#to show how the champs became the people that they are but like

[diveyne]

anyways um! i will be getting ready for work soon, but if anyone would like to plot, my IMs are open to you! and if you have my discord of course you're free to jump there too!

[darkeyessdarkheart]

Good Luck, Babe

warnings: language, implied smut, 18+

pairing: rhea ripley x fem!reader

word count: 3,291

Alright y’all. Bare with me lmao. I haven’t written in years and I’ve been working 12 hr shifts so I can’t promise it’s my best. But here you are for the 8 people who wanted this! lmao. Any feedback or requests would be great! :)

It was a successful post-Wrestlemania celebration in Philly that night. You and some fellow superstars had heard of a local club and decided to continue your celebrations there after the press conference. Music blared throughout the club causing you to feel as if even your feet were vibrating through your heels. You and Bayley were on the dance floor laughing at your sad attempts at dancing. You’d only had a couple of drinks and were just a little tipsy. “Y/N what are you doing?! You look like you’re seizing!” Bayley leaned in to try to exclaim in your ear.

“It’s not my fault! The only dancing I’m good at involves grinding!” You chuckle back at her. She shakes her head taking another swig of her cocktail before looking back at you, eyes glazed over. “I mean, by all means, if it makes it better than that you can dance on me all you want.”

Bayley and you joked back and forth like this sometimes but your relationship was always platonic. You decided to take her up on her offer, taking your free hand and grabbing her free one as well. Pulling her hand up into the air you spun yourself around and began to seductively sway to the music pushing your back closer to her. “Whoo! Yeah girl, damn I didn’t know you could get down like that!” She exclaims as you rock your hips back and forth while also slowly moving down her body and then back up, making sure to push your butt into her. You both laugh as you continue before suddenly seeing a figure coming to loom over you.

“Hey! Mind if I steal your partner there for a bit?!” You hear the voice and recognize it as the New World Heavyweight Champion. You had known for a bit that Damian had a little crush on you. You’d catch him staring at you during rehearsals and at morning gym sessions. He’d always try to spark conversation with you and would even occasionally join in on your workouts if you were working the same area. Somehow he’d always end up “showing you a better way” or form to do an exercise in what felt like an excuse just to touch you. As if you weren’t a professional athlete with years of experience working out. But you didn’t mind, Damian was a nice and attractive guy after all. “She’s all yours champ!” Bayley said before walking away, being sure to look back at you and suggestively raise her eyebrows.

“You did awesome tonight! How’s it feel to finally be champion?” You leaned in to ask him. “Feels almost as great as you look.” He flirts letting his eyes roam up and down your body in your tight-fitting dress. You reach out to playfully push him laughing, “You’re stupid. Thanks though, you look good too.” You smile up at him. Amid your conversation, you can’t help but look over to the bar behind you and see two piercing blue eyes staring right at you. Rhea.

You and Rhea joined NXT around the same time and immediately clicked. You bonded over your nerdy video game tastes, love of horror movies and animals, and her vast intent on exposing you to heavy metal music. You two became best friends and an even better tag team. You even held the former NXT Women’s Tag Team Championships together for a run. However, it all changed one night after Rhea won her first North American NXT Women’s Championship.

You were in your dressing room screaming at the TV like a maniac. “Come on Rhea!” You yelled watching Rhea getting hit on the top rope. In the last second, she reversed the move hitting Shayna with the riptide from the second turnbuckle and pinning her for the title. You bolted from your dressing room to the gorilla, and down to the ring. You threw your arms around her squeezing her tighter than ever before as the announcer declared her victory. “You did it! I’m so proud of you!!” You pulled back smiling at her and practically jumping up and down. You went to hold her arm up in the air but instead, she scooped you up with her one free arm, causing you to wrap your legs around her waist. You laughed in surprise but just smiled right back at her, staring into her baby blue eyes. The crowd erupted as she held the title up in the air with her other arm all while holding you to her.

You made it back to the gorilla waiting for your chance for another hug once the crowd of individuals that had gathered to congratulate her had dispersed. “I still can’t believe it.” She stated almost breathlessly, still slightly panting as she stared at the gold on her arm. “Thank you for coming out to the ring. You know I love celebrating with you.” She smiled at you. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world, I love you so much.” You threw your arms around her neck and pulled her into an embrace. Only this time when you pulled apart, you couldn’t help but stop at a certain point. Your arms remained locked behind her neck and her hands remained steady at the small of your back and waist. You didn’t know what came over you, you leaned in and kissed her.

She must’ve been as surprised as you were judging by her slight jump. The second you felt it you immediately wanted to pull away and apologize, not even understanding why you did what you’d done. The thoughts were squashed instantaneously by the feeling of her kissing you back. It was like no other, the way your lips molded together, the way you moved in perfect synchrony with each other, how soft and perfect her lips felt. The first tender kiss slowly turned into more as you felt her tongue piercing run softly across your lower lip as she tried to gain access to your mouth. You couldn’t help but accept, allowing the kiss to become deeper and passionate. Your tongues slipped in and out of each other’s mouths with every movement. The moment came to an end all too soon when you both heard footsteps approaching and jumped apart.

Rhea was quickly busy with another superstar coming up to congratulate her. You used this as your excuse to bolt back to your dressing room. You slammed the door leaning your back against it, panting from pure adrenaline. What did you just do?! Rhea was your best friend for fuck’s sake. You had only ever been in relationships with men your entire life. You thought you’d had good experiences with guys, but that kiss. That was incomparable. You’d never felt such passion and dare you admit it, desire in just a kiss. Had you not been interrupted you were unsure how far you would’ve been willing to take that situation. You shook your head putting your head in your hands, not knowing what was wrong with you. Of course, you loved Rhea, how could you not? She’s gorgeous, funny, caring, and you have so many memories together. But did you love her? Or were you just caught up in the moment?

Surely, after all this time you would’ve known if you were into her, right? Your brain was running 100 miles a minute, completely unsure of what to think or do next. The only clear thought you had was you had to get away. You changed out of your ring gear faster than ever, changed into a baggy hoodie and sweats, pulling your hood over your head in an attempt to hide yourself. You grabbed your bag and headed out to your car and drove home.

Rhea blew up your phone that night trying to call you, text you, facetime you, hell she was even emailing you. You couldn’t bear to hear her voice and own up to what you had done. You were deleting her first at least 100 texts quickly, trying to not even read them. Only seeing glimpses of certain ones as you did so.

Rhea🖤: Y/N, what the hell?

Rhea🖤: Where are you??

Rhea🖤: We need to talk!

Rhea🖤: Call me back now.

Rhea🖤: This isn’t funny Y/N.

Rhea🖤: Answer the damn phone!

Rhea🖤: If you don’t answer, I swear to god I’m gonna bloody lose it Y/N.

You couldn’t even comprehend the idea of speaking to her in any shape or form in this state. Eventually, you decided to block her phone number. You told yourself it would be temporary, just until you were able to clear your mind. To understand why you did this and what your feelings truly were for your best friend. However days passed, you managed to successfully avoid her at shows despite hearing the gossip of her adamantly looking for you backstage at every single one.

Your call up from Smackdown couldn’t have come at a better time. You decided this promotion was the perfect opportunity to extend your sabbatical with Ripley. You’d figure it out eventually, you told yourself.

Present

You and Rhea hadn’t properly spoken in a very long time. In what seemed like divine intervention to you, you always ended up on the opposing show. Only having to be around one another at certain pay per views throughout the years. However, thanks to avoidance and always making sure at least one other superstar was in the room with you, you never managed to be fully alone with Rhea. You were polite of course, casual, but you never allowed the conversation to get too intense before ditching. In the instances you were around one another you’d feel her doing what she was doing now. Eyeing you down, as if she was trying to read you. Trying to understand why you were so willing to throw away everything you had together. All just because you refused to admit your true feelings.

You felt your breath catch your throat but tried to instantly regain your composure, looking back up at Priest. “You wanted to dance, let’s dance!” You squeal at him causing him to chuckle at you. You begin to dance together but all the while all you can feel is what feels like lasers beaming right at your face. Rhea was at the bar with Bianca and Jade, ordering another round and talking amongst themselves. However, Rhea wasn't remotely interested. She was captivated by you.

You can say that we are nothing, but you know the truth

You forced yourself to turn around not wanting to feel her eyes directly on your face. Continuing to sway to the music you push your back around Priest, seductively grinding on him. Closing your eyes you tried to distract yourself from the thoughts of wishing you were dancing like this on the woman across the room. You knew at this point what you wanted but it felt as if it had been too long. Not to mention the thought still petrified you. The idea of further ruining the perfect friendship you’d tossed aside. All because you were a coward.

And guess I’m the fool

Finally, you turn back around, planning on telling Damian you were too drunk and should head back to your hotel. Even though you knew you were fine. As you did so you noticed her beginning to head into the crowd, beeling straight to you and Priest. Oh God. Your heart began to race and your stomach felt as if it had dropped to your ass. Your mind was running through every possible scenario to try to get out of this oncoming shit storm. You did the first comprehensive thing that came to your mind, standing up on your tiptoes in your heels, grabbing the back of his neck and bringing his lips down onto yours. Damian immediately accepted, holding your face in his large hands as you moved your lips together.

The black haired Australian stopped in her tracks as she saw what you were doing.

You can kiss 100 boys in bars

Shoot another shot, try to stop the feeling

You were trying to put your all into the kiss. Anything to try to show Rhea you weren’t interested in her. It felt as if you were trying to put on some elaborate performance but you couldn’t stop yourself. You had your hands on top of his then began to grab his shirt, pulling him as close to you as possible. Priest put his hands on top of yours pulling back, “Woah Y/N, I think you’ve had a bit too much muñeca. I’d love to, but not like this.”

All while Damian is gently “letting you down” she finally reaches you, breaking out into a toothy grin. “Hey mate, Y/N, you doing okay? You don’t look so great.” She feigns concern looking you up and down but you know each other too well. You’d spent more than a couple nights out together and she knew your tolerance was way higher than you were portraying. “I’m fine.” You answer quickly, almost too quickly. Damian looks at both of you assessing the situation, clearly unsure of what to do. No matter what else you tried to look at around the room you kept somehow locking eyes with her again. Those light blue orbs taking your breath away every time. “Rhea, you mind helping get Y/N back? You don’t mind right, Y/N?”

Before you can even protest, she interrupts. “Of course mate. I’ll text you when I get her in. Have fun tonight champ!” She grabs your wrist and starts leading you out of the club, shouting at Priest over her shoulder. “What the fuck are you doing?!” You’re trying to pull out of her grip but are unsuccessful each time. She didn’t answer, keeping her eyes pointed towards the exit of the club.

At the last second, she turns, leading you towards the hallway where the bathrooms were. “Rhea, seriously let me go! What are you doing?!” You attempt to exclaim once but she continues to ignore you, just dragging you along.

You reach the bathroom and she opens the door dragging you inside. You look around expecting a multi-stall facility but instead find yourself in a very tight space with the woman you’ve avoided for so long.

“The better question is, what are you doing Y/N?” She turns around finally making eye contact with you again. Your eyes dart once again trying to avoid the intensity. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” You say as your eyes finally settle on a particular piece of graffiti on the wall in front of you. “Yes, you do. You’ve dodged me for years. You don’t want to be around me, fine. But really? You’re gonna try to act like you’re something you’re not?” She shakes her head, her eyes squinting as she looks you up and down as if she was trying to piece you back together in her mind.

“You’re being ridiculous. If Priest wants to pursue me, why shouldn’t I let him?” You cross your arms over your chest in an attempt to subconsciously put a barrier between you and her.

You can say it’s just the way you are

Make another excuse, another stupid reason

“This isn’t what you want, Y/N.” Rhea grabs your chin forcing you to look at her. Your heart is pounding so hard it feels as if it could burst out of you at any moment. You felt a lump in your throat as hard as a stone. The cold feeling of her rings touching your skin would normally make you jump but they felt amazing against your now blazing red skin.

“You may tell yourself that kiss never happened. Bloody hell, you probably have to tell yourself that every day. I bet you think about it all the time.” You felt as if she was rubbing your biggest mistake in your face. You go to smack her hand away, “Stop it, Rhea, it was years ago. I was in the moment and I overstepped. It meant noth-“

She cuts you off, taking you by surprise by pushing herself up against you against the wall, her hands next to both sides of your head. You can’t help the audible small gasp that leaves your mouth. “Tell me you don’t want this.” She whispers as she inches her face towards yours. You gulp.

Good luck, babe.

Well, good luck, babe.

She takes one of her hands and grips your jaw forcing you to look at her. “Tell me you don’t want me.”

You’d have to stop the world just to stop the feeling

You inhale deeply through your nose. Your body was covered in goosebumps yet somehow still felt like it was on fire. Feeling her strong body up against yours was causing your mind to blank. You couldn’t think of anything besides the feeling of her chest moving against yours with each deep breath you took.

In that moment you felt your once strong front begin to dissipate. “Rhea, I-“ You try to start but the ball in your throat causes your voice to catch. You look up at the ceiling feeling tears prickling at your eyes. “I do want you. I want you more than anything.” The tears begin to fall down your cheeks as you continue.

“I’m such a fucking idiot.” You whisper to yourself. Seeing your tears Rhea backed up slightly, taking one hand and gently wiping at some of the tears. “You’re not an idiot baby.” She softly spoke, leaving her hand to rest on your cheek.

“I didn’t want to ruin our friendship but I-“ You open your mouth inhaling deeply then exhaling, trying to stop crying. “I did.”

“Why couldn’t you tell me Y/N? We’d been close for so long. Nothing could and would ever ruin what we have. As friends or, as more.” She enunciates the last part, her Aussie accent thick.

You shake your head, wishing you had a reasonable answer for her. “I don’t know.”

She sighs, pulling you to her in a tight embrace. You exhale, wrapping your arms around her. She holds the back of your head stroking your hair softly. Of course, she’d remember. That was always something she’d do for you whenever you were stressed or upset.

“I missed you so fucking much.” You whisper, squeezing her as tight as you possibly could inhaling her familiar scent.

You’re the first to pull away but remain still, keeping her close. Rhea looks down at you wiping the last remaining tears away. Only now do you notice the tear stains where makeup once was on her face.

Despite the messy makeup, disheveled hair, and groggy voices from crying you couldn’t help but think about how gorgeous she looked.

“Rhea?” You ask softly. “Y/N?” She responds looking into your eyes.

“You’re right. I haven’t stopped thinking about this.” You sigh, shaking your head slightly then grabbing her face in your hands and smashing your lips together. It was as if no time had passed.

The same fire and passion from the first kiss immediately reignited. She reached around your body, holding your lower back and gripping your ass with the other. You moaned softly at the feeling allowing her to slip her tongue into your mouth.

You reached your hands out grabbing every part of her that you could reach. From her long black hair, to her waist using her metal chain belt to pull her even closer.

She pulls away and you almost whine. “Come on you, we’re going to the hotel. I’m gonna show what else I’ve been thinking about since that kiss.”

[gremlinmodetweeker]

Dead Weight On A Saturday Morning

So this was inspired by a comment from @callof-beauties on this story I wrote here about König yelling at his soldiers. The thought essentially boiled down to 'but what if he yelled at us like that' and I realized that both due to König not wanting to be that loud without a good reason and the physical limitations to being able to indulge, König wouldn't really be able to yell at you quite like that.

Would he totally have the meanest and nastiest tone as he whispers all sorts of nasty degrading shit into your ear? Absolutely. 100%. There's no doubt about that. But yelling? He can't do that.

Of course, reader doesn't know this, so reader fucks around and finds out just how König'll punish them for trying to make him mad.

Wordcount: 2.1k

Warnings: Reader purposefully trying to anger König, König being a bit heavy, pretty much pure fluff

Art from This Post

Story Below the Cut

Dead Weight On A Saturday Morning

Ever since you’d seen König at work, you’d been insatiable. You needed König to yell at you like he yelled at his trainees. You were feral, frothing at the mouth and doing everything in your power to drive König up the wall. You needed him more than you needed oxygen at this point. Unfortunately for you, König hadn’t picked up the memo.

Rather, König had just turned into an awful grouch. A part of you knew that the single answer to your problem was the beautiful term ‘communication’ but you couldn’t help yourself. Part of the excitement was getting him to do it spontaneously. After all, that was the whole goal, right? Get him worked up and watch the fireworks fly.

Of course, König was König and whenever König was involved in a plan, things were bound to go awry. You had to wonder how he ever became a colonel when he was a magnet for disaster. That said, König was a disaster for other people, not for himself. He could walk through Hell unscathed yet leave a trail of mass destruction in his wake. It was almost supernatural. You heard the stories from Horangi, how König would be perfectly comfortable sipping his drink while a brawl was wrecking the room around him. König, if he noticed at all, showed no signs.

This of course meant that whenever you planned for a specific reaction with König involved, the Austrian would gleefully (obliviously) throw a wrench into whatever wild machinations you were constructing. It was bizarre how effortlessly he screwed up everything around him. You had to wonder if he was actually oblivious, or if he was perfectly aware yet happily upturning any and all plans he encountered. It was a maddening life of chaos around him, with him sitting all content in the eye of the hurricane as he sipped his morning coffee.

This morning, however, you determined things would be different. You were sure of that. You were perfectly sure in your actions because you’d finally be violating the one rule of the household: don’t disturb König’s coffee time.

It was a simple yet effective rule. König was a coffee snob like no other. You’d tried to make him coffee in the morning when you first lived together, but he’d pretty quickly shooed you away to fix your mistakes. Of course, your greatest offense was using that abhorrent sludge you referred to as ‘instant’ coffee. He’d sniffed and called it instant laxatives, and that was the last day you ever had instant coffee in your house.

Over time, you learned König’s routine and managed to replicate his preferred brew perfectly. It was a strange combination of brewing for a set amount of time using bottled spring water he specially ordered online and steaming milk to a set temperature before cooling it to pour into König’s mug. On special days, he might even go for a spoonful of coconut sugar. Not caster, not brown, heaven forbid refined, but coconut. It had to be coconut or else he’d throw a hissy fit.

Today, of course, you knew König was champing at the bit for that spoonful of sugar and you’d be happy to provide. You choice of sugar, of course, being the dreaded white sugar that he so despised.

Of course, his coffee wasn’t all. König was a beast of habit, and little traits of his stuck with him since childhood. He had to have his orange juice in a small glass (‘I could never have more than a single serving! That would ruin my calorie distribution for the day’) and a cup of milk. Once he drank his milk, he’d wash his glass and fill it with water to chase down the milk. You’d asked him why, and he had only shrugged and told you it was good to stay hydrated. He had then gone into detail about why your morning nutrition was key to a successful day, then proceeded to nitpick your breakfast and accompanying drink until you’d been so sick of his madness that you left back to the bedroom to sleep for another hour.

So, with König’s eccentric tendencies surrounding his morning routine in mind, that morning you placed König’s mug on his special coaster (knit by his Oma to celebrate his entrance into the army) before sitting across the table and waiting.

König was none the wiser, and who could blame him? You were his ever-faithful partner. You’d never dare to betray your beloved husband, would you? Never! Or at least, not until today.

König flipped through his book idly.

“Whatcha reading?” you asked as casually as you could while sipping your orange juice.

“‘A Brief Survey of Austrian History’,” he replied as he turned a page, “by Richard Rickett.”

“Is it any good?” you asked.

“It’s decent. There are some minor inaccuracies scattered throughout, but for the most part it’s a good read,” König said as he skimmed the page before turning the book to you, “here’s a nice drawing of Prince Eugene of Savoy.”

It was a beautiful black and white copy of what was obviously a commissioned portrait, the man in question with a full white wig and a high forehead, a pronounced nose and a subtle smile. He seemed so at ease, very unlike König in just a moment.

“Did he do anything cool?” you asked.

“I’m at the part where they’re discussing what he did on the eastern front,” König explained, skimming the page with a finger, “he apparently became quite the statesman after his success on the fields.”

“That’s interesting,” you sipped your drink a bit too loudly to be accidental.

König’s finger paused on the page as his eyes glanced up from the little book. He stared at you carefully before flicking back to the book, a quiet recognition of your rude behavior and a silent warning to stop. 

“So what’re you doing today? It’s the weekend, so you gotta have some plans, right?” you watched him carefully.

“I was hoping to catch up on some reading today after I cut the grass,” König drawled, “maybe paint a couple of those soldiers my brother gave me at Christmas. It’s been months and I haven’t even touched them! He’d be horrified.”

“You sure do like your armies,” you mused.

“They’re perfect for my dioramas,” König muttered, “but aside from that, I expect Horangi or one of my sisters to bother me about something soon enough. They usually keep me busy.”

“Sounds like you’re pretty busy,” you nodded slowly.

König, polite as ever, made no move to ask about your plans and instead focussed on his reading. Once, you’d have been offended. Now you were just exasperated more than anything else. You should really know better than to try and talk to him when he’s reading, but you still sometimes wished he’d put his book away and actually talk, but that was a lot to ask for the quiet man.

You watched carefully as König made his way through his orange juice. Every so often, he’d dip his soldiered toast into the runny yolk of his egg, take a bite, and then put it away until he turned the page. When dealing with König, patience was key to success.

Soon, König had finished his orange juice (along with his toast) and had pulled a tray of fruits in front of him. He resettled himself on his chair with a grunt and lifted his cup of coffee. He took a sniff, then scrunched his brows.

“Is everything alright?” you asked slyly.

“Should be,” König muttered before taking a slow sip. He pulled his lips into a line. He took another sip. His brows knit tightly together. He took a final sip and put his coffee down.

You were practically vibrating with excitement.

König leveled you with a steely stare and flatly said, “No.”

You raised an eyebrow, “No?”

“No,” he grunted and drew himself up before slumping back in his chair with a huff, “I’m not doing it.”

“Doing what?” your eyes widened, shock and horror making your heart skip a beat in your chest.

He looked at you with an exasperated face, “I’m not yelling at you.”

“What!” you scoffed, “what do you mean? What-what are you talking about!?”

König closed his eyes and took a long breath in before slowly drawing it out his nose, “I know you think it’s hot when I yell, but I can’t do that to you. And again, I don’t want the neighbors to know.”

You groaned. The jig was up, and unfortunately König had played his cards expertly.

“If I raise my voice even just a tiny bit,” König explained with patience that rivaled that of a parent or a saint, “if I yelled, our neighbors would know everything.”

“These walls are pretty well insulated,” you huffed petulantly.

“Maus,” he sighed, “when I yell I can easily fill an entire parade square. If I have an army marching behind me, the farthest man at the back can still hear me yelling at them. I am too loud to yell at you in bed. Anyways, how would that even work? I fuck you and scream in your face? Maus that make no sense.”

“I mean, maybe we could go to an abandoned forest or like…” you trailed off with a sigh, “you’re not gonna do it, are you.”

König shook his head slowly as he took another long sip of coffee. Loudly, you noted.

“Okay but can’t you do something like that?” you whined.

“I can maybe raise my voice a bit,” König relented, “I can try and shift my tone too. I think you’re more after the tone than the volume, I’ll be honest, but I’m not having our neighbors think I’m an abusive husband.”

You paused.

“Oh it would sound like that, wouldn’t it,” you mused.

“If I called you a dirty whore that needs a good slap?” König laughed, “ja! Ja I would! Maus please, I borrowed Austin’s weed whacker to cut our grass today. How could I look him in the eye if he thought I beat you?”

You nodded slowly. That certainly threw a wrench in your plans, but then again, such was König’s specialty. You were thoroughly beat. König was completely right. There was no way he could yell at you like he did his soldiers. Of course you’d accept a compromise, but it just wasn’t quite the same. Well, beggars can’t be choosers, you thought with a sigh.

“But,” König put down his now empty mug, “you can’t just do this,” he gestured to the mug, “and think I’ll just ignore it. You’ve been pestering me all week, and wouldn’t you know? My schedule for the weekend just opened up!”

A thrill raced down your spine.

“You, Maus,” König stated as he picked himself up from his seat, “are coming with me.”

And with that, he hauled over his shoulder. To your surprise, he didn’t make his way back up the stairs to bed, but rather to the plush sofa you’d put in the living room. Without any proper decorum or grace, he threw you down onto the ottoman with a laugh.

You turned to ask what he was doing when he promptly sat down on your gut and kicked his feet up onto the stool. He laughed at your pathetic wheeze as he turned on the television.

“Get the fuck off of me!” you managed to spit out under the 250 lb weight now sat neatly on top of you.

“Oh look!” he commented, “little Maus is squeaking!”

You grumbled and groaned.

"I don't understand why you're so upset," König drawled, "you wanted a big man to punish you, put you in your place, ja? And I did! You're right where you belong! Underneath me."

"I didn't mean it like this!" you whined.

He ignored your desperate please for mercy as he flicked through your subscriptions, finally deciding on a dreaded movie.

“No you’re not making me watch it!” you screeched and flailed under the heavy mass on top of you, but with a scooch he was firmly seated on top, happily ignoring you whinging as the Netflix logo flashed on screen.

“Stoppit!” you spat and hissed, but König was happy to ignore you.

Your deadweight of a husband looked down at you from the corner of his eye, “I’ve been wanting to watch some history documentaries on Netflix, see how good they are. You’re not opposed, are you?”

“Get the fuck off of me you fatass,” you snarled back.

“Oh good,” König turned back to look at the screen, “I’ve got a few lined up that I want to watch.”

König fell into a comfortable silence as the narrator began regaling the stories of Einstein’s involvement in the Heisenberg project, happily ignoring your writhing and squeaking with ease.

“I should’ve gotten some snacks,” König muttered as he ground himself into your bones.

“I hate you so much.”

Story Masterlist

[bluebeary-jay]

Playing pretend

Jack "Whiskey" Daniels x f!Reader

Summary: a simple mission turns out to be quite a challenge when you find out that you're partnered with Jack Daniels. oh, and that you have to pretend to be in love with each other. easy? not at all.

Tags: fake dating lets gooo!! idiots in love, fluff, some steamier scenes later on, reader is a tease and Jack is a disaster. equals mutual dumbassery

Warnings: jealousy, not smut but some steam for sure, a few ridiculous southern sayings i had way too much fun coming up with

Word count: 5.5K

A/N: i don't really know why i chose jack for this prompt but i think it fits nicely. @pedrostories i know i'm late but i wanted to do this for you ❤️ congrats again!! and for all the other lovely people who stick around, i hope you like this and happy reading!! 💕 comments and reblogs are greatly appreciated and i love you all so much for the constant support 💗

This was supposed to be a delicate type of operation, which is why you were the first choice for the mission. It wasn’t a dig of any kind – everyone just knew you were good at handling tense situations and skilled at staying out of sight, not to mention your gift for making people trust you easily. Everything that was needed for this particular task.

Who wasn’t good at blending in, however, was Agent Whiskey. Which is why you were more than a little surprised when it turned out he’ll be your partner for the mission.

“I know he’s not exactly a subtle sort,” said Champ when you brought it up. “But we do need to get the target’s attention and… well, we can count on him when it comes to that. Besides, who knows,” he sent you a half-smile, though he seemed unsure of his own words, somehow, “maybe you two will balance yourself out. Maybe it’ll be good for you.”

So that’s how it happened. That’s how you got stuck with Jack Daniels.

It wasn’t that you disliked Jack. He was a handful, yes, an arrogant asshole and a show-off, but he also could make you laugh. He was very skilled at fighting and you knew you could count on him if things went south. And, though you would never admit it, he wasn’t the worst to look at.

The main problem was the combination of his stupid cockiness on this particular mission.

Because you had to pretend to be in love.

“C’mon, sunshine, it won’t be that bad.”

“Maybe for your dumb ass,” you murmured in response while walking to the table, squeezing Jack’s arm tightly and subtly looking around the hall. “I swear, Whiskey, if you try something…”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” The man you were supposed to pretend to be dating leaned in, and your whole body tensed. “I’ll be a perfect gentleman, sweet pea.”

“I doubt it.”

“...For the remainder of the mission.”

“There you go.”

In his usual ‘Jack Daniels’ fashion, he started pushing your buttons to the extreme even before your jet plane landed, and you had to close your eyes and count from ten to zero several times already, ordering yourself to calm down. Sometimes, you had to admit, his confidence and cheekiness were quite endearing, making you think about that frustratingly beautiful face of his late at night, but this time he was treading on very thin ice and you didn’t feel like being understanding.

You used to pride yourself in knowing exactly how to handle him. Jack was the biggest tease and a diva, and as long as you balanced the thin line between not encouraging his antics and giving him just enough attention, he became as gentle as a lamb in your presence. But this… this stupid, stupid mission…

“Would you like a cupcake, my lovely tater tot?” Whiskey’s voice jolted you out of your thoughts, and you had to stop the grimace on your face at the over-the-top nickname and his smug smirk. Instead, you just smiled sweetly.

“Only if you have some, my little meatball,” you answered through gritted teeth, but his infuriating smile only grew. Great.

The problem wasn’t even Jack. It was you, and that was what was driving you crazy.

You used to have a small, tiny crush on the older agent, but you liked to think it was long gone, water under the bridge and all that crap. He was Jack Daniels, for heaven’s sake – he’d never be interested in someone as guarded and shy as you, and though it took you a few months to realize that his ‘flirting’ was actually how he talked with every woman, you made your peace with it.

But being here with him, watching him acting as if he loves you, as if you hung the moon and stars in the sky… Touching you as if you’re the most precious thing in the entire world, trying to be as close to you as possible (though still respecting your boundaries, just like he promised)... It was tearing you apart.

And you hated feeling so out of control of your own emotions.

“You okay?” Jack murmured after a couple more minutes of silence, doffing his hat to someone walking by. “You’re unusually quiet.”

You were sitting on his lap all stiff, trying to remember how to breathe, but it wasn’t easy with his hand on your thigh. His touch was soothing, as if he suspected how uncomfortable all of it was for you and wanted to help you relax, but for all you knew, he could be just looking for an excuse to feel you up.

“M’fine,” you answered, trying to ignore your closeness. “I can just sit next to you, y’know.”

“Never hurts to act a bit over-the-top,” he said, and then eyed you warily. “You’d better not be sayin’ that ‘cause of these women’s talks about ‘bein’ too heavy’. I’ll have you know, cutie pie, that these thighs are meant for a wilder rodeo than holdin’ a pretty little thing like you perched on ‘em.”

You ignored his frivolous remark. Jack waited a couple of seconds before he sighed and slowly leaned in, probably wanting it to seem like he was kissing your neck. But instead of his lips, you felt his hot breath on your skin, making you shiver.

“You look like a gazelle in a lion den, sugar,” he whispered worriedly, taking his eyes off of you to look around inconspicuously. “If anyone’s to believe that we’re a couple of lovebirds, you gotta stop acting like I’m holdin’ you hostage.”

“Easy for you to say.” You had to stop yourself from smacking his hand away from your leg. “You’re probably upset the mission doesn’t let you flirt with any of those women,” you said to draw the attention from your own emotions, but Whiskey just laughed quietly.

“Who said I’d want to? I have the most beautiful gal right here on my lap.” He sent you a wink. “Though she could be more handsy for ol’ Jack’s standards.”

You shook your head disapprovingly, but that didn’t discourage him, especially when he noticed a small smile on your face.

“I’m serious. Or as serious as you’re comfortable with me to be.” He smirked, the bastard, and glanced at you with his eyes half-lidded. “So what will it be, sugar? You have to do your part, too, no?”

As much as you hated to admit it, he was right. Ever since you got here, you were wary, avoiding his touch and teasing more often than not, while he didn’t have any problem with acting as if he was interested in you. You presumed it was nothing for him – he’d do a good job with any woman on his arm, but for you it was almost too painful to attempt.

But if you didn’t want to blow your cover, you had to get over yourself and your stupid heart.

“My part?” you repeated in a whisper, steeling yourself and lifting your hand to his face. Jack froze in place, his eyes wide when you hummed and stroked his cheek with your thumb. “How’s this for acting all lovesick, cowboy?”

“Uhm…” he cleared his throat. There was a hint of surprise and enjoyment in his eyes, but though he tried to hide it behind his usual mask of arrogance, you could also see that he was almost… nervous. “S’better, sunshine. You’d have m– anyone fooled.” You squinted, and then, as if the spell was broken, all the awkwardness disappeared from Jack’s face, and he took your chin in-between his thumb and forefinger, bringing you an inch closer. “Though you could still learn a thin’ or two from your dashin’ lover.”

“Watch what you’re doing, Jack.”

“Oh, c’mon, I don’t mean anythin’ bad.” His hand squeezed your thigh just a little, making you tense. “Just a bit of harmless fun. Our target isn’t even here yet.”

“Talk quieter,” you hissed, but he just chuckled.

“Wanna shut me up, sugar?”

His smile was positively shit-eating, and you wanted nothing more than to wipe it off his face. Jack always knew how much to push and prod at your usually composed self, all to rile you up just the right amount. Ginger told you several times that he hopes for your reaction and that’s why he’s doing it, but it didn’t change the fact that sometimes he was pissing you off so much that letting him win would be considered a dishonor.

You squared your shoulders and just as you predicted, Whiskey’s eyes strayed to your collarbone before snapping right back. You raised an eyebrow and leaned in closer, closer, closer… until you heard him inhale sharply.

Your chests were brushing against each other with every deep breath you took, but you didn’t pull back.

Harmless fun, he said?

Your fingers traveled up to the collar of his shirt, fixing it a little, and then slid down his chest. His heart was pounding under your palm, and finding this out brought you a lot of satisfaction, so you took it to the next level and whispered sweetly:

“Please shut up, or I’ll act out a messy breakup and you will have to explain yourself to Champ.”

Before you fully grasped what you were doing, your teeth grazed his earlobe gently, eliciting a low groan out of the agent. His arm around your waist tightened, and that’s what finally brought you back to reality.

In an instant you pulled away from each other. Your neck was hot with embarrassment at your sudden boldness, but at least you achieved your goal – Jack looked completely stunned and, for once, speechless.

Both of you stared at each other for a few moments before Jack mustered a tight smile and nodded.

“Gotta say, uh…” Your eyes met briefly again, and he swallowed heavily, all his bravado leaving him. “Actually, ‘scuse me for a sec.”

Not paying attention to your bewildered expression, he stood up, almost causing you to fall to the floor. His name died on your lips when he fixed his tie and turned around, heading to the restrooms.

It was so unlike him to act this way, that you started to worry you crossed some boundary even someone like agent Whiskey didn’t dare to approach.

You behaved unexpectedly, yes, but was it a reason enough for him to leave like that?

“Looks like my date isn’t the only one who bailed.”

With the strange voice came a man you didn’t recognize, but who sat down right next to you with way too much confidence for your liking. It took you a second to realize he was talking about Jack, and you summoned a small smile.

“Oh, no, no. He just went to the restroom.” You waved your hand in the general direction. “He didn’t leave leave.”

“Then perhaps you won’t mind me keeping you company?” The man – tall, blonde and in a damn expensive suit – offered his hand for you to shake. “My name’s Jacob.”

Jacob? Was it the same Jacob that supposedly planned to seal some dark deal during the reception tomorrow?

You opened your mouth, but before you could ask about his last name – or offer him yours, for that matter – he continued. “I don’t think I’ve seen you before, sweetheart. Are you a friend of someone here?”

“Lillian’s old friend, actually.” That was the name of the maid of honor, the same one who had some connections with Champ and notified him about this whole business. “But I came a day before to see the city with my boyfriend.”

“Your boyfriend…” He nodded to the side with his eyebrows raised. “The Southern Sam?”

“That’s funny, cause his name actually is Sam,” you attempted to make a joke for Jacob to lower his guard, which seemed to have worked.

“And how long have you been together?”

Was that an interview? “Almost two years, why?”

“I’m asking ‘cause I saw the cowboy chatting with some ladies at the bar before.” He gave you a fake sympathetic look. “And you were nowhere to be seen.”

You knew about it, of course – Jack tried to get some information out of the singles gossiping at the minibar, but other than an offer for a ‘time of his life’, he couldn’t drag anything useful out of them. But still, Jacob was clearly looking for a reason to make you doubt your boyfriend’s intentions, so you went with it.

“What?” You changed your voice to be softer, and looked over your shoulder. “Oh… well, I’m sure it was nothing.”

“Sorry to say, babydoll, but it didn’t seem like it.”

Jacob shifted closer, now making you really uncomfortable, but you were careful not to let it show. He placed his hand on your thigh and draped the other arm over the back of your chair, sending you a flirtatious smile.

“But just to let you know, if, let’s say… things don’t work out with your cowboy, I have a beautiful mansion not far from here that I’d love to show you. There’s some things I have to take care of tomorrow, but after that…”

He trailed off, and his eyes suddenly strayed above your shoulder. You felt another, stronger arm wrapping around your waist and pulling you closer, and when you lifted your gaze, you were met with Jack’s brown eyes, full of well-hidden anger.

“Hi there, buttercup. Who’s your new friend?”

Though his tone sounded friendly, you knew it was anything but. You smiled tightly and turned to him.

“Sam, this is Jacob,” you said, giving the former a pointed look to let him know you’re in the middle of handling the latter. But the older agent seemingly didn’t take the hint and narrowed his eyes at their target. “We were just getting to know each other.”

“Well, hate to interrupt your chat, but I’ve got somethin’ I wanted to show ya, darlin’.”

Your eyes popped when you heard him, not believing that Jack was really sabotaging your work like that. But he didn’t back down, keeping his stare cold and hard.

“I think I’ll stay here,” you answered dryly. “We can talk later.”

“We’re talkin’ now,” he doubled down, tightening his hold on your waist. You glared at him angrily but before you could say something you’d regret, Jacob butted in.

“Maybe I should take my leave for now,” he said with a charming smile and winked in your direction. “I’ll see you later, doll.”

You watched in frustration as he walked away, and then faced Jack with barely concealed anger, but he didn’t even look your way.

“Found the conference hall,”he just murmured before standing up. “Follow me.”

An irritated huff was the only answer he received. You did as he asked, however, deciding to give him a piece of your mind in a more secluded location.

“So I think this is the place,” Jack said, stepping slowly around the table. He guided you through a closed off section of the building where you definitely shouldn’t be, stopping in a big, though quite narrow, room. “Had to break down the lock at the door, a pretty sturdy one. I reckon we plant the bug under one of the chairs and maybe somewhere on the other side, but I wanted to get a second opinion–”

“Aren’t we gonna talk about what happened there?” you interrupted him, crossing your arms over your chest. Whiskey paused and looked at you with his brow raised.

“What happened where?”

“With Jacob. What the fuck was that about, Jack?”

“You really wanna talk about this now?” he asked in response, but your unwavering stare spoke for itself, and he threw his arms in the air. ”Fine. Damn me for lookin’ out for ya.”

“He was eating out of my hand, and you blew it!” you accused him, which made him clench his jaw.

“If you didn’t notice, he was gettin’ way too close an’ personal–”

“He’s our target, Jack! The mission is to get close to him.”

Whiskey huffed and turned around, shaking his head. He adjusted his hat, angling it in a way so you couldn’t see his eyes anymore. “Look, sugar, I know the mission’s important and all that jackal’s shit, but we– you don’t need to let the bastard feel ya up to get the information outta him.”

“Is that what’s bothering you?” you cocked your eyebrow, not believing him. “It’s my job, Whiskey.”

“Still–”

“And besides, it’s none of your business! What if I don’t mind it?”

He did look at you in that moment, with a gaze so cool and dark that it caused your confidence and resolve to waver. His face, so harsh in its beauty, looked like it was carved out of a block of marble as he slowly strode forward, walking around the long table. Not for one second he took his brown eyes off of you, and you had to resist the urge to hold your breath.

Jack was rarely someone who could be considered ‘intimidating’. Goofy, arrogant, smartmouth – sure. But not intimidating.

But agent Whiskey… Agent Whiskey was a different story altogether.

“S’that so?” he murmured lowly, making your insides tighten at the timbre of his voice. “I didn’t realize my girlfriend is the sort to throw herself into the arms of the first man she meets.”

“Don’t forget yourself,” you scoffed, done with his theatrics. “We’re not together.”

“Jacob thinks so,” he shot back, stepping into your personal space and – to your irritation – forcing you to take a step back. “And now he’ll think I’m neglectin’ a gem like you.”

“So that’s what it’s about!” A short, dry laugh fell from your lips, and you rolled your eyes. “It’s all about Jack Daniels’ precious, fragile pride that some stranger will think you’re not the sex god and womanizer you think you are.”

“I’ve no clue what you’re blabberin’ ‘bout, pumpkin.” That bastard dared to smirk, his chest colliding with yours when you refused to move away from him again. “Sam Brooks is a very faithful and attentive boyfriend.”

“Oh, screw you.”

“And…” he continued, ignoring you. “He doesn’t wanna see any chowderhead’s hands on his girl. Mission or no mission.”

“You’re forgetting yourself,” you shot back with a pang of both irritation and electricity from the way he said ‘his girl’. “This is an act and… and besides, who do you think you are to be telling me that?!” His expression didn’t change and it made the flames of your rage burst higher. “It’s you who has a reputation of jumping at every chance to fuck any female target–!”

The man in front of you moved abruptly, quickly as a whip he was so proficient with, and though your training prepared you for such situations, you still didn’t manage to block his palm from covering your mouth. His head was turned to the side, but returned to its previous position when you smacked his hand away with an angry huff and pushed him strongly.

“What is wrong with you?!”

“Shh!”

“Don’t shush me, asshole! You started it, so now–”

“For cryin’ out loud, shut it!” he hissed, lifting his hand to signal you to be quiet. He tilted his head again and held his breath, waiting. And then you heard it.

Someone was in the corridor, from the sound of it opening and closing the doors to every room one at the time.

You and Jack looked at each other.

“We need to get outta here, sunshine.”

You had to save your argument for later, but the quick search soon showed that the door you came through was the only exit route. There were no windows in the room – a sought-after thing when you don’t want anyone to spy on your shady deals, you supposed – or even any nooks and crannies one could hide in. You were screwed.

“Fuck!” Jack hissed, quietly going back to you from searching around the conference room. “We’re trapped like a pair of mice under the cat’s tail!”

The echo of footsteps was getting louder, more frantic, and you raked your brain about what to do to appear the least suspicious if someone were to nail you in the area you absolutely should not be.

Beside you, Jack sighed heavily, closing his eyes for a moment, before quickly shrugging his jacket off. Then he unbuttoned two of his shirt’s buttons and walked up to you, forcing you to draw back until your back hit the wall behind you.

“What the hell are you–”

“You’re gonna hate me even more, and m’really sorry,” he cut you off hurriedly and apologetically. You shot him a furious, questioning look, which turned to total confusion when he took off his hat and placed it on your head, ruffling his own hair. “Just go with it, sugar.”

The door on the other side of the room creaked, but you didn’t have a chance to turn your head because right in that moment Jack crashed his lips to yours, kissing you with such passion that it stole the breath away from your lungs. It took you a few seconds to get over your surprise, but you quickly understood what his plan was.

It was wrong and you could still come up with another way to distract whoever was at the door, but if you were honest… you didn't want to.

With the first fiery caress of Jack Daniel’s lips, it became clear to you that his touch was extremely addicting, and as improper as it was, you were already starving for more. It briefly crossed your mind to push him away, because that is not how you imagined this evening to go, but… you had to admit, this was a good idea for a distraction.

And probably your only chance to kiss this handsome, maddening cowboy.

So you reciprocated, your hands grabbing him by his clothes roughly, and poured into the kiss all the longing and feelings you had for your fellow agent, and which you tried to contain all evening. You let it all out.

Jack didn’t waste any time, and the second you returned the kiss, he grabbed the back of your thighs and lifted you up, pressing you harder against the wall and forcing you to wrap your legs around his waist. The moan you let out was swallowed by his mouth, and he continued to kiss and caress you like a man starved, like he planned to devour you whole.

And maybe it was the alcohol you consumed, or maybe just that infatuation you never fully suppressed, but you didn’t fight your own desire to be as close to him as possible. You used to fantasize about wiping that stupid smirk off Jack’s face by stealing the breath out of him, but you never imagined how wonderful it’d feel.

God, the noises he was making when you tugged on his hair… the feeling of his hands on your bare thighs… and his mouth. On your lips, on your neck and collarbone, kissing every inch of your skin like there’s no tomorrow… Nothing could ever prepare you for how much you wanted him to keep going, to–

You pretty much forgot the reason this make-out session even started, and your heart almost jumped out of your chest when you heard someone clearing their throat pointedly.

Jack’s lips left yours in an instant and you had to stop yourself from pulling him back by the material of his shirt, your head still dizzy from what just happened. Instead you turned to the door, your nerves dying down when you saw a young and clearly uncomfortable man.

“Uhm, apologies,” he spoke up with a nervous smile. “Have any of you seen two little girls running around?”

He sounded sincere, but no matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t calm down your pounding heart. Jack was still holding you up and for a second you worried that he’s going to drop you, but he supported your weight without breaking a sweat.

“No, buddy. Sorry,” your partner answered, and the man nodded.

“Alright… It’s just, they’re wrapping up the party for today, but my daughters ran off somewhere.” His eyes shifted to you and your bare thighs, the material of your dress rolled up where Jack had his hands on you. Before you could become embarrassed, the lost dad coughed again. “Uhm, the staff asked everyone to leave in the next half an hour, so… just so you know. Bye.”

The door quickly shut behind him, slamming a little too loudly in the sudden silence. The shame at being caught – and at your own eagerness to what Jack did  – only now came crashing down on you. You didn’t want to face him, but knew it was inevitable.

Jack’s eyes were already on you, with his pupils blown wide. His expression showed the same desire as the one scorching your insides, the same unwillingness to pull away from you, but the special moment you shared was long gone. After ten seconds of silence, he cleared his throat and gently set you down. Your arms and chest felt cold without his body pressed against yours.

Whiskey sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes. You slowly took his hat off your head, holding it in front of you awkwardly, and waited for him to speak.

And finally, Jack hung his head low and cursed under his breath. You watched in confusion as he turned to you, stuck his cheek forward and closed his eyes.

“Smack me.”

That was not what you expected him to say. “...what?”

“Smack me,” he repeated with confident readiness, not moving an inch. “I deserve it.”

“No,” you said, totally confused. “I’m not gonna hit you. You did it… only so we wouldn’t get caught…” Jack’s shoulders slumped, making you hesitate. “...right?”

“It’s not just that,” he spoke up quietly, opening his eyes but not looking at you. “If you knew, sugar… the things I did to–”

He let out a dry laugh, shaking his head at the words coming out of his mouth, but the sound wasn’t joyous at all. He ran his hand down his face, and you couldn’t help but be drawn to the motion of his thumb wiping the edge of his bottom lip.

“You were s’pposed to be paired with Tequila.”

This one sentence, which seemingly came out of nowhere, just made you even more confused. “Jack, I don’t underst–”

“I asked to go on this mission with you,” he repeated louder, looking almost irritated that he had to explain it to you. “Practically begged, like a damn fool. Tequila was s’pposed to be your partner, but I couldn’t… That is, didn’t want to…”

Whiskey let out another breathless chuckle, running his fingers through his dark hair. “I’m gonna sound like the most selfish asshole, though that’s probably not far from whatcha actually think of me…”

“I don’t understand a word you’re saying.” You went around him to look him solemnly in the eyes, but he avoided your gaze. “Just tell me, what do you mean by all that?”

“Look, darlin’, I’ve no clue what I wanted to achieve,” he spat with annoyance, as if it was your fault he wasn’t making any sense. “I just fuckin’ knew I didn’t want to see Tequila or any other agent act all lovey-dovey with ya, hold your hand and maybe…” he choked up suddenly, his gaze softening, “...maybe kiss you.”

Your eyes were wide and your mind struggled to comprehend what all of it meant, but Jack didn’t even give you a second to gather your thoughts.

“To be clear, I didn’t plan on that.” He gestured towards the wall against which you were pressed just a few minutes ago, and you understood he’s talking about the unexpected kiss. “I might be a dickhead, but it wasn’t all some grand scheme to suck faces with ya. I wasn’t thinkin’ in that moment.”

Oh.

Why did his last words hurt you more than anything else he said? Your thoughts kept circling back to the passionate kiss you two shared, and it didn’t seem to you like Jack was acting at that moment. Or just achieving a goal he pursued. It felt like he lost control. Just like you did.

But you knew now that you didn’t hate it. What about him, though?

“It wasn’t?” you asked after a few seconds of silence. Jack furrowed his brows, to which you clarified: “A grand scheme to get into my pants. It… wasn’t?”

“Fuck. No, f’course not.” The sigh that escaped him was so heavy with guilt and suffering, you could almost feel it in the air between you both. “It must be obvious t’ya that I find you attractive, sugar, and… I love talkin’ with ya. You’re sharp, funny, pretty as a peach, and I really… really wanted to do it right this time. Show myself from a better side, but…” He took a deep breath, then exhaled unevenly. “I blew it.”

He locked eyes with you, and smiled lopsidedly, but there were no emotions in the gesture.

“So I reckon y’know now why I deserve this smack. Probably not just one, but…” He closed his eyes and spread his arms wide. “C’mon, sweetheart. Bet it’ll feel better for both of us.”

You realized that, yes, Jack was really ready for you to slap him – because that, according to himself, was what he deserved. And maybe on another day, you’d even considered it. But after what you’ve been through tonight and after accepting that the feelings you harbored for the older agent never truly disappeared, you didn’t want to do that. You just needed to kiss him again.

So that’s what you did.

It wasn’t a confident display of affection. More like a shy, light brush of your lips against his, which almost immediately came to a halt when Jack pulled away, looking at you with wide, shocked eyes.

It must’ve been evident on your face, though, that you were equally – if not even more – terrified than him. You gulped and took a step back, but he caught your wrist before that could happen. His eyes were still unsure, but so bright and hopeful, it gave you a boost of confidence you desperately needed.

Jack liked you, you reminded yourself as you went in for a second kiss, which this time he eagerly reciprocated and melted into. He was jealous, you thought as your tongues naturally met and entwined.

He wanted you.

When you parted, breathless from adrenaline, and your lips swollen from the intensity of his kisses, his eyes stayed closed. You waited for any sign of regret on his face, but saw none, only raw wonder.

“I think you smacked me too hard,” he murmured, his eyes darting behind his closed eyelids in a weirdly adorable way. “M’pretty sure I’m hallucinatin’.”

“You’re such a dumbass,” you chuckled while shaking your head, and Jack snorted. “Now open your eyes and look at me.”

He obeyed, and a big grin spread on his face the second he laid his eyes on you. He drank in your bright smile and happy expression, and you let him – that is, for only a moment before you jabbed him in the ribs with your finger, causing him to grunt in pain.

“I like you, too, cowboy. Against all common sense.”

“Thank god for the bats in your belfry, then.” You scowled and scrunched your nose in a fake offense, but he just laughed. Then, very tenderly, he tucked a strand of your hair behind your ear, his eyes warm and soft like never before. “You’re cute as a speckled pup, you know that?”

“I think you’re the lovesick puppy here.”

“Technicalities,” Jack murmured before leaning down to claim your mouth in a gentle kiss. You’ve never thought he could be so tender, and immediately longed for more of this side of him – but too soon, he pulled away, gracing you with that smirk of his you always found so irresistible. “I was thinkin’...”

“That would be the first.” Jack shot you a warning glance at that, and you yelped when he smacked your butt lightly. “You’re so fucking lucky I like you.”

“And I can’t fuckin’ wait to shut you up,” he whispered, making you giggle at the clear fondness in his tone. “As I was sayin’, I think we have a king-size bed waiting for us in our shared room.” Your face split into a wide smile, and Jack shrugged nonchalantly. “All to keep up appearances, of course.”

You tugged forcefully on his shirt and claimed his lips again, but in a deeper, more heated kiss this time. A sound similar to a growl escaped Jack’s chest, and one of his hands found its place in your hair while the other one squeezed your butt lightly. You couldn’t help but giggle into his mouth, which caused a similar smile to spread across his face.

“We wouldn’t want anyone to suspect we’re just playing pretend, right?”

His response was immediate.

“Of course not, sugar.”

[chilahh16]

"I've heard of a love that comes once in a lifetime."

What would you do when you lost the very person that stood beside you all throughout everything? When things became shitty and the world seems to grapple you into failure anytime it gets.

Charles Leclerc was lost. The world seems to spin in black and white - toying with him as it continue its motion. The he now found no real happiness in the times where a smile and laugh should be there. He's a way into the dark and cannot find a light to guide him back.

He was no fool to not know when it all started - when everything came crashing down; and when he felt drowned. Who was he to forget when almost everyone that witness their story has yet to let go, and when everything reminded him of her. That beyond the talks of Formula 1, people still whisper of her name, the kindness, the warmth, and being the iconic woman that she is.

Everything's still etched in his memories. 2019 was a year where his hard work has paid off - all the sweat and tears poured in order to win on that fateful day was worth it. But it was her who made it all complete. Y/n L/n did not only cry for him as his car blazed along the finish line, she cheered for him loudly, repeating his name again and again as she jump in exhilaration. She yelled the words " He did it", "He's a race winner", and " He won, my Charles won". She ran towards parc ferme alongside his team exuberating elation and pride as he triumph. And as he exit his car, he ran towards them, hugging his team with her in it as they bask in his glory. But it was not the highlight of his win, it was when she guide his face-covered helmet toward her and kissed the place where his lips would be. They stood there, envelop in a bubble, as the circuit cheered for him. All Charles felt at that time was the pure burst of love he has for Y/n. He relish in the feel of her touch as her hands found their place on either side of his neck. It was not visible to others but Y/n saw the tears that ran down his cheeks as he stood victorious on that day's race. His eyes spoke volumes of what his quivering lips cannot and she smiled for him, understanding what he would like to convey.

" You're a race winner, Char. I am so proud of you." she whispered amongst the loud cheers but Charles heard her, causing his smile to widen.

" Thanks to you. I am here because you're with me. So, thank you for sticking by my side." he uttered though muffled by his racing helmet but, Y/n did not mind. She'll hear every single words coming from him as she finds his voice a cacophony of melody that somehow lulls her soul to calm.

" Go up there, Champ. Claim that top step." she urged as someone called Charles to the cool down room.

The hesitation was evident on those forest green orbs of his as he cling on her - hands tightly holding her in place. Gripping her waist and settling his face in the crook of her neck like his life depended on it. Y/n chuckled before she kissed the forehead of his helmet.

" I'll stay here so you can see me. You'll hear my voice cheering for you from that top step. Now go. You still have a trophy to get."

Reluctantly Charles let go as the determination in her eyes says everything. He walked backwards toward the room, eyes staring deep into hers as their distance widen. Even when the congratulatory pats and cheers echoed around him, his eyes never stray as he mouthed his declaration of love which she smiled at - his antics never failing to amuse her, before a fond look settled in her feature, answering him with utmost honesty and love.

' And I love you.'

It was after the celebrations that he was made aware of how proud and happy Y/n is of him winning. His teammates had teased him all throughout the night of how lucky he was. That no other driver has their woman jumping and cheering so loud that it can be heard from the grandstand. Charles can only smile and laugh to their stories but it was when Arthur showed him a video of Y/n hyping up and jumping inside his garage as he neared the finish line that he placed credit to the truthfulness of his teams statement. He truly is lucky to have her. And seeing how she is with everyone, doubled the love he has for the woman. He believed in God but is not one to pray. However, in that moment as he watched her walk towards him, an endearing smile set on her lips, he prayed that she'll stay beside him, always.

As he raced in his home circuit for the 6th time, it was her face that he sees. The conversations that they had before echoed in his mind as he pushed the car to its limit. To every turn, memories of her came and when he speed past the finish line, he saw her jumping proudly for him as her hands waved in the air knowing that he triumph not only in any race but in his home race. He exit his car and a wild smile showed as he raised his arms, further solidifying that he indeed won. He ran to his team clad in red and that is when his smile fell.

No longer was there a woman waiting beyond the barrier shouting his name and yelling as she proudly relish in his victory. No longer was there a kiss on his helmet nor the familiar warmth that came only with her. His first win in his home country did not taste as sweet as he had imagined before. Try as it may, she no longer stand beside him. A new figure occupied her space and no matter what he reasoned himself, he envy her. It is Y/n's rightful place, always has, always will be. But what is he to do?

The kiss he earned that day felt bitter as much as he would like to love it.

Charles indeed was right when he said he was stupid. Because looking at the now, he wish more than anything to once again hear her proudly cheer his name, see her jumping and exude happiness upon seeing him. He would of given anything just to get her back and see her with him as he came as the victor but, it has already been lost. That even attempting to follow her and get her back would prolly incur her wrath. Was it selfish to want her to be angry just so he could see and feel her again? Because he does not know what to do anymore. He had lost the woman he vowed to spend the rest of his life with. He had lost her. Lost her to death.

And as he stands on the top step that day, he let himself cry and crumble. With the country's anthem on the background, he remember his days with her. And as he raised the winner's trophy, his eyes did not linger on the people below, he stared through the sky hoping, praying that she can see him that day. It was a first that people of the world saw the vulnerability in Charles. Everyone know even without uttering anything. The win was for Herve and Jules but, it was Y/n's as well. It was hers and so much more.

Everyone realized, it may be that their love was fleeting but, it was a love of a lifetime. Hence, Charles will love her even when death parted them in this life. He'll continue loving her until they are together again. Because no matter what, she is for him as he is for her. Always.

[arcane-ish]

My worry is this, that the main difference between season 1 and season 2 is that in season 2 Arcane stopped being a tv show and its own thing and became very squarely "a League thing".

Now that isn't necessarily an all bad thing. I mean, League is popular for a reason. There are aspects of League that are fun and creative. And I could picture people who come from League being happy with all the "He said the thing" and shoutouts to all the things they care about.

But to me it feels like season 1 was approached as a way to stand on its own and sell itself on its own and be a story about the characters that you try to sell from scratch.

Whole season 2 feels like they might be cramming all the League stuff into Arcane all of a sudden. And with "League stuff" I mean structural things like:

rush characters to get them into a fighting/champion position (Mel)

rush champs to be their League selves

constantly give characters new looks because League funds itself via selling skins

remind people that there are other continents and potential future spin offs out there (Ambessa, Noxus, Black Rose)

Bring stupid void shit and larger than life threats rather than just very human can comparably low magic threats like Silco because that's how League does a lot of its storytelling

bring up that League skins often also mean parallel universes (academy Ekko)

Like I can imagine that some people are genuinely into it. And some things like new looks, skin universes and maybe even void shit and more continents is fun for people.

I just think it's a huge break from how season 1 was told. And there's still some good character writing and some good theming to tie it together a bit. So it's not like the old values are gone just because all these new values and priorities are suddenly swaming the show.

In the end I've always said that League of Legends is the most like a comic book company with the whole so many "lead" characters with their own backstories and power sets, parallel universes, shifting canons etc.

And Arcane just remind me a lot about what I hate about a lot of comic book media when they leave the whole "this is small story about a baby from space being found by a couple in Kansas, growing up with powers and trying to get the hot city chick to like him" invariably needs to get bigger and bigger threats and suddenly we are on "we now are fighting a galaxy eating cloud, now wait, we are not just fighting to preserve one universe from going kaput, now you have to save all the multiverses".

Ceterum Censeo: I hate Viktor and Jayce particularly for brining all the spacey trippy void shit to a show that previously was a lot more low magic and that had a lot more human and close to earth stakes before that.

(for what it's worth, I think the claims of Christian Linke about Arcane being only 2 seasons in his mind are believable. I full believe that the Jinx, Vi, Warwick, Silco and Cait stuff was always roughyl their plan. I just worry that either League came to them with lots of additional "omg, can you put this in too" requests or that they went overboard with the "omg, now I can put this in too because season 1 was successful" ideas)

[riririkinzi]

THE SILVER PROMISE AND THE GOLDEN BETRAYAL

An au in which Nimona and Ballister have more help and Ambrosius pulls his head out of his ass sooner.

THANK YOU AGAIN @mavka12 FOR THE HELP!!!!

And if you wanna hear the Gloreth version HERE

- Same stuff happens in the Gloreth version but when the wall was fully built, and people stopped going over, not even a knight, everyone rejoiced that the genocide is over.

- But Nimona still kept the sanctuary and army, cause they need to be prepared for any calamity.

- She send out the shapeshifters to spy on the kingdom and institute without being known for any updates.

- When she heard the news on Bal during the knight Ceremony, Nimona knew she Bal would be the perfect candidate as her right hand man for the job cause he's  knew the institute inside out.

- Nimona knew the only way to convince Bal is by recruiting him herself, so like they encountered the same way in canon but when the destruction happened, instead of taking him back to the lair, she took him to the sanctuary beyond the wall.

-  When Bal woke up, he was suprised by the unfamilar surrounding, and was greeted by the heelers and Nimona, then the asking happens like in the movie but with him wondering where he's in.

- Nimona explained that he's in the sanctuary of the Silver society, in the woods and most importantly beyond the wall.

- This completely shocked Bal from everything when he met Nimona, and asked why they took him, and wondering if there's suppost to be monsters.

- Nimona snapped him out of it saying there's no monsters at all, it's just a twisted lie and that she have to explain to him soon but he needs rest first.

- Later when Bal got out of bed, Nimona showed him around and explained everything from the sanctuary, he was quite intimidated, and nervous at the magical creatures and those with non full human blood .

- The fact about monsters is just a twisted lie, and the truth of Gloreth, and why she's doing this.

- It shocked Bal so hard, realizing that everything from the Whitewall is just a twisted lie a propaganda, he can only imagine how shocked Ambro would be that his bloodline is just a lie.

- Nimona explained that not only why she recruited Bal but one of her spies was able to find proof for his innocence, and showed him the footage of the Director switching his sword with the other that started it.

- Nimona revealed to Bal the fact that the institute's jacked system, and the ignorance of Poverty, and the real vunerable

- She made him choose that he must join them to clear out his name and take down the institute, or let them live a lie for more than 1000 of years.

- Bal accepts and joins Nimona, and so when Bal settled in his new room, she gave him new clothes and stuff, and tells that he had to get a tattoo to be apart of the sanctuary unless he has skin condition.

- So when Bal got his tattoo, they strapped him tightly and lay him down something cozy so it won't cause trouble, but Bal handled this like a champ that the tattoo prep was a sucesss, it was placed at the back.

- Things were going well for the next few days until Bal started to vomit frequently, the healers confirmed that Bal is actually pregnant.

- This meant that Bal must refrain from combat battles and training or any heavylifting during the pregnancy, and luckily Nimona and the others were there to lookout for him, but Bal felt that he wishes Ambro was there.

- Meanwhile back in the kingdom, Ambro became depressed and emotionless, he felt like he could have done something, so Bal would stay with him.

- The baby's Labor was a day before the due date, and the way she was delivered is in the lake.

- After the baby is born Ballister and Nimona name him Orion and Ballister notices that his son has poliosis.

- Ballister doesn't care about that and loves his son regardless of what he looks like and Nimona has a soft spot for him.

- After the baby is born, a year and a half passed as they prepared to confront the director.

As the 2 head to the kingdom, appearing infront of the knights, Ambro and the director, exposed her with the footage.

- But the director denies it and saying their lying, the knight believed Bal while the others doesn't and Ambro's stuck in between.

- The fight like the canon happens except crispy scene.

- When Bal struck the sword to the ground around Ambro, his last words to him before he and Nimona escape are "Everything we grew up believeing is just an exaggerated lie" with a harsh cold glare.

- As he and Nimona escape with a smoke bomb. The director knew she's from beyond the wall so she sent Ambro and the knights to go beyond and find the 2.

- One of the spies  got notified on that and fled to Nimona about the news, she alert the sanctuary citizens to prepare everything for evactaution and fighters/magic users for Battle.

- Meanwhile for Ambro during the preperations, he wanders into the vault and looks through every book and scroll about the Gloreth, until he found  a small old journal, that belong to Gloreth.

- In that journal is when Gloreth wrote the truth about her and Nimona, how they used to be best friends, how her parents influenced her that she's a monster, making her go back to the shadows and regretting it every single day.

- She regretting betraying Nimona but Gloreth knew it was the only way to protect Nimona from small minded folks clouded by fear.

- Soon as she got older and was sent to knighthood, she was commanded by the royals to exterminate the mythicals beyond the wall, and that's how Nimona formed the Silver society, to protect those from Gloreth and her army.

- Ambro was stunned and shocked that he froze in thought immediently, his mind repeating in circles of the words "It's just a lie" over and over for a bit realizing Bal was right, everything in the kingdom, the will of Gloreth, the bloodline, the legacy is just a lie and a propaganda.

- He knew he had to do something, so he hid the Journal with him back to his place, as he prepare himself for the expedition, the day came, citizens wished the knights a good luck and go beyond the wall, while for the Silver society.

- Citizens evacuated way before the knights came and was left was Nimona, Bal, guards and the protecters prepared for a battle.

- As the knights arrived, before the battle began, some knights joined the protecters saying they don't want to live in a lie and are tired of everyone expecting them to follow their family's footsteps, and wants to be free and so did Ambro, which lead Todd taking the lead.

- As the battle begans for a while the protecters won and the knights lost.

- After the battle the protecters accepted Ambro but wasn't ready trust him, so they gave him a warning that they got eyes on him if he makes a move, so half of the protecters, Nimona, Bal and Ambro return to Whitewall to finally take down the director and disband the institute.

- They fought off more knights while the  protecters stalled them so the 3 can reach the directors office.

- And when they finally did, the director readys her lazer staff to shoot right at Ambro at his shoulder luckily, and one of the shifters sucessfully grabbed it quickly before more calamity happens then another from Nimona's army grabbed the director as she's now arrested.

- When she surrendered, Nimona grabbed the her neck saying that she's started it all for her sick fantasies to keep up the legacy that's just a twisted lie all those centuries, that Gloreth never slayed monsters, she slaughtered innocent mythical creatures and exterminated them that almost lead to genocide.

- She told her that what everyone believed is just a lie, Gloreth was just a child that betrayed her friend all because she was different, that adults taught her hate and fear.

- The monster never destroyed the village at all it was all on the villagers being clouded by fear all because of a girl who can shapeshift who they think she's a monster, and that girl was Nimona.

- The director was stunned but admits that she killed the queen and framed Bal and explaining why while slandering Bal in everyway, but she didn't know that it's being recorded live for the whole kingdom to see.

- The people are shocked from the truth yet outrage at the Director that they gathered infront of the institute, shouting that she deserves to be executed, that Queen Valerin and Ballister deserves justice, and to take down the wall and the institute.

- Soon as she's executed, Ambro announced the whole kingdom the truth of Gloreth and everything happending that Nimona decided not to disband but to restart the institute, the system, history and everything in the whitewall and taken the wall down as people are finally free to travel the world if they wished.

- Soon Bal told Ambro that he was pregnant while he was gone and had a child, and was shocked, but he can meet him when it's over.

- When Ambro met the child, his heart was melted and cried a bit when he held him.

[beddybites]

hihi!1!! i have a question about your ping sized pillars au! do they act differently towards eachother since they became children? dince because of their ages their behaviours could change so i’m just curious :D

hi anon!!! its 4 am sorry if i sound a little delirious at all when answering this question!

they absolutely do! i’ll make a very brief list just for the sake of simplicity but please feel free to ask for more clarification!! (i also plan to draw comics exploring this more so hopefully that will help showcase their dynamics too!)

Gyomei: After shrinking fourteen years and falling into the role of looking after the little ones until they can turn back, he’s much more gentle and kinder. he’s more expressive and talkative and is overall just a sweetheart toward the younger children and guides them however he can. at most he’ll pick on Sanemi and Tengen— but for the most part he takes all the responsibilities like a champ. older brother moment

He gets easily flustered and tends to mentally beat himself up a lot, often doubting his role and if he’s any good at it. He takes it hard whenever he accidentally makes someone cry :(

He’s very very close with Shinobu and Muichiro, but he loves everyone, and they all love him!

Tengen: he’s definitely more mischevious towards the others, but eeeextremely protective as well. he likes to carry everyone around + rough house and hates being the “bad guy” (aka enforcing rules), so naturally he becomes one of the favorite’s really quick

he’s kind of the equivalent of the older sibling who wants McDonalds and makes the younger sibling ask the parent for it. he bargains a lot with the other kids

He and Gyomei work really well as a team, with Gyomei being more nurturing and making rules (and consequences to breaking of said rules) and Tengen being more playful and funny. it really comes in handy when they have to distract the others from something distressing and Tengen entertains them while Gyomei works on fixing the problem!

Sanemi: Sanemi has the biggest change! he acts normal for the most part but is absolutely a big softie, as seen with how he will let Obanai hold his arm when nervous or how he’ll actively search for a flower to give Shinobu if she’s upset :(

He and Gyomei become closer during the whole ordeal, especially when Genya gets involved… Sanemi tries to get Gyomei to hide him from his (big?) little brother, but the eldest refuses and forces Sanemi to work stuff out with him…

Giyuu: his change is less noticeable… again, he’s mostly the same, but as things progress and he’s around Tanjiro, Shinobu, etc more, he loosens up. He actively looks out for the others in his own way, and never participates in rough-housing in favor of sitting with Shinobu or Muichiro. Honestly, he’s usually just hanging out with Tanjiro (against his will) and it’s difficult for me to word their dynamic without going into a lot of detail!

Obanai: he has a pretty big change as well. Obanai is shy as a kid, so naturally, he tends to keep to himself and only stick with the people he likes. He gets flustered around Mitsuri even more now, and the others tease him in the same way Elementary Schooler’s are like “obanai and mitsuri sitting in a tree!!!!!”

It’s also worth noting that he’s usually glued to Sanemi, Rengoku, or Gyomei/Tengen depending on who is around. He hates the situation they’re in and isn’t afraid to show it, but as soon as Shinobu and Muichiro are there, he acts like it doesn’t affect him at all. He’s closer with Muichiro as he actively tries to make sure he’s doing okay, and likes to help Gyomei watch him!

Rengoku: speaking of Rengoku…. yeah! He’s always been very loving and considerate, so it’s only amplified here. He likes to think he’s part of the “big kids” squad too… he’s more brotherly with Mitsuri and likes to drag Obanai out of his comfort zone, just like when they were younger. He’s much closer with Tengen! He has trouble playing with Muichiro because he’s so little, so usually when he’s with him he’s trying to feed him or entertain him (this rarely goes well)

Mitsuri: like Rengoku, she’s always been a sweetheart, so not too much changes. She’s much more affectionate and loving, though, and always wants to hug someone or play with them!

She becomes a lot more close with Shinobu, and likes to hang out with Tengen and Rengoku and join in on their shenanigans. She is clueless to Obanai’s feelings, and never notices how flustered he gets when she braids his hair or carries him around! She also plays a lot of games like “House” and what not, so dynamics shift whenever Mitsuri takes it veeeery seriously

Mitsuri lights up a room, and it’s noticeable if Mitsuri is down or not around. They’re all pretty close to her during this!

Shinobu: Shinobu has always been the mediator of the Hashira, and that reigns true even as a five year old. People think she can be a bit bratty or bossy, but that’s faaaar from the truth. Shinobu is even more persistent about Giyuu making friends and tries to include him however she can. Also, because she knew Gyomei at a young age, she tends to confide in him more often than not. She likes acting as a bigger sister toward Muichiro and having a lot of “girl talks” with Mitsuri; they have their equivalent of a sleepover pretty much every night.

Fun Fact: she gets pretty sad about not having Kanae around during this (since they grew up together and all), and Mitsuri kinda helps fill that role without either of them realizing it!

Muichiro: Being the baby of the group, quite literally, everyone absolutely adores him, but they don’t always know how to interact with him. At the start, his relationship with everyone is pretty sour, since he admittedly takes the whole de-aging thing the hardest. But with Gyomei’s patience and guidance, he warms up a bit and slowly starts to enjoy himself more, leading to his friendships with the others changing as well.

Everyone’s even more protective of him (especially after Muichiro protected them when they were all getting transformed— they feel kinda bad about it) and coddles him 24/7. They definitely spoil him, and Muichiro warms up to their affection and eventually begins actively seeking it. Tengen sometimes gets jealous about all the attention Muichiro gets, and it creates a fun dynamic between the two of Muichiro purposely trying to piss him off haha.

It’s hard to pinpoint how much his relationships change with everyone without writing an essay about it, but you get the gist!

“im gonna make a short list” (insert giant paragraphs of info)

anyway; that was a really great question!!! thank you so much for your interest in my silly little au, i hope i was able to help clear things up!!! feel free to ask for more details im kinda crazy BAHAHA

[raleighrador]

The Bear S3 - Plot and Carmen

I found Carmen's storyline in S3 simultaneously sad, funny, frustrating, and rewarding (all as a viewer). Carmen himself seems to straight up be having a terrible time.

The specific thing that stood out for me with the season's treatment of Carmen was - in a show that does a great job of show don't tell - we never get SHOWN Carmen having a win. Certainly not one that he is capable of enjoying.

What do I mean by this? We get told Carmen is a great chef but apart from the flashback to Sydney eating his fish + citrus dish (+ I guess the flashbacks where Carmen shells more peas/peels more mushrooms etc than Luca) we don't get SHOWN him being a great chef, or being acknowledged as a great chef.

Contrast this with eg Sydney making Nat an omelette in season 2, or Sydney taking over the service when Carmen is trapped in the walk in. Marcus's baked good get lots of "mmm WOW delicious yummy" scenes in earlier seasons. Even Sydney offering "obvious" improvements to Carmen's meat dish in S3E5. Sydney DEMONSTRATES exceptional cooking and cheffery on screen in a way Carmen does not.

Instead we get TOLD Carmen is an excellent chef. We get shown the various reviews and profiles that Sydney enviously reads in her empty apartment, we get Luca telling Marcus (in S2) that he could never keep up with Carmen, and finally we get Chef David (Carmen's former Executive Chef who was abusive) explicitly calling out that Carmen is an excellent chef.

This is an odd dynamic from a storytelling perspective, and I personally found it frustrating. Carmen is clearly the primary protagonist of the show and yet he never gets any visceral "wins" that we as the audience can immediately recognise and enjoy. In fact, in many ways, his achievements get a treatment more typically associated with an antagonist. Think of every bad guy who has been introduced as the 3 times world champ, or most dangerous person in MadeUpLandia, or the hottest and most popular girl in High School TM.

I think this is deliberate.

Every moment where we get told Carmen is excellent is deliberately unsatisfying because it is unsatisfying to Carmen. He repeatedly gets the affirmation that he is in fact exceptionally good at this and yet it does nothing for him.

It doesn't feel good and it doesn't quiet the voices in his head. It doesn't solve any of his issues. This is most explicitly true in the interaction with Chef David - Carmen's tormentor, the man who belittled him, who did more to destroy his self confidence than any other. Chef David loudly, clearly, explicitly gives Carmen the affirmation he always withheld... and it does nothing for Carmen. If anything it just further confuses and upsets him.

I think this will continue into the next season and ultimately whatever "ending" the show as a whole reaches. Carmen will get a star (or 2 or 3) and it will fix absolutely nothing. None of his problems (maybe the monetary ones?) will go away.

The star will fall into the black hole inside of Carmen and do nothing to fill it, just like everything else he has tried to use to plug that wound.

In fact I will go so far as to say - I think this show either ends with Carmen committing suicide or at least a suicide attempt will be a major plot point. Especially if the star does solve the money problems. One of the things that keeps Carmen going is that success will solve problems for his family - specifically, the debt Mikey left. If that goes away, it removes one of the biggest reasons to keep going.

Many people have (I think correctly) written extensively about how Sydney is Carmen's narrative foil. I think Mikey is his narrative mirror.

Mikey has from the very beginning dominated the show, and Carmen. He was why Carmen became a chef. He was why Carmen came back. He was who left Carmen picking up the pieces. It is - in my mind- all for Mikey and all because of Mikey. Carmen wanted to do this restaurant with his big brother and that will now never happen.

I think a potential path for the show to take is to contrast Sydney and Carmen to Carmen and Mikey. Sydney is able to recognise bits of herself in Carmen but also some of her own limits. She, I think, will learn and grow past Carmen and those limits.

I don't think Carmen will be so lucky. Thus far certainly he has demonstrated absolutely none of the self-awareness required to make this a plausible outcome. He has none of the language or tools required to have this realisation and then act on them (very bluntly pointed out by Richie in the "non-negotiables" argument). He doesn't have the support network to spot these things for him, and he is only becoming more isolated. He doesn't ever answer his phone. He is literally incapable of saying sorry or really having any conversation outside of the restaurant. The people around him are - for various reasons - losing patience or just have other things going on.

Nat - who has been the most uncritical and productive support for Carmen - now has a baby & the restaurant so she can't be the one maintaining a one sided relationship. Cicero has (unknown to the rest of them) money issues that mean he can't be the stable, consistent figure he wants to be. Richie and Sydney have been burned by Carmen lashing out too many times. His other industry friends don't actually know him that well because he has always been distant. They also have their own lives and bluntly Carmen is too much work for too little reward.

I thought the finale illustrated this really well - Luca and Sydney see Carmen going to confront Chef David, they know it is going to end badly, and then they do nothing about it. They, along with the rest of the Bear crew + Chef Terry + Jess go to Sydney's apartment for an after party. Carmen is notably absent.

None of them seem to notice or care. I imagine it is a "sigh *eye roll* Carmen is being Carmen" phenomenon rather than malice. It is still illustrative of Carmen's increasing isolation, and the loss of people looking out for him.

Carmen is not heading for a breakdown, he is in the midst of one. He has only gotten worse since he almost burned his apartment down while sleepwalking. I think that is what we are seeing.

Literally and figuratively Carmen is sleep walking into self-destruction.

This isolation from the people he cares about is not, however, totally agentless. That is to say - while I don't blame people like Richie and Sydney, I do think they are making choices that wind up isolating Carmen and denying him the affirmation and support he craves.

Does Carmen know that he made the best meal Sydney ever ate? I don't think so. So far as I recall she never told him. She told Marcus, but not Carmen. Does Carmen know that she specifically sought him out because of the fish & citrus dish? I don't think so. She told him she wanted to work at the Beef because it was her dad's favourite sandwich shop. Sydney has all of her own issues with Carmen and has made this choice for many reasons but ultimately she has never given Carmen the sort of affirmation I believe he craves and would actually accept from her. Her praise, I believe, would mean more than any of the rest he has received.

Instead, deliberately or not, Sydney does a lot to deny Carmen that praise and increasingly denies to herself that she even thinks it. The assertion that she can "keep up" from a skill perspective is one example, the more interesting one is how she reacts to Shapiro praising the scallop dish that is "new", that is "not Carmy". Shapiro clearly thinks and is heavily implying that this must be a Sydney dish. Sydney's response is "well it's um... it's both of us, together".

I read this scene as Adam clearly giving Sydney an opening to take credit, and Sydney response is clearly a "wink wink oh I am humble but yes".

Except it's not both of them nor is it Sydney. S3E1 ends and S3E2 begins with Carmen redoing all the dishes, including the fish dish. Sydney is very frustrated that Carmen "changed all my (her) shit".

A key, repeated, point of frustration for Sydney is that Carmen changes dishes without her input (I think this is only partially true and if so only partially problematic). Regardless of what I think SHE clearly chafes under a lack of ownership of the dishes.

So while this superficially resembles the flashback of Carmen and David futzing the fish & fennel dish, only for Carmen to deliver to Sydney the fish & citrus dish, it doesn't actually fit. This superficial parallel is actually a red herring (sorry) to our ability to read this interaction correctly.

This scene therefore demonstrates 2 (maybe 3) things brilliantly (in my mind at least): Carmen is not well known by basically anyone. Chef Adam is kind of sort of a work friend, but he clearly feels he "knows" Carmen's cooking and can recognise something that is so new and different that it can't be Carmen's. What he is totally missing is how much (and how fast) Carmen is changing and improving as a chef. It also demonstrates Sydney's unwillingness to acknowledge how good Carmen is. Again multiple angles here, but she isn't willing to let it be Carmen's dish. She also doesn't ever tell Carmen that Adam thought the food was excellent.

This echoes S1 Richie refusing to really acknowledge how much better Carmen's beef sandwich is than the old version.

So there is a pattern of Carmen not getting validation from people whose opinions he actually cares about. Instead he just gets unsatisfying praise from people who don't matter to him.

The third thing this scene potentially demonstrates is that the parallels between Carmen and Sydney's experiences are weaker than implied.

I have read a few reviews that criticise this season because not enough happens, there isn't enough character growth, and there is clunky writing that makes it a frustrating viewing experience. I don't actually disagree per se, I just think they are deliberate.

I am possibly reaching, and it is possible the writers are being more ambitious than they can deliver on. It feels, in many ways, like avant-garde cuisine. The writers are deliberately breaking rules, deliberately doing things that are almost always "bad writing" and trying to do them in a way that actually makes them good.

It's like trying to make ice cream out of squid ink, or colourless, textureless cubes that tastes like ribeye. It doesn't make sense and it isn't how cooking works. Sometime you spend hundreds of dollars on terrible, unsatisfying meals. Sometimes you eat something that breaks all the rules and defies all your expectations and blows your fucking mind.

Sometimes it's in-between and I guess S3 is more that for me than either of the former. I still think what the writers are doing is cool and innovative and I like it, even if it didn't all land perfectly.

[brotherwtf]

my love! my last one was super heavy😮‍💨

so as a personal favor to me, i’m going to request some more of your Equestrian au headcanons because i NEED them (seriously people give me the equestrian/cowboy/rodeo aus, you got fic recs? send them to me!)

hey love! Im also a huge horse girl, so I feel your pain

I have my own list of equestrians hcs here, but I'm honestly just gonna ramble more about them bcs I love them so much

Gale gets his first horse when he's 16, he spent several years working on a ranch as a stable boy and combining it with a part time job at the mall to finally auction for a very green yearling

She was a feisty thing, bucks and kicks whenever Gale tries to halter her, nips at Gale's fingers whenever he tries to groom her, and pins her ears down every time he tightens the girth on her saddle.

He named her Liberty Belle, and she grew into quite the beautiful horse. She still had a bucking problem, but Gale took it like a champ.

John nicknamed Gale "Buck" after watching them ride once and seeing Liberty Belle have one of her episodes. Gale of course "hates" the nickname (wink wink nudge nudge)

Gale boarded at Thorpe Abbotts ranch before John did, and quickly became a sensation. By the time he was 18, he was already a blue ribbon show jumper and basically a celebrity at the ranch. He gleamed in the attention, and beamed even more when the owner of the ranch moved Liberty Belle to the nicest stall in the barn.

No one was boarded next to her, and Gale was still the shining star of the ranch. Until John showed up

Gale shows up one day and sees Liberty Belle with her ears pinned at the horse boarded in the stall next to her, and Gale starts fuming.

An almost rootin tootin cowboy leans against the stall next to Liberty Belle, cooing at the mare and at the poor horse getting ears pinned at him

Gales heart immediately clenches because John is downright gorgeous, but he can't let his star personality get over shown. He spies the blue ribbons on the stall door and curses. John has sixteen, while Gale only has fifteen

The competitive side immediately takes over, and thus their rivalry begins.

John grew up on a ranch in Wisconsin, and learned how to ride from a very young age. His parents started forcing him to barrel race when he was only seven and could only ride ponies

He got his first horse, Our Baby, and moved out when he was 18. He found Thorpe Abbotts ranch when he was 26 and had basically ridden through every single large barrel racing competition in the country before deciding to settle down.

Our Baby is boarded next to a very hyperactive mare, and he finds himself chuckling when her ears automatically flatten at the sight of his gelding.

He's greeted by the most beautiful human he's ever seen in his life marching towards him, but can't help and notice the smallest smile on his lips when he sees the mare so in a tissy

John is on his high horse (literally) and thinks show jumping is lamer than barrel racing, but can't stop thinking about how beautiful Gale is.

Our Baby and Liberty Belle eventually become besties before John and Gale fall in love, which spurs John and Gales relationship

I have decided that the super angsty scene that causes them to spark their romance is that John is watching in on one of Gale's show jumping events (don't tell anyone) and Gale is thrown from Liberty Belle after a rough jump.

He lands, and lands hard, John winces as Gale's head snaps on the ground, and his body acts on instinct, jumping over the fence and running to Gale. Someone grabs Liberty Belle and John cradles Gale's head and starts freaking out

Gale's bloody, his nose bleeds and he must have bit his lip when he fell because it's bleeding steadily.

He picks Gale up bridal style and carries him from the arena, whispering that he's gonna be okay

Gahhh I don't want this post to get crazy long but just imagine John doting on Gale and nursing him back to health and Gale allowing him to, John obsessing over Gale's sleep addled face

here's some cowboy/equestrian fics I've read!! please drop more, I also am in need of them desperately

wild things by @sig-nifier

don't take that sinner from me by cloudystars on AO3

I love being a horse girl on main, letting my freak flag fly fr, thanks for the ask love!

[hoshiumi78]

I’m gonna make a little happy “rant” here about Lloyd from Ninjago and just the cartoon in general.

I’ve always liked Lloyd. Ever since I was a kid, he was the one who I favorited over the others. Sure, Kai is awesome, Cole is super inspiring, Nya is an absolute baddie, Jay is funny, Zane is real cool, Pixal is an amazing robot girlfriend and samurai, Skylor is such a cool and strong female character to look up to, and etc. (Dareth, Nelson, Sensei Wu, Garmadon, Morro, Cyrus Borg…)

And yeah, a lot of people “like Lloyd” because he’s the “Green Ninja” or he’s “super cool”, but for me… that’s not it (I mean, a bit of it is, hehe. But not all of it). And as I become older in my teenage years, I’ve honestly been thinking about it a lot. I’ve been thinking about why I like this Lego character so much, and why this is the only “children’s” show I actually fan over where I can watch the show over and over throughout the years, write fanfics for hours on it, and spend my money on the sets and merch…

***Now I should probably say before I start, I’m not some crazy obsessive fan lmao. I just really like this character and show, and I want to shine some light on Lloyd (differently than he already receives, of course lol).***

Lloyd has been through a lot, yet he still came out as stable as he is (at least as much as the cartoon shows to the audience). One thing about Ninjago I like is how they make the characters realistic. I didn’t particularly realize this until I got older and I re-watched it, but all Ninja have a unique story before, during, or after they became Ninja. Though one thing that differs Lloyd from the rest is how young he was when he clearly knew his situation with his father, mother, “Ninja-acknowledgement”, family, etc. And I know what a lot of people are going to say, “But what about Kai and Nya? Cole? Possibly Skylor?” And I know, I agree. Unfortunately, all the ninja had to grow up with something traumatic in their childhood (the only one who didn’t was Jay; though later he had to find out he was adopted, which stinks finding out the way he did. I’m just glad Ed & Edna were as amazing as they were <3). The one thing that all the rest of the ninja have besides Lloyd within these situations, is they all still had *someone*. Kai had Nya, Nya had Kai. Cole still had his father, even under the circumstances. Skylor still had her father and etc with the rest. Lloyd had *no one* as a kid, and it makes me want to give his little baby-self in seasons 1-2 a massive hug.

I remember when I watched seasons 1-7 (especially 1-2) as a middle schooler, I thought little and early-teen Lloyd was so annoying (still do). But now, years later, it makes me really sad to think about his story. He’s the only ninja who had received *no* love from his parents or anyone around him until he met the ninja, and even then he later had to learn what *that* meant and how to have self-love… which he still has trouble doing a lot of the time throughout all the seasons. It makes me want to give him an even bigger hug!

And one thing about Lloyd I truly admire, is even through all of this crap, he *still* cares about his mother and forgives her so easily! The way his mother abandoned him as a child I completely disagree with, and how she just left him saying she was doing it for “him” (even though it *really* was for herself), and yet he STILL treats her kindly and respectfully, which is amazing of him. Now I’m not saying you shouldn’t forgive, it’s just how he accepted it like a champ is something that is completely admirable. Especially with how young he really was…. You have to remember Lloyd was only around 10-ish years old around seasons 1-2, yet he was able to accept his mother with opened arms. And sure, he probably was only doing this because he was attention-starved (explains why he wanted to become like his father as a kid), emotionally-starved, and starved for love, yet still as he got older and probably realized this more and more about his mother and their relationship, he still has *always* treated her with respect and kindness. And sure, people within this fandom get mad at how bitty Lloyd acted, yet we also have to remember how he was raised, which really wasn’t being “raised” at all.

Then we go into Garmadon and Lloyd’s relationship, which is a whole other can of worms. Yet unlike Misako, Lloyd’s mother, as a fan I 100% respect Garmadon as a parental figure than I ever will for her. Sure, he’s the biggest and baddest villain throughout the series. And sure, he too abandoned his son; yet unlike Lloyd’s mother, Garmadon made *up* for that time lost, and personally, I give him my upmost respect for that. He gave his son what he was lacking in receiving from his parents, and actually *cared* enough to do that for Lloyd. He showed his son what if felt like to actually be loved by your parent (in his own ways of course), he gave his son attention, and he showed what it was like to have an emotional connection with your child. GARMADON ACTUALLY SOMEWHAT HAD A REASON TO ACT THE WAY HE DID, HE WAS BITTEN BY A SNAKE THAT MESSED HIM UP FOR LIFE, YET UNLIKE MISAKO HE *STILL* TREATED LLOYD MORE AMAZING THAN SHE EVER COULD. Yet instead, throughout the 5 most healthy seasons of Garmadon and Lloyd’s relationship, especially seasons (3-5), SHE DIDN’T EVEN PUT IN THE EFFORT TO MAKE THIS A FAMILY RELATIONSHIP! Instead, she was hanging with Wu, Lloyd’s uncle. And I know for a fact we *all* know something’s going on there, which as a kid I even noticed, and I absolutely hated even then!!! Misako would pop in like everything was fine and dandy every-so-often, and yet Lloyd STILL treated her amazingly!!! That’s why Lloyd is my favorite! No matter what anyone does to him, says to him, or how he is treated, he still cares for them! He still wants them to have a happy ending, and he hasn’t even had his yet. It makes me really happy that he had the opportunity to meet the ninja, because without them as the loving family they are, I don’t think he would *at all* be the same kind-hearted character he is. The real loving people in his life are the team, and even though this is all fake and just a “silly” cartoon as some would call it, I’m GLAD he was given such a loving atmosphere.

Then we go into Seasons 8-16. Lloyd grew up, finally caught up mentally to his body (which I found terrible that he had to go thru that, yet he STILL acted like a champ when there were no expectations to!!!) and this is where I like his character even more. Still, even through all the darkness and pain he had to go through growing up (it gets worse as he gets closer to adult-hood), he still acts amazing! His father now isn’t his real father anymore, his mother is completely gone into oblivion (gone like she always has been, pfft), and he falls in love with someone who manipulates him because she herself is broken! (And yes, I probably should say now that I do ship Llorumi. Some of you may think I’m crazy, which I am lol, but I also have my reasons for supporting it, and I will most likely (someday) make a post like this explaining why I do, but right now we’re focusing on Lloyd. ;)) Yet Lloyd *still* forgives, accepts, and loves!!! After years of thinking about and watching this show, I’ve finally narrowed it down to those three attributes within him that I’ve seen consistently throughout the series. I believe we should all look up to Lloyd for this! Just being able to forgive and love the same people who had hurt and abused him, is truly a wonderful thing a person can achieve!

Plus, Lloyd is also funny, entertaining, and would be an amazing person if he were to be real. Sure, he has his own stuff he stores deep inside of himself, and he probably jokes as much as he does because he’s trying to make everything look okay, but ya know what? That is some amazing writing right there! Being able to make a LEGO “CHILDREN’S” show entertaining for kids to watch, but it also is able to make the older audiences feel recognized and noticed in attributes and personalities within some Lego Ninja? That’s some crazy awesome writing! It truly shows how if the right minds are put together, a show for “kids” can turn out to be fun and *emotional* for us older audiences to watch because we see these characters within ourselves.

So there it is, my rant as to why I do really love Lloyd as a character and not just some “Lego Ninja.” There’s some others, I mean his personality in-show and mine irl match up pretty well, so there’s that lol. I also like how he sits and listens to your problems and gives advice. He honestly is ✨the man✨ But there’s also multiple other things I didn’t even get around to mentioning in here that I like about his character too! There’s so much to unpack it feels within these characters. It’s almost as if this show *isn’t* for kids anymore, and it’s growing along with the viewers, yet still pertains to the “children” mindset.

Anyways, I’ve already spent two hours of my life writing this, so I’ll stop haha. But if you made it this far, feel free to comment and tell me your thoughts. I’d love to know. :)

P.S. HoW iS LlOyD, a PlAsTiC LiTtLe LeGo So GoOd LoOkInG <3333

[goldenchunkycat]

Neteyam as your Alpha

[The format might be a lil weird since I’m doing this on the phone (which keep on deleting what I’m writing it’s pissing me off)��� Might do a ‘.. as your Alpha’ serie watcha think ? Lo'ak is next, enjoy !]

Ok I just had this mind blowing idea who's actually not very original but still ! You're an alpha. Like, a big strong Alpha who's supposed to show the exemple and take care of the others. Spoiler alert, you're none of that. Yeah you're an Alpha, but you're not like the other Alpha. You're too shy to ask for more meat and too nice/scarred to go against anyone, Beta and sometimes Omega included. So you thought that you would end being the lone Alpha who can't attract anyone. And then you met Neteyam. He was an Alpha too, but instead of trying to assert his dominance on you, he became your friend, and later your mate.

When Neteyam heard about the 'fake Alpha' he wanted to meet them. How can an Alpha be fake ? And when he met you... Yeah, you were definitely not a normal Alpha. You did not tried to push your pheromones on him and instead tried to look as small as possible. You were quiet and nice, smiling to him when he subtly tried to submit you. Did you even notice ?

"So you're...an Alpha ?" "..." "Oh no, don't worry, you definitely...look like one..."

Neteyam would definitely be your friend not by interest but just because he finds you strange. Someone born with the Alpha gene couldn't possibly be that...submissive. It was strange. You were strange. But Neteyam also loved feeling on top. People always praised him for his skills, and so did you. But with you he felt more powerful. He felt like the world was in the palms of his hands. He was submitting an Alpha without even trying. So yeah, ngl, Neteyam kinda used you for his own peace of mind.

But the boy would slowly fall in love with you, with the way you would gently hold his hand or give him your food with a smile on your face. You were just like an Omega, but with the wrong status. The boy would probably be like "I can have a mate who's an Alpha but who behaves like an Omega, brilliant.". So he asked you out after months of knowing you. He did not courted you like an Alpha would usually do with an Omega, it just...happened. You would have a sleepover and BOOM, you wake up with his dick deep inside of your womb.

Neteyam as your Alpha would mean a lot and I mean A LOT of role-play. Dude wants you to act like the good Omega that you should have been and you oblige him. You don't ask him a lot regarding the fact that you don't feel the need to be protected, and it does not bother you to bend over or open your mouth. It's a win-win situation. When you're a good girl, Neteyam eats you out and focus on your pleasure and only yours; he does not edge you like he usually does and, conversely, overstimulate you until you're crying and pushing his hands off of your body. He just loves seeing his supposed big strong Alpha being so fucked out that she can't even talk. Because it’s a real kink in this blog Neteyam would praise you and call you his ‘good Omega’. The Alpha inside you absolutely hates it so you two just fight until he submits you (feral play). Did you know that the female tiger fight the male who tries to mount her ? Same here. But at the end of the day you’re still the ‘fake Alpha’ so you still end up on four, taking his dick as he’s ramming into you. Who would have thought ? Everyone.

"Beg for it, Love. Who’s taking care of you ?" "…" "That’s right, that’s ah- that’s my name."

"Big strong and scary Alpha taking her mate’s dick like a champ. Ngh- good Omega…"

"Trying to fight back ? Fucking submit, now. Oh ? You’ll regret it."

Masterlist

[spade-riddles]

To add on to that anon:

To be fair/honest? *We* knew these stunts were coming when she announced the new album. Plus, almost everyone is talking about the Beyoncé album right now and TTPD drops in about 3 weeks.

I wish she understood(?) she would have even more support if she would just be herself more often. The real Taylor is who we get to see every now during the Eras Tour that’s hilarious, relatable; accidentally swallows bugs. Gets stuck on the folklore house. Has a haunted piano that starts playing by itself because of rain. Lol

Then you have Taylor Swift™️, who we currently see that suppresses herself and her accomplishments to cater to her section of fans who chug the Travis bullshit at the expense of her other fans. Because THAT is what’s going to make *them* buy all the versions of the albums, etc.

Whatever happened to the days of actual promo that related to and revolved around the music? She wants the focus to be on the art, right? “It should be about the music and it’s not”….but she shoves the “personal” down our throats and takes the focus off the art and that’s why some people don’t appreciate the art like they should.

Give me a first single and a music video. An actual talk show interview. Not more routine staged pictures of you lying in dirt beside some man with his strategically placed hand on your ass to have something to talk about with his brother on his podcast.

It’s seems like she sometimes “dumbs” herself down to the level of whoever she’s “dating” at the time. Joe was the “love of her life” then they “broke up” last April and 5 seconds later, she was mouthing words to 🐀 on stage until June. Then she was celebrating “single girl summer”. Then she started this CAA promo run with Travis.

I’m not trying to be mean or harsh when I say this, but things like this don’t make her look like the heartbroken victim she seems to want people to think she is. Not when she’s openly associating with people like BM and JM.

It also irks me how some of her “OG” fans (the main ones who mock and harass other fans for *their* interpretations and *their* relatability to her lyrics) claim to know her. She’s their (parasocial) bestie who would never lie to them when they don’t know her at all. She has always said her truth is in her music, yet they don’t hear her screaming to be heard and seen (i.e., Antihero stage visuals).

They don’t notice how every time there’s a moment where Travis is being criticized, here comes an article saying how “Taylor” feels about it?

Like the one about how she “loves” his dad bod. Or the ones about how much money he’s spent on “wooing” her. Or the constant articles about him and how much money he paid for his house that he suddenly was able to close on about two weeks after they became public, even though he was a 2 time SB champ at the time and had been in the NFL over 10 years.

Sorry for the rant, but it’s frustrating because I get it, but then again I don’t. Because she is the most important piece of her brand and she just goes along with these things even when she doesn’t want to. 🤷🏽‍♀️

I can’t stand the guy. But it seems clear that she held off on promoting TTPD until after Beyoncé’s album dropped. There is no reason to crowd the promotion for both albums when they can each have their own spotlight.

[anotherwvba]

Family Matters, pt. 4

Part 4 - Dreams

It was late. Really late. The Omni was empty. No fans, no fighters. No crew, no staff. No one, seemingly, but a lone I.T. tech turned boxer. Niki Binary walked the concourse toward the food court, a piece of paper in her hand. Emergency lights lit her path as she walked with purpose, a look of confusion on her face.

As Niki continued at her steady pace, she looked down at the paper again. It was a torn and crumbled slip of paper with words written in a rough and heavy hand. It read, “Trouble sleeping lately? 1am by Gio’s in The Omni.”

My luck, it’s a serial killer, Niki thought to herself as the food court slowly came into view. Her heartbeat quickened as she spotted a silhouette at one of the tables. It was a large man and a t-shirt and jeans by the look of it. Please don’t be a serial killer.

“Ah,” a deep voice with a thick accent rumbled low. “You made it. Scared you wouldn’t take my note seriously. That or show up with baseball bat.”

Niki’s confusion only grew when she recognized the voice. Moving closer, eventually taking a seat at the table opposite of the man confirmed she was right about the voice. “Bull? What’s with all the Scooby-Doo stuff?”

Bald Bull, the Major Circuit Champion, smiled slightly. Reaching down beside him, he pulled a cooler up to the table and pulled out two cans of Liquid Death. “Boo. Orange or melon?”

“Orange, I guess?” Niki relaxed a little as Bull opened the can and slid it across to her. “Thanks, but seriously, what’s this?” Holding up the note, her question was obvious.

A deep breath. An exhale. A slip of sparkling melon water. Then, Bull spoke. “How your fight with Dream go?”

Orange water went spraying to the side and Niki choked a little. “How… how did you? I didn’t tell a soul about that.”

“Most people would think you crazy,” Bull smiled. “I know better. Imagine you got knocked out. What round?”

Niki was stunned. She didn’t know Bald Bull overly well, but she knew him and his reputation well enough. Bull wasn’t prone to practical jokes or teasing, but he wasn’t a severe personality either. In his younger days, he was known as “The Turkish Mad Man”, which he came by honestly. But now, that was more a persona for the crowd and less the man himself.

“Third.” Niki took a sip of her water and looked down at the tabletop. “How did you know?”

“I recommended you to him, or her when she fought you,” Bull seemed to muse on that for a moment. “Maybe I say, them. Pronouns difficult when can change form at will.”

This drew a slight chuckle from Niki, “You. You’re the one that told Dream to come to me? Why?”

“Before why, I have question.” Bull took a long draw from melon water. “How much Dream explain about what they are?”

It was Niki’s turn for a deep breath. “We talked for a while. Dream was the first WVBA Champ, not that anyone remembers it. The title match with Mr. Sandman’s what killed them. Somehow, they became some kind of strange ghost, made a wish, and everyone forgot. That’s the gist of it.”

“So, little more to it than that, at least I think.” Bull pushed an empty chair out from the table and propped up his feet. “Traditional Turkish belief called Tengri. Says there are many spirits that roam Earth. Called Körmös. Many different types. One kind called Ozor. Are souls of ancestors come to help and guide.”

“And you think Dream is an… Ozor?” Niki’s eyes narrowed. “Look, Bull, I’m not trying to be disrespectful about someone’s beliefs, but this is a little far-fetched for me. I mean, I believe in what I can touch and see.”

Bull retorted, “Dream punch you in face?”

Niki blinked and shook her head. “A lot. Fair point. Okay, let’s say Dream is an Ozor. I suppose as one of the founders of the WVBA, they are sorta an ancestor of anyone that fights here now. But, why? Why are they here? And you still haven’t told me how you know Dream?”

Bull smiled, “Second round, right before bell. Uppercut hit me just as I made charge inside. Out like light.” His hand unconsciously rubbed his jaw as if he was massaging out the pain of that punch even now. “Had long talk after. And I remembered everything.”

“What do you mean?” Niki leaned forward, elbows on the table.

“Remember night Dream died.” Bull’s face softened. For the first time since Niki had known him, Bald Bull looked every bit of his 45 years of age, like a man who’d spent 27 years in the ring. “Was hard night.”

“I can imagine,” Niki leaned back, sipping her water.

Bull’s gaze fixed on her, “No. You can’t.”

“Sorry.” A chill ran down Niki’s spine, but she pressed on. “I gotta know. Why me? And what do you think Dream is doing?”

“Why you?” Bull smiled. “Good heart. Determined. Hard work. This,” he gestured wide to encompass not just the arena complex, but the whole of the campus, “you dreamed of, then you made happen. People meet you, want to be better. Inspired. Not great boxer—yet—but great person.”

Tears welled in Niki’s eyes, “Thank you, Bull. I never knew you thought that much of me.”

Bull tipped his can to Niki before taking another sip. “What Dream doing? Don’t know. But trust is important. Dream like, how you say, ‘guardian angel’? Ozor step in when needed, not when feel like. Don’t know what is need. Not sure Dream know. But, know there is one.”

“Until then,” Niki asked.

“Until then,” Bull put his feet back on the floor and took a deep breath, “we look for others. We go about life. Be ready. Is all I know to do.”

Niki drained the last of the orange water from her can, “Do you really, honestly, truly believe that Dream is some spirit come to protect or prepare us or something? Really?”

“Don’t know.” Bull finished off his own drink, crushing the can in his hands. “But do know, four years ago, when WVBA reopen, I fought ghost. Ghost beat me like rookie. Only person ever beat me like that was Dream. Not devout man, but some things can’t explain another way.”

Both Bull and Niki stood, pushing chairs back into place. As they started to walk back toward the locker rooms and, from there, to the apartments, Niki looked over at the big man. “Bull, I watched you growing up. Read articles, saw interviews. You were the ‘Turkish Mad Man’, feared, angry, and reckless. Not saying that I want to hang out in a dark hallway with that guy, but… what happened?”

An honest, genuine laugh rumbled from Bull’s stomach. “Four years ago, got ass beat by ghost.”

[moonstruckdraws]

It's the holidays but I have literally nothing festive, but I DO have more art to share!

I made a rottmnt oc!! And her name is Lucinda/Luci! She's a mutated moth (southern flannel) that was taken in by Repo Mantis. She got injected with ooze from an oozesquito and luckily her body didn't give out on her, preventing her from dying from the injection.

Even though moths are eaten by mantis, I thought it'd be fun to put them together and have Repo raise her. He does believe in familial communications, even if it's directed to his cat I think it'd be cute if he felt the same towards her like a daughter.

Moths are quite fragile insects that are commonly preyed on, so when she got mutated she was quite timid and scared of everything around her. But when she found Repo, he made it clear that she would have to toughen up if she were to ever survive in the world. This caused her to stay around the junkyard and watch Repo from a distance, getting closer and closer to him. Eventually, she became more thick skinned and by that point was under Repo's... claw.

She's kind of like the bad/worse cop when it comes to business as she assists Repo at his job, mainly with people. She's aggressive, has a bad mouth, and a terrible temper because she made herself act more like a predator personality wise. She knows she's more fragile and weak, so she makes up for it with an explosive and slightly unpredictable personality. This usually makes people think she's a bigger threat, like she'll claim to be a poisonous moth even though southern flannels aren't.

Her aggressive and explosive behavior somehow made Mrs. Nubbins fear Luci which turned into them growing closer. They built a close bond, with only the occasional attempt of Mrs. Nubbins trying to eat her.

Repo Mantis cares dearly for Lucinda, but expresses it very casually most of the time, and is evident when he refers to her as 'champ', 'sport', or any other nicknames of the sorts. But he also acts like a clingy/annoying dad when it comes to her life personally (like her going to the Hidden City by herself, making friends, etc) and addresses her as 'Luci'. Lucinda wants Repo's approval and validation, and their relationship is very easy-going, but she will constantly roll her eyes at Repo when he gets all clingy and annoying. Luci also addresses Repo in two ways, as 'Boss' or 'Pops'. She uses 'Boss' more often than not because she uses the word 'Pops' for more sentimental moments, or for persuasion lol.

Phew! That's a lot of typing, but there's more to do. Mainly with her relationships with other characters, and I'm excited for that because it shows off her character the best! This is where the surprise comes in that I want her and Helli's sons, Pico and Bao, to interact (Surprise Helli :D )! I'm already in the middle of drawing how Luci would act with them, and will show them off tomorrow! I'm very excited to show them off!

[thepopcultureramble]

K.Dot Reigns Supreme

Alright, so let’s talk about the boogeyman.

Kendrick Lamar's responses were paramount to the 2024 rap feud that practically had the entire internet hitting replay on his Like That verse. This wasn’t just a typical rap beef; it became a statement on artistry, authenticity, and the distinct paths these two rap giants have taken in their careers. Here’s a breakdown of how this beef escalated into a full-blown saga and why Kendrick ended up with the final victory lap, Grammy nominations included.

Round 1: The “Like That” Shockwave

This all started when Kendrick appeared on Like That, a track on Future and Metro Boomin’s album We Don’t Trust You. Kendrick’s verse was classic, chest-out Kendrick, calling out the “pop” sensibilities of Drake and even taking a jab at J. Cole. He didn’t mince words, throwing lines that questioned Drake’s authenticity and his pursuit of superstardom over artistry. This set the internet on fire, with fans picking apart every line, speculating about Kendrick’s intentions, and unanimously agreeing he delivered one of the year’s hardest-hitting verses​

Drake’s First Response: “Push Ups”

Drake, never one to let a diss slide, fired back with Push Ups, which leaked online. The track was loud, catchy, and aimed directly at Kendrick’s commitment to “keeping it real.” But where Kendrick’s verse felt raw, Drake’s response, filled with energy but short on substance, felt like it was leaning too heavily on production. He even brought out AI-generated vocals of Tupac in a follow-up track, Taylor Made Freestyle, which drew backlash and left some questioning Drake’s creativity. AI Tupac was a bold, if somewhat desperate, move​

Kendrick Strikes Back: “6:16 in LA” and “Euphoria”

Kendrick returned fire with 6:16 in LA and Euphoria, each song dropping a fresh layer of introspection mixed with his signature critiques of modern hip-hop. On 6:16 in LA, Kendrick dug into the LA scene and his struggles, contrasting his life journey with Drake’s commercial path. In Euphoria, he softened the tone, showcasing his artistic side and reaffirming that for him, this was more than just a back-and-forth; it was a reminder that hip-hop at its core was art, not just business.

Drake’s response? Not as strong. While Taylor Made Freestyle created waves, it didn’t make the kind of impact Kendrick’s tracks did. By this point, fans were calling it: Kendrick wasn’t just competing—he was setting a new standard.

“Meet The Grahams” and “Not Like Us” – Kendrick’s Grand Finale

Kendrick released Meet The Grahams, directly addressing Drake’s family ties and hinting at the disconnect between public persona and personal reality. It was a move that hit hard, showing Kendrick wasn’t afraid to get personal but did so with finesse. Then, in Not Like Us, he laid down his final argument, emphasizing the differences in their artistry, where Kendrick’s work was meant to be dissected and remembered, and Drake’s, he argued, was made to be consumed and forgotten.

By the time Kendrick’s songs started getting Grammy buzz (and eventual nominations), while Drake’s responses got snubbed, it was clear: Kendrick had won. This wasn’t just about who had the best verse; it was about who captured the soul of hip-hop​

The Character Difference: Why Kendrick Came Out on Top

Let’s face it, Drake’s no stranger to beef—he’s clashed with Meek Mill, Pusha T, and others. But this feud with Kendrick brought something new: a contrast between two artists with radically different goals. Kendrick has always been about the craft, pushing boundaries lyrically and stylistically. Drake, while talented, has often pursued mainstream appeal and pop success.

Kendrick’s approach is what makes him “the people’s champ.” He doesn’t do interviews about his every move, doesn’t drop a new product every week—he lets his music speak. Drake, on the other hand, came across as more concerned with maintaining his status and putting out hits. Kendrick’s ability to stay above the noise and focus on his message ended up resonating more deeply.

Grammy Nominations: The Icing on the Cake

Today’s Grammy nominations solidified Kendrick’s win. Like That and Not Like Us both received nods, showcasing that even the industry recognized Kendrick’s mastery. Meanwhile, Drake’s tracks were nowhere to be seen, a signal that his AI-assisted attempts and rapid-fire releases didn’t connect as intended. Kendrick’s Grammy nods aren’t just about one-upping Drake—they’re a testament to his artistic approach that values longevity, impact, and a sense of purpose that outshines the temporary appeal of chart-topping hits​

Final Thoughts?

This beef, in all its layers, wasn’t just about who could out-rap whom. It was about what each artist stands for. Kendrick reminded us of the essence of hip-hop, the kind of artistry that transcends trends and accolades. While Drake’s contributions to music are undeniable, Kendrick’s journey through this beef proved why he’s the GOAT or at the very least, top three, not just as a rapper but as a true artist who doesn’t need validation to solidify his place.

This has been a ramble by,

The Pop Culture Ramble