#i find it a very interesting locker room bc it's a bunch of guys that everyone kinda counted out last year + plus andre burakovsky

[weirdcanucks]

For today's feature film, we look at Kevan Funk’s critically-acclaimed debut feature Hello Destroyer. The film swept Vancouver Film Critics’ Circle, winning 5 awards including Best Canadian Picture, Best BC Film, and Best Director. I've compiled a bunch of reviews and filmmaker interviews on the institutionalized violence, hockey culture, the craft of filmmaking and the Todd Bertuzzi case. 

Synopsis

A young junior hockey player Tyson Burr’s life is shattered when a routine hockey play goes bad. In an instant his life is abruptly turned upside down; torn from the fraternity of the team and the coinciding position of prominence, he is cast as a pariah and ostracized from the community. As he struggles with the repercussions of the event, desperate to find a means of reconciliation and a sense of identity, his personal journey ends up illuminating troubling systemic issues around violence.

Where to Stream

CBC Gem if you are in Canada

Keep Reading for

Directors Guild of Canada post screening Q&A: does the Todd Bertuzzi case inspired the film?

Aggressively Canadian: An interview with the director Kevan Funk

Hello Destroyer explores the thin line between hockey menace and model

Review from Josh Cabrita of VIFF

More filmmaker Q&As

Content Warning: Violence 

🎤 DGC Post screening Q&A

Audience: I grew up in BC. I remember in high school, the Todd Bertuzzi case was hung over the news of the city for a while. And I was just wondering if that's something that inspired this film at all?

Funk: Yeah. Todd Bertuzzi is my favourite hockey player of all time. So, yes definitely. I grew up in Banff, but I was a Canucks fan. The Todd Bertuzzi thing was something that I found remarkably frustrating at the time because I remember it really well too. I remember the hit on Steve Moore ahead of time when he hit Naslund, and I remember very well there was this intense bloodlust in Vancouver for retribution. And I don't mean just like among the fans. (There were) literally editorials about being like "we get pushed around too much, we need some identity. You can't let this happen, blah blah blah." And Todd was that guy. I still think Todd certainly deserves to be held responsible for what happened as an individual in that incident. But again, like that moment in terms of thinking about cultural culpability and how the idea of an act of violence extends beyond just a perpetrator of a crime and the victim and how a much broader group of people are implicated. I'm I really don't believe this idea of good and evil is something that really exists. There's like a select handful of people who we might be able to define as evil. But I think most violence that exists has a lot to do with social or cultural conditions around the people who are involved in that.

The Todd Bertuzzi thing was definitely something that informed it. I was hesitant to talk about it earlier before the film sort of got its own life and took out its own legs because I didn't want it to be "the Todd Bertuzzi story" because it informed it. But so did Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien, a lot of these guys. And to be honest, the fundamental thing that started me on writing this film was Errol Morris's film Standard Operating Procedure. It's about the prison guards at Abu Ghraib who were busted for this despicable torture. He does this incredible thing of holding them morally responsible for what they did, but also showing that they're victims of a system that essentially asked them to do this and then throw them all under the bus to wipe its hands clean when it becomes public. So that came first. But certainly heavily informed by Todd Bertuzzi. I mean, his name is Tyson Burr. You know, there're some strong hockey knots in there.

🎤 Aggressively Canadian: An interview with the director Kevan Funk

NOTEBOOK: You’re a Canadian filmmaker making a film with hockey in it, so there’s an impression that the film is about hockey. But from watching the film there’s a sense that it’s not the game, necessarily, that interests you, that if you were working in a different setting, you’d have made the same film, but about, say, football or the military instead of hockey. Would you say that that’s an accurate assessment?

KEVAN FUNK: Yes. The inclusion of hockey has much more to do with its presence as a cultural institution, because the film is very much about institutionalized violence. I have this frustration with English[-language] Canadian cinema’s lack of boldness in terms of embracing our identity and placing ourselves in Canada. So I knew I wanted to make something that was very Canadian, and so hockey just sort of ended up being that. 

Hockey movies are super interesting in that they’re associated with being very Canadian, but most of them—the majority of them—are goofy comedies that say very little about either Canada or the sport of hockey itself. So again, even though Hello Destroyer wasn’t a film about hockey per se—certainly more the setting than the subject, having that locker room culture be reflective of an actual reality was very important to me, because I don't think that it’s represented properly in most work.

📄 Seventh Row: Hello Destroyer explores the thin line between hockey menace and model

In major junior hockey, players must walk a thin line between what their coaches deem acceptable and unacceptable violence. If players avoid violence, they risk being seen as “soft” by their teammates and employers. At a home game when the team is trailing, the coach, Dale Milbury (a name referencing two notorious champions of hockey violence, Dale Hunter and Mike Milbury), demands that the team “protect the house”. Eager to prove his worth, Tyson throws an illegal check that slams an opposing player face-first into the boards, leaving his opponent with broken vertebrae and a brain hemorrhage.

Televised hockey tends to glorify cheering for violence but provides no explicit reminder of any physical consequences. Hello Destroyer breaks this convention and does not sanitise the violence. In Funk’s hands, a fight is not heroic, gladiatorial combat, but sweaty, desperate grappling, conveyed through the thudding of fists, cries of pain, and, loudest of all, the cheering crowd. Funk frames the fights themselves in claustrophobic close-ups, frequently shifting focus, and never quite providing a clear view as the punches connect. The effect is alienating, and it forces an audience familiar with hockey fights to confront their brutality. Funk implicates fans for enabling violence by foregrounding the pleasure on their faces and the players’ pain through the physical ugliness of the fight.

✏️ Review from Josh Cabrita of VIFF

Kevan Funk’s debut feature, Hello Destroyer, is not only a perceptive exegesis of Canada’s colonial history and cinematic representations of hockey, but also about a myth that all children who play the game grow up with. Funk has stated in interviews that if the film was made in another country, it might’ve been set in the military or a different institution, but the fact that Hello Destroyer -- one of very few Canadian films to grapple with the sport’s hypocrisy -- takes place in the world of junior hockey makes it hard to deny the specifics for the allegory. The buzzing sounds of the overhead lights in a vacant rink, the dress code of having a black suit and tie for every game, the anger expelled at a hockey stick during a coach’s rant: these are all textures and details I’m firmly acquainted with. Yet it’s these same environmental observations that form the basis for a critique of hockey culture's contradictions and hypocrisy: contemplation and belligerence, civility and violence, alienation and ‘community’.

But, above all else, this is a film about culpability: the role complacency, the status quo and generational exchanges play in redirecting guilt to maintain a corrupt system of power. Tyson may not be the main perpetrator against the opposing team’s player (for guilt requires free will - something the film posits is out of his hands), but he’s most certainly guilty of contributing to a culture that normalizes the root causes of such an action: how he willingly shaves his own head after his teammates buzz it in a ritualistic hazing, how he remains silent when a lawyer fills in his voice, and how he stands by as a teammate is awarded the player of the game and parades a traditional indigenous headdress around the dressing room.

🎤 VIFF Post screening Q&A

[honeypressed]

fools

Genre: fluff, minor angst??

Pairings: jaehyun (nct) x female reader

Word count: 6k

Warnings: N/A

Notes: this is for @solilogyu bc i need to make her realise that she eventually needs to accept her Feelings for a certain valentines boy + i also realise its way past valentines but hey what can u do + i have no fucking idea about bowling. i had to wikihow. please dont hurt me i hope you can enjoy this and cait i hope you scream <3

//

“I don’t think she likes me.”

It takes a while for anyone to respond to Jaehyun’s somewhat depressing statement, because half of them are engaged in shouting at each other while playing PUBG, and the other half are trying to do their homework. It is Yuta who responds first, bless him.

“Who? Who are we talking about exactly?”

Jaehyun takes back his words, that bastard. “You know who I’m talking about!” Jaehyun groans, rubbing his palms over his face and slumping back in his chair, homework long forgotten in front of him.

Yuta flicks a bit of eraser shavings at him, just to annoy him a little bit more. “And you can just ask her out to find out if she actually likes you or not, idiot,” Yuta says as-a-matter-of-factly, like Jaehyun’s dignity doesn’t rest on the fact that he cannot ask her out just like that.

“I can’t do that!” Jaehyun cries, frustrated and he swears he’s going to tear his hair out first before it falls out anyway because he’s just bleached it for the fifth time in three months.

“Yeah,” Donghyuck pipes up from where he’s sprawled on the floor with Jaemin laying half on top of him, “hyung can’t ask her out because being rejected will damage his frat boy ego. Can’t let anyone know that our dear fuckboy – oops, hyung, was rejected, right?” There’s a mischievous grin on his face because he knows he won’t get into trouble.

“Dong-hyuck!” Jaehyun says, but there’s not one bite in his voice and he grabs his pen just to fiddle with it, spinning it repeatedly.

“Stop that, you’re going to flick it into someone’s face,” Taeyong says sternly, then softens when Jaehyun stops it and starts to bounce his leg instead. “Listen, Jaehyun-ah. If she matters so much to you, it doesn’t matter what other people think of you, or what she thinks of you. She will always be someone precious to you, one way or another.”

“Just take a chance, hyung,” Donghyuck adds, right after he’d sworn at the top of his voice loudly because Jaemin had team-killed him. “You’re gonna regret it so much more if you never asked her out.”

“She doesn’t like me,” Jaehyun repeats, and he knows that’s the truth. There may have been rumours that she liked him, and from the way her friends giggled and looked at him when they walked past, it had given him enough hope that maybe, perhaps, she liked him back just as he did… and yet.

Yet, she never gave him any hope. In the only class that they shared together, she never talked to him unless they were made to have a discussion or were grouped up for projects. And when she did talk to him, it was always polite, no trace of blush on her cheeks, just her calm, steady voice making this economics nonsense make sense to him.

It was not possible. She could not like him back.

That would be too much to hope for, and Jaehyun might be reckless but he isn’t a fool. And somehow, in some ways, he is also a fool – to fall for her steady voice and bright eyes and soft hair and softer smile and –

He is a fool.

//

As much of a frat boy that Jaehyun looks like, all his friends know he’s secretly a romantic, notwithstanding Valentine’s birthday at all. Which is why, against all of his hope and logic, he decides he should write her a letter. Anonymously, of course, which all his friends protest hotly against.

“How will she know if you write it anonymously?” Johnny asks incredulously, and they’re bickering in whispers even though the common room is full of people chattering loudly.

“I just want to gauge her reaction!” Jaehyun hisses, and his eyes dart around the world, flitting from one person to the next and hoping neither she nor any of her ten thousand friends are in the room. Why does she have so many friends? That always have to be around her in a gaggle? Jaehyun is tired of flushing to the tips of his ears when he walks past, and they start giggling. (it’s just unnerving, he insists; johnny tells anyone with half an ear to spare that he’s shy.)

“And I gauge that you are an idiot,” Johnny concludes, calmly and then says in a much louder voice, “The Valentine’s Box is just there, Jaehyun! Why don’t you post your letter?”

Jaehyun has half a mind to tackle Johnny to the ground; the other half is contemplating how hard it could be to sink into the carpet and never rise again. Johnny’s words had attracted some curious glances, and then they settled to watch him, interested.

“Wow, thanks,” Jaehyun deadpans, but he walks up to the box and drops his letter in before he books it to the door with Johnny in tow.

“That was the worst thing I’ve ever done,” Jaehyun starts to bemoan, “the worst thing. I’m so bad at this, I’ll just never move on from her and then I’ll live out the rest of my life being alone –“

“Oh, hello.”

Jaehyun comes to a screeching halt, just inches away from – her. She’s put her hair down today and – it’s silver. When did she bleach and dye her hair? He can already feel his ears start to become hot, and he wills himself to calm down.

“Hi,” Jaehyun says, and his voice cracks on the single syllable.

She laughs a little, just the tiniest little thing that Jaehyun wants to hear again and again. “How was the econs test? I didn’t expect the 25 mark question to be so vague.”

Economics? What the fuck is that? Jaehyun can hardly say hi, let alone try to make his brain think about economics and free trade agreements and transfer pricing.

“Oh, yeah, yeah it was. So vague. I just – scribbled something down. I think I talked about the transnational corporations at one point? I’m not sure, I don’t think I’ll do well,” Jaehyun says, managing to not stumble over his words and feeling so awkward with his hands because he doesn’t know where to put them.

“I did too! I wasn’t sure if that was the correct choice, but I didn’t know what else to write… oh, did you post something into the box?” She asks suddenly, and Jaehyun’s heartbeat goes from slightly above average to notching at one hundred in two seconds.

“Um – yeah. Yes. I did. Just – yeah. I did.”

She doesn’t seem to take notice of his flustered state, but Johnny is making stupid expressions at him behind her and Jaehyun swears to the highest powers out there that he’s going to bury Johnny and his six-foot ass into the ground later.

“Hmm, I think I should as well. If the school’s popular guy sent a lucky girl something then perhaps, we should all join in, right?”

Jaehyun’s words dry in his throat. “What… popular?”

She snorts and pats his arm – a little condescendingly, Jaehyun would say. “Yes, popular, you frat boy. Now I think we have to move, we’re blocking people.” For a moment, her hand lingers on his arm and the warmth bleeds through his shirt and it’s like all his nerve endings suddenly concentrate in that part of his body only. And then – she smiles.

It’s like nothing Jaehyun’s ever seen before. Her eyes crinkle up sweetly, and her cheeks bunch up and someone accidentally switches on more lights in the room and they bathe her in white light, and it reflects against the silver of her hair. She cannot be from this world, and Jaehyun is hallucinating.

Pretty, Jaehyun’s mind helpfully supplies. So, so pretty.

“Well, I’ll see you around,” She says, and then her hand leaves his arm and the lights are dimmed again and all he’s left with is the glint of her silver hair making its way through the common room to a corner where all her friends have clustered.

“Wow,” Johnny says, wolfish smile, and Jaehyun punches him in the arm for good measure. He can’t pretend like he’s not flustered, but he’s also happy because that was the only time they had ever interacted outside classes, and if half an hour later, he can still feel warm where she touched him… that’s only for him to know.

//

“19 years old!” Sicheng says cheekily, sidling up to Jaehyun on the morning of Valentine’s day as Jaehyun is sorting through the books in his locker. “How does it feel to be old?” Sicheng’s acting like he isn’t the same age, turning nineteen in October, but Jaehyun overlooks it because one, Sicheng is cute and two, everyone loves Sicheng. It’s just the rules.

“You mean, how does it feel to be pining over someone for 6 months?” Johnny sings, and slowly, the hallway starts filling up with students, all chattering in low tones about their day, or if they had bought roses or sent a letter. It only makes Jaehyun remember he’s sent her a letter.

Jaehyun glares at him. “It’s my birthday. You have to be nice to me, that’s the law.”

Johnny rolls his eyes, then hands him a small, wrapped box. “Whatever. Happy birthday, Jaehyun-ah. You’ll get the dozen of roses I bought for you later,” He adds, winking cheesily, and Jaehyun pretends to balk.

“What, one for every year we’ve known each other?” Jaehyun asks dryly.

“Oh, here’s mine too!” Sicheng says, and rummages around in his bag before producing a soft, wrapped parcel with a note attached to it.

“Thank you,” Jaehyun says, and reaches over to hug Sicheng. Johnny makes an outraged sound, and starts going off on a spiel about how Jaehyun never appreciates anything and I spent so long picking out this present and I don’t even get a simple thank you! and it’s all really so entertaining but then a steady, familiar voice cuts through the dramatic of Johnny’s monologue.

“Am I interrupting something?” The voice asks, amused, and Jaehyun thinks both his brain and heart stops for a second.

“Oh, not at all,” Johnny says, quick to react.

“Nothing at all,” Sicheng adds, very helpfully. “In fact, Johnny-hyung and I were going to get coffee! Right?”

Johnny nods enthusiastically. “Absolutely. Now, if you will excuse us, we have some very important business to attend to.” He offers the crook of his arm very seriously to Sicheng, who accepts it and then they go off into the hallway and the turn to the vending machines so that Jaehyun is left – with her.

“I see you’ve already got Valentine’s gifts,” She says, smiling a little as she spots the two packaged in his hands.

“Ah, this – it’s just presents, from my friends,” Jaehyun explains hastily. “I… don’t think anyone got me Valentine’s gifts, anyway. Or if they do, they say that it’s a present. It’s kind of a shitty move, isn’t it?” He remarks, a little hollow because he can reject Valentine’s Day presents all right but to reject what someone he doesn’t know insists is a birthday gift… Jaehyun doesn’t want to be guilt-tripped into accepting something.

And all of a sudden, something changes in her expression. It’s like something he’s said that’s acted as a light switch, and her soft, open expression is suddenly schooled into something alarmingly like steel.

“I see. Well, I just wanted to tell you happy birthday. See you,” She says hastily, and then turns around where she came from. For two seconds, Jaehyun is sure he sees something in her hand that she then clutches to her chest, but then she’s walking away and – and Jaehyun is too shocked to do anything other than stare after her.

What did he say? What did he do? Did he have something in his teeth – or did he do his hair weirdly today?

Jaehyun spends the next ten minutes contemplating about whether he should just go and ask the student council to take his note out so it won’t be sent, and then the next ten minutes as he walks to class wondering why he ever chose to have a crush in the first place. It’s unnecessary, too much work, and not good for his heart.

Except his mind reminds him a couple beats later that she is clever, and kind and patient, and her eyes make the ugly florescent lamps look like a million stars and she can explain ridiculous concepts to him that actually make sense. She’s funny and laughs a bit too loudly and her friends look at him weird but all of that is her and god, Jaehyun is so whipped.

It’s fine, he convinces himself when class finally starts and he blinds the teacher with a charming smile so she won’t notice his homework is half-assed when he hands it in. He won’t be there when she receives the letter, and anyway, she won’t know it was him because it’s anonymous. It’ll be fine.

//

Everything is about to be a little less fine.

“Jung Jaehyun.”

It’s lunch time, and Jaehyun’s barely managed to step into the cafeteria before he’s accosted by one of her friends. He smiles at her and tries to remember her name – Hyerin? Hyolin? Fuck, this isn’t going well already.

“Hello,” He says nervously.

“We have to meet up for the discussion for the debate team now, remember? Have you written your opening speech?”

“Right,” Jaehyun says, the realisation dawning over him abruptly. “I’ve done it, don’t worry. Is it okay if I grab a sandwich and I’ll meet you in the common room? I’ve got the speech written on my phone.”

“Yeah, that’s fine. The rest of the team is waiting there as well.” She waves a hand at him – Jaehyun still does not remember her name – and she exits, leaving Jaehyun to blink after her and make his way to the section where cold lunch is available.

“Hi, hyung. Are you going somewhere with Hyunae?” It’s Mark, who’s eating lunch with the younger ones in their ridiculous circle of friends, and they’re all looking at him with wide, eager eyes. Jaehyun feels very much attacked, like he’s surrounded by a bunch of wolves.

“’Ve got debate team,” Jaehyun mumbles, blindly reaching for a sandwich and then picking a fruit for good measure.

“Well, the letters are being delivered now, hyung,” Renjun says, smiling so sweetly that Jaehyun thinks he can trust Renjun for one second until he remembers that Renjun’s on the student council.

Jaehyun narrows his eyes. “And?”

Renjun blinks at him. “What do you mean? I’m just telling you… information that could potentially be really useful to you in the next half an hour or so. Also, you’re about to drop your sandwich.”

Jaehyun squints at them one last time before he backs out the door of the cafeteria. The moment he leaves, he swears he hears a wave of guffaws coming from them, and the tips of his ears burn. One day the Dreamies will get themselves into trouble and he won’t save them, that’ll teach them. (of course he will. everyone’s got a soft spot for the dreamies, including him, and if helping them means he gets into trouble he will gladly do so. just – no one can know about this.)

The common room only has a few students mulling about, presumably because everyone else is eating lunch, and so Jaehyun makes his way over to the corner where his team is settled. They’re all eating lunch and there are papers spread out on the table in front of them, half eating and half discussing.

“You’re here,” Hyunae cheers as Jaehyun sits down. “We were waiting for your opening speech so that Minjun can correct his since he’s going after you.”

“Sorry – here, I’ll just forward it to you guys.” Jaehyun fiddles with his phone for a little before phones start pinging with the document he’s forwarded.

“Alright,” Minjun starts, but as soon as he starts to talk, the common room door opens and people start filing in, laughing and talking, and everyone sighs collectively. But it doesn’t even stop there – a few members of the student council come in right after that, each holding a package of letters and eyes darting around the room looking for their targets.

Jaehyun’s so distracted by the sudden influx of people and noise that he doesn’t notice her settling in a sofa next to his group.

“Hey, having fun, Hyunae?” She calls and laughs when Hyunae makes a face. Then she catches his eye, and she smiles at him, just a little, small one that is no less precious than the one he saw a couple days ago. He has to smile back and then tear his eyes away before the red in his ears transfer to his cheeks.

Just in time, a member of the student council – Myungsoo – comes to their group and starts handing out letters. “Is Minjun-ssi here… alright, here are yours. Oh – Daehyun, here are some for you…” He fiddles around and hands them around.

Jaehyun doesn’t really expect to receive any, and yet Myungsoo really has the audacity to hand over the rest of his stack to Jaehyun. “Here you go!” Myungsoo says cheerfully, “This is all yours, Jaehyun-ah.” Then he winks at Jaehyun and goes off with barely contained laughter as Jaehyun lobs some of his orange peel at Myungsoo.

Ignoring his teammates giggling and nudging him, he flicks through the letters slowly, seeing names on them. They’re all from his friends, including a collective one from the Dreamies that he immediately opens, only to see that all it says is Valentine’s in big letters and – it’s even spelled wrong. Still, he can’t help but grin, seeing their messy signatures scrawled at the bottom, and he puts it away to sort through the remaining pile of mess on his lap.

Johnny has sent one, a thick envelope that Jaehyun is sure is full of glitter; then the rest are all named, Taeyong and Yuta and Jungwoo and Sicheng, just to name a few, and then – there’s one with no name.

It’s a plain blank envelope, with his name written in neat, dark ink and the words are pressed so hard into the letter that they seem like engravings. Jaehyun frowns – the handwriting looks familiar, but he can’t seem to place it.

With his teammates equally as distracted by the letters, Jaehyun decides he can open this particular letter now. He unfolds the envelope, and he feels an unusual sense of peace, like two pieces of his life are about to slide into place in a few moments, and then he slides the piece of paper inside out. The words are inked so hard that the back of the letter feels like an engraving, and god, the writing is so, so familiar.

Even as Jaehyun reads over the letter – the contents simple, just, ‘I like you, but I know you don’t, so I just want to confess to you to get over my feelings. And happy birthday as well, Jaehyun-ah. Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope the lucky person who gets your letter receives it well.�� – he is completely distracted by where he’s seen this writing before.

It isn’t until he sees her stand up to receive a couple of letters that it clicks.

It can’t be.

It cannot be.

No way – the same letters on this letter – and the letters he’s seen countless times before in Economics – the way they’re pressed so hard onto paper – but there isn’t a signature at the end of the letter? – and… and can it really be her?

Jaehyun’s heart is in his throat as he reads the letter again, this time going over the words, and she likes him too and god, he almost wants to stand up and go over there and ask if this letter is from her, but he’s frozen and suddenly she’s standing up and looking around her frantically and then she sees him, and their eyes lock onto each other and she gestures to go outside, clutching some letters to her chest.

Jaehyun doesn’t even think about it, just ups and leaves the common room behind her and then they’re in the relatively quiet hallway and it’s like this morning all over again.

“You – this is yours?” She asks, and there’s a degree of hesitation to her words, like she doesn’t believe it.

Jaehyun takes a look at the letter she holds out. “Yes. It’s me.” He doesn’t know what else he can say when his heart has already stopped beating and then she’s looking at him, eyes brighter than the fluorescent hallway lights and he thinks he forgets how to breathe as well.

“It’s not a prank, is it?” She says, and her voice is so small Jaehyun wants to shake her. “You’re not – writing this for fun, are you?”

“Did you write this for fun, then?” Jaehyun asks in return, and shows her the letter. His hand is shaking but that’s inconsequential.

“No!” She says, tearing her eyes away from the letter to land on his face, then his shoulder then somewhere behind him. “I didn’t – I didn’t. That was – what I felt. I just, I don’t understand why – I don’t… you don’t –“

And then all Jaehyun can do is to look into her eyes and then the first thing he says is, “Transfer pricing.”

She looks at him again at that, startled by the sudden mention of their classes. “What?”

“Transfer pricing. Just – at the beginning of the term, we were learning about transfer pricing and god, I didn’t understand one single words from our bullshit teacher but then we were in a group and you explained it so well to me and I just…” He trails off and pushes a hand through his hair, feeling the heat in his cheeks as he tries to put his feelings into words.

“You were so nice to me,” He finally says. “You were so patient and kind, even though you didn’t need to do any of that and you’re also really funny. And, I guess it helps that you’re pretty,” He finishes, and his face must be in flames, but he’s said it and it’s done.

But then – she’s blushing. His eyesight is not as bad as Kun’s or Sicheng’s or Lucas’, so he must be seeing it right. She’s blushing. There is red in her cheeks and she refuses to meet his eyes and god, she’s so fucking cute.

“I hate you, Jung Jaehyun,” She finally says, but she’s looking at him with red cheeks and a small smile and her silver hair spills messily onto the side of her shoulder and – Jaehyun thinks his crush is running deeper than he initially thought.

“Change your mind?” Jaehyun offers with a sudden rush of courage he doesn’t know came from where. “This weekend, I’ll take you bowling, at the alley by the beach. What do you think?”

“Is this a date, Jung?” She asks, raising one eyebrow.

“Yes,” Jaehyun admits, “and I’d be really, really happy if you said yes, because I like you too.”

And then, she smiles again. Bright and loud and it curls the corners of her mouth and Jaehyun wants to imprint this one moment into his mind for the rest of his life. “Well, you’re lucky, because I want to make you happy, Jaehyun,” She says, and then Jaehyun can feel the smile stretching his own lips, so wide but still not enough to convey the leap of his heart.

For now, this will have to be enough until the weekend.

//

Don’t crash, don’t crash, don’t run a red light, Jaehyun reminds himself as he drives through the streets, glancing at his phone every now and then to check he’s going the right way. He’s hands feel oddly cold even though it’s approaching spring and he jacks up the heating in his car a little more.

It’s Saturday, just after lunch, and there are no cars on the street. It’s a refreshing change from the usual jams of morning or evening when he drives to or from school, but it’s also refreshing because – he’s going to pick her up.

For a date.

Just the thought makes him nervous and excited in equal parts, and he nearly misses taking a right turn because of it. She had texted him to pick her up at two, but he’s already here and it’s just ten to, so he thinks he’s got some spare time to kill. Right at the same moment, his phone chimes with a notification so he parks his car by the side of the road and checks it.

[13:49] you’re coming at 2 right?

[13:49] I’m ready so you can pick me up anytime ^^

[13:50] oh

[13:50] if you’re ready I’m here

[13:50] but don’t rush!!

[13:51] take your time, I can wait for you ^~^

[13: 54] no no that’s fine

[13:54] I’m ready anyway

[13:55] and it’s almost 2

[13:55] I’ll be coming out~~

Jaehyun has five minutes to calm down and not make himself seem like a fool in front of her. Tall order, considering how jittery he’s already been when he’s around her – and they’re together a lot more often now. Since Valentine’s Day, they’d spent a fair few lunchtimes together and hung out once after classes at the convenience store.

Jaehyun had bought her an ice-cream bar, only for her to snort and then eat it.

“What?” Jaehyun had asked, bewildered.

“I’m kinda lactose intolerant,” She says, shrugging. Half of the ice cream bar is gone.

Jaehyun panics. “You’re what? Stop eating the ice cream then!”

“Too late,” She sings, throwing the wooden stick away and laughing. “I really don’t mind, I’ll just suffer. How can I not eat it when you’ve bought it for me?”

He had ended up buying her two samgak kimbaps to make up for it, and they’d sat on the bench in the nearby park to eat.

Jaehyun remembers every moment fondly, but then he sees her stepping out from her house, locking the door behind her and jogging up to his car with a small smile on her face. He fumbles to unlock the car and then she slips into the passenger seat and turns to him with a bright smile.

“Hello! This is for you.” She hands him a small bouquet of daisies and then reaches over, busies herself with putting her seatbelt on.

Jaehyun’s clutching the flowers and there’s heat coming into his cheeks and he has to pass an arm over his face because he’s blushing and he’s blushing hard because he likes her so much and she brought him flowers and – wow, he’s really in this deep, huh.

“Are you blushing? Have I made the infamous Jung Jaehyun blush?” She asks, teasing in her voice but her cheeks are red too and she looks pleased.

“Thank you,” Jaehyun eventually says, when his voice has returned. “These are really pretty, thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome,” She says softly, and then right there, in the quiet between them in the car, in the late afternoon sun, Jaehyun thinks maybe he falls in love. It’s simple, like the dawn of the sun and the set of it, the formation of clouds and the fall of rain, the wilt of winter and then the bloom of spring; everything is simple and their course has been set.

The sun shines so bright on the tarmac that Jaehyun has to pull down the sun visor, but her laughter is brighter in his ears and when he looks over at her at the red lights, she is already looking at him, ruby lips and diamond eyes and Jaehyun doesn’t want this moment to end.

They pull into the parking lot just as it’s half past, and by the time he’s killed the engine and gotten all his stuff together, she has gotten out of the car and has opened the door for him. As he gets out, she bows very seriously and even curtsies a little.

He stares at her and she at him, challenging, but then they burst into laughter two seconds later, and it is only natural that he takes her hand, interlacing their fingers as they walk into the bowling alley.

When they get it, they pay and get their shoes, and then bicker about which bowling balls they get to have, and Jaehyun eventually relents, lets her have the bowling balls she prefers. He only does so because he knows he’s absolutely going to smash her score regardless of whatever bowling ball he has, and so armed with this confidence, he sits back and lets her make the first roll.

As it turns out, she’s pretty good. She knocks down six, and then another two, and she grins at him smugly.

“Gonna do better than me, Jung?”

“You bet I will,” He returns, and waits for the pins to be set in place before he takes his stance. The movements are safe, and familiar, and when he does let the ball roll, he knows it’ll be a strike before it even hits the pins.

There’s a gasp of surprise from behind him when all the pins topple over, and he only smirks a little to himself as he rolls the second ball, and that scores a spare too.

He goes back to the bench with a too-smug expression on his face, so he deserves the solid hand to his chest from her.

She pouts a little when she concentrates, Jaehyun notes idly, and then the tips of his ears start to burn when he realises what he’s doing.

Still, she doesn’t give up, just concentrates and then rolls a perfect middle, knocking down all the pins. She lets out a little victorious, “Yes!” and then makes a face at him before going in for her second throw. Jaehyun is distracted by the silver of her hair that he doesn’t see she makes a seven and that it’s his turn to throw.

“Stop spacing out,” She says, kicking at his feet as she sits down, “it doesn’t look good on you.”

“I look good in everything,” He protests, and then scores a nine.

“Boo! Stop hyping yourself up, frat boy.”

“I can’t hype myself up when I’m naturally talented,” Jaehyun argues, but then he’s distracted as he makes the roll and he messes it up slightly. Of course he would.

He may be good at bowling, but she is stupid competitive and also petty as hell, so her scores start to catch up with him as they play, and he has to actually play really, really well to stay in the lead. She overtakes him at one point in the seventh frame, and he only manages to pull ahead in the ninth frame, at which she glares at him hotly for.

It’s his last throw now, and he has to make it count.

With the burn of her gaze on the back of his neck, he goes in for the last throw – and all the pins are knocked down. Letting out a loud whoop of glee, he turns to face her, hands on his hips and grinning smugly as she rolls her eyes at him.

“You won by a five-point difference!” She says as they turn their shoes in. “That’s not a significant difference, that was luck –“

“I won fair and square,” Jaehyun says, and then ties the trailing lace of her other shoe because she couldn’t be bothered. “Stop being so petty, you can beat me next time.”

“Oh you bet I will, Jung,” She says, just the tiniest bit of sulking in her voice. It’s both endearing and adorable for him to look at her sulking over a five-point difference in their bowling scores, so instead he pulls her to the fast food restaurant next door.

“C’mon, let’s get some fries,” He says, taking her by the wrist and dragging her out slightly. “Stop being so grumpy, it doesn’t look good on you,” He adds, repeating what she told him a couple hours ago, and she snorts, then aims a soft punch at his arm.

“Where are we going after this?” She asks as they wait in line to buy the fries, and she’s moved her hand to hold his properly. She’s not looking at him and is studying the menu board very studiously, so he squeezes her hand a little in return.

“I thought we could go walk on the beach, since it’s right next to the building. And the sun’s almost setting so it’ll be pretty nice. What do you think?”

She sighs, rubs a thumb over his. “Stop being so good at everything, Jung. You’re going to make me actually like you.”

“That is the point though, isn’t it?” Jaehyun teases, then lets go of her hand to pull her into his side, slipping his arm around her waist. “Do you wanna get two packets of fries?”

Her cheeks are red but she doesn’t stutter over her words. “Ah – isn’t it cheaper to get one big one? We can share…” She trails off, like she’s just realised how romantic that could be; Jaehyun jumps on her silence and capitalises on it.

“Yes, yes you’re right. Let’s… hello, can I get one large fries, please? Yes, it’s just that… thank you.” He has to let go of her waist to fiddle with his wallet and take the change and receipt, but as soon as he stows his wallet away again, she slips her arm through his and leans in close.

“Next time I’m gonna beat your ass at bowling,” She says, side-eyeing him. “No mercy.”

“You keep trying, babe,” Jaehyun says, the pet name slipping out carelessly as he watches the screen carefully as so not to miss their order.

“Babe?” She asks a beat later, in a slightly strangled voice.

“Oh – sorry, it just slipped out. Do you like it – are you comfortable with it?”

“Stop being so cute for two seconds, Jung Jaehyun!” She hisses, but there is only adoration in her eyes, tenderness on her lips.

“I’ll stop being so cute if you stop being so pretty,” Jaehyun replies sweetly, and right then, under the shitty lights of some fast food restaurant, he can only see her, her silver hair and bright eyes and small smile, and he only looks away when their order number is called out.

They collect their fries and head out, going round the back of the building to where an expanse of sand stretches out before them before the waves come up to lap at the shore. The sun has just started to set, casting a soft orange glow around them so that the sand shines golden and the waves are coloured red and yellow.

Her arm is tucked in his and she holds the fries as they start to stroll slowly along the beach, fries bursting salty over their tongues and hot in the mild cold of the coming spring.

It’s peaceful, and the silence isn’t awkward; it’s calming after the rush of their bowling game, and Jaehyun doesn’t think it could have gone any better. He hadn’t ever expected anything to come out of this crush of his, and yet here he is, on the beach with his crush’s arm in his and her hair glowing its own moonlight.

“It’s so nice out here,” She says quietly, and a soft smile comes over her face. “I’d forgotten how nice it was to come out here. Thank you for bringing me here,” She adds, looking up at him, and he’s so distracted instantly, his focus going from everywhere around him to only her, pinpricks of his nerves all focused on her.

Which is why he yelps and drops some of the last fries in his hands when a seagull suddenly squawks loudly, obnoxiously somewhere overhead.

“Your face,” Is all she says before she starts laughing, snorting so hard she’s bent over and stumbling as they continue to walk along the beach. “Oh, my god, I can’t believe you got scared of a bird, Jaehyun! What else is going to scare you? And you wasted those fries, what a shame.”

“Shut up,” Jaehyun says, pouting a little.

“You big baby,” She says, smiling and poking his dimple lightly. “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you from any big, bad seagulls that want to steal your fries.” Jaehyun takes a look at the box of fries, notes that there are only a few more left, and then he makes his decision.

He spins them so they’re face to face, her hand still on his cheek and now he winds an arm around her waist and the other cups the back of her neck gently, feels the softness of her hair as it spills through his fingertips like molten silver.

“Jaehyun?” She asks, quiet, and her hand moves to cup his jaw; the other is braced on his shoulder, the box of fries just barely held between her fingertips – he can feel it pressing against his arm.

“You know, I didn’t think I would ever get to take you out on a date,” Jaehyun starts, voice low and tone reverent. “I just thought – you were too good. I didn’t think I could actually try and get you to like me. Do you… think it worked?”

There’s a moment of silence, and then she’s looking at him, really looking at him, eyes bright and beautiful and she’s starting to smile, the curling of the edge of her lips into her cheeks.

“You, Jung Jaehyun… I hate you the most, really,” She says, but she’s breathless and there is pink in her cheeks and her hair is a mirror and her hand is still warm on his cheek and there is no bite to her words.

“Glad to know the feeling’s mutual,” Jaehyun says, and his eyes crinkle into a pretty smile and his dimples are so deep she thinks it holds all the love he has for his friends, his family, everyone. She looks up again and there’s warmth blazing in his eyes and her heart is a rapid succession of thumpthumpthump that she hopes he can’t hear.

“Would your feelings change any further if I kiss you?” Jaehyun whispers now, and it’s like the whole world stops for a moment, and everything that matters is only them.

“Why don’t you find out?” She murmurs, so close against him that her words feel like the sea breeze against his cheek, and then – he kisses her.

It’s the sea breeze and the setting sun and the rush of the waves and the grains of sands in their shoes; it is all and everything and now and forever; it is warm even though it is cold and it is home even though they’re the only ones on a bare beach.

“’Ve changed my mind,” She says when they separate, and he can still feel the press of her lips against his. Her eyes are still closed and their foreheads are pressed together. “I think I really like you, Jung Jaehyun.”

She opens her eyes again and Jaehyun only has to look into them one more time to have a bit more bravery.

“Then, be my girlfriend?”

“Yes, Jung.”

[wodrueckts]

Rules:

1. Always repost the rules!

2. Answer the questions given to you by the one who tagged you!

3. Give 11 questions!

4. Tag 11 people!

i was tagged by @floraflorenzi =D

1) What are your favorite symbolisms in Skam/the remakes (eg. Isak’s locker)? Pretty much everything in s3 of the og, like the whole season was so full of like intertwining symbolism that it’s hard to just pick one out of that. 

I also really liked the role food has played in druck s3 and how it kind of symbolized connection to other people. also shout out to david’s locker moment bc it was a nice nod to the og and also it kind of jumpstarted my whole interpretation of him as a character which turned out to not be too far off.

2) How did you discover Skam? just one day i saw a lot of it on tumblr and then put it on my mental “to watch one day” list but tbh it took quite a while until i finally got to it

3) What girl/boy squad would you choose to be part of? i’m gonna kind of cheat and just say the whole big druck united squad lol

4) One thing you would change about each version well that’s kind of difficult for me to answer bc i actually haven’t seen a lot of the remakes haa so i’m just gonna say some really superficial and uninformed stuff for most of them that’s just based on stuff i’ve seen on tumblr.

but first druck, which i can actually talk about lol: i’d definitely change how mia’s bisexuality was handled bc it was quite a mess and probably mostly just put in as damage control after they saw what kind of reaction the mia/hanna kiss got. and bc it was so handled so badly it kind of taints all those “kissy” moments between the girls that to me would usually be pretty inoccuous. bc to me, (straight) girls giving each other pecks on the mouth is actually really normal? and not like the performative way that’s for straight guys, but just girls giving each other little kisses as greeting or just because. like when i was in school, all the girls in my class (except me rip) greeted each other by kissing on the mouth. they would come into the class room and just give each girl that was already there a peck on the mouth one after the other. so those moments in druck (mostly on insta) when the girls give each other these pursed-lipped little kisses is on one hand very normal girl behaviour to me but bc of how mia’s bisexuality was handled, it does leave a bit of a bad tase in my mouth.

skam france: from what i’ve seen most people didn’t like s4 and thought it was bad so probably that.

skam italia: maybe a not-white, muslim actress to play sana...

skam austin: more shay. also while i usually like those moments of silence and just sitting with the character, that are very typically skam, i felt like they dragged on juuuust a tad too much in skam austin sometimes

skam nl: i don’t really know the context of that scene but that whole wedding dress situation? seems kind of bizarre and... bad?... to me? but maybe it’s better with actual context so who am i to judge lol

skam espana: probably the pansexuality discussion which i think felt a bit more dismissive towards pansexual people than in the other versions and after what the actors said on twitter it doesn’t seem like an accident =/

wtfock: idk tbh i don’t actually see much about it on tumblr and haven’t watched it myself...

5) If only one character from any remake could get an original season who would you choose and why? honestly this question is an attack lol but when it comes down to it... david. bc i love him and think he’s interesting but also just bc of the representation. so far he’s the only trans character in the whole skam extenced universe (afaik) and while we did see quite a bit abt him in matteo’s season, i think a season with him could still do a lot of good and maybe a season where relationship drama isn’t the focal point (bc him and matteo are SOLID) could be fun. but really, i would like so many characters to have a season.

6) What is your personal favorite version and what do you like least about it? if we exclude the og then it’s easy and it’s druck lol and what i like least about it... well, probably what i’ve already written above for the “what would i change” question. oh, also that after s2 all the episode are only 20 minutes long (thanks for nothing zdfneo, fu too)

7) What representation would you like to see in Skam (other than more wlw)? probably fat characters, especially a fat main. especially if the character being fat isn’t ignored like it doesn’t matter or doesn’t inform how they go through life and the world sees them but it also isn’t like the ONLY thing that defines the them and their story. 

8) What country would you like to have a remake? oh, there are so many countries that could have very intersting skam remakes, especially if they’re not in (western) europe or north america. but i can’t really choose a specific one

9) What character can you relate the most to? And why? matteo, hands down lol. he IS me if i was a teenage boy. like, obviosuly The Depression is very relatable, but also the way he shows affection (by being a lil shit) or just some of his mannerisms, like the way he always slouches or his dumb little salute or how he can’t NOT make a stupid face when someone tries to take a picture of him. it’s all very me. watching s3 was just a constant stream of “*vine voice* hahaha i do that”

10) Do you have an unpopular opinion about any of the Skam ships? i never shipped eva/pchris? does that count?

11) Are you following the characters on social media? And do you have notifications turned on for any of them? i follow every druck character as well as shay’s finsta lol but i don’t habe post notifications bc tbh idek how exactly to turn them on lol. and yeah i’m sure i could easily find out but also i’m lazy.

and now onto my questions:

1. if you could decide between having all the remakes or getting one (1) more season of the og, what would you choose? would it make a difference who the main of the new og season would be? if yes, what character(s) would you sacrifice all the remakes for? and for which character(s) would you NOT do that?

2. which skam universe character do you think you could take in a fight? and which character would you want to fight regardless of whether you think you could take them or not?

3.which relationships do you think will stand the test of time? do you think any will be a life long thing? who will eventually break up? who will break up but get back together at some point? and who SHOULD break up or never shoud’ve gotten together in the first place? 

4. what is one song that you discovered through skam or the remakes that became important to you?

5. were you wary or excited when you found out there were gonna be a bunch of remakes? has your opinion changed since then and if so how? or did you not know/care about skam before the remakes came out?

6. any specific lines that stuck with you? either because you related to it personally, it sounded very poetic or just because if felt perfect for the situation and the character.

7. which character would you most like to be stuck in traffic with? and which the least? why?

8. whose character’s room would you most like to live in?

9. what is one fandom moment you will never forget?

10. is there something that’s very prevalent in the fandom that annoys you?

11. has there been something in the shows that really disappointed you? and has there been something that exceeded your expectations?

uhhhhh and i guess i gotta actually tag people for once... gotta overcome my fears here lol. also you don’t have to do this of course and if you’ve already been tagged and i haven’t seen it just ignore this lol

@8letters3words1meaning  @dummerjan @lesbabfilm  @dearvaltersen  @josephtate   @franzithebookworm @everythingjustpeachy  @sampagner-official @druckdruck @kornrosen @i-dont-know-how-to-quit-you

[smollandtoll]

HC: Sid + Anna First (OT3)

So, in a universe in which Anna decides early on in her career that she wants to be a sports journalist, and also decides that if she truly wants to be the top of her career/internationally recognised she’s going to have to go to America and work for ESPN or some other major sports news conglomerate (and we’re definitely not saying that we think that north america is the be all end all for sports in the world because that’s ridiculous but slide along with us here as we have no idea what we’re talking about).

So she studies English, and moves to the states maybe enrolls in college there, starts working her way up. Probably ends up in the metropolitan area (NYC, Philly, Boston, DC), flowing through all the hockey and football and basketball circles for various sporting events, reporting on them.

She and Sid meet through mutual friends.

Maybe after the concussion but before Sochi. Their first date is actually a business meeting, they’re getting coffee to discuss a plan of attack for a profile she’s writing on him probably - he’s wearing all Penguins gear and giving off his best mannequin/robot impression and she’s trying to be 100% hard hitting JOURNALISM. But then they find themselves laughing helplessly at the way Sid spills his coffee and Anna mixes up a word or two (it reminds him of how endearing Geno is probs, he also definitely considers for A HOT MINUTE that he should set G & Anna up maybe).

He probably is deeply interested in how she came to be in the sports business, considering she’s a long way from home and so knowledgeable? Like her looks are one thing, but her SPORTS BRAIN … #sidnerdboner. They’re both super driven, and Anna is smart and funny and sharp as hell, AND she can talk hockey and keep up, and Sid is just like so sincere and a little goofy but also charmingly serious, and they just like each other. They talk for LITERAL HOURS. The coffee shop they’re in probably has to shoo them out when they close and they’re both horrifically embarrassed at how off-track that meeting got when they look around and the place is basically empty.

They both walk away thinking about each other. If he’s honest with himself Anna makes Sid think a lot of Geno. Both tall hot Russian brunettes, smart, funny, take no shit while also giving you shit- and Sid’s definitely been somewhat conditioned to be into Russian accents. He knows how to keep it on the DL in the locker room, but, he’s thought about it. And Anna’s gorgeous, of course he’s thinking about her for a bit there. But, y’know, Sid’s not one to walk away thinking he’s got it in the bag; he probably thinks they just connected well and he’ll hear from her when the article comes out and the little crush will taper off with distance.

So then Sid finds out that Anna has handed off her interview notes with him to someone else in the dept she works with. Sid is completely not there for it, like “But why?! You worked so hard!”

Anna: Can’t be professional and date you. It’s a conflict of interest. Sid: ...date? Anna: Just waiting for you to ask Sid: Oh! Um! For sure.

Sid definitely thought she was out of his league, and maybe would be better off with Geno. Someone more confident and flashy, who knew how to buy her jewels and surprise her with designer shoes and take her on luxury vacations to appreciate her completely aesthetic and not-at-all-practical swimwear. He got a little lost in her instagram one time, SUE HIM HE’S A RED BLOODED MALE AND SHE LOOKS LIKE THAT.

So, he was not prepared for her abrupt interest in him at all...but he likes her too and well, he can’t date Geno...so maybe this is like a healthy middle ground. She reminds him of G so much in addition to everything that’s great about her, and this way he gets the best of both worlds maybe. Y’know, sublimate the one crush into the other.

So then he does ask her out, and they continue to have riveting sports conversations, and Sid appreciates her wicked sense of humour and how familiar she feels. He feels like knowing Geno has been his cheat sheet for knowing Anna, there are things she wants and does and complains about that he’s heard before and has already figured out solutions to, and he’s heard all about Russian women and what they’re into over the years (not that these stereotypes are all true but like, there are cultural differences!).

Sid and Anna are also both SMOKING HOT and have athletic, aesthetically pleasing sex (as much as sex can be aesthetic) that Sid is so INTO BECAUSE HER LEGS NEVER END. He’s so into her natural beauty, her ability to look sexy in one of his oldest hole-iest hoodies and a penguins cap with little to no sleep, face puffy, and her emails open on his breakfast bar. She’s all messy hair and gorgeous tan limbs in his kitchen, and he feels luckier all the time for having her. And Sid - we all know Sid is good boyfriend material; dedicated, honest, funny, hot. Listen, it’s good.

Anna gets along with Sid’s parents, his sister. She definitely gave Taylor hat & hair style advice when dealing with a feminine face that has a strong jawline. She understands EVERYTHING about hockey, including his need for routine or for her to disappear occasionally. His heart stutters when she trash talks baseball players and pinches him after games where he missed easy shots. He loves it, she truly understands and never lets him have an inch.  BASICALLY SID IS HEAD OVER HEELS.

Of course he’s super nervous about introducing her to the guys ESPECIALLY GENO. He’s pretty sure everyone is going to tease him about finding female!Geno and Geno is going to have THOUGHTS because he and Anna will have a connection that Sid cannot understand or access. He’s #nervous.

Geno finds out he’s dating a Russian woman and for the most part IMMEDIATELY HEARTILY APPROVES because Russia best. But then you know he starts really pressuring to meet her. Geno and Anna don’t know each other at all in this universe, she was never a Russian media personality and he’s super famous so their paths never really crossed.

When they do meet it’s at some team get together BBQ. Sid’s been taking Anna around and introducing her to all the guys, and even though they all knew about her they’re still drawing some looks because Sid, damn. You can tell just by looking at them how gently smitten they are with each other. G’s obviously one of the first intros bc let’s be real, he hasn’t let it go since he found out and introducing Anna to anyone other than Flower or Tanger or Duper first would definitely earn a fine. They start chatting and there’s a bit of a nervous charge in the air but Geno is nice and says hi in Russian, and they find out they know a bunch of the same people in Moscow. All those weird woodwork mutual friends. And that takes them into a little chat about Moscow and their favourite places there that Sid can’t really contribute to.

Anna just looking back and forth between them and giving Sid searching looks and as they walk away like, “Your friend seems nice! Malkin’s a big name in Russia lately, I wasn’t sure what kind of man he’d be!”

Sid Thinking: Oh god they have so much chemistry Geno Thinking: ...Oh fuck I am SO INTO MY BEST FRIEND'S GIRLFRIEND Anna Thinking: Everyone is so nice! And hot! Zhenya is so tall. Sid is so thicc these boys are #blessed

Anyway just imagine Geno watching Sid and Anna chatting and laughing together, making the rounds. Sid’s arm just super casually around Anna’s waist, both of them laughing with Cath and Tanger. He would be lowkey jealous of them both and confused about why seeing them together makes him feel like shit. He’d go home with images of them together running through his head, Sid thumbing her hip, the way they leaned their heads together when talking, the arch of their throats laughing, the look in their eyes when they looked at each other.

Just imagine all the events and nights out Anna and Geno find themselves chatting amiably in Russian at. Sometimes they get talking about Sid, one of the many things they have in common, about how they met and funny stories about him. Anna telling Geno one time "well, this is just good timing, I've established my career and I'm ready to get married and be a mom?" softly, while gazing fondly over at Sid and licking BBQ sauce off her thumb.

G is just DYING because Sid's got that plan to like not have kids until he retires but LIKE MAYBE SHE'LL CHANGE HIS MIND. BUT SHE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO, HE SHOULD JUST WANT IT. A woman this perfect longing to carry his children??? He should be so lucky!!

Geno would always slink home a little miserable and lonely and self-pitying - flicking through his phone’s contacts thinking to organize a hookup but being too depressed to even do that. He’d get a little petty and mad the way G gets, “Sid doesn't even really care about getting married, not lonely like me, not that desperate for another person, he'd be fine on his own! It's not fair!”  He can’t believe how jealous he is but also just can’t get over it.

(It’s easier too to think he’s just jealous of Sid because Anna is amazing, but sometimes after too many vodka shots he can acknowledge that he thinks about Sid with Anna as much as he thinks about Anna with Sid - in the way you can when you know you’re not going to remember the realisation in the morning)

He'd be so terrible about everything, so unreasonable and so jealous of them both, just in a mood for months. He’s not very good at hiding his own feelings for other people’s good. And Geno’s moods affect every part of his life. Sid would probably try numerous times to ask him what's up, maybe eventually would have to sit him down in both friend and captain capacity and be like, ”G are you mad at me? What’s been going on with you? Your penalty minutes are off the charts.”

He’d keep getting brutally shut down and their relationship has NEVER been off like this. They GREW UP TOGETHER, Sid knew Geno was all bluster usually, but when he sat him down solo he usually cracked open and let Sid scoop out and sort through all his tremendous emotions. But now being shut out like this was painful and threw him for a loop. And of course Anna hears all about it, witnessing all of Sid’s bewildered hurt and confusion.

Then eventually Anna would have ENOUGH and be like "fuck this guy for making you feel like shit and also this is wreaking havoc on both your seasons!!"

Sid: I maybe just fell a little bit more in love with you

So she secretly goes to yell at Geno in a language he'll understand. Anna rocking up to his house and being like "So #1 fuck you, #2 what is your PROBLEM?"

Geno: YOU ARE MY PROBLEM! Anna: you don't like me dating Sid? You think I'm not good enough for him? Geno: NO. THAT'S NOT THE PROBLEM Anna: So you're jealous of him then? Geno: Also no Anna:  You're jealous of me then. Geno: NO Anna: SO WHAT IS THE PROBLEM Geno: BOTH. BOTH OF THOSE THINGS.

He might break into big ridiculous angry tears about it, just months of his own bottled up feelings and emotions he hasn’t been able to vent to ANYONE exploding out. Anna just looking at him with wide eyes for a moment before ushering him further into his own home and setting about making some tea.

Is there some comforting arm patting and texting Sid under the table? Maybe. But mostly Geno realizes what’s happening and gets his shit together enough to shoo her out of his house after profuse apologies and promises to get it together and start acting like a professional. Hopefully it’ll give him some time to curl up and lick his wounds and try to actually get his shit together.

But you can’t exactly put that cat back in the bag, and Anna goes back to Sid, who is so earnest and concerned, sits in his impossibly broad lap and asks if he’s ever thought about fucking Geno. They would look at each other in stunned silence for a few beats too long as a flush slowly rises in his cheeks which gives her her answer.

Sid like “I...I thought about setting the two of you up when we first met. You reminded me of him so much, and I couldn’t have him…but I could have you.” Followed by a rush of reassurances that of course he wants her and she’s his priority that she shuts down with a kiss. They maybe sit there like that for a bit with their foreheads together, just thinking about it.

More than fucking then. A relationship. A great love.

She would probably mull it over for a few days, scrolling through Geno’s instagram where he’s displayed his tender beating heart for the entire world to see. He loves animals, and children and his family. He’s not bad looking at all, the sheer size of his hands make her press her thighs together deliciously. She probably consults his birth chart and considers if she could handle two competitive, headstrong Leos, let alone one who is paired with a Tiger’s stubborn ego. She’d think about all the ways it could work, all the things they like about each other, and also about all the ways it could get fucked up and ruin everything. These things are complicated.

In the end she decides it’s not up to her, it’s up to them. So she bullies them into a sit-down with each other, locking them in the yard with enough food and beer to last the afternoon but promising she would only let them in when they’d worked out their problems and feelings and had come to a mutual decision about how to move forward. Neither of them had even known that the other had any feelings or interest like that; there’s a lot to talk about. And when they’re ready, they knock on the patio door so she can come talk too.

Of course the only real option is to move forward is as a triad, and Geno is not nearly noble and self-sacrificing enough to suffer through his own miserable lonely pining future for the sake of preserving a loved one’s relationship like some Canadians we know. So they agree this can work and move forward, and Anna immensely enjoys the addition that Geno makes to the relationship, spoiling them both with the kind of romance that didn’t come naturally to her or Sid, insisting on dinners out and sunny vacation spots. Also he has impeccable taste in lingerie and she enjoys taking him shopping to surprise and fluster Sid with later. Geno gets both of them, and to push his way in the middle on the couch and be annoying during quiet couch reading sessions, and to argue in favour of puppies and babies, and to smirk at Sid when he walks in on Anna’s legs around Geno on the kitchen counter. And Sid, he just gets everything he’s ever wanted pretty much.

IT’S A WIN ALL AROUND. OT3.

[koalataeil]

Basketball Player!Jackson (High School)

Grade: Junior

Position: Starting Power Forward

Skills: Rebounding, aggressiveness

jackson is vvvv well known around school

like everyone knows who he is

they’re either friends with him or have friends that are friends with him

and everyone knows how much he loves basketball

it’s his sole focus mainly

he’s always working hard to become a better player or teammate

especially in the offseason

always forcing teammates to practice something with him

but all his hard work is paying off

he is likely to be the captain next year after yoongi graduates

he is looking to play basketball in a college that’ll take him

even if no colleges want him, he’ll train even harder and be a walk-on

he’s improved a lot since his freshman year

back when he wasn’t confident and made lots of mistakes

he HATES if anyone brings up games from freshman year or pulls up old film

like he’s so embarrassed by it all

but he remembers that’s why he works so hard now, to be the best player he can possibly be

he’s best known for his rebounding

like he holds the school’s record for most rebounds in a season

and he’s trying to beat his own record every year

which he totally does

until his aggression gets the best of him

bc he is also well known for his fouling

he has fouled out of SOOO many games

he also has gotten kicked out of like three games because he started yelling at refs or picked fights with other players

he usually scares the jv team and the audience when he gets that angry

but most of the time the refs just ignore him unless he really gets out of hand

he’s just very passionate about basketball

you actually know about Jackson bc you work on the yearbook and see TONS of pictures of him going up for a rebound or being on defense

like the other people with the yearbook love to take pictures of him, and you have to sort through them all

and you admit that he is pretty good looking and seems to be good at basketball

but you don’t focus much attention on him

one day, the person who was in charge of taking photographs for the game that night got really sick

and as the editor, you had to fill in for them

so you get to the game early and start taking pictures of the team warming up and shooting around

you try to get all the players included in some of the pictures,, even jeno

but for some reason you keep getting photos focused on Jackson

once the game starts, you move around to different places around the court to find good angles and photo opportunities

you get some really great pictures by the time half-time comes

so you decide to pack up your camera, and as you’re getting ready to leave, youngjae stops you and tells you to sit and watch the rest of the game

and he doesn’t take no for an answer

so you sit with youngjae and talk until the last half of the game starts

and the game is quite close and very intense

you’re surrounded with cheering students getting really into the game

which kind of surprises you a little but it’s great energy and you get into it a little as well

and during the last couple of minutes in the game

jackson gets his fifth and last foul over something he didn’t even do

he gets frustrated as he stomps his way to the end of the bench and dries himself off with a towel

he’s mumbling stuff to himself and eventually the coach has to try and calm him down a little but he gets more frustrated

he throws the towel down and yells something to jaehyun who’s sitting on the bench

everyone’s attention is on Jackson as people are wondering if he was going to get kicked out or not

but some of his teammates on the bench calm him down after a minute and the focus returns to the game

the team ended up winning by a single basket luckily

and the energy was still very high

you smiled and thanked youngjae for making you stay and watch the game

and then you left to go home and work on editing some of the photos

during the next yearbook meeting, someone suggested getting quotes or advice from players or members of certain teams or clubs to put into the yearbook

and everyone agreed

so you were put in charge of reorganizing some of the pages to make room for quotes within the spread while everyone else figured out who was going to get the quotes and stuff for each club/team

and you were given the boys basketball team with the strong suggestion to get it from Jackson, especially after that recent game he’d fouled out on

so you go along with it, finishing the spread for the boys basketball team with space to add more pictures and stats from upcoming games

and during your free period the next day, you go to the front office to find out where Jackson is

and he’s in his gym class

so you go to the gym to see him playing dodgeball with the rest of his class

trying your best to avoid getting hit by a ball, you make your way to the teacher to tell him you needed to talk to Jackson

the teacher blows his whistle and calls Jackson name

and he’s originally confused and trying to defend himself saying he didn’t throw that ball that hit hoseok’s face

but he totally did

but then he sees you and he’s even more confused

bc he’s seen you around and taking pictures at games and stuff

but he has no idea why you need him but he walks over to you anyway

you lead Jackson out of the gym and into a nearby hallway and sit on the ground, with your back to some lockers

jackson just looks down at you wanting some sort of explanation

so you explain it to him and ask him to sit down

and he gives you some super cheesy advice about not giving up and working harder

and it’s very jackson

you ask him which picture he wants to go next to his quote and show him a bunch of the pictures that came out the best of him

and he takes your laptop and looks through all the pictures carefully

“did you take all of these” he asks all of a sudden

and you’re like “ummm no why?”

“no reason”

and he settles on one from the game you went to of him focusing on getting a rebound

“you took this one right?”

you nod, confused on why that mattered

“I like this one. do you have other pictures that you took though?”

you look at him, trying to understand why he was asking about them and nod anyway

you take your laptop back and open up the file of unedited pictures taken from that last game

and he looks at all of them without saying anything but he’s smiling

“you’re a great photographer. and I see you like taking pictures of me” he winks at you

and you blush so quickly

and he just laughs “you wanna hang out sometime? maybe show me some other pictures you’ve taken?” 

you nod before the gym teacher yells from the gym that Jackson needed to come back before he failed for that day

he gets up and runs back to the gym leaving you just sitting there staring at a picture of Jackson and youjin both going up for a rebound

a couple days pass and you’re just sitting at lunch and sorting through some pictures another person from yearbook gave you from the girls basketball game the night before

and jackson pulls up a chair and sits right next to you and watches you work until you stop and ask if he’s enjoying himself but he doesn’t respond, just motions for you to finish

and once you’re done he smiles and asks when you wanted to hang out

you guys set up a time and it’s just a very chill time

he takes you out to eat and then you show him what you were currently working on with the yearbook because he’s so interested in it for whatever reason

and that’s how all of your dates continue until eventually you guys make it official

and the whole yearbook team finds out and forces you to take all the pictures for the boys basketball team bc you’ll already be at the games

so you go to every home game and close away game, camera in hand, and take pictures of the whole team

but you always take more pictures of Jackson

especially because when he’s on the bench, he’ll be doing stupid poses to get your attention 

until he gets caught by the coach who yells at him

and after each game Jackson comes up to you and gives you a big sweaty hug and begs you to let him look through the pictures

and you say no because you don’t want to be the last ones in the gym

so he comes with you to your house

and you hang out while he looks through your pictures with a smile on his face and the occasional laugh because a teammate had a weird face or he was laughing at himself

anyway your relationship is very lighthearted and chill

until you witness a time when Jackson gets ejected from a game

and you have to deal with his anger and try and calm him down

he just gets so frustrated but you calm him down pretty quickly by letting him talk it out

and he really appreciates you helping him even though he knows how irrational he can be sometimes especially when it comes to bad refs

you too are just very cute honestly

[chillihansol]

Terrible Dares ; W O N W O O

[ college!wonwoo x college!fem!reader ]

word count: 2066 genre: fluff a/n: aaaaAAaa i feel so bad bc this is the oldest req in my inbox,, so for the anon who request, im very sorry love!! but anyhow, i finished it already and tbh i really liked this one HAHA ! i hope you like it x

59: “It was a joke, why are you taking everything seriously?” 71: “Please don’t leave me.” 94: “I need you to be my boyfriend.”

“I dare you to ask Wonwoo to be your boyfriend and go on the most uncomfortable date with him.”

Maybe it was the alcohol that made you unconciously agree, or maybe, you truthfully want to him to be yours, because the moment you realized what kind of stupid situation you jumped into, you didn’t know if it was excitement or regret that ran over you.

It was just supposed to be a normal hangout night with your best buddies, until your old man friend, Seungcheol, decided to take it on to the next level and brought alcohol in your room. Getting drunk around them isn’t sexually dangerous, mainly because you’re entitled as one of the boys, and their perspective to you was nothing more than their little sister. Yet the scariest thing they could ever do was to command dares, which are so much worse when they are intoxicated by alcohol.

Everyone winced at what Jeonghan told you to do. His dare was indeed dumb and boring in their opinion. They were pretty much aware of your unfathomable devotion to Wonwoo, and they think that you the most pathetic person to fall for someone like him. Why? Oh not to mention that he’s a perfect ten and you’re a hopeless two.

You kicked the empty bottles in front of you, causing them to fall and clank each other. “You’re making my life miserable.” You grunted, glaring at the boy.

“Isn’t it already?” He raised an eyebrow. “What? Are you complaining? Y/N, you’re really a loser. This dare is the simplest thing I ever told you to do!”

“It sounded easy but it’s not!” You whined, kicking the bottles again, making them roll on the floor. “Seungcheol,” You called for help.

“You can do it Y/N.” He said, sounding very drunk. His eyes shutting down, probably from the alcohol he had.

“Wow, so helpful.” You muttered sarcastically.

“What’s wrong with it Y/N? Jeonghan hyung’s right, this time is so much easier than his dares before! It’s not like he asked you to run around the campus naked.” Jun chuckled tiredly, resting his nape on the edge of the couch. “Why? Are you scared that he’ll reject you?”

You felt your heart drop on your stomach from the reality Jun spoke about. It’s the truth why you can’t go near Wonwoo. You’re scared about the pain you’ll feel when he neglects you. “We already know that I have zero percent chance. I should be fine.” You sighed before pouring a mouthful of drink in your mouth.

Seungcheol, who was sitting very closely beside you, sighed through his mouth as he drapped his arm around your shoulder. You immediately inhaled the strong alcohol coming from his breath, making your head spin a little. “I don’t understand why you like him.“

Your stomach turned into a knot from his sentence.

“We’re not the good guys, Y/N, and you’re friends with us, but you yourself got dibs on a good kid.” He said lowly on your ear, before resting his temple against your shoulder.

“Why? Do you see me as a bad girl?” You suddenly came to your senses, asking them curiously.

“No, you’re a good girl with lots of bad habits.” Soonyoung, who was extremely drunk for he had the most shots among the group, smirked from his seat.

The rest of the them agreed at him by laughing while you sat silently, thinking how to react on what Soonyoung said. You knew to yourself that you are not a bad girl, you just happened to get along with bunch of bad boys in your campus, but that didn’t make you turn into someone like them. You were lost in your little thoughts until Jeonghan’s voice snatched your consciousness.

“So? Call? It should be done before sunset tomorrow.” He said, running his finger along the rim of his half empty bottle.

“Seungcheol,” You asked one more time for help, hoping that your only savior could help you, but he shook his head in response.

“You’re a loser, Y/N. Just do it.” Jun rolled his eyes.

“You’re annoying me right now, Y/N.” Jeonghan groaned, running his hand through his soft hair. “Ask him out, then go on the most uncomfortable date with him. Or else–" He stated as if it was the simplest thing to do.

“What?” You asked, unamused.

“Skinny dipping.”

Your eyes grew wide, smacking Jeonghan on his thigh with your free hand. He bursted out laughing, earning another scold from Seungcheol by kicking the side of his knee.

You fell back silent, realizing that Jeonghan meant what he said. There’s no way he’s taking it back, it wasn’t his forte after all. By this time, you have no idea which is worse, being rejected by your long term crush or having to skinny dip in front of your friends.

Jeonghan noticed your unsureness which made him crack up again. “It was a joke, why are you taking everything so seriously? I have no interest on seeing your body.” He managed to say while laughing. Jun only smirking at him and Soonyoung shaking his head. “Or maybe just go on a skinny dipping date with Wonwoo.”

“Shut up, Jeonghan. You’re beyond drunk right now.” Seungcheol sat up properly, snatching Jeonghan’s bottle from his grip. He turned to you, smiling calmly. “Just do the dare. You’re not like one of us, so I’m pretty sure Wonwoo won’t neglect you.”

You returned the same smile, feeling your eyelids getting heavy. It was ridiculous, but you hope you won’t get your heart break tomorrow.

You scampered through the long hallways of your department, your eyes searching everywhere to find Wonwoo, but he was nowhere to be seen. From a distance, your famous bad boy friends were watching. It was time to ask him, and you didn’t know what kind of emotion you’re feeling right now. You had prepared your heart beforehand so the pain should be at least tolerable.

You bumped into shoulders, muttering an apology to everyone as you catch your breath while searching for the guy. Then a small yet shaky smile played along your lips when you caught the sight of Wonwoo, who was leaning his back against his locker, his hands turning a few pages from the text book he’s holding.

“I can do this.” You whispered to yourself, gripping you bag tightly before hiding a chunk of hair behind your ear.

As you slowly made your way towards his direction, he immediately sensed your presence that alerted him. Despite the butterflies he felt in his stomach, he managed to keep a straight face before offering a small yet polite smile at you. When you stopped right in front of him, you surprisingly feel neither intimidated nor nervous even with his figure towering over you. He smelled nice, almost bringing yourself to cloud nine. Then you heard a snap inside your mind, reminding the reason why you were standing in front of Jeon Wonwoo.

“Hi, Y/N. Do you need something?” Wonwoo wanted to pat his shoulder from being able to speak in front of you. He’s more nervous than you are right now, but you didn’t have that idea because he looked in his normal state in your eyes, which made you feel more hopeless.

This guy is your crush, and there is no way that you are going to ruin your self-esteem in front of him, so your little witty self had a backup plan of lying to your friends. In the end of the day, you’d rather lie to Jeonghan than to lie in front of Wonwoo. “Hi, Wonwoo. I’m actually going to tell you something.” You smiled up at him.

Wonwoo felt his heart expand when your lips curved into the smile he loves. “Oh, what is it then?” He asked coolly, closing his Calculus text book.

You bit your lower lip, turning your head to the direction of your friends, who gave you a thumbs up before you removed your eyes from them then turned to Wonwoo. “I’m sure you have an idea that I’m friends with Seungcheol and his company, right?” You asked, slowly holding your breath.

He hummed in response, nodding his head, indicating you to proceed.

“Well, I wasn’t supposed to tell you this but I couldn’t imagine lying to you. Jeonghan dared me to ask you to be my boyfriend, then go on a date with you, uncomfortable date to be specific.“ You were surprised by how you managed to explain everything without stuttering. Wonwoo’s brows slightly furrowed, curioused on why Jeonghan would ask you to do that. Yet there’s a little hope that grew inside his heart. You saw his expression and freaked out mentally. “I know they’re weird! But I really needed your help because he told me to go skinny dipping if I wouldn’t do this. So, I need you to be my boyfriend, or like at least show them that we are dating.” You rambled, shaking your hands in immediate defense.

An amused grin formed on Wonwoo’s lips. “Ahh, it’s such a coincidence.” He softly chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest.

Your head tilted to the side, even more confused on what he was talking about. “Coincidence? Wha–”

“I didn’t know that my friends are as weird as your friends.” He smiled. “You know Seokmin? He happened to give me the same dare Jeonghan hyung gave you.” Your mouth opened in gape as you tried to process the words he divulged. “I wonder why they told us to do that.”

Your cheeks flushed into pink tint as a thought of him liking you back. “Do you get a punishment too?” You laughed.

“Yeah, but not skinny dipping, that’s ridiculous.” He chuckled and shook his head, looking down. “He told me to buy him a humidifier if I don’t do it. Hell no, I’m not spending my bucks for him.”

You cracked up, making a few pairs of eyes shot in your direction. “My friends are terrible.” You happily sighed.

“So are mine,”

You didn’t speak for a second as you look directly into his eyes, smiling a little. “So, are we helping each other?” You asked, grinning teasingly.

“I was wondering if you wanted to take it seriously.” He said, slightly fumbling the corner of his book. He wasn’t nervous, not now that he knew that his feelings for you were reciprocated.

“I’d love to.” You answered, smiling convincingly at him.

The bell rang as a sign for the students to proceed to their next class. Wonwoo flinched a bit, looking around to see the students hurrying through the hallway.

“Got a class?” You asked.

“No, it’s my vacant.” He replied, looking back at you. “But I need to go, I have exams on the next period.” He said, lifting the book he has been gripping ever since you arrived and waved it in front of you. “I’ll see you at the end of the class then.” He bid goodbye, before starting on his tracks but you caught his wrist, making him stop.

“Please don’t leave me, I don’t think I cant handle yet their teases to me. I don’t also have classes on this time. Maybe I can help you?” You were confindent enough with that subject so you offered help, but at the same time, you knew to yourself that you’re only making an excuse to spend time with him, and Wonwoo knew that too.

He removed your hands from his wrist to interlace his fingers with yours. His hand has the warmth that felt like home. “Just don’t distract me too much. I have to pass.“ He teased, softly pulling you closer as the both of you started on your tracks again.

You giggled, resting your face against his forearm. “Alright, I’ll try.”

You passed by your friends on your way to the wherever Wonwoo studies, sticking your tongue out to them which made them groan in defeat. “Losers.” You mouthed, before turning your attention back to the guy next to you.

[sophia1644]

The One

Pairing: Liam x Reader Warnings: swearing, angst, jealousy, anger issues Liam Summary: Liam overhears Y/N talking to Theo during a lacrosse game, and gets jealous, almost turning on the field. Y/N follows him to the locker room to see what’s up and he ends up confessing something to her. Word Count: 1.9k A/N: My tumblr app on my phone has been rlly annoying tbh, and idk what’s going on like it just crashes randomly all the time. But, anyways hope you guys like this one bc I do. (I’m also writing another imagine rn too so look out for that.) . . I bite on my lower lip, standing on the tip of my toes to peer over the mass of umbrellas. Being short had its struggles in lots of parts of life, but at lacrosse games, it was definitely at the top of the list. I roll my eyes as the person in front of me raises their black umbrella higher, a sound of annoyance leaving my lips unintentionally. The guy whips his head around, his slanted eyes shooting death glares at me. “Am I bothering you young lady?” He growls, the question coming off as more of a warning. “Not at all,” I reply with fake sweetness, my smile not reaching my eyes and my lips twitching at how badly they wanted to frown. The man rolls his eyes, similar to how I did to him a few moments earlier, and grumbling incoherently. “Well that guy’s an asshole,” a voice I recognize mutters behind me. I turn towards the voice, my suspicions of it being Theo correct. He’s wearing a black hoodie and jeans, his hood up to cover himself from the droplets of water slowly pouring down from the sky. I nod my head vigorously at him, rolling my eyes for the second time. “Can’t see,” I explain, motioning towards the group of people crowding the bleachers in front of us with umbrellas in hand. “You’re a shorty, that’s why,” he laughs, reaching out his hand and messing up the strands of hair I took an hour making look perfect. My eyes go wide at his action, my jaw dropping slightly. “You did not, Raeken,” I mumble through deep breaths. “What?” He asks, playing dumb, suddenly gaining interest in the two strings attached to his sweatshirt. I push him playfully, the action barely having any affect over the boy as he just chuckles at me. The people watching the lacrosse match all suck in their breaths simultaneously, our attention being drawn back to the field. “Ow, that was a bad hit,” a brunette girl in my chemistry class states to her freckled friend. I scan the field quickly, hoping that it wasn’t what I was imagining. Nope, the universe hates me. The jersey number 9 belongs to the player lying on the ground; Liam. My brows furrow, knowing that it wasn’t like him to get hit ever, and the few times that he did get hit, he didn’t take it very well. I watch as Scott rushes out onto the field, kneeling down to Liam’s face and saying some words I couldn’t make out. They were way too far away, so I take to other methods. “Can you hear them?” I ask to Theo, his eyes focusing in on them and his whole body tensing in concentration. “Scott’s trying to calm him down and… the cause- is, well um…” he pauses, looking down at his sneaker-clad feet and shifting his jaw left and right. “What?” I push, not understanding why he couldn’t give me the truth. “It’s me-” I look at him questioningly, still not understanding. “He went down because he was too focused on us talking.”

My brows knit together even deeper, lines creasing my forehead. I know Liam had a jealousy issue, but getting angry about me just talking to another guy was bonkers. What was the issue with a friendly conversation? “That’s crazy,” I say, then I see Scott’s eyes trail across the bleachers until landing on me, his hands motioning for me to get on the field. Scott’s lips move and I look to Theo again. “Liam needs you,” he translates. “Wha-” “Just go,” he commands, nodding his head towards the field, where Liam is starting to get up and head off the field, presumably to the locker room. “Okay,” I respond, getting the point, tugging my hood on tighter and saying a bunch of ‘excuse me’s to make my way through the metal stands. Once I walk into the school, I tug off my hood carefully, taking in a deep breath and slowly walking towards the boys’ locker room. Eventually, I reach the door, gently knocking on it and calling out Liam’s name, but there’s no answer. “Liam,” I call again, opening the door and pacing cautiously into the room. “I know you’re in he-” I stop mid-sentence, examining the punched in blue locker. I look around again, noticing blood stains along the tiled floor leading to where the showers were. I follow the trail of bright red, winding the corner and finding Liam sitting under the first shower, his fists clenched and his eyes flashing every millisecond from baby blue to a golden. “Liam,” I whisper, treading carefully because the worse thing I could do right now was to piss him off even more. His expression softens at my voice, his eyes darting to me, my jeans and converse surely drenched. I take off my rain jacket completely, tossing it to the side and sighing, sliding down against the wall to sit next to Liam. At this point, I wasn’t worrying about me getting more wet; I was worried about Liam.

“Li, come on, just talk to me,” I gently encourage, shivering at the cold water pouring down over me. “Liam, you can’t ignore me forever.” Without thinking, my hands wrap around his clenched fists, the tension in them diminishing at my touch. I lean my head into the crook of his neck and shoulder. Every second of this position was slowly unraveling his anger, his head soon resting on top of mine. “Li,” I mumble again, through gritted teeth, the cold really affecting me now. Liam realizes this, his eyes widening and his previous rage fully gone and being replaced with concern. “Y/N,” he says, looking up at the water still splashing down on us, then dragging me out of it with himself. He pulls me by my wrist to his locker, the one right beside the one with the dent. He shuffles with his lock, getting the combo wrong a few times and frustration boiling up inside him again. “31-1-35.” He quirks an eyebrow at me, trying the combination and pulling the lock down, it clicking open. “What? How do you know th-” “You remember at the beginning of last year, when you asked me to get your History textbook in here, for whatever reason?” He nods his head slowly, after looking up at the ceiling to recall the memory. “But, that was like forever ago, like that happened before Scott bit me.” I stare at him blankly. “What, I have a good memory?”

Liam smiles at me for a few blissful seconds, before realizing what he was originally doing, his jaw dropping and shuffling into his locker. He grabs a white towel from the top shelf, wrapping it around my shoulders. “There you go.” I smile appreciatively at him. Small things like this were the reasons why he was the one. The one who I wanted to fall in love with deeper and deeper everyday. The one who I wanted to wake up with every morning. The one I wanted to tell about every little accomplishment or issue I had, and didn’t have to worry about judgment. The one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. And the one I was willing to risk it all for. But, of course, this wasn’t the cliche teenage movie, and the best friend never gets to be the love interest. I loved him and he didn’t love me back. I’d always been and always will just be the best friend, nothing more. He was the one, but I wasn’t his. My thoughts are suddenly clouded by what happened earlier, images of him lying on the turf flashing back into my mind. “So,” I begin. “What happened out there?” His facial expression changes from gentle bliss to discomfort in a matter of milliseconds. “Erm, well, I was focusing in on something other than the game, that I probably shouldn’t have.” “Um, what were you focusing on?” I query, curiosity blazing through me. He looks down at his soaked cleats, mumbling something under his breath really fast.

“You know, I’m not a werewolf, so I don’t have enhanced hearing like you do. So, I didn’t catch any of that.” His chest and shoulders raise as he heaves in a breath, then reiterates what he just said, but slower and louder. “I was listening to you and Theo.” “What?” I question, disbelief lacing my tone. I had to have heard that wrong. “You were, erm, flirting with him. And i know I really shouldn’t mind that because, I mean, you’re not mine or anything, but he’s a bad guy and you deserve better, likemaybesomeonelikemeifthatsokay.” My heart begins to pound in my chest, surely loud enough that even non-supernaturals could hear. That time, I must’ve heard wrong, because the words that just spilled out of his mouth had to be a figment of my imagination. I must’ve been in shock for a long time, because Liam looks back up, probably wanting me to say something, anything. “Li, I don’t know how to res-”

“No, it’s fine, Y/N. I get it you don’t like me like that, but whenever you say Li, goddamn, please can you stop that because every single time you say that I want to fucking kiss you so bad,” he interrupts me, and somehow during it, he gets closer, his hands gently holding onto mine. I look down at our intertwined fingers and Liam follows my gaze, his eyes going wide and trying to pull away, but I stop him. I hold onto him and his eyes look back up to me frantically. “But, I thought th-” “Li, do you want to kiss me?” I ask, the possibility of him saying what I want him to say causing my body to gravitate even closer to him, if that was even possible. “Yes,” he replies sheepishly, blushing a bit. “Then do it.” And he does just that. Without letting another second pass, he reaches out and grasps my chin, pulling my face towards his. The kiss is delicate, his lips tasting of sweat, but I couldn’t care less. “So you don’t like Theo?” Liam asks, unsure. “No, Li,” I answer, gouging his reaction to the nickname, which he previously declared made him want to kiss me. He groans, licking his lips. “Now, you’re just saying it to mess with me.” “Li, why didn’t you kiss me sooner?” “I didn’t know you liked me back.” “That’s what I thought, Li.” “Fuck, stop doing that.” “Li, Li, Li, Li,” I laugh, as his face morphs into playful anger, a smile plastered on his face. “You’re so gonna get it, Y/N,” he yells. I run away, still laughing, dropping the towel somewhere on the tiled floor behind me. Strong arms hug me from behind, Liam picking me up and swinging me around as I kick my legs up in the air like a child. After a while, he drops me back down. I turn around to face him and stand on the tip of my toes, grabbing the side of his face in my hand and planting my lips on his. Being short had its hurdles, but this one, I didn’t mind. I finally had the one and somehow, I was his.

[idealisticrealism]

Blindspot 3x03 recap

(Aka the Patterson and Rich show lol)

AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

I LOVED this episode. Cute Jeller, supportive team, and of course, PATTERSON AND RICH BEING KICKASS BESTIES. Can the whole season be just like this ep bc good lord it is totally up there with my fave eps of this show ever and ugh I just loved it so much guys

Which in a way is kind of a bad thing because it means this review is gonna take me like 6 hours on account of all the screaming, but ah well. Worth it. 

And to the lovely Anon-- I may very possibly struggle to do these from now on due to my travelling, but I’ll try my best to keep them happening if I can. Thankfully none of the other people in my hostel dorm here in Madrid have minded my hectic late-night typing for the last couple of hours lol...

Anyhow, more gushing below the cut.

Ugh look at this. Our babies are dressed all fancy and having drinks and it’s kinda reminiscent of 1x09 except this time instead of just alluding to their interest in each other, Weller is BLATANTLY HITTING ON JANE, his WIFE, who he is MARRIED TO, and ugh it’s simultaneously delightful and almost nauseating haha. Zapata and Reade definitely agree with the nauseating part, because they’re stuck in the surveillance van being forced to listen to every word. Oh, kids. As the child of two people that love to make jokes about their sex life just to gross me out, I totally understand your pain right now. Lbr tho they probably kind of missed this. And lol I love that Jane giggles and apologises while shooting heart-eyes at Weller. You two are the worst. I actually didn’t expect this scene so early but I’m totally into it. And so Jeller keep an eye on the suspect and his daughter/wife, while Tasha works her hacking skills and hacks his computer. Also awww her cousin asked for Patterson’s autograph, that is so cute and I now love her cousin. I love that Patterson is now super rich and kinda a celeb lol. Hahaha I love that Jane delays the guy by telling him she loves his charity work and then literally like 10 secs later the team is into his files and Weller is arresting him. That would have had to feel kinda like an abrupt turnabout lol

Aww Zapata is checking in on Patterson and making sure she’s okay D: I love these ladies supporting each other. But in what sounds like depressing deja vu of both of the previous seasons, Patterson insists she’s fine to be there. Also her puzzle solving skills clearly haven’t suffered-- she figured out that random specks on Jane’s back could be translated onto a grid and brought together to form words? Dude. Tbh I like that the show gives us a brief explanation of how things were cracked without putting any pressure on us viewers-- we get to just smile and nod and be like ‘yep, sounds legit’ and then move on haha. Now Aunty Hirst has rocked up to hear the deets, considering their suspect is a big fish. And basically there’s some evidence that he caused a train to derail which was previously called in as an anonymous tip, and which made him super rich due to something to do with stocks. Can you tell I have very little understanding of the stock market lol, which tbh is kinda unfortunate considering my father keeps wanting me to invest haha.

Oooh Patterson goes to Reade bc she’s been investigating Stuart’s murder on her own despite there already being a team on it, and she tells him that Stuart had a Siri/google home/Alexa equivalent thing and that she thinks the thing recorded his murder, since they’re sneakily recording everything. Makes you worry about Siri and Alexa, doesn’t it… Anyway she wants Reade to go demand the recording from the company before it’s deleted within 72hrs. Go Reade go! Meanwhile Patterson goes to talk to their suspect’s lawyer, and walks in to find her playing Wizardville. I love that she knows exactly which part she’s at just by hearing the sound effects. Ugh you giant nerd I love you so much. When Jeller show up a minute later (maybe held up in the locker room because of… activities…) lawyer lady insists that the emails are planted by a hacker group who is targeting her client. Lol “Mr Lowie can afford better specialists than the FBI has. No offense”/”Offense taken”. Damn right, Patterson, none of those specialists could hold a candle to you. But uh oh, the lawyer mentioned the hacker group-- the three blind mice-- and Patterson suddenly got all shifty. What do you know that you’re not telling, honey???  Also the lawyer lady is threatening them with a very large lawsuit which is bound to make all of this a little awkward….

RIIIICHHH. God I will never get over the delight of seeing him appear in an episode. Patterson visits him in his office, which is literally just a room for cleaning supplies, and she turns on a radio jammer which has him spitting coffee (if that is coffee) out of his ‘best daddy ever’ mug. So either he stole the mug from Weller or someone, or it’s alluding to a weird sex thing. You never know with Rich. (Yes you do; it’s usually the weird sex thing). Ugh and when she demands to know if he hacked into the suspect’s server he’s all “What?? No?? Who??” and god I just love his FACE. Ennis how do you do this??? God. And then ugh he promises her he’s not lying and ugh I believe it. And then she tells him the tatt points to the 3BM and that the FBI are gonna try to track them down and ugh you can see the ‘oh shit’ on his face. I just love the way these two interact, like they’re legit real friends?? Ugh my babies. I adore Jeller and all, but tbh this is my favourite duo on the show rn. And now Weller wants to see them both and they’re both like ‘oh shit’ lol. And then lol he totally ignores ‘ladies first’ and calls Weller mademoiselle and you can hear that he’s nervous and aaahhhh his joke about the 3 blind mice from the nursery rhyme and then insisting he’s a crime fighter now and I just love him so muuuchhhh and this whole time he and Patterson are both half shitting themselves and ugh I feel like he’s using his ridiculousness to keep attention on him and not Patterson bc she doesn’t like lying to her team and ughhhh they’re such broooos. And Hirst appears to tell them all that they need to catch the 3BM asap because the emails were planted and their dude might sue, and to which Rich suggests a simple ‘I was wrong’ to patch things up lollll. And then Hirst has a picture of the 3BM and Patterson and Rich are all !!!!!!!!! and then it turns out it’s a person in a mouse mask and they’re so relieved lol. Also dude after Patterson, i love Rich’s dynamic with Jane the most. She’s basically like his long-suffering mom hahaha. Back in the closet, Patterson’s freaking out and wants to come clean but he’s all ‘how about no’ lol. Also he says that they dropped out because ‘someone thought it was getting too dangerous’ and he points to her but then jabs his thumb toward himself as he’s speaking and now I’m confused?? Which one wanted to bail?? (Probably Patterson lbr). Ughhhh by the sound of it they were such little Robin Hoods, and ugh I NEED the spinoff about this whole partnership over the last 2 years ughhhhhhh. And hahaha omg “so we make it a little harder for them, if you catch my drift”/”by obstructing justice??”/”drift caught.” UGHHHHH GIVE ME THE SPINOFF. GIVE IT TO ME. I will sell my soul for this I stg.

Meanwhile awww Reade is honouring Patterson’s request and talking to a representative from the kinga company about the recordings, and when she tries to deny it he and Zapata totally roll their eyes at each other haha. These bros. And then she’s texting his gf which feels a little weird, and also she says they hung out ‘last weekend’ but uh wasn’t stuart’s murder less than 72hr ago, and so all the events of last ep including Zapata meeting the gf happened then as well (that did happen in 3x02 right?)? Maybe that was friday and this is monday and she meant to say ‘on the weekend’?  Also “You better put a ring on that before I do” LOL I love it. I’m sure it’s just a joking comment but dude could Zapata be bi? Because I would totally be down for that. I like Zapata being friends with Reade’s gf and encouraging them as a couple, since I want Reade and Zapata to remain just bros. I seriously miss Reade/Sarah though. Lbr I’m still totally bitter about that one, Gero.

Patterson found the person in the mouse mask by creating a ‘biometric map’ of the person from the video and using ‘gait recognition’?? Mmmmmkay, sure, I’ll roll with it. Nice little mention of Patterson’s NSA access, though. The woman they find has a bunch of dating profiles and works for Nerd Herd (awww a Chuck reference, I’m so happy) which makes Rich pity her, but uh dude don’t you know she was Miss United States?? And she’s besties with Sandra Bullock, so she’s doing just fine. And ugh when Rich says that they tracked her location, Jane actually praises him and ughhhh look at that parental approval he’s getting, I’m so happy for him. And then haha Hirst wants both Patterson and Rich in on the interrogation and ugh you can just see my poor Patterson getting more and more tightly wound lol can someone just give her a hug before she explodes? Preferably Rich giving her a slightly stilted but genuinely sincere hug. I want it. Nope, need it. Also looks like Jeller now have nothing on their schedule…. time for another locker room rendezvous perhaps?

Lollll their suspect has said like two lines and all I hear is Miss Rhode Island… also she looks so cute in her lil Nerd Herd outfit. I wonder if she ever met Chuck? I mean she’s based on the other side of the country, but still… what if she trained under him over in Burbank before moving to NYC? Anyhow she gushes about how famous the 3BM are and both Rich and Patterson are looking SO UNCOMFORTABLE in their own ways and I’m loving it. Also ugh Hirst’s soft southern accent is so soothing. Could she narrate audiobooks or something bc I would legit buy all of them. Although rn she’s describing bad stuff that the 3BM did and that doesn’t feel right, but then Kathy decides the jig is up and explains how each of those things was actually them helping people/semi-saving the world. Also man this actress is amazing in how she can sound simultaneously kinda deranged but also kinda sweet?? I just want to protect her and her adorable lil face haha. Lol at Rich and Patterson exchanging looks across the room the whole time she’s talking. Subtle, guys. And Rich’s face when she says that the three of them are still best friends?? Maybe he’s starting to think Patterson was right to have made them both cut ties with this wacko. But duuuude why are you so vain, you literally just let her goad you into revealing yourself as one of her former partners. But still, “Oh so by ‘pretty close’, do you mean 100% correct, or?” ughhhh I love the sass. And then  Kathy mentions people being in danger and it draws Patterson over, putting all three of the blind mice at the same table for the first time in a year.... And also ever, when you think about it. Also turns out that the wealthy guy might be planning to blow something up to earn money from stocks like he did last time or something, which prompts Patterson to admit to Rich that she has backdoor access into every phone that downloaded her app. Firstly, wow, glad that power is in the hands of one of the good guys. Secondly, that’s a huge show of trust to tell him that, knowing that he could then steal her phone or something and use the access for his own gain. Ugh these bros!! Lol I do love that he gets carried away with thoughts of Hirst’s browser history tho haha. But anyhow by hacking the lawyer’s phone she figured out where the attack was planned to happen, and aawwwww Rich immediately wants to head to tell the team and Patterson is the one holding back. Also LOL: “Hey Gary.” “His name’s Gary? I’ve been calling him Rick…” ugh how is his every line just SO GOOD? I love the thought that he talks to their coworkers as well, probably talks the ear off of anyone who happens to come near him lol. Ugh my baby just wants to be loveddddd. I love the bickering-siblings thing they’ve got going on though, and “Well now who’s obstructing justice??” ahhahaha. Seriously who do I have to bribe to get the show with just these two? And then when she suddenly decides that they need to come clean, he’s all ‘woah no no, gross’ lollll. And then he has a little lightbulb moment about how to solve their problem-- a ridiculous and very conveniently timed anonymous tip lol. Well, tbh the team never really cares HOW Patterson managed to get their intel, only that she gives them stuff they can use/excuses to go beat people up. Aww but Weller trusts his lil team and acts immediately on their intel, prepared to take the fall for it if it turns out to be a dud. He’s very martyr-ish lately, I feel-- but I guess maybe he just feels invincible now that his wifey is back in his lifey?

Turns out the ‘tip’ is legit, and Jeller find our baddies, proceeding to beat the hell out of them in true Jeller fashion. There’s also a bomb, because of course there is, and Rich makes a suggestion only to be smacked down by Patterson and is properly apologetic haha. Jane then actually takes his advice, using the sped-up clock to convince the baddie to disarm the bomb, then takes him out and shoots the guy grappling with Weller by firing through a bottle of oil or something. Nice. She really is a woman of endless talents, a fact that Weller very much benefits from, both in the field and… elsewhere haha. Also Sully’s accent has dropped at least twice in this ep already, someone must be tired lol. Anyway back at the office, Aunty Hirst drops by to tell them all how proud she is. Also I want to marry the way she says ‘Lowie’. It’s just so damn cute. She then tells everyone to go home, and Rich and Patterson have a quiet little celebratory fist-bump (which they have clearly done before AAAHHHHHHH) over the 3BM investigation appearing to be closed. God they’re the cutest.

Oh yeah, forgot about Reade and Zapata for a minute there, too distracted by the other show-stealing partnership haha. They’re putting heavy pressure on the boss lady at Kinga, and I love that she calls him ‘sir’ and that he’s so firm and authoritative with her. This seems more like a true AD of the FBI! And you know Zapata’s pretty impressed too haha.  Well done, Reade.

Loll Patterson and Rich meeting in a deserted parking lot and Rich stepping in a puddle and then both of them realising that neither of them actually sent the message that they received. Tbh I just love that each of them got a message from the other telling them to come to a random parking lot in the middle of the night and they both came?? Without question?? Ugghhhhhhh have I mentioned lately that I love them. Also what’s Rich’s sitch at the safe house? Does he have a team watching him that he had to evade to get here, or? And lol she calls him dumbwad and everything is so cute and fun and then RICH GETS SHOT IN THE CHEST. Ngl, I gasped far louder in this moment than I even knew I was capable of. There was a split second of sheer, unadulterated panic before I remembered he’s going to be returning for multiple eps throughout the season and therefore has to be okay. But good lord that one second was an awful experience. I swear to god, if they do ever kill Rich then I’m out. I will walk away from this show, Gero, don’t think I won’t! And ugh the shock and horror on Patterson’s face-- for all he drives her crazy, he’s literally one of her best friends, and she’s already lost enough people around her. And then Kathy appears and even though she assures them (and us) that they’re just beanbag rounds, it’s still freaky as hell to see her shooting them both with a shotgun at point-blank range. My poor babies… Aaaand then they wake in a Saw-esque setting and ugh he pokes her so gently to wake her and they’re so cute when they’re kidnapped. Sounds like it’s a semi-regular occurrence for Rich, whose main concern is that he doesn’t get to be kidnapped anywhere fun lol. Aw, is someone using humour to make their friend feel less scared?  “And not the good kind of dungeon” haha. And then he goes for the door and she tries to stop him but too late, he gets zapped by a shock collar and lol my poor baby. “Oh my god, she’s gonna make us play the hunger games, isn’t she??” Which tbh would be pretty interesting between these two. I’m tempted to bet on Patterson as the winner, but then again, the first time we met Rich he did shoot a guy in the chest and was going to have Jeller killed as well, so tbh I think he shouldn’t be underestimated. But ugh it’s so cute that Patterson is desperately trying to get his collar off rather than her own, and then suddenly heeeeeeeere’s Kathy! Who is holding the collar remote threateningly in one hand while sweetly offering them snacks at the same time lol. Sh figured out it was them because of Rich showing off in interrogation and Patterson saying ‘opposite, opposite’ which I did think was a bit of a weird phrase to use lol. And ahhh Patterson calls him Rich and Kathy suddenly goes into Rich DotCom fangirl mode, and tbh I feel you on that one, sister. I would react the same. But now she’s ranting about them being brainwashed by the feds (lol at Rich telling Patterson that she did just sound like weller, awwww) and that she’s ‘saving’ them haha. Then suddenly she whips out a to-do list of hack-tivities, but instead of Robin Hood stuff, it’s more Sherriff of Nottingham stuff this time. Their arguments don’t work, which means it’s hack or zap….

Weller texts Patterson about dinner; everyone’s gathered at his and Jane’s place having drinks and hanging out and ugh they’re all so cute. And Jeller are so casually touchy and he calls her ‘my love’ and I’m seriously caught between finding that corny and super cute. Maybe both. Zapata’s playing Wizardville, which apparently Jane does too, and then they realise Reade must as well and lol Zapata’s innocent little ‘Reade?’ is so CUTE. Weller’s all “You too??” and yeppp, Sully has apparently forgotten what an American accent is haha. Oh well. I love that he goes and snuggles with Jane on the couch (aaawwwww) as they watch Zapata and Reade bicker like it’s a spectator sport hahaha. I love the sassiness omg.

Meanwhile Rich is perfecting his mime-in-a-box routine as he tries to figure out any gaps in their electric prison, and tbh that’s actually pretty brave? He probably got zapped at least a few times doing that. Patterson is trying to figure out how to get word back to the team, but Rich tells her that the only way they’ll get out of this is to go along with Kathy’s plan, because he has ‘a lot of experience with psychotic women who desire him sexually’ and lol at the disgust and annoyance on Patterson’s face and her “What is your point.” Yep, those are siblings right there.

The team are still being cute when Weller gets an email from Patterson saying she’s having dinner with Rich instead, but Zapata notices that it’s signed with her first name, WHICH NONE OF THEM ACTUALLY MENTION. TELL US THE DAMN NAME, YOU JERKS. So I guess that means that Patterson sneakily sent an email when Kathy wasn’t looking? I think that’s what they’re getting at, rather than Kathy covering her tracks by sending that to Weller so he won’t be concerned when Patterson doesn’t show up for dinner. I feel like Patterson totally has the skills to pull that off right under someone’s nose...

Back in the dungeon, the dynamic duo have picked some of the less harmful hacks to start with, including revealing some politician guy as a sex fiend (no surprises there), and Kathy gushes that watching them hack is like watching Picasso paint the Mona Lisa and lolll you can see Rich’s eyes narrow and he really wants to correct her but Patterson is already telling her to let them go, but nope Kathy wants them to crash Lowie’s private jet now, and wow she really seems to have it in for this guy. Also is it even possible to remotely crash a plane? But ohhhhhh crap, Kathy’s brother died in the train crash that Lowie caused. Well, that explains that. She tried to hand them the evidence to put him away, but now she’s taking matters into her own (or the 3 Blind Mice’s) hands. And Rich kinda seems to side with her a little bit after this revelation, causing Patterson to shoot him a look of betrayal and Kathy to beam at him. Oh man I really hope this is a ploy. Ugh Patterson is basically pleading with him not to help Kathy, to stay on their team, the good guy team, and then Kathy zaps her and ugh he’s immediately on his feet but knows he can’t do anything. He has to roll with this if he’s to save either of them and ugh I love himmmmm???

The team is at the office, trying to track down their missing buddies. Again Zapata is the one to see the clue-- the IP address the email came from is in antarctica, just like Kathy’s earlier hacks. They discover Kathy got out on bail, and then that both Patterson and Rich’s cars were found in Brooklyn. I love that they all practically run for the exit. I wonder if they’re remembering the last time Patterson was kidnapped, aka the only unlikable episode of season one?? Better hurry team, go save them! And lol conveniently they find out every place she’s ever worked and one of those happens to be an old zoo, and therefore a nice private place to keep prisoners. How lucky for them….

Poor Patterson is bound and gagged and tries to cry “Rich, no!” as he successfully hacks the jet and sets it on its collision course with the ocean.  Or its fake collision course, I hope. And ugh then he and Kathy are dining together and okay why does she respond ‘kinda’ when he asks if it’s foie gras? Is she pulling a Hannibal Lecter rn??? Also I love the little red glow of the collar through his napkin lol. And then there’s a perimeter breach and Kathy is starting to freak out and so checks on the plane, only to see that it landed safely and Patterson looks at Rich in shock and HE WINKS AT HER. Look at my baby all grown up and fighting on the side of good with his lil FBI family who he lovessssss. Ughhh save me. And then omg she flips out and literally smashes the wine bottle over his head and I gasped super loud again bc do you know how hard those things are???? Ugh both Patterson and I are so worried for our bestie Rich, but meanwhile Kathy hacks the team’s car and tries to crash them?? I love their super synchronized dives out of the car lol. And then omg she literally sets everything on fire while crying over their ruined friendship hahahaha. Tbh I’d be pretty devastated if Patterson and Rich didn’t want to be friends with me too lol…. And then omgggg she is literally about to shoot Rich and Patterson tackles her, saving his life and causing herself to be electrocuted. THAT IS FAMILY RIGHT THERE. I hope Rich someday acknowledges what she did for him just then, bc ugh it was everythinggggg. Thankfully the team is there and Reade is clever enough to order Jane to find a fusebox. I love the tasks each of the team takes-- Jane cuts the power, saving Patterson, Reade arrests Kathy, Weller helps Patterson up and is checking her over all concerned, and Zapata FLICKS RICH until he comes around hahahaha. “He’s fine” lol. I love that she’s all blase about it but they would have been genuinely upset if he was seriously injured. Pretend all you like, I know you care!!

Back at base, the rest of the team calls Rich and Patterson into the conference room to tell them that Hirst wants the other mice caught, but Kathy is refusing to give up names (‘she’s a mouse, not a rat’ hahahaha), and when Reade asks why she kidnapped them, Patterson answers that she was a huge Rich DotCom fangirl, which is technically a true statement. Rich says he didn’t know that was even a thing, which is a completely untrue statement haha. And then Reade says how lucky it is that there’s no evidence whatsoever to point to who the other two are because if he knew who they were he would have to prosecute them and ugh the team has clearly agreed that this is a ‘what happens in the team stays in the team’ situation and then even literally discuss how these tattoos are about them as a group, that Roman wants to expose their secrets specifically. But they have no idea why. (Punishing Jane, no?)

Naw look at this domestic Jeller. Jane is cooking her implausible vegan lasagne, and then Kurt tells her he loves her like ten times, which is super cute but still in an Australian accent!! Sully, c’mon, lol. But ugh he runs to the shower and wants her to join and lord I do love me some established relationship… but then of course lil bro has to call and cockblock, and ugh poor Jane is so upset about how things are between them but he’s all ‘grrrrrr must punish you for making me sad grrrrrrr’ and sigh I look forward to a little bit of character growth on his part lol

Oooh Patterson calls Reade and Zapata in to the lab to listen to the Kinga recording that they got, and finds out that it's been doctored, meaning someone is hiding something. And also, through magical genius means, she figured out the tattoo that Stuart was working on relates to Van Gogh’s famous self portrait. Which is super confusing until the next scene where an ominous man threatens the Kinga CEO never to talk about doctoring the recordings, and turns away, revealing… DUN DUN DUN….. he’s missing an ear. Ooooooooohhhhh intrigue. Who is Creepy Van Gogh and what does he want with the team????

[stevethehairington]

Okay so I was tagged by @fairieswithoutwings to do one of those like “get to know me” kind of post things, which like wow, I’m surprised that I was tagged in one of these! Like I didn’t ever expect to be so it’s pretty cool! Thanks!! :)

Anyyyywayyyyssss...

Name/nickname/whatever you prefer to be called?

My friends usually just call me by my full name, Mackenzie, but sometimes they call me ‘Mack’. Some of my soccer coaches in the past have called me ‘G’ or “Gal’ because of my last name but yeah, I don’t really go by nicknames that much. Wouldn’t mind it though!

Pronouns?

She/Her :)

Age?

I’m currently 17 (a little more than 4 months away from 18 though, but who’s counting?) (Me. I’m counting. I’m definitely counting)

Fav Skam character?

This is SUCH a tough question oh man. (I love them all is that an acceptable answer? lol) Ummm... I’m gonna have to go with either Isak or Even, as cliche as it seems. When I saw Isak in season one he was this cute, adorable, little bean and I dunno, it was kinda just love at first sight lol. And then in season three, my love for him just grew and grew and grew because throughout his season we see him going through some tough shit and the way he handles most of it and becomes more aware of things and is open to learning and exploring things is very admirable. Like ofc he definitely speaks before he thinks about what he’s going to say sometimes, like the comments he makes to Eskild about gay pride, and also the comment to Even in the locker room (we all know exactly what I’m talking about here), but the thing is, he doesn’t just let them go or deny that he said those things. He actively takes responsibility for them and realizes that he messed up or said something wrong and he tries to fix it, and I think that’s really important. He does a lot of growing and learning and I just love that he’s willing to do that growing and learning. Also, I really love how despite how much he tries to make himself seem like this ‘cool’ guy, like ‘look at me I wear snapbacks and listen to ‘90s hip hop and smoke weed’, he’s really just this big loving dork who gets blushy and embarrassed and is actually really intelligent and loves biology and old memes (honestly tho boy, you gotta get updated on your meme collection it’s looking very #yike) and has a soft spot for his friends. Like I just really love Isak. 

Okay and Even. Damn, where do I begin with Even? He’s such a complex character and I actually love that so much, like there are so many different layers to him and I felt like every episode we peeled one back and found another waiting to be explored. I really really love how he’s so much more than just the love interest. Like a lot of shows bring on a character as the love interest for the main character and they’re kind of just there and don’t really have that much background to them. But with Even... oh mannnn. Boy do we get background. He’s more than just Isak’s love interest and that makes me really appreciative. I also think his mental illness was dealt with in such a wonderful way. Now, I’m no expert on mental illnesses, but I feel like they did a fantastic job at portraying one. It seemed very real and I loved how it wasn’t just boom he had an episode which we didn’t witness and everything’s suddenly better within a day. Like even I know that’s not how it is, and they didn’t do that. They showed the good and the bad and I think that made me fall in love with Even too. Seeing the good and the bad just showed that he’s not perfect, nobody is, and we all have to go through shit. It’s part of life. And that just made him seem even more real. Also, I love how as the season progressed he became more real. Like in the beginning, since we’re seeing everything through Isak’s eyes, Even kinda appears like this gorgeous ‘way outta my league’ kind of guy, like he was the epitome of cool, super untouchable, right. But then throughout the episodes that air of ‘too cool’ kinda disappeared and once again we were left with this absolute dork, who loves movies and cooking and Gabrielle, who gets insecure about things too, who isn’t as perfect as we originally thought. Like I just want to be his best friend and sit and talk with him for hours about everything under the sun (god, he would be such a good conversationalist omg. He definitely strikes me as that person that can literally talk about anything and everything that comes to mind and actually make that conversation enjoyable. Like he could probably bring up like some dumb math theorum or whatever and I’d be intrigued lol). He’s precious and needs to be protected at all costs. (Honestly I could talk about him for HOURS. Hmu if ya wanna tho lol I’d be up for it)

When did you start watching Skam?

Okay so I started watching Skam midway through season 3, so episode 6 was the first episode I watched in ‘real time’. I was on Tumblr one day (instead of doing my homework... which is kind of what I’m doing now... lol sorry AP Gov, you’re not important right now) and I was scrolling through my dash and I kept seeing a bunch of posts with these two boys cuddling together (that first clip from episode 5 you know the one ;)) and I reblogged a couple of them even though I had no idea what this show was yet, but I remember thinking to myself okay s’cute I’ll check it out. And that’s when I fell down the rabbit hole lol. No, but honestly? Best decision I ever made. I remember it was the first day of Thanksgiving break when I found this show and I watched all of season 3 as of then that night, then Tuesday night I went back and watched season 1, Wednesday I watched all of season 2, and then Thursday I rewatched season 3 so I’d be ready for the new episode on Friday. And I was Hooked™. 

When did you make your blog?

Oh god, ummm, I honestly have no idea the date (or even the year for that matter lol). I know I’ve had it a few years though. I used to be a hardcore One Direction account, I shipped Larry (not super extra about it though I was super chill), like I was so invested in that band omfg, but now I kinda don’t care what’s going on with them? Like, I just gradually stopped caring. I stopped constantly checking for updates and now when new stuff happens I’m kinda just like oh okay cool whatever. Like I’m not badmouthing them, I still enjoy their music and all, I just stopped being obsessive I suppose. Which, I’m kinda glad about tbh lol. Idk I just don’t think it was very good to be that invested. But yeah, now this blog is kinda a mosh of different stuff I like. Like rn it’s mainly Skam but I’ll post about Harry Potter or Marvel or Sherlock.

Who are you cheering for to be s4′s main?

EVEN. Oh my god you have no idea how much I want Even to be the main. Like I’m probably HELLA getting my hopes up and I’m gonna be super disappointed if it’s not him (mainly bc I’m so convinced he should be (but ofc I’m gonna be thrilled with whoever they do choose!!)) But yeah, there’s just so many reasons why he should be the main. Like I said earlier he’s a super complex character and I feel like we’ve only scratched the surface. Like there’s so many things we don’t know about him and I’m so damn curious to find out everything about him. I also think it would be really cool if we had a season from the point of view of someone with a mental illness so we could see how normal they are. Because people sometimes think that just because someone’s mentally ill or something like that that they’re totally different, but in reality they’re probably not that different from you and me. I think it would provide so much exposure for that and be super informative and helpful and just lovely, because Skam always does the loveliest job portraying things. Not to mention, he’s graduating this year and I think it would be so good to see him successfully graduate. It would show people that yes, it’s possible and yes you can do it. (I’m getting teary eyed just thinking about my tol bean graduating omg!) Alsooo, this is literally our last chance to have Even as a main. Like I said, he’s graduating this year so once this year is over he won’t be at Nissen anymore, which is kind of like a requirement of the mains sooo. (Plus I was discussing this with someone I follow and we were talking about how it would make the most sense and be a very smart move from a marketing point of view to have Even as the main because a bunch of people are super invested in him and if he’s the main it would bring a lot of viewers because of that investment) (Plus the transition to s4 would be smooth as hell). Ideally, it would be perfect if it went like this: Even for S4, Sana for S5, and Vilde for S6. Fingers crossed this is what we get!!

Who do you think is most likely to be s4′s main?

I feel like Even’s definitely got a chance. But I also think Sana does too. If it’s not Even (I’m in too deep help) I think it’ll for sure be Sana (which yessss, I love Sana omg). 

What are your main interests?

Main interests... welllll, if it’s not already obvious I love obsessing over tv shows lol. Nah, but I’m super into watching movies (not quite on Even’s level but I’m working my way up there), like marathoning is my fave. I’m super into photography. I’m in a photography class in school right now, but I love taking pictures of everything really. And I’m super happy because I just got my own camera for Hanukkah this year and I’ve been asking for the past few years so I’m so happy about that. I enjoy reading too, I’m a sucker for a good book. (recs anyone? lol) I also like to write, even though I’ve never actually sat down and written anything completely. Like seriously, look at my computer and you’ll see a million files of half written, started and abandoned fics. I’ve been trying to get myself to actually finish one but who knows if that’ll ever happen lol. Oh and I play soccer too, have been since I was 4! Definitely one of my favorite things to do! 

Something you’re always up to discuss?

Literally anyting? Like hmu I’m always open to talk about things. I love love love Harry Potter so if you ever want to talk about anything that has to do with Harry Potter I’m soo beyond down. I really enjoy talking about Literature as well. I’m in an AP Lit class this year and it’s actually my favorite class ever. We’ve read so many interesting books and I’ve learned so much and me and my pals are literally the biggest Lit nerds you’d ever find, we’ll sit and discuss our books for hours when we go out to coffee or are at lunch. Speaking of coffee, whenever me and my friends get coffee we always end up having these super deep conversations about politics or religion or things like that and those conversations are actually so enjoyable, so like if you’re an open minded person and you’re not trying to shove your belief/opinion down my throat I could definitely talk with you about those things. I think talking about politics or religion and stuff like that really helps you keep an open mind because it allows you to see things from other people’s point of view, and that’s pretty cool. 

I’m always up for making new friends, especially here, so I’m up for chatting if anyone wants to!! :))

Something you refuse to discuss?

Umm, nothing super specific is coming to mind. But when it comes to politics or religion I refuse to speak to someone about these things if they only want to explain their views/opinions and think that it’s their way or the highway and try to shove it down my throat and aren’t open to hearing what other people think. Like you don’t have to like what I’m saying and you definitely don’t have to agree, but you need to be able to listen and at least be open to hearing a different point of view. So yeah, I guess it’s not really a what I refuse to discuss but more of a who I refuse to discuss with lol.

Other favorite shows aside from Skam?

Too many. Omfg. Okay I’m hella into Criminal Minds. That show is one of my all time favorites. I actually decided that I want to study Criminal Justice and Psychology and actually become a profiler because of that lol. I just think it’s such a cool show and what they do is so interesting so yeah, that show has actually influenced my career goals haha. I also love Parks and Rec- that show is funny as hell and it’s one of those shows I’m always down to rewatch. Oh, I watched Stranger Things this year and that show is just yes. So good oh man. I love the movie Super 8 with a passion and when I watched Stranger Things I got such a Super 8 vibe which I looooved so yeah I definitely love that show and would consider it a favorite. American Horror Story is pretty awesome too, though I haven’t been that impressed with their last few seasons, still a great show though! Ooh I just started watching Sherlock this year (I watched it all in like a week oops?), love that show! Supernatural oh my god I loove that show so much! Jensen and Jared are my absolute favorites oh man. I haven’t finished the show yet I’m only about halfway through season 6 lol but I heard it was renewed for season 13 so that’s pretty cool! Some honorable mentions: How I Met Your Mother was good, I watched That ‘70s Show not that long ago, that was pretty funny, I just finished The Office. I feel like I’m missing some key shows I love but yeah that’s all I can think of right now.

Anyways, I hope some of you take the time to read this, I know I don’t have that many followers and I’m not like a popular blog or anything lol. But yeah this took me a while to write and it was pretty fun to do. 

I dunno if any of the people I’m about to tag have done this or not yet but I’m too lazy to scroll through all their blogs and see so if I tag you and you’ve already done it cool, my bad. (Tagging some of my favorite accounts and people I consdier pals! :))

@desert-pluviophile @skammed @adamparishe @isakneven @shadeandadidas @skamwhat @ravenclawisak @bloonstuff @skamz