#(and most of the wrestlers who care enough about that AND have the sway to get that kind of thing on the show being off tv)

[biancabelairs]

i'm thrilled kenny might be coming back by all out, i've missed him dearly

i'm considerably less thrilled about hung bucks getting put on ice again and/or bucks/ftr 3 for all the belts at all out getting canned for the sake of kenny/bucks trios champs, as much as i love the three of them as a unit but like. it's been months since the timing for that was right and i'd like to see some payoff for the things that got set up in the meantime

[lokisprettygirl]

Hit me Baby, One more time (Wrestler Loki x Female Reader)

Read chapter 5 here

Chapter 6

Summary : Rules are not made to be broken, loki learns a lesson

Warning : 18+ Adult content, dom Sub Undertones

Taglist : @colifower @karuna11 @vbecker10 @the-wounded-healer05 @hayden429 @offgoodluck @limiworld @12-pm-510 @daddylokisqueen @lokislovingvalkyrie @3ddiebrock @chaotics17 @rat-p1ss

That night when loki took Cary to dinner, he didn't take her to Milidiar, for some reason he didn't want to, on the way, she kept her lips on his and he enjoyed every second of it "Mmmm I love kissing you" she mumbled in his ear and he chuckled. You'd never be this forward with him. He wanted to stop thinking about you but for some reason he couldn't, then he felt his phone buzzing and he took it out from his jacket "Who's birdy?" Cary asked him and he shrugged, he didn't receive your call and he didn't call back either.

Why were you calling him now? Why didn't you stay around? Does jack really affects you that much that you had to run? "Hey driver turn the music up" she knocked on the partition slider as she yelled. You'd never disrespect Heimdall like that. He's like a brother to loki, cary must have assumed that he was just his driver or chauffeur but you could have done that too when you met him first but you didn't, you always respected him. Once inside the restaurant she clicked a selfie of them both, he remembered when he took you to eat, you seemed so uncomfortable and shy, Cary was your opposite, she knew what she wanted, maybe he shouldn't be comparing you two but he can't stop for some reason..

He did think about how sweetly you allowed him to dominate you today, he didn't think you had any clue of what was happening between you two, did you understand that he was trying to be your dom? Or you just played along to amuse him or you're just gullible like that. After dinner she invited him to her place, good because he wasn't planning to take her to his place, he never does that. On the way, he reposted the story she tagged him in, he wasn't trying to hurt you but he was trying to get a reaction out of you, did you care enough to be jealous of this? Or you were using him like he was using you. Because he definitely was using you.

Once he got to her place, he didn't waste a second he fucked Cary again and again until she was a moaning writhing mess under him. He was so tired from the day so when she fell asleep he wanted to call you but he didn't, he checked his story and you did see it but you didn't say anything or called him. Next morning when he woke up he was livid as his phone didn't stop ringing, his publicist called a thousand times and heimdall did too. That picture of him in her bed created a huge ruckus, and he was pissed off to say the least. He has been through this before as well, women would often post their sexual encounters with him online but she had a fucking picture.

He wasn't expecting her to be such a clout chaser, he just thought she was a harmless fan, he did find her endearing last night but his opinions changed pretty quickly with this action of hers.

"You didn't have to post about me sleeping naked in your bed" he told cary as he got up to get dressed, he felt something after a long time and he got swayed into it, But after fucking her again & again last night, he was over the infatuation now, rules are not made to be broken, should have stuck to that, she didn't act so cute around him like you did when he took her to dinner, she wasn't nervous or shy about her desires, she didn't care a bit about his injury, didn't even ask and she called heimdall a driver. He hated that the most.

He didn't need a girlfriend, he needed a sub and you're perfect for him, not a virgin but not too experienced either and now he missed you. "Oh come on its cute" Cary pouted at him but he wasn't having it anymore "Well, Enjoy your two minutes of fame" He stormed out of her apartment after that, What was he thinking last night? He should have gone after you, he should have comforted you, you needed that. If you're going to be his sub, he needs to take better care of you, especially when you're emotionally vulnerable like that, he might not care about you like that because he definitely doesn't but he can pretend.

When he got home, he called you but ofcourse you didn't pick up, he texted you and you didn't respond to that either, on the top of it you unfollowed him on Instagram and it angered him greatly, he texted you on Instagram and that's when you finally responded.

You groaned and didn't reply to him after that, then Tonya DM'ED you on Instagram so you checked her message

You checked out his picture on Instagram, trying to do the damage control probably.

What does he think of himself? You were curious to read Tonya's comment so you opened the comment section

You closed the app quickly after that, For the rest of the day you focused on your work and didn't or atleast tried to not think about him. Why did he want to see you so bad? Why do you want to see him after this? You had no answers for any of your questions, you took a shower before you left the studio, then put on a simple button up shirt and a jeans, as he said he was outside your studio to pick you up. You sighed as you saw him, he was alone and he had a different car with him as well. Rich people.

He stepped out of his driver seat and he opened the door for you, you got in and didn't ask any questions and he was thankful. There was no point in questioning him, he started to drive somewhere, he wasn't taking you back to your apartment that's for sure "Where are we going" you asked him and he looked at you "Someplace we can talk peacefully" you crossed your arms and he shook his head. "Do you trust me or not?" He asked you and you looked at him "Yes" he didn't say anything after that for the whole ride

He had a simple black jacket on with a white full sleeves t shirt underneath, and a blue jeans, his long hair in a messy bun, two strands of curls framed his face perfectly. He looked good, no wonder Tonya was obsessed with him. Should you be lying to her about whatever this is? You felt awful about it, She'd be extremely pissed off when she finds out.

He took you to some sort of posh area in new york where only rich people could afford to live. Then he parked his car and took you to his condominium, you hesitated a little to go inside but he grabbed your arms and took you in. Once you got inside you looked around, such a big place, does he live all alone here ? "What did you want to talk about?" You crossed your arms as he stood 5 feet away from you but he kept his eyes on you "Why did you run?" He asked you as he walked closer "Because of him? Because you couldn't see him with his new girlfriend? Is that it ?" He grabbed your shoulders and you instantly looked down, so he used his fingers to lift your chin up "Answer me" he glared at you and you teared up

"I didn't run because of him, if I wanted to I would have done that as soon as saw him" he tilted his head as he heard you, then why did you run ? He wondered "Why then?" He asked you again and his fingers wiped the tears from your cheeks "Because of you" he scrunched his forehead in confusion, what did he do yesterday to make you run ? "You called her sweetheart" he stared at you as he heard, is that really why you ran? Did you feel jealous? "Am I not supposed to do that? I'm not yours, sweetheart, you're not mine, you know that, you shouldn't have ran" he pulled you into him and then he kissed your forehead, does he not realise that forehead kisses are romantic in nature and not sexual?

"You didn't stop me" his eyes softened as he heard your soft broken voice, he didn't want to hurt you like that, he should have known you'd be hurt, you're too soft for your own good "I should have?" He asked you as he grabbed your neck from one hand and pushed back your wet hair aside so he can suck another mark on your neck "You didn't call me" you spoke again, a whimpery moan escaped your lips as you felt his mouth on your sensitive skin "I know, I didn't think you cared" he told you and you chuckled "You chose to spend time with her instead of me, you forgot about me as soon as you met her, just like jack did, I mean nothing to anyone" your voice choked as your eyes filled upto the brim, you couldn't even see properly, he pulled his head up and he took a step back.

As soon as he realised what you meant, he ran his hand through his hair, that wasn't what he was trying to do but he could see how you must have felt about it, jack cheated on you with her, he left you for her, and he did the same thing, he invited you, you were there for him and he didn't stop you from running, didn't call you back then he posted that God awful story to hurt you more "I wasn't trying to do that y/n, to be honest, I wasn't even thinking about that when I fucked her" you glared at him as you heard him , does he ever censor his words? No?

You smiled at him and you tried to leave his apartment, but he grabbed your arms again and pulled you into a hug "it's okay loki, I would pick her too, I would never pick me if I was you or jack either" you looked up at him and he wiped your tears, he have felt a connection to you ever since he saw you the very first day, he still doesn't know you that well but you're so pretty and kind, he hates the fact that your self esteem is so low probably because of that asshole and he made it worse last night, perhaps he could fix that, he can bring the confidence back in you, you have no idea that he picked you the very first day he saw you, maybe not in the way you'd want but still he did pick you "Oh sweet y/n, no matter what happens, whosoever hurts you or leaves you, You're always supposed to pick yourself even if nobody else will, you have to love yourself even if they won't, even if you're all alone"

He wiped your endless tears and then he kissed you softly "I should have followed you, I should have comforted you, I understand that, I'm here now so stay okay? Don't go" he asked you or told you, you didn't really understand but truth to be told you didn't want to stay alone in your current state of mind, this is the worst you have felt since jack broke up with you, Loki did keep your mind off him in last few days "Okay" you mumbled and he kissed your forehead again "What would you like to drink? Tea or coffee or something else" he asked you "Everything" he smiled as he heard you and he grabbed your arms to take you to the kitchen, a huge kitchen "Sit, here"

He lifted you up and made you sit on the countertop "Is espresso fine?" He asked you and you responded in yes. You did enjoy the time you spent with him before jack came to his dressing room yesterday, just thinking about it made you wet "I like the bun" he smiled as he heard you, after adding the coffee grounds to the coffee maker he walked over to you "Spread your legs for me" he asked you and your eyes widened but you did it very slowly, then he stood between your legs with his arms on the countertop, on either side of you , you leaned backwards a little at the closeness, was he like this with Cary ? Why are you feeling jealous about that? He's not your boyfriend "Have any questions about last night?" He asked you and you nod in yes, you had so many questions, most of them involving cary.

He would ignore you not responding with words just this once maybe "Ask" he kissed your forehead again and he kept his fingers on your chin as you kept looking down nervously "You'd be honest?" You asked him and he chuckled "I'm always honest" you sighed and looked at him "Ummm do you like Cary?" You needed to know that, you had no idea why but you did "I did for a moment I did" you shook your head "Are you dating her or planning to?" You needed to know because you'd have to create a distance from him if he was, you won't be his side chick if he was seriously involved with someone, that's just wrong "Did you see my post? I have no interest whatsoever in pursuing her any further"

"I did, I just thought that's what celebs do to avoid drama, just like them saying all the time that -oh but we are just good friends-" he smiled as he watched you airquote your sentence, you are so cute, he should have followed you last night "I heard from someone that you broke your one time rule for her" you said nervously, and he raised his eyebrows, he was surprised you even knew that, did your friend fill you in on the gossip? Did she tell you he fucked her ?

"I did and I regret that to be honest, hate being used like that" he told you and you looked at him confused "For sex?" You asked him and he nods in no "That I can respect, she used me for clout" as his coffee maker beeped, he stepped away from you and placed a cup under the nozzle to pour you one, He invited you, he DM'ED you and followed but not once you tried to make a big deal out of that, he appreciated that "Did jack feel bad about her sleeping with you" you asked him and he handed you a hot steaming cup of Espresso, the aroma surrounding you "Can I have some whipped cream on top please ?" He looked at you as if you have offended him but he was just surprised with your choice "Sure and to answer your previous question, he did throw the drink in her face so I would say he was pretty upset" He enjoyed the look on your face at that, one of the reasons why he fucked her in the first place, he wanted to hurt him for you. But he convinced himself otherwise

That felt good to hear, he must have gotten a little taste of what you felt when he cheated on you, a part of you felt bad for him, that's what you hated the most. You mixed the cream with the espresso with a spoon he gave you and took the first sip, that's a good coffee, "Mmm this is nice, thank you" you hinted at the coffee and he took a sip from your cup while you held the cup, the moment felt too intimate, and not in a sexual way "I have never had it this way" he mumbled and you smiled at him.

"What do you want to eat?" He asked you and you shook your head in no "I can't stay over for long, my roommate will ask questions" you told him and he tilted his head "So?" He said strictly and you were dumbfounded, actually why did you care if she would? you could make plenty of excuses, she's not your mom "You want me to stay the night?" You asked him as your face flushed "No just until dinner" he did want to fuck you but not until you're begging him to do so "Okay can we eat pizza? We don't have to if you're on a strict diet, you do look as if you diet 12 months a year" he chuckled as he heard you, this is the most he have heard you speak and he kind of liked that.

The cuter you are, the more fun he would have in corrupting you and turning you into his little whore, he felt strained in the confinement of his pants, at the thought, he ordered a pizza and then he showed you around the house, his place as he calls it, you haven't heard him calling it his home yet.

It felt so natural to him to bring you here, he never does that, he have fucked half of new york but he never brought his women here, not even the subs he had before you, he didn't know why he brought you here but he's not regretting it atleast. You both sat down on the couch and he tapped on his thigh, did he want you to sit on him again? You moved slowly on top of him and he pulled you closer, your face inches away from his "I have something of yours" you looked at him confused then he put his hand inside the pocket of his jacket and took out a plain looking black underwear, that's obviously yours. You blushed furiously and tried to snatch it away from him but he stretched his arm up and out of your reach.

"You want it back ?" He asked you softly and you responded in yes "I'll give it back to you, once I make sure, you ruin the one you have on right now" oh god's, you felt your face heating up at the comment, he was so forward and unabashed, never filtered his words, you have never met someone like him "Did you miss me after you ran out?" He asked you and you shook your head "Don't make me punish you today pretty little thing" he whispered and you realised your mistake "I did miss you loki, did you?" You asked him and he shook his head "More than I thought I would" you bite on your lips as you heard him, your hips moved involuntarily on his thigh and you tried to stiffle a moan but he used his thumb to free your lip caught between your teeth.

"Let me hear your noises, you sound so sweet for me, like a bird, it feels good yeah? You like moving your hips on my thigh pretty girl?" He asked you, his voice soft, he praised you, you have never been praised like this during sexual acts and you somehow managed to respond, "Mmm yes please, oh god" you kept your eyes closed as you felt embarassed by your own lack of self control, this morning you were convinced you won't see him again, that he was so bad, so wrong but here you are humping on his thigh shamelessly, if bad feels so good why wouldn't you want this?

"Chase it, chase that sweet feeling building up in your core, but you're going to tell me when you get closer to the edge, alright?" He commanded you and you shook your head, you're going to get punished for this, for not answering him, not today maybe but definitely. "Mmmmm oh please, lokiii" he had to strain himself mentally from wanting to fuck you right now as you looked so desperate for him, the way you called out to him, he wanted to destroy you. He watched your hips moving so sensually, no wonder you were a good dancer "Look at you pretty girl, so pretty for me, so good " you blushed so deeply at the praise, so you like being praised and being humiliated? you're just perfect for him, perfect to be his sub. He unbuttoned the top two buttons of your shirt, just enough to get a sight of your bra clad cleavage, it drove him wild.

He ran his fingers all over the exposed skin of your breasts and you shivered at the touch, he pulled your head back by gripping your hair and gave it a sharp tug, you moaned loudly at the action, you never thought you'd ever even enjoy feeling pain like that "You love it when I do this y/n?? Love being hurt hmm?" He pulled your head back and gave you a wet sloppy kiss, he clenched his thigh muscles and you moaned loudly in his mouth "Oh god please I'm so close Lokii" you mumbled and he grabbed your hips to stop you from moving. Oh no not again, please not again

You clutched on his shoulders and hid your face in his neck as you felt the sweet string of your approaching orgasm breaking slowly, fading slowly, you felt so frustrated, you wanted to cum "Pleaseeee make me cum loki pleasse" oh yes, beg y/n , beg for him, beg for your release, this is right where he wants you. He lifted your head up and he smiled at you "Not today sweet girl, not today, you want to be my good girl right?" He asked you, his voice soft but his tone strict like a school teacher "Mmm yess, good girl, want to be your good girl" you mumbled, your mind still hazy and he loved your response "Then hold it for me, and wait for me to make you cum whenever I would see it fit, can you do that, little thing?" He asked you and you opened your eyes to look at him, your eyes tearing up at the pressure you felt in your core, however it was subsiding slowly

You wanted to hold it for him, you wanted to please him and be his good girl, such a weird feeling, why do you enjoy doing these things for him? Why do you want to lose your control over to him "Yes I can, I can do it loki " you answered him and he kissed you softly "Such a good girl, so good, your orgasms are mine now darling, when you go home tonight you can touch yourself if you're too pressed up but you can't cum understand? I don't care how desperate you are, you won't cum without my permission from now on" He's not going to make you cum today, he's going to drop you home like this and he would torture you, ofcourse you can make yourself cum as soon as you get inside the walls of your home, but then why do you want to follow his instructions? Why didn't you want to disappoint him? You didn't understand anything.

"Okay I'll be good" you mumbled and he kissed your forehead, you're learning fast, you're allowing him to train you even though you have no fucking clue about this, he won't keep you in suspense for long, he would ask you to be his permanent sub soon, but he needs you to get addicted to him first, to yearn for him, to be desperate for him. He can't take a no for an answer, you're absolutely perfect for him, he would make sure you're not in the state to ever deny him or his needs.

Ofcourse if you still decide to let go of him he won't approach you again, as much as he would want to keep you as his pet, he wouldn't force you to be one, maybe he will fuck you once and let you go. The question that bothers him the most is that will he be capable of letting you go after he have been inside you like that? He couldn't stop thinking about you yesterday even when he was very much into cary.

"I need you trust me with this okay? I would never harm you, I give you my word, do you trust me?" He asked you and you kissed his forehead, he was taken aback a little at the gesture.

You know you shouldn't trust him, he's not the kind of man you should be trusting, but somehow you're not able to say no to him and you did feel safe with him when he drove you here today, you had no idea where he was taking you but you felt safe, he still scares you though but in a different way "I trust you loki"

"Good girl, now go and change out of your soaked underwear" he handed you the underwear you left in his bathroom yesterday and you felt embarassed to get off him and go to the bathroom "It's okay, no need to be embarassed pretty girl" he caressed your head and you leaned into his touch "Want me to take you there?" He asked softly as he rubbed your cheeks "Yes please" you wrapped your arms around his neck , hiding yourself in the crook of his neck. Fuck you're adorable.

He stood up with you in his arms, he wrapped your legs around him so you won't fall , the he took you to his personal bathroom and sat you over his lavish looking sink, his bathroom was thrice the size of yours "Come out soon darling and be good for me"

He closed the door on his way out and that's exactly when you were able to breathe properly.

He suffocated you.

You loved it.

[abbysfrenchbraid]

Truth or Dare

Hi guys! This is a oneshot in which the (female) reader is stationed at an WLF outpost and joined by Abby for a work assignment. They become roommates and the reader starts to develop feelings for Abby but isn’t sure if they’re reciprocated until a night of truth or dare with friends reveals more than Abby intended.

It was inspired by this picture of angry/confused Abby with her hair down shared in the Abby Simp Society Discord server (message me or @theenglishmonster​ if you’re interested in joining!). Sadly I couldn’t find the editor anywhere, so let me know if you know who I should credit!

4.4k words, a little angst + smut 

content warnings: alcohol consumption, smut, mention of sex in public, derogatory language (if you need me to tag anything else let me know)

feedback is very welcome, enjoy!

Truth or Dare  

You were laying in the bottom bunk of the bed you had shared with your fellow WLF Abby for the last month. She had been restationed to your outpost and there had only been a few empty bunks left. You had enjoyed having your own room before, even if it was tiny and fitted only two metal locker cabinets and the bed, as well as a small table and chair in front of the 5th story window. As your outpost didn’t allow men and women to share rooms unless they were married, Abby and her patrol partner Manny had to split up when they arrived. 

The tall blonde made quite the impression on you; she was always composed and stone-faced, standing straight and towering above most of the other soldiers. The first days you two hadn’t talked much, she had taken the empty top bunk and one of the lockers without complaining and told you that you wouldn’t have to take up with her for long. 

After two weeks, she had come in angry and breathing heavily, kicking the bedpost and sinking down next to you on the bottom bunk, putting her head in her hands. Isaac had sent a man named Owen to pull Manny off the job and stay at this post with Abby for the next three months. She had reluctantly begun to tell you about their dynamic, how Owen was her ex boyfriend and Manny had been the only good friend she had in this place. You had felt sorry for her and invited her to come along for some game nights with your friends. She had slowly warmed up to you and was extremely grateful for being able to spend time with you instead of Owen, who had found himself some friends with the hooch experts. 

This night was going to be different. One of your friends had managed to trade some home grown mushrooms for the outpost’s best hooch and suggested to play truth or dare. After some reluctancy on Abby’s side, everyone agreed and you sat down in a circle. After the first few sips it suddenly became very clear to you how close Abby was sitting next to you, her left knee touching your right ever so slightly. From that point on, you couldn’t concentrate on anything else but that tiny, sweet, hot spot where your bodies connected. 

You had kept your distance from the soldier, sensing that she was not the type of person who enjoyed physical contact with people she didn’t trust completely. Still, you had often thought about what it must be like to sink your head onto the stronger woman’s broad chest and be wrapped into her arms, feeling so small and secure in her embrace. You had pushed the idea away, seeing as Abby was more trustful and open with you now but still kept some doors closed, some parts of her hidden away beneath that perfectly smooth face that rarely showed what was going on behind it.

Nina, a younger girl who had just completed a dare to perform her favorite song for the group, smiled warmly at Abby. “Your turn!” Abby had started to relax and you really liked seeing this loosened up, smiling version of her enjoying herself with your friends. She picked truth. 

“How do you like your roommate?” Abby tried to stifle a grin but then she just laughed out loud and your heart felt like it was going to combust. She looked at you and placed her hand on your knee for a second, then seemed to realize what she was doing and quickly put her hands in her lap. “I gotta be honest with you, when I came here I just wanted to get this job over with and leave as fast as possible. That’s why I didn’t even attempt to make any friends or get to know Y/N. But when Manny left, it was extremely kind of Y/N to just take me in and introduce me to all of you, which she was by no means obligated to after I was so cold to her at first.” Abby turned her gaze towards you. “I’d actually count you among my close friends.” 

There was a gleam in her eye as she said it and a part of you just wanted to jump on her and kiss every inch of her face for being so open and unapologetic and cute in front of everyone. You restrained yourself and just beamed at her, internally looking forward to going to your room later and talking all night. Only talking of course. The images that shot through your mind, of Abby throwing you on the bed and crawling on top of you, of pulling that braid you had never seen her take out, of her fingers at your throat and in your mouth, you quickly fought them down and cleared your throat.

It was now Abby’s turn to ask, but surprisingly she didn’t choose you. She dared a guy who had made jokes about being stronger than her earlier to arm wrestle her so everyone quickly put together a table and two chairs for the contestants. It was a quick match. Abby let him struggle a little bit, then she gave you the faintest smile and slammed his hand on the table, making everyone jump to her with congratulations and more alcohol. When she sat down again next to you, she made sure to sit exactly like she had before, your knees touching lightly. A wave of affection and pride rushed over you. This was your friend, the woman who had just told everyone how much she liked you. You looked into her eyes to find that feeling in her too, that unconditional warmth and that want for more, a spark of the fire that could erupt at any moment if any of you dared to ignite it. It was like looking into a mirror - there was something fierce in her gaze, drawing you in and telling you to just wait until you two were alone.

When it came to the defeated wrestler’s turn next, he unexpectedly picked you. You were wondering what he was going to want from you when you saw that Aaron, the dark-haired, handsome man who had organized the drinking night, straightened up and winked at his buddy. After you warily picked dare, he shot immediately: “I dare you to kiss Aaron.” While some of the others whooped or giggled, Abby stiffened next to you and changed her position. The spot on your knee that had just been buzzing with electricity from her touch now felt strangely cold and numb.

You gave the triumphant Aaron a defeated half-smile and got up to go around the circle and kneel down next to him. The rules were the rules, you weren’t going to cop out on a kiss and embarrass yourself, as much as you just wanted to grab Abby’s hand and flee. As you looked at Aaron, you could see Abby out of the corner of your eye, looking away with a strange look on her face - was it anger? Sadness? Maybe she just thought the dare was childish. You went in for a quick kiss, but Aaron grabbed the back of your neck and pulled you in, kissing you hard until you finally managed to break free. The first thing you saw was Abby’s face; she looked absolutely furious. 

Suddenly the door flew open and you jumped to your feet at the sound. “Well, what’s going on in here? Was that a full on makeout session?” 

Of all people, it had to be Owen taking the first step through the door, opening up his arms, bottle in one hand, and grinning in your face. “What’s wrong, sweetheart? Don’t you have a little room left for three more players?” Two of his friends came in behind him, also lightly swaying from the alcohol they must have had beforehand. You felt yourself blush bright red and freeze, not able to say a word. 

Right in that moment, something brushed your arm and before you could register what was going on, Abby had stormed out of the room, almost knocking Owen over with a shove of her shoulder as she passed him. By the time you had gathered yourself she was long gone. 

“Well, someone clearly didn’t enjoy themselves. More room for us!” Owen tried to sound lighthearted but you could hear that he was a little shaken by the confrontation. Him and Abby had had to work together a few times during the last weeks and they had kept it professional; this came unexpected. 

You pulled yourself together. “I’m off too, I’ve had enough of that awful brew.” Before Owen had the time to be offended, you had slipped past him and closed the door behind you. After rounding the corner with a few quick steps, you leaned your back against the wall and took a deep breath. Too much had happened in the last few hours. Where was Abby? What was going on between the two of you? You decided to head back to your shared room, hoping she would be there.

When you opened the door, Abby was leaning against the desk with her arms folded, staring at you distractedly from underneath furrowed brows. As she registered you being there, she straightened up and dropped her gaze to the floor. 

You were at a loss for words. Part of you just wanted to go to her and kiss her, tell her it was okay and that she shouldn’t worry about Owen or Aaron or any other idiot trying to come between you. On the other hand, she seemed on edge, angry and disappointed, and you didn’t want to make the situation worse by overstepping any boundaries. Maybe you should have had given her some time alone before barging in like this; after all, this was the only safe space she had in the outpost. 

You made the decision to leave it up to her. “Do you want me here right now? Or do you need some time alone? I’m sorry that the night ended like this, I didn’t know he was going to come.”

Abby looked at you with such sadness in her eyes that your heart dropped. “I don’t care about Owen. Whatever, you don’t get it. I’m going to shower, I can’t go to bed smelling like alcohol and sweat. You can stay here, I don’t mind. It’s your room after all.” And with that, she grabbed her towel from the bunk bed and was out the door. 

You sank onto your bed with an exhausted sigh. “You don’t get it,” that had been a stab right at your heart. How could you possibly understand what was going on in Abby’s head when she never fucking talked to you about anything? How were you supposed to make a move or tell her how you felt when she looked at you with those thick stone walls almost visible behind her eyes, never letting anyone in? Of course it was the right thing to be cautious and not trust anyone too quickly, people regularly lied and cheated to get what they wanted here and the WLF was certainly not as tightly-knitted and honorable as Isaac would like it to be. But you had been nothing but kind and understanding to Abby, showing her every day that she could feel safe with you and trust you, introducing her to everyone and telling her your secrets and worries every night before bed. Today had been the first time she ever opened up about her feelings and the night had to be ruined by two stupid, insensitive, drunk men. 

Lost in thought, you didn’t notice the steps outside the door. Abby came in, wearing one of her token black cutoffs and grey sweatpants she had brought back from a recent protection run. She had given you a smaller pair, still wrapped in plastic and completely new, without any holes or dirt on it. You were so distracted by the pants that you didn’t notice until Abby had crossed the room and hung her towel over the chair at the desk - her hair was down! It was still drying from the shower, long dark blonde strands falling over her shoulders and down her back leaving wet spots on the cotton fabric of her shirt. The soldier usually braided it while it was still wet so as to keep it extremely neat and in its form, meaning you never got to see anything else. She kept her hands on the chair and looked out the window, down onto the small square in front of the building where the night patrol was just heading out the gate. 

“Your hair is down.” Wow, insightful commentary from your big brain. You wanted to smack yourself across the face; instead you got up and took a step towards her. She took a deep breath and turned around. 

“I snapped my hair tie in the shower. I’ll find something else to tie it with tomorrow. Let’s just go to sleep, okay?”

With pleading eyes she silently asked you to let it go, not talk about it and act like nothing happened tomorrow. But you knew it was going to be different if you didn’t talk about it now. She would become distant again and you wouldn’t get another chance at cracking her shell. 

“What was that about earlier? When Owen came in?”

She immediately leaned away from you and crossed her arms, her usual defense mechanism setting in. “I told you, I don’t want to do this now. You know he’s my ex and I just didn’t want to deal with him right now. The evening was going well until…”

“Until what? You work with him all the time, what’s the big deal all of a sudden? I get that you don’t wanna party with him but you could have told me and we could have left without attracting this much attention. Aaron just invited us to have a nice evening and I couldn’t even say goodbye to him properly!”

The mention of Aaron lit a fire in Abby’s eyes, her face forming into a mask of pure disgust and rage. She straightened up to her full height and glared down at you. “Aaron is a piece of shit! Using some stupid children’s game to get a girl to kiss him instead of having the balls to do it himself.” You opened your mouth for an answer but she cut you off. “What, did you actually enjoy kissing him? That grimy little macho? I guess I was wrong about a lot of things then.”

The Wolf wanted to rush past you like she had done to Owen earlier but you grabbed her by her upper arm and leaned into her with your full weight. She stopped dead in her tracks and her bicep flexed underneath your grasp as she jerked back her arm, staring at you with a mixture of hurt and confusion. 

“Listen to me! I’ve known Aaron for a long time and I know he’s had a crush on me for a long time. I always shut him down and tried to prevent hurting his feelings because I don’t feel the same for him, you hear that? I’m not into him, I just wanted to play the game and give him this one kiss because he’s not getting another one ever again and he knows it.”

Abby had shrunk down at your tirade and leaned against the frame of the bed, watching you questioningly. 

“Abby, I have adored you ever since you set foot in this room and I don’t care if this is going to ruin everything, I’ve had enough. Every time you’re in the same room I can’t concentrate because all I see is you! Tonight you opened up to me for the first time and I was the happiest I have been in a long time. Why won’t you understand that I won’t hurt you, I won’t betray you, Abby, I want you!”

You were practically spitting out the words now, your voice cracking as tears started to build in your eyes and threatened to come rushing down your cheeks. With an angry wipe of your wrist you banned them from your face and stared into Abby’s eyes. She seemed to be processing what you had just said, arms hanging down her sides and no longer on guard for you and the world. 

You sighed and let your shoulders drop. “That’s all you need to know. Now you can go to sleep.”

Suddenly there was movement. Abby rushed towards you, slamming you against the wall behind you and pressing her lips to yours. She tasted like mint and the faint aroma of liquor lingering between both of you after drinking all night, but now you could smell her for the first time. Sometimes when Abby had walked past you, she had left a tiny cloud of her musk, smelling like wood, faint sweat and something you couldn’t quite place. Now you could immediately tell it was pine, meaning the badass soldier actually spent a lot of trading goods just for the special WLF base pine soap and you weren’t complaining.

You ran your fingers through her damp hair and felt her shudder underneath your hands, drawing back her head ever so slightly to look at you. She laid a rough, calloused hand on your cheek with utmost care and gentleness, wiping away a single tear that had escaped with her thumb and then softly caressing your bottom lip. 

“Is that okay?” Her words were only a quiet breath against your skin, the warmth of her hands almost making you melt like wax underneath her touch. You answered by pulling her in for another kiss, quickly running the tip of your tongue over her closed lips and making her fall into you. You let out a tiny whine and she flinched, releasing you immediately. “Oh shit, I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’m sorry, I can be thoughtless sometimes.” 

You stepped forward and grabbed her by the hem of her worn down shirt. “You didn’t hurt me, Abby. Come with me.”

Stepping around her, you crouched back into the bunk bed and threw her an inviting smile. She reacted immediately, crawling into the small space and on top of you, coming down on her elbows left and right of your shoulders and placing one knee between your legs. Your next kiss was more heated than the ones before, her tongue daring to push against yours and mix her mint flavour with the alcohol on yours. She finally dropped some of her weight on you, grinding her thigh against you and making you gasp into her mouth, your eyes flying open to reveal a malicious smile on the blonde’s lips. You hadn’t even noticed the bloodflow to the space between your hips and your heightened sensitivity almost made your vision go blank for a second.

Abby continued to press her thigh between your legs while attacking your throat with kisses you would definitely still see the remains of in the morning but you didn’t mind. You just wanted to be even closer to her, grabbing a fistful of her beautiful long hair and pulling her head back, making her groan and dig her nails into your shoulder. 

“You like that, baby? Take your shirt off for me.” Her eyes widened at your commanding tone, but she obliged immediately, pulling the cutoff over her head and tossing it into the corner, then returning to your neck with an even stronger passion. She grabbed your breast with one hand, squeezing it while biting into the skin on your throat, sucking hard and following the trail of marks she had left with the tip of her tongue. You could hardly stifle your whimpers anymore and decided to gain the upper hand again, pulling your foot up and bending your knee in order to squeeze your thigh against her crotch. She collapsed on top of you and moaned into your neck, mumbling curses as she got back onto her forearms and laid her forehead against yours, slowly grinding back against your thigh.

You held the back of her head with one hand and started to gently drag the fingers of the other one along Abby’s jaw, her throat and collarbones, drawing circles around her breast and slowly coming to a point at her nipple, teasing and lightly pinching it and making the heavy woman on top of you whimper into your ear while keeping the friction between both of your bodies. As your hand moved lower, exploring her toned stomach, you wound a few strands of her hair around your other hand and finally arrived at the hem of her sweatpants. You slowly pulled the string and brushed a finger along the line where skin and fabric met. The blonde instinctively lifted her hips up and allowed you to slide your hand inside, finding nothing underneath but soft curls and burning hot skin. You let your fingers wander deeper and they were instantly met with hot, slick wetness, making you moan in surprise and slide your fingers along Abby’s folds, instantly covering them in her juices. 

Abby let out a quiet sob next to your ear. “Please don’t tease me Y/N, I’m so close already.”

You pulled her head back and made her look at you, giving her a half-pitying, half-devilish look. “Poor Abby, are so needy you almost came into your pants just from riding my thigh? I don’t know if I should even let you cum, needy whores need to be put in their place. I should ride your face first and then maybe I’ll think about it.”

The soldier had given in completely; Abby was a whimpering mess on top of you, her wetness running down your wrist and her hips desperately bucking forward into your hand, trying to regain some form of friction. “Please Y/N, I’ll be good, I’ll do everything you want, please, please touch me!”

Satisfied, you pushed two fingers inside her, sinking them in entirely and feeling her contract around you as she gasped and went wide-eyed, staring down at you in ecstasy and opening her mouth in a silent scream. You slowly started to move your fingers in and out of her, stroking that tender spot inside her that made her thighs twitch and her eyes roll back into her head. Wanting to pick up the pace, she began to roll her hips back onto your fingers and fought herself back up on her hands, gazing at you through half-closed eyes and strands of hair falling into her face.

“That’s a good girl, riding my fingers like a little whore.” Abby let out a grunt of protest but didn’t stop, sitting up straight and leaning back, placing her hands on your legs to keep her balance. You took the opportunity to pull her pants down to her thighs, revealing dark, shining curls and ivory skin. After taking in the view for a moment you decided it was time to give her what she wanted, placing the pad of your thumb on the spot that had been waiting for any attention from you until now. As you touched the small mound, Abby gasped and shifted her hips forward, losing her rhythm as you slowly rotated your thumb around the pulsing spot. 

She took a deep breath and then slammed down onto your fingers mercilessly, riding your fingers with an unhinged expression in her eyes, her face and breasts gleaming with a thin layer of sweat and strands of hair sticking to her skin as her moans got louder and louder. You joined her rhythm, thrusting your hips up and rubbing her clit as you felt her convulse around your fingers and tremble uncontrollably, catching her shoulder and guiding her down to you as she caved in and lost all strength in those beautiful, now useless muscles. You helped her get rid of the sweatpants entirely, the wet spots in the fabric making being naked the more comfortable option. Abby cuddled up close to you and softly kissed the hickeys she had left on your neck earlier. 

You smiled down at her and brushed a wet strand of hair behind her ear. “How are you feeling?” The blonde sighed and buried her face in your neck. “Like I need another shower.” She lifted her head, a new thought gleaming behind her eyes. “You think anyone is still up?” 

You snorted. “You probably woke up half the hallway. But I don’t think any of them will use the showers in the next few hours, if that’s what you’re playing at.” You knew that Abby hated going to bed dirty or sweaty, she always showered before bed and when she came back from longer missions she wouldn’t even bother to talk to anyone until she was in a clean set of clothes.

Abby pulled your face toward hers and gave you a long, loving kiss. “Of course you can sit on my face first if you want to. I was just thinking of forcing you to be quiet, fucking you against the wall under the hot shower until you can’t stand anymore and making you sit on my shoulders and cum on my face there. I’ll even carry you back here and get us some early breakfast.”

Her words had the desired effect, making you squirm involuntarily and press your thighs together in an attempt to calm yourself. “Fine, who could say no to that? But only if we use your fancy pine soap.”

Abby looked at you in surprise. “You caught that? Well, I like to allow myself that one luxury if I have the means to get it.” She jumped out of the bunk, gave the sweatpants on the floor a kick underneath the bed and threw on a big shirt full of holes along with some boxers, then she gallantly reached out her hand to help you up. You grabbed both of your towels and the small box containing the soap and gave the blonde waiting by the door a peck on the lips. 

“Carry me there, too?” 

She rolled her eyes and crouched down a little so you could put an arm around her shoulder, swooped you up bridal style and carried you out the door.

[rawiswhore]

Scott Hall x Fem Reader- "What's New, Pussycat (Doll)?"

2002 would be one helluva year for the professional wrestling world.

The former World Wrestling Federation now changed its name to World Wrestling Entertainment, all thanks to the World Wildlife Fund also going by the abbreviation WWF.

The World Wildlife Fund has existed since the 1960's, why didn't they fight for the World Wrestling Federation's abbreviations during the 80's and 90's?

Despite that 2 other pro wrestling companies, WCW and ECW, went out of business in 2001, another new wrestling company known as TNA (Total Nonstop Action) has made its debut in 2002, giving the WWE competition.

Speaking of WCW, the NWO, arguably the most iconic wrestling faction of all time, the wrestling faction that would increase WCW's ratings and make the WWF want to climb for ratings again, have now reformed in 2002, however, they were mostly a mere shell of their former selves.

The epitome of a certain NWO member that was a mere shell of his former self was Scott Hall, otherwise known as Razor Ramon when he was in the WWF, who was killing himself with alcohol.

By the end of 2002, Scott Hall left the WWE due to his alcoholism.

You're both happy and sad he's leaving the WWE, even though you won't have moments with him in the WWE, you're glad he is getting help, as well as this...

Before the Pussycat Dolls became an oversexualized, best selling girl group, they originally started off as a burlesque act.

A burlesque act that not only brought burlesque back to the 21st Century, but featured female celebrities in this act and had women performing burlesque but not taking their clothes off.

Some female celebrities who have been Pussycat Dolls include Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, Charlize Theron, Carmen Electra, Gwen Stefani, Christina Applegate, there was even a moment in "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle" where they performed as Pussycat Dolls.

You were a female celebrity who got popular in the World Wrestling Federation, you were even the most popular woman in the WWF during the late 90's, surpassing Sunny, Chyna and Sable, and you had left the WWF in the year 2000.

You made a few guest appearances in the WWF/E from 2000 to 2002, but you were barely in the WWF/E during those years.

Of course, you had to jump on the Pussycat Dolls bandwagon, how could you not?

You even asked a few WWE divas like Stacy Keibler, Trish Stratus and Torrie Wilson if they would like to be Pussycat Dolls, which you're sure they would love to, especially Stacy.

Sable probably wouldn't mind being a Pussycat Doll too.

Scott Hall has always been a ladies' man, even during his Razor Ramon days, and even Razor Ramon's character was a ladies' man too.

He had a crush on you since you were a ringrat, and you've had a few affairs with him.

He knew about the Pussycat Dolls burlesque act, which already gave him a stiffy, but when he heard how you're performing in the Pussycat Dolls burlesque show, he had to see you.

On his birthday at the end of 2002, when he left the WWE, he attended a Pussycat Dolls burlesque show and sat front row, eagerly awaiting you.

Scott sent you an email about how he was attending a PCD show and it was his birthday, that made you so happy, and you had a surprise from him.

As the first few bass notes began playing to Peggy Lee's "Fever", you had strolled down the stage dressed in a black bra and matching swishy micro miniskirt with matching black boots that reached slightly below your knees, your fingers wrapped around a microphone.

When Scott attended this show, he was so tempted into pulling his cock out and masturbating, but he didn't want a Pee Wee Herman situation where he'd get arrested for masturbating in public.

Your eyes found Scott sitting front row in the audience, wearing an NWO shirt so you can probably recognize him.

Deep down inside, you lit up seeing him, but you were trying to contain yourself from getting too overexcited.

You grinned from ear to ear seeing him, your eyes were looking at him.

His eyes were glued to you, even though he wanted to look at some of the other women on stage as well.

As you walked on stage to the bass notes, you moved the microphone you were holding to your lips, and some other sexy, scantily clad women were strutting with you on the stage.

Scott's penis was rising up more and more as you walked towards him, although his jeans interfered his erection.

"Never know how much I love you" you crooned while looking at Scott. "Never knew how much I care"

You were trying to sound and look as sexy as possible whilst you sauntered up to him, you were singing this song to him, a song that describes how you feel about him.

He had a grin on his face as you walked up him, his pants were feeling tighter as you were approaching him.

When you got close enough to him, you put your fingers under his chin and slightly lifted his chin.

"When you put your arms around me" you sang as you looked at him. "I get a fever that's so hard to bear"

Although, you don't have any arms around you right now, and you aren't putting your hand on your forehead and arching your head back like you really do have a fever.

"You give me fever" you expressed, his legs were now in between your legs, where you began to swirl your hips and ass in a 360 degree angle to the song as you lowered your lap to his lap.

"When you kiss me, fever when you hold me tight" you sang as you sat and straddled his lap, although he didn't kiss you or wrap his arms around you.

"Fever!" you chirped "In the morning, fever all through the night"

When you sang the last line, you leaned into the side of his face, smiling and grinning at him.

"You can touch me if you want" you told him "Papi"

That really got him, and he perked up in more ways than one when heard you say it's okay to touch him, even more so that you called him "Papi".

As the bass notes played, you began to roll and gyrate your pelvis forward onto his lap, which made his eyes look down at your lap grinding and rolling up on his lap.

You can feel his erection poking and protruding through his jeans, and he grinned as you gave him this lapdance, biting his lower lip.

Scott might not be as sexy as he was back in the 90's, but he still is pretty damn hot.

How cute was he in NWO in '02 when he had that rag tied on top of his forehead?

You're tempted into grabbing the collar of his shirt and tearing it apart a la Hulk Hogan, so you can run your hands and fingers on his chest and through his chest hair, but nah.

Since you said it was okay to him to touch you, one of his hands was behind your ass, where his fingers gave you a squeeze of one of your ass cheeks.

Some of the backup dancers saw him grab your ass, they could nearly spread ear to ear smiles, although some probably think he's some pervert trying to grab you.

You then tried rotating your body around where now your back was pressing on his torso, lifting one of your legs over both of his legs and turning your body around.

You spread your legs wide open while you sat on his lap, much to his dismay he couldn't see your legs wide open, though you began to roll and grind your ass vertically up his crotch.

"Sun lights up the daytime" you sang, placing one of your hands on the side of his face while your head was turned and looking at him. "Moon lights up the night"

When you sang this, your hand on the side of his face slowly caressed down one of his cheeks (on his face), feeling the fuzzy facial hair on his face as your hand went down.

Your ass didn't just roll up his crotch, but your hips also swayed horizontally back and forth on his genitals, and you also began to sink your body down to the floor lower and lower, your back touching his torso.

"I light up when you call my name" you sang "And y'know I'm gonna treat you right"

You turned your body around and looked at him when you sang "y'know I'm gonna treat you right".

"Y'give me fever" you sang as you began to slowly walk around Scott, putting your hand on his chest and making that hand brush from his chest to his arm, where it turned and swerved to his back.

His eyes were looking at you as you walked around him.

"When you kiss me, fever when you hold me tight" you added, your hand sliding down below his shoulder down his chest.

His eyes looked at that hand sliding down his chest, and he can feel the touch of your hand over his shirt.

"Fever!" you exclaimed, although you didn't try to shout that in his ear. "In the mornin', fever all through the night"

He's been tempting to pull his wallet out and give you a dollar.

To hell with you, you're giving him fever!

He doesn't just want you, he wants some of those other Pussycat Dolls all over him, rolling their ass and crotch on his lap, having their hands all over him.

"Happy birthday" you whispered in his ear, giving him a kiss on the side of his face, which left your lipstick print on the side of his face.

You then slowly walked in front of him, where you bent your lower body down and started shaking your ass horizontally back and forth to the beat.

His eyes were staring at your ass and couldn't keep his eyes off of it.

You chose Peggy Lee's "Fever" to sing to him, because he gives you fever, not literally, but you do lust over him.

Later on after this performance, you sang Happy Birthday to him, and you actually invited him back to a hotel room, where you performed a striptease and lapdance for him and had some birthday sex with him, giving him a taste of your icing as well as his.

You actually have given a few famous professional wrestlers like Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Raven, Christian and Rob Van Dam lapdances and sang to them when you were a Pussycat Doll, you even gave Raven, Christian, Shawn and RVD lapdances for their birthday and sang to them at the PCD burlesque show.

You also asked some famous celebrity women who were Pussycat Dolls as well as just PCD dancers if they ever watch wrestling, and how you were giving these famous wrestlers lapdances.

Some of them want to sing and give lapdances to the Rock, arguably the biggest pro wrestling star of the early 2000's.

John Cena, Batista and Randy Orton were up and coming wrestlers in 2002 that had yet to become famous like they eventually would.

You even did a Pussycat Dolls routine in the WWE in 2002, where you wore lingerie whilst some Pussycat Dolls burlesque dancers danced behind you in the ring while you were singing a song.

In 2003, you were completely back in the WWE again, and you sang some of the songs you sang as a Pussycat Doll on WWE shows to Triple H and Shawn Michaels, as well as dressed as a Pussycat Doll.

_____________________________________________________________

I didn't think of writing this fanfic today considering last week I wrote a fanfic where the fem reader gives a lapdance to Raven, but I typed it anyway since I planned it.

[nanamicide]

Red butterflies - chapter 14

Read on AO3

Twenty-five minutes and forty-two seconds. That was how long it would take Gekkogahara’s team to enter the old school building.

Twenty-seven minutes and fifty-four seconds. That was how long it would take Munakata-sensei to do the same thing.

Two minutes and twelve seconds too late. As expected. How predictable, Izuru sighed. Still, he was happy with the outcome. This meant that he would finally get everything he wanted. Besides, in spite of how risky this had been, Chiaki hadn’t been endangered or hurt. Everything had gone according to his plan.

When he’d left her that morning after confessing to her, he had his doubts about her staying put just like he’d asked her to. There was something in her eyes, and in her voice, that had led him to believe that she would try something. So far, she hadn’t. Part of him thought that she no longer had any reasons to act on her own, what with how much of the day had passed, but he still prepared himself just in case. After all, she’d been the most illogical part of the equation until now. It wasn’t over until he was officially joining class 77.

Twenty minutes and thirty seconds. Twenty-two minutes and forty-two seconds. Izuru’s mental clock was ticking. He was oddly calm for someone who was about to risk his own life, but he believed in himself. No matter what they tried, they couldn’t hurt him. And he’d make sure they wouldn’t hurt any of the people on his side.

He knew he had betrayed them by filming and mass-sending that video, but it had been necessary. If he hadn’t, it would have been months until they would have finally found evidence of Yukizome’s brainwashing. Chiaki had taught him that having faith in others worked out by having faith in him, so he’d done just that. He hadn’t told anyone – except Chiaki – about his plan, but at no point had he been scared that they would fall for what he’d said in the video. He knew they would have been confused at first, but that they would carry out a thorough investigation that would enable them to uncover the truth. He also knew that no matter what the public would think about him after the incident, they would be able to sway opinions in in favor. That was why Izuru hadn’t been scared – he had faith.

He looked at Yukizome, whom he’d tied to a chair in that same room where they had shot the video together. He’d chosen this room specifically because of what it meant to him. This was where Enoshima had tried to frame him for something he was barely involved in, where she had promised him he would see something that even he couldn’t predict. By going through with most of his plan here, he was reclaiming that room, and his life. This was all thanks to Chiaki – thanks to her faith in him, her feelings, and everything she’d done for him. She had given him something he didn’t know he needed; that he didn’t know he lacked. It would have been hard for anyone to believe that the Ultimate Hope, the embodiment of human perfection, could be lacking in a certain area, after all. And yet, he’d lacked humanity ever since he’d woken up in that laboratory.

He smiled to himself, thinking about how this was yet another thing he hadn’t been able to predict. He really wasn’t perfect. And that was fine. Because Chiaki liked him and they had a future together.

‘If we just try, Izuru, things will turn out okay.’ That was the last thing she’d told him when they had parted. He believed in these words, just like he believed in her and the others. It had given him an extra push to try. And here he was, waiting.

One minute and eight seconds. Three minutes and twenty seconds. Yukizome was staring at him, and he turned to her.

“Your former classmates will be here soon. Some of your students will come along with them. I wonder what you’ll feel as you see how strong their hope is, compared to your despair. I don’t care much for the answer, but I’ll be here to watch.”

She tried to protest, but the duct tape Izuru had placed on her mouth prevented her from doing so. He’d grown tired of hearing her speak three hours ago. Her words, her voice, everything coming from her mouth had bored him to tears. He’d decided he didn’t have to deal with it anymore until the others would arrive.

Thirty seconds… twenty-nine… twenty-eight… twenty-seven… twenty-six… twenty-five… twenty-four… twenty-three… twenty-two… twenty one… twenty…

“Aw man, I can’t get this stupid door open! You try it, coach Nekomaru!”

“Owari-san, it would be much better if you combined your efforts with Ogami-san’s and Sakakura-san’s. Everyone on my mark! Three! Two! One!”

The sound of the collapse of the heavy door that marked the entrance of the building was deafening, but Izuru didn’t mind. It was the very first evidence of the fact that he had been right to have faith in everyone. They were here. They’d done it, at last.

He sat still, listening to the sound of footsteps that were coming towards them. They’d be with him in ten seconds. Owari would barge into the room without thinking twice, closely followed by Ikusaba, who would be extremely wary of him and trying to protect the girl she would be following, if only to further her own redemption.

Nine… eight… seven… six… five… four… three… two… one… Just as expected.

Ikusaba pointed a gun at him. He raised his hands above his head and stood up to show her she had nothing to fear. The Ultimate Soldier lowered her weapon but kept glaring at him. That was okay. He understood she was mad he had brought back her worst nightmare, even if he had only been faking it all. It had brought back painful memories of hers that she had been trying to get rid of for the past year. He made a mental note to apologize to her later.

“You have a minute and fifty-seven seconds left until Munakata walks in the builing,” Izuru spoke in his usual neutral tone. “According to my predictions, he will only attempt to hurt a few of you.”

“Do you know who?” Ikusaba barked back. He could tell, from the way she was speaking and looking at him, that she resented him. He’d expected it. It wasn’t his fault if her sister had died, but he hadn’t had to suffer as much as she had after their arrestation and her death.

“You,” he replied, pausing for a second. “And you,” he added once Sakakura walked into the room. “I can protect you, if it’s what it comes down to in the end. However, I would rather not get my hands any dirtier than they already are.”

Sakakura’s eyes widened, and Izuru realized that the idea that Munakata would try to hurt him on top of how much he’d already hurt him was baffling to him. Yet, the boxer quickly snapped out of it, refocusing on the moment.

“What do you suggest we do, then? If we stay here, he’ll definitely come for us, won’t he?”

Izuru closed his eyes for a few seconds just to have a clearer idea of who had been gathered by Kizakura for this rescue mission. A minute and six seconds left.

“Send the Ultimate Swordswoman and the Ultimate Blacksmith to entrance of the building. Their sword-fighting skills combined should be enough to stall him for… At least five minutes and thirty-three seconds. Possibly more, if he doesn’t expect them to be on guard duty.”

“Go get Pekoyama-san and Izayoi-san, and tell them this is what they’ll be doing,” Sakakura ordered, turning to Owari who bolted out of the room the same way she’d entered. Because of what he’d heard about her from Chiaki, Izuru was surprised she was following orders without protesting at all. Human beings, he thought, truly can defy my predictions if put in the right setting.

“Very well. As for you two, there’s an underground pathway that leads to the faculty staff building of the academy. You’ll take her with you,” he said, pointing at Yukizome who’d been sitting there the entire time. He then walked towards her, grabbing the syringe he’d prepared on the previous day. “I will sedate her to make your task easier,” he continued, sensing Ikusaba’s discomfort. “Don’t worry, she’ll wake up in an hour. Navigating through that maze is going to be hard enough as it is, so I wanted to make sure she wouldn’t slow you down too much. Anyway, take her to Kirgiri. Do not come back here once you’re done.”

Sakakura nodded, while Ikusaba still seemed troubled. Izuru knew she hadn’t hurt anyone in a year, but given the confident look that was on her face when she’d pointed her gun at him, he wouldn’t have assumed she would be so hesitant now. He took a few seconds to reassess the situation. She doesn’t trust me yet, he told himself. But we’re running out of time. I don’t have time to tell her about Chiaki or anything that’s happened to me since we last met.

“Ikusaba,” he called, making sure to keep his voice firm. “I know you don’t trust me. You of all people here know exactly what I’m capable of. You remember what I did to your sister. But this is your chance to atone for your sins – for everything she made you do in the past. This is the one chance you have to impress whoever has been giving you the strength to go through those therapy sessions. Don’t mess it up.”

“Understood!”

Izuru untied Yukizome and let Sakakura carry her. Munakata had been at the front door of the building, fighting with Pekoyama and Izayoi for a minute and seventeen seconds. It wasn’t too late for them to go. He knew they would be able to make it. His two allies headed towards the hallway, and as she was about to exit the room, Ikusaba turned back to him, cold blue eyes staring at him as though she were still trying to figure out if he truly was on her side, and what his motives were.

“What will you do, Kamukura?”

“I’ll let the Ultimate Martial Artist and the Ultimate Wrestler capture me. Do not worry about me. I do wish to harm anyone.”

“If you do, I’ll hunt you and kill you myself,” she muttered, sprinting out of the room to catch up with Sakakura who had not waited for her, or even noticed she’d stayed back for a few extra seconds – he was too busy gathering extra men to escort them out of the building.

Izuru placed his hand in his pocket, his fingers brushing against the only picture he’d ever enjoyed looking at. He was doing all of this for her – so all her efforts to spend time with him and make him enjoy whatever they were doing wouldn’t be vain; so he wouldn’t fall back in his usual boredom due to his isolation from normal human interactions.

He had seen it coming, and it had planted worries that he hadn’t been able to rid himself of.  His predictions of his own behavior were always accurate. He knew that if he had had to spend three more weeks in isolation, even with being able to see Chiaki at night, things would have gotten boring again. The thought of being able to see her at night wouldn’t have been enough to keep him in check anymore. He would constantly be longing for more, and this was a suffering he wouldn’t have been able to tame. No matter how comforting Chiaki’s presence was, and how tough it had been to analyze her behaviors and reactions in a logical way, Izuru had quickly realized that only seeing her for a few hours at night would have driven him crazy eventually. It would have been something similar to the withdrawal symptoms of an addict – something even he and all his skills would have been entirely powerless against.

He enjoyed the way she made his heart flutter way too much to be willing to give up on it. She’d given him a taste of what it was like to be truly human, and he wanted more. He could not have waited for Gekkogahara’s investigation to be over. It would have taken too long. That was why he had been hiding here for three days.

Ogami, the Ultimate Martial Artist, eventually stepped into the room, bringing his attention back to the current situation. He looked at her and showed her his hands, as if to signal to her that he would not hurt her. She calmly smiled at him in response.

“No need for this,” she said. Her voice was soft, contrasting with her physical appearance. “I do not sense any will to fight in you. As Kirigiri-san figured out during her investigation of your case, you wish to surrender to us. I only came here to keep close watch of you while the others attempt to stop Munakata-san.”

“Once that’s completed,” Izuru continued “you will take me to Kirigiri and Gekkogahara so they can interrogate me and ensure that I have not tricked any of you.” The girl nodded in response, another quiet smile creeping on her face. “Is anyone hurt?”

“No, but they are having difficulty containing Munakata-san’s anger.”

“All we can do is have faith in them.”

Having said these words, Izuru sat down on the floor and patiently waited for the fighting to be over. This marked a new beginning for him, and he was more than ready to accept it all.

[talesofpanem]

Fever

Author : @thegirlfromoverthepond

Rating: T

No Trigger warnings

Summary : Did you know we were heading right into a glacial era ? Peeta is about to find out.

Author’s note: My huge thanks to the incredible @xerxia31 for her beta skills. Hope you guys enjoy this little piece ...

“Can you believe we’re heading into a glacial era?” 

I turn my head in surprise. Usually, Katniss Everdeen doesn’t talk to anyone, goes in and out of Abernathy’s Development Inc, without acknowledging anyone. Yet, I can’t be mistaken as I am the only one in the elevator with her this morning.

“Are we?” What can I say, I’m just an architect, not a biologist like she is.

“Unless we fuck this up, yes.”

This almost undoes me. Katniss Everdeen saying fuck. My very male mind goes to places it shouldn’t, imagining the curves of her body that are currently hidden by a very white lab coat, imagining her moaning under me, or over me.

I have to take a deep breath. I have no idea where this crush for her comes from. She’s far from being the most attractive woman in the building. Madge Undersee has legs for days, blue eyes that shine like sapphire. Delly Cartwright has curves that are to die for, milky breasts and a very round bottom. Johanna Mason is thin and toned, with a piercing in her belly that shines a little too much.

Katniss is just - I don’t know … You wouldn’t notice her in a crowded room, yet I’ve pretty much always noticed her. Maybe it’s her dark hair that she always braids, or sometimes braids then ties in a bun on her head, or maybe it’s the color of her eyes, a gray I have never seen before.

Doesn’t explain my crush, though. Yet, it’s there. 

I sigh. 

“You’re Peeta Mellark, right? Rye’s brother?” I close my eyes. Of course, she would only know me by my brother, the Mellark that got everything. Looks, a career as the top wrestler of the country, a qualification for the Olympics, when I am only the little brother who eats too many donuts.

“Yeah, the one and only.” I try to joke it away, as I always do.

“You shouldn’t have let him win in his senior year.”

I’m glad I didn’t grab a Chai Latte at Starbucks this morning, or it would now be all over my shirt right now.

“What? How?” Once again, I am rendered speechless by a mere sentence of hers. I really need to get a grip.

“I saw the final match, you let him take your arm.”

I did. I knew there was a recruiter from Berkeley, that it was my brother’s chance to win his scholarship in his choice university. How the recruiter didn’t notice that I threw the match, I have no idea. 

“It was a beginner’s mistake.” I shrug everything off. Why is this elevator taking so long today?

“It was nice of you.” 

The ping of the elevator startles me as I try to find a suitable answer for her. A mere “thank you” wouldn’t do, as it would mean I’d admit I let Rye win. It’s a lose-lose situation.

“It’s your floor”, she says as she puts her hand between the doors so they won’t close as I, Peeta Mellark, can’t seem to leave this elevator.

She knows my floor.

“Yup, and I should be going.” I finally remember how to use my legs again.

As I pass in front of her, her perfume hits me right in the feels. I thought she would wear something very feminine, whereas she smells like a forest after the rain. It’s heady, yet light. The kind of perfume you can’t forget.

The elevator pings again as the doors close. She leaves for the upper floors, where I know the labs are.

It takes me the whole day to get over my encounter - only when Thresh suggests we hang out at The Hob like any other Friday do I start thinking of my weekend.

I’m supposed to meet with my family so we can all gush about Rye’s latest accomplishment, or Flax’s awesomeness. I don’t really care, I’ll just take the chance to play with my nephews, something I always look forward to.

I have just ordered my first beer when I see her come in. She never comes to Friday hangouts, even though other people from the labs do usually come.

“Kitty Kat! You’re finally out of your cage, ready to meet us poor people!” I hear Finnick’s voice, as well as the entire rest of the bar, I think. He’s always had a thing for nicknaming everybody.

I can’t help but look at her. She doesn’t answer Finn as she tries to find a place to sit down, until she spots a free chair.  She finally catches my eye, and I n swear I see her wink.

The group settles into our usual Friday night routine, except I try not to look at Katniss every five seconds, which takes a lot of my willpower. I mean, it’s not like because she talked to me for three minutes today that she wants something more.

Right? Right.

Music starts to fill the place as a band has taken the small stage over. As I look at the musicians, I understand why Katniss came. Gale Hawthorne is the singer.

Of course she didn’t come for me. She came for Tall, Dark and Broody. Those two were inseparable through grade school, middle school and high school. They even both went to Panem U together. 

Although they didn’t attend the same courses, Hawthorne was always driving her. Forth. And back.

It’s not like I noticed.

The Mockingjays (what an awful name for a band) start their gig, featuring covers of rock songs that draw people from their seats, to the small dance floor in front of the makeshift stage, that prompts them to start dancing.

Soon enough, our whole table is jumping up and down to Joan Jett’s I love Rock and Roll.

Our whole table minus me and Katniss.

“Don’t you want to dance?” she asks me as she moves to sit just in front of me.

I shrug the answer away. I’ve never been a good dancer, a torn ACL back in my youth made sure of that.

“Come on, it’ll be fun…” She leans towards me, over the table. 

“Don’t you want to go cheer on your boyfriend?” I ask, because no way am I going to make a fool of myself on the dance floor In front of him!

She’s taken aback, her brows furrowed.

“My boyfriend? I don’t have a boyfriend!”

It’s my turn to be surprised.

“Gale isn’t?”

“He’s my cousin!”

 “He’s your cousin?”

He’s her cousin! I can’t believe it.

“Well, it’s complicated because he is the son of my uncle’s  second wife, but from another man, but still, he’s my cousin.” She explains. “What does that have to do with dancing?”

“I thought he was your boyfriend, that maybe he would be … jealous?”

She starts to laugh. It’s like a cascade of crystal falling into the water, refreshing, pure and true.

“Well, unless you decide to get too close to Madge, you’re safe.”

The music changes to something more bluesy, something I easily recognize. As I watch the bassist, a girl with tattoos and piercings walking closer to the mike, I notice Katniss moving.

She’s standing up now, holding her hand out to me.

“Are you coming?” she asks. All the fibers in my body are pleading me to accept, so I relent.

As we arrive on the makeshift dance floor, she starts moving to the music as the singers begin with the lyrics.

I never imagined how much the lyrics of a song could fit real life.

When you put your arms around me, I get a fever that’s so hard to bear

I watch as Katniss comes closer to me, putting her arms on my shoulder, looking at me fiercely.

Is it me or is it hot in this bar ?

She sways, getting closer to me with each step, until her hips touch mine. I could let go, could step away, but I really don’t want to.

She gives me a fever.

(We do not ride the elevators together again after being caught with my hands under her shirt and hers on my ass. Totally worth it, though.)

[the-beastslayers-queen]

Magic and Moonlight: Chapter 26

Chapter 26 is finally here. It’s short this time around since there is a lot of ground to be covered in 27. Tagging: @queenofthearchitect @biforbecky2belts @balorsbitxh @mrsambroserollinsacklesmgk @mox-made-me-do-it @sassyspacedust @afauss2009 @calwitch @never-sawft-princess If you wish to be tagged, leave a line in my inbox. Enjoy!

I was back from my suspension, and I was anxious about being back on the road now. I was alone without Colby around. Thankfully he was now out of his brace so I was relieved that he’d be more mobile to help take care of Tyler while I was away.

But today I needed to go talk to Roman and Dean to get them in my corner for this fight against Morrigan. It was time to finally bring the fight to this crusty old hag. And if I stood any chance of ending her and protecting those I care about most, I needed all the allies I could get.

When I arrived to Dean and Roman’s locker room, I took a deep breath before I walked in. Once Dean saw me, he growled and began to turn. He didn’t even care that his clothes were torn to shreds. As Dean started to charge at me, I turned myself into a raven and flew up above him. When Dean stopped his charge, I dove down and pecked him in his face. He tried to bite me, but I swooped away and came back to tear into his back and sides with my talons and beak. Once I had dealt enough damage to him, Dean became human again and Roman managed to catch me before I could dive on him again.

“Enough,” Roman roared at the two of us as he put me down on a chair so I could turn back, “I’m tired of the two of you fighting each other. Thea never betrayed us, you idiot. She was in the Authority to get to Morrigan. She also joined to stay close to Colby to watch each other’s back. Now get over yourself, Dean.”

“Alright fine,” Dean groaned as his wounds healed, “Sorry Thea.”

“Thank you Dean,” I replied, “Now Morrigan is coming after me. She’s attacked me twice now during my suspension. And she did so by impersonating other people.”

“Who did she pretend to be,” Roman asked.

“During her first attack she was Colby’s mom,” I informed him, “And then the second time she was Colby. During her second attack, she got her hands on Tyler. He was fine, but she scared him. I think he knew right away that she wasn’t his father since she was still impersonating Colby when she had him.”

“Smart kid,” Dean smirked, “I’ll have to get him a present for that.”

“Dean,” Roman scolded him.

“What,” Dean shrugged and I just shook my head.

I was in my locker room, busy lacing up my boots for my match tonight when I heard the door to my locker room open. I looked up to see a hooded figure, not much larger than me, enter my locker and cast magic on the door. I prepared some of my magic to retaliate if the figure planned to attack.

“I do not wish to hurt you, mo pháiste,” the figure removed their hood to reveal a strikingly beautiful woman that looked similar to Morrigan.

“Rowena,” I gasped in shock, “I thought you were dead. I mean your mother killed you thousands of years ago.”

“Oh she did kill me, Thea,” she replied, “But like her, I was able to defy death and return to life. However, I didn’t use other witches to leech their power in order to get here.”

“Are you here to help me end her,” I asked her.

“I am,” she replied, “But I’m also back because I know you’ve talked to my beloved Demon King. I want to reunite with him and you could help me.”

With both of the guys and Rowena on my side, it was time to set the stage to fight Morrigan. I have had enough of her tormenting me and those I care about. She had existed long enough and it was time for her to be no more.

“Alright so I think I got the spell right,” I was practicing magic with Rowena while Dean and Roman watched along with Becky, Charlotte, Sasha, and Paige. Finn had opted to travel to Davenport every chance he had to work with Colby to get him prepared for what would be coming up when I finally confront Morrigan. He would be with Colby, Tyler, and my mother to make sure Morrigan didn’t cast any spells that would possible tie their lives to hers.

“Very good, Thea,” Rowena praised me, “Now this spell will block her soul from being able to latch onto any future witches. The next spell we’ll work on is the one to stop her from trying to resurrect herself like I did.”

We continued for a couple hours longer. I had finally gotten through enough of the spells to weaken Morrigan I was confident that I could end her easily when the time came. As I was practicing the spells that would fix Colby and lift his curse, I felt weak and started to sway. That was when Becky swooped in to catch me before I fell.

“Alright easy Thea,” Becky spoke as she wove a couple of her rejuvenating spells to get me some energy back.

“I think that was enough for today,” Rowena added as she helped Becky with her spells, “We can call it a day.”

I was hanging out backstage with Rowena. She had disguised herself as a random face backstage, working on my hair as I was waiting for my match. That was when I saw Morrigan approaching us.

“Thea,” she sneered at me, “I thought I told you not to pick a fight with me.”

“I tend not to listen to mothers that kill their own daughters,” I replied with a smirk, “If you want to end me I have a proposition for you. How about you impersonate my favorite wrestler, Trish Stratus, and we can duke it out in the ring. The one that eats the pin, dies. You game?”

“You have a deal,” she smirked, “But like I promised before, if I fall, I will take someone you care about with me.”

“And you forget I have control over death still,” I bragged, “So don’t underestimate me.”

I had to go see Stephanie and Hunter today. They were the gatekeepers for matches at Wrestlemania and they were the only ones that could make my fight with Morrigan possible. Sure I’m no longer at a truce with them, but I have to play nice and play ball with the enemy to get what I want.

“Thea,” Stephanie greeted me as I entered the Helmsley office, “I was not expecting you coming into our office today.”

“What do you want from us,” Hunter asked, cutting to the chase.

“I need a special match at Wrestlemania,” I answered, “Morrigan found me and has attacked me several times and has threatened my son. I want her in the ring at Wrestlemania. She has agreed to impersonate Trish Stratus for the match so we don’t need Bayley to glamor the entire WWE Universe to pull this off. We’ll even cut promos and if Trish comes back to the company, I’ll brief on the outcomes of the ‘feud’ and match so she can play along with everything.”

“Alright,” Hunter nodded, “We’ll allow the match to move forward. But just know, Colby is going to be watching from the press box. He will be banned from ring side since he isn’t cleared for in-ring action. You will be standing alone. Can you handle that?”

“You beat your ass I am,” I replied with a smirk, “I’m training for the fight of my life right now. And I can’t afford to lose. I refuse to lose.”

I was in the gym with Dean, Roman, Becky, and Rowena. Since I needed someone to watch my back in the magic department. I knew for a fact that Morrigan would blast through Dean, Roman, and Becky like they were paper banners at a high school football game.

“I can’t believe Colby got you hooked on CrossFit,” Dean shook his head as you worked through your WOD, “And still keep to your old routine as well. You’re going to train yourself to death before you’re 35.”

“I need to build my endurance if I want to make it through this gauntlet of a match I’m about to have with Morrigan,” I replied as I went up to the gymnast rings to work on my next movement for my workout, “I’ll be casting magic and throwing haymakers at this stupid bitch. I need some to be in peak form if I’m going to pull this off.”

[seriouslycromulent]

Thoughts on Monday Night Raw + possible Shield Dean defection

OK. I’m trying to stay out of some of the infighting taking place here in the WWE-fandom, but some of y’all are making it difficult. So I’ll share my 2 cents on why I’m not in favor of a Dean heel turn, but also why it’s not that big of a deal to me in the end.

It’s about to get existential up in this piece, people. Hold on to your butts...

Right off the bat: Why bring them back together, if you’re only going to tear them apart soon after? The Shield reunion has stalled multiple times over the last year or so, for one reason or another. Then Dean gets injured. Almost dies in real life. Returns to Raw. Kills it at Summerslam. And joins his brothers-in-arms to reform the Shield the following night on Raw ... to what end? To break them up a little over a month later? Seriously? That’s what y’all want?

Dolph’s assertion that Dean was thriving on Smackdown and that he didn’t need The Shield ticked me off. Yes, I loved Dean on Smackdown. It’s literally not been the same since he left. To me, Smackdown has never been able to recapture the same energy it had when Dean was on their roster. 

But what Dolph said can easily be applied to Roman and Seth as well. All 3 of the Hounds of Justice have accomplished remarkable things since they disbanded in 2014. None of them needs to be a part of The Shield. But they’re not together because they need to be. They’re together because they’re smart enough to know the benefits of brotherhood.

Also, Dean’s a Grand Slam champion too. Just like Seth and Roman. The only thing Dean hasn’t done is 1) fight the Undertaker, and 2) main event Wrestlemania. [And neither has Seth.] But Dean’s main evented PPVs before, and he even main evented a special televised house show with Triple H and easily held his own against him. So can we please stop talking about Dean like he’s the red-headed step-child in this trio! Hell, he was the first member of The Shield to even hold a title.

Y’all have been clamoring for a heel turn for one of the Shield members forever, and for Dean, especially, since he returned a month ago. I have no idea why so many of you are so eager to see either Roman or Dean to be a heel. I’m not against the idea in general. I just don’t understand the hype.

I’m sure Roman and Dean would kill it as a heel. But as a long time wrestling fan, I know that turning someone heel does not automatically equal character development or keeping the fans interested/happy/supportive of a particular wrestler. I remember just as many instances where turning someone heel did nothing for that wrestler in terms of interest or quality storylines. So I always find it funny when fans, who often like to accuse WWE Creative of “lazy writing,” are so quick to recommend a heel turn for wrestlers as a means to give them something meaty, worthwhile or development in terms of their character. But it is easily the most over-used device in Creative’s arsenal.

The reality is you can create meaty, worthwhile and character development-packed storylines that don’t involve turning someone heel just as easily as you can if you do turn them heel. Personally, I think all heel turns should happen only when the audience least expects them, and never when they’re asking for them. But hey, as usual, I’m in the minority.

With that said, I know Dean would kill as a heel. He would be absolutely fantastic. But the last thing I want for him is to become a heel because he was manipulated by Dolph and Drew like some simpleton who can be easily played like a pipe. So what Dean doesn’t have a title?! He was gone for 9 months with a major injury. It’s unrealistic as hell that he should have a title right now. This notion that Dean is (in real life) bothered by the fact that he doesn’t have a title is purely the fabrication of fans. Sure, use it for the sake of a storyline, but a lot of people seriously think that a wrestler’s value is measured in what titles they have or have had around their waist, and that’s just ridiculous.

Most of the wrestlers we revere from the 70s, 80s and 90s rarely wore a title around their waist as often as this younger generation of wrestlers. And we remember and respect them nonetheless. Dusty Rhodes, Rowdy Roddy Piper, The Undertaker, Macho Man Randy Savage, Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, the Hardcore Legend Mick Foley. All of these wrestlers are legends. And they’re remembered for their work in the ring and on the mic. Not for their number of title wins. And I really wish fans today appreciated that more. 

In short, turn Dean heel. I really don’t mind. But I hate the idea that they’re making him out to seem like he can be so easily swayed by the words of Dolph and Drew, as if those two can easily create a wedge between Dean and Roman/Seth with just a few words and implications. If Dean is going to turn heel on Ro & Seth, it should be to stand alone. Not with Braun, Dolph and Drew. 

I saw someone who’s pro-Heel Dean claim that Dean “needs to get his revenge.” On who? On Roman? What did Roman do to Dean? Are we seriously going to believe that Seth and Roman didn’t text or call Dean all the time when he was away for 9 months? None of us should believe that. Not if we’re genuine fans of The Shield. 

Revenge on Seth? Why? Seth apologized for his betrayal in 2014 multiple times. As a matter of fact, we went through an entire storyline about this issue leading up to them becoming a tag team in the first place. And after some groveling and genuflection, Dean forgave him. So why does he need to get his revenge? Shouldn’t we want Dean to forgive Seth if he said he forgives him? Or do we want to respect someone who says they forgave someone, but continues to hold on to a grudge anyway? And wouldn’t taking out his “revenge” on Seth mean that he has to betray Roman in the process? If so, is that what we want for Dean? To betray all the people (not that there’s that many) he cares about for the sake of obtaining a title? Isn’t that just the same storyline Rollins had?

OK. That’s my 2, 3, ... 6 ... 25 cents. Sorry so long-winded, but that’s how I roll in all my fandoms. 

I will say this about this storyline: WWE really did a great job at creating a storyline that millions of us are engaged in. So I think it’s fair to give them credit where credit is due. 

[notaringrat]

Jon Moxley

I haven’t blogged about wrestling whole-heartedly since 2011. Eight years. The last time I blogged about wrestling (on my old page) was June 29, 2011 - two days after the infamous Pipebomb speech. I marked the fuck out. And then everything went to shit, Punk eventually left and I stopped watching wrestling for a very long time.

Recently I’ve gotten back into watching wrestling. Sparked by going to a ton of local indie shows. I wasn’t paying close attention to the weekly TV shows, but I’d read articles and keep up with some news on Twitter. Then, Summerslam was announced in Toronto for 2019 and I got back into it hard. Not as hard as I was into it pre-2011, but hard enough that I was watching anything from TV that I could get my eyeballs on. I’ve been consuming it recently as a general fan of the “sport,” not the enormous mark I was pre-2011. And it’s been nice. I can’t say I really have a favourite current wrestler, so I don’t have a ton of specific things to be excited about, but it’s nice to be excited about wrestling as a whole instead of fixating.

But on Wednesday morning, I marked the fuck out. Dean Ambrose, who had tweeted, what, once? his entire time in WWE had changed his Twitter to Jon Moxley and dropped this video. I was a big fan of Jon Moxley before he came to WWE and super excited when he signed with WWE... and then Dean Ambrose debuted and I was pretty disappointed. I wanted to enjoy the character, but I did not. I missed Jon Moxley. And the fact that they paired him with Tyler Black Seth Rollins who debuted around the same time just made it less interesting for me since I was not a fan of his in the indies and didn't care that he had signed to WWE. So yeah, to see that Jon Moxley was back: I marked out. I marked out enough that I decided I needed to blog about it. Everyone's been talking about it and I have thoughts. Thoughts that can't be contained to a 140 240? retweet reply on Twitter. So here returns the wrestling blogging (no guarantees this'll be a regular thing, though, folks. I'm super bad with follow-through/upkeep).

The big question about the video is - what does it mean? As much as I want to just enjoy it in an isolated sense for what it is and not think about what it implies, one has to ask what it means. It's a great video on its own no matter where Moxley ends up, but fans want answers. Other talk about the video revolves around the imagery therein. The building from which Jon escapes, the scenery around him, etc.

Let's start with that second part - the imagery. Most of the comments on Twitter describe the building as the prison from which Dean is escaping and then point the finger at that prison being WWE (since it has been known to be pretty oppressive to its Superstars). Maybe. But the first thing I thought of when I saw it was that he was escaping the Ambrose asylum... because he's not that character anymore. Sure, they could have made it look more like a hospital, but I think the image still works with the way it's styled. It felt very much like Arkham asylum to me in that video - which was both a prison and an asylum, no?

We also see Dean breaking down walls - did he do that in WWE? Sure, a lot of new Superstars have. But who else do we associate that phrase with? Jericho. Keep that in mind for when I address the "where is he going?" question.

There's also the "Big Dog" chasing him out of the asylum. An easy reference to Reigns. But is he chasing him away, or is he chasing him to try to get him not to leave? At Dean's final Raw taping, the SHEILD came out after the cameras were off to say goodbye/thank you, and the crowd chanted "please don't go." Seth replied, "I already tried that." Seth - not Roman. Now, I'm not saying Roman didn't try to get Dean not to leave, but canon doesn't really sway in that favour. I think we are seeing Roman chasing Dean away. In the sense that maybe Roman got the push that Dean always wanted and Roman's success is what drove Dean to leave the Asylum.

The final image being talked about is the dice painted on the wall in the background of one shot. A 2 and a 5, the date of the next AEW event. But above the dice, it says VIPER, a name most commonly associated with Randy Orton (unless there's an indie viper reference I'm missing). So the message there is mixed. Is this one a reference to AEW or is the 25 a coincidence and it's actually a reference to WWE with the word "VIPER"? I haven't quite sorted this one out. I feel like VIPER being a WWE reference is maybe a little flimsy. Not too sure.

Now, let's address the question of "WHAT DOES IT MEAN, THOUGH!?" So, Dean Ambrose is no more. The new character is Jon Moxley, and given the hardcore imagery, it's a return to the old Jon Moxley. So where does Jon Moxley end up? Is this a promo video for a new WWE iteration of Dean Ambrose under his old name? Is this his announcement that he's signed with AEW? Is Jon Moxley returning to his CZW home? Or, is he going somewhere else entirely?

LIKE HONESTLY IT DOESN'T MATTER JUST ENJOY HOW GREAT A PROMO IT WAS AND ENJOY ALL WRESTLING. But OK, we're still all speculating and still want answers.

There's an argument he could be staying with WWE. They've reinvented characters a ton of times - sometimes they keep their old names (most recently, Bray) and sometimes they don't (another recent example: EC3). The production quality is high enough that it could be a WWE video. There are enough WWE references that it could be a WWE stay: The Big Dog, the Asylum, break the walls down, showing the old character of Dean Ambrose himself. But while the quality is up there, I don't think the tone/theme really screams WWE, unless they have a new production/creative team doing these videos, which is entirely possible. Moreover, Renee Young is staying on WWE... she hasn't left. I'd say she has no real reason to leave. I mean, AJ didn't leave immediately when Punk did and perhaps her best run was even after Punk left.

The other main consensus is that he's going to AEW. The breaking the walls down imagery could be a reference to Jericho, as mentioned above - who is a huge frontrunner for AEW. The dice show 25 which, again, is the date of the next big AEW show. AEW has a huge Twitter presence, a ton of their promo videos drop on Twitter. It's the platform for them right now. WWE has been trying to have a bigger presence on Twitter as far as Superstars sending tweets to strengthen feuds, but this feels different - this isn't something WWE has done before (again, could be a new team). Other wrestlers who are rumoured to be joining AEW have responded on Twitter to the video, too - in ways that could be considered calling out Jon to start a new feud at their new fed. The example I saw was Joey Ryan saying something to the effect of "I've taken a barbed-wire bat to the dick, what else you got?" Or maybe that's my own wishful thinking because I'd love to see a Ryan/Moxley feud since they're two of my faves.

And lastly, maybe Moxley is going home to CZW or even going elsewhere. It just doesn't feel like this is another company's doing. Maybe I'm being prejudice but I don't think any other companies would have the budget to do something that high quality (or maybe I'm just bad at judging the quality of videos lol). Maybe Impact? But this doesn't feel like the way they promote new characters. This feels big. I don't think there's anywhere other than AEW or WWE that's as big at this moment. But then again, it could be an up and coming competitor who's using this as a launching board to get big.

What are your thoughts? Where is Moxley going? Why do you think that? Do you even care where he ends up?

I'm firmly in the camp of being excited regardless of where he ends up. I still want answers, but when that music hits and he pops out on the ramp I'm gonna mark regardless of what show's name is on that ring apron.

[we-work-hard]

Room 117

Pairing: AJ Styles x Shane McMahon (younger AJ, current-day Shane)

Summary: Some guy called Shane checks into a rundown motel in the middle of nowhere early one morning. He gets a visitor...

Notes: Young AJ training for CWF matches on YouTube inspired this - he's so cute and lithe and luscious. Also, Shane’s *heart eyes* on Talking Smack (RIP) whenever he looked at AJ sure didn’t hurt (neither did thirsting over Twinky AJ with @llowkeys – ~love you, girl~)

Warnings: Adultery, a slight little tiny bit of Daddy Kink, mention of religion, voyeurism.

Cutie-pie Twink AJ 

Daddy Shane

Room 117

“Were these the towels for 117?”

I roll my eyes up from my book to stare Nate down.

“Uh, I guess.”

“When why the fuck are they still here?”

“...Because you fucking work here and I don’t?”

“Yeah, you don’t work here, but I let you come over and cram for your finals in MY office-”

“Nate-”

“I asked you to do ONE thing to help me out, Marianne- why didn’t you tell me before I let the room?!”

“Okay! Jesus, shut up – I’ll take Mr Big Stuff the towels already!”

“Goddammit, lower your voice!” Nate hissed, as if the guy could hear us from a floor up. Christ.

“Room 117-”

“I’ve got it!”

I grabbed the pile of scratchy towels out of his hands and stomped out of my hotshot Night-Supervisor-Brother’s ‘office’, wishing I’d tried to study through the night at home instead. Office? More like ‘front desk of a rundown Super 8, out in the middle of nowhere’. Servicing probably five guests per night, at the most. Usually truckers. Or creeps.

Not this 117, though. He’d checked in about an hour ago while I was sat behind the desk with Nate, who’d been blowing bits of chewed up flyers at me through a straw while I tried to read. Even douchebag Nate – who claims to have seen everything there is to see while working the early morning shift - looked taken aback by this guy walking into such a shitty place at 2pm to get a room.

As I take the stairs outside to the first floor, I’m a little nervous about having to wake 117 up to hand over these crappy towels. Though he doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who’d get angry or mean.

Mr Shane Jones is the name he gave. Short silver hair, big brown doe eyes, and olive skin. Totally daddyish, if you’re into that stuff, and really, really polite. Gentlemanly, even. It’s like he somehow got lost on the way to a big business meeting in New York and ended up in the middle of Bumfuck, Texas. He’d arrived by cab with no luggage, paid for his room in cash – a pic of his pretty wife and kids on show when he’d opened his wallet. He has no fucking business staying in a place like this. With that shiny suit jacket, and the tight jeans, and the flashy sneakers? Who the fuck is this guy?

I mean, he looked kinda familiar, which is weird, because there’s no way I would have run into him before tonight.

I’d interrupted him paying for the room to ask if he was lost – to which Nate told me to “Shut the fuck up” under his breath – but Mr Jones’d just laughed and shaken his head, before bidding me and my brother a good night, saluting us with the keycard as he left with a sleepy smile.

Nate figured someone with money like that, clearly out of town, might be here to deal. Or to bring back a girl – or a group of girls – from the strip club not far from here as a scummy treat for himself. Guys come here to do that shit all the time, Nate says. I figured he was too wholesome looking for that. Nate told me I’m naive as fuck about what goes on at this time of night, and who does it. Whatever. I don’t believe daddyish 117 with the gold wedding band would do that.

I walk along the gritty windows and rusted railings of the first floor, counting down the room numbers in my head as I approach 117. Huh – Shane still has his light on. A glow spills out from his window onto the balcony – I can see the curtain inside has rucked-up by the bottom left hand corner of the window, furthest from the door. The little bit of light cuts in and out as it hits me at hip level. He must be walking around in there.

Okay, so, I can knock on his door, and give him the towels...

...unless he’s just showered, and is stomping around the room with his dick swinging around, looking for what I’ve got under my arm...

I pause and think. He won’t notice me checking if I bend down to look through the window real quick... And, I don’t mindseeing some daddy-dick tonight, if it happens to be swinging around in there. I’m a grown-ass woman (sort of). His wife won’t know I saw it. Plus, I’m nosy as fuck about what he’s up to. I quietly drop to my knees and peek through the curtain, holding the towels across my lap so they don’t get on the dirty floor. I figure he doesn’t deserve dirty towels, poor guy – he’ll probably already be getting some contagious skin disease from the sheets.

Shane’s not alone in there. He’s talking to someone.

I sit back on my heels, surprised, then look back – who has he got in there with him?

***

I nosily settle in to figure out what’s going on, at this time in the morning. Shane – still in the clothes he’d arrived in, and wide awake – has stopped to stand in front of the bed with his back to me slightly, and he’s with a younger man, way younger – early twenties, I think – who’s definitely not rich.

This one is dressed like the young guys who cut the lawns at my college: loose, worn jeans, black t-shirt with the sleeves cut off. He looks like cute local trash, who probably pumps weights with his equally-dumb friends at the Y, and yells at girls from his beat-up truck. He’s kinda short – shorter than Shane by about five inches - but built, with smooth tanned skin, short brown hair. A cute snub nose and pouty lips, light blue eyes. Hoop earrings pierce both lobes.

Shane is trying to push money into his chest, urging him to take it. I’m legit disappointed – is this guy dropping off drugs? Is this what Shane travels out to the sticks for, in shitty motels? But the younger guy is shaking his head, and pushing the money away, looking down and sighing, frustrated.

Not enough?

It’s not drugs.

Maybe it’s sex.

Family man Shane, travelling here tonight to order-in some rough trade... ? The young guy sure is sweet, in a backwoods redneck way... maybe Shane likes that, too. I feel myself flush in embarrassment about what could be about to happen – I should probably leave these towels on the doorstep and let the ‘transaction’ run its course, if that’s what’s taking place...    

But then I see the younger guy smile – a cute, crooked smile – and step closer, taking Shane’s left hand to place on his own face. He rubs into Shane’s palm with his eyes closed, like a cat. Shane softly chuckles at that, and the boy opens his eyes to grin back at him playfully, but a little wistful too. Oh my... they love each other, just a little?

I watch Shane stroke at the boy’s mouth with his thumb, hesitantly at first, until it seems the soft touching isn’t enough for him. He pulls the guy in and kisses him; the cash he’d tried to give falls to the floor, forgotten.

How do they know each other; how did they meet? Does Shane’s wife have any idea? Curious and fascinated, I can't help but lean in closer to watch them together through the window. They don’t notice me. All they care about is touching each other.

I’m frozen into watching everything that happens between them in that room.

***

Shane is whispering fervently to the younger man between longing kisses, lost in passion for the boy who’s come to meet him. In return, he nuzzles into Shane’s mouth and pulls at the collar of his shirt, his brows furrowed cutely in desperation. I notice that his wrists are strapped up with white tape, like he’s just got back from lifting the weights that keep his arms so thick, and his shoulders rounded with muscle. He looks sweated out under his rumpled clothes already, too, like he hasn’t had time to shower after a workout.  

The back of his shirt says ‘AJ’ in big gold letters – and I don’t know who would wear a shirt with their own name on it... But AJ is his name. It’s what Shane mouths over and over again each time their lips pull apart: “AJ”.

AJ sways forward and pushes his tongue further into Shane’s open mouth, before pulling back to lap at his lips, hands now in Shane’s silvering hair to keep his mouth on his. I can faintly hear Shane growl as he presses a thumb into the soft skin of AJ’s throat at the feel of his tongue, as the touching unexpectedly turns rough; possessive.

Shane forces AJ down onto the bed with a grunt, yanking his t-shirt up to scramble at the buckle of the younger man’s leather belt, then the metal button, and zipper of his jeans. AJ tries to pull his shirt off all the way, enthusiastic and happy to get naked. His belly button winks as the smooth muscle of his midriff flexes, but Shane slaps his hands back and orders him to leave the shirt on. Not yet. Something changes in AJ’s eyes, like a switch flips. He looks at Shane like he wants to do whatever he’s told tonight. Anything, if it’s asked of him. It makes my legs clench together at how hot that thought is.  

Shane nods at him, eyes fiery and firm, and goes back to roughly tugging the boy’s jeans down – he’s wearing tight black and white satin shorts under his pants, also with ‘AJ’ written on the side. Is the luscious guy Shane’s tearing into working as a stripper? But then I see the kneepads, and shin guards strapped to his thick calves (which stay on after the jeans are pulled down over them and off). I figure it out when I see the large gold crucifix spill out from under AJ’s shirt.

Big gold crosses next to the logo – CWF. The flyers Nate had been tearing up in reception to chew up and spit at me. Christian Wrestling Federation.

He’s a wrestler! And a good Southern Christian wrestler, at that. Who’s being roughly stripped of his ring gear by a married man at least 20 years older than him in a motel room right now.

AJ warily grabs the cross in his palm to hide it from Shane, as though he’s ashamed of what they’re doing while he wears it. But the sight of the crucifix seems to turn Shane on even further – he pulls AJ up by the chain and jams his tongue into the boy’s mouth, forcing his jaw wide open to accommodate him. He grips the waistband of AJ’s lycra shorts and pulls them down with no care to AJ’s comfort, taking a black jockstrap with them, over the kneepads, down past the shin guards and off. AJ gasps and moans at the feeling of his exposure.

AJ’s so aroused after the rough treatment and tongue-filled kisses that his thick dick is leaking a clear slick over his belly. A drop drips slowly down the shaft to seep into the dark pelt at the base of his cock. Shane pushes AJ to the bed by his wrists to stare down at his dick with hunger. The intense focus makes AJ writhe against the bed in embarrassment, his chest flushing red under the pulled up shirt. He whines in his throat.

“Shhh, baby. It’s okay,” Shane murmurs while letting go of AJ’s wrists. He gently rubs his fingers along AJ’s Adonis belt and through the hair of his crotch, making him undulate and moan Shane’s name almost sorrowfully.

“I want you to feel good – do you feel good?” his older lover asks soothingly, swiping up a thumbful of the liquid leaking from the head of AJ’s cock. It makes AJ jerk with a moan – Shane rubs the creamy fluid onto the pads of his own fingers. “So good...” he says, pushing the fingers through AJ’s lips, and hooking them into his mouth. AJ’s hips come off the bed in alarm, but more fluid leaks from his penis; I see it get even stiffer. He likes this.

“Aww, I know that tastes good, baby,” he says to AJ’s muffled affirmation, “but I’ve got something you like even better,” he promises, pulling his saliva-covered fingers out of AJ’s slack mouth to undo his own belt and zipper.

So far Shane’s remained fully-clothed, and even now only pulls his underwear down to take his cock out over his undone fly, getting on the bed on his knees by AJ’s face. He grasps AJ up slightly by the neck, gently this time, to bring his face closer to his crotch. AJ struggles to push himself where Shane wants him, thrilling at getting what he came here for. He gladly opens his mouth for Shane, bobbing his lips onto the cock and grasping the base in his fist. The back of his head is supported by Shane’s thigh while he works up and down, Shane stroking the hair back from his forehead and breathing shakily, almost as if he’s indulging AJ by letting him do this to him.  

AJ’s t-shirt has steadily worked its way up to bunch under his armpits, and it’s damp with his sweat. Shane rubs down the boy’s pecs and stomach, and AJ moans around the thick cock nudging at the back of his throat and stretching his lips open, sucking it harder with his eyes squeezed shut in pleasure and concentration. Shane shifts to move his hand further down AJ’s body. But to my surprise, he bypasses his crotch entirely.

Instead, his fingers sink into the meat of AJ’s thigh, grabbing to tug it up towards him, pulling the young man’s legs open. AJ is lapping his tongue at the thick pink head in front of him, but stops to look at what Shane’s doing with hazy unfocused eyes. His head is pushed back onto Shane’s dick with a grunt and a quick squeeze to the back of his neck.

While AJ continues to suck, Shane breathes hard and reaches to rub between his legs; the firm-looking flesh of his inner thighs, and the soft skin behind his balls, which makes AJ’s body jump. Shane rubs harder, and AJ’s legs quickly close around his hand in reflex.  

***

AJ might not be ready for this – and who knows how far they’ve gone before now – but Shane seems to have decided what he wants from AJ tonight. He pulls his hand out from between AJ’s legs and slaps one of them, lightly.

“Open your legs for me, baby – let me touch.”

AJ keens in response. He pulls his legs open slowly, but he shakes. He’s pushed his face in towards Shane’s groin for comfort, holding Shane’s cock against this cheek. He’s biting his own lips.

His body shakes more and his chest heaves as Shane’s fingers explore between his legs and back – it’s like he’s holding his body stiff to keep his own legs apart. I can see Shane’s fingers stroke past the base of his penis, down past his balls, back to the softness of AJ’s perineum – he pushes his fingers up against the skin and massages it, which makes AJ moan and give a slow lick to the cock pressed against his face, unthinkingly. Finally, Shane’s fingers make it to the furled skin of AJ’s opening, which he lightly taps – AJ shudders with shame at being touched there. A dark and wanting smile flutters across Shane’s face.

He growls and pushes AJ off his lap and over onto his stomach roughly, pulling his hips up and tugging the thighs apart – he slaps AJ to keep them like that. I see AJ grab a pillow and push his face down into it, wracking with sobs and gasps at this humiliation Shane is putting him through. Shane crawls further down AJ's body and lowers his head to lick and suck the skin between AJ’s legs, holding his hips, before digging his tongue into him, then smoothing it out and over AJ’s entrance; holding the cheeks apart while AJ tries to writhe away from his wet tongue.

I’m shocked at seeing this, but still can’t look away. AJ’s back undulates as Shane grasps and slaps him over and over while he kisses and licks, opening him up, tearing cries and shudders out of the man under him.

Each time AJ pushes into the bed and away from Shane’s mouth, or struggles from side to side in a bid to get away from his tongue, Shane slaps one of the thighs under him and pulls them further apart to dig in deeper. AJ’s skin is flushed and slick with sweat, his black t-shirt still wrenched up under his arms, sticking to him. I can see his hands clenching into the pillow he’s hiding his face in, fingers opening and closing as Shane moves his tongue in and out of his young tight body.

Shane works in earnest to open him up, and AJ’s hips start to move faster down into the bed with urgency, fucking the bed while Shane tongue-fucks his hole. At this, Shane quickly drags himself away and hits AJ one more time across his thighs, hard. I can faintly hear AJ cry out and see him jolt as a deep red hand print spreads angrily across his skin.  

I’m panicked at what I’m seeing, but Shane pulls him over onto his back and firmly rubs up and down AJ’s body, murmuring passionate sweetnesses to him, kissing away the tears that streak AJ’s face. AJ clings to him; dick still stiff with arousal, redder at the tip. He’s been leaking down onto the duvet; his upper thighs, hips and belly are smeared with his own pre-cum, and his inner thighs are shiny with Shane’s saliva, which Shane touches with his fingers. AJ forces the hand further between his legs and back, and Shane looks at him in question.

“Touch me,” AJ throatily croaks out, squeezing his eyes closed in shame at what he wants so badly.

“Yeah,” he hisses as Shane pushes fingers against his opening, hard.

“Tell me, AJ.”

“I want it, Shane. Want your thick dick in me, not just in my mouth this time.”

He looks up at his older lover like his own words about the sex they’re going to have are turning him on even more. It has the same effect on Shane.

“You want me to fuck you tonight, AJ?” he breathes over AJ’s mouth, sucking his full lower lip and biting it when AJ moans.

AJ turns his head to the side with a grimace at the naughtiness he’s about to let out.

“Yes please, Daddy,” he forces out as I gasp at his words, “I want you to fuck me tonight.”

...

[peterkayscarshare]

Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow By OverTheRainbow: Epilogue

Chapter 6: Epilogue

The next few days had been a whirlwind of introductions, explanations, apologies and eventual celebrations. Kelly had screamed down the telephone with delight and insisted immediately on logging on to Skype in order to "meet" John. Kieron had received the news via FaceTime from Cyprus and while he was initially, understandably cautious about the sudden turn of events, particularly as he'd never met John, he could see that his sister was incredibly happy and after a few private chats with him, Kieron was reassured that Kayleigh had indeed finally found a decent bloke to share her life with. John was more than a bit relieved to receive his approval. Even on screen Kieran looked like he could probably kill him with his index finger. Mandy took a little more convincing but it wasn't long before she too began to realise that John was an honourable man, whose past mistakes were born of fear and not malice and that he and her sister were truly, a match made in heaven. Mandy was genuinely touched when John, insisted on returning the £140 to their holiday fund. Pointing out that he wouldn't take money "from family". Kayleigh's Mum Sal and Dad Tommy were, thankfully, a much easier proposition. As was John's Mum Evelyn, who was thrilled to see her son so happy. Kayleigh's parents liked John immediately. Her Dad in particular, shared a similar nature and a wry sense of humour. They were soon setting the world to rights, as John helped him clean out their guttering. Meanwhile their Mum's had bonded over Zumba and Sh'Bam and became regular lunch and shopping companions. Eventually even Misty approved of the latest addition to the family. After some initial suspicion, when she arrived in Preston to discover this interloper in her midst, the little mongrel began to feel comfortable with John and greeted him with enthusiasm when he arrived at the door. He'd joked with Kayleigh that he might even grow to like "Dogging". She'd looked up from her wedding magazine, "Yeah, you're funny". He chuckled, "I am aren't I? Tell your mates. I'm playing here all week". "You'll be playin with yourself if you're not careful!" "Ooh I see what you did there..." "Hmm, I'll bet you did". They were soon giggling like kids.

He'd decided to make an extra special day of it when he'd taken her to Manchester to buy her engagement ring. They would stay overnight at the Lowry Hotel with a Spa visit for Kayleigh and an evening meal with champagne for them both. He didn't usually drink alcohol but he'd make an exception this time. He bought her an emerald cut diamond, set in a platinum and diamond band. She'd lingered around the cheaper rings until he'd called her over and pointed out the one he'd secretly seen her admiring on her iPad. Her eyes lit up as soon as she saw it. "It's too expensive John". "Nah. It's just right...besides, some things are worth it." He attracted the attention of the shop assistant, "My fiancée and I would like to see that one please". He smiled and winked at Kayleigh. He loved calling her his fiancée and he knew she liked hearing it. It was perfect on her finger. She'd decided to get a manicure especially for their shopping trip and it added to the effect. They'd also decided to buy their wedding rings. They all needed to be sized to fit and their wedding rings were also to be engraved on the inside with their initials and the date of their wedding. After some debate about the relative merits of a summer verses a winter wedding, they'd decided on New Year's Eve. The idea of celebrating the New Year by starting a new life, appealed to them both. Besides, Kayleigh liked the thought that the Christmas Lights would still be up and that from now on, her favourite time of the year would be even more special. Throw in that Kelly, along with her Auntie Pat and Uncle Bob, would be returning from Australia for a visit and that Kieron would be home on leave and the decision was well and truly made. Neither of them favoured a long engagement. They both knew with absolute certainty that they wanted to make the commitment and saw any unnecessary delay, as futile. So the clock was now ticking down, to the Redmond/Kitson nuptials.

The six months leading up to the big day were hectic, to say the least. Although Kayleigh had been mentally planning her wedding for years, the reality brought with it unforeseen obstacles to navigate. The first being that John's Mum wanted a church wedding. While John no longer practiced his religion, he was baptised and raised in the church and for his Mother, it constituted what she believed to be, a "proper" wedding. Kayleigh on the other hand thought religion was a "load of hoopty" and wanted a civil ceremony at their wedding venue, a beautiful boutique hotel in the countryside not too far from Manchester. For a time it seemed that neither side would back down and John felt the pressure of being caught between the two women. A compromise was finally reached after Kayleigh agreed that their wedding rings would be blessed and that, for now, she wouldn't completely rule out the possibility of Christening any children they might have. Peace was restored in the Kingdom. It was a compromise agreement worthy of a UN Special Envoy and a Nobel Prize.

John was also on the move. A vacancy for a Store Manager had come up in Burnley and with a reasonably short commute from Preston, it was ideal. The current arrangement was a strain on them both, with John volunteering to take the lion share of the burden by staying with Kayleigh in Preston most nights. It meant he'd lost his parking space, as he could no longer reliably Car Share with a colleague. Instead he now used a park and ride. He was awake at dawn and knackered by the time he got home. His contribution to wedding planning had so far consisted of, "Hm…what? Oh yeah, that sounds nice. You have what you want love" before falling asleep. That she'd just jokingly asked him if they should hire a couple of elephants had completely passed him by. Once his house was sold, he would move up permanently. This led them both to decide to buy a house in Preston. Kayleigh had an initial six month tenancy on her terraced house, which would expire not long before the wedding and with both of them now increasing their salaries and John selling his house, which gave them a healthy deposit, the time felt right. John had mused that they were literally doing every stressful thing it was humanly possible to do, all at once and that at this rate they might just keel over before they made it up the aisle, "We'll die happy then!" was Kayleigh's view. Four months into their engagement they bought a new build semi in a quiet suburban development. They had moved in just in time for John to start his new job in Burnley.

The staff members were genuinely sad to see him leave but were happy that everything had worked out in the end for him and Kayleigh. They threw a huge leaving/engagement party for John, insisting that Kayleigh invite her new colleagues in Preston to the celebrations. Amid much back slapping and congratulations, Dave Thompson had sheepishly apologised for the "lipstick on a pig" comment and Litchy had telephoned to call him a "Sly old bugger and lament that he wished he'd stuck 50 quid on it". The only reluctant celebrant was Stink Ray. He still hadn't forgiven them for conning him out of a lift that day. It took Elsie with her cutthroat diplomacy to resolve the matter in the staff room, "Are you kiddin! I wouldn't let you near any motor a' mine! You stink like a North Sea trawler! It's about time somebody told you to get a bloody bath Captain Birdseye!" The room descended into an awkward silence. Then a male voice piped up, "You've gone nose blind mate!" leading to an outbreak of sniggering. Ray sniffed his sweater. If he was stunned by the revelation and his pride had been offended, he had to admit it did explain a lot....and Elsie's directness...wasn't entirely unappealing....By the evening of the party, it appeared to have had the desired effect. Ray wasn't exactly fragrant but as Elsie put it, he now smelt less like a trawler and now merely, "Whiffed like a two day old prawn soaked in Paco Rabanne". On the night, the gang from Fresh Face and John's colleagues from the Store, mingled well and before long the dance floor was full and the booze was flowing. A huge banner read

"❤Congratulations John & Kayleigh ❤"

Heart shaped helium balloons filled the room along with huge illuminated letters spelling out "LOVE". John had relished hitting the dance floor with Kayleigh as soon as Gloria Gaynor's, "I am what I am" came on, to laughter from them both. There was much ooh'ing and ahh'ing over the engagement ring. Alan Campbell had joked to John that they obviously paid him too much. Rachel couldn't resist snarking that her own preference would be for something more "subtle". Big Diane had seized her moment, "Let's see your diamond then Rachel". Sufficiently embarrassed, she'd promptly sloped off. "Jealousy's an ugly emotion", Joyce had pronounced sagely...before draining the remnants of her G&T through a straw with a loud gurgle. Kayleigh had forgotten how much fun her old colleagues could be. As the party drew to a close, the dance floor filled with couples smooching and swaying to Phil Collins cover of "Groovy Kind of Love". The sight of five foot two Joyce hanging off the neck of her six foot two Sumo wrestler husband, was one that would live long in the memory. John and Kayleigh had a cheeky snog but were soon spotted and a loud cheer went up, prompting John to bow and Kayleigh to curtsey to their audience. As the song came to an end, John nudged Kayleigh to look at one couple in particular, "Bloody Hell!" he whispered "There isn't enough mental Harpic for that one". Stink Ray and Elsie were getting up close and personal. It looked like Ray was on for a much needed bath and a half share in a Pot Noodle, before the night was out. Kayleigh giggled, "Maybe time we said our good nights eh?" "You always have the best ideas", he replied. They'd left to hugs, handshakes and kisses and were soon covered in confetti and streamers.

The next time they all met up, it was the wedding day. It had dawned crisp and bright. The low winter sun casting a warm glow on the frosty landscape as Kayleigh looked out from the hotel window. It was perfect. They'd lucked out in getting the venue, thanks to a cancellation. While Kayleigh had initially felt uncomfortable that they were benefitting from someone else's misfortune, John eventually persuaded her that it was simply serendipity. Her parents, her Matron of Honour Mandy, Maid of Honour Kelly and bridesmaids Chloe and Sophie, had joined her for her last night as a single woman. As her breakfast was delivered complete with a glass of Buck's Fizz, her Mum, Kelly and Mandy all appeared in the doorway, giving a hearty rendition of "She's getting married in the morning". Soon her room was a hive of activity, with her hairdresser Sue and her assistant Jordan and make-up artists Emma and Jo, new colleagues and friends from Fresh Face, busy getting everyone ready. Much of the conversation centred on the Hen Weekend and Kayleigh's determination to bring home her fully inflated male blow up doll, from Benidorm and the look on John's face when he'd picked her up from the airport to find her clutching it and wearing a sombrero. For some reason known only to Kayleigh she'd called him Ted 3, which she found hilarious and which her hens found mystifying. Much of the weekend was a blur but she did recall mucho tequila, a foam party, a Drag Queen, a stripper called "Magic Miguel", thinking that it was a good idea to attempt a rendition of Madonna's "Like a Virgin" in the middle of the street and waking up on a sun lounger at 6am. John also retained a voicemail she'd left for him on her last night, which informed him that she was "Fluffy Drunk" and that she would very much like to have "sexy time" with him. Before calling him her "Snuggle Bunny" and then informing him that she was going to be sick. She then promptly burst into tears because he wasn't there to hold her hair back. John's Stag had also not been without incident. Kayleigh had issued warnings that he was to come back in one piece...or else! They'd gone for an "experience day" karting, laser combat and pool. Kieron then led the troops which included Jim, Steve, Paul and Litchy, on an epic pub crawl. While John wasn't much of a drinker, his future brother in law had insisted on him partaking in a "Cheeky Vimto"...or two...or three...he'd lost count after that and consciousness soon afterwards. He'd woken up the following morning in Mandy's flower bed, holding a traffic cone, with a G-string on his head. Steve was asleep beside his bike, under the gazebo. Mandy had woken them both by pouring the contents of a watering can on their heads... after gathering some photographic evidence, of course. She later remarked to Kayleigh, "If it wasn't for Global Warming he'd have frozen his bits off. What use would he have been to you then!?" Recounting her observation to John, he replied, "Well, now there's an argument for climate change you don't often hear". By comparison, tonight's celebrations would be much more sedate.

John, his Mum, his Nana, his brother and best man Paul, his sister in law Angela, his groomsmen, Jim, Steve and Kieron and the two pageboys Ben and a very reluctant Alfie, stayed overnight at another hotel nearby. Alfie had been in a strop since the prospect of being a pageboy had first surfaced, six months before. If they'd hoped he'd settle into the idea, it hadn't worked. Lately he'd become belligerent to the point of rudeness. Something had to give. To Mandy's surprise and delight Steve had dusted off his parenting skills with their ever impossible son. He'd taken him aside, told him he was upsetting his Auntie Kayleigh and Uncle John with his behaviour and that he was seriously disappointing both him and his Mum. He thought he was raising a man, not a spoilt kid. John and Kayleigh had bought gifts for their bridesmaids and pages and if he persisted, he'd make sure he didn't get his. It would go to a kid who deserved it. Alfie was sufficiently chastised. He promptly apologised to John, who bought him a coke and said, "At least you're not wearing a sailor suit. I spared you that one buddy." Alfie smiled. Progress. Steve then called Kayleigh so that Alfie could apologise to her. Kayleigh accepted his apology and told him all would be forgiven if he promised her a dance at the reception. She'd even let him pick the song.

Kayleigh's natural superstition had extended to maintaining the tradition that it's "bad luck" to see the groom the night before the wedding. He'd called her just before she went to sleep though, to tell her how much he loved her and couldn't wait to be her husband. He also loved the watch she'd bought him as a wedding present. He had a surprise for her tomorrow. When she tried to get a clue he exclaimed, "You can't get round me that easily lady! Just wait and see…” She couldn't wait to be his wife. It wouldn't be long until they headed off on their Honeymoon. Two weeks, all-inclusive in Barbados. John's choice. She'd simply asked for "somewhere laid back and sunny". He'd toyed with the idea of a cruise but ruled it out due to Kayleigh's aquaphobia and his own qualms about the Norovirus. He'd arrived home with a cry of "Booked it!" then flashed the brochure. Kayleigh had squealed with delight...and rewarded him with a little "honeymoon rehearsal". They'd soon be lying on a beach sipping cocktails...or in John's case mocktails, as husband and wife. Their special day was finally here.

As the groom and his entourage began to arrive downstairs, Chloe and Sophie twirled in their pretty bridesmaids dresses. Mandy and Kelly meanwhile, put the finishing touches to their look, midnight blue, full length gowns, as Kayleigh slipped into the wedding dress she'd spent so long dreaming of. It was lace and silk, with a tight, hidden bodice, three quarter length sleeves and a full skirt. It was finished off with a full length veil. Her something blue was a garter from Kelly, her something borrowed were diamond and pearl earrings from her Mum. Her something old was a broach that belonged to John's Nana, Rose and one from her own late Nana, which were in her bouquet. Mandy handed her, her something new. It had arrived that morning from John. His surprise. A beautiful, simple diamond tennis bracelet. Stopping the tears was going to be impossible today, it seemed.

Chloe and Sophie clapped and cheered as Kayleigh's Mum Sal, John's Mum Evelyn, who couldn't resist a peak and a good luck kiss, Mandy and Kelly, all tried not to cry and ruin their make-up, when Kayleigh emerged from her room. Kelly handed her, her bouquet and with a kiss from her Mum and her bridesmaids, Mandy placed the veil over her sister's face and she made her way towards her Dad who was waiting for her at the top of the stairs. He too was emotional when he saw her. They had a final, quiet moment, when he told he was so proud of her, that she looked like a Princess and that John was the luckiest man in the world. With both their Mum's now seated downstairs with the guests, the sound of the string quartet playing Paschelbel's Canon in D, was her cue and she wasn't going to miss it. John's Mum had mouthed "She looks beautiful" to her nervous son. He'd been pacing like a caged animal and must have asked his brother twenty times, if he had the rings. On the last occasion Paul had feigned panic but the look of anxiety on his brother's face was such that he feared he might just have a heart attack, so he caved and produced them for inspection yet again. "For God sake calm down man! You're gonna pass out at this rate". "I know. I just want it to be right". "It won't be if you're in A&E". The moment he saw his bride though, he became totally calm. She had that effect on him. He felt completely at peace with the world. She really was the thing that completed him. Everything felt wrong without her and with her, it was perfect. She was the most beautiful vision he'd ever beheld and her smile lit up the room. He knew he was grinning like an idiot but he didn't care. He couldn't take his eyes off her. When she reached his side she'd said, "Hello handsome. Fancy seeing you here." He'd smiled and whispered back, "Hello beautiful. I wouldn't miss it for the world". They exchanged their vows in front of their family and friends. Every one of whom felt certain that this was one marriage that was definitely for keeps. There was a chorus of clapping and cheering as they were pronounced husband and wife and the new Mr & Mrs John Redmond, sealed the deal with a kiss. After signing the register and posing for photographs with their bridal party, the bride and groom walked down the aisle to Beethoven's Ode to Joy. As congratulations flowed and the guests mingled and enjoyed champagne and canapés to the strains of the string quartet playing an assortment of classical and modern pieces, including John noted, an instrumental version of "Runaway", the newlyweds and their families continued their photo session. Finally, the formalities completed, the guests were seated for the reception. Having abandoned her veil Kayleigh and John let it be known that it was now party time! The Master of ceremonies announced them and they entered hand in hand to the sound of The Black Eyed Peas "Let's Get it Started". So began the party of their lives.

After a four course slap up meal, "This definitely wacks a Fat Boy!" as John rightly observed, mid profiterole, the speeches began. Paul had the guests in stitches recalling their childhood exploits, with subtle references to John's previous dating disasters. He kept it...mostly clean, complimented Kayleigh, thanked the bridesmaids and pages, gave them their gifts from the bride and groom and received a huge cheer as he toasted the happy couple and resumed his seat. Mandy and Kelly were delighted with their necklaces with a heart shaped pendant engraved with the date and Chloe and Sophie loved their little charm bracelets with a heart charm, their initial and a little bride and groom. Ben and Alfie's eyes lit up when they were given wireless headphones and promptly disappeared to hook them up to their phones. Kayleigh's Dad then said a few words, speaking lovingly about Kayleigh and welcoming John to the family. John's Mum spoke briefly but movingly about her son and the happiness Kayleigh had brought to his life. Everyone was in tears as she told her son how proud his father would be of him. John thanked his Mum and kissed her. He then gave his own speech. Beginning with the customary "My wife and I" which elicited yet more cheering. He thanked Cath Hilton for initiating the Car Share scheme, which brought Kayleigh Kitson..."sorry Kayleigh Redmond"...into his life. He spoke of the joy he had found in her and of his own amazement that she loved him and that he was now a married man. He and Kayleigh then gave a gift of necklaces with pearl drop pendants to their respective mothers in law. John's gift card thanking Sal for raising the love of his life and Kayleigh's thanking Evelyn for raising the man of her dreams. John then proposed a toast to his wife Kayleigh Redmond and another to their Mums. Kayleigh stood briefly to say a few words to her Dad and give him his gift, a silver tankard engraved with "Father of the Bride" and the date of the wedding. John also gave him a voucher from the Shed Surgery. He'd long held the dream of a little sanctuary at the bottom of the garden. Kayleigh then thanked everyone and hoped that after they cut the cake, they would stay and party in the New Year with them. They didn't need to be asked twice.

Cake cutting done and yet more photos taken, they were finally ready to dance the night away. John was anticipating the Corrs as he led Kayleigh out for their first dance. He honestly didn't mind...if it was what she wanted, he could live with it. Instead, the glorious voice of Gladys Knight filled the room singing, "You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me". Kayleigh whispered, "Listen to the words John". She sang along as she rested her head on his shoulder. John could feel himself tearing up and did his best to keep it together. "It's just perfect, isn't it?" she said as she kissed him. "Yeah. It really is", he replied as he held her tighter. They were joined on the dance floor by Kayleigh's Mum and Dad and John's Mum and Paul, as Eric Clapton sang "Wonderful Tonight". John then danced with his Mum and Kayleigh with her Dad, to The Commodores "Three Times A Lady". The DJ then announced that it was time to pick up the pace and really get this party started as Kool and the Gang's "Celebration" came belting through the speakers. By now the dance floor was rammed with family, friends and colleagues who'd joined them for the "evening do". John had lifted Kayleigh up and was spinning her around as they yelled out "Whaaa Hooo!" at the appropriate moment. By the time they were midway through a Bee Gees Medley, John's jacket and tie had been discarded and Kayleigh was in a pair of flat glittery ballet pumps she'd bought for her and her bridesmaids, expressly for dancing. They tore it up through a Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 Medley, "Red Light Spells Danger" and "Uptown Funk", before the need for hydration drove them off the floor. A fish and chip van arrived not long after 9pm and along with a chocolate fountain, retro sweets and a candy floss machine, young and old were well and truly catered for. Van Morrisons "Brown Eyed Girl" got them back on the floor and Kayleigh got her dance with Alfie to Pharrell Williams, "Happy". Rob Vegas singing "Ho Hey (You're My Sweetheart)" got everyone singing along as did "Sweet Caroline". The Kitsons, the Prices and the Redmonds all got up to Sister Sledge's "We are Family" and one of the moments of the night came when John and his Mum danced to Eddie Cochrane's "Three Steps to Heaven", the significance known only to them and to Paul, Kayleigh and Angela. Then to everyone's delight John and Jim aka "Compendium" took to the stage. John dedicated "In The City" to Kayleigh and she joined them on stage in a pink Stetson and clutching a tambourine, for "Cotton Eye Joe". Line dancing with gusto, were Joyce Chung, Big Diane, Cath Hilton and Elsie, fresh from being issued with what she was told in no uncertain terms, was absolutely her final written warning. In a treat for his niece, Sophie finally got to finish her performance of "Let it Go", to a huge cheer. Then, in a moment John knew nothing about, Kayleigh's Dad Tommy, Jim, Steve, Kieron and Paul all took to the stage to sing Danny Boy. It had always been John's Dad's favourite song. The guests joined in too. As they finished and Tommy toasted 'To Absent Friends", any hope of preventing the tears from falling, was gone. Kayleigh hugged John and Evelyn, as the DJ announced that midnight was fast approaching.

As the clock struck 12, balloons fell from the ceiling, party poppers, champagne corks and steamers exploded in a mass of colour and delighted cheers. In a sea of hugs and kisses, John and Kayleigh wished each other a "Happy New Year", the first one of their married lives. Old Langs Syne then gave way to Prince and "1999". As John and Kayleigh danced, he spotted his Mum chatting with Bernard from her bowling club. He'd just kissed his Mum's hand, John was stunned, "Ey! Did you just see that! That's not right...that's out of order that is!" Kayleigh reached up and put her hands on either side of John's cheeks, forcing him to look at her and said, "Let her be. Let her be happy. Time's not a good thing to waste John". He knew she was right....but he still couldn't resisted keeping and eye on the pair when Kayleigh wasn't looking. As Beyoncé's "Single Ladies" played in the background, Kayleigh threw her bouquet into the crowd. Or rather, a replica of it. She had plans for the original. As Kelly, Emma, and Jo lined up with Kieran's girlfriend Gemma, Elsie mounted a charge-down that the British and Irish Lions would have been proud of and which left her face down on the floor and holding the bouquet in the air before declaring, "Gotcha! Ya frigger!" As the other women were knocked sideways like skittles, Elsie was surrounded by guests with gaping mouths. "Bloody Hellfire" John exclaimed. "Jeeesus!" laughed Steve, as Ben and Alfie were bent double with hysteria and a stunned Kayleigh muttered, "Frigadig" while surveying the scene and checking for any walking wounded. Fortunately they'd only been winded by the encounter. The evening was coming to an end. Hearsay's "Pure and Simple" and Kayleigh's favourite song, Take That's, "Never Forget" got everyone back on the floor. Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes, "I've had the Time of My Life", resulted in the now customary sight of intoxicated blokes, trying desperately to hoist aloft equally intoxicated women, with varying degrees of success. Steve's cry of "Aw, Christ Mand! I think I've done a bloody disc!" summed it up perfectly. After attempting a lift, which left Kayleigh shrieking halfway over his shoulder and his hands in places he'd rather keep in the confines of the bedroom, John had settled for simply spinning her around. Even that was somewhat ill-advised, after a full night of food, Champagne and Prosecco. Sinatra's version of "New York, New York" finished off the celebrations with a rousing sing along. It was almost 3 am and time to call it a night, or rather morning. John and Kayleigh wished their remaining guests goodnight as they headed up to the Wedding Suite. Thanking their lucky stars that their flight wasn't until 6pm the next day, they had breakfast in bed to look forward to and a 1pm late check out. John had carried Kayleigh over the threshold of their room to their mutual laughter. The bed was decorated with rose petals and a bottle of champagne was on ice. They contemplated the scene for a few seconds then both collapsed on the bed. They were exhausted...although John did manage to find some not inconsiderable energy from somewhere when he saw what Kayleigh had on underneath that dress.....That late check out really was a blessing....

They finally joined their family members the following morning just before midday, in time for a light lunch and for Kayleigh to ensure that their wedding attire and bits and pieces were safely packed into Mandy's Citroen. Also, for John to put their honeymoon luggage into his car for the journey to the airport...that was, after he took in the state of the little Fiat...Ribbons and streamers were attached to the windows and mirrors and a "Just Married" sign was attached to the back, with a J and K and a huge heart along with tin cans, shoes, boots and lucky horseshoes that were all hanging down from beneath the rear bumper. Steve, smelling faintly of Ralgex Heat Spray after his Patrick Swayze exertions the night before, Paul, Jim, Ben and Alfie, were delighted with their handiwork. They said their goodbyes just after 1pm amid congratulations, hugs, kisses and yet more tears. They were pelted with Confetti, rice and rose petals as they got into the Fiat and rattled their way down the driveway, waving and beeping the horn as they went. They reached their first destination after a thirty minute drive. They both got out of the Fiat and walked a short distance, before John said, "Here it is. This is it." Kayleigh looked down then smiled softly at John. "Well Dad, here she is. This is Kayleigh. My Kayleigh. My wife." "...and this is for you", Kayleigh added, as she crouched down and placed her bouquet on the grave. "He really would have loved you, ya know. He would have thought I was one lucky beggar...and he would've been right." Kayleigh kissed him gently. "I owe him a lot. He was partly responsible for giving me you." "Oh don't hold that against him", John quipped. "I'll be grateful to him for the rest of my life". They stood in silence for a moment, Kayleigh wrapping her arms tightly around John's arm. "He was a good man Kayleigh. A good husband and a good father. I want to be those things too". "And you will be". "You seem very sure". "Oh I am sure. I'm not sure about a lot of things mind but I'm absolutely certain about you". "I love you, Mrs Redmond". "I love you too", she smiled. "It's getting cold...let's go huh?" They slowly walked back to their car. As John started the engine he looked at Kayleigh, smiled and sang, "We're going to Barbados". Kayleigh laughed, then looking at him said, "Do I make you happy John Redmond?" He looked back at her for a second, remembering a long ago night and a missed opportunity...how things had changed, "Yeah...yeah you do...very much...Kayleigh Redmond". They kissed and John started the car. Drifting out of the radio from Forever FM, was an old familiar song, Jimmy Cliff singing, "I Can See Clearly Now". Kayleigh said with delight and an excited squeal, "Ooh, I love this song!" as she reached forward to turn it up. "Me too". John smiled. As they set off they began to sing along....

"I can see clearly now, the rain is gone"

"I can see all obstacles in my way"

"Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind"

"It's gonna be a bright, bright, sun-shiny day"

"I think I can make it now the pain is gone"

"All of the bad feelings have disappeared"

"Here is that rainbow I've been praying for"

"It's gonna be a bright, bright sun-shiny day"

"Look all around, nothing but blue skies......"

Their voices slowly faded out as the little red car drove out of sight and a whole new journey had just begun.........Tomorrow would be a very good day.

[wrestlewriting]

Insolence, Pt. 2 [Adam Cole]

Title: Insolence, Part Two of ? (Part One)

Characters: Adam Cole/OC(Brenna, because it’s easier for me to write with names in stories)

Genre: Angst. (We can’t have nice things yet.)

Length: ~3,600 words

Warnings: Cursing

Summary: You aren’t looking for trouble, but yet, here it is, in the form of a former friend. And no matter what you say or do, it’s still confusion all the time.

Thank you for the positive feedback on Part One!!!! 

And here’s the next part for those of you that said you needed it :) @enzoshair @alexahood21 @thedeboniardevistation @danapotterwwe @covergirlcollarbones

“OK, but like, what if I don’t act nice?” Chuck Taylor asked, wiggling his eyebrows towards you. Your response was an unimpressed stare.

“Darling boy, you will,” you stated, holding open the door for him to walk through. Once through the doorway, he put an arm around your shoulders, tucking you to his side.

“I’m glad one of us is confident in me,” he declared, causing you to smile, as he steered you further in to the building, effectively ending your conversation about a potential date scenario for Chuck.

It was December in California, and you found yourself back at your favorite stomping grounds: PWG. It was the night of Mystery Vortex, the show that PWG held each year wherein they announced almost none of their matches. It was a surprise to the audience who would come out to face who as it happened in real time. The wrestlers themselves also didn’t know until arrival what their matches would be. It was one of your favorite shows to do honestly. There was something so fun about it, sometimes ending up in the ring with people you never did, and getting to create matches on the fly. The night fed to your creative and spontaneous side, the part of you that you were trying to reconnect to most.

So when you found out that you and Candice would be in a match against Trent and Chuck, you were beyond ecstatic. The four of you quickly found each other, animatedly going over possible spots and plans for the match. It was so nice to work with your best friends. It was even better to work with people who didn’t care what gender you were, and only that you were a good wrestler. It made life so much easier, so much happier.

When it came time for your match, you and Candice had the boys get introduced first. The crowd was excited when Chuck came out, but they practically lost their minds when Trent followed, declaring they were a team that night. The crowd settled down in anticipation of their opponents. And when the opening notes of Pat Benatar ‘Hit Me With Your Best Shot’ came through the speakers, you were sure you had never heard a crowd get so loud.

Candice and you waited for the song to kick in entirely, before bursting through the black curtain together. You couldn’t help the wide smile on your face as you slapped hands with the crowd as you made your way to the ring. You slid in under the bottom rope, Candice climbing through the middle. You stood tall in the middle of the ring together, you throwing up the ‘rock on’ sign, while Candice stood and looked adorable like always.

The crowd settled for the announcer to introduce the teams, Best Friends versus PowerTuff Girls. You watched everyone else’s introductions, and curtseyed at yours as The Queen.

The match started as the announcer had barely finished speaking, when you and Candice double clotheslined the boys right out of the ring. It was a heavy back and forth match, full of team work spots, as well as big moments, such as when Chuck threw you head first in to the crowds’ chairs, and Candice DDT’ed Trent on to the floor. There was plenty of funny spots too, such as you using your chest to distract Chuck for a takedown, and Trent trying to “hug Candice to death”. It went by all too quickly, with the boys scoring a victory over your team.

You retired to the locker rooms, cleaning yourself up and changing out of your ring gear, before taking a seat by the monitors in the back to watch the rest of the show. As your match had started the show, only two more had been completed since then. Currently there was another tag match, with the team of reDRagon getting the win over Death By Elbow. You found yourself getting teary-eyed as Chris Hero gave a speech in the ring, knowing in your heart he was going to be leaving for WWE even if he didn’t say so.

“What are you doing?” You asked, realizing Chuck was standing beside you now, leaning with one hand on the back of your folding chair, still in his ring gear.

“Oh, ya know, having another match,” he answered, causing your eyebrows to go up. “Yea, so thanks for that lovely pile-driver earlier. I feel fabulous.”

“Yo, what?! Who are you going against now?!”

“Me.” Your eyes moved from Chuck, to where Adam Cole had approached, standing beside Chuck. He looked over you, eyes ahead at the monitor. He was in his usual ring gear; black leather jacket, black trunks, and wet hair hanging down his back. His overconfidence was also well and present.

“I’ll kick his ass,” Chuck leaned down and whispered in your ear, causing you to giggle. You didn’t miss the scowl that came to Adam’s face at this.

Soon enough the boys were having their match, with Chuck in fact kicking Adam’s ass, and securing himself the #1 contender’s spot for the PWG title. It had been a shock to the crowd, and you found yourself beaming in excitement for your friend as well. The rest of the show went off without issue, as did the post-show fan mingling. Once all was said and done, you were gathering your bags from the back “locker room”, which was more a spare office than anything, so you could leave.

“Hey! C’mere,” Chuck called from the doorway, causing you to look over your shoulder at him.

“What?”

“Come here!” He said again, gesturing out of the room. You stopped gathering your stuff, setting your purse down on a chair, turning towards him.

“Again, what?”

“Come with me,” he declared, holding out his hand to you. With a begrudging sigh, you walked to him, where he promptly took your hand and tugged you out of the room. You allowed him to guide you down the narrow hallway, and back out into the main area of the venue, where the ring was still being torn down. However, you quickly noticed almost everyone from the roster was still standing around near the bar area.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” Their voices all meshed together, loudly and on different levels, when they noticed you were there. Your eyes widened a bit, as you realized there was a lit cake resting on the bar. And that apparently it was now after midnight, and officially your birthday.

“Do not…” you started to say, but were promptly cut off as Chuck began to loudly sing ‘Happy Birthday’, others joining in. He kept his arm secured around you, forcing your body to sway back and forth along with his, as the group continued to sing to you. You rolled your eyes, attempting to press your ear against your shoulder, entirely uncomfortable in the situation. You hated being sung to, and had since you were little. There was photographic evidence of this. You noticed the shit-eating grin on Chris Hero’s face as he sang loudly, and the sheer joy on Zack Sabre’s face as he knew how much you hated this moment and were forced to endure it.

The song was over eventually, though it felt like a lifetime, and the group let out loud cheers and whoops once they had finished. Chuck pushed you gently towards the bar and the cake, indicating it was time for you to blow out your candles. As you reluctantly walked towards the bar, you gave a shy smile to the crowd of your friends watching you. The whole locker room was there, Candice and Trent, Excalibur and Kyle.

You were entirely surprised to find Adam Cole among the crowd, albeit in the very back, next to Nick Jackson. When your eyes caught his, he looked back indifferently.

You made it to the bar, looking down at the cake. It was two tiered, a dark grey color overall, with multicolored bright butterflies stuck on it. You knew Candice had made it, given her baking background.

Closing your eyes, you took a moment to enjoy the silence that surrounded you. You had no idea what to wish for. Your life was so different from a year ago, so confusing, so new. There was nothing you wanted necessarily in the material world, and you finally felt like mentally you were in a good place. You didn’t need calm, or peace, or love, anymore. You had found your way to those things, through your friends and your job.

I wish that this year I can stay on a positive path, you decided, taking in a deep breath and blowing out the candles. Another cheer resounded from your friends at your action. Opening your eyes, you looked to the crowd, smiling gently.

“I hate you all, but I love you all,” you declared, a laugh rumbling through your friends. Candice pulled you in to a hug, as the group relaxed around you.

“Thank you, it’s beautiful,” you told her quietly, causing her to giggle.

“Only the best for my best girl,” she responded, letting go of you. You were pulled immediately in to another hug by Trent, albeit awkwardly.

“I hope today sucks for you,” he stated, causing you to roll your eyes. “You’re what? 40? 50?” Standing on your toes, you pressed a kiss to his check, making sure to make a loud ‘muah’ as you did so.

“That just makes me a cougar for you,” you replied, leaning back from his embrace with a giggle, the blush obvious on his face. You accepted others’ birthday wishes gracefully, some with hugs, some with simple smiles.

Candice took it upon herself to cut up the cake, paper birthday plates complete with balloons acting as the serving wear. You stood back, accepting the plate handed to you, engaging in conversation with Marty Scurll. After having your cake, you took a beer, as many others had as well. You eventually found yourself sitting in one of the remaining folding chairs, laughing with Bobby Fish, as he animatedly told you a story from the England ROH tour you hadn’t been on last month. The group eventually thinned out, with the Bucks deciding they wanted to get home to their families, and others wanting to get back to the hotel for some sleep.

Chuck, of course, declared he had alcohol, and your “birthday party” would continue at the hotel. So you gathered your bags and got in a car with him and Trent, heading back to the hotel. You were sharing a room with Candice, and after throwing your stuff in there, the two of you headed to Chuck and Trent’s room. Upon entering, you found not only those two, but also Zack, ACH, Trevor Lee, Matt Sydal, Marty, Pete Dunne, Kyle O’Reilly, and Chris. And Adam.

Within a moment of entering the room, a beer was pressed in to your hand, and you found yourself pulled down on to a couch beside Kyle, who began to talk animatedly with you about his wife. You found yourself relaxed in the room, eventually floating over to other friends and conversations, continuing to have some beers. You were almost able to forget that Adam was in the room, especially considering he did not acknowledge you once.

After about two hours, when the clock showed it was past 4AM, you knew it was time to go to bed. By now only a handful of people remained; Zack, Chuck, Trent, Adam, and Kyle. Candice had retired back to your guys’ room some time ago, and others had trickled out after sharing a beer and a laugh.

The boys didn’t argue your decision to end your impromptu birthday party. From his spot on the floor, Chuck shouted out one last ‘Happy B-day, ho’, causing Trent to giggle. You rolled your eyes affectionately at their shenanigans, before throwing a small wave to the others. You tossed your last beer bottle into the trash, exiting the room into the empty hallway. You’d barely made it ten feet from the room, when you heard the door open behind you.

“Brenna.”

You froze in your steps. His voice was the last you had expected to hear. And the last you honestly felt like hearing right now.

“Adam, I’m tired. I want to go to bed. Just…let me go to bed,” you pleaded, continuing to face in the direction you had been going.

“Will you just…come here?” He implored, his voice soft, a gentle tone you hadn’t heard from him in a long time.

You didn’t go to him, but you did turn around to face him. You put your hands on your hips, your entire being looking exhausted and suspicious. Adam considered you for a moment, before his eyes diverted down to the floor. It was then you noticed, as he moved his left arm more away from his body, that he had been hiding a small bag behind himself. It was light purple, with white handles.

“Happy birthday,” he mumbled, holding it out to you. With hesitance, you stepped towards him and took the bag, bringing it towards your body, as his arm dropped again down to his side. Part of you wondered if it was a bomb meant to blow up on contact with your skin. And part of you was surprised when it didn’t.

Adam had always given you a small present around your birthday for years. There had been more shows than just this one that had fallen around your birthday, normally ROH Final Battle. The presents were usually silly and somewhat-sarcastic; a bunch of your favorite candy to “keep you happy and not murder-y”, an airplane pillow before your first overseas trip because you always complained about how uncomfortable it was to sleep against the window, or a handful of cheap headphones because you were always losing yours. You always had a feeling Evan had something to do with the gifts, especially given how loudly he’d laughed about the headphones.

You hadn’t expected anything from Adam this year though, not given the state of your guys’ relationship. Or really, lack of.

“Thanks,” you murmured, unsure if you should look in the bag now or not. He nodded ever so slightly to acknowledge your response, before turning away from you. Apparently he didn’t care if you looked now or not. You watched Adam return back in to the hotel room you both had exited moments ago.

Looking down at the bag, you decided to open it now, curiosity ruling you. Reaching in, you extracted a small black square jewelry box, Kay embroidered across it. Biting at your lip, you cracked open the box.

What lied inside was a silver crown pendant, attached to a silver chain on each end. The crown wasn’t overly intricate, the prongs of it smooth and almost antler-like. There were three blue jewels at the base of the crown itself, a row of sparkling clear jewels along the entire bottom.

You were amazed. It was beautiful.

And you were very, very shocked. This was nothing like the silly, but thoughtful, gifts that you had gotten before. This was expensive. Which confused you even more. Getting a gift was surprising enough, but getting such a striking gift was wholly puzzling.

Closing the box, you put it back in the bag, and walked to the hotel room that still contained your friends. You needed an explanation. Pushing open the door, a couple sets of eyes landed on you immediately.

“Come here,” you demanded as soon as your eyes met Adam’s. Everyone else in the room fell silent. He was sitting on the desk, having been talking with Kyle who was sitting in a chair in front of him. Without setting his beer down, he slid off the desk, and came towards you. You turned and left the room, trusting he was following behind you. The door shut completely after he exited, indicating he had moved the bar from keeping it propped open.

“What?” He inquired, leaning his shoulder against the wall beside the doorway, his beer dangling in his hand against his side, arrogance radiating from him. This was not the same reserved, almost shy Adam that had been in the hallway with you minutes ago.

“Why?” Was your comeback, moving the bag slightly to indicate what you were asking about. He said nothing for a moment, before shrugging one shoulder nonchalantly.

“You’re the queen, aren’t you?”

“I meant giving me something in general,” you clarified, choosing to ignore his smartass answer.

“It’s your birthday,” he replied, as though that explained everything

“And?” You challenged. “Typically you don’t give presents to people you don’t like.”

“…never said I didn’t like you.” You couldn’t help that your eyes narrowed a bit at his response, hating that you never knew anymore what you were getting when it came to him.

“Well, ya fooled me,” you stated. With a scoff, and a roll of your eyes, you turned away from him to leave. You were not playing this game with him. If he wanted to be vague and confusing, that was on him. But you weren’t going to waste your time, your emotion, on the situation, knowing that the payoff would eventually never come.

“Bren, wait,” his voice stopped you a handful of steps away. Closing your eyes, and gritting your teeth, you turned on your heels to face him again. He was no longer leaning on the wall, instead standing upright, looking…dejected? The mood changes he was showing you tonight were giving you whiplash. He was looking downward, and reached up with his free hand to scratch at the back of his neck.

“Look…I just…” he trailed off again. “I didn’t mean to make you mad.”

“Which time?” Your retort came viciously, surprising even yourself. Adam lifted his head at your tone, his body going stiff, his mood shifting yet again. He clenched his jaw, his eyes glaring in to yours. Clearly your words had made him mad.

“Do not make me entirely the bad guy here,” he demanded.

“Aren’t you?”

“I didn’t do anything purposely to you,” Adam practically growled. “You have this horrible idea of what I am, and it’s not fair.”

“Your actions have made me have this idea of you,” you stated. “I haven’t just made up this story in my head, Adam. You have treated me like shit for months, and I, for the life of me, have no idea why! You used to be my friend, and then you went to wanting nothing to do with me! But then you decide that you do? When it’s what, convenient for you?”

“Because I didn’t think you needed me around!” He exclaimed, his arm without the beer flinging out at his side. “You came back, and I didn’t know what to say to you. Evan was my friend too, and it just…I didn’t know what to do. So I left you alone. I figured everyone else had a better idea what to do for you than I did. And then…you just…got better. You were happy again…and I wasn’t a part of that.

“So I thought you didn’t need me around…you were fine without me… If you’re fine without me, then I’m not going out of my way to be around you. I wanted you to be happy, and you were, and I figured coming around would ruin it. And it just…pissed me off, OK? It sucked that you could move on without me, and that you didn’t spare me a second thought. But that’s not all on me! You’re the one who punched me!”

You felt like the air had been sucked from your lungs the more he had spoken. He looked enraged and sounded…hurt. Like you had hurt him, more than just physically. Like it was wrong of you to have moved on with your life, and gotten emotionally better. Like you had purposely cut him out of your day to day. Like he hadn’t made the first move down this road of separation and hostility.

“You didn’t speak to me, not once, past the basic hi and bye, for weeks. Long before I was better, you ignored me. And then you got mean when I was around, purposely leaving when I came in a room, glaring at me, or just downright avoiding me,” your voice was tight, trying to keep yourself from shouting. “I did nothing to deserve that treatment, Adam, nothing. From the day I came back, to now, this is on you. You could have said something, and you didn’t.”

“You could have too,” he muttered.

“Yea? And what could I have done? Approached a man who clearly wanted nothing to do with me? Sorry if that didn’t seem like a very appealing option. Sorry if I was dealing with some other things, like ya know, not crying at every moment because my husband was dead.”

You found yourself at a standstill with him. He was staring, glaring, at you, the hand around his beer bottle tight. His back was tense as he stood still, the veins of his neck prominent as though he was holding in a scream. You didn’t know what else to say, or do, so you just stared back. You knew you didn’t cut an intimidating figure like he did, but you refused to back down, and maintained your own rigid posture.

“Forget it,” he finally declared, shaking his head slightly. “Just, fucking forget it.”

Before you could agree, or disagree, or give back the present, Adam had turned and walked away. He strode passed the hotel room where everyone was, and continued down the hallway, before going around the corner, out of your sight.

Stay on a positive path, you scoffed to yourself mentally. Here’s to fucking hoping.

Most likely more to come to this story. Maybe finally some happiness? Probably not. I don’t know. I just write and things happens….

UPDATE: here’s Part Three

[rawiswhore]

Various WWF Wrestlers x Fem Reader- “In Da Club”

When pro wrestlers are driving out on the road, they don't just stop by fast food restaurants or to go to the bathroom.

Sometimes, they even stop by strip clubs, but of course they would!

In 1996, a bus filled with most of the WWF roster stopped by a strip club just for some free time, but you had no idea that the WWF roster was sitting by the tables and runway, throwing some of their hard earned money at you.

You were working as a stripper, and you both hated and loved your job.

While you do enjoy wearing the slutty outfits and stripping to various songs you've chose, what you hate about being a stripper is having these middle aged, bloated, ugly men gawk and stare at you, sometimes even touch you or try to touch you. Yuck!

However, this night was a special night.

When the red velvet curtains raised up, Debbie Gibson's "Losin' Myself" began to play.

For those who don't know who Debbie Gibson is, she was a teenage bubblegum pop singer during the late 1980's who wrote and produced her own songs all by herself, unlike other teen idols.

However, when the 80's ended, so did her career, and when she grew up, like most other wholesome teen idols, she shed her wholesome good girl image and tried to prove to the world she was all grown up by playing, what else? A stripper in a music video.

However, no one cared by then.

And tonight, you picked that Debbie Gibson song where she plays a stripper in the aforementioned music video.

When the curtains rose up, the stage revealed you dressed in a short, sexy, pleather white nurse costume; a typical but classic Halloween and stripper outfit.

As you walked down the runway in that sexy nurse outfit, the WWF roster watching you as well as some average Joe's really enjoyed what they saw, shouting out "wooooooooo!!!" and "yyyyyyeaaaaaaaaaaahh!!" and pumping their fists in the air, some of them letting out those cheesy "wolf whistles" as they call them.

They were cheering so loud, you could barely hear your music you were going to strip to.

When you strolled down the runway, as you looked at the men sitting next to the runway and got closer to the end of the catwalk, you looked at the crowd of men, and deep down inside, you were shocked over how many hot men were in the audience.

Most of the men who visit these strip clubs are nothing to write home about, but these men, though...

And some of those hot, sexy men in the audience are some of the WWF roster.

 You sauntered down that catwalk to the song, trying to look sexy, the zipper of your dress in between the pads of your index finger and thumb, hinting you're going to zip your dress off.

Seeing all of these sexy WWF men in the audience gave you an idea, an idea that won't make you take a few spins around the stripper pole.

Some of those men were even holding up money in your hands for you to grab it, where you snatched it from their hands and slid it in your garter belt wrapped around one of your thighs.

You hope that money doesn't fall out.

One of the men that caught your eye was sitting in the front row close to the catwalk, and that man was the sex symbol of the WWF: Shawn Michaels.

Shawn's looks improved a bit in 1996 when he got rid of that tacky, outdated redneck mullet, and while Shawn didn't look as hot as he did the year afterwards, this year is when he's really starting to look sexy.

He had a faint little smile on his face, enjoying the view of you.

He'll really enjoy what's coming next.

He was absolutely gorgeous, and you wanted to start what you've planned on doing to someone hot.

Instead of wrapping your fingers around the stripper pole and swinging around, you walked down the little stairs next to the catwalk, which surprised many of the men, their eyes bugging out and looking at each other.

You slowly strutted up to Shawn, he getting more and more excited as he walked up to you.

As Debbie started singing, you were lipsynching to her voice.

Shawn could see you were lipsynching to the song, so could other men sitting next to him.

Some of these men were wondering "who sings this song?" and even some stupid men thought "is she singing that song?", the "she" being you.

These men were jealous of Shawn, some of the male WWF roster was cracking up, having ear-to-ear smiles on their faces and swatting each other on the shoulders, knowing what Shawn's gonna get.

When you were standing right in front of Shawn, close enough to him, your hands were sitting on tops of the chair Shawn was sitting on, you slowly swayed your hips and ass back and forth to the song, your ass slightly protruding through your tight white dress.

Some men were turning their heads and looking at your ass.

Shawn could see your ass swaying from behind you, his cock growing harder and harder from blood rushing into his shaft.

You sank the lower part of your body (i.e. your legs and pelvic region) onto Shawn's lap, straddling his lap.

You could feel his erection poking and protruding through his jeans.

You slowly began to roll your ass and crotch over his genitals, grinding your crotch forward on his lap.

While you grinded your lap on his lap, your fingers were still resting on the zipper of your dress, where you proceeded to slide that zipper down your body, your flesh being more exposed as that zipper ran down your torso.

Some of the men surrounding Shawn could see you slide your zipper down your body, which got a huge "pop" from these men, roaring out "yyyyyyyyeaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!" and making a few eye roll worthy "wolf whistles" at you.

Underneath that white pleather nurse outfit you were wearing was a red bra and panties, and when the zipper was below your tits, you thrust your chest out, your red bra showing off in front of Shawn's eyes.

Shawn's eyes stared at your cleavage, he could nearly salivate.

Of course, the men surrounding Shawn also loved seeing you shove your tits out, even though they were covered.

As you slid the zipper down your body, Shawn slid one of his hands into one of the pockets of his jeans and pulled out his wallet, a brown leather one, opening it and pulling out a $50 bill, shutting the wallet after he pulled the money out and slid his wallet back in his pocket.

He slid that dollar bill into your red garter belt wrapped around your thigh, looking down at your thigh so he's sure he inserted it through that red elastic garter belt.

With your hands grabbing onto the sides of your dress, you shed your dress off of your shoulders and arms, now sitting on Shawn's lap in red lingerie, a garter belt and nurse's hat.

Again, this got a huge pop from the audience, roaring out "yyyyyyyyyeaaaaaaaaaahhh!" and pumping their fists in the air.

You then rotated you body on Shawn's lap, this time your back was pressing on his chest and torso.

You started to roll your ass back on Shawn's crotch, rolling your ass over his erection.

Sometimes you even slowly swayed your hips back and forth on his genitals.

While you slowly swayed your hips, your body writhed and slithered down to the ground, letting your body sink down his torso, brush down his chest and body, all while swaying your hips.

Seeing you lipsynch to the song and point your index finger at him while Debbie crooned was like you were singing for him.

Once you were crouching down on the ground, you sexily sprung back up from the floor by rolling your hips as you elevated yourself up.

Once you were standing straight up, you walked away from Shawn and sauntered to the next man who used to be tag team partner's with Shawn just a few years ago: Marty Jannetty.

Marty is a ladies man and he was so excited he was next.

When you strolled behind Marty's back, your hand was behind his left shoulder, brushing across the back of his shoulders while you looked at him.

His head was turned and his beautiful blue eyes were looking at you, he having that adorable smile on his face thanks to you.

You stopped walking when you were standing next to his right shoulder, where you carefully lifted one of your legs up and propped it on his right shoulder, your calf and foot draping down and across the right side of his chest.

This took Marty in by surprise, he was not expecting this, neither were the other men.

One of your hands slid down the left side of Marty's chest, he wished he was shirtless so he could feel tingles while you touched him.

Though, he is feeling tingles ifyknowwhatimean.

You then carefully slid your calf and foot up the right side of his chest and across his right shoulder, until your foot was right back on the ground.

You then walked in front of him, where Marty was eying you up and down.

You then sat on his lap, straddling his lap and proceeded to roll your hips and pelvis forward on his crotch.

You could feel his erection protruding through his jeans while you lapdanced him.

As you rolled and grinded your hips on his crotch, you moved your hands to your bra straps, where your fingers wrapped around your bra straps.

You carefully slid one bra strap down your shoulder, which got another big "pop" from the horny men watching this, of course they had to roar out "yyyyyyyyyeaaaaaaaahhh!!" and make some silly wolf whistles at you.

Marty's eyes were staring at you slide your bra straps off, his eyes growing wild.

He's so tempted to touch you and your chest, but nah, he can't. Club's rules.

When one bra strap was slid down to your shoulder, you then wrapped your fingers around your other bra strap, sliding it down beneath and below your shoulder.

Like with Shawn previously, you were lipsynching to Debbie's voice, looking at Marty while you slid your bra straps off.

Marty already had his wallet out even before you walked up to him and even put his wallet back into his pocket before you walked up to him, but he held a dollar bill in his hand for you.

As you rolled and grinded your ass on his crotch, Marty slid that dollar bill he was holding not in between your garter belt, but in between one of the straps of your red thong snug around your hips.

You moved your hands behind your back, where the back of your bra was, where you tried to unhook your bra.

Some men could see you trying to take your bra off, they were willing to offer you some help, but they can't touch you.

Your hands eventually unclasped the back of your bra, the hooks no longer clinging onto the "eyes" of the bra (that's what they're called!), your breasts could breathe a sigh of relief when your chest didn't feel so tightened.

When your bra was hooked off, you slid your bra off of your arms, showing Marty your tits.

The men in the stripclub could see your tits, which got another huge roar of them shouting "yyyyyyeaaaaaaaaahhh!!!" and a corny wolf whistle at you.

Marty's eyes looked at your tits, which were probably so sore from wearing that bra.

He'd love to caress and fondle them and relieve their pain, but sorry, he can't touch.

You took your bra off in front of his face so he could see your breasts.

You then twirled a bit around until your torso was touching his chest, where you proceeded to roll your ass up his crotch.

You could still feel his erection while you lapdanced him.

And yep, your body slithered down to the ground while your body was touching his, your hips swaying slowly back and forth.

Marty was looking down at you while you slid yourself down him.

When you were crouching down on the ground, you sprung quickly up and walked to the next man.

The next man is Marty's current tagteam partner, Leif Cassidy.

No, it isn't 70's teen heartthrob David Cassidy, Shaun Cassidy, or Leif Garrett, but Leif Cassidy's gimmick is a schmuck completely stuck in the 1970's despite it being 1996.

Leif didn't have that awful facial hair he'd later have months after this, and here's a fun fact: the wrestler who played Leif Cassidy would a few years later become Al Snow, yes, THAT Al Snow who carried a female mannequin head that became a huge fan favorite.

Even though his hair is pretty terrible, so was his gimmick in 1996 (though his Attitude era gimmick is debatable), Leif has a very cute smile, you noticed that adorable smile.

And he flashed his cheesy but cute smile while you walked up to him.

He looks like a teenager almost with his youthful, nonthreatening looks, despite the fact he was in his 30's.

When you walked behind him, his head was turned and looking at you, enjoying what he was seeing as you walked behind and around him.

You were looking at him while you walked behind and around him, and you stopped walking around him when you stood in front of him.

Your hands were resting on top of the chair he was sitting on, and you proceeded to roll and gyrate your hips and pelvis down as your ass was sinking down to his lap, rolling your hips and ass down to his lap before you even touched it.

Leif was looking at your hips and pelvis swivel down to his lap, he loving this.

Marty and Shawn didn't get anything like this.

And like Marty, Leif pulled his wallet out before you walked up to him, only to put it back in his pocket, yet keep a dollar bill in his hand for you.

When you sat on his lap, you continued to roll your hips and ass on his lap, though this time, you rolled and grinded your hips forward.

You could feel his erection poking through his jeans while you lap danced him.

Leif, on the other hand, slid the dollar bill he was holding in between the elastic garter belt wrapped around your thigh, joining some other money.

And of course, you lipsynched to Debbie's voice while you grinded your hips on his lap.

You turned your body around and rolled your ass back and up Leif's crotch, feeling his erection through his jeans.

You sank down to the floor, still gyrating your hips and ass.

He might've had a shirt on, but he loved the feel of this, looking at you with his adorable smile on his face.

You then got back up from the floor and walked to the next man: Bob Holly.

During the 1990's, Bob Holly played Sparky Plugg or Spark E. Plugg, a wrestler whose gimmick was a racecar gimmick.

During the late 90's/early 2000's Attitude era, he cut his hair and bleached it blond and called himself "Crash Holly" now.

Bob is sort of hot.

He might not be Paul Bearer levels of ugly, but he isn't quite Shawn Michaels levels of hot either.

Bob has one hell of an overbite though and buck teeth, and you noticed it when you sat on his lap.

You sauntered up to Bob, your hand dragging across and behind his shoulders while you walked behind him.

When you sat on him, you lapdanced him like how you lapdanced the previous 3 wrestlers, though, you also did something different while lapdancing him.

You laid a bit horizontally on his lap, showing off your legs that he as well as other men were getting a good view of.

Bob pulled his wallet out of his jeans, opened it up and pulled a dollar bill out, only to shut his wallet and stuff it back into one of the pockets of his jeans.

He slid that dollar bill down the elastic of your thong, on one of the straps down your thong.

When you were finished lapdancing him, you strutted up to the following men, in this order:

Bret Hart, Davey Boy Smith, Brian Pillman, Scott Taylor, Bart Gunn, Billy Gunn and Hunter Hearst Helmsley.

You lapdanced them like you lapdanced the previous men, rolling your hips forward when you were in front of them and rolling your ass back when your back was in front of their torso, sinking yourself down to the floor while you slithered and writhed.

Bret might be a babyface in the WWF who is a positive role model, but he can't resist a good lapdance either.

He seemed to be enjoying the lapdance you gave him, though at the same time he looked like he didn't want to be there, he's that wholesome.

Davey has such a wide, broad chest, perfect for you to not just caress your hands on, but to slide your back down.

Before you could lapdance Brian, you were behind his back, where you slid both of your hands down his torso, only to slide them back up his torso.

Too bad he's wearing a shirt, you'd love to slide your hands down his body so he can feel your touch on his skin, which you're sure would send endorphins through his body.

When you walked by Stone Cold Steve Austin, you wanted to pause behind him and rub his bald head with something like a silky long glove a la Jessica Rabbit in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit", but nope.

You saved the best one for last: Hunter Hearst Helmsley, who had his hair down and not tied back in a ponytail.

You wanted to run your fingers through his long golden locks and kiss and suck on his big, broad nose, as well as bury your face in his big, wide neck and kiss it everywhere, but you couldn't because those are the rules of your job.

Hunter was sitting next to Shawn since they’re close friends, but you wanted to save Hunter for last since he’s one of the hottest ones.

You wanted to run your fingers through some of these men's hair in general, but couldn't because of the goddamn rules.

When the drums in the middle of the song started kicking in, you wanted to roll on the catwalk and flip your hair, but you couldn't, why?

You were busy giving lapdances to all of these men.

Thank God you chose this Debbie Gibson song, because this song is long enough for you to give lapdances to various men all throughout the song before it ends.

Of course, these men you lapdanced paid you, even men you didn't give lapdances to gave you money.

'Tis a shame Jeff Hardy could only be in the WWF once in 1996, he was hot and should've been in on the fun.

It's also a shame Rob Van Dam is over in ECW, because he's absolutely gorgeous, though maybe ECW and maybe even WCW could stop by this strip club one day.

Speaking of WCW, pro wrestling would make a comeback in popularity thanks to Hulk Hogan turning heel and forming the NWO, however, this was in the WWF's rival company, WCW.

WCW would kick the WWF's asses in the ratings, which would lead to the WWF trying to do something to trump WCW's ratings, that something was the creation of the WWF's Attitude era.

That Attitude era was a big step from what the WWF was usually doing, as well as becoming even more popular than it was in the 80's.

Of course, you watched the Attitude era just to see what all the fuss was about, and you had lapdanced these various men in the WWF you were watching.

You ended up becoming a wrestling ringrat in the WWF, WCW and ECW just so you could fuck and have sex with any male pro wrestler you thought was sexy.

You regret you weren't a ringrat from 1996-1997, because so many wrestlers in the WWF, WCW and even ECW were hot and sexy.

And Stone Cold Steve Austin's character wasn't just a redneck, he was also an everyman who hated and was fed up with his boss.

You loved Stone Cold's everyman gimmick and could relate to it so much, no wonder he was as popular as he was!

[aislesalmon]

In honor of season 4 being announced, have some Eight Precepts of Death headcanons that are probably dead wrong lmao

Deidoro: -He's actually insanely fucking smart. He was originally going to become a doctor; the stress of med school was what led him to start drinking. He became addicted, and it completely destroyed his life. He failed out of med school, his parents (whose high expectations of him didn't help his stress any) cut ties with him, and he couldn't hold down a steady job (having low-paying jobs when he could have been a doctor worsened his mental state, leading him to drink even more in a vicious cycle) and he ended up on the streets, stealing to survive and keep drinking. One day he stole from Toya, who stole back, but Deidoro was bale to use his quirk to steal again and get away. Toya reported back to Overhaul, who, impressed, tracked down and recruited Deidoro. -He joined Overhaul because he was swayed by his words of "curing the sick" - he views it as his last chance of fulfilling his dream of being a doctor who helps people. -He very quickly saw that what Overhaul was doing was wrong and far from helping or curing anyone, but he just drank more to forget it and kept working under him. -He isolated himself from the other Expendables, because he believes he is worse than them. While they were harmed by other people, which ruined their lives, he blames himself for not being able to handle the stress and becoming addicted to alcohol. He believes that they aren't worthless, but he is. -His quirk isn't just making people feel drunk - it's projecting his feelings onto those around him. He hoped to use it in his medical career, to relieve pain, induce calmness in patients and, if possible, project some of his health onto them, at least temporarily, if only just to keep people alive long enough to try and save them. We see it as him making everyone feel drunk because, well, he's always drunk when we see him. -His relationship with Shin is... complicated, to say the least. -He used to get mad when people thought him stupid, saying that his drunkenness didn't make him less intelligent, arguing that he used to be in med school. One day Overhaul overheard and asked, "Used to?" and that was the end of that. Now he's just internalized it, believing himself to be stupid after all. (Just imagine him doing Sayaka Miki's "I was stupid... so stupid" thing and that's how self-loathing and tragic this character is)

Tabe: -Is his first name Tabe or Soramitsu? I have no idea. This isn't a headcanon, I genuinely have no idea. -His mother was young and he was her first kid, while his father was much older and had a few kids from a previous marriage - all adults and moved out. These siblings don't know about him; his parents were always careful to hide him away whenever company came over due to how ashamed they were of him. -Holy shit child abuse. I hate to harken back to PMMM again, but I honestly picture a Sana Futaba situation with him, where his parents genuinely despised him and at first verbally abused him, then straight up ignored him and only left meals at his door. Finally, they kicked him out of the house and then abruptly moved away, and he has no idea where they are now. -Immune to diabetes, and probably a lot of other food-related conditions. Not that anyone ever cared to check. -Someone please give this man a hug and a lot of cookies

Toya: -I like @latrociniium's idea that he cut ties with his parents after his awful girlfriend cost him everything, because he felt guilty that he ignored their warnings and thought they must hate him. -They don't. They still love him and know about his arrest, and have tried to get in contact with him numerous times since then. He always turns them down out of shame, but they think he's mad at them for perceived failing as parents. They're worried sick and miss him terribly. -Jesus Christ you emo twink bird please talk to your fucking parents

Hari: -In love with Overhorse. 100%. Like that's absolutely why he follows him with such fanatic, unfailing loyalty. -If there's anyone in this world that Kai "Overhaul" Chewbacca truly cares for, it's him. -That being said, Kai isn't emotionally capable of returning Hari's feelings, at least to the same extent that Hari feels them. -Hates attention; perfectly content working in Kai's shadow. -I love the idea that after all the bullshit goes down, Hari and Shin overcome their jealousy of each other getting Kai's attention, and dump Kai "Uhaul" Chisaki to run off with each other instead. What's that image series of the two girls fighting over a guy while he tries to decide which one he wants, and then while he's deciding they ditch him and get together instead? Like that.

Shin: -Walking disaster holy fuck -I don't have many headcanons about his past; I kind of like it as a mystery. -"Emotions aren't required for an efficient mission", my ass. He's an emotional mess. That line is probably something Kai "Overhaul" El Chupacabra told him after one of his many emotional breakdowns. He's almost as bad as Toya with dumping his emotions on people without any prompting. Whiny as hell. -Honestly, I think of Shiapouf from HxH with regards to Shin. Guy with an overinflated sense of self-importance who tries to present himself as (and may honestly believe himself to be) the most rational of his group, but is actually super unstable and controlled by his emotions (also the whole yknow obsessive loyalty to an authority figure thing). -Kai, Hari, Toya and Shin make the Twink Squad.

Hekiji: -LOVELY MAN -Honestly I can't think of anything not included in @shaheii's portrayal. Just. Everything about that blog is absolutely perfect.

Kendou: -Again, can't think of anything else but @berserker-buzzard. A+, spot-on, flawless portrayal.

Joi: -JOI MY BELOVED. He might actually be my favorite out of the birds, which is saying something, because I love ALL the birds (except maybe Overrated - I mean Overhaul, oops). -Yet again, a specific rp blog dominates my headcanons - this time it's @carrionfeigned. Stay awesome.

Hojo: -I don't know much about this dude, but I love him and I want to know more! -I'm torn between thinking of him as a super quiet, aloof guy who fits his appearance, or a really unexpectedly goofy and/or sensitive dude who defies expectations. -Help him too. He needs it.

Rikiya: -Chaotic horny -That being said, sometimes he genuinely doesn't realize how creepy his words can be. Be patient with him. He's dumb. -What's with the Mexican wrestler mask. What's with his tiny head. Does his head even exist? How? That mask is so tiny. What the fuck

Kai: -Sociopath. That's it. He's an abusive sociopath and there's not much more to say. He grew up, after whatever the hell put him on the streets as a kid, with unending love and support from his adopted father, and still has no empathy, and desires to use others for his own purposes. -He doesn't actually love his adopted father. He thinks he does, but in reality, he feels that he owes his adopted father for taking him in, and wants to be even so he doesn't have to feel inferior to him anymore. I... don't really think Kai has the emotional capacity to truly love anyone, to be totally honest.

Old mafia boss: -I don't know if this contradicts canon, but he's alive, albeit in critical condition due to Kai putting him in a coma. That being said, the hospital he was taken to managed to undo Kai's work, and he eventually woke up. He's got a lot to say to Kai about deliberately disobeying his orders, disrespecting his wishes, and completely and utterly ruining his mafia, all while pretending it was in his name/what he would have wanted.

[amtushinfosolutionspage]

Tactical Guide to Paul Felder vs. Al Iaquinta

UFC 223 is the best card the Ultimate Fighting Championship has put together in a long time. Part of that has to do with the fact that it isn’t completely reliant on the main event—which is probably a good idea as we are now on the fourth booking of Tony Ferguson vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov. One of the brilliant bouts on this card which is more than worth its portion of the asking price is the mouth-wateringly unpredictable matchup between next-great-lightweight, Paul Felder and the previous next-great-lightweight, Al Iaquinta.

Narratives make fights and sometimes they are hard to come by, but the contrasts between Iaquinta and Felder couldn’t be any more obvious and out front. Ragin’ Al routinely lives up to his moniker by proving hot-headed in the cage, on the mic, after the fights, and most importantly in his negotiations with the UFC. Iaquinta’s public spats with his employer have eaten up the majority of the last few years. He was recently named interim secretary and treasurer of yet another attempt to unionize MMA fighters though given his temperament it is a title which you would hope is ceremonial. In the meantime his trips to the cage have been infrequent and most recently—in the case of knocking out a thoroughly washed up Diego Sanchez—largely pointless. In fact one of the problems of Iaquinta’s lengthy absence is that the big names on his record (Ross Pearson, Joe Lauzon) are no longer big names starting to wind down, but are now well into the twilight of their careers.

A wicked knockout against Diego Sanchez, but not a fight that needed to happen nor one that anyone was clamoring for.

Paul Felder is the perfect company man: a less shopworn version of his friend and the UFC’s golden boy, Donald Cerrone. Dana White’s claim that the best fighters in the world fight three times a year in the UFC has always been a shaky one, yet Paul Felder has competed three times a year like clockwork since his arrival in 2015. When the troublesome Francisco Trinaldo was putting together the best streak in the lightweight division, while also being forty years old, speaking no English and having zero marketability whatsoever, it was Felder who was tasked with getting rid of him. Now Felder works as a commentator for the UFC in between his regular in-ring appearances and does a very solid job.

Felder’s recent run of wins highlight what he does best. Often billed as a striker, Felder’s feet can be sluggish but where he really excels is as a hitter. If he can get his man standing still (or lying prone) he can unleash some ferocious elbows and kicks. In fact his last three victories have come by way of his elbows. Against Stevie Ray, a grueling clinch fight allowed Felder to score a knee and finish with elbows on the mat. Against Charles Oliveira, Felder spent the entire first round fighting off a D’arce attempt and a standing rear naked choke. The moment he got free he dove right back into Oliveira’s guard to push the pace on him. In the second round, Felder reversed a clinch and put Oliveira on the fence. Both on the mat and on the feet, Felder’s head was constantly being posted underneath his opponent’s, giving him superior striking position by driving the opponent upright or back into the fence.

When he jostled for head position with Oliveira, Felder felt the chance to have a swing and pulled back to crack Oliveira with a sinister elbow which saw the Brazilian sag to the mat. More elbows from guard soon finished proceedings.

On the outside, Felder’s boxing is pretty bare bones—working high lows with one-twos and pounding in the odd low kick. Felder’s fight with Daron Cruickshank demonstrated that he likes working in tit-for-tat exchanges and can get caught clean in longer exchanges when he thinks that it is his turn to move. Cruickshank had great success sneaking out the side door after a one-two and side kicking Felder in the body or even face when Felder turned to follow. The classic Wonderboy side kick set up.

Cruickshank also demonstrated Felder’s defensive shortcomings in longer exchanges: drag Felder past the one-two and he’s open for plenty of strikes in mid range. Cruickshank snuck in backhands after missed blows and broke Felder’s rhythm.

If you exclude falling victim to an incredible wall walking D’arce choke from the bottom by Mitch Clarke, Al Iaquinta’s most troublesome fight in recent years was against Jorge Masvidal. It was a typical Masvidal fight in that Masvidal looked hard to hit, made Iaquinta miss a lot, and then failed to push his advantage, losing on the scorecards. The truth of Iaquinta’s striking is that he’s right hand happy and when Masvidal controlled distance and swayed away each time Iaquinta stepped in, the right hand just couldn’t find the mark and Iaquinta had little else to make Masvidal worry. Though his jab looked much sharper in the Lauzon fight, Iaquinta would still fixate on the right, throwing five or six strikes in combination and only landing the right hand. As Jim Miller found, Joe Lauzon will often get his head down and cover rather than leave striking range when under fire. This meant that Iaquinta could work in longer and longer flurries against him until the right hand finally snuck through and landed flush.

Hypothetical Gameplans

It would be good to see Paul Felder lean on his heavy kicks and knees more in this bout. Iaquinta is pretty hittable in exchanges, but his footwork is generally light and economical. Iaquinta’s stance is considerably more bladed than Felder’s and presents his lead leg as a lovely target. Jorge Masvidal had decent success pursuing it in their fight. Another Iaquinta habit is that his elbows tend to float away from his body. Masvidal slotted in both switch kicks and stepping kicks on the open side and later used the same kick to set up an effective flurry with his hands.

Felder’s first fight in the UFC was marked by brilliant use of a switch left knee to intercept the charges of Danny Castillo. With Iaquinta constantly looking to step in for the overhand, Felder might do well to hang back on the outside and allow Iaquinta to come to him, intercepting him with knees and kicks to the midsection when possible.

It would be good to see Felder try to cut the cage and put Iaquinta against the fence. Iaquinta is a good wrestler but he hasn’t looked anything close to unstoppable on his shots in MMA. He is more likely to do crafty things like pick up a single leg and drop it to throw his right hand, or attempt a kani-basami scissor leg takedown as he did against Jorge Masvidal and Kevin Lee.

For Al Iaquinta, using the space of the cage would seem to be a good idea. His arsenal is less varied on the feet but his movement is much more spry and savvy than Felder’s. Given Felder’s tendency to plod after his opponents, drawing Felder forward and around the cage could work a treat. It would be nice to see Iaquinta take advantage of Felder’s tit-for-tat rhythm by feinting or even throwing out a couple of half-assed punches, stepping out the side door or pulling back, and returning as Felder pursues. Cruickshank did it repeatedly with the dart and side kick, but the Petrosyan/Pep skip could work a treat for the more minimalist offense of Iaquinta.

The double jab and the feint to double jab could work wonderfully for Iaquinta here and generally Ray Longo calls for a lot of feints from his fighters. Alessandro Ricci fell into a predictable rhythm in his fight with Felder and ate a gorgeous counter elbow. But this elbow, and Felder’s favorite counter knees, both require Felder to get his man’s timing. He also drops his hands when he attempts his knees; a feint and a double jab into right hand could catch Felder on the end of Iaquinta’s right hand and on one leg—that could be disastrous.

Drawing Felder’s low kicks would be another way to get him out of position and plow in with that double jab to right hand. Tiffany van Soest is a great example of this in the kickboxing ring, she will bounce around outside of range, very deliberately step in to present her lead leg, and almost immediately retract it. If the opponent doesn’t kick, nothing is lost. If the opponent does kick she is ready to step back in as their leg swings by.

Iaquinta showed some awareness of this against Masvidal, letting Masvidal fall short on a couple of low kicks after feinting, but failed to capitalize on it with anything meaningful. And of course the old fashioned method of brute-forcing it will always be a reasonable response to a good low kick. Fedor Emelianenko and Igor Vovchanchyn scored a dozen knockdowns between them by stepping into the kick, pointing the knee out and allowing the foot to ride up the front of their quad. At the same time, they were throwing the right hand.

A tactic that might come in handy for Iaquinta is to lead with kicks and step in off them. Both Iaquinta and his teammate Chris Weidman have done this well before—they aren’t big kickers or known for their kicking games but they kick decently enough and can travel in quickly off them, not caring so much about religiously retreating to their guard. Alessandro Ricci had great success putting up kicks and then darting in to hit Felder with his hands after Felder had braced for the impact. Here Ricci both returns to stance and immediately bounds in, and hits that Machida special—using the kick itself to step in.

The reason this fight sticks out as such an enchanting prospect even amid the star-studded UFC 223 is that Al Iaquinta is an unknown. He got off to a promising start, beating Kevin Lee who is now a top ten lightweight, but after that it was as though the UFC wanted to push Iaquinta—giving him some old timers with name value to knock out—and he still bit the hand that fed him. So we don’t know what Iaquinta can do against top names, while Paul Felder seems to have found himself, competing against dangerous names in eight fights since the last time Iaquinta stepped in the cage with a real opponent. If Iaquinta can pull off the win he is right back in the top of the division. If Felder can stop Iaquinta, any leverage Ragin’ Al had during his continuous contract disagreements is suddenly undone.

Jack wrote the hit biography Notorious: The Life and Fights of Conor McGregor and podcasts at The Fight Primer.

Tactical Guide to Paul Felder vs. Al Iaquinta syndicated from https://australiahoverboards.wordpress.com

[flauntpage]

Tactical Guide to Paul Felder vs. Al Iaquinta

UFC 223 is the best card the Ultimate Fighting Championship has put together in a long time. Part of that has to do with the fact that it isn’t completely reliant on the main event—which is probably a good idea as we are now on the fourth booking of Tony Ferguson vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov. One of the brilliant bouts on this card which is more than worth its portion of the asking price is the mouth-wateringly unpredictable matchup between next-great-lightweight, Paul Felder and the previous next-great-lightweight, Al Iaquinta.

Narratives make fights and sometimes they are hard to come by, but the contrasts between Iaquinta and Felder couldn’t be any more obvious and out front. Ragin’ Al routinely lives up to his moniker by proving hot-headed in the cage, on the mic, after the fights, and most importantly in his negotiations with the UFC. Iaquinta’s public spats with his employer have eaten up the majority of the last few years. He was recently named interim secretary and treasurer of yet another attempt to unionize MMA fighters though given his temperament it is a title which you would hope is ceremonial. In the meantime his trips to the cage have been infrequent and most recently—in the case of knocking out a thoroughly washed up Diego Sanchez—largely pointless. In fact one of the problems of Iaquinta’s lengthy absence is that the big names on his record (Ross Pearson, Joe Lauzon) are no longer big names starting to wind down, but are now well into the twilight of their careers.

A wicked knockout against Diego Sanchez, but not a fight that needed to happen nor one that anyone was clamoring for.

Paul Felder is the perfect company man: a less shopworn version of his friend and the UFC’s golden boy, Donald Cerrone. Dana White’s claim that the best fighters in the world fight three times a year in the UFC has always been a shaky one, yet Paul Felder has competed three times a year like clockwork since his arrival in 2015. When the troublesome Francisco Trinaldo was putting together the best streak in the lightweight division, while also being forty years old, speaking no English and having zero marketability whatsoever, it was Felder who was tasked with getting rid of him. Now Felder works as a commentator for the UFC in between his regular in-ring appearances and does a very solid job.

Felder’s recent run of wins highlight what he does best. Often billed as a striker, Felder’s feet can be sluggish but where he really excels is as a hitter. If he can get his man standing still (or lying prone) he can unleash some ferocious elbows and kicks. In fact his last three victories have come by way of his elbows. Against Stevie Ray, a grueling clinch fight allowed Felder to score a knee and finish with elbows on the mat. Against Charles Oliveira, Felder spent the entire first round fighting off a D’arce attempt and a standing rear naked choke. The moment he got free he dove right back into Oliveira’s guard to push the pace on him. In the second round, Felder reversed a clinch and put Oliveira on the fence. Both on the mat and on the feet, Felder’s head was constantly being posted underneath his opponent’s, giving him superior striking position by driving the opponent upright or back into the fence.

When he jostled for head position with Oliveira, Felder felt the chance to have a swing and pulled back to crack Oliveira with a sinister elbow which saw the Brazilian sag to the mat. More elbows from guard soon finished proceedings.

On the outside, Felder’s boxing is pretty bare bones—working high lows with one-twos and pounding in the odd low kick. Felder’s fight with Daron Cruickshank demonstrated that he likes working in tit-for-tat exchanges and can get caught clean in longer exchanges when he thinks that it is his turn to move. Cruickshank had great success sneaking out the side door after a one-two and side kicking Felder in the body or even face when Felder turned to follow. The classic Wonderboy side kick set up.

Cruickshank also demonstrated Felder’s defensive shortcomings in longer exchanges: drag Felder past the one-two and he’s open for plenty of strikes in mid range. Cruickshank snuck in backhands after missed blows and broke Felder’s rhythm.

If you exclude falling victim to an incredible wall walking D’arce choke from the bottom by Mitch Clarke, Al Iaquinta’s most troublesome fight in recent years was against Jorge Masvidal. It was a typical Masvidal fight in that Masvidal looked hard to hit, made Iaquinta miss a lot, and then failed to push his advantage, losing on the scorecards. The truth of Iaquinta’s striking is that he’s right hand happy and when Masvidal controlled distance and swayed away each time Iaquinta stepped in, the right hand just couldn’t find the mark and Iaquinta had little else to make Masvidal worry. Though his jab looked much sharper in the Lauzon fight, Iaquinta would still fixate on the right, throwing five or six strikes in combination and only landing the right hand. As Jim Miller found, Joe Lauzon will often get his head down and cover rather than leave striking range when under fire. This meant that Iaquinta could work in longer and longer flurries against him until the right hand finally snuck through and landed flush.

Hypothetical Gameplans

It would be good to see Paul Felder lean on his heavy kicks and knees more in this bout. Iaquinta is pretty hittable in exchanges, but his footwork is generally light and economical. Iaquinta’s stance is considerably more bladed than Felder’s and presents his lead leg as a lovely target. Jorge Masvidal had decent success pursuing it in their fight. Another Iaquinta habit is that his elbows tend to float away from his body. Masvidal slotted in both switch kicks and stepping kicks on the open side and later used the same kick to set up an effective flurry with his hands.

Felder’s first fight in the UFC was marked by brilliant use of a switch left knee to intercept the charges of Danny Castillo. With Iaquinta constantly looking to step in for the overhand, Felder might do well to hang back on the outside and allow Iaquinta to come to him, intercepting him with knees and kicks to the midsection when possible.

It would be good to see Felder try to cut the cage and put Iaquinta against the fence. Iaquinta is a good wrestler but he hasn’t looked anything close to unstoppable on his shots in MMA. He is more likely to do crafty things like pick up a single leg and drop it to throw his right hand, or attempt a kani-basami scissor leg takedown as he did against Jorge Masvidal and Kevin Lee.

For Al Iaquinta, using the space of the cage would seem to be a good idea. His arsenal is less varied on the feet but his movement is much more spry and savvy than Felder’s. Given Felder’s tendency to plod after his opponents, drawing Felder forward and around the cage could work a treat. It would be nice to see Iaquinta take advantage of Felder’s tit-for-tat rhythm by feinting or even throwing out a couple of half-assed punches, stepping out the side door or pulling back, and returning as Felder pursues. Cruickshank did it repeatedly with the dart and side kick, but the Petrosyan/Pep skip could work a treat for the more minimalist offense of Iaquinta.

The double jab and the feint to double jab could work wonderfully for Iaquinta here and generally Ray Longo calls for a lot of feints from his fighters. Alessandro Ricci fell into a predictable rhythm in his fight with Felder and ate a gorgeous counter elbow. But this elbow, and Felder’s favorite counter knees, both require Felder to get his man’s timing. He also drops his hands when he attempts his knees; a feint and a double jab into right hand could catch Felder on the end of Iaquinta’s right hand and on one leg—that could be disastrous.

Drawing Felder’s low kicks would be another way to get him out of position and plow in with that double jab to right hand. Tiffany van Soest is a great example of this in the kickboxing ring, she will bounce around outside of range, very deliberately step in to present her lead leg, and almost immediately retract it. If the opponent doesn’t kick, nothing is lost. If the opponent does kick she is ready to step back in as their leg swings by.

Iaquinta showed some awareness of this against Masvidal, letting Masvidal fall short on a couple of low kicks after feinting, but failed to capitalize on it with anything meaningful. And of course the old fashioned method of brute-forcing it will always be a reasonable response to a good low kick. Fedor Emelianenko and Igor Vovchanchyn scored a dozen knockdowns between them by stepping into the kick, pointing the knee out and allowing the foot to ride up the front of their quad. At the same time, they were throwing the right hand.

A tactic that might come in handy for Iaquinta is to lead with kicks and step in off them. Both Iaquinta and his teammate Chris Weidman have done this well before—they aren’t big kickers or known for their kicking games but they kick decently enough and can travel in quickly off them, not caring so much about religiously retreating to their guard. Alessandro Ricci had great success putting up kicks and then darting in to hit Felder with his hands after Felder had braced for the impact. Here Ricci both returns to stance and immediately bounds in, and hits that Machida special—using the kick itself to step in.

The reason this fight sticks out as such an enchanting prospect even amid the star-studded UFC 223 is that Al Iaquinta is an unknown. He got off to a promising start, beating Kevin Lee who is now a top ten lightweight, but after that it was as though the UFC wanted to push Iaquinta—giving him some old timers with name value to knock out—and he still bit the hand that fed him. So we don’t know what Iaquinta can do against top names, while Paul Felder seems to have found himself, competing against dangerous names in eight fights since the last time Iaquinta stepped in the cage with a real opponent. If Iaquinta can pull off the win he is right back in the top of the division. If Felder can stop Iaquinta, any leverage Ragin’ Al had during his continuous contract disagreements is suddenly undone.

Jack wrote the hit biography Notorious: The Life and Fights of Conor McGregor and podcasts at The Fight Primer.

Tactical Guide to Paul Felder vs. Al Iaquinta published first on https://footballhighlightseurope.tumblr.com/