#not when rafa is out because he is INJURED and not because of his own choice.

[rafasbiscuits]

no, no, it's NOT passing the torch guys.

STOP I DONT WANT TO HEAR IT. RAFA IS NOT PASSING THE TORCH TO ANYBODY, RAFAS AMAZING THE WAY HE IS!! IDC I REFUSE TO BELIEVE IN ALL THIS. Rafael Nadal is not passing the torch. I'm a bitch. I know. I'm being so pissy about it. I know!!!

But how will I ever move on from Novak/Rafa/Roger's era?? Idk, maybe it's just me, but idk how people move on from the big 3 era so fast now that the new era is starting?? Like?? TEACH ME. I feel like such a bitch about it.

I'm happy for Carlitos, I really, genuinely am. I cried for him, I cheered for him and I really like him and i am so so proud of him. But I'm not ready for his era to start yet. In fact, in all of my honesty and truth revealed, I don't want it to start so fast.

I wish the Big 3 era will stay forever and never end. So why and how, are people moving on so fast? Do they want to see it end before they even end it?? all these videos of passing the torch and all this new era shit. Can't we appreciate Novak and Rafa right now while they are still here and still playing? Soon enough, in a blink of an eye, they'll be gone.

They'll be retired and I thought that people would appreciate them more in their last moments. I know they won't retire this time around, though Rafa will next year and I'm still so upset, and Novak will probably retire in like..5 years. Tops. And Andy too.

And soon all the new gen will take over, I'll be fricking 20+ then, and I won't see that familiar face I always see in my childhood anymore. I won't hear about Rafa's latest injuries, and his grunts, and his little quirks that the media love to point out, I won't hear about another Novak drama of breaking rackets, I won't hear about Novak winning everything anymore and pissing everybody off.

I won't hear the Novak fans and Rafa fans fighting anymore, about the goat debates etc. I'm going to miss the fedal posts that are still around despite the fact that there is only one left still playing.

I don't want it to end.

So how are the people I see on Instagram and everything, how are they so excited for this new era to take over and how are they so excited for Rafa and Novak's (and Roger's) reign to end?

IM- UGH.

(I'm just ranting but that's what Tumblr is for okay, apologies)

[woso-dreamzzz]

Injured (Jenni's Version) II

Jenni Hermoso x Child!Reader

Summary: Mama's dog comes home

Life in Mexico, you find, is not that different to life in Spain.

There's a few differences though. They don't speak Catalan here, or, not in the part of Mexico that you and Mama live. They speak their Spanish differently to you and Mama but everyone is very friendly.

You like your ballet teacher and you love your classes.

Life in Mexico is good, you decide.

Mama holds your hand all the time. She is happy and smiley and sometimes attacks you with kisses and cuddles when you aren't paying attention.

Mama still plays football and you come along to training but days off are spent in the living room together building a train track and playing with one of your new trains on it.

You've just packed away the trains you were playing with when Mama calls for you downstairs.

You hurry down just as Mama opens the front door.

Tio Rafael smiles to you as he steps inside and you hide behind Mama's legs.

He's your new Tio because he's Mama's brother. You've never had a Tio before because Mami had a sister and Tia Alba didn't date boys so you had no one in your life to become a Tio.

He exchanges words with Mama but you're focused on the dog by his feet.

You've meet Mama's dog a few times before Mama was Mama so you recognise him.

"Hi," You say softly and he leaps up at you, trying to lick your face," Stop it! That tickles!"

Tio Rafael bids goodbye to Mama, saying something about meeting up with her in a few days after sightseeing but leaves the dog.

You look at him.

He looks at you.

"Is Tio's dog staying here?" You ask and Mama laughs.

"This is our dog," She explains to you," Rafa was just looking after him in Spain for me. I thought, since I brought you home, I should bring him home too."

"He is little," You say as he explores the house, snout pressed to the ground.

"You're little," Mama says back with a little laugh, hoisting you up onto her hip," Alright, what movie did we want today?"

At the end of a day off, Mama sits you down with her to watch a movie together.

She calls it tradition and you like that.

You love it, actually, because Mama sits on the sofa with you and snuggles beneath a blanket. Sometimes, she'll rake her fingers through your hair and you'll go all limp and boneless.

Those times you don't get to stay awake. You always fall asleep before the movie is finished and it's hit or miss if you wake up in your own bed in the morning or in Mama's with her.

"Er..."

Mama usually helps you make this decision. You don't know why you struggle with choosing but you do so Mama puts you on her lap and shows you all the options.

"That one!"

You love movie night but not really for the movies. You love it for Mama and the cuddles she gives you and the way she smiles and the way she holds you close.

That's why you love movie night.

You couldn't care less about the movies. It's all about being with Mama.

The little dog she's brought home is not like Nala. Nala was fluffier than this dog and a girl as well. This dog has short fur and he's a boy.

You like him though and giggle when he leaps up onto the sofa with you and crawls into your lap even though you're sitting in Mama's lap.

He licks your face a few more times before curling up on your legs.

"He likes me!" You whisper to Mama, careful to not disrupt him.

"Of course he does," Mama says warmly," He knows you're family."

You grin at that, like every time Mama references that you're a family. It makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside and you lean back against her again.

Her arms wrap around your waist and her ticklish kisses flutter across your cheeks.

Mama's dog looks up as you try to wriggle away, shrieking with laughter.

He whines a little at you and rockets forward to hit Mama in the face with his snout, giving out a little yip of warning.

"Hey!" She laughs," She was mine before she was yours!"

But Mama's little dog sneezes in her face before curling up on your lap again.

He follows you to bed tonight too, when Mama takes you to your room and reads you a bedtime story. He jumps up onto your bed like Nala did when you were little.

He turns around in a little circle before settling at your feet, resting his head on your ankles.

Mama laughs. "Are you sleeping with Bambi tonight? Alright then. Don't keep her up all night."

"He won't," You say," We're tired."

Mama gives you a kiss on the forehead and pulls the covers up to your chin. "Love you, Bambi."

"Love you, Mama."

[lvnleah]

001. | last game

word count: 2.7k

find the series masterlist here!

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

May 27th 2023.

It was a bittersweet day. It was the last game of the 22/23 season in the WSL and Leah was out injured with her ACL and had been for the past month.

You watched on from the east stand with your wife, Leah, and her family at Meadow Park as the whistle blew for a final time this season. You and Leah gathered your things before making your way down to the pitch.

Leah joined the girls as they all formed a guard of honour for who was leaving the club. You watched on as Rafa said her goodbyes and the club presented Jordan with a framed shirt for her time at Arsenal as well.

Leah walked round the pitch to the best of her ability with the other girls, clapping and thanking the fans for attending while you and her family made your way onto the pitch. You were with Leah’s mum, Amanda, who you’d grown extremely close to in the four years you’d been with Leah.

You’d met Leah at sixteen at an England camp and out of the pair of you, Leah was the only one who went professional in football. You stopped playing when you turned eighteen because it didn’t feel right and ended up owning a small bakery.

You watched as Leah slowly walked around the pitch. She’d torn her ACL just over a month ago now and had recently had surgery a few weeks ago so her walking still wasn’t the best. You could tell that not being able to be on the pitch was killing her.

Leah finished applauding the fans before making her way over to you and her Mum, “Hey love, you alright?” Leah asked you, pecking your lips.

You nodded as she pulled you into a hug, “Yeah how are you?”

“Knees a bit sore,” she laughed, “Is it alright if we stick around for a bit?”

You nodded, “Yeah of course.”

You and Leah wandered around the pitch, hand in hand, as you said your hellos to different people and teammates. Everyone had their family and friends on the pitch, a few young kids ran around.

“Leah!” A little voice sounded. You looked down and saw a little girl, Kim’s niece, tapping Leah on the leg. Her little blonde curls bounced around on her head as she wore a mini arsenal kit. “Leah play with me?”

“I would love to!” Leah gasped, matching the little girl’s enthusiasm.

Leah grabbed a ball and made her way over to the penalty spot with the little girl, she placed the ball down before letting her kick into the goal. The fans erupted into a cheer as the ball went in, Leah cheered before leaning down the best she could and high-fiving the little girl.

A few other kids joined in and you watched on. You floated around, making small talk with people you hadn’t seen in a while.

“Y/N!” Beth smiled, embracing you in a hug as she held a baby. “How are you?”

You hugged her back, “I’m good, I should be asking you that.” You joke, “Who’s this little cutie?”

“I’m doing alright, sad I can’t be on the pitch,” Beth laughed. Beth herself was also out with her ACL as well as her girlfriend, Viv.. “This is Milo! Stole him from his Mumma, she’s a friend of mine and Viv's, he’s helping keep us entertained.”

You tickled Milo’s stomach, earning an adorable baby giggle, “Oh you’re such a cutie!”

You stuck with Beth and Milo, you and Beth got lost in a conversation as you wandered around the pitch. Every now and then you’d stop to say hello to someone else before continuing to wander around.

Leah was off playing to the best of her abilities with Kim’s nieces and nephews as well as a few other kids that had joined in. You, Beth and Amanda watched as she walked back and forth, giving each kid a turn at kicking the ball into the net.

Your heart warmed and your ovaries felt like they were going to explode, seeing Leah with kids made you feel full. Over the past few months, you’d seen Leah interact and look after her baby nephew which had built up this brodyness feeling inside of you. You’d been yearning for a baby for a while now and these past couple of weeks the talk of having kids had been brought up more.

The little kids ran back to their parents and Leah joined you and Beth. She wrapped her arms around your waist and placed a kiss on your shoulder.

“Who’s this little guy?” Leah cooed, tickling Milo’s stomach.

“Milo, he’s my godson.” Beth smiled, “little cheeky thing he is.”

Milo reached out, chubby fingers grasping at the air. Leah’s face softened, and she scooped him up, cradling him against her chest. Both of you played a game of peek-a-boo with Milo before handing him back to Beth.

As time wore on, the crowd started to leave and so did everyone on the pitch. Leah said her goodbyes to everyone before leaving with you and her mum.

You picked up a Chinese takeaway on the way home and took it back to your house, Amanda joined you two as well as Leah’s brother, Jacob. It was a simple yet perfect ending to a day filled with love and laughter.

Although you were occupied with spending time with Leah and her family, your mind couldn’t stop thinking about seeing Leah will all of the kids today. That same broody feeling still sat in your stomach, your mind couldn’t stop thinking about Leah holding and cradling Milo.

For a long time, you knew you wanted kids with Leah, it was something you’d talked about multiple times in the past. Reciprocal IVF was something you’d agreed on doing, you’d carry Leah’s egg and she’d carry yours when the time came. The only thought on your mind was starting a family with Leah all evening.

Amanda and Jacob ended up leaving late, meaning you and Leah climbed into bed as soon as they had left. You were both tired from a long and emotional day.

“What’s on your mind, pretty girl?” Leah asked as you slipped into bed beside her.

You sighed, “Le, do you still want kids?” Waiting for Leah’s answer filled you with anxiety, she could turn around and say anything.

A smile crept up on Leah’s face as she nodded her head, “Yeah, of course, I do. I’ve always imagined us with a few little ones running around, causing chaos,” she began to trace patterns on your thigh, “Do you?”

“Yeah,” you whispered, nodding your head, “I do and I think I’m ready to start trying for a baby, Le. I think now’s the right time, I know you’re out injured but it feels right.”

Leah’s eyes lit up, “Really? You’re really ready?” You nodded your head once again, “I’ve been ready for a long time, baby. I just wanted to follow your lead with everything.”

“Seeing Milo and the others today, it’s like something clicked inside me. I want this with you, I want a family.” You admitted.

Leah’s smile was blinding. She cupped your face in her hands, her thumbs brushing over your cheeks. “God, I love you,” she whispered. “I love you so much.”

You and Leah spent the rest of the night talking about how you imagined your future. You made up little scenarios together, talking about all the things you wanted to do with your kids and show them all the different things in the world.

The next few days were spent researching IVF clinics and getting recommendations from couples you knew who’d done reciprocal ivf. You found one local to you that seemed right for you and Leah.

After a month filled with many phone calls and different health checks, you and Leah finally began the IVF process. It was the perfect timing, you’d had a month to think about everything but it also gave you a few months together before Leah went back to training.

You’d both agreed that you’d be the one to carry the pregnancy but you’d used Leah’s egg. Using Leah’s egg meant that Leah had to have a round of different injections every evening in order to stimulate her ovaries. Previous to starting the medications, you and Leah were both put on birth control to sync your cycles.

When it was time to stop the birth control, you and Leah had a long appointment with your IVF nurse who explained how to use all of the medications and how to give the injections. You practised giving the injections on fake skin, making you more confident within yourself.

“You ready?” You asked Leah as you finished wiping the area with an alcohol wipe.

Leah nodded, you could tell she was nervous, “That needle is so big…” She murmured, “Why’s it so big?!”

Leah felt stupid panicking over a needle when you were the one who was going to have to carry a baby for nine months and eventually give birth.

“It’s just a needle, Le.” you laughed at your wife, “You ready?”

Leah nodded once again, “I’ll look away.” She said, looking over your head at the blank wall behind her.

Leah took a deep breath and clenched her fist. The room seemed to hold its breath too. You pressed the plunger, delivering the medication that would help Leah’s body produce the eggs needed for the egg retrieval process. The needle slid in smoothly, and Leah winced, her eyes squeezing shut.

You held the needle in for five seconds, pushing the medicine in, “Done,” you whispered, pulling the needle out.

Leah exhaled, her knuckles white from gripping the edge of the bed. You stood up and kissed her forehead. “We’re really doing this.” Leah grinned.

As the days passed, you and Leah continued with the injections. You began to take estrogen to help prepare your own body for the embryo transfer while Leah carried on with her injections.

Every evening you’d give Leah her injections and every few days Leah would have monitoring appointments to track how her eggs were maturing and when she’d be ready for the egg retrieval.

While Leah was taking the injections, her body began to change. By day three you’d noticed how drained she was, she was much more tired and had started taking multiple naps throughout the day. She was also crying more often, Leah had always been an emotional person but she was even more emotional while taking the injections.

You came home from work one day to find her crying over a puppy video she’d seen on TikTok.

By day eleven, Leah’s eggs were mature and ready for the egg retrieval. You were lucky that it only took eleven days rather than the fourteen it could’ve been. Thirty-six hours before the egg retrieval, Leah had her trigger shot. It gave her a day to prepare before having her egg retrieval.

Leah’s egg retrieval was a smooth process. It was a midday appointment and Leah’s recovery hadn’t begun yet, meaning that Leah didn’t have to worry about booking time off. The sedation sent Leah into a sleep, Leah claimed it was the best sleep she’d ever had in her life.

She didn’t remember most of it but you were there when she woke up. She felt groggy and was soon discharged for you to take care of her at home. Amanda brought round a lasagne for you both which you enjoyed together on the sofa. That evening consisted of laying together in bed, Leah had a hot water bottle strapped to her stomach due to the intense cramps she was having.

You were told to expect anywhere between five and fourteen eggs to be collected from the egg retrieval but because Leah had endometriosis that it was probably going to be on the lower side. The next day, your doctor phoned you with the news of how many eggs you’d managed to get.

Luckily, you got seven eggs which took both you and Leah by surprise. You’d both prepared yourself to get a lower amount of eggs, both of you expected to get four or five but you got seven. Seven little eggs that would soon become embryos.

Following the retrieval, your doctor fertilised the eggs and continued to prep your body for the transfer. You and Leah chose to use your brothers sperm, meaning the baby would be related to the both of you. You took both estrogen and progesterone in hopes of preparing your body successfully, which it did.

Six days after Leah’s egg retrieval, you had your transfer. Out of the seven of the eggs that were taken from Leah, only five made it through. You decided to transfer just one egg and freeze the other four for future use.

“You ready to go, pretty girl?” Leah asked you from beside the door as you grabbed the bag.

You nodded your head as you picked up your bag and slipped your shoes on, “Mhm, let's go get me pregnant!” You joked.

You spent that morning cuddled in bed with Leah, she ordered you breakfast from McDonald’s which you enjoyed in bed together.

Leah drove you both to the clinic, the radio played in the background as you and Leah talked about random things. When you arrived, you didn’t wait around long before your doctor called you in.

You changed into a gown and had to put on a hair net, Leah had to put on a hair net too which you made sure to snap a photo of. Leah held your hand as the doctors performed the small procedure. They talked you through each step and you were even able to watch it on the screen in front of you.

Five minutes later, the procedure was done and you were officially pregnant until proven otherwise. A little image of your embryo was given to you and Leah as well as a box of pregnancy tests that you weren’t allowed to take until after the two-week wait.

“I’m so proud of you,” Leah murmured against your forehead as you stood outside of your car. “I love you so much.”

“I love you more,” you smiled before pressing a soft kiss to Leah’s lips. “I’m so tired.” You yawned.

Leah chucked, opening your car door, “Let’s get you home, pretty girl.”

When you arrived home, your body felt weak and tired. You headed straight for your bedroom and climbed into bed but when you opened your bedroom door you were met with a surprise.

A little gift basket was set on the end of your bed, filled with different goodies. You turned around and faced Leah, tears welling in your eyes.

“Le, did you do this for me?” You asked, a tear slipping down your face.

She nodded, “I had my Mum bring it round while we were out, have a look at it.”

You stepped closer to the bed and rummaged through the basket. It was filled with all of your favourite snacks, skincare stuff and a brand-new blanket. On top of the blanket was a note attached.

You reached for the note, unfolding it carefully. Leah’s handwriting was written across the page, each word etched with love. “What’s this?” You asked.

“Open it,” she urged.

—

To my pretty girl,

I love you so much, more than words can describe. I’m so grateful to be doing this with you and I’m so proud to be your wife. Thank you for giving your body up as a place and home for our baby to grow. I can’t wait to experience this journey with you. I promise to treat you like a princess for the next nine months.

Love you lots,

Le <33

—

Tears continued to slip down your face as you turned on your heels to face Leah. She engulfed you and a hug and held you close to her chest.

“These next nine months are going to be perfect, I promise.” Leah whispered into your hairline.

[tblsomedoodles]

Why are you here? Comic

They're dumbasses, your honor. Like, at this moment, neither of them actually believe they're sibling. (Mikey and Leo are dead set on it but these two are skeptical.) Yet they spend two minutes alone and devolve into sibling bickering. something i had not planned on when i went to make this comic. They did this on their own lol!

Bonus Traximus Reaction to finding his ward bickering like a child with one of the newbies

Honestly, it's actually a pretty important moment for both Rafa and Traximus. Rafa because that's that's the moment they realize Donny has like no self preservation instinct, so if he won't protect himself, Rafa will, while he's around to do it at least. It's important for Traximus b/c for the first time in years, he's seeing his ward acting like a child and he pretty much decides right then and there that 1) They're definitely siblings, and 2) if these 3 strangers actually manage to escape this place, he is making Rafa go with them.

Anyways, here's my little experiment with limited color pallets. I'm not sure i'll do this again b/c it was kinda annoying to figure out the colors first (especially since i knew i wanted both variations of red and purple but couldn't find a good pallet for that. Thus i ended up with this one.)

ps. Donny's shoulder is a reoccurring problem at this point b/c he won't let it rest long enough to heal properly. The injury first happened during "shredder strikes back" events and since Donny decided to start his training pretty much immediately upon getting to the farm house, it hasn't had the rest it needs to properly recover. theoretically, it should be healed by now, but he keeps pushing himself and re-injuring it, a fact he's been hiding as much as he possibly can.

[tmnt-obsessed-ace]

Does Savage Raph (or savage Rafa in this case) exist in Same Story Different Font

Unfortunately yes.

The incident that first caused it happened only three years since the lab fire. Putting the boys at five, four and three.

It was winter time and the sewers were flooded.

The lair had been flooded as well.

The barely functioning electricity had gone out as well, taking out the few space heaters Leonardo had found over the past two years.

The lair was flooded, and freezing cold

They couldnt stay there.

So Leonardo was trying to take the kids up to the surface (with a plan to hide in a warehouse of some kind. Snag a few more heaters and blankets and they would be okay until spring.)

Well that didnt happen.

The flood waters were too strong, and Rafa got swept away into the depths of the sewer system.

His terrified scream, muffled with the raging water will haunt Leonardo for the rest of his life.

And Leonardo was fucking screwed.

As much as he wanted to, he couldnt go after Rafa. Then Leon, Dani and Michel would be put in serious danger. (They were so tiny, shivering in the cold while wailing as their big brother got swept into the darkness) He couldnt just leave them alone in the cold FLOODING sewer tunnel to go look for Rafa. They would get swept away as well.

Or worse...

So Leonardo kept going to the surface, despite how his children sobbed and begged for him to go looking for Rafa. Despite how his own tears were freezing to his face. He didnt want to abandon his baby, but he had to find somewhere safe and warm to drop the kids off. (Note this was before the family met Hueso, because if they had known Hueso by this point then Leonardo could've left the kids with him and go looking for Rafa. Hell Hueso would've definitely HELPED look for Rafa. But it would be several more years before they meet the yokai)

Once Leonardo found an empty, warmish warehouse to hide Leon Dani and Michel he went straight back into the sewers to look for Rafa.

But there were so many tunnels, they all looked exactly the same in the dark, freezing sewer.

It didnt help that Leon and Michel both got sick the next day, like pneumonia levels sick.

That meant that Leonardo's already hurried searches got even shorter. Now he couldnt stay away from his kids for long.

And when he was away he had to find medicine, food and blankets.

All while trying desperately not to have a panic attack because of the cold reminding him of the Footclan Ambush that ended left him with a cracked shell, messed up throat, fucked up knee and in a three month coma.

And it absolutely pained Leonardo that he couldnt look for his son as much as he should. But what could he do? He was stuck between a rock and a hard place while being completely alone.

(He couldn't have carried Rafa because he was already carrying the other three and he wouldnt have been able to climb the ladder to the surface. He cant spend hours searching for Rafa because Leon and Michel could DIE without medicine and heat, Dani needed food because he was so small. What if someone found them while he was gone? What if they got kidnapped or killed? What if the power went out and they all froze to death? What if Leonardo gets injured while looking for Rafa and cant get back to his kids?)

It took two weeks to find Rafa.

He was filthy, covered in scrapes and bruises. Freezing cold and barely alive.

But Leonardo didnt care, his child was alive!

However when Rafa got all warmed up a few days later he started hissing.

His eyes were completely white, covered by the third eyelid.

Making him look feral

Leonardo tried to calm him down (he knows how terrifying it is to wake up in a new place you've never been in before when you dont know how you got there) but Rafa didnt calm down.

He bit Leonardo on the arm. Harder than he's ever had before.

Blood was drawn and it was already starting to bruise.

Every time Leonardo tried to calm him down he was just hissing, growling, kicking and clawing at his father. Trying to get away.

He was scared, he was so obviously scared. (Even without his fear stink you could tell how TERRIFIED he was)

So Leonardo decided to let him settle down for a few days.

Things got worse when Dani tried to run over, to see his big brother.

But Rafa lunged at him, teeth and claws bared and ready to maim.

Ready to kill.

The only reason Dani is still alive is because Leonardo put himself between the kids.

Rafa bit his arm again.

This time he actually managed to break bone.

(Leonardo couldnt stop himself from yelling in pain this time.)

It became obvious that Rafa didn't recognize him.

He didn't even recognize his brothers...

So he had to be kept separated from them for awhile. (He was kept in a small room filled with blankets and stuffed animals)

Imagine having to explain to a crying FOUR YEAR OLD that he cant see his big brother that's been lost for two weeks because he doesnt recognize him and absolutely will attack him out of fear.

Dani had never cried so hard in his life.

And neither had Leonardo.

Leon and Michel were sick, Rafa was too volatile for anyone but Leonardo to be near, their home was flooded and they were freezing cold.

That was definitely one of the worst nights the family ever had, right up there with Shredder's attack of the lair and the Krang Invasion.

And the entire situation could've been avoided (or at least not as bad) if Leonardo was with his family.

Donnie could've been taking care of Leon and Michel. Raph, Mikey, Casey could've helped looked for Rafa. Splinter could go out and get more food and blankets, and help watch over Dani. April could've used her psychic powers to get Rafa out of the Savage mode quicker. (She did it before with Splinter)

The entire situation would've been fine if theu were there.

But they werent

Leonardo was completely alone.

He was only one person trying to juggle about five hundred problems at once.

And at the age of 20 he had thought several times he would have to bury a child.

He truly considers that night to be one of his biggest failures as a parent.

Even though it wasnt his fault.

[largepeachicedtea]

tagged by @chaotictarlos for my top 5 fave tarlos scenes! thank you love :)) in no particular order because how could i choose, so these are just 5 that come to mind when i think of my faves

their flirty lil dart hangout in texas proud

its cute! its funky and flirty! carlos is trying so hard to be a chill guy™! tk is grumbly and distracted! i love casual scenes that just put characters into fun situations, and that scene is the epitome of that to me.

carlos finding out tk is actually srsly hurt during their breakup era

what can i sayy! carlos is like 🙄whats tk done now the troublemaker🙄 and nancy is like 😬hunny you've got a big storm comin! but fr whump during the breakup era???? my kryptonite!!!! also nancy best girl <3

"hi. youre tk. im carlos. we're soulmates"

theyre soulmates your honor!!! signed sealed delivered i dont make the rules!! tk reminds me a lot of a stray animal at times thats been beat down so many times he struggles to feel any optimism at the first sign of his own troubles, and these scene was perfect in solidifying carlos' place within that mindset. he's so casual about it too. tk might have a neurodegenerative disease, he might get sick or injured in his work or just day to day. he might get difficult to be around for a multitude of reasons. but carlos isnt going to shy away. yes itd be awful, but there's no second that carlos doesn't take his responsibilties and love for tk seriously. he will be there, with tk. end of story.

the proposal DUH

i dont have to go into this. 3:18am!!!!! for every second that they have alive at the same time, tk wants them together with carlos. legally.

the precinct scene (aka rafa and ronen's chemistry read scene that explains everything)

i will not expand. you know exactly what im thinking. "you've got a lil crud right there........no just let me"

[thisbuildinghasfeelings]

I wonder if Ronen purposely misled in the interview that TK and Gabriel were looking for Iris when in reality they are looking for Carlos but the general audience doesn't know that. An then Rafa is talking about taking a shovel to the head lol

I'm kind of theorizing that whatever is happening to Carlos is maybe some kind of torture? Or trying to escape?

Thank you for asking this because I have so many more thoughts I need to get out!!

It did cross my mind that saying TK and Gabriel are looking for Iris might be a misdirect. It's hard to imagine how a situation would come about that the two of them would be looking for Iris on their own at what appears to be a neighborhood/house. I could see them pitching in to help if there was a search party of some kind, or I could see them accompanying Carlos if Carlos was going somewhere to look for Iris, but on their own like that? I don't know.

It's possible that Carlos was looking for Iris, goes missing, and then TK and Gabriel go looking for Carlos and Iris. That way, it would technically be accurate to say they're looking for Iris. However, I'm so confused about what the sequence of events would be. We see Carlos in uniform carrying an injured Iris out of a building. Could that possibly happen after he's hurt? Would he be able to get injured (and we know it's serious because we've been told it's a near-death situation), recover from the injury, and then get back to work and rescue Iris? It doesn't seem like it.

I always imagined that the TK and Gabriel still had to be happening when hurt Carlos was imminent (or had already happened). I guess there's nothing we know that would require that to be true. Maybe Carlos is recklessly investigating, TK is worried about him, TK and Gabriel go looking for him but he doesn't get hurt until later? But we know the TK and Gabriel scene is in episode 4, and how much can possibly fit into one episode? It doesn't seem like TK and Gabriel teaming up, then Carlos rescuing Iris, then Carlos apparently doing his own additional investigating and getting shoveled, and then the aftermath of hurt Carlos can all be a single episode.

I also wonder exactly what is going to happen to Carlos. Not that getting hit in the head with a shovel couldn't be a near-death experience--it certainly could--but I do wonder if there's more to it than that. Is Carlos just getting shoveled and then left somewhere (Abandoned, perhaps?) or is he getting shoveled and then kidnapped? Or shoveled and then injured worse some other way? It does seem like more has to be happening with Carlos in this episode than simply getting hurt. Not that Rafa couldn't act the hell out of a shoveling scene, but all the raving about how amazing his acting is in episode 4 makes me feel like he's given more to work with.

Basically, I have lots of questions, no answers, and I can't wait to see how the next two episodes play out!

[doublel27]

Carlos Reyes and that line “Typical TK. The first time he wants to talk to me in months and it’s because he’s in the ICU.” - A meta

A few things we know about Carlos:

Acts of service are his particular love language. We see it with all the people that matter to him.

Michelle and Marjan he makes sure he’s the person that arrests them for their causes, tries to keep them safe, advises them to maybe consider not getting arrested but he never gets in their way, not really. He shows up and takes care of them.

With the rest of the 126, who he’s come to love, Carlos hosts the hang outs. First this is a service for TK but it’s clear this becomes something that matters to him. And it’s not just like he lets everybody hang out-he provides food, he makes sure everyone is doing well. He also shows up to be part of the clean up crew for the 126. The only other non-house members to show are Grace (and Judd and Grace are goals) and Izzy and Evie.

We watch Tommy have to go to work in the wake of her husband’s death and Carlos shows up on his day off to go babysit Izzy and Evie. It is going to be a long shift babysitting but he ends up becoming “Carlos!” Above Uncle Judd.

Lastly, with TK, Carlos will drop acts of service at TK’s feet. There’s the dinner that goes horribly awry, that Carlos cooked to be ready at midnight. There is picking up TK’s arrest papers and processing him, and taking the time to clean off his face and make sure he’s alright in the wake of that awful dinner. Carlos hosts the 126 in his house. He shows up every time TK is injured. He waits up for TK in the aftermath of the volcano and Tim’s death and holds TK. He works through TK going missing in what is already a terrible day for Carlos and FINDS him. He sits through an awkward intervention for Owen for Tk. He shows up to tell TK to his face about Gabriel arresting Owen, knowing TK is going to freak out and shoot the messenger (with reason), because Carlos can go tell TK and be there for him (hopefully). He makes dinner after their fight and takes care of TK in the aftermath and then their house burns to the ground.

Carlos Reyes is also very good at hiding/burying his emotions to function and to get his father’s approval. Carlos is a master of appearing calm and collected in the midst of what are horrifying feelings. Does this make him good at his job, sure. Is it healthy, not really.

He does it with Michelle and Marjan where he’s clearly worried and is sarcastic and quippy with Michelle but isn’t going to put his feelings on them.

He spends his time with TK focusing on TK’s emotions and less on his own(again not healthy). He’s having the worst day in Bad Call and he buries every last bit of it to find TK when he’s missing. He buries his feelings when he goes to tell TK about Owen’s arrest and his dad’s part in it. We watch him hold everything in when TK is hurt, aside from love.

The only big slips we get are him yelling at Gabriel after his dad basically says Carlos has shit instincts as a cop and breaking down into silent tears after his house burns down. Neither of these are large emotional moments or particularly demonstrative. Rafa plays Carlos as so tightly

And because of the interaction with Gabriel, we learn that Carlos’s dad has always seen him as too soft. That his own emotions are not valid or wanted if they’re not the right ones. And he also refuses to process them. It strikes me that Carlos wore his heart on his sleeve as a kid and his father was not a fan. He just wants his dad to be proud of him.

Finally, when frustrated, Carlos gets sarcastic and quippy. He does it with Michelle when she’s focused on Iris and he wants to have her be a better friend. He does it with TK in the precinct while processing him. He gets that edge in his voice when he’s trying to figure out where things stand between him and TK in the aftermath of the shooting. He does it again when he and TK argue over the run in with his parents at the farmers market. When Carlos knows he made the right call in Bad Call and Gabriel knifes him in the heart, he gets sarcastic with his father. He pulls it out with Marj in the car after he arrests her and tries to get her to back down.

Care and concern and frustration rise Carlos buries it under sarcasm. He takes that tender heart sleeve and puts a bulletproof sheen over it, so no ones can see it shattering.

So when Nancy calls him to come and see TK in the hospital, his words are covering that big wounded heart. But the actions, his act of service is to stop in the middle of a shift, in the middle of a natural disaster when things are spread incredibly thin, and go see TK. He ignores dispatch calls and heads in because TK asked for him. TK wanted and needed him and Carlos dropped everything because the act of showing up for TK was more important than acts of service for his community that’s in peril. And all of the feelings of care and concern and terror and heartbreak get hidden under a sarcastic joke, because he thinks TK asked for him now, after everything and he doesn’t need anything to see how affected he really is.

His eyes when he realized that TK didn’t ask for him because TK cannot ask for anyone, well, Rafa’s eye acting ability is a whole other meta.

[nimata-beroya]

TBB THEORY

As I promised, here there are possible scenarios I've speculated about what will happen when Crosshair gets his inhibitor chip removed. Not all the scenarios have a happy ending (don't ask me why my mind came up with ideas that hurt me so much! 😭😭). Anyway, here you go:

First, I should mention that I see 2 ways for the batch to bring Crosshair back: either they make an elaborated plan to rescue him or take the opportunity to seize him when Cross gets knocked out/injured in one of the fights against the guys. I think a rescue mission is too much of a risk that the batchers can't afford, so I like the latter choice better. I feel they wouldn't leave Cross behind again, knowing the chip's existence and what it does. It's not like in episode 1 that they thought he decided to turn against them all on free will. Now they know better.

Okay, the batch has Crosshair on the ship, now what?

They need to find a new place where to do the procedure because I have the feeling that Bracca won't be a safe option after this coming episode. If the Empire with Crosshair in the leading catch the guys there by the beginning of episode 8, they won't be able to come back later. It's too risky.

Once they find a safe place, things could go in different ways:

Everything goes as planned, they take the chip out, and Crosshair goes back to normal (this is ideal, obviously. Probably, Cross will feel remorse for all he has done to that point, but his trauma/guilt won't be addressed in the show as it should be.)

They remove the chip but at a cost. Whatever Kaminoans did to increase the effect of the chip will make it more difficult to remove and/or leave brain damage (like a coma or loss of mental abilities like amnesia o personality change)

The show could go a little darker than what I think it might and truly address Crosshair's trauma and guilt. After the chip is removed he could feel so bad for what he's done that when they're in a tight spot he'll sacrifice himself to save his brothers and/or Omega as atonement. Saving Omega would be like a complete circle since Cross gave Hunter so much grief in episode 1, first about letting Caleb escape and then about Omega (it's great angst but no, let him live, please! I want him back with the batch, bonding with Omega, fighting the Empire, all good things. Is that too much to ask?)

And the worse of all possibilities, that even with no chip, Crosshair chooses to follow the Empire. (This comes from a recurring theme I've seen in the show. In fact, didn't Rafa told Hunter that everyone ends up choosing sides in the end? What if that was foreshadowing that Cross won't rejoin the bad batch and stay with the Empire, this time by his own volition? 😣😣)

So, this was what I've come up with so far. Am I too crazy to think this? What do you guys think?

[howtosingit]

Okay, so I was just on Rafa's twitter and some of the comments on the Tarlos posts make me want to gag. People are all "Carlos should be on his knees apologizing" and "poor tk" and I can't. Sure, Tk had a right to be upset especially because Carlos didn't explain beforehand (also because this boy does not have a good record with major relationship milestones) but the closet comment was just cruel and hurtful. The only thing Carlos maybe has to apologize for is not explaining sooner. 1/2

if that. Like it was a communication thing they needed to solve. they were both wronged parties in it, and they both should probably apologize and talk it out. (moreso tk because lord almighty what a small worldview.) I just... I'm mad that some people are blaming Carlos for feeling unsafe. I needed to rant a bit. thanks, 2/2

First, I will just say: I had heard that Twitter was having a very different reaction than Tumblr and it honestly does not surprise me at all... I was pretty concerned going into this episode that, no matter how they were depicted on the show, people would automatically take TK’s side in this. There are a variety of reasons that I thought that, and I’m not going to explicitly share them here or now, but if you’ve been paying attention to how the world actually works, I think you’ll know what they are. 

Further, there is an incredible misunderstanding - sometimes even in the LGBTQIA+ community itself, as I have already explained today - about how traumatic the coming out experience can be for a person. IT. IS. A. PROCESS. And, it is different for every single person. There is no such thing as a universal “gay storyline”. A lot of people just do not get it, what it can do to a person, the variety of feelings and emotions that it can make a person feel. Even people who have gone through it themselves might struggle to understand an experience that isn’t the exact same as their own. 

All of those people on Twitter are delegitimizing Carlos’s trauma here, and that’s not shocking to me. They are unable to think critically about the story they are being told, either because they don’t want to or they don’t know how. For them, they just saw that Carlos lied and that that lie hurt TK, without fully appreciating how that lie has also been hurting Carlos since he was 17, so they have painted TK as the injured party and Carlos as the bad guy - when in reality, they have both been injured and they have both messed up (to varying degrees).

“I'm mad that some people are blaming Carlos for feeling unsafe.” Well, Anon, it wouldn’t be the first time that someone like Carlos Reyes was blamed for their insecurities and legitimate feelings of fear and uncertainty. It’s kind of the story of our world, as disgusting as that thought is... 

[new2otomelol]

What if... I follow the current (A KBTBB fanfic) The End

My recovery was slow; well, it didn't have to be. Soryu made sure Inui and Samejima monitored my every move around the house and forced me to bed rest as much as possible. I will admit, my homicidal tendencies almost made themselves apparent as I almost went crazy from boredom; however, Soryu's detective novels and visits from Rafa made a big difference.

A month passed since my "insisted" recovery. The last couple of weeks I was able to sneak out of my room to make myself my favorite snack, an omelette. Since then, Soryu would join me, at first to make sure I wouldn't hurt myself and to scold me, but then, it turned into a ritual. We got to know each other very well and spoke of our families, hardships, etc.

I never expected to get to know him on a deeper level, but it happened. He knows more about me than many have in a long time. If I didn't know any better, I would think I have feelings for the guy, but, then again, I have never had luck in that department.

Pouring my egg mixture into the pan I watch it sizzle and solidify. What should I do? Should I go with my heart and see how things go? Am I strong enough again?

I place the potatoes, bacon, cheese and spinach to complete the omelettes. What am I thinking about? I need to focus on the now, I can't start something with someone new. I have unresolved issues and...

"Smells delicious." Soryu's deep, sensual voice fills the kitchen. "Pretty much done, have a seat." I serve the omelettes as he prepares our drinks and takes a seat. I do so love this interaction between us. It feels natural, like its being going on for a very long time. But does he feel the same?

"So, tell me. Did Rafa find any other clues about your past?" Soryu asks. "He says that the hospital I was found in as a child, had received me from a stranger who ran off. Apparently, I was wearing a bracelet from another hospital and the stranger had snapped it off of me, in front of a nurse before taking off. It seems like it's another cold lead."

Soryu looks conflicted about something, but continues the conversation with me. "How is Rafa doing?" I finish eating my omelette as fast as I can, something's up with him and he doesn't know how to tell me. "He's fine, says he needs me back at work. Customers have been asking for me at the bar too." He lowers his utensils and places them down harshly on his now empty plate.

"Well, he'll have to wait because you are in no shape to be working there. You took a bullet..." I stand up frustrated that he won't just come out with whatever he has to say. I pick up my plate and his and place them in the sink. How dare he bring that up every single time! I'm okay now!

I open the faucet and let the dishes cover in water when suddenly I feel someone right behind me. Soryu's hand reaches for the faucet and shuts the water off. A bit heated by his proximity, but still irritated, I turn to face him, not realizing how close to me he is. "You are truly infuriating sometimes Sara! I am just trying to do what is best for you and... the hell with it!"

Next thing I know Soryu reaches for my face with both hands and steals my lips. His kiss is soft and wonderful at first, but as I reciprocate it intensifies with passion. I never knew he felt the same for me, but now I can see it. He has been taking care of me, always taking time to talk to me at night, caring about my past, all the signs were there. After what seems like the longest kiss of my life, we both separate to catch our breath.

"Sor... I, uh..." He smiles gently at me then kisses me briefly one more time. "I know you feel the same as I. I've never felt this way about anyone and I am not about to let you go." I stare deep into his eyes and see my reflection. My tears blur my vision and I launch myself at him; placing my arms around his neck I whisper into his ear. "I love you too you big lug!" I feel his arms tighten around my waist and suddenly stop, he then gently grabs me by the shoulders and pushes me back.

"Before we can go any further, we need your brother's blessing." My what?! What does he mean. Confusion sets in generating a million questions in my mind. "Sara, I had a suspicion about you ever since you were at the hospital. I saw your scar on your chest as a nurse had re-adjusted your electrodes, plus, you vaguely resemble the asshole. Just to verify it, I had a friend of mine do a DNA test and it came back a match." The news hits me like a ton of bricks, but who is he talking about? I have family?

"Your real name is Yukari and your brother is Eiuske."  Suddenly I feel as if the room is spinning and the air has been taken out of me; my knees weaken and I lose control. Soryu quickly sweeps me off my feet and moves us to the living room, placing me on a couch. "Breathe sweetheart, breathe. I am sorry to break it to you this way, but I just found out about the DNA results about an hour ago." "You mean Eisuke is... but... we are nothing alike! He's a stubborn, pigheaded jerk! And how? What?" Soryu laughs. "He is stubborn alright, intelligent and caring in his own way, just like you. Now, let's go and talk to him, he's been searching for you his entire life. You are the reason he hosts the auctions. Now, let me help you up, I'll explain everything in the car."

AT THE TRES SPADES During the car drive Soryu fills me in on the night of the fire, how my real family was betrayed by a close friend and how Eisuke and I were found, but I had disappeared from the hospital. It all makes sense, it's still just a lot of information to take in.

While we take the elevator to the penthouse floor, Soryu takes my hand kisses my forehead. "Stop being nervous, everything will turn out alright." I laugh nervously. "Easy for you to say. He can be so cold; I just don't think he'll like the idea of me being related to him."

He let's go of my hand and reels me in for a hug instead. "It's not like that, you'll see. I'll be right beside you the entire time." I hug him tight and take in his scent. It's crazy how life changes in an instant, it's been happening to me a lot since meeting these men.

The elevator dings and the doors open, Soryu and I quickly separate but he takes my hand and leads me to the lobby. "Oh my! Pretty lady, you're here!" I hear Baba shout excitedly as he rushes over to us, but quickly stops as Soryu gives him the coldest look I have ever seen. "Fine, fine, I get it! She's with you, calm down Sor! Eisuke is upstairs waiting for you." Soryu grunts and leads me to Eisuke's office.

Once there, he taps lightly on the door. Eisuke's voice can be heard clearly enough "come in!" I take a deep breath and we both step in. "I see you got yourself a woman now." He states as he looks at Soryu.

"Her name is... before I can tell you any further you're going to have to sit down." Eisuke frowns and takes a seat on his desk. Soryu and I take a seat across from him in his guest chairs. "Eisuke, this is Yukari, your sister." Suddenly he stands up in shock and looks at me, then at Soryu. "How can you be sure?" He almost yells out his question, but seems to be more concerned and excited. Two emotions I prefer over anger.

"I had a blood test done, Luke confirmed it for me. She has a scar where you remember your sister having been injured, plus the timelines and life events she went trhough correlate with yours. She is your sister." Eisuke looks down to the ground as he processes the information he has been presented with.

I stand up, feeling compelled to help him. I walk slowly towards him and place a hand on his shoulder. "I know it's hard to believe, I didn't at first, just ask Soryu. But looking at you now, I remember a little boy that I see often in my dreams. I use to call out to you 'Sukiiii' all the time. Sadly, that is all I remember, besides the fire."

Eisuke suddenly raises his head to look at me and I can see the formation of tears that threaten to spill in his eyes, but remain firm. He shakes my hand from his shoulder and quickly hugs me. I wasn't expecting it, but I lose myself in the moment and hug him back. "I lost all hope in finding you. Forgive me, for leaving you behind, for the auction, for everything." I hug him tighter for a few seconds then release my hold. I take a step back and look him in the eyes. "No need to, you didn't do anything wrong as a child, you tried to protect me. As far as the auctions go, I could go on for days about that with you, but in the end, you found me." He smiles for the first time and holds my hands.

"Eisuke, please know that I will take care of her with all my might." Suddenly Eisuke's eyes widen and as if suddenly remembering that Soryu and I had walked in together holding hands.

"Before you blow your top off, just now that we do care for each other and that this is what I want. We'll have plenty of time to get to know each other and..."

"I WILL allow it, after all, Soryu is like a brother to me; however, you WILL be staying with me at least a couple of days per week so that we can get to know each other, I won't take no for an answer!" Soryu grunts in disapproval and I yelp in excitement, hugging Eisuke once again. "I promise!"

As I said before, life has a tendency to change without much caution. No matter how good or bad things can be, I always go with the flow and right now, this feels like a current, but a good one. Let's see how things turn out!

Thank you all for reading, sorry for the long delay in writing it! Being a teacher during these times is tough, but making it through! Take care and have wonderful holidays! Feel free to request if you like my writing :-)

[iknowthekoolaidflavor]

Guilt

Pairing: Rafa x Reader

Prompt: When a building up the street catches fires, two paths cross under difficult circumstances. A little angst, then fluff. Firefighter!au

Word Count: About 2k

A/N: Also, my first Rafa fic!

As soon as you saw the news that night, you knew it would be a long one. A building several blocks away had caught on fire. The reason was unknown, but for most of the night, residents of the building and firefighters were in and out of the hospital. After you finished with one patient, there was always another waiting.

When the last group came in, your team was split into smaller groups to lessen the load. It was four in the morning, you were exhausted, but you needed to check in on one more patient before you could get a nap.

The firefighter one you operated on earlier was still in bed, snoring softly. A piece of glass pierced his suit, puncturing his side, yet somehow it missed any major organs. You had to operate on his leg as well which was propped up on a pillow.

His two friends jumped up as soon as you entered.

“I’m Dr. (Y/L/N)”, you said shaking their hands

“I’m Rafa. This is Oak”

“Nice to meet you”

You started checking Daveed’s vitals, noticing how their eyes never left the two of you.

“The injuries he sustained from the fall aren’t as bad as they could be. His vitals are improving better than I expected”

Oak seemed relieved, Rafa, on the other hand, did not.

“How long will he have to stay here?”, Oak asked trying to defuse Rafa’s anxiety

“He has to stay overnight so we can keep an eye on him and at least two more as a precaution, but you guys can visit him as much as you want”

You smiled at Rafa and Oak, who seemed to relax at your statement.

“I can imagine it must be difficult seeing him like this, but I think he’ll pull through. I have very high hopes for Daveed”

“Is it alright for me to stay here?”, Rafa asked hesitantly

The entire time you were in the room, he never left Daveed’s side. To you, they seemed to be best friends or something more.

“Yes, let me know if you need anything”

“Is there anything else we need to know?”, Oak asked

“He’ll need to come back for physical therapy if he wants to return to work. I’ve already written a prescription for him”, you smiled softly as you hand the paper over to Oak

He slips it in his pocket, letting out a quiet thank you. Before you left, you noticed Rafa was still by Daveed’s side, face in his hands. He was mumbling to himself in an attempt to keep himself together. Oak sat by his side, just as he started to break down. You quietly left the room.

The entire night you were faced with many patients that would make full recoveries and a few  that would not. The latter always took a heavy toll on you. You knew Daveed had a high probability of making it through the night, but you had seen enough tears for one night. Emotionally, you were drained.

“Dr. (Y/L/N)”, someone yelled from behind you

As soon as you turned around, you were wrapped in a warm hug. You smelled the smoke from their clothing before you realized who it was. Rafa was shaking against you. He lost any ability to keep himself together. Several tears slipped down his cheek and on to your lab coat.

“Thank you”, he sobbed, “For everything”

You squeezed him as tight as you could. He buried his face against your shoulder, hiding his face from everyone that passed by.

“He’ll pull through, Rafa. You shouldn’t have anything to worry about”

“But I do”, he mumbled

He moved away from you wearing so many emotions at once. He was lost, upset, and scared. Rafa could no longer look you in the eyes.

“It’s my fault he’s...I should’ve…”

You grabbed his hand and he aimlessly followed. When you were in your office, you shut the door and sat him on the couch. You sat next to him, trying to console him.

“What happened?”

He never pulled his hand away because he needed some type of comfort, anything to get him through this.

“I should get back to--”

“Daveed will be fine. Oak is still there remember? And our team is still on the same floor”, you smiled reassuringly, “Tell me what happened”

“We thought everyone was out of the building, but a man couldn’t find his son. He was about to go in a burning building by himself. I know I did a full sweep of his apartment before I left and I didn’t see anyone else”

Rafa leaned back against the couch and threw his arm over his eyes.

“Daveed runs back inside to look again. He knew the integrity of the building was shotty, but he went in anyway. He found the kid hiding in someone else's apartment. Somehow, the kid made it out, but there was a blast and Daveed was still inside. We got to him before it started to collapse”

He sighed as more tears streamed down his cheeks. His shoulders began to shake as he tightened his grip on your hand.

“Rafa--”

“Don’t say it”

“Why? Because it’s true? It wasn’t your fault. None of this is. No one could have known he would be in someone else’s apartment”

“I know, but even if Daveed didn’t go in, someone’s child would have died and that would still be on me”, he groaned

“When we’re presented with tough decisions or struggling to deal with the aftermath of our decisions, my boss always tells us to weigh out the pros and cons. I would say a pretty big pro is someone’s child is still alive tonight”

“True, but a pretty big con is that Daveed is in the hospital”

“Daveed can return to work good as new in a few months”

“I feel guilty. Is that a con?”, Rafa sighed

“That’s expected. I would argue that it shouldn’t, but then again, I’m not a firefighter. It’s easy to feel guilt in most situations, especially when you can’t control the outcome, but how do you manage it? Will you wallow in it or do something to prevent it from happening again?”

You watched Rafa relax into the couch. He loosened his grip a little. The stress he felt dwindled little by little. He had to believe that Daveed would be alright. Everyone made it out the building, some were injured, but no one died. That was supposed to be a win, yet he still felt like there was a slight weight on his chest.

“You sure you’re not a therapist or something?”

“I’m sure”, you laughed, “I majored in psychology for undergrad”

Rafa smiled at hearing your laugh. You could tell he needed to get his mind off of everything.

“You want to get something to eat from the cafeteria? We can eat outside”

Rafa followed you outside. The conversation flowed effortlessly. He noticed your soft smile when you mentioned your family or how excited you were when he mentioned that he loves the same shows you do.

Your shift ended an hour ago and Rafa was beginning to yawn. You decided to walk him back to Daveed’s room before you left. He felt at ease for once. Rafa knew he wanted to see you again but not just because you talked him down when he felt like he was losing his mind, you shared the same interests, and he wanted to see your smile again. He felt corny just thinking about it, yet he knew it was the truth.

“Thank you for everything”, he chirped as you stepped in the room

Oak had fallen asleep in one of the chairs an hour ago. He kept an eye on Daveed while Rafa was away.  

“It’s my job”

“I mean for helping me. I wasn’t sure I would make it through the night and somehow you’ve made it bearable”

“You can stop by when you want”, you grinned

Rafa grinned back, “Daveed still has to go to physical therapy, right? What kind of friend would I be if I made him go through this on his own?”

“I’ll see you tomorrow then”

“I hope so”

You left the room, ready to crawl in your bed. There was a big chance you would have a certain man on your mind before you drifted off to sleep.

After you left, Oak cracked open one eye, “Did you at least get her number?”

Rafa jumped at his voice, “Were you eavesdropping?”

“You saw me when you walked in. Of course I was listening”

“I’ll ask for it tomorrow”

“If you’re going to see her so soon, at least go back to the station and shower. You wreak”

“I don’t want to leave until he wakes”, he said as watched Daveed sleep

“I’ll bring your stuff after I get some sleep”

Rafa was in a deep sleep when he felt something hit his face. This time it hit his nose. Then his cheek.

“What the--”, he cursed

When he opened his eyes, Daveed smirked at him as he balled up another piece of paper.

“Took you long enough”, he smiled, “Shouldn’t you be resting?”

“I was until you started throwin’ shit”

“I mean at home”

“Decided to stay here. No big deal”

“Awww”, Daveed grinned, “You care about me”

“Shut. Up. Don’t we need to call the nurse or something?”

“They already came in. I told them not to wake you”

“Has the doctor come by already?”, he tried to ask without suspicion

Daveed quirked a brow before asking, “You mean the one you’ve been drooling over since you got here? No, she hasn’t stopped by, but I have some things I need to say to her. First of all, she can do better”

They both burst into a fit of laughs.

“You better not”

“I have physical therapy. I have all the time in the world to tell her about you leaving your socks all around your apartment or the fact that you always drink the last bit of milk, then leave the carton in the fridge”

“It’s there for a reminder”

“That’s actually pretty gross”, Rafa heard from behind him

Rafa jumped and spun around. Daveed did little to contain his amusement. You were standing right behind Rafa, looking and feeling more refreshed than you did before.

“Dr. (Y/L/N)”, he beamed, “You look...well”

Daveed let out an exasperated sigh, feeling second hand embarrassment for his best friend.

“Thank you. So do you”

There was a moment of silence before you directed all your attention to Daveed.

“How are you feeling?”, you asked as you checked his vitals, “You’re blood pressure and heart rate are still the same, which is good”

“My side is starting to hurt”

You saw that his IV had run out, which was probably the reason why he was in pain.

“I’ll have the nurse come in and give you a refill. Can you move your toes?”

You moved his blankets from his feet and watched as he concentrated. All of his toes were moving except for his pinky toes.

“This is promising. Only your pinky toes didn’t move. Looking good Daveed”

He smiled brightly as you called in a nurse to give him his medication.

Within a few minutes he began to yawn. He was beginning to sink into the bed, trying to blink his eyes to stay awake.

“I’ll still be here when you wake up”, Rafa reassured him

“Good”, he yawned, “Now ask her out...before it’s too late”

Rafa’s eyes widened as his friend dozed off.

“He likes to...Daveed just…”

“I might have a break coming up soon. We can get lunch or something”

“I’d like that”, Rafa agreed

“You wait here and I’ll be back later to check on my favorite patient”

“You’re favorite patient”, he chuckled, “Oh hell no. Let me tell you about your favorite patient. First of all, he’s an ass”

You burst out laughing as Rafa ticked off all the things that annoyed him about his best friend. You had a feeling you would find out more about Daveed than you should if you let him continue.

You quickly pressed a kiss into his cheek, knowing he would grow silent.

“I’ll be back later to check on my favorite firefighter”

Rafa allowed the dreamy grin to spread across his face as he sat down. All he could do was wave as you left him in the room.

[professorkuroki-blog]

Chapter 4 - The Guardians

Throughout chapter 4 of The Guardians, the author presented the chapter with three perspectives from Regina, Gabo, and Abuelo Milton. The story began with Miguel inviting guest to Gabo’s birthday party, when Regina only intended for a small celebration with her nephew. Because Miguel reminded her of her mother, she instantly felt old, especially when Miguel’s perfect ex-wife came in. Although Crucita left immediately as soon as Gabo’s classmate, Tiny Tears and El Toro, arrived along with Jesse, who was wearing Regina’s gift for Gabo. Not only so, Padre Juan Bosco and Herlinda Mora also showed up to the his birthday. The party finally came to an end. Immediately, Gabo followed El Toro, Jesse, Tiny Tears and the Palominos into the car.

           Continuing with the story, Gabo asked for God’s forgiveness for his reckless actions after the party. Jesse persuade Gabo to have El Toro and the Palominos find his father a day before his fiesta. He agreed to the plan, and they prepared for actions that will take place when the party ends. In return, Gabo gave his new shoes (the gift from his aunt) to Jesse out of urgency for finding his father. The first step to the plan was spotting for coyotes in El Paso in order to get information on Rafa.

, Next day, Tiny Tears found out that Gabo’s father is trapped with the Villanueva family. A powerful family that starts war with police and owns meth labs. Little did they know, policemen were pulling up to Jesse car. The police arrested them, then drove them to jail. Gabo was released at last, yet when the chief deputy needed someone to pick him up, Gabo called Abuelo Milton.

           Grandpa Milton finished off the chapter with crimes that happened at his area. One night, he heard gunshots fired at the alley behind his house. This isn’t the first time Abuelo Milton witnessed a scene like this. He noticed El Toro was the robber who was arrested in Sunland Park, but El Toro was not the only gang who had robbed this train. Another group was caught in action by the FBI; some FBI was injured, one was dead. After that night, the FBI were pounding on every door and arresting everyone. Abuelo Milton felt the need to protect Gabo from these bad influences. He believed Gabo had God in his heart, so when the police department called in for him to pick up Gabo, without a doubt, he got on his Truck and head to the police station.

           Even though chapter 4 was about how desperate Gabo is trying to find Rafa, Ana Castillo wrote scenarios that represented real-life incidents. Gabo retells, “I used to have to do when we were crossing el desierto and helicopters were hovering over us. ‘Stay put,’ my dad would say, pushing my head down between my knees, hoping I would blend in with a nopal. ‘Shhh’” (Castillo 85-86). Gabo may be a fictional character, still his experiences are the experiences of some Mexicans. On the surface, Gabo retelling this incident helps build his character, but really, Castillo used the details to educate others about border life, and acknowledge the suffering Mexicans had gone through.

[bornoffside]

Make A Move - Marco Asensio

Nervous Marco, because why not? :D

“Ouch!”

“Well if you stopped moving so much, it wouldn’t hurt!”

Nadine huffed out a breath, trying to move the strand of hair that had fallen in front of her face. He was always such a drama queen.

“Hey! I am no-ouch!” Rolling onto his side, Isco shot her a criticising look. “Okay, I’m done, no more!”

Nadine rolled her eyes. He was expected to be back to full fitness some time in the next week, and it was her job to make sure that was the case. She had been giving the footballer a massage to loosen him up a bit, but he always complained that she was too rough with him…something that his teammates had teased him about relentlessly.

“I have never actually seen someone complain about having Nadi’s hands on them, have you?”

“Nope, never.”

Nadine looked over to the doorway in surprise, and shook her head fondly when Cristiano shot her a wink. He was far less serious on a daily basis than most people would have predicted, and they had become good friends with time. Marcelo was still shaking his head in reply to the Portuguese forward’s question, but grinned with a childlike wave when she looked at him.

“Hey guys.” She smiled at the two, giving Isco a light smack on the arm when she turned to face him. “You’re free to go, you big wimp.”

The Spaniard grinned at his new freedom, jumping up off of the massage table and throwing his shirt back on.

“Gracias, Nadi!” He gave her a quick peck on the cheek, and laughed when she tried swatting at him, before rushing out of the room.

It had taken a long time for Nadine to get used to the boys, but she already had experience from her previous workplace, so now she could scold them like little children when they acted like little children.

“And what do you two want?” She cocked a suspicious brow and crossed her arms as she leaned back against the massage table.

Cristiano and Marcelo shared a look, shaking their heads slightly when they looked back to her. Sure, they looked the perfect picture of innocence…to someone who didn’t know them. But Nadine did know them.

“If this is about Mar-”

“Please just give him a chance.” Cristiano was the first to break character, and Nadi was quick to look away and mindlessly roam around the room rearranging things. She’d do anything to get away from this conversation.

“Nadi, don’t do that.”

Large hands grabbed her own, pulling her away from the first aid kit that she was refilling. She could hear the exasperation in his tone, and finally gave in with slumping shoulders. Marcelo was leaning against the wall by the door, choosing to let Cristiano take over. He was a lot more straight forward when dealing with people…Marcelo was too nice for this sort of thing.

“Cris, please. I know, okay?”

She propped herself up to sit on the massage table, and he did the same beside her.

“What do you know?” He wasn’t being rude, but he was genuinely curious what she thought of the situation.

“I know he’s sweet, and I like him, I really do…but we can’t, okay?”

Nadine nervously fiddled with the ring on her middle finger, not really wanting to talk about this. Even though the two men knew her quite well, she was always a little socially awkward, and it was weird to be talking about this with them.

“Why not? Do you know how much he likes you? You’re the only girl he’s looked at for months, Nadi.” The forward pointed out gently.

In truth, he just wanted her to hurry up and accept the fact that she was a good-looking girl and that Marco wanted to date her. The youngster had his eye on her ever since he had his heart trampled by his ex the previous year, and Nadine had been with Real Madrid since Rafa Benitez hired her (way back in the dark ages, as she called it).

It was back when they had PSG in the Champions League that the Spaniard first met her. He was quick to offer her a position at the club when a senior medic retired. The girl had proven herself fairly quickly, bringing back the three players that were out injured at the time -Benzema, Carvajal and Pepe.

“I can’t date someone I work with, Cris!” She threw her hands up in exasperation, but he simply shook his head.

“That’s not a rule, you know it’s not.” He pointed at her accusingly.

“Even Zizou is waiting for you two to finally get together!” Marcelo decided to finally speak up, earning a ‘yeah!’ from his best friend.

Nadine stared at the shoes on her dangling feet, biting the inside of her cheek as she thought about it. She wasn’t lying when she said that she liked Marco. How could anyone not like him? He was such a sweet person, and he was genuine. He went out of his way to help people, and good lord…he was damn good-looking too. There was nothing about him that someone could complain about.

Except that he was a few years younger than her (which wasn’t something she would usually go for), and she didn’t particularly like the thought of the attention that would be on her if she did end up dating him. But Nadine was logical if nothing else. Attention came with the territory, and she always thought that when it came to caring about someone, she would do whatever was necessary to be with them if she was sure about it. She wasn’t going to let her life be a cliché soap opera, where the main characters constantly thought up new (and ridiculously stupid) reasons to not be together.

“Think of those big brown puppy dog eyes…” Cristiano whispered into her ear like a little devil on her shoulder, and Nadine laughed as she pushed him away.

But he did have a point.

Marco was adorable when he wanted to be. His eyes were so full of emotion that it made her want to just hug him and never let go.  

Cristiano waited for her response, looking at Marcelo with a smug expression. The whole team was rooting for them, and it wasn’t difficult to see (unless you were Marco) that no matter how hard Nadine tried to deny it, she felt for the Spaniard.

“I hate you.” She gave Cris a sideways glance, not missing the victorious grin that found its way onto his face.

“Is that a ‘yes’?”

Nadine rolled her eyes when she turned to see Cris’ self-satisfied smirk.

“How can it be a ‘yes’ when no one has asked me anything?” she shot back, matter-of-factly.

Marcelo clapped excitedly like a little kid, and Cristiano jumped down from his seat determinedly. Nadine quickly caught him by the forearm, and he turned to look at her in question.

“Don’t.” He cocked a brow, ready to scold her for having second thoughts, but she was quick to explain. “If he asks me, I’ll say ‘yes’. But, I don’t want you telling him to do it. It has to be his own choice.”

Cristiano pursed his lips for a moment, considering her words, then gave an approving nod.

“Deal.”

Cristiano gave his best friend a high five on his way out, but his smile faltered as soon as he heard her voice shout out to him.

“And don’t think I’ve forgotten your appointment tomorrow, Mr Ronaldo! I’m fixing that knee if it’s the last thing I do!”

“You’re late…” Nadine turned around to face the door with a faux look of disapproval, but that quickly melted away into a smile when she realised it wasn’t Cristiano.

“Marco?”

The midfielder smiled shyly, his hand coming up to rub the back of his neck nervously as he replied.

“Hey, sorry…I know you’re probably waiting for Cris…” He trailed off unsurely, his dark eyes dropping to the ground for a moment, and concern hit Nadine at his strange behaviour.

“Are you okay, Marco? Do you need something?” She rested a hand on his shoulder, and he quickly tried to think of a reply after seeing how worried she seemed, failing to ignore the feeling of her hand on him. He wasn’t usually this nervous around girls, a little shy sometimes, but this wasn’t some random girl at a club. And he didn’t have any liquid courage to get him through this situation.

Nadine was three years older than him, she had probably had seriously relationships in the past. She was probably more experienced, and who knew if she saw him in the same way. What if she didn’t like the age gap? Did she think he was kid? But Sergio’s wife was older than him and they were happily married and had a family together…

“Marco?” Now she was really getting worried.

“Oh n-no. I’m uh, I’m fine…” He chuckled lightly, licking his suddenly dry lips. “I was just…I was wondering if you’d…” His breath caught in his throat for a moment when he raised his eyes to look at her. She was already staring at him curiously, and he felt fear hit him like a freight train.

What if she said no? What if she laughed in his face? What if she wasn’t even single in the first pla-

“Marco?”

He snapped out of his thoughts with a quick shake of his head. God, he probably looked like an idiot. He felt his face flush in embarrassment. How many times had he zoned out on her?  

“Sorry, uh it’s fine. I’m sorry, I’ll let you get back to work…” He practically held his breath as he turned towards the door. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt so embarrassed.

“Wait…”

He turned around so quickly, that Nadine almost stumbled back in surprise, if his hand hadn’t shot out to gently steady her. He gave her an apologetic look, but she just smiled that small smile he loved to see her wear.

Nadine didn’t know how she managed to keep her voice steady, yet alone look him in the eyes so confidently, but she thanked whatever guardian angel was watching over her for the burst of courage in that moment. Lord knew that she was hardly experienced when it came to making the first move in these situations - not that she got into these situations very often in the first place.

“I was actually planning on going home, having dinner and maybe watching a movie tonight…but it’s always better with company.” She smiled shyly, before quickly adding onto her words. “If you’re not busy, of course.”

He froze, his dark eyes widening in sweet disbelief.

Did she…? Had she just…?

“Yes.” He mentally scolded himself for blurting it out like an idiot, scratching his eyebrow lightly with a small grin that he couldn’t suppress. “I mean, I would really like that.”

She smiled brightly, inwardly sighing in relief. Her nerves were hitting her full force. This was more than a little out of her comfort zone, but she saw how embarrassed he looked, and there was something that made her want to fix it.

“Great! Is 8 okay for you?”

Marco nodded instantly. She could have said 3am and he’d be there. He just wanted a chance with her, and now he was getting one.

“8 is fine. Good…perfect.” He kept nodding lightly like a bobble-head, and Nadine’s lips quirked up in amusement. He really was adorable.  

“Okay then…” She laughed sweetly. “I’ll see you tonight.”

Marco made his way out with a broad smile on his face, only to stop right in his tracks as soon as the door closed behind him. 

“Oh Nadine! I was wondering if you’d um, uh, ummm, uhhh...” Isco imitated his hands on his heart like a love-struck fool. 

Marco rolled his eyes with a bashful little smile, shoving his best friend’s shoulder. 

“Shut up.” 

[twistywisty-curvyswervy]

Did. You. See. Roger’s. Latest. Instagram/Facebook. Post??? I swear I half expect some sort of “announcement” in the near future! It’s like these two are captaining their own ship!!! Do they know they’re doing this? Are they doing it on purpose or is it just coming out (pun intended) naturally? It’s TOO MUCH!!! I hope they never stop!

Ahhhhh just went and looked when I saw your message!

It’s just... I can’t even begin... I’m just so...

I don’t even know where to start.

He is just so... PROUD, ya know?

And I’m so proud of THEM. *happy tear*

Honestly, sometimes I wonder how Rafa stands the guy he’s so ExtraTM lol whereas Rafa’s always just been quietly loyal ya know?

But I think it’s just Roger being Roger tbh tho. He’s a fucken sook lmao. Roger’s said on a couple of occasions now that he’s finally come to appreciate Rafa’s place in his career and life (or words to that effect,) and I think he’s come to that realisation having been sidelined for 6 months. Like he said, he didn’t quite know how to relate to other injured players (read: Rafa) before then and now I think it’s really dawned on him in a big way. And also maybe that he... might have, you know... missed him a little bit?

I wouldn’t be surprised if it didn’t kinda land in his lap at the Laver Cup press event in NY last year (judging by that beautiful picture of Roger’s heart-eyes,) and then really sunk in again when they went to the Academy like, ‘omg this person actually means a lot to me...’

As for the invite... YES WE’RE WAITING TOO RAF, WHAT’S THE GO? SPANISH SUMMERS ALL THE WAY PLS.

Ngl I’ve been harbouring this guilty fantasy of seeing Rafa teach Roger’s daughters how to fish (cos he sho’ as hell ain’t gonna do it lmao) and then Roger posting it all over IG lmao cos like I said, he’s a sook lmao.

Either it’s all of the above or Roger just realising that being sweet as pie to Rafa has helped his chances in their matches, which is fair because it’s something that worked for Rafa plenty good for 10+ years XD

EDIT: I DIDN’T KNOW THERE WAS A RAFA RESPONSE. *dead*

[barcaavengers]

He Knows Pt. 6 || Rafinha Imagine

Note: Look what imagine is up!! This one is fast paced and it doesn't have much detail since I wanted to include a few things. Next part will be with more details and fluffy. Should I extend it to 8 parts? Hit me up with your ideas, suggestions and what you think! It has been a month since you have heard the conversation between Celia and Rafael about a ring; you had thrown the most subtle hints but nothing was mentioned again about it. Maybe it had been your head playing games, maybe it was something unimportant...but you didn't let go of the thoughts at all. Trying not to think about it has worked, and you tend to keep it that way. Rafinha has been going out with his friends and staying over at their house, Xavier's mostly. It had taken quite the time to convince him that you'd be fine on your own, being a month or so away from giving birth to your twins he was quite hesitant about leaving you alone. "So Thiago called" Rafa says as he plops himself on the bed next to you as you watched TV, being careful with his leg of course. "What did he say?" You ask, only turning to peck his lips before turning your attention back to the screen. "He bought us tickets to go see him and to be there for Gabriel's birth" he says as he instinctively places his hand on your bump. "That was fast" you admit with a smirk. "When are we going?" "We will be there in two days" he says as he shift on the bed. "We will start packing tomorrow then" you yawn and turn to look at him. "Are you happy?" "I'm going to see my brother again, and see Bruno, and mom" a grin comes up his lip. "You miss them a lot don't you?" "I do. It will be great to have the family together again, except Thaisa for a few days, but she can't miss school." "So your dad is going too?" "Yeah" he says and you smile at him. "How's your leg?" You ask, placing your hand on his knee and caressing it. "Better..." and with that he moved his foot in circles. "Looks like it. Tomorrow we will give it a try without those" you nod your head at the crutches. "I'll fall." "You didn't the first time. You did well. This time I'll hold you tighter, I promise." "More lies" he teases and you push him lightly. "I was thinking, what if we go to the doctor that took care of Thiago when he was injured? Maybe he got something that could quicken the recovery. A second opinion..." He is thoughtful for a moment before he speaks, "Wouldn't be a bad idea, actually." "Its a thought. It doesn't hurt us to know if there are other options for you. I want you back on the pitch as soon as possible" you voice and he smiles. "I can't wait." He admits and kisses your cheek and you two watch a movie for the rest of the night until you fall asleep. The two of you had made it to Germany and Thiago had come to pick you up from the airport after his training session. "Y/N!" He calls and you grin as you and Rafa make your way towards him. You were carrying the two luggages and Rafa had his backpack as he moved with his crutches. He could now walk at least a tad better without them. Still limping, but he had gained a good balance. You knew that having him walk around the house without them would help. "Thiago!" You squeal as you two hug. "Its good to see your face again" you say as you pull away. "Its good to see you too, and see that my nephew and niece are growing" he says and you giggle. "Three Alcantara kids running around. I wonder what grandma, mom and dad are thinking" Rafa says as he chuckles, reaching to hug his brother. "I missed you" he says as he pats Thiago on his back and you smile at the scene. Their eyes were closed, too into the moment of being together again for a couple of days. "I missed you too, Rafa" Thiago mutters and pulls away. "I'm happy to have you here again. Get in, Julia can't wait to have you two in the house" he says, placing the luggage on the trunk as you and Rafa get in the car, you in the backseat, Rafa in front. "How is she? Is she nervous?" Rafa asks as Thiago starts to drive. "She is surprisingly very calm even if she knows it could happen in any minute. Honestly, I think I'm the one nervous here. Every time I go out and my phone rings I think its her calling me that her water broke or the contractions started. It freaks me out every time. The guys at Bayern make fun of me when my phone goes off" he admits and you giggle. "Looks like that is something in the Alcantara men. Rafa didn't want to go out because of that, and being protective even if I'm still not in the month" you admit. "I didn't want to leave her alone. You know how she can get" Rafinha says to his defense, referring to you doing things around the house even if he didn't want you to. Thiago eventually found out about that small disagreement you and his brother had over it, when you almost moved out for a few days, even weeks. "Right. Right. I don't like leaving Julia alone for long neither, only during training and small moments, like now" Thiago says as he drove. You arrive at Thiago's home. The first time you are there, actually. "Make yourself at home. I'll take these to the room" he says as he carries the luggage. "Hey" Julia calls as she approaches the living room. "Julia" you grin as you walk up to her. "How are you?" "Nervous" she smirks. "Its good to finally meet you in person" she says as she kisses your cheek in a greeting. "And see I'm not alone" she nods at your bump and you laugh. "Pregnant club" you joke and she laughs. "I'm only a week away and you are a few weeks away" she points out. "Yeah. Can't wait" you admit as you place a hand on your bump instinctively. You turn to look at your boyfriend who is looking at you with Thiago, a grin on both of their lips making you blush. "What?" "Nothing. Don't want to ruin the mommy moment" Rafa says and you glare at him playfully. "Shut up" you say and you all laugh. "I'll let you get settled up. We are going for some ice cream later with Valeria and Bruno, would you like to join us?" You look at Rafa who only shrugs at your questioning look. You have yet to meet the adorable, little boy that was Bruno, and his mother, at least personally. "Yeah. Alright." You say with a grin. "I'm meeting your mom today...Absolutely officially" you say as you lay in bed looking at the ceiling. "You have already met her, silly" he says, making his way towards you and sitting on the bed. "Yeah, but not personally. What if she doesn't like me or something?" "Stop worrying about that. She likes you just by watching you on skype conversations and phone calls. And its too late anyway, we are having our own little family" he says and kisses your temple. "Right. Right...." Yet your mind doesn't stop wondering about the what ifs and what could go wrong. After a few hours, you go out with Julia and Thiago out to meet up with Valeria and Bruno at a park. You were nervous, and your heart was beating out of your chest for that reason, but things went just fine. Valeria was a lovely mother and was happy to see you and Rafa together, as well as being excited for the two of you having twins. She said she was too young to be a grandmother of three and you all laughed as you ate your ice cream. Rafa was pushing Bruno in the swings, and you join them after a few minutes of talking with Valeria. Rafa had been talking to him about you and how he'd be uncle of three babies soon, the little boy just being excited over the whole idea of it because he'd be uncle at such a young age and would be able to play with them. That's what he seemed to be looking forward to the most. He didn't have any siblings that lived with him, so he only had his friends to entertain himself with, as well as his football matches, but at home, he probably was alone missing Thaisa, Thiago and Rafa who always played with him. The expected moment happened when Rafael and you decided to visit the doctor who took care of Thiago during his injury. Thiago had called Rafa to let him know and to spread the news to their parents, which he did. You all got to the hospital as soon as possible and waited for news. It had been a few hours since Thiago had called, but it seemed that the birth had delayed. "It happens" Valeria said as you two spoke about it. "Sometimes contractions start, but it isn't till a couple of hours until the baby is in place, if it takes too long, they just-" "Don't explain that to her, she will start freaking out" Rafa says and you all laugh for a moment. "I just don't want to imagine how big the cut will be for twins" you admit. "I hope they cooperate and aren't mean to me" you say as you place a hand on your stomach. "I'm sure it will happen naturally, no need to open you up" Rafa assures you. "If I see them opening me up I'll faint, early warning." "I never doubted that" he says and you push him slightly and he chuckles. "Gabriel is all set up now, you can go see him" Thiago says, walking towards your little group and you all grin. "Congratulations, hermano" Rafa says and hugs his brother, clapping his back and you see Thiago smile brightly. "I can't believe he is here" he says and hides his face in Rafa's shoulder before he pulls away to get the congratulations from Valeria and Mazinho, meanwhile, Rafa and you start to head to the nursery to see your nephew-in-law. You spot him rather easily, having him in front of the window with his name in display. "He looks so tiny" you say as you watch the baby stirr. "He looks like Thiago" your boyfriend jokes and you giggle, he reaches for your waist and pulls you close, his lips placing a soft kiss against your temple before whispering, "I can't wait to have ours here with us..." he runs a hand on your bump and you smile. "Soon. Its just a matter of time" you assure him. "Its not near enough.." he admits and you look at him. "Eager are we?" "I can't forever be entertained with you" he teases and you pretend to look hurt and he laughs. "Kidding." "Yeah. Sure." You tease back and you watch Gabriel seeming to find his sleeping position. You both had to go back to Barcelona for an appointment and a small therapy session for your boyfriend. Both were okay, Rafa should be able to start walking alright without the crutches and with the small steps he took at the beginning of the injury with your help, you were sure he'd be back on track faster than expected. Its already your last month of pregnancy, Rafa could already walk on his own and you two would be leaving Thiago's house soon. The two of you have returned after some therapy sessions for Rafa and your last check up before giving birth. You sat with Rafa on the couch in the living room with little Gabriel on his chest resting. You were tilted so your body faced them and you smile. "He is such a sleepy head" you say as you watch them. "He has barely opened his eyes...He just sleeps" he mutters and presses a kiss against his nephew's tiny head. "Do you think Em and Seba will do the same?" You ask, running a hand through Rafa's hair before resting your head on his shoulder. "Probably..." he says quietly. You two hear a chuckle and you both look up to spot Thiago taking a picture of the two of you. "Really?" "Primer video con tio y tia (First video with uncle and auntie)" he says and you roll your eyes playfully. "First of many" Rafa says and you grin. "I can't wait to have our kids...Take care of them..." he voices. "Best insomnia nights" Thiago says, quoting Rafa's words when they skyped once. "Now they will be worth it" Rafael admits and smiles down at Gabriel. "You will be a great father" you compliment. "And you will be a great mother" he leans in slightly, lips puckering making you grin and lean forward to press a soft kiss on them. Rafa was adding a few things to the bag you have prepared for when the time came of your birth. Most of the things were the ones given to you during the baby shower. You had both decided not to do anything big like Thiago had done. One, because you didn't want to have anything too big since Rafa wasn't in the best position after his injury, so you have both agreed on doing a little thing after the babies arrived. Non traditional as it was, but you didn't mind it, neither did he. Two, because of the injury and the small disagreement you two had, things were held back and even when Thaisa had mostly everything set, Rafa felt it wouldn't be alright to rush things. So that's what you two settled on, making a small party after the babies were born and had a few months ahead so everyone could meet them. "I forgot to put in the shoes Nike gave us for Seba" Rafa says as he zips the bag. "I like the black ones for Em, they look adorable" you admit. "I guess we can take them out of the hospital with those, depending on the weather and all." "I thought you wanted to get them out with your mom's twin onesies" you say as you watch them. "That too...I don't know, I'll just choose there" he shrugs. Yes, he wanted to be in charge of what the babies wore so they looked nice. "Did you put in the maternity pads?" Silence...then he grins and you sigh playfully. "I'll go get them." You say and move from the edge of the bed to stand up and as you do, you feel a strange twist on your belly and you wince. "You okay?" He instantly stops what he is doing to look at you. "Yeah. I probably moved too fast" you say before moving again and walking out of the room to the one you had most of the baby things stored at. It was like a storage room, but prettier and not so messy as it would be like. As you take the maternity pack, there is another wave of pain hitting you and you let out a small gasp and you place it in one of the cribs. Wasn't it too soon? You were in your nineth month already but it shouldn't be happening this soon, right? "Rafael" you call as you place a hand on top of your belly. There is no response but you hear his footsteps. "If you don't know where they are, neither do- What's going on?" Your face said that much, the pain was making you almost bend slightly as you held onto one of the cribs. It was slightly harder to take air into your lungs and you weren't sure if that was even normal. So many shows that you have seen that showed these things happening and you didn't know if it was normal or not. Your back was becoming painful as well, and you knew then that it wasn't something normal. "I think..." you take a small breath as the pain hits you again and all you see is Rafael with his eyes wide open, frozen in place as he looks at you. "No way. Ahora?! (Now?!)" "I don't know. I can't ask them" you roll your eyes and he glares at you before reaching for you. Finally. "What do I do? Do I get you to the car and get the things later? Do I get them now?" He was talking fast. It was funny to see him freak out with every second. "Get me to the car and get the things. I'll be fine" you assure him and his eyes are still widened as he looks at you. "Don't do that. Breathe." "Pretty sure I should be the one saying that to you." "Just get me to the car, Rafael!" You say as the pain increased. Rafinha seemed to have snapped out of it and quickly got a good hold of you as he started to walk you to the car. He tried his best to rush which you told him to not do so because he was still injured and couldn't walk that well just yet. He opens the passenger door and helps you in, being as gentle as he can as he does and you do your best to help in the process even if the pain was taking over your body. It wasn't agonizing pain yet, but while you waited it became more frequent. Rafael didn't took too long to get the bags and come to the car. He was trying to conceal his limping, but it was there evidently. "Are you okay?" He asks as he turns on the car and opens the garage door before ztepling on the gas go get out. "I think so" you say as you flinch before you feel something wetting your thighs. "I think my water broke..." "What?!" He screams and runs a hand through his growing hair. "Oh my God. Oh my God." He was muttering now and you place a hand on his shoulder. "We still have time. Relax. We will make it." "I don't want them to be born in the car. How antigenic is that!?" "Rafael please" you giggle through the pain, and he joins after. "Sorry" he smiles and takes your hand as he drives. "If you need to squeeze my hand, do it, but remember I get injured easily.” He teases and you let out an air through your lips that was meant to be a small laugh. It takes about 15 minutes for you two to get to the closest hospital. The contractions were more frequent now and you were groaning and moaning in pain. They took you in in a hospital bed and left you in a room where Rafael was able to be at. “They said you aren't ready yet so they will wait for a little while to check again” he says as he runs a hand through your sweaty hair and you close your eyes at such a gentle gesture in a moment where you are in pain. “Do you need anything?��� “For them to hurry” you say as you gesture with your head at the bump. “Did you heard anything that I just said?” You glare at him and he grins and takes your hand, kissing the inside of your palm and held it close to him. “Everything will be okay.” He assured you, thumb running along your hand. “We will have our babies with us and everything will be over soon, I promise.” You close your eyes and take in a breath as another contraction hits you, squeezing his hand and all you hear is an ‘ow' and a chuckle. The rest is quite of a blurr for you. The nurse came to check two times and you were almost ready so they moved you to the proper room. Rafael was allowed inside and you were grateful for that because you didn't want to break a nurse's hand while at it. You remember the instructions and you push as much as you can and take deep breaths. Soon enough you hear the cries of the first baby, then the second one before everything around you goes on mute, your vision becomes blurry before it all fades to black.