#instead of the top top row of the stadium

[montrealvictoire]

YIPPEE!!

[purplereina11]

You're a highly successful basketball player who has just been transferred to Barcelona's women's team. The number 11 holds deep personal significance for you. Among the spectators is none other than football superstar Alexia Putellas, synonymous with the number 11 in Barça history, watching from the sidelines. What starts as mutual admiration quickly turns into something more, fuelled by weeks of playful yet intense online flirting. The chemistry between you and Alexia becomes undeniable.

When you reached Estadi Johan Cruyff, the atmosphere was electric—every pulse in the stadium throbbed with raw energy. The crowd roared in anticipation, chanting, hoisting banners high, all set to witness another blazing Barcelona masterpiece.

But for you? It was all about one singular presence. You hadn’t come for just the spectacle of the game—you were there for her. Alexia Putellas. With Maya and Liv tagging along, their eyes wide with amusement and intrigue at the public sparking between you and Alexia, the stakes were impossibly high.

"So, how are we feeling?" Liv pressed, nudging you as you sank into your front-row seat—exactly where Alexia had directed you. Wearing a cap to blend in proved futile amidst the contrasting white Nike hoodie chess move blazoned across your chest and cap that screamed for attention. Smartphones thrust in your direction, recording every moment of your bold stance. Front row wasn’t just a seat; it was a declaration.

"Nervous? Excited? Sweating a little?" Liv prodded.

You smirked, a hint of challenge in your eyes. "She’s the one who should be nervous."

Maya scoffed. "You talk as if she isn’t about to go full Ballon d’Or just to impress you."

And you weren’t hidden at all. The crowd’s buzz, with Maya and Liv flanking you from either side, was relentless. Despite your low profile—hood up, hands buried in your jacket pockets—it wasn’t long before gazes locked on you.

Not solely from the crowd.

From her.

The instant Alexia stepped onto the pitch for warm-ups, the atmosphere charged further. Every stretch, every pass, every jog was precise, yet her eyes inevitably wandered toward your section. She knew you were there.

A smug grin curled your lips as you leaned back, relishing the anticipation building just before kickoff.

The game exploded into life, and Alexia was a blur of speed and purpose. From the very first whistle, she was consumed—each move calculated, each touch a masterstroke. Every motion was deliberate as she dominated the midfield with an intensity that was impossible to ignore.

You leaned forward, elbows locked on your knees, poisoned with admiration and raw anticipation as she sliced through defenders as if they were mere phantoms.

"Jesus," Maya gasped, half in awe, half in disbelief. "She’s insane."

Liv burst out laughing. "She’s putting on a damn show."

You couldn’t tear your eyes away as Alexia collected a pass at midfield. A single, piercing glance upward, and then—like lightning—she burst into action. Effortlessly, she ghosted past one defender, spun with unreal grace, then twisted her hips to leave the next flailing in empty air.

By the time she stormed into the box, the crowd erupted in a deafening roar. A thunderous strike—top corner, a missile that sent ripples through the net like an explosion. The stadium convulsed with energy. Without a second thought, you sprang to your feet; the shot was seismic. And then, as if electrified by the moment, Alexia turned. She didn’t celebrate immediately. 

Instead, she locked her gaze onto you—a small, impish smirk playing on her lips that screamed, I did that. It cut through you like a jolt. Your heart pounded uncontrollably as you clapped slowly, your applause a mixture of pride and challenge.

Liv whistled beside you. "Oh yeah, that was definitely for you."

Maya teased, nudging you. "Still think she should be the nervous one?"

You sank back into your seat, arms crossed as you feigned cool detachment. And if you thought Alexia’s performance had peaked, you couldn’t have been more mistaken.

For the remainder of the match, she unleashed a barrage of jaw-dropping moves—impossible one-touch passes, laser-accurate through balls, flicks and turns that mocked the bewildered struggles of defenders. It was an onslaught, as if she was playing in a realm where gravity didn’t exist, while everyone else fought a losing battle.

Each spectacular feat was punctuated by a glance thrown in your direction—as if daring you to react, as if stoking the flames of a private duel. And, yes, you were reacting fiercely. But you refused to let her see the depths of your admiration and desire. So you maintained your cool. You smirked when she executed a flawless pass. You nodded when she navigated through chaos. You tilted your head ever so slightly when she caught you staring—a silent conversation woven into the game itself.

And Alexia reveled in it.

As the final minutes neared, a decision formed in your mind. You weren’t going to stay until the final whistle.

Just before full-time, you surged upward, preparing your exit strategy.

Maya’s eyes lit up immediately. "Oh my god, you’re running away."

You grinned wickedly. "Strategic retreat."

Liv snorted. "This is diabolical."

You simply shrugged. "Let her wonder where I went." Let her chase the elusive mystery. Because this game? It was far from over—never even close.

Outside the stadium, you resisted the urge to check your phone. You knew that the moment you did, notifications would flood in—teasing texts from your teammates, maybe even a message from Alexia herself.

Instead, you let the silence build. Let her pace her thoughts. Even as you returned to your place, messages began appearing.

Maya: You’re actually evil.

Liv: Alexia was looking for you after the game lmaooo. She looked pissed.

A smirk tugged at your lips. Then another message popped up.

Alexia: So you left.

Short. Direct. The unimpressed tone practically sizzled through the screen. You paused before replying.

You: Front row or nothing, right? You saw me.

Alexia: I did.

Leaning back against your couch, you savored the rising smirk on your face. She wasn’t done yet.

Alexia: And yet, when I looked again, you weren’t there.

Her irritation was palpable, but so was the thrill—she was still texting you.

You: Had to leave you wanting more.

Alexia: Dangerous game you’re playing.

Your stomach churned with a delicious mix of adrenaline and anticipation. You were relishing every moment. After all, nothing was ever going to happen—at least not the way the game was played on and off the pitch.

The three dots appeared, disappeared, then reappeared as Alexia composed her response. You held your breath without realizing it.

Alexia: Did you at least enjoy the show?

Your fingers hovered over the screen. Of course you'd enjoyed it—every mesmerising second. But admitting that would shift the power balance too far in her direction.

You: I've seen better.

Three dots appeared immediately, disappeared, then reappeared, again. She was crafting her response carefully.

Alexia: Liar.

The single word sent a jolt through you. She saw right through your facade, and that both thrilled and terrified you.

Your phone buzzed again before you could respond.

Alexia: I scored a hat trick for you today. To prove my point.

You hadn't stayed to see the third goal. The realisation hit you like a physical force. She'd continued her rampage even after you'd left��perhaps driven by your absence.

You stared at the screen, the revelation of her hat trick leaving you momentarily speechless. Three goals. For you. The audacity of it made your heart race.

You: Trying to impress me, Putellas?

The response came almost instantly.

Alexia: Did it work?

You bit your lip, considering how to maintain the upper hand in this delicious standoff.

You: Maybe if I'd stayed to see all three.

Alexia: Your loss.

Alexia: Did you at least notice how I don’t just play. I dominate.

Heat rushed to your face. The double meaning wasn't lost on you. You shifted in your seat, suddenly aware of how dry your mouth had become.

Alexia: You should have stayed.

Something in her tone made your stomach flip. You imagined her face as she typed it—that determined set of her jaw, the slight furrow between her brows.

You: Why? So I could watch you take your victory lap?

The response came faster than you anticipated.

Alexia: No. So I could find you afterward.

Your heart stuttered. The directness of her reply left no room for misinterpretation. She'd wanted to see you—to find you in person after the game. You swallowed hard, your fingers hovering uncertainly over the keyboard.

You: And what would you have done if you found me?

The three dots appeared, disappeared, then reappeared. The anticipation was excruciating.

Alexia: I guess you'll never know.

The challenge in her words was unmistakable. You could almost see her smirking on the other end, confident in her ability to make you regret your early departure.

You: Maybe next time I'll stick around.

Alexia: Maybe next time I'll score four.

A laugh escaped your lips. Her competitive nature was relentless, even in text form.

Your phone buzzed again before you could respond.

Alexia: There's a team celebration tonight at La Mar. Private room.

It wasn't a question or even an invitation—just information dropped casually into your conversation. Your pulse quickened as you considered your options. Going would mean surrendering some ground in this delicate game you were playing. Not going would mean missing an opportunity to see her again.

You: Is that an invitation?

Alexia: Take it however you want.

You bit your lip, weighing your response carefully.

You: Congrats on the hat trick. Truly impressive.

There. A small concession that acknowledged her skill without fully surrendering.

Alexia: You haven't seen impressive yet.

The boldness of her reply sent a rush of heat through your body. This was beyond flirting now—this was a declaration of intent.

You: Careful, Putellas. Your confidence is showing.

Alexia: It's not confidence when it's fact.

A knock at your door startled you from the exchange. You glanced at the time—nearly eleven. Who would be visiting at this hour? With a sigh, you set your phone down and that was this evenings interactions over with when your teammates had arrived with pizza and wine for a self invited movie night at your place.

The next morning greeted you with a whirlwind of chaos. The internet had erupted over your absence during the match's climax. Everywhere you looked, clips of Alexia’s breathtaking goal flooded the digital world, accompanied by heated speculations about the way her eyes had lingered on you after she scored. Twitter threads, TikTok videos, and Instagram comments meticulously picked apart every second of the exchange. Yet, perhaps most compelling was the footage capturing her scanning the stands at the match's end, unmistakably searching for someone.

That someone was you.

And when she failed to spot you, the brief flicker of disappointment that crossed her face? It was a moment the fans relished and replayed.

"Alright, so when’s the wedding?" your coach quipped the moment you stepped onto the practice field.

You groaned, exasperation evident. "Not you too."

Laughter erupted from Liv, Maya, and half of your teammates. Your coach, arms confidently crossed, remained unfazed. "What? It’s all over social media. ‘Alexia Putellas left searching for Barcelona basketball player after stunning performance.’ That’s you, by the way."

You shook your head in denial, picking up a basketball and dribbling it lazily to divert the attention. "She wasn’t searching for me."

Maya, ever perceptive, arched an eyebrow. "Wasn’t she, though?"

You chose to ignore her. However, your coach wasn’t finished. “Invite her to our open training session, she can run some drills.”

You smirked at the thought. "She’d probably crush them."

"That’s what worries me," your coach muttered, a trace of concern in her voice as she shook her head.

Later that day, while scrolling through Instagram, you saw it. A new post. Alexia, mid-game, in full focus. The second photo? A replay of that smirk after her goal.  And the caption?

Always front row

Your eyes widened. You knew exactly what she was doing. The comment section was already going insane.  So, naturally, you had to comment.

@yourusername: Didn’t think you noticed.

@AlexiaPutellas: You should know by now. I notice everything.

Your teammates were going to have a field day with this one. But at this point? You didn’t care. Because this wasn’t just some casual online banter anymore.  This was a full-on game. And neither of you were backing down. The second you hit send on your comment, you knew it was over. Not the game. Not the tension. Over in the sense that you were never going to hear the end of this from your teammates.

Because within minutes, your reply to Alexia’s post had gone viral. Fan accounts were already reposting it, making edits, analysing every single word. People were invested. And Alexia? She was definitely enjoying this.You could tell by the way she waited.

She let your comment marinate for a little while. Let people freak out over the interaction. Let the suspense build. And then her notification popped up.

@alexiaputellas: Pinned your comment.

You stared at your screen.

She pinned it.

Maya was the first to send a message in the lively group chat you shared with the two Americans, with whom you were swiftly forming a close friendship. Her text arrived with the familiar ping that signalled the start of another engaging conversation, and you could almost picture her typing away, her fingers dancing over the screen with excitement.

Maya: Oh, she’s COOKING you now.

Liv: You gonna let her get away with that?

You exhaled slowly.

No, you were not.

You scrolled through Alexia’s tagged photos fans had already clipped your interactions into threads, debates, and ridiculous theories.

And then you saw it. A perfect opportunity. A fan had posted a slowed-down video of Alexia’s goal celebration, zooming in on the exact moment she smirked at you.

Their caption?

She knew EXACTLY what she was doing. This is pure flirting.

So you took your shot. You commented on it with three simple words:

Did she, though?

Not even five minutes later Alexia fired back. You had no idea how she had even see your comment until you checked your replies on your comment and every single one she had been tagged in.

She had found a different clip of the goal, this time, it was a wide-angle shot, clearly showing you standing and reacting in the background. She tagged you in her comment, 

I’d say so.

You almost choked on your drink.

Your teammates, once again, were all over it, but this time Maya stupidly found her way into the teams group chat, engaging the rest of the team into making comments and screenshots galore firing into the chat when some were clueless

Maya: NAH SHE’S ACTUALLY INSANE FOR THIS.

Liv: She just destroyed you in 0.2 seconds lmfaoooo.

Your coach: I don’t know what’s happening, but please don’t start missing layups.

You just stared at your screen, heart racing. Because Alexia wasn’t just matching your energy. She was escalating it.

And now? You had to respond. You took your time, scrolling through your camera roll. And then you found it. A photo from your first game with Barcelona.

You, mid-celebration, number 11 bold on your back.

And the caption you chose, 

11 looks good on me, don’t you think? @alexiaputellas

You hit post.

And you waited.

The world exploded. People lost their minds in the comments. You weren’t sure if Alexia was going to reply immediately or let it sit—let the internet spiral first. But then, a new notification popped up.

Alexiaputellas: Liked your post.

Alexiaputellas: Commented: I prefer it on me.

You actually gasped. Because holy shit.

Liv called you immediately, cackling. "Oh, you’re DONE for."

Maya was losing it in the team group chat. Your coach just sent a 😐 emoji.

But all you could do was stare at Alexia’s comment. Because this? This wasn’t just a game anymore. This was personal.And now, you had to figure out what came next.  

The rush of adrenaline hit you like a well-timed screen, leaving you dizzy with possibilities. Your fingers hovered over the screen, reply options racing through your mind like fast breaks.

Direct message? Too private.

Another comment? Too expected. You opted for something different. Opening your Instagram stories, you snapped a picture of your practice jersey draped over your locker, your name clearly visible.

With steady fingers, you typed: Some things look better in person. Open practice tomorrow, 3PM.

No tag.

No direct mention.

Just an invitation hanging in digital space. Within minutes, your story had been screenshot and circulated across fan accounts.

The basketball facility's social media coordinator messaged you almost immediately. Just a heads up, we've had an unprecedented number of inquiries about tomorrow's open practice. Should we... prepare for something?

You sent back a casual Probably just the usual, knowing full well it was anything but.

That night, sleep evaded you. Your phone continued to buzz with notifications, each one a reminder of the public spectacle unfolding. Maya and Liv had transitioned from teasing to strategy sessions, sending you potential outfit options and suggesting pre-practice hair appointments.

You: This isn't a date

You insisted in the group chat.

Maya: Not yet it isn't.

Liv: Wear the black compression shorts. Trust me.

Morning arrived with your coach calling an emergency team meeting before practice. "I've just received word that we'll have additional security tomorrow," she announced, eyeing you specifically. "Apparently, we're expecting quite a turnout for our humble little practice." The team erupted into knowing laughter and whispers. "I don't care who shows up," your coach continued, "we run drills as normal. We're professionals." She paused, then added with the hint of a smile, "Though perhaps we'll showcase some of our more... impressive plays."

Practice that day was intense, everyone performing as if scouts were watching. You pushed yourself harder than usual, aware that tomorrow carried stakes beyond basketball. Later, as you scrolled through social media, you noticed Alexia had been conspicuously quiet. No response to your story. No new posts. The silence was more nerve-wracking than any reply could have been. Just as you were about to put your phone down for the night, it vibrated with a notification.

Alexiaputellas: Viewed your story.

And then, moments later,

Alexiaputellas: Posted a new story.

You tapped on it immediately. It was a simple image: a clock showing 3:00, with the caption Some invitations are impossible to decline. 

Your heart hammered against your ribs. This was happening.

The next morning dragged endlessly. You spent an embarrassing amount of time on your appearance before reminding yourself that you'd be sweaty and disheveled within minutes of practice anyway. When you arrived at the facility two hours early, the staff was already setting up additional seating.

You nearly laughed at the absurdity of it all, extra seating for a practice that usually drew maybe a dozen die-hard fans and curious tourists. "We've never had this many RSVPs for an open practice," the facility manager explained, looking both stressed and excited. "Social media team is setting up additional cameras too."

"There's media outside," one of the assistant coaches informed you, eyebrows raised. "ESPN, local stations, even some international press."

"You've got to be kidding me," you muttered, Maya sudden voice from behind making you jump.

"This is what happens when two elite athletes flirt publicly," Maya said, appearing beside you with a knowing grin. "The world wants a love story."

"We're not—" you began, but the protest died on your lips. What exactly were you doing? The line between playful banter and genuine interest had blurred somewhere between her goal and your invitation. You nodded, trying to appear casual while your stomach performed Olympic-level gymnastics.

The locker room was unusually quiet when you entered—your teammates all paused mid-conversation, watching you with barely concealed amusement. "So," Maya drawled, "just another Thursday practice, huh?"

You rolled your eyes, pulling your practice jersey over your head. "Can we please act normal today?"

"Define normal," Liv chimed in, "because I just saw three news vans in the parking lot."

Your coach entered, clipboard in hand, expression unreadable. "Listen up, team. Whatever circus is happening outside those doors, in here we're basketball players. Focus on the game." She paused, then added, "That said, management has requested we run some of our more... crowd-pleasing drills."

By 2:30, the facility was humming with activity. The usual trickle of spectators had become a flood. The bleachers filled with fans, students, and—most intimidatingly—media. You kept your eyes averted during warm-ups, concentrating on the familiar rhythm of your dribble, the perfect swish of the net. Your teammates were unusually focused during warm-ups, occasionally stealing glances at the rapidly filling stands. Your coach maintained a facade of normalcy, but you caught her instructing the team to run their most visually impressive drills.

At 2:55, the doors opened for the final wave of spectators. You kept your eyes deliberately fixed on the ball in your hands, refusing to look up despite the increasing murmurs rippling through the crowd.

At precisely 2:58, a ripple of excited murmurs swept through the crowd. You didn't need to look to know what had caused it. Or rather, who.

"Don't look now," Liv whispered as she smirked, "but your girlfriend just walked in with half the FC Barcelona women's team."

"Don't you dare look," Maya whispered as she jogged past you. "Make her wait."

So you didn't.

Through passing drills and shooting exercises, you maintained your focus on the court, on your teammates, on anything but the section of bleachers where you knew she must be sitting. The weight of her gaze felt like a physical touch across your skin.

Coach called for a water break, and Maya nudged you none-too-subtly. "She's in the third row, centre section. Wearing your number." Your hands fumbled the ball, and it bounced away traitorously. When you straightened up after retrieving it, you allowed yourself one quick glance toward the entrance.

Alexia stood there, flanked by several teammates you recognised instantly. She wore casual clothes, jeans and a jacket, but somehow managed to look more put-together than anyone else in the building. Her eyes scanned the court methodically before your eyes connected.

Alexia Putellas, football royalty, casually dressed in a Barcelona basketball t-shirt with your number prominently displayed. When your eyes met, she offered that same smirk from the football match, and raised her water bottle in a small toast.

The gym seemed to hold its collective breath.

You raised your own water bottle in return, allowing yourself a small smile before turning back to your teammates.

"Oh, you're good," Maya approved. "Very cool, very collected."

Coach blew her whistle, signalling the start of a scrimmage. "First team versus second team. Full court, game conditions." As you took your position, your coach passed by with a final instruction: "Show her what you've got." Your coach clapped her hands loudly. "Alright, ladies, let's show our guests what Barcelona basketball is all about!"

The practice session began with standard drills, but there was nothing standard about the energy in the room. Every move you made felt magnified, every successful shot drawing louder cheers than usual. You were hyper-aware of Alexia's presence, feeling her eyes track your movements across the court. The scrimmage began, and something electric took over. You played with a ferocity and precision that surprised even yourself, no-look passes that threaded between defenders, drives to the basket that left the defence scrambling, and shots that seemed to defy gravity before swishing through the net.

During a particularly intense sequence, you stole the ball, dribbled behind your back to evade a defender, and launched into a perfect fast break. As the last defender approached, you executed a spin move that had the crowd gasping, finishing with a layup that even your coach applauded.

You couldn't help it then – you glanced toward Alexia.

She was leaning forward, elbows on knees, watching with an intensity that matched your own. When she caught your eye, she didn't smirk this time. Instead, she offered a slow, appreciative nod that felt more intimate than any verbal compliment. The scrimmage continued, your team pulling ahead as you distributed the ball with precision, finding teammates in perfect position.

In the final minutes, Maya set a screen that freed you at the three-point line. Without hesitation, you received the pass and launched a perfect arc that sailed through the net just as the buzzer sounded. Without thinking, you glanced over. Alexia was on her feet, clapping with genuine appreciation, her teammates beside her looking equally impressed. She was watching you intently, that competitive spark in her eyes that you recognised from her matches.

She gave you a small nod, one athlete acknowledging another's skill, and something about that simple gesture felt more intimate than any flirtatious comment. Coach called for a final water break before the last segment of practice.

As you wiped sweat from your forehead, Liv sidled up beside you. "She hasn't taken her eyes off you once," she whispered. "And I'm pretty sure there are at least three photographers who haven't taken their lenses off either of you."

You rolled your eyes but couldn't suppress your smile. "Let them look."

The final portion of practice was designated for individual skill showcases. When your turn came, you felt a surge of boldness. 

Instead of your usual routine, you incorporated moves you'd been perfecting privately, a crossover that had defenders stumbling, a step-back jumper from well beyond the arc. Each successful demonstration drew appreciative murmurs from the crowd, but you found yourself caring only about one spectator's reaction. As practice wound down, Coach gathered everyone for closing remarks. "Thank you all for coming today. We appreciate the support and hope you enjoyed seeing what these incredible athletes can do." 

Coach called an end to the practice with a satisfied smile. "Cool down and stretches, then you're free to go," she announced, adding under her breath to you, "Nice work today. Funny how motivation works, isn't it?"

As the team dispersed for cool-down exercises, you noticed a small commotion near the bleachers. Several fans had approached Alexia for photos and autographs, which she was graciously providing while her teammates formed a protective semicircle around her.

You deliberately took your time with your stretches, uncertain of the protocol for this unprecedented situation. Was she going to approach you? Should you go to her? The questions buzzed in your mind as you towelled off the sweat from your face.

Part 3

[starsinthesky5]

So we know how you said songbird went to his games when she could during the initial few months of them dating but stayed away from the cameras, fans, his suite, his family, etc. Tell us some deets about how all that went down? Like with her at the games? Did she have her own private box?? Did she ever bring her friends over? Or maybe his friends were keeping her company?

a/n: did this instead of an assignment and i'm fine with that. this was TOO cute for me

wc: 1.4k

───────⋆⋅☆⋅⋆───────

oh yes. let’s get into the nitty-gritty deets of it all, because those early days of her going to his games? they were intimate in a way only the two of them really understood.

she was always careful about slipping in without being noticed—quiet, planned a whole route and everything. usually getting there early, before the stands began to fill, tucked into her little private suite with a drink in hand and a hoodie draped over her shoulders, or sometimes had one of his hats on. she’d keep her head down, avoid the main entrances, and wave off anyone offering to escort her through a more public route. this part of their relationship was still theirs, still private, and she intended to protect that.

she wasn’t there for show. no screaming her lungs out in the front row, no decked out head-to-toe in “burrow” gear and a ring light for instagram photos, and definitely no sitting with cameras panning over to her in the suite with his family—not yet. she wanted joe to know she supported him, but she wasn’t about to turn it into a spectacle. the relationship was still fresh, fragile in a way, and sacred. their little bubble meant everything.

joe handled it, though. of course he did. he pulled strings to get her a private box whenever she came—tucked up high, shaded glass, separate entrance so she didn’t have to go through the madness of the crowd. he even made sure she had her own pass so she could come in the back way at the stadium. always thinking of her. always protective.

and he went all out in there too—the suite was cozy, borderline romantic if you squinted. he had it decorated with some photos of them, posters of her from her performances over the years, some candles that she loved and placed around his house were also brought over, her favorite blankets in the cupboard because he knew she’d get cold. her favorite drink waiting on ice every time she came in, refills scheduled every hour. even snacks she mentioned casually once...

--

examples:

sour patch watermelon because he remembered her saying once that she only craved sour stuff when she was nervous. the box was always there. sometimes even two just in case ;)

soft pretzels & nacho cheese, a stadium classic—but joe had them bring in real ones. like, the big, buttery, fresh-baked kind, still warm, with that perfectly salty crust. and of course, multiple dipping options: classic cheese, honey mustard, and a spicy queso because he knew she liked a little kick.

fruit cups—but like, bougie ones. we’re talking fresh-cut strawberries, pineapple, mango, kiwi. no weird cantaloupe filler. she liked light, refreshing stuff, especially if she was sipping on a little rosé or a fruity seltzer while watching.

aaaand mini sliders because sometimes a girl needs real food. and joe made sure there were tiny burgers or chicken sliders on deck, with all her fave toppings. pickles on the side, obviously.

--

he’d even send a note with a team staffer—little scribbled words of appreciation and love from the locker room on a plain white napkin, even if they didn't directly call it love just yet, or inside jokes just to make her smile before kickoff. and the cutest thing was, she kept every single note in a little pink box :)

and when she brought her besties with her?? it chaos in the cutest way.

the private suite instantly turned into their little haven—the girls curled up in the seats with throw blankets, drinks in hand, all of them absolutely decked out in bengals gear. if she wasn't going to dress to the nines because she wanted to avoid the attention, they'd do it for her!

but...she still repped her man in subtle ways. the oversized black crewneck she wore casually over leggings? joe’s. it smelled like his cologne and had the faintest stain from some post-practice smoothie he swore wasn’t his fault. the dainty gold necklace glinting beneath her collar? it had a tiny football charm next to his number, something he got her on a whim and clasped around her neck before every game she came to. her nails were painted orange and black, one of her socks inside out (iykyk), and she even had a few bengals friendship bracelets on.

her friends loved to tease her—especially during warmups, when joe would jog out onto the field and glance up at the suite, looking for her the second he stepped on the turf.

"there he is," one of them would sigh dramatically, nudging her with a grin.

"your boy is literally staring up here like he's never seen sunlight until you walked in,".

"okay but do we blame him?" another chimed in. "i’d stare too. you’re hot,".

she’d just roll her eyes, cheeks warm, sipping her drink to hide the smile tugging at her lips. but she couldn’t deny it—not when he kept glancing up mid-drive, subtle little nods or smirks sent her way, like they were sharing a secret no one else could crack.

they’d whistle when he made a big play, shout "that's my brother-in-law!" just to mess with her, giggle anytime he did anything remotely cocky on the field because they knew he was showing off for her.

"you think he heard us?".

"oh, babe. he feels the energy,".

"honestly," one of them would joke during a timeout, "i think he plays better when you’re here. like, statistically. we should graph it,".

when she didn’t bring her own friends along to a game, joe would always make sure someone he trusted was there to keep her company—usually one of his high school boys, who treated her like one of them from day one. they’d keep things light, cracking jokes and tossing popcorn her way during slow stretches of the game, knowing exactly how to draw a laugh out of her. sometimes one of them would lounge back beside her, hoodie pulled over his head, teasing her like, "joey’s gonna be all smiles tonight if he knows you’re up here watching,".

and then there were other familiar faces—maybe a team staffer or someone from joe’s inner circle she’d gotten along with early on—who’d stop in to say hey or hang for a bit. nothing too formal, never overwhelming. just a chill vibe. easy, comfortable. like she belonged there, without ever needing the spotlight.

but when it was just her? oh, she’d be curled up, watching him like a hawk. she knew the game—grew up with it—so she wasn’t just there to look pretty. she was dissecting the plays, analyzing coverage, chewing on her lip when something got tense. the second he took a hit, her stomach dropped. and when he stood back up? the relief was palpable. she was dialed in. her whole body moved with the rhythm of the game. and joe? he knew she was there. he’d glance toward the boxes sometimes. just a flick of his eyes. no expression. but she’d catch it. and later, after the game—win or lose—he’d find her. press his forehead to hers and whisper, "i saw you," like it grounded him.

speaking of after the game, she’d stay late, too—waiting patiently in the quiet comfort when most of the stadium had emptied, her feet curled up beneath her on the plush couch, scrolling through photos of him from the game or absentmindedly scribbling song lyrics in her notebook.

and then he’d come find her.

he always did.

after he said his goodbyes to his parents and the media, after the interviews and locker room buzz faded, he’d slip into her suite like a secret just for her. cheeks a little flushed, hair damp from the shower, jersey swapped for a soft cotton tee and joggers.

"hi, baby," he’d murmur, eyes soft, voice smoother than honey like the game hadn’t just happened and all that mattered now was her.

and she’d grin, arms already outstretched. "hey, superstar,".

he’d cross the room in seconds, drop his bag, wrap her up in his arms and bury his face in her neck. all sweaty-boy affection and heart-swelling sweetness. sometimes he’d just hold her for a bit, like he needed to recharge, his fingers slipping beneath the hem of her hoodie to find her skin.

"you waited for me," he’d mumble against her shoulder.

"always,".

and god—he’d melt. every time.

they didn’t need the world to know—not yet. because they knew. and those private little sundays? those were everything.

[etherealperrie]

Anywhere With You

Chapter 1: "it's time to go"

Coriolanus (Coryo) Snow x Reader Word count: 2.4k Contains: pre-hunger games Coryo | longtime friends to lovers | Coriolanus being soft for the one he loves | mentions of minor tbosas characters | immense amounts of fluff and comfort | slight tbosas spoilers (but not really)

Want More? Chapter 2

--

“The Plinth Prize is no longer.” Dean Highbottom’s voice echoes through the stadium of students, the weight of his words settling amongst the first three rows of Academy standouts. Gasps and whispers fill the crowd, the hair on the back of your neck standing at attention, the buzz of others’ words sending chills down your spine. You don’t dare look at Coriolanus, instead letting your eyes fall shut.

“You’ll face one more test to prove your worth,” the Dean continues, making his way up to the podium at the front of the hall. “After all, you are our most promising students. This is in your DNA.”

Swallowing hard, you force your eyes open, a sick feeling reeling in your stomach. This was supposed to be the end. This was supposed to be the start of your summer with Coriolanus – the time before University. The day that was supposed to change both of your lives for the better.

Murmurs fill the quiet space in between Dean Highbottom’s dramatic pause, stopping not only to drag out this horrific explanation but to soothe himself with a bottle of morphling. You’d never once wished to try the drug, but today, with your vision of the future thinning before your eyes, you’d gladly share the vile with him.

The feeling of skin brushing against yours turns your attention from the front of the room to the chair next to you. Coriolanus. You can’t hold back anymore. You didn’t care who saw, or what they thought. You watch his jaw twitch, his eyes still facing forward as his hand grasps yours, his thumb pressing slow, gentle circles into your skin. He’s holding it in. Another hurdle yet for him to surpass. When you squeeze his hand in return, an involuntary response, he lets out a shaky breath, his eyes flickering to you for only a moment.

Coryo.

Not Coriolanus Snow. Just your Coryo for that moment.

The eyes of your fellow classmates burn at the back of your neck. They all knew Coriolanus was meant for that prize. Top student with stellar marks, after all. Only you knew, though, how badly he needed it. How badly Tigris needed it. The Grandma’am. You, too. This day was supposed to change everything.

Indeed it had.

“On this day of the 10th annual Reaping for the Hunger Games, you all are no longer students, but mentors.” Dean Highbottom continues speaking, pulling you from your own head. Coriolanus shifts uncomfortably in his seat, his free hand tugging at the collar of his shirt. A shirt he’d nearly outgrown, even with Tigris’ adjustments. His other hand never releases yours, his thumb continuing to trace up and down your skin, working to calm you. In any other circumstance it might have worked.

“Each of you will be paired with a tribute from the districts and act their mentor leading up to and throughout the Games.”

“For what purpose?” you ask. The question leaves your lips before you have a chance to even think. Before you have a chance to consider the consequences. What harm could an innocent question have? It was innocent, of course. A student simply inquiring about the new assignment. Certainly nothing more. Most definitely not an imposition of the justness of withholding the Plinth Prize and meddling in “game” that was nearing its natural end. No one in the Capitol had watched the games in years, they were savage. Inhumane. Disconnected from the current state of affairs; the war had been over for years.

Deep, dark laughter fills the room, an unfamiliar voice echoing off the walls. Chills crawl up your spine, a shive running through your body. Everyone's heads whip around, a tall figure entering the auditorium. She slithers down the aisle towards the podium, stopping just in front of your chair. You slip your hand out of Coriolanus’, but he refuses to let go now more than ever. His grasp tightens on you and you notice him shift forward in his seat. It’s now your turn to soothe him, running your thumb over his.

“For what purpose?” the woman before you mimics. You swallow, noting her duochromatic eyes. Her makeup is severe, her hair frazzled, her hands draped in bright red latex gloves. The faint sound of hissing grows louder as she takes another step forward. A snake is wrapped delicately around her wrist, flicking its tongue, slithering over the shiny material. “My dear, remind me. What are the Hunger Games for?” She speaks softly, but in the silent room, her words are clear to all.

“I– well, they’re to –”

The woman shakes her head, clicking her tongue. “You see? We’ve already forgotten.” She turns to Coriolanus, a smile spreading over her lips. “Mr. Snow,” she says. “Why don’t you remind your –” her gaze drops to your intertwined hands, “classmate what the Hunger Games are for.”

Coriolanus shakes his head, looking at you then back to the woman. You weren’t sure who she was, but she knew Coryo. But then again, that came with the territory of being a Snow. He could never escape the history and prowess of his father, no matter how hard he tried. And believe you, he’d tried.

“You tell us they’re to punish the districts for the war.”

“Precisely, Mr. Snow. We all seem to have forgotten what this all is for. And that is where each of you come in.”

“Ah, Dr. Gaul, thank you for providing that insight,” Dean Highbottom interrupts, turning the attention back to the center of the room where the woman – Dr. Gaul – sulks away to join him. Coriolanus leans back in his seat, his breathing heavy. He releases your hand and leans in to place his hand on your thigh. The feeling of his warm palm through the fabric of your uniform lets you take your first deep breath since arriving.

He’s with you.

The remainder of the day goes by in a blur. When you emerge from the Academy, the afternoon sun is beginning to set. You, Coriolanus, and your classmates had each been assigned a tribute. A tribute to make a spectacle of. A tribute to use then sacrifice into the slaughter in order to obtain some prize. It made your stomach turn, the idea of being forced to take the small boy you’d been ‘given’ and parade him around only to send him to his death. A small boy no more than thirteen. A boy you were meant to despise simply because he’s district. But this boy, nor any of the tributes – especially the small girl assigned to Coriolanus – had seen the war, they hadn’t caused it. They were collateral in the Capitol’s game of control. Control they garnered with false promises of the prize. A prize that neither you nor Coryo thought actually existed.

“Who’s to say they don’t dangle it in front of us again?” you ask later that night, standing beside Coryo at the sink while he washed out the pot of potatoes and cabbage Tigris cooked. “That they don’t give us another assignment – another hurdle – to obtain the prize. Just to use us for their bidding?”

You slide behind him, wrapping your arms around his waist. He sighs, setting down the pot and turning to be face to face with you. His hands wander around your waist, pulling you tighter to him.

“Those poor kids are going to die for nothing, Coryo. And we’re to blame,” you cry, resting your head on his chest. He takes a deep breath and presses a kiss to the top of your head. You fit into him so perfectly. The steady, rhythmic beat of his heart in your ears grounds you, tethering you to the moment.

“It’s not your fault,” he whispers. “Dr. Gaul is clearly mad. The way she taunted you?” He pauses, sucking in a breath. There’s a few beats of silence before he speaks again. “I don’t know what she’s capable of, but if she’d have laid a hand on you, I-”

You lift your head to look up at him and lift your hands to place one on each side of his face. His eyes, a blue so clear you can see right into his soul, meet yours.

“I know, Coryo, I know.”

“We have to get out of here,” Coriolanus says. His gaze still holds yours, his demeanor serious.

Your brow furrows. “Get out of where? The Capitol? Coryo, where would we go?”

“Sejanus talks of a place up North, somewhere off the grid where nomads persist.”

“You can’t be serious,” you say, letting your hands fall from his face.

You wanted out. You’d heard rumors of this place up North too, but assumed it was fictitious – maybe a story the districts orchestrated to provide some hope after the war. You’d been taught to be grateful for a life in the Capitol, after all, your name would never be reaped. But the longer you spent here and the older you grew, the more the story of the Capitol and its protection seemed to fall apart. Today had been further proof. Putting the lives of district children in the hands of Capitol children for the sick purpose of entertainment and control.

Coryo turns his head to look out the floor to ceiling windows of the Snow penthouse. Coriolanus had many thoughts about his home, not all of them poignant and kind. He hated the way his home had crumbled throughout the war. Sure, it wasn’t as luxurious as it had once been, but you had an unspoken appreciation for it, knowing that everything within these walls shaped him into the Coryo you loved.

“If we go back to the Academy tomorrow, we’ll never escape. I have a sinking feeling about this game, love. I don’t want Gaul and her creatures hurting you and who’s Dean Highbottom to miss either of us? The miserable bastard will be three morphlings gone by the time the games begin.”

“What about Tigris? The Grandma’am? What about my family?”

Coriolanus sighs. “I’ll make arrangements with Pluribus tonight, he’s always done well to take care of us before.” Coryo reaches out to tuck a piece of hair behind your ear, taking a pause to caress the side of your face. “And I’ll go wherever you go. If you want to stay, I’ll remain here with you. Whatever you decide, I’ll be there to protect you. This,” he whispers, running his thumb over your bottom lip, “is the most important thing to me.”

When your eyes meet his, the defense falls away. He sometimes wished you didn’t have such an effect on him. He never struggles keeping things in, or keeping the world out of his head. But with you – those eyes – he couldn’t hide. He’s grateful for it, really, before you he’d never had a soft place to land. But now, with your hands caressing him, he knows he’s found it.

You could imagine it. The thing you’ve always wanted, a life with Coryo. A life without the influence and ever-looming threat of the Capitol. Of their control, of the stress of finding a way to the top. Coryo wanted the same thing, a life with you. A life where you two were free to be whomever you wanted; a simple life where you could eat what you wanted, when you wanted, and spend your days lying with one another and living amongst others peacefully the way you imagined you would when the war first ended.

“I can’t go back there, Coryo.”

“Then tomorrow morning, we’ll go.” He says it so matter of factly. As if it’s all going to be okay. You choose to believe him and sink into the strength of his chest, wrapping yourself around him tightly. He chuckles, bringing some levity to the decision the two of you just made. “Why don’t we bask in one last hot shower, hm?”

You follow him down the hallway to the bathroom, his foot kicking the door shut in one swift movement. He reaches into the deep green tiled shower and turns on the water, running his hand under to test the temperature. You’re out of your clothes within seconds, eager to shed the identity of the Academy. Coryo does the same, eyeing you with a grin as you step past him and into the shower. He’s so himself here, stripped before you, not carrying the weight of the day, letting it all wash away from him as he ducks beneath the water, dampening his curls.

Without thought, your hand is in his hair, pushing the light blonde strands away from his face, those piercing blue eyes wandering every inch of you. He breathes into your touch, his hands following his gaze, mapping every inch of your body as if committing it further to memory. They say it’s the things we love most that destroy us and – god – he was certain you destroyed the parts of himself that he sometimes feared. With you, he was just Coryo. Your Coryo. And starting tomorrow you could be each others forever.

The warmth of the water combined with the feeling of his skin pressed against yours is heavenly. The steam rises, fogging up the glass as you tip your head back to dampen your hair. Your eyes fall shut, letting the water run down your body. Your body awakens when Coryo’s lips meet your neck, peppering kisses up your jawline until eventually, his hands are tangled in the ends of your hair, lifting your head back to meet him. Sighing, your body alight with warmth and desire, Coryo presses his lips to yours. There’s a quiet moan that you can’t make out as distinctly his or yours, but a shared expression of your feelings.

Something about this being the last night with life as you’d known it changes the kiss. There’s no hesitation, but no urgency either, your bodies intertwining in a way they haven’t before. As if there was nothing and nowhere else that mattered. You’re typically both so consumed with academy assignments, or house work, or recovering from whatever the day brought you. But tonight, with tomorrow on the horizon, it was simply you and Coryo.

[mead-iocre]

Ok wait why do I feel like spoiled!Reader and brat!Reader would be besties.

Like spoiled!Reader would DEF be linda scared of Brat!r but they're get up to the craziest staff.

Also, they give leah and Alexia headaches

oh definitely!

brat!reader keeps to herself most of the time. especially during alexia's matches, but then here comes spoiled!reader with all her frills and ribbons and pink bouncing down the stands, most likely looking for her seat (imagine the all the family and friends from both teams stay in the same area in the stands). she's got a custom 'williamson' jersey with pretty flower embroidery across the back and she's got something clutched under her arm.

brat!reader can't help but be weirdly amused by this girl who's clearly a player's wife/girlfriend but she looks so out of place. this girl looks like she's supposed to be sitting front row at some fashion show but instead stumbled across a football match

brat!reader watches as said girl finds her seat, pushing her sunglasses back until they're resting on the top of her head and starts...reading her vogue magazine? in the middle of a football match?

it was in that moment that brat!reader decided she needed to be friends with her. so she scurried over, slightly startling spoiled!reader but they quickly become friends. spoiled!reader even willingly removed her pink hermes birkin off the seat next to her (which she never does with anyone unless you are someone special to her. note: whenever they're at football matches, leah always has to buy an extra ticket for the seat next to spoiled!reader because, and she quotes, "you don't put a birkin bag on the dirty stadium floor, leah")

whenever barcelona and arsenal are playing against each other, you bet those girls are sitting next to each other, probably ranting about their respective lovers.

(im tempted to write a full one shot about this. let me know if yall are interested)

[mapiforpresident]

could you write one where reader is in a relationship w mapi and ingrid and get in a fight before the final so reader says she’s not going and then last minute changes her mind and surprises them

Change of Heart

Mapi x Ingrid x reader

Warnings: slight angst at the beginning

~~~

Dating Mapi and Ingrid was usually easy. Loving them was easy. They were both some of the most caring, loving, attentive girlfriends, and you really couldn't ask for a better relationship.

The past week though, it was hard. With the upcoming final looming, tensions were high, and you could tell both of your girlfriends were feeling the pressure of winning the Champions League title for a third year in a row . The smallest things seemed to set everyone off, and despite your best efforts to be supportive, the stress had gotten to all three of you.

The fight started over something trivial—Mapi had forgotten to put away her training gear, and Ingrid had snapped at her about it. Of course you and Ingrid had both gotten onto Mapi before about leaving everything in the entryway, but neither of you had ever snapped before. You had tried to mediate, but the frustration boiled over, leading to harsh words and hurt feelings for all three of you. In the heat of the moment, you declared that you wouldn't be attending the final.

"If you can't even keep it together here, how are you supposed to play as a team out there?" you had shouted, instantly regretting the words as soon as they left your mouth. Mapi's eyes had widened in hurt, and Ingrid's face had hardened with resolve.

The silence that followed was deafening. Mapi and Ingrid left for practice without another word, leaving you alone with your thoughts and guilt.

As the day of the final approached, the house was filled with an uncomfortable silence. Mapi and Ingrid focused on their training, barely speaking to you except for the essentials and you knew they had exchanged very few words as well. You tried to busy yourself with your job as a coffee shop owner , but nothing could shake the feeling that you had let them down when they needed you most. That you had only added to their stress instead of being able to help them relax.

On the morning of the final, you sat in the kitchen, staring at the ticket on the table. You knew Ingrid had set it there before she left. Part of you wanted to stick to your decision out of pride, but a larger part of you knew that you couldn't let Mapi and Ingrid down. They needed your support, and you needed to make things right.

With a deep breath, you grabbed the ticket and headed to the stadium in your Cupra. You found your seat next to your girlfriends' parents greeting them with hugs, nervously glancing around as the stadium filled up. You knew your girlfriends hadn't spotted you in the crowd yet as you watched them warming up.

The game was intense so far and Barcelona and Bayern were still scoreless. Mapi and Ingrid were in top form, playing with a determination that made your heart swell with pride. But as the minutes ticked by, you couldn't shake the feeling that they were missing something—your support.

At halftime, you made your way down to the edge of the field, hoping to catch their attention. As the players came back onto the field, you saw Mapi and Ingrid scanning the crowd. When their eyes finally met yours, you saw the surprise and relief in their expressions. You waved, mouthing "I'm sorry" and "I love you" to both of them.

Their faces lit up with smiles, and you could see some of the tension lift from your shoulders. The second half of the game was even more intense, but Mapi and Ingrid played with a renewed vigor. In the 73rd minute Mapi scored the most amazing free kick you had ever seen, although you might be slightly biased. In the 87th minute Pina scored the second goal and in the 94th minute Ingrid headed in a goal off Mapi's corner to seal the win.

After the celebrations on the field, Mapi and Ingrid made their way over to you, tears of joy and relief in their eyes. Ingrid helped you climb over the barrier as Mapi wrapped her arms around you in a tight hug.

"You both were amazing, I can't believe you both scored in a Champions League final."

Ingrid hugged you next as you whispered how proud you were of her in her ear.

"I'm so glad you came," Mapi said, her voice choked with emotion.

"We couldn't have done it without you," Ingrid added, as she released you from the hug.

"Let's go take a picture with the trophy amors," Mapi said as she grabbed your hand and dragged you to where Patri and Pina were holding the trophy.

[bellawoso]

Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve

Alexia Putellas x fem!reader

Read part 1 : here

Much to your Diego’s dismay, you did not end up calling Alexia, instead the jersey, adorned with a number that could change your life, was left screwed up at the back of your wardrobe.

You were going to call Alexia.

Until one of your other friends heard about it, and told you about the backlash and hate you would receive from some of Alexia’s devoted fans. In the end, you decided it wasn’t worth it, it was only a few years since you escaped your depressive cycle, you were not ever going to risk entering it again.

Truthfully, you regret ignoring Alexia, every time anyone hits on you, you always compare them to the blonde, Diego often calling you “pathetic” as you only spoke to her for 2 hours.

However, you realised that it’s too late to call her, and think of how weird the blonde would think you were if you called her a month later.

As once again you debated calling the midfielder, your door suddenly slammed open.

“¡Hola chica! Look I have tickets!”

As you inspected the tickets in Diego’s hand, your face contorted to one of disappointment;

England vs Spain tickets.

Fuck.

———————————————————————

Your England top had arrived just in time, you were going to wear a Spain one after Diego convinced you that you would be beaten up by the first Spaniard who saw you, you guess the England-Spain rivalry ran deep.

However, it felt a betrayal to your country to be clad in the red jersey, so you ordered one last minute, luckily you weren’t completely oblivious when it came to football, you knew of how Leah Williamson had captained England to a Euro’s victory.

So there you were, in blue denim shorts and your oversized Williamson Jersey almost reaching past your shorts.

It felt like you were cheating, which was stupid, you met Alexia for 2 hours, to push away the feeling of guilt you slipped on a jacket and made your way downstairs.

Diego only rolled his eyes, and sighed in disapproval at your jersey choice.

———————————————————————

Alexia was excited for her return which she had been informed of a month prior to the match, but everyone on the team had noticed a change in the captains mood.

Except only Jana knew the cause for her sudden sadness.

Alexia didn’t understand why your rejection stung so much, maybe it was because the two-time ballon d’or winner wasn’t used to it, or maybe it was because the whole two hours you were together, she had imagined a relationship with you. It felt too real, and she cursed herself for grieving something that never happened in the first place.

She pushed all of those thoughts to the side, and instead focused on the match ahead of her, it was only a friendly, but the idea of being able to hold the win over Lucy and Keira’s heads when they returned to Barcelona felt euphoric.

What she didn’t expect was to see you in the crowd, worse of all, in a Leah fucking Williamson jersey.

———————————————————————-

Spain were one nil down at half time. which was frustrating for Alexia, having to watch from the sidelines with promises of being brought on for the final 45 minutes, however as she stepped on the pitch, her attention was drawn to a white jersey, in a sea of red, only a few rows up.

You stuck out like a sore thumb, it was extremely hard to miss you. So when Alexia laid eyes on you, her heart stopped for a second, and the screams and cheers of the stadium became muffled sounds in her ears.

As you turn around to face Diego, Alexia can just make out the England captain’s last name on your back, bile rises to the Spaniard’s mouth and she quickly turns away.

A newfound determination to outdo the English Captain, to try prove to you that the only jersey you should be proud to wear should be hers.

Call it jealousy. Maybe. But whatever it was fuelled Alexia to score 2 more goals by the end of the match.

2-1 to Spain.

When you saw Alexia step out on the pitch, your breath immediately hitched in your throat, sending you into a coughing fit, which received a knowing chuckle from Diego.

“You fumbled amiga”

Honestly, you regretted teaching him some English slang, he used it against you constantly, and often laughed at himself after seeing you scowling.

When the match ended, Diego was quick to drag you to the stands, he was a big fan of Aitana Bonmati, and wanted her signature badly.

Although you were happy for him when the brunette midfielder came over to where you two were, you froze at seeing Alexia’s friend from the match, who was walking over with Aitana.

When Jana laid eyes on you, she knew what she had to do, she was quick to sprint off and get Alexia, who was talking to Lucy and Keira, and teasing them of the loss.

Alexia was no where near as nervous as you were, the blonde didn’t need to be, you rejected her, even though she was positive that you were returning her flirty comments at the past match.

The Spaniard was sure that you were in the wrong, you should feel guilty for leading her on, so she was quick to confront you when she saw you.

“You didn’t call, and I’m pretty sure I told you to wear better clothing colours”

You internally cringed at how straight to the point the blonde was, and couldn’t help but blush as she called you out for ignoring her.

“I’m sorry, I was nervous and by the time I felt ready to call, I figured it would be too late”

“I don’t know if I’m more upset about you didn’t call because you were nervous, or the fact that you have Leah Williamson’s name on your back”

“Get me a better one then” you replied, whilst looking down at her jersey and back at her with a grin.

Alexia quickly stripped off her jersey, as you took off yours too, luckily you wore a tank top under it, Alexia’s eyes quickly dropping to your exposed chest.

“Your not subtle you know?”

“Who said I was trying to be?” The blonde was quick to reply back.

You only chuckled in response, and slipped on Alexia’s jersey, doing a little spin “How do I look?”

“Beautiful, much better wearing the jersey you belong in”

You weren’t sure if Alexia truly meant that, or if her extremely forward words were due to English not being her first language, but either way your face flushed deep crimson in retaliation to her comment.

The click of a pen lid being taken off woke you from your trance, and you peered up at Alexia, who tugged you closer by your waist, and quickly scribbled down her number once again.

“Pot favor, call me this time, promise?”

“I promise Ale, I will even let you choose the colour scheme of my outfit when we go out” you quipped back with a smile.

With a smirk, the blonde midfielder threw the England jersey on the floor, and walked away to meet Jana so they could walk into the locker room together.

Diego quickly ran towards you, only to pick you up and swing you around.

“I told you she would want you amiga! Your a snack!”

“Diego please never call me that again”

“Shut up! You should be thanking me, with out me, she would have never re-given you her number”

———————————————————————

[petriiichxrr]

rin x reader with extreme cuteness aggression towards reader? tysm!

Too Cute! ⋆ ˚｡⋆౨ৎ˚

a/n: YAYY this is so cute!! i love rin sm 🤍

cw: fluff— biting, cuteness agression (ofc), slightly ooc rin, aged up (ofc), pre-established relationship, eluding to female traits yet no pronouns / no use of yn, hugging, rin’s horrible at words, clinginess, not proofread

enjoyy!!!

Rin notices you in the stands, cheering for him. He kept a mean scowl on his face despite his cheeks and tips of ears being as red as a beet! Now, he has 3 sources of motivation for playing hard— Beating Isagi, Beating his brother, and impressing you. With only 2 minutes left on the clock, Rin made some insane plays and scored a goal. He looked at you with his usual grumpy expression, but you knew deep down that he was looking for approval.

After the game, you do your usual thing and run up to him. You don’t hug him— and you meet him outside the stadium. You know that Rin hates PDA, especially in front of his teammates. He believes it’s too “half baked” to show off if everyone already knows that you’re his. After all— despite not having major differences in his behavior, his teammates knew you were the source of his barley softer personality. He didn’t yell at them as much, nor did he outwardly collide with opposing teams to score a goal (He remembers you being upset because he got a nosebleed, and seeing you so worried is something he both loved but never wanted to put you through ever again).

Obviously, the two of you get into his car and head to your shared flat as you recap moments in the game and whatnot, with occasional comments on his side. Usually, he responds with “hmph,” when you say stuff about him being a star— he didn’t know how to handle your compliments. Instead, he’d just furrow his eyebrows and glare at the car infront of him as an outsource for his emotions.

Eventually, the two of you arrived at your shared flat. Rin locked the door behind the two of you, gave you a quick kiss to the head, and ran off to shower while you made dinner. Since he played so well, you decided to surprise him. After all, your boyfriend was a princess at heart and so, he took long showers.

Eventually, you hear the bedroom door click, and Rin steps out in plaid pajamas + an oversized t-shirt and a towel draped on his neck as he raises half of it to finish towel drying his sopping hair.

“Hey! How was your shower?” You asked him delightedly with your back turned to him. You, too, changed when you had gotten back. You were wearing a white tanktop with a lace neckline and straps, along with some soft sleep shorts.

“..’was good..” Rin answered absentmindedly. Then, he spoke again; “What are you making?” This time, his tone was slightly lighter. You weren’t looking at him, but he sounded curious. The kitchen DID smell delicious after all.

You chuckled softly as you replied; “What does it smell like, love?”

“..Um.. Ochazuke..?” Rin answered as he walked behind you. He watched you intently as you continued to add different toppings and whatnot into the stew.

“Ding ding!” You sang, as you turned around and faced him with a smile on your face. “You deserve it, you’ve won..-like, 5 games in a row? Plus, you score so much, and you played well today. Thought this would be a nice surprise, no?” You had laughed as you spoke, tilting your head and looking up at him.

At your words, Rin could feel his heart speed up. Rin Itoshi hated being pathetic. He didn’t know what to do with you— You were gorgeous. You were easy on the eyes, with long hair, a beautiful smile, and blaringly caring personality.

Compared to Rin, you were everything he wasn’t. He wasn’t the best at understanding how to convey his emotions. I mean, with a “deadbeat” brother, living off of horror movies (where communication leads to literal death), and being socially awkward— Rin didn’t know how to compose himself around you. Not when you looked so damn cute all the time. Not when your eyes twinkled and shined as if they were the diamonds. Not when your smile lines adjourned your face when you grinned at him. Not when you looked so pure when you laughed. Saying you looked effortlessly ethereal was an understatement. You just looked good— He didn’t know how to explain what you do to him.

The only way that Rin had learned to exhaust his emotions was through anger and agression. Since he was a kid, he’s been destroying other kid’s jenga towers, breaking his toys, watching movies where the only way people exhaust emotion are through killing and/or screaming, and being so incredibly agressive on the soccer field. So, looking at you right now led to him freezing.

Rin just stood there as you looked up at him, his mouth slightly agape. He could feel all these emotions burning and churning inside him, but he knew you were a human. You weren’t some dinosaur toy that could be re-bought or glued together, you were a human. You were his human. He felt himself growing closer and closer to the brink of exploding. He could feel his emotions building and he didn’t want to hurt you when he exploded. You were just too cute! He didn’t know what to do with his pathetic thoughts and emotions.

“Rin? Are you oka—“ You tilted your head as you looked up at him and stepped closer. Ugh— the way your eyes looked, your soft frown, and the way you looked at him so sweetly. What else was he supposed to do if not explode?

So, Rin lost it. He stepped closer to you, his expression unreadable. He brought his hands to your waist harshly as he pulled you against him with so much force that Rin’s back collided with the cabinets of the pantry he was previously standing in front of.

“Mmpgh—!” You had let out a noise of surprise against him as you pulled your head back. “Rin.??”

“Don’t.. just—“ Rin looked conflicted. “If you talk, I..”

“..What?” You weren’t getting the memo. Why would you? He was acting so irrationally..yet somehow, he didn’t care. He took matters into his own, dumb, hands.

“..You look so.. I..” Rin couldn’t get his words out. Instead, what you ended up recieving with a sound of “Hngh” comming from the male was a set of teeth around your exposed shoulder.

Yes— Your boyfriend, the cold, stoic, and sometimes emotionless boyfriend— was biting you.

“Rin?!-“ You gasped in surprise as the side of your neck grew wet due to his freshly washed hair. “H—Hey! you’re wet!!” you said, as his cold, wet hair brushed against your warm, dry skin.

He inhaled your scent before pulling away. He still held you against him, but Rin was embarrassed. He looked away from you, avoiding your gaze, as his face turned redder and redder by the second. “..i’m sorry.” he blurted out, pathetically.

You giggled. “What was that about?”

Gosh, why in the world would you giggle right now? Were you trying to make Rin get a heart attack? Rin resorted to letting go of your waist and instead pinching your cheeks as he dipped back down and bit your other shoulder.

“You.. you don’t know what you do to me. You just. you look so pretty, and you’re so sweet, and I.. I lost it.” Rin mumbled into your shoulder as he continued to bite it. He started poking your cheeks now, which made it even harder to speak.

“Awwh, rinnie, that’s— mmph— swee..th of you” You spoke, slightly slurred due to rin’s hold on your face. He pulled back and looked at you, his hands snaking down your sides and resting at your hips again.

“I don’t do this often, though…D-don’t get used to it.” He whispered out, getting lost in your eyes.

You stared back at him lovingly. “Hah, okay then. Whatever you say, love. Now, can you let me go please?” You whispered back.

“…No.”

“Rin— I have to make our foo—“

“Are you deaf or something..? I said no..” Rin snapped at you.

He turned you around so that your back was flush against him. He dipped his head into the crook of your neck and breathed in your scent again. He closed his eyes and leaned into you.

“..I love you. Thank you for putting up with me.” He whispered so gently that if he’d not been close to your ear, you wouldn’t have head him.

You lean back against him and smile, not caring that your entire neck to your collarbone was damp from his hair anymore.

“..I love you too, Rin.”

do NOT copy, steal, plagarize, or repost this work! all work belongs to petriiichxrr.

yayy all finished (i promise i see ur reqs guys its just finals week and im so stressed but i hope you enjoyed!!)

(but PLEASEEE send more reqs!! i will get them done i promisee)

bye lovlies!! -petriiichxrr 💕

[zegrasdrysdale]

[ it’s a love story ] t. zegras

pairing : Trevor Zegras x fem!reader

summary : Trevor goes with his girlfriend to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour when it comes to LA, and he has a surprise in his pocket when “Love Story” is played

warning(s) : none

author’s note : i keep seeing tiktoks of proposals during love story and i couldn’t not write a lil fic featuring the nhl’s resident swiftie so enjoy this probably cliche filled story that i couldn’t resist writing anymore

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This show has been something she and Trevor have been looking forward to since they both sat on their respective Ticketmaster accounts for almost 24 hours in November. She basically went through war for the general admission tickets she somehow managed to get. It was worth the wait and the hundreds of dollars she spent.

She went all out for her outfit. A short pink dress that is covered in glitter with matching heels pairs well with the pink makeup look that she decided on while she was doing her makeup. Her hair is curled with pink gems scattered throughout her locks. Trevor wasn’t sure how he felt about it but the look as grown on him in the hour or so since he first saw it.

The two of them get to SoFi Stadium at two in the afternoon with multiple water bottles in hand since it’s early August in Los Angeles. She wasn’t going to get there super early but didn’t want to get there super late either.

Of course, she made a bunch of bracelets so she trades with people while waiting in line to get in. The VIPs go in early then they go in about an hour later. She runs as fast as she can to find a good spot on the floor. Trevor is right behind her.

They end up near at the point of the diamond part of the stage but about fifteen rows of people back. It’s still a good spot despite getting to the arena at two instead of six in the morning. She’s very happy with where they end up.

Trevor stands behind her with his arms wrapped around her shoulders while they wait for the show to start. Gayle opens for Taylor Swift and the set lasts about 45 minutes or so. She vibes with the music, but gets so excited when it’s between sets.

Her boyfriend kisses the top of her head and asks close to her ear, “Are you excited? Nervous? Both?”

“So so excited,” she tells him as she looks up at him. Despite the heels, she still has a disadvantage when it comes to height. Trevor is six foot, but she’s five-foot-six with two inch heels on. “Thank you for coming with me. It means a lot to me.”

Trevor smiles and says, “Wouldn’t want to be here with anyone else.” She raises her eyebrows because she knows a handful of people that he would want to come to the Eras Tour with. “Okay, you and Jamie are the only people I’d want to be here with. And maybe Cole but I’m here with you and I’m happy to be here with you.”

She spins in his arms and wraps her arms around his torso. He’s wearing a button up but only half the buttons are actually buttoned. She gets makeup on the exposed part of his chest and feels his cool chain against her cheek until she pulls back.

The clock pops up on the screen and everyone, including her, loses their minds. Trevor lets her go so she can freely dance and sing as the Lover era begins. She gets very into “The Man” since it’s her favorite off of the Lover album.

As soon as the Fearless era begins, she pulls out her phone so she can make sure to get Trevor singing “You Belong With Me” when she plays it after “Fearless”. He tries to block the camera when she puts it on him but she does end up getting Trevor singing the song. She makes a mental note to send it to Jamie and Cole after the show.

“Love Story” plays next and she records Taylor singing it while Trevor drapes his arms around her waist. She sings along to the song.

The song slows for the bridge and she sways in Trevor’s arms. He presses a kiss to her temple as the bridge transitions to the chorus for the last time. She feels him let her go as Taylor sings “Is this in my head? I don’t know what to think”.

Only the crowd around her begins to scream and turn their recording phones toward her as “He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring, and said” is sung. She turns around to find Trevor Zegras on one knee with a box in his hand.

In the box is a diamond ring.

Her hands fly to her mouth as Trevor sings along with Taylor on stage. She immediately begins to nod her head yes to accept the proposal as tears that she didn’t know were in her eyes roll down her cheeks.

Trevor stands up and takes the ring out of the box. He slides it into her left ring finger before she flings her arms around Trevor’s neck. He leans down and presses a deep but quick kiss to her lips. She cups his jaw as she kisses him back.

“I can’t believe you proposed to me during ‘Love Story’,” she comments without pulling back too far. “God, you’re such a romantic.”

He smiles. “You know you were thinking about it when we got tickets,” he replies. “I went out and got the ring the week after you secured the tickets. If I was ever going to propose to you, it was going to be at the Eras Tour.”

She leans up to press one more peck to his lips before she looks at the ring on her hand. It’s simple but it has enough sparkle to it. She never wanted a large diamond on her ring whenever she got engaged and Trevor knew it.

The rest of the show feels like an intense fever dream. It is probably the best day of her life. Well, it’s probably tied with Trevor getting drafted in 2019 but still. It’s one of the most important days of her life.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

yourusername

liked by jamie.drysdale, trevorzegras and 76,892 others

yourusername baby i said ‘yes’ 💍🤍

view all 1,989 comments

colecaufield THIS IS WHY I DIDNT GET INVITED ISNT IT

fan1 lmaooo cole

jamie.drysdale jesus cole

yourusername sorry coley

fan2 TREVOR IS ENGAGED ??? HOLY FUCK

fan3 he’s all grown up 😩

jackhughes the FUCK ???

yourusername hi jack

jamie.drysdale my favorite people. congratulations !! (it’s abt time @ trevor)

yourusername love you jimmy 🫶🏼

trevorzegras thanks for keeping my secret bud

trevorzegras you’re my entire heart. forever 🤍

yourusername and ever 🤍

_quinnhughes congrats !!

anaheimducks Congratulations to the future Mr. and Mrs. Zegras !! 🧡

fan4 mrs. zegras is insane

fan5 alexa play that should be me by justin beiber

fan6 LMAOO 💀💀

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MASTERLIST

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[theboytatu]

how was smtown???

it kept raining all throughout the hours previous to the concert starting. we were handed trash bags like katrina victims but luckily it ended right before the show started 👍

the venue was half empty so they relocated almost everyone and luckily it didn't look as empty in the end. i ended up with front row view so yay for smtown flopping ❤️

tvxq and key had THE single best performances of the night. by far. like oh my god. what a show. WHAT A GOOD FUCKING SHOW

the flops of the night were nct 127 and riize. even wish and dream had better performances than them like omfg? 127 were not even trying man. i've seen them before live and this performance was painful to see. they're clearly missing taeyong. plus haechan wasn't even trying he wasn't moving. johnny and jungwoo were a fucking mess. the only ones that sort of tried were yuta and doyoung. like i'm a yuta hater and i ended up thanking him for trying to pick up the pace. maybe it was the altitude but like. they also looked pissed idk there were weird vibes all around

WAYV PERFORMED LOVE TALK AND I PASSED AWAY. sadly i couldn't really see ten that much but honestly. seeing him on the big screen was enough. by god it was enough.

shinee were superb. sadly they had no group songs but minho and key were.... glowing. when they came together to do their ment key shouted in spanish SHINEE IS FOREVER and promised the full group will come back with a world tour!!! 🥺

also lowkey the chemistry between them is. honestly kinda crazy lmfao. minho was glued to key's waist the entire time like he was ON HIM like a man who just told you he wants to go steady and blew off all his side pieces. not to be a delusional motherfucker but i think key let him hit it before the show like jesus dude

SOMEHOW ENDED UP A SUJU STAN....? these men do not play about mexico. like oh god. eunhyuk and leeteuk were insane. kyuhyun is SO loved the entire stadium went BATSHIT every time he was the focus

exo. exo. EXO. 10/10. still can't believe they're real and that i saw them with my own two eyes. chanyeol is INSANE looking live. like he is drop dead gorgeous. and GIGANTIC?

also chanyeol came up to our side of the stage. i was wearing a cherry cap and he might have seen it. i know he pointed to our area and my lizard brain is choosing to believe that means we're destined to be together. best y/n moment of the night 10/10 no notes.

their performance of git it up was also top 3 of the night. like kai added so much flavor to it. they were insane. i did cry a little bit at their mention when they said they really couldn't believe they still had fans here. jesus christ i will petrol bomb sm hq one day i swear to god

we saved ourselves from an nct dream love me right cover and i thank every god above for that. they still managed to put on a better performance than the rest of nct (sans wayv) so like. that tells you where the whole group is at.

sadly the girl groups had little time to shine imo but we got an amazing performance of bad boy and red flavor by rv. i am not an rv stan but it was great to see tbh. im happy they could come here because they have a huge fanbase too

aespa were great!! it's just that i literally saw them already two months ago so it was like yay ❤️ my girls ❤️ they used handheld mics for their performances - thank GOD they sang live this time around instead of lipsyncing... sm doesn't let them sing live for some reason and they looked really happy to be able to actually sing the fucking songs. they gave us whiplash, next level and supernova. 10/10 no notes

also their outfits being miles better than the ones they wore at their own concert stop 😭 ningning looked ETHEREAL. holy fucking shit. her hair and makeup were flawless. people literally gasped when she came on the screen.

everybody looked really happy to be there except for half of nct riize and h2h lol. i think they're obviously pretty overworked and flying here less than 24 hours before the concert was such a shit idea.... like idols were literally saying we're still jetlagged we're still tired jfksjkdkf. the altitude is no joke!! </3

overall this was an AMAZING concert. like if you're any partially an sm group stan you will really enjoy it. they played the full four hour set too. i highly recommend anyone going if they still can. sadly i am in this pink blood shit for life i cannot lie to myself. this impact is different. these idols are simply built different sorry!!!! 💖💖💖

[sweetestcaptainhughes]

Friends to Lovers is for the Fairytales

Word Count - roughly 4500

Author's note: thanks for reading as always, I am finally going through and fixing the grammar errors that I am sure is in here. Originally this was suppose to be just a simple one-shot. But people were asking asking so I made it into a mini series.

Possible Triggers - friends with benefits established, use of Y/N, LOTS of arguing, light gaslighting

Summary: When you met Jack and everything just clicked for the first time in your life. You thought that meant that you would finally get your happy ever after but maybe that isn't the case.

First Chapter Chapter 2

If you looked back on your life for the past 6 months and asked to describe it in one word. Your counter argument would be to ask them “What is the word that describes the best time and the worst times of your life wrapped up in one?” Would this be the definition of a silver lining? No, it would be the opposite because at least a silver lining would get you a happy ending. This, you currently standing in the pouring rain, ruined makeup from not only the rain but your tears, struggling to breath while you looked at the man who you thought was the center of the universe. Only to discover he was the villain of your origin story. This could only be described in one word and that is pain. 

If you could go back in time and listen to your friend when she told you that friends to lovers was for romance novels and not real life. Instead of laughing her off, telling her you were an exception to the rule you would have listened to, because she was in fact correct when she said “ loving and being loved by Jack Hughes is a fairytale not a reality.”

You first met Jack a year ago when you were forced by your best friend to go to one of New Jersey Devils home games. At the time she was talking to someone who was into hockey. Her brilliant idea to invite him to a game to get a date and ended about as well as it did for Rachel on Friends. The only difference was she got stuck with the tickets and decided to “fuck off men and make the game a girls night.” Anna actually ended up getting you pretty good tickets right behind the net. The thing was neither you nor Anna knew much about hockey and saw it as a night to get drunk off expensive drinks in the stadium and watch men fight each other kind of night. Since you were in the second row it was easy for Jack to spot you. He smiled at you and you were tipsy, you may or may not have slid into his DMs that night. Surprisingly to you the next morning, you woke up to a response from him and that’s how you started becoming friends. 

Although for Jack and you the line between friend and talking was one and the same for you both. In fact Luke asked Jack on multiple occasions if he wasn’t sure you guys were dating. Every-time Jack denied it, even when Luke mentioned that he has lost count in the amount of times he’s come home and seen you both cuddled asleep on the coach. Or the fact that when you go out with the team, Jack is attached to your hip giving death glares to any guy who even glances your way even if it’s one of his teammates, especially if it’s one of his teammates. The lines were blurred on both ends both telling everyone you didn’t see each other that way and them joking back asking when the wedding was. Neither of you seemed to really care what others thought and just kept living in your little bubble until the bubble burst. Now at the time 6 months ago, when you and Jack shared that drunken kiss and ended up hooking up in the back of his car. You felt on top of the world. Finally everything was falling into place, you were going to get your happily ever after ending. No you never had the “boyfriend/girlfriend talk” and you still didn’t use titles. But you knew you were his and he was yours. To you that’s all that mattered in the end. 

Little did you know your perfect bubble you created would come crashing down on a random Tuesday night. It started with having one of the shittest days you’ve had in a while, everything that could possibly go wrong did. Your alarm never went off because you forgot to set it the night before. So you woke up when you were supposed to head out the door. Which turned into you rushing around your apartment, trying to hurry to get ready so you weren’t extremely late to work. Of course as you were getting your car, your coffee spilled everything all over your white shirt and middle console of your car. Then you get to work 10 minutes late and have to hear about it all day from your boss. On top of the fact that you also happened to forget your lunch due to rushing around this morning. It just truly was a day from hell and by the time you got back home, you were in tears feeling extremely overwhelmed. All you wanted to do was shower and possibly order food because the idea of cooking made your stomach churn. 

You had finally gotten out of the shower and already started to feel better once you were dressed in some sweats. You were walking into your living room with the idea of just sitting on the coach, scrolling through Doordash to decide what to order when you heard a knock on the door. You didn’t even have to open the door to know that it was Jack. You remembered there was his teammate Nico's girlfriend’s little sister’s birthday tonight, which you had no plans of attending. One because you had only met the new girlfriend once and you could barely remember her name Sasha maybe? And two because it’s a fucking Tuesday and you had work the next day. That was before you had a day from hell and had no social battery left.

But Jack was persistent in trying to get you to say yes, which usually worked simply by showing his face at your apartment. Reductively you went to the door to answer partly just to get him to stop his persistent knocking. As you answered the door, you asked “Jack what are you doing here? Don’t you have a party to get ready for?” You started to make your way back to the living room knowing that Jack would follow you and close the door behind him. 

“Listen I know originally you didn’t wanna go tonight but I was thinking it might be just the thing you need to get your mind of work.” He said with a giant grin on his face as if this is the best idea he’s had all month.

“Jack I had an actual day from hell, I haven’t even answered Anna’s texts yet from earlier today. I have yet to eat anything, like all day. I was late to work today and had to hear about it all day. My social battery is literally in the negatives right now. The LAST thing I want to do is go to a random bar to celebrate some girl’s birthday that I’ve never even met.” You say as a sigh leaves your mouth as you plop yourself on the coach. 

“Okay first I’m sorry you had a bad day baby. But this isn’t a random girl you’ve never met before. You met Stacey’s sister before you knew Emerson before. You know the girl that Luke is talking to? Plus it’s her 21st. That's like the biggest birthday.” He says as makes his way into your kitchen to grab himself a glass of water. Gesturing to see if you want one too but you shake your head no. 

“Okay well I didn’t know it was the same girl but still I don’t wanna go Jackey.” As you start to lay down on the coach and whine, similar to a toddler having a tantrum. “I’m really really tired and if it’s her 21st that means everyone is gonna get trashed and I have work tomorrow early. The last thing I wanna do is go in hungover as fuck. Plus I haven’t eaten anything all day and I’m hungry. You of all people, know I’ll get trashed sooner than everyone else due to not eating. And I hate being the drunk girl at those types of things.” You say as your eyes follow Jack back to the living room as he sits the glass of water on the coffee table. 

Jack slowly beds down to eye level and slowly combs the strand pieces of hair out of your face. It took everything in you to ignore the flutters your stomach was making and not lean into his touch. Jack took his other hand that wasn’t on your cheek and rubbed it down your side landing on your hip pushing you closer to him. He looked down at you with those big puppy dog eyes as he was resting on the balls of his feet. “Please Y/N It literally won’t be the same without you, who’s gonna help me bully Luke when he scores out with Emerson. Or who’s gonna listen to Nico’s drunken stories in GERMAN I might add which you don’t even understand without yelling at him that you don’t care. Please Y/N I need you.”

It took all the strength you have to say “Jack you don’t need me, you want me to go because you don’t want to be by yourself. But you're a big boy and one night at a shitty bar won’t kill you. Besides, I had the day from hell from the moment I opened my eyes.“

Jack cut you off with a counter argument “see and what better way to end your day then to go out with friends.”

“I can think of about 100 different things that would end my day better without me even leaving this apartment..”

“Yes but none of those ideas involve me, please baby I need you with me.” He begged. You knew at that moment that this wasn’t going to end the way Jack wanted to and it would turn into a fight. With a sigh you sat up as you prepared your body for the impact of the fight that was bound to start.

“Jack, I love you but I said no. I need to stay home and get a proper night of sleep. I don’t want to go to a random bar and, as I said earlier, be hungover at work tomorrow. Some of us have normal jobs where we actually have to work year round and every work day.” You said harshly and as soon as it left your mouth you were about to apologize until Jack stood up and opened his mouth, 

“Oh come on Y/N” he snapped at you. “That’s real rich coming from you making a dig at me because you don’t have the luxury of having tomorrow off. You know you never complained about my job when I got you those concert tickets you wanted so badly? Or when I got that reservation at the new restaurant in town without even having to be put on a fucking waiting list. This is just like you, constantly complaining to me. I mean I ask for one thing and all it is from you is excuses! By the way, mind you, I have media tomorrow.” He says defensively. Each word gets louder and with more attitude then the last. 

“Ohhh my bad you had to sit in front of a camera probably in the late afternoon, and listen to people glut your ego even more than it already is.” You say as you stand up, the tiredness that consumed your body is now being replaced by pure red. “First off, I never asked for those things Jack! You gave them to me as gifts and when I tried to pay you back you straight up refused. To the point where you denied my venmo requests. So don’t throw a gift in my face! Secondly I have never once given a fuck that you play hockey, yes that’s how we met but that’s not how we got here. The fact that your even implying that is fucking ridiculous. Oh and by the way you CONSTANTLY ask for things and I give them to you because that’s what being in a relationship is about sacrifice. The one fucking time - I ask for a break your gaslighting me.” By the end you can feel the tears slowly threatening to come out from exhaustion or anger you're not sure.

“Y/N I-” you can see the regret on Jack’s face slowly coming out, as he tries to close the space between you both. 

“No not now, Get out I don’t wanna see you right now.” You exclaim clear as day, so there is no confusion.

“Y/N pl-” He softly says.

“Did you not hear me” the anger can be seen in your eyes at this point. “GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY PLACE” You scream with your entire being. You stood there arms wrapping around yourself as you watched Jack’s expression harden as he turned on his toes and left. But not before slamming the door pissed at you for not immediately forgiving him like you usually did when you fought. 

As soon as the doors slammed you fell on your couch just letting all the tears fall freely from your face. Just wishing you could just go to sleep and wake up tomorrow, only to find this was all some type of twisted dream. You ended up ordering some pizza, once it got there you sat on the coach and rewatched your favorite comfort show. You ended up falling asleep to take a nap around 7 and woke up around 10:30, T.V still blaring, you hear your phone buzzing under you. Finally when you're able to get from under you, you can see multiple missed texts from Jack,.

My Love 🏒 @ 10:34 PM

Hhhiii

I am sorry

I didn’t mean to hurt you and i love you 

So much more then you could ever know babygirl

I miss you

I wish you were here 

All the texts are literally within 30 seconds of each other. At first you tried to ignore Jack’s first couple messages, writing it off as him being drunk. Jack tended to be even more likely to share his feelings and more touchy when he was tipsy. But then you hopped on Instagram to do some mindless scrolling and saw Nico girlfriend’s Stacey’s private Instagram story where everyone looked like they were having a blast. Everyone except your precious Jack who looked like he was a puppy who literally had just been kicked. Your phone dinged again, another text from Jack, 

My Love 🏒 @ 10:39 PM

I know you saw my messages baby 

Did you forget we have our read receipts on cause we love each other

I know you were tired from work and didn’t wanna come out

But I wish I could do shots with you instead of Luke

He always looks like an energetic bunny when the bartenders serve him without even asking for his fake ID.

Still deciding if you're going to answer Jack or not purely because you weren’t sure you were ready to after earlier tonight.  You decide to watch some more T.V and get your mind to relax before you will literally pass out again from exhaustion. Your phone dings again, you were prepared to answer a very annoyingly tipsy Jack just so he could stop texting you. But you were surprised when it came through as a video sent to you by Jesper. You clicked on the video. It's obvious that it’s Jesper and some girl dancing. You can tell from the video that the girl is holding the phone, while both of Jesper’s hands are around her hips. Suddenly you can see in the background Jack and Luke talking. Jesper quickly takes his phone and then flips the camera around to the pair. He zooms in on Jack looking quite sad and almost lost and then turns the camera back around so it's facing himself. “Listen Y/N can you please come get him, I told him to go home to you but he won’t listen and keeps saying something about you don’t want him there and if he keeps drinking he is going to start crying and you know the team won’t ever let that go. So really for his own reputation being protected can you come pick his ass up. Also love you and hope this didn’t wake you up. Cause you're scary when someone messes with your sleep.” 

The video ends as quickly as it began and you chuckle at the comment about your sleep. After some mental debating, you decided to just go to the bar at least to pick Jack up. You hated fighting with him anyway and him looking all sad made your heart hurt. You decided to surprise Jack and not let him know you were coming because then he wouldn’t leave you alone until you got there. You decided to get changed out of your sweats - well Jack sweats - before you left. You decided to wear just a basic pair of black jeans, a t-shirt and some air force ones. As you glance in the mirror you chuckle to yourself as you are dressed exactly like something Quinn would wear. You swear to yourself you used to dress nicer before you started talking to Jack. 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once you find a parking spot and get out of your car. You silently curse to yourself as the clouds open up and rain pours down hard. You started to lightly jog down the street to get into the bar before you became completely soaked. Once you got through the bouncer and got your ID back you stepped into the dimly lit bar. Immediately you're met by Jesper and the girl you recognize from the video. 

“Oh my God Y/N you're here! Wow well let’s just get you a drink” as he is obviously trying to steer you to the bar. The girl standing on the other side of you.

“No Jesper I just came to get Jack and go home. I drove here. I'm not drinking. Where’s Jack?” You ask and that’s when you turn to face Jesper and you spot the rest of the hockey team taking up a few tables near the back. In the far corner you spot Jack, but before you can feel relief for finding him so quickly. You immediately become nausious  because he’s cuddling up with a girl. A girl you recognized off instagram as one of those New Yorker model/influencers and before you can make yourself turn away. You saw them kissing, you felt sick, your stomach dropping. You shouldn’t be this upset since you knew who Jack was when you met him. Hell you were one of the girls who slid into his DMs. Jesper catches your eye as the random girl behind you touches your shoulder trying to comfort you. 

“Y/N.” Jesper says softly. 

“Nope, don't. I’m not upset really, it’s not like we were together or anything just some fuck buddies right? He can do whatever he wants and fuck we both can do whatever the fuck we want right.” You tell him as you turn to the bar. “Well I want a drink but not here. I’m going home. Hey, can you do me a favor?”

“Anything.” Jesper whispers as his eyes soften as they look at you. 

“Don’t tell anyone I was here, especially Jack.” 

“Of course Y/N. I am sorry by the way.”

As you turn to leave you make eye-contact with Luke from across the bar and you knew you had to get out of here quickly. Even if Jesper promised not to tell anyone the Hughes brothers were always loyal to each other. It was one of the things you admired about Jack and his brothers when you met him. 

“Family is forever,” he told you one night. 

“Like Lilo and Stitch really J?”

“Okay don’t be a hater of where it comes from, the point stands. My brothers will always be here for me and I will be there for them.” He told you as he threw his arms around you as you laid on the coach.  “Just like I’ll always be here for you sweets.” As he gently kissed your cheek. 

You made it all the way out of the bar, storm fully in force now. Even the bouncer decided to abandon his outside post in order to stay dry. Once your feet hit the pavement, you took a second to let yourself feel all your emotions. You let out a soft scream of pure pain. It felt as if your heart was on fire, as you put your hands on your knees to help you catch your breath. But then your anxiety kicked in and you could feel the start of a panic attack starting. You wanted to move your feet because you knew Jack was going to be exiting the bar soon once Luke told him you were at the bar. But you can’t focus on anything as the anxiety overtakes your body. You could feel your nails digging into your knees just trying to bring you back down to Earth. Then you feel someone touch your shoulder. You assumed it was one of the WAGS or another teammate who might have seen everything go down. But then you hear his voice, Jack’s voice “Baby, Y/N it’s okay breath.-” 

As soon as your brian registers that it’s Jack you feel your body push him away. As you turn around not caring if he can see the tears softly starting to form in your eyes. “No - no” As you turn to quickly try to go to your car, each step faster than the last, until you're practically sprinting. 

You didn’t have to turn around to know that Jack was following after you. Jack would always come after you. He held your heart like a bungee cord, you might be able to walk away for a little bit. But in the end it would always snap back to Jack’s hands. 

“Wait please slow down Y/N/N-” he yells, speeding up his walking as you pick up your speed even more down the street. But when you hear his attempt to use that nickname you stop suddenly and turn around. 

“No you don’t get to call me that! That name is reserved for family and friends! And you don’t belong in either of those categories anymore.” You yell at him, barely able to hear yourself over the rain and pounding of your heart in your ears. You hope it sounded a lot more direct and hurtful than it sounded in your head. It must have done the trick because through your tears you could see Jack physically wince. 

“Please Y/N I’m sorry. It didn’t mean anything to me okay. She came up to me and-” he started explaining but stopped when you put your hand up.

“Jack, please don’t hurt me more than you already have by telling me your bullshit excuses.” you plead. 

“It’s not bullshit! It’s the truth. I am sorry. I never meant to hurt you.” He says the ending a lot softer, almost a whisper compared to the screaming a few moments prior. 

“What are we doing Jack? I thought we were together, I thought you cared about me? But here we are, I can't do this.” you tell him, the tears streaming clearly down your face, the little bit of makeup you have on is now smearing. 

“Please baby… don’t say that. I do care about you, you know that. i - we weren’t together I didn’t know.” Jack argues. 

“Please you knew, you knew but you got caught in the moment. Saying you didn’t know would be like me not knowing the sky is blue or that the Earth isn’t round. I mean - FUCK - everyone knew Jack! I mean your mom calls me once a week to check-in with me. My mom asks about you whenever I talk to her on the phone. I mean I spend more nights in your bed than I do on my own. Geez even Anna asked me if I wanted to resign the lease for another year next month, or if I was moving in with you finally. So, don’t tell me you didn’t know, you knew. But for some reason you stopped yourself from accepting it. I don’t know, maybe you didn’t wanna settle for someone not famous, maybe it’s cause I don’t look like all the other WAGs, or maybe you were scared. Honestly I don’t give a shit what your excuse is or was for that matter. I am done Jack.” The tears slowly start to stop following down your face as you take another step back creating more space between you and Jack. 

You knew with each word you spoke you were hurting Jack more and more. But, in the moment you couldn’t bring yourself to care especially when he opened his mouth next. 

“Yeah, well.. You know if you would have just come tonight, that girl probably would have never come up to me. She said she only came up to me because-” but before he could finish his final blow someone cut him off. 

“Jack!” Nico yelled, finally catching up to us. “That’s enough man. Your fucking drunk. Don’t say something you can’t fix in the morning” He says finally catching up to Jack. Softly putting his arms around his upper body, whether to stop him following you once you left or help him stand up straight you were unsure. 

“I can’t keep doing this to myself” you softly proclaim, not sure if you're telling yourself or Jack. “I deserve better, and honestly so do you. I can’t keep loving you with my entire being. While you can’t even admit that we were in a committed relationship.And you saying that you cheating tonight was basically my fault” You say as you look into Jack’s eyes. Somehow your words broke Jack. His anger from moments ago became deep regret. 

“We never had the talk.” He whispers whether to himself or you it’s unclear but it lights a fire inside you, Nico slowly detached himself from Jack recognizing that neither of you probably wanted him there for this. He slowly made some distance between himself and Jack. 

“My god Jack for once in your life - open your goddamn eyes - okay yes we didn’t say it! We didn’t say that we were exclusive! But you know what we did talk about? We talked about having KIDS one day, getting MARRIED, living in MICHIGAN TOGETHER in the off seasons, traveling to Europe TOGETHER. So don’t - you don’t get to use that as your excuse!” By the end of your speech your throat was sore - you didn’t know if it was from the crying or screaming - perhaps a mixture of both. 

“I’m sorry Y/N '' Jack says, refusing to even look in your eyes anymore, instead finding comfort in staring at his shoes. 

“I know you are, but I can’t do this. Goodbye Jack.” you announce. Like it was some type of public service announcement that you were done with Jack. That you were done with the games and for the first time in your life you were choosing yourself. A small tiny part of you felt relief when you finally made it back to your car and buckled your seatbelt. Maybe it’s because for the first time in a year you knew where your relationship stood with Jack nonexistent.

[aquaholicsanonymousworld]

Sunday Spotted / Blind Item | Pairing: Jarren Duran x Singer!Reader | Author's note: I couldn't help but notice that Jarren lowkey looks like JD Pardo's younger brother so I wrote this.

Subject: New man, same face?? 👀👀

Not naming names but… a certain chart-topping pop girl (you know the one, loves a lowercase album title and whispery vocals about being toxic on purpose) has been spotted getting very cozy with an MLB star lately. Like, hands-on-thigh, whispering-during-warmups, front-row-in-his-jersey cozy.

Here’s the tea though: if you’ve seen her very public actor ex from last year — moody, gorgeous, did a gritty show about bikes or something — you might’ve noticed something familiar. Because the new guy? Basically the same face. Like… deadass twins. Same tan, same build, same jawline, even the same initials. A few of us had to do a double take like, "Wait, did they get back together?"

Sources (read: my friend who works with the label) say the breakup with Mr. Actor was messy behind the scenes, even though they played it chill. Allegedly he wasn’t happy when he found out she moved on with his lookalike and has been “quietly bitter” about it — maybe that’s why he’s been so active on IG lately? 👀👀

Sources say he’s “fully aware” of the resemblance and thinks it’s “weird as hell.” Fans have started calling the new guy “JD 2.0” in private group chats—and the memes comparing the two are spreading fast.

Some are speculating that a certain track on her new album (you know the one) is definitely about the ex, even though she’s been cozying up to Mr. Baseball in public and have been inseparable.

She’s been flying into Boston lowkey for games, but if you were at her recent stadium shows, you probably saw him backstage, front and center, hand on her waist like he paid rent there. Not a rebound, maybe? But fans are side-eyeing the timing and saying it feels like she’s trying to replace her ex with a newer, hotter, baseball-playing version.

Anyway, if her next album is all love songs instead of heartbreak anthems, we’ll know who to blame. Or thank.

Messy messy messy... but we can’t look away.

⚾🎤👀💋

[phoenixcatch7]

Welcome to the environmental lore photo collection that took me three weeks to do! We shall see if we can fit all the photos in!

Okay! For purposes of this compilation I'll not be talking about either seasonal areas or the war! Because those are whole separate topics, and well...

We know enough. Also, I had to lighten several photos, so they might look slightly off to experienced players. It's so you can see!

So, the very first area -

Forgive the quality, this is their second compression lmao. As you can see, we start off with pretty standard Sky Kingdom architecture - blue stone with pale blue paint, topped with gold almost-spikes. There's a landing area from valley (middle left) but it's almost entirely flooded with cloud so good luck landing on it now lol. An overhead walkway (bottom left) that only appears elsewhere in the valley citadel and skate race. Unsurprising, given the proximity.

The interesting things are the campfire, the lanterns, and the broken bridge (top left, right, and bottom right respectively).

The huge campfire and the rows of lanterns speak of low light levels and temperatures. The nature of the wasteland is pollution and corruption, so it's easy to think the thick, dark cloud layer blocking out the sun is a result of that, and thus came about later in the timeline. But it seems to be early enough that ancestors made their own countermeasures to the darkness.

The broken bridge, of course, led down. It's sizable. I wonder what it looked like, before the hurricane? Perhaps they used shuttle boats like the village of dreams? Unlikely - there's no boat debris anywhere on either side, but it's an interesting thought. Either way, it tells us the hurricane wasn't always there...

^ Enter the wasteland proper, and you're met with this. Everything is half buried in sand, the water is toxic, and there's not a candle to be seen (except of course on cake days, as you will see later XD) - this will remain true for the whole realm. Under the hooked arch in the bottom pic is the sapling (clinging on for dear life, surely) and the dock leading to Enchantment.

What purpose the listing building in the centre pic does, I don't know, but if you squint under the left arch in the bottom picture, you'll see there's another one (with nothing inside). Given its placement, it could be assumed one had to pass through it to reach the main entrance. It's highly unlikely they were homes.

Similarly, all those giant broken arches could have enclosed a vast area the size of a small town (figuratively, if we consider the dream village and the aviary) - they're all pointing at each other (as best they can). Valley has proven the smaller version of these are to be walked on, so perhaps guards or manta riders could patrol on them? You do crashland enter under the only standing arch, after all.

The paths, centre right, also seem to be doing badly. Their solidity and thickness means they're not simple flagstones or paving like other areas in sky - they're heavy duty, lined with I believe to be more of that golden metal that bent instead of crumbled. They were built over unsteady ground. Whether that be the sand and toxic water they sit in now or just normal water remains to be seen.

If you look left, you'll see a distant... Factory of some kind. Middle left picture. Pipes leading in or out of it. Whatever it is, production, water purification, waste disposal, it probably doesn't work anymore. If you've played Journey (sky's predecessor), it's strongly reminiscent of an area where you build a temporary bridge connecting the broken arches so you can cross into the enormous building ahead. It's a fantastic sense of scale, to realise that this ancient civilisation ringed a significant portion of way around the base of this gargantuan mountain.

Half buried statues guard the crumbling entrance - smaller than the gigantic ones in the valley stadium, but pretty much the same otherwise lol. Given the amount of buried rubble around them and the chasm in the stone above, did something burst in... Or out? The mystery isn't solved on the inside, but at least the corridor isn't completely blocked. Sky kid (me!) for scale! It's interesting, how apart from the obviously ceremonial dramatic valley statues, these are the first things we see of anything resembling combat or even weapons. A culture which has a concept of militaristic might. They're guarding something important. (Vault, duh.)

No! Unlike what you'd think, the important thing becomes clear immediately. The collosal, toppled bell (I always wondered if they were hollow), the odd ceremonial structure it landed by (top left), those funny diamond bells (top right, top left if you squint), the studded cylinders (bottom left). The hastily stacked rubble blocking the krill's sight (bottom middle), the ripped open roof (bottom right).

It's identical to the forest elder shrine. This is a temple. Could this have been the original location of the wasteland elder shrine? The only remaining proof of a secret eighth elder, now subsumed?... A cool shaped building the architects took and ran with? We don't know. Whatever it was, it was clearly of great import. Most likely ceremonial, or for worship, or, heck, the equivalent of a podium specifically for big grand speeches. When the roof was there, it was an enormous, grand room, guarded by stern stone giants twice over and blocked by the same great doors that hide the forest glade. The ones that light up and spin and only open after meditating and meeting the elder...

There's no sign of those doors now, which is impressive. Probably where they got the stone for the krill blockade and the hiding places along the little bridge. Good thing they're gone, then, because those magic hinges seem to have run out of juice and gone dark. My theory is they were there to keep people out - a barrier between the last traces of peace and the battle torn graveyard we're about to walk into. (Another potential point in the 'prev wasteland elder location' - an ancestor would have to pass through him to enter, and the enemy on the way out.)

There's pipes now, too - I can only believe they were a later addition, given how haphazardly they coat the walls, and the industrial pollution aesthetic much more suited to the grimy, bleak wastes of today than the gilded ceremonial hall this once was.

Just off the left after the main temple area, there's a large room, ceiling also torn off. I can only describe them as pedestals, but what stood on them I don't know. My first thought when I found this place as a moth was a wardrobe/constellation/friend constellation thing, but it's??? Eh. If it were statues, they're long gone with no sign, and they're not big enough for anything mobile. This room served a function, that much is clear, but if decorative or practical I doubt we'll ever know.

^ The graveyard. This is its actual name, I believe. Fitting. The wasteland title promised us Vault, that's all this place is now good for, so that must be the vault we see looming in the background, tower reaching into the low clouds. (If you've played Journey, you're already familiar with the tower idea, so it's easy to slot the two together.)

Here you'll find, uh, krill. There's four here, the highest concentration of krill in all sky lmao. You'll find giant skeletons. You'll find sand. Toxic water. And that's kind of it.

Interesting things abound, however! There's a fleet of sunken, broken boats (middle left), a campfire now overgrown with dark plants (not shown) and a giant crab roasting campfire with a poor, beloathed by the community, crab loving spirit (middle). We can only assume he's the one who built the campfire! Thanks dude! Please have an easier relived memory! (should we call it a seance??) Now, given the guy is an elderly dude who carries a guitar and spends his time chasing crabs all across the dang map, he's probably not a warrior. Heck, with the amount of crabs, he probably arrived after the pipes. After the war, even? On the middle right pic is the weirdly undecorated entrance to the sunken ship.

Of course I looked at the skeletons and compared them! Each wasteland one had tiny scratches or notches in the spine spikes, and yes they aren't there on the other, but otherwise the size and shapes are identical! These skeletons are whales, as proven by the skeleton in forest haunted by the whale whisperer! The poor forest whale died of head injury colliding with the building, so there's every chance these guys were also used in warfare for similar reasons - maybe even specifically bred to fight the krill - but it could also have been a tragedy of mass extinction during what turned the graveyard into what it is today. :( That you can find a Rythm spirit in a skull tells us the troupe came about a LONG time after the deaths.

^ To the shipwreck! The first pic I caught during the shard event (though they landed all the way in prairie!) lol. It looks so ominous... Outside of the seasonal enchantment beauty, this is the biggest vessel in the game, and much more utilitarian. Unlike SS Enchantment, this thing was a tanker, not a home for those on board.

Featuring - the only decorated pipes in the kingdom (middle left)! Life boat deployment cranes (bottom left)! A beached lifeboat, bottom right :(. A boat still attached (feat me). More of those weird diamond bells for cargo, which proves they were a valued commodity and at least semi mass produced and shipped around the kingdom! More than the craftsman in prairie, or the tree fellers in forest, they prove a thriving, stable kingdom steadily advancing in technology and society! And the boat being pointed to the temple - incoming goods? Potentially, for Vault?

The krill decided it didn't want to be in the top pic, but I swear he's there XD... Most likely what sank the ship, tbh. It's not caught on some rock, or ledge, or ditch. In fact, the bottom is more intact than the top!... I think the krill escaped the warzone and caught the arriving ship, possibly spotting an unlucky crewmate through those big arched windows. The memory of the saluting captain walks the wreckage of his ship, sending away a loyal crew member on the second last life boat, back out to sea. Whether it's the boat dashed on the rocks or if they escaped the krill I don't know, but we know the captain didn't. Crab whisperer passes through later, so we know the light seekers are also post event.

We've reached the entrance to the vault! It's.. Smaller than it looks from a distance. Vault must be a shorter building hidden behind it, or far enough away it vanishes into the smog. Under a shard event sky, the black waters look like blood.

The first thing you see of the battlefield is the large, imposing building, now listing to one side and rimmed with stakes (cheval de freise, if you want to be fancy. Large caltrops... When your mounts and enemies can fly). There's only one spirit here, lookout (middle left). Whether it was supposed to be a temporary building (UNLIKELY) or whether they didn't build it properly and the sandy ground subsided over the aeons that have passed between then and now is up to interpretation, but at least this time the lack of roof seems intentional. I'm more annoyed it doesn't line up with the temple, I had to stand literally on the right wall to get the bottom picture and it's still slightly left!

Lighting the crystal triggers three krill to emerge from the ground and start hunting. (One time I visited some unknowing friends who triggered the gate... A krill emerged less than a metre from me with no warning... Terrifying XD.) Previously they used to spawn basically on top of the players and you had to run for your LIFE, but now they take a leisurely stroll in your direction, so you've got plenty of time to wander your way to safety. Maybe stop and get an ice cream. Boring :/. In terms of lore very fascinating and scary, given the last stand and the aurora concert both seemed focused on defending the crystal. This whole time... It was rigged. By which side, I don't know.

The shrine! ^

From the outside, a large, ominous building covered in pipes and statue towers. On the inside, an octagonal chamber many stories high. Like the rest of wasteland, what little decor there is is chockers with that hollow star shape that symbolises light, the king, all that good stuff. There's six ginormous double doors ringing the chamber, all tightly shut. My first thought was six realms, one war council. Nothing to prove or disprove that lol. It would have been a great place for diplomacy, though, without the shrine statue. Sand everywhere, probably through the gaps in the ceiling lol. Beautiful door.

Wasteland elder himself!!! His weapons are the ones arranged on his shrine - whether that means he can manifest in the world and grab them or if they're stone recreations of the ones he carries at all times, I don't know. He's never been seen in any memory or cutscene of war, so maybe he can't manifest... We know the isle elder can, in the song runaway of aurora. His space is the very same place as the Crystal outside his chamber, facing out, and he points his spear towards where the kings star would be, the crowning jewel of his tower. We can safely assume whatever his role, he was defending Vault and Eden behind it. And he succeeded.

There's so much to talk about with the vault door. Top left, the closed wasteland/vault door. Bottom left and right, the closed forest door. Centre and top right, the open vault door. You'll notice more diamond shapes and boat imagery. But in wasteland, the jewels that presumably power the great door are missing, black. The double switches, inactive. Even when activated, no line traces up and no light appears - only the outlines of the stars and speckled lights hidden on the door itself. If that's not divine intervention from the elder, I don't know what is lol.

Pass through into vault, and see its beauty untouched. But turn around, and see the mounds of golden sand blown in from Wasteland, settling in the still air. Vault acknowledges its protector.

Some final thoughts:

^ For some reason, probably that it's the only place it's not very visible, the shipwreck is the only place where the kings star is absolutely massive and has a ring. Every other place, it's normal! It's probably an old design tgc forgot to update with the rest lmao.

^ An entirely accidental realisation due to my research. Man I love environmental storytelling. Nearly every detail of the mask matches the skull! The IMAGERY.

^ My first attempt to get a good shot of wasteland instead caught a first person witness to an expert krill dodger! I didn't get to talk to them, but know you were caught being very cool in high definition!!

^ I didn't get to talk about this theory before, but every entrance and exit to the graveyard and next door shipwreck EXCEPT their connecting corridor are all huge drops in altitude. Both are the only places you find boats. Both are sodden with black water. The ground is uneven. There's whale skeletons. My theory is that these areas were once entirely submerged! Water areas! Shipping and naval battles and cargo! Abyss proves krill can survive perfectly under water - and all emerging krill do so from water!! It'd explain the sand and the debris and the beached boats and all!

Elder shrines do like their slitted roofs. This is prairie. 'S why I wasn't theorising about the sand in wasteland lol. Gotta get the dramatic shafts of light from somewhere!

The open door and two beautifully poised strangers - well done on completing wasteland! I hope you enjoy vault!!

Pipe theory: these things pop up at the entrance to wasteland and follow you all the way through to the shrine, disappear in vault, and then reappear. They go all the way to the point of no return in eden!!! They're either taking something up, or, considering the amount of pipes that open into black water areas, the general gravity situation of vertical pipes... It's likely they were siphoning something away. Sewer pipes, but evil. Maybe trying to wash away whatever corruption happened to the Eye? It didn't work... Poisoned the waters instead. Maybe they carried water up to the Eye like a kingdom sized cooling system and that drained the waters??

And the photo that started this whole thing, the day I climbed the wasteland temple...

that's not smog. That is a wall. That is the biggest wall I have EVER seen.

Do you see the line under the clouds? The sky box? The 'horizon'?

YOU'RE ALREADY LOOKING AT VAULT.

TGC YOU MOTHERS OF DUCKS.

[marimayscarlett]

By all means *eyes emoji*

Hi 👋

I took this ask as an invitation to figuratively dive into Richard's coat closet, and tried to compile every coat he wore in the last 30 years.

And oh boy, this man surely loves a good coat. He's the one member of this band who consecutively wore a coat on almost every tour and really takes a liking in the dramaturgical effect of wearing long (often times dark in color) coats and later reveiling additional outfits underneath, especially in later years. It fits his somewhat dramatic stage presence and he started quite early with these kind of stage outfits!

I subdevided this overview in two sub-topics to give this post somewhat of a structure, because this will be long.

1.) Richard's coats on stage (organized by year and tour)

1.1) Firstly, the plain black coat from the Herzeleid tour which he wore in 1995/1996. It's from what I could find the first time he wore a coat on stage while playing for Rammstein.

1.2) Addtionally, he wore the shiny red and silver coat during the Herzeleid tour as well as partly on the Sehnsucht tour in 1997. Same as the black coat before, he forwent any additional outfit underneath.

1.3) Also on the Sehnsucht tour, Richard wore the somewhat futuristic (reminded me a little bit of Star Treck costumes) black and silver coat which is clearly visible in Live aus Berlin. It suited the whole style of this era quite nicely and fit into the vibe of Till's cyborg/futuristic jacket as well.

1.4) For his outfit during the Reise Reise tour in 2004/2005, Richard settled for a black military-style coat. The button rows seem to be reminiscent of french military uniforms from the 17th and 18th century (as well as the button lines and the embroidery on the collar of the underjacket) and his pants were designed in a similar style. The lining of the coat is bright red, a theme which would occur numerous times over the years.

1.5) During the LIFAD tour, Richard wore a grey-mottled coat made out of a somewhat leathery material, adorned with silver buttons and a red armband - again he incorporated a red element in this coat, just like with the one before. On a sidenote: He once mentioned that Michael Jackson was an inspiration for this armband because Richard liked the cool look of it - his leg-belts (visible in the right picture) also kind of resemble the harness Michael wore on stage and in some videos during his Bad era.

1.6) An absolute personal favourite of mine: The studded coat Richard chose for the 2013 part of the Made in Germany tour, oftentimes paired with the torn black and red top underneath. This one also got red lining, as well as a fine red line near the cuffs of the coat.

1.7) In 2016 for the Festival tour, Richard wore coat in a more cosy and snuggly style, which marked a break in the clean cut coat-aesthetic up to this point. It was more in the style of a cardigan with a zipper instead of buttons. The armband made a reappearance as the signature red element (mirrored by a red band on his pants), and red lines along the seams added this colourful accent.

1.8) For the 2019 tour leg of the Stadium tour, Richard mixed things up by wearing a two piece combo made out of a leathery material, with a studded cap on the right shoulder and red elements in form of the usual arm band and a red folding in the front. The lower part of this outfit was removable, so the upper part remained as a jacket.

1.9) In 2022, he wore an all black coat with a belt and flaps along the shoulders, as well as snap fasteners as buttons; it overall resembled the typical look of a trenchcoat and seemed less rigid then the previous ensemble.

1.10) A true fandom favourite appeared on the scene in 2022 when he presented the infamous chicken coat. This one was already known from the "Freeze my mind" music video (from 2021) from Richard's side project and other band Emigrate. Different than in the music video, where a vest completed the look, Richard again after years went on stage without any outfit under it. This coat was used by him also during this year's tour leg.

1.11) Another personal favourite of mine is the black coat with red lining which he wore during this year's tour. Affectionatly dubbed "the vampire coat", this coat appears to be quite clean cut and simple, but has a very nice and dramatic effect on him (choosing gifs this time to underline this sentiment).

2.) Richard's coats off stage

Here are some of the coats Richard wore off stage during band fotoshoots and outings. Not counting normal jackets or parcas here.

2.1) The fur-lined coat during the Rosenrot fotoshooting:

2.2) The reoccuring black coat with fluffy fur elements, worn by him while being presented with awards in 2005 in Berlin as well as during the Echo award show in 2009:

2.3) He wore another black coat which looked pretty similar to the one before but is still slightly different during a signing in Paris 2004:

2.4) And a brown/beige kind of trenchcoat was his style of choice for the Fashion rock night in 2009:

2.5) During the outdoor shooting for the LIFAD album, Richard wore another black coat:

2.6) And lastly, the fancy embroidered coat Richard chose for promotion pictures for (I think) his first album with his band Emigrate:

Not sure if I was thouroughly enough and found every coat he ever wore, but I think the presented ones here really express his love for this piece of clothing in general 😊 I'm looking forward to either seeing a new coat on Richard next year or a return of his vampire coat 🦇 (Still hoping to see the studded coat someday again).

(Used picture sources: Rammwiki and the Rammsteinworld gallery - wonderful rabbit holes to get lost in.)

[jamesv-t]

Gig survey

As ever, previous years can be read at #gig-survey, and this year’s one can be found below the cut.

Normally this begins with a list of my top five gigs of the year, but as every single show has been great this year, it would be unfair to the ones which get left off, so instead of ranking them I'm just going to present them chronologically.

21st February - Zara Larsson (Roundhouse, London)

27th April - The Warning (Kentish Town Forum, London)

18th May - Olivia Rodrigo (The O2, London)

21st June - Taylor Swift (Wembley Stadium, London)

3rd July - Against The Current/Dead Pony (Lafayette, London)

18th July - Taylor Swift (Veltins Arena, Gelsenkirchen)

22nd July - The Warning (Crate Brewery, London)

25th July - Bruce Springsteen (Wembley Stadium, London)

3rd August - Girls Aloud (Preston Park, Brighton)

20th August - Taylor Swift (Wembley Stadium, London)

6th December - Dead Pony (The Garage, London)

Total number of shows?

Eleven.

Most surprising show?

The Warning at Crate Brewery, but only because I wasn't 100% sure it was going to be them until about an hour before doors!

Most disappointing?

Olivia Rodrigo, but that's unfair on her - she was great, but not and never having been a teenage girl, I still had trouble connecting with her.

Farthest travelled?

Veltins Area in Gelsenkirchen, Germany - 575km/350 miles from my front door.

States attended shows in?

Cheerful, grateful, euphoric, terrified, bored, knackered and achy. 

Venue most visited?

Wembley Stadium, three times.

Worst injury?

Backache after sitting on the floor for The Warning at Crate. Several bruises after moshing too much at Dead Pony.

Most expensive ticket?

Standing tickets for Taylor Swift at Wembley.

Band seen the most?

Taylor Swift, three times.

Best new discovery?

Girls Aloud, which is an odd section to put them in, considering I remember burning their debut single onto CD when it came out in 2002, but I realised watching them that I really had underappreciated them!

Bands seen this year that also broke up this year?

None!

Friends made at shows?

None at shows, but a special shoutout to some of the DPA Cult (particularly @pleasegetoutofmywalls and @tuesdayinhell) as friends I've made through music.

Band members met?

Anna from Dead Pony after their set supporting Against The Current.

Best souvenir from a show?

I have added to my wardrobe this year. Two new Warning t-shirts, two Taylor Swift tees (and a free tote bag), a wonderful Springsteen shirt that's my ideal design/colour scheme, and a really comfy ATC t-shirt!

Longest time in line?

Two hours before the first Taylor show - we were standing for this one.

Shows seen from the barricade [front row]?

Got to the barrier for Girls Aloud and stayed there all day. Weaseled my way to the front row for Against The Current, which I'm proud of considering several people who paid for M&G/early entry ended up behind me - the confidence of a man who had several stouts in the queue knows no bounds! Was second row for The Warning at Crate but still ended up in their aftermovie.

Most shows in one month?

July had three.

Most shows in one week?

July had three in the space of a week - two stadia shows sandwiching a tiny one!

Biggest crowd?

Probably Taylor at Wembley. Either time.

Any drunk encounters?

Not really - I was drinking but never drunk.

Top 5 best 2024 concert moments:

1. I know the best concert moment last year was The Warning, and this remains the same 12 months on. As well as getting to see them in their largest UK headline gig to date, at Kentish Town Forum, a few months later there were whisperings of a small secret gig in London in July. I paid £20 for it, on the off-chance, and wandered up to enjoy a nice summer's evening in the capital. If nothing else I'd get plenty of book reading done on the train there and back. Sitting in the sun outside having a pre-gig beer, I figured they would be playing when the band walked past me less than a metre away! I was lucky enough to see a stripped back, acoustic set from a band who are going to be huge, in a tiny venue, and every time I corrected my posture and sat up straight I ended up right in Dany's eyeline, so ended up getting half the set sung to me!

2. Against The Current/Dead Pony. I'd seen both bands live a couple of times in previous years so knew they'd put on a great show, and when they announced a few joint dates on mainland Europe I was very nearly booking a trip until I was gently reminded of prior commitments. When they announced a London date I was there, and there early enough to get to the front of the queue. Entering the venue security divided the queue into two lines, one upstairs and one down, and I ended at the front of the downstairs line - making a beeline for the front of the crowd as soon as doors opened. I ended up wangling myself into the second row, behind two women who were shorter than me - not that that mattered much, as there was no barrier between the crowd and the stage. I ended up not just close enough to see that ATC's singer had the label hanging out of the back of her top, but close enough to read the text on it. Both artists were as fantastic as my high expectations, but the cherry on the cake came during Dead Pony's performance of 23, Never Me. Anna got into the crowd and quickly spotted me as one of the few who was singing along, so we ended up singing the chorus to each other!

3. Around the turn of the year, in that dead zone between Christmas and New Year where time has no meaning, I used my Christmas money to get myself a book. Reach For The Stars (Reach for the Stars by Michael Cragg review – bubblegum pop’s finest hour | Music books | The Guardian) is an oral history focusing on British millennium pop – from the Spice Girls until X-Factor via Steps, S Club 7, Billie Piper, B*Witched, etc. One of the bands given the most focus, along with interviews with all 27 Sugababes, was Girls Aloud. After finishing their substantial chapter (and bemoaning the sheer extra information cut out) I remarked that it was a shame that their heyday coincided with that annoying period in my life when I foolishly thought I was too cool for pop music, so I never saw them live.

Two days later they were announced as headliners for Brighton Pride festival, which we already had tickets for, and so that took care of that. We got there in enough time to get a spot on the (plebeian) barrier and rotated positions, with Dana and Sophie in front of me when the Girls took the stage. I was transfixed, absolutely blown away. They had finished a substantial arena tour but shook up the set for Pride, rolling out some old favourites (including Watch Me Go, which featured Nicola singing about someone “thinkin’ bout her butt” and made me feel extremely seen). Sophie swapped places with me and I ended up on the barrier, a literal human version of the heart eyes emoji as this ginger goddess strutted her stuff in front of me. I am struggling to put into words just how good they were.

Subsequently I’ve had several deep dives into their back catalogue, to the point that they are my most listened to artist since August! The arena tour was filmed and shown on one of the TV channels over here in mid November which sent us both down the GA rabbit hole again, watching old interviews and live performances, none of which compare to them at their current heights. While I’m annoyed I missed out on seeing them as a five piece, I would not have been this entranced by them if I hadn’t gone into the Pride set relatively cold.

Top 3 worst 2024 concert moments:

1. With fees, I paid around £100 for my ticket to Bruce Springsteen, up in the gods but facing the stage. The first half an hour of his set was soundtracked by three guys in their 40s/50s shouting over the music to catch each other up on what had been happening in their lives recently. After a piano ballad was drowned out by these dickheads a couple in front of us asked them politely to be quiet, only to be confronted by an aggressive expletive filled rant about how they'd paid their money and were entitled to have a chat.

Fortunately I was on my own and had been keeping an eye on an empty seat a few rows down as they were doing my nut in, so I moved there and had a great time, but the sheer entitled arrogance of these wankers still irks me now.

2. We had tickets to two more Olivia Rodrigo gigs in Manchester, earlier in May. Fair enough, the venue wasn't ready in time and the gigs were postponed due to bits falling off the roof. But no update was provided as to when the gigs would be rescheduled for, for another six months, leaving us in limbo if they actually would get rescheduled at all or just quietly cancelled.

3. This is a very personal one. My favourite era of Taylor's is Speak Now. That album was the first of hers I listened to; the first gig of hers I went to was on the Speak Now tour. I didn't really appreciate it as much as I should've done and was looking forward to getting to hear some of the songs from that album live again on her Eras Tour. I managed to stay largely unspoiled for the tour ahead of my first gig on the tour, the first Wembley show. (I knew that the set was broken down into each album; I knew that she'd play Shake It Off because of a lookback piece on the song that I read about a week before the gig which had the spoiler in there; and I knew that there was something involving a hat and the song 22. That was it.) When she came out to sing Enchanted I was excited to see what songs we'd get - the previous three eras in the set had had between 3 and 5 songs played.

Speak Now got one.

When she turned around and went off stage at the end of the song I was confused. When the video screens started showing that f**king snake - Reputation has never been my favourite album - I was fuming. Genuinely, the only thing stopping me from remonstrating with her over her choices was the video at the end of Enchanted referencing the advert for her Wonderstruck perfume which contained that era's defining scent.

I had just about calmed down and managed to enjoy the rest of the show (eventually) when I was informed that she used to play Long Live - my favourite track from the album - as well, cutting it to shoehorn in a set for The Tortured Poets Department (an album with which I also have issues). This set me off all over again.

It gets worse.

As well as the 43 songs which comprised the regular set - I'll say this for her, she gives value for money - she also took to playing two secret songs towards the end of the night. These two would frequently morph into three or four songs as she would mash up pairs of songs together. One which I was hoping for was Fearless deep-cut Change, which she wrote for the US coverage of the 2012 Olympics. This remained unplayed, for over 100 dates before our final gig of the tour (which was the final European date as well).

It remained unplayed until the night before our final gig, when she mashed up Change with Long Live. It was very hard not to feel attacked by her in that moment, even though the rational part of my brain tried to tell me not to take it personally.

The day before. This has got me so annoyed in reliving it for this write-up that I need to spend an hour in the angry dome again.

[its-all-papaya]

Top 5 concerts/festivals if you’ve been to any?

If not top 5 tv shows? (Or both of your like lol)

ask me my top five!

i have never been to a festival and doubt i ever will, and i have... maybe been to five concerts in my life? about to find out when i try to rank them.

maddie zahm (my queen. my absolute goat. this was church for the ex-church kids)

young rising sons

ben platt's sing to me instead tour

the wanted (saw them at a suuuuper small venue when i was in middle school and it was so intimate that nathan sykes was like. just standing four feet from us singing and high-fiving everybody in our row. immaculate vibes.)

5 seconds of summer when i was like 15

ed sheeran's multiply tour

and that is every concert i've ever been to! minus the free ones i'd go to in college for rap artists i did not know and only attended bc it was like The Thing to Do that night. i'm not really an "experiences" person overall, and concerts aren't fun enough to me to justify the price of stadium tours. i've spent way more money on sports tickets than i have on concerts in my lifetime, and the gap will probably continue to get larger as i age LOL.