#manchester test 2021

[f1byjessie]

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS ━━ LN4.

sometimes the right words are hard to come across, and sometimes everything you need to say can be captured in an image.

( lando norris x photographer!reader )

━━ part nine.

INSTAGRAM.

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mclaren As we get closer and closer to the start of the 2024 season, we thought we’d take the time to introduce new fans to the team that works behind the scenes! Starting us off, we have Y/N L/N, our personal paddock photographer! Y/N has been here with us at McLaren since 2019, and is the genius mind behind many of the photos we’ve posted throughout the years. She’s an important part of our community and helps tremendously in not only capturing our drivers in action, but also in getting the other behind the scenes members of our team the recognition they deserve. We’re glad to have her back here with us in Bahrain, and we can’t wait to see what beautiful concoctions she comes up with this year! 🧡

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user if there is 100 y/n fans, i am one of them. if there is one y/n fan, it is me. if there are no y/n fans, i have died.

user love love LOVE that mclaren takes the time to recognize the hard work of everyone who supports the drivers

↳ user i feel like f1 promotes the racers, team principals, and pit crew so much and forgets about everyone else that makes sure these teams are able to function so seamlessly

user CAN WE GET A MEET THE ADMIN POST TOO??? 👀👀👀

user i bumped into y/n back in silverstone 2021, like literally bumped into her, and she was so sweet!!

user she’s my photography inspo 🤩

user her dedication to the mclaren team is so apparent when you think about the fact that she DOESN’T get the same recognition as the drivers, but she has chosen to work for them for what will be 6 years as of this season. she could have easily move to a different formula 1 team or even another sport entirely, but she still comes back and that’s a dedicated artist

↳ user the fact that she did a little stint over at manchester city fc and STILL chose to come back to mclaren even tho i imagine f1 has a much harsher and stricter schedule with the intercontinental travel than football does

user this is who we have to thank for all those beautiful shots of lando??? cuz if so, bless her omg 🙏🙏🙏

user in this household we appreciate the crew that works tirelessly to keep us entertained

user so tired of seeing ppl disregard her skill as a photographer just bc of who she’s dating

↳ user OMG SAME

yourusername glad to be here, can’t wait to travel the world with these amazing people 🧡

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yourusername locked in and ready 😎

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oscarpiastri so glad you’ve gotten over your temporary obsession with blue 😁

↳ yourusername so glad you haven’t lost your ability to get on my last nerve 😁

↳ oscarpiastri so glad you’re still insufferable even on your best days 😁

↳ yourusername now that’s a comeback i can be proud of 🥹

user MISSED THESE LADS OH MY DAYS

user ONE DAY UNTIL TESTING GUYS

user oscar looking fine asf these days 😩 that winter break treated him well

mclaren The boys are back in town!

↳ yourusername dare i say my milkshake brought them to the yard?

↳ mclaren It certainly called us 😍

↳ yourusername you flatter me mclaren admin 😌

↳ mclaren Only the best for our best 😘

user that’s some pretty intense eye contact from lando in the last image…

↳ user he ain’t even looking at the camera

↳ user nah bruv is def looking at y/n 👀👀

↳ user I NEED THEM TO GET OVER WHATEVER HAPPENED AND GO BACK TO BEING FRIENDS CUZ I MISS THE BANTER IN THE COMMENTS

↳ user i think we should probably respect their privacy and understand that something happened (presumably in the off season) that we weren’t privy to. so long as they can both maintain professionalism around one another, they don’t have to do or “get over” anything. does it suck to see two very close friends no longer get along in the way they used to? absolutely. but we don’t know what happened or if anything even did happen. in the event that something did, we don’t know who’s involved or who, if anyone, is at fault. they’re both justified in choosing to end a friendship due to a falling out, or even if they just grew distant. but even as i say all of this, it’s still speculation.

↳ user we don’t actually know if they aren’t friends any longer or if they’ve just moved their friendship off of online platforms. it should be noted that y/n is very publicly dating someone, and idk about you, but i know firsthand how delusional fans can be. her bf’s fans could easily attack her over banter with another man, and lando’s fans could just as easily start reading into that same banter which runs the very real possibility of putting all three of them in an awkward situation where y/n is being shipped with a man that ISN’T her bf.

↳ user what about the banter she has with the mclaren admin? 🤔

↳ user context is super important here. the flirting between y/n and the mclaren admin is very obviously fake. it has been from the beginning, and when ppl “ship” the two of them together it’s for the bit and to play along with their fake bromance. lando and y/n have both been legitimately shipped together since they both started working with mclaren, which changes the undertone of the shipping comments bc ppl often genuinely misconstrue their banter as REAL flirting.

user why do comment sections related to y/n always turn into debate sessions

↳ user REAL like ain’t no way i’m reading all that

user oscar’s hair sticking up in every picture is my roman empire

user I’VE BEEN MISSING THE ORANGE I’M SO GLAD IT’S BACK 🧡🧡🧡

user wait i didn’t even realize until now that this is the first post in like a month that’s actually had public comments turned on

↳ user probably bc her bf’s loser fans have finally stopped harassing her

jackgrealish must be nice having all that sun 😒

↳ yourusername it really is, bet you’re jealous

Testing goes fine, until it doesn’t.

“A drain cover?” Lando’s voice echoes across the garage. “Another fucking drain cover?”

You purse your lips.

Yesterday, he’d been upset on Oscar’s behalf when they’d cancelled the remainder of the morning session after only a couple hours to solve the problem of the track’s dislodged pieces. He’d complained and cussed out the incompetence, and then reassured Oscar that things would be better for the third day.

But the third day is here now, and he’s even more upset now being told to pit after a measly thirty minutes for the same issue.

“This is the second fucking time━” he cuts himself off with an angry huff and runs his hands roughly through the curls of his hair, letting his fingers catch on the tangles and yanking through them in his frustration. Sweat glistens on his furrowed brow. His cheeks are still flushed from the heat of the car.

It’s the most emotion you’ve seen from him since you’ve come back.

The time you’ve already spent in Bahrain has been stilted at best. Lando continues to stick with his attempts at avoiding you, but it’s harder to do so here when your hotel rooms are on the same floor and you’re limited to the confines of the garage for most of the day. Even when he isn’t in the car, there’s not a lot to do wandering around the paddock and even if there was they’ve encouraged him to stay where he can easily be reached.

You’re trying not to be smug about it, but every time you glance over your shoulder and catch him watching you━ catch him quickly looking away when your eyes meet and he realizes he’s been caught━ you feel pleased.

If there’s one thing you’ve learned about Lando, it’s that he’s always got a limit.

If you wait long enough, stand your ground and prove that you really have no intentions whatsoever of giving in and breaking the ice between the two of you, eventually he’ll cave. When he realizes he won’t get what he wants, that he’ll have to actually put in the effort to repair what he’s broken rather than having it magically fix itself, he’ll have no other choice but to do so.

“They might not cancel the session,” Oscar chimes in, attempting to placate his aggravated teammate. “Since they already had to yesterday, I doubt they’ll do it again today.”

Unfortunately, that doesn’t actually calm Lando down at all. If anything, it just reminds him again of the fact that this is the second time this same complication has happened which has him huffing angrily again and running his hands through his tangled curls even rougher.

You wince at that.

Andrea, McLaren’s team principal, steps forward. “Take a breath,” he orders, resting a heavy hand on Lando’s shoulder. “Go walk a lap around the garage or something, whatever, but I need you to calm down.”

You’re prepared for that to be the end of it, but then Andrea looks over and catches your eye. “Y/N,” he says, nodding his head towards Lando. “You go with him. Keep him out of trouble.”

Well.

You like to think you do a much better job at keeping your emotions off of your face than Lando, which isn’t hard when his features scrunch up into a pained scowl at Andrea’s words, but you can feel the pinch of your own eyebrows furrowing and the smile you send towards the team principal probably looks more like a grimace if Oscar pursed lips in your peripherals is anything to go by.

Lando storms out and you follow reluctantly after him.

He can’t really go very far, not if he wants to be within a reasonable distance when━ if━ they call him back to continue the morning testing session. So he paces back and forth and back and forth just outside the garage’s exit out into the paddock.

Your phone tells you that ten minutes pass like this. It’s the longest you’ve been alone with him in a while and his distraction lets you focus on the finer details that you’ve missed when he’s going out of his way to avoid you.

There are deep, dark, bruise-like circles that hang heavily beneath his eyes. His skin is sun-kissed and tanned from his time out catching rays during his travels, but there’s a pale pallor beneath the added color that makes him look sick. Despite his current anger and the tension coiled in his muscles just waiting to lash out and strike, his shoulders seem to droop beneath the invisible weight of whatever he’s carrying with him.

He looks small.

Lando’s always been on the shorter side, but he’s never before looked small. Not like this. Never like this.

The longer you watch, the more the back and forth pacing starts to transform into the anxious stride of a cornered animal.

You aren’t arrogant enough to assume he’s like this because of you entirely, but it does occur to you that maybe he’s having just as rough of a time as you are with the newfound distance between yourselves.

You watch him silently, for a little while longer, observing the way his stride hitches every few steps and he just barely manages to stop himself from stumbling over his own feet. He’s still running his hands through his hair. By the seventh time he practically claws his fingers through his curls you heave a sigh.

“Quit that,” you snap.

“Quit what?” He fires back with just as much bite.

You roll your eyes. “You’re gonna rip your hair out if you keep pulling on it like that.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” he stops in his tracks and turns on his heel to face you with a sneer. His words drip with sarcasm. “I forgot you must be used to Grealish now, right? And I bet he’s got at least a ten-step hair care routine. I wonder, does he use unicorn sweat and essence of rainbow to keep it that smooth and bright? There’s no other possible way!”

“You’re being an asshole, Lando.”

“My sincerest apologies,” he says. “How could I ever think Grealish would use unicorn sweat of all things? He uses pixies tears, my mistake.”

You’re not sure how a few words managed to turn into this━ you’d just wanted him to stop pulling at his hair. It looked painful and he’s always been a bit tender headed. Now, instead, you can feel the anger bubbling up inside you and it seems like Lando’s frustrations about the testing delay, and your friendship with Jack apparently, have made things worse.

Like throwing gasoline onto a flame.

You scowl, “Seriously. You’re being a fucking prick.”

He throws his arms up into the air, “Why not just run off to Grealish then? Since he seems to be your new best friend and you tell him everything.”

If your life were a movie, this is the moment in time when the stars would align and fate would force everything to position itself perfect in place. Like the pieces of a puzzle, it would all work out and you’d calmly explain to Lando what happened back in January with Garrett and Manchester City, and he’d understand immediately and apologize, and you’d hug it out and then both return to the garage just in time for them to announce the testing session would re-commence.

But your life isn’t a movie, and reality feels significantly different to the scripted perfection of fiction.

The precarious security of the perch you’ve settled yourself upon comes crashing down, and the tentative balance you’ve managed to maintain since the start of February when you were back in papaya again shatters with it. Something inside you snaps. The dam has burst and everything held back comes rushing to the front like a torrential wave.

“At least he was there for me when some prick blackmailed me into a relationship at the threat of my livelihood,” you snarl.

Lando pauses for a moment. He makes a couple different faces before settling on a mix between pissed off and confused, and his arms cross over his chest. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“I didn’t want to be in a relationship with Garrett Ward, Lando!” You exclaim. “He threatened that if I didn’t pretend to be his girlfriend, he’d fake some misconduct rumor and ruin my career and I was too afraid to say no because this is all I have!”

This isn’t how you’d wanted it all to go down. You’d always imagined you’d get the satisfaction of an apology, and that Lando would get drunk on cheap wine with you like old times, and you’d explain what all happened with the confidence of being a little tipsy and you wouldn’t feel ashamed because Lando’s your best friend and he’d reassure you that you did what you had to, and then you’d listen to him shit talk Garrett for the rest of the night. In the morning, he’d have some idea of how to fix it all without ruining your career, and then you’d be able to put it all behind you and go back to how things were before the winter off-season ever started.

This is far from that, but there’s a sense of relief that comes nonetheless from getting it all off your chest to Lando━ to the person you’ve wanted to talk to from the very beginning

You feel tears burning your eyes, blurring your vision. “I can barely pay my rent as is, and I’m only actually living there for a few dumb months out of the year anyway. Do you know how much worse it would be if I got kicked from McLaren too? Nobody else in the country would hire me if he followed through with what he was threatening.”

“Well,” Lando shrugs his shoulders, looking properly chastised. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I fucking tried, you muppet!” You throw your arms up in exasperation and then wipe at your eyes in frustration when the tears start to roll down your cheeks. “I called you every day for a week and you ignored me! I sent you text after text after fucking text━” your voice breaks, “━and you didn’t even read them! Did you know I locked myself in the bathroom and cried every single day I had to work there?”

You glare at him.

“The only thing that made it better was Jack fucking Grealish coming into my office and telling me I could at least go to him if I ever needed anything,” you snap. “So fuck off with this whole holier than thou bullshit. You left me, and Jack took your place because I was drowning!”

“Y/N…”

Crying hadn’t been a part of your plan, but the tears won’t stop now that they’re going. It’s embarrassing. You’re already worried about just how many people heard you shouting, and now you’re even more worried about someone coming back to look for you both and finding you sobbing your eyes out.

“I’m sorry━”

Lando’s arms wrap around you, warm and strong and sure.

━━ tags: @maih23 @urfavnoirette @leclercsluv @f1luvur @formulaal @a-disturbing-self-reflection @starlightpierre @chezmardybum @marshmummy @405rry @sideboobrry11 @d3kstar @mcmuppet @happylittlereader @casperlikej @5starl1ght @bellezaycafe @whentheautumnleavesfall @mess-is-my-aesthetic @ssprayberrythings @landosgirlxoxo @lifelessfan @81ja @wcnorris @a-disturbing-self-reflection (CLOSED).

━━ a/n: and there we have it folks. lando is finally back in the picture! this part was a lot of fun to write, because i've been waiting for this moment since the initial fallout in the beginning. on that note, i finished getting it all whipped up this morning while watching the qualis, so if there are any mistakes that i haven't caught that's why. i was a bit distracted, so please pretend they aren't there haha!

[redhairedwolfwitch]

Sombra y Amor

First part - Sombra y Fuego

A/n: I forgot where I was going with this part 2, but I have a vague idea of a timeline running up to the 2023 summer transfer window👀 but keep in mind it's set in the 2021/22 season in this part so whoops. I decided to be nice since I passed my driving theory test today:)

Summary: R’s family were family friends of the Putellas family, R grew up with them, goes over to help establish Manchester United WFC whilst studying there, over the years befriends some Dutchies and Ona when she arrives too.

///

Whoever organised the villas for Ibiza clearly thought you needed to be babysat. You were in the room next to Alexia’s, and Alba was in the same villa too. 

The agreement for your birthday was two celebrations, one in Manchester, which you had with your United teammates, a celebration that ended with you waking up the next morning with Ona using your chest as a pillow, and a teasing text on your phone from Jill, about how you fell asleep on the call with her. 

The other celebration would be in Ibiza with as many of your Spanish national teammates as possible, plus, much to Alexia’s resistance, and Jenni’s encouragement, Jill had tagged along, meeting some of her Wolfsburg teammates in the process.

You weren’t going to admit that you’d been staying up to work on your final assignment of the trimester, the part-time degree taking up chunks of your time when you weren’t training for a match or participating in said matches.

Your sleep schedule was a mess though because of it, Ona having woken you up so you could both get to the airport in time to head back to Spain being one of the more significant events. Or how you slept on Ona’s shoulder for most of the flight back.

Footsteps approaching your room were the first thing you heard, but whoever it was knocked gently, waiting before opening the door slightly, then walking in. You ruled out Alba, Ona and Jill, and nobody else would walk into your room whilst you were sleeping but one. The knocking and waiting, the door opening slightly to peek in, it was Alexia.

“Buenos días mi pequeña sombra… are you awake? I hope you are, Jenni’s plan was to dump water on you, but I said I would check first…” Her voice was soft, reminding you of when you were a child, sneaking into her bed when you had nightmares. You would choose Alexia over Alba then because Alba accidentally rolled you out of her bed, waking up the entire Putellas household because you had hit your head on the way to the floor.

A soft groan left your mouth as you rolled over, leaving space for Alexia to sit on the edge of the bed, her hand gently pulling down the back of your pyjama shirt from where it had rolled up.

“Hm… buenos días…” you whispered, rubbing at your eyes as you rolled over to look at her.

“What’s wrong? You have that look on your face- the same one you had when… what’s bothering you?” You trailed off, avoiding admitting what you had thought of last time Alexia had that expression on her face.

“You re-signed with United?” Your signing with United in 2018 had taken Alexia, Alba and Eli by surprise, but you explained your reasons well, for the three year contract anyway, but now you were tacking on another two years, taking you up to summer 2023.

“My degree… It's taking longer than I thought, since it’s part time, but after the lockdowns, the universities got better at online work, so I’m ahead… I re-signed because it’s going to take another year at least, and United is getting better. Ona’s contract is until 2023 too, if they activate the option year. The WSL is fun, and it’s not like Barcelona needs Sombra.” You replied, about to bury your face in your pillow but Alexia let out a sigh.

“By the way, thanks for kicking Chelsa’s ass in the finals.” You changed the subject, seeing the disappointment in your older sister’s eyes at you saying Barcelona didn’t need Sombra, referring to yourself like that.

“Come on, get dressed, you’re missing breakfast. Jenni, hold off on the water. Sombra is awake.” Alexia nudged you, calling out to Jenni, who let out a bored groan in the hallway, peeking her head in as Alexia nudged you again, spotting you going back to sleep.

“Finally!” Jill teased you whilst Ona laughed, but you chose to ignore them both in favour of breakfast, sitting down next to Ona with Jill opposite you. You could feel other eyes on you as you realised that Alba, Jenni and Alexia were all watching you three.

“Hoe zijn je nieuwe teamgenoten?” 

Jill let out a chuckle before replying in Dutch, the two of you chattering away as Ona looked overwhelmed, but a smile lit up her face when she saw the looks on the other Spanish players’ faces.

“How much of that do you understand?”

“Jackie’s Dutch lessons are really good, plus I like the looks on everyone’s faces when faced with a language they don’t understand.” You shrugged, before Jill said something in Dutch that left your face burning.

“Ik probeerde dat te vergeten." 

Jill laughed at that, leaving you to huff as your sisters looked confused, and Ona shook her head in amusement, having a slight idea of what was happening.

“Let’s move on… what are we doing today? Also where is everyone else?” You glanced around, taking another bite of your breakfast.

“They went to rent a boat.” Jenni explained, as you got up to make a drink, following you over to make a coffee.

“A boat?”

“Yes. You can reenact Titanic.” Jenni smirked, but you frowned in confusion, taking a moment before realising.

“I’d understand that reference, if I had actually been awake during that movie.” You retorted, watching as Jenni removed the teaspoon from her coffee cup. 

“Have you told Alexia about when we’re back in Barcelona? What did Mapi say?” Jenni asked into her coffee, sparing a glance in the direction of your sisters as you hummed.

“Mapi offered to do it herself, but Alexia would kill her. I haven’t told Alexia, but I think she’s still a little offended that I went with Alba for my fourth one, instead of with her. She had a media thing so couldn’t go with me.”

“Fourth? It is like you are growing up before my eyes!” Jenni teased, grinning as you grimaced into your drink.

“You’ve known me for years-”

“What are you two talking about?” Alba raised an eyebrow, walking over to make herself a drink.

“Nothing!” “Nothing!”

///

“Are you sure those three aren’t all dating?” Lola gestured to where you, Jill and Ona were on the dancefloor together.

“We’re sure, but… I don’t think our baby sister realises anything beyond trying to annoy Alexia.” Alba replied before disappearing onto the dance floor.

“Annoy you?” Lola enquired, turning to Alexia, who rolled her eyes, swaying to the music slightly as she turned to look at Lola, no longer watching you, Jill and Ona.

“My baby sisters… who have somehow disappeared?” Alexia frowned, looking over the dancefloor again to spot Ona dancing with Leila, and Jill was talking to some of her Wolfsburg teammates.

“Maybe they wanted some air?” Lola suggested, looking over the dancefloor and seeing no indication of you or Alba anywhere.

///

You had to grow out of sneaking into Alexia’s room as you grew up, because she grew up too, and you saw her less and less due to football. Instead, you’d lay awake at night, staring up at the ceiling trapped in your thoughts. Sometimes Alba would find you kicking a football outside, or Eli would wake up to find you studying at the dining room table in the early morning.

Exiting your room at the villa, your feet were soft against the floor, tapping your knuckles against the door you needed carefully, waiting before opening the door enough to peek in hesitantly. It was only when you saw that it was safe that you slipped into the room, curling up on the floor next to Alexia’s bed.

You tried not to flinch as you heard the bedsheets rustle, but Alexia was peeking over the bed to look down at you curled up on the floor.

“What’s wrong? You had a nightmare? Why are you on the floor?” Alexia whispered into the darkness, hearing you let out a sigh.

“I can’t sleep. Jill admitted she’s had feelings for me for a while, but she’s leaving for Germany, and I’m not going to see her unless Spain plays against the Netherlands and I’m on the roster. We both accepted it was a missed opportunity, but it still hurts.” You wrapped your arms around yourself, curling up further on the floor until Alexia reached down to rub your shoulder.

“I’m sorry, mi pequeña sombra, although, you’re not that little anymore…”

“I’m still five years younger… even if I’m not that toddler running after you and Alba anymore.” You replied, leaning into your sister’s touch as she huffed.

“The ball was bigger than your legs but you wanted to play with me. You would cry if I wouldn’t let you. Mi pequeña sombra… my little shadow…”

“Too long for a jersey. I still remember when they started calling me Sombra, but it didn’t warm my heart like mi pequeña sombra did. You called me just Sombra once, and I wanted to cry. You’re my sister, even if we’re not blood. You, Alba, Eli, you’re more my family than… them. I love you.” your rambling was cut off as Alexia shifted in her bed, wrapping her arms around you to pull you into her, the hold reminding you of when you were little, clinging to your big sister after nightmares had woken you up.

“I love you, mi pequeña sombra, my littlest sister… Does Alba know about it?” Alexia hummed, gently rubbing your back as you shifted.

“Yeah, we talked the entire way back here from the club, I think I wrecked her plans to dance with whoever she was eyeing at the club but if Ona saw me cry, or Jill realised her confession made me cry… Alba’s had my back ever since she threw a boy in the mud for trying to kiss me.”

“¿Qué?” Alexia almost flew up from the bed, confusion all over her face at what you had said, quickly asking when this had happened, and where she was at the time of the event.

“We were at the park. You had gone off to play football with the big kids, and I wasn’t allowed to join you since I was seven, you were twelve, Alba was nine. I’d played with the boy before on the playground, but I don’t know why he thought kissing me was a good idea. Alba spotted it, shoved him into the mud and glared at him, he cried, and I cried too when Eli came over… and that’s the story of how a boy was almost my first kiss.”

“Remind me to thank Alba. Wait, almost your first kiss… who was your first kiss?” Alexia asked, but you were either asleep, or pretending to, as Alexia got no answer. Who your first kiss was was something only you and some of the Spanish squad from the under 17’s championships in Iceland knew.

///

Your sleeping-in habit was apparently contagious. You and Alexia both were still sleeping when Alba went to check on you, finding your bed empty, so she headed towards Alexia’s room, finding you asleep, having stolen the blanket from a sleeping Alexia, and your foot was dangling off the bed.

A shriek echoed through the villa, leaving everyone else in the villa, and outside it in the pool to immediately look around, wondering what had happened.

“Alba! Don’t do that!” you yelled, having awoken to a hand grabbing your ankle, whilst Alexia flew up at your shriek, protectiveness in overdrive until she realised it was only Alba pranking you.

“Lo siento, but you left your foot dangling over the edge.” Alba smirked, but you huffed, glancing around to realise you were not in your bed, or your room, and the three of you were not alone.

“Buenos días, everyone!” you got out of bed, heading into the hallway, bypassing the audience to head to your room to get ready for the day. It wasn’t until they heard another shriek for Ona that had them hurrying to your room, finding you jumping around.

“What’s going on?”

“I got my grade back on my assignment, the one I stayed up until 2am to finish, I got 75! That’s a first class!” you exclaimed, jumping around in excitement as Ona eventually realised what you had said, and what assignment you were talking about, quickly jumping into your arms to join your celebrations.

You didn’t see the way your sisters exchanged looks, because you were busy jumping around with Ona in your arms, grins on both your faces.

///

Floating in the pool, you stared up at the blue cloudless sky, the water rippling gently against your skin.

It was only when you heard a sploosh, eyes staying on the sky as the water rocked you roughly, turning your head to spot Ona swimming towards you.

“What are you doing?” Ona enquired, floating on her back next to you.

“Just thinking.”

“Be careful!” Ona teased, making you huff and roll your eyes, spotting a lone cloud drifting over.

“You, thinking can be dangerous, Sombra.” A new voice teased, making you and Ona sink instead of float, hurrying to swim over to the edge of the pool where Laia Aleixandri stood with a smirk.

“Charming… so, are you going to stand there like a lawn ornament or swim with us?”

“You two weren’t doing much swimming.” Laia deadpanned whilst Ona frowned.

“Lawn ornament?”

///

“Do you know who the first kiss was with?” Alexia quietly enquired to Alba, spotting you, Laia and Ona chatting in the pool.

“You don’t?” Alba went to tease, but Alexia’s sigh was enough to stop Alba from teasing her older sister, “I just know it happened, no details, too awkward to talk about it, but it was with a girl.”

“When, Alba, when?”

“That football trip in Iceland.” Alba replied, trying to recall more.

“In 2015?” Alexia perked up, trying to recall who would have been on the Spain squad back then.

“Hey, we’re getting ready to go to the restaurant now!” Lola called out, whilst Jenni tried to jokingly wrangle everyone out of the pool with a broom.

“Why are you so interested in my first kiss anyway? It’s not like I know who yours was, or that I want to…” you dramatically grimaced as Alexia let out a gasp, whilst Alba snickered, watching on as Alexia went to tease you back.

“So it was in Iceland with the under 17’s… you’re close to a lot of our national teammates-” Alexia began but you ducked behind Ona and Laia.

“Was not us!” the two defended themselves, hurrying after you as you all went to get ready for the restaurant, not going to dinner in your swimsuits.

///

“You’re so nosy today.” You pointed out, sipping your drink through a paper straw as Alexia put down her glass.

“You never told me-”

“The entire concept of a first kiss is awkward, and I haven’t spoken to her in a while because she plays in Spain, like nearly everyone else on the national team besides Ona, who isn’t going to tell you, and neither is Laia, who I also haven’t seen in ages so…” you shrugged, turning to talk to Laia, whilst Alexia sighed.

“First kiss, that happened already?” Lola turned, raising an eyebrow as she remembered you from years ago, how little you were.

“Five years ago apparently… no idea who it is, but someone from the national team during the under 17’s in Iceland. Not Ona or Laia…”

“Maybe you should drop it, Sombra does not have to kiss and tell.” Jenni suggested, leaving Alexia to nod in agreement, especially since dinner was beginning to arrive.

“You never told her?” Ona whispered, leaving you to shrug.

“You know me, I don’t realise people like me until it’s too late. Carmen, Jill, there was even a girl at school, we were fourteen. No point telling my sisters every missed opportunity of a relationship.” You explained quietly, poking at your meal with the fork, your appetite gone as you recalled what Jill had admitted to you yesterday.

Ona frowned slightly, reaching over to take your hand and squeeze it gently, gaining a forced smile from you in response which she shook her head at.

“How about we celebrate your assignment grade, that first, not your first kiss?” Ona asked, making you laugh slightly too loud as you gained the attention of some of the others.

“Fine, fine, yeah, let’s do that.”

///

Heading back to Barcelona, your sisters had noticed your sneakiness, but hadn’t been able to figure out why. Jill had left to pack up her stuff in London for the move to Wolfsburg, so it wasn’t about her.

“Have you seen-” Alexia began to ask Alba, but Alba already knew, since you three were supposed to be going out for dinner with Eli soon.

“Out with Mapi and Jenni-”

“Dios mío, they went out to get tattoos.” Alexia let out a sigh, but Alba wasn’t done.

“Leila and Ona too.”

“Sure, everyone else… didn’t even ask me.” Alexia began to sulk, much to Alba’s amusement.

///

“Happy?” Leila enquired, turning around to see you were giving Ona a piggyback as the five of you walked through the streets of Barcelona.

“Sí!” you grinned, but let out a groan when Jenni leaned back to pat your head, making a remark in Spanish about how you were growing up before her eyes.

“You’ve known me for years!”

“You were so little!” Jenni replied, pretending to wipe away a tear.

“And now I live in another country to play club football whilst studying for my degree, and have a few tattoos so…” you shrugged, shifting slightly to not drop Ona.

“You have more than a few!” Ona cut in, gaining Mapi’s attention.

“The ones on my ribs are private!” but what you said didn’t help, as Mapi looked between you and Ona on your back.

“But Ona saw them?”

Jenni and Leila stopped walking to raise eyebrows at you and Ona then.

“We share a flat, and we don’t have a shower curtain, it’s a pane of glass.” You deadpanned, about to retort when your phone began to ring in your pocket, “I’m going to be late for dinner, look, if you’re that interested in my tattoos, I’ll snapchat you… just not the rib ones, Alexia looked murderous when she found out Ona saw one, and that Jill went with me to get one done…”

“Alexia looked murderous about that? Good luck to whoever you end up dating!” Mapi deadpanned, noticing the look on Ona’s face as you huffed.

“No, too young to date!” Jenni cut in, with Leila agreeing, whilst Mapi began to laugh and Ona buried her face in your shoulder to hide her laughter.

“Literally the same age as Ona!”

///

Heading back to Manchester, you hugged Alexia, Alba and Eli tightly, not wanting to let go but your home was in Manchester, at least for the next two years.

“Ay, you’ll miss your flight.” Alba poked you in the sides as you fumbled with your suitcase handle.

“You have to go, mi pequeña sombra.” Alexia hummed, noticing your hesitation, but you nodded, smiling softly before turning to walk into the terminal.

///

Spain didn’t qualify for the Olympics in Tokyo, so you and Ona were well rested by the time that pre-season for the 2021/22 season began. Starting with some club friendlies, then the WSL began. The first game back against Reading was memorable, for more reasons than one, as Ona had scored the second goal in the match, Kirsty getting the first, and you scoring the third one.

The first game back was also memorable because of the meowing you heard on the way back from the cafe you had picked up breakfast from for you and Ona the morning after. You both had the day off, but you had volunteered for breakfast, allowing Ona some more time to sleep.

You froze at the mews, glancing around but there were no signs of the source. Paper bag of breakfast for two in one hand, you hummed, glancing around to try to get closer to the source of the voice.

“Oh, no, poor baby, no, I’ve got you, I’ve got you… Ona’s gonna kill me, I’m bringing home more than just breakfast.”

///

Ona didn’t expect you to bring a soggy stinky cardboard box back for breakfast, a box that happened to be transporting a furry meowing creature that was determined to try and eat the breakfast you bought.

“I’m going to find a vet now, just don’t let any of the breakfast get eaten… also, I’m not sure how long the box was in the bins outside the cafe, so… be careful of fleas and ticks.” You grabbed your phone, starting to google, while Ona looked in the box to find the meowing creature trying to climb out. The breakfast sat forgotten on the kitchen counter as you and Ona began to sort out the latest edition to the household.

///

The fuzzball had no identification, and since being found in a soggy cardboard box near the cafe, was assumed to have been abandoned, meaning that after a few pouts between you and Ona, the cat was staying.

“Desayuno.” You ran your finger over the fuzzball’s head, the feline still not happy with the veterinary handling, but was also happier to be out of that box.

“Breakfast? You want to name the cat, breakfast?”

“Yuno for short. I went out to get breakfast for us, and came back with it, and a stray cat, thus, we have Desayuno… Sombra-Batlle.” 

“Desayuno Sombra-Batlle?”

“I don’t go by my surname, and legally I’m not a Putellas, so… okay, no Lion King moment for Yuno-” you immediately put down the flailing fluffball who wasn’t enjoying being picked up and held in the air.

“Maybe once Yuno is bigger.” Ona shrugged, looking over at how the fuzzball was now exploring the flat.

“We have a couple of neighbours who can watch Yuno when we’re on away trips.” You added, following the fuzzball around the flat as Ona playfully rolled her eyes, getting her phone out to text Alexia.

///

“How many tattoos do you have now?” Vicky glanced over at you as you held the cafe menu between your fingers in thought, turning it over to make sure you’d considered all the options.

“More than my sisters think I have, but last time I went was with Mapi, Jenni, Leila and Ona in Barcelona a few months back…” you turned the menu over again, not seeing the look on Vicky’s face.

“Did you five book out an entire studio or something?”

“The others have connections, plus it was an excuse to hang out with them, bringing everyone together. Although Alexia gets grumpy every time I come back with another tattoo she didn’t know I had planned. She just needs to wait until her birthday. Tattoos, no matter your background, they bring you together, y’know…”

“That is far too philosophical for someone who used to hide behind Alexia at national team camp.” Vicky pointed out, making you falter, but Ona’s return from the cafe bathroom was enough of a distraction for the conversation to be forgotten.

///

An instagram notification distracted you from your reading, glancing up from the online textbook on your laptop to your phone to look. Yuno’s eyes opened slightly to acknowledge the movement of your arm, but the cat stayed put, happy as could be curled up in your lap (regardless of the fact you were starting to need the toilet.)

“Ona, did you tag me in something on your stories?” You enquired, but Ona had gone to her room for something after the two of you had had dinner, leaving you with a stubborn, sleeping Yuno.

Opening your phone to see what Ona had tagged you in, you chuckled at the photo of you reading, with Yuno in your lap, asleep.

Your phone buzzed again, reminding you of the time as you saw Jackie’s text, quickly opening zoom to join the group call that Jackie had sent you a link to.

“Hoi!”

///

Ona raised an eyebrow as she exited her room, hearing you talking to someone, and as she entered the kitchen, she glanced into the living room to spot you on the couch, on video call to a chunk of the Netherlands national team that you had crossed paths with at Arsenal and through knowing Jackie. Jill was part of the call, the defender discovered as she walked over to the couch, falling into frame of your camera as you leaned back to acknowledge her.

“Hoi, Ona…” you murmured, smiling as Ona sat next to you, waving to the camera. She didn’t know Dutch, but she could still pet Yuno, who stretched in your lap, a paw pressing into your stomach that made you grimace slightly. Yuno had developed a sixth sense that involved being able to press paws over your internal organs.

You froze at a comment made specifically in Dutch so Ona wouldn’t catch on, feeling your face burn as you murmured back a “misschein.” Maybe.

Maybe you looked at Ona like she hung the stars in the sky. Just maybe.

/// hopefully some translations ///

Buenos días mi pequeña sombra - good morning my little shadow

Hoe zijn je nieuwe teamgenoten? - how are your new teammates?

Ik probeerde dat te vergeten. - I tried to forget that.

¿Qué? - what?

Lo siento - I'm sorry

Dios mío - my god

Sí - yes

Desayuno - breakfast

Hoi - hi

misschein - maybe

[leonsliga]

At the request of the wonderful @realmadrider, here’s some of my comfort footy vids 😁 happy watching!

All things DFB and Bundesliga:

Bayern Summer Games 2022 (especially the Guess the Song challenge)

Agility Challenge • Kimmich vs. Goretzka (AKA Kimetzka being an old married couple for nearly 7 minutes)

Wer kennt mehr? Leon Goretzka & Joshua Kimmich

Stadt, Land, Fußball - Thomas Müller and Leon Goretzka

Thomats Challenge: Bundesliga Edition

The big FC Bayern quiz with Manuel Neuer and Sven Ulreich

Google Autocomplete Challenge with Serge Gnabry and Leon Goretzka

Servus, Leon Goretzka!

Leon Goretzka vs. Julian Brandt: Buzzwire Challenge

Bundesliga Stars Try to Draw Their Team Logos - Witsel, Goretzka, and Co.

Mats Hummels vs. Thomas Müller: Me or Him Challenge

Pro vs. Pro:Direct with Thomas Müller

Read My Lips: 🇩🇪 vs. 🇫🇷

Close-Up with Leon Goretzka

60 Seconds Challenge: 🇩🇪🆚🇫🇷

Neuer, Müller, and Lahm making fun of Kramer’s memory loss during the 2014 World Cup final

One gotta go with Marco Reus and Julian Brandt

Manuel Neuer and Bastian Schweinsteiger dancing on the beach

Don’t get distracted! With Julian Brandt and Marco Reus

Müller & Co. Decorating the Christmas Tree

Hummels & Brandt: Which of You…

FC Bayern Teammate Insights

Neuer, Martínez, and Hernández Carpool Q&A

EURO Taxi with Thomas Müller and Mats Hummels

Manuel Neuer vs. Thomas Müller

New Season, New Berni ft. Müller, Neuer, Sané, and Davies

So feiern die Bayern das Triple

Neuer, Piszczek & Co. Try to Draw - Who is the Best Artist

Take it easy | BVB-Challenge with Marco Reus and Julian Brandt

Kimmich vs. Gnabry | Copy the Penalty Challenge

Chunkz vs. Neuer | YouTuber vs. Pro Keeper Penalty Shoot Out Challenge

Manuel Neuer im Interview

Who am I? BVB-Challenge with Mats Hummels and Marcel Schmelzer

Manu lifting up a jar of Nutella like it’s Simba

DFB Nutella Commercial

Will Grigg’s on fire! Is Mats Hummels terrified?

Bayern Summer Games 2021

Thomats Christmas Challenge

Serge Gnabry: Unlocked feat. Yung Filly

Who knows more? Marco Reus vs. Mario Götze - 2018 edition

Who knows more? Marco Reus vs. Mario Götze - 2019 revenge

Netradio Newcomer with Marco Reus and Julian Brandt

Best of Radio Müller

Thomats dieses Mal olympisch - eng subs

Don’t get distracted! With Mats Hummels and Marcel Schmelzer

Cow-Milking and Welly-Throwing | Team-Building Fun at FC Bayern

Shell Game w/ Manuel Neuer

Pantomime w/ Manuel Neuer

Drawing w/ Manuel Neuer

Marco Reus vs. Mats Hummels - Buzz Wire Challenge

Manuel Neuer reveals the results of his doping test (spoiler alert: it was urine)

Thomats Basketball Challenge

Thomas Müller “JAAA” compilation

A Spanish Lesson for Neuer with Thiago - Repeat after Me Challenge

Fußball-Dart: Goretzka gegen Burgstaller

You Have to Answer - Marco Reus

Bayern Team Photo Vlog

Who knows more 2.0: Brandt vs. Hummels

Thomats Tangram Challenge

FC Bayern wish you a Merry Christmas

Mario Götze’s Most Famous Picture

Mats Hummels pranks Gio Reyna

DFB Water Polo Teambuilding

Erling Haaland being a funny guy for 3 minutes straight

Bromance: Manuel Neuer & Leon Goretzka

Manuel Neuer, Per Mertesacke, & Arne Friedrich - Sky ad

Neustädter vs. Reus

Literally anything else:

50 most shocking moments of the 2010 World Cup

Jose Mourinho explains football to a baffled Ted Lasso

Timo Werner being the funniest German for 2 minutes (because he’s an adorable bean)

Lingard and Rashford | Roommates

Ney…freezin innit

Wingmen: Bruno Fernandes and Jesse Lingard

Manchester United x Stone Roses

I am Jose Mourinho 😎

Sergio Ramos drops the Supercopa under the bus

Marcelo, Bale, Ramos, & Co. joking around on a plane because why not

Lies | Toni Kroos & David Alaba

Kroos & Modrić | Teammates

Toni Kroos’s fantastic interview after RMA beat Liverpool in the UCL final

Luka Modrić taunting Gerard Piqué like the girlboss he is

Real Madrid x NFL with a heavy dose of Modramos

Roy Keane’s angriest moments discussing Manchester United - very validating as a United fan in the modern era tbh 😭

THE Kunessi stream - eng subs (55 minutes in all its glory)

When Kun met Leo

Kun calling Leo on stream

Sergio Agüero interviews Lionel Messi

Honestly every episode of the Champions

[the-healthy-human-mind]

Evelyne "Snake" Gray: Timeline

CWs: Mentioned abuse, mentioned drug use, mentioned abuse, hospital, pregnancy, miscarriage canon mw3, major character death

2002 • 5 years

First hears her brother’s scream.

2003 • 6 years

Father is arrested for public intoxication.

2004 • 7 years

Vitiligo develops on face and arms.

2005 • 8 years

Vitiligo progresses to back, abdomen, and legs.

2006 • 9 years

Sent to hospital for extensive wounds to back and arms.

2007 • 10 years

Finds out Alice is pregnant

August - Nellian and Claire are born.

2008 • 11 years

Nellian and Claire’s first birthday.

2009 • 12 years

Moves to London.

2010 • 13 years

Alice (mother) begins abusing prescription drugs.

2011 • 14 years

Begins working at a grocery store after school.

2012 • 15 years

December - Meets John “Soap” Mactavish while he is visiting his aunt.

2013 • 16 years

Sexual abuse begins.

Attempts to leave London.

2014 • 17 years

Andrew (brother) flees the United Kingdom.

Enlists for the British Army.

Cadet Gray

2015 • 18 years

Graduates secondary school.

Forges death certificate for Andrew.

Mother and father are arrested for child abuse due to anonymous tip.

Gains full guardian custody of Nellian and Claire.

Moves to an apartment in Manchester.

2016 • 19 years

Private Gray

Sent on first anti-drug operation.

Meets Kyle “Gaz” Garrick at a cafe while on leave.

2017 • 20 years

Corporal Gray

Starts dating Kyle James Garrick.

Meets Commander Phillip Graves while teamed with Shadow Company.

Charged with Aggravated Assault Against a Commanding Officer.

Meets General Herschel Shepherd, Kate Laswell.

Transferred to CIA Special Operations Team.

Given call sign “Snake.”

2018 • 21 years

Says “I Love You,” to Kyle after bad mission.

Adopts three kittens, Squid, Noodles, and Yoshi.

2019 • 22 years

Meets Captain John William Price.

Teams up with Captain Price and Stg. Garrick while in Urzikstan. Evelyne is gravely injured.

October - Miscarries unknowingly

November - Marries Kyle in Norway.

2020 • 23 years

January-March - Medical Leave

Meets Simon "Ghost" Riley

Assists in humanitarian relief in South Asia.

Becomes Intel and Negotiation Specialist.

December - Positive pregnancy test

Goes on medical leave immediately.

2021 • 24 years

Nellian and Claire go to secondary school.

Finds out the gender. A girl.

Starts calling the baby “Peach” due to the fruit being her pregnancy craving.

July 8th - Gives birth to Scarlette Ada Garrick 2 weeks early. Kyle is deployed during the birth.

2022 • 25 years

Kyle and Evelyne buy their first house in Scotland.

Scarlette’s First Birthday.

Emergency deployment to assist Laswell while stopping Hassan.

Graves’ Betrayal of 141.

2023 • 26 years

Goes back to fully active duty.

Meets Victoria “Whiskey” Callahan

Nellian and Claire graduate secondary school.

Scarletts turns 2.

Deployed to assist in stopping Makarov.

Gathers intel on Makarov’s location.

John “Soap” Mactavish is KIA. Evelyne pays her respects days after his funeral, out of respect for Meabh.

2024 • 27 years

January - Positive pregnancy test.

Goes on inactive duty.

Finds out the gender. A girl.

May 31st: Gives birth to Leona Clove Garrick

Meets Meabh O’Malley

[unitedbydevils]

Match Review: Manchester United 7-0 Barnsley

Tonight was a tale of two reds: Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho. Boys On Fire 🔥🔥🔥

This is the first time Erik Ten Hag's Manchester United have won by a 4 goal margin or more. It's the first time United led a game 3-0 at HT since the 9-0 drubbing of Southampton in 2021.

Two goals apiece for Garna and Rashy, and a penalty for Antony (which he earned but didn't deserve due to the soft nature). Can't complain about any of it. It was a very good game.

We also got two goals from the lesser utilised Christian Eriksen, who was our very precise passing CAM tonight - backed with a double pivot midfield pairing of Casemiro and Ugarte (fuck me does Mr Uruguay look reliable as a ball-winner, woof).

It's tricky to give tooooo insightful a review of tonight; United's press continues to be strong and a team press, rather than the shitty 1 or 2 player presses of last season.

The passing was good, Collyer deputising at LB kept things simple and safe, and United played well with the ball and switched and stretched the opposition like good teams should be doing. We chose the right passes and were very clinical. Good.

The worst player on the pitch for United was Antony, who just hasn't got what it takes to be a United player, but he still put in a good shift, scored a good penalty, and did act as a proper wide outlet. We can criticise his limitations with being SO one footed, but at least he does the minimum of actually putting a shift in.

2 wins on the bounce, 10 goals scored, 0 conceded, and a nice amount of rotation and fitness across the team. We take it all with a pinch of salt given it has been Southampton and Barnsley, but it's not so much about the opposition as it is about what WE are doing. Our patterns of play are more evident, confidence is visible, and the stats have us in the top 3, 4, 5 for metrics measured in the Premier League. This isn't something so much to shout about as to say RIGHT, we're back at the races and competitive again. Good.

Too much nonsense has been said about "style of play" and questioning what Ten Hag's style is. It's not asked of other managers anywhere near as much, and lots of teams - across Europe, let alone England - have very similar approaches. Slight differences in positional responsibility, passing priorities, formation, pressing triggers etc. There are still basics like triangle patterns for possession retention and third man runs for the give-and-go attacking overloads that teams will all try and utilise.

Next up is THE test for United: an evening game away at Crystal Palace on Saturday. If we can dispatch that bogey team with another clean sheet, or a good 2-3 goal margin alternatively, then we can start to talk about the squad being on a run, having turned a corner, being on an upward trajectory... whatever phrase the media wants.

Too often we've jumped the gun (my turn at cliche bingo) and said we've shaped up and then we fuck up. Now feels different though. The squad vibes and player talent feels more complementary and more synergised. Palace will tell us if that's legit or not though.

[greensparty]

Album Review: Oasis "Definitely, Maybe (30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)"

On August 29, 1994, Definitely, Maybe, the debut album from U.K.'s Oasis was released. It came out just as Britpop was making a splash thanks to bands like Pulp, Blur, Suede and Oasis (all one-word band names). It is hands down one of the best albums of the 90s. It came out a few months after Kurt Cobain's passing and the music world was ready for something new. After years of music groups bemoaning fame, here was a band that wanted to be famous and loved being rock stars, which seemed refreshing. As Oasis-mania swept the world, I actually got more into them in 1996, by which point they had oversaturated rock radio. I picked up Definitely, Maybe on CD and loved it. A lot of people say the best Oasis album is 1995's follow-up (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, which is quite good but isn't nearly as epic as Definitely, Maybe (later the name of a 2008 movie that I worked on too). Being released this Friday on the 30th anniversary (a day later) is Definitely, Maybe (30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition).

original album cover

anniversary edition album cover

Through this blog, I've actually gotten to cover some Oasis releases including the 2021 live album Knebworth 1996 and the 25th Anniversary Edition of Be Here Now. Considering the band broke up in 2009, there is still an avid fan base wanting more compilations, live albums, documentaries and anniversary editions. The lineup of Oasis changed many times over the years but the heart and soul of the band has always been the brothers Gallagher: Liam on lead vocals and Noel on guitar and songwriting. Being in a band with your sibling can be both a good and a bad thing. I saw Oasis in 2000 and again in 2001 on the Brotherly Love Tour with The Black Crowes and Spacehog and the Gallaghers had the worst track records of in-fighting of any of those sibling bands.

the vinyl deluxe edition

After the band formed in Manchester, England in 1991 the lineup at this time also included guitarist Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs, bassist Paul "Guigsey" McGuigan, and drummer Tony McCarroll. This lineup was among their strongest. Easily! Disc 1 of this edition is the original album remastered. Every song rocks from the epic opening "Rock 'n' Roll Star" down to the acoustic kiss-off of "Married with Children". Disc 2 is the Monnow Valley versions (they first recorded at this studio and the sessions were scrapped, so you're hearing earlier recordings with these versions), Sawmill Studios outtakes (they recorded the album and Sawmill and these outtakes are ones that weren't used in the final recording) and an early 1992 demo of "Sad Song". The original album is a masterpiece and I don't use that term lightly. It was something that was truly of-the-moment: Britpop, Gen X, mid-90s and yet it was also retro with their Beatles' obsession not quite as overt as it would be on the next album, but also their love of Stone Roses, and yet it was also timeless. It's an awesome blast of Marshall amps in a melodic cocky made-for-arena sing-alongs! These new outtakes and alt versions don't really improve on the album, but it is kind of cool to hear the little differences of what it went from to what it became. Some are better than others, but it's short enough to enjoy what you're hearing as opposed to a box set with multiple takes of each song. We also haven't had any new Oasis music in over 15 years, which makes these unearthed versions seem more exciting than they'd normally be. As I was working on this review, news broke this week that Noel and Liam are reuniting with an Oasis tour in 2025 (no U.S. dates yet, but fingers crossed) and that proves how much these songs have stood the test of time!

For info on Definitely, Maybe (30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)

Original album: 5 out of 5 stars

Anniversary Edition: 4 out of 5 stars

[warningsine]

Our own immune system is one of our greatest allies in suppressing the development of cancer in our bodies, but it often needs a little push. One way of doing this is by using a class of medications called ‘checkpoint inhibitors.' These medicines release the brakes on certain immune cells—called killer T cells—that then try and kill cancer cells. These can be very effective treatments for certain kinds of skin, lung, and kidney cancers, but unfortunately, they don’t work for every patient.

A flurry of studies published in 2018 demonstrated that the patients’ microbiome may have something to do with this. People who did or didn’t respond to checkpoint inhibitor therapy were found to have consistent differences in the bacteria commonly found in their gut. And in 2021, two studies found that transferring microbes from the fecal matter of people who did respond to the therapy to the gut of those who didn’t, could improve therapeutic benefits in the latter patients.

Now an unexpected discovery in mice, published in the April 25 issue of the journal Science, hints at one factor that might explain why people respond differently to cancer therapy: the level of vitamin D in their gut tissue might promote the presence and growth of certain bacteria that stimulates killer T cells to attack the cancer.

Vitamin D, which we can get from our diet—by eating things like fatty fish or egg yolks—or produce in our skin when exposed to sunlight, plays a crucial role in our metabolism and the health of our bones, muscles, nerves, and immune system. There had been evidence that it might play a protective role in cancer as well, but the new findings in mice were still a surprise.

Testing whether the same mechanisms operate in humans will require careful further study, says Caetano Reis e Sousa, an immunologist at the Francis Crick Institute in London, England, and the senior author of the study,but it’s worth investigating.

“Vitamin D impacts the activity of hundreds of genes, so it’s complicated,” says Reis e Sousa. But in several datasets he and his colleagues have analyzed, patients with higher vitamin D activity had a higher chance of surviving various cancers, and responded better to immunotherapy.

The researchers also found evidence that in Denmark, where the sunshine that helps humans produce vitamin D in their skin is relatively rare, detailed health records reveal that people who had a lack of vitamin D had an elevated risk of developing cancer in the following decade. “This is probably an underestimate,” says Reis e Sousa, “because at least some of these people probably decided to take vitamin D supplements after learning about the deficiency.”

This study provides yet another reason to make sure you produce or consume enough vitamin D, says Carsten Carlberg, a biochemist at the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn who has studied the impacts of the vitamin for decades, and was not involved in the Science study. He warns, however, that it would be unwise to rush to conclusions about ourselves based on findings in mice. “There are 75 million years of evolution separating mice and humans.”

An intriguing observation

Reis e Sousa has long been interested in genes that affect the immune system’s ability to attack cancer cells. To identify these genes, researchers in his lab work with mice in which a gene that they suspect is involved in either promoting or suppressing cancer, has been switched off. By transplanting cancer cells into these modified mice, they can track how long it takes for the cells to grow into a tumor. 

When his colleague Evangelos Giampazolias, now at the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, discovered that switching off the gene which provides instructions to make the aptly named vitamin D-binding protein reduces the growth of skin cancer cells in mice, Reis e Sousa was intrigued.

But it was the next experiment, he says, “that really did my head in.”

Just to make sure their discoveries weren’t due to some quirk in the lab environment, Reis e Sousa’s team raised mice with the disabled gene in the same cage as mice that carried a fully functional version.

To their surprise, it turned out that the cage mates’ tumors were also growing more slowly. But why would proximity to a more cancer-resistant animal slow down tumor growth in normal mice as well?

The power of poop

One explanation for this, Giampazolias and Reis e Sousa soon realized, was that mice eat each other's poop; and that something in that poop must have been transferred from the mice with the deactivated gene to the normal mice they were caged with.

To test whether the effect had something to do with the gut microbes living in the genetically modified mice, Reis e Sousa’s team gave some of the mice with the deactivated gene a course of antibiotics. When that made the cancer resistance and their ability to pass it on to their cage mates disappear, it became clear the gut bacteria in mouse poop were somehow slowing the tumor growth.

Vitamin D-binding protein keeps most of the vitamin D in the blood, Reis e Sousa explains. “This reduces the amount of vitamin D that reaches the body’s tissues, including those lining the gut.”

The higher levels of vitamin D that resulted when Reis e Sousa’s team disabled the gene encoding vitamin D-binding protein promoted the growth and presence of a particular bacterium—Bacteroides fragilis—which is common in the human colon as well. And those bacteria, Reis e Sousa explains, may stimulate the immune system.

Switching off the gene, increasing the amount of vitamin D in the food of genetically normal mice, or adding more Bacteroides fragilis to the mouse gut all had the same effect: more killer T cells attacking the tumor, and slowing down its growth.

As a result of these higher vitamin D levels, the mice also had a better response to immunotherapy.

“We don’t know yet how the bacteria do this,” says Reis e Sousa. “But the effect is unmistakably there.”

New therapies

Reis e Sousa, who is of Portuguese descent and whose darker complexion means that he produces less vitamin D in sun-starved London, found out he was lacked enough of the vitamin about a decade ago, and has taken supplements ever since. “As a general rule,” he says, “if you’re diagnosed as deficient in vitamin D, it seems sensible to try and correct it. But that doesn’t depend on this study, of course.”

He adds that people should always consult their primary care physician before taking vitamin supplements—even if one learns they have a vitamin D deficiency—until more is known about the impact of vitamin D supplements on cancer risk and other aspects of human health. “There might be negative effects that we haven’t found out about, such as increased risk of autoimmune disease.”

He also warns against spending too much time in the spring sun to dose up on vitamin D.

“We do not advocate to increase sun exposure, which can also increase the risk of skin cancer, negating any benefit. You don’t need to go sunbathing for vitamin D, just going for a walk is probably enough.”

More importantly, says Reis e Sousa, the study will hopefully inspire new research to find out if supplements of either vitamin D or Bacteroides fragilis might improve the outlook for cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy or other treatments.

Walter Willett, a physician and nutrition researcher at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health who was not involved in the current study, agrees the data in Reis e Sousa’s new study suggest likely benefits of vitamin D for human cancer patients. “This is consistent with some of our own findings. We have found lower risks of colorectal cancer in women with high blood levels of vitamin D. I have also been involved in a trial showing lower cancer mortality in people receiving vitamin D supplements.”

Willett thinks vitamin D supplements are probably a good idea. “It makes sense for most people living in northern climates to take supplemental vitamin D and not bother with the expense of testing for vitamin D levels. The best way to do this is as a standard multi-vitamin/multi-mineral supplement containing 800 or 1000 International Units of vitamin D, which costs less than 10 cents per day.”

Whether the benefits of vitamin D in humans are mediated by the microbiome needs confirmation, Willett adds. "This will require new, large studies running over multiple years.” 

There are many clinicians currently exploring whether it is beneficial to manipulate the microbiome to improve cancer therapy, Reis e Sousa says. “They can be remarkably successful in improving therapy outcomes, but they can also be dangerous, especially when people are immunosuppressed. We hope our discoveries may lead to more refined therapeutic applications.”

[mediamonarchy]

https://mediamonarchy.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/20240328_MorningMonarchy.mp3 Download MP3 Kate’s a cancer, mother scratchers and shigella TV stars + this day in history w/”Solar radiation management” euphemism to replace “#geoengineering” and our song of the day by Tipene on your #MorningMonarchy for March 28, 2024. Notes/Links: Would you try ant-flavoured crisps? Scientists claim the insects have a ‘nutty, sweet and caramel-like’ flavour – but warn they can leave an aftertaste of ‘urine-like off-flavours’ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-13208959/ants-nutty-sweet-flavour-urine.html Bizarre ‘alien egg pods’ are dragged out of an Oklahoma lake https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-13210851/Bizarre-alien-egg-pods-spotted-Oklahoma-lake.html Woman dies after being chased by bear in Slovakia https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-68584139 Goat in Minnesota tests positive for bird flu, first ever US case https://archive.is/kK6Qr Migrants in NYC seen cooking rats on the side of the street https://hip-hopvibe.com/news/migrants-in-nyc-seen-cooking-rats-on-the-side-of-the-street/ Hospital patients died after eating chicken mayo sandwiches contaminated with listeria, inquest concludes https://news.sky.com/story/manchester-royal-infirmary-deaths-beverley-sowah-and-enid-heap-died-after-eating-chicken-sandwiches-contaminated-with-listeria-inquest-concludes-13095394 Police investigating after dozens of dead animals dumped outside shop https://news.sky.com/story/hampshire-police-investigating-after-dozens-of-dead-animals-dumped-outside-shop-13096182 Dolphin in Zoo Choked to Death on Fake Seaweed https://www.newsweek.com/dolphin-zoo-choked-death-fake-seaweed-1883514 Pig kidney transplanted into living person in world first https://news.sky.com/story/pig-kidney-transplanted-into-living-person-in-world-first-13099267 Mrna Vaccines Approved For Pigs Taking Mystery Meat To New Levels – Good Ranchers https://www.goodranchers.com/blog/mrna-vaccines-approved-for-pigs-taking-mystery-meat-to-new-levels Sick people leaving workforce at record highs https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68639144 No such thing as ‘long COVID,’ health agency says in shocking claim https://nypost.com/2024/03/14/lifestyle/no-such-thing-as-long-covid-health-agency-says-in-shock-claim-unnecessary-fear/ Pfizer COVID-19 Jab Manufacturing Plant Reportedly Spills Over 1,000 Gallons Of Harmful Chemical https://100percentfedup.com/pfizer-covid-19-jab-manufacturing-plant-reportedly-spills-over-1000-gallons-of-harmful-chemical/ Pfizer tags 3 U.S. manufacturing sites for possible COVID-19 vaccine launch (May 7, 2020) https://www.fiercepharma.com/manufacturing/pfizer-to-incorporate-3-u-s-sites-for-possible-covid-19-vaccine-launch Video: Kate Middleton Body Double Video EXPOSED ⚠️ https://rumble.com/v4k2n6b-kate-middleton-body-double-video-exposed-.html Princess Kate’s cancer treatment news sparks remorse from people who spread conspiracies and memes online; People on social media said they felt bad poking fun at the princess after she shared news that she is undergoing chemotherapy. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/princess-kates-cancer-treatment-news-sparks-remorse-people-spread-cons-rcna144684 UK scientists are creating the world’s first lung cancer vaccine; LungVax uses the same tech as the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine. https://metro.co.uk/2024/03/22/scientists-developing-a-groundbreaking-lung-cancer-vaccine-20513774/ Kate Middleton Receives First Dose of COVID Vaccine: ‘I’m Hugely Grateful’; The Duchess of Cambridge received her first shot on Friday, after returning home from Scotland (May 29, 2021) https://archive.is/YBqFj Video: Cancer out of no where. https://vxtwitter.com/DiedSuddenly_/status/1771724829164507642 Video: Kate Middleton says she was diagnosed with cancer, is undergoing chemotherapy (Audio) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9Jlr9Xh3gA Image: @Hybrid’s Cover Art – P.O.W.’s’ Natural Causes’ https://mediamonarchy.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/20240328_Morn...

[jrpneblog]

Tough task ahead

With nine games to go it looks a tough task for North End to reach the top six even though we have a game in hand. Norwich sit five points above us in sixth place going into this international break and with West Brom ten points ahead of us it seems realistic to say that only sixth spot is open. Hull and Coventry sit two points and one point above us, respectively and with Middlesbrough two points behind us and played a game more it looks like Hull, Coventry, Norwich and ourselves in the fight for the play off place. Having said all of that if we had beaten Stoke the Saturday before last we might well be having a different conversation so it shows how quick things can change in the Championship. We will look a bit more at North Ends Easter programme next week but with Rotherham, Birmingham, Watford and Huddersfield as our next four games it seems pretty clear that the next three weeks or so will give us an idea of where we are ahead of what could be a massive game at Home to Norwich on April 13th. Much debate goes on as to whether we are punching above our weight but I actually dont think we are. The table never lies and we are where we are on merit in spite of the bigger budgets that other clubs have squandered.

Last Saturday we made the longest journey of the season to play Plymouth Argyle with the 600 mile round trip being made worthwhile as Liam Millar`s goal secured all three points. It was great to see over 1,000 North End fans inside Home Park and the travelling faithful gave North End fabulous support from the first whistle to the last. In all honest it was a game North End should have won much much more comfortably than they did. It was a drizzly damp day but North End always had that little bit extra whether it be quality on the ball or the tenacity in the middle of the park typified by my man of the match, Ryan Ledson. Plymouth should have been down to ten after an horrendous tackle by Miller but once again a referee in the Championship got a major decision wrong. It appear it is something we expect and are getting used to but I have to that the general standard of refereeing in the second tier this season is as bad as I have ever seen it.

With it being the International break this weekend my thoughts turn to England and a couple of high profile friendlies over the break against Brazil and Belgium both at Wembley. I think it is fair to say that both our visitors are going through a transition period and England should be mindful of this whatever the results are. The pressure is certainly building towards the 2024 Euros and Gareth Southgate will be expected to reach the final, probably against France if we miss each other on the way. If we are being honest we should have won the Euros in 2021 but we gave an aging Italian side far too much respect in the final. I do think it is a measure of how far we have come that we no expect to be in there at the death and I think history will look kindly on the current England manager once he has passed the baton on.

And finally this week:- what a great FA Cup quarter final the game was on Sunday between Manchester United and Liverpool. The FA Cup is, without doubt, the greatest cup competition in the world but the greedy FA have once again sold out meaning that from the 2025/26 season the Cup will only be shown on TNT. The FA Cup looks like going the way that test match cricket went as the TV rights were sold off to the highest bidder. The are some sporting events that are for the people and should be free to air no matter what. The Football Association Cup stands very high up in that list of sporting events.

.

MATCH PREDICTION -

BRAZIL (H) Friendly International - Home win

BELGIUM (H) Friendly International - Score Draw

.

JR`s HIGH FIVES

Harry Kane to score at any time against Brazil 7/5

A £5 Stake returns £12.00 on bet365

SEASONS STATS

Returns £96.00 Stake £160.00

Percentage profit+/-loss - 40.00%

Predictions 33 won 9 lost 24

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 2.6 (after 1950)

1951 – The Canadian Army enters combat in the Korean War. 1951 – The Broker, a Pennsylvania Railroad passenger train derails near Woodbridge Township, New Jersey. The accident kills 85 people and injures over 500 more. The wreck is one of the worst rail disasters in American history. 1952 – Elizabeth II becomes Queen of the United Kingdom and her other Realms and Territories and Head of the Commonwealth upon the death of her father, George VI. At the exact moment of succession, she was in a tree house at the Treetops Hotel in Kenya. 1958 – Eight Manchester United F.C. players and 15 other passengers are killed in the Munich air disaster. 1959 – Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments files the first patent for an integrated circuit. 1959 – At Cape Canaveral, Florida, the first successful test firing of a Titan intercontinental ballistic missile is accomplished. 1973 – The Ms  7.6 Luhuo earthquake strikes Sichuan Province, causing widespread destruction and killing at least 2,199 people. 1976 – In testimony before a United States Senate subcommittee, Lockheed Corporation president Carl Kotchian admits that the company had paid out approximately $3 million in bribes to the office of Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka. 1978 – The Blizzard of 1978, one of the worst Nor'easters in New England history, hit the region, with sustained winds of 65 mph and snowfall of four inches an hour. 1981 – The National Resistance Army of Uganda launches an attack on a Ugandan Army installation in the central Mubende District to begin the Ugandan Bush War. 1987 – Justice Mary Gaudron becomes the first woman to be appointed to the High Court of Australia. 1988 – Michael Jordan makes his signature slam dunk from the free throw line inspiring Air Jordan and the Jumpman logo. 1989 – The Round Table Talks start in Poland, thus marking the beginning of the overthrow of communism in Eastern Europe. 1996 – Willamette Valley Flood: Floods in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, United States, causes over US$500 million in property damage throughout the Pacific Northwest. 1996 – Birgenair Flight 301 crashed off the coast of the Dominican Republic, killing all 189 people on board. This is the deadliest aviation accident involving a Boeing 757. 1998 – Washington National Airport is renamed Ronald Reagan National Airport. 2000 – Second Chechen War: Russia captures Grozny, Chechnya, forcing the separatist Chechen Republic of Ichkeria government into exile. 2006 – Stephen Harper becomes Prime Minister of Canada. 2012 – A magnitude 6.7 earthquake hits the central Philippine island of Negros, leaving 112 people dead. 2016 – An earthquake of magnitude 6.6 strikes southern Taiwan, killing 117 people. 2018 – SpaceX's Falcon Heavy, a super heavy launch vehicle, makes its maiden flight. 2021 – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken suspends agreements with Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras to send asylum seekers back to their home countries. 2023 – Two earthquakes measuring Mww 7.8 and 7.5 struck near the border between Turkey and Syria with a maximum Mercalli intensity of XII (Extreme). The earthquakes resulted in numerous aftershocks and a death toll of 57,658 people.

[fantasycricketgamebd]

Football Legends: Chronicles of All-Time Greats

Explore the Remarkable Journeys of Iconic Footballers Who Redefined Greatness, From World Cups to Golden Boots

Determining the "all-time best top-ranking footballers in the world" is subjective and can vary depending on personal preferences and opinions. However, we can provide you with a list of some of the most iconic football players in history and highlight some of their key achievements. Please note that these rankings may have changed since then, and new talents may have emerged.

In the world of online fantasy games and fantasy football, enthusiasts in Bangladesh have found unique ways to celebrate the sport's legends. While these virtual platforms allow fans to craft their dream teams and test their managerial skills, they also offer a fascinating twist on the appreciation of football greatness. Whether you're managing your team in an online fantasy league or participating in the global phenomenon of fantasy football, the allure of football legends continues to captivate fans worldwide, including those in Bangladesh.

1. Pelé (Brazil):

Pelé is often considered one of the greatest football players of all time. His achievements include winning three FIFA World Cups (1958, 1962, and 1970) and scoring over 1,000 professional career goals.

2. Diego Maradona (Argentina):

Maradona is known for his incredible dribbling skills and the infamous "Hand of God" goal. He led Argentina to victory in the 1986 World Cup and had a successful club career with Napoli and Barcelona, among others.

3. Lionel Messi (Argentina):

As of my last update, Messi had won numerous Ballon d'Or awards and achieved immense success with Barcelona, including multiple UEFA Champions League titles. He has since moved to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and continues to be a dominant force in football.

4. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal):

Ronaldo is known for his incredible goal-scoring ability. He has won multiple Ballon d'Or awards and has had successful spells at Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus; later, he returned to Manchester United.

5. Johan Cruyff (Netherlands):

Cruyff was a pioneer of "Total Football" and achieved success with Ajax and Barcelona as a player and manager. He won three Ballon d'Or awards and left a lasting impact on the game.

6. Franz Beckenbauer (Germany):

Known as "The Kaiser," Beckenbauer was a versatile defender and won the FIFA World Cup as both a player (1974) and a coach (1990). He had a successful club career with Bayern Munich and the New York Cosmos.

7. Alfredo Di Stéfano (Argentina/Spain):

Di Stéfano was a key figure for Real Madrid during the 1950s and 1960s, helping the club win numerous European Cups (now the Champions League). He is often considered one of the greatest forwards in history.

8. Zinedine Zidane (France):

Zidane was known for his elegance and creativity on the field. He won the FIFA World Cup with France in 1998 and led Real Madrid to several UEFA Champions League titles as both a player and a coach.

9. George Best (Northern Ireland):

Best was a legendary winger known for his dribbling skills. He played for Manchester United and won the Ballon d'Or in 1968.

10. Ferenc Puskás (Hungary):

Puskás was a prolific goal-scorer who played for Real Madrid and Hungary. He won multiple European Cups with Real Madrid and is remembered for his incredible goal-scoring record.

Note: These are just a few of the legendary footballers in history, and there are many more who have left their mark on the sport. Keep in mind that the list is subjective and can vary depending on personal opinions and criteria. Additionally, newer players may have emerged and achieved significant success since our last knowledge update in September 2021.

Download 11Wickets Bangladesh and Join The League.

[frontproofmedia]

Liam Smith vs. Chris Eubank Jr. 2 Fight Preview

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By Sina Latif

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Published: September 02, 2023

Liam Smith vs. Chris Eubank Jr. 2 Fight Preview

A BOXXER-promoted show will be headlined by a grudge rematch this Saturday evening, September 2, at the AO Arena in Manchester, England, as Liam Smith (33-3-1, 20 KOs) and Chris Eubank Jr (32-3, 23 KOs) lock horns again in a 12-round middleweight showdown.

The fight will be aired on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and ESPN+ in the USA.

Back in January, Smith entered their first fight as the underdog, but after badly hurting Eubank in the fourth round, he inflicted the first stoppage loss of Eubank’s professional career with a dramatic fourth-round stoppage victory.

Smith’s only losses have been at the world level, losing his WBO super welterweight title to Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez via a crippling ninth-round KO loss and a unanimous decision loss while challenging Jaime Munguia for his old title.

Smith’s last loss was a controversial unanimous decision loss to Magomed Kurbanov in May 2021 in Russia, after which he has racked up four consecutive stoppage wins since.

Since Eubank had lost to George Groves in February 2018, he had notched six consecutive wins, but his appearances have been quite inconsistent, and he has been moving between trainers, parting with Roy Jones Jr. for this fight to join Terence Crawford’s trainer, Brian ‘Bo Mac’ McIntyre.

Speaking to TalkSPORT’s Spencer Oliver, Smith does not believe the link-up with Bo Mac will change the result of the rematch.

“I don’t think he can change much. I don’t think he (Bo Mac) can make him (Eubank) a better fighter,” Smith said. “He’s going to try brushing up on the mistakes he made, but he’s not going to make him a better fighter. He’s not going to make him do stuff he didn’t do before.”

Eubank has often been viewed as arrogant by British boxing fans, with more fame than ability, and there have been questions about whether he may have overlooked “Beefy.”

Speaking at the public workout during fight week, Eubank said: “This is the first time I’ve gone into a fight as an underdog in a rematch, so it brings a new mindset, a new mentality, a new focus, a new determination that I haven’t had for a long time and I’m excited to see how that transfers over once that bell goes.”

The fascinating career of Eubank could end tonight in the same city it began in 2011. Since that all-machismo and bravado-laden debut, some have been believers, and some, to this day, have believed Junior is more about the talk than the walk.

More show and less substance. Since that day, Eubank has been on a mission to rise to the top and prove all naysayers wrong. He can get to the top on merit and not because of his father’s name.

That mission is at a crisis point tonight. Smith battered Eubank’s reputation eight months ago when he stopped Junior in four rounds.

Smith is a no-nonsense fighter. We know what we’re going to get. He has a good, solid team behind him, always around his brothers; coming from boxing stock and from a technical standpoint, he barely ever does anything wrong.

Smith never appears cocky and arrogant, but he does exude self-confidence, and now, after their first meeting, in which Smith scored a career-best win, he knows he can not only hurt Eubank but knock him out. This confidence will make Smith an ever harder man to beat now.

Does the captivating Eubank Jr. rollercoaster regain momentum, or does the trend of Junior struggling against technically sound boxers, not overawed by the Eubank hype and personality, carry on?

[rviner]

full name: Lincoln Miller

gender & pronouns: cisman he/him

age & date of birth: 40 years old, November 20th 1982

birthplace: Manchester, Vermont

time in hollow cove: Just Arrived (Sept 2023)

species: Vampire

role: watcher & soldier / patrol, builder, runner

positive traits: disciplined, self-reliant, protective

negative traits: brooding, domineering, suspicious

ABOUT

Born and raised in a small town in Vermont, Lincoln always considered himself to be walking in his older brother's shadow. Sam was smarter, more capable, funnier. He had the most friends, he could breeze through life easily and their parents weren't shy about making it obvious either. After Sam joined the army at eighteen, Lincoln had a few more years of hearing how brave his brother was until he, as always, followed in his brother's footsteps but joined the US Navy instead.

The training, discipline and duty was everything Lincoln needed in his life. He thrived under the pressure, the sense of purpose and not having to see his brother climb any ranks as he was climbing his own. At age twenty he began his training as a SEAL and never looked back. Over the years, Lincoln broadened and sharpened his skills and each time he was on leave between operations, he grew more and more distant from his family. Lincoln's career was everything, and the Navy carved him into the man he is today, or was.

When the 2020 war against the supernatural began, Lincoln was as front line as one could be and has been a constant force that Supernaturals faced when interrogated, tested on and were studied. He's been there when they were rounded up from safe towns, weakening them for transport. He's fought against supernaturals when facilities were targeted or liberated and he did it all in the name of protecting his country. Lincoln has never questioned who or what a target is, trained completely to only see an enemy and never to question orders. But over time, the questions seeped through his stoicism. The war felt unjust, the reactions felt too severe.

By the end of 2021, Lincoln was working with supernaturals placed in facilities. He would give extra rations, he would help co-ordinate attacks. He remained undetected by other humans, but there is a thread of evidence that clearly shows wherever Lincoln was placed ended up overthrown. A coincidence to many but not for him. He was sickened by the treatment of supernaturals, despite not entirely trusting them either.

In 2022 when he was placed at a holding camp, Lincoln was executing his usual plans. He spent weeks aiding an uprising for the supernaturals to escape, and all was successful until in the chaos of the eventual fight he was attacked by a vampire. He was forced to drink blood and turn, changing the trajectory of his life forever. At first, Lincoln tried to withhold feeding in order to die but the thirst became too much. He fled instinctively from the overthrown holding camp, not quite knowing where to go next. He traveled alone since, keeping his head down when reaching safe towns.

He's recently arrived in Hollow Cove, trying to keep to the shadows in case there are any supernaturals who remember him before he showed a shred of decency towards them. His choice has been made for him these days, now truly being hunted instead of the hunter but Lincoln believes he's on the right side of history. He tries to still help where he can with any searches and tries to not make it too obvious that he understands how the military are running the facilities. Useful information that he has to withhold carefully from supernaturals that truly need it, once again battling with his conscience for the sake of survival.

[sport333]

Buyout 720 Billion Colorless Barca Dream

Buyout 720 Billion Colorless Barca Dream

The club's high expectations have been overshadowed. Frank Kessier (26) will leave for FC Barcelona for the first time in a year.

European soccer expert Fabrizio Romano said on the 6th (Korea Standard Time), "Kessie has completed a medical test to join Saudi Arabia's Al Ahli." There will be an official announcement soon," he said. Romano said on the 4th, "Kessie will leave Barcelona for Al Ahli for a transfer fee of 15 million euros (about 21.5 billion won)."

He was once expected of Barcelona. Kessier left AC Milan in July last year and joined Barcelona as a free agent. The buyout is known to be 500 million euros (about 720 billion won). The term of the contract was four years.

He is a central midfielder who conquered Italy's Serie A. Kessie was one of the main players to give AC Milan their first scudetto in 11 years in the 2021-22 season. He was evaluated as a versatile midfield resource, scoring seven goals and one assist in 39 games. Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United in the English Premier League were also targeted

At the time of Kessie's recruitment, Barcelona said, "Kessie is a player who can attack and defend. "He suddenly penetrates into the penalty box from the midfield and even scores directly," he said, expressing high expectations. This was why big clubs continued to call for love.

However, Kessie rarely settled down after joining Barcelona. Powerful central midfielders such as Frenky The Yong (26), Pedri (20) and Pablo Garvey (19) were holding out. He even lost in competition with veteran Sergio Busquets (33). Kessier was given the second-lowest playing time in Spain's La Liga after prospect Pablo Torre (19).

In the end, Kessier left Barcelona a year after his transfer. He chose to go to the Middle East in his prime. Heading to al-Ahli, Saudi Arabia. Premier League stars Eduard Mendy (former Chelsea), Roberto Firmino (former Liverpool), Riyad Mahrez (former Manchester City), Alan Saint-Maximain (former Newcastle United) and others will work together

[soccerdailyuk]

Mason Mount medical and expected club statement latest, per Fabrizio Romano

Mason Mount medical and expected club statement latest, per Fabrizio Romano Mason Mount's transfer to Manchester United is set to be finalized soon, with his medical scheduled for Monday (3/7). Fabrizio Romano has given an update on the anticipated timeframe for the completion of the move. Via Twitter he reports: “Mason Mount will undergo medical tests on Monday and then he’s finally gonna sign five year deal as new Manchester United player. “#MUFC Contract until June 2028 — it will also include an option to extend until June 2029. £55m plus £5m to Chelsea. Statement this week.” Mason Mount is poised to become Manchester United's first signing of the summer transfer window. In addition, the club is actively seeking to secure deals for a goalkeeper and a striker. According to a report from The Athletic last Thursday, Manchester United and Chelsea reached an agreement on the transfer fee, following the rejection of previous offers. While Chelsea initially intended to retain Mount, they ultimately decided to capitalize on the situation as his contract is set to expire in June 2024. Although Mount had previously expressed his contentment at Chelsea, a challenging year at Stamford Bridge has prompted him to seek a fresh start elsewhere. Manchester United's midfield objective is to acquire younger players with long-term potential, considering that both Casemiro and Christian Eriksen are over 30 years old. At 24, Mount represents a positive step in this direction, and the completion of his transfer is expected before the commencement of pre-season training. MASON MOUNT: PROFILE - Mason Mount came through Chelsea’s academy and won the UEFA Youth League and FA Youth Cup, and European under-19 Championships with England. - He made his name at Vitesse Arnhem on loan, where he first impressed Erik ten Hag, scoring 14 goals. - Mount then went on to lead Derby County to promotion, also earning praise from now United assistant Steve McClaren, scoring 11 times. - In total for Chelsea, Mount has made 195 first-team appearances, scoring 33 times. He says his favoured position is as a number eight. - Mount’s biggest success was winning the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021, providing an assist for the winner. He also won the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup. - He has gone onto establish himself as a regular international for England. At only 24, he already has 36 caps and five goals. - Mount’s best individual season for Chelsea came in 2021/22 when he scored 13 goals. This past season he found the net only three times. Mason Mount medical and expected club statement latest, per Fabrizio Romano Read the full article