#my heart goes out to the hurt

[secriden]

Absolutely heartrending because it just hit me that before Bison's phone call, Fadel was actually began to believe that he'd been wrong to suspect Style. Because despite the evidence stacked against Style -- and remember, it was Fadel that spells out the reasons they have to be suspicious of Kant and Style -- Style is so incredibly genuine here and Fadel, in truth, wanted to believe in him.

I think it's possible that Fadel actually saw Style through the window here, but pretended not to because he had to take a moment to prepare himself. But if you see where Style is standing and the way the patio is lit up, there's no reason why Fadel shouldn't have seen him from where he was by the tables before he turns to go behind the counter.

Fadel: I was thinking of going to your place. But you were more impatient than me, huh?

This would also explain how Fadel is able to say this before Style even has the chance to make a sound. I had expected Fadel to wait and see what Style would say, to play it safe and observe; but no, Fadel immediately sets their dynamic back to the assumption of familiarity that their relationship was on before he disappeared for a week. The assumption that he could show up at Style's house unannounced and Style would welcome him.

This feels incredibly intentional. Fadel wants to see how Style is going to react to Fadel acting as if nothing strange happened. If Style was an informant, he should be confused and Fadel may catch him out in a lie.

But Style's performance is flawless:

Style: Where have you been? You didn't reply any of my texts! (punctuation added for emphasis and to mimic Style's tone)

He says this and the whine in his tone is a clear affirmation of that same assumption of familiarity. This is the tone used by someone who is secure in the knowledge that they are owed an explanation; this is the tone of someone in an established relationship who feels justifiably wronged at being left out of the loop.

And I cry a little bit more at the thought of Fadel reading those texts -- Style by turns frantic and confused and worried -- and refusing to respond. Or worse, receiving them and refusing to even read them because Fadel doesn't trust himself to tell the lies from the truth anymore.

At this point, Fadel seems to waver a little bit in his resolve to "test" Style. I think he was a little taken aback that Style didn't seem to be even a little bit weird about his abrupt disappearance for a week. His reply takes on a quality of gentle pleading and the way he's speaking is exactly like a boyfriend who knows he messed up. But because these lines are a lie, Fadel cannot meet Style's eyes as he says them. It's only when he says "I was busy, too" (not a lie) that he's finally able to squarely meet Style's gaze again.

And Style continues to be so convincingly NORMAL because all of this is real for him. This is just genuinely Style, the boyfriend, who actually wants to know where his boyfriend disappeared to without notice for a whole week. Nothing about his body language or tone has even a hint of inauthenticity because there is none. Style means every single word and meets Fadel's gaze squarely as he says them.

It genuinely looks to me like Fadel thaws significantly at this point. He suddenly looks less stiff and the way he delivers this line contains so much more inflection, it becomes cajoling. He even begins to more consistently meet Style's eyes as Fadel begins to allow himself some honesty. Fadel's logical brain knows that the circumstances surrounding Style coming into his life are riddled with inconsistencies, but he both senses and WANTS to see Style's sincerity. The shields that Fadel had up are melting in the face of Style being present and unchanged from what Fadel remembers.

Stay, Fadel all but says, let me make it up to you. Fadel offering to make food for Style (@braceletofteeth please hold me as I cry about this!!) is also significant because the last time Fadel made food for Style (the burger) is when he was softening towards Style after Style helped out at the diner during the rush crowd. Fadel is a creature of habit and all that he's learned of late are the ways Style is easy to love.

They begin to fall back into their usual, playful banter and teasing dynamic. Style leans back against the table (and the way he's all unspoken surrender and submission -- throat arched up and bare and vulnerable -- truly makes me feral), turns up the flirt and Fadel responds in kind. And yes, Fadel means his question on some level but you don't get the sense that his heart is in the interrogation. Fadel may be going through the motions, but this is just Style being himself, exactly as Fadel has come to know (and love), so nothing is pinging as wrong to Fadel.

I mean, just LOOK AT FADEL'S EYES!! His expression is so so soft and tender and wistful. He wants this. He wants so desperately to believe that this is why Style was texting him throughout the week. He wants to have Style in all the ways that include and go beyond the physical; like Style offering his affection is everything Fadel didn't think he could wish for.

It's almost cruel the way Style's touch so utterly disarms Fadel. Because, while it is part of the games they've been playing, so much of their interactions have also been grounded in genuine feelings and moments of intense vulnerability on both sides (although neither of them know this for sure!! T_T). Style's hands on Fadel's body literally removes the last stretch of distance between them and that odd unease lingered over the way Fadel spoke and held himself at the start of the scene finally disappears.

If we compare their expressions and the way they are holding themselves and, most importantly, touching each other by the end of the scene to what we see when Style first walks into the diner, it becomes apparent just how much ground Fadel has given in the span of those few minutes.

It's the way Fadel keeps holding onto Style's hand even as he's turning to leave, maintaining that point of contact until the very last second.

Because with Style in front of him -- warm and familiar and carelessly affectionate -- Fadel allows himself to slip back to the version of himself that woke up in Style's bed at the start of the episode, the version of himself that called Style's name for the first time and wanted to wake him up with the softest of touches. The version of himself that literally, physically couldn't let Style go.

Which is why, when the call comes and Fadel's heart gets broken anew, Fadel remains devastatingly empty of anger towards Style.

Because it was Fadel's own fault for choosing to believe the lie.

Because it was a decision he made to allow his heart to rule over his head.

Because Fadel understands that Style only succeeded in "fooling" him once again because Fadel let him.

So Fadel gives himself this truth, allows himself to finally take that step to bare his heart to Style, the way he promised himself he never would, but the way he so desperately wanted.

And Style kisses Fadel because he doesn't realise that this confession is not a reward, but a judgement.

For Fadel is paying penance for giving in to his own foolish heart, and in so doing renders Style's love to devastation.

[lleclerc]

iceman + his concern for maverick post-hop 31

[chiyana]

Bruce: now, for the last part of this meeting

Dick, Jason, Tim, Stephanie, Damian, Cass, and Duke: ?

Bruce: -turns around to bring up a power point presentation, the title card of which just reads 'Please Be Normal About Tim'-

Bruce: -turns back around-

Bruce: ...Tim why are you the only one still here

Tim: I just like power point presentations

[fankayart]

“ An electronic, visceral scream. Then his body shattered, the fragments left behind began squirming in an unfathomable pain as each piece aggressively fought to be whole again. ”

[capquinn]

Poor Quinn 😭 but why does that kinda sound hot 👀 the way he still went and played after that must’ve been soo painful. We should’ve been there holding his hand

Because it is hot, baby! I was talking about this with someone yesterday. For Quinn, it’s such a contrast to everything else about him like he is so softly spoken, reserved, a little nerdy, kind and gentle so that ~toughness is a little unexpected. Not that we’re stereotyping over here or whatever but do you know what I mean? It really isn’t this serious and like Garly said, it’s not like he was shot, but I’m a simple gal lmaoooo

And I know we only see a tiny little glimpse of what he’s really like so I could be so off base plus I’m down so bad for him so I’m biased. But anyway, there is something so incredibly attractive about a tough guy. Lucky us <3

[fairyroses]

requested by @lexkent: the scene in "Shattered" where Lana sees Lex on the ground in the stable sitting curled into himself, and she looks anguished to see him in such a state, and she's so kind and compassionate to him

+ bonus Lana, after literally almost dying:

[disgruntledkittenface]

sending love ❤️

[sinnbaddie]

Headcanon that Leo goes into his shell for hours/days whenever he’s on a genuine verge of breaking down (stressed, overwhelmed etc) however in the bad timeline F!Leo isn’t able to go into his shell because of his leadership responsibilities and multiple years go by

However when he time travels back (or if you want to make it an x reader type deal) and meets his young brothers he gets comfortable enough and ends up staying in his shell for days. He feels so safe and secure around them, it’s similar to a hibernation / circadian rhythm reset

[secriden]

*sobs uncontrollably* Oh the frustration of Fadel wanting something so very simple and easily within reach because Style already knows and in this episode showed that he is choosing him, loves him, wants his happiness and wants to be with him -- with all the weight of what it means to know that Fadel intends to kill someone the next morning.

Style, who offers Fadel the chance to be honest, over and over and over again, never pushing or demanding Fadel's trust, but asking for it repeatedly because he's so desperately looking for the barest hint of a sign that Fadel is on the same page as him.

Style, who is not just asking Fadel to choose Style, but to choose himself and his own happiness for once, and promises to do it with him; who dares to ask for Fadel's bravery because Style can offer his own along with it.

Style, who places his happiness in Fadel's hands, willingly and without reserve or hesitation, because he recognises in this moment that it's already too late to try to protect his compromised heart.

Style, who in the final hurdle, for the first time in the whole series, chooses his head over his heart and fails fails fails; not because he doesn't love Fadel or genuinely want his happiness, but because Fadel's final frontier is trust, and it was the one thing Style could not give him before he lost the opportunity to tell Fadel the full truth himself.

And no matter Style's reasons -- loyalty to Kant or fear of Fadel's rejection -- he is going to have to face the consequences of making this choice.

Because Fadel was ready, oh he was so, so painfully ready to take that risk for Style. He was willing try again for a life away from everything he's known since his parents' death; in spite of the hurts of his past betrayal, in spite of his fear of his mother's reaction -- he was willing to fight. For Style.

But there was no way for either of them to know, truly, where the other one stood.

Because every choice Style makes, he makes with Kant and his baby brother's safety on one shoulder and the possibility that Fadel won't choose him if he knows the truth on the other. And every choice Fadel makes, he makes with the belief that Style isn't ready to shoulder the burden of the life he leads, and that he has to change to make himself worthy of Style's love and trust.

And now it's too late, too late, and neither Style nor Fadel will ever truly know what could have been.

[cedric-k-rossignol]

This was meant to be for trans day of visibility but now every day is trans day of visibility 🎉

[gojoest]

im trying to ingore everything and be positive but im just rly so sad :(

[cementcornfield]

do you like any other ship(s) besides joemarr? i’d like to know more about nfl rpf!

other ships?? besides joe'marr??? those exist??? 😱😱

kidding of course, though you wouldn't know it looking at my blog at times. i DO tend to get very single-minded. but there are lots of great ships in nfl rpf!! many more than i can even pay attention to!

some of my favorites below the cut

bengals ships:

okay so it's really an extension of joe'marr...but joe'marrtee has been HITTING lately oh my god. just the last month and half alone? those three are obsessed with each other and clinging to each other with everything they have at the moment. thinking about them too much hurts my heart!! (god this offseason is going to be stressful!)

treymarr: i talk about them a good amount too lmao but this pro bowl sweethearts couple is just so much fun for me to think about lol. too lazy to link it now but if you go through my trey tag you should be able to find my video of my favorite treymarr moments. it's the teasing and pigtail pulling from big tough guy trey for me!!! the way he steals his candy but can't help but give it back when ja'marr looks at him with his big eyes <3 <3 the way trey wore ja'marr's chain at their first pro bowl together. it's incredibly adorable to me and i need us to extend trey and sign ja'marr this offseason!!

'23 rookies + mike: kia was just talking about how we need a better name for these guys lmao and they've got a point tbh!! what a mouthful. but in a way it's fitting because they certainly are dealing with a mouthful if rumors are to be believed 😏 ANYWAY i just love how quickly the three rookies clicked. how they seem to be inseparable on and off the field <3 the way that yoshi and chase spent the whole summer down in atlanta together <3 and then how QUICKLY mike got involved once he joined the team!! when it's only their second year and his....9th?? in the league. and yet they seem to have the exact same level of maturity hahaha. the really all seem to have the same sense of humor if you check their instagram posts and honestly 4 incredibly weird football guys all finding each other like that? that's love baby.

germaine and bj is not one i talk about as much as they deserve tbh!!! but they actually are the 'and they were roommates' trope!! they've known each other forever, they clearly and obviously love each other. bengals social has filmed them going to the zoo together, they've done some joint interviews, i think there's a video out there of bj driving germaine around his farm like through a bunch of mud?? and then germaine got bj a framed photo of his for christmas?? (bj loves photography!) they are a lot of fun and definitely deserve more love!

non bengals ships

joe'marr + justin if that counts - not counting it as a bengals ship because this is an lsu ship To Me. literally no one who wasn't on that team is going to be able to understand the experience they all had together. and the connection they all had then and STILL have (even if it's a little different now) is just so plain to see. i'm so glad the three of them got to spend time in france together last summer and i'm really hoping it becomes an annual thing <3 plus joe talking about how he wants to win the gold in flag football in LA with justin and ja'marr?? beautiful.

but honestly i think my favorite ship that doesn't involve a bengal (hahaha) has got to be mike/tua. holy shit they just have one of the MOST beautiful relationships i've ever seen. in like, real life!! not even counting shipping (but ofc that is the main focus of this blog lol). just the way that mike came in when everyone had given up on tua (including tua himself) and just had allllll this evidence about how tua was amazing actually. the way he spent that whole first year building tua back up after flores had torn him down. how much FUN they seem to have together. how mike is always joking and flirting and how confused tua was about all of it at first. but he eventually learned his quirky tendencies and started responding in his own soft tua way <3 and then GOD all the tragic shit they've been through together too :( that first (second really) awful concussion during OUR GAME against them. that shit was so scary and every report is that tua was just laying there asking for mike - "where's mike" over and over again holy shit. and then right at the beginning of this season, when we finally thought tua was over all the health scares, and he goes down in another very scary moment and mike is immediately there for him. helping him, guiding him off the field. giving him the most tender and soft kiss i've ever seen on the cheek and then watching him walk off. probably terrified inside but knowing he had a job to do. god. these two really do kill me.

jj/koc is a much less angsty vein than above lmao. this ship is just so Hot and Fun and Silly to me. go through my koc tag (simply because it's shorter than my jj tag) and you should pretty quickly find the Heart Eyes Gif that started it all because oh my goodness. justin!! staring at your coach like that on national tv for all of america and god to see??? have some Couth girl!!! and then you listen to the mic'd ups for both justin and koc and it is literally CONSTANT flirting. these two are completely enamored with each other it's ridiculous!!! and my favorite little headcanon is justin and ja'marr (in a continuous competition! as they do!) just arguing about whose hot tall blonde older QB boyfriend is better :') imagine the double dates lmao.

cj/bryce is a CRAZY ship tbh that my dear friend em has really defined for me over the last two years. oh my god like??? they've been best friends for forever??? they end up being the top 2 QB prospects in the same draft class and are nationally scrutinized/compared/ripped to shreds during the draft process tbh! but this doesn't break them!! draft night!! watching both of their reactions to the other being drafted??? they love each other SO MUCH. but then but thennnnn oh my god they couldn't have had more different rookie years. bryce is selected number 1 but on an awful panthers team. cj number 2 on a texans team that is perfectly situated to GO OFF. and you have to assume that put a strain on their relationship!! suddenly they aren't talking about each other as much, we don't get any offseason content of them together, it's ROUGH. but now look what's happening, they're both coming back to earth around the same time (bryce up from hell and cj down from heaven is the way i mean this). meeting again in the middle. cj able to understand at least some of what bryce went through last year, bryce finally getting his confidence and joy back. i hope this offseason we can get something more from them <3 (em ALSO has this insane theory that keeps proving to be true?? a deal with the devil where one of them can't seem to do well while the other is?? you'll have to check that out because it's WILD)

and then i'm gonna end it with probably my silliest ship which is sauce and justin lmao. just watch them play madden against each other first at the pro bowl live and then over stream a few months later. they are RIDICULOUS the way that they both clearly want to kill each other but are also having the time of their lives. sauce just cannot HELP himself all he wants to do is piss everyone off, justin especially. and justin gets so heated but also isn't stopping. in fact keeps trying to initiate more!!! he wanted to play more with sauce on stream but sauce shut it down because he won! (the game AND getting justin to laugh hysterically. getting justin to actually ask for more. and that's when you gotta leave! stop it! before they get tired of you/too annoyed with you! leave 'em wanting more sauce!) but then on another stream sauce just sitting there watching justin's stream and critiquing it. completely ridiculous lol. oh and right they DO play football professionally don't they. i think if i remember correctly they had a pretty even game against each other. sadly he didn't end up pissing justin off like he did ja'marr (who i'm also convinced he has a crush on. oh sauce and these unavailable hot LSU WRs. why do you set yourself up like this!)

there are definitely more that i'm forgetting right now! but these are the ones i'm most emotionally invested in!! let me know if you have any thoughts or questions about them because despite my blog being 99% joe'marr i DO care about other things i promise!!

[haleyincarnate]

How else do you fill a void other than with darkness? How do you bend into the light and not burn completely? How do you hold a heart and not feel it struggling to beat?

[bitebitesnap]

There is something incredibly funny about the idea of you being an assassin sent to kill Goku and he just, doesn't take you seriously at all. He's been threatened so many times that it doesn't phase him in the slightest to see yet another on that growing list of 'People Who Don't Like Him'. At least they sent someone cute this time and not some guy with a weird power or something. A normal human, though, is a bit tricky for him to work around, not wanting to actually hurt you and all that.

What makes it better is that he doesn't even try to take your attacks seriously and, in fact, takes it like you're flirting. You're pissed off and calling him every insult you know and he's just dodging every attack like it's nothing. Even firing back a few lines about how pretty you are and that he's kind of impressed a normal human could have this much stamina. He'll even let you hit him a few times-sure it doesn't hurt but you've got a lot of strength that he finds really attracting.

Just, please stop yelling. It's making his pants tight and hard to move in.

[ritalacochona]

Yes, will do Captain 😢 🫡

[daylightandlongnights]

I'm glad that Taylor's safety and the safety of the fans were considered for the Vienna shows and that by cancelling these shows that no one ends up hurt

But

I also know that there are a lot of heartbroken people out there who spent money and time looking forward to these shows. Not going to a show that youve been looking forward to is such a tough thing and if that's you I hope you know it's okay to feel sad/upset about the concert being cancelled even with the reasoning behind why it was.