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honeydippedfiction · 2 months ago

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No Huddle, No Strings {JB9}

Part 1.

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Synopsis: When rising R&B star Y/N meets star quarterback Joe Burrow during her tour stop, neither of them is looking for love — but tension, temptation, and a no-strings arrangement change everything. Between city lights, stadium crowds, and stolen moments, they learn that sometimes the best plays are the ones you never planned.

Warnings: Suggestive/Spicy Scenes, Strong Language, Alcohol Use, Mature Themes, Mild Public Attention.

Themes: Slow Burn to Situationship, Fame & Performance Pressure, Flirtation & Tension, Modern Romance, Group Dynamics, Female Empowerment, “No Strings” Situationship, & Luxury Lifestyle.

WC: 17.5k

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Part 2

Y/N was already carving her own lane in the industry.

An upcoming Black singer and actress, she was right on the edge of her breakout. Her name had started to bubble up on music blogs and casting directors' shortlists. She wasn’t a household name — yet — but people were definitely paying attention. One minute she was uploading covers and original tracks to Instagram from her bedroom, and the next, she was being flown out for meetings with record execs and reading scripts for pilots backed by major streaming platforms.

Her voice — rich, emotional, laced with soul — had that kind of depth you couldn’t teach. It was the kind of sound that made people stop mid-scroll. And her acting? Natural, raw, and full of range. She brought characters to life like she’d lived a thousand lives before this one.

She’d recently wrapped her first supporting role in an upcoming drama series, and the early buzz around her performance was glowing. The media had started to call her “one of the voices to watch in 2024,” and brands were already knocking, hoping to catch her on the rise.

Still, none of the glitz changed who she was — a Baltimore girl at heart. Which is why, when the NFL reached out and asked her to perform the National Anthem at the Ravens vs. Bengals game, she didn’t hesitate. Singing for her hometown team? It wasn’t just another stage. It was a full-circle moment.

And she wasn’t going to miss it for the world.

She came to the Baltimore Ravens vs. Cincinnati Bengals game to support her Ravens — her hometown ride-or-dies. This was personal. Singing the National Anthem under the lights, in front of a packed stadium, was a full-circle moment. One that little Y/N would’ve dreamed about while wearing her oversized Ed Reed jersey in front of the TV.

Before the performance, she got the chance to float around the sidelines, guided by a PR handler who seemed just as excited to introduce her as she was to be there. “Y/N, this is Marlon Humphrey,” the handler said, motioning to the Ravens cornerback.

Marlon gave her a dap and a warm smile. “Oh, you the voice we heard warming up earlier? Yeah, that gave me chills.”

She laughed. “Just tryna do right by the city.”

Another player called out, “Make sure y’all don’t cry when she starts hittin’ them high notes!”

She grinned, clearly in her element.

But then came the surprise — a detour to the Bengals sideline. She wasn’t here for them, but when she was introduced to Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Joe Burrow, it felt like the game paused for a second.

Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins, standing casually near the Bengals bench, all suited up, pads on, helmets off. They looked like walking Nike ads. It was disrespectful how good-looking they were, honestly.

Yo,” Ja’Marr said with a nod when she approached. “You the one singing tonight?”

“That��s me,” she said, trying to stay cool.“

“You got that 'bout-to-break-the-Internet look going already,” Tee joked, eyes scanning her fit.

Joe stepped forward, offering his hand. “Joe. You probably already knew that.”

“I’ve heard,” she said, shaking his hand. His grip was warm, confident. His blue eyes locked on hers for a second longer than necessary.

Ja’Marr grinned immediately. “Okay, so who told y’all to bring a superstar over here?”

“I think she brought the spotlight with her,” Tee said, giving her an obvious once-over — not in a rude way, just appreciative. “Y’all know she’s in that new Amazon show, right?”

Joe stepped forward. “Big fan already. I saw the trailer last week.” His voice was calm, low, smooth. Eyes locked onto hers like he wasn’t just saying it to be polite.

“Appreciate it,” Y/N said with a soft smile. “But tonight, I’m just the anthem girl.”

“You sure about that?” Joe asked, one brow raised. “'Cause you’re stealing the whole show and it hasn’t even started.” She couldn’t help the little laugh that escaped. “You Bengals boys are real smooth.” Tee nudged Ja’Marr. “Man, let her sing. She’s gonna have us all emotional before kickoff.”

“Y’all acting nervous,” she teased.

“Nah,” Ja’Marr said. “Just starstruck.” “You nervous?” Ja’Marr asked. She smirked. “Not at all. You?” He let out a laugh. “Aight, bet.” Joe tilted his head slightly. “You’re from Baltimore, right?”

“Born and raised.”

“So you’re rooting against us tonight.”

“Obviously.”

Tee leaned in. “Damn, she bold.”

“Just honest,” she shot back, grinning.

“Alright, we need a pic with the star of the night,” Ja'Marr said, already motioning to one of her media team members.

They lined up — her in the middle, flanked by Bengals, all smiles. Joe rested a hand gently on the small of her back. The camera flashed. “You’re gonna kill it,” he said under his breath as they broke apart. She looked back at him over her shoulder. “Watch me.”

The roar of the stadium was still buzzing in Y/N’s ears long after the National Anthem ended and the Ravens-Bengals game had kicked off. She stood on the sidelines for a few minutes longer, soaking in the energy, the cheers, the tension. She was there to support her Ravens, of course — she was Baltimore born and raised — but her purpose tonight was bigger than the scoreboard.

She’d just delivered a soulful, goosebump-worthy rendition of the anthem in a fitted black trench coat that sparkled like the night sky under the stadium lights. Her team had snapped photos of her belting the final note, the flag behind her, and a few more candid ones — her laughing with some of the Ravens players, then a couple with Bengals wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. And, to her own surprise… a photo with Joe Burrow.

She wasn’t blind. The Bengals’ QB was easy on the eyes — tall, calm, with a smirk that could melt screens. But still. Y/N wasn’t here for all that.

Her Instagram feed lit up minutes after the game with a carousel her media team posted: 📸 National Anthem moment. 📸 Laughing with a couple Ravens. 📸 Standing between Ja'Marr and Tee, both grinning. 📸 One with Joe, his hand resting lightly on the small of her back, both of them mid-laugh.

The tags were there. The captions were simple. The internet, predictably, went nuts.

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

Back at her hotel, the post-game adrenaline still thrumming through her, Y/N was in her suite's bathroom, putting finishing touches on her edges and lip gloss before dinner. She was humming something new she’d been writing, when—

“Y/N!!”

Her best friend Kayla’s voice came slicing through the suite like a siren. “What?” Y/N called, not even turning around. She expected another over-the-top comment about her voice cracking the internet. “You got a DM, girl. Guess who.” Kayla’s voice was already reaching a pitch of scandalous excitement.

Y/N stepped into the bedroom, one brow raised. “From who?” Kayla held up the phone, her eyes wide, glowing like she’d seen Beyoncé herself. “Joe. Freaking. Burrow.”

Y/N blinked. “Nah.”

“YEAH.”

“Nooo…”

Kayla turned the phone toward her with all the drama of a movie reveal. “And I quote: ‘You sounded amazing tonight. Think I just became a Ravens fan… but don’t tell the guys. 😉’”

Y/N covered her face with her hands, groaning. “Girl, no. Nope. I am not about to get distracted.”

Kayla, undeterred, unlocked the phone with Y/N’s passcode and read the DM again, grinning hard. “Girl if you don’t climb this white boy like a TREE—”

“I do not have time for this!” Y/N said, laughing despite herself. “I’ve got rehearsals tomorrow, soundcheck, a whole damn show!”

“And what better way to unwind after the show than with a cute little flirt session?” Kayla flopped on the bed. “At least invite him to the soundcheck. That man looked like he’d be on time. Respectful. Fine.”

Y/N gave her a look.

“And his friends too,” Kayla added with a smirk. “That number 5? Tee? He looks like he knows how to give it good.”

Y/N burst out laughing. “You are wild.”

Kayla shrugged. “I’m not wrong.”

The phone buzzed again. Another message from Joe popped up: “No pressure. Just thought I’d shoot my shot. You crushed that anthem.” Y/N stared at it for a second, chewing on her bottom lip. Then she sighed, snatched the phone from Kayla, and started typing.

“Thanks, Mr. QB1. You clean up alright yourself. If you’re still in town, pull up to my show tomorrow. I’ll save a spot for you and your boys.”

Pause. She added a wink emoji. Hit send. Kayla squealed. Y/N shook her head. “I’m not catching feelings.”

Kayla winked. “Nope. Just catching flights and flirting with quarterbacks.”

Joe’s phone buzzed as he sat back in his hotel room, one ankle crossed over his knee, game tape playing quietly in the background — not that he was watching it. Not really.

His mind kept drifting back to earlier that night — the game, yeah, but mostly her. Y/N.

He wasn’t usually thrown off by much. Being a quarterback, especially this quarterback, meant staying cool under pressure. But something about her on that field had stuck with him. The confidence. The voice. The way she didn’t fawn over him like most people did when they recognized him. She was real. Funny. Sharp.

And beautiful? Yeah. But it wasn’t just that.

She had presence.

He’d seen the photos she posted — the one with him, Ja'Marr, and Tee included. He didn’t even hate the way he looked in it, which said something. Still, he almost didn’t send the message. He wasn’t the type to slide into DMs. But after running through the “should I/shouldn’t I” loop for a full hour, he figured: screw it.

No pressure. Just thought I’d shoot my shot. You crushed that anthem.Sent.

Then, silence. He set his phone down and tried to refocus, flipping through the playbook, but glanced over every few seconds. The screen stayed dark. His brain taunted him: Told you.

Then — buzz.

He grabbed it faster than he meant to.

Thanks, Mr. QB1. You clean up alright yourself. If you’re still in town, pull up to my show tomorrow. I’ll save a spot for you and your boys. 😉

A grin tugged at his lips. He leaned back, letting the phone rest on his chest, eyes still on the message. Smooth. Confident. Just like her. He opened a new message.

I wouldn't miss it. And if you're saving spots, I’m calling dibs on front row. Just for research purposes. Gotta see if the voice hits just as hard live. 😉

He hit send, chuckling to himself. Joe may not have planned on being in Baltimore past the game, but after that message? Yeah… He was definitely extending the trip.

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

The next day moved fast — soundcheck days always did. Y/N was in full go-mode, bouncing between vocal warmups, makeup touch-ups, and outfit approvals while her best friend/dancer Kayla kept the energy high.

“Okay but why is this bodysuit giving superhero?” Kayla said, twisting in front of the mirror in the green room.

Y/N smirked as she pulled on her thigh-high boots. “Because we are about to shut it down. I need all the bad bitch energy tonight.”

Kayla nodded, flipping her hair dramatically. “Say less. We’re giving power, pussy, and precision.”

Y/N laughed but refocused, pacing the room softly as her soundcheck crew called in updates through her in-ear. She was used to the routine by now, but today felt different. Her body was still carrying the buzz from last night — the stadium, the crowd, and… that DM from Joe Burrow.

She hadn’t told anyone she invited him — not even her manager. Kayla knew, obviously. Kayla always knew. But Y/N didn’t want to give the media, or her own imagination, anything more to feed off. Still… she couldn’t deny the way her stomach fluttered just thinking about him showing up.

Her music wasn’t shy — it was bold, playful, sexy. A blend of Doja Cat’s slick confidence, Latto’s grit, and Sabrina Carpenter’s sugar-laced sensuality. She didn’t just sing about desire — she made it a performance. This was her power, and she was stepping into it fully.

Out front, Y/N’s manager, Carmen, greeted a group walking in through the venue’s side door.

Four men. All tall, all dressed down but still unmistakable. Joe, Tee, Ja’Marr, and Sam Hubbard.

Carmen’s brows raised slightly — she had no idea this was happening, but she recovered quickly.

“Hey! I’m Carmen, Y/N’s manager.” She reached out to shake Joe’s hand, then the others. “I heard she extended an invite, huh?”

Joe gave that cool half-smile. “Yeah. We didn’t want to miss it.”

“Well, she’s in the green room getting ready, but you’re welcome to hang here at front of house,” she said, gesturing to the open space by the soundboard. “You’ll get a great view. She’s about to start soundcheck.”

As they walked over, Tee leaned in to Ja’Marr. “You think she’s actually gonna remember us?”

Ja’Marr smirked. “I think she remembers him.”

Joe said nothing, just looked out at the stage — empty for now, lights low. But he could already picture it. Her. Mic in hand. Owning the room.

Sam chuckled, nudging Joe. “You nervous, bro?”

Joe rubbed the back of his neck. “Just here to support the music.”

“Sure,” Tee muttered, grinning. “Support. Uh-huh.”

Carmen looked over her shoulder. “She’ll be out in two.”

Back in the green room, Y/N checked herself in the mirror one last time — her curls in a half up half down style, light makeup, a black crop top paired with a leather skort hugging every curve like it was designed just for her.

“You look like a damn problem,” Kayla said, leaning in the doorway.

Y/N shrugged with a smile. “Good.”

Because she knew who was waiting out there.

And this? This was just the beginning.

From backstage, Kayla leaned just enough around the heavy black curtain to get a peek at the front of house.

She spotted them immediately.

“Whew. Girl,” she whispered dramatically, pulling back with wide eyes. “Your man is here.”

Y/N rolled her eyes, fixing the strap on her bra. “He is not my man.”

Kayla grinned. “Mmhm. Joe Burrow, just casually standing out there lookin’ like an NFL ad — all calm, tall, and white-boy-seasoned. And the rest of his Avengers squad’s with him.”

Y/N groaned, but her smile gave her away.

“Come on,” she said, grabbing Kayla’s wrist. “Let’s go say hi before you start narrating this like it’s a Wattpad story.”

They weaved through the maze of black cases, cables, and crewmembers toward the open space at the front of house, where the guys stood chatting with Y/N’s sound engineer, Malik, laughing about something none of them would probably admit to later.

As soon as the group noticed Y/N and Kayla approaching, the conversation paused like someone had hit mute.

Joe’s eyes landed on her first. He smiled — slow, real — and stepped forward instinctively, hands tucked in his jacket pockets.

“Didn’t want to miss the pre-show magic,” he said.

Y/N raised a brow. “You mean soundcheck? This is the part where I pretend I’m not sweating under this outfit.”

Tee laughed. “You make it look easy.”

Y/N gave him a playful side-eye. “That’s the point.”

Kayla chimed in, “Be honest, y’all just came to see her in this skirt.”

Ja’Marr grinned. “I mean… you’re not wrong.”

Y/N shot him a look. “Didn’t your team just lose to mine last night?”

Ja’Marr held up both hands. “Damn. Friendly fire.”

Joe chuckled, and Sam gave a low whistle like he’d just witnessed a flag-worthy play.

“But really,” Y/N said, smoothing a hand over her curls, “I’m glad y’all came. I’m gonna run a couple songs, test levels, in-ears, all that fun stuff. You’ll see the whole thing.”

“You think we haven’t heard your music already?” Tee asked.

Y/N tilted her head. “Have you?”

Before anyone else could answer, Ja’Marr cut in with that trademark smirk. “Us? Fake fans? Please. We’re not you, Miss Baltimore turned Bengal.”

The whole group laughed, even Joe, who shook his head slowly like he saw that one coming.

Y/N pointed at Ja’Marr, amused. “You got jokes, huh? Keep playin’ with me, I’ll make you my backup dancer tonight. You got rhythm or just routes?”

“Ooooh,” Kayla chimed, fanning the air.

Ja’Marr bowed in surrender. “Okay, okay. I’ll behave.”

“Good,” Y/N said with a wink. “Now, enjoy the free preview. We start in five.”

She turned with Kayla, heading back toward the stage entrance.

Joe watched her go, and for a moment, he forgot there were other people around him.

Tee nudged him, muttering under his breath, “Yeah… you real lowkey about this one, huh?”

Joe just smirked. “I’m just here for the music.”

As Y/N turned to head backstage, her best friend, Kayla, couldn't help but catch the way Joe’s eyes followed her. Even as she walked away, his gaze stayed locked on her, a little too intent, a little too… lingering.

Kayla raised her brows, a teasing grin spreading across her face as she nudged Y/N. "Ohhh, girl, you see that? His eyes never left you."

Y/N rolled her eyes, trying to stay composed as she walked faster, but Kayla kept up with her, now practically bouncing with excitement.

“Definitely thinking about something,” Kayla added with a mischievous wink. “Something real... fitting for that little outfit of yours.”

Y/N shot her a look. “Kayla, please. You need to chill.”

But Kayla only shrugged, letting out a dramatic sigh. “Oh, I’m just saying, you might wanna check if the man’s about to throw a touchdown or a date proposal your way.” She looked over her shoulder toward where Joe stood with the guys, his expression still unreadable but totally locked on her.

Y/N pinched her best friend’s arm hard enough to make her yelp. “You’re wild.”

Kayla pouted but couldn’t hide the sparkle in her eyes. “You’re welcome. Just keeping you aware, in case he’s ready to make moves.”

Y/N groaned, but even she had to admit — that look from Joe? It felt different than just a casual fan thing.

“Whatever,” she muttered, trying to focus on the soundcheck. "Let’s just get this over with. I need to hit these notes, not flirt with quarterbacks."

But Kayla didn’t let up. “You’re not fooling me, Y/N. I see you about to score in more ways than one tonight.”

Y/N shot her a side-eye. “I’m seriously not catching feelings.”

Kayla winked. “Nah, you’re just catching flights and flirting with quarterbacks. It’s cool, I got you.”

Y/N shook her head, finally breaking into a smile. “Okay, you’re so extra.”

The lights dimmed in the venue, and the stage was bathed in soft, cool blue hues, giving everything a sleek, almost ethereal glow. Y/N stepped back onto the stage for soundcheck, every inch of her commanding attention. Her boots clicked on the stage floor, sharp and steady, like a countdown to something major.

As the band set up, Kayla was already in position, her body language giving away the anticipation. The dancers stretched and prepped, glancing over at Y/N with nods of encouragement.

The moment the beat dropped, Y/N swayed effortlessly into the opening bars, her voice a perfect blend of silky and fierce. The first song was a banger — a blend of playful confidence, unapologetic energy, and sultry, pop-driven sensuality. It was electric. And it was all Y/N.

Her voice floated seamlessly, layering with the bass and smooth melodies while her body moved with precision. The choreography was tight — sharp, sultry, and fierce all at once, each movement calculated to bring out the best in the song. Her dancers were synchronized perfectly, as if they were extensions of herself, amplifying the energy.

She nailed the high notes effortlessly, sending chills through the room. Kayla was in the front row, her eyes glued to her best friend, watching Y/N like she was watching a star in her element.

“Yes, girl!” Kayla called out, her voice echoing off the walls. Y/N shot her a quick wink, then turned to the mic again, belting out another verse with full power.

Everything — the choreography, the vocals, the entire performance — was pristine. Perfect. Just the way she liked it.

Malik, her sound engineer, nodded approvingly from the side, keeping an eye on the monitors. “You’re killing it, Y/N. Keep that tempo, keep that energy.”

Y/N gave him a quick thumbs-up, confident but focused. This wasn’t the first soundcheck, but it was one of the smoothest. Everything flowed effortlessly, like she was born to do this.

As the last note of the song echoed out, the beat faded into the silence of the venue. She paused, eyes scanning the space as the dancers took their last position. The crowd wasn’t here yet, but Y/N felt that invisible pull — the same rush she got every time she hit a stage, every time the music swirled around her and she lost herself in it.

The team clapped, cheering her on.

“Perfect, as always,” Kayla said, coming up to her side.

Y/N let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. “This one’s gonna be fire. I’m telling you.”

Before she could say anything else, Joe, Ja'Marr, Tee, and Sam appeared at the edge of the stage, quietly watching, their eyes glued to her every move. Y/N could feel the weight of their gaze, especially Joe’s, but she kept her focus sharp.

Her heart skipped a beat, but she didn’t break a sweat.

"You guys good?" she asked, casually walking over to the edge of the stage where they were standing.

Joe gave her a slow, appreciative nod. “More than good. That was... wow.”

Tee grinned. “Man, you should definitely go on tour with that energy. You made this look easy.”

Ja'Marr added with his signature smirk, “I’m just saying, this show already beat last night’s game. And that was supposed to be the highlight of my weekend.”

Y/N rolled her eyes but smiled, letting the light teasing slide. “I’d argue, but you’re right. My performance’s gonna be way better than that Ravens/Bengals game.”

Sam, ever the quiet one, just gave her a nod of approval, his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes softened, though, as if he was seeing her in a whole new light.

“Damn,” he said quietly. “You’re about to make this crowd lose their minds.”

Y/N smirked, glancing over her shoulder at Kayla and the crew. “That’s the plan.”

Joe, still watching her, spoke up again. “You mind if we stick around for the show?” His voice was casual, but there was something deeper beneath the surface — something like... anticipation.

Y/N met his gaze, a hint of a smile curling on her lips. “Of course. Grab a seat. Just don’t expect to be able to breathe by the end of it.”

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

The clock was ticking down. The show was getting closer to starting, but before Y/N could hit the stage, there was one more thing to do: the VIP meet-and-greet.

She was in her green room, quickly checking herself over in the mirror one last time. The bodysuit was still on point, her makeup flawless, and her energy was electric. She wasn’t nervous—that wasn’t her style—but there was always a little extra buzz before she interacted with her die-hard fans.

The VIP package included a photo session, a Q&A, a game (nothing too crazy, just fun), and a special acoustic performance that she’d prepped for. Y/N loved the intimate moments with fans — it was one of the few times she could really connect and see the impact her music had on people. But today, she had a special request for her football friends.

She turned to Kayla, who was sitting in a chair, scrolling through her phone. "Hey, I’m about to start with the VIPs. You think the guys can come hang in here, chill out for a bit?”

Kayla raised an eyebrow. "You want them in here, dodging your fans?"

Y/N shrugged with a mischievous smile. "Why not? They’ll get a break before the madness kicks off. They can hide in here, watch me handle my business, and then get a front-row seat for the show."

Kayla chuckled, shaking her head. “You’ve got the right idea. Bet Joe’s down for that.”

A few minutes later, Joe, Tee, Ja'Marr, and Sam made their way into the green room, careful to avoid the maze of fans that were already starting to line up outside the venue. The room instantly felt a little more laid-back with them there — even with the energy of the show buzzing through the walls.

"Nice hideout," Joe commented, looking around at the cozy green room filled with Y/N’s crew, a couple of comfy chairs, and a couch. "I thought you’d be drowning in fans by now."

Y/N grinned. "They’re out there, but I’m gonna let them wait a bit longer. You guys need anything before I head out there?"

"Some food would be nice," Tee joked, but Ja'Marr elbowed him, his eyes dancing with mischief. "He’s always hungry. You’re not fooling anyone."

Sam smiled softly from his corner, hands still in his pockets, but his eyes were alert, taking everything in.

Kayla stood up, already reaching for the snacks table in the corner. "We’ve got chips, candy, protein bars, the works. You know, the real backstage essentials."

Y/N rolled her eyes. "Yeah, real gourmet stuff."

Joe shrugged, settling onto the couch with his legs spread comfortably. "Gourmet or not, I’ll take it."

Y/N flashed him a knowing smile. "No one’s judging you here, Mr. QB1. Take a load off. It’s gonna be a few minutes before the chaos hits, so you might as well get comfortable."

Just then, her manager, Carmen, knocked on the door, entering with a quick smile. "Alright, we’re about five minutes out. VIPs are ready for you, Y/N."

Y/N nodded, her pulse picking up just a little. The Q&A session and acoustic performance always gave her a rush. It was personal, it was raw, and it was a reminder of why she did all of this in the first place — for the fans who supported her.

She turned to the guys. "Alright, well, you guys get to chill here. Feel free to hang out, watch the madness, but don’t get too comfortable. You’ll want to be front and center when I hit the stage."

Joe raised his eyebrows, looking around at the group. "I think we’re already comfy enough."

Ja'Marr nodded, looking like he was mentally preparing himself. "We’ll make sure we’re ready for the show, don’t worry. But I gotta say, watching you run things like this? Pretty impressive."

Y/N gave a slight nod of acknowledgment, but her mind was already moving on to the next thing. "Appreciate it. Now, I gotta go give these fans a little magic."

Kayla followed her out the door, but before she did, she turned back to the guys. "No funny business, alright? If she comes back here and y’all are missing, I swear I’ll make you run a lap around the block."

The guys all laughed, and Joe gave a mock salute. “We’ll behave. Promise.”

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

Y/N grinned and walked out into the VIP area, where her die-hard fans were ready and waiting to meet her. She was ready for them, and ready to leave an impression on them just like she did with the guys.

The moment Y/N stepped into the VIP lounge, the energy shifted.

Cameras were already out. Her fans — a group of maybe 30 lucky ones — instantly erupted into soft gasps and whispers, a few louder cheers breaking through.

“OMG she’s so pretty in person.” “She’s wearing the boots from the video!” “She smells like expensive skin care and success, I just know it.”

Y/N smiled and waved, radiating confidence. “Hey y’all,” she said, voice sweet but commanding. “Thank you for coming early — y’all are real ones.”

They ate it up. One girl in the front clutched her signed vinyl like it was a sacred object. A couple fans had even made shirts with her lyrics printed across the front.

“Y’all really showed out,” Y/N said, pausing in front of one of the shirts. “‘Talk to me nice or not at all’? Okay, that’s a deep cut!”

The girl beamed. “It’s my favorite! That song got me through the worst breakup of my life.”

“I love that,” Y/N said, her tone softening. “That’s why I do this.”

After a round of photos — all angles, all poses, peace signs and fierce pouts alike — they shifted into Q&A mode, her team setting up a mic in the center aisle.

Someone asked about her songwriting process. Another wanted to know which music video she had the most fun filming. Someone else asked what cologne she made the male lead in her last video wear (that one made her laugh for a full minute).

But then came a question from a girl in the back, clearly nervous. “Um… is it true that you were at the Bengals game last night? Like… with Joe Burrow?”

Y/N raised an eyebrow, her smile tight but amused. “With Joe Burrow? Girl, I was singing the anthem. I was with America.”

The crowd howled.

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

Back in the green room, the guys could hear the laughter from down the hall.

“She’s working the room like she’s running for office,” Tee said with a laugh, kicking back on the couch.

Joe tilted his head, listening closer. “She’s funny. Sharp.”

“She’s dangerous,” Ja’Marr added. “In a good way. Like, she’ll ruin your life and still get a standing ovation.”

Joe didn’t disagree. He couldn’t. His knee bounced a little as he sat there, trying to play it cool. But inside, he was… caught. Not in a deep, lovestruck way — not yet — but definitely hooked.

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

Back in the lounge, Y/N gathered her guitar, stepping into the spotlight as her team adjusted a stool and handed her a mic.

“This next part is my favorite,” she said. “We’re gonna slow it down. No tracks. No lights. Just me, my guitar, and y’all.”

She strummed once, twice. The room went completely still.

Then she started to sing — a stripped-down version of her unreleased track, “Thigh High Lies.” Her voice melted into the silence, rich and slow, dripping with the sensual confidence that defined her sound. The lyrics were cheeky and sultry, biting but beautiful.

"You said you want real, I showed you the skinYou couldn’t handle the truth I’m inTold me I was ‘too much,’ baby that’s fine—I’d rather be too much than a waste of time."

By the end, the crowd was swaying, mouths slightly open. Some wiped tears. One girl mouthed, “She’s insane,” like she was witnessing Beyoncé’s origin story.

Y/N set the guitar down and gave them one more grin. “See y’all out there later. Bring the same energy — and don’t be shy when the beat drops.”

The room erupted into applause as she headed back toward the green room, her team buzzing around her.

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

By the time Y/N returned to the green room, everything about her screamed main character energy.

She had changed into her actual show fit—a deep violet two-piece with glittering mesh sleeves, and thigh-high heeled boots.. Her hair was slicked up into a dramatic half up half down style that moved like a whip every time she turned her head.

The room paused. Even her team, who saw her every day, had to do a double take.

Kayla whistled. “Oh, you look like danger.”

Y/N smirked, applying one last swipe of gloss in the mirror. “That’s the point.”

Over by the corner couch, Joe, Tee, Ja’Marr, and Sam were all watching her warm up — quiet, low runs under her breath, a few neck rolls, then a bounce on her heels to shake off the nerves. Her body buzzed with the tension of pre-performance adrenaline, but her focus was dialed in.

She turned to them, ever the one to look out for others—even in her own moment.

“You guys figured out where you wanna watch from?” she asked, adjusting her in-ear pack. “If you stay side stage, you’ll catch all the behind-the-scenes madness. If you go out in the crowd, I can have my security keep an extra eye on you. Just say the word.”

The guys glanced at each other, like they hadn’t even thought about that part yet.

Joe stepped forward first. “We’ll hit the crowd. Front row. Don’t wanna cramp your space backstage.”

“You sure?” Y/N raised an eyebrow. “No one’s gonna mess with you, but if someone tries it, I’m not above pausing a show.”

Ja’Marr laughed. “Now that I would pay to see.”

“We’ll be good,” Tee assured her. “But appreciate the lookout.”

Y/N nodded, serious again. “I don’t play when it comes to safety. Not for my fans, not for my team, not for y’all. Just let security know if anything gets weird.”

Sam, who hadn’t said much, gave her a respectful nod. “You’re something else, Y/N.”

She smiled, touched but still laser-focused. “I get that a lot.”

A knock at the door signaled her five-minute call. Her assistant peeked in, giving her the sign.

Y/N turned to the guys once more, her expression softening just a little. “Alright. I’m heading out there. Y’all enjoy the show — don’t blink, or you’ll miss the best parts.”

Joe offered her a hand. Not a handshake — just a brief touch. His fingers brushing hers, firm but warm. “You got this.”

Her lips curled into a confident smirk. “You know I do.”

Moments later, the guys were being escorted to the VIP barricade, front and center. Fans were already losing their minds, the lights dimming as the crowd buzzed in electric anticipation. Some recognized the players immediately — a few phones even pointed their way — but security kept a tight bubble around them, just like Y/N promised.

The lights dropped.

The music started.

And when Y/N took the stage — striding into the spotlight like she owned it, voice pouring through the speakers with that signature sensual power — Joe realized this wasn’t just a concert.

This was a woman in her element.

And he wasn’t just watching.

He was already falling.

The lights dropped. The bass rumbled like a heartbeat through the floor. A slow hush fell across the venue as fog started to curl out from the stage edges like smoke from a lit fuse.

Then—

Boom.

The first beat dropped, and the stage exploded in color.

Y/N rose from a platform lift center stage, hair whipping in the wind from the fans, spotlight cutting through the fog to land squarely on her glittering figure. The crowd screamed—a sound that echoed like a stadium roar.

Her voice hit the speakers, silky and biting.

“Boys like you don’t know what to do with girls like me…”

The band came in, dancers hit the stage, and just like that, the show erupted.

Y/N’s choreography was fire — sensual, controlled, hypnotic. She owned every move, her hips timed to every bassline like she was built for the beat. Her dancers moved around her like a constellation, enhancing her shine without ever dimming it.

Her setlist was stacked:

🔥 "Lip Locked" – a seductive banger with tongue-in-cheek lyrics and a strut-heavy routine 🔥 "Private Party" – the crowd sang every word, swaying under purple lights and strobes 🔥 "Control Freak" – choreo sharp enough to cut glass, with Kayla leading the charge beside her 🔥 "Thigh High Lies" (full version) – stripped back for one verse, then dropping into a full-on club mix halfway through, triggering a massive dance break 🔥 "Don’t Call Me Baby" – sassy, anthemic, a fan-favorite for every girl who blocked their ex last summer

At one point, she paused at the edge of the stage, looking out into the sea of bodies.

“Y’all still with me?” she asked, mic in one hand, other resting on her thigh.

The crowd lost their minds.

She laughed, breathless and glittering. “That’s what I like to hear.”

The visuals? Insane. Neon lights, LED panels flashing her lyrics, and holographic silhouettes that danced with her like a digital dream.

And vocals? Baby, she wasn’t lipsyncing — Y/N was belting. Hitting high notes, flipping into falsetto, and sliding into sultry runs that made fans scream and fall back like they caught the Holy Ghost. The girl could sang.

Even her in-between moments hit different.

“Y’all ever been in love with the wrong person?” she asked before launching into a slower song. Half the crowd yelled yes. “I wrote this one on a wine-fueled rant in my Notes app. It’s called ‘Blocked You Twice.’”

The crowd died laughing. And then she wrecked them with the vocal.

The final number was "Big Mood" — a bold, dance-heavy track with a beat that felt like it vibrated your spine. The lights flared gold and red, pyro shot from the stage sides, and Y/N commanded it all like a pop goddess.

She hit the final pose, spotlight catching the sweat glistening on her collarbone, chest rising and falling.

And then — blackout.

The crowd exploded.

Screams. Applause. Chants of her name.

Y/N. Y/N. Y/N.

Her voice came over the mic one last time in the dark. “Thank you Baltimore for the love, the energy, and the vibe. I’ll see you real soon.”

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

Backstage, as she came off into the wings, chest still heaving and a towel now draped around her neck, the energy was still surging in her blood.

She’d left it all out there.

And she knew they felt it.

Backstage, the sound of the crowd was still rumbling through the floor like an aftershock.

Y/N stepped into the hallway behind the stage, chest rising and falling as she wiped sweat from her brow with a towel. Her glitter makeup was slightly smudged, but it only added to the look — like war paint after battle. Her boots were heavy on her feet, but adrenaline kept her floating.

The crew was buzzing around her, congratulating her, high-fives flying. Kayla ran over, still hyped, curls bouncing.

“Girl. GIRL. You lit that place up. They were losing their minds.”

Y/N let out a laugh, breathless and a little hoarse. “Did you see the girl crying during ‘Blocked You Twice’? I felt that in my soul.”

Kayla clutched her heart. “We all did.”

Her manager, Carmen, swooped in with a bottle of water and a smile that said money well made.

“Interviews want you. Blog posts are already up. And—” she nodded down the hallway, “your football friends? Still waiting by the green room.”

Y/N blinked, momentarily pulled out of the post-show haze. “They stayed?”

Carmen grinned. “Every second. Didn’t even flinch. Burrow looked like he was studying film on you.”

Y/N rolled her eyes, even as a smile tugged at her lips. “You’re so dramatic.”

“Okay, but he looked like he wanted to fuck mid-‘Thigh High Lies,’ and I don’t even blame him.”

Y/N took a long drink of water, then handed the bottle off and started walking toward the green room, Kayla by her side. “Don’t start, Kayla.”

Kayla just smirked. “I’m just saying. He’s not blinking and you’re over here dripping in sparkles and power. It’s giving… fate.”

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

He didn’t move when the lights went down.

Didn’t speak. Didn’t blink. Barely breathed.

Joe Burrow had been to Super Bowls, heard stadiums scream, felt adrenaline spike in the final seconds of overtime. But this?

This was something else.

She owned that stage like she was born in it. Every lyric. Every move. Every smile and snarl. He’d seen confidence before — hell, he lived it. But this was different. Y/N had this kind of magnetism that felt… dangerous.

When she looked out into the crowd — when she smirked or dropped a wink — it felt like she was looking straight at him, even though he knew better.

But that didn’t stop the heat that crawled down the back of his neck.

Tee nudged him as the lights came back up. “You good, man?”

Joe blinked. “Yeah. Just…”

“Caught up?”

He didn’t answer right away. Just nodded, running a hand over his jaw. “She’s got it.”

Ja’Marr leaned on the barricade, laughing. “You just now figured that out?”

Sam grinned. “Man’s down bad.”

But Joe wasn’t embarrassed. Not even a little. His eyes were still fixed on the stage where she’d stood just minutes ago.

“I gotta talk to her,” he said quietly.

And none of the guys argued.

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

Backstage, Y/N turned the final corner, slowing when she saw them.

The guys were leaning against the wall just outside her green room — relaxed but alert, looking like they belonged in a postgame locker room and not backstage at a concert. But when Joe saw her, he straightened up immediately.

His eyes swept over her — the glitter on her collarbone, the shine of sweat on her skin, the way her eyes sparkled under the hallway lights. And for once, the quarterback was speechless.

Y/N raised an eyebrow, walking up casually. “You survive out there?”

Joe gave a slow nod. “Barely.”

Tee whistled low. “That was a damn performance. You had people ready to risk it all in the first verse.”

Y/N laughed. “Good. That’s what I was going for.”

Ja’Marr crossed his arms. “Nah but for real, that last song? Yeah, you hurt some feelings with that one.”

Sam nodded. “Even I was in my feels, I gotta call my fiance.”

She glanced back at Joe, whose hands were tucked in his pockets, eyes still lingering on her face.

“You good, QB1?” she teased.

Joe cracked a small smile. “You ever just… watch someone do what they were born to do?”

Y/N raised a brow.

“That was you,” he said simply.

The air shifted.

Kayla let out a tiny gasp behind her, mouthing damn like she was witnessing the beginning of something important.

Y/N smirked, but it was softer this time. “Careful, Burrow. You might end up on my next album.”

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

The green room was back to buzzing.

Kayla had music playing low from her phone, the post-show playlist filled with vibey R&B and trap beats. Someone had cracked open a bottle of champagne — probably Tee — and snacks were being passed around like they hadn’t just watched a Grammy-level performance unfold twenty minutes ago.

Y/N had changed into an oversized vintage tee, tiny shorts underneath, and her stage boots traded for fluffy slides. She looked relaxed, cozy even — but her glow was still loud. Sweat-slicked skin, flushed cheeks, glitter clinging to her collarbones like it knew it didn’t want to let go.

The vibe was chill, but the air?

Thick.

Mostly because Joe hadn’t taken his eyes off her for more than five seconds at a time.

And everyone noticed.

“Well, if I was gonna start a fan club, I know who the president would be,” Ja’Marr muttered under his breath to Sam, nodding toward Joe.

Sam chuckled, taking a sip from his cup. “He’s locked in like it’s fourth quarter. But it ain’t the playbook he’s studying.”

Tee, grinning, leaned across the room toward Y/N. “So how much of your show was aimed at a certain quarterback in the front row?”

Y/N raised her brows, playing innocent as she lounged on the couch, sipping her sparkling water. “Please. My set was about me. As always.”

Kayla snorted. “Okay, and maybe a little for him.”

Y/N shot her a look but didn’t deny it.

Joe, still sitting across the room, arms resting on his knees, finally spoke — low and direct, eyes locked onto her.

“You gonna keep actin’ like you didn’t write ‘Private Party’ about me?”

The room froze for half a beat. Everyone’s heads snapped toward Joe like a record scratch hit.

Y/N didn’t miss a beat. She leaned forward slightly, voice smooth like honey with a hint of blade. “Bold of you to assume. But now I’m curious… why’d you think that song was about you?”

Joe shrugged, a slow grin tugging at his lips. “Just sounds like something I’d get invited to.”

“Only if you bring snacks,” she shot back.

The room broke into laughter, but under it all, their eyes were still locked. Not a laugh shared between them — no, this was a game. Every look was a challenge, every word dipped in something heavier.

Kayla whispered to Ja’Marr, “They’re gonna combust.”

Ja’Marr nodded. “We’re watching the beginning of a situationship in 4K.”

Y/N finally stood, stretching just slightly, her shirt lifting to reveal the waistband of her shorts. Joe’s gaze flicked, just once — quick, respectful, but caught.

She saw it.

So did Kayla.

Y/N smirked as she walked to the mini fridge. “Y’all want anything? Water? Energy drink? A chill pill, Joe?”

Joe chuckled under his breath. “You’re the one with the heat.”

Tee raised his hands. “Alright! I need a buffer before y’all start making out with eye contact.”

Y/N tossed him a bottle of water without looking. “Calm down. I don’t kiss Bengals.”

Joe leaned back in his chair, still grinning, voice low. “We’ll see.”

That shut the room up real quick.

Y/N turned around slowly, head tilted, eyebrow raised.

“Oh?” she said. “We’ll see?”

Joe nodded once, cool and unbothered — but his jaw flexed, his posture all confidence with that undertone of tension she definitely clocked.

“Yeah,” he said. “You’re not as untouchable as you act.”

Kayla dropped her drink.

Ja’Marr whooped like someone hit a buzzer-beater.

But Y/N?

She didn’t flinch.

She walked past Joe slowly, brushing his shoulder with hers as she passed — just a whisper of contact, but enough to make him sit up straighter.

“I’m exactly as untouchable as I act,” she murmured.

And just like that, the heat was turned all the way up.

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

The green room was a full-blown vibe now — music up, drinks passed around, and half the group sitting cross-legged on the floor like it was a high school kickback with VIP credentials.

Tee had claimed the aux, switching the music to something smoother — SZA followed by Brent Faiyaz, the kind of tracks that made people speak in low tones and flirt without trying.

Y/N had curled up on the couch, long legs stretched across Kayla’s lap, while Ja’Marr and Sam were deep into a trash-talking debate about who was the most iconic duo in music history.

“I’m tellin’ you, OutKast clears everyone,” Sam said, motioning with his drink.

Ja’Marr raised an eyebrow. “You’re forgetting Beyoncé and Jay-Z exist.”

Kayla chimed in, “Okay, but if we’re talking raw performance and stage presence? Y/N and her dancers give everybody a run.”

“Awww,” Y/N said with a lazy grin, pretending to blush. “Y’all gassing me in my own green room.”

Joe, who was sitting in a low chair near the couch, just sipped his drink and spoke real calm.

“We’re not gassing. We’re stating facts.”

She looked at him over the rim of her water bottle. “Mmm. You’ve been real vocal tonight, Mr. Quarterback.”

He didn’t even blink. “You got me real… focused.”

Tee let out a loud “OOOOH” and clapped once like someone just got roasted on Wild ‘N Out.

Y/N laughed, sitting up a bit straighter. “You sure it’s not the champagne talking?”

“I haven’t had enough for that,” Joe replied, locking eyes again. “But I’ve had enough to stop pretending.”

The room stilled for half a second.

Even the music felt like it paused.

Kayla looked at Y/N with wide eyes like girl. girl. girl.

Y/N leaned forward on her elbows, tongue running over her bottom lip before she said, “Pretending about what?”

Joe set his cup down, slow and deliberate. “Like I didn’t notice you the second you stepped on that field. Or the stage. Or even in that damn oversized hoodie when you walked in earlier.”

Tee stood up and walked away in circles like someone had just dropped a diss track live. “This man got BARS tonight!”

“Is this a poem?” Ja’Marr asked. “Like… is he in love already? Should we leave?”

“No one’s leaving,” Kayla said quickly, eyes glued to the moment unfolding.

Y/N let the silence linger for a second — made him sweat just a little. Then she stood slowly and crossed the room, pretending like she was headed to grab another water but very intentionally brushing past Joe’s shoulder again.

Except this time?

She stopped.

Right beside him.

Close enough that he had to look up to meet her eyes.

She bent slightly, whispering with a wicked smile, “You get bold after dark, huh?”

Joe looked up at her like she was the only light in the room.

“I don’t need the dark to want you.”

Dead. Silence.

Kayla whispered to Tee, “You still got that water bottle? 'Cause I need to baptize myself.”

Sam looked at Ja’Marr. “I’ve watched entire romcoms with less tension.”

Y/N straightened up slowly, not backing down, not stepping away — just holding Joe’s gaze with that signature smirk.

“Careful, Burrow,” she murmured. “Quarterbacks who talk too smooth tend to fumble.”

Joe leaned back, spreading his arms over the chair, looking smug. “Good thing I play clean.”

Kayla fake-coughed. “So when is the wedding?”

The group cracked up again, the moment slightly breaking but the heat between Y/N and Joe didn’t cool — not even a little.

They kept throwing looks across the room, like they were speaking a whole other language only they could hear.

And everyone else?

They were just lucky to have front row seats.

Just as the tension between her and Joe hit that “somebody better call security” level, the green room door cracked open and Carmen, her manager, slipped inside, clipboard in hand and that familiar we need to move now look in her eyes.

“Y/N,” she called gently, “sorry to interrupt the... whatever this is—” she glanced between her and Joe with a knowing smirk— “but we’ve got a little fan moment happening outside the venue. A few dozen stuck around hoping you’d come out, nothing crazy, but it’s real sweet. Signs, shirts, gifts.”

Y/N straightened, tension loosening in her chest. “They waited?”

“Yep. In the cold,” Carmen added, tilting her head.

Kayla glanced at her best friend and whispered, “Go cool off. You’re about to melt in front of this man.”

Y/N rolled her eyes but smiled, already walking toward the door. “Tell them I’ll be right there.”

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

As she stepped out into the cool night air, the soft hum of the crowd outside reached her ears. The security team had cleared a safe space in front of the barricade, and her fans — still buzzing from the concert — lit up when they saw her.

“Y/N!!!”

“SHE CAME OUT— OMG—”

“WE LOVE YOUUUU!”

The love hit her like a warm wave.

She smiled wide, real and unguarded, her entire body exhaling the tension from earlier.

Y/N moved through the little crowd, signing posters, T-shirts, and phone cases. People handed her drawings of her on stage, custom friendship bracelets, little heartfelt letters, and one sweet girl gave her a plushie shaped like a baby tiger with glitter eyes.

“Because you’re fierce,” she said, cheeks flushed with excitement.

Y/N melted. “You’re gonna make me cry.”

The fans asked questions about her music, complimented her set, even asked if she was dating anyone (which she dodged with a laugh and a dramatic “My career is my man right now”). It was loud but comforting — the kind of chaotic joy that reminded her why she did all this.

By the time she took the last picture and hugged the last fan, her arms were full of little gifts and her cheeks hurt from smiling. But her heart?

Overflowing.

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

Meanwhile, Back in the Green Room...

The minute Y/N walked out, the room turned on Joe.

Tee clapped his hands together. “So! When are you shooting the real shot, not this eye-fucking nonsense?”

“I don’t flirt,” Joe replied, deadpan.

Everyone: “LIES.”

Ja’Marr stretched out dramatically. “Bro, the way you look at her? I’ve seen less passion in wedding vows.”

Sam added, “And don’t think we didn’t catch that ‘I don’t need the dark to want you’ line. That was poetic. You practice that in the mirror?”

Joe rubbed the back of his neck, fighting a grin. “Y’all are wild.”

“Nah, you’re wild,” Kayla jumped in, sipping from a soda can. “This man has been on ESPN, but couldn’t keep it together when Y/N got within ten feet. Your eyes were like—” she squinted and mimed slow, dramatic blinking. “‘My wife… my soulmate… the one the Lord promised me.’”

Everyone burst into laughter again.

Joe shook his head but didn’t deny it.

“I’m just saying,” Tee said, raising his drink. “If you don’t lock that in, someone else will.”

Joe’s smile dropped just a little — the competitive edge peeking through.

“She’s not just anyone,” he said quietly. “I’m not about to play games with that.”

The room actually went quiet for a second.

Even Ja’Marr sat up. “Wait. Are you serious-serious?”

Joe’s eyes didn’t leave the door she walked out of.

“I could be,” he muttered.

Sam: “Oh damn. He’s down bad.”

Kayla: “Down catastrophic.”

Tee: “Down so bad, he’s six feet under.”

Ja’Marr: “Buried in glitter and thigh-high boots. Rest in peace.”

The teasing picked up again, but Joe just sat there, still thinking about how Y/N had looked walking away — confident, glowing, and totally unfazed by the chaos she’d just left behind in his chest.

The door to the green room opened with a soft click, and every head turned.

Y/N walked in, glowing.Like, not just “stage lights and sweat” glowing — this was that loved-on, hugged-up, deeply-grateful-to-be-doing-this-shitkind of glow. Arms full of fan gifts — a bouquet of handmade bracelets wrapped around her wrist, rolled posters sticking out of a tote, a plush tiger nestled in the crook of her elbow.

Her smile was soft, dreamy. “They were so sweet,” she said, almost to herself. “They gave me bracelets. And look—” she held up a carefully sketched drawing of her in one of her performance outfits, eyes sparkling. “This one said she worked on it for three weeks.”

Kayla immediately jumped up to grab a few of the gifts from her arms. “Let me see— omg, that tiger is so cute. That for your bed or mine?”

“Girl, you have your own,” Y/N teased.

The group gathered around as she set her things down, everyone admiring the sweet haul — but Joe stayed seated, quiet, watching her like she had stardust trailing behind her with every step.

When she finally looked his way, their eyes met — and that smile?

Shifted.Still warm, but now it had edges. Curves. Intention.

“You good?” she asked him lightly, tucking one of the bracelets onto her other wrist.

Joe nodded, eyes still locked on hers. “Better now.”

Ja’Marr fake-coughed loud. “AHEM. Some of us are still in the room.”

Sam threw a chip at Joe. “Bro’s trying to seduce her in front of our very eyes.”

Y/N laughed and flopped back onto the couch next to Kayla, pulling one of the posters into her lap. “Please. He doesn’t have the range.”

“Oh?” Joe raised an eyebrow, leaning forward like she’d just challenged him to a rematch. “You sure about that?”

Tee leaned back, arms crossed, grinning wide. “Here we go again.”

Y/N crossed one leg over the other, posture all goddess-level confidence now. “Positive. I’ve been around the smooth talkers before. It’s cute. Predictable.”

Joe’s eyes dropped to the way her lips curved, then right back to her eyes. “I’m not trying to be predictable.”

“You’re trying to be impressive,” she shot back, calm and casual, “but you already saw how I do that.”

The room: OOOOOOHHHHHHHH.

Tee stood up and started pacing again. “That’s it. I can’t keep watching this. I’m stressed. My heart rate is up.”

Sam was shaking his head. “These two are gonna either hook up or fight in the parking lot.”

Kayla leaned toward Ja’Marr and whispered, “You feel that? That’s the tension. It’s humid in here now.”

But Y/N wasn’t done. She leaned forward slightly, elbows on her knees, voice smooth.

“But if you’re gonna keep watching me like that…” she tilted her head at Joe, who hadn’t looked away once, “...you might as well make yourself useful and open my water.”

The air cracked.A half-second of silence. And then—

Joe stood. Calm. Controlled. And walked over to her without a word.

He picked up the unopened bottle from the table, twisted the cap with a low snap, and handed it to her, eyes on hers the entire time.

“You want anything else?” he asked, voice low, almost teasing.

Y/N took the bottle, her fingers brushing his intentionally slow. She took a sip — never breaking eye contact — and said:

“Not yet.”

The room lost it again. LOUD.

Ja’Marr actually fell back onto the floor. Kayla started fanning herself with a paper plate. Sam was screaming into a throw pillow.

But Joe?

He just smirked and sat right beside her this time.

Not too close. But not far, either.

Just enough for everyone to know — this was not over.

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

The green room was still in shambles — emotionally, at least. Tee had switched playlists again, landing on some vibey Drake and Tems mix that had everyone lowkey swaying, shoulders rolling. The champagne was mostly gone, and someone had opened a second bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos that Kayla had claimed as hers via a very serious side-eye.

Y/N sat between Kayla and Joe now — though there was still a respectable inch or two of space between them.

Not that it mattered. Because the tension between them? Still doing laps.

Ja’Marr stretched out on the carpet, arms behind his head, like this was the best entertainment he'd had all year. “So what’s next?” he asked, looking at Y/N. “After this concert tour, are you disappearing into the studio or…?”

Y/N nodded, brushing a braid behind her ear. “Studio, definitely. I’ve got a collab cooking with someone major, but I can’t say who yet. And some film stuff in L.A. But for now…” She shrugged. “Just vibing. Taking it all in.”

“You deserve it,” Sam said, nudging Tee. “We haven’t shut up about your performance since it ended.” Y/N smiled, genuinely touched. “Y’all are sweet. Even though your team still took that L.”

That earned a round of groans and head shakes from the Bengals boys. “Low blow,” Tee muttered, tossing a Cheeto at her. “Facts,” Ja’Marr added, “especially from someone who ditched the Ravens the second Burrow blinked at her.”

Kayla gasped. “Oop.”

Joe? He didn’t flinch. Didn’t even look away from Y/N when he said:

“She blinked back.”

Ohhhh.

Y/N’s jaw dropped, her smile sharp. “You are dangerously smooth.”

Joe tilted his head, feigning innocence. “Or just honest.”

Kayla leaned over Y/N’s shoulder, whispering loud enough for the whole room to hear, “Tell me why this man sounds like a walking bridge of one of your songs.”

Y/N clutched her chest. “Don’t tempt me, I’ll write it right now.”

“Title it ‘QB Sneak,’” Sam joked. “Make it spicy.”

“Make it explicit,” Tee added. “You know Spotify gon’ eat that up.”

Joe just leaned back with that calm little smirk that screamed I’m already in the booth, baby.

Ja’Marr clapped his hands once. “Alright, this vibe is too good. We’re not letting it die here. What’s the move? Afterparty? Food? We celebrating this show or what?” Kayla perked up. “There’s that rooftop lounge at the hotel. I heard the DJ there tonight is nasty with transitions.”

Y/N raised a brow. “You just wanna dance with somebody’s son.”

“Yeah,” Kayla said with zero hesitation, pointing at Ja’Marr. “Maybe that one.”

Ja’Marr: “I ain’t mad.”

Tee pulled out his phone. “I’ll text the driver. What are we thinking? Group outfits or chaos energy?”

Sam: “I’m already in chaos mode.”

Joe looked at Y/N, who was standing to grab her coat.

She caught the look. Held it for a second. Then said, “You comin’, QB1? Or you need a little more convincing?”

Joe stood, cool and easy, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “I already told you. I don’t need convincing.”

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

The hotel suite turned temporary dressing room was lit in soft gold from the lamps, the overhead lights dimmed low. Clothes were tossed over the backs of chairs, and makeup bags cracked open like treasure chests across the vanity.

Y/N stood in front of the mirror, applying a glossy lip to finish her look — fresh outfit, fresh vibe.

She’d changed out of her post stage gear and into something way more relaxed: a cropped black halter top with an open back, paired with sleek satin joggers and crisp white sneakers. Still sexy, but effortless. A single gold chain hung around her neck and the tiny diamonds in her ears sparkled under the soft lighting.

Kayla, beside her, was pulling on a silky green two-piece set that looked like sleepwear for rich girls who didn’t actually sleep. She fluffed her curls and grinned at her reflection.

“If Joe didn’t want to put you through the mattress on that stage,” she said, spinning toward Y/N, “he’s about to blow his load now.”

Y/N just rolled her eyes, tucking her phone into a tiny crossbody bag. “He’s not even that serious.”

Kayla blinked at her. “Girl. He opened your water bottle like he was signing a prenup.”

Y/N laughed. “Shut up and grab your lip gloss.”

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

Rooftop Lounge — 10:49 p.m.

The elevator doors opened and the rooftop hit different.

Soft purple and amber lights danced over the sleek lounge furniture, tall heaters flickering with fire, and a DJ posted at the far end spinning an R&B mix that made everybody move a little slower, a little smoother.

The view? All glittering city skyline.

The Bengals boys were already posted near the bar — Sam with a drink in hand, Ja’Marr mid-convo with a group of dancers, Tee dancing with someone’s girlfriend (or maybe just vibing), and Joe…?

Joe was watching the elevator.

And when Y/N stepped out?

Game over.

His gaze dropped for a second — not disrespectfully — just enough to take it all in. The outfit. The walk. The smirk.

Kayla leaned toward her like a devil on her shoulder. “You see his face? That man wants to be the drink in your hand.”

Y/N adjusted her top slightly and smirked. “Good.”

As the girls made their way over, drinks were ordered, seats claimed, and the energy stayed loud and electric. “You clean up nice, Miss VIP,” Tee said, holding out a drink he ordered for her. “I always clean up nice,” Y/N replied, taking the glass.

Joe stepped a little closer, eyes still lingering. “You trying to kill me?” he asked quietly. Y/N tilted her head. “Why? You good?”

He leaned in, low and warm in her ear. “Not even close.”

Her throat tightened for half a second, but she didn’t flinch. “Drink your whiskey, Burrow.”

The whole crew eventually migrated to the small dance floor area, where the music hit a little harder and the lights hit just right. Y/N and Kayla were dancing together — laughing, spinning, hands in the air — while the guys stood nearby, watching and swaying like typical athletes who could dance but weren’t gonna try too hard.

Until Joe stepped forward.

He didn’t say anything, just extended a hand toward Y/N like it was obvious.

She paused, brow raised, a challenge in her eyes.

“You don’t seem like the dancing type,” she said.

“I’m not,” Joe replied. “But I figured you’d make me look good.”

Kayla hooted in the background.

So Y/N took his hand.

And they danced. Slow at first — just moving in rhythm, close enough to share warmth but still keeping that teasing distance between them.

But his hand found her waist. And her fingers laced behind his neck. And suddenly, the bass wasn’t the only thing pulsing.

They moved together like this was a habit. Like they already knew how to sync. Like the tension had finally found a beat to lean into.

And the crew?

They were definitely watching.

“I’m just saying,” Ja’Marr muttered from the bar. “If they don’t kiss tonight, I’m throwing myself off this roof.”

Tee nodded solemnly. “Amen.”

The music shifted again, something slower, with a slight groove that made everyone’s movements sync even tighter. Y/N wasn’t trying to hide it anymore. She was definitely feeling it — the beat, the moment, the vibe with Joe. She kept it light, though, spinning away from him and twirling back in a way that made him watch her with dark eyes.

His hand followed. Caught her waist again.

She smirked up at him, a playful glint in her eye. “So, you know how to move. But can you keep up?”

Joe chuckled, the sound low and dangerously smooth. “I’ll keep up. I’m just waiting for you to really go for it.”

Y/N’s grin widened. “Is that a challenge?”

“I don’t know,” he teased back, his hand slipping lower to her hip. “Is it?”

The circle around them had gotten smaller. The guys had all shifted closer to the dance floor — they were still talking, but the glances they threw at Joe and Y/N were loaded. They knew.

Tee leaned toward Ja’Marr, his voice loud enough for the group to hear over the music. “This is either going to end in a makeout session or a boxing match. Either way, I’m here for it.”

Y/N’s eyes flicked toward them briefly, just enough to catch their teasing. She rolled her eyes but then shifted closer to Joe, leaning in so her lips nearly brushed his ear as she whispered, “Don’t get distracted now. I thought you were gonna show me something.”

Joe’s breath hitched for a fraction of a second, but he didn’t miss a beat. His hand slid from her waist to the small of her back, pulling her even closer.

“You’re the one distracted,” he murmured. “It’s adorable.”

Y/N shot him a playful side-eye. “I’m not distracted. I’m focused.”

Joe’s smirk grew. “Mm. So focused you can barely stop looking at me?”

Her fingers gripped his shirt tighter. “Only because I can’t decide if you’re really this confident, or if you’re just good at pretending.”

Joe’s jaw tightened, his lips curving into a dangerous smile. “You’re about to find out.”

And just like that, they were back in sync, their bodies moving fluidly, playfully too close, the energy charged with tension that made the room feel hotter than it should’ve been.

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

Meanwhile — The guys? Not missing a thing.

Sam leaned against the bar, watching with a knowing smirk. “That’s a wrap. We all saw it. They’re done.”

Kayla, still dancing with Ja’Marr, shouted over the music, “You know Joe would be the type to act like he’s got it all together, but deep down? That man’s trying real hard not to fall apart right now.”

Tee laughed, tipping his drink. “No way. He’s got it under control. I bet he’s waiting for the perfect moment to swoop in.”

Sam tilted his head. “You think that’s how it’s gonna play out? Nah. She’ll make him sweat first.”

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

Back on the dance floor, Y/N wasn’t letting up. She kept her distance, then leaned in just enough to tease him, spinning out of his grip and circling around him with a wink.

“Careful,” she called over her shoulder. “I might just let you catch me.”

Joe’s chest rumbled with a low laugh. “You’re not that fast.”

“Oh, I am,” she shot back, “but I like keeping you guessing.”

And the dance continued, teasing, pulling them closer and pulling them apart in a rhythm they’d both learned over the last hour. Y/N wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of knowing he had the upper hand. She knew what she was doing. She liked it.

And Joe? He was feeling that same exact rush — not backing down, but damn near on edge with every moment they spent close enough to touch, but never quite touching.

Tee, watching the dance unfold with a shit-eating grin, leaned toward Sam.

“You think it’ll happen soon, or do we need to go rescue Joe from the longest slow burn in history?”

Sam raised an eyebrow. “Man, I don't know. At this rate, Joe’s gonna need a rescue from Y/N.”

As the song began to wind down, Y/N took one last spin away from Joe, her body turning with the music as her eyes stayed locked on his — daring him to keep up. She was giving him one final moment to make a move, but she knew exactly how to keep him dangling.

And that’s when she did it.

She took a step back, her smile cool and amused, hands on her hips as she gave him a playful, defiant look.

“Well? Keep up or go home?”

Joe stood there, a beat of silence between them. Then, with that same smirk from earlier, he grabbed his drink, taking a slow sip. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Y/N chuckled. “We’ll see about that, won’t we?”

Another song rolled in — this one smooth and low, the kind that made hips sway without trying. The rooftop stayed alive with conversation, laughter, and clinking glasses, but in the middle of it all, Y/N had the room in the palm of her hand. Or more accurately… she had Joe wrapped around her finger, even if no one dared to say it out loud.

And oh, was she enjoying herself.

She didn’t go back to him right away. Instead, she drifted toward Kayla, laughing as they picked up the rhythm and started dancing again. Not for attention — just because the music demanded it, and her body always listened.

But she knew exactly what she was doing.

Every now and then, she glanced over her shoulder, just long enough for Joe to know she was aware of his eyes on her. He wasn’t even trying to be slick about it anymore — standing near the bar, his drink untouched in his hand, his gaze pinned to her like she was the only thing that made sense in a room full of noise.

Tee, catching the whole thing, leaned toward him. “You alright, big guy?”

Joe blinked once, tore his eyes away for a breath, and exhaled like he’d been holding it in for ten minutes. “She’s dangerous.”

Ja’Marr laughed into his glass. “You’re just now figuring that out?”

“She’s making me work for it,” Joe muttered, eyes drifting back to her.

Kayla clocked it all and leaned in to whisper, “He’s dying.”

Y/N smirked. “I know.”

“You gonna throw him a bone?”

Y/N’s smile turned feline. “Where’s the fun in that?”

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

When Y/N finally made her way toward the bar, it was slow, deliberate — like she was in no rush because she wasn’t. Joe straightened up just a little, the tiniest twitch in his jaw giving away his anticipation. And she saw it. Loved it.

She stopped right in front of him, not close enough to touch — just enough to tempt.

“You look tense,” she said, grabbing a piece of fruit from a nearby cocktail and popping it between her lips.

Joe looked at her, slow and steady. “You’re doing that on purpose.”

Y/N tilted her head. “Doing what?”

“Dragging this out.”

She licked the last of the juice from her thumb, eyes locked on his. “I’m just vibing. You’re the one struggling.”

Joe didn’t respond right away. Just stepped a half-inch closer, his voice a low murmur meant only for her.

“Or maybe I’m enjoying the view too much to rush.”

Y/N’s breath hitched — just barely — but her face stayed cool. Her voice came out honey-slick. “You sure you can handle this view, Mr. QB1?”

Joe’s jaw tensed. “Try me.”

She leaned in — barely — enough for her perfume to hit him and for their lips to hover in the same zip code. She stayed there for a heartbeat. Two. Then—

She pulled back, flashing that wicked little grin.

“Maybe later,” she purred, turning away to rejoin Kayla.

Joe stood there, hand still on the bar, chest rising slow. He watched her walk away, lips parted, like he was debating whether or not he’d just been played or blessed.

Tee came up behind him, clapped him on the back. “You alright, man? You look like you just lost a playoff game.”

Joe ran a hand over his mouth, fighting a smile. “Nah. I think I just got drafted again.”

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

The rooftop was buzzing — music still flowing, lights twinkling against the night sky, and the crew very much in their “we’re too hot to be this tipsy and this unserious” phase of the night. Everyone had found their rhythm: drinks in hand, shoes slightly looser, and jokes flying like confetti.

Y/N had reclaimed a low lounge seat with Kayla on one side and Ja’Marr practically hanging off the other armrest. Joe stayed leaning against the bar, still sipping slow — but his eyes?

Still on her.

Not even subtle anymore.

Kayla had noticed. Again.

She leaned in, whisper-singing in Y/N’s ear: “🎶He’s looking at you like you’re dessert and he skipped dinner.🎶”

Y/N snorted into her drink. “You need to stop.”

“You need to do something before he combusts in that tight-ass shirt.”

“I am doing something. I’m existing.”

Ja’Marr leaned toward them both, not even pretending not to eavesdrop. “Y’all whispering too loud. And for the record, I vote Y/N lets him suffer just a little more.”

Tee slid in with another round of drinks. “Suffer? He’s two seconds from asking the DJ to play ‘Pony.’”

“DON’T tempt him,” Kayla laughed. “You know he’s white-boy bold.”

Y/N just smirked, sitting back like a queen with her court. “He’ll live.”

Joe, still posted a few feet away, caught the tail end of that look she gave. The knowing, the tease, the come-here-but-don’t-touch. He shook his head with a smirk and finally pushed off the bar, walking over slowly.

“You’re enjoying this,” he said, stopping right in front of her.

Y/N looked up, her expression sugar and fire. “I am.”

“Evil.”

“Correct.”

“Pretty sure you’re gonna ruin me.”

She took a slow sip of her drink, eyes never leaving his. “If I wanted to ruin you, you’d already be ruined.”

The crew? LOSING it.

Sam from the next table: “OH MY GOD.”

Tee was wheezing. “Bro just got verbally folded.”

Ja’Marr put a hand on Joe’s shoulder. “She’s not flirting anymore, she’s finishing you.”

Joe just laughed — that real, low-chested laugh that said he was absolutely not okay, and absolutely into it.

“Alright,” he said, backing up a step with his hands raised. “I can admit defeat. You win.”

Y/N raised a brow. “Already?”

“You haven’t even seen me try yet.”

“Oh, so this is you unbothered?”

“No,” Joe said, gaze hot. “This is me being patient.”

Kayla fanned herself with a napkin. “Jesus.”

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

As the DJ shifted the vibe into a little 2000s throwback R&B set — think Mario, Ciara, Usher era — the dancing picked back up, drinks refilled, and the group’s energy hit that sweet spot where everybody was too comfortable and too deep in to leave.

Ja’Marr somehow ended up teaching Kayla a two-step combo, Sam was holding court with a circle of background dancers, Tee was recording everything on his phone for future blackmail purposes, and Joe?

Joe was still watching Y/N dance.

Still waiting for his moment.

Still very much caught up in the long game.

And Y/N? She knew it. Felt it in the bass. Felt it in the way her body lit up every time he was near. Felt it in the thrill of knowing he was going home thinking about her — again.

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

The rooftop wasn’t quieting down — not yet — but it was changing. The crowd had thinned slightly, the air cooled, and the DJ knew exactly what they were doing when they transitioned into some Brent Faiyaz and SZA. The kind of music that makes people sway a little slower. Stand a little closer.

Y/N noticed it too.

She was perched now on a high-back lounge chair, legs crossed, a second drink in hand, her heels off and tucked under the seat. Joe sat just across from her, one leg bouncing absently, body leaning forward slightly like he was trying not to give in to whatever magnet kept pulling him in her direction.

Kayla had migrated to a couch nearby, curled up next to Ja’Marr who was fully in “post-victory chill mode” — hoodie on, chain out, and lowkey flirting like he had nothing to lose.

Tee and Sam were off near the glass railing, deep in a discussion about something that might’ve started with football and somehow morphed into the proper way to cook ribs.

The chaos was still present — but it was background noise now.

Because the tension?

Front and center.

“Okay, so what’s your deal?” Y/N asked casually, twirling the straw in her drink without looking at Joe.

Joe leaned back a little. “My deal?”

“Mhm.” She glanced at him now, brows raised. “You’re smooth, but not too smooth. A little cocky, but you’re… patient. Calculated. I can’t decide if you’re trying to win me over or if you already think you have.”

Joe’s tongue ran slowly over his bottom lip before he answered.

“I don’t assume anything,” he said, voice low. “Especially not with you.”

Y/N blinked. Just once.

He wasn’t playing anymore. He wasn’t teasing. And that shift — from flirt to focused — hit.

“Good,” she said, tone soft but laced with fire. “Keep that energy.”

Joe nodded slowly. “Oh, I plan to.”

Another silence stretched between them, thick and pulsing. The kind of silence where breathing too loud would make things snap.

Y/N tilted her head, eyes never leaving his. “You always this intense?”

“Only when I want something bad enough.”

Her legs uncrossed. Crossed the other way.

“You’re making this really hard for me to keep playing it cool.”

Joe smirked again, but this time it was darker. “Then stop playing.”

Breathe. Just breathe.

Kayla, from her couch throne, saw it all and immediately nudged Ja’Marr. “He’s gonna fold. I see it. He’s one deep breath away from telling her his social security number.”

Ja’Marr nodded, eyes still on them. “No, she's gonna fold. She’s trying too hard not to jump him right now.”

They both took long sips of their drinks, like it was a live episode of reality TV.

Back at the table, Y/N leaned forward a little, resting her elbow on the armrest. “You sure you’re ready for what comes with someone like me?”

Joe didn’t even flinch. “I think I’ve been ready. You’re the one still figuring it out.”

She smiled, slow and amused. “That right?”

“Mhm.” His voice dropped again, gravel-smooth. “I’ll wait. But I’m not backing off.”

That right there? That hit her right in the chest.

Because he wasn’t chasing her for sport. He was chasing her like a man who knew exactly what he wanted — and how to get it without rushing the game.

“I see you,” Y/N said, voice soft but deliberate.

Joe’s smile turned into something real. “I see you too.”

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

The group eventually shifted again — some standing, some stretching, a few more songs left in the DJ’s set. Someone suggested snacks. Someone else was trying to get the Bluetooth speaker to work in the elevator for the trip down.

But Y/N and Joe?

Still in their chairs. Still locked in.

Still hovering on that razor-thin line between teasing and something hotter, something realer.

The rooftop crowd had thinned even more now. Some people peeled off, others stretched out on patio couches, and the music had softened into something lo-fi and low-key, like the party was naturally winding down. But Y/N and Joe?

Still stuck in their gravity.

Y/N shifted in her chair, pulling her knees up slightly to rest her arms on them. The glow of the heaters flickered off her skin like candlelight, and she sipped what was left of her drink with a quiet hum of satisfaction.

“You’re staring again,” she said without looking at him.

Joe’s voice came low. “And?”

She turned to him, smiling around the straw. “Just saying. I’d ask what you’re thinking, but I don’t know if I want the real answer.”

He chuckled, setting his glass down. “I’m thinking… you’re probably not someone I should be messing with right now.”

“Smart man,” Y/N said, brown eyes glittering. “Because you’re definitely not someone I should be messing with right now either.”

They shared a look — that kind of sharp, mutual understanding that said we both know exactly what this is.

“Too much going on?” Joe asked, voice lighter this time.

Y/N nodded. “Mmhmm. My schedule is brutal. I got two more shows this week, a taping next weekend, studio time, and possibly a last-minute audition. I’ve got zero time to fall into anything. Not even a maybe.”

Joe nodded slowly, watching her. “Yeah. Season’s getting heavier. Camp was no joke, and if I’m being honest… my coaches would probably have a stroke if they knew I was out here flirting instead of watching film.”

She laughed, tilting her head. “So why are you still out here?”

He leaned in slightly, elbows on his knees now, matching her posture. “Because it feels good. Because it’s fun. Because you’re smart, and hot, and I like the way you keep throwing me off my game.”

Y/N blinked slowly. “You’re good at this.”

Joe shrugged. “No. I’m just honest.”

Her smile faded into something more thoughtful. She wasn’t used to that — the mix of real talk and reckless charm. She was used to games. To men who wanted her, but not her chaos. Not her ambition. Not her heat and bite and unapologetic momentum.

But Joe?

He seemed like he was watching the storm on purpose.

“You ever do this?” she asked quietly. “Just vibe with someone for the sake of it?”

Joe tilted his head. “Not often.”

Y/N stared at him for a long moment. “Same.”

Pause.

“So,” she said, voice turning playful again, “you gonna be weird about it, or are we both just gonna enjoy this slow burn until it fizzles out?”

Joe smiled, wide this time, like she’d said exactly what he was thinking.

“I like the slow burn,” he said. “Makes the fire hit harder.”

Y/N smirked. “Careful, quarterback. I’m the type that leaves marks.”

Joe’s laugh rumbled from his chest. “Good. I don’t bruise easy.”

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

They eventually joined the others again — slowly, naturally. The group had now gathered in another part of the lounge in front of a fire pit, feet tucked under blankets someone found, bowls of chips, and random leftover desserts from room service being passed around.

Tee was throwing out wild questions: “Okay, okay — one has to go forever: music, football, or sex?”

Groans.

“Bro.”

“Why would you even ask that?”

Y/N raised a brow. “I’m keeping music. I need music. So y’all can fight it out for the rest.”

Joe looked over, grinning. “That’s bold.”

“You surprised?”

“Nope. Just wondering which one I’d have to compete with.”

Y/N tossed a piece of ice at his chest. “Don’t start.”

Ja’Marr: “Start?? Y’all been flirting like a CW drama for the last three hours.”

Kayla, not missing a beat: “And we’ve been tuning in like it’s season three, episode nine.”

Everyone cracked up, but the eyes said it all — they saw what was brewing. They weren’t just witnessing the tension… they were living in it.

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

The night wore on, the fire burning bright, the group slowly yawning and untangling. But that tension between Joe and Y/N? Still there. Still rising. Still begging for a moment away from the noise.

And that moment?

Was coming.

Soon.

The lounge was low-lit and empty, except for them.

The music outside faded to a distant thump, the kind that disappeared when your pulse started thudding louder. Y/N leaned against the window, and Joe… he was standing just behind her, close enough that the heat from his chest brushed her back.

She turned slightly, still leaning, still calm — but her eyes told a different story. “You always this patient?” she asked, her voice smooth, but her gaze daring him to lie. Joe stepped closer, now only inches away, his voice low and thick. “No. Just when the tension feels this good.”

Her breath caught — and that was it. That was the break.

Y/N turned all the way around and stepped into him, chest brushing his, lips inches apart. Her fingers slipped under the hem of his hoodie, slow, not rushing — like she was deciding if he’d earned it yet.

He looked down at her, not moving, like he knew any sudden shift would set off the fire alarm.

“I’m not looking for a relationship,” she said softly, bluntly. “I don’t have time. I’m too focused. Too booked. Too selfish with my energy right now.”

Joe’s hand came to rest lightly on her hip, thumb grazing bare skin where her shirt had risen slightly. His voice was calm, but it had a weight to it now. A certainty. “I don’t want anything you’re not ready to give me.”

She stared up at him, lips parted, breath uneven. “And if all I want is this?” she asked. Joe leaned in, brushing his nose against hers — not kissing her. Not yet. “Then you’ve got it. All of it.”

That was it.

She grabbed his hoodie and pulled him in hard — no hesitation, no slow-burn now — just heat. His mouth found hers in a kiss that had what felt like weeks of build-up behind it. It was all lips, tongue, and low groans as his hands slid around her waist and pulled her closer. Her back hit the glass behind them and she didn’t care — the cold contrast made her gasp against his mouth.

Joe’s hands were everywhere — respectful but greedy, firm but slow. He kissed like he’d studied her, like he already knew how she moved, how she liked to be touched. And Y/N?

She kissed him like she needed to — like she was making up for every second she’d spent pretending she didn’t. One of his legs slid between hers, and he growled low in his throat — that real, chest-deep sound that made her smirk mid-kiss. She tugged at his hoodie, dragging it up just enough to feel warm skin beneath.

“You’re dangerous,” she whispered against his lips.

Joe grinned, breathless. “You’ve got no idea.”

His hand slipped under her shirt, resting on the small of her back, grounding her and teasing all at once.

She pulled back slightly, just enough to speak. “This doesn’t mean anything,” she warned.

Joe nodded, eyes dark. “Doesn’t have to.”

She searched his face — saw honesty, desire, control barely hanging on.

Then she kissed him again.

Deeper.

Slower.

Letting herself feel it — just this once. Just this moment. Just… him.

And when they finally paused, breathing heavy, pressed together in that dim lounge like sin wrapped in moonlight, Y/N’s fingers curled in the front of his shirt. She didn’t let go.

Neither did he.

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

Back on the rooftop, karaoke had fully devolved into people yelling lyrics, eating dessert straight from the tray, and passing someone’s half-warm cocktail around like it was holy water.

Tee was trying to film Kayla but she kept ducking behind Ja’Marr, who was too deep into a plate of nachos to care.

That’s when Sam looked around, eyebrows furrowing.

“Wait… where’s Joe?”

Kayla paused mid-bite. “Oh, you mean Joseph ‘Let Me Flirt in 4K’ Burrow?”

Ja’Marr looked up. “Ain’t seen him since Y/N went ghost.”

Tee glanced toward the door. “...Yo.”

Everyone turned.

Kayla slowly lowered her drink. “Hold on.”

She scanned the group again, eyes narrowing like a bloodhound on a scent.

“Y/N’s gone too.”

A beat.

Then Kayla sat straight up, a hand flying over her heart like she’d just uncovered scandalous royal gossip. “Oh my God. They’re definitely fucking.”

Tee nearly dropped his phone. “Damn, girl, don’t hold back.”

“No, no, no,” she said, standing up now, pacing like a detective. “Let’s review the evidence. The eye contact? The flirting? The slow-burn heatwave that’s been hanging over them since SOUND CHECK? And now they vanish together into the night? Come on.”

Sam raised a hand like a student. “Maybe they’re just talking.”

Kayla turned so fast it was almost dangerous. “Baby, ain’t nobody just talking when there’s that much lip-biting and smoldering eye contact. That man has been looking at her like she’s the cheat day he’s been saving all season.”

Ja’Marr nodded solemnly. “She did say she was leaving marks.”

Tee: “She meant that. Bet his hoodie’s all stretched out.”

Kayla was cackling now, fanning herself. “She’s probably got that man speaking in tongues. He gonna come back like ‘blessings to all, I’ve seen the light.’”

Ja’Marr mimicked Joe’s voice, deadpan. “Hey guys. Just learned what love is. Also, my legs don’t work.”

They all howled.

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

Meanwhile, in the dim lounge across the hall, Y/N and Joe were still tucked into each other, lips a little swollen, hearts beating in sync, the afterglow of that snapped tension still lingering in the air like smoke.

“Think they’ve noticed we’re missing yet?” Y/N asked, her voice low and warm as she sat nestled into Joe’s chest, both of them still upright, still (barely) composed.

Joe smirked, thumb grazing the curve of her hip. “I’d be shocked if Kayla wasn’t forming conspiracy theories as we speak.”

Y/N snorted. “She’s probably narrating it like it’s a Netflix docuseries.”

“Oh, 100 percent. ‘And that night, under the soft glow of a rooftop heater, Y/N risked it all for cinnamon-roll QB1 energy.’”

She laughed, low and full.

Then her hand slid up his chest again, slow, fingers drawing lazy patterns across his skin.

“This doesn’t mean anything,” she reminded him one more time — but the words were breathier now.

Joe nodded, but his hand never left her body. “Nope. Just fun. Just us.”

She tilted her head, playful again. “For now.”

He grinned. “For now.”

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

Tee was halfway through a story about an Uber driver who tried to freestyle mid-ride when the rooftop door creaked open.

Click.

Soft footsteps.

Then—

Y/N and Joe walked back in.

Chill. Calm. Cool as a cucumber cocktail.

Y/N’s lips were glossed again (very suspicious). Her top was slightly readjusted (even more suspicious). Joe’s curls looked a little more tousled than before (a federal offense, honestly). And they walked in with too much distance between them — the kind of space that only people who just broke the rules try to create.

Silence.

Just for a second.

Then Kayla stood up, arms spread wide like a talk show host finishing a monologue.

“Ladies and gentlemen… THE COUPLE HAS RETURNED.”

Y/N groaned. “You are so dramatic.”

Joe just chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck like he knew exactly what this meant. And what was coming.

Tee grinned. “Nah, don’t try to play innocent. Y’all disappeared for a minute.”

Sam raised his drink. “Was it just a scenic walk? Or, you know…” He made an exaggerated gesture with his eyebrows.

Ja’Marr added, deadpan, “Did y’all pray together? That’s what it looked like. Real… spiritual energy coming off you two.”

Kayla clutched her heart. “The tension in this room is no longer tension. It is residue. It is proof.”

Y/N dropped onto the couch next to her, laughing now but trying to keep a straight face. “You need help.”

Kayla leaned in close, whispering like it was top-secret intel. “He kiss you good or kiss you good?”

Y/N gave her a look that said: We’re not doing this here.

Which Kayla ignored, obviously.

Joe, meanwhile, grabbed a water bottle, cracked it open, and sipped like he wasn’t being studied like a reality TV contestant coming back from the fantasy suite.

Tee side-eyed him. “So, uh… how’s the lounge?”

Joe grinned without answering.

“Oh, so we just not talking now?” Sam asked, grinning. “Selective silence?”

Ja’Marr leaned toward Joe, pretending to be serious. “Listen, blink twice if she rocked your world.”

Joe sipped again.

Did not blink.

Kayla: “Oh he gone. GONE gone.”

Y/N buried her face in her hands, muttering, “I hate all of you.”

But she was smiling.

So was Joe.

And no one missed it.

The jokes kept flying, drinks were poured, and the playlist slipped into something softer again. And as the night crept closer to morning, the heat didn’t cool — it just folded itself into comfort. Into shared looks. Into legs brushing and quiet laughs.

Because now?

The secret was out.

And no one was mad about it.

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

The party had finally thinned out. Ja’Marr was half-asleep in one of the lounge chairs, mumbling something about pancakes. Kayla was wrapped in a throw blanket, scrolling on her phone and side-eyeing everyone who moved.

Y/N stepped out onto the balcony just off the lounge, arms crossed over her chest as the cool early morning air kissed her skin. It smelled like city, like wind and concrete and leftover cinnamon from somebody’s half-eaten dessert.

She didn’t look when she heard the door creak behind her.

Didn’t have to.

Joe leaned against the railing beside her, silent for a second, watching the streets below.

“You good?” he asked, voice soft.

Y/N nodded. “Mmhmm. Just needed some air before I head out.”

“Same.”

They stood in silence, the kind that had grown between them over the night — not awkward, just comfortable. Like the quiet had its own rhythm.

Y/N glanced over at him. “So, what… you flying back tomorrow?”

He nodded. “Yeah. Team stuff. We’re back in practice mode.”

“Bet. I’m in the studio for the next three days. Back-to-back sessions.”

Joe smiled a little. “You stay working.”

“You too. So, we’re both married to the grind.” She nudged his arm. “Messy little combo, huh?”

He turned toward her slightly, that crooked grin tugging at his mouth again. “Messy… but kinda hot.”

Y/N smirked. “You like chaos, huh?”

Joe leaned a little closer. “I like you.”

Her throat tightened for half a second. But she shook it off, blinking slowly, smile playful again.

“Well, you’re cute, Burrow, but don’t catch feelings. I’m a busy woman.”

He raised a brow. “You think I can’t multitask?”

“You think I won’t make you beg for my time?”

Joe laughed, then stepped even closer, their arms brushing now. “You giving me your number or just your best lines?”

Y/N pulled her phone out of her pocket, smirking. “Both. I’m generous like that.”

She typed it in, saved under “Y/N 🔥🎤”, then handed it over.

Joe added his right after, giving her back her phone with a wink. “Put me under something nice.”

Y/N typed out: “Joseph. a.k.a QB1. a.k.a Can’t Keep His Hands to Himself.”

She flashed it at him. He read it, grinned, and shook his head. “You’re gonna be a problem.”

Joe leaned back against the railing, arms crossed now, head tilted like he was watching her through a filter of curiosity and something deeper.

“So… what are we calling this?” he asked.

Y/N raised a brow. “You need a label for everything?”

“I like clarity,” he replied, smirking. “Keeps expectations clean.”

She stepped in front of him, close enough to be tempting again, but still just out of reach. “Okay, Mr. Clarity. Here’s what I think.”

Joe’s eyes didn’t leave hers.

“No strings,” Y/N said smoothly. “No pressure. You do your thing, I do mine. But when we’re in the same city…” She trailed her fingers lightly down the front of his hoodie. “We link. We have fun. We keep it real.”

Joe caught her hand in his, slow and deliberate.

“So… friends with benefits?”

“Benefits,” she confirmed. “And mutual respect. Text if you’re in town. I’ll do the same. But we don’t do jealousy, and we definitely don’t do clingy.”

Joe leaned down, close enough his breath hit her lips. “I don’t chase unless I’m on the field.”

Y/N smirked. “And I don’t beg unless it’s on stage.”

That made him groan under his breath, head dropping for a second before he grinned again.

“Alright,” he said finally, letting her hand go, “deal.”

Y/N turned, walking back toward the lounge door, hips swaying just enough to let him know she was aware of every second of silence behind her.

Just before she reached the door, she called back over her shoulder:

“Let’s see if you can handle it, quarterback.”

Joe looked at her for a long moment. “I can live with that.”

Y/N grinned. “Good. You know where to find me.”

He stepped closer again, lips brushing her cheek. Not her mouth. Not this time.

“Next time I do,” he murmured, “I’m not stopping at one kiss.”

She shivered, but didn’t give him the satisfaction of reacting too much. Just raised a brow.

“We’ll see if you earn it.”

Joe didn’t say anything.

But the smile on his face?

He was ready.

And with that, they walked back inside — apart, but more connected than they’d been all night. No promises. No titles.

Just one hell of an understanding.

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

The next morning hit different.

Y/N rolled into the brunch spot just five minutes late — which, for her, was basically on time. Curls slicked into a clean ponytail, hoops back in rotation, oversized shades on despite it being cloudy. She was wearing a simple but body-hugging black set and a denim jacket like she hadn’t just shifted the group dynamics forever.

Kayla was already at the table with Ja’Marr, Tee, Sam, and — yes — Joe, who looked a little too well-rested in a grey hoodie and joggers, curls freshly brushed and smugness barely concealed.

“Look who finally decided to show up,” Kayla said, sipping her mimosa like it was tea.

“I had to make sure I didn’t look like what y’all put me through last night,” Y/N replied, sliding into the seat beside her.

Ja’Marr smirked. “Girl, he put you through something.”

Tee leaned in. “Sooo… we just gonna skip over the vanishing act or…?”

Y/N grabbed the menu. “It was cold. I went inside.”

Sam raised a brow. “Inside him?”

“Sam!” Y/N gasped, half-choking on laughter. “You wild.”

Joe just grinned into his coffee like a man who was winning without having to say a word.

Kayla nudged Y/N. “Okay but like… did it change your life or just ruin all other quarterbacks for you?”

Joe coughed, “Still here,” but didn’t even bother to defend himself. His hand rested casually on the table, close enough to brush against Y/N’s knee under it. No one missed it.

“Y’all are insufferable,” Y/N muttered, trying — and failing — to keep her smirk under control.

The waiter came to take orders, and the group somehow managed to behave just long enough to choose food. As soon as he walked away, Ja’Marr pointed between Y/N and Joe with his fork.

“You two got that post-sneaky link glow. Real we know what we did but we’re chillin' energy.”

Joe just sipped his coffee again. “I’m just here for the pancakes.”

Kayla snorted. “Is that what we’re calling it now?”

Y/N leaned back in her chair, lips twitching. “Y’all really need hobbies.”

Ja’Marr: “Oh we’ve got one. It’s called watching this mess unfold in real-time.”

Joe finally turned to Y/N, the lowkey smile still tugging at his mouth. “You regrettin’ last night yet?”

Y/N looked over the rim of her sunglasses and replied, smooth as butter, “Not even a little.”

The table howled.

Even the waiter raised a brow when he returned with the mimosas.

The food eventually came, but the teasing did not stop. Between bites of chicken and waffles and bottomless mimosas, the crew kept the commentary rolling, each one trying to out-roast the other.

And Y/N and Joe?

They took it.

Laughed with them.

Shared a few more looks.

Understood each other without having to say it out loud.

Whatever this thing was… it was just getting started.

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

The goodbye was supposed to be chill.

Quick hugs. Shared jokes. A “see you when I see you” kind of exit.

Y/N and Kayla stood by the SUV outside the hotel as the guys loaded up for their airport run. The girls’ bus was parked nearby, engine rumbling, ready to hit the road for the next stop on tour.

Tee gave Kayla a quick hug and promised to follow her back on Instagram. Sam dapped everyone up like he wasn’t still crying from brunch laughter. Ja’Marr told Y/N she owed him a private performance and a bottle of wine next time they were all in the same city.

Then there was Joe.

He stood by the car door, hands in his hoodie pocket, the quiet smirk he always wore now looking… softer. A little more thoughtful.

Y/N stepped up to him, her duffel hanging off one shoulder. “Guess this is the part where we go back to real life.”

“Yeah,” he said, voice low. “Game prep and studio marathons.”

They looked at each other for a beat too long.

And then she stepped forward, curled her fingers in the front of his hoodie, and kissed him.

Right there.

No hesitation. No spectacle. Just full lips pressed to his, slow and sweet with a little heat behind it — enough to leave a memory, a pulse, something to think about on the flight home.

She pulled back just a little, just enough to whisper, “Next time, QB1.”

Joe blinked once, lips still parted. “Next time.”

Y/N turned without another word, jogged to catch up to Kayla — who was grinning like she’d just watched the season finale of her favorite drama.

As the girls boarded the bus, Joe was still watching.

Hand on the car door.

Smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧♡+:•∴”:♡.•♬✧

Later That Day – On the Tour Bus

The bus rumbled down the highway, soft music playing as the city skyline shrank in the distance. Y/N was curled up in a blanket on the long couch, makeup wiped off, bonnet on, hoodie two sizes too big. Her phone buzzed every now and then, but she ignored it — until Kayla plopped down beside her with a bowl of popcorn and a look.

“So,” Kayla said, tossing a piece into her mouth, “how many times did he fold you like a beach chair?”

Y/N groaned. “You are not subtle.”

“I’m your best friend, subtlety is banned on this bus.”

Y/N laughed, flopping her head back. “Alright, fine. We kissed. More than once.”

Kayla blinked. “That’s it? You disappeared for twenty-five minutes and came back looking like you’d just dropped an R&B single.”

Y/N threw a pillow at her.

“Okay, okay!” Kayla caught it, grinning. “So no full-court press yet, but the energy was giving… Fourth Quarter. Two-Minute Warning. Ball in your hands.”

Y/N sighed. “Yeah, it was… whew. Like, electric. And yeah, we agreed on a no-strings thing. Just fun when we’re in the same city.”

Kayla raised a brow. “So, you admit he rocked your world a little bit.”

“I didn’t say all that!”

“You didn’t have to.”

Y/N pulled the blanket tighter around herself. “Look, I’m not tryna fall for a quarterback. But I’m also not trying to block a blessing if it shows up 6’4”, blue eyes, and makes my knees weak.”

Kayla tossed another piece of popcorn. “So we agree: emotionally unavailable, mutually beneficial, extremely hot. I support this arrangement.”

Y/N smirked. “As long as you don’t start narrating again.”

Kayla held up her hands. “Fine. But I’m telling you now, when y’all end up on People’s Sexiest Situationships Alive list, I’m collecting royalties.”

And as the bus rolled on, Y/N leaned her head against the window and smiled at her phone. No texts yet.

But something told her she wouldn’t have to wait long.

JB9 Taglist: @lilfreakjez, @dasia21, @superanastasia1981, @gg-trini, @wickedfun9, @irishmanwhore

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happypotato48 · 4 months ago

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Recent GMMTV BL Shows, Passion vs Commercialization

Yee fucking Haw bitches I'm very bored and in need of something to write and as person who have complicated relationship with GMMTV and still can’t decide what to do with it, I'm gonna start talking mad shit and ramble for a bit of which recent shows feels like they have passion behind them and which recent show feels more like products to keep the BL engine rolling. this post gonna be unhinged, unkind and unbothered so if those are not you jam then.... Suck to be you!5555

Let start with a show that just finished airing, The Heart Killers. well well, Khun Phi Jojo kha i see what you were trying to do (mostly) despite this show lacks of good writing, or coherent plots and abysmally bad editing. i can tell that there are passions behind the screen of this mess of a show. most of the actors ate their roles and the casting are pitch perfecto. this show is in the middle on the Passion vs Commercialization line. there was effort and soul behind the wheels, but sadly the car was in a horrible shape and drive by a person who really seems to be running out of idea and is only here to churn out rushed products to be consume by ravenous hungry BL fans.

Next is Perfect 10 Liners a show by New Siwaj my soon to be senior and my trash fav?? director. as a We Are defender i have this weird and very fuck up relationship with this man cause omg this show is hot garbage 80% of the time. the first 8 EPs ForceBook arc was dumb, cliche and irritating to watch. then there PerthSanta next arc that was also kinda the same for the first half then somehow got kinda good at the end. and now with the current juniorMark with started off with a really interesting plot of the queer guy who is dealing with internalized homophobia finding a space in this BL bubble. this show feels like a souless cash grab BL made to fills the air time but somehow by the the virture of being so goddanm long some good ideas are leaking out of this stinky hole.

And now to the hardest one to talk about for me, Ossan's Love Thailand. I really want to love this show y'all, it's EarthMix in Oassan's Love ffs but so far, all i can think about this show is how much mid it is. the jokes are uneven some landed really well some were just straight up not funny. the biggest sin of this show is how much wasted potentially it is, it fails to capture the spirit of the original but it still inoffensive enough for me to not hate it. the passion and the love for the original are there but because of GMMTV unwillingness to commit, this show fallshort of being a great passion project and is kinda a modicare product of a show.

Ok i'm saving best for last, it's ThamePo Heart That Skips a Beat time! omg this show is so swoony and i can feel the passion for romance from behind the screen 50 kilos aways. this show has a better cinematography than most usually GMMTV shows and because of that the quietness and the atmosphere made room for the characters and the story to breath. the writings are great and the performances are good all around. i still have some doubt of whether or not the show would land in it themes of idol culture but even if it doesn't i still think this show passion for romance should be greatly appreciated. also, Jun is the best bitch boy third wheel and no matter what other people said i liked that we had a semi love triangle (i'm a trash rebel baby.)

#the heart killers #perfect 10 liners #ossan's love th #thamepo #thai bl #bl drama #dumb boy unhinged thoughts

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thebroccolination · 1 month ago

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THE EX-MORNING EPISODE 1 REVIEW (by key*!)

*das me

Okay, so I was very positively biased going into the first episode of "The Ex-Morning" due to my borderline religious adoration for KristSingto, but I had several pragmatic reasons to believe the first episode would be solid, too.

Let's list them!

1) It's KristSingto's comeback series, so GMMTV was always going to allocate some decent resources to the production.

2) The initial script concept was requested by Singto and crafted by Jojo and Aof, so it's an original work, which allows for a lot of creative freedom and flexibility for change along the way.

3) In 2024, filming was pushed back to allow the writing team time to rehaul the script and make sure it was its best. (Waa did the same thing for the script of "Be My Favorite," which is, as of now, still the best-written series I've seen from GMMTV.) Over three hundred (300!!!) BL series were produced in 2024, so I'm optimistic whenever a series I'm looking forward to (ThamePo, Ex-Morning, & Revamp) is allowed time to breathe in the writing stages.

4) In interviews and behind-the-scenes promotional materials, multiple actors in the cast talked about Lit being a collaborative director who worked with them to add layers to their characters so they were more dynamic and complex.

Essentially, I knew this wasn't a series slapped together on a conveyer belt. I knew it had a lot of talent behind it from the initial stages to the final day of filming, so I had high expectations.

Since the writing is almost always my highest priority with a series, let's look there first.

- THE WRITING -

Story structure can vary by culture, but generally, I think most audiences are looking for the following aspects:

1) Who's the story about? 2) What do they want? 3) How are they going to get it? 4) What's at risk if they don't get it?

Also: a character arc! Our protagonist should be markedly different at the end of the journey, so the first episode should be establishing a starting place for that character.

"Ex-Morning" checked all the boxes. This shouldn't be noteworthy at all, but sometimes I see a Thai BL series chugging along without several of them, so they're getting noted here. \o/

1) Who's the story about?: Pathapi, a weatherman with an idol-like following who falls out of public favor after tossing coffee on a coworker who interrupted his broadcast to annoy him on purpose.

2) What does he want?: He's been replaced by the coffee'd-up coworker and sued by a sponsor for marring his public image, so he wants his job back and his reputation cleared.

3) How is he going to get it?: Pathapi's ex-boyfriend Tamtawan has been summoned back to Thailand from Australia by Pathapi's boss to produce a new show intended to smooth over the damage. Pathapi does not want to work with him due to the as-yet unknown circumstances of their breakup, but he agrees after realizing he has no better alternatives.

4) What's at risk if he doesn't get it?: Death of his career and social ostracization.

- CHARACTER ARC(S) -

Like Krist's previous two BL roles Arthit ("SOTUS") and Kawi ("Be My Favorite"), Pathapi has an upward journey ahead of him from unlikable jerk to, presumably, beloved babygirl.

However! Where Arthit and Kawi are introduced as grumpy from the outset, "The Ex-Morning" introduces us to Pathapi in the past when he was an idealistic university student (asking people where they buy drugs). So when we jump ahead to the present, we're already endeared to him and the contrast between who he was and who he's become is stark.

Not only is his demeanor noticeably different, he's also inside and away from the sunlight which makes the impact of Tam's absence in his life all the more apparent.

No sun outside, either.

ALSO, Pathapi has my favorite protagonist thing going on: the inner conflict of want vs. need.

He wants his career back. He needs Tamtawan.

You can totally do a character arc with just a want, but I love when a character realizes in the midst of the story that their main objective has shifted. I loved it in "Be My Favorite" when Kawi realizes he's not in love with Pear, but Pisaeng, so he has to rehaul his whole plan. Also in "Peaceful Property" when Home realizes he wants his little found family over selling all of his family's cursed property and going back to the U.S. to live his cursed rich boy lifestyle. It's just a great narrative tool to show that the character doesn't actually know themselves very well, because once they do, their motivations change.

What's fun about Pathapi's case is that there's also a secondary need there, too. Because the career he has at the outset of the story is working as a handsome weatherman with sponsorships and a fanclub. But the career he wanted was as an investigative reporter who enacted real societal change. Losing Tamtawan seems to have broken his stride and sapped him of his movitation, leaving him coasting on his good looks and charm and living a soulless life in his cold, beautiful condo.

So Pathapi also needs his professional drive back, but he won't get that without Tamtawan in his corner again.

So he has a want and two needs, which makes him a super interesting protagonist.

But we also have a very intriguing character in Tamtawan as well.

In their university days, he does have hints of the sass we see when he's older, buuut he's much softer, too. What makes this interesting is that we know he's the one who ended things, and he doesn't say anything when Pathapi accuses him of treating him poorly, so that's a a big point of intrigue.

We don't know him very well yet since the show is mostly framed from Pathapi's perspective, but we do see one scene toward the end of the episode where it's shown that Yong, the head of the studio, is the one who called Tamtawan to come back to Thailand to help Pathapi.

As the series continues, it'll be very interesting to see what Tam's whole deal is. Given the amount of thought put into Pathapi's character, I'm confident we're going to get the same from Tamtawan's.

BREAK FOR:

Top Five Tam Moments

“Your trophy isn’t broken, but your laptop is.”

“I was just reading the news.”

“Your password is my number.”

“I’m rooting for you.”

“I’ve seen that often. No need to show it off.”

OKAY NOW:

- META -

There's so much, holy shit. I may have to wait until the series is properly finished to make a complete list, because people are still finding stuff a week after the episode aired.

Off the top of my head, though:

• Name meanings!

Tamtawan (ตามตะวัน) means "following the sun" which is a reference to Arthit from "SOTUS" whose name means "sun."

Pathapi (ปฐพี) means "Earth" which is a reference to Kongphob from "SOTUS" where the +phob means "world."

So basically, Krist's "Ex-Morning" character is a reference to Singto's "SOTUS" character, and vice versa.

• Fan culture

Krist's color is green (the turtle thing) so the signboards his fans take to events are green. So are Pathapi's.

• Probably the jewelry thing?

• Elements costume crossover:

I think both of these outfits are meant to mimic two of his "elemental" costumes from his Elements concert: earth and fire.

[sources: left, right]

Basically, Krist saw the Pixar movie "Elemental" with Gawin at one of those cinema events GMMTV does back in the summer of 2023 for "Be My Favorite" promo, and Krist was so captured by the movie's concept that he designed his two solo concerts in Bangkok capping off his Asia tour around it. It was the story of his life told by four elements, and it was a very emotional concert all around.

It meant a lot to him, so I think we'll probably see air and water represented in the series, too.

I mean…

[source]

Mmm, could be water, but I'm not convinced. It'll probably be a closer match like fire and earth above.

OH, and I also think Singto's outfit here was supposed to mimic his outfit during the PeBaCa corner of the concert:

[source]

Also, this could just be coincidence, but Singto's solo color is pink, so I thought this could be a nod to that.

There's so much to say about this episode, I can't get it all sorted in my head yet, so I'll settle with this for now.

FIVE STARS, NO NOTES \:D/

#krist perawat #singto prachaya #kristsingto #the ex morning #the ex morning meta #thai bl #thai ql

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mirai-e-jump · 10 months ago

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Animage October 2024 Issue Kamen Rider Gavv ft. Chinen Hidekazu & Sugihara Teruaki (translations below)

Publication: September 10, 2024

The Strange Sweets Kamen Rider

The 6th Reiwa Kamen Rider is the first ever to use a sweets motif! The cast and staff talk about the behind the scenes of the birth of the new hero who fascinates us with a gap between poppin visuals and its heavy filling!!

Having passed out due to hunger, Shouma, who comes from another world, was saved by a human boy named Hiroi Hajime. Shouma was in a difficult situation when he confronts the Granute, a monster who wants to kill Hajime, but when he "sets & eats" the familiar like creatures called Gochizo in the mouth on his stomach, he transforms into Kamen Rider Gavv and crushes the Granute. This was the beginning of Shouma's battle to protect humans.

The latest entry in the Kamen Rider series, "Kamen Rider Gavv" only just started in September. Despite the poppin imagery and visuals of sweets as its motif, this is a hard and serious drama that depicts the lonely battle of a young man named Shouma, who hides a grand past and mystery behind him.

This production features Takebe Naomi-san as the Producer, Sugihara-san as the pilot Director who determines the direction of the work, Komura Junko-san as Screenwriter, and Fujita Satoshi-san as Action Director, all of whom have worked on the Kamen Rider and Super Sentai series. In particular, Sugihara-san and Komura-san are the pair that gained attention for their work in "Kaitou Sentai Lupinranger VS Keisatsu Sentai Patranger" and the fans are expressing their expectations.

The story of a fierce battle between the sweets Kamen Rider and the Granute monsters has only just begun, so don't miss a moment of the birth of a new Kamen Rider legend! _

Chinen Hidekazu (Shouma)

The first transformation born from an extreme situation

-Supported by dependable friends and the Director-

"Please tell us your impression of the Kamen Rider series."

Chinen: For me, I've admired Kamen Riders since I was a child, and I love them so much that they're the first thing that comes to mind when people ask, "Who's your hero?" I've lived my whole life dreaming of becoming a Kamen Rider, so I was really happy when I was chosen to be Shouma.

"Are there any works that you find particularly memorable?"

Chinen: It's hard to pick a single work from my generation since I'm so attached to all of them, but……I think "Kamen Rider OOO" might be the one I was particularly enthusiastic about when watching. The dialogue between Hino Eiji and Ankh was interesting, and even as a child the ending made me think, so including its theme song, it's my favorite work. Lately however, I've been super into "Kamen Rider Den-O" (laughs). I'm watching it from the perspective of learning why it became so popular, but I also like Den-O because of Satoh Takeru's (who plays Nogami Ryotaro) amazing performance in which he plays multiple different personalities.

"What kind of person do you feel Shouma is?"

Chinen: I read the script so much that it felt like I was watching myself, as I thought that Shouma was so similar to me. We're very similar in the way that we're abit out of the loop, but also curious and get into the things that interest us. I was glued to the TV when I was a child, and I'd become so engrossed when watching it, that I couldn't even listen to what my mother was saying. However, I feel like I'm far removed from him in terms of his guts and inner strength, his desire to save people even at the risk of his own life, and his ability to fight the enemy. Playing the role of Shouma gives me energy and makes me aspire to be like him.

"We think another feature of this production is that right now, Shouma doesn't have a fixed place to stay, and that he comes into contact with a variety of people wherever he goes."

Chinen: I think alot of people are curious to see what happens next, as so far in Gavv, the story continues to be dominated by Shouma's easygoingness and the fact that we don't know what he's thinking. He seems to have a connection with Sachika-san, who he met in episode 2, so what happens to them in the future is a big point to watch out for!

"Please tell us your impressions of Sachika and the person who plays her, Miyabe Nozomi-san."

Chinen: Miyabe-san is a very refined person, so when we first met at script reading, I was shocked and said, "This person's gonna be a gyaru?!" (laughs). One of the things I like about Miyabe-san is that her mannerisms show the quality of her upbringing, but the more we talked, she really started to look like a gyaru, and I felt that performing together with her was amazing. Sachika-san leaves a strong impression of being a gyaru, but on the inside, she's a stable girl who's able to understand the feelings of others. Seeing her say with a refreshing smile, "I think it's good for everyone to be happy," Shouma respects her and thinks, "She's such a wonderful person" and "I want to be like her," almost like she's the embodiment of peace. When I read the script, I always feel supported and say, "Sachika-san, thank you."

"Shouma's brother sister like relationship with her is also very interesting."

Chinen: Director Sugihara Teruaki said to me, "It's like a dog and his owner" (laughs). Still, I think that Sachika-san's all encompassing kindness, and Shouma's simple mindedness are a great combination, and we're also playing the roles with confidence.

"He's yet to interact with Shouma, but we think the role Hanto plays will also be another highlight to look forward to."

Chinen: In some ways, Hanto is also easygoing, but he's the compassionate, hot blooded type, and he too lives by carrying something on his back. I hope you'll look forward to seeing how Shouma and Hanto, who are completely different types of people, interact with each other and what they'll think of each other in their first meeting. Hino Yusuke-kun, who plays Hanto, is the mood maker who makes the set feel relaxed, which is a gap between him and Hanto, but I feel that we're similar in our passion for the production and performance, and the way we put our all into something. To me, Hino-kun is a rival but also like a reliable big brother, and we often consult with each other and visit each other's houses (laughs).

"What were your impressions of Director Sugihara, who also directed the first two episodes as the pilot Director?"

Chinen: As I had no experience in acting, Director Sugihara is a respected teacher who taught me how to perform from the ground up, including how to read the script, and he's like a father figure from Tokyo. He understands each actor's personality and gives them advice accordingly, and he's an amazing person who draws out our potential, so every time I'm on set, I feel happy to film under Director Sugihara. He's a Director I really love.

"Before filming, it seems that you and the Director practiced vocalization together."

Chinen: Yes, even before I could act, my voice wouldn't come out (laughs). I'm really grateful that he took time out of his busy schedule to watch me one on one, and it was an important turning point that led to something changing in me. I want to grow so that people will feel that I'll have changed over the coming year, and one of my goals is to give an inspiring performance that'll be recognized by Director Sugihara with, "You gave it your all."

-Aiming to be as cool as Nawata-san-

"Kamen Rider Gavv, who Shouma transforms into, has a motif based on gummies and other sweets."

Chinen: When I saw the illustration depicted in the proposal, I thought it was incredibly simple, however, my opinion changed when I saw it in person. The armor on the chest and shoulders have a gradient so that it shines beautifully when light hits it, and there's a playful gimmick where a squishy dent will form when it's pressed, so a bunch of detail has been carefully put into it. I'm now so attached to it, that I can't think of anyone else but Gavv. Personally, what I want you to pay attention to the most are the feet. The feet are actually clawed, and this slightly animal like aspect is an important element of the show, so I'd be happy if you make sure to pay attention to the feet as well.

"What's your impression of Nawata Yuya-san, Gavv's Suit Actor?"

Chinen: Nawata-san is an actor who I shape Shouma together with, and he's an indispensable person to me, as I'm able to talk to him about problems that I can't talk about with the other cast members or the Director. He also taught me about acting, like how to create the mood and how to read the script. I'm grateful to Nawata-san's action, as I think Gavv's appeal has tripled, and I feel like the show itself has also become more brilliant.

"Does that also get you enthusiastic about the post transformation dub recording?"

Chinen: That's right. The recording process is more difficult than normal acting because you have to use only your voice to express your emotions and fight scenes in accordance with the footage. In episodes 1 and 2, I had to rerecord so many times that I lost the strength in my voice, and it took twice as long as the planned time (bitter smile). As well as the performances of my seniors in the Kamen Rider series, I also studied the game "Street Fighter" based on the advice of Director Sugihara, and now I feel like I'm getting by. I'll work more diligently to make Nawata-san's performance 120% more appealing with my voice performance, and to become a Shouma who's just as cool after his transformation into Gavv.

"One of the real thrills of the Kamen Rider series are the transformation scenes, but how did you create the pose?"

Chinen: The transformation pose was decided through a discussion between myself, Action Director Fujita Satoshi, Director Sugihara, and Nawata-san. It's a movement that involves rotating your arm, but the final version, which we created after discussing the angles and timing with everyone to make sure it looked cool and appealing, is the transformation pose used in episode 2. Depending on the story, he could transform quickly, so I hope people watch the way he changes based on the situation.

"In the episodes up to this point, the action leading up to the first transformation in the first episode is a scene that can't be ignored when talking about Shouma. There was some action involving wires, and we were also impressed by his performance as he was gradually being cornered by the Granute."

Chinen: That scene was prepared weeks before the shoot, as Director Sugihara and Action Director Fujita came up with a really cool direction. The scene where Shouma is beaten was especially important to give depth to the reason for his transformation, as it took two days to film. In the end, it was in the most extreme situation I had ever experienced in my life, my performance came out unconsciously, and I was complemented with, "Your facial expressions were very good." I could've never done it on my own, the scene was made possible by the advice of Director Sugihara and Nawata-san, who worked beside me, and by all the staff members who created an environment that allowed me to concentrate on my performance.

"It makes us want to go back and pay attention to the expressions on your face. Finally, please tell us your goals throughout filming of Kamen Rider Gavv."

Chinen: I'd like to learn alot about action from Action Director Fujita, Nawata-san and everyone else on the Action Team, and I'd like to improve my acting skills. I've never been in an environment where I could spend an entire year with people who are so good at captivating others, and I don't think it'll ever happen again in the future. I hope to make full use of this experience so that in the next year, I can be an actor who can do it all, from acting to action and recording, so I'll do my best to do what's in front me!

Director Sugihara Teruaki

The vibrant world Shouma comes across

-A dark story with colorful visuals-

"When did you first hear that you'd be the pilot Director?"

Sugihara: I'm pretty sure it was around last Fall, when I was working on the drama, "Tokyo MPD: From Zero to Hero," I received a phone call from Producer Takebe Naomi-san who said, "I'd like to meet and talk with you at once." I heard from a separate matter that Takebe-san would be in charge of the next Kamen Rider, and at the time, I thought I was going to be the second Director, but when I met her, she said, "You're the pilot Director." (laughs).

"At the stage when Director Sugihara joined, how much of the content in the show was decided on?"

Sugihara: Aside from the sweets and monsters motif, we'd yet to decide on the content of the story and the personalities and relationships of the characters. In the beginning, we were a small group consisting of the Producer team's Takebe-san and Takishima Minami-san, Screenwriter Komura Junko-san, and myself. Our three parties worked out the content by sharing ideas from our respective perspectives.

"What specific ideas did Director Sugihara have in mind? Personally, we felt that the visuals of the characters, including their costumes, incorporated the Director's ideas."

Sugihara: You can assume that I'm basically in charge of visual aspects like the impression and fashion. For Shouma's fashion in particular, during the rather early stages, I'd draw an illustration and say, "How about something like this?," and I'd have them look at it while I created his character.

"Not just Shouma's clothes, but also the interior of Hapipare is rich in color, so much so that it's unusual for the Kamen Rider series."

Sugihara: I told artist Fukuzawa Katsuhiro that I wanted to make the visuals as bright and pop as much as possible. Kamen Rider Gavv itself isn't meant to be a continuation of the "ism" seen in the first generation of Kamen Rider, but it includes themes like family conflict and Shouma's sad separation from his mother, so the content is heavy. Because of this, we made the impression of the colors vivid, and were careful to not make them too dark. Moreover, being in the human world for the first time, Shouma's a kid who's impressed by everything he sees, so I was conscious of the world captured from Shouma's point of view and to use rather flashy colors. Conversely, the Granute World and Stomach Family use muted colors, or to just say it outright, they have dirty colors.

"What do you value in your expression of Shouma, the main character?"

Sugihara: I wanted to depict Shouma as a pure kid, someone who suddenly comes to the human world and finds everything he sees as fresh. On the inside, he's not much different from Hajime, who he first meets in the human world, in fact, he's much more of a child than that kid. So he ponders over what he's been told, hurt by the casual mention of "monster" and afraid of hurting others, he's unable to be together with someone else, so he leaves Hajime and Sachika and goes elsewhere. However, I didn't want to make it too dark, so it was hard to depict (laughs). While he carries a dark side, I want him to be a kid who's always smiling when he's with someone, even if he has to force himself to smile.

"This Shouma is beautifully embodied by Chinen Hidekazu-san."

Sugihara: The best thing about Chinen-kun is that he looks great on camera. That's the kind of talent an actor has. Also, the expressions on his face when he eats are really good. Even though he's eating food he usually sees all the time, he eats it like it's a delicacy, looking as if he's eating something he's never seen before and is impressed. In that sense, I think he was the right choice to play Shouma. Still, since this is roughly his first performance, he had to start from a place where he couldn't express his emotions properly, and to begin with, he couldn't even vocalize. I had Chinen-kun stand on one end of Toei's rooftop, and I stood on the opposite end and had him deliver his lines. I gave him relentless acting instruction from the very beginning (laughs). Filming started earlier than usual, so we've already shot several episodes, and I feel that he can now stand proudly in front of the camera as Shouma. With each episode his performance and facial expressions are getting better and better. I have high expectations for his growth over the next year.

-Dedicated action that make the most of the motif-

"We felt that the vibes of Gavv's everyday scenes were different from that of previous Kamen Rider series, but was there anything you were conscious of in your direction?"

Sugihara: In my mind, I had a bright, pop like feeling, but during filming, Chinen-kun……it was important to me how to capture Shouma and the human world from his point of view. I may have only been thinking, "How can I get a good shot of him?"

"In that sense, it's interesting to think that the entire production is being pulled along by Shouma and Chinen-san."

Sugihara: That's right. This is especially true for the first episode, as the story unfolds from Shouma's point of view, so I was conscious of the fact that I wanted to bring the viewers perspective as close as possible to Shouma's.

"Despite the battle scenes also having a fancy sweets motif, from the very first episode, we were taken back by the intense physical battle depicted between Gavv and the Granute."

Sugihara: I'm pretty sure it was Action Director Fujita Satoshi who put out the idea of a serious fistfight at a container warehouse, and with sword fighting in a narrow space. We specified the colors and placement of the containers, and asked the people on location to arrange them accordingly. From there, Fujita and I talked in detail about the composition of the action, and we put it together by discussing the angles while adding in our own ideas as we filmed on site.

"We heard that you and Fujita-san worked closely together to create this."

Sugihara: I also like action quite abit, so I tell Fujita various things like, "Do this sort of thing." Naturally, Fujita has alot of things he wants to do as well, so the two of us are working together to come up with ideas for action sequences and angles.

"Including Gavv's own actions, the way he fights while "eating" the Gochizo is unique."

Sugihara: It was decided in advance that the transformation items Gochizo would appear alot like that of "Pikmin" and "Minions," so I thought it'd be better to use alot of them. Because of that, when Gavv takes damage, his armor breaks and he'll eat the Gochizo one after another……we're calling it "follow up sweets," and I think it'd be interesting to keep changing sweets and repair them as he fights.

"The standard Poppingummy Form has flexible armor, while Zakuzakuchips Form's sword weapon can easily break depending on how it's used, and the use of sweets as a motif was also visually enjoyable."

Sugihara: Inspiration for the action comes from discussions that are almost like casual conversations. I thought about how things like thin baked snacks such as potato chips might be weak to side attacks (laughs). Also, unlike other Kamen Riders, we don't use bullet impacts on Gavv when we depict him being hit (mechanism that detonates gunpowder that's attached to the performer). In his setup, the armor is derived from sweets generated by his own body, so we tried to create the effect of small bead like things flying around him. During filming, we've been throwing beads into the air from the side of the camera. In that sense, it may have a new visual feel.

"What scenes from episodes 1 and 2 were particularly powerful?"

Sugihara: In terms of taking the most time, I'd say it was before the transformation in the first episode. When I was thinking about Shouma's human image, Takebe-san said, "I don't want him to be a hero who fights just because he has powers." You don't fight just because you have the power to become a Kamen Rider, there's a will to fight, and that's where the power comes in. I wanted to create an image of a hero who's able to transform into Gavv because it's Shouma. Since the time of the script meeting, we had talked about how we wanted to portray a different kind of strength from that of the everyday Shouma, who keeps going despite being beaten up by someone he can't even stand up to. On set, Chinen-kun and I worked together to find out why Shouma was feeling that way, and we worked on his facial expressions and gestures one by one, and I was quite persistent throughout filming. We were supposed to film the transformation scene in one day, but we took too long and didn't get to the transformation, so I had to apologize to the staff (laughs).

"Finally, please tell us your enthusiasm for the future."

Sugihara: Honestly, I have no idea how Kamen Rider Gavv will conclude a year from now, but I want to make a show that'll make people who watched it think, "Gavv was interesting." For this reason, I'd also like to delve deeper into Shouma and Hanto, and Sachika and the others characters, and to make each of them appealing. I'm sure that Komura-san will come up with some great developments (laughs), and for my part, I hope that I can take advantage of that, and as the pilot Director for the first time in a long time, to create images that people watching in their living rooms have never seen before.

#kamen rider gavv #kamen rider #chinen hidekazu #hidekazu chinen #shouma stomach #shouma inoue #inoue shouma #inoue shoma #my scans #my translation #animage #hanto karakida #karakida hanto #sachika amane #amane sachika #tokusatsu #toku cast #interview

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the-menace-in-pink · 7 months ago

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The Phantom Troupe auditioning for Romeo and Juliet (chaotic headcanons)

Letting these rascals live up to their theater kids fantasies… how bad can it get? 💀

Chrollo: He wants to be Juliet AND Romeo because he believes he’s got a deep understanding of both characters on a level no one else does, and he gets cast as neither. He ends up getting Prince Escalus’ role as the director thought Chrollo had the regal and commanding look for that.

Machi: She doesn’t bother auditioning—clearly not a big fan of the play. But the casting director is very adamant about her being the perfect Tybalt.

Pakunoda: Gets cast as Lady Capulet, Juliet’s mom, after so many people insisted she was so ‘mother’. Casting director said bring me the mother in question!!!!

Feitan: He wanted Tybalt’s role so badly but got everyone thinking ‘Damn, even Tybalt isn’t that much of a demon.’ No. Surprisingly nailed the Nurse’s role??? And no one in the Troupe is letting him live that one down.

Shalnark: Everyone thought his boyish and mediator (lmao) vibes were 100% Benvolio. Surprisingly he did very well, but kept cracking up every now and then during rehearsals—to the point Machi almost stabbed him fr during the early Benvolio vs Tybalt show off. No one knows how she snuck that sword on stage. Props staff had to make sure the rest of the weapons were fake.

Phinks: Was in competition with Feitan over Tybalt’s role even though he secretly wanted to be Romeo. Almost became Tybalt if not for Machi. He gets to play Count Paris ultimately. Hated the role but eh.

Nobunaga: Lord Capulet your honor, and Shalnark couldn’t resist making comments about him looking like the perfect ‘distinguished-but-not-so-much middle aged man’ for that role. But he was one of the most convincing on stage!

Kortopi: Wanted no part in it. Absolutely none. Got eventually cast as Peter and even that was too much for him.

Shizuku: Casting director wanted her to be Juliet but she couldn’t remember any line for crying out loud. She let out a very rare laugh over reading R&J’s first ever flirting sene. Also deadpans ‘Why must I say Romeo so many times in one sentence? Was Juliet summoning a demon?’ ‘This sounds so bad. They’ve known each other for 2 hours, why is she asking him to get disowned?’ She ended up walking out of the play, and bringing confettis with her to cheer on the others during rehearsals. The Critic no one asked for (Kept pointing out their mistakes all thorough and shouting/whispering every characters’ respective lines to fumbling actors. So much for not being able to remember her parts—)

Uvogin: Got Mercutio’s role a bit too easily. Was proud of himself until he got absolutely livid after finding out he’s gotta die in the play, by Machi’s hands no less! Each time he took a bit too long to give it up, drew out his last lines in the most dramatic ways possible. But audience loved it.

Franklin: Friar Laurence excellence. Pretty much the only person besides Pakunoda who didn’t make much fuss, although him having to stick around as Romeo and Juliet turned to sleeping beauties had him stand like 🧍‍♂️ ‘I thought that was supposed to be the greatest love story of all times?’

Bonolenov: Acted unbothered but begged the director to let him be one of the musicians during the ballroom scene instead. He got in a few nights just fine before some fussing spectators and sponsors inquired about why a mummy was on stage during R&J’s most iconic scenes, and if that was supposed to be a Halloween rendition or something.

Hisoka: You can bet he acted his arse out thinking he could bring a brand new flavor to Romeo. He’d have LOVED having to act it out with Chrollo as Juliet lmao, especially if the decors and stage burned down as the two ended up more busy aiming props and unlucky spectators at each other than acting.

All in all, the ones who got no roles: Shizuku (hates her character and can’t remember her lines), Hisoka (self-explanatory).

Members who got kicked out after a few performances: Bonolenov (stood out too much), Phinks (got out of character by bickering way too often with Feitan, made people think Count Paris was into the Nurse), Machi (she took her Tybalt era a bit too seriously), Chrollo (he kept trying to steal the spotlight like sir YOU’RE A SECOND ROLE SIT DOWN).

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ingravinoveritas · 2 months ago

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Interesting, is it not, that the Romeo and Juliet photos with the most chemistry are the ones with his male co-stars?

Hi, Anon! This is in reference to this post, for anyone who hasn't seen it, featuring production photos of David when he was in the RSC staging of Romeo & Juliet in 2000.

Your observation that the R&J photos where David has the most chemistry are with his male costars is indeed interesting...but also not surprising. Well, let's first take a look at a few particular photos that stood out:

When I say that it's not surprising, it's because we don't have to look any further than David himself, who wrote an entire essay about this production in 2005. From his words, the chemistry and homoerotic undertones to Romeo and the male characters' relationships--especially Romeo and Mercutio (Adrian Schiller, in the first picture)--were absolutely intentional:

"It certainly seems from the text of the play that Mercutio doesn't entirely applaud Romeo's interest in girls. He bombards Romeo with criticism and lewd innuendo about his mooning after Rosaline. Adrian Schiller (playing Mercutio) felt sure that this endless vitriol must be based on something more than locker room horseplay and that the character's fury must stem from a feeling, however subconscious, of sexual jealousy and betrayal. We had no trouble finding this in the playing of the scenes. "

There are many factors that go into the staging of a play--what the director wants/envisions, how/where the play is set (i.e., a conventional/traditional staging vs. a more contemporary one), and how the actors interpret the characters and their relationship to each other. Shakespearean plays in particular are (in my opinion, at least) always a tug-of-war between conveying the author's intended meaning--even references that are narrowly specific to the Elizabethan era--and a larger and more timeless universal message that speaks to a modern audience.

Romeo & Juliet is a play that has had tremendous resonance and countless adaptations over the centuries. (The play itself is an adaptation of the story of Pyramus & Thisbe, originally penned by Ovid.) We can look at those different adaptations and see what each cast/crew brought that others didn't...and it seems clear that David made a purposeful choice to highlight the queer/homoerotic subtext between Romeo and Mercutio.

This also seems to be the starting point for David revisiting these themes throughout various other Shakespeare plays in which he has acted, in ways both subtle (Benedick in Much Ado; Hamlet) and more overt. In particular, his deliberate choice to play Richard II as androgynous and his idea to have Richard and Bolingbroke passionately kiss during one moment in the play. And again, all those factors mentioned above are still pertinent, but we can start to see a pattern in David's readings of these plays that is unique and specific to him.

Which finally brings me to one other line in the above-mentioned essay, still talking about the relationship between Romeo and Mercutio (bold emphasis mine):

"The further Romeo moves away from his 'childhood' friends into the grown-up world of heterosexual desire, the more Mercutio rages and the less Romeo is affected by him."

Almost immediately, I was struck by that line--"The grown-up world of heterosexual desire." Especially in the context of the homosexual undertone of this production of Romeo & Juliet. As we've said, what goes into the staging of a play involves many different factors, but a clear one in this case is David's reading of it/collaboration with another actor. In addition, many actors bring elements of lived experience to their roles, and that made me think of what David experienced when it came to gay relationships and growing up in the 1980s.

In most (if not all cases), gay relationships on television or in movies in the '80s/'90s were shown as tragedies--something that was sinful, unhealthy, and (more often than not) ended in death. This is where the "Bury your gays" trope in media comes from, as such plot lines sadly became so common over time. Another trope that (at least in my estimation) was less common but still present is the idea of queer people "experimenting" in childhood but ultimately having to give up those relationships/hide those feelings when they grew up, in favor of doing what was "expected" instead.

What both of those things mean is that David (and so many others) had no model or picture of a healthy gay relationship in adulthood to look to--to see as something that he could potentially have. Because it did not exist, and never could. So it became this thing that was relegated to childhood--that same-sex attractions are immature and something you grow out of/leave behind for a "real" (straight) relationship--essentially the concept we know now as compulsory heterosexuality (or "comphet").

It sounds so patently absurd to us in 2025 that it's almost impossible to imagine...but this is the world David grew up in. These are the messages that he internalized. And the heartbreaking and long-lasting effect of that on him seems borne out and clear as day in his writing of this essay, and in how he came to view the relationship between Romeo and Mercutio.

So yes, going back to your question, it is interesting to see that chemistry, and when we look at everything surrounding it, the pieces very much start to come together. It's been 20 years since David wrote that essay, and I just wonder if, given time and the shifting attitudes in society, perhaps he is able to see things differently now. For his sake, I hope so...

#anonymous #reply post #david tennant #soft scottish hipster gigolo #romeo and juliet #homoeroticism #william shakespeare #adrian schiller #RSC #David is a brilliant actor #especially when it comes to Shakespeare #so it was fascinating to read that essay #things to think about #the parallels are paralleling #subtext that is rapidly becoming a text #what we once were informs all that we have become #thoughts #discourse

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polkasharks · 6 months ago

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ITS FINALLY FINISHED GODDDDDD !!!!!!!FINALLY TOOK THE TIME TO DRAW OUT MY BLUE TEAM FACECANONS ALL AT ONCE….. all in one sitting !! ^_^ 7 hours of work help me help me. Red team (including Doc ofc) + Carolina will come at some point…. I’ll prob make another separate sheet for the freelancers and another for the Chorus cast !! ANYWAY See below for some notes/explanations and shtuff :3

Alpha and Epsilon— No huge differences, I gave Epsilon curlier hair and facial hair closer to the Director’s because Alpha’s body is intended to be Private Jimmy which I have a whole different ramble prepared for that but I will spare everyone. Just wanted to set them apart in hair texture mostly ! Also Alpha looks significantly more repressed to me and that’s deliberate. Virgin Alpha vs Chad Epsilon. Anyways moving on

Tucker— OKAYYY OKAY my work for him here is my favorite :3 I’m biased incredibly but. Cough. Anyways. I like glasses Tucker I’m shameless about it. Honestly my three designs for him are all just amalgamations of my favorite things I see in fanon… also I did NOT forget to add his lenses in his second design that was deliberate because I think it’d be cool if all the alien biz fixed his eyes and he just popped the lenses out because he wasn’t ready to let go of them yet. 110% not projecting trust (lie) Also for the Chorus trilogy I did wanna make a point of him looking a lot more tired and fed up with shit becsuse!!! Damn !!! He is !!!! But yeah everythingb else is pretty standard in fanon … metrosexual good looks 😝!!!!

Caboose— Weirdly enough I had the most trouble w/ Caboose ? I wanted him to initially (as in during bgc) look pretty simple and standard and over time kinda grow into himself more I suppose …. I have yet to fully work on my red team hcs but its funny because my Donut and my Caboose share that in common big time. Chorus trilogy mini ponytail was a necessity I forever fuck with mullet Caboose honestly I just didn’t feel like expressing thag properly.

Washington— Wash … my everything….. wow…. He is not a white guy to me shrugs. During PFL I imagine he was never caught lacking roots wise His shit was prob so fucking fried 😭😭PUT THE BLEACH DOWN!!!!!!! Recovery One and allllll the Meta bullshite and stuffs obviously he stops giving a fuck about his appearance in general and keeps up just enough with cutting his hair for it to be convenient. Redemption Wash is pretty self explanatory he’s graying he’s tired he’s the happiest and the most miserable he’s ever been all at the same time he’s trying his best and its ok Also his scar is fading it’s not as noticeable as I wanted it to be but I didn’t feel like adjusting.

Kai— I literally just had fun with her😭😭 I was so close to abandoning this by the time I started working on her I just needed to have fun. I think she’d appreciate that sentiment . Decided to go with long hair AND short hair bc I love Kai both ways and didn’t wanna just pick one also I just think it’s silly that instead of growing it Out from a regulation cut she chops it all off lol.

Tex— gggguhhh Texas save meeee Texassss….. wanted her to look like Allison of course just sharper and rougher around the edges. I didn’t feel like including a second vers at this point when I could just share my vision here but I like the thought of her second incarnation coming back with black hair instead

Side note because my style doesn’t rlly allow for it LOL.. I could’ve made it work just didn’t feel like it— I imagine Alpha is also set aside from Epsilon in that his eyes are brown; not the Director’s green. Tex as well lacks Allison’s blue eyes and instead has completely black !

Also you may notice some overlap in coloring ignore thaaaatttt thanks 😇💜

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markantonys · 3 months ago

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Rand telling Mo she's the only one who's never left him is telling me doorway is happening asap

yeah, once i recovered from the initial surprise of moiraine not biting it in 3x08 and thought about it more, i came down on the side of thinking that it's still happening but just next season instead. and i mean, i get it - moiraine's death (or "death", unsure if it will still be doorway-ing or just straight-up death; in the doorway-ing's favor, mat had his missing eye foreshadowing and his later finn trip lends narrative importance to his earlier ones, but in real death's favor, rafe's comments on moiraine & siuan still getting an endgame makes me lean towards the show ending with them both dead but hanging out in TAR as heroes together and/or dead but finding each other in their next lives) anyway, moiraine's Exit From The Stage will have to be a HUGE scene in the show, and there just wasn't the time for it in this episode, not to mention it would've taken away from rand's alcair dal moment if he'd had to switch gears into realizing moiraine was dead and grieving her and that was his final season note instead.

anyway! i saw in a recent shohreh interview that when she was discussing her casting story and fans originally wanting her for cadsuane, she said the casting director mentioned to her that cadsuane won't be arriving in the show for "another year [season?] or two", which tells me that a) they are planning for cadsuane to appear (the namedrops also support this) and b) they are planning for her to appear circa s4 or 5, which in turn tells me that moiraine will probably be exiting in s4 so that cadsuane can come in to claim the vacant advisor role. but we will see!

(also, i just realized...........3x08 rand saying moiraine's the only one who's NEVER left him vs. 1x07 rand saying egwene's the only one who's EVER left him...............certainly an increase in his Abandonment Issues over time. how's your mental health doing there buddy?)

#anonymous #answered #wot book spoilers #wot show spoilers

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localcuttlefish · 1 year ago

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A Theoretical Lore Bible of Caesar’s Legion as a Nation

Hello good citizens of Tumblr! I’ve been on a Fallout: New Vegas kick lately, and I recently graduated college with a bachelors degree (major illustration, minor history of art and western civilization). So now that I’m certified to draw dick AND talk about Ancient Rome, I have things to yap about.

Have you ever looked at Caesar’s Legion and wondered how the more intricate aspects of their society model after the Roman Empire? Because I have! And because of those very musings, I have come up with a little dumb idiot theoretical lore Bible on how The Legion might function as a more developed nation, using my back knowledge of western civ and Roman art and culture. Nomenclature, societal structure, industries, imports and exports, the whole nine yards!

DISCLAIMERS: I have not looked through the writers’/directors’ social media accounts thoroughly enough yet to confirm if any of the information I’m bringing to the table is already solidly canonical or solidly non-canonical in the lore of Fallout: New Vegas. There is a nonzero chance I may say something that someone in charge has already said, or something that’s already been disproven or denied. If you catch something I don’t, let me know! I like worldbuilding for fun like this, and I want to keep everything as lore-cohesive as possible to challenge myself. I’ll come back to edit this every now and then if I come up with more cohesive lore pieces, or if you guys have any suggestions that would tie in the lore better. In addition, Caesar’s Legion is an inherently totalitarian nation that supports itself on some pretty sexist and bigoted social structures. There is no universe in which I support, condone, or otherwise encourage any of the ideologies of Caesar’s Legion in real life. Don’t become a tyrant dictator of a military slave nation, kids!

CONTENT WARNINGS: Discussion of slavery, sexism, physical and verbal violence, unsafe medical practices, brainwashing/psychological abuse, and death.

Without further ado, the absolute wall of text that is the theoretical lore Bible of Caesar’s Legion. Enjoyyyyy!!

CHAPTERS:

I: Citizenship

- How To Become a Citizen

- Social Castes

- Names

II: Everyday Life

- Common Social Customs

- Household Structure

- Settlement/Town Structure

- Clothing, Hair, and Accessories

- Languages

III: Industry

- Jobs

- Imports and Exports

IV: Politics, Education, and Religion

- What Senate?

- In The Unlikely Event of a Transfer of Power

- Common Political Beliefs

- Male vs Female Education Standards

Walk and talk with me about the ways The Legion mirrors, juxtaposes, and takes inspiration from Ancient Roman society in a post-apocalyptic setting.

The first time I encountered Caesar’s Legion in game, my initial thought was “What about the American West makes these people think this is the perfect spot to reinvent Italy?” it’s a barren, land-locked desert with only one or two significant water access points. Italy is a peninsula in a temperate climate with high mountain ranges and verdant forests. Most of this was a jokey thought, but then it struck me that a phalanx would actually be an insanely powerful force in a flat landscape. It all started coming together from there in a most dreadful shape

I: Citizenship

- How to Become a Citizen

Caesar’s Legion is a colonialist nation. They gain land through conquest, typically, and have a tendency to try and homogenize the culture to their liking. Generally speaking, after a town has been conquered, people who willingly surrender or submit to The Legion are given an opportunity for citizenship. Any survivors of conquest that aren’t willing to surrender are either executed or sold into slavery. Slaves are not considered citizens, because the rights and freedoms of a slave do not reflect the rights and freedoms that The Legion offers to those who can be put to better use or are complacent with the mission of The Legion.

Once one is offered a chance for citizenship, the highest ranking general in whatever battalion just took over that person’s land will evaluate if the person can be put to work, put on the battlefield, or is generally useless. Remember, an offer isn’t a guarantee. There is a chance someone who is offered citizenship may be evaluated as useless and sold into slavery regardless of their complacency. Protesting the verdict typically increases the chance of spontaneously being executed, or, if one doesn’t like their proposed role of worker or soldier, being demoted from potential citizen to slave.

If the general regards one as fit to work or fit for the battlefield, these “half-citizens” (media populi for plural, and media persona for singular) will be assigned a new legal name after a record of all new media populi is sent from the general to the regional Vilicus (overseer ;) we’ll elaborate more on this in chapter II), and given the task of minimum 400 hours of what we would understand as “community service” before the Vilicus confirms their citizenship. This “community service” is called pentimento, or repentance. It’s a form of brainwashing in which The Legion is in a position to repeatedly reaffirm that the media persona has more value here helping The Legion than they ever did as a free settler in New Vegas before, and instills dynamics that empower and encourage violence against people of “lower status” (slaves and women, usually). Kinda like a Stanford Prison Experiment that’s purposely designed to cause power dynamics instead of accidentally stumbling to the conclusion. Pentimento may include anything from helping re-pave and clear trade routes in Legion territory, to catching runaway slaves. Each media persona is given a number of tasks to complete per month, and each failed task results in more hours being added onto the total pentimento before citizenship is granted. The number of initial hours of pentimento a media persona needs to do may vary depending on the whims of the Vilicus, how much they resisted Legion control in the past, how many tasks of pentimento they leave incomplete per month, and whether they are masculine or feminine presenting, but is never less than 400 to start. Most media populi end up with starting numbers in the 600s or 700s.

Once the pentimento hours are complete and approved by the Vilicus, the media persona becomes a citizen and is expected to continue the service to the growing empire through either the trade they work in, or through service in the army. However, there is a several-month-long window of time in which spies occasionally visit the new citizens’ homes to monitor them for suspicious activity. In this window of time, spies may be looking for signs that indicate the new citizen is an agent from a rival faction sent to infiltrate The Legion. Only high-ranking officials know about this window. One can lose their citizenship and be returned back to status of media persona if they show suspicious behavior during this time, or worse, be demoted from citizen to slave. In cases where there is undeniable evidence that a new citizen is an agent for a rival faction, the citizen is immediately put to death, and their citizenship is revoked (though revoking the citizenship of someone being put to death is a little redundant).

A baby born into a family of two Legion citizens is automatically also a citizen, and must be given a name in line with Legion naming conventions (which will be discussed next segment). A baby born into a family in which the mother is not a citizen and the father is a citizen will also be considered a citizen. A baby born into a family in which the mother is a citizen and the father is not a citizen will not be considered a citizen at birth. A baby born to a family of two media populi or two slaves will not be considered a citizen at birth.

A person who willingly enters Legion territory and requests citizenship will follow the same steps as how a person from a conquered land would be evaluated for citizenship.

- Social Castes

Social Castes in Caesar’s Legion are determined by how useful one is to the empire, and whether one is male or female. The more sexist aspects of the caste system stem from the fact that women in The Legion can’t serve in the military, and the military is a notably higher status than most other castes since Caesar’s Legion is a military state.

Of course, Caesar is the highest on the social pyramid, followed by his chosen officials (take Lanius for example), then chosen guards (praetorian guard). The military comes next, with the social hierarchy of the military following that which was established in the Roman Empire in the early establishment of Caligula’s reign. After that, religious officials (which act as pseudo-indoctrinators into The Legion, and therefore are pretty essential to brainwashing the next generation of Legionnaires). Then, the Vilici, the overseers of each region/settlement. Next, the average male citizen and then, the average female citizen. Media populi come next, and following that social caste is performers (which serve very little purpose in the eyes of Caesar and the goal of conquest), with male performers having marginally more respect among the populous than female performers. Second to last is slaves, once again with males being just a little more respected than females, but what does that matter when both are going to be abused by the upper castes anyways. At the very bottom of the social ladder is outsiders and criminals, which need to be broken before earning even a sliver of humanity in the eyes of The Legion.

Caesar > Chosen Officials > Chosen Guard > Military (with sub-hierarchy of Ancient Roman military) > Religious Officials > Vilici > Average Citizen > Media Populi > Performers > Slaves > Outsiders and Criminals

- Names

The average citizen in Legion territory wouldn’t need to immediately use their new assigned name (since there’s not enough force immediately available to actually push that, the nation is still growing), but The Legion will give them a “legal” name that they’ll be addressed by formally, and in the best case scenario, the original name will be effectively waned out because it simply doesn’t matter in comparison to the new one.

A praenomen acts effectively as a first name one uses around close friends and family, while a nomen (while acting as a last name) becomes what one is more commonly known by in public. The average citizen will usually have a nomen at least, and a male citizen will have a praenomen and nomen.

- MASCULINE: A classical Latin praenomen will be assigned equivalent to the meaning or phonetics of the new citizen’s first name. The nomen will be determined based on either phonetic/meaning equivalent of the last name, or based on the new citizen’s occupation.

- FEMININE: No praenomen will be assigned. The citizen’s title will be a feminized variation of their father’s nomen, differentiated in generation by number nomenclature (Major, Minor, Tertia, etc). If they have no father, they will assume the feminized nomen of a living male partner that is already a Legion citizen. If they have no living Legion family, they will be assigned the name “Romana” and likely be either sold into slavery or auctioned to a bachelor to gain a proper nomen.

For example: Marcus Gaius has two daughters. The eldest daughter is Gaia Major. The youngest daughter is Gaia Minor. Gaia Minor meets Decimus Junius, and they get married. Now Gaia Minor is named Junia. Gaia Major remains unchanged.

Legion soldiers have more dignity in society, and therefore have all the previous conventions, plus a cognomen. Since all Legion soldiers are masculine, differentiation between masc and fem naming conventions is irrelevant from this point forward. The nomen of a soldier may be akin to the structure of how an average citizen’s would be given, or if the soldier shows exceptional prestige and has no remaining male family, a nomen referencing warfare or combat will be assigned to them (Marcus, Augustus, Drusus, etc.).

A Legion cognomen acts effectively as a Roman military callsign. Cognomens follow classical Roman conventions. The cognomen will be used most frequently in a military setting.

II: Everyday Life

- Common Social Customs

Many Roman social customs are adopted into Legion life. For example, the entertainment at the colosseum is mimicked in the tourneys in the various arenas scattered throughout Legion territory. However, because of the key difference in that The Legion isn’t even pretending not to be a totalitarian dictatorship, there are a number of drastic differences between Roman social customs and Legion social customs.

Because of how respected the military is in Legion society, it is commonplace to show soldiers with utmost reverence. It’s customary to allow soldiers to stay in a citizen’s place of residence if the soldier requests it, and it’s customary to refer to the soldier by their military rank, not their nomen or cognomen (especially if the soldier in question is on duty). It’s considered rude or inappropriate to question the motives of a soldier, or prevent a soldier from accessing areas of a citizen’s property. Such transgressions can potentially be met with violence.

One may frequently see slaves struggling to keep up with workloads. It’s taboo, but not punishable to help them, as long as it doesn’t interfere with the productivity of one’s own work. After all, The Legion gains nothing from incomplete work. If helping a slave means increasing efficiency, then it’s appropriate, but a citizen may get strange looks from others for doing so.

Utilitarianism is the ideal philosophy under which everyone should function in an ideal Legion society, but this is clearly not the case nor the environment to foster it. Social norms are based strongly on class, and in most cases, selfishness prevails because selflessness can be seen as weak (or worse, suspicious) by trigger-happy soldiers and spies.

But hey, at least sex isn’t considered a super taboo topic or activity in Legion society. Got that much going for them. Granted, it’s seen more like a conquest, but at least it’s not seen as a sin. Woohoo? Lets go? Kinda? One step forward two steps back.

- Household Structure

A household in Legion territory for a citizen of average means will likely be similar to any other household in New Vegas (with the addition of slaves in wealthier households). Where things start to get confusing is the aforementioned situation of soldiers being allowed to invade households at will. Psychologically, these soldiers are deprived of a lot of comforts the average citizen may have. There is a decidedly nonzero chance that soldiers can show up like stray cats and keep coming back in the event that a citizen is interesting enough to them. Soldiers sometimes “claim” houses or small patches of territory they frequent as a substitute for the emotional interaction they lack. Humans are social creatures. The soldiers might not know why they want to keep coming back, but they do keep coming back. Parasocial.

Generally, a woman’s domain is the household in Legion territory. While the society is by no means matriarchal, it’s customary for a woman to maintain control over most happenings within a household. This often means a woman will need to interact with stray soldiers more frequently. Among female citizens in Legion territory, these soldiers are called catuli (singular catulus) for their presence and tendencies, though this is always in secret due to the harsh punishment of misrepresenting a soldier’s status to his face. A household can sometimes have up to three catuli claim it before fights start to break out among them about perceived territory.

It is expected for a couple in a household to have children. Cultivating multiple generations of soldiers is part of how The Legion grows most efficiently, because children are impressionable enough to instill Legion values without struggle. If a household does not have a child after several years of partnership, it is considered suspicious and the male of the partnership is encouraged to be unfaithful or open the relationship. While there are no consequences for not having children, there is intense pressure to do so.

- Settlement/Town Structure

As mentioned before, the equivalent of a mayor in each region is called a Vilicus, or an overseer. The Vilicus is responsible for tallying the census, assigning names to media populi, approving the pentimento of media populi, keeping track of production rates of resources from citizens, keeping a lookout for disease outbreak so a region can be quarantined if needed, and monitoring the citizens in each region for minor suspicious activity to report to those higher in status. Each town is also occupied by a heavy military presence, to intimidate citizens into productivity and complacency.

Most of the time, Legion towns are made of the previously conquered settlements now added to Legion territories. Building more houses is an avoidable expenditure if they just repurpose the structures already there with a few modifications. Despite the multiple depictions in-game of Caesar’s Legion showing little to no care about what damage they cause, it would make sense that the depictions in the gameplay are actually the outliers in the situation, since it’s far more efficient to leave the settlements intact and just gut and reconfigure the purpose.

There are also multitudes of mobile scout settlements, mostly made of fabric, tarp, and hide tents that can be easily condensed and moved in the event that the camp is compromised. In many cases, these camps are set up as a base to return to in order to stage an invasion of new territories. If possible, The Legion sets them up close to large landmasses like plateaus or mountains for additional cover in the event of an ambush. If that’s not available, The Legion makes settlements like this close to preexisting towns in order to make the wordless threat of “push us back, and innocents die”. Generally, very few citizens are taken on these excursions, but if the plan is to stay out longer, citizens who are medics may be involuntarily drafted into going with the scout team.

- Clothing, Hair, and Accessories

The Legion isn’t a necessarily materialistic society that allows a lot of room for personal expression. Since the goal is to create a homogenous society and culture, self expression through visual cues is often muted at best and absent at normal. Makeup, perfumes, and hair styling products are prohibited if they have any synthetic qualities or materials. In many cases, beauty products are exclusively reserved for performers, and even still, only natural pigments and materials would be permitted. Think the same pigments Ancient Egyptians would make for their makeup.

Protective updo hairstyles are common for long hair, both for practical purposes and for purposes of keeping hair out of reach and harder to pull. Efficiency is key, so in the event of a raid or a threat, everyone is expected to be able to hold their own to some extent. Part of that standard is remaining on guard, so keeping hair up while out of the house is customary.

In the military, hair is expected to be cut short, again, for efficiency. Any soldiers with long hair are expected to keep it in tight braids or cornrows to maintain the same level of efficiency. As long as it stays out of the face.

Most clothing is dull, salvaged from the wastelands. The only exception is clothing reserved for high ranking officials and Caesar, which is quite literally dyed in blood of enemies. Because blood fades to a blackish-red hue over time, high ranking officials will often appear to be wearing darker colors, when in actuality they’re wearing clothes that were soaked in blood as a symbol of power and debt paid to the gods (namely Mars).

Widows are permitted to wear part of their fallen husband’s bloodsoaked clothes through the mourning process, if The Legion can recover and identity the body. With this in mind, as soon as the widow finds a new husband, the bloodsoaked garment piece is burned.

Slaves are deprived of all aspects of individuality, given rags or scraps to wear and marked with red paint. A citizen may give finer clothes to a slave voluntarily, but those clothes must also be marked with red paint.

Jewelry, while rare, is often made of scrap metal salvaged and re-forged from battlefields or old weapons without any further use. Which is why jewelry is so rare. There is seldom ever an instance in which metal can’t become a weapon, so making jewelry is a waste of time and energy.

- Languages

Basically any language can be spoken in Legion territory as it stands, because as The Legion is currently, it doesn’t have enough power or force to totally instill a whole new language system. With that in mind, the groundwork is being laid for an eventual push to make Latin the official language of Caesar’s Legion. Between the commonly used Latin terminology to address people and the Roman theming of The Legion, it’s primed to eventually enforce Latin as the primary language. Highly educated citizens may be fluent in Latin, and most soldiers know commands and codes in Latin.

III: Industry

- Jobs

There are two types of jobs in The Legion, excluding military and slavery. One can either be a worker or a performer. Medics and nurses are highly valued, both on the battlefield and off, since chemical substances are prohibited in The Legion. Carpenters, metalworkers and blacksmiths, engineers, and tanners are some of the more important standard worker jobs, since all of them play directly into expanding the empire more efficiently, making more weapons and armor, or repurposing old material to make new. Tailors, glassworkers, weavers, technicians, and chemists are less valuable to The Legion to some extent because they either involve industries less geared towards conquest, or involve industries beyond the scope of what The Legion finds socially acceptable. Despite the amount of emphasis Roman polytheism puts on naturalistic sculpture, The Legion actually doesn’t find the arts very useful in the immediate future of the empire. What’s most important is conquest, not expression.

On the topic of the arts, performers were seen in a very poor light in The Legion, often oversexualized into objectification or framed as clowns. Most performance art is often seen as a waste of time or an avoidable expense, but it does keep soldier morale up since it gives them something to target that isn’t their fellow man. Being a performer in The Legion is marginally better than slavery, because one can at least have a house as a performer, but the physical and verbal abuse is often daily and unrelenting.

- Imports and Exports

The Legion is definitely not known for being friendly to neighboring factions, so any concept of import and export is often very loosely based in barter (namely, The Legion demanding tithe to barter for leaving a region alone, similar to how some mafias demand payment in exchange for protection from themselves). The Legion has a semi-steady stream of imports from their commonwealths which they pressure into helping them in trade for leaving their towns unburned and their people free from enslavement. However, this is decidedly not a permanent arrangement. This is a way to bide time to grow the nation a bit more before making moves on settlements and regions with more useful resources.

They export nothing unless it’s a strategic play. They pressure neighboring regions into paying them, even though they honestly don’t need it as much as they want the general population of other factions to think they do. Middle school bully nation.

IV: Politics, Education, and Religion

- What Senate?

The big difference between Rome and The Legion is that The Legion doesn’t try to pretend it’s not a dictatorship. There is no senate, there is no board of people to vote, no forum. The only voice that matters is Caesar’s, and it shows in every aspect of how the society is structured, from the strict rules on self expression, to the patriarchal hierarchy of Legion society. Ultimately, this makes the nation weaker, because in the event of Caesar’s death, it creates a power vacuum. No, I don’t think there’s a secret senate. No, I don’t think there is a solid backup plan. I think the closest thing there was to a senate was the two-man power-team that was Edward Sallow and Joshua Graham. We all know how well that worked out. And I think Caesar’s been running on fumes ever since that point, taking this as a sign to expand the nation faster before anyone sees him bleed. Hubristic in nature.

The closest thing there is to a senate are higher officials (such as Lanius) that Caesar hand-picked from Legion ranks to be his personal cabinet that all agrees with him. There is a distinct instability of power when recreating Rome without a senate, and there is the distinct air of trying to hide that open wound.

- In the Unlikely Event of a Transfer of Power

Let’s say, hypothetically, Caesar, the praetorian guard, and all his higher officials suddenly died. The role of Caesar would be up for grabs. In the event that there is no clear successor to Caesar, there is no real backup plan aside from an arena battle between the generals that could potentially succeed Caesar. A simple solution that will clearly show who can spill the most blood for Mars without hesitation or question.

With this in mind, there is one thing distinctly Roman about the potential of a transfer of power. There is always a nonzero chance that Caesar’s killer, be they foreigner or Legion, could become the next emperor. All that matters is who can devote themself to Mars in a way that would honor the fallen Caesar.

- Common Political Beliefs

Politics and religion go hand in hand for Caesar’s Legion because of the cultish way Caesar built the nation. The idea of Mars being the patron deity of The Legion instills a level of gratuitous and overzealous love of warfare among the people. Military expenditures are met with great support, and very little infrastructure on public service is supported as adamantly because of the instilled value of “we are all independent cogs working in a well oiled machine, we don’t need help”. Then again, it’s not like any other voice mattered anyways, since Caesar is the be all end all of political power.

There is a generally nationwide extremism when it comes to dealing with criminals, however. Criminal activity in The Legion is more often than not punished by torture and death, and nobody seems to really protest it to the degree that other factions do. As many of the travelers and traders in Fallout: New Vegas have said, the roads in Legion territories are incredibly safe. There is a level of patriotism in The Legion specifically regarding how safe their lands are, but in exchange, those lands also have an active military presence.

Conquest is also a pretty intrinsic pillar of Legion political beliefs, since the motivation to create a homogeneous society and usher in a new era of perceived piece may make some people accept the totalitarian power for what it is and hope it pans out right.

- Male vs Female Education Standards

Due to the intrinsic divide between male and female Legion citizens, the education of male and female Legion children is vastly different with the only exception being the uniform brainwashing. Male and female children are not only educated on different topics, they are also educated in different locations.

Similar to Spartan men, most male children (even including orphans from freshly raided towns) are give combat training just about as soon as they can hold a stick and swing it. The male children that show combat proficiency continue to become soldiers, and the male children who aren’t strong, but are intelligent are instead divided into training as either spies or medics, depending on the specifics of their skill sets. Male children who aren’t good at any of that end up becoming armigeri (singular armiger), the people who sharpen weapons and tend to the needs of more proficient soldiers. It’s a social tragedy to become what is essentially a pathetic sidekick to some far better soldier. Thankfully, since most of these children are trained from an incredibly young age to be strong, cunning, fast, and durable, very few people end up becoming armigeri. Generally speaking, no boy in The Legion goes without military training. The Legion can capture their blacksmiths and carpenters, there’s no need to train them in-house.

Female Legion children are not given formal education. They are expected to grow up to be housekeepers and produce the next generation of warlords. However, a family still has the liberty to educate a daughter at home with a tutor so long as it doesn’t interfere with the family’s productivity. Usually, female children are given medical teachings more oriented towards patching the injuries of their future husbands. However, girls aren’t left entirely defenseless. Girls are taught how to use ranged weapons and how to escape grapples in the event of an emergency. In addition, girls are given more of an education on finances and practical skills that tie into long-term survival, such as how to use every part of a killed animal for resources, how to patch clothes, and how to cultivate plants.

A Thank You And Some Concluding Comments

Hello hello to anyone who’s made it this far through my ludicrous ramblings! Thank you for reading! This is really just me throwing nonsense in the air and seeing what floats, and most of what I’ve written here will probably be subject to edits every now and then to keep building up what I’ve already put down.

Feel free to use this lore for any fan fictions, fan art, original characters, or whatever else! Please keep building on it!

I hope y’all enjoyed my insane chattering!

#fallout new vegas #fallout #fallout: new vegas #fallout: nv #fnv #fnv oc #caesar’s legion #fallout legion #the legion #fnv legion #edward sallow #joshua graham #vulpes inculta #legate lanius #legion #the things I write for fun

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