#they made me enjoy an ftr match..!

[bang-bang-gang]

this is how we're feeling at the moment

[kenjiyabuki]

so here are some thoughts about DMD Friendship the Reality while we are nearing the end

yeah yeah its not that deep but actually no one caring/talking about a show makes me want to write a LONG ASS POST bc i cant get gratification from going through the tags and reading opinions lmaoooooo so HERE damn okkk i will make the content i want to see in the world i guess dont mind me......😞

im not even the biggest Domundi fan but i was intrigued by the premise of this show. i mean it's a basically fake dating show (like one of their challenge rewards was getting to sleep in a suite together as if they are there to date for real) and the end prize isnt just an acting opportunity as it comes w the big decision of choosing a looooooong time acting partner. so i wanted to see how they would do it. BOC did a similar thing w The Hidden Character which i dropped halfway in bc it was too long and i found the challenges to be irrelevant to the ending goal. this show is the opposite of that and thats why ive been enjoying it.

it is edited to be concise (only 5 eps) and honestly, is quite tranquil. all the challenges were about things they will be required to do in the future as DMD actors/idols and stakes aren't even that high. You could always guess who would win before they even started (((like of course broody model guys won the photoshoot challenge and guy w two series under his belt won the acting one, DUH))) but it was still enjoyable to watch. show's goal isn't to generate tension and competitiveness. it is more of a workshop/chemistry building camp and also a way to introduce the new generation and get the fans warm up/attached to them.

as i spent time in bl fandom sphere, i've come to realize introducing a new gen is tricky. i thought everyone would be ecstatic to see new blood and a lil bit of mix and match but BL fans are reaaaaaaaaaaally attached to their faves and generally see newcomers as threats who will take opportunities from their already neglected (!) precious babies (e.g. just couple weeks ago FortPeat fans were protesting the new lesbian side couple in the upcoming show for stealing screen time from their faves, which is a joke in itself). this kind of show is genius way to get people to warm up to idea of new faces. at the end of the the day, these fans' weakness is two beautiful boys indulging in sweet moments they can be delulu over and considering how ships were already born from the first episode, DMD FTR succeeded in their goal.

LETS TALK ABOUT THE BOYS :-) *this starts playing*

I had to make this during first ep bc they are all dark haired boys w similar builds so I kept confusing them lmaoooooo (Tle not pictured as he joined later)

i will firstly talk about the fan favorite possible "couples";

KengNamping, the quiet visual couple and yes I love em!!!! they were kinda the only "conflict" in this very conflict free competition.

is Keng the CALMEST person I've ever seen? Latte is laid back too but Keng is just seems zen. sometimes (in the face of conflict) he just seemed hard to read but mostly he has such a calming presence. honestly, he should open an ASMR channel if this acting gig doesn't work out.

Namping also comes off very warm and graceful. him being "wow I'm finally in the winner suite" to Keng after finally getting chosen in ep4 made me laugh like DAMN he really was offended by what happened in ep1 and kept letting it slip. Idc, you are so right my prince and don't ever let Keng forget what he did to you...

when it comes to the possibility of them as a couple: i am kinda here for it while also not knowing if i actually believe in their "moments" in the show? Namping definitely set his sights on him from the beginning but Keng seemed nonchalant about it. Keng finally choosing Namping after his win, their sweet moment on the bed etc. seemed to me like classic reality show moment prompted by production to fit a certain narrative WHILE ThomasKong's pseudo-date-night chats seemed very real and spontaneous.

they do visually have chemistry, i'm not gonna act like i wasn't blushing when Keng trying to flirt during dinner or Namping softly touching a sleepy Keng's chin in the bed etc. Or even in ep2, when Namping tries to confront Keng about his pick but they are too timid and just unable to talk about it openly!!! arrghhh it's a hard to watch moment but still, made them more intriguing because they had such a tension between them. it would be a shame if it wasn't explored more. that tension can be channeled into an angsty series, just saying...

So, they def have a long way to go in their bond and arent comfortable like LatteFirst or ThomasKong but still, they are a strong contender and I would be glad to see them as a couple in a show. Namping already got my attention in the acting challenge and wonders can be achieved w a lil bit of workshop. they got the juice already!!!

Now, lets talk about ThomasKong.............

me watching Thomas relentlessly chatting Kong up since THE FIRST EPISODE

so I knew LatteFirst are set be a side couple in upcoming Love Upon a Time but i was confused to see why everyone on Twitter was already going cuckoo over these two random boys until i saw them interacting... Wow, like Thomas really came here w one mission: get Kong and leave.

because Thomas is such a flirt like DAMNNN😳😳😳😳he needs to be jailed for carrying lethal amounts of charm... IT MUST BE SAID: I love his fits w those thin glasses, he should've been wearing those in those office BLs he was in because he has been serving "office siren". Tiktok girlies eat your heart out.

while Kong isn't the best at acting or singing (he is the best KengNamping shipper tho and i LOVE a fudanshi BL actor), he definitely would win Mr. Congeniality if they were giving that title. he naturally and effortlessly has great on screen charisma. he is a certified cutie and the only one who can get real full belly laughs from Thomas!!!

i think what they managed in the acting challenge is the testament to their palpable chemistry. acting wise they weren't perfect (naturally, their uneven acting experience levels were apparent) but they were the only one who managed to tonal shift in their scenes. it's because they were the only ones who played into the romantic subtext of the scene. they also held eye contact for the longest (because they are comfortable w each other and not shy!!!), which elevated their chemistry and made me AND the judges giggle and roll our hair and kick our feet and shit!!!!!!!!!!!!

they are obviously the most likely to win the show and they deserve it too. no matter the result of the show, i want see them carrying a series as mains because they can and should. i also believe DMD won't fumble their bag, so i am not worried about it.

to conclude, I will quote Zee,

then we come to LatteFirst, the kinda established couple: in the ep5 preview, we see First trying to choose between Latte and the newcomer Tle, which seemed random to me and could be a production touch to create conflict in this very smooth sailing show.

i loved seeing Latte being nonchalant about the possibility of First choosing someone else, what a laid back guy. like Mio in THC, every BL reality show needs a half asleep and occasionally funny dude.

now i am thinking; what if First chose Tle, would he also replace Latte in LUAT bc DMD doesn't really fuck w mixing matching their couples. i honestly don't know where did all that come from but i feel like the result wont be too shocking, First and Latte are already really close and comfortable and got The Chemistry. need i remind of Latte punching the air a la Judd Nelson at the end of The Breakfast Club when it was announced they both chose each other for the dinner date? and their sweet and comfortable banter on that said date??? let's put our pens to work and write a friends to lovers rom-com for the boys based on that material please...

i dont think they are likely to win but might be strong contender. i just want to see them as a side couple in LUAT (hopefully this year!!!!) so they can develop themselves and their bond a little bit more before getting to a main couple level. their sweet friendship shouldn't go to waste!!! (is it obvious i am more drawn to BL couples who are besties in real life?)

damn this post is about to be a novella so i will make it short about Gems, TeeTee and Tle, i hope Gems won't be too upset about getting slighted again 😥 like i said, stakes aren't high on this show and results are always obvious: these guys are going back home empty handed, we all know it. they are all charismatic and VERYYY talented but i just felt like none of them really focused on "getting a partner" part of the show, not just the main challenges. even TeeTee who was picked by Thomas and Keng seemed kinda uninterested about partnering up. but you cant really force chemistry and i am sure they will get many more opportunities in the future. they already started their fanbase!!! i cant stand to see Gems so upset, i hope he wont be too sad.

these are my opinions. maybe the ending will do a whole 180 and idk, GemsKeng or TleKong or some other random couple will win, who knows???? cant wait to watch the new overly airbrush filtered, Cheewin directed DMD show up to like 5 episodes and then get bored and drop it and follow the rest from gifs!!! good luck to the boys <3

[blueonwrestling]

Also heres some star ratings from shows i've watched recently that I havent made any real post about because idk man im balls deep in OSRS atm.

IWGP Women's Championship Mayu Iwatani (c) v. Toni Storm Nagoya Golden Fight | STARDOM 3.75 stars

Miu Watanabe & Miyu Yamashita v. Meiko Satomura & Shoko Nakajima All Rise | TJPW 4 stars

IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Tetsuya Naito (c) v. Zack Sabre Jr. King of Pro Wrestling | NJPW 4.25 stars

DPW Superbattle 19/10/24

Six Man Tag Team Match 1 Called Manders, BK Westbrook & Thomas Shire vs. Leon Slater & Lykos Gym (Kid Lykos & Kid Lykos II) 3 stars

Tag Team Match Alex Windsor & Emi Sakura vs. Danni Bee & Hyan 3.25 stars

Singles Match KENTA vs. Kevin Blackwood 3.75 stars

DPW National Title #1 Contendership Match Mike Bailey vs. LaBron Kozone 4.25 stars

Battle Of The Best Final Match Shoko Nakajima vs. Dani Luna 4.25 stars

DPW National Title Match Masato Tanaka vs. Adam Priest 4 stars

Tag Team Match FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) vs. Violence Is Forever (Dominic Garrini & Kevin Ku) 4.5 stars (AEW need to sign VIF NOW!)

DPW Worlds Title Match Calvin Tankman (c) vs. Jake Something 4.5 stars

AEW Continental Championship Kazuchika Okada (c) v. Kyle O'Reilly Battle of the Belts XII | AEW 4 stars

MLP Forged in Excellent Night 1 and 2

Singles Match Miyu Yamashita vs. Gisele Shaw 3.25 stars

Singles Match Mike Bailey vs. Konosuke Takeshita 4.75 stars

Singles Match El Phantasmo vs. Mike Bailey 4 stars

ROH Women's World Title Match Athena (c) vs. Gisele Shaw 4 stars

AEW International Title Match Konosuke Takeshita (c) vs. Josh Alexander 4.75 stars

WHAT ELSE HAS HAPPENED RECENTLY FUCK ME IM TRYING TO THINK I SHOULD HAVE WROTE IT DOWN FUCK!

fuck it thats all your getting enjoy.

[kurishiri]

HELLO!! i am new to the ikemen games and i am obsessed with ikevil!! your translations are amazing, i feel like you make the story telling so fluid but also the way you format things is beautiful <3

i was curious, do you typically do translations for the stories you’re super interested in? how do you decide what to translate :o

do you have plans for future route translations?

thank u sm for ur time <3 ur amazing

hii hello hello!! 🥹✨✨ welcome to the world of ikevil and ikeseries! i always enjoy talking abt it, hehe. and wow omg tysm for ur kind words too! /gen i feel i dont hear these words v much as a whole so it really means a whole lot to me for u to take some time to say 🤍🤍 i do try my best to make my tls at least a bit pretty and fluid to read and in char hehe. im really happy if it came off that way 🥺💕💕 also u r amazing too! v much!

and for the questions ,, the long and short of it is probably if its smth that has alfons in it, or the vogel guys, i may tl the stories abfhsjgds and for future route tls i probably will to do darius and nika .. maybe ring as well if no one picks it up. but i will tl any ikevil story, even a main story (or like single chptrs of a main story), if im commissioned. i dont openly advertise them bc idk how to nhdhdsfs but i do in all technicality have open comms for tl. in all honesty if i had all the time and money in the world, i would tl everything that came, as ftr idm tl-ing for other chars as well. but since im limited in both, i have to pick and choose, and to keep this hobby fun, its natural i would choose stories that have who i like more or am curious abt more in em 🥲👌

overall i do tl as a hobby and the stories i tl, i often get with my own pocket money. and you will probably feel this as you continue playing, but cybird stories r not cheap. at all haha. like for example alfons episode 0 costs an equivalent of around $20 alone bdhjshfds (though the set does come with a matching attire) orz all that said though ive had no regrets on any of the purchases i have made with episode 0s, ahah

[finndoesntwantthis]

So, this is just my honest opinion on everything. You can answer it if you want. But if you don't, then that's okay too. Here goes.

While it's certainly okay and justified to dislike CM Punk, I'm not with the idea that we should also hate FTR or anyone else Punk is friends with from AEW and WWE. Especially if they have nothing to do with situation, or have never said anything about it. And the same goes for his wife, AJ Lee. And frankly, I feel bad that she continues to get dragged into this by fans, even though she's done the most to stay out of it and has kept to herself.

I don't always agree with FTR's takes on certain things, but just like The Young Bucks, they share the same love and passion for tag team wrestling and wrestling in general. And they shouldn't be punished just because of who they're friends with. And this idea they're going with the narrative that it was FTR's fault just sounds silly, because again, they had no involvement and weren't present when all this happened with Punk and Jack. So, to me, it just sounds like they want to punish FTR for being guilty by association. Which isn't right or fair either.

I've always been on The Elite's side, and what happened last night doesn't change that. My stance remains the same. My only concern is that unfortunately, it may not make a difference for other people, since I see people still defending Punk. And this is only gonna give fans who already don't like AEW to begin with even more ammunition. So, sadly, I don't see people moving on from this.

So for me personally, I don’t dislike FTR as wrestlers and as performers, they always give good matches. When I made my post it was in response to their promo and more aimed at Certain Fans of a Certain Person who like to repeat the same "why are they still talking about this" bullshit. I think FTR have shown that they believe in what the company stands for and therefore don't want to harm it, but want to make it better.

I love that the Bucks have once again taken things that weirdos who hate them have said, and are turning it into storyline. I think that's what smart modern wrestlers should do, because it's so easy, and it means fans are already invested. If you're not sure yet, then let it play out and enjoy the ride! It's not a punishment for FTR at all, it's a great way to get people behind seeing Bucks vs FTR again, since most people wanted different teams to win the tournament. The whole thing is very smart!

And no, people won't stop talking, they never do. Some people are miserable and cannot do anything but focus on things they hate, rather than things that are fun and bring them joy. Nothing we can do about that. But it brings me joy to watch the Bucks do everything they can to take all negatives and turn them into positives/entertainment.

[danielgaycia]

ok here is the abridged summary of all my little thoughts while watching all in. nobody asked but where else am i gonna put em

aussie open vs adamjf

not much 2 say abt this one except good job fellas and the kangaroo kick was fun

mercedes moné in the seats serving crucifix HIII ��

jack perry vs hook

limo birds eye view shots were cool. hook hot. glad he won

joepunk

thought this was v good, loved when joe did the wanking motion and nigel said "if you speak cockney rhyming slang, he's calling him a merchant banker". ily nigel

kinda wanted joe to win but i understand why he didn't if we're leading up to an eventual cmjf ii situation

trios match

juice is so funny i love him. pleasantly surprised that bcg won this!

bucks vs ftr

truly could not predict who was gonna win this for a while there, kept thinking "damn if ftr loses this and then cash is incarcerated that would be such a bummer note for them to end on". but hey!

stadium stampede

i love chaos and violence and jon moxley's tits

when mox brought out the skewers and commentary said "what is wrong with jon moxley??? what is wrong with him?!" the answer is nothing he's the specialest princess. wish i was a mom in a van getting a little kiss from him

skewers sticking out of the head made me laugh a lot

orange cassidy broken glass duct tape situation was crazy

mox and eddie getting so close mox's blood got on eddie's face...

women's world championship

ok toni won me over this match. sorry to be a drag queen about it but her hair looked so good i would love a wig in that exact style

wish shida retained... am i a meanie if i say the saraya win felt like it just happened bc they were in the UK

coffin match

obviously hard to gaf but christian cage is mother and i did enjoy hearing excalibur say “coffin flop”

hob vs the acclaimed

didn't love the 'three men teaming up to hurt julia' moment

why did the scissor party make me emotional.....

mjf vs adam cole

max's little titty flex when they announced him.....

SPORTSMANSHIP

i genuinely gasped aloud when adam took the shirt off of mjf

mjf unable to tombstone adam..... my heart.....

the tie moment was so funny 2 me

playtime for max :~) he's such a good face actor i love him. silly chair moment

not 100% sure how i felt about the beat for beat recreation of the whole crying -> reassurance -> 'just do it' belt betrayal moment -> hugging it out thing with the roles reversed. the fact that it was a repeat with no change kinda felt weird to me although i get why they haven't broken this team up yet, they're pure money n this is a business. we'll see i guess..... ok those are my thoughts thx!

[flowitch]

thoughts on dynamite tonight (out of order):

-rvd still slays

-jack perry wearing outfits/gear inspired by ecw ppl is very funny i am enjoying him as a shithead heel

-thank god anna, daniel and tay are free from jas. now keep building up anna, when tay comes back revert her back to her ultra babyface badass gimmick, push daniel to the moon, and also keep matt & angelo w anna bc they’re funny

-MAX AND ADAM TWICE IN ONE NIGHT????? best day of my life. also them vs aussie open of all teams this was made specifically for me

-roddy is so gay and pathetic i love him dearly. keep going w the kingdom stuff and get the neck brace off him and back to wrestling. i wanna see roddy have banger matches please thank u🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻shoutout to the aew gay love triangle

-the kingdom vs better than you bay bay is something i am interested in

-im not ready for max and adam to break up😔

-why the FUCK is saraya in this tournament and not willow??? i mean i know it’s probs bc she’s british but like really??? it’s gonna end up being shida vs toni vs britt vs saraya and only 2 of those people can wrestle well. saraya has no business beating skye blue who they’ve been building up for a while now and is miles better than her.

-the mogul embassy is fucking fantastic i love them so much. i have such a deep love for swerve strickland man he’s amazing. and ar fox has been a great addition so far i really like it. also prince nana is still amazing per usual.

-commentary making a big deal ab sting returning from injury is so funny bc 1. the injury in question was like. missing a tooth or something and 2. he disappears for weeks at a time after each match so this isn’t anything new

-the post match beat down to the lucha bros was crazy bc there are run in saves every week in aew so no one saving them was so weird

-kenny interview next week let’s goooooooo!!! we’re def getting him vs takeshita and i’m very excited ab it

-i wonder if there will be 2 coffins for the coffin tag match at wembley or if it will be a larger coffin to fit 2 people

-max and adam at the trampoline park was so funny 😭😭😭

-honestly considering paying for roh

-bucks vs hardy’s was fun per usual. so excited for them vs ftr!!! praying bucks win🙏🏻it’ll be a great match regardless

-speaking of the bucks is matt okay😭he comes out every week w a new arm brace and more tape on his arms. he stresses me out man why are u held together by hopes & dreams

-fuck you don callis you bald bastard

[heartsoulrocknroll]

AEW Dynamite 7/13/22

Wardlow (c) vs. Orange Cassidy for the TNT Championship -- Orange looked great here and made me enjoy a Wardlow match. Wardlow retains. Yawn.

Jon Moxley vs. Konosuke Takeshita -- This match was great. Takeshita impresses me more and more each time I see him.

The Young Bucks (c) vs. Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland vs. Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs for the AEW World Tag Team Championship -- A very good match. Suprising but nice to see Lee and Strickland win the titles here.

AEW Dynamite 7/20/22

Jon Moxley and Wheeler Yuta vs. Best Friends -- Really enjoyed this match. Nice to see Yuta get the pin here.

Dax with a great promo to hype FTR vs. Briscoes II at ROH Death Before Dishonor.

Painmaker Chris Jericho vs. Eddie Kingston Barbed Wire Everywhere Match -- This match truly did nothing for me. Jericho wins.

[maloned]

CM Punk's Pipe Bomb: Reigniting My Passion for Wrestling and the Hope for His AEW Return

CM Punk's Pipe Bomb and Money in the Bank 2011 was the pivotal moments that reignited my passion for wrestling. As a Lapsed Fan who had lost interest in WWE and wrestling after the failed invasion angle and the original brand extension, I had limited my viewership to WrestleMania alone.

However, in 2011, fate intervened when a nearby Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant began airing all WWE PPVs. It was the perfect opportunity to enjoy the shows while indulging in some delicious wings and a raucous crowd of wrestling fans. Then, I stumbled upon David Lagana's podcast, "We Want Wrestling," specifically created for Lapsed Fans like myself. That podcast was fanning the flames of my fandum, preparing the way for what came next.

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A post shared by David Garcia (@maloned)

The unforgettable Monday night of June 27, 2011. I still ignored RAW and Smackdown during that time, but I decided to tune into the end of the go-home episode of RAW before Money in the Bank, I was treated to CM Punk's legendary Pipe Bomb promo. It was a captivating moment. Punk eloquently expressed all the thoughts I had about the state of wrestling. He articulated the very reasons why I had drifted away from my favorite form of sports and entertainment.

That remarkable promo, combined with the electric atmosphere of the Chicago crowd at Money in the Bank and the phenomenal 5-star match between Punk and Cena, ignited a renewed excitement and hope within me. It carried me through the rollercoaster ride of The Summer of Punk and sustained through Daniel Bryan's (Bryan Danielson)'s YES Movement. upto the next Brand Split in 2016. Despite growing weary of WWE's questionable booking and the excessive time investment required, I was grateful for being drawn back into the wrestling world. For a few years, I had the privilege of experiencing WWE and witnessing the rise of Bryan alongside my daughters before they outgrew it.

In recent years, my rekindled fandom has found a new home in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Thanks to their English simulcasts on PPV, AXStv, and the NJPW World streaming platform, I've been able to delve deeper into the wrestling world. The captivating performances of stars like Kenny Omega, Chris Jericho, the Young Bucks, and Cody Rhodes led me to the first-ever ALL IN pay-per-view and the birth of All Elite Wrestling (AEW). AEW's shows have become a tremendous source of entertainment for me, reinvigorating my love for the sport.

The journey came full circle on August 20, 2021, when CM Punk made his triumphant return to wrestling in AEW. His arrival marked the beginning of a year that saw him headlining some of the most memorable in-ring pay-per-views in history. Through Punk's presence, AEW transformed from an exceptional in-ring promotion to a major box office draw.

"This is my plea to all four guys. Please find a way to make it work. If we can make it work, we can set up the future of professional wrestling for a long time and we can change the course of professional wrestling for a very long time. When you think about it, unselfishly, we're doing this for 20-30 years down the road so guys and girls can make a living." - FTR with Dax Hardwood podcast

"It's not in fashion right now, but you need to point out the fact that he lifted people's games in ways you wouldn't expect," Mick Foley said of CM Punk on the Foley is Pod podcast.

CM Punk's Pipe Bomb promo and Money in the Bank 2011 reignited my passion as a lapsed fan, taking me on a journey through The Summer of Punk and beyond. CM Punk's return in 2021 marked a full circle moment. His presence elevated AEW, reminding me why I fell in love with wrestling. I'm grateful to CM Punk for reigniting my love and hope to see him and many other young stars, shaping wrestling's future. He has a special ability to elevate others' games in this ever-evolving world of sports and entertainment.

[anthonysstupiddailyblog]

Anthony’s Stupid Daily Blog (308): Wed 18th Jan 2023

I was sad to read that Jay Briscoe had passed away in a car accident. The fact that throughout Ring Of Honors entire 20 year history the Briscoe Brothers have been the one constant that have remained loyal is incredible. They have long been considered one of the best tag team in wrestling history and that’s what happens when you stay in one place and that place continues introducing fresh new faces for your original team to work with. Jay was a controversial figure in the world of pro wrestling g due to a homophobic comment he made about 10 years ago and while I understand why some people would still be pissed at him, to me at least he seemed as though he had suffered enough for his ignorance and was determined to prove that he wasn’t that person any more. Unfortunately his loose canon nature meant that AEW and WWE were both reluctant to work with him. Maybe this is for the best though because I think that a WWE version of the Briscoes would be a bit like a Disney Sex Pistols documentary. The good news is that there are 20 years worth of shows for people to enjoy and see why he was such a gifted performer alongside his brother Mark. The quality of the Briscoe’s incredible trilogy with FTR last year means that Jay is one of the few wrestlers to have died before he peaked, leaving his in ring legacy untarnished forever. RIP Jay Briscoe #DemBoysForever

Watched a couple more zombie films, both of which play around with the zombie genres in interesting ways. The first was Wasting Away where the action is shot from the perspective of the zombies who at first don’t realize they’re zombies and thing that the living are attacking them for no reason. It’s an interesting concept but not one that can be executed properly with a budget as small as this movie’s. The film has an almost Clerks-like look and feel to it. Kevin Smith shot that film in a minimalistic way because that’s all he could afford to do but even though Wasting Away can’t afford to do that much either, it still gives it a go and the gamble sadly doesn’t pay off. The effects are laughably cheap and it’s not the kind of comedy film where you can laugh them off and say that they were supposed to look cheap, no they insisted on trying to make the effects look good and this is the best they could do. The other film was called Pontypool which is set at a radio station that gets reports of an outbreak of cannibals in the city and the first half of the film is just the radios host and his team broadcasting incoming reports of the epidemic. It has a definite War of the Worlds quality to it and the makers have admitted that this was an influence in the film you realize that the fact they’re trying to conjure up scares using mainly dialogue means there’s really no need for this to be a film. The imagery they create through the constant updates from civilians is really good but it would so just as effective a job if this was a radio broadcast as opposed to a movie. In fact the director of this movie did actually do a radio version of this story which I would honestly be more keen to listen to. Later on we do see the actual zombies and there’s some convoluted origin story for the virus about how it passes through language and to stop it they have to forget what certain words mean or some stupid shit, I stopped listening toward the end to be honest. I’m definitely going to check out the radio version (which apparently has a much more straight forward origin story) because I believe that the images you create in your mind can be scary enough with the right story whereas with a film they can never match the expectations you have.

[silvermuffins]

Pokemon Scarlet Liveblog! Part 4

We left off at "running around in a field"

ftr we are at caught 78, battled 103

they really did bring back headbutting trees tho. i am trying SO HARD to find another Toedcool, mgiht need to give up.

is Saul the waiter....hitting on me? sir im twelve.

anyway, Cowch the Mareanie. This Magikarp knows tackle??? Marrgh. Wow they nerfed Magikarp, dex says it never jumps more than seven feet. Come on, dex, that was all Magikarp had! !!! ACTUAL DOLPHINS??? FINIZEN! Oh I think I see a Mareanie terrorizing a Shellder under the waves in the bg but. DOLPHIN. name of Dip.

Jupe is evolving....they haven't done an evolving Pikaclone in six generations.....also Jupe is just kind of. Mostly underwater? Buddy u ok is this the best place to do this? welp, Pawmo. Oh, found a Crabrawler, you can be Monch. Chomper is evolving! ...Into Grafaiai? Did...did my mouse just turn into a monkey? Swapping her out for Pebbles. Anyway here's slowpoke, you will be Ruffle. I could use more balls... Ooh, Wattrel. Leep. Shellos? Bungee. AAA SANDYGAST. You're Pierrot!

I think Jupe my be my second permanent party member I'm loving this dude.

has a picnic and washes all my pokemon right outside the base....is naptime for the team. Pinkle decided to sleep on my chest, because is about chest height on his feet....when im standing....

dammit im so bad at making sandwiches. but man this one sounds like it'd be interesting but also tasty.... Butter, lettuce, ham, banana, and strawberry.

anyway time to fuck team star up, i have a duck

"self defense" bitch you better get a defense lawyer

feel like we're getting to the stage where more trainers should have multiple pokemon

Fani low key like "hey if i take out the leader of a team star squad then i should be the new leader, and if i consolidate all five under my own leadership, then i could found an empire!"

have just been told they made a game where you can tackle goals in any order but didn't bother scaling the difficulty.....seriously???? what the FUCK. it's like they released a nonlinear game but 100% expect you to play it in a 100% linear way. they want to railroad you so bad.

i am having a pretty good time, my gripes are largely ignorable, but...man I was really hoping I wouldn't have to just accept steamrolling literally everything

anyway we are heading into the base with Daya, Pinkle, and Sotero. that wasn't hard. i will steamroll everything.

hi, mela! prepare to meet your doom!

can't deny she's got style tho like goddamn. i AM rocking to the music and team star is, i will admit it, kind of cool.

SO THE CAR IS A POKEMON

honestly i did expect Mela to be less....subdued.... She seems so apathetic and bored, which is fine, but she was getting built up as an ugly screaming mess and i was SO eager to see that

like "what a hassle" that's???? all????? unless like they're going for a rep built up when she's no longer matching it, we ARE entering a flashback

oh. oh there were bullies...

ohhh dear....but i knew it there's a man behind the big five isn't there

......and we ARE going with her being Tired and no longer being the fiery, furious girl she used to be, aren't we?

stop making me sad

rtdyguik the way she walks though oh my gofd

why does the photo look like that

haha tsun away defeat means friendship

oh no it's about to get feelsy again ain't it

oh no now i'm invested

OKAY current take on things: there is love and charm woven into these characters, pokemon, stories, and the region. i am intrigued by everything. I want to see more. Yes, there are some brokey bits, but so far they seem to me to be structural, rather than foundational. We will keep going, with love in our hearts and sympathy for developers rushed by corporate greed.

tl;dr the game is flawed but this is a place to focus on the things we enjoy, and i see a lot to love here

supply unit??? who the hell are you cassiopeiaaaaAAAAA PENNY IT'S PENNY ALL FEELINGS ARE GOOD

"i'm good with machines and hacking and stuff" *starry eyed* are you cassiopeia?

honestly the vibe i'm getting with team star at this point is "you live long enough to see yourself become the villain"

looking at pokedex, realized Pinkle isn't gonna evolve, think i'll swap out for something else....

raiding the base for items and dialogue after, getting the sense Mela just....disappeared. But her squad really cared about her. And one is saying the other crews will get revenge.... I wonder fi they would? How close were the five leaders, and how close are they now?

i am just gonna copypaste in some nattering from a DM so you can see how absolutely hopeless I am

"i guess i should probably go do early things in western paldea now huh....get at least a LITTLE balance...." .... "also. i meant early things in EASTERN. paldea. i am in western paldea." .... "okay im gonna hit the next pokemon center up the road, then head back to Mesagoza so i can head east" ... "...west?" ... "WAIT NO I AM IN THE EAST I NEED TO GO WEST"

SOMEDAY I WILL FIGURE OUT WHERE ON THE PLANET I FUCKING AM AND THEN YOU'LL ALL BE SORRY

...?

...!

SHINY BUIZEL!!!!!

CRIT CAPTURE?!

AAAAAAAAAAA

Goldilocks

also we are swapping Pinkle for Teeny

oh there's new dialogue at school

oky not as much as i thought

oh hey while I'm in Mesagoza I should maybe accessorize? i'll take a peek

i honestly kind of really like Fani's current look tho....eh, some new shoes, maybe some gloves...ooh, picnic customization stuff....and some new sammich ingredients....picks up new recipes.....

Okay! Westward! Yes, it's westward!

picnic time to set up my new stuff....and make a sweeeeet sammich....best stacked one I've made yet

scoots took a nap on the table and then kicked the ball off a cliff......

Anyway time to explore and catch pokemon!!! Misty the Mareep! PUPPY. Dervish the Maschiff! Coppel the Rockruff! OH fancy scyther with a normal tera... You can be Mozart. Meditite is now Karov. Eckles the Mudbray. Flittle? What's that? You're gonna be Flan now. IF it will stay in the goddamned ball. Riolu! You're gonna be Joot. Once again, if it stays in the goddamn ball. !!! There's Swablu here, get in the ball Bula. Ooh, Phanpy friend, you're Wikae. Toxel is Niv.

I am starting to feel the.....three hours of sleep I got. Anyway, Bramaram the Gastly. Moosley the Starly. Back toward the low level area.... Tyse the Smoliv.

Ten Sights of Paldea, that sounds fun! Got to the Pokemon center and the watchtower, I think I am done for the night. Did I really accomplish only one thing....?

[im-just-a-mississippi-girl]

If He Was Yours, You’d Do The Same

Pairing: Cash Wheeler x female!reader

Category: Fluff

Word count: 1,648

Summary: During a conversation with your best friend, Anna Jay, you can’t help but ramble about your boyfriend, Cash Wheeler. Meanwhile, Cash has a similar conversation with his best friend and tag team partner, Dax Harwood.

Warnings: Female reader, uses she/her pronouns when referring to reader, minimal swearing

Tagging: @wheeler-omega-kingston Hope you enjoy it! I changed and added so much, I hope it turned out well.

A/N: This was inspired by the song Bragger by Kelsea Ballerini. I listen to this song quite often, and it’s been stuck in my head for the past week. So, I ended up playing around with some ideas using some lyrics from this song, and this was created. Here’s the inspiration if you wanna give it a listen!

Masterlist

Taglist

You were currently sitting backstage with your best friend, Anna Jay chatting away, catching up on what happened since you saw each other last week. Anna was telling all about how she finally decided to give a show that everyone’s been gushing over a chance; turns out she hated it. As she continued to fill you in on her dilemma of not knowing which nail polish color she wanted to get when the two of you went for your monthly manicure and pedicure, you attention was directed towards the door upon hearing that all too familiar laugh, Cash Wheeler.

You had been dating Cash for the past year and a half, and it’s the best relationship you’ve ever been in; you couldn’t be happier. Cash was everything you had ever dreamed of and then some. He’s got the look, he’s got the touch, he’s got the arms that make me clutch…. he deserves the spotlight…. and he knows how to treat my body and heart right.

You didn’t realize Anna had asked you a question and when you didn’t answer she tried calling your name to grab your attention, but she had no luck. Out of ideas, Anna stood up from her chair and moved to stand in front of you, blocking your view to you the most handsome man you’ve ever seen. When your eyes met hers, she had this look on her face letting you know what you very quickly realized; you completely forgot about the conversation the two of you were having, ultimately ignoring her.

“I’m so sorry Anna. I didn’t realize—” You began to apologize; your head hung in guilt, but she cut you off. “Relax. I’m not mad. Honestly, I knew you weren’t listening when you heard his laugh, and truthfully, I suppose it’s what I get for doing it to you when Jack enters the room.” She admits, letting out a chuckle, causing you to do the same.

You resumed your conversation with Anna and, as the topics came and went, Cash couldn’t help himself from stealing glances at you, seeing you so absorbed in your conversation with Anna and hearing your laugh was not only music to his ears; it made his heart flutter. He hadn’t felt like this in years. You made him feel appreciated, cared for, and loved; loved like he’s never felt before.

“Come on, man.” Dax snapped his fingers in front of his best friend’s face. “You can drool over her when you get back to the hotel. We got to got over our plan for our match tonight. I ain’t loosing to the Ass Boys and neither are you.” Dax half joked, nudging his tag team partner with his elbow before tugging him along to the locker room. Cash knew Dax was right. FTR doesn’t loose easy, and they damn sure ain’t loosing to the Ass Boys anytime soon. Titles on the line or not; it was never gonna happen. Cash nodded and let Dax lead him away from you, down the hall and around the corner.

The topic of your conversation with Anna turned into the two of you sharing stories about your respective boyfriends. You leaned forward giving her your undivided attention as she told you all about how Jack is super thoughtful when it comes to important dates; she mentioned how he always makes her birthdays feel so special and that those were her favorites. You smiled as she gushed about Jack. When she finally finished all she was saying, she quickly realized just how long she had been rambling about Jack. “I didn’t mean to get carried away like that.” She apologized with wide eyes.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s only fair that you listen to me gush about Cash now.” You joked, sticking your tongue out at her as she agreed, laughing as she did so. Once the laughter died down, Anna leaned forward like you had done when she began talking, letting you know you’ve got her full attention. “I don’t wanna be a bragger, but my man’s a heart attacker.” You paused to gage Anna’s reaction, and when you see her grinning and motioning for you to continue, you oblige. “I know everyone gets sick of me showing them pictures of Cash and talking about him whenever I can, but I can’t help that I flaunt him all the time. I know a lot of people would agree—do agree, according to the internet, that he’s hotter than a Saturday night. You know what I’m talking about because you do the same with Jack. Honestly, if he were a wine, he’d be the shelf at the top, and if he were a house, he’d be the end of the block. I get none of that probably makes sense to you but, to me, it does.” You didn’t realize you had been staring off in space at some point during all that but, whenever your eyes meet Anna’s, she’s nodding along all giddy that it sounded like you finally found your prince—no your king because that’s exactly how you treated him, and he treated you like you’re his queen; Cash would be quick to tell you that, to him, you are one.

“It makes total sense! That’s exactly how I feel about Jack too!” Anna exclaimed, happy that finally she knows how to put her feelings into words about her boyfriend. You were beyond relieved that she understood what you were trying to explain the best you knew how. You were happy you had Anna because if anyone understands how you feel and what you’re going through; it’s her, and you love her for it.

“I know there’s always those negative and nasty comments online about Cash and me, but none of that matters. Wanna know why?” You watched her eyebrows furrow and her head tilt. “‘Cause all that really matters is he’s mine.” You finish, proud to know for a fact that he wants you and only you.

Back in the locker room, Cash just couldn’t focus. Dax tried everything to keep his best friend’s attention on their game plan, but, of course, he failed much like Anna did at keeping your attention previously. Dax knew there was no point in continuing their little meeting. “Alright, talk to me. I know you’re thinking about her so spill.” Dax more or less commanded, reaching over and making Cash look at him.

“Hmm?” Cash slightly jumped, bringing himself back to reality. “Sorry. I don’t mean to be ignoring out meeting, but today is one of those days where she’s all I can think about.” Cash responded. “Are you sure you really want me to talk about her? You know how I can get.” He joked, laughing and remembering all the times Dax has teased him for being “hopelessly in love”. He heard Dax joining in with the laughter, most likely remembering the same things.

“Yeah, I’m sure. I tease you about it because it’s been too long since I’ve seen you this genuinely happy, and honestly, I’m beyond happy for you. She’s good for you.” Dax commented, truly happy his tag partner, best friend, and brother finally found you. Dax saw how the two of you looked at each other, how you two treated each other, and how in love you both were. It was reminiscent of him and his wife—true love, if he had to label it.

Cash nodded, “Just remember, you wanted to know.” He chuckled before beginning to collect his thoughts. “The way she makes me feel is like I can do anything, you know? I love how she’s always looking out for me, how she genuinely cares about what I’m feeling, how she listens—she’s my rock. I don’t know how I made it this long or this fat without her. Everything I do for her, she does for me, and I believe that’s something special.” Cash looks at the man he considers a brother when he’s done talking, only to find Dax with the biggest smile on his face.

“Yeah. You’re in love and, if you ask me, you just found your future wife.” Dax beams. Obviously, he’s known Cash for years, but in the few short years he’s known you, Dax and you have become close friends therefore, he knows all too well how you feel about Your boyfriend. You’ve gushed to Dax on a few occasions about Cash when Cash wasn’t in the room along with text messages and phone calls. “Let’s go.” Dax stood and began heading for the door to exit the locker room.

“Where are we going? What about our meeting for our match?” Cash looks at Dax, confused and curious on what was running through his friend’s mind.

“Figured you’d wanna be with your woman before we get pulled into different directions. As for the meeting, we didn’t necessarily need it… at least not this second. So, you coming or am I gonna be hanging out with my future sister-in-law and Anna alone?” Dax questioned, opening the door and heading back around the corner and down the hallway where the pair last saw you.

Cash didn’t have to be told twice. He was out of his chair and almost caught up to Dax before Dax could round the corner. Cash’s face lit up when he saw you again, still sitting with Anna and chatting away. “I don’t wanna be a bragger, but my girl’s a heart attacker. She’s hotter than a Saturday night.” Cash avowed, joining you, Anna, and Dax at the table; you blushed at his words while Anna stifled a laugh, partly for your reaction and partly because you stated the same thing earlier in the evening.

You and Cash found yourselves wrapped up in your own little world while Anna and Dax shared a knowing look; you and Cash were meant to be.

[darkorderaf]

Hi can I request "making eye contact with your lover from across the room, gesturing for them to follow you outside" with Alex Reynolds? I got so excited when I saw you write for him I love him

Ooooh yes. Honestly, I love the whole Dark Order crew and love writing for them. This is a part 2 to my previous Alex imagine over here. Please enjoy!! ;)

Pairing: Alex Reynolds x OFC. Prompt: Making eye contact with your lover across the room, gesturing for them to follow you outside. Rating: M. Warnings/Content: Smut in a not super private place. Word Count: 1731.

Tag List (ask to be added/removed): @alyhull @beingthelite @simoneinside @sillynilly27

(I don’t own gif; all credit to werewolvesmoved!)

Alex was quick to leave as soon as the sun broke through the curtains and she didn’t sleep at all. Her face must have said as much because Maxwell was quick to comment when she shuffled to their reserved table, the last to arrive.

“Well you look like shit,” he said as he sipped from his coffee. “You know, in a pretty way. Rough night?”

She muttered a dry thanks. His eyes narrowed as he scanned her, then he leaned forward and smirked.

“Or a…good night?”

Silently, she took a seat by Wardlow and rubbed at her eyes. Anything to keep from looking at Maxwell directly. It wasn’t exactly…shame that she felt. Was it shame at not feeling ashamed? Alex Reynolds, her mortal enemy, had given her the best head of her life and she had no regrets whatsoever. That was just a fact.

“Did you know about the…rooming situation?”

Maxwell shook his head and sat back, hands raised in question. Cash and Dax stopped eating to listen to what she had to say. Shawn looked just as confused.

“None of you knew?”

Silence around the table. She pinched the bridge of her nose with a sigh.

“...They put me up with Reynolds.”

Wardlow choked on his water as politely as he could while Maxwell barked out a sound of pure shock. The tag team of FTR looked at her with synchronized blinks, brows lifted in thick befuddlement.

“How did that happen? Shit, we can get it changed,” Shawn started. “Or you can just room with one of us, something like that.”

Sounds of affirmation went around the table before she shook her head and straightened her spine out. Alex had challenged her, asked her if she could handle it. And damn it, she could. He wouldn't get her to tap out. Not for this.

"No, no, it's fine," she said with a dismissive wave. "It's just a couple of days and I'm not going to let that asshole win."

Wardlow spoke up beside her, his large body angled towards her.

"Alright, if you're sure," he said. The rest of the table seemed to calm down, even though Maxwell stared at her hard from across the way. From day one, her and Wardlow had gotten along startlingly well. So to hear him have faith in her choice eased her mind. "But if he does anything, I'll kill him."

Another sea of affirmative sounds, with one voice decidedly absent. Maxwell took a drink of water, then ran his tongue along the inside of his bottom lip. He was thinking.

"Sure, fine. I don't like it but you're a grown ass woman and this could work out for us," he said. "Just don't go soft on that no-name loser, alright?"

She made a concerted effort to not think about how pliant Alex had made her in his hands, under his tongue. Or the very apparent press of his erection against his briefs when he had denied her touching him. A laugh covered her thoughts like a smokescreen.

"Ha. As if."

---

Alex, that jerk, had absently blown a kiss into the audience before his match. Absently in her direction. She kept her face steeled but the rest of her was positively singing. She just wasn’t quite sure what the tune was yet. A noise of disgust and a scrunch of her nose made him laugh. Wardlow shifted beside her, a deadly look to his eyes.

“Seriously, I’ll kill him. It’s no sweat off my back.”

“I know, big guy,” she said as she patted his back. “I’ll just have a chat with him. It’ll get sorted.”

As soon as the bell rang and the match was over, she caught Alex’s gaze again and flicked her eyes in the direction of the exit. He muttered something to John and the other man nodded as they made their way to the back.

Arms folded as she picked through her racing thoughts, she waited by one of the more discrete exits of the venue. If he was going to make her wait–twenty minutes now–she was going to make him work for it. Finally, the door beside her opened and there he was, freshly showered and completely unbothered. She took in a sharp inhale through her nose and leered at him. He smiled at her in response as he lounged against the wall.

“What the hell was that?”

Alex shrugged. Quirked a thick brow.

“What was what? The match? I thought it went pretty well, honestly.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about,” she hissed. “And you know it. You blew a…a kiss at me. In my general direction!”

“Did I?”

He shifted against the wall, moved a little closer to her. He smelled good and his dark eyes searched her face. She didn’t back away from him and raised her head. The air between them thickened and her hands wanted to reach for him again, just like they had last night.

“What did you do last night? After…after you know what.”

She hated that her face burned when he leaned into her, putting his lips close to her ear. His voice was low and quiet, a smugness to it that she could hardly stand.

“After I made you cum?”

“Oh, fuck you, you piece of shit.”

“That’s what I did,” he said. “Or what I thought about doing. The whole fucking you thing. Why do you think I was in there so long?”

He made it sound so filthy as he pulled away to look at her fully.

“Well,” she cleared her throat. “Why didn’t you?”

He laughed as if the answer should have been obvious.

“Because that’s what you wanted. And the look on your face? Priceless. You don’t get told no a lot, do you? Probably not, since you’re with the Pinnacle.”

Her anger bubbled up in her and she grabbed the front of his hoodie to pull him down to her level. He went easier than she expected.

“And what do you want, Reynolds? To humiliate me? Because it’s working and I’ve got a big friend that’ll tear you in half if you–”

“I want you to take me seriously,” he said as he grabbed her hip in return. That easy humor of his was gone. His tone rolled over her like lava. “And I want us to go back to the room so we can fuck each other properly. Unless you want me to fuck you right here, right now. Your call.”

“What? Here?”

“No one uses this exit. Trust me, I know.”

She blinked owlishly at him before she pulled him into a sharp kiss. That was her answer. Quick hands tugged down the zipper of his hoodie as he guided them towards a pitch dark alcove. His hand slid up her chest to squeeze her breasts through her shirt and she returned the favor as she palmed him through his sweats. He grunted against her mouth, then slid his tongue along hers. It earned him a playful nip before she pulled away.

Her hand slipped into his sweats, under his briefs, and wrapped around him. His breath stuttered momentarily as she pumped him and she smirked.

“Not so cocky now, are you?”

“Oh god,” he groaned. “Stop, you’re awful.”

She pressed a chaste kiss to his neck before she crouched down and took the waistband of both his sweats and briefs with her. Kitten licks along the slightly leaking head of his cock were enough for him to wind his fingers in her hair with a needy sound. She took him into her mouth with a hum and his head leaned back against the wall. No mercy was shown as she wrapped her hand around the base of his cock and sucked, squeezed, hard.

A flurry of indiscernible swears rolled out of him just as his hips rolled into her mouth. Fuck, he tasted good, and the sounds he made–half whines and demanding grunts–were incredible.

Too many months of schoolyard hatred and annoyance boiled over and he pulled her off him. Before she could ask, he turned them and kissed her hard. The skirt she wore slipped over the curve of her ass and he spread her legs to accommodate him. His fingers slid along the wet strip of her panties and she hissed as he teased her clit. Then his deft fingers tugged aside her panties and two of them curled inside of her, just where she wanted.

“Here or the room?”

His voice was haggard, on edge, as he sloppily finger fucked her.

“Shit. Here, Alex, here.”

“Thank fuck.”

Alex hiked her legs up and shifted her up along the wall. His eyes latched onto hers as he lowered her down and began to press in. His hips eagerly twitched against hers as her legs wrapped around him to pull him in tight against her. His teeth found the meat between her shoulder and her neck as he fucked her against the wall. She hid her moans into a curled fist, the indentations from her teeth deep and purple from the way he hammered into her. Her back would feel it tomorrow, she just knew it.

“I’m gonna cum,” he murmured. “Fuck, I’m close.”

A thought crossed her mind and she smirked, tapped at him to put her down. He pulled out of her reluctantly, then gasped as she pushed him back against the wall and deepthroated him. She tasted herself on him and felt the thick pulse of him. He was close. The combined efforts of her mouth and hand sent him over the edge to spill into her eager mouth, hips erratic against her face and his sudden shout hidden in his fist. He went slack, then reached for her again. She avoided him and smirked as she slid his pants back into place with a visible swallow.

Alex watched her with heavy eyes as she fixed herself.

“Just…give me a minute,” he said as he swept his hair back from his face, his hand on the top of his head as he reclined back. “Jesus, that was–”

He trailed off and shook his head as he took in deep breaths.

“It’s a bit of a walk back to the room,” she said with a mischievous look in her eye. The look on his face was priceless as she leaned in without touching him. “You gonna make it?”

[wheeler-beretta-harwood]

Hey S.T changing it up tonight. How about some questions instead (while I think of a new prompt)

1) Top 6 Favorite Wrestlers

2) Top 6 Hated/Dislike Wrestlers

3) When did you start watching wrestling?

4) What promotions do you watch?

5) First wrestling match you remember watching

6) Ever been to any wrestling shows/events?

7) Favorite Wrestling Story Line

8) Least Favorite Wrestling Story Line

9) 1st fanfiction you ever wrote

10) What do you love most about wrestling?

I can’t wait to read your answers 💜💚

Sorry in advance, I got a little carried away. So you don't have to read through all my rambling if you don't want to. These were fun questions, though, thanks for asking!

1) Top 6 Favorite Wrestlers

I feel like I need to give some background information, so prepare for a long answer to this.

1. Cash Wheeler/ FTR: Who would've guessed, huh? Cash's my favorite, across all categories. Honestly, he is criminally underrated. Have you seen him in the ring? He is ridiculously fast! And very precise! I love that when Dax is in the ring, he moves around like a hunter circling his prey. Everything seems very calculated, very planned. I like that. What I enjoy even more though, is when he tags in Cash and the whole pace changes. He's like a pitbull off the fucking leash. I genuinely feel like ya'll are sleeping on the man.

And FTR made me fall in love with wrestling again, with a style of wrestling I hadn't appreciated before. They always say they have no fancy moves, and it might be true, but their storytelling in the ring is unmatched for me.

On a very personal note, I have to thank these two little shitheads because they have helped me conquer my depression to some degree. For years, I have been struggling, losing all interest in things I've usually enjoyed, like drawing, writing/reading, and generally being creative. I just went to work, then went home and stayed in bed for the rest of the day/night.

It's funny to me that two guys who don't even know that I exist have helped me through some of the darkest times of my life and brought some joy back. I owe them more than I could ever tell. (And yes, I shed a tear while I wrote this). So if any of you ever says something negative about these two, go kindly fuck yourself.

[From here on, answers will get shorter]

2. Kenny Omega: God, I just love this man. I can't really describe what it is, but there is something poetic in the way he moves. There's just a certain grace about him that demands my attention when he's in the ring. Plus I love his geeky side. We actually have the same taste when it comes to Anime, so I like him even more.

3. Christian Cage: In my early teens, 20 years ago, I had a major crush on Christian. Over the years, the crush turned into general admiration, and he still brings a smile to my face everytime I see him. I've always enjoyed his work as a heel, and can't wait for him to turn again.

4. MJF: Maxwell is a star in the making. I mean, he already is one, but imagine him in 10 years. It's gonna be magical. His dedication to his in-ring persona is unmatched and he can turn shit to gold. Personally, I thought the whole campaign against Mox was a stupid storyline, but I enjoyed it because it was MJF. That's how good he is.

5. Scott Hall: I always say he was my first wrestling crush, but he wasn't really. I was 6 years old, he was like 30 years older, I certainly didn't crush on him. My brother owned an original Game Boy and had this WWF game called either RAW or Kind of the Ring. When he didn't play, I'd always snatch the Game Boy and played. And I always played as Razor Ramon. Later, when I saw him on TV, I immediately knew this was my guy. God, he was soooooo cool.

6. CM Punk: I loved him in WWE. The Pipe bomb will always be one of the best wrestling moments I have ever witnessed. And Punk is the reason, I started watching AEW. My brother tried to talk me into it for quite some time, but I always turned him down saying I was done with wrestling. Then, last year, he tried one last time and told me Punk would come back. I couldn't say no to that, and when he really walked out, I smiled like an idiot at the TV. Then, the start was a bit rough, because he didn't feel like 'My Punk' in the beginning, but I love his recent work.

2) Top 6 Hated/Disliked Wrestlers

1. Shawn Michaels: Hear me out, I don't hate the man because Dax hates him. I've hated Michaels way before I knew Dax existed. I just never liked him. Plus, the Sweet Chin Music is the worst finisher of all time. Yes, I know wrestling is fake, but don't make it that obvious. You really want to make me believe that your opponent is so beat down that he doesn't hear you stomp your goddamn foot 3293 times for 10 minutes straight?! Like he doesn't have a clue what might happen next?! It's a goddamn kick that happens many times in a match, but because you stomped like a little toddler whose mama didn't buy him candy, it'll end a match? Yeah, right.

2. Darby Allin: Hate is a strong word, but I just don't get him. When I started watching, I thought I'd love this guy because aesthetically, his style is my cup of tea. He was a let-down for me though. Plus, I hate the Coffin Drop as finisher.

3. Hulk Hogan: Just a douche in general.

4. Sammy Guevara: I don't dislike him, I am just very indifferent to him. Which I don't understand myself, his matches are good. I just can't warm up to him.

5. Charlotte Flair: same as Sammy.

6. Kelly Kelly: I am talking about young Kelly Kelly that got handed everything on a silver plate while not being all that good. I have no idea what she is doing now, and I honestly don't care.

3) When did you start watching wrestling?

As with a lot of things I have come to love, it was actually my older brother introducing me. I might have been 5 when I really started to get interested in the whole idea of wrestling, then it was part of my life until my mid-twenties when I stopped watching altogether. It was just recently that I started watching AEW (watched all the older Dynamite episode later) and fell in love with it again.

4) What promotions do you watch?

Right now, it's just AEW. I have fallen out of love with WWE years ago. When there was a way to watch here in Germany, I enjoyed Lucha Underground, TNA for some time, and I loved WCW back in the day.

5) First wrestling match you remember watching

Undertaker vs Undertaker, Summerslam 94. Because my brother loved The Undertaker, and he watched that match about 2374375 times.

6) Ever been to any wrestling shows/events?

I have been to two WWE shows here in Germany, maybe in 2004, 2005? And there also was a TNA Show close to where I live. But other than that, sadly no. I have made my peace with the fact that I will (most likely) NEVER see FTR live (just typing it actually breaks my heart)

7) Favorite Wrestling Story Line

Hmmm, honestly, about anything that includes CM Punk or MJF. I am a sucker for good promos, and these two ALWAYS deliver. So I am going with their feud against each other. MJF is just killing it, and I love how he blurrs the links between show and reality.

8) Least Favorite Wrestling Story Line

This was a tough one. And then I remembered it: There was this absolute shitty storyline with Kane and Lita...where he forced her into marriage? Then, at some point, she was okay with it...then 'pregnant' and then lost the kid? That was the most fucked up shit I have ever seen happening in a wrestling ring.

9) 1st fanfiction you ever wrote

In general, a one shot for the Anime 'Bleach'. In my high school years. I'm pretty sure it sucked.

Wrestling wise? The Cash Wheeler one shot 'Weirdo' that I wrote in March this year.

I actually didn't write a whole lot when I was younger, because I never got any feedback on it and thought no one liked it.

So I am more than happy to get some opinions here on tumblr. Although, in my adult mind, I probably would write some of it anyway. Like I would write Meant To Be, even if no one read it. I'd just do it for myself.

10) What do you love most about wrestling?

To me, wrestling is like dancing combined with drama class. There are (at least) two bodies moving together in order to tell you a story. In between, someone holds a monologue, explaining his intentions, thoughts, goals. More dancing. Dialogue. More violent dancing.

Honestly, I can't explain it. It's just, if it's good wrestling, it makes you feel. This year, I have seen the best match I'll probably ever witness. FTR vs Briscoes. Never ever have I felt a match like I felt this one. The four men had me wrapped around their fingers. I rewatched it every day for 4 weeks and was still amazed by it. It's a feeling I can't explain, and it's what I like most about wrestling.

[beepbopboopadoop]

AEW All Out 2022 Review

Pre-Show AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship: Tay Melo and Sammy Guevara (c) vs. Ruby Soho and Ortiz

This was okay! A bit messy at times and I really hope Ruby is okay after that landing on her neck and breaking her nose. I'm kinda over Sammy and Tay right now. I feel like they have the potential to do some really good heel work, but I don't think heel work is just making out? Loved the beginning of the match with Sammy getting hit by a buggie.

Pre-Show FTW Championship: Hook (c) vs. Angelo Parker

I want to touch Hook's hair - it looks so soft. This match was way more competitive that I thought it would be, but it was still pretty good. Action Bronson had a cool run-in as well. All in all, a pretty decent match!

Pre-Show All-Atlantic Championship: Pac (c) vs. Kip Sabian

Kip looks like if 2012 tumblr made a wrestling character, but I love the new gear, the style and everything. He really made this match work so well. PAC is a goddamn beast of a wrestler. I really enjoyed this match

Pre-Show: Eddie Kingston vs. Tomohiro Ishii

Eddie Kingston is so damn good. Such an incredible story teller. Ishii is also just a goddamn beast. These two make magic and I can't wait for the rubber match. My favorite Zero-Hour match

Casino Ladder Match: Claudio Castagnoli vs. Penta El Zero Miedo vs. Rey Fenix vs. Andrade El Idolo vs. Rush vs. Wheeler Yuta vs. Dante Martin vs. TBA

At first, hated the finish because I was so into the match and then it clicked..... The Joker had MJF's mannerisms and butt! Excellent match but it was more of an angle that anything. Real good shit.

AEW World Trios Championships: The Elite vs. "Hangman" Adam Page & The Dark Order

Story telling man. The Hangman/Elite story has been so well done and this just starts another chapter in Hangman's character. Being the reason for the loss is gonna fuck with our anxious dude. I am very interested in seeing where this one goes.

TBS Championship: Jade Cargill (c) vs. Athena

I wish they would have built this story up a little more, because goddamn these two can go. Athena is so damn versatile and Jade is so captivating. I wish they had more time.

Wardlow & FTR vs. Jay Lethal & Motor City Machine Guns

This match should have been FTR v MCMG, but it was good. I hate that the TNT Champ didn't have a title defense. Lots of fun spots, but I wasn't invested until Dax's daughter became UNDEFEATED.

Ricky Starks vs. Powerhouse Hobbs

I'm happy with Hobb's winning, but it was too quick. I hope this story continues because I want some of that Ricky Starks' kinda chaos we all know and love.

AEW World Tag Team Championships: Swerve In Our Glory (c) vs. The Acclaimed

Match of the night, match of the year. I was pacing in front of my tv the entire time. I could not sit still. I was so hyped that my dog got concerned. Anthony Bowens is incredible. Max Caster is amazing. Keith and Swerve working kinda heel set it off. I need The Acclaimed to win those titles. This is their time.

Interim AEW Women's Championship: Toni Storm vs. Britt Baker vs. Hikaru Shida vs. Jamie Hayter

Everyone in this match is so damn good at what they do. The tension between Britt and Jamie (need this fued now), Shida's come back(s), and Toni getting that win - all so amazing.

Christian Cage vs. Jungle Boy

Not a match but a well done angle.

Bryan Danielson vs. Chris Jericho

I had a really hard time getitng invested into this match. It was really good, but I wanted to see Daniel Garcia get involved I guess.

House of Black vs. Sting, Darby Allin & Miro

Really good, but I hope Malakai gets better. That goodbye kiss and the recent reports worry me that he's struggling. I really enjoy this faction. I was hoping to see some storyline progression, but Idk whats going on now

AEW World Championship: Jon Moxley (c) vs. CM Punk

Two of my all-time favorite's had a banger man. They both know how to tell a damn story. I loved how Mox targeted Punk's foot but like just that pitbull energy that man has. MJF's return was a great way to end the show

All in all, All Out was really good. I enjoyed myself. That's what wrestling is about - having fun and I had so much fun!

[debbiechanclub]

Best Two Out of Three, Part 25

BTOOT is back! @hotyeehawman and I would like to apologize for the unintentional three-month hiatus. But it was the holidays, and then life, and lack of motivation... but we’re back! And I hope you all are just as excited about it as we are 😁

But enough talking! Enjoy! And please give us notes and scream in our asks we would very much appreciate it.

Best Two Out of Three

Part: 25/26

Pairing: Kenny Omega x OFC and Cash Wheeler x OFC x Matt Jackson...? And Adam needs to start loving himself, okay.

Word count: 4.6k

Warnings: Language; angst; alcohol use; blood

Catch up on previous parts here.

Tag squad: @freshlysqueezedmox @comeasyoudar @heelchampbucks @librathepheonix13 @gabbynorth98 @irish-newzealand-idian-dutch @exe-sadboi-exe

For a hazy, fleeting second when he first woke up, Adam didn’t remember what had happened the night before. But then his hotel room came into focus, the fog of sleep cleared, and it all came flooding back like a waking nightmare.

He didn’t know how long he’d laid in the middle of the ring after Kenny had let him collapse face-first onto the mat. Seconds that had felt like minutes. Minutes that had felt like hours. The people at ringside had remained painfully silent until he’d finally picked himself up on tired legs and they’d cheered, doing their best to encourage him. But he’d barely heard them as he’d trudged into the back, his hands noticeably emptier than they’d been at the start of the match.

And then, things had somehow gotten worse.

He’d expected to see Alex when he’d returned to the locker room. Hoped to see her. Hoped she would rush over and hug him and tell him something to make him feel anything. But she hadn’t been there. Orange had said he’d just missed her; she’d left and gone back to the hotel. Gone after Kenny. And when he heard that, Adam’s heart had suddenly felt just as empty as his hands.

He laid in bed and stared up at the ceiling, unsure what time it was. He didn’t care. He wanted to go home, but there was no point—he’d just have to turn right back around the day after tomorrow. Plus, he’d booked the hotel room through Thursday. He didn’t want to lose that money, too.

Knock-knock-knock.

He turned his head toward the door, slightly confused. Had someone actually knocked, or had he just imaged it? He started counting. One, two, three, four, five, six—

Knock-knock-knock again, louder that time. And then, Alex’s voice called through the door.

“Adam, it’s me. Please open up.”

He closed his eyes. He didn’t want to see her; not really. He could guess how their conversation would go and he’d rather just avoid it. But he forced himself out of bed, pulled on a pair of sweats, and grabbed his glasses off the nightstand as he shuffled across the room to the door. She’d just started to knock again when he pulled it open. Alex stood on the other side, an anxious look on her face.

“Hey. Can I come in?”

Adam stared back at her in pensive silence. Part of him wanted to tell her no—but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. So, he settled for a smart-ass comment as he let her in instead. “Does Kenny know you’re here?”

A mixture of hurt and surprise flashed in her eyes. But he hardly cared. He was hurt, too. “Yes,” she sheepishly returned. “I wanted to come see how you’re doing.”

He scoffed to himself as he shut the door. “What, were you too busy last night?”

Her face fell. “Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Put me in the middle more than I already am.”

Adam bit down on his jaw. He wanted to tell her she’d put herself in the middle, but he knew that wasn’t fair. It wasn’t even true. She wasn’t the cause of these circumstances. He was.

She brought her hands in front of her to nervously pick at her nails. She looked down at them as she talked. “I’m sorry I didn’t come see you last night. But after Kenny left the arena I had to see where his head was at. And even though I’m not thrilled with how he handled it… you know this would have happened, eventually.”

His brow lowered. “I know what would have happened eventually? That Kenny would abandon me?”

“No,” she returned with a frustrated huff. “That you and him would lose the tag titles… split up. You and Kenny aren’t FTR or the Young Bucks; you’re not meant to be a tag team. You’re meant for other things—bigger things. And now you can go after them.”

Adam rolled his eyes. He wasn’t in the mood for platitudes. “Oh, so is that what he told you last night? That he wants to move on to bigger and better things?”

“Yes. Don’t you?”

The quickness and bluntness of her answer surprised him. It also put him on the defensive. “I don’t know, Alex, I haven’t really thought about it. I’m kind of still processing last night.”

He moved past her to sit down on the bed. She pivoted to face him. “Look, I hate to say this, but… it’s probably for the best.”

Another platitude. He rolled his eyes.

“I’m serious, Adam!” she proclaimed. “When was the last time you were actually happy tagging with Kenny? Or being in The Elite?”

“Do I look happy now?”

It was Alex who rolled her eyes that time. She was getting impatient with his attitude. He didn’t blame her. Deep down, he was waiting for the day he’d drive her away, too.

She looked back down at her hands. “No. But I think you will be, eventually.”

Adam glanced away. He didn’t have anything to say. He didn’t want to have this conversation.

Alex let out a sigh. “I guess I’ll go.”

She turned and started toward the door. Adam felt his chest constrict as he watched her walk away. “Wait.” She stopped and glanced back at him, her hand on the door handle. “Why’d you run after Kenny?”

He had a feeling he knew why, but he wanted to hear her say it. She looked down at the door handle, her brow knitted together. She was debating whether or not she should actually tell him, he knew she was. But, eventually, she looked back at him and said it.

“Because I’m in love with him, Adam.” And then she went out the door.

* * * * * * * * * *

Callie had hoped she would wake up with a clear head. But she hadn’t. In fact, she felt even more confused than she had the night before.

After Kenny had stormed out of the arena, she’d wanted nothing more than to go to Adam. But she wouldn’t let herself. He’d pushed her away just like he had everyone else. Why should she go running to him?

Because you care about him, her heart said. You still love him.

He wants Alex to take care of him, her head returned. Let her go pick him up off the mat.

“Screw this,” she’d stubbornly said as she’d stood from the locker room couch—right as Matt and Nick returned. And then, she’d gotten angry.

“Why didn’t you go with him?” she’d accosted. The look that Matt had given her was a cross between offense and confusion.

“Are you serious?”

“He just needs to cool off,” Nick had interjected before Callie could respond. He was clearly trying to keep the peace. But it was no use; Matt was already out of the blocks.

“Why would we go with him?”

“Why wouldn’t you go with him?” Callie fired back. “Isn’t that exactly what you want, to start over your little club without Adam?”  

Matt’s brow lowered, darkening his eyes. “Callie, you don’t know—” but he cut himself off, running a frustrated hand over his face. And then he asked, “What do you care, anyway?”

Callie faltered then. She didn’t have an answer for him. She didn’t even have an answer for herself.

“I’m not dealing with this right now.” She stalked over to her bag and bent down to zip it up. Matt watched with parted lips as she stood and pulled it behind her to the door.

“Where are you going?”

“Back to the hotel,” she said. And just like that she’d left. Matt had texted her since, but she’d left him on read. And as she rode the elevator down to the hotel lobby, she realized she still had absolutely no desire to talk to him. To even see him.

We rushed into things. She realized that now. She’d latched onto Matt because she was lonely and hurt and he’d given her the attention she’d so desperately craved from Adam. And now she was worried that it had all been nothing but an emotional mistake.

The elevator doors slid open, and she swiftly made her way to the breakfast buffet, praying she wouldn’t run into anyone. She would just get what she wanted and head back upstairs to eat in the privacy of her room—but before she could reach the plates, someone called her name.

“Callie!”

She winced and whirled around. Cash and Dax sat at a table across the restaurant, plates of food in front of them. Cash waved for her to come over. She hesitated, unsure if she should. But she didn’t want to be rude, so she walked toward them.

“Morning,” Cash greeted with a wide smile. She returned it as best she could.

“Morning, and congrats. Hell of a match last night.” She really meant it. As heartbreaking as the outcome of the match had been, FTR had been the better team last night. They’d won the tag titles fair and square.

“Thank you,” Dax nodded in gratitude. “I hope there’s no hard feelings over us beating your boy. Although, from what I understand y’all aren’t exactly a thing anymore.”

Callie noticed Cash give Dax a hard look out of the corner of her eye. But it didn’t bother her. She’d figured word had gotten around by now that she and Adam were no longer together. “No. We’re not,” she frankly returned. Dax just nodded and sipped his coffee.

“So are you moving back home to California, then?”

She looked back at Cash, caught off-guard by his question. Did he assume that because he knew she was from California, or because he knew she’d been staying with Matt? Either way, it didn’t matter. Because she wasn’t even sure that was what she wanted anymore.

“That was the plan… but I’m not sure how set I am on it now.”

He cocked his head in curiosity. “Why’s that?”

She avoided his gaze, running her finger sheepishly along the edge of the table just to give herself something to do with her hands. “It was a knee-jerk decision,” she admitted. “And after thinking about it… I’d honestly rather move here. Well, to Florida. Not necessarily Jacksonville.”

She looked back up at him. He nodded. “Well, if you’re considering Orlando, let me know. I’d be more than happy to show you around.”

The corners of her mouth turned up. “I am, actually. Thanks.” He nodded again, and Callie suddenly felt like she needed to change the subject. “So, I guess you guys are going to the Labor Day party tomorrow?”

They had to be—they’d be gone by now if they weren’t. Her suspicions were confirmed when Dax made an enthusiastic sound in his throat.

“Hell yeah, we are. What would an AEW party be without the AEW World Tag Team Champions?”

She playfully rolled her eyes. “Not letting it go to your heads, I see.”

“Are you going?” Cash asked.

She drew in a deep breath. “Yeah, despite better judgment,” she said with a wry laugh. “I’m not exactly popular around the locker room these days.”

“Us, either,” he returned. It made her smirk.

“Who cares?” Dax dismissed. “Stick with us. We’ll make sure you have a good time.”

Callie glanced at him, and then at Cash. Something about his eyes made her feel calm. They were so warm and brown. Genuine. She smiled.

“Okay. Maybe I will.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Callie arrived fashionably late to the Labor Day Party. She tried to tell herself it was just because she hadn’t been able to decide what to wear, but she knew that wasn’t it. Even with Cash and Dax’s encouragement the day before, she’d needed to drum up the courage to go. A glass of rosé at the hotel bar had gotten her in the Uber and through the doors of Daily’s Place, but she’d need another drink if she was going to hang around.

The din of music and voices greeted her as she walked into the party. She glanced around, looking for a friendly face, only to realize she was subconsciously looking for Adam. She chastised herself and tried to push the thought aside—but she stopped. Adam was nowhere to be seen. She scanned the room again, just to make sure; he always stuck out at things like this. But again, she didn’t spot him.

She did, however, spot Alex. She was on the opposite end of the room, a wide smile on her face as she stood tucked into Kenny’s side talking with Cody, Brandi, and Tony. She probably knows where Adam is, she thought. But she ignored it and made a beeline for the bar. She ordered her usual and pulled her phone out of her purse to text Cash. They’d exchanged numbers yesterday, and she hadn’t spotted him, either—

“Hey.”

Callie’s mouth went dry. She locked her phone before she looked up at Matt. “Hey.”

She expected him to look angry, hurt, annoyed, something. But it didn’t look like he felt any of those things. His face was an unreadable mask. The bartender set her cocktail on the bar top. She picked it up and took a long sip.

“Didn’t care to tell me you were coming?”

There was some emotion. Aggravation, with a bit of resentment around the edges. She had to swallow before she could answer. “You knew I would be here, Matt,” she breathed. “The whole roster is.”

“Adam isn’t.”

Callie went rigid. That was more than just a statement. It was an accusation. “So when you didn’t see either of us here you thought what? That we were off somewhere else together?”

“That’s not what I said.”

“You didn’t have to.”

Matt’s jaw flexed and he glanced away, caught. “Look, I’m sorry, alright? But can you blame me? You haven’t said a word to me since you bit my head off Saturday, Callie.”

Her eyes hardened. “I didn’t bite your head off.”

He scoffed. “You kinda did.”

“Well, can you blame me?”

“Hey.”

Kenny cautiously cut in. Alex peered at them from around his shoulder. Callie let out a breath and took another drink.

“I don’t mean to interrupt… but Tony wants to talk to us about that thing.”

Matt put his hands on his hips. But he nodded. “Yeah, fine,” he said, and he stalked away without a second glance.

Kenny turned back to Alex. “I’ll let you know when we’re done and then we can get outta here.”

“Okay,” she nodded, and he pecked her lips and went after Matt, leaving Callie and Alex suddenly and awkwardly alone.

“I’m just here to get another drink,” Alex said as she stepped past her to the bar. Callie hesitated. She knew she should just walk away; but she couldn’t help herself.

“Hey… have you heard from Adam at all?”

Alex glanced at her over her shoulder. She didn’t answer right away. “Um, yeah. I asked him if he was coming today and he said he didn’t feel up to it. But that’s it.”

Callie frowned, but she wasn’t surprised. If she’d been in his position, she probably wouldn’t have come, either.

The bartender placed Alex’s drink in front of her, but she didn’t pick it up. It looked like she was turning something over in her head, weighing whether she should say it. Callie was about to tell her to just spit it out when she fixed her with a hard stare.

“Look, I don’t know what’s going on with you and Matt, and honestly I don’t care. It’s none of my business. But if there’s any part of you that still cares about Adam, I’d suggest rebounding with someone else.”

And with that said, she grabbed her drink and walked away, leaving Callie standing there, a knot in the pit of her stomach.

* * * * * * * * * *

As soon as Alex left, Callie got a text from Cash. He was at the pool with Dax, Shawn, and Shawn’s wife, Peyton, and he told her she should come join them (I think you’ll like Peyton, you two remind me of each other, he added). When she arrived, she was surprised to see they were the only people there. Cash smiled at her from the water as she walked toward the loungers.

“It’s about time! Did you get lost on the way from the hotel?”

She smirked as she set down her things. “Oh, have you been waiting on me?” she asked, only to blush at how flirtatious it sounded. But if Cash noticed, he didn’t seem to mind.

“Well, you have good timing. We were just about to set up the volleyball net and play a game.”

She nodded as she sat down to take off her shoes. “That sounds f—”

Her words died in her throat when she looked up and saw Cash climb out of the pool. Water trailed down his body, rippling over his chest and abdomen toward the low-slung waistband of his swim trunks. Callie felt her mouth go dry again as she caught herself staring at the muscular definition of his shoulders and pecs. Had he always been that good-looking?

“We should do guys versus girls!” an Australian-accented voice pulled her out of her daze. She looked back in the pool and recognized the speaker as Peyton Royce. She had an excited grin on her face that Callie couldn’t help but return.

“Oh, they won’t stand a chance.”

Dax formally introduced them while Cash and Shawn set up the volleyball net across the shallow end of the pool, and Callie stripped down to her bikini and lowered herself into the water. As they were an uneven number, they decided it would be Callie and Peyton versus Cash and Shawn with Dax as the referee. But just before Peyton could serve the ball, four more people walked into the pool area.  

Orange, Chuck, Trent, and Alex.

They all noticed each other at once. Dax muttered something under his breath. Alex came to an abrupt halt, causing Trent to run into her. Callie tensed and looked at Cash, who looked at Alex, who looked at Callie.

And Peyton waved at them. “Oh, perfect! We were just about to have a game of volleyball. Wanna join?”

Callie sank into the water. Perfect.

None of them said anything at first. The silence was awkward as Chuck glanced around at Orange, Trent, and Alex. He shrugged. 

“That sounds like a terrible idea. Let’s do it.”

* * * * * * * * * *

When Alex had told Callie to rebound with someone other than Matt, she hadn’t meant Cash. She thought that went without saying. Still, she’d tried not to jump to conclusions when she’d walked into the pool area and seen them together. After all, they weren’t alone. They were just co-workers hanging out at a company event. That’s it.

But, even if it was completely innocent, it still rubbed Alex the wrong away. She expected Cash to stoop so low—he was a duplicitous prick—but she was shocked at Callie’s thoughtlessness. She was glad Adam wasn’t there to see his ex literally jumping around in the pool with the guy who’d stabbed him in the back and taken his title.

“Hnnh!” she let out a grunt as she sprung up and spiked the ball over the net. It landed with a smack against the surface of the water right in between Callie and Peyton. At least hitting the ball was a good outlet for her agitation.

“Damn, Alex, this ain’t for the title,” Dax remarked from the side of the pool. She glowered at him—but Chuck fired back before she could.

“What’s the score, Dax?”

Dax’s beady eyes turned hard. “Ten-eight.”

“Ten-eight who?”

“Ten-eight you.”

“Damn right, it is,” Chuck muttered. Alex bit back a smirk.

They all reset, and Shawn served the ball. Chuck easily bumped it back, but when Callie scrambled to hit it over the net, it flew straight up into the air instead. Cash rushed forward as it came back down and whacked it as hard as he could—sending it flying like a missile right at Alex. She didn’t even have time to pivot before it beaned her hard in the shoulder and careened off into the water.

“Shit!” she cursed.

“Point!” Dax loudly proclaimed.

“Really?!” Chuck shouted. “You have something smart to say about Alex spiking the ball but nothing about Cash hitting it as hard as he can right at her?”

“Come on, it wasn’t on purpose,” Cash defended. He looked at Alex through the net. “I’m sorry. Are you alright?”

Alex gripped her shoulder as she stared back at him. It stung from the impact of the wet volleyball and was throbbing already. There would undoubtedly be a nice bruise there tomorrow. However, to Cash’s credit, he seemed genuinely remorseful—but then she noticed Callie roll her eyes over his shoulder. She bit down on her jaw.

“I’m fine.”

He frowned, but she turned away and looked at Trent. “Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked.

She nodded. “Serve the ball.”

She rolled her shoulder and turned back to face the net. Trent served the ball. It went right to Peyton and she hit it back over. Orange popped it up, and just like she had before, Alex spiked the ball to the other side.

Crack!

“FUCK!”              

Except that time, it hit Callie right in the face.

Blood poured from her nose and dripped into the pool. Peyton told her to pinch her nostrils and tilt her head forward. Cash rushed to her side through the water. He glared daggers at Alex.

“What the fuck, Alex?”

She opened her mouth to say it was an accident, to assure them it was, but no sound came out. Her vocal cords were frozen.

“It was an accident,” Trent returned.

“Didn’t look like it from here,” Dax chirped.

“Oh, shut up,” Chuck groaned.

“It was an accident!” Alex finally blurted. She looked at Callie’s retreating back as Cash helped her toward the pool steps. “Callie, I’m sorry.”

But she didn’t acknowledge her at all, and then Cash whisked her away, holding a towel to her nose. Thankfully, Dax went with them.

“Well, I guess that’s the end of that,” Shawn awkwardly announced. Peyton shot him a chastising look, and then they exited the pool and left, too.

Alex stared in silence into the water. Her nose burned. She hadn’t meant for that to happen. She hadn’t meant for Callie to get hurt. She didn’t want it to be like this between them anymore. She wanted her friend back.

“Hey,” Trent waded over to her. She felt him put his hand on the small of her back underneath the water. “It was an accident,” he gently repeated. “She’ll be alright.”

Alex’s nose burned even more when he said that. “I’m gonna go see if Kenny’s ready to leave,” she said, and she didn’t wait for a response before she climbed out of the pool, grabbed her things, and left.

* * * * * * * * * *

Steam fogged Callie’s hotel bathroom mirror. She wiped it clean with her hand, frowning at her reflection. The volleyball had left her with not one, but two black eyes—the left was worse than the right. At least it hadn’t broken her nose. But, at this point, a broken nose would have been the least of her problems.

She didn’t think Alex had done it on purpose. She’d said it was an accident and she believed her, no matter how much Dax had tried to convince her otherwise while Doc Samson had examined her. Afterward, as she’d left Daily’s Place with FTR, Tony had asked her if she would be good to wrestle the mixed tag match on Dynamite. She’d almost told him no. Not because of her nose, but because she wasn’t even sure she wanted to wrestle Alex anymore, let alone with Matt. She wondered if he’d heard what happened yet. She was already bracing herself for his reaction.

She dried off from her shower and wrapped a towel around herself as she walked out of the bathroom. She pulled her phone off the charger, and when the screen lit up, she saw she had a text from Cash.

How’s the nose?

She sighed as she typed out her reply. The nose is fine, but the eyes not so much. I have twin shiners.

She tossed the phone on the bed and started to walk away to get dressed, but it pinged again and she looked back at the screen.

That’s alright, you’ll just look like a bad ass for your match.

Callie bit back a grin. She opened the text to write back, but those three dots appeared. Cash was typing again—and she didn’t expect his next message.

Are you up to get dinner? My treat.

Her gaze turned distant as she stared at the text, her thumbs hovering over the screen. She didn’t know what to make of his offer. Was it platonic? Did he feel sorry for her like he had when they’d gotten dinner last month? Or was it something more?

But it couldn’t be something more. It would be way too messy. Messier than Matt.

Then why did she want to say yes?

She shook her head of the thought as her fingers flew over the keyboard. Thanks, but I’ve already decided on room service and trash TV tonight. But I’ll take a rain check?

She bit her lip and hit send before she could stop herself. The three dots popped up near instantly.

I’m good with a rain check. How about tomorrow? I was actually gonna ask if you wanted me to show you around Orlando since you’re here.

Callie’s eyebrows arched. In trying to dodge a bullet, she’d only to given him more ammo. “Fuck.”

Knock-knock-knock.

She jumped at the sound of someone at her door. “One minute!” she called. She tossed her phone aside and hurried to get dressed, thankful for the interruption. But when she pulled open the door, her stomach dropped.

Matt. His brow furrowed with concern when he saw her. “Jesus, are you alright? I heard what happened at the party.”

“I’m fine,” she said. “Who told you?”

“Tony,” he answered. And then, “And when I asked where you were, he told me you left with FTR.”

Callie fidgeted with the door handle. “Yeah. They gave me a ride back to the hotel. I didn’t really feel like sticking around after getting hit in the face with a volleyball.”

A short, breathy laugh escaped Matt’s lips and he looked away down the hall. Callie’s brow furrowed. “Is that a problem?”

“What’s going on, Callie? I mean, just over a week ago you were in my bed, planning on moving back to California, and now you’re avoiding me.”

His eyes bore into hers. Hurt, angry, just like they’d been when he’d confronted her at the party. Callie had to look away. It gutted her to see it.

“You can’t even look at me.”

“I’m confused, okay?” she blurted. “This all happened way too fast.”

Her heart pounded in her ears and her chest constricted. She hadn’t wanted it to come out like that, but she felt backed into a corner. And if Matt had looked hurt before, he looked positively betrayed now.

“Yeah,” he nodded. “Yeah, I guess it did.”

And with one final hard look he turned and left, and for the second time that day Callie was left alone and even more conflicted than she’d been before.