#matchup swap

[sleepiest-writing]

Hello✨✨ man I e been wanting to a mashup since forever so TYSM for this opportunity I genuinely greatly appreciate it✨

Ok so let’s see, I am 5’3 early 20s mex girlie (no real care for pronouns I’ll go by all and any) and non labeled sexuality (I’ll fall for anyone for any reason) possibly adhd or autistic but undiagnosed so no medical proof on that, I am a Scorpio, infp and year of the goat (idk I’ve seen those included in stuff) I love anything art related (arts n craft)? I draw a lot, and in turn also adore seeing peoples art journey, style and character designing. I also adore cooking and baking, but I am a beginner, learnings is so much fun anyways. I’ve been told that I can be energetic, kinda clingy, really forgetful and sweet. Which fair, my head is a constant mess that rarely runs on organized thoughts, most of it is impulsive,how fun. I get distracted easily, my attention span is pretty much nonexistent, and I forget a concerning amount of things throughout the day. I struggle to keep my areas clean but I’m getting better. My love/affection language would be physical touch, words of affirmation and gift giving, not even expensive things, for the most part it’s been homemade meals for my sisters, and small trinkets I find for my friends. I’m also a hopeless romantic, and I love all things horror :3 I also have little to no self preservation, and dares are always a go (I once ate a dandelion cuz me n my sisters thought it would be funny, and it was) oh yeah, I’m also an ambivert who loves to go outside, socializing is a nightmare but people are interesting and I wanna be more social, I’m just stupidly shy. I also have a lot of habits that others seem to like? My sisters have commented I’m very expressive via eyes, and on more than one occasion have caused them to fall laughing. A lot of my relatives have said I’m very loving and have way to much to give because I’m always hugging people I like and clinging to them (ex my favorite Tia), and friends have told me I need to stop being attached or wanting the attention of those who aren’t… All that good to me, I have a difficult time accepting things, change is hard and I can be irrational about things pertaining to my well being. And my last habit would be, that I’ve been called weak willed and dense as fuck, weak willed because it doesn’t take much to sway me, or get me to do something. And dense cuz social cues are difficult, like how am I supposed to know this person genuinely finds me enjoyable to be around, I call bs

Uh for the mashup I would like it romantic, and long If possible (idk if this is enough, sorry for the mess of info I hope it’s good enough :’3)

TYSM for granting this long time wish✨✨💕

Hello Hello! You sound absolutely wonderful, thank you for the matchup!

Also thank you for your patience because I know you've been sitting in my ask box for quite the while! Here's your lover boy ;D

꒷꒥꒷꒥꒷꒷꒥꒷꒥꒷꒷꒥꒷꒥꒷꒷꒥꒷꒥꒷꒷꒥꒷꒥꒷꒷꒥꒷꒥꒷꒷꒥꒷꒥꒷꒷꒥꒷꒥꒷꒷꒥꒷꒥꒷꒷꒥꒷꒥꒷꒷꒥꒷꒥꒷꒥

I match you up with....

TANG ! [US!papyrus]

☁︎‎‎‧ This guy WILL make you shitty crafts about your most recent interest!

☁︎‎‎‧ He LOVES when you cling to him, lets you grab his arm in public, hell depending on who's around he'll let you climb him- he loves it.

☁︎‎‎‧ he's an extroverted introvert because of his brother, so he's chill with socialising and helps create segways that include you in the conversation without that weird awkwardness.

☁︎‎‎‧ However he is also absolutely horrendous when it comes to social cues, so he tends to fall back on his jokes as a backup.

☁︎‎‎‧ Adores how expressive your facial features are, catch this idiot looking at you and just melting - especially if you're mid-ramble.

☁︎‎‎‧ Again because of this brother, He's good at cleaning and organising- So tries to help whenever you let him, he'd never move your things around without asking. He would buy so many folders and binders for you for any art you may create.

☁︎‎‎‧ At first, he'd panic a bit about you being irrational about yourself. He'd have to ask questions to try and help, he's trying.

☁︎‎‎‧ Lastly, He'd not stand for anyone calling you weak-willed, he knows how to set healthy boundaries while also dealing with people who are used to walking all over others. Hopefully you pick up on how to put your foot down, but there's no rush for that, he understands it takes time and a lot of mental effort.

꒷꒥꒷꒥꒷꒷꒥꒷꒥꒷꒷꒥꒷꒥꒷꒷꒥꒷꒥꒷꒷꒥꒷꒥꒷꒷꒥꒷꒥꒷꒷꒥꒷꒥꒷꒷꒥꒷꒥꒷꒷꒥꒷꒥꒷꒷꒥꒷꒥꒷꒷꒥꒷꒥꒷꒥

I hope you enjoyed this matchup! Once again I apologise for being so late with it but I hope your happy with it! I loved writing this :D

[izolyn]

playing a Pokemon fangame and getting so fed up with its competitive-wannabe AI that I'm now seeing if I can fuck with the AI script to disable its ability to switch out ദ്ദി ( ᵔ ᗜ ᵔ )

[baba-fett]

ok here’s what I want to know about you: in the tags, say your usual Baldur’s Gate 3 squad

[stunie]

are you still doing matchups evie? ummm i dont know what to say! i do like windbreaker, jjk, haikyuu! i have a corporate job that kiiiiinda sucks but im good at it. i love taro boba! and i love sleeping lol i also really dig finding new music, there's something so powerful about how a song can change everything you know? do you have a song you turn to that sorta lifts your mood?? hope you had a lovely day ♡

HI NONNIE wishing u a lovely day too!!! i think i could do matchups all day hehe ^ ^ ALSO. i don’t know how we feel about being paired with less popular characters so i’m gonna pair you with TWO. the more popular one is gonna be in the tags :O

BUT PLEASE LET ME TALK ABOUT YOU AND KUSUMI please 🥺 he texts you good mornings and good nights, checks in with you during your break…. he also loves hearing about your day in general. he’s a great listener!! a great texter too. sometimes the topic of music comes up between him and kaji and …. he’s giving kaji music recs that you gave him …. and as for the music that kaji recommends to him— he listens to it first!! then he’s sending u the link with a little smile if he thinks you’ll like it. knows your taste very well btw. I JUST THINK THIS IS SUCH A CUTE PAIRING. sometimes he’ll surprise you with a sweet treat after your shifts too !!!! he’s just a great guy > <

[mechsbrackets]

YES!! Captain Mathea is in !! :D

Yeah!! 8 of us ended up nominating him!!!

[vallerianella]

for the 💞 but what if there was a baggy baggy baggy jeans guy. a little Too modern fashion freak guy. generally even-tempered sassy boy apocalypse with a stubborn streak but he’s capable and sharp when his ego doesn’t trip him up 💔 his slick backed penguin stripe mildly obnoxious but grounded/charming shoujo boysmell. folds my hands. what if u know

I can’t believe u asked me about 🎒👖☹️😒🤨... coming right up 🤧

🏎🦠... I can explain myself I prommy

I’d be like teehee matching aesthetiques but lbr roxie’s more of a bad mix of bedazzled y2k egirl cybertechwear 😔💔 v much a fan of da fashion forward style he’s got going on tho🥸 likes flashy and obnoxious things like a magpie... the more hair colours you got the bigger of a W in their books

tfw it’s for the best he’s more grounded bc they are off the charts malignant and malicious💀👆 u have measured young upstart prodigy kouhai n then just plain annoying loitering prowling kouhai... almost balanced!

they’re a web surfer forum dweller toxic sasaeng akgae 💀 when I say they’re a fan bc he’s good at keeping up n capable n has the charm but roxie is always watching for when u slip up 😗 make sure u don’t trip too bad king... swiping a card that’s not theirs on that bid rn. casually knows all his specs n viewership n revenue generated like yea this is in da database dw...

[crownconstellation]

good morning to all I just got so bored I organised all of my animal crossing amiibo cards by villager type + alphabetical order and then colour coded them by making corresponding villager types the same post-it colour

[ttrpg-smash-pass-vs]

We are back! And coming out swinging as always, though there's there's only 1 or 2 easy matchups left at this point. Welcome to the top 16 contenders! On the left! Having slain multiple dragons, including the #1 contender from the qualifiers, we have the androsphinx! 10 ft (3 m) long, gruff and somewhat pessimistic with a noble heart, can control time from within its lair, guards ancient mysteries and secrets, and can summon feasts on command! They're also known for being gruff and blunt but generally trying to do the right thing.

On the right, the Yuan-ti Abomination! 10 ft (3 m) long snake person, so many of these! They can constrict, cause fear, and have mild mind manipulation! Fun nature fact: Snakes and lizards actually have two hemipenes (cloaca extensions for reproduction), each hooked up to a different teste so they can swap between them while one's recharging. Given this one's almost entirely snake, I'd assume it has the same. They also means two clits!

[idkaguyorsomething]

Some of these might get along better than their pairings in canon. Others might be responsible for a nuclear reactor meltdown. ¡Pick a doctor/companion matchup that never happened in the show and explain your reasoning in the tags!

[starsainzjr]

Old Money

Pairing: Carlos Sainz x show jumper!reader Faceclaim: Jessica Springsteen

A/N: This one is incredibly INCREDIBLY self indulgent. Carlos is my favorite driver and I'm a show jumper and I'm projecting super hard

✷✷✷✷✷

yourusername Madrid, Spain

Liked by teamkpf, usajumping, carlossainz55 and 12,745 others

yourusername That jump off 😮‍💨 Never a dull moment in Madrid!

View all 963 comments

usajumping Yet another thrilling win!

teamkpf The Padawan becomes the Master

yourusername Never! You'll be world number 1 long after I'm dead

carlossainz55 Thank you for your hospitality! I hope to get you to a race sometime soon

yourusername My pleasure! Consider it a professional courtesy 😉

chiliwilicarlos Carlos??? What are you doing here????

jumpingtoconclusions Our QUEEN! Her rule of the ring will last a long, long time @/teamkpf you did a good job with this one

carlossainz55 Madrid, Spain

Liked by f1, yourusername, charles_leclerc and 427,745 others

carlossainz55 Bit of a different look this weekend. Thank you to @/yourusername and @/usajumping for hosting me!

View all 61,474 comments

yourusername Thank you for coming! My favorite cheerleader all season ☺️

carlossainz55 Come out to a race and take a turn!

yourusername Give me a time and a place and I'll be there!

usajumping Show jumping meets F1!

f1 Now this is a team up we can get behind!

chiliwilicarlos Stop that horse reminds me so much of Carlos why are they actually twins

blackfireproofs HELP WHY ARE YOU RIGHT

blackfireproofs Carlos and his old money era is continuous

yourusername Barcelona, Spain

Liked by usajumping, carlossainz55, charles_leclerc and 11,982 others

yourusername I think I did the cheerleading thing pretty well! Thank you @/carlossainz55 and @/scuderiaferrari for the invite!

View all 1,004 comments

carlossainz55 Red looks good on you! Glad to return the favor

yourusername You should see me in the Team USA jacket 😉

chiliwilicarlos The flirting is killing me

scuderiaferrari Swapping out horseshoes for tyres!

usajumping Are we going to need to figure out a shared custody schedule for our athletes?

jumpingtoconclusions ...I'm gonna have to get into F1 aren't I....

chiliwilicarlos I can become a show jumping fan. I can be a show jumping fan for them

scuderiaferrari Spruce Meadows

Liked by carlossainz55, charles_leclerc, yourusername and 825,374 others

scuderiaferrari Different kind of paddock for C² this weekend! Thank you @/usajumping and @/yourusername for being the best hosts!

View all 87,645 comments

usajumping Did we just become best friends???

scuderiaferrari Give us the name of your catering and you've got a deal

yourusername Glad I could put on a show for you! Thank you for coming! ☺️

charles_leclerc Never seen Carlos that invested in a sporting event before

carlossainz55 Try being more interesting on the track if you want me to pay attention to you

yourusername Them's fightin' words 🥊

chiliwilicarlos I'm calling it now, these two will be dating by the start of next season

blackfireproofs Wait why is this actually so adorable I love this matchup

justaninchident Charles third wheeled hard this weekend

yourusername Prague, Czech Republic

Liked by usajumping, carlossainz55, brainmoggre and 14,468 others

yourusername Couldn't bring it home this time, but we'll go again harder next year. Thank you Prague for such an amazing opportunity!

View all 1,964 comments

teamkpf Keep your head up, kid!

yourusername Thanks, dad ☺️

carlossainz55 Good company in second place in the meantime

yourusername Little too much crying on the kiss n' cry for my liking

chiliwilicarlos 👀

usajumping An all USA podium is nothing to bat an eye at!

jumpingtoconclusions Calling it now, Yn will be the Max Verstappen of show jumping next year

blackfireproofs You've been doing your research!

chiliwilicarlos I've never watched show jumping before this but I can see why Carlos loves it! Yn is a powerhouse and even my inexperienced eye can tell that

carlossainz55 Prague, Czech Republic

Liked by yourusername, charles_leclerc, landonorris and 614,194 others

carlossainz55 Nice to get a quick break, but it's back to the grind 💪

View all 99,735 comments

charles_leclerc Carlos, call me.

blackfireproofs Ooooooh someone's in troubleeeeee

landonorris CARLOS. CALL ME.

chiliwilicarlos I would kill to be a fly on this wall

chiliwilicarlos Okay, I'm revising my bet. By Christmas.

jumpingtoconclusions So this is the man that has my idol's heart

blackfireproofs The way that I am dying for these two to get together

scuderiaferrari @/usajumping Our driver is in the wrong paddock

chiliwilicarlos ADMIN WHAT DO YOU KNOW

yourusername Yas Marina

Liked by carlossainz55, scuderiaferrari, usajumping and 31,037 others

yourusername Second place is the best place

View all 2,002 comments

carlossainz55 Next year is our year, chula

yourusername Gonna kick some ass, lindo

chiliwilicarlos THE NICKNAMES KILL ME NOW

charles_leclerc You're partying with us tonight tho right????

yourusername You couldn't get rid of me if you tried 😉

blackfireproofs Okay but the old money vibes with these two...

chiliwilicarlos The way she unabashedly posts him 😭 Girl is head over heels

blackfireproofs If I were this close to Carlos I would post him all the time too tbh

yourusername Mallorca, Spain

Liked by carlossainz55, teamkpf, charles_leclerc and 32,089 others

yourusername Rest and Recharge

View all 3,163 comments

charles_leclerc Why wasn't I invited

carlossainz55 We were lost without our professional third wheel

yourusername I'll come spend a week in Monaco to make it up

teamkpf Kid, you don't tell me anything anymore

yourusername Sorry, dad

jumpingtoconclusions Oh she's gonna be unstoppable

justaninchident Charles is gonna become their kid mark my words

chiliwilicarlos I will protect them with my life

blackfireproofs Relationship confirmation 👀👀👀

chiliwilicarlos Even if they're not dating their friendship is enough to make me believe in love again

carlossainz55 Wellington, Florida

Liked by yourusername, scuderiaferrari, charles_leclerc and 582,946 others

carlossainz55 Today we discovered that I'm allergic to hay

View all 41,046 comments

yourusername I really am so sorry

carlossainz55 I will brave it for you, chula

charles_leclerc I wanna meet the ponies 😭

yourusername I'll give Carlos' next ticket to you

carlossainz55 HEY

chiliwilicarlos I can see Carlos being a horsey boyfriend

blackfireproofs He would carry her ring bag with reverence

jumpingtoconclusions Our king and queen

usajumping Paris, France

Liked by yourusername, teamkpf, carlossainz55 and 3,183 others

usajumping Presenting Team USA for the 2024 Summer Olympics! These riders are heading to Paris! Kent Farrington, Laura Kraut, and Yn Yln will be the main team while Natalie Dean and Bliss Heers act as substitutes.

Let's cheer Team USA on to gold!

View all 491 comments

yourusername Let's go! See you in Paris!

teamkpf Get the countdown started!

carlossainz55 @/maxverstappen1 Can I borrow your jet?

maxverstappen1 You kidding??? I'm coming with!

chiliwilicarlos Yn won over Max too 😭

jumpingtoconclusions This is going to be the most star studded kiss n' cry ever

jumpingtoconclusions The sheer power in this team announcement 😮‍💨

yourusername Paris, France

Liked by carlossainz55, teamkpf, usajumping and 50,745 others

yourusername What a dream! Silver in the individual and gold in the team event! Could not be more grateful ☺️

View all 3,038 comments

teamkpf No one else I would rather share the podium with! You'll be kicking me off the top step soon

yourusername Still a long way to go to catch you! Best mentor ever

usajumping Now that's how it's done!

scuderiaferrari A member of the Tifosi is a gold medalist! Congratulazioni from everyone here at Scuderia Ferrari!

yourusername Grazie mille!

carlossainz55 So so proud! Cannot be happier to call you mi amor this weekend!

yourusername My biggest fan! Could not have done this without you mi vida!

chiliwilicarlos She called him her life 😭 I'll be sleeping on the train tracks tonight

carlossainz55 Paris, France

Liked by yourusername, charles_leclerc, landonorris and 718,364 others

carlossainz55 Mi campeona

View all 42,748 comments

yourusername Mi amor ❤️ I love you

carlossainz55 Never been more proud ❤️

landonorris Damn, someone stole my bitch

yourusername I can share

carlossainz55 No, Lando needs to learn to share

charles_leclerc Professional third wheel reporting for duty

yourusername Thank you for your service ���

blackfireproofs Oh he's in LOVE love

jumpingtoconclusions But can we discuss the picture of her in front of the Eiffel Tower? Proud boyfriend moment

chiliwilicarlos THEY'RE SO CUTE IT CAUSES ME PHYSICAL PAIN

yourusername Zandvoort

Liked by carlossainz55, teamkpf, scuderiaferrari and 40,467 others

yourusername Proud doesn't even begin to cover it! The trophy shelf is getting crowded

View all 4,172 comments

carlossainz55 Mine can go in the closet, your gold medal takes priority

yourusername ABSOLUTELY NOT

carlossainz55 Mi amor ❤️

yourusername Mi vida ❤️

scuderiaferrari Our biggest flex is having a power couple like this in our garage

usajumping Ferrari garage 🤝 Team USA barn

chiliwilicarlos They love each other so much it's so damn cute

blackfireproofs The power couple we didn't know we needed

✷✷✷✷✷

All photos from Pinterest, Instagram, or Google Images

[estapa-edwards]

RIVALS - J. HUGHES

paring: jack hughes x reader

word count: 2.3k

requested? yes - jack falling in love with his rival player from the rangers and the media and everyone alwyss comparing the two and they like to tease each other back and fourth and people think they are enemies but really they have been friends since they both moved away from their families to jersey and york, they ended up living in the same building and became good friends despite the rivalry, they just love to tease each other on the ice and making everyone speculate, something important goes on and jack brings her as his plus one and he is like she’s been my gf for years didn’t you know?

warnings: use of y/n.

*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*

As I lace up my skates in the familiar locker room of Madison Square Garden, I can feel the buzz of anticipation coursing through me. Tonight, like every other night when we face off against the New Jersey Devils, the media will paint our matchup as an epic clash between bitter rivals. They'll hype up the drama, the tension, the supposed animosity between me, Y/N, of the New York Rangers, and Jack Hughes of the Devils. But what they don't know is that behind the scenes, Jack and I are actually good friends.

It's funny how things work out sometimes. We met shortly after we both moved away from home to pursue our hockey dreams. Fate seemed to have a sense of humor when it placed us in the same apartment building. At first, we were just acquaintances, nodding at each other in the elevator or exchanging small talk in the lobby. But as time went on, our friendship blossomed.

Jack is one of those people who's impossible not to like. He's got this infectious energy, always cracking jokes and keeping everyone around him in high spirits. And despite being fierce competitors on the ice, off the rink, he's one of the most genuine and down-to-earth guys I've ever met.

--

From the moment we stepped onto the ice as rookies, Jack and I knew that we were destined to be compared and contrasted by the media. They loved to pit us against each other, to scrutinize every goal, every assist, every move we made on the ice. And as much as we tried to brush it off, it was hard not to feel the weight of those expectations.

But amidst the chaos of the rivalry, Jack and I found something unexpected: a genuine friendship. It started with small gestures – a friendly nod during warm-ups, a quick word of encouragement after a tough game – but it quickly grew into something deeper. We discovered that we had a lot in common, both on and off the ice, and that despite wearing different jerseys, we shared a mutual respect and admiration for each other's talents.

As our friendship blossomed, we found ourselves gravitating towards each other more and more, seeking refuge from the pressures of the rivalry in each other's company. We'd sneak away from the prying eyes of the media and our respective teams' management to grab lunch together or hang out at one of our apartments, swapping stories and jokes like old friends.

Of course, we knew that our friendship had to remain a secret. Our PR managers made sure of that, reminding us constantly that we were supposed to be bitter rivals, not bosom buddies. But in a strange way, the secrecy only made our bond stronger. It was like we were in on this big, inside joke together, sharing a secret that no one else knew.

And so, we became experts at playing our parts. We'd exchange playful jabs during interviews, making sure to throw in a few subtle digs to keep up the facade of animosity. We'd celebrate our victories against each other on the ice with exaggerated displays of triumph, all the while exchanging knowing looks behind the scenes.

---

As rookies, stepping onto the ice for the first time felt like stepping into a pressure cooker. The weight of expectations hung heavy in the air, fueled by the constant comparisons and contrasts the media loved to draw between Jack and me.

"Hey, Y/N," Jack called out as we lined up for warm-ups before our first game against each other. His voice cut through the tension, and I turned to see him flashing a grin. "You ready to show the world what we're made of?"

I couldn't help but chuckle at his infectious enthusiasm. "You bet, Jack. Just don't expect me to go easy on you out there."

"Wouldn't dream of it," he replied with a playful wink.

And so it began – a friendly rivalry that would soon evolve into something much deeper. As the games went by, Jack and I found ourselves drawn to each other, seeking solace from the relentless scrutiny of the media in the comfort of each other's company.

"Rough game out there, huh?" Jack said one night, catching me in the hallway outside the locker rooms after a particularly grueling match.

I nodded, grateful for the chance to decompress with someone who understood the pressures we faced. "Yeah, tell me about it. I swear, they're never gonna let us live this one down."

Jack chuckled, clapping me on the back in a show of solidarity. "Well, at least we can commiserate together, right?"

And so our friendship blossomed, forged in the fires of competition and camaraderie. We'd steal moments away from the prying eyes of the media, grabbing lunch together or hanging out at one of our apartments, swapping stories and jokes like old friends.

"Man, I can't believe we have to keep this friendship a secret," I grumbled one day as we lounged on Jack's couch, watching highlights from our latest game.

Jack shrugged, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Eh, adds to the intrigue, don't you think? Besides, it's kinda fun having our little secret."

I had to admit, there was something exhilarating about sneaking around like a couple of teenagers with a forbidden romance. It made our bond feel even more special, like we were part of some exclusive club that no one else could join.

Of course, playing our parts as bitter rivals wasn't always easy. We'd exchange playful jabs during interviews, throwing in a few subtle digs to keep up the facade of animosity.

"Y/N, what do you have to say to Jack Hughes, who claims he's going to outshine you on the ice tonight?" a reporter asked during a post-game press conference.

I shot Jack a knowing smirk before turning back to the camera with a smirk of my own. "Tell him he can try, but he's gonna have to get past me first."

Jack laughed from his seat beside me, the tension in the room dissipating as we shared a private joke

--

As much as we excelled at maintaining the illusion of rivalry in public, it was behind closed doors where our friendship truly flourished. Away from the prying eyes of the media and the expectations of our teams, Jack and I could be ourselves without reservation. We'd spend hours talking about everything and nothing, sharing our hopes and fears, our triumphs and struggles.

There was a comfort in knowing that we could let our guard down around each other, free from the pressures of being seen as rivals. In those moments, it was easy to forget about the intensity of the rivalry and just enjoy each other's company. Whether we were binge-watching our favorite TV shows, cooking dinner together, or simply lounging around, every moment spent with Jack felt like a welcome reprieve from the chaos of our professional lives.

And yet, even as we reveled in our friendship, there was always an underlying tension – the knowledge that our bond had to remain a secret. It was a constant balancing act, navigating the delicate line between friendship and rivalry, always mindful of the consequences if our true relationship were to be revealed.

But despite the risks, our friendship only grew stronger with each passing day. We became each other's confidants, sharing our deepest thoughts and feelings with a level of trust and understanding that went beyond words. And as much as we cherished our time together off the ice, there was something uniquely special about the moments we shared on it.

On game days, when the arena was buzzing with excitement and anticipation, Jack and I would find ourselves locked in a silent battle of wills. We'd exchange knowing glances across the ice, each one a silent reminder of the bond we shared. And when the puck dropped and the game was underway, it was like we were playing our own private game within the game – a subtle dance of friendship disguised as rivalry.

But no matter how convincing our performance was for the outside world, there were moments when our true feelings would slip through the cracks. A shared smile after a particularly well-executed play, a quick pat on the back after a hard-fought battle – these were the moments when our friendship shone brightest, illuminating the darkness of the rivalry that surrounded us.

--

The locker room is quiet, the only sound the faint echo of distant celebrations filtering through the walls. I sit alone on the bench, still basking in the afterglow of our victory over the Devils. It had been a hard-fought battle, but in the end, we'd come out on top, securing another win for the Rangers.

I'm lost in my thoughts when I hear the door creak open, and I glance up to see Jack standing in the doorway, a hesitant smile playing at the corners of his lips. Everyone else has already left, leaving us alone in the quiet solitude of the locker room.

"Hey," he says softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Hey," I reply, returning his smile. "What are you doing here? I thought you'd be with your team."

Jack shrugs, taking a few cautious steps into the room. "I needed to talk to you."

My curiosity piqued, I gesture for him to take a seat beside me on the bench. "What's on your mind?"

He hesitates for a moment, his gaze flickering uncertainly as if searching for the right words. And then, in one swift motion, he crosses the distance between us and takes my face in his hands, leaning in to press his lips against mine.

For a moment, time seems to stand still as the world falls away around us. I'm too stunned to react, too overwhelmed by the sudden rush of emotions coursing through me. But as his kiss deepens, I find myself melting into his embrace, the weight of our shared secret finally lifting from my shoulders.

When we finally pull apart, our breaths coming in ragged gasps, I meet Jack's gaze with a mixture of surprise and longing. "I didn't know you felt that way," I whisper, my voice barely audible above the pounding of my heart.

Jack smiles, a hint of mischief dancing in his eyes. "I've been trying to tell you for months," he admits, his thumb tracing gentle circles against my cheek. "But I never had the courage until now."

I reach out to take his hand in mine, lacing our fingers together with a sense of newfound clarity. "I'm glad you did," I say softly, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "Because I feel the same way."

-- 

As the seasons passed, Jack and I found ourselves navigating the complexities of our newfound relationship with a sense of cautious optimism. We were no longer just friends who shared a secret bond; we were now a couple, bound together by love and mutual respect.

But as much as we reveled in our newfound happiness, we couldn't escape the ever-present shadow of the rivalry that loomed over us. Our teams, our fans, and the media all seemed determined to keep us apart, to maintain the facade of animosity that had defined our relationship for so long.

We knew that our relationship had to remain a secret, at least for the time being. Our PR managers had made that abundantly clear, reminding us constantly of the consequences if our true feelings were ever to be revealed. And so, we continued to play our parts, keeping our love hidden behind a carefully constructed facade of rivalry and competition.

But as the years passed and our relationship continued to flourish, it became increasingly difficult to keep our secret under wraps. We longed to share our love with the world, to finally break free from the constraints of the rivalry that had kept us apart for so long.

And then, one day, an opportunity presented itself that we couldn't ignore. Jack had been invited to a prestigious event, a gathering of the league's top players and executives, and he had been given the chance to bring a guest as his plus one.

As we stood outside the doors of the grand ballroom, Jack turned to me with a mischievous grin. "Are you ready for this?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

I nodded, my heart pounding in anticipation. "I'm ready," I replied, squeezing his hand tightly in mine.

And with that, we stepped inside, hand in hand, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. As we made our way through the crowd, heads turned and whispers followed in our wake. But Jack didn't seem to notice, too caught up in the moment to care about the opinions of others.

And then, when we reached the center of the room, Jack turned to me with a smile that lit up his entire face. "Ladies and gentlemen," he announced, his voice ringing out clear and confident. "I'd like you to meet someone very special to me. This is Y/N, and she's been my girlfriend for years. Didn't you know?"

The room fell silent, the air thick with shock and surprise. But as I looked around at the stunned faces of our peers, I felt a sense of liberation wash over me. We had finally broken free from the shackles of the rivalry, and nothing – not even the expectations of others – could hold us back any longer.

As Jack wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me close, I knew that our love was stronger than any rivalry, stronger than any obstacle that stood in our way. And as we danced together in the center of the room, surrounded by the whispers of our peers and the glow of the evening lights, I knew that we were finally free to be ourselves – together, forever.

[alexanderwales]

One of the dominant models of magic and superheroes is that everyone has their "thing", what I would call a bespoke magic system, but is mostly just a power that sits orthogonal to all other powers. This crops up all the time, because it's really really good for having dynamic fights, for characterizing people through their powers, for having new surprises and twists, and just generally keeping things going.

It's adaptable to all kinds of genres. Superheroes are the obvious one, whether it's canonized as Quirks or just an aspect of the setting. But I'm pretty sure that the basic concept was first invented in anime, with marital arts settings, where every character had their own jutsu or whatever, or the system in theory is all about ki manipulation or equivalent exchange but in practice everyone has their own particular niche. You can slot this into urban fantasy, giving every vampire their own special Power, or you can have some magical fantasy thing where everyone has their own unique Semblance.

So this is all well and good, but it leaves us with a narrative hole, which is progression. Having a unique power is cool, because you can think of new uses for it, have unique matchups, etc., but it doesn't give you that juicy sense of becoming more, and if you're facing down terrifying villains with their own powers, then a god-tier power is just kind of ... random. Luck of the draw, rather than the consequence of a powerful will or keen mind.

You can strip out limitations and amplify effects, and this is cool and good, or you can lean back away from uniqueness and toward uniformity, which I think is sometimes the right call, depending on your narrative needs.

So you say that actually the guy who can swap places with someone and the guy who can cut people from a distance are both unwitting hyperspecialists in the same field of magic or whatever, and that in theory, with unlimited time to train and experiment and explore, each could do what the other does.

This allows for a lot of snazzy narrative stuff. Two intense rivals "learn" each other's techniques, or at least adapt them into their own technique. Maybe the guy who does teleport swaps never learns to cut from a distance, but his teleport swap incorporates a cut into it, slashing at the person he's trading places with. A widower incorporates aspects of his dead wife's power, a mentor passes down elements of his technique to all his students, a young protagonist has some angst about using the aspect he got from his abusive father, etc.

If powers are a reflection of character, then you get to physically manifest a character's relationship with other people.

[yes-these-obsessions-are-healthy]

DAI x BG3 matchups I need to see. I’m not good at writing crossovers nor am I clever at all. This is very much non-exhaustive and very much not the end point of these characters’ potential interactions with each other.

Karlach + Sera + Iron Bull

The absolute chaos. The absolute CHAOS. A powerhouse. Putting aside Karlach’s demon heritage aside, she and Iron Bull tossing back tankards and swapping war stories as vets that have been dealt shitty hands but continue to chug along despite it. Karlach and Sera connecting over growing up mainly on the streets and having soft spots for little ragamuffins. Plus they all talk about women’s tits a lot. I feel Sera would find Karlach sexy and funny.

Wyll + Cole

Like Solas and Varric, Wyll would take to Cole because he recognizes Cole’s desire to help others, even if his methods are a bit unorthodox. He would recognize Cole’s soul as gentle and kind, and his efforts to atone for the murders he committed in the Tower as proof of his humanity. He will join the Uncle-Dad Duo and complete the Uncle-Dad Trio. Cole would gravitate toward Wyll’s goodness in turn, and probably tell Wyll that him making a contract wasn’t foolish because in the end he saved a city, and if that was his desire, then he committed no sin in doing so.

Solas + Astarion

The messiest shit can only occur, and my messy bitch self wants to see it. Watch as Solas’s upright and stiff demeanor utterly bores Astarion. Watch as Astarion’s selfishness, penchant for violence, and casual disregard for the well-being of others utterly pisses Solas the fuck off. Watch as Astarion yawns or interrupts Solas’s lectures with a “yes, yes, we get it” or the most dramatic eyeroll and overwrought “ugh”. Watch as Solas and Astarion immediately sniff each other out as liars and schemers from first jump and hold each other at a distance, the tension spiking at random moments early in them knowing each other where the other prods at their falsehoods. Watch as Astarion is dumbfounded by Solas expressing his condolences to Astarion upon learning of Astarion’s enslavement to his master, because how could a man who holds such reproach for him still manage to feel pity? ‘It is not pity, but compassion, which you are at liberty to reject. That is your right as a free man, just as it is my right to feel it.’

In the best case scenario, Astarion calms down eventually, teasing Solas but still treating him like that friend of a friend that you grudgingly admit is useful. I think a part of Astarion would find Solas’s penchant dislike of him funny.

Vivienne + Astarion + Dorian

We are all doomed. The haughtiness will be scarcely contained. Dorian and Astarion are definitely flirting. Fucking? Not sure. But definitely flirting and enjoying killing bad guys, playfully arguing over wine, snickering over Solas’s shabby dress.

Shadowheart + Leliana

Tools forged to serve a religious order? Check. Crisis of faith? Check. Subterfuge preferred? Check.

Lae’zel + Cassandra

Soldiers recognizing soldiers. 🫡 ‘Why are the men around me so annoying.’

Minsc & Boo + Cole

Cole might be able to understand Boo! If not his speech, then his little hamster feelings. Minsc might be wary of Cole for the information that he manages to glean from Minsc’s head, but his unquestioned understanding of Boo would probably smooth that bump in the road, right?

Solas + Gale

A friend remarked that Gale would remind Solas too much of himself (prideful, ambitious) and thus they would not get along. There is that. I think that Gale would get a small smile out of Solas every now and then with his quips, because Solas himself is clearly a fan of banter; Gale would provide more of the energy in the same way Dorian does with his and Solas’s more civil banters. Gale and Solas also both hold a great measure of respect and adoration for magic as a force, an element, a piece of entirety that is beautiful for its own existence. Not simply just what magic can do for them as wielders of magic, but what it is and how it does so much to enhance a person’s understanding and interaction with the world, as precious as sight or sound.

Minthara + Iron Bull

Oh she will have him cowed in a goddamn minute. Oh man. Oh no. ‘Yes ma’am’, ‘no ma’am’.

Minthara + Cassandra

Oh this would be so interesting. Disciplined, serious bulwarks with little time for silly little men—Minthara would share Cassandra’s frustration and lack of amusement with Varric, though Cassandra would consider her suggestions to maim him.

Solas + Halsin + Iron Bull

I see potential here. Iron Bull and Solas already have a dynamic of Iron Bull’s “I have a pretty good idea of who you are, and it’s a liar” toward Solas, while Solas grudgingly respects Iron Bull’s strength and mental acumen in the same way you would respect a very intelligent bear—do not draw attention more than necessary, but stand tall lest it smell fear. Halsin feels like a softer Iron Bull, a mediation between the two. Like Iron Bull, his stature and build belies a thoughtful and sharp mind. Like Solas, he sees everything as connected, feeding into the other as part of a system, and would too feel a sense of loss at magic and mundane being so dramatically split as it is in Thedas—an aberration against what is natural. Also like Iron Bull, he’s frank with his sexuality. I’m certain the two would swap stories over booze. The trio would be arguably the three most mature and experienced in a room in any given situation. Not only that, but Halsin is far more actively in touch with his heart and honest with his feelings than Solas or Iron Bull. The latter two very much care about their loved ones, but with Solas it is under the surface and with Iron Bull it’s mixed up in cultural trappings of romance not being a “thing” in his culture, and thus both struggle with their feelings. Halsin however is very much in touch. There is next to nothing obstructing what his head and heart wants. He listens to his heart and he follows it. Solas and Iron Bull could learn a thing or two from him, tbh

Also I feel like Iron Bull, Halsin, and even Solas have a bit of a brat tamer streak in them so there’s that

Also Astarion would outright reject the notion of drinking Cullen’s blood cuz it smells like battery acid.

[cornmayor]

SANS AU TUMBLR SEXYMAN REMATCH [MASTERPOST]

(Updates every day)

Each poll has its own post. After Round 1 all matchups will be randomized. One round = 24 hours. In the masterpost above you’ll find all the polls

ROUND ONE:

Swap (UnderSwap by p0pcornPr1nce) vs Outer (OuterTale by 2mi127) WINNER: Swap

Ink (_____Tale by Comyet) vs Fresh!Ink by Comyet WINNER: Ink

Fell (UnderFell by Fella/Vic) vs BlueBerror by CrayonQueen WINNER: Fell

G!Sans (EchoTale by Borurou) vs Lust (UnderLust by NSFWshamecave) WINNER: Lust

FellSwap (FellSwap Gold by Blackgum) vs SwapFell by Nishimori38 WINNER: FellSwap

BirdTale Sans by Greyscales vs Science (ScienceTale by TalkingSoup) WINNER: Science

Seraphim Sans (The Thought by TratserEnoyreve) vs Insans (Alive by tatatale) WINNER: Seraphim Sans

Color (OtherTale by Super Youmna) vs Fatal!Error by Xedramon WINNER: Fatal!Error

Ganz (GZTale by NixenSiBrat) vs Dream (DreamTale by Jokublog) WINNER: Dream

Horror (HorrorTale by Sour-Apple-Studios) vs Nightmare (DreamTale by Jokublog) WINNER: Nightmare

Cross (XTale by Jael Peñaloza) vs Epic (EpicTale by yugogeer12) WINNER: Cross

Killer by Rahafwabas vs Murder Sans (DustTale by ask-dusttale) WINNER: Killer

Error by CrayonQueen vs Fresh by CrayonQueen WINNER: Error

Geno (AfterTale by CrayonQueen) vs Reaper (ReaperTale by Ren) WINNER: Geno

Wiki Sans by paintedhen vs Last Breath Sans by Zerjox WINNER: Wiki Sans

MafiaFell Sans (Sooner or Later You're Gonna be Mine by Melikas) vs DanceTale Sans by Teandstars WINNER: DanceTale Sans

ROUND 2:

All matchups are randomized.

Swap (UnderSwap by p0pcornPr1nce) vs Lust (UnderLust by NSFWshamecave) WINNER: Swap

Dream (DreamTale by Jokublog) vs Killer by Rahafwabas WINNER: Killer

FellSwap (FellSwap Gold by Blackgum) vs Ink (_____Tale by Comyet) WINNER: Ink

Geno (AfterTale by CrayonQueen) vs Fatal!Error by Xedramon WINNER: Geno

DanceTale Sans by Teandstars vs Nightmare (DreamTale by Jokublog) WINNER: Nightmare

Fell (UnderFell by Fella/Vic) vs Cross (XTale by Jael Peñaloza) WINNER: Cross

Error by CrayonQueen vs Science (ScienceTale by TalkingSoup) WINNER: Error

Wiki Sans by paintedhen vs Seraphim Sans (The Thought by TratserEnoyreve) WINNER: Seraphim

ROUND 3:

Swap (UnderSwap by p0pcornPr1nce) vs Killer by Rahafwabas WINNER: Killer

Ink (_____Tale by Comyet) vs Geno (AfterTale by CrayonQueen) WINNER: Ink

Nightmare (DreamTale by Jokublog) vs Cross (XTale by Jael Peñaloza) WINNER: Nightmare

Error by CrayonQueen vs Seraphim Sans (The Thought by TratserEnoyreve) WINNER: Error

SEMIFINAL:

Killer by Rahafwabas vs Ink (_____Tale by Comyet) WINNER: Ink

Nightmare (DreamTale by Jokublog) vs Error by CrayonQueen WINNER: Error

FINALE:

Ink (_____Tale by Comyet) vs Error by CrayonQueen WINNER: Error

[tohwitchesduels]

GO WITCHES DUELS! - First Round

And we're back for good people! Now that I have a summer break I can finally properly proceed with the tournament. No more hiatuses for now (except for a tiny one which should last a week but you won't even notice). This shall be a new master post for now, but here's the link to the old one for those who are still confused about what this tournament is. The bracket of the tournament is ready and the battles have been decided, so here you go, folks!

The bracket features the main matches that decide who will advance to the next round, but there shall be battles between that are not part of this bracket, for now, let's proceed with the battles of the first round. The following matchups shall be:

Amity Blight vs Emira Blight - Winner: Amity Blight

Edric Blight vs Willow Park - Winner: Willow Park

Jerbo vs Viney - Winner: Viney

Boscha vs Gavin Deamonne - Winner: Boscha

Angmar vs Gus Porter - Winner: Gus Porter

Luz Noceda vs Skara - Winner: Luz Noceda

Barcus vs Hunter the Golden Guard - Winner: Hunter

Bria vs Matt Tholomule - Winner: Bria

The Fierce Battle Royale

A piece of Trivia: All match-ups were randomized except for the battles between Amity and Emira, and Willow and Edric. Originally Amity and Willow were to fight in the first round but I decided to change it. Since I considered the first round to be just qualifying for the top 8, I thought it would be unjust if either Amity or Willow would lose this early despite their skill. So I swapped them with the twins so the match-ups like Amity vs Willow, Edric vs Emira, Willow vs Emira, or Amity vs Edric can actually feel earned instead of given.

As you may or may not remember, the first round is composed of qualifying matches on who gets advanced to the second round. After that is finished, all the losers will participate in the battle Royale to decide who's the strongest. I did say that the winner of the Battle Royale may not advance further in the tournament, but I may change my mind about it if you convince me to give them a shot. The battles shall include a poll first to vote and propaganda under the cut on both battlers. However some participants have insanely long lists of capabilities, so this shall also be a Masterpost not just to official and unofficial matchups of the first round (the second round will get its own post, granted it would be an updated version of this one) but also all the links to the pages of all the participants and what they're capable of. Of course, the posts about battlers' capabilities may also feature links if they're too big. But anyway, here you go folks, meet your champions and place your bets

Amity Blight

August "Gus" Porter

Hunter The Golden Guard

Luz Noceda

Willow Park

The Blight Twins

The Detention Track

The Glandus Kids

The Mean Kids

I shall also now bring back the ask box in case you still have any questions about the bracket and I will edit this post to both add missing links + new unofficial battles that are still part of the first round, like some request battles between the losers of the first round or ties and rearranged battles. Only one can remain after all, so in case there are draws I will ensure to settle the score properly

(But everyone here willingly participated in this tournament remember so don't make ties on purpose or you'll be banished to the shadow realm ~ sincerely, the Collector).

DISCLAIMER: Do not vote under the pretext of liking some characters more, we're voting based on who is a better battler, not a more liked character. Otherwise off with your head!

Invitations - I'm bringing those back so no one here will miss the updates.

@casualartisandeer @wren-writes-things @the-godofchaos-himself @violet-prism-creatively @watery-melon-baller

@thescarletdaffodil @akmonasyrk @lapluieellepleut @damianwaynelives @crushpunchh

@impact801 @evermorecatra @rosetyler42 @memory-overload @cwolfnerakagnome

@branmuffins22 @zyrafowe-sny @metalinjector95 @michaela-artist @goingtohellwithyou

@iheartleopards @thatwierdquietkidthatdraws @sophiesophsofia @tbonner2 @amity297

@itslilacmoon @egqwhites @fabseg-reader @blackblooms @allpplareequal

@ch3rrymotel666 @yourlastbraincell64 @amorphousprimordia @johannepetereric @21ack

@daisyheadmaizy @kathythepirateking @the-owl-house-blorbo-brawl

[youngersiblingstournament]

Younger Siblings Tournament Bracket Reveal

A few things I want to mention before I reveal the bracket (and make the post really long because all the matchups will be listed in text):

Seeding of fictional characters in tumblr polls is inherently subjective. I did try to make it so that more popular characters/media would (most likely) face off against each other in later rounds, but I may be overestimating or underestimating the popularity of some characters/media, especially ones I'm not familiar with. There are some round 1 matchups that are probably a closer match but none of them are between the strongest candidates... I think.

The more niche characters will probably get obliterated in the first round as per Squimbus' Law. This is a tumblr poll and I do fully expect more popular characters to sweep, but that doesn't mean you can't encourage your friends to give your niche faves a fighting chance.

Also there are some matchups I literally just thought would be funny. Please don't take this too seriously.

I'm sorry BNHA fans.

(Preliminary Patch Notes 3/14: Swapped brackets 2 and 3, and brackets 19 and 21.)

[Image description: A 64-person tournament bracket labeled "younger siblings tournament" with a smiley face. The top-left quarter is labeled "quarter A" and color-coded red, the bottom-left quarter is labeled "quarter B" and color-coded green, the top-right quarter is labeled "quarter C" and color-coded purple, and the bottom-right quarter is labeled "quarter D" and color-coded gold. The starting brackets are labeled 1-32 and are as listed below. End ID]

Quarter A:

Ritsu Kageyama (Mob Psycho 100) vs. Ame (Wolf Children)

Malo (The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess) vs. Cat Valentine (Victorious)

Danny Fenton (Danny Phantom) vs. Fern (Adventure Time)

Skeletor (Masters of the Universe) vs. Shuri (Marvel)

Ryotaro Nogami (Kamen Rider Den-O) vs. Princess Luna (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic)

Lilo Pelekai (Lilo & Stitch) vs. Sir Agravain (Arthurian Legend)

Dewey Wilkerson (Malcolm in the Middle) vs. Siobhan "Shiv" Roy (Succession)

Sasuke Uchiha (Naruto) vs. Razputin Aquato (Psychonauts)

Quarter B:

(9) Maya Fey (Ace Attorney) vs. Louie Duck (DuckTales)

(10) Falin Touden (Dungeon Meshi) vs. Saburo Yamada (Hypnosis Mic)

(11) Noelle Holiday (Deltarune) vs. Krel Tarron (Tales of Arcadia)

(12) Melinoë (Hades) vs. Han Yoohyun (The S-Classes That I Raised)

(13) Abel (The Bible) vs. Hiro Hamada (Big Hero 6)

(14) Lisa Simpson (The Simpsons) vs. Greg (Over the Garden Wall)

(15) Dante (Devil May Cry) vs. Alisaie Leveilleur (Final Fantasy XIV)

(16) Shoto Todoroki (My Hero Academia) vs. Kofuku (Real Life)

Quarter C:

(17) Luigi (Super Mario) vs. Genji Shimada (Overwatch)

(18) Yukio Okumura (Blue Exorcist) vs. Saki Tenma (Project Sekai)

(19) Fleabag (Fleabag) vs. Emerald Haywood (Nope)

(20) Sam Winchester (Supernatural) vs. Jiang Cheng (The Untamed)

(21) Nico Di Angelo (Percy Jackson) vs. Gaz Membrane (Invader Zim)

(22) Manny Heffley (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) vs. Jimmy "Saul Goodman" McGill (Better Call Saul)

(23) Sunny Baudelaire (A Series of Unfortunate Events) vs. Sunny (Omori)

(24) Miles "Tails" Prower (Sonic the Hedgehog) vs. Mugman (Cuphead)

Quarter D:

(25) Michelangelo Hamato (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) vs. The Knight (Hollow Knight)

(26) Vash the Stampede (Trigun) vs. Ruby Rose (RWBY)

(27) Sensei Wu (Lego Ninjago) vs. King Clawthorne (The Owl House)

(28) Dawn Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) vs. Katara (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

(29) Jinx (Arcane) vs. Caduceus Clay (Critical Role)

(30) Damian Wayne (DC) vs. Alluka Zoldyck (Hunter x Hunter)

(31) Hop (Pokémon Sword and Shield) vs. Mirabel Madrigal (Encanto)

(32) Rhyme Bito (The World Ends With You) vs. Alphonse Elric (Fullmetal Alchemist)

Round 1 is ongoing! Matchups are linked (or if you prefer to scroll through the matchup posts, go to the "younger siblings tournament" tag on my blog)