#it's more fun in the philippines guys!!!!!!!!!!!!! | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

shuttershocky · 25 days

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Could you explain what aspects about MOBA's you enjoy? They've never clicked for me, but you always sound like you're having fun when you talk about them.

Sure thing, though a short history lesson first.

The Philippines is MOBA country. In the early 2000s, most people were too poor to really afford a gaming computer or console, but were still avid gamers. To fulfill this audience demand, many places opened up "Compshops", not a computer shop where you shop for parts, but a place to use a computer for a set amount of time like an internet cafe, but specifically for video games. Any student at the time could rent a computer for an hour at 20 pesos (sometimes even cheaper) to play video games. These kids would bring their friends, who would also bring their friends, and so you could have like 10+ kids entering a compshop at once.

Now if you put a bunch of computers in one place, you're set up for a LAN party. Two games emerged as kings here, Counterstrike, and Warcraft 3, with the latter's Defense of the Ancients custom map becoming the number 1 game.

These games were easy to pirate and easy to set up, but could also accommodate the large friend groups. Since they were team-based, you also wouldn't get a Quake situation where one guy stomps the entire lobby, better players had a responsibility to carry their weaker teammates.

Nowadays Dota is past its heyday, but still has devout players from my generation. MOBAs are still popular though, with Mobile Legends being what the kids are playing now.

This foreword is all to explain that I have never played any MOBA alone (except for SMNC). I have played DOTA and Dota 2, League of Legends, Smite, and now Deadlock with a party, even a full stack in most cases. This drastically increases how enjoyable the genre is, as so much of the fun is in team coordination and overcoming an immense challenge together.

Now as for what I personally like about MOBAs, it's how the genre ramps up tension and catharsis in a way no other video game can really match.

A single match in Dota 2 averages about 30-40 minutes, with really long games lasting for an hour, maybe more (the longest Dota 2 match in history was 3 hours long and was a pro match too!). The reason for that length is because everyone starts the match at level 1 and buck naked. Without any ability points you don't have any spells, and without items you don't have any stats. In this state it is impossible to siege the enemy base, because their towers will simply laugh and kill you if you try. Thus, you and the enemy team alike must gather resources to grow stronger through leveling up and buying items until you're strong enough to destroy the enemy base, while sabotaging the other team by killing them (and thus putting them into a respawn timer where they can't gather resources or defend their base) or by stealing what they have, since the map has limited resources.

This race to become stronger through any means possible creates the push and pull of the MOBA genre, but also has the side effect of ramping the tension like crazy. Since it takes a significant time to get strong, the match also gives you a lot of time to get emotionally invested, and the later the game goes the stronger that feeling gets. And since MOBAs have characters scale very hard going from wimps to being able to delete an enemy in the blink of an eye, the later the game gets the more punishing a single mistake or the more bountiful a victorious skirmish is.

This leads to some of the most intense, even anxiety-inducing experiences a video game can ever give. You just spent 40 minutes getting strong, but failed to stop the enemy team from also getting strong as well, so now you're both powerful enough to erase each other in an instant, the deciding factor is who makes the first mistake. Will all of your effort come to nothing, or will all of that time investment pay off in a spectacular win? That question can be decided in a matter of seconds.

And because youre only 1 player among 5, truly perfect coordination is almost impossible, and mistakes are unavoidable. Even when you make a mistake and the enemy capitalizes on it, they can still make a mistake themselves that you can exploit to turn a lost fight into a win if youve grown powerful enough to pull it off. A game can be decided in a few critical seconds, but nobody can ever be truly sure which seconds those are. Sometimes some people think they've already won, when suddenly the game is all over and they lost because they got overconfident.

It is because of all that buildup of tension and anxiety that the sheer catharsis when you win an extremely difficult game feels incredible. It feels so fucking good that you'll keep coming back even after some truly horrific losses to chase that same high.

I've been playing Dota 2 since 2012, meaning I've been playing the same game for 12 years now. Winning feels THAT good. There's just no other genre that gives me that rush.

It says something that the first game to truly compete with Dota 2 for me would be its spiritual sequel, Deadlock, which is Dota 2 if it was a third person shooter with actual movement options (bunny hopping, sliding, airdashing, walljumping, the works!)

Okay, okay, and also because Deadlock lets me parry enemy players to stun them.

It's so much fun. Neither Dota players nor Overwatch players expect you to just parry them when they go on you.

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erial-c · 5 months

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redacted headcanons if they were filipino 🇵🇭

please bear w me and my scattered thoughts😭 also credits to @pandoraroid for the vincent hc it's so real

- when the shaw pack gets together they do the family gathering thing of making the kids have a dance competition for money

- angel doesn't know how to commute (public transportation) and david would have to come along with them on a jeep to help them learn

"davey ikaw pumara para sakin please nahihiya ako" "kaya mo yan, dali lalagpas na tayo oh"

("davey can you make the jeep stop please i'm too shy" "you can do it, cmon we're gonna miss our stop")

- at a jollibee birthday party david would always help the shaw kids win the "bring me game" . that shit is SERIOUS for him i would bet

- milo would overdress all the time . kahit anong ganap he will be layering IN SPITE of the heat. he'd also be called "estetik" and he HATES IT .

(estetik: from aesthetic, used to make fun of people who dress up)

*(kahit anong ganap: whatever event there is)

- also, milo and sweetheart ukay-ukay dates perhaps. . . . but i think they'd both get carried away because they'd be blessed by the ukay gods and forget they were ever on a date

(ukay-ukay: secondhand shops in the ph!! mainly clothes)

vincent and lovely . aircon humor x kanal humor CMAWWNN. the vampire houses alone r so extra and fancy vincent would for sure have the conyo/filipino rich ppl accent too like.

(vin telling lovely abt his first summit): vin: "ok so inisip ko like, paano ako gaganti kay william during the summit, right? so i decided i was going to show up looking like as the, pinaka-antithesis of what he wants me to look like."

lovely, absorbing nothing of what he just said: "HUY antithesis???????"

(vin: "ok so i thought, how am i gonna get back at william during the summit, right?; ...looking like the (most)antithesis of what he wants me to look like.")

(aircon humor: humor associated with wealthy people, priv school kids, "out of touch" humor

kanal humor: "public school humor" , vulgar and relatable

conyo: someone who speaks filo+english in a pretentious way, mostly due to being raised wealthy . idk they always have that rich ppl accent)

- i can't imagine guy being filipino no matter what i do. however, i think honey is for sure filo (projecting) and they wld have a complete filo friend group . honey wld still have that gruff exterior but their walls r down, and their friends would joke that honey and guy r the "nonchalant x oa" pairing and guy wld have NO clue what they're all talkin abt.

(oa: over acting, usually used negatively to call someone dramatic, but with the "nonchalant x oa" it's kinda similar to the introvert x extrovert trope)

- when honey brings guy along to hang out w/ their filo friends, he just looks at them mesmerized 90% of the time they're all talking . afterwards, when they ask abt it, guy says that honey is way more expressive when they speak in filipino and he thinks its rlly cute (IDK. I FEEL THIS ONE IN MY BONES .)

- i also have a hc that honey likes to draw so . stem strand/course to art course pipeline baby (many filipinos can relate🔥🔥🔥)

general idea / kinda just a joke but honestly it'd be so hard to allude to being a vamp in the philippines .

"pag natamaan yung balat ko ng araw, nasusunog ako" "beh nasa pinas ka, lahat tayo nasusunog"

("when the sunlight hits my skin, i start to burn" "beh you're in the philippines, we're all burning")

#if you saw me post this before no you didnt #i may have projected with the honey hcs but we won't speak on it babes #IDK HOW TO EXPLAIN THE LOVELY ONE #its like when someone says a big word #and someone else repeats in a higher tone to make fun of it #because its a word not commonly used in conversation #alam nyo un diba😭#HUYYYYY #redacted audio #redacted asmr #redactedverse #redacted headcanons #philippines mentioned #redacted david #redacted milo #redacted vincent #redacted guy #redacted honey

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skeelly · 11 months

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"trust that you betrayed, confusion that still lingers"

i see you've decided to suffer by checking my blog so-

hi! welcome to my blog! :)

✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉

: ̗̀➛ i usually post about: taylor swift, sometimes one direction, books i haven't actually finished, rarely rants, sometimes harry potter/other shows I've watched and honesty just anything i see on my feed.

: ̗̀➛ i love/enjoy: taylor swift, olivia rodrigo, claire rosinkranz, conan gray, one direction and all it's members, harry potter, HORSES, writing//reading, money, poetry, football//soccer (sports in general), memes or anything funny, painting my nails, that one guy in my sister's class, being annoying and most importantly the sturniolo triplets.

this is a safe place for everyone!

@crysten is my second acc that i has no value and use. if you know me irl, i suggest you just stop looking at my blog :)

: ̗̀➛ things about me: my name is kristen. i go by she/her. im from the philippines. im a capricorn. intp-t. its hard for me not to make typos cause i send messages without thinking twice. i hate school. if we don't count online friends then im practically friendless. im in a science curriculum but can't understand physics. i love writing. i can fluently speak 3 languages but i want to speak more. i look like an absolute mess no matter the time. im 100000% ambivert. i don't like people who can't work the same pace as me (i know that's toxic, i swear im trying to fix it). my birthday is after christmas. i embarrass myself in ways not even god thought would be possible. im a confusing little biatch so im sorry. OBVIOUSLY, i live off of pinterest and i guess tumblr. proper grammar = non existent. i will give you anything you want, just give me a horse and grayson hawthorne. i love making friends so please don't feel shy to interact with me and i am a minor so please don't be weird <3

i reblog my posts to my other acc because im funny and yes, i keep adding to this intro because i find this thing fun and im kinda bad at keeping up with posts im mentioned in, so im sorry if i dont reply. oh and this intro is heavily inspired by @svnflowermoon & @stvrlighhttt <3

: ̗̀➛ some special people:

@mqstermindswift @stvrlighhttt @remingtonreputation13 @what-about-wendy @dumbass-lesbian @themidnightarcher @astraeasparrow @dandelions-fly-in-summer-skies @lucinda-008 @niallermybabe @coco6420 @atwtmvftvtvsgavralpss @swiftieannah @reminiscentreader @hathorneheiress @xyzinthearea-1 @glitterfuturisticmortally @blocked-zombieartist @philomenacunkstan1 @real-human-shana-nicole @newromanticslut @holdmyteaplease @my-mind-is-frozen @zuzanna-jadw1ga @starchasers-stuff @chilipowder9 @iwanttomarrynoahshaw @evermore-4-life @lovliestars @urbanflorals @sl33py-angel @antlerbullets @rohza-is-a-bit-gay @mickeywheeler @reyna-obsessed @13callisto @nqds @maketheshadowsfearyou @crowgenius @in-a-state-of-crisis @cc-horan @bookishswiftie1989 @ava-taylors-version @pranav03 @thislifeissweeterthanfiction @mickeywheeler @waiting-down-the-hall-for-me (apparently i reached the max ments on a post)

SERIOUSLY, IF YOU KNOW ME IRL, STOP LOOKING AT ME BLOG.

: ̗̀➛ dni: racists//homophobes//proshippers//does not stand with palestine//over 30 (respectfully)

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littlestpersimmon · 1 year

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Lea and Pablo's clothes..!! Pablo's is called "barong Tagalog" / "dress (shirt) of the tagalog", Lea's is called "baro't saya" / "blouse and skirt". Fun fact, do you guys know the flamenco shawl / "mantoncillos" partially has its origins in the philippines?

Its also known as the Manila shawl; In more antiquated tagalog, it is known as the Alampay- The traditional shawl which was a part of the prehispanic clothing of Tagalog women (many of whom lived in Maynila, later hispanized into Manila) - During the earliest years of Spanish colonialism, they were made of pineapple lace, called Pañuelo, which were copied by Chinese merchants and recreated with Chinese embroidery motifs.

Seville, Cordoba, and Granada: A Cultural History. (Elizabeth Nash) / Textiles of Southeast Asia (Robyn Maxwell)

#the house on monsoon hill

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luhafraser · 10 months

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Anons in my inbox... Sorry... I'm not ignoring you, but what do you want me to say? Nothing new here...

New Blah Blahlands?!

Another blah blah blah book... Nothing new in this "I had Covid" speech or have you guys already forgotten the Xmas 2021 - QT LA playlist on Spotify?! ... He's just unfolding a script that he created in December 2021... There was his "wee" accident too... A series of misfortunes... True or not?! Believe what you want... 😜🤣 Fact is that at the beginning of January 2022 he no longer had anything (or he wouldn't have gone to the Chargers game with Marina and Alex), he was in LA and I don't need to mention where Caitríona was, right?!

(The best part was Cait giving her location in a interview, where she was supposedly at the end of 2021 - London -, and this article being published on January 1, 2022... Because it's very common for Cait to give her location! 😜🤣)

All the "clans" in this fandom are fed with these books... We already had "the gardener" Sam, the bluebell flower thing, and now even the believers in gay theory are well served with this pathetic description of Sam and his flirtations.

Oh... And the article in The Telegraph? He should be ashamed of that. But tell me... How many thousands of people, from outside this fandom, are going to read and/or pay attention to that?

Of course, one or other will read it because of the usual bait...

Oh and of course, JJ...

Regarding this "I don't have time for relationships because of my work", I already gave my opinion in another post.

It doesn't make any sense... After all, he supposedly had relationships years ago while filming Outlander.

---

Years ago (2019) a well-known shipper stopped believing that Sam and Caitríona had children (in secret)... One of her statements to stop believing is exactly what Sam has been using for a while to justify why he doesn't have a relationship/family. She even said that Sam would never deny his child...

Well, I don't blame this shipper, far from it... But let's be honest, SC use a lot of what we talk about here... Very little in favor and much more against shippers' beliefs.

Sam for Philippine Daily Inquirer magazine, in early 2020:

He probably added "the trauma of his father's absence" in Waypoints book, to cause commotion and be a slightly better excuse than that lame one used first?!

And the announcement of the blonde child, in August 2021, was a blow delivered using what that and other shippers started to claim. We are often our own worst enemies, even if unintentionally.

---

And what Sam said about "his daughter"... Well... He didn't lie. He doesn't have a daughter WITH MM...

😜🤣

---

It's as if the SC is always on the defensive, justifying something... Which seems strange at first, but... If Sam just said "I'm single because I want to be"... That wouldn't tease us, right? Maybe not in the same way... It probably wouldn't cause a buzz talk (here)... Anyone outside of this fandom will see just another unknown actor, who is not romantically involved with his co-star (and that's what they want).

It's been years of the same....

All of this crossed the line of ridiculousness, and when the world outside is so chaotic, sometimes it is impossible to have fun and be distracted by this circus. Sorry, Anons.

#sam heughan #outlander #caitriona balfe #sam and caitriona #shit show

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slytherinshua · 9 months

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i'm not really one for new years or rly doing anything for it, but i thought i should at least thank all my friends who have made this year infinitely better for me. i'm ngl, this year was really hard in many ways. it felt like me and my family particularly were hit with new things to deal with as soon as the old ones had ended, and we just desperately wanted a break.

my way of getting a break was talking to you all, writing my silly little delusions, and being able to have a space here to share my work. so thank you. whether you were a silent reader, liked, reblogged, followed, or gave feedback for my writing-- all of you have helped me so much this year. the love that my writing has received has given me such motivation to keep going and to keep trying, and i don't think i would've otherwise.

now to thank my lovely friends, who without, i wouldn't be here today :( in no particular order...

@aravrs,, @kyrjnie,, @nyukyujs,, @etherealyoungk,, @rubywonu,, @kyeomyun,, @idubiluv,, @minholing,, @welcometomyoasis,, @dinotoro,, @wonijinjin,, @hannieheartuu,, @mangocustard16,, @amara-mars,, @glosskirt i don't like putting you all together because each of you mean so much to me individually, but i was worried i was gonna forget some of you especially since i don't talk to you guys as much </3 i love each and every one of you, and you have made 2023 such a fun year for me since i was able to talk to you all!! thank you for wanting to be moots with me and for talking to me, talking with you has been so fun and comforting this year <3 cheers to 2024 🫡

@blue-jisungs axe you were one of my first moots ever, and the first blog i followed. we became friends last year but i feel like we became so much closer this year. we watched kdramas together, spammed and ranted to each other, fed each other brainrot and delusions, and just generally enjoyed each others company :( i cannot see my life without you in it, you are so so so important to me now and i want to cry whenever i think about how amazing it is to have you as one of my best friends. i love you more than you know <3

@fairyhaos yena! you were one of the first blogs that i saw and went "woah" bcuz ur writing has always been so amazing. i seriously love it so much, i'll never get sick of it. once i got to know you as a person, i realized that you're even more amazing than your writing is. you're fun and kind and sweet and caring-- thank you so much for being my friend this year and i can't wait to make more memories with you next year 🫡

@weird-bookworm sky you are truly one of my closest friends. we've spent so much time talking and i've enjoyed every second of it. i feel like we have a unique dynamic cause unlike my other friends, we're constantly teasing and bullying in each other in the best of ways <3 in a weird way, the fact that i still know someone who is as big an army as i used to be is comforting. you feel like nostalgia-- like the old me in 2021. and even tho ur older by a bit, you feel like a younger sister to me sometimes skdjsk i really love you a lot, thank you for being my friend this year!!

@haecien cien my only guy friend 👹 talking to you has been especially fun this year. introducing you to the new loves of ur life, listening to you scream about minghao, harua, seungwoo, hyunjae, shin and gaon, playing stardew valley, and sharing some nostalgia from the philippines is all so comforting to me <3 i love u so much and i hope that i can find some more guys to add to ur loml list in 2024 🤞

@kkooongie sarah!! we've talked quite a bit since we met, and it's always been so fun and nice to talk to someone who is as much of a multi as i am <3 finding someone who also stans groups like victon and verivery is extremely hard??? and i'm so happy that there's someone out there who loves silly little nugu kpop men just like me <3 i love you a lot, and i hope you never forget that 🫶

@evalevaeva eva.... ur just incredible to me sometimes?? from writing the best fuma delusions to stressing out abt ur auditions (don't go to cube istg) talking to you has always been so fun!! i'm still so glad that you reblogged that one so mun fic, otherwise i would've never found your blog or talked to you </3 the sieun delusions are real and stan lucy for a better life 🤞 you always make me laugh and smile so much, and i hope i do too cause otherwise that would be a little awkward... 🧍‍♀️ PLS I HOPE IM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO LIKES OUR FRIENDSHIP 👎

@caramel-maveeato viv </3 my wife fr 🥹 whether it was screaming about the men i love the most to dying over your art or fics, you've always been someone who was always comfortable to talk to. i just love talking to you so much its so therapeutic??? stop rizzing me up tho it must stop before i go insane 🙅‍♀️🚫 no more rizzing in 2024 okay 👹 i hope we talk a lot more and stay as close as we are now bcuz talking to you has always been one of my favorite things to do, i love you so much 💖

@candewlsy mizu my baby </3 I LOVE U SO MUCH LIKE PLS PLS PLS KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE U IM GONNA SCREAM I WANNA SQUISH U?? what. ur just so fun and silly and comforting and I LOVE U AND UR HUMOUR 🥹 i love how you allow me to introduce you to new kpop men and actors, and how you love them just as much as me!! you're just as delulu and slightly deranged as i am AND THATS WHAT MAKES IT FUN 😭 i love watching kdramas with you, and i hope we can finally get through our list of kdramas to watch in 2024 cause its getting l o n g e r 🧍‍♀️ thank you also for reblogging my fics bcuz ur reblogs have to be some of my favorites ever </3 they're so fun and entertaining to read, i always end up giggling :(

@wheeboo rania :( i know i usually bully you and you bully me back, the whole divorced wives things but idk i'm feeling a little emo rn so i'm just gonna be appreciative?? i know we have talked recently, but it feels like we haven't talked enough since before christmas cause i've been busy and you've been busy... and idk i've just felt that void a bit?? talking to you has always been so fun and relaxing, and it's guaranteed to make me smile and laugh and just be an escape from anything i've been thinking about. watching k-dramas and having little music sessions were some of my absolute favorite memories of this year. it's just so special that I can call you one of my best friends, and i hope that i can continue to talk to you for years to come because you're one of the most comforting people i've ever met. not to mention that you write like an absolute goddess?? i still remember proofreading psycho for the first time and just being so shocked bcuz how does anyone even write like that????? i love that i'm ur little go-to for fic spoilers pls don't ever replace me or i'll cry 🧍‍♀️ and whenever i'm struggling with a fic, i always go to you as well <3 i can't express how much i love you and how much you mean to-- words just aren't enough 😭 i'll never get tired of talking to you

@eternalgyu i saved you for last cause i know this is gonna be a long ass paragraph.... ppl are gonna be dying to scroll past this so i wanted to make sure u were at the end. saving the best for last yk 🫡 hannie you have changed my life. like from the day i met you my life was completely changed. it felt like i had finally found my missing puzzle piece?? the best friend that i never had was finally in my life. and my life has never been the same since. everyday when i wake up, i text you. my brain is just "hannie hannie hannie hannie hannie hannie" that's all it is now. when you weren't able to text me for 3 days, i felt like my world had stopped. i couldn't think about anything else, i couldn't sleep. at this point, i need you to live. i need you to be able to function. you are the reason i kept writing. you are the reason im alive. and you will always be my favorite person on this entire earth. i'd choose you over everyone and everything in a heartbeat. it's not even a question at this point, but i know the answer is gonna be you every time. i know this isn't an accurate number of the messages i've send to you, but just on discord, in 2023, i've sent you 183,422 messages. i'm sure ive sent thousands on instagram, and hundreds on other social media too. if you ever stop talking to me, i'll literally find u. LIKE U CANT EVER LEAVE ME CAUSE UR STUCK WITH ME FOR THE REST OF TIME >:( i'll start sending you daily emails pretending to be car insurance or smth like idk ill think of smth... anything to keep you as my best best friend for eternity. i know i say that i don't believe soulmates exist, because the idea of romantic soulmates is a little too fantastical for my realist mind. but since meeting you, i can say for certain that platonic soulmates do exist. we fit together so perfectly, i couldn't imagine anyone else as my best friend.

i remember one time before i met you, i tried to make an irl friend here and my dad said "i hope that you'll find your diana". obviously they didn't end up being your diana, but it's fine. because i did find my diana. you are my diana, and i am your anne. if i could spend the rest of my life talking to you, it'll still not be enough, so please keep talking to me in heaven or something.... the beomgyu to my taehyun, the jeonghan to my joshua, the sejun to my subin, the hoyoung to my gyehyeon, the wyatt to my yuto, the anton to my sohee, the taesan to my jaehyun, the yechan to my wonsang, the chanhee to my changmin, the jeongin to my seungmin, the moonbin to my rocky, the jo to my yuma, the jake to my jungwon, the theo to my jongseob, the taehyung to my hobi, the hwiyoung to my hwiyoung (what), THE HWIYOUNG TO MY DAWON (there we go), THE TAEYANG TO MY HWIYOUNG (even better), the jihoon to my minhyun, my one and only hannie. i love you more than anyone and anything. even though we're so different, we work so well together. we have different biases, and different habits. different religions and different plans for our lives. but we both have plans to meet each other, and i know it'll happen eventually. my life won't be complete until i can run up to you at the airport and give you the biggest hug. i'll probably start crying when that happens since i'm crying just think about it. i won't let go of the hug for maybe 5 minutes because i need to make up for all the hours spent that i couldn't give you a hug. i don't usually like hugs, but giving you one is all that i want to do. there's been so many times where i wished i could hug you. whenever you're struggling or feel depressed, whenever you feel hopeless and lost and uncared for and unloved and overlooked. i just want to hug you when i hear about them, because even though i don't know how to help you in those times, even when i don't have the solution, i know a hug would make things just a little better. when we eventually get ourselves a little apartment with a couple of cats, you can always come to me for a hug when you feel down. i'll bake you some brownies or cookies and we'll watch some kdramas together. we'll reminisce to old kpop songs from our childhood (like... srr SUGAR RUSH USH SUGAR RUSH USH SUGAR RUSH USH UH) and we'll eventually be old porch grandma's still bopping to txt's emo songs. i'll spend my teen years with you, and my adult years with you, and when i'm old and wrinkly, i hope you're still by my side. cause i don't want anyone else as my best friend. only you. pls don't cry while reading this cause ik you might AND I DIDNT MAKE THIS W THE INTENTION OF MAKING U CRY BUT LIKE IT MIGHT HAPPEN..... i rly rly love you. seriously. i love you so much. every memory i've made with you in 2023 is precious, and i know we'll make millions more in the years to come. please stay my best friend for the rest of time, because i'm never going to get sick of you. i love you the most, i hope you know that <3 i hope this is a good paragraph cause i forgot everything i wrote at this point, i don't really plan to write this much but whenever it comes to writing an appreciation for you, i always have more to say. you're my favorite person in the entire world, so ofc i would never run out of words to describe how much you mean to me. please be happy in 2024 and talk to me a lot <3 we'll meet each other for real soon and share a long hug together. until that day, let's continue how we are 🫶

happy new year to you all!! i hope 2024 is filled with love and joy and happiness <3 i love you all very much!! - zanna

#happy new year #i love you all #slytherinshua 🍰

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kathanglangit · 1 year

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The Third Blade: Hinalung - Handheld Speartip

Five days left to go before the launch of the Gubat Banwa Kickstarter campaign! Gubat Banwa is a TTRPG that allows you to play as warrior Kadungganan in the Sword Isles, a fantasy setting as colorful and intricate as the Southeast Asian cultures from which it draws inspiration.

I've been posting the weapons I've been drawing for the game as kind of a countdown, leading up to the launch on October 10. I was planning to do this for Swordtember, but sometimes you gotta shift the goalpost a little bit. 3/7 blades down, behold the HINALUNG

This multi-purpose blade comes in a few different shapes and sizes, but in general they are symmetrical and double-edged. They don't get much longer than one's forearm, and more often than not have handles wrapped in rattan lashings.

(Blades by Tatang HImanggo and one of his students- a certain Arnold; As shared by Biboy's Sharp Edges) If I'm not mistaken, the term "hinalung" is Ifugao- referring to a certain group of indigenous peoples in the Philippine Cordilleras- though the usage of the blade itself was widespread across the mountains of north Luzon. Nowadays, it isn't just Ifugao smiths making them, and a number of contemporary smiths from across the region seem to lay claim to the blade. In any case, the blade is of the Cordilleras, unconquered by Spain.

(Blades by Ifugao Traditional Blades) One more thing of note is the open scabbard, which seems to be common among blades in that region- not just the hinalung. Some of them boast enough space for more than one blade to be sheathed, and are often sold as novelties. The first example below has a large hinalung in the middle, joined by a pair of pinahig. It can very quickly get out of hand. These X-in-1 sets are usually sold as novelties.

(Blades by Orinn Mongalini/Panday Anitu Mumbaki)

(Photo from Orinn Mongalini)

(Photo from Ifugao Artistic Blade)

Now for the fun part! You may be wondering why the handle is shaped the way it is, with that triangular opening near the base of the blade? Or perhaps you read the title of this post and you already know where this is going?

They double as spearheads! The handle itself is steel folded in to create a hollow socket, allowing the hinalung to be mounted on a wooden shaft, turning it into a spear. Supposedly, this spear-form was used for hunting. You can see the hollow socket more clearly here:

(Blade by HanYan Blades)

(Screencap from a video by AJ Blade Reviews testing the blade as a spear; Blade by Lakay Paul Dulnuan Sr.) As mentioned previously, the Philippine Cordilleras were never conquered by Spain, and as such were able to carry their traditions with a little more ease into the present day. It is very much apparent in the blade culture. Present-day smiths in the Cordilleras still forge hinalung, some of them stating they do it in the traditional way, others admitting to hewing to more modern methods.

(Antique from the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology)

(Modern build by Lakay Pabian, photo by Ramon Bathan) Like I said before: Blade culture is alive and still developing. One of the Five Major Mahamandalas of Gubat Banwa pays homage to and gleans inspiration from living cultures like those I mentioned here. If you want to know what the first half of that sentence means, check out the game and its Kickstarter!

The Gubat Banwa Kickstarter launches in 5 days! Check it out here:

I've watched this game be started, written, and developed by like- one guy, who just managed to drum up enough interest and meet enough people willing to help shape the dream, and make it what it is today. It could not have gotten this far without all of them. Still, it remains a very small team of creators from the global south, with very limited resources. We would dearly appreciate any and all help in getting the word out about the game!

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icemavs · 4 months

Text

homecoming

Bradley is finally home (explicit, 4.4k, ao3)

Bradley woke up to the loadmaster on the C-17 telling him that they were close to landing in San Diego and he needed to get in his seat. He pulled himself off the cold floor and cranked his neck to the side to get all the cricks out before buckling himself back into the jump seat. Sleeping on the floor of a C-17 wasn’t his favorite thing in the world, but if it meant he could get home to Jake early, then he would take it over the bunks on the ship any day.

His tenure in Japan was over quickly, just a few stops at three different bases to impart some knowledge on the pilots stationed there and then he could go home. Bradley had been attached to one of the squadrons on the Lincoln in the past, so it was easy for him to jump in for a couple months to get him out across the sea. Plus, it was always fun to see Coyote and the other guys and fly with them for a few weeks.

Japan was one of his favorite places to go on a deployment, he enjoyed the western Pacific much more than the Mediterranean. Even though the weather was usually better in the eastern Med, the amount of green he saw in Japan and the Philippines was no match. He loved the amount of outdoors stuff he could do – hiking, snorkeling, kayaking, and so much more – and the food was his favorite. They didn’t stop in Okinawa very often with the carrier, but he would travel down there to talk to the Marines sometimes, and his favorite ramen place was on the island. He even had his picture on the wall after trying and finishing a bowl with the highest spice level. Japan was also special to Bradley because that’s where he had met Jake for the first time.

They both were on the same carrier, but different squadrons, so they didn’t interact too much outside of sometimes flying together. One day, they were mission planning and trying to get the same airspace despite there not being enough room for both flights to happen there. They met in one of the briefing rooms with their instructors to talk about who had precedence, but the discussion turned to an argument between Jake and Bradley and almost turned to blows at one point. Their instructors had to pull them apart to keep them from ripping the other’s head off.

Once he had gotten back to his own squadron’s briefing room, Bradley had felt the anger simmering just under his skin and he was trying to get his breathing to return to normal. At the time, he was sure it was just anger, but as the years went on the lines got blurred. They worked with each other a few more times after that, nearly crossing paths at TOPGUN the first time. It was probably for the best that they weren’t in the same class, it may have ended badly for everyone involved. When they eventually ended up on the mission together with the rest of the team, the uncomfortable tension that filled every room they were in came to a head one night in the showers. They had started yelling at each other and were eventually standing nose to nose when Jake leaned forward and pressed his lips to Bradley’s. Bradley was surprised right away, but his body caught up before his brain and he pushed Jake against the shower wall. Before he really registered it, Bradley was on his knees faced with Jake’s cock hard and hanging in front of him. The rest of the time before the mission and leading up to the present day had flown by.

The plane jumped from turbulence and Bradley was jolted back to the present day. He grabbed his backpack from the floor and hugged it to his chest. He was exhausted but so happy to be home. Being away was part of the job, but it never got easier. It was nearly torture being away from Jake and his mom and Mav and Ice for so long, even though it was only a couple months and not a year at a time like it used to be. A few long minutes later, the C-17 touched down at North Island and Bradley could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

He heaved his backpack onto his shoulder and stepped down onto the flight line. The San Diego air was warm and thick with the March rain that must have just fallen. When Bradley stepped into the hangar, he was hit by a warm force from his left side that nearly knocked him off his feet.

“Oof!” was the surprised sound that escaped his mouth. He turned his head to the side and saw it was Jake. Looking just a bit farther, he saw his mom, Mav, and Ice standning near the door smiling as they watched Jake ambush Bradley.

When Jake peeled himself away, he looked up at Bradley with a smirk on his face and a slight blush dusting the tops of his cheeks.

“Bradshaw, as I live and breathe,” Jake breathed out when he’d composed himself a bit more.

“Jake, you look good, baby,” Bradley said to him.

“I am good, I’m very good.”

Bradley just laughed and stepped forward to press a kiss to his lips. It was heated and full of everything Bradley had wanted to say to Jake about how much he missed him while he was gone. Jake made a small sound Bradley pushed his tongue into his mouth. When he pulled away, Bradley leaned forward a bit more to whisper in Jake’s ear. “We have an audience now, but just wait until we get home,” he said. Jake shuddered under Bradley’s hands and the blush on his face grew to a deeper pink. He grabbed Jake by the hand and started walking toward the others. “Hey, everyone, I missed you guys,” he said to the group. Bradley hugged his mom and gave Mav and Ice a firm handshake each.

The group stood around and chatted while they waited for Bradley’s bags to get unloaded off the plane. Bradley told them what he could about his trip, mostly for his mom’s sake since he would tell Ice and Mav more about it later when he eventually got back to work. When it started to look like his bags would be a while, the rest of the group left Jake behind to wait with Bradley. He waved goodbye with the promise of getting lunch with them the next day.

Shortly after, it was just Jake and Bradley standing in the hangar while some supply troops unloaded the cargo. They were standing close enough to each other that Bradley could feel the heat coming off Jake’s body. Their silence was comfortable, as it usually was, but this time it was charged. Bradley had been half hard since he kissed Jake, and he assumed Jake was in the same boat.

Jake cleared his throat. “So how was the flight?” he asked.

“It was fine, a little bumpy over Washington, but overall not too bad. I’ve had worse,” Bradley said. “I’m ready to be home, though,” he finished with a wink in Jake’s direction.

“Uh huh, I’m sure you are.” Jake smiled at Bradley, but there was an underlying message in his smirk. Once that Bradley was sure to enjoy later.

All Bradley could think of once they’d fallen back into their comfortable silence was taking Jake on the floor of the hangar where they stood. He was ready to deal with the consequences of his knees on the concrete if it meant he could get his hands on Jake. Bradley’s bags were finally unloaded off the pallet and he was allowed to leave, Jake in tow.

The car ride started silently, Bradley allowing Jake to drive the Bronco because two months of driving on the opposite side of the road was something that took some time to snap out of and he really didn’t want to get into a car accident. Instead, Bradley let his hand wander over to rest on Jake’s thigh as he drove them down the highway. Jake’s breath was steady as they conversed casually about the weather and how much it had rained that day. Bradley moved his hand slowly up Jake’s thigh and massaged the muscle gently and Jake took a sharp breath.

“Bradley,” Jake warned from the driver’s seat when their conversation had waned.

“Yes, Jakey?” Bradley said innocently with a smile on his face.

Jake didn’t say anything more and just shook his head. They kept on like that, Jake driving in relative silence with his eyes locked onto the road and Bradley’s fingers gently squeezing for drawing circles on the inside of Jake’s thigh. Based on the cadence of Jake’s breathing, Bradley could tell that he was incredibly turned on, but so was Bradley. He moved his hand up slightly to start massaging the space next to his dick. Jake’s mouth dropped open with a small gasp but he kept his eyes forward. Bradley could feel that he was rock hard in his shorts and he smiled to himself. Knowing how much of an effect he had on Jake without having to say anything was making Bradley just as turned on as Jake was. Jake shifted in his seat but still kept his thoughts to himself.

After just a few more minutes of Bradley torturing Jake, they pulled into the parking lot of their apartment building. It was a quick walk up as they had opted to leave Bradley’s large bags in the car for the night and just take his backpack with his essentials inside.

As soon as they were through the door, Bradley dropped his backpack on the ground and locked the door behind him. When he turned back around, Jake was already on his way down the hall to the bedroom. Bradley laughed out loud to himself and kicked his shoes off.

When he got to the bedroom a few short minutes later, Jake was sprawled out on the bed in just his tented boxers with his arm thrown across his face.

“You’re going to be the death of me, you know,” Jake said without moving.

“Why’s that?” Bradley asked as he bent down to shed his flight suit and crawled into bed in just his t-shirt and boxers. “Because I’m just so charming and lovable?”

“Yeah, that,” Jake replied with a snort.

Bradley finally sat down next to Jake and rested his hand on Jake’s stomach. Jake still didn’t move, but his chest jumped with a silent gasp. Bradley laid down beside Jake and started pressing kissing along the side of his neck.

“You’re not allowed to leave me anymore,” Jake said with a sigh. “I can’t do phone sex and FaceTime sex and whatever forever. It’s never gonna be as good as the real thing.”

“You’re right, it’s not,” Bradley told him between kisses. “But every time I get off in my hotel room, it’s with your name on my lips.”

Jake groaned and rolled onto his side to press his lips to Bradley’s. His hands started to roam around Bradley’s body, grabbing hold of anything he could.

“God, Bradley, you kill me,” Jake breathed. “I tried using my fingers most nights but it just wasn’t enough. I need you so bad, Bradley.” Bradley captured Jake’s lips in another kiss, but this time it was more heated than the first.

Bradley rolled Jake over onto his back and crawled on top, trapping Jake’s hips with his own and holding Jake’s arms above his head. He licked his way into Jake’s mouth for a few minutes and held him steady.

“God, I missed you too much,” Bradley said. “Maybe you’re right, I can’t go on deployments anymore, no matter how short.” He paused. “Unless you come with me next time.” Bradley leaned down to kiss Jake again.

Jake pulled back before their lips could meet. “And have to get away with either fucking in a tiny bunk or having to not get fucked while you’re right there for a month while we sail?” Jake scoffed but paused and actually thought about it for a moment. “Actually, yeah that could be fun. Like old times.”

Bradley laughed but ground his hips down into Jake’s at the same time. Jake groaned and threw his head back. Bradley took advantage of the opening and leaned down to suck a mark onto Jake’s neck.

“Fuck, Bradley, I’m gettin’ real desperate down here,” was all Jake could force out while Bradley continued to grind his hips and suck on his neck.

“I know, baby,” Bradley said into Jake’s shoulder. “Soon.”

Bradley worked his way down, pressing kisses along Jake’s torso as he moved. Jake squirmed underneath him, clearing feeling a bit more ticklish after not being touched for two months. When he got all the way to where he wanted to be, Bradley quickly rid Jake of his boxers and moved to kiss the area around his cock, now that it was free. Jake’s cock stood tall, precome pearling at the tip like it most likely had been for several hours at this point. Bradley pointedly ignored it and decided to take Jake’s balls into his mouth instead, one at a time, while a free hand grasped at Jake’s chest.

“Bradley, fuck, please, come on,” Jake begged from his spot on the pillows. “Please.”

“You’re so good for me baby, you’re so patient,” Bradley said.

Finally, Bradley got his mouth where Jake wanted it. Jake let out a long, loud groan, and Bradley smiled to himself. He was still in his boxers and t-shirt, his own hips grinding against the bed uncomfortably in the position he was in but he couldn’t help it at this point. Jake was the perfect size in his mouth, not too long, not too thick, but still thick enough that there was a little bit of a stretch on the corners of his mouth. Bradley loved the way Jake tasted, sweat, salt, and something earthy mixed with the cologne he wore that smelled like the ocean.

Jake brought a hand down from where they were still resting above his head to land in Bradley’s hair. Not gripping tightly, just resting, guiding. Bradley slowly began to bob his head, taking a little bit of Jake’s length at a time, with his hand wrapped around what he wasn’t covering with his mouth. Jake was making the most beautiful sounds, almost like he was trying to stay quiet.

Spit was gathering at the sides of Bradley’s mouth, his jaw was getting tired, but he wasn’t a quitter, he was going to make Jake come more than once tonight if he had anything to say about it. He sped up, his mouth now able to replace the length his hand had previously covered, and Jake’s breathing began to speed up as well.

“Fuck, Bradley, please don’t stop,” he cried as his grip in Bradley’s hair got a little tighter. Bradley moaned around Jake’s cock in response and he knew how the vibrations felt to Jake. “Bradley, Bradley please, I’m gonna come, please.”

Bradley didn’t slow his movement, just kept his pace and continued to work Jake through it when he finally came down Bradley’s throat. Bradley swallowed every last drop, the taste was like heaven on his tongue after waiting for so long, and kept shallowly moving his head up and down the length while Jake’s breathing slowed.

Jake didn’t say anything, his arms moved back to cover his eyes the way they had when Bradley initially walked into the bedroom.

“I missed you so much, Jake,” Bradley said as he peppered kisses on Jake’s thighs. “Thought about you every night, on and off the ship.” He tapped Jake’s side in a silent ask for him to turn over onto his stomach. Jake complied with a soft groan and lifted himself onto his knees, already anticipating where this was going. “Imagined you on your knees for me in the shower the second I got to my hotel in Tokyo. Had a picture of you spread out underneath me in my big hotel bed while I ate you out and then fucked you into the mattress.”

From his position behind Jake, Bradley could see Jake’s not yet soft cock give a small twitch of interest at that statement.

“You want me to eat you out?” Bradley asked. “Open you up with just my tongue and then fuck you?”

Jake moaned and pushed his hips back. “Please, Bradley, anything, just fuck me already.”

“Tsk, tsk, so needy tonight,” Bradley scolded jokingly.

Bradley sat up on his knees and grabbed a handful of Jake’s ass in each hand. He kneaded the muscle for a few seconds before leaning forward.

He exhaled a soft puff of warm air around the tight ring of muscle and Jake shuddered. Bradley licked a stripe up from the spot behind Jake’s balls to his hole with a flat tongue just before really diving in. He speared his tongue and got to work.

Jake must have opened himself before he picked up Bradley in anticipation of something like this so he was already pleasantly loose and ready.

“Oh fuck Jake, baby, did you open yourself up for me already?” Bradley asked.

“Didn’t want to wait anymore,” Jake breathed. “Wanted to get this show on the road,”

Bradley laughed a bit before dropping a glob of spit onto his fingers in lieu of wanting to grab more lube. He started with just one finger alongside his tongue and Jake cried out as he planted his face into the mattress.

“Bradley, please,” Jake moaned.

“Tell me what you want, baby,” Bradley replied, pulling back. Without waiting for an answer, Bradley added another finger and hooked the two to press into the spot he knew would make Jake shiver. Jake moaned loudly and tried to drive his own hips into the mattress but all he made contact with was empty air. Bradley crooked his fingers once more and got the same result.

All at once, Bradley pulled his fingers from Jake’s hole, earning himself a loud whine from Jake. Before Jake could say anything, Bradley replaced his fingers with his tongue. He knew it wasn’t what Jake wanted, but he had waited months to get his mouth on Jake and he wasn’t about to wait any longer. Soon Jake’s whine was turned to heavy panting and Bradley had saliva running down his chin. His hands grabbed handfuls of Jake’s ass and his back was arched just enough that his cock grazed the bedspread. After a few minutes of licking his way into Jake, Bradley couldn’t wait any longer. Bradley pulled back and flipped Jake onto his back, resulting in another whine from Jake.

“You ready, Jake?” Bradley asked, even though he already knew the answer.

“Yes, God, yes, please Bradley,” Jake breathed. “I missed you so much, I need you in me so bad.”

Bradley reached over to grab a bottle of lube from the nightstand and then situated himself between Jake’s thighs. He leaned down to press a kiss to Jake’s lips. He meant it to be light and quick, but Jake drew him in. The kiss was heated and hungry, Jake bringing his hands up to twist in Bradley’s hair and his legs wrapped around Bradley’s middle to pull him closer. Finally, Bradley was able to pull away, albeit reluctantly, and a string of spit connected their mouths.

“God, I missed you, too,” Bradley whispered with a smile.

Jake grinned right back at him as Bradley leaned back farther. He sat back on his heels and squeezed lube onto his cock. As he lined himself up with Jake’s hole, Jake let out a long, high-pitched moan when Bradley made contact. Bradley sank in slowly, just an inch at a time, keeping his eyes trained on Jake’s face to make sure he was comfortable.

“Hurry the fuck up, Bradley,” Jake said through gritted teeth.

That answered that question, and Bradley pushed in farther. Jake was so, so tight and he felt so, so hot around Bradley. The time they spent away from each other always made the first time back feel that much better, no matter how many times they did it. Bradley relished in the feeling of Jake around him and sank in the rest of the way slowly.

“You’re so tight, baby,” Bradley told him. “You feel so fucking good.” He started to pull out slowly. “Missed this so much.” He punctuated the last word with a quick push back into Jake.

Jake gasped as Bradley began to work himself in and out at a steady pace. His hands were searching for something to hang onto, alternating between the pillow behind his head and the sheets underneath his body, but Bradley could tell neither did the trick. Bradley gave Jake a light tap on his hip to get his attention and then held out his hand for Jake. Bradley spread Jake’s legs a little farther apart so he could lean forward to hold Jake’s hands above his head. From this position, Bradley could easily lean down to give Jake small kisses along his neck.

They stayed like that for a while, Bradley steadily thrusting himself in and out of Jake while kissing up and down Jake’s neck, with the occasional peck on the lips, and Jake hanging on for dear life, searching for the one thing he wanted most. The only sound in the room was their heavy breathing supplemented by the slap of skin on skin.

“Bradley, please,” Jake started after a bit.

“Please what, baby?” Bradley asked him.

“More,” was all Jake said.

Bradley got the message and sped up slightly. He took both of Jake’s hands into one of his own and brought the other down to grab Jake’s ignored cock from where it lay between their bodies. As soon as he did, Jake cried out with each thrust from Bradley. Bradley fisted Jake’s cock in time with the snap of his hips, the slide made easier by the stream of precome coming from Jake. He knew Jake was close, and Bradley was too, but he didn’t care about his own pleasure until Jake got his.

Not too long after, Bradley could feel Jake tightening even more around him and trying to tell Bradley what was coming but not able to get out more than a few nearly silent whimpers. Bradley kept going with his pace and a few short second later, Jake was clenching down around Bradley and throwing his head back in pleasure. Thick white ropes of come painted Jake’s chest and Bradley’s fingers.

Bradley tried his best to work Jake through it, and did almost till the end, but the tight heat of Jake’s hole became too much. Before he knew it, his hips were snapping erratically and he finally gave one last weak thrust and his hips stalled, his own orgasm hitting him hard. Bradley saw white around the edges of his vision and fought to keep himself upright as he reached the end. After a bit, he finally slowly pulled out of Jake and watched a bead of come follow his cock out of Jake’s hole. He scooped it up with two fingers and gently pushed it back in. Jake groaned at the sensation but didn’t protest.

Beneath him, Jake was quietly whimpering and trying to slow his breathing. Bradley carefully collapsed onto the bed next to Jake. He ran a few fingers through the come on Jake’s chest and brought his hand to his mouth to lick it clean.

“That was nice, Jake,” he said.

Jake huffed a small laugh. “Nice?” he said incredulously. “You fuck me within an inch of my life and all you have to say is ‘nice?’”

Bradley laughed and pulled Jake’s face to his own to press a gentle kiss to his lips. It was slow and soft, different from how the rest of the night had gone. Jake moaned a little when he could taste himself on Bradley’s tongue still, and Bradley deepened the kiss just slightly.

When Jake finally pulled back to suck in a breath, his eyes were half-closed. “‘M sleepy, B,” he said quietly.

“I know, baby,” Bradley said. He started to move to head to the bathroom but was met with a hand on his chest, holding him down. “I’m grabbing a washcloth to clean you up, honey. So you can sleep without having to get up.”

Seeming satisfied with this answer, Jake moved his hand and allowed Bradley to complete his task. Bradley walked quickly over to the bathroom, ran a washcloth under warm water, and hurried back. When he saw Jake, he was sprawled out the same way he’d been twice earlier that night, star-fished and with an arm thrown over his face.

Bradley walked over and gave Jake a few gentle taps to get him to roll over. Once he did, Bradley quickly cleaned him up as much as he could, but he knew Jake would complain about the come in the morning.

After tossing the washcloth in the direction of the dirty clothes basket, Bradley climbed back into bed and pulled the mostly clean comforter over the top of the both of them.

“Missed you so much, Bradley,” Jake said quietly. “Don’t want you to leave anymore.”

Bradley’s heart tightened. He hated leaving Jake, but he loved his job. It was hard being away from Jake, but the homecomings were always so great. He figured he would just talk to Ice about getting shorter trips or making sure Jake could come along. It wasn’t always Bradley leaving either, Jake would often get sent on the same type of deployments. The distance was tough and the homecomings were just as good, but the time apart wasn’t any easier. Plus, if they got to travel together more, they could fuck and fuck around in more places.

“I won’t have to leave you again for a while, baby,” Bradley told him. “And I’m here now.” He wrapped an arm around Jake and Jake settled into Bradley’s side. I love him, Bradley thought suddenly, though not for the first time.

“You’re here now,” Jake repeated into Bradley’s chest. He pressed a small kiss there and not long after, he was sound asleep.

I love him, Bradley thought again and again until the exhaustion from his trip and the rest of the evening caught up with him and he fell asleep, too.

#top gun #jake hangman seresin #top gun maverick #bradley rooster bradshaw #sereshaw #hangster #rooster x hangman #hangster fic #sereshaw fic

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