#opening this up to the floor - who else would like to see Matt Smith play the Master

[starleska]

HIIIII yes I'm still here I just saw your tag about Matt Smith!Master to allow for face repeats and MY GOD👀 I simply think he'd kill it and I need to SEE THAT

omg hi pal!! happy new year 🥳🥳 how's life treating you?...oh my god. have you been here the whole time watching me descend into madness over the Toymaker. i am so sorry 🙈💖 holy shit can you imagine how hard Matt Smith would kill it as the Master?! i don't know what it is about Eleven but he has this undercurrent of dangerous energy that makes him thrilling to watch when he's mad...and we get to see it in full force when he's playing Mr Clever 😳 he actually stated at a con a while ago that if he were to come back, he'd like to play the Master 👀 to add fuel to the fire, check out this gorgeous art of Smith!Master by @Haf_art over on Twitter 🥴💖 i'm actually weak in the knees...! as we have canon precedent that Time Lords have at least some control over their appearance during regeneration...i've seen some folks theorise that the Doctor often doesn't because they're usually regenerating in a hurry (which seems on-brand, given how they drive the TARDIS 😂). all the psychological fuckery that would accompany a Smith!Master is so delicious...as a fan of the Dream Lord, i'd be interested to see how Fifteen or a future Doctor would play off a Master with Eleven's face, because he seems to have been uniquely full of barely-repressed rage (though to be fair, i'm not yet at Twelve's run and know i have a lot to look forward to 😉)!!

[codename-adler]

foxes + onesies (4/9)

based off of that one post i saw and don’t remember, where people once caught Allison wandering around Fox Tower in a giraffe onesie, and i absolutely melted for her. here is the Foxes’ journey to getting a onesie each!

Dan

of course the next Fox to get their onesie is the Danielle Leigh Wilds

though Nicky almost beats her to it, but that’s a story for another time

now. Dan is fierce. Dan is sexy. Dan is strong. Dan is an inspiration to all.

Dan also wants a ridiculous pajama to match with her boyfriend and her best friends

Dan wants to go full-on girly mode, for once

Dan wants to feel like a kid again, wants to be free of responsibilities, wants to be included in the girl gang

Dan wants

she feels like that one time when she had been excluded from her classmate’s birthday party, because she hadn’t lots of money and the birthday girl knew she wouldn’t be able to bring her a present

because Ally’s is for therapy, Matt’s represent a piece of his childhood, and Renee’s is a lover’s gift

(yeah, she now has to deal with that. just like Neil and Andrew, she didn’t see #renison coming at all. the only difference is, she now has to live with them being a couple 24/7. at least Matt and her live separately, that gives the others a little bit of a break… Renee and Ally? Cuddle monsters. PDA champions. but only in their dorm. only in front of Dan. it’s exhausting. she thinks they might be doing it on purpose…)

anyways

Dan doesn’t have a reason, an excuse, a memory to fuel this childish desire to own one of those adult pajamas

and it’s not like Matt or the girls would get the hint to gift her one, seeing as her usual aesthetic is sporty, mature and overall just *powerbabe vibes*

and that’s how she comes to the conclusion that her Sisters are her only hope (she’s that desperate)

five of them have children… and one’s got a baby on the way for the first time… and the other five, well… let’s not get into that

so surely, surely, her girls are going to get it, right? they’ll have insight, they’ll be helpful, right?

yeah, they are, they do

they just laugh their asses off first

Dan calls for a video chat meeting on a Wednesday afternoon, when all of them are least likely to be busy

7 of them are able to make it

however, Dan keeps dancing around the subject, and her Sisters notice it right away

Georgia: Oh. My. God. Dan, are you pregnant??

Darla: Oh God, are you dying??

Flo: Did Matt finally propose??

Michelle: Don’t tell us you guys broke up!!

Courtney: Do you need a lawyer or something??

Camilla: Which bastard hurt you??

June: Do you need help hiding the body??

yeah, dramatic much

Dan ends up being forced to admit the truth before her girls get a heart attack

Dan: Jesus, guys, shut the hell up. I’m fine (*oh shut up Neil*). I just need guidance for… hum… a fashion matter?

that puts her girls in a much better mood

only for all hell to break loose when Dan admits to wanting a fucking onesie pajama

Dan has to mute her laptop

of course, they only tease her because they love her

but still

they have a good time making fun of her

once they calm down, though, they let Dan speak

so she explains what’s been happening in the last few weeks

how she wishes to use that stupid onesie to grow closer to her team, to belong

how she craves something so juvenile because she never had that kind of thing growing up

how she doesn’t know how to proceed without seeming like an attention seeker, a copycat

her Sisters all understand, each in their own way

they finally start asking Dan the right questions

Michelle: So what can we do?

June: I can make you one, if you want. You know I got magic hands *wink*

Flo: D’you need money? We got money, baby. Just say how much.

Darla: You wanna be, like, sexy devil mistress or cute baby angel??

Courtney: Ooh, ooh, a lace one!

Georgia: Courtney no.

Camilla: Courtney yes.

no indeed, Courtney

the main problem, she explained to them, was that she didn’t know what to get

see, Dan doesn’t really like animals; never had one, never obsessed over one, never felt a connection to one

Dan doesn’t particularly like children’s movies either

so, what to get?

Camilla: Okay, but remember when Georgia’s kid started calling us all Care Bears because she was obsessed with it? And she was like, weirdly accurate? What about that?

Michelle: Oh yeah, that was soooo nice. So nice.

Georgia: Oh shut up Michelle, you’re just mad ‘cause my child renamed you Grumpy Bear! She wasn’t wrong, you know.

Courtney: Pff you’re just jealous I got Funshine Bear!

Flo: Okay, enough, enough, now. Dan, which one were you again? Do you even like the idea?

Dan: I guess… I was uh, the pink one. With the hearts on the tummy? Do they even have those in onesies?

Camilla: Oh yeah, Always There Bear! See, Michelle? My daughter’s a psychic. She was right about every one of you.

Flo: Dan, babygirl, they have onesies of everything.

so all the girls pull up pictures of pink Care Bear onesies to show Dan

June is the one who ends up finding Dan’s favorite

it’s baggy, it’s hot pink, it’s cute and fluffy and so not Dan

she loves it

and in bonus, her 11 sisters contribute to pay for her onesie (being the youngest in the family has its perks)

they almost make Dan cry tears of joy

three weeks later (it came from Japan), Dan’s package arrives

it also happens to be Valentine’s Day soon…

(you know where this is going)

it’s Sunday night, the 14th

Dan and Matt have his dorm to themselves

they spend the day with each other, really taking it slow and doing nothing

around 8pm, Dan tells Matt she’s craving some chocolate desserts, so he takes his truck and drives to the closest bakery on campus

meanwhile, Dan puts her plan in action

she pulls out the pink heart-shaped Post-It notes Renee lent her and writes her little messages on them

Hey, pretty boy

Wanna play hide-and-seek…?

Come and find me, pretty boy

You know where I am…

I’m waiting for you XOXO

she sticks them on the front door, all along the hallway and the last one’s on Matt’s bedroom door

Matt is ecstatic when he returns with half a dozen of chocolate eclairs

he chucks the box of desserts in the fridge before he quickly tiptoes to his bedroom

he knocks

and from inside, a voice…

Dan: Come in, pretty boy… I’ve got a surprise for ya…

Matt kicks the door open

and oh. my. lord.

there she is, in all her glory

there’s rose petals all over his bed and the floor

there are lit vanilla-scented candles

there’s slow music playing

and in the middle of the bed, sprawled out like the queen she is, Dan

in her onesie

her neon pink Care Bear onesie

and do you know what the best part is?

Matt isn’t even close to being disappointed

he just thinks, God I love her

as soon as he sees her, he runs and jumps on the bed to join her and make out passionately

and then just as fast, he gets off the bed

Matt: WAIT FOR ME BABY LEMME PUT MINE ON OKAY DON’T YOU MOVE

once he’s back in Dan’s arms, they’re a flurry of pink and orange

they can’t stop giggling

and yeah, they do make love all night long, and eat chocolate eclairs butt-naked

but first they watch their favorite movie, Karate Kid (the one with young Jaden Smith and old Jackie Chan, okay)

so if they weren’t sure of their commitment to this relationship before, after that night, they both knew they would never spend another night with someone else as long as they were alive

they were in perfect harmony

God, I love him // God, I love her

[ancientwastedlores]

The Support System (Ch: 8)

SUMMARY: The Avengers have managed to collect all the infinity stones across the universe, and are currently keeping them in far corners of the world, only for research and to see if they can improve the planet and its people. Reader is a researcher with Tony Stark and Bruce Banner, as well as a field agent. Loki is currently serving time for his actions in New York City in 2012.

A/N: Find this chapter on AO3 here. Fic requests are welcome! 

AO3: The Support System Tumblr: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7 

Warnings: N/A Audience: general.

______________________________________________________________

CHAPTER 8:

The agents are dropped off at the Avengers facility, while you, Nat, Clint, and Sam are taken to the Avengers Tower. Thor went back to Asgard directly from Hong Kong.

Everyone had a chance to take a shower in the jet, so you’re feeling pretty refreshed going in. Some agents in the building greet you on your way to your room. Some offer to help with your bags and gear, you say no thanks, you got it.

You open the door to your room and see Loki in your bed.

The watch next to him reads 11AM. He usually doesn’t sleep this late. You let him be, and place your bags at the back of the room, and on your way back to exit the room, you stop by the bed to look. 

Loki sleeps peacefully, wearing his soft cotton pyjamas. It's meditative just to watch him breathe, so you smile and linger a moment longer. You look closer and see him hugging one of your hoodies. Your eyes widen and you quickly walk out, shutting the door behind you. You lean against the wall, unsure of what you saw, and why it was happening.

You honestly don’t know what to think, and know ignoring it won’t make it go away. You decide to ask Tony if Loki has been acting strangely or anything knowing fully he will say "I told you so". 

xx

‘I TOLD YOU SO’ Tony yells.

You just accepted that his idea of letting Vision go in the mirror dimension with the stone was good, after reading Strange’s email out loud.

‘When do we start?’ he asks, his eyes gleaming. He rubs his hands together, a wide grin playing on his lips. Surrounded by all his lab equipment, sparkling and whirring, it makes him look like an evil mad scientist.

‘We still don’t know how to use the stone. And we can’t let Vision puppet for us when we still don’t know what to do’ you explain.  ‘Vision would know’ ‘You sound unsure...’ you pat Tony’s back. ‘We waited this long, we can wait a while longer till Thor is here’. ‘Isn’t it just hold and think’ he rolls his eyes. ‘Tony, it’s not a sonic screwdriver’. He looks at you questioningly. You shrug. ‘It’s a Doctor Who thing’.

He turns to walk away.

‘I did want to ask though, um…’ you hesitate.

He looks at you, waiting.

‘Did Loki say anything while I was gone? Or… do anything weird?’ Bruce, who has been listening, interjects. ‘He kept asking if we know how you guys are doing’. ‘Anything else?’ ‘Nope. We haven’t seen him around too much’. ‘We still see him at breakfast usually’ Tony provides. You furrow your brows. ‘Yeah, I uh…’ ‘What?’ Tony asks. ‘Nothing, I just saw him in my bed hugging one of my shirts... I don’t know how to perceive that’. ‘Well’ Bruce says. ‘If you don’t feel the same way, you should tell him before he finds out the hard way and goes insane’. You wrinkle your nose at the accusation. ‘Insane is a bit of a stretch. And I don’t know what I feel. I don’t know IF I feel’. ‘Are you gonna ask him about it?’ Tony asks. ‘I’m sure there’s a reason he hasn’t come out with it yet, I’ll just let him take his time with it’.

Tony nods, and returns to his work.

‘I will admit; I’m surprised you’re taking this so well’ you tell Tony. ‘Uhuh…’ Tony keeps working. ‘Uhuh? Why the change of heart?’

Bruce and Tony say nothing. You turn to look at Bruce, who is bending a little too much over his computer trying to avoid your gaze.

‘Bruce…’ you say. ‘Hm?’ he says without looking up.

You look back at Tony and catch him glaring at Bruce.

‘Oh my god, something happened, tell me, tell me RIGHT NOW’ you exclaim. ‘Bruce…’ Tony warns. ‘LOKI KNOWS HOW TO USE THE STONES AND TONY SAID TO TEACH VISION’ Bruce blurts out.

Your eyes widen, and you look back at Tony. ‘WHAT!?’  ‘He heard Bruce and I talk about it and offered to help and I said okay’ Tony says, his tone a tad defensive.  ‘I TOLD YOU SO’ you skip behind the table and hug Tony. ‘Good on you for giving him a chance’. ‘If you tell Natasha I allowed this, you’re fired’.

You roll your eyes, remembering Natasha give a similar threat in Queens. Tony and Nat are forever in some sort of unspoken competition.

‘So we don’t have to wait for Thor, we can start right away!’ you exclaim. ‘Yeah, there’s another thing though’ Bruce gets up from behind his desk. ‘Loki said that the way Strange got his stone to talk was a hack- described it like the operating system of a computer’. ‘Okay?’ ‘Basically, Strange hacked into the Time Gem, so the other stones strengthened their own, in a sense, operating systems. It’s going to take longer, and be tougher, with the reality gem’. ‘We aren’t lacking time, so it’s fine’ you point out. ‘Strange did say he’s busy this month, so that gives Vision time to train’.

Tony and Bruce agree, and then politely kick you out of the lab to go rest after your week long mission abroad.

xx

Unsure of what to do, you just roam the halls, saying hi to random agents walking around. No one will train with you, because Tony ordered them to not let you. You don’t feel like reading another bunch of papers. You aren’t allowed in the lab. And Loki’s asleep, so you can’t watch Doctor Who.

So you go the kitchen and see what’s there to eat. Sam’s there, with Rhodey, describing the badass Kaecilius cage, and how it works.

‘Hi!’ you say. Rhodey waves at you. ‘Okay, come here, I wanna demonstrate how the cage got that guy to fall to his knees’ Sam motions for you to come over.

You walk over to them and stand before Sam. He wraps his arms around your torso and pulls you to him. ‘So the tiny disk has these arms that go around your torso…’ he lets go and takes your wrists in his hands and pulls them back, ‘…pulls your arms back…’ he uses his knee to gently kick the back of your knees so you fall on the carpet, ‘…hits the back of your knees with force so you hit the floor, and damn, it looks like the fall hurts…’ you can’t help but laugh, thinking of how odd this whole scene would look if someone were to walk in. 

‘HEY’

The three of you turn to look at the entrance, where Loki is glaring at Sam, clearly unaware of the gag here.

The next second, Loki teleports right next to Sam and pushes him off of you.

‘STAY BACK’ Rhodey yells, standing up and pointing an Iron Glove at Loki. They stare each other down.  ‘Rhodey, it’s fine…’ you motion for him to put his Glove down. ‘It’s just a misunderstanding’.

Sam gets up. ‘I’m good’ he announces. ‘Loki, we were just showing Rhodey how this particular trap works, and Sam was using me to demonstrate’ you explain. 

Loki looks you up and down to check if you’re okay. You’re sustaining a few old bruises and cuts from your spar with Loki and your mission, but nothing too recent. He looks at Sam. ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t know’. ‘It’s no trouble’ Sam sits on the couch. ‘Just so you know, though, we don’t revel in beating each other up’.

You sense Loki remember the "friendly fight" before the extraction mission, and he starts to walk away.

‘Hey’ you grab his arm. ‘You wanna continue Doctor Who? I’m not doing anything’. ‘Yes’ he smiles, relieved. 

xx

‘Matt Smith is undoubtedly my second favourite Doctor’ you declare, as the DVD loads. ‘You said the same thing about Capaldi’ Loki reminds you. ‘Ah, the second spot is interchangeable’. ‘Who’s the first, then?’ ‘Jodie Whittaker’ you grin.  

Loki plops down next to you, and you hit play. The opening theme starts.

‘When did you get back?’ Loki asks. ‘Around 11’. ‘Oh…’

You internally scold yourself for not changing the time, because now you’ve gone and made him feel awkward. But he says nothing, and you allow it to be that way. The show starts.

xx

Weeks pass. Business as usual continues, with regular training hours, Loki and Vision playing around with the Reality stone, and Tony breaking apart and analysing the new tech. He has barely scratched the surface, and often asks you and Nat to come to the lab and test it out.

Weekdays consist of work, weekends have the Avengers drinking and having a good time. Everyone seems cooler with Loki too, which thrills you. You just want everyone to get along.

One of the weekends, Tony suggested karaoke. He only did it so he’d get to show off his rendition of ‘Fly Me to The Moon’, but everyone excitedly agreed.

So on the week, you see every Avenger spend a lot more time in their rooms, retiring early and coming to breakfast late, to practice for the weekend. Tony did say there would be a prize. You chuckled at how seriously some people took it, comparing them to little children. But once Nat asked you to listen to her belt out the Postmodern Jukebox version of ‘Oops, I Did It Again’, you started to get into it, abandoning your Doctor Who marathons with Loki to practice in your room.

‘Can I watch you?’ Loki had asked once. ‘Absolutely not’ you said. ‘You can wait till the weekend’.

Not watching TV with you till late night left no excuse for Loki to spend the night in your room, and you saw him struggle to come up with a story for two whole days - it was quite entertaining, but a little sad too. It ranged from "You left your phone in the kitchen, I'm just here to return it" to "I worked all day on the stones, do you want to just relax with a drink and a movie?". You thought of just offering, but told yourself that if he wants something, he should just ask and not expect it to be handed to him. You just threw yourself into prepping your routine, because you saw Thor had a routine, and you weren’t about to be upstaged by him.

Nat asks you at dinner what song you plan to sing, and you refused to say anything at all.

‘Mine’s a secret too’ Tony said, grinning. ‘We all know you’re doing “Fly Me to The Moon”, Tony’ Nat says. Tony frowns, and everyone laughs.

Finally, one night Loki does just come and say he couldn’t sleep in his room alone, and asks if he can continue sleeping in your room.

‘Yeah. Why didn’t you just ask before?’ you ask. He shrugs. ‘I just didn’t want to ask too much of you’. No, that wasn’t it, but you smile. ‘It’s no problem. When I’m done with my practice, I'll let you know’. ‘Or you can stay in my room?’ he offers. ‘Nope’ you say calmly, but internally panic. In your room, you have control. You weren’t giving that up. 

He accepts and leaves, shutting the door behind him. 

______________________________________________________________

Next chapter, karaoke! <3 

[elisha-mikealson]

2. Slater

The next morning I woke up to a text from everyone.

Damon: Are you okay?

Damon: Elisha, please text me back I need to know that you are okay.

Damon: Were you kidnapped or something?

Stefan: Damon said that he texted you and got no response, Elisha please call or text someone we are all worried.

Elena: Elisha were are you? We haven't heard or seen you since yesterday afternoon. Please just call or text when you get this.

Bonnie: Elisha what happened? First, you and Elena go missing then she comes back with Stefan and Damon. I was going to do a locator spell but I have nothing of yours, please let us know if you are safe.

Caroline: Elisha what is going on? Damon, Stefan, Elena, and Bonnie aren't telling me and Matt anything.

I sigh at all the text as I get dressed in black leggings, blue top, black leather jacket with a white scarf and black boots as I prepare for the lecture I'm probably going to get when I go into town. Once I got down to the kitchen I see that Elijah is already there leaning against the counter with a glass in his hand, "I see that you're making yourself quite at home," I laugh as I grab a mug while I start making coffee, "want some?" he nods so I grab another mug. I hear what sounded like shuffling coming down the steps and grab a third mug pouring coffee in each of the mugs as my brother came into the kitchen. I put some milk in the coffee for him before sliding it over to him looking at Elijah and he nods slightly knowing what I was asking, "drink up Cuan, I need you sober today."

"I told you not to call me that," Cuan growls at me.

"It's the name mother chose for you and Cuan fits you better than King brother."

"Says the one who is running from a ghost," he whispers knowing that I heard, I stay calm as I hand Elijah the mug with his coffee.

"This ghost you speak of is very real and wants me very dead, under your father's wishes," I say looking at him, "if you saw his eyes when they burn with furry you would understand why I run. Not to mention he isn't trying to turn you against your own father and his siblings."

"Some alpha you are," with that comment a grabbed him by the throat.

"Watch it brother, I might let my hand slip one day while we're training."

"You know that won't kill me," he smiles at this.

"If I want you dead you will be dead," I tell him letting go of his throat straightening out my jacket sleeve, "drink your coffee, like I said I need you sober."

"Why?"

"I'm going into town today because people are apparently freaking out because I didn't meet them back at the Salvator's place yesterday. I'm just going to show up and be like 'so yeah I took care of Elijah's body, he is dead, well deader than dead now. Then I went to my place and crashed since he was actually pretty heavy to move then I had to dig a six-foot hole throw him in and bury him. Oh, and I sang some songs jokingly and played some Jazz music.' Or something down those lines."

"Should I be insulted by that?" Elijah asks.

"No, I'll call it muscle mass," I say patting his shoulder as I walk into the living room.

"Flattery will get you nowhere," Elijah comments turning to look at me.

"That is where you are wrong, flattery will get me most places, maybe not with you but with some, it will get me everywhere," I tell him.

"Why do I have to be sober?" Cuan asks me confused.

"Your reason is coming down the steps now," I say leaning back on the couch to look up the steps, "come one little wolf no need to be scared," with that Rosa runs down the steps to me.

"Cuan's back," she whispers.

"Yeah i know, but he is going to watch you for a little bit today while I go into town to take care of a couple things," she looks a little sad at this, "Elijah will be here also," she looks semi-hopeful, I could tell that she already trust Elijah even though she has never spoken with him.

"I'm coming with you to the town," Elijah says stepping into the living room.

"You can't come into town, if they find out you're not dead they might think that I'm no longer a friend and an enemy. I'll figure out their plan and we can go from there," with that i stand up and look at Rosa, "make sure they behave, if they don't just bit them," Cuan just glares at me as Elijah looks confused, "don't worry Elijah she won't actually bite anyone," I laugh at this as I start to walk to the door, "oh and Elijah," he looks at me, "don't kill my brother, just snap his neck or something, I'll be back as soon as I can." I walk out of the house and to my car quickly driving into town to the Salvatore boarding house.

I open the door and walk into being tackled in a hug. I know from the smell that it was Damon so I laugh slighting hugging him back, "I glad you are okay," he whispers as I hear someone walk into the foyer.

"I'm sorry I worried all of you," I say pulling out of the hug, "I may be a vampire, but Elijah was heavy. Then once I dug a hole deep enough and shoved him in then filled it in it was already late and I just went home and crashed. Well on a more serious note, what are we going to do about the entire doppelganger thing?"

"Well, I'm going with Rose to met up with someone in Richmond to figure out more about it you are welcome to join us," Damon afford.

"Where is it in Richmond?" I ask.

"It's a small place, there is a guy by the name of Slater," a girl I recognize as Rose says.

"Is this small place a cafe?" I ask.

"Yeah, you know it?" Rose asks.

"Yeah, I stop in there time to time when I meet up with some people or just need to get away from the drama here," I say.

"You know Slater then?"

"The name yes, him personally no."

"Okay well we should go now," Rose says.

"I'll meet you guys there," I say making them both look at me, "I left my phone at my house, not to mention I have to make sure my brother didn't destroy my place while I was here."

"He's back in town?" Damon asks and I nod, "maybe you should bring him around some time so we can meet this mysterious brother of yours."

"I'll talk to him about it, but I'll see you guys there okay?" they nod before I vamp speed out to my car and drive to my house making sure the two didn't follow me. When I walk into the house I see Elijah sitting on the couch with Rosa in a serious chess match as Cuan was nowhere in the house.

"You're back sooner than expected," Elijah states making his move ending the game.

"One: I see where I get my chess skills from and two: Damon and Rose are heading to a place in Richmond to meet a guy by the name of Slater," I tell him and he nods standing up, "Where is Cuan?"

"You got three guesses and the second two don't count," Rosa says making me sigh.

"I can trust that you don't burn down this place right?"

"Yeah and if anyone comes to the house don't make a sound, keep calm and there are daggers in every room if someone decides to come in," I give her a look and she sighs, "I know I know, don't aim to kill aim to wound."

"Good and if Cuan comes back drunk out of his mind snap his neck for me," she nods with a small smile before I look at Elijah, "Let's go, I don't want to be late getting there and have them leaving when I show up," he nods and we leave the house.

Before I knew it I was pulling up to a curb telling Elijah where the place is at before pulling into the garage next to the SUV that I know belongs to Rose, "You're finally here," I hear Damon say making me laugh slightly.

"How long have you guys been here?"

"About five minutes," Rose says, "now come on, Slater is waiting."

With that we walk into the cafe style place, "what about the sunlight?"

"Double pained and tempered glass, UV rays cannot penetrate. See the appeal?" I tell him making Rose smile.

"That and the free WI-FI," a guy says before Rose hugs him.

"Hey, how are you?"

"Good, I saw you come. What are you doing here?" he says, after that, I zoned out on the conversation until the guy looks at me and says, "Elisha Mikaelson, original," this got Damon and Rose to look at me weird.

"You must be thinking of an ancestor of mine, my mom always said I looked like her. My last name is Smith," I say thinking quick on my feet they nod to this and I zone out again until we walk over to a table and sit down. I keep an eye out the window as I see Elijah appear with coins in his hand. I knew that he was listening and waiting for the right time to throw the coins. I see him move his arm back like he is about to skip a rock before the glass shatters. I put my head down on the table as people start to scream. I lift up my head to see him disappear before a grab Slater and get out of there.

I pull him off to the side, "Where do you live?" I compel him.

"An apartment not too far from here in the Roosevelt apartment complex, top floor," he answers.

"Good, now forget I asked you and go home," he nods and runs off to his car.

There was a flood of people leaving the door now and I see Damon pick up Rose and take her to the SUV, "Who was behind that?"

"I don't know, it's not Slayter," Rose answers.

"How do you know that?"

"He wouldn't betray me."

"Who would?"

"Its Klaus he wants us dead were all dead," Rose cries.

"It wasn't Klaus unless he hijacked a body," I tell them.

"How do you know that?" Damon questions.

"I've seen him before and he would stand there and watch as ever vampire suffered, everyone out there didn't know what was happening, it was someone else," Damon nods to this and shuts the door, "I'll meet you back in town there is something I need to take care of first here in town."

"Okay, just be careful, whoever it was knows you're here, be careful please."

"I will. I'll call you when I start leaving here and then when I get to my house if I don't go back to yours," Damon nods before getting into the car and driving away, "you're clear to come out now Elijah," with that he speeds to in front of me.

"That was handled nicely," he comments.

"Eh i could have done better," i shrug walking around my car, "more importantly I got Slater's address, well location where he is living," he raises an eyebrow, "what do you say to giving him a visit?" he nods to this before getting in the car, "Since you destroyed that place, do you mind if we stop somewhere for food?"

"What kind of food are you talking about?"

"Actual food, I know a restaurant that is close to here, and you won't look overdressed in your suit," I tell him as I pull out of the parking garage.

"That is fine, it will allow me to make a call," he says nodding.

"You can make the call now, if you don't want me to hear I won't listen, I respect people's privacy," I glance over at him as we come to a stop at a light, "I feel like either way we will be waiting for someone to show up," he looks at me and sighs slightly pulling out his phone. The light turns so I started driving again, I can hear him start talking but as promised I tuned him out. Within minutes I was pulling into another parking garage and parking my car. I turn to Elijah which was hanging up the phone so I got out and he followed, "so how long are we waiting?"

"I thought you said you weren't going to listen?" he says with a raised eyebrow.

"Wasn't, you making the call after I said about waiting for someone to show up just confirmed my suspicion."

"That makes sense," he nods, "it will be about an hour and a half give or take."

"Okay, well come on this place is really nice and I'm starving," he laughs at this and vamp speeds over to me.

"If what you say is true about me not being underdressed then you wouldn't mind letting me escort you," he says as I shut the door.

"Normally I would say no, but why not?" I say shrugging and putting my arm on his as we walk into the restaurant.

"Elisha, it's wonderful to see you again," the women says.

"Jasmine, it's wonderful to see you again," I smile as Elijah and I stop in front of the small desk that she was standing at.

"Table for 2?" she asks and I smile and nod, "please follow me," she says walking into the restaurant to the outdoor deck sitting area, "your waiter will be around in just a minute to get your order, if you have any problems please let me know," with that she walks away.

"I see you are known here," Elijah comments.

"This is close enough to mystic falls that if I come to get away from all the drama but if something comes up I can get back in a matter of hours."

"Not to mention I'm here," a familiar voice says.

"Josh!" I say excitedly, "I didn't know you were working today," I say giving him a hug which he returns.

"Well I do and my shift ends in like 5 minutes, but I'm willing to go over just for you," he says before looking around to make sure no one was really paying attention to us before pecking my lips and letting me out of his grasp.

"Josh right?" Elijah says as I sit back down.

"Yes, sir?" Josh responds.

"How exactly are you connected to Elisha?" Elijah questions.

Josh looks at me weird so I answer, "Elijah this is Joshua Martin, I turned him about 300 years ago, and we have been dating for about 200."

"When were you going to tell me this?" Elijah asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Now maybe, or never," I say rubbing the back of my head.

"I'm lost who is this?" Josh asks.

"Elijah Mikaelson," Elijah says and Josh realizes almost immediately who he was.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," Josh sticks out his hand which Elijah takes.

"Hey maybe you can convince him to move up to Mystic Falls," I say to Elijah.

"Elisha, I've told you multiple times why I can't move to that town," Josh starts.

"Yeah because Damon will kill you," I say and roll my eyes, "trust me he won't hurt you, I and Damon are friends and if he thinks he can just hurt someone I care about without any repercussions he's wrong."

"Will you drop the subject right now if I say that I'll think about it?"

"I'll drop it if you come and live in my house for a week to see how things go," I say and he sighs ever so slightly.

"Okay fine, I'll have to see when I can get off so we can do that," he looks at me with a small smile on his face as I smile, "now what can i get you guys to eat?" with that Elijah and i both order and Josh disappears then comes back only a moment later with two wine glasses and a bottle of red wine.

"I hope you don't mind the wine, it's one of my favorites," I say as Elijah takes a sip.

"It's not that bad, I had some that is of a much higher quality."

"Yes, but this was made right here in Virginia, it is the most popular one this place has," I inform him and he nods. We talk for a little bit basically just trying to get to know each other more as we eat. Once we were done Elijah escorted me back to the car where we waited for Josh to come out.

"So I talked to my boss and he said that I have a week starting now," Josh says once he walked out the back door.

"That's great, you should go home and pack and I'll come by your place so you can follow me to Mystic Falls."

"You sure you want to make that drive tonight? You both can crash at my place and we can go back tomorrow morning."

I look at Elijah and he nods slightly, "okay, then I guess we'll meet you back at your place then," Josh nods and gets in his car and drives away, "okay where are we supposed to be meeting these people at?"

"Here, he should be here in a couple minutes," I nod and sit on top of the trunk of the car as Elijah simply leans against it as we talk more.

A car pulled up next to mine and a guy got out of it, "wait, Dr. Jonas Martin,?" I ask and he looks at me, "well I'll be damned," I say with a smile hopping down from the trunk and shaking his hand, "how's Luka, he was quite the magician that last time I saw him."

"Keep Luka out of this," he says stepping close to me.

"Still very protective of him I see," I say looking at him, "I also was simply asking a question, I did help you guys out in the last town you were in."

"Which got Greta taken away from us," he says.

"That wasn't me I told you that, I know why Niklaus wants a witch and honestly I would've done it but she went to him before I could," I look him straight in the eye when I say this, "I'm guessing you have a deal with Elijah to get her back?"

"Yes, which is why I called him," Elijah says.

"Okay," I say walking around to the driver side of my car, "are we going to Slater's or not?" with that Elijah moves and tells Jonas to get in the car and he does. The drive to Slater's place was kinda short but it was completely quiet which bugged me beyond belief so I turned on the radio to one of my favorite stations. Once we got to the apartment complex I parked the car and got out so I could take them up to the apartment. Elijah was saying something to Jonas but I ignored it until we got to the door where Jonas stepped up and knocked.

"Who is it!" I heard Slater yell.

I look at Elijah when I say, "It's me, Elisha," the door opens just a little bit but it was enough that I could make eye contact with him, "invite me and my friends in," I compel him and he nods opening the door more.

"Please, come in," he says allowing us to walk in and shut the door, "who's your friends?" he asks.

"That's Jonas Martin and this is Elijah Mikaelson," I say motioning to the two.

"How is that possibly Damon killed you," he says looking at Elijah.

"With a regular stake, it had no effect on him," I say as I walk into the house more and sense someone else here, but they are scared, I could smell it, "We have a message for you to deliver to Rose."

"You're friends with her why don't you do it?" he questions as I walk further into his house and found a stake sitting in one of the cubies for the desk.

"You see it's not a message from me it's from him," I say pointing the stake at Elijah, "you have to answer to him."

"I'm not delivering a message," he says shaking his head so Elijah compelled him and told him everything that he wanted him to say. Slater then picked up his phone and called Rose.

"Hello?" Rose asks.

"Rose," Slater says.

"Slater, are you okay?"

"Yes, I took off I was freaked."

"No, I'm sorry, I involved you."

"Look, I don't want any part in this but I did some digging."

"Okay, what did you find?"

"You can destroy the cure, but you need the moonstone.

"How? What do you mean I don't follow."

"Can your friend get the moonstone, you need it."

"Yes, he can get it. What next?"

"You need a wich. You get the moonstone and a witch should figure out the rest. Good luck Rose," with that he hung up the phone.

"Very nicely done," Elijah says.

"Thanks, I have a degree in theater."

"Of course you do," I say sarcastically to myself.

"How can either of you compel me? A vampire can't compel another vampire."

"We are very special vampires," I say with an innocent look.

"Why because your an original?"

"Hmm," Elijah says almost bored sounding, "now I want you to take this and drive it through your heart."

"But that would kill me forever."

"We know," I say, "but it is necessary," I compel him, but before he did I say, "and you were right, I am related to the Mikaelson family, but I am that ancestor I mentioned," he looks at me shocked, "carry on with what you were doing," I say as he drives the stake through his heart and falls to the ground.

"Was it really necessary?" Jonas asks.

"It had to be done," I say as we both turn to look at the witch that entered the room.

"He delivered his message, it won't be long now," Elijah says as he starts to walk out of the apartment and I follow behind with Jonas behind me. I drive back to the parking garage as Jonas gets out and he makes plans with Elijah to meet when he gets back into town before leaving.

"Ready?" I ask him as I start my car.

"Yeah, but you need to tell me more about this Josh," he says looking at me.

"There's not much to really tell," I say shrugging, "he is very respectful and wouldn't hurt a fly, not to mention a hybrid."

"A hybrid?" Elijah asks shocked.

"Yeah, just like Niklaus, half wolf half vampire," I say as I stop at a light, "I only changed him because he was going to die if I didn't give him my blood then my brother unknowingly snapped his neck."

"Why did he do that?"

"Because I actually cared about someone and he hates that," I sigh slightly as I pull up to Josh's apartment building, "once he learned that he had my blood in him he learned to accept that I actually cared about someone and that I would still be by his side."

Elijah laughs a little at this, "your brother is kind of like Niklaus."

"From what I heard, he could be his kid with how he acts sometimes," I say getting out of the car and Elijah follows, "he's not though, I know that for a fact."

"How though?"

"Magic," I say making a rainbow shape with my hands before hitting the button for the elevator, "how do you think I knew which spell to show you?"

"But you need blood for that," he says confused.

"Yeah not necessarily, I just needed an object of yours. I asked for blood because that's the easiest way to show you," I explain as I step into the elevator and hit the number for the top floor.

"What did you use then?"

"Well, I used my brother's blood and the shirt that Niklaus had on when he first transitioned, my brother's blood barely merged which showed a distant relationship to him," I say and Elijah looks at me weird as the doors opened. "Funny story, my uncle- my mom's brother- is Niklaus' father, Mikael killed him right in front of me, but I really wasn't fazed since I never liked him," I lied, but I didn't make it noticeable.

"Why is that?"

"He always knew that I was a threat to him since he was alpha of the pack," I explain walking down the hallway, "all I needed to do was trigger the cures and learn how to control it I would rule. Little did he know that all that I needed was to become a vampire and I was good," I say stopping at a door which I was about to knock on but it opened up before I could do so.

"The question is where is that pack now?" Josh asks with a smile on his face, "come on in," he says stepping back and allowing Elijah and I to walk in.

"To answer that, the entire pack is dead hybrids that are still with other wolves in Mystic falls, or dead," I answer, "anyways, what have you been up to these last couple of weeks, Josh?"

"Nothing much just working and making sure Bash doesn't go off the rails," he says shrugging as he sits down on the couch.

"So the usual?" he nods to this and I look at Elijah which looks semi-confused, "Bash is his roommate, that is a wolf."

"Just a wolf?" Elijah questions me making me laugh a bit.

"Yes, I only change people if they are going to die, not to mention Mikael killed a considerable amount of my pack when I came across him in New Orleans then in New York he killed another section of my pack. He said that I was no better than Niklaus himself."

"And you actually started to believe that until I convinced you that you weren't," Josh says.

"Neither of us know him to say that I could be exactly like him for all we know."

"But you are the opposite," Elijah says looking at me with a serious look, "I've only have known you for a short period of time but I can tell that you are nothing like my brother."

"See?" Josh says as he puts his arm over my shoulders, "nothing to worry about."

I hit Josh up alongside his head, "you need to just stop with that, I don't feel like getting into any kind of argument about this. My feelings towards this won't change until I meet Niklaus and see for myself," with that the conversation about it was dropped instead it turned into Elijah asking Josh questions about himself which I simply just laugh at.

"I think I'm going to retire for the night," Elijah says standing up from the chair and so does Josh.

"Follow me I'll show you to my room and grab something for you to sleep in," with that they both left down the hallway. I ignore what they start to talk about as I pull out my phone to text Damon letting him now that I was just staying in Richmond for the night with a friend. The next thing I know is clothes hitting my face and I pull them away to see that Josh had changed into sweatpants and a t-shirt, "you can sleep in Bash's room, he isn't supposed to be home till tomorrow morning."

"I'm going to change, but I want to watch a movie with you so pick something out by the time a get back," I say to him before leaving the living room to go to the bathroom and change. When I come back I see him on the couch scrolling on Netflix for a movie and he looks up to see me and smiles, "why are you smiling?"

"Because this is the first time in almost 6 months that we can spend together where you won't be called away because something comes up in mystic falls," he says as I lay on the couch basically on top of him but it was comfortable.

"So what we watching?"

"Well depends how awake are you?"

"Awake but as soon as I'm comfortable I'm probably going to be out," I admit.

"Twilight it is then," he says putting on the movie, I just snuggle into his side more and fall asleep with ease before the movie really even started.

[sims-psycho]

Let's see... First half for Billie and second half for Andie (if you want to do all of them 😁💗)

Challenge accepted Chuska, challenge accepted… 😝

1. Who was the last person you held hands with? ~ Probably Tegan2. Are you outgoing or shy? ~ I have moments of both, I’d like to think I’m normally quite outgoing but I tend to be shyer when I’m in a completely unfamiliar place3. Who are you looking forward to seeing? ~ There’s a guy that’s been coming into my work every day, I look forward to our chats4. Are you easy to get along with? ~ I think so, I can be a little bossy, but I’m not a confrontational person5. If you were drunk would the person you like take care of you? ~ I have no idea *laughs*6. What kind of people are you attracted to? ~ Kind people7. Do you think you’ll be in a relationship two months from now? ~ I doubt it, but you never know8. Who from the opposite gender is on your mind? ~ No one right now9. Does talking about sex make you uncomfortable? ~ Only if it’s with someone I don’t know very well10. Who was the last person you had a deep conversation with? ~ Tegan11. What does the most recent text that you sent say? ~ “I forgot sorry, I’m at the Library now tho” Andie wanted me to make her some hair dye but I forgot, not that interesting 12. What are your 5 favourite songs right now? ~ Death with Dignity by Sufjan Stevens, Lorelai by Fleet Foxes, Mexico by The Staves, The Golden Throne by Temples and The Alter by Wye Oak  13. Do you like it when people play with your hair? ~ Not particularly14. Do you believe in luck and miracles? ~ No, only because I know there are always people behind them15. What good thing happened this summer? ~ I got a new job16. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again? ~ Definitely not, I don’t miss my college boyfriend17. Do you think there is life on other planets? ~ There has to be, with the vastness of space there must be some sort of life out there18. Do you still talk to your first crush? ~ No *laughs*19. Do you like bubble baths? ~ I LOVE bubble baths20. Do you like your neighbours? ~ I don’t really know them21. What are you bad habits? ~ I have quite bad OCD about certain things, like checking the doors and windows are locked before I leave my apartment, even though it’s on the top floor, no one is going to be scaling the side of the building any time soon *smirks sadly* I’m also terrible for jumping to conclusions and lashing out when I’m upset, but I’m trying to get better at that *smiles*22. Where would you like to travel? ~ Italy has been at the top of my list for a while, and I’ve never been to Korea despite my grandma being from there23. Do you have trust issues? ~ I can be a little guarded, but I wouldn’t say I have trust issues24. Favourite part of your daily routine? ~ When I read in the evening before bed, it’s so peaceful 25. What part of your body are you most uncomfortable with? ~ My lips26. What do you do when you wake up? ~ Get up *giggles*27. Do you wish your skin was lighter or darker? ~ Sometimes I wish it was a little darker because I’m so pale and I always have to wear a thick layer of sunscreen in the summer28. Who are you most comfortable around? ~ Tegan, and my Mum29. Have any of your ex’s told you they regret breaking up? ~ No30. Do you ever want to get married? ~ Eventually, but not anytime soon, you actually have to have a partner for that anyway *laughs*31. Is your hair long enough for a ponytail? ~ No, and it hasn’t been for a while, I like it short *smiles*32. Which celebrities would you have a threesome with? ~ *laughs and blushes* Hmm, I’m gonna go with Matt Smith and Ryan Gosling 33. Spell your name with your chin. ~ Just because I’m using my chin doesn’t mean I don’t know how to spell my own name *smirks*34. Do you play sports? What sports? ~ I don’t, I used to run for my school when I was 15 but not since then35. Would you rather live without TV or music? ~ Hmm, TV36. Have you ever liked someone and never told them? ~ Yes, and I never will37. What do you say during awkward silences? ~ I normally just sigh heavily a lot38. Describe your dream girl/guy? ~ Someone kind, whos’ open to new things39. What are your favourite stores to shop in? ~ Old ones40. What do you want to do after high school? ~ I’m not in high school, and haven’t been for a while *smirks*41. Do you believe everyone deserves a second chance? ~ Yes, people can change42. If you’re being extremely quiet what does it mean? ~ That I’m either thinking deeply or tired43. Do you smile at strangers? ~ If they smile at me, yes44. A trip to outer space or bottom of the ocean? ~ That’s a tricky one, I’m gonna have to say bottom of the ocean though45. What makes you get out of bed in the morning? ~ My alarm *giggles*46. What are you paranoid about? ~ People going into my room when I’m not there47. Have you ever been high? ~ Yes once, I didn’t like it that much but Kit is trying to get me to try it again so we’ll see how that goes48. Have you ever been drunk? ~ Many times *laughs*49. Have you done anything recently that you hope nobody finds out about? ~ I practised some elemental magic without Tegan knowing…50. What was the colour of the last hoodie you wore? ~ Grey, I was at Andie, Kit’s and Kaspers and got cold so put on one of Kaspers, it was huge on me *laughs*51. Ever wished you were someone else? ~ Not anyone in particular, but I used to wish I wasn’t a witch52. One thing you wish you could change about yourself? ~ Right now nothing *smiles*53. Favourite makeup brand? ~ Milk Makeup54. Favourite store? ~ There’s a little hippy shop down near the docks called Intrigue that I love55. Favourite blog? ~ I like the Rookie blog56. Favourite colour? ~ Orange57. Favourite food? ~ My Mums Stir Fry58. Last thing you ate? ~ Some toast and jam59. The first thing you ate this morning? …the toast and jam *laughs*60. Ever won a competition? For what? ~ I was part of the relay team when my high school won a regional athletics championship *smirks* other than that no61. Been suspended/expelled? For what? ~ Never62. Been arrested? For what? ~ Nope63. Ever been in love? ~ I don’t think so64. Tell us the story of your first kiss? ~ I’d rather not *smiles awkwardly*65. Are you hungry right now? ~ Nah, I just had my toast and jam *laughs*66. Do you like your Tumblr friends more than your real friends? ~ N/A67. Facebook or Twitter? ~ I don’t have either, been thinking about making a twitter recently though68. Twitter or Tumblr? ~ Tumblr!69. Are you watching tv right now? ~ I’m in the middle of a Bates Motel episode as we speak70. Names of your best friends? ~ Tegan, Andie and Kasper….and Kit if I have to *smirks*71. Craving something? What? ~ I could go for a banana milkshake right now…72. What colour are your towels? ~ Light blue72. How many pillows do you sleep with? ~ 4, I’m a pillow addict *giggles*73. Do you sleep with stuffed animals? ~ My little rabbit, Hopper 74. How many stuffed animals do you think you have? ~ Only a few, and only Hopper is in Anne Arbor with me, the others are at my parent’s house75. Favourite animal? ~ I love cats and rabbits *smiles*

76. What colour is your underwear? ~ Oo, getting straight to it are we *winks and giggles* they’re black and lacey, love77. Chocolate or Vanilla? ~ Both!78. Favourite ice cream flavour? ~ Cookie dough, I could eat it all day every day *drools*79. What colour shirt are you wearing? ~ Bright yellow, like my personality *laughs*80. What colour pants? ~ Pants? Ohhhhh, you mean trousers, well, skirt I guess cuz that’s what I’m wearing *laughs* It’s black denim81. Favourite tv show? ~ I like that 70′s show *smiles*82. Favourite movie? ~ Scott Pilgrim Vs The World is AMAZING *grins*83. Mean Girls or Mean Girls 2? ~ Haven’t seen either84. Mean Girls or 21 Jump Street? ~ 21 Jump Street!85. Favourite character from Mean Girls? ~ I HAVEN’T SEEN MEAN GIRLS!86. Favourite character from Finding Nemo? ~ I like the starfish, and dory, and the lil baby octopus *smiles*87. The first person you talked to today? ~ Kit I think88. Last person you talked to today? ~ Some random drunk girl in the park *giggles* I was drunk too so it wasn’t that weird89. Name a person you hate? ~ Hmmm, I can’t remember *smirks*90. Name a person you love? ~ There’s SO many people! I love Erik and Maya and Tegan and Alex and Tortilla and Billie and Kasper and Kit! *grins*91. Is there anyone you want to punch in the face right now? ~ I don’t think so, have you got any suggestions?92. In a fight with someone? ~ Not right now93. How many sweatpants do you have? ~ Like, 2 *smirks* 94. How many sweaters/hoodies do you have? ~ Definitely more than 2 *laughs* more like 20 tbh95. Last movie you watched? ~ I watched some space one with Kasper and Kit, I think it was called Intergalactic or…Interstellar! That was it, Interstellar *giggles*96. Favourite actress? ~ Cate Blanchett!97. Favourite actor? ~ I just answered this, didn’t it..?98. Do you tan a lot? ~ Not in a shop or anything, I’m outside a lot so I’m naturally tanned99. Have any pets? ~ I have Kit, does he count? *laughs*100. How are you feeling? ~ Pretty good 101. Do you type fast? ~ I talk fast102. Do you regret anything from your past? …103. Can you spell well? Yeah, I’m alright, all these computers and shit don’t really help tho104. Do you miss anyone from your past? ~ A couple people from back home, but Maya says I can go and visit them whenever I like *smiles*105. Ever been to a bonfire party? ~ Yeah! They’re the best! *grins*106. Ever broken someone’s heart? ~ I’m not sure 107. Have you ever been on a horse? ~ Yeah! I used to ride along the beach back in Straya all the time *smiles*108. What should you be doing? ~ Right now nothing, it’s great *laughs*109. Is something irritating you right now? ~ I’m laying on my rug and it’s a bit itchy if that’s what you mean110. Have you ever liked someone so much it hurt? ~ Oh yes!111. Do you have trust issues? ~ No, I can just make people forget the things I don’t want them to know112. Who was the last person you cried in front of? ~ Tegan I think113. What was your childhood nickname? ~ Little fish, Kit still calls me it sometimes114. Have you ever been out of your province/state? ~ I’ve been aaaaallllll over the world *grins*115. Do you play the Wii? ~ No?116. Are you listening to music right now? ~ Yeah. I’m listening to Paramore! 117. Do you like chicken noodle soup? ~ Yup!118. Do you like Chinese food? ~ Yup yup! *laughs*119. Favourite book? ~ I like Milk and Honey, it’s pretty *smiles*120. Are you afraid of the dark? ~ I’m not afraid of anything121. Are you mean? ~ Kinda sometimes, but not too nice people122. Is cheating ever okay? ~ Hmm, I guess if you’re not happy and being treated badly then yeah123. Can you keep white shoes clean? ~ Nope nope nope *laughs*124. Do you believe in love at first sight? ~ Nah, lust at first sight tho…*smirks*125. Do you believe in true love? ~ Like from fairy tales and shit? I guess126. Are you currently bored? ~ A little bit, but \i normally a, so don’t take it personally *giggles*127. What makes you happy? ~ Quite a few things, Being at the beach, hanging out with my friends, and ripping the throats out of people who are bad *smiles sweetly*128. Would you change your name? ~ Nah, I like my name!129. What your zodiac sign? ~ Leo130. Do you like subway? ~ I guess, I don’t have it a lot131. Your best friend of the opposite sex likes you, what do you do? ~ *laughs* I dunno, laugh a lot *laughs*132. Who’s the last person you had a deep conversation with? ~ Kasper133. Favourite lyrics right now? ~ “You’d really like it in the limelight, You’d sympathize with all the bad guys, I’m still a victim in my own right, But I’m the villain in my own eyes”134. Can you count to one million? ~ Duh, I’m not stupid 135. Dumbest lie you ever told? ~ Oh god, I’ve told so many I can’t remember *laughs*136. Do you sleep with your doors open or closed? ~ Closed, what kind of psycho sleeps with their door open?137. How tall are you? ~ 5′7 *smiles*138. Curly or Straight hair? ~ somewhere in-between 139. Brunette or Blonde? ~ Well my hair is like a light brown, it goes kind of blonde in the summer140. Summer or Winter? ~ Summer! *grins*141. Night or Day? ~ That’s tricky, but probably day, I do most of my work at night142. Favourite month? ~ June! It’s my birthday month! *giggles*143. Are you a vegetarian? ~ Far from it *laughs*144. Dark, milk or white chocolate? ~ Milk, mmm *drools*145. Tea or Coffee? ~ Coffee!146. Was today a good day? ~ Yeah! *smiles*147. Mars or Snickers? ~ Mars all the way!148. What’s your favourite quote? ~ ”do not bother holding on to that thing that does not want you” - Rupi Kaur149. Do you believe in ghosts? ~ No doubt, I’ve met some, they’re not as scary as humans make them out to be, so misunderstood 150. Get the closest book next to you, open it to page 42, what’s the first line on that page? ~ “no”

[gifsbysimplysonia]

Just a lot of personal rambling behind the cut on how I feel about the way “going out alone” seems to be portrayed in media these days.

So, this came across my Twitter timeline and I took a look because I often have to go to concerts, drag shows or wrestling shows alone. My bestest friends don't live close by, my sister and I don't share the same taste in almost anything and my brother tends to be a homebody unless it is something he is super passionate about. I have a local friend that is nice enough to let me tag along with her or will come with me to stuff she isn't even that big of a fan of, but I don't want to bother her constantly and she is often busy with her own interests. Therefore, if I wanna do and see things that mean a lot to me, I gotta suck it up and go alone. 

And funnily enough, it isn't something that ever crossed my mind to be bothered about, which is weird since I am overly affected by others' opinions of me. And I'm forever being told by people online I'm too old to like wrestling, drag and my favorite bands. So the fact that I've gone to so much stuff by myself is a hilarious contradiction to who I usually am, but I'm glad about that, for once.

2 years ago, I think, I decided to be impulsive and get myself a VIP package to a Simple Plan concert. I haven't followed their music for YEARS because I didn't connect with their self titled album all that much so they fell off my radar. However, I always check in on them from time to time and I saw that they were going on an anniversary tour to celebrate an album that meant a lot to me, I listened to on repeat and was just a big influence on my life. So, if they were gonna play that album, I wanted to go and if I wanted to go, I had to go by myself. I was able to afford a VIP package so why not treat myself while I'm at it?

I got in early and since I did not want any merch, I somehow grabbed a spot on the barricade all the way in front of the left hand side of the stage. And I had an absolute blast. The openers were good, Simple Plan was just as energetic, silly and great on stage as I remembered. And then afterwards, I got to go to the Pizza Party that came along with my VIP package.

I felt awkward collecting my slice and can of pop because THEN I realized, not only was I oldest than everyone there (which was ALWAYS the case when I went to SP shows, except for any guardians at the shows), I also seemed to be the ONLY one there all by myself. BUT, I had my phone and my NorCal bestie is on Cali time so I had someone to talk to and I ate my pizza and drank my pop on the floor and was fine. 

When 4 of 5 members of the band showed up (David D didn't attend), they spread out on the floor. And like a drag show I attended at the House of Blues once, there were separate lines to meet n greet the guys. It was super chill.

I didn't need to worry about the drummer, cuz no, haha. I will not get into my history with him. But for Jeff, Seb and Pierre, I got in line. Even though I had my phone, I also had my awesome camera that my brother got me years ago that takes fantastic concert photos and videos. But if I wanted a photo on there, I had to ask for help, so I did. I turned around and asked the group behind me if someone would please take the photo for me. 

Someone agreed and asked me if I was alone, and when I confirmed that I was, she said to me, "Wow, you're so brave." That comment has STUCK IN MY CRAW ever since.

Make no mistake, LIVING YOUR LIFE is definitely an act of bravery for millions of people who are not me. So I was, and still am, baffled as to why attending a concert alone would be considered an act of bravery by anyone. What is going on in the younger generation that they see being alone as brave? That is HELLA worrisome because to me, that translates into people surrounding themselves with WRONG crowds and/or staying in bad situations JUST so they won't be alone. And that is frightening to me.

I know I am not a great person, but I know I'm not a horrible person. I have problems and issues, but I'm surprisingly comfortable being with myself and only myself for the sake of going out and being able to enjoy shows and acts and concerts that bring me joy. Happiness is so fleeting as it is, so if I can go out and capture it for a few hours and the only caveat is that I must do so alone, I'm gonna do it! 

But then stuff like this article pops up on me and shows me that the culture as a whole seems to view being alone or doing things alone as negative. At least negatively enough that people wanna tell you why it is NOT bad, or give you tips on how to cover up the fact you're alone ... and it's like, I'm nobody but as someone who has done a lot alone, how can I help someone else see that it is not the end of the world? I've had some of the best times of my life when I was by myself. 

So at the end of all this pointless and nonsensical rambling, if someone made it, I just want you to know this:

Going out alone to enjoy the things you love is not a big deal and not anything you should feel bad about

If it makes you nervous or anxious? 100% get it and sympathize. That’s a different battle to be fought and I’ve had to fight that one as well. 

But in terms of just LIVING YOUR LIFE? Don’t let the prospect of fun pass you by just because you’ll have to go alone. I did that for a long time, regretting it pretty much EVERY time. But the times I’ve said EFF IT and just done it? I’ve had so much fun and nothing but good memories to keep in my heart. 

My next single outing will most likely be C2E2 in March in Chicago. I bought myself a weekend pass and a Doctors Photo Op with David Tennant and Matt Smith. I’m TRYING to convince my brother to go since he’s the one who got me INTO Doctor Who but he really doesn’t wanna go. So? Gotta suck it up and do it myself! I hate con crowds, but there’s SO MUCH to see and do at a con (went to C2E2 my first time all alone to meet my favorite author, Sherrilyn Kenyon) that the hours fly (if I’m not waiting on a photo op or autograph lol) and before I know it, it’s over. But I had fun seeing a lot of neat cosplay and cool merch and hopefully having a cool handshake with people I admire! 

[kates-sweet-escape]

The taste of coffee  [ A | MH ]

pairing: Minhyuk X Reader (Gender neutral)

genre: Angst

word count: 2.9k

summary: One morning Minhyuk wakes up to find his world being completely turned upside down by no other than you.

trigger warning: Mature themes! Violence! Abuse! Mentions of drugs, alcohol and sex.

cover: Made by me. Picture by Naver Dispatch.

song recommendation: Writing's on the wall - Sam Smith

“Lee Minhyuk, better known to the general public as the Blue House prince, is caught up in yet another scandal.” Minhyuk's fist clenched around the plastic bottle, causing the water to splash everywhere as he looked at the pretty face of the news anchor who was staring straight into the camera with a slight smile plastered on her face. Was she even aware that she was ruining his f*cking life right now? Or did she even care?

He would bet his life that she didn’t. She only saw her chance of making headlines, not caring about whose life she’d have to ruin in order to gain fame. Just like all those damn reporters that weren’t any better than cockroaches.

“After being scammed into investing money in a slush fund only three months ago, it seems like the son of South Korean president Lee Chunghee hasn’t learned his lesson.” Minhyuk’s heart sunk in his chest as he heard her mentioning his father's name. This time he wouldn’t only send him off into exile for making a mistake. He’d f*cking kill him. Or at least beat him half to death.

“We’ll take a look at the picture that has been leaked this morning after a short commercial break. Please be aware that this picture might be disturbing for some of our audience and that viewer discretion is advised. See you in five and remember to not change the channel. This has been Kim Guenhye for…”

The TV suddenly turned black and Minhyuk didn’t need to look over his shoulder to see who switched it off.

“You should stop watching that crap.” Jooheon’s voice was laced with understanding as he spoke in a soft tone, causing Minhyuk to tear up. Jooheon has always been the only one to really show him any empathy or kindness. “Everything is going to be alright. I bet your father will…”

“Kill me. He will kill me Jooheon. And you know it.” Minhyuk cleared his throat as he realized how weak and defeated he sounded “How long have you been my bodyguard, hm? Five years? Maybe even six?” Minhyuk looked at Jooheon who was watching him with a concerned look on his face. “You know what he’s capable of. Hell, he'd even sent me off to Busan just so he wouldn’t have to explain all the bruises on my face after beating me up for that slush fund b*llshit Kihyun got me into.” Minhyuk looked down at the water bottle in his hand. It was almost empty by now. “Have you looked for Y/N like I told you to?”

“Yes.” Jooheon sat down next to Minhyuk on the couch, avoiding his eyes as he looked at the TV that had finally fallen silent after they’d turned it on about two hours ago when this mess had started. “But Y/N is nowhere to be found. I think that maybe-”

“Don’t even think about saying those words.” Minhyuk could feel anger bubbling up inside of him as he realized what Jooheon was implying. “Y/N would never do that to me. Never.” He glanced towards the local newspaper that was lying on the coffee table while staring at the picture on the front page.

It was a picture of him, lying naked in bed on his stomach, hugging his pillow like he usually did. Even though his face was only half exposed, he was still clearly recognizable. His eyes were closed and the angle from which the picture was taken made him look a lot younger than he actually was. His shoulders and his back where on full display while his butt had been covered by a blanket even though he never slept under one in the hot and humid midsummer nights of Busan. There were some scratch marks on his back and some of his clothes were scattered on the floor right next to the bed, covering up the cheap carpet of the motel he’d called his home ever since his father had sent him away three months ago.

But that intimate half-naked picture of him sleeping in his bed wasn’t what the media was running wild about. It was what was on the nightstand that would ruin his life forever.

Beside his matte black mobile phone with his initials engraved in white there were two ripped open condom packages next to an almost empty glass of scotch. But drinking and having a sex life wasn’t a crime.

Having cocaine sitting on your bedside table was.

Or at least that’s what people would think it was if they’d see the three neatly scraped lines, the white powder clearly visible against the dark wood of the nightstand. And to top it all off, his black credit card was lying right next to them with a little bit of the powder still stuck to the edge.

Even though Minhyuk had never done drugs in his entire life.

Jooheon had tasted it and it had turned out to be nothing more than harmless baking powder, but the damage had already been done and even if he’d strongly deny it and even if the police would state that he didn’t commit a crime because he’d never been in the possession of drugs in the first place, nobody would believe him.

They’d all think that his powerful father bribed somebody to cover it all up. So his reputation was ruined either way.

Minhyuk kept looking at the pictures while he suddenly felt sick to his stomach.

He knew that only you could have taken those pictures. He knew it because otherwise you’d be in those pictures with him, sleeping right next to him with your legs intertwined with his and your cheek resting on his shoulder.

That’s how the two of you had slept together in one bed ever since you’d started dating about two months ago.

He’d fallen head over heels for you when he’d first met you in this hell of a place. When he’d first arrived in Busan he’d been overwhelmed by it all. His cold bastard of a father had not only practically exiled him from Seoul but also frozen any of Minhyuk's assets, turning him from one of the richest twenty-somethings of the world to someone without even a penny to his name. The only things his father had allowed him to take had been a suitcase of clothes, his Bentley and Jooheon, who had been by his side for the past couple of years.

Upon arrival he had only been able to afford a room in a stingy back-alley motel that had tacky orange and red neon lights on the front and that smelled like a mixture of vomit, piss and the unique stench of broken dreams and failure. But the two of them hadn’t been able to afford anything else because his father had also cut down Jooheon’s wage by a significant amount as punishment for allowing Minhyuk to get involved with Kihyun in the first place.

They had been able to survive like this for two weeks with Jooheon getting a job as a barkeeper nearby to try and support the both of them while Minhyuk had been forced to basically be locked down in that damn motel room, unable to get himself a job because people would recognize him once he mentioned his name.

So when he’d left his motel room that Saturday morning he had been broke, hungry and absolutely angry because of the bleakness of it all.

And that’s when he had met you.

A few blocks away from his motel was a Starbucks which he purposely included in his everyday jogging route just so he could take a whiff at the smell of freshly ground coffee beans that was always lingering in the air.

He’d been so distracted by his grumbling stomach and the amazing smell that he hadn’t noticed the puppy that had been running around your feet as you were trying your best to cross the busy street with a huge cup of Starbucks coffee and the leash in hand. He had only realized his mistake as he’d jogged past you, causing the puppy to run wild in anticipation of Minhyuk wanting to play tag with him while you had cussed Minhyuk out loud enough for him to hear.

As the puppy ran off after him it ripped the leash out of your grip, setting itself free. The sudden jolt sent your cup of coffee flying, spilling its contents all over you, the street, the puppy and even partially on him.

Fortunately it had been a cup of iced americano so none of you had been severely burned. But your white shirt and especially the puppy's light fur had been covered in the dark brown liquid, leaving dark stains all over.

You’d given him hell for causing you so much trouble while the two of you had chased after the puppy trying to get a hold of it. It had proven to be rather difficult because the puppy had been so excited, thinking of it as a game and was barking happily while running away.

It had taken the two of you ages to finally get a hold of the leash the puppy dragged along but once you did, you swept the puppy up into your arms, scolding him with the softest and most caring voice while cuddling the little coffee drenched ball of fur.

Afterwards the two of you stood on the side of the road, out of breath and covered in sweat before looking at each other. There had been an intense and awkward silence between the two of you, but then you kicked your head back in a sudden outburst of the most honest laughter he’d ever heard.

And that was the moment when he’d fallen in love with you.

After that morning he’d been obsessed with you, jogging by that particular Starbucks multiple times a day in the hope of getting a glimpse of that beautiful smile you’d flashed him when you’d said goodbye to him that day.

And after a week of disappointment for every time you hadn’t been there, you had suddenly showed up in front of the Starbucks, with the puppy sitting at your feet and two coffees in hand.

You’d gone to the beach with him, talking to him while letting the puppy run around freely on the empty early morning shore.

You’d told him that you’d moved to Busan a little over two years ago and that you were an elementary school teacher for Korean and music. You’d told him all about Nunsongi, your beautiful white husky pup, with the most captivating dark blue eyes. You’d talked about your obsession with coffee and your passion for music and the fine arts.

And after the two of you had talked for hours you’d suddenly kissed him by the shore, making his heart race in his chest as he’d pulled you close. You’d tasted like the sun and a little bit of salt mixed with the bittersweet taste of coffee.

After that day the two of you had been practically inseparable, spending as much time with each other as you possibly could. While you were at work he’d taken care of Nunsongi before picking you up once school ended.

You’d shown him around Busan every chance you got, introducing him to the best seafood restaurants and amazing street food trucks while sharing your passion for the fine arts through trips to the museum or listening to busking performances or free open air concerts.

And after spending the whole day together, you’d often stayed over at Minhyuk's motel room, sneaking in Nunsongi through the backdoor.

You’d cuddled up in bed with him, kissing him every chance you got while the two of you had either talked for hours or just layed there in the dimly lit room, looking at each other without saying a word until both of you’d fallen asleep.

He’d let you in on all his deepest thoughts and secrets.

He’d let you look past the mask he wore for the general public.

He’d let himself get completely lost in you.

He’d trusted you.

He’d loved you.

And you’d lied to him. You’d even gone as far as screwing him over and betraying his trust in the worst way possible, exposing him to the media and dooming him to lead the life of a social outcast for the rest of his days.

Because no matter how much he wanted to trick himself into believing you’d nothing to do with this, the rational part of him knew that it could have only been you. You had been the one he’d trusted the most, letting his guard down around you completely. And you’d used that against him while shattering his heart into a million little pieces.

He had loved you. And you had used him.

Minhyuk was snapped back to reality as he heard the door to his motel room being pushed open with such force that it hit the wall with a loud bang.

“You worthless piece of sh*t.” The voice of his father was laced with anger and hatred as he made his way over to Minhyuk, a belt in hand as he took huge steps forward, closing the little space between the door and the couch in no time. “You’re mother should have taken her with you when she crashed her car into that damn tree!”

Jooheon leaped forwards in an effort to protect him but Hyunwoo and Hoseok, who were part of his fathers loyal squad of bodyguards, held him back effortlessly.

His father's eyes were transfixed on Minhyuk as he raised his fist that was tightly gripping the belt.

“I told you to keep a low profile.” The leather of his father’s belt left a numbing pain as it hit Minhyuk’s cheek and he could feel the skin burst open due to the sheer force of the impact. “I told you not to ever disgrace me like that again. Who do you think you are ruining my reputation like that.” The belt hit him again and he had to put in great effort to stay conscious because the pain was starting to make him feel dizzy. He could taste his own blood on his tongue as his father kept on hitting him relentlessly.

But he knew better than to dodge any of them.

If he wanted to survive this he’d have to take all of this silently without screaming out or complaining. So he kept his mouth shut, taking every hit and insult his father threw at him before he finally stopped when he was unable to raise his fist again.

Minhyuk was lying on the ground, barely able to stay awake as the excruciating pain took over every aspect of his mind and body, almost drowning out the pain he felt in his chest while thinking of you.

“Turn on the TV you useless piece of trash.” Minhyuk didn’t know who of the three other men he was talking to and he didn’t really care. All he could focus on was the pain he felt while he tried to steady his breath in order to hold back the tears that were welling up in this eyes.

“After the recent scandal of Lee Minhyuk the public is starting to doubt whether or not his father Lee Chunghee is suitable to be president if he can’t even keep his own son out of trouble.” Minhyuk started to despise the voice of that useless news anchor that he’d forever associate with the darkest day in his entire life. “His opponents are already getting ready to step up if President Lee ends up laying down his office. Next in line would be Lee’s strongest opponent…”

“That damn hyena.” His father grabbed a fist full of Minhyuk’s hair, forcing him to open his eyes and look at the TV. “Look what you’ve done you…”

His father's words were nothing but incoherent mumbling as Minhyuk's world suddenly turned blank while looking at the screen.

There you were, standing right next to the next presidential candidate, looking into the camera with a stern expression on your face. He immediately noticed that you were oddly pale. Your eyes were missing their usual spark and your lips were tightly pressed shut into a thin line. Your hands were curled up into fists while you were holding on to Nunsongi’s leash hard enough that he could see your knuckles turning white.

There you were. In Seoul. And if he could trust the writing on the screen, you weren’t only standing right next to the next presidential candidate. You were also standing right next to your father.

Looking just as miserable and heartbroken as he felt.

He wanted to laugh at the cruelty of this whole situation but he couldn’t. He could only look at you, wondering if you were okay while he himself was lying on the floor, hurting all over and bleeding like crazy.

Wasn’t the heart a funny little traitor.

Because after all you’d done to him he still wanted to see you again. Even after you’d f*cked up his life like this, betraying his trust in the worst way possible, he still desperately wanted to see you again. Hold you in his arms again. Fall asleep right next to you again. Kiss you again.

Because he loved you.

You and the bittersweet taste of coffee that had always lingered on your lips, making him helplessly addicted to you.

[piperemerald]

Actually (Boyf riends)

Over his three and a half years of high school, Michael had sat through seven school plays. Three voluntarily, the rest with a little bit of bribery, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t enjoyed watching. There was something funny about how, under the right degree, the people he usually passed in the hall could shift into something else entirely.

He couldn’t do it. Not that he’d tried, it just really had never interested him. He wasn’t the kind of person who jumped into the artistic madness. Instead he was used to finding himself on the sidelines. There was nothing wrong with being the audience member. He had to remind himself of that sometimes.

Michael used to imagine his high school life as a video game. Each day was a new level and each bully, teacher, or challenge another boss to beat. That made things relatively simple. Michael could mentally lay out each day as a battle him and his best friend would strategize through, dodging most of the damage and regaining their strength through eating copious amount of chips and drinking vintage soda on weekends.

It took a long time for him to realize that video games really were unrealistic.

So now the cafeteria floor in front of him morphed into a dimly lit stage. The loud, obnoxious high schoolers around him faded into backdrops and extras. Each role in this story was uniquely quirky and the plot was too messy to critique. Here Michael was audience member, leading role, playwright, and none of these all at once.

That was what high school felt like right now.

“No, Matt Smith is not a better Doctor than David Tennant,” Christine had her hands on her hips. Energy radiated around her. Michael hadn’t quite figured out how she managed to have so much all the time.

Christine Canigula wasn’t the first thing that came to mind when one pictured a leading lady. She could step into the role of one beautifully, but the hyper bubble around her blocked out the tailored behaviors Michael observed the other girls in their high school pick up. Still, that hadn’t stopped guys from noticing her. Well, Michael was pretty sure everyone noticed her energy. He wasn’t sure if that was what boys saw in her. He’d never been sure what normal boys saw in anyone.

“I didn’t say he was better,” Michael said back to her. “I just said that I liked him more.”

“That’s basically the same thing,” Christine liked dramatics as long as they weren’t real.

Since they started hanging out, the two of them had a handful of joke arguments they liked to dig up. He wasn’t sure they’d ever had a deep conversation, but that was alright. The stage was set for a comedy, and dwelling on deep details would slow the pace.

“Well, don’t you only like Tennant because he also played Hamlet?” Michael pointed out.

“He might be God,” her voiced lowered at that, an unwavering look settling in her eyes.

“I can’t tell if you’re joking,” Michael laughed.

“She’s not,” said the love of Michael’s life. Maybe using those words to describe Jeremy was a bit extreme.

Jeremy Heere was lead, in whatever show their high school was putting on and in the story that only existed in Michael’s mind. He’d occupied this role from the moment Michael met him back when they were seven, and the second he realized he was in love with him three years ago. Jeremy was the only real friend Michael ever had. Jeremy was one of the few people that Michael would do anything for. Jeremy was a mess in the most amazing and adorable way.

Jeremy was also heterosexual and dating Christine. But, hey, no one was perfect.

“I’ve asked several times,” Jeremy kept talking. “It’s not a joke.”

Michael nodded, his expression mirroring Christine’s mock serious one, before directing his attention back to the argument.

“Hey,” he started. “I’m just saying that if he had the same writers behind him more people would recognize how great Eleven was.”

“I can’t trust your opinion on anything anymore,” Christine shook her head.

“He did drink expired soda,” Jeremy chipped in. "So that’s not exactly a bad choice.”

“That was once,” Michael said in his defense.

“That we know of,” Jeremy replied. A grin played on his lips. Michael liked it when he smiled like that, even if it was at his expense. It made him feel like they were in on some private joke.

The smile faltered for a second. Michael followed his gaze to Christine who was currently staring at a handful of kids that had been in the most recent play. Even before Jeremy and Christine started dating, the three of them had never had a click. Christine used to go from group to group, Michael only knew this because Jeremy used to watch her back when he was still pining.

Back then Michael and Jeremy were just Michael and Jeremy. Now that there was three of them it felt less like a unit and more like an alliance. Sometimes that was great. Sometimes it wasn’t.

"Um, do you wanna sit with them?” Jeremy asked his girlfriend.

“No,” Christine snapped back into focus. “I was just spacing out.”

She dropped her tray at their now usual table. Jeremy sat next to her. Neither of them acknowledged the tension around them.

“I’m gonna get a yogurt,” Michael decided.

It was awkward enough witnessing an argument, but Jeremy and Christine didn’t argue. They just quietly waited for the other one to let go of whatever was bothering them, because Christine was too nice and Jermey was too afraid of confrontation.

“You can have mine,” Christine offered.

“That’s okay,” he tried.

“No, take it,” she dropped it on his tray. “I don’t like strawberry anyway.”

“Thanks,” Michael slid into the seat across from them. Successfully trapped in the uncomfortable air.

“Did you figure out what the spring show is?” Jeremy attempted to make conversation.

“Not yet,” the gleam in Christine’s eyes was back again.

They talked about this a lot. Christine was certain that she could convince their drama teacher to tell her what play they were doing in the next term. Jermey and Michael (but mainly Jermey) listened to her schemes of how to do this. It hadn’t amounted to anything, but she said it was only a matter of time.

Michael’s questionings to Christine’s plotting were cut off by the only other person in their school half as hyper as Christine approaching their table.

“Alana, hi,” Christine greeted Alana Beck.

Michael was pretty sure every show had a character like Alana. In this one, he wasn’t sure if she was a central role or occasional comic relief. Alana was someone who cared a lot about everything and might actually care about nothing. Michael had talked to her a handful of times, but he was pretty sure that was because Alana talked to everyone.

Right now her attention reached over him to Christine and Jeremy. As oddballs and outcasts went, Michael had always figured they stood out better than he did. For Jeremy this was mainly because of his girlfriend, and for Christine it was because of the never-dampened presence she carried with her.

“I wasn’t sure if you two saw the flyers I put up,” Alana was saying.

“For the talent show thing?” Jeremy asked.

“Holiday Concert,” Alana corrected.

“Oh, sorry,” he looked embarrassed. Michael knew that look well.

“That’s fine,” her smile didn’t falter. “I was wondering if I could count on you to prepare something? After your performance in the play last month I’d be happy to wave your audition.”

"That’s nice,” Christine started. “But we’re kinda more actors than musicians.”

“But you sang a little bit in the show,” Alana probably had that response preplanned. “It’s just like that but you won’t be a character.”

“That’s not exactly the same thing,” Jeremy stated.

“I’m sure you could do it,” Alana kept going. “And everyone loves seeing you two on stage together. It’s so motivating.”

“It is?” Something passed over Christine’s face that Michael knew he was the only one to catch.

“Sure,” Jeremy said. “We’ll figure something out.”

“Really?” Alana beamed. “Thank you so much.”

Once she was gone, Christine gave Jermey a pointed look.

“What?” He asked sheepishly. “She seemed kinda desperate.”

“Well she has to deal with all the kids who think that they can drop out of school and be rappers,” Michael voiced. He couldn’t think of many things that could get him to want to hold open talent auditions at this school.

"I’m not sure,” Christine started, but then turned to Michael. “Wait, they actually think that?”

“Oh yeah,” Micheal nodded.

“I can tell her we don’t want to,” Jermey was catching on now.

“No, no, it sounds fun,” Christine said too quickly.

The conversation stayed surface level for the rest of lunch. Christine usually left five minutes early since her next class was on the other side of campus and she liked to arrive early and prepared. Michael was usually a little bit late to his class after lunch. That was probably because he wasn’t entirely sure when lunch ended. He and Jermey usually gaged that off of about when everyone else left the cafeteria.

Jeremy was waving his hand in front of his face.

“Earth to Michael,” he drew out the words.

“What?” Michael blinked at him.

“Thought so,” Jermey grinned.

“What?” Michael asked again.

“You were spacing out,” Jeremy said triumphantly.

“Okay, Jere,” Michael just shook his head. “Hey, is everything alright?”

This probably wasn’t the best time. Truth be told, Michael wasn’t sure there ever was going to be a best time. They didn’t see as much of each other as they used to, and when they did checking in on Jermey didn’t feel the way it used to.

“Yeah, everything is great,” Jermey lied. Michael didn’t call him out this time. “You stressed about finals?”

“Nope,” Michael popped the ‘p.’

“Lucky,” Jermey huffed. “You free this weekend? We haven’t played video games in a while.”

That was because Jeremy usually wasn’t free on weekends anymore, but Michael wasn’t going to make a big deal about that. Jeremy had his life, Michael had his. He wasn’t going to be the sort of friend who sulked when Jermey wasn’t around. At least, he was going to try very hard not to be that friend.

“Yeah, I think so,” Michael nodded.

“Great,” Jermey beamed.

“Doesn’t Christine get really bored when we drag her to that stuff, though?” Michael didn’t want to be the reason they got into another awkward not-fight.

“Oh, she’s gonna be studying all weekend,” Jeremy stated.

“Smart,” Micheal commented.

“Yeah,” Jeremy nodded.

“I should do that,” Michael mused.

“Me too,” Jeremy hummed.

Their eyes met.

“So noonish?” Michael asked.

“You bring soda, I’ll bring chips,” Jeremy agreed.

More on AO3

[theabominableblogger]

My Reaction to “Batman and Robin”

Oh God here we go.  Just in time for the holidays...

*externally screaming*

*deep breath then continues screaming*

What’s with these opening credits?

Do they really have to put creases everywhere on the Batsuit?

Is Robin wearing eyeshadow?!?

Hot Wheels:  The Movie

“This is why Superman works alone.”  Oh God, Superman’s in this universe?

My sister:  It’s the Nicholas Cage version.

You gotta have this big elaborate light show to reveal Dick’s motorcycle

Is that Pat Hingle [as Commissioner Gordon]?  God, just go away.

Not gonna lie, I like the makeup they did for Mr. Freeze’s face

“Hi Freeze, I’m Batman!”

The hole left in the wall when Dick crashes through it is the Robin symbol.  SUBTLE!

“It’s the hockey team from hell!”  I mean, yeah.

Random close ups!

Ice skates!

Freeze just threw that guy straight up in the air.

This whole movie looks like it took place in a rave.  Like, what’s with all the neon lighting in an art museum?

I like the bottom of Mr. Freeze’s boots.  At least he’ll get traction

[Mr. Freeze rockets out of the museum] *sings*  If you want to view paradise...

So where does Freeze find all this time to make these contraptions in the first place?

George Clooney’s acting is like a stick:  it’s wooden

If Dick yells “Cowabunga!,” I swear to God...

“Cowabunga!”  Oh my God no

There is no way Batman can catch up to Mr. Freeze in free fall.  10 ft per second, assholes!

The colors in this movie would legit make a pretty awesome commission color palette

Robin was just frozen mid-air?!?!?

*sing songs*  Shaky cam!

Chuck him [the frozen Robin] at the wall!

Matte painting!

What did she (Dr. Isley) just say?

AN:  We’re only 15 minutes in?!?

Is she [Dr. Isley] speaking into a tube of lipstick?

Antonio Diego?

This whole scene with the introduction to Bane looks like something out of Rocky Horror for some reason.  You got a couple weird people in suits watching the whole thing up on a balcony and you got a wacky-ass scientist with crazy hair

That’s.... gross...

Pointing... more pointing!

So dumping a whole bunch of toxins on Dr. Isley is gonna turn her into a psycho plant seductress?  OK...

I like how the security camera zooms in on Victor becoming Mr. Freeze

George Clooney looks way too smug to be Bruce Wayne for some reason.  Grow some hair!

AN:  Oh my God, we’re only 23 minutes in... *whines* this is a two hour movie!

Dutch Angle!

I do like the purple lighting in the lab

*Poison Ivy appears in the middle of the lab from underground*  How?

“My [Ivy] blood has been replace with aloe, my skin with chlorophyll.”

My sister:  Moisturize your skin with my blood!

Me:  MOISTURIZE ME!

Chlorophyll is a pigment.  If her [Ivy’s] skin is now made up of chlorophyll, shouldn’t she be green?

Is Woodrue’s tongue turning green?

“Hell, I am Mother Nature!”  That’s like probably one of the only good lines in this movie.

*starts singing “Mr. Snow Miser”*

I like Freeze’s polar bear slippers!

This mofo [Freeze] is blue!

Why does Mr. Freeze have a cigar?

This whole movie plot is ripped from an episode of “Batman:  The Animated Series.”  Seriously, the episode’s called “Cold Comfort.”

The actress playing Nora Fries looks waaaay too young for some reason.

George Clooney is wearing a turtleneck... for the love of God, wear something else!

“I’m not used to this type of luxury...”  You [Barbara] go to a boarding school.  Shut up!

This looks like one of the streets used in the Batman TV show in the 60s.

That wig Ivy just put on has the Pulp Fiction bangs

Who’s the lady in the pink suit?

Julie Madison?  Why don’t we see more of her besides being a one-off girlfriend?

OK, I like the trench coat Ivy has on

They used the word “primordial” in the script.  I’m impressed.

“... warm-blooded opressors...” Aren’t you [Ivy] warm-blooded though?  You’re human...

Holy crap the makeup on Mr. Freeze without the costume is great

*The costume ball starts*  This is “The Mask” all over again

This is literally the same set they used for the art museum in the beginning of the movie

There’s a dude in the background wearing a leopard-print tuxedo

*mutters*  The hell is this music?

I actually like the eye makeup on Ivy

“I’ll bring everything you see here and everything you don’t.”  Mic drop.

Was that a banana peel sound effect?

My sister:  Yes it was.

“Good night.”  OK, that was funny.

Where is Ivy still there after Freeze left?

*The camera pans up a giant statue*  HANDSSSSS.... TOUCHING HANDSSSS...

Parkour!

Oh my gosh the CGI

Redbird?

REEED ROBIN YUMMMMM

ExPLOsions...

*The Batmobile gets frozen and crashes*  Oh no, not the merchandise!

“We have very little time.”  For what?

Michael Gough:  MVP of the movie

Did they just use a lightsaber sound effect to indicate the end of the flashback?

Ominous green lighting!

They [the Arkham guards] put him [Freeze] in an ice box...

Whoa...

The tile son the floor in Victor’s cell line up to make a snowflake

*Radioactive ghetto people show up*  I would legit go as one of them for Halloween

This movie is just one big sound stage

Where’d she [Ivy] get the seeds from?

George Clooney legit sounds like Mel Gibson’s John Smith from “Pocahontas”

There’s a floating face!

I think that’s actually Coolio

AN:  Yes it is

What is the point of this whole motorcycle race thing?  There’s literally no point to this scene.

My sister:  Did they just really wanna show off the set?

Me:  Well this movie is literally one giant toy commercial so...

That green screen was terrible

“Alfred’s not sick.  He’s dying.”  Well way to whip that out, movie!

You can tell that they put some effort into the characterization of Freeze in this movie.  It’s just surrounded by a bunch of campy, stupid stuff.

“Men are the most absurd of God’s creations.”  Man was one of the first ones, bitch...

I have the Poison Ivy gif of “Not good!”  saved on my laptop

Sorry Freeze, only one person looks good in chrome

*Freeze freezes the pipes to make them explode*  Well that was quick

Liking the statues of the absolutely ripped dudes on the fireplace mantle in Wayne Manor.  Schumacher, I see you.

*Batman opens up the secret bookcase in Freeze’s old lair to find Nora*  IT’S MISTER WHITE CHRISTMAS, IT’S MISTER SNOW!

I like that there’s a convenient lever from “Heat” to “Freeze”

*Bane beats Robin*  I was wondering what would break first:  your spirit... or your body!

“Why are all the gorgeous ones homicidal maniacs?”  Point!

Oh there you go.  Commissioner Gordon actually did something in this movie.

Is that slime?

“I’m [Dick] going solo!”  But not Han Solo.  He’s not cool enough to be Han Solo

My sister:  He’s whiny enough to be Ben Solo

Me:  Except Ben Solo was written better.

Oh, Ivy’s green boots are awesome

Freeze’s eyes look orange in this scene

“First...” Gotham!

“Gotham!”  Then the world!

“And then... the world!”  Haha!

“Adam... and Evil!”  BOO...

OH MY GOD- oh, that’s Bruce.  OK.

*Bruce and Dick argue over Ivy’s influence over them*  It’s called pheromones, guys.  Everyone has them.

What the... heck was that transition?

Oh I like that dress Ivy’s wearing...

Slow... motion...

Ellie Macpherson (Julie Madison) kinda looks like Jennifer Garner

Oh just smash it [the Bat-signal] in!  You don’t need to actually lift it up!

I just realized what’s wrong with George Clooney in this movie:  it always looks like he has a five o’clock shadow above his top lip

*Bruce hugs Alfred*  Aaawww!

The signature on the portrait wasn’t there a second ago!

*cracks up at the computer saying “Access Granted”*

Why is a telescope powered on crystals?

“... will you trust me now?”  *in best angsty teenage impression*  No, because he’s [Dick] got his eyeshadow on!

OK. Arnold’s evil laugh is getting there.  A little more work then he’s got it

*Barbara puts on her Batsuit*  Eeewww... eeww!

How the hell did Ivy set up her evil lair?

“Hi there.”  *in best George Clooney voice*  Hi Robin, I’m Ivy!

“How about ‘Slippery When Wet?’“ 

*actually has to collapse backwards on floor to laugh*

My sister:  Her eyeshadow’s awesome

Me:  She [Ivy] looks like a drag queen!

My sister:  It’s the eyebrows!

*Robin peels off his rubber lips*  WHAAAAAAA?!?!?!?!?

Oh my God, look at her [Ivy’s] bangles!

Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait!  They rewound the tape when Robin resurfaces from the pool!

My sister:  *sings*  My name’s Blurryface and I care what you think...

*Ivy’s plants suddenly eat her*  ...Why?

Oh she’s not dead.  OK...

*Camera pans up giant statue*  Aaaabbsss... Schumacher loves them...

*Random person in telephone booth gets frozen*  NO, NOT THE TARDIS!

NO, NOT THE DOG!

He was frozen mid-pee though.  Youch.

WHAAT IS THIS?!?!?!?

Why do all the Batsuits have silver accents now?  Unless the silver bits are just snap-on attachments...

*sing songs*  Free-zing... freezing the city!

PLAnets...

My sister:  Now I just want the planetarium fight from “The Great Game” to happen

Me:  Oh my God... we should watch that instead!

My sister:  Right?!?!?

You seriously could take any shot from this movie and all the colors in them would make up an awesome color palette

*Dick unleashes the grappling hook at the last minute and successfully latches onto something*  I CALL BULL!

Where the hell did he [Bane] come from?!?

AN:  Oh God we’re almost done with this movie YAAAAYY!

*Bane literally deflates*  Eeeewwww!

Oh my gosh, that 1997 CGI though

[Some of the ice in the city proceeds to melt]  *sings*  Here comes the sun...

*Mr. Freeze lets out an evil chuckle*  What a story, Mark!

Oh my God, that green screen though!

*The Bat gang manages to get rid of all the ice covering the city*  This... is bull... shit.

The ice actually wiggles on the cop car door!

THERE IS NO WAY BATMAN GOT THAT FOOTAGE OF IVY!

I call bullshit on this whole movie!

Oh, and he [Freeze] just had the cure [to Nora and Alfred] on him the whole time?

OK, I actually liked the music for that scene.  What the heck?

OK, for being a man-hater, Ivy, you’re pretty obsessed about one.

“Winter has come at last.”  Game of Thrones did it better.

The official catchphrase for this movie:  Hi [insert name], I’m [insert other name]

HEELP!  THEY’RE CASTING FOR BATMAN UNCHAINED!

*in best Batman voice*  DON’T MAKE ME PUSH YOU DOWN, O’DONNELL [Robin/Dick]!  I’LL DO ANYTHING TO GET OUT OF THIS FRANCHISE!

[celebritylive]

Devin Dawson and Leah Sykes are married.

The “All on Me” crooner and the singer-songwriter tied the knot in Franklin, Tennessee on Sunday in front of 200 guests at the Carnton historic plantation house and museum — and PEOPLE has all the exclusive details.

Ahead of their big day, Dawson, 30, told PEOPLE that he and Sykes, 22, chose the sprawling farm (which played an important role during and immediately after the American Civil War’s Battle of Franklin in 1864) as their venue because it was the ideal setting for an autumn ceremony.

“The property has a perfect set up for a fall wedding with the garden, foliage and a 250-year-old oak tree serving as an incredibly gorgeous and natural altar,” said the couple, who added that they chose a color scheme of Dawson’s signature black, as well as merlot and champagne, to decorate the space.

Standing beside Dawson on the big day was a bridal party made up of seven groomsmen: his best man and twin brother Jacob Durrett, his childhood best friends Kyle Fishman and Daniel Kutch, his best friends from college Grant Blevins and Matt Roberts, his band’s right-hand man and collaborator Austin Taylor Smith and music industry confidant Josh Tomlinson, who was the first friend he made when he moved to Nashville.

Sykes’ older brother, Jacob, married the couple, who wrote their own wedding vows.

“We wanted to recite our own written vows in addition to traditional wedding vows,” Dawson said. “You better believe that two songwriters and artists wanted to write our own vows and promises!”

Along with reciting their own vows, the couple sang a worship song called “How Deep the Father’s Love” during the ceremony because “faith is a huge part” of their relationship. Dawson anticipated that they would cry during the special moment, joking, “We could flood the Cumberland with the tears of joy and love that will fall.”

View this post on Instagram Just got the okay from Uncle Sam

#10Days #sykedtobedurrett @zdevin

A post shared by Leah Sykes (@leahgracesykes) on Oct 17, 2019 at 10:21am PDT

//www.instagram.com/embed.js

Dawson also hinted that he has something special in store for Sykes.

“I have a small surprise for when Leah and I are announced,” he said. “It’s something very big for me as a man who hasn’t worn anything but black in five years.”

RELATED: Devin Dawson Is Engaged to Leah Sykes — All the Details on His Romantic San Francisco Proposal

Sykes wore a gown for the ceremony and reception designed by Monique Lhuillier, which she described as a “form-fitting, solid lace” dress “with a low back.” Her veil was chapel length.

“Honestly, I said I wanted to feel like a fairy princess and that is exactly how the dress makes me feel,” she told PEOPLE ahead of the ceremony.

Dawson wore a custom tux for the ceremony and reception which he designed with Aaron McGill of Fior Bespoke and Only One Tailoring in Nashville.

As for the engagement ring and wedding bands, Dawson designed them with Tim Stammen, the owner of BEZALEL in Nashville. Dawson and Stammen spent months designing the engagement ring to be “simple, elegant and timeless” while adding a small, unique touch by embedding Sykes’ great-grandmother’s wedding diamond in the band (underneath the main diamond) “as a reminder to always keep something for yourself in a world full of spotlight and access.”

The wedding band was custom designed to match and fit perfectly with the engagement ring, which features a 1.75-carat diamond and full platinum setting and band.

View this post on Instagram We’re getting married!!!!! Yesterday we celebrated 2 years together and I said YES to giving him the rest of them. Devin, I’ve known for a really long time that you were my forever. From calling my dad after 9 days to treating my family like your own, there has never been a doubt in my mind. I’m under no delusion that forever is going to be easy, but I wouldn’t want to spend it and grow through it with anyone else by my side. I love you, for the rest of my life and beyond. @zdevin

A post shared by Leah Sykes (@leahgracesykes) on Mar 11, 2019 at 10:00am PDT

//www.instagram.com/embed.js

At the reception, the couple incorporated small touches to represent parts of their story, including tequila shots for toasts, handmade margaritas and a coffee bar featuring roasts from his native California, her native Florida and their current home of Nashville.

For their first dance as a married couple, Dawson and Sykes picked “Wouldn't Mean a Thing” by Bruno Major. Dawson anticipated that their wedding guests would “burn holes in the dance floor and sweat through tuxes and dresses” at the reception.

RELATED: From Death Metal to Country, Why Devin Dawson Moved to Nashville to Get Away from Himself

Dawson and Sykes have been together for two-and-half-years and met while both attending Belmont University in Nashville. They made their red carpet debut as a couple at the Academy of Country Music Awards, but Dawson knew Sykes was the one from the jump.

“After our first date I told my brother I didn’t want to let anyone else be with her,” he said. “He told me to lock it down then! This is big because we never really talked love or relationships together at all.”

Sykes, on the other hand, knew Dawson was the one “when he continually made what mattered to me a priority: my family, music and faith.”

“I knew that he would always point me towards the things that were important and challenge me to be a better sister, daughter and wife,” she said.

Dawson — who’s nominated for song of the year for writing Blake Shelton‘s No. 1 hit “God’s Country” at next month’s CMA Awards — proposed to Sykes while celebrating their two-year anniversary of dating on a trip to San Francisco in March.

“Sunday was the two-year anniversary of our first date, and I’ve known for a while now that I wanted that to be the day I propose to her. I wanted to set that day in stone so we could always remember how important March 10th is to us,” Dawson told PEOPLE at the time. “I grew up around San Francisco and she’s never been, so we made a trip out of it and I got to show her around one of my favorite cities in the world.”

“I think she might have suspected that I would pop the question this weekend when I took her to all my favorite spots — Ocean Beach, The Presidio, Twin Peaks — but I wanted to try to surprise her when she least expected it,” he continued. “So I waited until late Saturday night… When it turned midnight (our anniversary), our good friends at Virgin Hotels let me take over their rooftop bar.”

View this post on Instagram I have the coolest wedding task today of having to go through all the pictures that exist of Dev and myself and picking my favorites… this was seconds after I said “hell yes” to forever. Dev, I could not be more excited to be your wife.

A post shared by Leah Sykes (@leahgracesykes) on Aug 13, 2019 at 10:22am PDT

//www.instagram.com/embed.js

As to why now seemed like the perfect time to get married, Dawson said, “We both knew we wanted to promise each other forever.”

“There was no doubt,” he added. “We wanted to take our love to the highest level and shout it from the mountain tops and celebrate it with our closest loved ones.”

RELATED: Devin Dawson Had to Get Sneaky to Complete His Debut Album: ‘I Wanted to Write Something About Me’

Dawson — who has previously opened for Brett Eldredge, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill as well as headlined his own tour — credits “understanding and respect for the difficult but rewarding career paths we’ve both chosen” for keeping his and Sykes’ relationship strong.

“Music allows us to be there for each other but push each other to be our best,” the “Dark Horse” singer, who will have new music out soon, said. “As a traveling and sometimes long-distance couple, we try to not go longer than two weeks seeing each other. We try to FaceTime at least three times per week when we are apart for a long period of time. Other than that, it’s just having fun — enjoying life and experiencing ‘firsts’ together for the rest of our lives.”

View this post on Instagram 75 days.

A post shared by Devin Dawson (@zdevin) on Aug 13, 2019 at 6:58pm PDT

//www.instagram.com/embed.js

When it comes to marriage itself, Dawson said he’s excited to take their love to the “ultimate level”

“I’m excited to celebrate with our family, to grow together even stronger, to work through the hard times, to start a family and to always have someone closer than close,” he said.

But before forever comes the honeymoon — or, in Dawson and Sykes’ case, the “mini moon.”

“We are spending our mini moon at Blackberry Farm,” Dawson said. “It’s a private mountain resort and farm in the hills of Tennessee. We picked it because it’s close (we love road trips) and it’s gorgeous. It’s the perfect place to relax and treat ourselves in luxuries that we don’t usually afford ourselves. We will take a full honeymoon abroad at the top of the year.”

from PEOPLE.com https://ift.tt/2BLoCFV

[grimeuspyneus]

NFL Mock Draft

Pick 1 - Cleveland Browns select

Myles Garrett - Defensive End - Texas A&M

Whilst there is a massive quarterback hole within the Browns roster, however they would be imbecilic not to take Garret number 1. Garrett is undoubtedly the top prospect in the draft being a certified freak whilst simultaneously showing Hall of Fame potential; there he has been securing multiple humbling comparisons from Julius Peppers to a collaboration of Von Miller and Jadeveon Clowney. Looking at Myles Garrett’s tape, although there may be signs of laziness at times, he looks as if he is the best player on the field and can change the game at any point with his combination of size, speed, power, and technique. The Browns can’t afford to mess this pick up so anyone else but Garrett here would be shock.

Other options - NO ONE

Pick 2 - San Francisco 49ers select

Jamal Adams - Safety - LSU

There are many different directions that the 49ers could go with this pick; they could try to go for the home run hit by taking the powerhouse that is Leonard Fournette; solidify that defensive front by taking the versatile Solomon Thomas; or they could trade out of the pick giving the new 49ers GM, John Lynch, multiple first round picks in the future. Although the latter may make the most sense from a directional standpoint, I decided to give the 49ers Jamal Adams from LSU. Adams is a clean non-stop workhorse on the defensive end who will add a leader to that 49ers D; looking at the tape you can see that Adams has a genuine passion for the game and will risk it all to win a game which is exactly the kind of player this organization needs on the field and the locker room. I believe that Jamal Adams can have the same kind of impact that Landon Collins had with the Giants last year - Adams has also drawn other comparisons from ‘The Honey Badger’ Tyrann Mathieu and the future Hall of Famer Darren Woodson.

Other options - Leonard Fournette, Solomon Thomas

Pick 3 - Chicago Bears select

Solomon Thomas - Defensive End - Stanford

The Bears as a team have a lot of holes to fill so at this spot they should just go with whomever is the highest on their draft board, for me the highest person still available is Solomon Thomas. Thomas is an extremely versatile defender who can play anywhere along the front line to a high standard and never takes a play off. Thomas will add energy to this defense and is a player the fans of Chicago can get behind; he has been drawing comparisons from J.J. Watt to Justin Smith.

Other options - Marshon Lattimore, Jonathon Allen 

Pick 4 - Jacksonville Jaguars select

Leonard Fournette - Running Back - LSU

The jags filled most of their defensive needs in free agency picking up such big name players as Barry Church, AJ Bouye, and Calais Campbell; combine this with young talent like Dante Fowler Jr and Jalen Ramsay this defense can be in the upper echelon for the next few years. However, by spending so much money on defense the Jaguars lost some of their key offensive lineman so this next selection might not be wise but the draft is about improving your team and by drafting Leonard Fournette this team becomes immediately more explosive, dangerous, and physical. Leonard is a force to be reckoned with and will be one of the premier backs in the NFL from day one. By drafting Fournette the opposing defense will stack the box more leaving, the mediocre, Blake Bortles with more open targets which will ultimately lead to more yard equaling more points; pair that with a premier defense then this Jacksonville will be scary team over the next few years. Fournette has earned such high class comparisons as Adrian Peterson, Jamal Lewis, and Bo Jackson.

Other options - O.J. Howard, Garret Bolles

Pick 5 - Tennessee Titans select

Marshon Lattimore - Cornerback - The Ohio State

The Titans have a major hole at corner and Lattimore is the best corner in the draft; simple as that. In spite of this, if Lattimore is not here when it sthere turn to pick than i expect the Titans to aggressively shop this pick and if they can’t do that then they will either fill the whole at wide receiver or just take the best player available. Lattimore has been compared to the shut down corner Vontae Davis.

Other options - Mike Williams, Solomon Thomas

Pick 6 - New York Jets select

O.J. Howard - Tight End - Alabama

Some have suggested that the Jets may take their “quarterback of the future” with this pick and while that still may be true everything that I have heard from players and coaches in interviews is that they have full confidence in Christian Hackenberg - plus with the addition of Josh McCown it looks as if the Jets aren’t looking for a QB; at least not at this pick. If Hackenbeg is the Jets quarterback then they need to fill as many weapons around him and the loss of Brandon Marshall does not help this fact. O.J. Howard is great replacement and a potent weapon for this offense, Howard is a big tight with incredible hands, great speed, and a love for blocking you normally don’t see in pass catching tight ends. Howard is also special in the fact he has a high floor and a high ceiling meaning as he grows and matures the Jets will still get great production out of him. Howard has been drawing comparisons of Tony Gonzales and Julius Thomas.

Other options - Mitchell Trubisky, Reuben Foster

Pick 7 - Los Angeles Chargers select

Malik Hooker - Safety - The Ohio State

The Chargers have one of the best top 10 draft pick team you will see, one of the only problems they have is in their secondary; this problem can be immediately solved by one player - Malik Hooker. A true center-fielder, when talking about football, Hooker presents awesome anticipation, great ball skills and just an overall natural ability to make any quarterback pay for their mistakes. This pick seems almost too perfect but this could lead the re-birth of this chargers organization in a new city. I believe Hooker has the ability to be the best player out of this class when its all said and done, so do other as he ha been drawing strong comparisons to the legendary Ed Reed, Earl Thomas, and Charles Woodson.

Other options - Christian McCaffrey, Reuben Foster

Pick 8 - Carolina Panthers select

John Ross - Wide Receiver - Washington

The first, and maybe only, shocker in this draft; the Panthers select the dynamic John Ross in the top 10. When you break Chris Johnson's famous “He ran what?” 40 yard dash time you are certain to turn heads and when you compare that with what you can see on tape then you have, maybe, the most explosive player in the entire draft. If you combine that explosiveness with Kelvin Benjamin and the former MVP Cam Newton’s incredible arm talent then that spells disaster for opposing secondaries especially for the already frugal secondaries of the NFC South teams, whilst almost simultaneously showing flashes of improving on the 2011 ‘dream team’ eagles. Ross has been given a very strong comparison to his training partner and pivotal member of that 2011 eagles team Deshaun Jackson.

Other options - Christian McCaffrey, Jonathon Allen

Pick 9 - Cincinnati Bengals select

Jonathan Allen - Defensive End - Alabama

Medical issues may cause the top 5 prospect to slide down draft boards but may be too good of a prospect for the Bengals to pass up on; Allen was the cornerstone for last years incredible Alabama defense and may be the most pro-ready defensive player in the whole draft. Where Allen may not jump of the page from an athletic standpoint but his technique is sound showing superior hand-grappling talents, he will also be the perfect compliment to Cincinnati star player Geno Atkins. Allen has a very similar style to the ever destructive Fletcher Cox.

Other options - Reuben Foster, Haason Reddick

Pick 10 - Buffalo Bills select

Mike Williams - Wide Receiver - Clemson

This is a combination that I have loved since this draft process began, the idea of having Sammy Watkins and Mike Williams on the same team should make every Bills fan excited, especially if the organisation want to help out young talent Cardale Jones or just give the underrated Tyrod Taylor more weapons to throw to. Williams was a stud in college dominating every team they played against, even the unforgiving Alabama defense, and being 6′4 with a 32 inch vertical jump proves he will continue to dominate in the pros. Furthermore without Williams Clemson would never have won the National Championship proving that he does not shy away from the big moments; Williams compares to another player not afraid of the big moments Plaxico Burress.

Other options - Marlon Humphrey, Deshaun Watson

Pick 11 - New Orleans Saints select

Marlon Humphrey - Cornerback - Alabama

The saints had the worst ranked passing defense in the League last year and desperately need a corner to help them. Humphrey is a very physical corner with all the athletic traits needed to be a premier lock-down player in this league. While the numbers may not be mesmerizing and whilst there may be strong concerns about his coverage, his talent alone will most likely get him drafted in the top-15. Humphrey has been compared to Jimmy Smith.

Other options - Derek Barnett, Adoree Jackson

Pick 12 - Cleveland Browns select

Mitchell Trubisky - Quarterback - UNC

There has been so much talk about the Browns trading up into the top 10 to draft Trubisky and even that they might take Trubisky with the number 1 pick. Whilst I am not the biggest fan of Mitchell Trubisky I do see why teams, such as the Browns, are so intrigued by his talents and as of writing this the Browns do not have a player who could be a variable stating quarterback so I also see the desire in getting your guy, nonetheless I still do not believe they will have to trade up to land him. Trubisky has been compared anywhere from Aaron Rodgers to Matt Leinart.

Other options - Reuben Foster, Deshaun Watson

Pick 13 - Arizona Cardinals select

Tre’davious White - Cornerback - LSU

This pick to me is basically adding fuel to already hot fire that is the already hot fire of the Arizona Cardinals secondary. White is solid is in every aspect of the game and would be a perfect compliment to the two other former LSU Tigers Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu, but don’t be surprised to see the cards go after Carson Palmer's successor here. White has drawn comparisons to Tracy Porter.

Other options - Corey Davis, Pat Mahomes II

Pick 14 - Philadelphia Eagles select

Christian McCaffrey - Running Back - Stanford

The Eagles main focus of this draft should be trying to provide their franchise QB, Carson Wentz, with as many weapons as possible; and with this pick they get the ultimate offensive weapon. Christian McCaffrey may be the most naturally gifted player in the draft as well as being the perfect back for this Eagles offense; McCaffrey lead his team in both rushing yards and receiving yards making him an every down back who can either catch passes in the backfield or be sent out wide in the slot and run routes. This versatility will greatly help Wentz improve whilst have a true ball carrier to take the pressure off Wentz if it is needed. The perfect comparison for McCaffrey is former Eagles stud Brian Westbrook.

Other options - Derek Barnett, Corey Davis

Pick 15 - Indianapolis Colts select

Forrest Lamp - Offensive Guard - Western Kentucky

There have been a lot of mock drafts giving the Colts an edge rusher here which to me doesn’t make sense: 1) This draft is very deep when it comes to defensive players whereas there is a drop-off when taking about the guards. 2) Andrew Luck is one of the best quarterbacks in the league...when he’s healthy, and to say healthy the Colts need to protect Luck with a good O-line something they have not done up to date. Lamp and be a good building block to go along with Ryan Kelly. Lamp has been compared to Dallas Cowboy guard Zack Martin.

Other options - Derek Barnett, Takk McKinley

Pick 16 - Baltimore Ravens select

Derek Barnett - Defensive End - Tennessee

To be honest, I would be very surprised to see Barnett fall this low, especially for a player being compared to Greg Hardy (on the field) as well as being the Tennessee Longhorns all-time sack leader. Barnett is a perfect fit for the Ravens and will immediately help a team whom is both 24th in sacks and rushing yards allowed per game. Some people are saying that Barnett is a better all-around player than Myles Garret and from looking at his tape I might have to agree.

Other options - Corey Davis, Reuben Foster

Pick 17 - Washington Redskins select

Dalvin Cook - Running Back - Florida State

Last year the Redskins had to watch as the Cowboys won the NFC East behind there rookie running back, that should mean that when the Redskins see the back that perfectly fits their scheme sitting their at 17 they have to take him. The Redskins were 21st in the league last year on rushing yards per game and Cook being the explosive player he is that number could easily rise next year to the top 10 in the league thanks to the Redskins O-line; plus with above average hands for a running back Cook will be able to be an ever down back for this team. Hamstring problems may have affected him last year but the Redskins should look passed when they see the potential he has especially when being compared to backs like Edgerrin James and Clinton Portis.

Other options - Takk McKinley, Reuben Foster

Pick 18 - Tennessee Titans select

Corey Davis - Wide Receiver - Western Michigan

Although at times he looked like the best wide receiver in the nation due to his small school status he fall of some teams draft bored allowing the Titans their new Number 1 receiver and Macus Mariota’s new favourite target. Davis showed excellent production and competitiveness coming out of Western Michigan and although he may have played for a lower tier school some scouts described his dominance as “a man among boys” which should mean that teams won’t be too worried about. Davis showed hands and route-running that should correlate well going into the next stage of his career whilst being a high tier route-runner. Davis could be looked over due his school but shouldn’t especially when he is being talked about as the second coming of T.O.

Other options - Adoree’ Jackson, Takk McKinley

Pick 19 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers select

David Njoku - Tight End - Miami

Now that Jameis Winston has proven to be a star player in this league the Buccaneers may want to put all their eggs in one basket and get him some weapons to play with. David Njoku maybe has the highest potential out of anybody in the first round, being only 20 years old he has already displayed elite athleticism and great catching talent with the ability to make a defender miss in the open field. Njoku would work wonders with Winston who is known for his love for a big play and David Njoku can definitely supply that. Njoku has been compared to Jimmy Graham, Jordan Reed, and Greg Olsen.  

Other options - Jabrill Peppers, Alvin Kamara

Pick 20 - Denver Broncos select 

Garett Bolles - Offensive Tackle - Utah

The Broncos are in the bottom 10 in the league in Rushing yards, yards per carry, and sacks which all translates to - the Broncos O-Line is trash. Though I may like the acquisition on Ron Leary from the Cowboys number 1 ranked O-line, one player doesn’t fix everything and Denver needs to take a lineman with this pick. Garett Bolles has the best feet in the draft and his technique is sound from being a work-up blocker to being noticing stunts. Bolles will help solidify the Broncos front for years to come.

Other options - Ryan Ramczyk, Cam Robinson

Pick 21 - Detroit Lions select

Reuben Foster - Linebacker - Alabama

The Lions lack any real leader from the line backer position, Reuben Foster is the perfect man to fill that hole; he was at the forefront of this strong Alabama defense a programme known for producing great linebackers. Compares to the Seahawks Bobby Wagner.

Other options - Taco Charlton, Charles Harris

Pick 22 - Miami Dolphins select

Taco Charlton - Defensive End - Michigan

As Cameron Wake is nearing the end of his career the Dolphins need to begin to find his successor; that could be Taco Charlton. Charlton is a rare combination of size, length and athleticism, he is a twitchy player with enough power to push back a lineman. The Dolphins would just be hoping not to have another Dion Jordan incident with this pick. Charlton compares to Aldon Smith.

Other options - Jabrill Peppers, T.J. Watt

Pick 23 - New York Giants select

Ryan Ramczyk - Offensive Tackle - Wiscoinsin

The Giants were one of the worst teams in the league in rushing and sacks allowed last season and while Eli Manning has a variety of weapons at his disposal if there is a hand in his face he is going to be less accurate. Ramczyk is an athletic tackle with who comes from a Wisconsin system famous for producing great O-line talent. Ramczyk compares to Joe Staley. 

Other options - Cam Robinson, Joe Mixon

Pick 24 - Oakland Raiders select

Haason Reddick - Linebacker - Temple

Reddick is a versatile player with an amazing motor and would be a great partner to Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin to expand on what is an already exciting defense to watch. Haason Reddick reminds me a lot of Ryan Shazier.

Other options - Jarrad Davis, Kevin King

Pick 25 - Houston Texans select

Patrick Mahomes II - Quarterback - Texas Tech

The Texans need a quarterback badly and I’ve heard that they are quite fond of gunslinger from Texas Tech. The best way to put it is that Mahomes has a cannon for an arm and Will Fuller is a shot of of that cannon add that with the already gifted play maker Deandre Hopkins,  you have one exciting offense now in Houston, Texas.

Other options - Cam Robinson, Deshaun Watson

Pick 26 - Seattle Seahawks select

Obi Melifonwu - Safety - Conneticut

With it looking like Richard Sherman’s time in Seattle is coming to an end Melifonwu is the athletic freak of nature that Pete Carroll could groom to replace him or replace the man people say he most plays like, Kam Chancellor.

Other options - Cam Robinson, Kevin King

Pick 27 - Kansas City Chiefs Select 

Deshaun Watson - Quarterback - Clemson

The Chiefs get the quarterback of the future. Watson is a great fit in this system and under the guidance of Andy Reid I believe this could be a beautiful marriage; furthermore I see Watson as a better Alex Smith due to him being an equally good passer with more mobility and knack for having his best performances in big games.

Other options - Gareon Conley, Alvin Kamara

Pick 28 - Dallas Cowboys select 

Takkarist McKinley - Defensive End - UCLA

Whilst the Cowboys desperately need some secondary talent McKinley is too good of a player for the Cowboys to pass up on especially as he fills a hole in that defensive front and is the kind of “war daddy” that Jerry Jones asked for. Comparison for McKinley is Tamba Hali or potentially DeMarcus Ware.

Other options - Adoree’ Jackson, Charles Harris

Pick 29 - Green Bay Packers select

T.J. Watt - Outside Linebacker - Wisconsin

The Packers pick up the second coming of Clay Matthews with T.J. Watt who will give everything he possesses when he is on the field. Oh and coaching from big brother J.J. won’t hurt his case.

Other options - Joe Mixon, Jabrill Peppers

Pick 30 - Pittsburgh Steelers select

DeShone Kizer - Quarterback - Notre Dame

With Roethlisberger considering retirement this year the Steelers put all their chips in the hand of the strong armed, raw talent of DeShoen Kizer who people say comapres most to current Steelers QB Big Ben.

Other options - Adoree’ Jackson, Evan Engram

Pick 31 - Atlanta Falcons select

Jabrill Peppers - Linebacker/Safety - Michigan

Perhaps the biggest wild card of the first round Peppers is the most versatile player in the draft with an innate reaction to try and create something no-matter where he is on the field or what side of the ball he is on. Peppers would be a great fit with this young Falcons defense and could end up becoming their captain.

Other options - Evan Engram, Charles Harris

Pick 32 - New Orleans Saints select

Charles Harris - Outside Linebacker - Missouri

This Saints defense lacks energy and desire but with this guy that will never be a problem again. Charles Harris, A.K.A. Black Ice, exudes energy and is maybe on of the most clean pass rushers in this draft. He has been compared to Shane Ray.

Other options - Adoree’ Jackson, Jarrad Davis

[heyitscmei]

How Not to Get a Date

Characters: Keith, Shiro Pairing(s): Shiro/Keith Warnings: spoilers for s2 Notes: Sheith Week Unlimited - Day 5: Friends, pining shiro + really bad wingmen everyone else, everyone’s trying their best, earth au

Read on AO3 Summary: “You’re not even trying.”

“What would I even say?”

“Oh, Keith, I’m so in love with you and I want to touch your butt!” She says, clasping her hands and making a face, lowering her voice. Shiro’s starting to think she might be spending too much time with Lance. “Oh Keith! You’re so dreamy I’m getting lost in your eyes!”

“I’m not saying any of that!”

“Well you better think of something because he’s coming this way.”

Or, Shiro pines a little and everyone is a really bad wingman.

“You’re staring.” Shiro startles and turns to find Pidge looking up at him.  He expected her to maybe look unimpressed, but instead she waggles an eyebrow at him. It reminds him of Matt and he makes a mental note to ask him who’s corrupting the youth now.

“I wasn’t staring,” Shiro says, turning his gaze back to where it had been. Keith is there, but it’s not like Shiro’s intentionally staring. He’s not watching the way Keith makes small hand gestures as he talks, pointing with a small finger gun as he talks to Hunk, Lance and Allura.  He’s not paying attention to the furrow of Keith’s eyebrows and how it would feel smooth out the creases with his thumb.

“You’re staring again.” Okay, so maybe he’s staring. He doesn’t mean to, it just kind of happens. Pidge shakes her head. “I don’t understand why you don’t just ask him out already.”

“It’s not that simple.” Shiro sighs as Pidge levels him a look. “He only thinks of me as a friend anyways.”

"His best and closest friend," Pidge reminds, rolling her eyes at him and jabs a finger into his side. He jolts and scowls at her, covering the offended side with a hand. “You’re not even trying.”

“What would I even say?”

“Oh, Keith, I’m so in love with you and I want to touch your butt!” She says, clasping her hands and making a face, lowering her voice. Shiro’s starting to think she might be spending too much time with Lance. He grabs her and presses a fist to the top of her head, playfully giving her a noogie that musses up short, brown hair. “Oh Keith! You’re so dreamy I’m getting lost in your eyes!” she says between gasps.

“I’m not saying any of that!” Shiro says, feeling the embarrassment in the form of too warm cheeks.

“Well you better think of something because he’s coming this way,” Pidge says, ducking out from his grasp. His head snaps up to confirm that she is, in fact, telling the truth and Keith is making his way toward them, looking confused.

“What are you guys doing?” he asks, once he’s close enough.

“Nothing,” Pidge says. “In fact, I was just about to go tell the others something. Keep Shiro company for me, would you?” She pats Keith’s arm and wanders over to the others, winking at Shiro over her shoulder once she’s safely out of Keith’s line of vision.

“Hey,” Shiro says, lacking anything better to say. “Looked like you were having an interesting conversation over there.”

“They asked me what kind of movies I liked,” Keith says by way of response. He scrunches his brows again. “I haven’t watched many movies.” He looks so genuinely put out that Shiro wants to laugh.

“So what brings you over here then?” Shiro asks, smiling instead.

“They wanted to know what you guys were talking about.” Keith shrugs before offering a small smile. “And Lance wouldn’t stop complaining about my ‘lack of culture’.”

Ah. So all his friends are conspiring against him. He peers behind Keith only to find Lance Will-Smith-posing at Keith and waggling his eyebrows. Pidge snickers and mimics him, leveling Shiro a pointed look. He narrows his eyes at them.

Keith seems to notice, leveling him with a confused look before turning around to see what Shiro’s looking at.

Immediately, Lance throws himself into Hunk’s arms, one leg extended dramatically. Pidge whirls to show Allura some new blackmail she’s got on Lance which earns her a “hey!” and long limbs flailing and reaching for her phone. Hunk, for his part, stares back at Shiro and Shiro can only guess that he’s wondering why they’re all so bad at acting naturally. Shiro wonders too.

At least he’s off the hook, for now.

When Shiro finds himself locked in a closet with Keith, he fails to be anything but utterly and completely unsurprised. He’s got a pretty good idea why Lance trapped them in there together, but he can’t say he’s impressed.

Neither is Keith, if the yelling is anything to go by.

A few minutes in, they find themselves on the floor, knees touching as they stare intensely into each other’s eyes.

“You blinked!” Keith shouts and Shiro bites off a groan.

“I don’t understand why you’re so good at this.”

“Maybe you’re just bad at it,” Keith says. Shiro finds himself smiling at the little laugh Keith lets out, letting the sound bounce through the enclosed space.

“You little-”

The door opens just as Shiro’s wrestled Keith into a headlock and they peer up at their saviour, Hunk.

“Let’s keep it pg-13 guys,” Lance says from behind him.

“Sorry about him,” Hunk says genuinely.

Shiro doesn’t hold Keith back when he lunges at Lance.

What cries for help? He doesn’t hear anything.

Shiro isn’t exactly sure what he’s expecting when Allura invites him over for dinner. He’s a little surprised that Keith is there too, though he’s also kind of glad because it’s Keith.

“You’re here!” Allura exclaims as she opens the door.  She quickly ushers them inside and into the dining room, seating them across from each other.

Shiro narrows his eyes at the tablecloth and candles.

“What’s this?” he asks. He doesn’t think he really wants to know the answer.

“Just a typical dinner!”

Yeah, right.

“Aren’t you eating with us?” Keith asks. Shiro doesn’t know whether he wants to laugh or cry at Keith’s obliviousness. Mostly, he’s relieved.

“Maybe in a bit,” Allura says, but Shiro knows she has no intentions of doing so.

“This is kind of nice,” Keith says once they’re alone.

“A candlelit dinner?” Keith’s eyes flick up to him and Shiro is somewhat entranced by the barest reflection of the flickering flame in his eyes. Bright bluish-purples lit up strikingly. Keith shrugs.

“Maybe,” Keith shifts awkwardly. Shiro takes note of Keith’s remarks and wonders why he does so, as if he’s ever going to take Keith on a real date.

Then Coran is there, setting plates of food in front of them and telling them to enjoy before disappearing again.

Needless to say, the food is pretty awful, but they choke it down anyways and offer compliments to the elated chef. Allura shoots him a sorry smile when they refill their glasses of water for the third time.

When none of the others show up at the movie theatre like Pidge had proposed, - Hunk “came down with something”, Lance “had to babysit”, Pidge “forgot she had family commitments”, and Allura “has to make sure Coran doesn’t burn the house down” - It’s exactly what Shiro expects.

Now it isn’t as if Shiro’s particularly mad or annoyed by their antics. He will never complain about time spent alone with Keith. He’s just not sure that he could ever bring himself to confess under such circumstances. It’s a matter of preparedness, okay?

Still, he walks towards Keith and asks once he’s close enough, “Did you wait long?”

Keith looks up from his phone and smiles at him, shaking his head. “No, but it looks like we’re on our own today.” He shows Shiro his phone screen where he’s received the same texts Shiro has.

“Looks like it. Hopefully Lance is right about the movie being good. Shall we?”

“Yeah.”

Shiro isn’t sure why anyone thought a rom-com would be a good choice - he can almost hear Lance’s defense of “rom-coms are classic date ideas!” if he were to be called out on it. Nevertheless, halfway through the movie finds Keith asleep in his chair because movie theatres are really just not good places for conversation.

Shiro misses the kiss scene because he’s suddenly too preoccupied by Keith’s head dropping onto his shoulder. He doesn’t stop breathing, not really, but he does feel himself stiffen in an attempt not to jostle Keith. He wills himself to relax and, if his head happens to rest on top of Keith’s head, he tells himself it’s because Keith used him as a pillow first.

He doesn’t commit the image of Keith blearily rubbing sleep from his eyes to memory as they leave the theatre.

“I appreciate what you’re trying to do,” Shiro says, the next time they all get together. “But please stop.”

“We’re sorry,” Pidge says, looking every bit a chastised child.

“At least you didn’t lock them in a closet,” Hunk says, patting her shoulder.

“Hey!”

“We just want you to be honest about your feelings,” Allura says. “Don’t you think you’ve pined for long enough?”

On some level, Shiro knows she’s right. That they’ve all been right about him running away from an answer.

“You better have ice cream ready for when I do it, just in case,” Shiro jokes.

“Any flavour you want,” Hunk says warmly.

“And movies!” Lance pipes up.

“We’re not letting you pick.” Pidge snarks at him.

Just then, Keith arrives, apologizing for making them wait. He had to take care of something last minute. Really, nobody minds, he’s barely five minutes late.

Conversation is easy and his friends aren’t trying to pull anything and Shiro ponders just what he might say to Keith if he ever does confess.

Then everyone’s getting ready to part ways, for now at least, and Keith puts a hand on his shoulder.

“Can we talk?” That doesn’t sound foreboding at all.

“Of course we can.”

“I was thinking,” Keith says once they’re alone, meandering slowly down the sidewalk.

“What about?” Shiro prompts, because he feels like Keith might need the encouragement.

“I really like spending time with you,” he says honestly. Shiro remembers playing dumb games on the closet floor, a bad candlelit dinner and a boring movie. He starts to wonder if those are fond memories for Keith. He knows he’s pretty fond of them himself, in spite of all things.

“I enjoy spending time with you, too,” he replies, just as honestly. Keith goes quiet, seemingly struggling with what to say next and Shiro hopes he’s reading this right. Maybe Keith isn’t as oblivious as he’d thought - or hoped, better put. “Would you want to go watch an actually good movie sometime? Just us two?”

Keith exhales heavily. “Please,” he says. It half sounds like a groan. It causes Shiro to laugh because really, it’s so stupid. He’d worried so much when really, he wouldn’t have had to worry at all if he’d just paid attention. Patience yields focus, right?

“It’s a date,” he promises, reveling in the bright smile Keith shoots his way.

[flauntpage]

Eagles Training Camp Preview: Offense

Is training camp less interesting or more interesting this season?

I think it’s probably both.

It’s less interesting because you’re returning the majority of a Super Bowl-winning team, so it’s not like you’re gonna have as many summer question marks and positional battles. On the other hand, you could say interest is higher because of the Carson Wentz rehab situation and the general scrutiny of anything and everything that comes with being the top dog in Philly sports and the National Football League.

Camp starts Thursday at NovaCare, so let’s begin with a look at the offensive personnel and some of the storylines that will receive media and fan attention.

Quarterbacks

Carson Wentz, Nick Foles, Nate Sudfeld, Joe Callahan

All indications point to Wentz being ready for week one, but something about the short window of recovery concerns me. I don’t know why.

I know that sports medicine and rehabilitation has evolved over the years, but it just feels very strange that a guy would be ready to return from a combo ACL/LCL tear less than 10 months after it occurred. Still, the guy is 25 years old, a phenomenal athlete and a hard worker who takes care of himself. I think we’re looking at a situation where we’re going to be recoiling after every hit he takes, similar to the feeling you got when you saw Joel Embiid land on the floor this season. You’re pretty confident that the guy is close to 100% health, but it’s gonna take some convincing before you feel totally comfortable with it.

Maybe Wentz looks rusty when he hits week one, assuming he doesn’t play at all in the preseason games. That opens up a ton of snaps for third-stringer Nate Sudfeld and South Jersey native Joe Callahan, who has bounced around the NFL since entering the league as an undrafted free agent back in 2016.

Truthfully, Wentz, Sudfeld, and Callahan are unknown quantities at this point, the former because of his health and the latter two because of a lack of reps and true experience. Good thing the second-stringer is a reliable Super Bowl MVP.

Questions:

is Wentz really healthy? and if he is, does he show rust?

if Foles is stuck on the bench, does he eventually wind up on the trade block?

can Sudfeld and Callahan be legitimate backups in this league? (to the point where you’d be comfortable entertaining trade offers for Foles?)

Running Backs

Jay Ajayi, Corey Clement, Darren Sproles, Matt Jones, Donnel Pumphrey, Wendell Smallwood, Josh Adams

There are a bunch of intriguing candidates in the “who will replace LeGarrette Blount” sweepstakes.

But before we get into that, the top of the order looks pretty stable with the return of Ajayi, Clement, and Sproles.

Some people might be wondering what Sproles has left in the tank. He’s 35 years old and coming off a torn ACL and broken arm, both which were suffered on the same week three play. Sproles did, however, look very good in the limited action we saw from him last year, and he was Doug Pederson’s go-to running back before the Birds got the ground game going after a slow start. If nothing else, he’s a good third option, the same small and speedy guy who can hit smaller holes and turn upfield in a way that the rest of that group might not be able to. He’s still a valuable asset as a shifty guy who can double as a returner and improve an average special teams unit.

Ajayi looks set to carry the load this season, now the #1 guy after joining the Eagles via trade midway through last season. I’m in the camp that thinks a full offseason and some settling will be a big positive for the 25 year old, who I think can match his 2016 Pro Bowl output running behind the NFC’s best offensive line. The main thing that will probably keep him from a 1,000 yard season is Pederson’s penchant for spreading the ball around and distributing snaps fairly evenly. No issues there.

Honestly, though, I really think Corey Clement is the guy that Eagles fans should be most excited about. He was so clutch as a rookie, coming up with big third down and fourth quarter plays, showing reliability and savvy in a way that made it seem like he was a 10-year veteran. He falls between Ajayi and Sproles in size and weight, so he’s big enough to run downhill but agile enough to hit that off-tackle outside zone in addition to catching screen passes and dump downs out of the backfield. I’m really interested to see how many snaps he gets in weeks one and two.

Beyond those three guys then, it gets really interesting.

This feels like a make or break preseason for Donnel Pumphrey, who came in as a fourth round draft pick last year and was sort of seen as Sproles’ successor before going down injured with a torn hamstring.

Wendell Smallwood is also in a tough spot, a guy who played some meaningful minutes last year but suffered a knee injury and was squeezed out of the rotation with the addition of Ajayi and the emergence of Clement as a legit NFL player.

As for Jones, he’s the veteran of the group, which seems stupid to say since he’s only 25 years old with three years of NFL experience. He had a pair of okay seasons in Washington, running for 950 yards and 6 touchdowns total before moving to Indianapolis last year and seeing very little of the ball. He’s had fumbling issues throughout his career.

Adams might be the most interesting name on the list, the Notre Dame standout and Central Bucks South alumnus who went undrafted in April. He logged 1,430 yards and 9 touchdowns for the Irish as a junior, ranking 14th in yardage among all FBS players. He’s a pretty straightforward type of talent and doesn’t offer too much in pass protection or the receiving game:

So you’ve got a true mix here, with four different guys that each have something to prove. I don’t know exactly what the Eagles need in a fourth running back, because it feels like they have enough power/speed/versatility in Ajayi, Clement, and Sproles, but I’m certainly intrigued to see how it plays out.

Questions:

can Ajayi be the #1 guy?

what does Sproles have left?

how does Clement handle an expanded role?

who wins the battle for the fourth RB spot?

Receivers

Alshon Jeffery, Nelson Agholor, Mike Wallace, Markus Wheaton, Mack Hollins, Shelton Gibson, Bryce Treggs, Greg Ward Jr, Marquess Wilson, Tim Wilson, Anthony Mahoungou

Jeffery is back with a fully healed shoulder and Agholor is a bona fide slot receiver who has flourished in the role.

That means the only real issue is sliding Mike Wallace into Torrey Smith’s WR2 role and letting everyone else battle it out for the WR4 spot.

It doesn’t seem like a tough transition for Wallace, who put up 748 yards and 4 touchdowns on an okay Ravens team last year. He’s years removed from his 10-touchdown seasons in Miami and Pittsburgh, but the 31 year old really only needs to replace the 430 yards and 2 touchdowns that Smith contributed in the regular season. With the Eagles heavily reliant on Zach Ertz in the passing game, they really don’t need 800 yards and 8 touchdowns from their third receiver.

As for WR4, Wheaton comes in as a total question mark, a guy who suffered a 2016 shoulder injury in Pittsburgh before playing one ineffective year with the Bears that was also marred by health issues. He’s three years removed from a career best 749 yard, 5 touchdown season.

Hollins seems like the sentimental favorite to win the job. He’s reunited with Gunter Brewer, the North Carolina assistant who takes over for Mike Groh as the Birds’ new receivers coach. Hollins had 226 yards and a touchdown playing a bit part role in 2017:

Wentz to Mack Hollins for a 64 yard TD! 10-10 #FlyEaglesFly  pic.twitter.com/gnbvZV3LgU

— In-Zone Sports (@InZoneSports) October 24, 2017

Gibson is another guy in the Smallwood/Pumphrey mold who is looking to prove that he belongs. If he fixes his drop issue and continues to show an ability to stretch the defense, he could emerge as a candidate for the WR4 spot. Gibson played some special teams towards the end of the last year.

The rest is a crop of practice squad types who are looking to make the 53 man roster this time around. Rashard Davis had a good Spring and looks like he might get a chance to compete for slot and punt return reps. Treggs has been around the block and Ward is a converted college quarterback. Marquess Wilson showed some flashes in Chicago.

Questions:

how does Wallace fit with the team?

who wins snaps at WR4?

can Jeffery and Agholor carry their stellar 2017 form into this season?

Tight Ends

Zach Ertz, Dallas Goedert, Richard Rodgers, Billy Brown, Josh Perkins, Adam Zaruba

One surefire bet and two question marks.

Ertz is among the best tight ends in the NFL, the Eagles’ leading receiver in 2017 and the #1 target of both Wentz and Foles.

Behind him, you’ve got your top draft pick in Dallas Goedert and Green Bay reclamation project Richard Rodgers.

Goedert looks like he has all of the tools required. He’s 6’5″, 255 pounds with a highlight reel full of contested catches and clutch plays. There’s always a question mark as to whether FCS players faced tough enough competition to prepare them for the NFL, but I think the success of Wentz coming from a similar situation makes Eagle fans feel extremely comfortable with using a second round pick on a guy who played college ball in the Missouri Valley conference.

For what it’s worth, Goedert did perform pretty well against the FBS and top-end FCS teams that he played against:

12/2/17 vs. Northern Iowa: 6 receptions, 83 yards, 1 touchdown (FCS playoffs)

12/9/17 vs. New Hampshire: 1 reception, 19 yards (FCS playoffs)

12/16/17 at James Madison: 5 receptions, 43 yards, 1 touchdown (FCS semifinal)

9/3/16 at TCU: 5 receptions, 96 yards, 1 touchdown

12/3/16 vs. Villanova: 8 receptions, 92 yards, 1 touchdown (FCS playoffs)

12/10/16 at North Dakota State: 6 receptions, 55 yards (FCS playoffs)

9/5/15 at Kansas: 2 receptions, 49 yards

As for Rodgers, he had one of the most boring introductory press conferences that I can remember. He’s coming off a couple of underwhelming seasons, with his targets dropping from 85 in 2015 to 46 and 19 in the past two years. Some of that can be attributed to the Aaron Rodgers injury, for sure, plus the addition of Lance Kendricks and Martellus Bennett, who took some snaps early on before he went to New England.

Either way, Rodgers isn’t far removed from a 510 yard and 8 touchdown season, so maybe Philadelphia is the cure-all for whatever malaise fell over him in Wisconsin:

The Richard Rodgers touchdown against Sean Lee pic.twitter.com/YBdRaP4CB1

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 15, 2017

Questions:

does Goedert establish himself as a legitimate NFL player?

can Rodgers get back to his 2015 form?

Linemen

Lane Johnson, Brandon Brooks, Jason Kelce, Stefen Wisniewski, Jason Peters, Big V, Aaron Evans, Darrell Greene, Taylor Hart, Jordan Mailata, Ian Park, Matt Pryor, Isaac Seumalo, Jon Toth, Chance Warmack, Toby Weathersby

The best unit in the NFC, if not the NFL.

There really are not a lot of issues here at all. You’re returning the core of Lane Johnson (Pro Bowl), Brandon Brooks (Pro Bowl), Jason Kelce, Stefen Wisniewski, and Jason Peters. The left guard rotation is no longer a thing and you’ve got a legit backup left tackle in Halapoulivaati Vaitai.

The Eagles carried eight offensive linemen last season, so assuming that’s the case this year you’re looking at Big V and Isaac Seumalo as likely shoe-ins for spots six and seven. Seumalo gets the nod simply for his ability to play any spot on the offensive line and jump in as an extra blocker in jumbo packages. Chance Warmack would be next on the list as far as first-team experience goes, but I don’t know if he impressed many people at left guard last season, despite being serviceable as a second option to Wisniewski.

So you’ve got some interesting choices beyond that, beginning with Mailata, the 6’8″ rugby guy who has literally never played a snap of American football. Pryor is the sixth round draft pick out of TCU, a guy who played both guard and tackle in OTAs. Taylor Hart is the former defensive end who has been on and off of the Birds’ roster for several years now.

I’d be surprised if any of these fringe guys do anything beyond being camp bodies, but it feels like that 8th spot behind Seumalo and Big V might have the capacity to turn into an interesting positional battle.

Questions:

Does Jason Peters play at his typically all-Pro level at 36 years old and coming off the ACL/MCL injury?

That’s it. That’s really the only question I have surrounding the offensive line.

The post Eagles Training Camp Preview: Offense appeared first on Crossing Broad.

Eagles Training Camp Preview: Offense published first on https://footballhighlightseurope.tumblr.com/

[junker-town]

2021 NBA player rankings, Nos. 30-21: These players will be borderline All-Stars in 4 years

That means a mix of established players and some total unknowns, with little in between.

We’re now into All-Star territory on our Top 101 of 2021 NBA countdown. As such, a few of us went nuts over blue-chippers with potential, while a few others went back to good ol’ reliable NBA productivity. The end result is a nice mix of players that seemingly rank way above the previous batch on this list.

Now is when this list gets serious. Now is where our reputations, such as they even exist, will be judged.

30. Jimmy Butler

Age in 2021: 31 (10 seasons)

CHRIS GREENBERG: Jimmy Butler is not a one-trick pony. He was one of just six NBA players in the top-15 in offensive AND defensive win shares last season. The others? Kawhi, Westbrook, Curry, Durant, and Giannis. Butler is a 27-year-old horse who will lead a group of young stallions in Minnesota.

OK, I’m out of equine metaphors, but Butler is not out of years. If Tom Thibodeau doesn’t break him, Butler will keep working hard, improve his two-way game, and make us silly for letting him slip so far. He’ll be just 31 years old in 2021. That’s younger than LeBron James right now.

Everyone else’s reactions

ERIC GOLDMAN, CANIS HOOPUS: If the Wolves have three legit top 30 guys -- Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns are still on the board — I'm not sure I'll know what to do with myself.

TOM ZILLER: I can’t believe Butler went this low. I almost took him at No. 21. When it looked like he’d be there at 31, I was dumbfounded. So, uh, good pick.

MATT ELLENTUCK: Letting Butler slip this low is one of our collective worst crimes in this draft.

MIKE PRADA: I was deciding between Butler and the No. 25 guy on this list, and it was very difficult.

JOHN MEYER, CANIS HOOPUS: I don't care what his rating is in 2021. I just hope the Wolves will have figured out how to clone him by then.

RICKY O’DONNELL: Still not over how stupid the Bulls are.

KRISTIAN WINFIELD: I just want an argyle sock monkey.

More reading material

29. Rudy Gobert

Age in 2021: 29 (8 seasons)

KRISTIAN WINFIELD: The risk of taking a big man in these drafts is their susceptibility to injury, and Rudy Gobert is equally at risk. As long as he stays healthy, however, he has the physical tools to become the league’s most imposing defensive center over the next few years. With that title, how could he not be a top-30 player.

Everyone else’s reactions

TOM ZILLER: Kristian with a shockingly sane pick!

WHITNEY MEDWORTH: There’s a first for everything.

MATT ELLENTUCK: Fam, he doesn’t play for the Knicks though.

MYCHAL LOWMAN, SLC DUNK: Being rated at No. 29 in 2021 is no small feat for Gobert, as he will be pushing the end of his prime at age 29. We think he’ll have anchored the Jazz for the lastfour4 years as their main star alongside phenom Donovan Mitchell on the outside.

TIM CATO: My only concern is this: headed into the 2013 season, there were five centers in the top-25, according to one list. Those five were Dwight Howard, Marc Gasol, Joakim Noah, Al Horford, and Roy Hibbert. Two have fallen off completely, another two have clearly declined, and only Gasol is hanging onto his same level of production.

The career of a center can die a swift, quick death, and Gobert already has a history of injuries. Gobert remaining in the top-30 come 2021 is far from certain.

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28. Andrew Wiggins

Age in 2021: 26 (7 seasons)

WHITNEY MEDWORTH: Wiggins will still only be 26 in 2021. Assuming that playing for Thibodeau doesn’t make his body feel like he’s actually 36, he’ll be just fine. Playing alongside a veteran in Jimmy Butler won’t hurt his game. It’ll only help it.

Everyone else’s reactions

JOHN MEYER, CANIS HOOPUS: I really wish you guys would have doubled down on your 2013 prediction (No. 8) just to get the people going.

ERIC GOLDMAN, CANIS HOOPUS: Sweet, he's going to learn to play defense!

MIKE PRADA: I’m worried about Wiggins. We know he can score, but he continues to show a troubling disinclination to do much else despite his immense physical gifts. Maybe Butler helps, or maybe his intense demeanor clashes with Wiggins’ mild-mannered nature like oil and water. Glen Taylor’s request that Wiggins commit to improving before handing him a maximum contract was patronizing as hell, but it says something that Taylor believed he needs to say those things, does it not?

It’s possible the above paragraph looks dumb in four years and Wiggins reaches his full potential. Maybe he needs tough love after all. I hope so!

But this is a big season for Wiggins, and I’m not sure the conditions are all set up for him to thrive.

TOM ZILLER: Glen Taylor hired David Kahn. I don’t think we need to defer to his basketball expertise. I think Thibodeau and Butler will be excellent for Wiggins: he’s going to continue to be challenged to improve every day.

KRISTIAN WINFIELD: He needs to step up.

27. Bradley Beal

Age in 2021: 27 (9 seasons)

TIM CATO: How the hell is Bradley Beal only 23? I swear he’s been in the league since the Napoleonic Era.

There’s injuries to consider, sure, but we’re all encouraged by his career year posted last season: career highs in points per game, field goal percentage, made threes, and assists, all while keeping his turnovers (2.0) exactly the same as the previous two seasons. That’s a stellar sign for his future.

Everyone else’s reactions

TOM ZILLER: What a difference one healthy year makes. There’s no way he would have gone this high last summer.

MIKE PRADA: You mean, “what a difference playing for a real coach makes.” Scott Brooks got Beal to ditch Randy Wittman’s bizarre long two fascination and dramatically upped Beal’s three-point and free-throw rates. Funny how a sweet shooter and slithery penetrator starts to look better when he’s put in a position to take the right kind of shots.

TOM ZILLER: Well, also when he’s not in street clothes. Wittman wasn’t Tonya Hardinging him out there.

MIKE PRADA: We sure about that?

CHRIS GREENBERG: Just think, by 2021 there will be even fewer people who will understand a Tonya Harding reference. Gillooly!

KRISTIAN WINFIELD: Not better than C.J. McCollum.

26. Dennis Smith Jr.

Age in 2021: 23 (4 seasons)

KOFIE YEBOAH: Dennis Smith Jr. has superstar potential. The athleticism is crazy and his aggressive nature around the rim paired with that athleticism will be a sight to behold in the league for years to come.

People may be concerned about his health, and that’s understandable. However, Smith Jr. was excellent in Summer League, and that was just a sample of what he can do in the years to come.

Everyone else’s reactions

DOYLE RADER, MAVS MONEYBALL: Even though Smith Jr. is often mentioned in the Rookie of the Year discussion, this is an extremely high ranking, as he has yet to play a single minute of NBA basketball.

TIM CATO: Point guards take time to develop, which is my only concern about this rankings. Everything else, pending health, points to Smith being so, so good. He’s not just athletic, he’s wow-are-we-witnessing-evolution-right-now explosive. He’s a gifted passer with a more-than-passable jump shot. The defensive instincts are there, though — like many rookies — there is still work that can be done. In a sea of tall point guards this draft, Smith may seem short ... but he’s still 6’3!

Maybe he’s still developing in 2021, but I’m convinced he’ll end up somewhere very high on this list.

MIKE PRADA: Yeah, let’s slllooowwww down on these young point guards. It usually takes a while for them to make their mark.

KRISTIAN WINFIELD: Kofie drank the juice, y’all.

MATT ELLENTUCK: LET THE YOUNG POINT GUARDS GROW.

KOFIE YEBOAH: THE FUTURE IS HERE, MATT!

TOM ZILLER: For the record, this was the point in the draft where I knew I’d be getting wonderful value on players currently in the 26-29 age range.

25. Klay Thompson

Age in 2021: 31 (10 seasons)

MIKE PRADA: If you’re tall and can shoot the lights out, you will age beautifully. Extra points for being a terrific defender, too. The question is whether Thompson will achieve this ranking by remaining the Warriors’ most underappreciated star or by balling out on his own team.

Everyone else’s reactions

TOM BEVILACQUA, GOLDEN STATE OF MIND: By the year 2021, Klay will be about the same age Ray Allen was when he was traded to Boston. Allen probably ranked just outside the top 25 of NBA players at that time, but Klay is a better defensive player than Allen was, so I’d say this seems about right.

TIM CATO: To put it in memespeak, Reggie Miller -> upgrade button -> Klay Thompson. I’d love to see him run the show somewhere before his prime is over.

WHITNEY MEDWORTH: I’m with Tim here. I think he may take a chance on himself in free agency in 2018 and I hope he does. For as much of a green light Thompson has in Golden State, I’d like to see it get even greener on another team.

KRISTIAN WINFIELD: I don’t think Thompson has takeover ability. He’s the league’s best two-way shooting guard — the ultimate role player. Not sure he goes higher than No. 25 no matter who’s around him.

TIM CATO: Ain’t no role player who ever dropped 60 points in 29 minutes.

WHITNEY MEDWORTH: On 11 dribbles.

KRISTIAN WINFIELD: In a system that benefits him, with shooters spacing the floor and selfless teammates actively finding the open man. Take all that away and what happens?

KOFIE YEBOAH: This happens.

BRADY KLOPFER, GOLDEN STATE OF MIND: This feels right to me, but I could easily see him being a good bit lower. Klay isn’t a phenomenal athlete by any stretch of the imagination, so any hit he takes on that front could have a pretty large impact. It wouldn’t shock me if he’s a decidedly average defensive player by the time he’s in his 30s, and if he stays in GS for the next few years, his offensive game may not develop much further.

Then again, he’s one of the greatest shooters of all time and knows his limitations as well or better than any star in the game.

24. DeMarcus Cousins

Age in 2021: 30 (11 seasons)

MATT ELLENTUCK: DeMarcus Cousins has defied odds by becoming a legitimate three-point shooter at 36 percent in his seventh season in the league. He nearly doubled his attempts from the season before, and in his first five seasons took less than one per game.

Cousins knows how to adapt to survive as a big man in this league, and I have no doubt he’ll continue to make the necessary adjustments to stay among the top centers in the game.

Everyone else’s reactions

OLEH KOSEL, THE BIRD WRITES: Probably easier to just flip a coin. Additional missed postseasons could effectively kill off Boogie's in-the-best-shape-of-his-life alter-ego completely and allow malcontent DMC to reign supreme.

On a more positive note, the Fire-and-Ice relationship with Anthony Davis and subsequent playoff trips give way to a maturer Cousins, one who uses his vast array of skills for the greater good of his team to justify a top-25 ranking in four years.

MIKE PRADA: How many teams will Cousins play for between now and 2021?

KRISTIAN WINFIELD: Think the better question is how many wins will Boogie have between now and 2021?

CHRIS GREENBERG: More Boogie, please.

TOM ZILLER: No comment.

MIKE PRADA: All seriousness, Boogie’s offensive evolution ain’t the issue. It’s his defense and conditioning, neither of which has ever been up to par for the new NBA as of yet. Plus, there’s all the other stuff.

More reading material

23. Luka Doncic

Age in 2021: 22 (3 seasons)

RICKY O’DONNELL: I’m buying the hype on Doncic, the 17-year-old Slovenian wunderkind who could be the first pick in the next NBA draft, for two reasons: his productivity and his skill level.

He’s already one of the best players in one of the best leagues in the world during a time when his American peers are in high school. He’s also a 6’8 point guard who can shoot, pass, and finish while playing the game with a rare creativity. I’ll bet on that advanced skill level over more athletic American prospects this time around.

Everyone else’s reactions

TOM ZILLER: Fran Fraschilla is going to swell to twice his normal size talking about Doncic next June at the draft.

MIKE PRADA: Been a lot of fun watching him in Eurobasket, but this feels too soon for him to be an all-star caliber player. Put him in the top 10 on the 2025 list.

MATT ELLENTUCK: You lost me at “the 17-year-old ...”

KRISTIAN WINFIELD: I don’t know much about this kid, so I’m just gonna nod in agreement.

CHRIS GREENBERG: Considering where we’ve got REDACTED, I guess, this, maybe, makes sense. Either way, I’m here for the 6’8 point guards.

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22. Myles Turner

Age in 2021: 25 (6 seasons)

ZITO MADU: At just 21 years old, he’s already one of the best shot blockers in the league and the rare big man who can shoot threes, at least at a respectable level. He has a lot to improve on the offensive end and defending the post, but with such a great foundation and the spotlight on him now with Paul George, I expect for him to steadily improve.

Everyone else’s reactions

CAITLIN COOPER, INDY CORNROWS: Prime-age stretch 5s aren't going to suddenly depreciate in value by 2021, so there could be room for Myles Turner in the Top-25 somewhere behind Joel Embiid, Karl-Anthony Towns, Nikola Jokic, and Kristaps Porzingis if his then fully developed frame is less apt to shy away from contact as the key cog within what is hopefully a more modern and imaginative offense.

MIKE PRADA: This is asking a hell of a lot from Turner. I know Pacers fans are desperate for a face of the franchise that embraces them, but we’re talking about him being a perennial all-star if he’s this high. It’s possible, but I would’ve taken the safer route and picked him several spots lower.

I worry the absence of George will simply raise expectations too much.

TOM ZILLER: This is going to be a very interesting season for Turner. I’m a little concerned about how much his guards can help him develop.

WHITNEY MEDWORTH: GREAT PICK, ZITO. I’m serious. I love this pick.

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21. Markelle Fultz

Age in 2021: 23 (4 seasons)

You may now realize that though many prospects from the 2017 draft class have been selected, an auspicious name has not yet come up. That is disrespect. I know my name is a bad word in some parts of Philly (despite my unrelenting Dion Waiters boosterism) but that is disrespect I cannot allow to stand.

Everyone else’s reactions

TIM CATO: Just throwing this out there: I’ve talked to a surprising number of people within the NBA who think Fultz will never be anything other than an empty stats all-star on a bad team. I don’t think I agree, but it’s worth noting.

MIKE PRADA: Do they all work for the Boston Celtics?

TIM CATO: Yes. (OK, no, but it seems clear to me that Boston had the same concerns.)

CHRIS GREENBERG: With Simmons starting at point for Philly, this just seems kind of high for a backup. Right?

TOM ZILLER: Oh, my Shammgod, the disrespect! You all should probably delete Twitter from your phones now.

KRISTIAN WINFIELD: Lonzo Ball will be better. No disrespect, Fultz. You’re dope, too.

More reading material

INTRO | FULL LIST | TOP 100 OF 2017 | HOW WE DID IN 2013 | SNUBS | 101-91 | 90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51 | 50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1 | THE CASES FOR NO. 1

[yahoo-roto-arcade-blog]

Fantasy QB Busts 2017: Why you should avoid Cam Newton and other stars

‘Superman’ Cam Newton could be Kryptonite to fantasy owners this season. (AP)

The road to title town is full of potholes. How many wheel-displacing hazards one avoids ultimately determines success. Below we list candidates, drafted often inside the top-60 overall, who we believe drive off a cliff in 2017. To ensure full accountability, we also included our biggest hits/misses from 2016. Monday’s topic: QBs.

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Matt Ryan, Atl (85.7 ADP, QB6)

In his second year with Kyle Shanahan, things clicked for Ryan and he posted a career-high 38TDs. But the year prior, when the offense was new to him, he struggled woefully. While new OC Steve Sarkisian is a quarterbacks specialist this is a transitional season for Ryan. Save 2016 he has never – over eight separate campaigns – passed for more than 32 scores. And that 32 TD effort was a one-time deal that occurred way back in 2012. If you didn’t invest in Ryan last year then you lost out. He’s all floor and no ceiling in 2017, which is why I have him ranked behind up-and-comers Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston. (Liz Loza)

Liz’s big bust QB hit in ’16: RGIII; Big whiff: Kirk Cousins

Cam Newton, Car (99.9 ADP, QB10)

Newton had offseason surgery on his throwing shoulder and not expected to be fully operational when camp opens. That’s probably all you need to know in order to justify a downgrade. He’s also coming off the worst rushing season of his career by far, and the team upgraded its backfield in a significant way via draft, adding Christian McCaffrey. We have zero reason to think Carolina intends to use Cam as the primary goal-line rusher, a role that’s always been key to his fantasy value. And it should go without saying that the Panthers receiving corps, beyond Greg Olsen, isn’t anything special.

Cam produced career lows in both completion percentage (52.9) and yards per attempt (6.9) last season. Really, it’s tough to identify any aspect of his game or his situation that’s headed in the right direction for fantasy purposes. (Andy Behrens)

Andy’s big bust QB hit in ’16: Blake Bortles; Big whiff: Jameis Winston

Derek Carr, Oak (98.9 ADP, QB9)

It’s possible Carr is an outlier and continues to defy expectations when it comes to touchdown passes despite poor efficiency, but history suggests he’s going to need to show significant improvement for him to keep throwing so many scores. There’s a direct correlation to YPA and TD production, and Carr’s career mark of 6.5 is below gunslingers like Alex Smith, Blake Bortles and Sam Bradford. And he got an anemic 6.8 YPA over the second half of last season, so it’s not like he’s showing real growth with experience.

Carr admittedly has a few things going for him, such as an emerging Amari Cooper and a strong offensive line, but he force feeds Michael Crabtree for some reason, and it stands to reason he won’t benefit from as much volume in close (his 92 red-zone attempts last year ranked No. 5 in the NFL) with Marshawn Lynch now in Oakland. Moreover, Carr suffered a broken fibula in Week 16, doesn’t add anything on the ground and faces the Broncos and Chiefs defenses in 25 percent of his games. Carr is the No. 9 QB off the board, but he’s outside of my top-15. (Dalton Del Don)

Dalton’s big bust QB hit in ’16: Ryan Fitzpatrick; Big whiff: Dak Prescott

Andrew Luck, Ind (54.5 ADP, QB3)

Concerns tied to Luck raise multiple red flags. For starters, he’s an historically bruised QB coming off shoulder surgery who has yet to start a throwing program. Accumulated rust could weigh heavily early in the season. Previous back ailments also raise my hesitancy. Additionally, and probably most worrisome, he works behind a largely transparent offensive line, which is toxic for the long-holding passer. His protection last season was ghostlike. Among eligible QBs, he ranked dead last with a 55.6 clean-pocket percentage. No surprise, the friendly Slimers up front finished bottom barrel (32-of-32) in pass-blocking efficiency.

Shockingly, the Colts did little to address their most glaring need via free agency instead choosing to add line depth via the NFL Draft. Ultimately, the front office is banking on its young unit to mesh. Frightening. Hurries and hits on Luck will only continue.

Total it up, and the QB is a dice roll at his top-55 ADP. I’ll gladly wait several rounds later to snag the likes of Marcus Mariota (95.7 ADP, QB8), Kirk Cousins (102.9 ADP, QB11) or Philip Rivers (117.4, QB15). (Brad Evans)

Brad’s big bust QB hit in ’16: Andy Dalton; Big whiff: Matt Ryan

Carson Wentz, Phi (ADP 92.56, QB17)

To be clear, I would have taken Luck (or maybe Carr) had he still been available to me. I’m fine to take a designer player at any position, I just have to be completely sold on that player. There’s enough red ink and smoke on Luck that I can’t view him as a safe-enough pick to command the capital. Bradley has you covered, above.

A Wentz fade applies more to the Superflex or QB2 world, or deeper leagues, but so it goes. I see a lot of dependability in the middle of the QB board, and some curious optimism with Wentz.

Are we sure Wentz is good? He lit up Philadelphia with a snappy first month, lovely. But he collapsed over his final 12 weeks (4-6 record, 9 TDs, 13 INT). His YPA dropped under 5.9 in that messy span, and his rating was a paltry 72.3 (32nd in the league).

Are fantasy players over-playing the Alshon Jeffery addition? Soft tissue issues are no joke. Torrey Smith is just a one-trick pony. Tell me, where is the improvement likely to come from?

Who should you take over Wentz? Almost anyone in that bracket. On the current ADP board I’m perusing, he’s more expensive than Tyrod Taylor, Eli Manning, and Carson Palmer, to name three; more talented players with better supporting casts. Let someone else talk himself or herself into the Philadelphia Story. (Scott Pianowski)

Scott’s big bust QB hit in ’16: Ryan Fitzpatrick; Big whiff: Tom Brady

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Follow the Yahoo fantasy gang on Twitter: Brad (@YahooNoise), Andy (@andybehrens), Scott (@scott_pianowski), Dalton (@DaltonDelDon) and Liz (@LizLoza_FF)