourt headed by the giant Tacko Fall. Look man, I haven’t seen VCU play so I don’t have much to work with. They’re havoc style of play may work, but probably not against an experienced team. I’ll take UCF.

5 Mississippi State vs 12 Liberty: Liberty’s coach comes from the Virginia Cavalier school of strategy, playing at a snail pace and making it a halfcourt game. MSU has the guards to beat that style, and I think they’ll prevail. I’m always here for a 12-5 upset, but don’t think this is the place to look.

4 Virginia Tech vs 13 St. Louis: A Billiken is a mythical good-luck figure who represents "things as they ought to be." That’s all I got for St. Louis. And that sounds about right because they ought to take an L to a really talented, versatile Virginia Tech getting their point guard Justin Robinson back. I’ll take the giant, ‘Family Guy’-esque fighting chickens over whatever the heck a Billiken is.

6 Maryland vs 11 Belmont: Good on the committee to put Belmont in the dance, and good on Belmont to prove them and all their supporters right, taking down Temple. They have a wide range of guards and playmakers, most notably future pro Dylan Windler. But for Maryland’s purposes, Belmont has a couple bigs to throw at Bruno Fernando to at least make him work. With Windler’s ability to rebound and good guard play, I think Belmont will keep on keeping on.

3 LSU vs 14 Yale: How remarkable is it that *these* two teams are currently embroiled in NCAA/FBI scrutiny? Hilarious. Anyway, buckle up, ya’ll. We got an upset here. Get this: Yale is 42nd and 29th in the country in 3 point field goal percentage and 3 point field goal percentage defense, respectively, per Kenpom. LSU is 276th and 179th, respectively in those areas. Add to it Yale has played the role of Cinderella spoiler before 3 years ago when Taurean Prince taught us what a rebound is, Yale arguably may have the best player on the floor in future NBA draft pick Miye Oni and LSU doesn’t have their head coach right now, this has all the makings of an upset special. I’ve never seen Yale play. Instead of watching their conference tournament championship game, I chose to watch ‘Desus & Mero’ before Tennesee-Auburn tipped off (shoutout the brand). But, I’m taking them anyway. Let’s go Yale!

7 Louisville vs 10 Minnesota: Brace yourselves, good people of Des Moines, Iowa. Wear turtlenecks, stay in bright areas, dress in layers to be extra cautious. The fact this is the first game on Thursday’s slate means it may be dark enough for a vampire named Count Pitino to sneak into the arena. No one should be bit in the process. All I want is safety for those who just want to enjoy some hoops. Is that too much to ask for? I’m taking Louisville, but that’s not what’s important here. Stay safe, Iowa. We don’t need any accidents here.

2 Michigan State vs 15 Bradley: Don’t worry, Bradley. You won’t be in the tournament long enough for any actual, respected journalists to have to worry about your supposed ‘brand.’ Sparty rolls on.

ROUND OF 32

1 Duke vs 9 UCF: The classic mentor vs mentee matchup. Mike Krzyzewski being the Obi-Wan to Johnny Dawkins’ Anakin Skywalker. While Coach K might not have the high ground since UCF has towering Tacko Fall, it still won’t matter. UCF has enough shooting and wings to make it a game, but Zion, RJ and Cam Reddish should be able to get through relatively unscathed. Duke wins.

4 Virginia Tech vs 5 Mississippi State: Virginia Tech’s versatility should be a bad matchup for MSU. VT plays 4 perimeter players around big man Kerry Blackshear, who is a big with perimeter skills with his ability to shoot 3s, attack a closeout and pass. Potential possible lottery pick Nickeil Alexander-Walker should be able to defend and attack Mississippi State’s smaller guards. Since MSU isn’t particularly gigantic on the frontcourt, Virginia Tech should be able to play their game without a ton of concern, though MSU is a good offensive rebounding team. Virginia Tech hangs on and gets to the Sweet 16.

11 Belmont vs 14 Yale: Yale may have pulled off the bigger upset, but Belmont is still the better team. I’m thinking Windler and crew slow down Oni and the Bulldogs and advance to the Sweet 16.

2 Michigan State vs 7 Louisville: These two teams met earlier this year in Louisville, with the Cardinals winning. While the Cardinals aren’t bulky in the frontcourt, they have options to throw at the multitude of bigs Michigan State trots out in Nick Ward, Xavier Tillman and Kenny Goins. Maybe I’m underestimating the chemistry and spirit of this Spartans team (one that has withstood multiple injuries), but I believe Christen Cunningham can match up well against Cassius Winston, Louisville matches up well with Michigan State as a whole, Jordan Nwora is perhaps the most talented player on the floor that Michigan State doesn’t quite have an answer for, and Chris Mack knows his way around an NCAA Tournament too. Though Michigan State is a good 3 point shooting team (38.2%), they surround the floor with shooters who teams are willing to let them beat them rather than let their bigs dominate inside and have been inconsistent hitting big shots in tense situations. I believe Louisville will be able to get better offense, though they’ll have to avoid collapsing late like they did against Duke when they blew a 23 point lead. Perhaps Louisville gets some home cooking too with this game being played in Big 10 country. Louisville ranks in the top 30 in both offensive and defensive efficiency in Kenpom, so they are more than capable of taking Michigan State down. I’m rolling with Louisville in an upset to get to the Sweet 16.

SWEET 16

1 Duke vs 4 Virginia Tech: This is a dangerous spot for Duke. VT defeated Duke in Blacksburg, while the Hokies were without Justin Robinson and Duke was without Zion Williamson. Zion aside, Virginia Tech has the length and athleticism to match up somewhat with Duke’s perimeter athletes and their 3 point shooting prowess (7th in the nation at 39.8%) could make things interesting. If Zion Williamson wasn’t on Duke, this could be a trendy and real sleeper pick. Zion could end up being the difference, thus Duke moving on to the Elite 8.

7 Louisville vs 11 Belmont: Belmont matches up with Louisville fairly well. But the same applies the other way and I think Louisville has the versatility to defend Belmont’s motion-centric offense and out-gun them with Nwora leading the way. I like Louisville to move on to the Elite 8.

ELITE 8

1 Duke vs 7 Louisville: As mentioned earlier, Duke nearly lost to this Louisville and required a colossal comeback to defeat them in Louisville. Louisville managed out-rebound Duke and hold them to 36.5% from the field. And yes, this was with Zion Williamson playing. However, Duke got 24 trips to the Free Throw line, nine of which from Zion, who made eight of them. The lack of size in the backcourt means Cam Reddish could be more of a factor should the Cardinals elect to have Dwane Sutton guard RJ Barrett, who went only 4-14 from the field in their previous affair. I’m not expecting an utter meltdown from Louisville in this rematch, but I also don’t think Reddish, RJ Barrett and Tre Jones will go 13-45 from the field either. Duke wins a close on to get to the Final 4.

SOUTH

ROUND OF 64

1 Virginia vs 16 Gardner-Webb: You want to know what I said last year about Virginia in their first round matchup? Well, here ya go: ‘UMBC is named the Retrievers. That’s about all I got here. Shoutout them & Jarius Lyles, who averages 20.2 PPG, but nah this ain’t happening. UVA wins.’ It can’t happen again, right? RIGHT?

8 Ole Miss vs 9 Oklahoma:

Could this Oklahoma team be any more of a polar opposite than last year’s squad headlined by Trae Young? Nope. Last year’s team was more of an offensive oriented team, while this year makes its hey on defense. While Ole Miss has some legit guards in Terence Davis and Breein Tyree, they’re not good defending 3s and can be had defensively. We’re going with the more tournament experienced Sooners here.

5 Wisconsin vs 12 Oregon: Ethan Happ is *still* in Wisconsin after debuting for the Badgers 10 years ago. Seriously, he’s still there? Anyway, Wisconsin drew a really bad matchup against a super hot Oregon team who has multiple bigs, primarily Kenny Wooten, to throw at Happ and stick to Wisconsin’s shooters. Louis King, who Bill Walton calls ‘Louie the King’ is a potential 1st round pick (maybe next year) with a very tantalizing skillset at 6’9” 205lbs. Payton Pritchard can control the pace and bring a scoring punch in his own right. Speaking of Bill Walton, I’ll let him announce who my pick is for this game.

4 Kansas State vs 13 UC Irvine: Similarly to Yale, instead of watching UC Irvine’s championship game, I chose to watch ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’ instead. So I don’t really have much here. All I know is this game is going to be an ugly, low scoring brawl since these two teams make their hay. Dean Wade may not play for Kansas State, so I’m rolling with the Anteaters despite never seeing them play. Surely that’s a recipe for success, right?

6 Villanova vs 11 St. Mary’s: I don’t think Villanova could’ve gotten a better draw. If you sense a theme here with this bracket, St. Mary’s wants to play at a snail’s pace with scoring being at a premium. That’s good for a Villanova team without many offensive creators outside of Phil Booth and Eric Paschall, who are a little over their heads for their roles anyway while keeping this team afloat. Had Nova gotten a team that can go up and down and get buckets, I’d be a lot more pessimistic about their chances. But St. Mary’s isn’t that team, so I’m rolling with Booth, Paschall, Jay Wright and Villanova to advance.

3 Purdue vs 14 Old Dominion: I totally have never seen Old Dominion play so… yeah. Carsen Edwards should be able to get at least one game for Purdue. Boiler up!

7 Cincinnati vs 10 Iowa: If ever there were a game that will break out in an Anchorman-type brawl with brass knuckles, grenades and a trident, this would be it. Coaching staffs, players, everybody. And let me tell you, no one is more ready to fight like Mick Cronin. For that (and the fact this game will be in Columbus, Ohio) reason alone I’m going with Cincinnati.

2 Tennessee vs 15 Colgate: Tennessee should be able to *brush* off the competition in the first round. I’ll show myself out…

ROUND OF 32

1 Virginia vs 9 Oklahoma: If Oklahoma is a defensive-minded squad, then give me the team with three potential NBA 1st round picks. Virginia advances.

12 Oregon vs 13 UC Irvine: Again, another defensive-minded affair. Oregon has been locking teams down in their late season push into the NCAA tournament. Irvine can win this game, but I think Pritchard will be able to get Oregon better looks and close out another win. Cue Bill Walton again.

3 Purdue vs 6 Villanova: Villanova’s hellacious draw continues. Purdue is similar to Nova in that they have a player that has to do more offensivey than he probably should be doing. Carsen Edwards is a volume scorer, but that can lead to loud off nights as well. Without another go-to option on offense, Villanova is sound and disciplined enough to be able to take away Purdue’s complementary shooting and put multiple defenders on Edwards to tire him out. It also helps Villanova’s cause they’ll be a de facto home team in Hartford, Connecticut. As mentioned before, I think Villanova is prone to a loss here, but I’m not sure Purdue has the firepower to knock them out early. I’m guessing this will be another close, low scoring game with the defending national champs eeking out another one to get to the Sweet 16.

2 Tennessee vs 7 Cincinnati: So, it’s a little bullshit that Tennessee, a 2 seed in the *South* region will basically have a road game in the middle of Ohio. Maybe it could end up being a factor, but with how constipated an offense Cincinnati has and that Tennessee can throw multiple defenders at Cincinnati’s best offensive threat in Jarron Cumberland, I think Tennessee wins this out pretty handily.

SWEET 16

1 Virginia vs 12 Oregon: Oregon has put the clamps on teams, but the run ends here. Virginia has Ty Jerome to throw at Pritchard and De’Andre Hunter to throw at Louis King. While a fun NBA draft matchup, Oregon’s lack of explosive offensive firepower will finally come back to bite them here with Virginia’s 2nd most efficient offense in the country. I think Kyle Guy will have a field day here. Sorry Bill Walton, but I’m going with Virginia here.

2 Tennessee vs 6 Villanova: Villanova can make this interesting. Eric Paschall, Saddiq Bey, Jaylen Samuels and Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree are big and versatile enough to make Tennessee’ versions of the Incredible Hulk in Grant Williams and Admiral Schofield work. However, the play of Tennessee’s guards Jordan Bone, Jordan Bowden and Lamonte Turner I think will be the difference and lift Tennessee into a dream Elite 8 matchup.

ELITE 8

1 Virginia vs 2 Tennessee: Virginia *beep* Tennessee *beep* collision course. That’s what it feels like in this South region, honestly. These two match up really well with each other. Either squad could take it. I think this is going to be the breakout game where everybody in the country sees how good De’Andre Hunter really is. Sure, Virginia’s got Ty Jerome and Kyle Guy, who have to play well and defend Tennessee’s guards, but Tennessee’s bread and butter is in the paint, and there may be no player better served to defend Schofield and Grant Williams than Hunter, a potential Top 5 NBA pick this upcoming draft. Not only that, but he can hit 3s at a very high clip (45.7%). Tennessee got exploited by Auburn bombing away from 3 and stretching their bigs out, an achilles’ heel for Tennessee, as they rank 151st in the country in 3 point defense. Virginia is 4th in the country in 3 point offense. Look for Hunter, Braxton Key and Mamadi Diakite to make life difficult on Tennessee’s brutes down low and for the Cavs to beat Tennessee from deep. I’m rolling with Virginia and for Tony Bennett’s squad to finally make the Final 4.

MIDWEST

1 North Carolina vs 16 Iona: The ceiling is the roof for one of these teams, and it ain’t Iona. Sorry Gaels. UNC wins.

8 Utah State vs 9 Washington: Utah State is a good team led by Sam Merrill and a future pro in Neemias Queta. Washington struggles to score, but can make things interesting playing a Syracuse-esque 2-3 zone and ballhawk Matisse Thybulle making plays. I just don’t think Washington scores enough. Utah State moving on.

5 Auburn vs 12 New Mexico State: Auburn destroyed Tennessee from 3 point range in the SEC championship game. New Mexico State can make things interesting, but think Jared Harper and Bryce Brown make enough shots to let Auburn advance.

4 Kansas vs 13 Northeastern: This is arguably the worst Kansas team I’ve ever seen. Part of it is because they’ve been hampered by injuries (Udoka Azubuike), Lagerald Vick leaving for personal reasons and the feds tapping Bill Self’s phone (Silvio De Sousa). Regardless, this team is overly reliant on Dedric Lawson, who couldn’t get the job against Iowa State in the Big 12 tournament. Northeastern can stretch Kansas out similarly to how the Cyclones did and have arguably the best guard on the floor in Serbian guard Vasa Pusica. While Devon Dotson is a solid floor general, he, Quentin Grimes and Ochai Agbaji haven’t necessarily proven to be consistent scoring threats. I already picked one Husky team to lose; I don’t think the other will. Upset alert!

6 Iowa State vs 11 Ohio State: If Ohio State big man Kaleb Wesson can stay out of foul trouble and punish the Cyclones down low, this could be a game. But Iowa State may have the best collection of guards in the entire country, and have at least 3 solid options down low to bang with Wesson in Michael Jacobson, Cam Lard and George Conditt IV. I’m betting on Iowa State’s guard play to advance.

3 Houston vs 14 Georgia State: I know D’Marcus Simonds is good for Georgia State. I’m not sure what else they got. Houston should win this game. Dejon Jarreau and the Coogs hold on.

7 Wofford vs 10 Seton Hall: I don’t think there’s a more underrated guard to go on a Kemba Walker-esque run than Myles Powell of Seton Hall. He is an unconscious chucker who won’t stop until he gets hot. I think he outguns Fletcher Magee for Wofford and Seton Hall advances with tough defense to run Wofford off the 3 point line.

2 Kentucky vs 15 Abilene Christian: Does this man look like he’s worried about Abilene Christian? Hell nah.

ROUND OF 32

1 North Carolina vs 8 Utah State: Utah State has some guys, as mentioned earlier, but I don’t think they have the firepower to deal with Coby White, Cam Johnson, Luke Maye, Nassir Little and crew. UNC goes to the Sweet 16.

5 Auburn vs 13 Northeastern: Similar to Utah State, Northeastern has some firepower and can make this interesting, but don’t think they have enough. The numerous attacking guards Auburn has runs in contrast to what Kansas has. Regardless of whether Northeastern or Kansas actually plays this game, I’m taking Auburn to move on.

3 Houston vs 6 Iowa State: Houston has some guards in Dejon Jarreau, Galen Robinson and Corey Davis Jr. They’re tough and versatile defensively and have enough to score efficiently. Had they gotten Villanova as their 6th seed, I’d be more willing to pick Houston. But Iowa State’s guard-play in the form of Virginia transfer Marial Shayok, potential first round pick Talen Horton-Tucker, Tyrese Haliburton and 6th man supersub Lindell Wigginton I think will shine through. Houston can beat Iowa State, but I don’t think they will end up beating them. Gimme Iowa State.

2 Kentucky vs 10 Seton Hall: Myles Powell and Seton Hall beat Kentucky once already. But, as all Calipari teams, this Kentucky team has improved as the season has gone on. I’m not sure Hall has enough juice to pull this off. Going with Kentucky.

SWEET 16

1 North Carolina vs 5 Auburn: This game will be the closest thing to an NBA in terms of space and 3 point shooting. Auburn can shoot themselves into a win or out of a game into a major loss. North Carolina is one of the few teams in the country that can keep up with them whether Auburn is hitting shots or not. I think Coby White and Kenny Williams would outplay and defend Jared Harper and Bryce Brown. Cam Johnson going up against Chuma Okeke makes for a nice NBA draft matchup. UNC has an answer for all of Auburn’s primary weapons. I’m taking the Heels.

2 Kentucky vs 6 Iowa State: So remember all that talk about Iowa State’s guards? Well, Kentucky has Ashton Hagans, Tyler Herro and Keldon Johnson to throw at Iowa State, along with a multitude of bigs, most notably PJ Washington and Stanford transfer Reid Travis. I think Kentucky can neutralize Iowa State’s guards while simultaneously punishing them down low. It’ll be a de facto road game in Hilton south in Kansas City, but think Calipari and crew will get the job done.

ELITE 8

1 North Carolina vs 2 Kentucky: The Luke Maye avenge game! De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk and Bam Adebayo aren’t there, but Maye still is after debuting for the Heels 20 years ago. Ashton Hagans is a bulldog defensively who can hound Coby White all game long. Keldon Johnson can defend Cam Johnson. They have the athletes and girth in the frontcourt to not just pester Luke Maye, Garrison Brooks and Nassir Little, but get the best of them too. However, with PJ Washington in a boot, he may not be 100% if he can even play in the game. For that reason, I’m rolling with North Carolina to get back to the Final 4.

WEST

ROUND OF 64

1 Gonzaga vs 16 Fairleigh Dickinson/Prairie View A&M: Yeah, Gonzaga.

8 Syracuse vs 9 Baylor: Another should-be ugly game with a lot of zone and offenses not knowing how to deal with zones. Syracuse announced they have suspended starting guard Frank Howard. With that news, for an already struggling Syracuse offense, I’m going with Baylor to take this one.

5 Marquette vs 12 Murray State: HELL. YES. Inject this game into my damn veins. Ja Morant and Markus Howard are two of the most explosive scoring guards in the country. Ja carried the Racers into the tournament. Markus made it a habit to drop 50 on fools. The difference is: Ja is a Trae Young type of playmaker put into De’Aaron Fox’s gifted athletic frame, whereas Markus is a talented bucket getter who can be forced into low efficiency shots and turnovers. Howard is a stud, but Ja is better, and Murray State has guards in Shaq Buchanon and Tevin Brown to make Howard work offensively. Where is Ja? The round of 32, Mr. Dave Chappelle.

4 Florida State vs 13 Vermont: Vermont is good. They also aren’t very big or deep. Florida State is the exact opposite. I’ll take the Seminoles.

6 Buffalo vs 11 St. John’s/Arizona State: Regardless of who plays this game (I think it’ll be Arizona State), I’m taking Buffalo. The Bulls have good guard play headlined by CJ Massinburg and Jeremy Harris. The Sun Devils match up fairly well, but I’m thinking those two and big man Nick Perkins stretching the floor will make the difference in the Bobby Hurley revenge game.

3 Texas Tech vs 14 Northern Kentucky: Unless Thor is suiting up for the Norse of Northern Kentucky, then I’m taking Jarrett Culver and Tech. I’m told he’s being rested for load management so he can take down Thanos. Sounds like the right decision. Texas Tech wins this one.

7 Nevada vs 10 Florida: So, here’s a question: Is Nevada good? Arizona State and Utah State are the only teams worth a damn they’ve beaten this year, neither of which being a true road game. They split with Utah State and lost 2 of 3 to San Diego State. Not great for the Muss Bus. The Martin twins and Jordan Caroline are good enough to go on another one, but I’m thinking Florida puts the clamps on them and Arkansas’ own KeVaughn Allen helps close them out. Florida moves on.

2 Michigan vs 15 Montana: I have no idea why and how these two are playing in the first round again, but I’m guessing it’ll end similarly to last year. Michigan wins.

ROUND OF 32

1 Gonzaga vs 9 Baylor: I can’t think of any two players more suited to bust a 2-3 zone (yes, Baylor runs it too) quite like Rui Hachimura and Brandon Clarke. Well, there was Jaren Jackson Jr. last year for Michigan State but Tom Izzo somehow decided he was only worth playing 13 minutes. Yeah… Mark Few isn’t going to make that mistake (I think?). Gonzaga moves on.

4 Florida State vs 12 Murray State: I hate this draw for Murray State. Loathe it. Despise it. I just want to pick Ja Morant to go the Elite 8 at the very least, why do you have to do this to me, committee? Florida State has multiple guards in Terrance Mann, Trent Forrest, MJ Walker, David Nichols, PJ Savoy and Devin Vassell that can not only make Ja Morant work offensively but have to guard defensively. Not that he’s a bad defender, but he typically likes to chill a little bit on that end to store his energy for carrying Murray State’s offense. Ja is good enough to pull this off; I’d probably pick him to do so against any other 4 seed (or even some 3 seeds). I just don’t see it happening against this Florida State squad.

3 Texas Tech vs 6 Buffalo: Both of these teams are sized fairly evenly across the board and play similarly. Both grind defensively and let their multiple guards on the floor carry them. One team has a potential Top 5 pick in Jarrett Culver; the other doesn’t. I’m taking him to carry Tech to a victory.

2 Michigan vs 10 Florida: These two teams are similar as well. Both teams are stout defensively, but leave more to be desired offensively, to put it kindly. Without Moe Wagner (at least someone knew how to use him right), the Wolverines have been more reliant on their guards to create with less spacing. Swaggy Jordan Poole made arguably the biggest shot of the tournament last year with his halfcourt buzzer beater against Houston, so if he gets hot, all things are off. But I like the way Florida executed offensively in the SEC Tournament against Arkansas, LSU and Auburn. Think this will be another low scoring affair, and that Florida will find a way to squeak out a close one to get to the Sweet 16.

SWEET 16

1 Gonzaga vs 4 Florida State: It’s all about matchups. Gonzaga has arguably the best frontcourt in the country, headlined by future potential lottery picks Rui Hachimura and Brandon Clarke, along with Killian Tillie coming off the bench. So no problem, they’ll just plow through Florida State, right? Not so fast, my friends. Florida State is one of the few teams that can match up with the Zags, with ACC 6th man of the year Mfiondu Kabengele (here’s a drinking game for ya: take a sip every time it gets mentioned he’s a nephew of Dikembe Mutombo), 7’4” goliath Christ Koumadje, Phil Cofer and Raiquan Gray. Yeah, Leonard Hamilton’s team has depth for days (side note: you all realize Leonard Hamilton is *only* 70 years old? He’s 22 months younger than Coach K. It truly is amazing). We already talked about FSU’s guard play, so let’s talk about the Zags’. It was a little alarming to see Zach Norvell Jr. and Josh Perkins look shook in their championship game vs St. Mary’s. They’re going to need solid play from Perkins and scoring from Norvell to pull this off. I think FSU can match up with them and out-gun their perimeter play. I’m taking Florida State to move on to the Elite 8.

3 Texas Tech vs 10 Florida: I think this is where Florida’s lack of scoring will come back to haunt them. Texas Tech can defend just as well as Michigan and has a little more of a scoring and shooting punch. I’m taking Jarrett Culver to get the Red Raiders back into the Elite 8.

ELITE 8

3 Texas Tech vs 4 Florida State: Florida State has guards and size. Texas Tech doesn’t quite have the number of them FSU does, but they have enough in Tariq Owens, Deshawn Corprew and Norense Odiase. I think Tech has more shooting and star power to get past Florida State. I already am looking for property on Culver Island. I’m banking on him to carry Tech on a big time run, and think he’ll follow through. Tech to the Final 4.

FINAL 4

1 Duke vs 3 Texas Tech: These two already met in Madison Square Garden where James Dolan wasn’t throwing fans out for pointing his gross incompetence. Culver can go toe-to-toe with either RJ or Reddish, but (I hope you’re sensing a theme) I’m not sure they have a match for Zion. Tre Jones can pressure Tech’s guards as well and come up with the scrappy 50-50 balls Tech lives off of. I think Duke moves on to the championship game.

1 Virginia vs 1 North Carolina: These two teams met in the regular season and Virginia won in Chapel Hill. I think De’Andre Hunter proves to be the difference and Virginia moves on to the championship game.

CHAMPIONSHIP

1 Duke vs 1 Virginia: Duke isn’t a great shooting team (and it come into play as to whether or not they actually make it this far), but Kentucky isn’t either. I think Tre Jones and Cam Reddish will be big factors slowing down Jerome and Guy. While it is hard to beat a team three times in a row, it isn’t impossible. Virginia doesn’t quite have an answer for Zion and Duke’s athleticism, and I think that leads Duke to another championship.

So there you have it. It took me basically two days to write this, a shit ton of words and little research looking up guys I’ve never heard of and will likely forget the second they will be eliminated all for Duke to lose in the Sweet 16 (an outcome I surely wouldn’t mind either!). Thanks for reading this everybody. Hopefully I’ll look at least decently smart three weeks from now.

#ncaa tournament #basketball #College Basketball #Duke #North Carolina #Texas Tech #Kentucky #Virginia

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watchingthesuperbowl · 7 years ago

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Grading Super Bowl XL

What was the final score?

Pittsburgh 21, Seattle 10

How much of the game was close? What was the “edge of your seat factor” like? (20 points)

The entire first half was close; it was 7-3 Steelers after two quarters. Pittsburgh’s Willie Parker torched the Seahawks for a 75-yard touchdown run on the second play of the third quarter. That put the Steelers on top by 11 points, which meant that if Seattle were going to win this game, they’d need to put together the largest comeback in Super Bowl history.

And the Seahawks had a chance to do just that. After cutting the Pittsburgh lead to 14-10 later in the third quarter, Seattle put together a long drive deep into Steelers territory before Matt Hasselbeck made a terrible throw directly to cornerback Ike Taylor at the five yard line. That turnover, and the touchdown the Steelers scored four plays later, put a fork in the Seahawks. (Score: 12 out of 20)

Was there any kind of comeback? Was there ever any indication that the team which was trailing had a chance to come from behind and win? (15 points)

As I mentioned earlier, a comeback seemed entirely plausible until Hasselbeck was picked off in the red zone. On their ensuing drive, Pittsburgh ran a reverse run-pass option to Antwaan Randle-El, a wide receiver who had been a college quarterback. Randle-El looked like someone who knew what he was doing, throwing an inch-perfect bomb to Hines Ward for a score. Those two plays turned a potential 17-14 Seahawks lead in the fourth quarter into a 21-10 Pittsburgh lead. Given the Steelers’ ability to move the ball on the ground, it was pretty much game over at that point. (Score: 7 out of 15)

Did the great players come through with great performances? (15 points)

Apart from Hines Ward, nobody had a great performance. Ward made five catches for 123 yards and a touchdown en route to the Super Bowl XL MVP award. Ward only had six touches, but was as good a selection for MVP as there was on the field.

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, one of the top young quarterbacks in the league, went 9-for-21 for 123 yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions. His backfield mate, Jerome Bettis, playing the final game of a Hall of Fame career, ran for 43 yards at 3.1 yards per carry. Starting running back Willie Parker had one huge run - that 75 yard touchdown, the longest rushing play in Super Bowl history - but otherwise averaged two yards per carry. Other than Ward, no Pittsburgh Steeler had more than 22 receiving yards in the game.

On the defensive side of the ball, Troy Polamalu was good but wasn’t a game-changer. The stars for the Steeler defense in this game were Ike Taylor, Clark Haggans, and Deshea Townsend. All good players, certainly, but nobody was tuned into the Super Bowl to see what Clark Haggans would do this week.

For the Seahawks, league MVP Shaun Alexander was the most consistently dangerous weapon on the field. Alexander ran the ball 20 times for 95 yards - a good performance, but not a dominant performance or the sort of thing you’d hope to see from the league MVP on the sport’s biggest stage. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck was 26-for-49 with a touchdown, a pick, and 273 yards through the air. His receivers were all reasonably successful. Joe Jurevicius was the best of the bunch with 5 catches for 93 yards. Bobby Engram (6-70) and Darrell Jackson (5-50) were similarly solid. It’s worth noting that all five of Jackson’s catches were early in the first quarter. He didn’t touch the ball in the final 53 minutes of the game.

So there just wasn’t a ton of greatness on display. It wasn’t terrible, but there wasn’t much in the way of individual excellence. (Score: 7 out of 15)

Were the teams historically great? (10 points)

Not really.

The Steelers went 6-10 in 2003, 15-1 in 2004, 11-5 with a Super Bowl win in 2005, and then 8-8 and 10-6 in ‘06 and ‘07. They were a really good team, but they didn’t sustain their success for long enough to be elite. It should be mentioned that the 2008 and 2010 Steelers played in the Super Bowl, but they missed the playoffs entirely in 2006 and 2009. Is that historical greatness? Probably not, but three Super Bowls in six years is commendable and not something to dismiss lightly. It’s historical reallygoodness.

For their part, Seattle had the best record in football in 2005 (13-3), but it was their first 11+ win season in more than two decades. They were actually outscored by their opponents in 2004 and 2006, which suggests this success was less “greatness” and more “talented players and an excellent coach having everything fall into place at the same time”. This core was not the same group of players that played in back-to-back Super Bowls for the Pete Carroll Seahawks in the 2010s. That team should be considered entirely different for the purposes of this category. (Score: 8 out of 10)

Were there memorable moments that will be talked about for decades? (10 points)

Seattle fans could probably list a half-dozen times the referees conspired to cost them the Super Bowl championship they obviously deserved. I know that feeling - I’m still salty about all the uncalled incidents of defensive pass interference by Washington in XXVII - but jeez. Tell your quarterback not to throw the ball to the other team inside the red zone. Tell your receivers not to push off the defensive back right in front of an official. I understand the frustration, but the Seahawks lost this game because they did a bunch of stupid crap at inopportune times. I don’t like the Steelers - I grew up in a Browns family in Northeast Ohio and would like nothing more than to crap on Pittsburgh - but they won this game because they deserved to win this game.

For those of us who aren’t wearing tinfoil caps, there were a few huge plays that turned the tide of the game. On the second play of the third quarter, Steelers running back Willie Parker took a handoff from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and was just flat gone. Nobody was going to catch him. That completely changed the complexion of the game, from a 7-3 nailbiter to a two-score second half lead.

Seattle fought back, though, and had a chance to take the lead in the fourth quarter until Matt Hasselbeck inexplicably through the ball right to defensive back Ike Taylor at the Pittsburgh five yard line. That ended the Seahawks drive and led directly to the third memorable moment, an Antwaan Randle-El to Hines Ward touchdown pass that stuck the fork in Seattle. They were done and the Steelers finally had one for the thumb. (Score: 9 out of 10)

How was the quality of play? Were there a lot of penalties, punts, and turnovers? (15 points)

Good. Not great, but good. There were no fumbles and not a ton of penalties. Both teams ran the ball well, both defenses were strong, and the only big mistake was the game-changing interception Hasselbeck threw in the fourth quarter. On the negative side of the ledger, Roethlisberger was poor, missing open receivers and looking a bit overwhelmed in his first Super Bowl.

As I mentioned earlier, Seattle fans would argue that the quality of the officiating was horrendous, but I’m not buying what they’re selling. I wish I were, but I’m just not. (Score: 9 out of 15)

Are there any other factors that add to the greatness the game? This covers things like weather, story line, rivalry matchup, legacy franchises, unexpected results, etc. (15 points)

This was Pittsburgh’s second attempt at “one for the thumb”, the fifth Super Bowl championship in Steelers history. The team of the 1970s struggled through the 1980s and spent most of the 1990s as second banana in the AFC, first to Buffalo and then to Denver. They’re pretty much the definition a “legacy franchise” and it was a big deal to have them back atop the NFL.

Super Bowl XL was the final Bus stop, as Jerome Bettis finished off a Hall of Fame career by earning a championship ring in his hometown of Detroit. This was the big talking point as the game approached: Would Bettis retire, win or lose? Is there a better way to end a legendary career than by winning a championship in your hometown?

The Steelers became the third team to win the Super Bowl despite playing zero home playoff games, after the Packers (Super Bowl I) and Chiefs (Super Bowl IV). Pittsburgh was the #6 seed in the AFC in the 2005 playoffs and beat (in order) the #3, #1, and #2 seeds to reach the Super Bowl. Seattle, meanwhile, became the first team in history to reach the Super Bowl without playing a division champion in the postseason. They, of course, didn’t even play a division champion in the super Bowl itself.

In addition to the Bettis story, the other talking point in the days leading to this game was the war of words between Seahawks tight end Jerramy Stevens and Pittsburgh linebacker Joey Porter. I won’t go over it because it was dumb at the time and it’s still dumb, but people were talking about these two jokers talking. (Score: 9 out of 15)

How does the game grade overall? (sum of all previous categories, 100 points)

61 out of 100. Tied for 18th out of 40, which seems right. This was sort of a nothingburger. Wasn’t great, wasn’t awful. It was good enough that you wouldn’t feel cheated out of 3-4 hours of your life, but not good enough to be more than Generic Super Bowl.

Ratings and rankings of Super Bowls I-XL:

T1. Super Bowl XIII - Pittsburgh 35, Dallas 31 - 87 points T1. Super Bowl XXXVIII - New England 32, Carolina 29 - 87 points 3. Super Bowl XXXVI - New England 20, St. Louis 17 - 86 points 4. Super Bowl XXIII - San Francisco 20, Cincinnati 16 - 85 points T5. Super Bowl XXV - New York Giants 20, Buffalo 19 - 84 points T5. Super Bowl XXXIV - St. Louis 23, Tennessee 16 - 84 points 7. Super Bowl X - Pittsburgh 21, Dallas 17 - 80 points 8. Super Bowl XXXII - Denver 31, Green Bay 24 - 77 points 9. Super Bowl VII - Miami 14, Washington 7 - 74 points 10. Super Bowl XXX - Dallas 27, Pittsburgh 17 - 69 points T11. Super Bowl IX - Pittsburgh 16, Minnesota 6 - 68 points T11. Super Bowl XXXI - Green Bay 35, New England 21 - 68 points T13. Super Bowl XVII - Washington 27, Miami 17 - 67 points T13. Super Bowl XXVIII - Dallas 30, Buffalo 13 - 67 points 15. Super Bowl XXXIX - New England 24, Philadelphia 21 - 66 points 16. Super Bowl XIV - Pittsburgh 31, Los Angeles 19 - 65 points 17. Super Bowl XVI - San Francisco 26, Cincinnati 21 - 62 points T18. Super Bowl XL - Pittsburgh 21, Seattle 10 - 61 points T18. Super Bowl XIX - San Francisco 38, Miami 16 - 61 points T20. Super Bowl III - New York Jets 16, Baltimore 7 - 58 points T20. Super Bowl XXII - Washington 42, Denver 10 - 58 points 22. Super Bowl XXI - New York Giants 39, Denver 20 - 57 points 23. Super Bowl XXVII - Dallas 52, Buffalo 17 - 55 points 24. Super Bowl XXXIII - Denver 34, Atlanta 19 - 53 points 25. Super Bowl VI - Dallas 24, Miami 3 - 52 points 26. Super Bowl XX - Chicago 46, New England 10 - 51 points T27. Super Bowl I - Green Bay 35, Kansas City 10 - 50 points T27. Super Bowl XXXVII - Tampa Bay 48, Oakland 21 - 50 points T29. Super Bowl XVIII - Los Angeles Raiders 38, Washington 9 - 49 points T29. Super Bowl XXIV - San Francisco 55, Denver 10 - 49 points 31. Super Bowl XXVI - Washington 37, Buffalo 24 - 48 points 32. Super Bowl VIII - Miami 24, Minnesota 7 - 47 points 33. Super Bowl XV - Oakland 27, Philadelphia 10 - 44 points 34. Super Bowl IV - Kansas City 23, Minnesota 7 - 43 points 35. Super Bowl XXXV - Baltimore 34, New York Giants 7 - 42 points T36. Super Bowl II - Green Bay 33, Oakland 14 - 40 points T36. Super Bowl V - Baltimore 16, Dallas 13 - 40 points 38. Super Bowl XXIX - San Francisco 49, San Diego 26 - 39 points 39. Super Bowl XII - Dallas 27, Denver 10 - 38 points 40. Super Bowl XI - Oakland 32, Minnesota 14 - 35 points

#nfl #football #super bowl #super bowl xl #pittsburgh steelers #pittsburgh #steelers #seattle seahawks #seattle #seahawks

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ajokeformur-ray · 4 years ago

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Whoops! This is me “accidentally” dropping a platonic match up for myself and J 😉. I’ve have long brown hair and brown eyes. I’m 5’1 so I’m kinda small and I’m a little squishy in some places lol. I’m very timid and shy but sometimes I come out of my shell. I’d say I’m a very affectionate and snuggly person. I also have a lot of kid energy because I work with kids. I hope that’s enough info you you Erika! ❤️

Yeeeees ~ Katie!!👏👏👏Skksks thank you for sending this in to me!!!💙I adore writing you personalised things, you and J have such a fun dynamic!💗 I’m sorry that this is super late, though! I hope that you enjoy this, darling!!!💜

(We love a man who only mimes his swears kskskssk💘)

Word count: 711.

Most interpersonal relationships have a moment of definition, a moment in which you know and come to understand the dynamic of the relationship, but your relationship with J didn't. If you had to even try to find a moment, then it would have been the moment when J sat behind you with a dramatic eye roll and almost ripped the brush out of your hands. "J, what are - " J shushed you impatiently and carried on with what he was doing. Still, it took you a few moments. "J, are you - brushing my hair?" Again, J shushed you so you allowed him to carry on. It was difficult sometimes to understand what J was doing, so it was best to just let him do what he wanted. And right in that moment, he wanted to help you fight a tangle in your long dark hair. It wasn't altogether unusual for J to help you, but it was unusual for J to sit still for longer than ten minutes. Finally, your hair was done, and J was gone from behind you in a flash, as though he had never been there at all.

You're 5'1 and J's a solid six foot so he does find your height difference amusing, but there's little he says about it. He may crack some short jokes if he knows that you're open to them, but J doesn't get too inventive with them because he knows you can give back to him as good as you get. While that's fun, he doesn't want to do it too often, otherwise the fun will be over and it'll be as commonplace as bank heists and murder. One thing J makes sure you know is that he doesn't care about your appearance. Not in a bad way but in a way which tells you he doesn't care if you're a little squishy in some places. The only time he has a problem is when you're not happy in any kind of way. Then, he steps in to reassure you when and where he can. You're his best friend, his only friend, and J takes care of what, who, is his.

You're quite shy and that amuses J on a level he couldn't hide even if he wanted to. J loves finding ways to embarrass you and make you blush. It gives him a good giggle and it keeps him coming back for more - not just because you take care of him but also because no one can make him laugh like you can! When you come out of your shell, J quietens down myself so that you can shine and he soaks in every part of you which you're brave enough to show him. You're affectionate and snuggly and J's not so good with that, but you teach him to open up and to accept your touches and in his own ways, such as brushing big knots out of your hair, J returns them. You might not find yourselves snuggling all the time but J does allow you to sink into his side, to sit on his lap, to lay on him if he stays the night... an unmoving hand on your back might be all you get most times, but on nights when you're upset or clinging a bit more than you usually do, J's there to shush you and he gives you everything you're wanting and needing.

You have a lot of kid energy and J does thrive off that energy sometimes. He, too, has a lot of untapped energy and he likes to constantly be on the move and to do things. With you, he is able to do that. You're used to working with children so seeing J flip from pillar to post with his activities; cleaning rifles for a few seconds and then sharpening blades for a few seconds and back again, isn't a peculiar site for you. You're able to keep up with J in a way no one else is able to and that's just another reason he keeps coming back to you; you understand J and you're his best friend and you're completely unique in the way you love him. There's no one like you, Katie, and there never will be. You're amazing.

#heavymetalnarwhal #ledger joker #ledger!joker #ledger joker matchup #ledger!joker matchup #matchup #tdk #J #J matchup

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ajokeformur-ray · 4 years ago

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Hi 💚 Could I get matchup for Joker (Heath Ledger version)? I am a 5'1 geeky bi girl with medium long very dark brown hair and brown eyes. I love anything that is technology related especially video games,making mods for video games, emulators that emulate old devices, messing with AI etc. , working out, drawing (mainly digital and on rare occassions traditional), reading sometimes and I recently started learning how to make simple 3D models and video editing. I am quiet (the quiet type that is afraid if they join in a conversation they'll say something stupid in the process making themselves an outcastt), semi-shy and I try to be as kind as I can be in many ways (by doing random acts of kindness both online and offline).

Hello, darling!💙 I’m so sorry for the super long wait on this request!💜🌸 I adore writing matchups, they’re so rewarding! Not just to me, because I’m able to give back to this beautiful community in a small way and hopefully bring people a small piece of joy, but also to those who request them!💗🤗I hope that you like this, angel, and thank you so much for sending this in!🥰💖

Tumblr’s a butt with notifs so I’m tagging you in this too: @mermaidpowers1

Word count: 1, 073.

J stands at a solid six foot so he is more than a bit amused by the fact that you’re considerably shorter than him. You can expect for short jokes to make up the bulk of what J says to you in a casual setting, such as when you’re around some of his goons. His nicknames for you, short stuff, strawberry shortcake, short stack, shortie and the like are never intended to be mean-spirited, and if you are sensitive to your height then J would only make a short joke the once. What’s the use of insulting the only person who gives J free license to come into their home whenever he needs food, some medical attention, a place to sleep and to go? It would be counterproductive and counterintuitive, though J would not apologise for crossing that boundary. Instead, he would only commit to not making such jokes (aloud) again. He is a man of his word, but he is also a man of doing things and J knows well that words mean nothing if one doesn’t follow through with them through actions. J isn’t one for aesthetics and he doesn’t care about appearances, but he does find you beautiful and when he’s after something or when he’s wanting to be a little bit affection with you, he will greet you thusly; “hel-lo beautiful. And you are... beautiful.” If you blush, you will be teased for it, but again... it’s all good-natured. You love technology and anyone who walked in on you and J sharing a quiet evening together would come across a peculiar site: you and J sat shoulder to shoulder on your sofa, J sharpening his blades, cleaning his weapons, taking stock of what’s in his pockets, and you, surrounded by computer screens, AI, emulators... J loves watching you get lost in your element, just as much as you enjoy watching him getting lost in the singing of his blades as he sharpens them. As such, moments like this lead to two sets of eyes meeting for a few seconds. And if J shuffles just a tiny bit closer to you as a result, who are you to say anything?

You enjoy working out and though you often don't know it, J likes to watch you, too. Even if you think you're alone, you may well not be. J is protective of what is his, and so he makes sure that there is surveillance on you at all times. He will know where you are, what you're doing, who you're with... and you won't be any the wiser to any of this, which is just how J likes it. He cares, in his own ways, though he could definitely be less invasive with it. Still, he is who he is and unapologetically so (and how you love that about him). You work hard every day and he's proud of you (though it goes unsaid much of the time so I hope you know how to read his body languages and his impossibly deep eyes). You mainly draw digitally and though J isn't all that bothered by your hobbies, he quietly admires your dedication to them and he even marvels at what your hands can make. He uses his hands just as much as you do and where he destroys, you create. Two opposite beings, two tendencies at stark oppositions on the scale, but you work well together. It is a quiet relationship between the both of you but it what you both work well in. You may not speak often but J can hear you even when you're not speaking. You're his open book and he finds it refreshing to never have to question your motives, your mood... he can see you with a single glance. J likes to do things, but with you he can also simply be; you're who he didn't know he needed until he did. You like to read and if J's in the main area of Gotham then he might just swipe a book on his way to the bank or on his way back to Headquarters, and no one will be aware of it because one of his goons killed the CCTV cameras at that precise window of time. Funny how some things align like that... You've been learning for a while now how to make 3D models and edit videos and when J has nothing better to do or when he's just too tired (he is a man, after all, loathe though he may be to admit it), likes to sit beside you and watch you work. He may ask questions here and there but ultimately he lets you be because you do the very same thing for him when he's busy, too. You complement one another well.

You are quiet and J is loud and in this way do you balance one another out. The first time J realised that you weren't speaking in case you said something stupid, he approached the topic in a way which was about as subtle as a sledgehammer. "What, ah - what are'ya thinking, doll, hm? It ain't just hot air up there," A wry grin, and J tapped your temple with a gloved finger, "So c'mon - talk to me. What'cha thinking of?" and though you hesitated, you did speak and J rewarded you for doing what he asked of you by listening to you. It was an event which brought you closer. "Don't ever silence yourself around me, toots. The world will, ah - do that for ya. So talk to me, hm? Ya'ain't stupid or, ah - dumb, hm?". It took time, you couldn't just magically talk freely over night, but J can be patient when he needs to be. So when you speak, J listens and he hears even what you don't say. You are a little shy and he does tease you about it sometimes. You genuinely amuse him and he enjoys your company a great deal - he proves this every time he scares the shit out of you at four in the morning by climbing in through your bedroom window. You try to be as kind as you can and J quietly admires your openness and vulnerability in a world as cruel as this. It only increases his protectiveness over you and J resolves to put an end to anything or anyone to dares to harm what is his.

#mermaidpowers1 #ledger joker #ledger!joker #ledger joker matchup #matchup #ledger!joker matchup #J #tdk

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ajokeformur-ray · 5 years ago

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Hi, hope you're okay! Can I have a matchup for phoenix's arthur? I'm 5'4 with long blonde wavy hair & green eyes with round glasses. I'm an INFP and love true crime, I want to pursue a career in criminal psychology/profiling. I'm really quiet around new people and may accidentally say something mean (I don't mean to, I'm really trying to work on being nicer, I just panic), but once I get comfortable around people, I'm better. I also have Raynaud's , so it'd be really cool if he can react to that

I get it mostly on my fingers & it makes it difficult to move my hands lol. Thanks for doing this, I really appreciate it x

Brace your eyes, honeybee!!! This is a looooong one ksksskks under a cut!! so sorry that this was late omggg I’ve been dealing with… a lot and I had a bit of anxiety with this piece bc I love you and you’re amazing and I wanted to get this right. I hope that the length makes up for it, darling! I know you asked for just Arthur but I added his Joker by way of apology for this being late!!

WC for all four ships: 2, 977.

Arthur // wc: 730.

With a four inch height difference between the two of you, Arthur does feel a little bit more protective of you; he loves nothing more than wrapping his arms around you and pulling you tight into his body, his chin resting on the curve of your shoulder, his face buried in your warm neck as he hides himself from the world and sometimes, on his darkest days, from you. Arthur takes a great deal of comfort from even your existence, so in love with you is he. Your hair is long and he loves it. He enjoys sitting on the sofa with you sat behind him while he brushes your hair out for you (if you let him), while he washes it for you over the bath… Arthur will do anything for even five minutes more in your presence, he holds you in such a high esteem. And your eyes, oh, but he could get lost in those green oceans which gaze at him with such reverence. Arthur also makes sure that your glasses are always looked after; he makes sure that they’re in their usual place, and he gingerly holds them in between his index finger and his thumb while he wordlessly cleans them for you. You are his entire world and there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for you.

You love true crime and Arthur… he doesn’t stay away from it and he does like to curl up on the sofa with you, but he’ll burrow his face in your neck because there’s enough crime just outside the apartment. He doesn’t especially want to be reminded of anything, either, but he uses this time to spend it with you. Sometimes he’ll actually watch it but that’s more because he wants to get closer to you through doing so and not because he’s genuinely enjoying it. He is your biggest supporter and Arthur will help you with anything and everything. Arthur was a tenth grade drop out so he really is very protective not only of your studying time but also of your well being. He knows better than most what can happen when one works themselves to the bone without reprieve and he’s determined that such a thing will not happen to you. He would do and be anything if it meant helping you with your chosen career path in any way. He likes to spend time with you while you’re watching true crime and he’ll ask you what you like about it, why and any and every question that he can think of. Arthur admires the passion in you, your drive and he especially loves the way that your eyes light up when you’re talking about the things you love the most.

You’re both really quiet around new people. Arthur, especially, because he’s always so scared that he’ll have a laughing fit and ruin his chances of friendship before he even knows it’s there, so preemptively does he keep his mouth shut. You sometimes say mean things but it wouldn’t deter Arthur; he’s very emotionally intuitive and I think he’d be able to see those signs of panic in you. “You didn’t mean to say it like that, did you?” You shake your head and Arthur gives you a weary, knowing smile. “Do you - I mean, do you want to - try that again?”it’s a system that stays long after the two of you are dating and it saves more arguments than it starts. You’re better when you’re comfortable around him but the system stays, both because you’re used to it by that point and also because it carries fond memories of shy smiles, half finished sentences and blushes which dust both of your cheeks in rose.

There is nothing that Arthur can’t adapt to, there is nothing that he can’t understand. He’s eager to please and because of that is he quick to learn and as such, when you have trouble moving your hands, Arthur’s there to take them in between both of his. He’ll cup them tightly, a frown on his face as he desperately tries to warm your hands up with his. Because of his malnutrition and the various effects of all those medications he’s on, Arthur has cold hands, too, but he tries, he tries, and together, with a joint effort, do hands and souls alike warm up under each other’s tender touch.

Joker // wc: 828.

OMGGGG this man is head over heels for you. You were with him through it all; everything that he went through and experienced, every injustice he suffered, every right and wrong… you were there through it all and you stayed, you stayed after he succumbed to all that was making him numb, after he chose the name (but not the things that came with it, he didn’t want any of those), and for that, you’re together for life. Joker is 1000000% committed to you and without you he just simply isn’t whole. He behaves in all the same ways towards you that he used to, you, his one and only person who understands him, but he’s much more protective of you. Joker is less tolerant of anything which could cause you even the smallest pieces of discomfort or hurt. You are his entire world, his whole life and his whole life and there is nothing he wouldn’t do for you. And I mean nothing. How special a soul you are, to command Arthur’s love for you. What you share is something very special, very raw and real… it’s once in a lifetime and you both know it.

Where before did Arthur hide himself in your neck, now he watches attentively. His knees bounce, his body shakes, he chuckles and laughs if the narrator makes a dark joke (and makes sure to remember it for later on; his material is never fully perfected, try as he might), and he makes sure that he remembers all those hints and tips laced within the narrative of how to get rid of forensic evidence, of how to escape and to look after oneself. You want to pursue a career in criminal psychology and in profiling and Joker is fascinated by all of it. All of it. He’s not afraid to ask you to read to him, his head cushioned on your chest late at night. His green curls fanned out across your body, his hands trailing along the sides of your body, fingers splayed to touch as much of you as he can all at once… it’s sensual, these quiet moments together and neither of you would trade them for the world. He slips off to sleep at the touch of your hand, the sound of your voice, your heartbeat in his ear… Sometimes Joker worries that because of your chosen career, that you’ll turn him in or you’ll be placed in danger because of him. You getting harmed in even the smallest of ways scares Joker like nothing else; without you, he truly has nothing left to lose. He’ll do anything to protect you, anything to keep you safe. Anything.

By this time in your relationship, you’re both more than comfortable with each other and you both know when the other person needs space or some extra love. You and Joker know each other like the backs of your hands and there’s an easy sort of intimacy between the both of you, both of you able to fully relax and to be yourselves around the other. You’re trying to work on being nicer and Joker admires that effort; he knows better than most that it isn’t easy and he would make sure that when you’re feeling like you still need to be more, he’s there to tell you that you’re enough; just because you you’re and who you are is beautiful. You have always been his greatest comfort, his biggest reason, his everything and Joker never lets you doubt it for even a second. There is nothing you could ever say or do which would make him less proud of you. Nothing. Joker loves you for all that you are, all that you have ever been and all that you will ever be and he can’t wait to spend the rest of his life with you.

Joker is often out of the apartment for long stretches of time and he comes and goes at all hours of the day and night. Sometimes you wonder if he wanders the streets at night looking to get jumped. He’s so self-punishing even now, and it’s something that you wouldn’t put past him, though it does break his heart. When he comes home, he is freezing. The sweet, sweet man takes a hot shower and comes to bed, warmed up just so that he can warm you up; especially in winter, it’s so important for you to keep warm and when you can’t move your hands, Joker’s there to wait on you and he adores the way he’s able to take care of you, a natural caregiver is he. When he first found out about it, he asked you any and every question which he could think of, wanting to learn about it but also the ways it affects you and how he can help you. You have always been and will always be Arthur’s number one priority, and that’ll never change, no matter what.

Pepperminnttttt~ // wc: 710.

This one took me longer to write bc I kept blushing omgggg 🥺😍😭🥺

Heath’s six foot but I headcanon Pat to be roughly 5′8, which means that there’s a good four inches in height difference between the two of you. Pat loves to fold you in his arms, the sharp angle of his chin resting on the crown of your head. He likes to approach you from behind, a strong, muscular arm winding around your waist. It makes you jump and he chuckles, his face brushing yours, his lips in the hollow just behind your ear. “Whoa, easy, girlie,” and he glares at anyone who rolls their eyes, looks at you in a way he doesn’t like, and so on. Pat uses the reputation he never really asked for or wanted to protect you. He doesn’t care what others say about him, but about you? He’d go nuts if someone dared to go after you. You have long blonde hair and green eyes and Pat is always unable to say more than, “Wow, you look…. wow.”, a smirk on his face. You truly are beautiful and he adores every single thing about you. You’re the only one to see him for who he really is and he does everything that he can to show you how appreciative he is of you for that.

You love to watch true crime and Pat often camps out with you on the sofa, a blanket over both of your shoulders and a bowl of popcorn or something similar balanced precariously on the spaces between your laps. His fingers brush against yours occasionally when he reaches for some popcorn and he’s either feeding you kernels or chucking them up in the air and catching it effortlessly, a cocky smirk on his face if you act impressed. You want a career in criminal psychology and though Pat doesn’t really care much about his future because he prefers to live in the moment, he is so supportive of you and there’s nothing he won’t do for you. That’s not to say that he’ll even pick up a textbook for you, but he’ll be there to rub your back when you’re stressed, he’ll be there to kiss your anxieties away, and he’s there with silly comments to make you laugh when it truly counts. Love’s about sticking around and Pat proves that to you.

You’re quiet about new people but Pat isn’t deterred; he knows better than most that what you see isn’t always what you get, so he is his usual charming and persistent self. He finds ways to make conversations with you, he finds ways to get you to talk. Pat does everything he can to get to know you and if you ever accidentally say something you don’t mean, Pat gives you one of his concentrated looks. “You didn’t mean that, did you?” // “No, I’m sorry, I - “ // “You panicked, I know. You’re not afraid of me, are you?” // “No, I - “ and you get talking that way. Pat is emotionally intuitive, very clever and very patient and there’s nothing he won’t do for you. You’re working on being nicer and Pat is so proud of you. Sometimes he’ll tap your bottom lip with a finger and say, “Play nice” if you spoke out of turn, or he’ll just look at you until you come back into yourself. You never doubt yourself around him, he doesn’t allow it, and the aura around him is so calming that you couldn’t even if you wanted to.

Pat is always, always concerned for your health and for your well being. There’s nothing he won’t do or say for you, nothing at all, and he makes sure that he always has heating pads, gloves, anything that will keep you warm and comfortable. Pat is always holding your hands, always making sure that you’re okay, that you’re being taken care of. He reacted positively to finding out that you have Raynaud’s and when it’s hard to move your hands, he’s there waiting on you. Anything you want, anything you need, and Pat is right there for you. He loves you so so much that it drives him mad, but, well… you love him just as fiercely, and that’s what he clings to even in his darkest of hours.

Pretty panda // wc: 709.

J is a clean six foot so there is a six inch height difference between you and omgggg ~ J’s nicknames for you can be anything from shortstack, sweetcheeks, shortcake, shortie… he means it to be teasing and though he’ll toe the line of your boundaries he won’t ever push them or break them entirely. J respects you, he trusts you, and if you’re not okay with those names then he won’t use them. He loves your long hair; when the sunlight catches it, it looks golden and he appreciates the different tones. It reminds J of you, strangely; of how you have your own multiple layers and complexities. He adores your eyes, too… J doesn’t care at all about appearances but he really does enjoy looking into your eyes and seeing you look back at him. If eyes are the windows to the soul then yours, my dear, are radiant. J can read everything in your eyes - your every mood - and there’s something which doesn’t quite feel right to him unless chocolate meets green often. Sometimes at night, J has a nightmare and he needs to see those green fields to calm the pounding of his heart; he rarely wakes you up, though. He just shrugs it off and tries his best to get back to sleep. He may not be a man with a plan but he does have ideas; and they won’t bring themselves to fruition.

J finds endless amusement in the way that he’s a terrorising murderous clown and you love true crime and want to work in the same fields. He gets a good kick out of it and though he worries that you’ll be in danger or that you won’t be able to keep up with him, once he invited you along with him. “C’mon, s’no good watching it all the time - what’d’ya say - wanna, ah - see it ya’self?” Nothing special happens that night, it’s only a bank heist, but even so the thrill you get is unlike anything else. Oh, but you feel so alive. J is there for you no matter what you decide to do with your future; he can use his many connections to get you a proper foot in the door. He also doesn’t see that you need a career; he can rob a bank any day to provide you with a comfortable life, but he respects and understands and likes that you’re your own person with your own hopes and dreams and he’ll do anything to support you.

You’re really quiet around new people but J’s not all that fussed by it. He can read body language well enough anyway, so anything that you don’t say he can read in your eyes, see it on your face. He calls you his open book, his, and the inflexion in that phrase makes your stomach swoop each and every time he says it. If you accidentally say something mean, J just exhales amusement through his nose. He doesn’t say anything, he doesn’t call you out on it, he just stays quiet. In his silence do you hear acceptance, understanding. He knows you didn’t mean it and that’s why he doesn’t say anything about it. When you get comfy around people, you’re better and you don’t panic as often and J appreciates the way that you relax around him. Actions speak louder than words and the way you relax around him tells J that you trust him. You trust him. There are no words in the world which can express J’s gratitude and the way he’s so deeply touched by it and so he decides to show you every day.

You have Raynaud’s and there’s nothing that J can’t or won’t understand. When you can’t move your hands, J grumbles about it but he helps you in any way that he can. He’s there to warm your hands up, to help you to keep warm too. J runs like a heater, even when it’s ice cold outside, and he’ll help you. He might crack jokes, make comments about how your cold soul is leaking through your skin, but the twinkle of mirth in those beautiful chocolate eyes tells you more than J ever could himself.

#moonimagines #arthur fleck #arthur fleck matchup #joker #joker matchup #ledger!joker #ledger!joker matchup #patrick verona #patrick verona matchup

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ajokeformur-ray · 3 years ago

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hi i was wondering if i could request a match-up with heath’s joker 🥺 my name is shan but people call me babt after baby from dirty dancing (i usually have to explain this to people and j would definitely be one!) i’m 5’1 female and pretty tiny (i love having taller partners, especially j because he is SO tall and broad! have a bit of a size kink haha) i have green eyes and long dark brown hair. i’m more on the quiet side and prefer actions over words. i love to cuddle and just hold onto people in any way. i enjoy just wearing big shirts around the house. i love psychology and history, and i love any type of humanitarian work. i’m more on the gentle side but i am very aggressive and defensive when i need to be (which i think j would really like because i’m usually so quiet!) i love to watch movies and going out to get food and such. i am a huge goofball so when i do talk i’m usually cracking jokes or being sarcastic. i adore physical affection and i love to be touched. i’m very fidgety and have a hard time keeping still sometimes. i laugh at pretty much anything. and i LOVE music, i’m always listening to it on my speakers. i hope this wasn’t too much! thank you in advance if you do this. much love <3

Hi, darling!!!!💙 I'm so sorry this took me so long to get to!!!! I really hope that you're still around to read this and that, if you are, you enjoy it!💜 You sound so lovely and I really enjoyed writing this for you!💚

Ledger!Joker // wc: 853.

J is definitely the kind of person to whom you must explain your nickname to! He wouldn't get it. He gets it, sure, he understands what you're telling him, but he doesn't get it. So when you tell him, his only real reaction is to just shrug with one shoulder and he murmurs a small, "o-kay" before he changes the subject. He really just accepts it off the bat, with no judgements. J is very nonchalant about a great many things. You're tiny compared to J and he most definitely plays into your size kink, whether or not he knows you have one (though, he will figure it out very quickly!). Leaning in so close that you have to lean backwards a little bit to be able to see his face is just one of the things that J likes to do. He's very broad, too, and he can practically fold himself in half every time he hugs you. You sink into the royal purple and dark green and he loves that as much as you do, though of course J would never admit it. You have green eyes and long hair and J loves you. Not just for your appearance, but for you. He's the scariest man in Gotham but you go weak in the knees for him even when you're sat down, and J doesn't quite know what to do with that, or how to go about it, either.

One thing which you and J share in common is the fact that you're both quiet and you both prefer actions over words. J finds a gentle rhythm with you, one which he won't find anywhere else. He doesn't have to talk, he doesn't have to be The Joker or anyone other than himself; invents himself every day does he and so no two days spent with him are the same. You love cuddling and being affectionate, and it does take J... a while to warm up to this. But like waves to a rock do you erode at him and he will slowly, slowly, give in. Lifting his arm up as you sit down beside him to hold you closer to his side, shifting his legs so that you can sit beside him more snuggly... J has subtle ways of telling you that he enjoys receiving your affections as much as you enjoy giving them. It's a frustrating road to become fluent in his love language, but, oh, how loudly he speaks to you when you become able to understand him and everything he does. Wearing big shirts around the house is one thing, but wearing J's shirts around the house???👀 He grumbles about you stealing his discarded one from last night, but he won't want it back. That would leave you without anything to wear, and then where would you be?👀 You're incredibly intelligent and J is so curious about the things you're interested in. He likes to read over your shoulder while he's on his way passed you to do... whatever it is J does when he's not terrorising Gotham or teasing you. Your humanitarian work is something you're really passionate about and J supports you in anything you do; whether you know he's doing it or not. His actions speak for him, so you better be paying attention!

J would definitely like it when you get aggressive and defensive. He enjoys seeing that side of you (though, to J, you're about as ferocious as a kitten and he only giggles at you, while simultaneously admiring you in your anger), though he also is angrier than you are about whatever situation or person pushed you to such a point. He gives you an outlet to vent your anger in whichever way comes naturally to you in the moment (while making sure you're being safe) while also making sure that he's there to comfort you when all is done and you're left exhausted by your own emotions. He calls you by your nickname predominantly, but when it's serious, he'll call you by your name; just to put his point across that you need to listen to him.

You love watching films and going out to get food; neither activities can you do if you're with J, for obvious reasons. You're either cracking jokes or being sarcastic, and J enjoys both. I headcanon that he makes puns when they're really good ones, and he would enjoy bouncing his humour off of you and having it returned to him. Smiles are in abundance with J! Sometimes you have a hard time keeping still but so too does J, so the two of you often go out for joyrides together, just to work off your energy. You're always listening to music and J's usually happy to listen to whatever you're listening to (not that you give him a choice, in all fairness; you play it loud so at least J knows where you are at all times of the day. It's hard for him to not make you jump, though, because he walks silently and that can give you a heart attack sometimes.

#nonnie #ledger joker matchup #J matchup #shan nonnie

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ajokeformur-ray · 4 years ago

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Helloooo I’m here for that matchup please 😄💕💕(with daddy J obv 😛) I’m 5’8, light brown hair that’s suppose to be ginger but it faded away lol, average body and green eyes! I get cold quite easily, I nap a lot lol, and I have a new hobby every week. I love going on adventures in the middle of the night and I’m starting a pretty knife collection which I think he’d like 🤠 thanks in advance darling!! 💜

OMG Ali!!!🥰🥰🥰🥰 I hope that you enjoy this, my love!💜 I love and appreciate you so much and I’m so excited to get to write for you! I hope you like this! I’m also working on your personalised piece and I promise it’ll be done soon, as well as the reblog of the one you wrote for me omg I love youuu ~ 💙

Word count: 1, 466.

You might be three inches shorter than J, but he’s still going to crack the short jokes. Your hair is supposed to be ginger, though it has long since faded out, and as such the names which J calls you can range from shortcake, short stack, ginge... and once, he jokingly called you a ginger alley-cat, pronounced like it was your name as a twisted pun, and the look on your face told him that that was not appreciated and could he stop it, please? Even with the barely there height difference, J still somehow manages to tower over you. It might be the way he hunches his shoulders when he stands closer to you. It might be the way he raises himself up on his tiptoe so that he looks taller than he is. It might be the way that he leans into you, pressing his nose into the crown of your head as he inhales deeply. J takes you in, he feels you close to him and he knows that this is where he belongs. You don’t receive hugs from J as often as you give him hugs, but when he does hug you, it takes your breath away in the way he holds you tight to his chest, but also emotionally. Your ginger hair faded away into a light brown and J doesn’t care what the shade of your hair is; it still makes your green eyes stand out. He loves your eyes... J sometimes thinks, in his most sentimental moments, of mint chocolate and how much he appreciates the flavour. Your green eyes and his dark brown eyes are like that, he thinks... well suited to one another. Not that he would ever voice that to you, of course! But sometimes when he stares into your eyes, J gives it all away that without you, his chocolate is just too intense and he needs mint, he needs you, to tone him down and make him feel even a little more human. You’re the only one who sees him, who loves him, and though he can’t ever really believe it, cynical is he, J trusts your words. You have no reason to lie, after all, and if actions speak louder than words, then you practically scream out your love for him every day. J loves your body - you are more than your body, of course, but it’s you. Keep it safe for him, Ali. He needs you. You’re the only one in all of Gotham to see him, to love him, to need him. To want him.

You get cold easily, whereas J runs like a radiator even in the summer months. He’s always hot and you’re always cold... almost as if the physical temperatures of your bodies balance themselves out, just like your personalities do. When J’s home, you long to fold yourself into royal purple, to sink into his embrace and to never again resurface. It’s kind of perfect that you nap a lot, too, because when you get cold, you tend to fall asleep on J. J knows you like he knows the very inner workings of the city. When you so much as think something along the lines of how cold it’s getting, J grunts knowingly and conveniently sits down in such a way that you get sit on his lap, your favourite seat, and get cosy. He will drape his coat over you like it’s a blanket and he’ll wrap his arms around you. “Y’re like a kitten, sittin’ on me like this. Sleep, doll. I got’cha.” More often as not does J tell you to sleep, and he stays awake the entire time, making sure that you’re comfortable and taken care of. Though this isn’t addressed, some part of J is genuinely touched by how you let your guard down around him, by the way in which you stay sleeping on him. You trust him and you love him and that stays with J, just like the ghostly weight of you on his body when you’ve stood up and gone to bed or resumed your day with everything which you have to do, with everything that you go through. It’s not unusual for J to come home to find you napping, and he usually just unceremoniously tosses his coat on you before he goes in for a shower or before he goes foraging in your kitchen for snacks. You’re unpredictable and easily changeable; a new hobby do you have every week. J finds himself looking forward to finding out what your “new squeeze” is going to be. He wonders if it’s a conscious decision to try something new every week, he wonders why there’s a new hobby every week, and this part of you forever keeps him intrigued. You’re a puzzle to J, and one which he finds himself not wanting to solve. It keeps things interesting, says the upward quirk of his (beautiful) mangled lips.

Spontaneous are you and well suited also are you to J’s life of chaos. And, oh, how he thrives under such conditions. You love doing things at all hours of the day and night and there’s nothing J loves more than shaking you awake roughly. “Get up, get up, get up,” is the muttered phrase which always rudely wakes you up. “C’monnn, I want’cha to get up!” With a growl and a final shake, J succeeds and his maniacal gleam is the first thing you see. If he’s feeling nice, he’ll wait for you to get yourself ready for your midnight adventure but if he’s feeling pent up and full of latent aggression, he’ll simply sling you over his shoulder like you’re a sack of potatoes and manhandle you into doing what he wants you to do. If you mentioned wanted to go to a theme park in passing a week ago? J’s already broken in and you can try out that new ride and skip the line to do so! His goons run the rides and J’s cackles haunt you hours after you’re finally tucked up at home. Impatient for Starbucks to open up their new latte line? J’s gotten the recipe and he’ll take you to a twenty-four hour drive-thru so that you can try it before everyone else! Want to do anything at midnight? J’s there, his guns are locked and loaded, aaand “what’cha waitin’ for, Ali?”. This is just another way in which J shows his love for you. His love language is a strange one but you have long since learned to speak it and, oh, how loud he is now that you’re fluent! There is nothing J won't do for you, and he shows that in the grittiest of ways sometimes... break-ins, holding people at gunpoint and taking you with him on joy rides are just some of the tamer ways in which he demonstrates his devotion to you.

J Ioves your knife collection and he isn't shy to help you to add to it, either. He wants to know everything. Why do you have a knife collection? How many do you want? How much do they cost? What’s your budget? Do you have a preferred kind of blade, a preferred kind of handle? Do you like glass blades or only metal ones? Can he buy you one? Can he steal one? Can he try one out to see if it has as vicious a bite as it looks? He asks you question after question in such quick succession that it leaves you dizzy but J only cackles. When you’re out and about attending to your real life, J likes to sneak into your place and sharpen your knives for you. He takes very good care of them and you don’t ever really know that he’s doing it - he always disposes of the evidence. If you think your blades look shinier, it’s because they are. J used his own supplies to sharpen and polish your blades. Knives become an apology for J - if he does something wrong or if he’s late or even if he gets injured and you get (rightfully) mad at him for being so reckless and careless, then he’ll come home with a new knife for you. “I know ya’ tongue’s like a blade, doll, but, ah - won’t’cha use this one?” And he’ll produce it with a flourish. No matter what, no matter who you are or what you do with your life, so long as you love J and you keep him close to you, then he’s everything you need him to be. He’s an asshole, this is true, and he’s a chaotic, murdering clown who causes havoc for fun, but, well... you’re a little wicked, too, and the two of you are perfect for each other!

#gothamslittlejester #requests closed #ledger joker #ledger joker matchup #matchup

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ajokeformur-ray · 3 years ago

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How do we get a matchup? Like with a character, os there any specific rules or anything to take in consideration?

Hello, darling!🥰💗

Matchups are personalised headcanon sets of your relationship with a character (Arthur Fleck, Ledger!Joker or Patrick Verona), essentially, so I need information such as:

Your name or an alias you would like me to use (I can also use Y/N, if you would prefer🥰)

Your likes

Your dislikes

What do you love about him? (You can ask for one, two or all three, it's up to you!)

Any quirks or habits you have, such as skin picking or biting your lip, or anything which you want to be focused on.

You can give me appearance details if you want, but it's not important because - and I say this with love - none of the men I write for care. They love you for you, no matter what you look like.

And anything else you want to be mentioned!

Just send in an ask (easier to keep track of); the only real rule I have for these requests is that the more information you give me, the better, but more than three paragraphs means it'll take me longer to do your request due to the length of the headcanon. Anything from a few sentences to three paragraphs is permitted!🥰💝

If you have any confusion or if you would like some examples of the above, then please feel free to search the tags #arthur fleck matchup #ledger joker matchup #patrick verona matchup #matchup

I hope this helps, angel, and thank you so much for the ask!🤗💗

#arthur fleck matchup #ledger joker matchup #patrick verona matchup #matchup

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ajokeformur-ray · 5 years ago

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Hi, I saw you're doing matchup requests so maybe I could try? I am a 5'4' curvy female, really vibrant chocolate eyes, brown hair, little freckles on my nose and cheeks. I am honestly super loud and out there, addicted to Monster Energy so I can be hyper. I am fiercely protective and I can be aggressive defending things I care about. I love animals (sneks and tarantulas :p) and I care and breed them! I act tough but deep down I am insecure and deal with bullying a lot :/ I hope that's enough! ty

Arthur // wc: 660.

Arthur is 5′8 so he’s got the height advantage when it comes to hugs and the like. There’s nothing he loves more than pulling you into him and resting his angular chin on the crown of your head. It makes him feel needed to have you tucked against his chest like that, because it’s like he can protect you from the world and perhaps even from yourself when you’re wrapped in his arms, shielded from all evils. Eye contact is super important for Arthur; everything is in your eyes, and he feels like he can get lost inside them forever. So when he kisses you, his hands cup your cheeks and his thumbs stroke across your face, his fingers in your brown hair and his lips hot against your own. You’re the prettiest person inside and out in all of Gotham, he tells you. You smile and thank Arthur, but all the while you’re thinking the exact same as him. He would never believe you if you told him, though, and so you resolve to simply show him each and every day.

Arthur would admire you for your outgoing personality and he’d find any excuse he could think of just to spend as time with you as he could, thinking that if he spent enough time with you - not that you can ever spend enough time with the one you love - your social side would rub off on him, too. He would be concerned with the amount of Monster you drink, though he wouldn’t say anything about it beyond a frown you catch from your peripheral vision every now and then, because he smokes at least a pack a day. You’ve been making a concerted effort to cut back and you’re doing so, so well, and he would be so very proud of you. Sweet boi is your number one cheerleader!

You are protective of what’s yours, and that includes your favourite animals and your loved ones. The first time you picked Arthur up from work as a surprise, you overheard Randall and some of the others ripping into Arthur, and you marched right into their locker room and told Randall where to shove it. Arthur stood off to the side, the cutest blush on his face, his arms crossed over his chest and a small smile on his face as he listened to you. He would feel less ‘manly’ about you defending him, but that’s only because he’s been taught for as long as he can remember that the man of the house defends himself, that he looks after himself, but he finds that he really doesn’t mind when you grab his hand and leave with him, leaving Randall stammering like the clown he is. “It’s just another day in Chuckletown, isn’t it, Randall?” are the parting words you throw over your shoulder, leaving Arthur giggling and in awe of your protective streak. He won’t defend himself but if you were the one being attacked in any way? Oh, honey, he can and will throw punches for you. You care about and for and breed snakes and tarantulas, and though he would be apprehensive initially, Arthur would grow to love them as much as you do!

Your tough exterior may fool those around you and at times, it might even fool you, but it doesn’t and will never fool Arthur. He can see right through you but he never directly addresses it; it just seems like he knows just what you need to hear. When it’s critical, though, he does call you out on it, and he listens very attentively to you and he does what he can to help you, even if he has to put his own needs on the backburner - which he does for you more times than he’s willing to admit. Arthur is super proud of you for getting through everything that you have to and he loves you so, so much.

Phoenix!Joker // wc: 817.

Joker may enjoy having an audience and he may love having everyone in the vicinity paying attention to him, but even in a large crowd can he spot you easily. Your eyes seem to have a magnetic pull, and you are his favourite audience. He could have all of Gotham at his feet, but you are the only participant in the audience that he gives a single shit about. He loves your hair, your eyes, those little freckles across your face. When you’re laying in bed together or when you’re lying atop him on the sofa, he likes to trace the constellations that he swears are there dotted across your nose and cheeks. You’re just so beautiful and he loves all of you. That’s one thing that has never changed, just like the man Joker is at his core. He’s more likely now to make jokes about your height, even though he’s only four inches taller than you physically; with his new confidence though, he is much, much taller.

You’re outgoing and where he used to think that if he spent enough time with you, it would rub off on you, now he’s almost certain that you were a key part of his metamorphosis. Your love for him didn’t cure him or fix him, but you gave him small pieces of yourself day after day after day and through that, you gave him the confidence and the ability to say and do things which were just for him; to say no to people, to stand up for himself, so yes - you were a part of the equation which led to him becoming the person he really is. It’s been a long time since the two of you started dating, and long gone are the days where Arthur would buy you - somewhat reluctantly - a can of Monster alongside his cigarettes. Now, you’re trying to cut back, and I feel like Joker would try to do the same with his cigarettes? Just one is the rule - you cut back on one can of Monster, and because he smokes at least twenty a day, he equates five cigarettes to one can of Monster, so that’s his side of the deal. Everything is together for the two of you - it’s the only way either of you will succeed in things like this.

Long gone, also, are the days where Arthur would allow someone to walk all over him. Now, he is as equally and as fiercely protective of himself as he is of you. The two of you, with your tarantula and snek family, are very happy together; and often when Joker goes past the pet store does he struggle with not stealing you another gecko or something similar. You both care for and breed your little family, and you were the one to teach Joker everything he knows. He has a newfound appreciation for the ‘ugly’ in life; he finds things beautiful where others may see ugliness because you taught him through your love and devotion towards your favourite animals. You didn’t mean to teach him, but just through watching you did he learn. The first time you came home to find Joker and not Arthur, he came armed not with a gun but with a tarantula which someone else in the apartment complex was getting rid of. He came with the cage and everything else, and that small piece of your life together was enough for you to coo over the creature as you put it with the others in its new home, and then you flung your arms around Joker’s neck and welcomed him home.

You have never been able to fool Arthur. Never ever ever. Where Arthur wouldn’t press you in the past, now that he’s grown into himself, he’s not above literally pouting if you don’t tell him the second time he asks if you’re okay. The first time, he’ll allow you to say no and to delay the inevitable because he understands that you need time to work out what you’re going to say, how to approach the topic and the like. But the second? He will literally barricade the door with his own body and yes - persuasions of that sort can and will be used if you still won’t tell him even though you want to. If you genuinely don’t want to talk then he’ll let it go, but he’ll make it clear that he’s there for you all the same. You deal with a lot of bullying and that really isn’t something which Joker will tolerate. He appreciates and admires the way you can hold your own but if things get beyond what even he considers to be a joke, then he’ll step in and you’ll think it lucky that he wears so much red - it makes getting the stains out of his suit much easier.

BONUS BC ILY AND WANNA GIVE BACK -

Ledger!Joker // wc: 642.

Omgggggg you two!!! I cannot ship you two any harder if I tried! Joker really really really loves you. He never says it but he doesn’t need to because you know him. You know him and you see all the little things with which he shows you, instead. It’s the way he brings home a new pet every time you have an argument, or in the way he leaves behind his purple trenchcoat when it’s really cold outside so that you have something to wear - and yes, the knives in the sleeves are left there as a gift of protection. It’s in the way he has three of everything - one for him to wear while the other is being washed, and one for you. When you wake up in the morning, you awaken to a chorus of, “Hello~, beautiful” and when you open your eyes, it’s to an intense pair of dark brown eyes which glitter with mirth and with love - he doesn’t say it, he doesn’t need to, but the way your hand wraps around the back of his neck as you tug him down into the first of many kisses that day and the way he practically purrs in satisfaction is all you need to know that you are loved by Joker.

You’re chaotic and hyper and loud and Joker thrives on it. He loves it so, so much. In the early days of your relationship, Joker always made his presence known to you by leaving a can of Monster lying around with a Joker card set carefully on the top. Once he sees that you’re cutting back, Joker is all for it. He would replace the cans with something else which is kind of close to Monster, like a can of coke or, heaven forbid, a can of decaf Monster. He would be very supportive of you and all of your endeavours, but if you experience any negative drawbacks then he would plonk a can beside you and rub your shoulders in a massage as he bends down to nip at your ear lobe, his painted lips smirking against your skin. He knows exactly what he does to you and he loves every second of it.

Joker loves it when you get fiercely protective and defensive of the things and people you love. If you ever ripped into someone in front of him, he’d lean against the nearest wall with his arms crossed and the most manic grin on his face. Cackles will quickly accompany his genuine amusement, and when you’re finished, he’d applaud your performance. “That was quite-ta show, Lilith” and you would smile, anger sinking deep into your system. It’s okay, though - Joker will help you to burn off the excess energy ;) He’s not fased at all by your love of insects and tarantulas, sneks and the like, and in fact he loves the way you love them. The way you look when you’re cooing over your pets just makes him want to melt and if you’re quick enough, you’ll catch the complete love of adoration on his face - he won’t deny it if you ask, so kiss him, please. And yes - there is a slight blush underneath all that greasepaint.

You act tough but you suffer. Joker sees and knows everything. He hears what you say but he listens to what you don’t, and these are the things he tends to most of all. He would be proud of you for standing your ground and for dealing with your insecurities as best as you can, but he would never want you to think for even a second that he isn’t completely knocked over by you. He loves you so much. So, so much. He’s proud of you, too, and he tells you in his own ways every single day.

#Requests closed #joker matchup #joker #ledger!joker #phoenix!joker #arthur fleck #matchup #ilysm i hope u like this x #justahyena

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ajokeformur-ray · 5 years ago

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Hello, darling! I'm not entirely certain if matchups are open right now, but I'd like to send one in. I've been missing Arthur quite a bit lately..I've never requested anything so bare with me! --- I'm Ezalia (Ezzie), 25, Native American. I'm 5'1 and on the small side. I have severe social anxiety and I'm very introverted. I'm very artsy, I love to draw and write. I have a very morbid sense of humor. I'm studying culinary, I love to bake and cook. I also have quite a few piercings and tattoos!

Hey, love! I made this one as long as I could in each section just to say thank you for what you do as a content creator and as a person and I chucked in a lil’ extra bonus as well for you, which I hope you like! Thank you for everything, I hope you enjoy this ^^ this took me hours so I’m nervous to post omg.

TOTAL WC: 3, 601.

Arthur // wc: 975.

At 5′1, there’s a seven inch difference between you and Arthur so his protective streak, already quite strong, only increases. That’s not to say that being shorter is weaker and in need of protection in Arthur’s eyes, but rather he just cherishes the way that you fit so perfectly into the cage of his embrace, the way he can rest his sharp chin on the top of your head, or on your shoulder, and the way he can squeeze you and feel you tighten your own grip around him, your face buried in his chest, his heartbeat in your ear… he adores you.”I love you, Ezzie.” // “I love you too, Arthur.” these exchanges may sound simple but the reverberation of your voice inside his mind like the refrain of a song, the name of which he can’t remember, is more comforting to him, more grounding to him, than anything else his therapist ever ‘taught’ him. Arthur would want to learn everything that he could about your culture; the language, the traditions, the food, the customs… he would want to learn as much about everything as he could, loving nothing more than curling up with you on the sofa or in bed, asking you question after question. The sound of your voice relaxes him like nothing else. Arthur adores all of you and he makes sure that you don’t ever question it for even a second.

Arthur understands how much of a struggle it can be to deal with anxiety, and he really would be very understanding and empathetic. If you go out in public together, within days has he learned all of your physical tells and he’d reach out to grip your hand, his thumb rubbing soothingly over the back of it, his lips pursed at your temple as he murmurs “are you okay, Ezzie?”. If you say yes, he’ll keep an eye on you but he’ll accept your answer. If you say no, he’d do what he could to get you out of the public eye, ducking down back alleys or even taking you home all together. He’d never judge you for it because he understands it, he does, and he would do anything that he could to keep you feeling as safe and as comfortable as possible. You’re introverted and Arthur loves nothing more than coming home to you. He enjoys spending time with you in the evenings during those few scant hours that he has off of work, and nothing quite revitalises his energy levels, his soul, like you do.

You’re really creative; you draw and write, and Arthur would love the evenings during which he can sit at the tiny table in the corner of the living room to work on his material in his battered joke book, while you write or draw. When he’s lacking inspiration does he look over at you, the softest smile on his lips as heat blooms in his heart, keeping him warm and making him feel safe. Arthur enjoys nothing more than watching you get lost in your element, and truthfully do you often look up at him for your own dose of inspiration when it starts to fall short. You are each other’s muse. Arthur would sincerely compliment anything which you allowed him to read or view, but he’d never pry or push you to tell him. Everything is on your own terms because he understands how private and personal art is. He marvels at your imagination and hopes that, by spending enough time with you, some it will rub off on him, too.

After weeks and months of cracking jokes and making you laugh with almost all of them, Arthur likes to think that he has a handle on your sense of humour. So similar is it to his own that it doesn’t take much for him to tailor a lot of his material to you, and he stockpiles them in the back of his joke book so that when you’re especially upset or needing a bit of extra support, Arthur can bring them out. If he makes you laugh, then it’s a good joke. You enjoy cooking and this is something else which Arthur loves to watch you getting lost in. The way you fluidly move, the way your brows furrow as you study a recipe, the way you carelessly shrug before chucking in a few more herbs or an extra spoon of sugar because why not?… it’s all so you and the fact that you feel comfortable enough around Arthur to lower your defences down in that way means more to him than anything else. He would want to try anything you bake or cook and he’d always sincerely compliment you. He’s so in awe of all the separate skill sets which you possess. “You’re so beautiful inside and out, Ezalia,” Arthur would smile, pressing a tender kiss to your forehead, “You’re the best part of you. I love you so much.”

You’re confident in your level of self-expression and you’re unafraid of the things you enjoy, the way you want to look. Arthur would want to know everything about all of your piercings and tattoos - why you got them, how much they hurt, how it was done, where you went to get them done, how much it cost, what they mean to you, what’s the story behind it, do you regret any and why, do you not regret any… on and on the questions go. Late at night does he trace the tattoos nearest to him, his fingers so gentle against your skin that it makes you shiver. He loves your tattoos so much and often does he look at your piercings, admiring the way the metal glints in the light of the room. “You’re so beautiful, darling.” Overall does Arthur treat you like the goddess you are.

Joker // wc: 1, 347.

By this stage in your relationship, you and Arthur have been together for years and you’re in the comfortable part of a relationship. Love is very much a part of your relationship and it is expressed often. Instead of the fiery heat which boiled in your stomach, however, this is a more comfortable truth which exists in the space between you; sometimes do you still feel the urge to scream your love for him from the rooftops. You have to be careful with who you tell about dating Arthur, especially when they’re new to your life, because anyone could turn him in to the police if they found out who Arthur actually was. The people who pre-exist in your life either don’t know or don’t care, which works out well for you because it means it’s easier for you to keep him safe and out of harm’s way. In this way do your protective roles reverse as Arthur removes his mask in favour of who he really is; “it’s Joker now, Ezzie”. There may be a seven inch height difference between the two of you, but that doesn’t stop Joker from using your body to hide himself from the world. While you’re relaxing in the evening with a book or with the television, he’ll come up to you and nudge your feet apart with one of his own. “Can I - can I feel you, darling?” and what he means is that he wants to curl up on your lap, tuck his painted face in the warm crook of your neck, and forget the world. He tucks himself in so deeply that his knees are pulled up to his chest, his bright white socks shocking against the crimson red of his trousers, his arms around your shoulders, those dyed green romantic curls tickling at the underside of your chin. He just wants to be held, to know that he’s still just as loved as he’s always been by you. “I love you, Ezzie. You’re the best part of me.” and a series of chaste kisses pressed to your neck is the accompanying activity to your relaxing, and you’d be lying if you said you didn’t enjoy it.

Similarly, by now does Joker know exactly how to help you with your social anxiety. It’s so natural to him by now that he does it on instinct; a hand reaching out to take yours in his, his fingers sliding in the spaces between your own. “It’s okay, Ezalia,” he’d murmur, raising your joined hands to his painted lips so he can press a kiss to the back of yours, “There’s nothing to be afraid of.” He only uses your full name when he’s comforting you, encouraging you or if it’s a serious situation; more often than not he’ll call you a pet name or by Ezzie. You can’t go out and about with Joker as Joker, because he’s easily recognisable and he also tends to go out at night, when it’s easier for him to duck into back alleys so he can escape from the police or from curious eyes. As such, you tend to stay home when he goes out; he’s very protective of you and he can’t stomach even the idea of something happening to you. When he comes home, it’s always with a flourish and a cheeky grin. Depending on his mood, he’ll either go and greet you on his own, or he’ll hang about. He needs to be needed, needs to know he’s loved still by you, and the act of you approaching him to greet him? He gets teary eyed just thinking about it. Joker is very insecure about your relationship; he can’t fathom how you’re still with him, even now, even after all he’s said and done, so he really needs that extra reassurance. He doesn’t ask for it very often, but he always wants it. To Joker’s thinking, asking for it makes him feel like he’s annoying you somehow, and then he feels like you’re only giving him that reassurance because he asked for it, and it just ruins the whole thing. So when he clenches his fists periodically, when his nostrils flare exactly once, when his knees bounce a mile a minute, when he smokes more than his usual twenty a day, when he’s quiet but his bottom lip and chin quiver with unshed tears… go to him, please. He needs you, Ezzie, and only you.

You love to write and draw and you still very much have that routine of the two of you sitting and writing together; spending time together separately. It’s something Joker adores. He doesn’t just look at you now when he needs inspiration for his material, no. Now, if he wants to stare, he does. it’s not obnoxious and he doesn’t realise he’s doing it so if you ask him to stop, he will. “Oh, sorry,” he shrugs with an easy smile, “I didn’t realise. You’re so beautiful.” You’re definitely his muse, especially now, and he makes it known that he loves and appreciates you. You’re his entire life. He’s so beautiful with his white facepaint, those deep blue eyes which perfectly complement his sea green eyes, that macabre red painted smile… he’s so beautiful it makes you want to cry, and sometimes you end up drawing him. Joker is more likely now to ask if he can view your drawings or read your works, but if you say no, it’s no big deal; he wouldn’t want to be pushed about showing you his journal, so he gets it. But he’d completely fawn over anything you show him and he’d compliment you so sincerely, so thoroughly, that you’re left blushing for hours afterwards.

By now, Joker is more than used to your sense of humour, which is just as dark as his is. After his mental break, his jokes became darker, more built on murder and cynical observations rather than the notes which he used to diligently take while he was at Pogo’s. You didn’t have to take a period of readjustment or anything like that because you’re already there. At this point, the jokes which he focuses on are far more tailored to your sense of humour; so in tune with you is he that he barely has to ask you about what you find funny, because he knows you as well as he knows himself. Still does he love to give you a show; coming out from behind the curtain in a mockery of his segment on The Murray Franklin Show, pulling his joke book from the back of his trousers where it’s often stashed, and then carefully does he select the best jokes which he spent hours on, just for you. Don’t fake a laugh, he’ll know instantly and he won’t appreciate it; especially from you. “You’re the only one, Ezzie. Nothing can hurt me anymore, I have you.” you’re his entire world. Joker is supportive of your culinary studies and he loves trying the things you bake and cook. He always compliments you sincerely, just as he always has, and he means every single word. He’s so proud of you, and he tells you as often as he can.

The inevitable has finally happened; Joker now has the same level of confidence as far as expressing himself goes that you do and if you were to ask him, he’d say, “It’s because of you, Ezzie! You helped me to be me!” and he means it to be one of the biggest compliments he could give you yet. He adores your tattoos and your piercings and the nights are spent with his hands upon your skin, his fingers reverently tracing the ink permanently etched into your skin. At this point in your relationship, he knows everything about your tattoos and piercings that there is to know, and he cherishes every piece of information which you give him. He loves you so much that it drives him mad and he loves the way he loves you and the way that you love him, too.

BONUS MATCHUP bc ILY and I wanna give back some more :’333

J // wc: 1, 279.

There’s a nine inch difference between you and J so this destructive raccoon boi is very protective of you. Sorry, honey, but in J’s head, smaller is weaker, so you can expect to find yourself gifted a hand gun, a few little ‘fun’ extras like a grenade or two to keep in your coat pockets, a switchblade… he makes sure that you’re protected at all times, and I have no doubt that he’d also get a few of his men to keep an eye on you. They’re not obvious about it, but you’re not stupid and you know J, so you do your best to go about your day without letting them disturb you too much. It might even get a little annoying, but J only has good intentions; sure, he doesn’t believe himself to be someone capable of something like love, but for you… For you, he comes close to that belief. In any case, he does he best to protect what’s his and that’s all there is to it. He rarely says your name, he prefers to use pet names, so when he does use your name; listen up. It’s important. I feel like Ezzie would be used in a casual sense, but he’d use your full name as a sort of code for when you’re around people and he needs to get your attention now. You’d definitely have some kind of system for this, so that he knows that you know how to handle it when this happens. He doesn’t look like a man with a plan, but his head is so busy at all times, even when he’s sleeping, that he almost vibrates with all that energy.

J’s not… great with things like social anxiety. At first he doesn’t really get it, but then one day something happened which triggered your social anxiety and J saw just how bad it can be for you; he was startled and did his best to calm you down, tucking you into his chest, his hand rubbing up and down your back in smooth, fluid motions as he shushed you. His intense chocolate eyes darted around the space over your shoulder but to him, there was nothing which could have caused your reaction. However, so shaken up were you that all at once did J realise that you weren’t exaggerating or joking (not that he had assumed you were, but one can never be too careful with others), and once he had you calm, he got you home and sat you down. The two of you spoke calmly, candidly, about your social anxiety. In some twisted way, J opened up about his own issues; PTSD, nightmares and the such, as a thank you for being so honest with him. He likes that. You two bonded closely that day, and J became even more protective of you after that. So when next did you venture outside, J kept an eye and a hand on you; either hand in hand if you needed that extra reassurance, or your hand tucked into the crook of his elbow, and he will watch you, looking straight at you. He’ll see all of your physical tells, all of your warning signs, and he’ll act before you even know you’re feeling anxious, so eager is he to stop anything from triggering your anxiety. He takes care of you in his own ways, but once you know what you’re looking for, it’s overwhelmingly obvious that you’ve got him wrapped around your little finger, and vice versa, which goes unsaid!

Between the two of you; with you being artsy and J loving to make entrances and to carry out his ‘plans’ with something of a dramatic flourish, there’s never a dull moment for either of you. You have several creative hobbies, and when you get involved with them, J tends to leave you alone. He, too, needs privacy when he’s releasing the chaotic contents of his mind. He definitely has some kind of journal which he doodles in, scribbles down jokes or things he found funny that day (most of which are dark and may even shock you), so you sit side by side, so close to each other that you’re touching shoulders, thighs and ankles, or on opposite ends of the sofa if one or both of you need some space, spending time together. You rarely talk and something loud will be on the television; J gets antsy when he’s left too alone with his thoughts; it’s easy for them to get out of control unless he’s got something to focus on and listen to, and it’s quiet moments like these which really cement whatever it is that you have together. Sometimes, J will ask what you’re writing or drawing. It’s up to you if you share it or not; he’s not entirely bothered either way, he just thought he’d leave a topic of conversation open for you.

J loves your sense of humour. It’s as dark as his is. Or, he thinks it is. He likes to push all of the current boundaries, just to find out how far out of the ballpark he can knock something. It doesn’t take him much longer than a few weeks to find out how far he can push you and what you do and don’t find funny; he doesn’t really do anything with the information but he likes to know these things. He rarely shares information about himself, though, so even a joke of yours which he chuckled at is something to cherish and keep close to you! J knows almost everything about you, down to your nighttime bathroom routine, so he knew before you even told him that you were studying culinary; he doesn’t get why you don’t just survive off noodle packets and other convenient foods; he’s done it for years. But learn to make his favourite snacks, and you might have him eating out of the literal palm of your hand. “C’mon, doll, let me have a bite.” And the teasing bastard will even lick the crumbs off your hand. his eyes daring you to pull away from him. He already knows you won’t, but he likes to have fun. He definitely compliments you, but not in ways you’d expect - an empty plate or an accidental food coma are the biggest ones you’ll receive off him!

One of the things J finds most intriguing about you are your tattoos and piercings; he wants to know everything. The place you went to, why you chose that place and not the one a few streets away, what body part it’s on and why, how much did it hurt, was there a part of the healing process you enjoyed, will you get some more, but his favourite thing to ask is the meaning behind the tattoo itself. Why you chose what you did in the way that you did. He listens without interruption, long nailed hands tracing the tattoos, his lips mouthing any words there. Your piercings, he likes the way they look against your skin and again does he want to know all about them. You clearly have a high pain tolerance and you’re confident in who you are, not like those others, and I have no doubt that when you become a little more down the road of… being whatever it is that you are together, he’d want to brand you in someway. Another tattoo, or an actual branding… something which makes you his. If nothing else, he knows you can deal with it and may even like the pain it’ll bring you. He’ll get one to match, don’t worry - he’s not a monster. ;)

#ezziesworld #arthur fleck #arthur fleck matchup #joker #joker matchup #ledger joker #ledger joker matchup #matchup

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