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raven-m-3 · 6 years

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Raven’s Fic Recs: Faves

Hi there, nonny:

Ooh, I love this question, but it’s so hard to answer! I have a crap ton of favorite fics.

To make this easier, I’m limiting myself to completed fics (no WIPs), and only 25 all-time faves. Here they are, in no particular order!

1. You’ll Be The One to Turn by @postedbygaslight. post-TLJ canonverse. This fic is the ultimate love letter to fans of Reylo, the Sequel Trilogy, and SW. The prose is breathtakingly beautiful, and the character development and plot points fulfill all of my deepest wishes for Ep. 9. It more than does justice to the characters and story that I love.

2. Turn by @ever-so-reylo. a post-TLJ two-shot. Ali always insists she doesn’t deserve all the praise she gets, but she truly does. I read everything she writes. I would follow her into any fandom or down any rabbit hole (in fact, I have 😂). It’s almost impossible to pick my fave fic of hers, but I chose Turn because it is the reason I first fell in love with Reylo fic. It’s soft, subtle, emotionally raw, and deeply romantic.

Other fics that I considered including on here:

You Should See The Things We Do

Until You

Delicate

Left-Handed Kisses

3. Sealed to Me by @galacti-core post-TLJ canonverse. Phenomenal plot, writing, and smut. There’s something for everyone here: snark and sexual tension, Force Bond voyeurism, romantic times on Naboo, epic space battles, the Knights of Ren. etc. The final climatic scenes blew my mind. A gorgeous vision of Ep. 9 with lots of banging.

4. One Night Stand by @delia-pavorum. modern AU. This is the sexiest, sweetest, most emotionally intense one-night-stand fic. There are safe sexy times, but these two forget to guard their hearts, and instantly fall hard for one another. I love Ben being the adoring gentleman Rey deserves- he’s thrilled to take care of all her needs, even in the morning light.

Moral Ambiguity and Spira are runners-up.

5. Within Monsters by @anonymousmink. a canonverse AU / retelling of TFA in which Rey becomes Ben’s apprentice. It explores a fascinating what-if scenario while totally getting Reylo-- i.e., that they are equals, and that Rey’s love will ultimately inspire Ben to choose a better path. The writing is superb, and the sizzling slow burn is not to be missed.

6. Proximity’s Paramour by @dvrkrey. a post-TLJ canonverse two-shot. A darker take on how Reylo could finally unite. It’s intense, sexy, harsh, and refreshingly unapologetic. It’s a great example of her inimitable writing style: confident, immersive, and bold AF.

Runner-up: Infectious, which is soft(er) Reylo.

7. User Not Found by @r-e-a-l-m-a-t-h. modern AU where Rey is a technologically-challenged office worker, and Ben is the awkward-yet-adorable IT guy. I re-read this often- it has so much heart. It’s hilarious, moving, sexy as hell, and has the sweetest finish. I’m cheating a bit, because there is one chapter left. However, the first chapter can be read as a standalone. She only wrote more because I begged / commissioned her! 😂

8. Starstuff by @voicedimplosives. a three-part post-TLJ fic. This fic explores two of Ben and Rey’s possible futures until they “finally get things right.” It’s hard to explain how brilliant and moving it is. There’s necessary angst, but the ending made my Reylo heart weep with joy. Her writing is so graceful and gorgeous.

9. Full and Anew by medelrey. a two-shot canonverse AU with Renperor and Empress Rey. Be prepared to bathe in sin with this fic. It’s deliciously dark and sumptuous, from its prose to its characterizations and smut.

10. I’m Always In This Twilight (In the Shadow of Your Heart) by @kylorenvevo. a canonverse AU one-shot in which Ben defects to the Resistance. It’s a poignant, beautiful tale on how they fall in love, and how Ben ultimately learns to forgive himself. The ending is perfect. The hype about her writing is 100% earned.

Runners-up: Into the Great Laugh of Mankind and Lilies of the Valley.

11. The Way to Tomorrow by @the-reylo-void. a canonverse AU. Ben is sentenced to one year of exile / solitary confinement, and his connection with Rey becomes his only lifeline. This fic shattered me and put me back together again. It’s a moving, masterful take on how they finally find their home together.

12. Find a Thread to Pull, and We Can Watch It Unravel, Please by @dixiecupaquarium. a canonverse vision of Reylo uniting at the end of Ep. IX. This fic is so realistic and true to canon. It shows Reylo finally coming together, both physically and emotionally— their initial shyness ultimately giving way to soaring love, joy, and hope. It’s stunningly beautiful.

13. Gratitude by @lunaplath. a post-TLJ mini fic in which Ben captures Rey and brings her to the FO. This is a Rey Says Yes fic, but it firmly maintains that which makes Reylo, Reylo— i.e., a deeply conflicted Rey who is desperate to find her belonging; a quietly devoted Ben who is possessive of Rey but respects her agency. I love the bittersweet (but firmly Reylo) ending.

14. Stumble Through Heaven by @inspirationalmisquotes. a post-TLJ one-shot. Reylo sneaking around the galaxy and dealing with their forbidden love / passion / frustration via tons of rough, love / hate sex. It’s delicious.

15. Auribus Teneo Lupum by @malevolent-reverie. a dark, dystopian A/B/O AU. Just when you think you have this fic figured out, it will gleefully flit right out of your grasp. It’s dark. It’s funny. It’s hot. It’s serious. It’s crack. It’s subversively feminist. It’s one hell of a ride.

16. You’re the Best, Daddy by @newerconstellations. a modern AU one-shot with Professor! Ben and Student! Rey. This delicious little fic sums up everything I love about her writing: naughty and dangerous, but also soft and totally empowering. It will leave you with utterly heart-melting Reylo feels.

17. Heartstruck by @strawberrycupcakehuckleberrypie. a modern soulmates AU. It’s impossible to be in a bad mood after reading this fic. It’s like Reylo nirvana. It describes a world in which Ben and Rey are still soulmates, but find each other in the sweetest, softest, most swoon-worthy way.

18. Lovebite by @tearoomsaloon. a dark canonverse AU / Reydar one-shot. Expect predatory, possessive Kylo / Matt, and dub con. It’s pure sin and I love it.

19. America’s Asshole by @monsterleadmehome. modern AU one-shot. Ben is an asshole movie star, and Rey becomes his reluctant agent. This is top-tier fluff / crack, my friends- it’s smutty, fiery, hilarious, and clever. It’s such a fun read.

20. And Just Like That by @vaader. a modern AU with Asshole Exec! Ben and Assistant! Rey. It’s snarky, clever, and hilarious, and the smut is insanely hot. Ben reforms himself just enough to get to lovable rogue status. This is a gift fic, so it hits soo many of my kinks. #blessed

21. Can’t Turn Me Off (What Turns Me On) by @audreyii-fic. modern A/B/O AU. Omega! Rey gets way more than she bargained for when her heat app matches her with Alpha! Ben. This fic is A/B/O done right. The writing is phenomenal. Most of the fic is lighthearted and hilarious, but it also tackles Rey’s traumatic past. The angst only makes the ending that much sweeter.

22. Selfishness in Silence by @reyloisblessed. post-TLJ canonverse. A fantastic rendering of Ep. IX. Her writing is my jam. Ben in this fic reminds me strongly of Jason Fry’s, except he is (*cough*) unrestrained in ways that Disney would never allow. This is the darker, R-rated Ep. IX that I would kill to see.

[Leaving the last 3 spots for a few of my fave WIPs. I will update this list when they’re done.]

So there you have it, nonny. It was so hard to narrow these down! I’m sure that there are some I missed, but I had to cut myself off. 😂

I definitely recommend checking out my normal rec lists, too (Part 1 | Part 2). I follow a decent number of WIPs that will likely become faves.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I have!! 😊❤️

#reylo #reylo fic #reylo fic recs #mine

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17-imagines · 6 years

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[scenario] euphoria

title: euphoria

member: kwon soonyoung x idol!reader

genre: angst, fluff

warnings: none

word count: 2,321

synopsis: you and soonyoung are forced to choose between loving each other or the job you both love.

a/n: mercy pls ive been gone for too long

With your bag slung over your shoulder, you flip off the lights in the practice room, shutting the door quietly behind you.

You’re startled at the sound of footsteps at the end of the hall, and a quiet ‘hey’ is thrown your way before you can identify the stranger.

“I haven’t seen you lately,” they continue, footsteps growing in volume as they get closer.

You squint at the approaching figure, and let out a small sigh when you realize who it is - Lee Jihoon. He has an iced coffee in one hand, and his phone in the other. He watches you expectantly, awaiting an explanation.

“...Right, yeah, uh… I’ve been…” you gesture to the practice room behind you, “...working.”

“Without Soonyoung?” Jihoon asks bluntly, sipping his drink. “Did you guys fight?”

You frown slightly.

“It’s complicated.”

Jihoon nods slowly, then glances at his phone, a screen full of notifications visible.

“They want me home,” he sighs, rolling his eyes. “You should head home too. It’s late.”

You hum in response, turning towards the stairwell. Jihoon crinkles his nose in disgust, but waves you off with a soft smile as he waits for the elevator.

You make it a few steps down when you see the silhouette of a person seated at the bottom step, and upon hearing your arrival they quickly stand and swivel around.

“Sorry, I -”

“It’s fine, you -”

You find yourself face-to-face with Kwon Soonyoung, whom you haven’t seen since the conference that crushed you both.

Painful memories flash through your head, and from the pained expression on Soonyoung’s face, they’re flashing through his too.

An overly chilled conference room.

The words the CEO spoke, stinging your hearts like venom.

Inappropriate. Prohibited.

The tears that dripped down your faces, staining your sweater sleeves.

The last kiss that sent chills throughout your bodies.

A few beats of silence pass, and Soonyoung is the first to break eye contact, his watery eyes straying to the tops of his sneakers. You glance away, focusing your teary blurred vision on the stairs.

“Sorry,” he says again, nodding his head slightly, gesturing for you to pass him. You oblige, quickly slipping past him without another word, tears threatening to spill over.

You disappear down another flight of steps, and Soonyoung sits back down on his step, dropping his head into his hands, wiping away the wetness surrounding his eyes.

“Fuck,” Soonyoung mumbles, rubbing his face.

“Language, Kwon Soonyoung,” a voice chirps. Soonyoung glances back at the descending male with a slightly confused, hurtful expression, earning an eye roll.

“The elevator was taking too long,” Jihoon shrugs, sitting a step higher than Soonyoung. “You good?”

Soonyoung shoots him a dejected glare before dropping his head back into his hands.

“Not in the slightest.”

Soonyoung sighs breathily and Jihoon swirls the ice around in his drink, the sound echoing throughout the empty stairwell.

“You still love her?”

Soonyoung glances up from his hands, sending Jihoon a soft, bittersweet smile.

“...I couldn’t stop even if I tried.”

“...I see.”

Jihoon hates seeing the other like this, so broken and vulnerable, and although he wants to think positively and think that the members will be able to make him bright and cheerful again, he knows nothing and no one will be able to fill the void in Soonyoung’s heart except you yourself.

And no one has made him as happy as you have.

Jihoon’s phone buzzes, interrupting him from his thoughts, and he turns it towards Soonyoung, revealing a thread of messages from Seungcheol, demanding that they come home.

They oblige and return home to a fuming Seungcheol, who’s leaning against the wall facing the entrance, ready to let them have it.

But then Seungcheol remembers how much Soonyoung has gone through during the past week, and concludes that the last thing he needs is Seungcheol nagging him like an overprotective parent.

He pats Soonyoung’s head as he walks by, sending him an unreturned smile before the younger slips into the comfort of his bedroom.

He deserves the privacy.

He doesn’t want the members to see him like this.

He’s a unit leader.

A hyung.

But in this vulnerable, weak state…

He’s just a broken-hearted Kwon Soonyoung.

He’s started to sleep longer than Jihoon, and no one has the heart to wake him up for morning practices.

They know he deserves the rest.

The escape.

But when news comes in that you collapsed during a recording, Seungcheol doesn’t hesitate to barge into the younger’s room, despite orders not to ‘notify or alarm’ Soonyoung.

The members came to a consensus that Soonyoung deserves to know, because it’s not just a matter concerning public image, but someone he loves.

And that overrides any authority.

“...Hyung?” Soonyoung grumbles groggily, sitting up slowly.

The bed sinks beneath Seungcheol’s added weight at the foot of the bed, and he lets out a soft sigh.

“Seoul National University Hospital, Room 202.”

Soonyoung squints at the elder, sleep still heavy on his mind. “...What?”

“(F/N) collapsed at a recording.”

That’s all Soonyoung needs to hear before he’s out of bed, pulling on a pair of sweats and jacket, grabbing for his phone on the nightstand.

Before bolting out of the dorm he stops and turns back to Seungcheol, who’s watching him with a proud grin.

“Thanks, hyung.” He frowns, brows furrowing slightly. “If the company finds out they -”

“I’ve got it under control, Soonyoung. Go.”

Seungcheol always knows what to say during times like this.

Soonyoung can only hope he can get out a sentence - a word, even - when he sees you.

Since the conference, the two of you have been forced to cut off all contact, and are not even allowed to be in the same room, even while feet apart.

‘If the press gets word that the two of you are romantically involved,’ they said, ‘you will face suspension from activities or contract termination.’

So it’s understandable that his heart skips when he sees reporters lined up at the entrance.

You need him, though.

Cameras begin to flash and shutter behind him as he sprints past and towards the elevator, ignoring the nosy questions shouted his way, the baseless accusations being made.

They’re the least of his concern.

They can say what they want, and the company can do as they please.

He can move out of the spotlight,

he can get another job,

but he can’t get another you.

Soonyoung nearly rips the door off its hinges when he reaches your room.

There’s no company staff to drag him out, but there’s no doubt in his mind that they already know, especially after the reporter fiasco on the ground level, but this is his choice.

You are his choice.

“Soonyoung,” you greet softly, “you shouldn’t - oof.”

He envelopes you in a comforting embrace, your worries about the company quickly fading.

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence, (L/N) (F/N),” he mutters sternly, reveling in your familiar warmth and scent.

“Are you okay?”

He asks you without letting go, the words muffled slightly by your hair, his breath warm against your skin.

His hold on you is tight, as if you’d disappear otherwise, and you gladly lean into him, comforted by his presence alone.

“Now that you’re here,” you answer quietly, balling your fists into the back of his jacket.

His heart aches at the action, and he pulls you even closer, holding you even tighter.

A million thoughts are running through his head at the speed of light, including regrets of not seeing you sooner and not defying the company’s stupid dating policy sooner.

Soonyoung feels you tremble against him and his thoughts come to an abrupt halt.

None of those thoughts matter in this moment, because he’s here now. You’re here now.

And not soon after, tears begin to fall from the both of you.

“I love you so much, you know that? Losing the job...although painful, doesn’t compare to losing you, (F/N).”

He shudders against you as a sob escapes him, causing your heart to sting.

You pull away slightly to press a kiss to Soonyoung’s wet cheek, sending him a small smile despite the tears rolling down your face.

“I love you too, Soonyoung. More than anything.”

You wipe his tears away to the best of your ability, and he does the same for you.

Soonyoung pulls away further and brushes a thumb over your lips before kissing you gently, the taste of your chapstick and tears intermingling.

The kiss is comforting, and although your thoughts are in disarray, an odd calm feeling washes over the both of you.

It’s as if the universe is telling the both of you everything will be alright as long as you have each other, because no one can tell the both of you to stop loving.

No one except yourselves have the right to make that call.

And...some contracts are meant to be broken.

The next morning you awake with Soonyoung resting in a chair beside you, his hand tightly interlaced with yours.

His phone rests beside your leg, buzzing with notifications, the most recent one being from ‘manager-hyung’, reading: ‘conference room @ 10. bring (f/n)’.

The word ‘conference’ alone sends a chill down your spine, and you slowly awaken Soonyoung, who’s just as restless as you are at the sight of it.

You’re permitted to return to the company after a thorough checkup, and although you can walk fine, Soonyoung insists that he gives you a piggyback ride up to the conference room.

“If it’s the last time we ever step foot in the company, we might as well do it in style,” he says.

You laugh, genuinely, and Soonyoung knows this is the right path to walk down.

The fans will understand.

In fact, if he didn’t choose you - choose love - he feels that they’d just get more upset.

Your phone buzzes in your back pocket, and you’re confused at the string of Instagram notifications on your screen.

pledis_boos tagged you in a post. min9yu_k tagged you in a post. joshuahong951230 tagged you in a post. xuminghao_o tagged you in a post. chwenotchew tagged you in a post.

Soonyoung’s interest is piqued, as well as yours, and before heading into the building you open the posts.

They all contain the same video of you and Soonyoung dancing, exchanging laughs and chaste kisses, all the while unaware of whoever’s filming.

It’s a genuine display of affection, raw and uncut, posted by five members of SEVENTEEN, captions translating to the same simple phrase: “love finds a way”.

Within seconds, views and comments pour in, and you and Soonyoung scan over the love and support flooding the posts.

The fear and anxiety is quickly washed away and replaced with the happiness of acceptance.

Soonyoung comes to the conclusion that whatever occurs in that conference room, as long as he has you and SEVENTEEN by his side, everything will be okay.

You put your phone away and take Soonyoung’s piggyback offer, making your way up to the conference room with newfound strength.

However...out of all the possible outcomes you both expected, this wasn’t one of them.

Upon entering the conference room, you’re bombarded by the sound of cheering and confetti.

The members of SEVENTEEN and your groupmates surround the perimeter of the fairly large room, exchanging gleeful glances and short giggles.

“What in the world...are you guys up to something? Is this our going away party??”

Soonyoung lets you down and you stand beside him holding his arm, sending him a skeptical look.

“It’s nothing of the sort.”

You both freeze at the sound of the CEO’s voice, announcing his arrival.

The members are urging you both to turn around, and you shut your eyes as you turn slowly. Soonyoung nudges you, and you can hear the smile in his voice.

“Open your eyes, jagiya.”

In front of you, the CEO is shooting you both an apologetic smile, a small cake in his hands. The icing on top reads ‘love finds a way’, and the number of candles lit corresponds to the amount of time you’ve been with each other.

“I would like to apologize. I should have realized that ordering you to separate would do more harm than good. It is obvious that our dating policy needs to be revised. As long as your relationship doesn’t interfere with your performance...then I shall give you both my blessing.”

He holds the cake up as a peace offering, and you and Soonyoung blow the candles out.

Cheering ensues again, and the CEO slips past you both to place the cake on the conference table, giving you some degree of privacy.

“Don’t cry,” he starts, bringing a hand to your cheek, caressing it softly.

“Says you,” you retort, reaching up to wipe away the tears he hadn’t realized were falling.

He whines and pulls you in for a kiss, and you mumble something about having an audience, to which he pulls away to give you an abrupt shrug.

“The more the merrier.”

“Soonyoung, that’s not the phrase-”

He kisses you again in an effort to cease your nagging, and as much as you’re annoyed by i, it works.

Since then, everything has gone back to normal.

You and Soonyoung are sitting on the floor of the practice room together, sharing a pair of headphones, lost in each other.

He begins to pepper your face with small kisses, and doesn’t even bother to flinch when a chorus of groans resound around the room.

Maybe not everything’s ‘normal’, because instead of sneaking around like before, you’re now displaying your affections for everyone to see.

In short, they’ve...got some things to get used to.

But in the end, you and Soonyoung are together, happy - how you should’ve been from the start - and that’s what’s most important.

One without the other is impossible.

You’re the cause of each other’s euphoria.

#kwon soonyoung #seventeen imagines #hoshi #seventeen scenarios #seventeen #kpop scenarios #angst #fluff #2k #IM BACK ON MY BULLSHIT HEY

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breezy-cheezy · 6 years

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Mmmmmkay I have to rant about Nier: Automata for a bit; I accidentally triggered the end of the game (playthrough 2, ending B) last night and stayed up till 2:00 trying to finish the stupid “not allowed to save” phase. But y’aLL IT’S SO GOOD??????? AND 3RD PLAYTHROUGH ISN’T ANOTHER RE-RUN OF THE SAME STORY WE GET MORE STORY AAAAAAAAA

(more under the cut because there is ALOT for those who care;;;;;)

- OK SO THE MUSIC IS AMAZING??? I love LOVE that the music dynamics build in instruments and intensity as you progress towards danger/plot, but also softens again for quieter moments and just...musical storytelling is so sooooo my jam I love it. Also that the music goes 8 bit when 9S hacks stuff, it’s actually kinda cute X’D

- ON THE SUBJECT of 9S being able to hack into enemies and you getting to play that as a little teeny ship shooting down viruses and barriers and whatnot. Genius???? That added SO MUCG to the story on the second playthrough as 9S. Particularly discovering the fact that all of humanity?? Is actually extinct?? ...even BEFORE the aliens/machines attacked earth?? WH A T?????? WHAT THE HECK ARE ANDROIDS FIGHTING FOR THEN????? *every time an android salutes and says “glory to mankind” now* GLORY MY FOOT THEY ALL DEAD MOVE ON--

- I realize it probably has alot to do with the lore of previous nier games and I’ll probably have to trawl through Wiki pages soon here. Emil himself really broke my heart aaaaaah baby...his side quest is so sad. I also looked at arts and he was a really cute kid?? Before he was turned int the freaky moon skeleton thing...?? Oh my goodness......

- The secret lunar tear flower room is gorgeous. I just sat there for awhile to soak it all in...the music is so nostalgic and I’ve never heard that song bfore how do y’all DO THAT--

- Emil’s shop is pretty cute. He just drives around the ruins and sells stuff if you shoot him and he’ll stop X’’’D It did ruin alot of serious moments tho. *Engels, talking about how he’d sinned for killing so many androids and choosing death--* “S-A-L-E SAAAALLLEEE~~!! EVERY SALE’S A WIIIINNNNNN~~~~!!!! LALALaaaaaa~~~...” Me: *facepalm*

- ...I just realized the little tune he sings is a cheerful rendition of the music in the flower room. H E C K

- ANYWAY. Onto the actual game. I really really enjoyed playing as 9S for obvious reasons (bABY) but it really did add so soooo much to the pretty much surface level story when you first play as 2B. Which sums them up pretty well...2B, Battle unit 2, pushes on relentlessly, avoids thinking too hard about things and what she’s doing because oh dear, EMOTION might get in the way...9S, Scanner unit 9, on the other hand, cannot stop his curiosity. He asks questions, he sticks his nose in way further than he should to some dangerous stuff. I think he realized Machines were sentient and had feelings long before 2B, but was in denial for a good while. You learn so much more about what you’re fighting as 9S, because he scans. He observes, searches, discovers. Heck, some hacking caused him to experience empathy for the poor things, to his horror...

- Actually, there are alot of scenes where either 2B or 9S questions why a machine they’re killing is screaming for help, of crying for lost family, or loudly proclaiming loyalty to a king they’ll give their lives for...they stop for a moment, but the other quickly jumps in and reminds them that it’s just imitation. It’s not real, it’s fake, machines can’t feel, yadda yadda...it was odd to me they kept switching off on reminding, but...I think they both know, deep down, what they’re doing. But denial. Because if machines DO have feelings, if they are sentient...what does that mean for all they’ve killed...? Just...hoo BOY the moral dellimas in this game?? Scary good. The quests get that across alot.

- I don’t like the theme of hopelessness in most of the side quests?? I do see many of them as cautionary tales though. We watch many characters lose hope and the will to live after their thing/person they’re living FOR is gone. It makes me worry alot about 2B, who is a soldier through and through. 9S actually does have hopes and dreams for things outside of the war, which I love ;7; they definitely lean on each other alot emotionally on this respect though...I don’t know quite what to make of the themes of the game this far in yet;;;;

- The love between 9S and 2B is of course my favorite thing. Familial, romantic, idk. I, being me, see it as more platonic, “You’re my rock in this storm” only friend/sister/brother vibe, but as more of a fan of platonic relationships, that is what I tend to do. But 9s following 2B around like a lost puppy and trying to do all he can to help and do his job but also getting bored with said job and trying to make the most of things, asking all the “why” questions, 2B acting irritated but also always keeps him close and makes sure he’s safe....going ballistic when someone hurts her boy ;;v;; I love...2 kids. Their operators and pods are such fun dynamics too~~

- As far as endings A and B...DANG. It hit worse because you get backstory on the giant ocean machine (that 9S just hit with a giant missle, which he also had to ride to keep it on the right path...DX NO SELF PRESERVATION) he just...wanted his mama......;;A;;

- Also it’s not fair. 9S is so injured by that missle attack, then I guess Adam finds him and is like “HM. *sticks the lil boy impaled on a wall* Perfect. *proceeds to emotionally and mentally torture said child*“ like YO ADAM THAT’S NOT HOW YOU DO THINGS. Then 2B proceeds to kick down walls for her boy and kills Adam and walks off carrying 9S bridal style into the sunset. Lovely. I have a comic idea for this part, lol.

- Oh I don’t like Adan very much, he is pretty tho?? There was alot of blood though...how do machines bleed?? How do the androids bleed?? What??? I question this alot.

- HHHHHHH THE BECOME AS GODS CHAPTER SCARED ME I DON’T EVER WANNA DO THAT AGAIN DANG SUICIDAL ROBOTS SCARED ME SO BAD

- Fighting Eve was...annoying but still heartbreaking. He misses his brother so much....even though Adam is a butthead and couldn’t care less he left his little brother behind DX just everything about that fight was Tragic. Also Eve developing more self awareness and realizing “Eve” is a girl’s name and being a bit miffed LOL that’s what y’all get when your first book is the bible kiddos...I realize they’re technically like what? 2 weeks old still???

- The ENDING. From 9S’s perspective is especially scary....the corruption transforming him, 2B coming in to kill him to stop the pain, he BEGGED her to, just....hhhhhhh babies ;;A;; 2B’s soft broken crying over him as she’s forced to strangle her only friend to death just aaaaaAAAAAAAA I DIE ;;;;;;;;~;;;;;;;;;

- I was actually able to cry over it this time coz. It was 2 am. No parent awkwardly watching over my shoulder. Because the pose for this scene is...........super awkward..........like......really........their clothes are super torn up and uh. The first time I was just hoping my parents wouldn’t mistake it for a sex scene or something hhhhhghhhhh;;;;;; I really really REALLY wish the pose was different, the game does need to give the fanservice a rest, at LEAST for a scene this serious DX I’m able to ignore it but when someone else is watching I don’t wanna have to explain;;;;

- That IS a big gripe I have with the game. The fanservice. Just. Why. How is 2B’s outfit practical?? Self destruct mode???? REALLY???? Get this girl battle shorts or something please.....I guess if I looked at it more as a ballet outfit?? I might make some edits when I draw her because GEEZ.

- 9S gets some of this too. Self destruct mode, his shorts are blown off???? WHAT THE HECK???? Welp, never using that again. also why is he the only yorha boy android??????????? X’’’’D They never explain that!!

- BACK TO ENDING STUFF why were there random data hologram girls standing there, watching 2B strangle 9S?? Just...silently there...they weren’t there in the first playthrough?? I’ve seen them a couple times but they’re NEVER mentioned?? WHAT ARE THEY-- is it a glitch?? Wha--

- Teeny 9S being able to dump his consciousness into a giant machine robot guy and cradling 2B in his hand ;;~;; he’s fine y’all I’m so GLAD (I wanna draw something for this scene.... I wanna draw alot of things)

- I love Pascal. He should adopt all the sad people to his happy peace village. He already started that...what a good egg.

- The accessories option is lovely. I’ve been running around with 9S with a blue bow in his hair forever now ;7; replaced with the flower in his hair because BOYS AND FLOWERS I LOVE but I think I might give the flower to 2B because she’d look lovely with it and....I miss the blue bow X’D

- Also the AMOUNT of things this could line up with a KH universe....as far as how androids work, hearts (black boxes), memories making you...you, being able to transfer “hearts” to new bodies when the old is destroyed, POWER OF LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP...there’s alot. I dunno what to do with this info...

Anyway, I have alOT of thoughts and feelings on this game, it’s like...a very cool book. I’ve had trouble putting down. These aren’t even all of them but idk who I can actually rant to so here it is for the Void

I’m so interested to see where it goes!

#breezy babbles #ALOT #idk where else to put this so here #for the void #this probably absolutely makes no sense I'm so sorry #nier: automata #nier #meta #????kinda #I loooove love love 9S with all my heart and soul #he's also voiced by Mob's english voice actor which is SO MUCH CUTER #they need to hang out #I love 2B so much too #their operators are cute #pascal is cute #everyone is cute

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petnews2day · 2 years

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Cat-slapper Kurt Zouma facing clearing mucky canals as part of community service

New Post has been published on https://petnews2day.com/cat-news/cat-slapper-kurt-zouma-facing-clearing-mucky-canals-as-part-of-community-service/

Cat-slapper Kurt Zouma facing clearing mucky canals as part of community service

West Ham United defender Kurt Zouma will be forced to pick up litter and clear mucky canals as part of his community service after his hopes of carrying out activities in private were denied.

The £30million centre-back was sentenced by a court to 180 hours of community service after pleading guilty of mistreating his cat. He has also been banned from owning cats for five years after a horrific video appeared on social media which showed him kicking and slapping the feline.

Zouma caused outrage when he subjected the cat to abuse in his £2m home in front of his seven-year-old son, with the video filmed by his brother. He could be heard yelling “I’ll kill it”, with the two Bengal cats are now in the process of being permanently rehomed.

Kurt Zouma was filmed by his brother kicking and slapping his cat (Image: INTERNET PICTURE)

It was believed Zouma was keen on pursuing the chance to be able to do his unpaid service from home due to a huge backlog as a result of Covid, with some offenders able granted the chance to do so. But the disgraced footballer, along with his 24-year-old brother Yoan, has been told by probation officers to carry out his service in public, according to The Sun.

As is standard with community service, the pair will be facing wearing hi-vis vests and doing chores such as shovelling, picking up litter, clearing mucky canals, painting and covering up graffiti.

And the length of their service means the Frenchman faces spending the entirety of the summer months serving the time for his crime, which could filter into the new Premier League season.

Kurt Zouma pictured leaving Thames Valley Magistrates Court after his sentencing (Image: SWNS)

The Zouma brothers both admitted the charges in May at Thames Magistrates Court and were confronted by a man in a giant cat costume. Kurt Zouma pleaded guilty to two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a cat, after blaming the family pet for damaging a chair.

He was also sentenced to a 12-month community order with 180 hours of unpaid work, with a fine of £8,887, while his brother received a slightly lesser punishment of 140 hours for his part in filming and uploading the video to Snapchat.

West Ham chose to discipline the player with by fining his two weeks wages — to the tune of £250,000 – and he has been dropped by sponsors such as Adidas following the incident.

Kurt Zouma continued to play for West Ham despite his offence (Image: REUTERS)

However, manager David Moyes has continued to play him while the case was ongoing, with Zouma the target of ridicule from opposition fans.

The RSPCA, who prosecuted the case, were satisfied with the outcome as its chief inspectorate officer Dermot Murphy said: “We are pleased there has been swift justice in this awful case and our focus now is matching these beautiful cats to the loving homes they deserve.

“This case sends a really clear message that animals should never be treated like this, and posting videos of animals being harmed on social media for likes is abhorrent.”

#Cats News

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diaspora9ja · 4 years

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Mauricio Pochettino’s former Tottenham forward gives verdict on Man Utd job

Andros Townsend has backed Mauricio Pochettino for the Manchester United job, claiming he matches completely with the ethos at Previous Trafford.

The previous Tottenham boss has emerged as a possible substitute for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with strategies United chiefs have already sounded him out.

Solskjaer helped to ease a number of the strain surrounding his place with Saturday’s 3-1 win over Everton.

That win got here after successive defeats, together with in opposition to Istanbul Basaksehir within the Champions League.

Stories had claimed the Norwegian might have been sacked with defeat on Merseyside, however his facet got here from behind to win all three factors.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer eased strain surrounding his future with a 3-1 win in opposition to Everton (Picture: Clive Brunskill/POOL/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

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Townsend performed below the Argentinian throughout his time at Spurs and regardless of being a fan of Solskjaer, believes United threat lacking out on a “world class supervisor”.

“I do assume the United job could be excellent for him within the sense of the children they’ve coming via,” he informed talkSPORT.

“They frequently carry children via the academy. He’d be excellent to nurture them and make them into world-class gamers like he has executed earlier than at Spurs.

Mauricio Pochettino has emerged because the favorite to interchange Solskjaer

“However Ole’s executed a great job; he steadied the ship when he got here in. He’s a disciple of Sir Alex Ferguson and he’s constructing for the long run as nicely, so it’s a troublesome one.

“Sure, Ole is doing nicely, however do you wish to miss out on a world class supervisor like Pochettino?”

Requested concerning the particular qualities of his previous supervisor, Townsend pointed to his capacity to pluck gamers from the academy and develop them into top-class stars.

Ought to Man Utd substitute Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with Mauricio Pochettino? Have your say under.

Andros Townsend claims his former supervisor could be “excellent” for Man Utd

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He added. “He was unbelievable. He loves enhancing gamers, particularly younger gamers.

“He loves discovering little gems within the academy and reserves and making them into family names.

“You’ve seen that with the likes of Harry Kane and Dele Alli and the gamers he introduced via at Spurs.

“He’s an unbelievable supervisor. Any large membership on the planet could be fortunate to have him.”

* Signal as much as the Mirror Football email here for the most recent information and switch gossip

from Diaspora9ja https://diaspora9ja.com/mauricio-pochettinos-former-tottenham-forward-gives-verdict-on-man-utd-job/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mauricio-pochettinos-former-tottenham-forward-gives-verdict-on-man-utd-job

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easyfoodnetwork · 4 years

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How Lesbian Bars Are Surviving a Pandemic

Jolene’s in San Francisco

As few as 16 lesbian bars remain in the United States, and their owners are fighting with all they have to make it through

On the night of March 2, a tornado churned through Nashville, ripping through whole neighborhoods and damaging swaths of restaurants. Among the businesses hit was the Lipstick Lounge, a lesbian-owned “bar for humans” open for almost 18 years. Co-owners Christa Suppan and Jonda Valentine rallied their community to save the bar; a friend launched a GoFundMe that raised over $16,000. The owners, staff, and friends threw themselves into eight days of repairs to save the bar. On March 11, they reopened. “Everybody who walked in those doors, we had the biggest hugs ever,” Suppan says. “We missed them after just eight days.”

That triumph and relief were short-lived: On March 15, Nashville ordered all bars and restaurants to close to curb the spread of COVID-19. Lipstick shut down again. And it hasn’t opened since. “It was a double whammy,” Suppan says. “Having already lost everything, all our food, and reopening again, which cost a lot of money, we had to close four days later. I’ve been in this industry so long, and I’ve never gone through anything like this, and neither has anybody else. There’s no handbook.”

As the pandemic stretches onward, America’s few remaining lesbian bars are hanging on for dear life, and waiting for their moment. While there is no official Queer Bar Registry, current estimates put the number of lesbian bars in the United States at a vanishingly small 16. In the 1980s, there were hundreds, according to a study which has confirmed the gut feeling in queer America that the gay bar is in decline, and lesbian bars are the most endangered. Without major community and even government support, COVID-19 could reduce those numbers further — or cause a full-on extinction. Many of the bar owners I spoke to are getting by trading off bills, hoping for landlord understanding, and maxing out their credit cards; some aren’t sure if they can last past June or July if they remain closed. But still, they are holding out hope.

Courtesy of Jolene’s

A crowd at Jolene’s in San Francisco

In San Francisco, the bar Jolene’s opened just a year ago to fill the void for queer people who are left out of the male-centric bar spaces elsewhere in the city. Owner Jolene Linsangan calls her first year a “rollercoaster,” even after a lifetime spent in and around the restaurant industry. “It’s still a rollercoaster to figure out how we’re going to survive. I’m trying to pay off one bill at a time and ask for extensions and see if we can make it.” She has unleashed a slew of creative strategies to keep the lights on and stay connected to her community during lockdown. The bar normally serves food, so there’s takeout brunch with rainbow pancakes and an entirely Hawai‘i-themed menu by her chef who grew up there. Regulars who live in the neighborhood come by weekly or even daily for to-go cocktails in cups sealed by a machine commonly used for boba. “A customer accidentally dropped it and still it was closed — she was so amazed,” Linsangan says. The bar also regularly streams performances over Zoom, with the performers’ Venmo accounts attached so they can get a bit of financial relief, too. When reopening does happen, Linsangan plans on maintaining social distancing by selling tickets for dinner and a show, in the hopes that customers will want to pay to sit in one place and enjoy live entertainment.

Linsangan is regularly in touch with Julie Mabry of Pearl Bar in Houston, who she met after bringing her lesbian party, which usually hopped around bars in San Francisco, on tour. Now the bar owners trade advice and support. Mabry is emerging as a connecting node among the loose coalition of lesbian bar owners across the country. It happened by accident: After Mabry was denied a Paycheck Protection Program loan by Chase, her longtime bank, she tagged Ellen DeGeneres in an open letter on Facebook, asking for her help in ensuring the last 16 lesbian bars survive. Mabry never heard back from DeGeneres (her show’s crew allegedly didn’t either), but the post inspired the bar’s regulars and fans to reach out. On Instagram she launched a #SaveTheLastLesbianBars campaign, where she regularly highlights different bars, linking out to their websites and GoFundMe pages and tagging famous lesbians and bisexual women to ask for their help (none have replied).

But if the famous people in the queer world haven’t been pitching in, the everyday community has. Mabry is getting to know bar owners around the country who share her hyperspecific challenges, and she says there’s a growing sense that they’re all in this together. A woman in Los Angeles sent money to help keep Pearl alive. “[It was] someone who hasn’t been to Pearl and just saw what we built and believes we will make it through.”

Courtesy of Pearl Bar

Pearl Bar in Houston

The perilous state of the lesbian bar in America has inspired a new awareness of these bars, especially as young lesbians and queer people who feel at home in dyke-centric spaces come of age and discover they have no place to call their own. Out of this longing, lesbian bars are proliferating on television, as Lena Wilson recently wrote in the New York Times, in shows like Vida, Catwoman, and, of course, The L Word: Generation Q.

Lauren Amador is one of those young lesbians trying to imagine a way forward for queer spaces. An architect who runs a roving pop-up, the Fingerjoint, which is currently Los Angeles’s only lesbian bar, she had booked out their entire summer with events before COVID-19 hit; now all of those events are postponed or canceled. Still, the timing could have been worse. “If I had a lease [right now], and we had started construction, it would have been a nightmare,” Amador says. She hopes that maybe this mass closure of everyone’s spaces will inspire a new understanding of why it’s so debilitating to lose lesbian bars. “People haven’t been able to go to their sports bar, and they’re having a similar experience of what it’s like to not have a space. Maybe we can get through to people about what that means, that we’ve been without these spaces all this time.”

In Columbus, Ohio, longtime lesbian bar Slammers survived that city’s lockdown period on the prowess of its takeout pizza. It was supposed to reopen June 2, but during the uprisings in the city against police brutality, the bar was severely damaged. A former manager launched a GoFundMe to help fund repairs, with a note that “our windows and possessions can be replaced, while the lives of our slain brothers and sisters most certainly cannot.” Slammers reopened on Friday, June 12. Andrew Parnell, the general manager and “literally only guy who works here,” says that they’re taking every precaution and hoping patrons will take advantage of the patio. “We went the extra distance, spacing out tables, making sure it’s really simple and easy to keep that distance. The staff know it’s zero tolerance if someone doesn’t want to follow rules — they’re out, no questions, no explanations.” The bar is also boosting fundraisers for Columbus Freedom Fund on social media.

Reopening is an option for Pearl Bar, too, but Mabry is glad she held off as case numbers hit record levels in Houston. She had originally hoped to reopen June 24, but those plans are on hold. Several gay bars in Houston opened earlier in June, only to have to close their doors again as employees and owners tested positive. The financial burden of opening and closing again would be insurmountable for Mabry, but more than anything else, she is focused on keeping her community safe. Since the lockdown began, she’s received 40 or 50 messages from women who came to Pearl Bar when they first came out, saying that it was the place where they could go and feel safe. Mabry says she first dreamed of opening a lesbian bar when she went to one with her sister, who is also gay. “Whenever my sister walked into a gay bar, her whole entire mood changed. She just had happiness around her,” she says. Mabry understands that as the owner of one of the few lesbian bars left, she needs to safeguard that space for people like her sister.

Community also weighs heavily on the mind of Suppan as she tries to chart a way forward for Lipstick Lounge. “People come in, they’re so lost — I was one of them — they don’t feel loved by their family, their churches, and now they’re walking into a place that says, Hey, know what? I love you, Jonda loves you, my staff loves, you know you have this safe place to go to with no judgment.” Right now, she says the empty building can feel the absence of the bar’s regulars. Her life is a lot quieter, too — usually her phone is constantly buzzing with texts and calls from employees from the morning through closing up at 2 a.m. One of the strangest things about lockdown has been the silence. Suppan choked up when speaking about the people who haven’t been able to come in to Lipstick. “How many people are really struggling with depression who are quarantined by themselves? They don’t have a partner, they don’t have family to go hang out with or stay with, no one is even checking on them.”

But Suppan never wants her bar to be a place where people get sick. For now, she’s trying to fix the bar’s patio, which was damaged by the tornado, and see where things go from there. She has already maxed out her credit cards to keep Lipstick Lounge afloat, and won’t reopen until she’s sure Lipstick can stay open for good. “I have a wooden plaque in my house that says Be Still. It’s going to cost thousands to reopen, and if we don’t do it at the right time, we’re not going to get a second chance. We have one shot.”

Meghan McCarron is Eater’s special correspondent

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/37ZJ3yn https://ift.tt/3hUhdIx

Jolene’s in San Francisco

As few as 16 lesbian bars remain in the United States, and their owners are fighting with all they have to make it through

Courtesy of Jolene’s

A crowd at Jolene’s in San Francisco

Courtesy of Pearl Bar

Pearl Bar in Houston

Meghan McCarron is Eater’s special correspondent

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/37ZJ3yn via Blogger https://ift.tt/2NqAEdZ

#Blogger #cooking #Eater #food #recipes

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totalsoccer · 4 years

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Aston Villa prepare to host Sheffield United as Premier League returns

SHOWS: BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JUNE 17, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF THE HOLTE END STAND AT VILLA PARK, THE HOME STADIUM OF ASTON VILLA 2. SUPPORTERS' FLAGS IN THE STADIUM 3. VARIOUS OF EMPTY SEATS 4. STAFF MEMBER ARRANGING FLAGS 5. SEATING AND ASTON VILLA SIGN 6. VARIOUS OF STAFF MEMBER WEARING MASK NEAR TAPED OFF STEPS TO HOLTE END 7. TAPED OFF STEPS 8. VARIOUS OF 35-YEAR-OLD ASTON VILLA SUPPORTER, DANIEL RAINSFORD, OUTSIDE STADIUM WITH HIS CHILDREN 9. LION STATUE OUTSIDE STADIUM 10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 35-YEAR-OLD ASTON VILLA SUPPORTER, DANIEL RAINSFORD, SAYING: "Yeah, I've been a season ticket holder since August '91. I'm 35 now, so I've been coming since I was six. I've not missed a home game, so it feels quite sad to be, obviously, not involved tonight." 11. VARIOUS OF HOLTE END 12. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 35-YEAR-OLD ASTON VILLA SUPPORTER, DANIEL RAINSFORD, SAYING: "It's greed, isn't it? It's got to be a purely financial reason. Obviously, Sky (UK broadcaster with majority of Premier League broadcast rights) need to be paid, and I just think it's being paid out of pure greed." 13. VARIOUS OF MEDIA TRUCK AND TECHNICIANS OUTSIDE THE NORTH STAND 14. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 35-YEAR-OLD ASTON VILLA SUPPORTER, DANIEL RAINSFORD, SAYING: "I will watch it, but I won't watch it out of enjoyment. I'll watch it because I need to see my football team. I can't let a match be played and not see it. So I will see it, but I won't enjoy watching it." 15. SUPPORTERS' FLAGS IN STADIUM 16. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 35-YEAR-OLD ASTON VILLA SUPPORTER, DANIEL RAINSFORD, SAYING: "I just think they should've maybe either found a way of voiding it or putting a bookmark in the season and restarting when it's safe for supporters to return." 17. RAILINGS AROUND STADIUM / TAPED OFF STEPS 18. VARIOUS OF RAINSFORD AND HIS CHILDREN 19. STADIUM INTERIOR VIEWED FROM OUTSIDE WEST STAND 20. SIDE OF WEST STAND / ADJACENT HOUSING 21. HOUSING BEHIND STADIUM 22. NORTH STAND ENTRANCE 23. SIGN READING (English): "VILLA PARK" 24. EXTERIOR OF THE DOUG ELLIS STAND 25. ELECTRONIC SIGN READING (English): "KEEP TWO METRES APART AT ALL TIMES" / "PLEASE WASH YOUR HANDS REGULARLY" 26. ENTRANCE GATE TO NORTH STAND, WHERE PLAYERS WILL ARRIVE 27. SECURITY GUARD 28. CARS PASSING STADIUM WITH TEMPORARY FENCE OUTSIDE / FLAGS INSIDE STADIUM 29. FLAGS INSIDE STADIUM 30. ASTON VILLA LOGO 31. EXTERIOR OF HOLTE END WITH TEMPORARY FENCING BLOCKING ENTRANCE 32. ELECTRONIC SIGN READING (English): "THANK YOU FOR VISITING VILLA PARK AND HELPING TO KEEP US ALL SAFE BY OBSERVING SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES" / SIGN CHANGING TO CORONAVIRUS ADVICE GRAPHIC 33. RAINSFORD AND HIS CHILDREN LEAVING STADIUM 34. ASTON VILLA SIGN ON SIDE OF STADIUM 35. TAPED OFF STEPS TO HOLTE END STORY: Three months after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down Britain and left Liverpool agonisingly close to sealing the Premier League title, action resumes on Wednesday evening (June 17) when Aston Villa welcome Sheffield United to Villa Park in Birmingham. The match is the first of the 92 Premier League fixtures crammed into the next five weeks, with Arsenal's trip to Manchester City taking place after the final whistle. It will be a poignant evening, with both games played inside empty stadiums and marked before kickoff by a minute's silence for the more than 40,000 people to die of the virus in the UK. Thirty-five-year-old Aston Villa supporter Daniel Rainsford hasn't missed a home match since 1991 - when he got his first season ticket aged six. He's disappointed the season has been restarted with no fans in the stands and puts it all down to the lucrative deals between the Premier League and broadcasters. Rainsford told Reuters he would watch the match on television out of loyalty but wouldn't enjoy the experience. The season should only have been completed when it was safe for supporters to return to stadiums, he added. Villa entered the shutdown in freefall with four consecutive defeats, leaving them second from bottom. This may feel like a fresh start though and a win over Sheffield United would see Dean Smith's side leapfrog three clubs into 16th spot. The bad news for Villa, however, is that Sheffield United will be hugely motivated, knowing three points would lift them to the heady heights of fifth.

source https://sports.yahoo.com/aston-villa-prepare-host-sheffield-125758926.html?src=rss

#football #soccer

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thisdaynews · 5 years

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Anthony Crolla: Sparring, fighting, persevering and retiring

New Post has been published on https://thebiafrastar.com/anthony-crolla-sparring-fighting-persevering-and-retiring/

Anthony Crolla: Sparring, fighting, persevering and retiring

Anthony Crolla is set to call time on his career after 13 years as a professional

The bell sounds and there are three minutes on the clock. This is the final round Anthony Crolla will ever spar as a professional boxer. One more time around.

There have been thousands of these three-minute segments since he put gloves on roughly 23 years ago. Each segment and its consequent sweat-soaked learning added up to deliver a world title, sold-out arenas and an adoring fan base. There were also a few lows thrown in to boot.

“I am in love with the sport and that’s why it’s so hard to let go,” he tells BBC Sport.

This Saturday, when he faces Spain’s Frank Urquiaga for the WBA continental lightweight title at the same Manchester Arena he frequented for fights as a kid, he will have to let go.

Fight number 45 will be his last for the 32-year-old.

Crolla loses titles to Lomachenko

‘This is it, the final one’

Love, the end and no emotion

Crolla worked for 12 rounds with three opponents in his final sparring session as a professional

“Catch the right hand, come back with the uppercut. Good Anthony, good, good feet, be smart when you’re coming in,” bellows Crolla’s trainer Joe Gallagher.

Crolla spars 12 rounds against three men on rotation. He pumps sweat, his shirt stuck to his sodden torso.

Some might find an environment in which men and women stand arms folded to watch punches fly a little odd. Crolla has been part of such setups since the age of eight. Others in the gym – including world super-middleweight champion Callum Smith – look similarly at home.

“I remember my dad taking me to the gym,” adds Crolla. “I can remember my first spar, my first fight, I’ve been in love with boxing since.

“I’ve thought about this being the last fight but also thought that I can’t think about it being the last. I’d get emotional and nine times out of 10 in boxing you can’t fight on emotion. I will get as emotional as I want afterwards.

“I think I will struggle a bit [afterwards] and I have to prepare as best as I possibly can. It’s not a fear, it’s more a realisation and acceptance.

“There will probably be times where I will be in the gym and think ‘should I go again?'”

Risk, raucous and a rollercoaster ride

Crolla embraced trainer Joe Gallagher after stopping Darleys Perez to win a world title in 2015

“He keeps running, Anthony, he thinks he’s got it on points,” says Gallagher, who wants his fighter to chase in this final sparring round to mimic trying to close any deficit on fight night.

Peering through his head guard Crolla is wide eyed and barely blinks, such is his focus. He is, right now, a man lost in his craft. Few things in his life after boxing will occupy a moment in such an intense way.

It will leave a void countless boxers have struggled to ever fill. Crolla’s wife Francesca has asked him if he wants to fight on, while some of those closest to him feel he is exiting at the right time.

The man himself knows the risks all too well. His 2012 points win over Kieran Farrell led to the then 22-year-old collapsing in the ring and having to retire from the sport with life-changing injuries.

Fast forward to tragic deaths in the ring this year and the necessity of a well-timed exit plan is clear.

“It certainly hits home,” he says. “I have been in fights where careers have ended. That plays very hard on me. When something happens now it comes flashing back. We all know the risk we take.”

Crolla’s own brush with near-tragedy occurred outside the ring when he was hit with a concrete slab while confronting burglars at his neighbours’ home in 2014. He was said to be “lucky to be alive”.

He had spent two years rebuilding from back-to-back defeats to finally secure a world title shot, only for his good neighbourly act to prompt a postponement.

Some seven months later he returned to draw his title shot, before winning a rematch with Darleys Perez. Footage shows the contorted faces of young men bellowing encouragement during his ring walk on a raucous November night.

“A rollercoaster, a rollercoaster,” is his summation of two decades in the sport. “A lot more highs than lows thankfully. I think it’s a bit of a one off. Not many people have had the career I have had.

“I don’t mean what I have achieved but the ups, downs and ups again. It’s something I am going to find hard to let go, but I’ve got to.

“There are things I would change but everything happens for a reason and I am so thankful to have had the career I have had.”

‘The fighting pride of Manchester’

After 12 rounds of sparring Crolla did a shake-out round on the bag before skipping and stretching

Crolla rolls under the bottom rope and perches himself on the ring’s edge, his sparring days are over. Former world champion Liam Smith – nicknamed ‘Beefy’ – taps his shoulder respectfully. “Cheers Beef,” he replies.

He is understandably drained, a stark contrast to the bouncing, screaming figure seen moments after toppling Perez when he jumped up on the ring ropes and simply screamed: “Manchester!”

“I owe them absolutely everything,” he says.

“l will forever be in debt to those people. Winning the world title is my biggest achievement but my proudest achievement is the support of the people of Manchester.

“I am humbled and blessed by it, with people coming up to me in the streets telling me they were there when I won the world title.”

No corners are cut as Crolla’s workout ends with a round of tapping out against a heavy bag, skipping, stretching and some light massage. When his ankle was broken in the burglar attack, Crolla switched road runs for swimming.

When others may have taken a backward step, he moved forward, committing to yoga in a bid to further boost his athleticism.

Self-improvement is time consuming and attending more Manchester United away games is on his ‘to do’ list when the gloves are finally hung up.

Asked about taking up any new daredevil hobbies, he responds: “I’ve already done a bungee jump and was set on fire for it. Probably not the smartest thing to do as a professional boxer.”

He adds: “I think I am going to hook up with a mate and launch some kind of clothing brand. I’d like to try that. I have my gym, so I’ll spend more time there.

“Now my task is to train champions of the future. It’s satisfactory when you see a kid in the gym who may have confidence issues and after months of work he is out there having a fight.

“It will never do it fully but I hope staying in the sport plays a huge part in filling that emptiness of not fighting.”

And so Crolla will finish up at Manchester Arena, where he made his professional debut on a Joe Calzaghe undercard in 2006.

He is the epitome of perseverance. A dozen fights in he scrapped at a Liverpool leisure centre, his 20th contest was in a hotel and his 25th took place at a Motherwell leisure centre.

His path to the top was bumpy. Three draws, seven defeats – including losses against star names like Jorge Linares and Vasyl Lomachenko – and 34 wins point to the mix of emotions he has faced.

“Perseverance has paid off,” he says. “It has been a mad career. As much as the lows felt like rock bottom, I wouldn’t change it for the world. It’s been a hell of a path. If I could do it all again I would.”

To Manchester Arena, again. One more time around.

#persevering #retiring

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jeremystrele · 4 years

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Upmarket Pads With Industrial Vibes

Slick home styling puts polish on industrial vibe base decor in these four modern interiors. Raw concrete, exposed brick and natural wood crash together to make rugged rooms with soul and vintage charm. Industrial chic light fixtures made from metals become the crowning glory of deep shaded, high texture schemes. Soft cushiony modern furniture counteracts the rough backdrop, piling in an extra layer of comfort that turns the design concept into a home. We cover all different sized homes here too, from one impressively large and lofty apartment with towering feature windows, all the way through to a compact studio apartment with a space saving Murphy bed setup.

Visualizer: Bit Studio In Romania, Oradea, black powder coated metal elements strike dark anchors through a white walled industrial style living room. Raw concrete ceilings weight down the light room scheme, and give the borders crisp definition.

A glass wall divides the lounge from the kitchen/dining room. This allows natural light to be shared between the two rooms and doubles the sense of space in the apartment, without sharing the cooking smells.

The industrial style lighting echoes the pentagonal shape of the coffee tables in the living room.

A slouchy grey sofa rounds out the room scheme with a double sided design; one side of it facing toward the tv and the other toward the dining room. A large indoor plant freshens the colour palette with bright emerald leaves.

Beige scatter cushions accent the grey modern sofa, tying it with the beautiful warming tones of the wood herringbone floor.

In the master, a large sputnik chandelier fires out globes of light like a firework over the bed.

A huge wood slatted headboard climbs the entire height of the bedroom wall, and pulls across the ceiling in one smooth flowing feature.

The bed carries a similar aesthetic to the living room couch in that its base is deep and pillowy. Rough concrete walls rush up to the bedside to create deep textural contrast.

Elongated bedside units wing the upholstered platform bed. The wide units bring balance to the headboard’s lofty height.

A crisp rectangular basin sits atop a rich wooden vanity unit in the bathroom. See more unique sinks here.

Stone mosaic crackles across the bathroom floor and around the entire shower enclosure.

Stainless steel fixtures make simple additions.

Black frame windows give a bold and sharp finish.

Visualizer: Oficina3d Impressive arched windows bless this large living room with natural sunlight, across its main floor and its mezzanine.

The perforated floor of the mezzanine ensures the path of light is not hindered to the area below. The metal element complements a ceiling packed with exposed industrial features.

A centrally placed sofa and ottoman coffee table create a light heart inside of the predominantly dark decorated room.

Deep chocolate brown armchairs fall back into the shadows of the outer perimeter.

A jungle of indoor plants fill the voids.

Visualizer: Victoria Chuaco In this Moscow apartment, original brickwork has been left exposed as a feature wall in the living room. It drops a textured lining behind a set of backless industrial style bookshelves. Decorative items on the shelves are sparse to allow the red brick to have its moment.

An eye-catching modern chandelier competes for attention in the feature packed room. An aerial yoga swing hangs out by the sofa, colour coordinated in grey fabric.

A rectangle coffee table draws a line down the centre of the room toward the modern fireplace.

Over in the kitchen, clean white units cut crisply across grey concrete walls. A set of unique kitchen bar stools add a warming accent.

White concrete floor tiles contrast against a grey cast concrete island.

A cosy home workspace is furnished with an antique style wood and glass fronted bookcase.

A chartreuse wingback chair adds a pop of colour.

The kids’ room is creative space full of fun and adventure. An indoor climbing wall ascends next to a wooden mountain mural and a 3D aeroplane.

Two steps up and the split level bedroom changes from a place of exercise & play to a zone of rest and relaxation. Two huge bean bag chairs settle by a Montessori house frame bed.

Monochrome chevrons pattern a fabric teepee in the window. Natural timber slatted walls and furniture give the bedroom a woodland ambiance to match the forest themed wallpaper.

Wooden decor is used heavily inside the bathroom too. This time, indoor plants build on the natural theme.

A copper faucet accessorises a rustic vanity unit. See more unique faucets.

An unusual pendant light shines down above a unique toilet paper holder.

Designer: Roman Plyus Our final industrial style interior tour is a compact studio, with a Murphy bed setup.

A chalkboard wall adds a touch of utilitarian character, pointing out all of the small apartments amenities.

A mint coloured SMEG fridge-freezer livens up the wooden L-shaped kitchen.

The allocated ‘chill out area’ of the studio is a lounge and dining room combo.

The compact sofa can be wheeled on its castors right underneath the dining table, making more sitting space around it for up to five dinner guests. A set of glass dining pendant lights give it formal adornment.

The mint colour accent threads through the studio in various forms.

A unique ceiling fan cools the compact area.

What appears as a TV unit actually opens up to reveal a utility cupboard, complete with drying racks and an ironing board.

When not in use at the dining table, the two extra chairs are repositioned at the double home workspace. The double Murphy bed shuts away into a simple white closet.

Recommended Reading: Industrial Style Living Room Design Industrial Style Dining Room Design Industrial Style Bedroom Design 32 Industrial Style Kitchens 51 Industrial Style Bathrooms

Modern Classic Chairs

IKEA 2012 Catalog

Three Enviable Industrial Style Interiors

Two Industrial Style Homes With A Colourful Twist

Floor plans of homes from famous TV shows

Grey Modern Industrial Apartment Interiors

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drewebowden66 · 4 years