#young rhett and link

[kaluwa-del-conte]

Art prompt suggested by the lovely @becausethathappens young Rhett and Link. ✨

(The idea came about from an gmm episode that I cannot remember right now 🫠 it’s been quite some time when this prompt was asked of me ;;;; 🐌🎨) it’s just young Rhett letting Link wear his first place ribbon and them taking pictures in a Photo Booth. Such boyfriend behavior ❤️

[artthoufruity]

How are these the same people this is Insanity

[wonderholegifs]

Do you think we could drink that cloud?

[samanthalynnsstuff]

Rhett: "When we were kids, we would just lay out in the backyard, stare up at the sky and say..."

Young Rhett: "Do you think we could drink that cloud?"

Young Link: "I wonder what it would taste like."

Young Rhett: "Probably Sprite."

Rhett & Link: (singing) 🎶 "We're Fog Chasers! We're chasing the fog! And when we find it, we gonna drink it, glog, glog, glog!" 🎶

Also here's a bonus no-glasses Link pic for you:

From Wonderhole Episode 3 - "We Drank a Cloud"

[hanawaiii]

true (b)romance

✰

[mythicalshipping]

The way Link watches Rhett during this convo. 

Tbh, it looks like he’s still looking at Rhett here, while addressing Trevor. Like “hahaha this is OUR inside joke.” 

OUR age group. 

Rhett in the second pic, wondering how Trevor seems to know so much about both his bedroom activities and his fantasy bedroom activities. 

Me, with a mind as clean and YouTube-friendly as Trevor was keeping his language during this ep: Bet that’s not the first time Rhett’s asked him that iykwim ;) ;) ;) 

Yeah because he’s at an 8.7 under the GMM desk and has tweeted that he can’t even watch GMM without pants feelings (at least on that particular day) and THE TWEET WAS DELETED GOOD LORD PLS TELL ME SOMEONE SAVED IT AND HIS EXCHANGE WITH JESSIE I NEED IT BECAUSE OF REASONS. 

Direct example of Trevor and his clean, YouTube-friendly word choice. 

[gryficowa]

Boycott!

I don't know if all the collections will arrive, but well…

Now that I have your attention:

[asherlockstudy]

Why is purple Rhett's new favourite colour?

Wonderhole E5

To be honest I am not big on writing this post because all I want to say is "it's gay. that's the post. bye" but this would not be fair or totally accurate for this wonderful and well thought out episode.

Rhett and Link are painted red and blue and get isolated in respective tiny rooms, in some type of GMM-like experiment. They are guided through the experiment by what seems to be a sinister twist on Stevie. The point of the experiment is to check whether this colour theory of association to emotions can be proven real. There is this expectation that after a while in these colours Rhett and Link should start behaving in a certain way.

The food cube segment seems to allude to weird taste tests and competitive games in GMM. Rhett is more reactive and compentitive while Link is more stoic and relaxed, as expected. Of couse, before that we were graced with another imagery of them drinking from tubes.

!!!ALERT!!!

PUZZLE VIDEO REFERENCE!!!

We had seen another one in the Brown Diamond!!!

Rhett and Link already express that they feel irritable and antsy and lethargic and pensive repsectively. This could be commentary on their real selves, as we know that Rhett can panic and get reactive in the face of hardship while Link has said on many occasions that he likes to nap away his problems. Things got worse when they listened to comments that resemble quite a bit some of the real life negative comments they get.

Another interpretation could be that this is a message that they comply to what is expected of them.

You know, the title of the fairytale evil!Stevie is reading them, Ferdinand the Fox, is a play on the children's tale "Ferdinand the Bull" and... I have a lot of thoughts...

Ferdinand is a young calf who, unlike all other calves playing fighting and acting tough and strong, he prefers to calmly smell flowers. His mother worries because he is different than the other calves but ultimately is understanding to him. Ferdinand grows up and he becomes an unusually large bull. Yet he is not aggressive and tough at all, he still prefers to sit at peace and smell flowers. One day Spanish bull fighters come to the farms to select the next bull for the bullfights. Ferdinand knows he would never be chosen and sniffs flowers calmly, only accidentally he steps on a bee and the bee stings him. Ferdinand starts running, mooing and heaving due to the pain. Impressed, the bullfighters take him for a challenging wild bull and take him with them. In the bullfighting arena, Ferdinand is entirely distracted by flower bouquets and ladies' garments adorned with flowers and refuses to fight. The bullfighters are filled with shame at his expense and return him back to his pasture. Unbothered, Ferdinand continues his flowery life in peace.

So... that is an interesting starting story to draw from, isn't it?

However, Ferdinand the Fox is quite the different character from Ferdinand the Bull. Let's take a look to the Wonderhole fairytale because this one is very interesting as well.

We have a land of many furry animals (Mythical Beasts) whose favourite songs are Fo-Rest and Trees (Rhett and Link). They chant these songs daily (daily content) and the magic fountain fills with the purest, sweetest water (the - monetized yet authentic - creativity produced by the chemistry / collaboration / bond of Rhett and Link). A fox called Ferdinand however crafts a plumbing system that routes all the water to his own place, so he enjoys all the water while the other animals are dehydrated and sing in vain (Rhett and Link's creativity is drained and channeled to a single format / style of content, perhaps due to somebody's or some people's responsibility, to the dismay of their loyal fans). Eventually the animals stop chanting their favourite songs (Rhett and Link lose popularity / viewership), however this is not beneficial for Ferdinand either because the fountain needs sound in order to produce water (money). But he knows singing Forest and Trees is not necessary for this (Rhett and Link's authenticity and artistry are not truly necessary to make money). So he goes to the other animals and starts spreading gossip, negativity, toxicity which creates unrest amongst the animals but, if nothing else, the fountain makes water again (uninspired, basic content with toxic, negative fan community). A mole named Marvin - another occurence of a mole, most notable was the mole who was supportive of Rhett and Link's hole digging - digs deep enough that he discovers what is going on. He comes to the surface and tells the other animals the truth. However, Ferdinand manages to turn the animal community against him by questioning his claims and even blaming him for the water drainage. Ferdinand wins (as Rhett and Link's videos usually have bad endings).

Who was the recurring mole? The old fans? Someone in particular? Someone in their immediate social or workplace circle? Someone who rallies for Rhett and Link's creativity / authenticity / sincerity but their efforts are met with too many obstacles? And who is Ferdinand? Is it some certain person with power in Rhett and Link's business? Is it the toxic, conservative or overly particular part of the fandom that wants only one type of content? I cannot tell what these characters exactly stand for but I feel the story told here is pretty much along those lines.

Rhett says how "we the animals" would want a revolution (a drastic change in how Rhett and Link present themselves and express their creativity?). Link comments how he feels sorry for the dehydrated animals (long standing fans?) and just before the crescendo of this video, he reflects how the animals (fans) should have listened to the mole (truth teller?, shippers?, old fans?, real life ally?).

And then we have this scene which was kind of agonizing, especially when you think there is a symbolism in it, which it obviously has a symbolism in it:

Like a literal wake up call, we are blasted with the image of Rhett and Link cuddling in their sleep. They also make sure to show that they must have "mingled" enough during their sleep that their bedspreads are messed and each has ended up on the other's bed and they are towards the opposite direction than the one they had in the beginning. In short, they have "cuddled" long and hard.

It's not just about that though. Rhett and Link are still being watched throughout in this context and, if anything, it seems things are going according to evil!Stevie's plan or expectations for the experiment. She removed the wall between them, waiting to see whether it would led the experiment to this and it DID lead the experiment to this. So there is an element of manipulation of which Rhett and Link seem to be the victims, either because they are driven to this or because they are watched while inevitably this happens. It sort of reminds me again Rhett's passive aggresive "Perhaps you are right after all" to the shippers last year.

When they wake up, they act like they have no memory of what happened (that level of twist and turn with another person in bed requires you to be at least semi-awake) and they deny having any will in this, particularly Rhett. In fact, Rhett accuses Link of "blueing him in his sleep" (wow) and slaps him. Then we get ANOTHER Puzzle Video reference!

Which is not surprising at all... remember what Link does in the Puzzle video ;)

A lot of denial, in short. The incident has made the tensions go up high. Rhett and Link start fighting each other in an ingenious fight sequence, wonderfully shot, directed and acted. With their fight, Rhett keeps redding Link and Link keeps blueing Rhett more and more, bit by bit. Eventually they challenge each other to "surrender". This goes on for a while until Rhett promises he will surrender, only if Link does as well. Then there is another round of "surrendering first" challenge until they proclaim to surrender, only to tighten their grips on each other extremely. The tension rises uncontainably and they eventually explode, creating purple in the process. Their purpling provokes another food reward by evil!Stevie. And here is what "purpling" means in Evangelical context, as explained by @unforgivablengk .

Based on this video, the tension and subsequent explosion can mean one of these three things:

Rhett and Link try desperately to resist the inevitable, all while challenging each other to make the first move to surrender. It reminds me of the peanut butter argument in the Flight Simulation, where they fight over who will take the first scoop. This only builds up the tension and they eventually "explode".

Rhett and Link are on different pages regarding being upfront and honest with their audiences and they both stick-in-the-mud forcing each other to surrender to the other's opinion. They are so stubborn in their own opinions that they neutralise and dissolve themselves in the process.

Maybe it's only artistic / work commentary, showing how they are different personalities who have different creative visions but their tension and the rubbing off of each other creates their trademark "purple" identity. I mostly saw this being the interpretation of many others on youtube. However, it does not explain why it needed physically touching heavily in bed to convey that message and also Rhett and Link have never claimed their artistic visions are different or that their personalities are opposite when it comes to the artistic vision.

But here it's time to remind you all that Rhett has only since the previous year started expressing his love for the colour purple (there was also the Lucy Lavender chicken in the Road Crossing Chicken video) but it has not always been his favourite colour. For the longest time, Rhett was not that decided on having a favourite colour but whenever asked, he would say that his preferred colour was grey. For ages. Then for a short while he also appreciated green, after his own eyecolour (lol). But suddenly, since a year or so, he is so big on the colour purple like he was never before with any other colour. This is a slightly sudden change. I believe he has associated purple with some particular symbolism in his mind...

*The evil!Stevie is voiced by Katey Sagal, the voice of the Smart House and also the purple haired, one-eyed Turanga Leela, the Captain of the Planet Express Delivery Ship in Futurama.

One Story Rhink Masterlist here

[ohtobeleah]

Nosebleed Section // Jake Seresin

Part Two: Conflict Diamond 

Summary: Jake struggles with putting his love for you into words which ultimately ends up pushing you further and further away. When everything comes to a boiling point? Is he able to say the three words you’re so desperately seeking.

Word Count: 4.4K

Warnings: Mentions of bar fights, mild themses of injuries associated with a bar fight. Jake Seresin x F!reader

Author Note: Part One Is Linked Here. Angsty little two parter to get the blood pumping. Dunno how well this will take but I enjoyed writing it nevertheless. So here you go.

Bob knew the second he saw the blue and red lights flashing through the window from the car park that you’d be done for. You were young, lithe and homely, wise by no means. Knowing that you were one guys, for his eyes and only—you’d go down any day of the week for Jake. If it meant he didn’t have to deal with people treating him like sex on legs. 

“Hey—“ Bob shoved at your foot as you groaned and jolted from your sleep. Looking at him as you pushed yourself up onto your elbows in the back of Roosters Bronco. Head spinning from the copious amount of liquid courage and bones throbbing from the impromptu bar fight. Your nose killed. Your lip swollen. Blood still stained your shirt and face, dried and caked into crevices you didn’t even know you had. If Rhett could see you know he’d tell you to pull yourself together and stop acting like a delinquent—little hypocritical coming from a guy who’s wrap sheet was the same thickness as the dictionary. “If you think I’m gonna bail you out of your responsibilities Y/n you got another thing coming.” Bob and Rhett were five years older than you but they both, each to their own respect, acted like your fucking dad. 

“Hell are you on about Bob?” Questioning your brother’s scowl, he pulled Roosters Bomber off your chest. “The fuck?” 

“Cops are here.” Your heart sank as you sat up and saw Sam Taylor standing behind Bob. The North Island local Constable. He was a nice guy—hated bringing you in. But he always made sure whenever you were that you got what you needed. 

“Hiya Sam.” Your head was throbbing as the alcohol in your system had started to break down. 

“Abbott, we gotta stop meeting like this.” Sam sighed as Bob stepped aside to let you climb out of the back of Rooster Bronco. “You’re gonna have to come down to the station—“

“Yeah yeah I know the drill.” You turned on your heels, heading towards the police car parked in the lot just across the way. “No need for the cuffs alright they give me a rash.” 

“Shit—“ Jake saw the slights as he came out of the bathroom, fixing his fly as he dashed out the front door, brushing past his colleagues who all stood around watching the events take place. They all knew this was coming. “Brawler!” 

“I’m fine Hangman go back to whatever it was that you were doing.” Constable Taylor just followed you back to his car. Shaking his head because this wasn’t the first and certainly wouldn’t be the last time he picked you up. “Gonna catch a lift with Sam here.” You didn’t both turning around, why would you when Jake had basically said he didn’t want to love you. Struggling to come to terms with the fact he’d fallen for someone like you—just a girl from Wyoming who couldn’t hack it. A Brawler. 

“Sam, hey.” Jake caught up to the young constable as he shut the door behind you. “She was just defending me—“ 

“From a twenty something blonde? Yeah, get outta here Seresin, I'm not buying it, Abbotts a smart girl but she’s got rocks in her head. She knew what she was doing.” 

“In all seriousness. Jake lowered his voice. “That girl assaulted me.” It was the first time Jake had actually admitted it. “She wasn’t takin’ no for an answer and just wouldn’t stop.” 

“Who threw the first punch?” Sam asked, stunning Jake into silence for a moment as he watched you lay down in the back of the cop car like you’d done it a million times before. “Exactly, as for your assault, file a report, but she’s going to the drunk tank, she’ll sleep it off—cop a charge and hopefully get to keep her job if this shit doesn’t make it to trial.” 

Jake loved you. He really did. He’d just never loved anyone like he loved you before. His own feelings scared him half to death because he couldn’t control them. It truly frightened him that the feelings he had for you went so deep that he’d move mountains and part seas just to get to you if you needed him. 

Struggling with his own emotions may have cost him everything when he’d worded it the way he had. But deep down Jake knew if grief ever darkened his door, you'd light it up the way you brighten up a room. It hits him right in the chest, 

puts the breath inside of his lungs every time he sees you smile. A gift all for him each time because those smiles seem less and less genuine nowadays.

He wonders briefly, while looking at you through bright reds and deep blues if you’d stopped smiling for him when you stopped believing in the idea he may have loved you back like you so openly loved him. 

“Ring me when her bails set, would ya Sam.” Jake knocked on the window to grab your attention. You didn’t bother looking up as you send him a half assed wave of acknowledgment. That was good enough for Jake as a smile crept its way across his face. 

“Why?” Sam just shook his head as he made his way around to the driver's side door. “You gonna pay for it?” Jake turned to Bob who’d been standing off to the side just taking it all in. This hadn’t been the first time he’d watched one of his siblings get carted off in the back of a paddy wagon and it sure a shit wasn’t about to be the last. It was in his blood, your blood. 

“Someone’s gotta.” Jake replied softly as he made his way over to the weapons system officer. Meeting him toe to toe. “Neither one of you have ever told me why you're Floyd and Rhett and Y/n and Abbott?” 

Much like Rhett who’d always been chasing a way out of Amelia county but could never pull the trigger, Bob was right there. Firing off on all cylinders the day the twins turned eighteen. He ran, but you ran straight after him. 

“Because I didn’t wanna be an Abbott.” 

***~***~***~***~***~***~***~

You didn’t remember being brought in and being detained in the drunk tank at the Miramar station. But you do remember Sam slamming the sliding roller door open the next morning. The sudden ringing in your head as you fell from the small fold out to the concrete flooring below told you all you needed to know. You’d fucked up. Again. 

“Bails been posted, Jakes waiting outside for you.” He smiled softly as he watched you scramble to your feet. You looked like hell but that bitch looked worse and that alone was worth it. No one touched Jake if he didn’t want to be touched, it didn't matter if he was usually the one initiating the conversation or approaching whoever he had set his sights on. on. Consent was consent—for everyone. “You should go home, get cleaned up, stay outta trouble long enough for this to figure itself out.” 

“Where’s the fun in that Constable Taylor?” You tried to remain your usual stoic self. Carefree and honest. “But I’ll do my best—“ But the cracks in your shell were starting to crack ever since Jake fucking Seresin said he didn’t want to love you. Well, he didn’t quite say it like that but you knew how to read between the lines. “Thanks for the free lodging.” You tapped his chest before making your way down the hall to the clerk's office to grab your things. Your shoes, your phone, wallet, keys and whatever was left of your remaining dignity. 

“There she is, How ya doing Brawler?” Jake beamed as he leaned against the hood of his pick up. Smirking at you with that thousand watt smile as you stumbled down the front staircase a little less than graciously. Groaning as you held your hand against your rib and started on that nasty limp you had when putting pressure on your right leg. An old rodeo injury that was only ever exacerbated when you decided physical altercations were far more exciting and adrenaline enduring than verbal confrontations.

“There’s definitely a lesion here.” You groaned as you made your way over to the passenger’s side door without so much as a hello or a thank you.. Despite your inner turmoil, you and Jake had a connection that didn’t need to be spoken, he knew you were thankful for the lift just like deep down despite his inability to admit it out loud that he was thankful you came to his defense last night. “But I’m not gonna be the one who figures it out—“ Clipling in your belt, you let your head hit the back of the chair as you sank lower and lower. “Take me home please—I need a shower and a fucking tylenol.”

“You definitely take the whole fuck around and find out analogy to a whole knee level huh?” It was silent when you didn’t answer straight away—not even a song playing softly through the speakers could be heard as your head throbbed from the bruising that had started the shine through in shades of deep purples and gross greens. 

“Yeah well, stop fucking around with Badge Bunnies and we wouldn’t have this problem.” You huffed as you picked dried blood out from under your fingernails, noticing just how cut up your right hand truly was and how much your wrist killed when you rolled it around. “Did you get a New Year’s Eve kiss?” You weren’t asking to be nice, you were asking to see if Jake had gone back to his merry little ways after you were taken away,

Trying to see if he’d done exactly what you’d told him not to do and fuck around with yet another girl who just wasn’t good for him. Not that you were any better. You weren’t good enough for anyone. 

“Rooster gave me a pretty sexually awakening smooch.” Jake chuckled when he saw your lips turn up into a fleeting smile. His hand had wandered over to your knees, gently resting against the denim of your jeans. Thumb rubbing absentmindedly as he drove with one hand. “But no, no I didn’t get a new years kiss.” He paused, wondering if he should try his luck again because what were the odds you’d jump out of a movie car to get away from him if he put his foot in it again. “The person I wanted to share a New Year's kiss with got carted away in the back of a cop car around eleven.”

“Damn, bet you’re really struggling to wrap your head around that aren’t you.” You couldn’t help but to throw what he’d said back at him. You thought, which was so stupid now that you really knew how Jake felt—that for a moment there he really did like you. Or even just liked the idea of you. But you didn’t want to make his life any more complicated than the Navy already made it. You didn’t want someone struggling to love you. You just wanted someone to love you for who you were, as fiercely and as unconditionally as you loved them. 

“Y/n—“ Nope. You weren’t doing this. Jake's grip on your knee tightened as his heart sank into his stomach. Ah, the proverbial foot in mouth he was worried about. “I didn’t mean it like that, I just—“ Interrupting Jake with a scoff you shook your head as he pulled up into your street. Removing his hand from your knee as you unclipped your seatbelt. 

“I don’t wanna talk about it, Hangman, just uh—you can drop me at the end of the drive.” Jake slowed the car to a halt, expecting you to jump out even before he put the car in park. But you sat there for a second in silence—looking into your lap. “Thanks for the lift, and I’ll pay you back for the bail—you know I’m good for it.” The mistake was yours to believe you and Jake could ever work. You’d wear it like a sunburn that might disappear but it won't leave you. The sting of loving someone who just couldn’t commit entirely. “I’m glad that nothing happened, you’re a pain in the arse sometimes but no one deserves to be treated like that.” You let your eyes linger at Jakes as he drank in the sight of you. Bloodied, bruised, fresh out the slammer. “I’ll see ya around Seresin.” 

“Yeah.” Jake didn’t know why but he just couldn’t say what he wanted to say. It’s like the cat had his tongue, his inability to tell you how he felt was pushing you further and further away and the tension hung in the air like cigarette smoke. Any time Jake Seresin had to face his feelings head on or had to try articulate those feelings into words so that those around him understood wholeheartedly how he felt, felt like he was trying to talk with a mouth full of sediment. “I’ll see you around.” 

When you got out of the car, you couldn’t see—vision blurred by tears that welled because why wasn’t Jake fighting to keep you around? It sucked. Simple. It sucked that you were in this position, but you weren’t going to let him see how easily he affected you. Show no emotion, no empathy. No heart. 

“Seeya Jake.” You mumbled as you fished your keys from your pocket. Unlocking the front door as Jake watched from the driver's seat as you disappeared into your home. 

“I love you so fucking much—“ Jake gritted his teeth as he clenched his jaw and tightened his grip on around the steering wheel so tight it turned his knuckles white. “Why the fuck can’t you just say that?” 

***~***~***~***~***~***~***

The unimaginable temperature of the water that rushed over your aching muscles soothed your entire being as you washed away the blood that stained your skin and clumped in your hair. Notes of raspberry blossom and juniper filled that bathroom as you scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed. Washing away the pain of heartbreak, worse than any physical pain you’d ever endured. 

Your phone that sat on top of the vanity cut off whatever song had been playing—your ringtone blasting out as you blindly reached out to see who was calling. With hesitation, you let it ring a few more times before settling on the fact that to get this out of the way and done with would be better than to drag it out for days on end. Dodging calls you knew wouldn’t stop. 

“Rhett—before you start, just know, the bitch had it coming.” Trying to defend yourself before the conversation even started.

“A FUCKIN’ BAR FIGHT ARE YOU SHITTIN ME Y/N.” Rhett’s voice was so loud in your ear you had to pull your phone away from your ear and place it on speaker. Making sure to hold it far enough away from the water that cascaded itself down your body. “Are you insane!?” 

“I don’t need shit from you.” You reminded Rhett as you heard the sound of rodeo announcements coming from the background. “Sounds like you're meant to be focusing on your next ride, cowboy.” 

“Rob said you might lose your job?” Fucking Bob, of course he snitched. You made a mental note to put a thumbtack on his seat next time you saw him. “What in god's name are you tryin’ to prove here kid?” Rhett asked as he kicked the dirty at his feet. Holding his phone to his ear as he fixed his hat. 

“Yeah well, win some you lose some—“ You sighed, just wishing for this conversation to be over sooner rather than later. “Could always kickstart my comeback career.” You knew that would rival Rhett up. Everyone in Amelia county knew he was the best bull rider in the nation, but you were just a little better. Key word being were. 

“Shut Up Brawler you know you can’t.” It wasn’t often that Rhett referred to you with your call sign, still gobsmacked you decided a career in the Navy was what was going to drag you out of the hole you put yourself in. “Stop doing whatever it is that you’re doing kid, shit ain't worth losing everything you worked so hard to achieve.” 

“You’re just scared because it won’t be Rhett Abbott at the top of the scoreboard anymore, it’d be me.” He knew you were right but he wasn’t going to give you the satisfaction of hearing it. “And you’d be surprised just how worth it he really is.” 

“I did the same thing one—“ Rhett had made it out once. Made it all the way to New Jersey. Settled for a little, had a whole new life. “Look where it got me.” Until Maria turned around and told him he still wasn’t enough for her. 

“Jake isn’t Maria Rhett—“ You immediately defend Jake when you caught onto what Rhett was alluding to, cutting off the shower and stepping out with a towel wrapped around your body. Tucked under your armpits. 

“No, Jakes a hell of a lot worse considering you two aren’t even a thing.” You had nothing to say as you looked at yourself in the mirror. Eyes bloodied, eye socket bruised. Cuts and abrasions littered your skin and all the colours of the rainbow seemed to pepper your complexion like badges of honour or horror. Depending on what way you wanted to look at it. 

“Listen to me kid, you know I used to put my crooked foot in what I couldn't resolve. But I’ve taken control now, hard work is good for my soul and I love it, growing through life and stress knowing the fight is just half of self-imposing righteousness.” Rhett paused as you stood just eyeing off whatever pathetic version of yourself stood staring back at you. “I think it’s time you did the same damn thing before you either get yourself kicked out of the Navy or worse—killed.” 

Knocking at the front door pulled you out of the self loathing trance you’d fallen into while your brother took it upon himself to lecture you about the path less travelled. 

“Rhett, I love you—but I gotta go, someone’s at my door.” 

“Don’t throw your life away Y/n, come home?” He asked as you held your breath at the offer. “You’re in over your head there kid.” 

“Make sure you don’t get Mickey bull—he bucks anyone off with two seconds.” You shook your head as the knocking continued, hanging up before Rhett could say anything more. The knocking wasn't stopping, if anything it got louder and more despite the longer you let it keep going. 

“Alright! Fuckin’ hell im coming!” You shouted as you barrelled down the stairs in your towel. “Don't get your knickers in a wod.” You sighed just as you opened your front door to see Jake standing there. “Jake? What are you doing here?” He’d come to just tell you how it was. Had every intention of pouring his heart out to you because you of all people deserved to know exactly how he felt and then some. 

But the longer you stood before him in just that towel with your hair dripping and your skin bruised and cut and all beat up he couldn't find the words. Silenced by his own nervousness and fear of rejection. Jake didn't do love, he did flings and moments and possible weeks. But with you? He wanted you forever. 

“I just came–” He stumbled over the words he wanted to say as Jake looked down at his feet. “I uh–came to say that–uh.” Jake knew about female rage, he’d seen it when his sister lost her fiance in a car accident just after they just celebrated their engagement party. He’d also seen it when Phoenix was passed up on a promotion because she'd mentioned that there would be a possibility in the near distant future that she and her partner Alex wanted to start trying for a family and the Navy wasn't ready to dish out maternity pay for her. 

But in all the times he’d seen female rage play out in all kinds of ways before him he’d never been on the receiving end of that rage. That clear pain that couldn't be held back. That couldn't be contained any longer. That needed an escape. 

“Oh for fuck sake Jake just say it and get it over with!” You hissed as you stepped back and turned around to try and cool off before you really lost your shit at him. 

“I'm trying, I  just–I can't get my words out, but–” 

“Come on, Lie to me and tell me you love me.” You turned around with a look in your eye Jake had never seen before. “Tell me just how fucking hard I am to love!” It was painful to watch you unravel knowing he'd caused you to spiral. 

“It's not hard to love you.” Jake panicked as he stepped past the threshold of your doorframe. The closer he tried to get to you the more space you put between you and him. “Y/n, you aren't hard to love.” 

“Go on Seresin, do it–” You hissed like you hadnt just heard him as tears started freely falling down your cheeks, still holding the towel around your body. “Lie to me again and make me feel like the piece of shit I am.” 

“Y/n–” 

“Do you love me or not?” You asked as all your rage just boiled over when you were given no response. Watching as Jake tried to say something, anything. “ANSWER ME!” Sobbing ensued as you couldn't hold back what you’d been trying to high for the longest time. “ANSWER ME JAKE!”

“I LOVE YOU!” He shouted way louder than you’d ever heard him scream before. It made you jolt as Jake took strides towards you, cupping your cheeks in his hands to keep you from moving any further away from him. Holding your stunned gaze as he looked down and you looked up. “I love you, do you hear me goddammit?” He asked as he pressed his thumb against your bottom lip. Softly caressing the slip you wore. “I love you and I'm not lying, or just saying that because I know it's what you want to hear.” He cooed as you started to feel the heat rising in your chest. “Y/n Brawler Abbott I love you and I'm so sorry I haven't been able to get my shit together enough to say it until now.” You were crying, sobbing as Jake walked you back towards your living room. You let him guide you as you cried between his palms. “You drive me crazy, you’re so funny and brilliant and you could kick my ass at anything ever and i don’t know why but i’m so obsessed with you it scares me away because i’ve never fucking loved anyone before you.” 

“You’re just saying what I want you to say–” You mumbled softly through tears. Jake finally got you where he wanted you, the lounge, sitting down before reaching out to grab the throw blanket for you. Guiding you to sit on his lap before he was wrapping you up. Covering you so you felt like you could drop the towel and just be in the moment with him. “You don't really love me, Hangman, there's nothing to love.” 

“You were the only person who saw I was in trouble.” Jake was quick to explain as you let your forehead rest against his. “Why were you looking huh?” 

“Because I wanted it to be me.” You cried. “Every girl who you've ever taken home, every girl who's ever gotten a chance to touch you, be with you, I wanted to be her so fucking bad but you never saw me.” 

“I saw you every second of every day.” It was the truth, Jake saw his moment and took it before you could think about the fact he’d taken so long to work up the courage to do it. He connected his lips with yours because surely you didn't have a concussion anymore or even at all. “I was just too afraid to let you in because if you broke my heart like you broke that girl's nose so help me god i’d never recover.” 

“There's a real big part of me who doesn't believe you, Seresin.” You admitted as you took his lips hostage again, your hands to car through the back of his hair and nap of his neck. “But since we’re airing everything out? I love you so much that that girls lucky she's not breathing through a tube right now.'' Jake knew you were holding back–it wasn't just a threat you made when you said next time you wouldn't go so easy. But a promise. 

Jake smiled up at you, just taking in the sight of you because he’d never seen you look so vulnerable with all your walls down. He wasn't about to take this moment for granted. No way no how. Kissing you softly and ever so slowly until you were pulling away for air. 

“Some people never find out what they have Y/n, only ever find out what they had and I could've been one of them. I know that– and I don't know if I still won't be one of them and that thought hangs around my neck like a millstone.” 

“Jake–” You whispered against his lips. 

“You're my refuge Brawler, the best person I know and I need you to see that the only one I let down more than you is me.” 

“You could never let me down Jake.” You cooed, sitting up just to drink in the sight of him beneath you. Still only covered by the throw blanket he’d given you. “But just for the record, you don't have to be afraid to tell me how you feel ever.” 

“Such a conflict diamond.” He beamed up at you because Jake knew he got his girl. Finally, the word seemed to spin again when you smiled back at him. A sight he’d missed far too much. “Just hope we can figure out a way to settle this whole mess before it goes to trial, can't lose you as my wingwoman just as i get you as my girl.” 

“So I'm your girl now am I?” You taunted, Jake knew the second your lips curled up into a mischievous smile that he was going to have to work every day of his life to keep you pumped full of the love you deserved to revel in. pulling you down into his chest as he wrapped his arms around you tight. Kissing your cheek. 

“You've always been my Brawler, and will always be my girl.”

[loulougoingsolo]

I haven't posted anything about Wonderhole ep. 4, because I needed to process it a bit further. My brother is currently going through treatment for testicular cancer, and I really wanted to share this episode with him, but then he was really depressed yesterday, and I just couldn't. I loved this episode, the way it honoured Ben's memory and brought a much needed lightness to a heavy topic. I've had that annoyingly catchy "Pair at a time" song playing on a loop in my head all day, and I know my brother would see the humour in all of this, when he's feeling less sad, but he's not there right now. I choose to believe he will be, in a not so distant future.

Anyways, this episode affected me. I was sad because of Ben whose life ended way too early, and who is still, after all these years, an inspiration to Rhett and Link. I hope, with making this video, the guys can let go of at least some of the guilt they carry for how things went all those years ago. They were all so young, and they did what they thought was best.

I was sad for the Dad squirrel, but also a bit mad, because he didn't try to get safe hard enough. Maybe he couldn't fly, but he could have climbed down, had he tried a little harder. Of course, it's really difficult to try harder, when you are feeling hopeless.

I am sad, because I see a loved one hurting and I can't ease his pain. I'd give my brother my wings if I could so he could fly, but I can't. I can only hope he finds a safe way down from the tree.

For me, the most emotional moment of the episode was that shot of the tree stump with the tiny sapling growing from its roots. I saw that sapling as a sign of hope. I so need to believe there is hope.

[samanthalynnsstuff]

"Now this is the tale that will explain, how our lives completely and suddenly changed. Just take a seat and don't disembark, we'll tell you we became the kings of a trailer park..." 🎶

Day 14 of daily Buddy System song fan art!

Now I think that the theme song/music video for the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air parody show, "Kings of Bellevue Estates", really worked in the Silent Fight episode just because it added to the guys' intentional campiness. And I also liked how it even paid homage to old school rap, which Rhett and Link are big fans of, and have been since they were young. I really love their clothes and their hair in this scene. And I especially love drawing Link without his glasses!

This might be the final fan art for Season 2, for now. (I'm kinda debating on whether or not I should draw the reprise of I Like What I Like, from the end of the season 2 finale, just so that way I could end this fan art series really well. Should I do it?)

[femmmie]

Do you take angst for your prompts? Just thinking of an ianthony fic but ian-centric that’s inspired by “I can do it with a broken heart” by taylor swift. Would really love a good/comfort ending!

As I said Anon, I love me some angst! Here ya go!

He's not coming back - Japhan2024 - Smosh [Archive of Our Own]

Slowly, it began to register with Ian.

"Cause I'm a real tough kid

I can handle my shit

They said, "Babe, you gotta fake it til you make it."

And I did

Lights, camera and smile

Even when you want to die

He said he'd love me all his life

But that life was too short

Breaking down I hit the floor

All the pieces of me shattered

As the crowd was chanting "MORE!"" - Taylor Swift

He's not coming back. At all.

"Ian? We, we want to tell you something."

Courtney and Shayne sat with Ian in his office at Defy.

"What's up?"

"Well, you might have noticed that me and Courtney hang out a lot together..." Shayne's smile had never been wider.

Oh god. Ian really tried to act surprised and happy at the news that Shayne and the only person left at Smosh he could confide in, Courtney, were now a couple.

Ian had developed a crush on Courtney shortly after Anthony left. They were funny, witty, knew when to change the subject. And they were always there for him when he needed them. Granted, those times had been in short supply the last couple of months.

"Congratulations you too, and thank you for telling me."

They all got up.

"I love you so much, Ian," Courtney said as they hugged him tightly."

Ian managed a tortured smile.

~

He's not coming back.

~

Ian watched in shock as people looted the Defy office. They were drinking, putting graffiti on the walls. He couldn't blame them too much, but it still kind of hurt. What would become of Smosh?

What would Anthony think about this?

They exchanged a short conversation, then it went silent again.

Ian buried himself in his work. Getting a buyer for Smosh to save it from being sold off for parts. Then he became the president and had Rhett and Link to talk to. It was great but not enough to get Ian out of his head.

~

Ian watched tv. His house was a mess. Nobody visited anyway, as they were in lockdown.

His phone rang.

Nerves shot through his system but it was for nothing. It was Spencer.

"Hey man," Ian picked up.

"Hey Ian, how are you doing?"

"I'm good, just chilling I guess."

"I just want to say it's really nice what you're doing for all of us. Keeping us on payroll. It's frankly the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. And I wanted to tell you thank you. We're cooking up all kinds of fun videos for Games."

"Aww, that's so nice! I'm glad, Spence. Take care."

Ian didn't feel like talking at all. He wanted to vanish, but he couldn't. He still had to be in videos every day and it was just so hard.

It was so hard without Anthony.

Anthony had always been there.

He opened his sixth beer of the evening.

~

They were back in the studio. It was better times for Smosh. It started to have an identity of its own.

They were shooting a meme reaction video.

"I guess the other guy left..." Shayne laughed his maniacal laugh at the meme. Everyone lost it. But Ian was close to tears.

"Are you okay?" Courtney asked empathetically.

"I'm fine," Ian managed to say.

The carefully constructed walls around Ian's feelings all came tumbling down. He remembered everything. His and Anthony's friendship deteriorating. Anthony becoming so unpredictable: hostile one moment, begging for connection the next. He hadn't trusted him anymore. How he regretted it now. He'd been so young and dumb. And now he didn't have his best friend anymore. It was like Ian's world shattered all over again.

After the shoot, Courtney came up to him.

"Hey, Ian, you alright there buddy?"

"I guess I am, Court. How are you and Shayne?"

"Better than ever." They smiled.

"I'm glad. I'm heading back home."

"Alright, take care okay? We all love you, you know that right?"

"I do. I think you're not too bad yourselves."

Courtney smiled. They truly were very pretty.

~

They stood on the balcony. Their mutual friends had left them to talk.

Ian had completely forgotten how gorgeous Anthony was. Damn. His features so lean, his smile so convincing. His eyes so dark and warm, hot even.

"It's a miracle you saved Smosh when Defy went under. I have to really thank you for that, Ian."

"It was all I had left- you know. Of our friendship."

"Ohh.." Anthony gave him a hug. "That's so sad but also so nice."

"Yeah." Ian smiled wide. He'd also forgotten how *nice* it was to be around Anthony. They got each other. There was an understanding, from knowing each other for so damn long. It was incredibly reassuring.

They stood there, watching the LA night sky.

"Anthony? What if- what if we bought back Smosh?"

"We look for love, no time for tears

Wasted water's all that is

And it don't make no flowers grow

Good things might come to those who wait

Not for those who wait too late

We gotta go for all we know

Just the two of us" - Grover Washington Jr.

[ghxst-heart]

ꜱᴀɴᴄᴛᴜᴀʀʏ ─ ʀʜᴇᴛᴛ ᴀʙʙᴏᴛᴛ

sᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ: Rhett wasn’t a religious man; he hadn’t been for a long time.  Still, he went to church with his family every Sunday and kept his eyes trained on the pulpit.  His mother thought that he was finally taking in what Pastor Simon said to heart, but only one thing could have the youngest Abbott so entranced; the preacher’s daughter that dutifully sat in the front row, every Sunday. ᴛʀɪɢɢᴇʀ ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢs: 18+, MINORS DNI, mentions of alcohol and hangovers, small descriptions of sexual acts, more to come in full fic. ɴᴇᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ɪɴғᴏ: Pronouns used are She/Her/Hers, AFAB!Reader, beginnings of a FWB relationship between Rhett and Reader. This is an excerpt from a full-length fic, linked here! ɪɴᴄʟᴜᴅᴇs: Fem!Reader, Romantic!Reader X Rhett Abbott ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 1.1k ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ʀᴇᴀᴅ: MINORS DNI!! My blog is strictly 18+!! Any minors or ageless/blank blogs interacting with my fics or my blog will be blocked (and, yes, I do check). I can't stop you from reading my fics, but I can stop you from accessing my fics if my boundaries aren't respected. Your media consumption is your own responsibility, just as it is mine regarding what I post. Please tread thoughtfully and carefully, and keep yourselves happy, healthy, and safe.

‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎The air in the sanctuary was thick as Pastor Simon droned through his sermon, pacing the length of the pulpit with his bible clutched tightly in his old hands.  His voice boomed through the small space, echoing off the wood-paneled walls and resounding in Rhett’s ears as he tried to ignore the pounding in his head.  His Stetson hung low over his forehead, trying to shield his sensitive blue eyes from the blinding morning light seeping through the windows.  His hangovers were never this intense; either he had drunk too much the previous night, or Pastor Simon’s voice was so boring that it was causing him physical pain.

‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Rhett felt a harsh pinch on his thigh, and he flinched, ready to snap at whoever bothered him, but he quickly realized that it was his mother silently reminding him to stay awake.  His mouth fell into a sarcastic sneer before he recovered and offered his mother a firm nod of his head and a tight-lipped smile to appease her.  Cecilia frowned, and he fought against a whiney comment, instead opting for a quiet grumble as he sat up straight in his chair.  He gave her a pointed look and removed his Stetson from his head, and she hummed in approval, pleased that he had taken her silent direction.

‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Rhett hadn’t thought that his silent squabble had earned anyone’s attention, but he knew he had been caught when his eyes met the pastor’s daughter’s gaze across the room.  (Y/N) had turned her head over her shoulder, a small, amused smile on her face as she watched Cecilia scold Rhett as if he were five years old again.  Rhett readjusted in his seat, his arms crossing over his broad chest as he felt the tips of his ears begin to burn with embarrassment under her stare.  (Y/N)’s head tilted slightly as if she were asking him a question, but before he could think of an answer to a question he didn’t know, she returned her attention to the pulpit, nodding along with her father’s sermon.

‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎The young Abbott’s man kept his eyes on (Y/N) as she gathered her hair in her hands and let the strands settle over one shoulder, exposing her neck to his eyes.  Her fingertips grazed her skin, nails lightly scratching the base of her throat before she dropped her hand to her lap again.  Her chin tilted up, extending her neck and stretching her muscles before she relaxed, dropping her chin so she could read the bible resting over her knees.

‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎The way that Rhett and (Y/N) were seated gave them direct views of one another, and Rhett could see most of her body.  Her legs were crossed at the ankles, relaxed against the seat of her chair.  Her skirt had ridden up, revealing the smooth skin of her thighs.  She mindlessly toyed with the hem, pulling it higher and higher up her leg.  Rhett thickly swallowed, letting his mind swim with sinful thoughts of marking up her legs, littering them with pretty purple bruises and lovebites.  He thought of kneading the soft flesh with his calloused hands, relishing in the goosebumps he would leave behind, and how the plush fat would feel wrapped around his head, muffling his hearing so he’d only just barely hear the beautiful noises he would draw out of her.

‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Rhett was thrown from his thoughts when (Y/N) suddenly readjusted in her seat, crossing one leg over the other and swiveling her body, so she was sitting sideways on the chair.  He panicked, body flushing with embarrassment as his eyes flashed up to her face, finding that she was already staring at him.  He had been caught staring at her legs, his mind running rampant with fantasies.  (Y/N) grinned, her teeth chewing on her lip as she let her eyes wander over Rhett’s body before she looked at the pulpit once more, pretending as if she hadn’t exposed Rhett’s shamelessness in checking her out.

‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎(Y/N) had always been an interesting woman.  She was the epitome of a pastor’s daughter.  She attended church every Sunday, helped out in the daycare on weekdays, was active in the Women’s Group, and helped plan fundraising events for families in the congregation that needed extra funds.  She never did anything wrong, anything sinful, and always said the nicest things with a bright smile on her face.  She wore conservative clothes, nothing too tight or revealing, and her face was always cleared of heavy makeup, giving her such an innocent look with lightly coated lashes, soft rosy cheeks, and glossy lips.  But Rhett had always thought there was something more just underneath the surface.

‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎They had grown up together, going through elementary to high school in the same classes.  While Rhett grew rebellious and ambitious to achieve fame as a bull rider, (Y/N) remained the sweet, innocent girl that was content to live her life in Wabang as the pastor’s daughter.  By graduation, they were nothing more than strangers to one another, their reputations landing them on different ends of Wabang High’s social stratosphere.  But that didn’t stop Rhett from watching her as she led the congregation in song or served food at the church’s monthly luncheon, blushing when she’d catch his eye or muttering an excuse to leave before his stomach would lurch with a delicious, yet sometimes overwhelming, fluttery feeling.

‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Rhett was too young and stupid to realize what his longing looks and flustered words around her meant.  He was too naive to understand that his nerves and the funny feeling in his stomach meant more than just a childhood crush.  For years, the youngest Abbott oftentimes tried to convince himself that he was just imagining the lingering stares or the suggestive brushing of her fingertips against him when she passed him.  He tried to brush it off as his darkest fantasies trying to turn polite glances and innocent touches into something more, his mind playing cruel tricks on him in place of his lonesome nights.

‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎But that was before they grew up.  Now, after being in the world and experiencing real attraction, real lust, he was convinced that it was something more.  He was convinced that (Y/N) knew what she was doing and that she was purposeful in how she looked at him or placed her hand over his when handing him his food at the luncheons.  He was certain now that he wasn’t imagining things when she smirked and turned away, continuing to innocently play with her skirt and show Rhett more and more of her skin after she’d caught him.

ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ's ɴᴏᴛᴇs: So this is a little excerpt from a Rhett Abbott fic that I'm working on. This will be a smut fic, and with that being said, it will be an 18+ fic only. I'm a little nervous posting this as this is my first time writing for Rhett, but I would love to hear your thoughts! Love you all so, so much!

If you'd like to be added to any of my taglists, click here!

[twistedboxy]

For Robyn as part of this year's mythical secret santa @mythicalsecretsanta . I present

Class Magic

From the blog @dailyau the AU was "We're teachers at the same school and our students are convinced we're pining for each other (we are) AU

Monday

"Hey Mr. M, sorry I'm late." A young voice said.

Rhett looked up from his desk to see his student holding an ice pack to their head. "Hi Tommy, no worries. What happened?"

A third voice spoke up. "Sorry, there was a bit of an incident during gym class. The nurse said he was okay but I wanted to make sure he made it okay."

"I'll make sure to keep an eye on him, Mr. Neal."

"Thanks."

Tuesday

"Hey, we're recess duty pals today." Rhett said.

"We are. It's pretty nice today before break. What are your holiday plans?" Link replied.

"I go to my parents house where I also see my brother and his family."

"That's nice. My parents aren't together anymore so I visit both their houses."

“Oh so you kinda get two Christmases in one.”

Link laughed, “I guess so, it's been like this for so long I never thought of it that way.”

“Incoming!” A childish voice screamed out. A ball came flying towards the two, it hit Link in the shoulder causing him to stumble into Rhett who caught him.

“You okay?” Rhett asked as he helped Link get his balance.

“Yea, I'm good. Surprised me, that's all.”

Wednesday

“Welcome class, I decided today was a free day since the book fair is here this week.”

“Yay!” Multiple cheers from all around.

“Mr. Neal, can we go to the book fair?” A student asked.

“Let me check, but I think we can manage that.” A few minutes later, he came back.

“Alright, we're all set. Who's coming along?”

At the book fair

“Mr. M, check out this book on dinosaurs!”

“That looks like a good one. Are you going to get it, Billy?”

“Yea!” Billy runs off.

“Hey Rhett, looks like your class is having fun.” Link quipped.

“Hey Link, I see you brought your class too.” Rhett said.

Link laughed, “Yea they pretty much begged me to come. I think some of them wanted to visit again.”

The two watched both their classes run around the fair and admire their purchases. Rhett leaned down to tie his shoe, Link noticed something stuck to this back.

“Rhett, there's something on your back, you want me to grab it?” Link asked.

“Sure, thanks.”

“Let's see what this is.” He unfolds the paper reading aloud “I'm stuck on you. From your secret admirer.”

“You have a secret admirer! What a clever way to sneak a note.” The two laughed.

Thursday

Rhett thought he picked a great sweater for Ugly Sweater day. It was a kitten popping out of a present shooting lasers out of its eyes.

“Nice sweater, Mr. M! Did you plan yours with Mr. Neal?” Someone questioned.

“No, why?” He said.

A girl spoke up “He's wearing the same sweater.”

“We have good taste then.”

Friday

Link's day didn't start out great. It was raining and he ended up stepping on gum. The day continued dully. During his lunch break, he decided to work on some grading. He flipped open his gradebook and a boot shaped card slipped out.

“Huh what's this?” The gradebook was put aside for the moment while he inspected the card. Inside the card it read,

“Just like gum on a shoe, I'm stuck on you. There's a matching card afoot, go and find it. From your secret admirer. P.S. Will you be my date for tonight?”

Link felt his heart skip a beat from the notion of someone liking him romantically. His lunch break was almost up and he had class soon but the note instantly made his day much better.

Meanwhile Rhett walked into his classroom to find a similar boot shaped card taped to the chalkboard. “Alright, who put this here?” He asked.

“Mr.M, it was already here when we came in.” One of his students replied.

Another spoke up, “Are you going to read it?”

“Not right now, after class. Let's get started.”

It was towards the end of the day when Rhett got to read his note. His note read “I like your boots. Can you find my partner? From your secret admirer. P.S. Will you be my date tonight?”

Rhett chuckled to himself, someone noticed his boots.

The school was pretty empty as he searched around for his card's partner. He rounded a corner not paying attention bumping into someone.

“Rhett?”

“Hm, oh Link sorry about that. My mind is elsewhere.” Rhett apologized.

“Same here, what's that in your hand?”

“I got this card earlier today. I'm supposed to find its partner.”

Link held out his hand with the matching card.

"I think we were set up." Rhett laughed.

“They're not wrong, I do like you a lot.”

“Same here. What do you say, would you like to be my date for tonight?”

“I'd love to. See you tonight. They're going to get a kick out of this.”

“See you tonight.” The two parted ways until later.

At the dance

“Do you think all the stuff that happened this week was coincidence or was it the grade's elaborate plan to get us together?” Link asked.

“We were definitely part of their plan.” Rhett replied.

“Like I said earlier, I do like you a lot. I'd definitely like to spend more time with you. So what do you say, would you like to go out again sometime again?"

"I'd love to."

Various students nearby started cheering.

"I guess that proves it."

[nanamikentostan69420]

thinking a thought right now.

was (UNFORTUNATELY) raised in the white Evangelical christian church & was told for many years that love is slow to anger.

my love is SO quick to anger. I realize that there are teachings of righteous anger and whatnot but I tell you, to love the people around me in the ways that matter deeply to me in the world that we live in, I have experienced periods of being furious for a majority of the hours in a day, for the majority of days in a week, and sometimes even for most weeks in a month.

I somewhere, somehow (CANNOT currently remember where) someone talking about how most of the pacifists they know, anyone who dreams of a world without war/conflict- aren’t actually the mellow, “peaceful”, chill people that pacifists are sometimes painted as.

rather, they look at the world around them and are so heartbroken and absolutely furious at how far from ideal it all is. people die preventable deaths, every single day, in a country where such things SHOULD be incredibly rare (how does the “most advanced/prosperous/other buzzwords that the US of A tout, country in the world lose millions to suicide? to car accidents? to LACK OF HOUSING, lack of food, lack of healthcare? delayed access to healthcare, or having gone without for so long that PREVENTABLE DISEASES are no longer preventable, or the symptoms are now inevitable and more severe?)

ties into another aspect that I’m repeating from Rhett and Link- during the podcast episode where they detailed their deconstruction of the church/religion in their lives, I think it was Rhett that mentioned something along the lines of a sense of justice. That the Christian church is seeing an enormous exodus (pun intended) of people, especially young people- and though this means the church has failed, at least in retaining its members, he points out another important aspect.

The Christian Church operates on an unyielding, ever-present, righteous set of rules, and everything can be measured against those rules to make judgements and take actions in the world around you.

AND THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WERE RAISED IN CHURCH HAVE INCREDIBLY STRONG SENSES OF JUSTICE (AT LEAST IN MY EXPERIENCE). We’ve already had to stand firm in beliefs that were typically not those of other peers, and were praised for going against the grain when it’s due to something you believe in firmly- something that gives your life more meaning, that grounds you in community.

so with all that context, is it REALLY surprising that young ex-evangelicals are queer, neurodivergent, and/or anti-capitalist? <- all of these being forms of existence that REQUIRE a difference from the status quo, both in mentality and frequently in what actions people take.

To exist in the christian church in the ways I was told were necessary, so many aspects of life are different from your peers. especially growing up there. EVERY Sunday morning was spent at church. A whole 3-4 hours of my weekend, gone. & then there’s youth groups during weeknights…

Notably, a former youth pastor (SIDEBAR: a more appropriate name could be: child indoctrinater, young enough to be relatable but DEFINITELY old enough to know better) of mine literally sent me a letter in my sophomore or so year of high school and guilt tripped the shit out of me to try to get me to go to youth group more consistently (I was heavily involved in swimming and water polo & attended practice at least every afternoon/evening, sometimes multiple per day) and told me that water polo shouldn’t be more important to me than god, etc. etc.

WILD to say these things to a high schooler whose most valuable and truly independent time away from their parents was during these practices. Jesus christ. I’m so glad I didn’t let that talk me out of being a massive jock. Could talk about this for legit days but it’s bedtime.

[asherlockstudy]

"Our Wedding Regrets" EB: A summary

Link's super normal reaction to a reasonable (albeit naive) voicemail:

So, the woman asked what they, who are in such strong marriages, would recommend or have changed in their own wedding to make it more special and unique.

Rhett and particularly Link's initial response to this very normal question:

Link: You are asking the right questions to the wrong people. We got married soo young. It's been so long ago. 24 and 23 years ago. We got married. We were different people. Rhett: ....In some ways. Link: (inspecting Rhett) And we were the same in some ways. The more you change, the more you stay the same...?

It was a simple question, Link. Where did all that deepness about you and Rhett being different people now and not equipped to answer this come from. Just name one thing you did or didn’t like in your wedding ceremony!

Also. He initially didn’t like Rhett taking the more moderate approach so he just had to alter this. “We were the same in some ways. The more you change, the more you stay the same.” Yeah, I get it. 👀 What Link felt 23 years ago is what he feels now, regardless of what he was choosing to do then and what he’s deciding to do now.

Just because Rhett and Jessie were accepting personally the guests in their wedding, Link politely paralleled their wedding to a funeral… He repeated it a few too many times. I mean, one was more than enough.

Link: “WHY? WHY DID YOU WANT YOUR WEDDING PHOTOS TO BE TIMELESS???” @@@

Also Link: “We lost our virginities in the same bed”. Rhett: “Actually…” Link: “No stop it we did”

Rhett discreetly implied that if he had had sex before marriage, he would have not chosen to get married. Okay, while this is reasonable, because the first time is almost always underwhelming and Rhett apparently had already too high expectations, it’s still not a great thing to say that your only reason for marrying your spouse was having sex and that after having sex for the first time “it put things into perspective” (a polite way of saying he regretted getting married). I am well aware that Rhett has said in the past that it eventually worked out fine for him and Jessie and Jessie did feel similar about it… but it still is not a very nice thing to say and it wasn’t even what the question was about. Like, what was the answer here??? “If you haven’t had sex yet, do it and if you don’t like it, cancel the marriage that is in a few weeks time”??? He can’t say that to a random stranger. He just got carried away. Link was quick to agree, of course.

Link semi-confirmed that he got drunk also the day BEFORE the wedding. So, both before the wedding and after the honeymoon.

That’s all I remember now, I was too bored to go check again for more curious moments.