#like brother I am not going to that shit ass country only to come back bearing a discord boy junior LMFAO I’m sobbing that’s foul

[kavehater]

Laughing at the fact DB asked me to “come over” like okay first of all we’re on the other side of the world from each other second … literally WHAT would we do if I went to America I know exactly what would happen and there is little to nothing else that could stem from such a trip other than that. That’s a lot of money and effort spent travelling just for that bro get a girl in your own country goddamn 😭

[pretending-ican-write]

Cowboy Up - Pt.1 - Ryan x Dutton!reader

Um so I watched all of Yellowstone last week and as a result, my multi-year writer's block was broken by a need to see more of Ryan because I am obsessed with Ian Bohen. Idk how many parts this will have or how often it will get updated as I'm in the last few months of uni but I hope y'all enjoy!

Pairing: Ryan (Yellowstone) x Dutton!Reader (Kayce's twin sister)

WC: 1053

Next part

Disclaimer: Beyond watching Yellowstone I have zero/little knowledge of Western riding and the ranching lifestyle but I do know horses so that has certainly influenced this! I'm also English so writing dialogue correctly for them is not my strong point! If you find any issues please let me know!

---

The sun was just beginning to dip below the mountains and the cold was starting to set in when she joined him on the fence.  Neither of them spoke for a while, just looking out at the vastness in front of them, all that was theirs but came with so many conditions.  

Eventually she broke the silence, “so you told him?  How’d he take that one?”

Wordlessly he opened his shirt where the ‘Y’ was just starting to scab over, still red and angry.

“Motherfucker,” she swore, “this ain’t fair Kayce.  He doesn’t just get to do this.”

He shook his head, “dad does whatever he wants and there ain’t no consequences for him.  That’s why I gotta do this.”

“Shit man.  What’s Monica gonna do?  Besides worrying about you getting your ass shot in the desert miles from civilisation?”

Kayce chuckled, “beats getting my ass shot in the middle of Montana miles from civilisation.  She’ll be okay, her family will help and she’ll be a teacher.  Just like she planned.  It’s you I’m worried about here with dad and no one else to speak sense to.  ‘Cept Lee”

“Well I’m leaving, dad be damned.  I’m not gonna be a pawn in his power trip.  Gonna go see this godforsaken country and win it all so that when I come back he can’t question whether it’s where I wanna be,” she declared.

Her brother rolled his eyes, “you ain’t talking about the same him now.”

“I don’t know what your talking about,” she denied, staring out at the darkened mountains.

Kayce shoved her shoulder, “you can’t bullshit to me y/n.  That’s the one problem with being twins, ain’t no way to lie to me.”

“I’m just a kid to him, he ain’t ever gonna see me any other way if I stay here,” she admitted, “hell if I stay here no one will ever see me as anything more than his kid.  ‘S why we both gotta do this Kayce.”

He nodded, “no way to stand in the sun in this state, always gonna be a shadow.”

“When I come back I’ll be able to stand in sunlight so bright I’ll have a fucking halo.”

-/-/-

2 years later…

 Montana has its charms all year round, but fall has a particular appeal.  The leaves had started to turn, there was a chill in the air that only seemed to get  stronger and there was still a frost on the grass that the sun hadn’t hit.  

With the sun keeping the cold from their bones, the Yellowstone ranch hands were occupying themselves keeping their roping skills fresh.  Rip observed from the sidelines as the new hand struggled to keep up with Ryan who turned to lecture the kid about keeping his eye on the steer.  

Lloyd rolled his eyes when he missed the horns again, “you gotta try harder than that if you wanna be a wrangler!”

“He keeps pulling the damn steer too early,” the hand argued back.

Ryan glared at him, “don’t fuckin’ blame me for your bad skills.”

Before they could descend into an all out brawl, the group were distracted by the sound and sight of truck coming down the road.  They watched it pull up in front of the barn, trailer in tow.  A rare silence occupied them as they watched a young woman step out, adjust her hat then stare out across the ranch in front of her.

“Well I’ll be damned,” Lloyd muttered, “she’s back.  You fuckin’ know about this?”

Rip said nothing, but his face gave the answer.  The other hands who recognised her muttered between themselves about what she was doing back after so long.

The new hand leaned over towards Ryan, “who the fuck is that and why does everybody care?”

“That is y/n Dutton,” he answered without taking his eyes off of her.

“I didn’t know John had another daughter,” he responded.

Ryan shook his head, “hell kid you gotta lot to learn about this place.”

“She’s fuckin’ hot mind,” the hand murmered.

The older hand spat out his words, “you keep words like that off your tongue if you want to keep it.”

Lee stepped out of the barn and stepped around the truck to greet her, “the prodigal daughter returns.”

“I don’t see Beth anywhere,” she laughed bitterly, “but it’s good to see you Lee.”

He hugged her, “I’m glad you’re back.  Been a long time coming.”

“I came back for me, not for him remember that,” she turned towards the corral, “think I’ve given them enough of a show to explain it so they can pick their jaws up off the floor?”

He gestured for her to follow him towards where the ranch hands were all still quietly watching.  She strode over to the group, smiling at Rip who nodded back at her.

“Where’s that mare of yours?” He asked.

Y/n shrugged, “a champion barrel horse would be wasted on this ranch.  Sold her for more money than I’m ever gonna earn in the rest of my lifetime.”

“You ain’t rodeoing anymore?” Lloyd questioned.

“I did what I set out to do when I went on the circuit.  Saw this godforsaken country and won it all.  It’d get boring to win it over again,” she moved her gaze towards where Ryan was watching her, “ain’t no one gonna question where I wanna be now.”

Rip nodded, “afraid we ain’t got a horse to spare for you y/n.”

“I got that covered Rip.  Got one coming up tomorrow from a ranch in Wyoming.  Some fuckin’ old school boys who don’t know how to be nice to a horse they didn’t ruin,” she explained, “man’s wife broke it and now she’s dead ain’t no one gonna ride him gentle.  Figured he might stand a chance with me.”

Lloyd chuckled, “always were a soft hand.  Figured that’s how you won it all.”

“Guess that question that remains is, do you have a place for me?  Not in the house but here,” she clarified.

Lee looked at Rip then back at his sister, “I reckon so.  You gonna stay in the bunkhouse?”

“Oh fuck no,” y/n laughed, “I didn’t drag that thing all the way from Texas to sleep with these fuckheads.  It’s looked after me in worse places.  Think it’ll do just fine here.”

[ace-and-the-mystery-of-yourmom]

Don't break Izana Kurokawa's favourite mug! Or do... who knows?

Izana Kurokawa x M!Reader

This is the first story on this account and i am very happy to post it. I hope you can forgive me any spelling mistakes for i am not from an english speaking country and therefore am not as good at it as i would like to.

WARNING(S): cursing, slightly suggestive, some weird shit over-all tbh,

"Oh, fuck off, will you?" You were already pissed off, but he just had to tick you off even more.

"No." He was so used to getting whatever he wants. He wouldn't leave you alone.

"Oh, so you DO know what that means?!" At this point, you couldn't stop yourself from screaming at the guy. He was getting on your nerves for about a week now. All because he saw you beat some guy up and decided he wants you in his gang.

"Join-" You didn't let him finish.

"Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!" You jelled and turned around to leave right after.

🏳️‍🌈

"He really doesn"t want to join us. It's a shame, he is a great fighter." The blonde said as he walked through the door.

"Mikey, leave the guy alone. You're turning into a damn stalker." The tallee male said, used to his friend's antics.

"But Ken-chin~" Mikey whined, latching onto Draken and shaking him.

"OI, QUIT IT" He tried to take him off of himself, but couldn't. Mikey was like a really determinated koala.

"STOP IT, YOU'RE GONNA RIP MY HAIR OUT!" The tall teen was screaming at his friend.

"You barely have any anyway! It won't be a big loss!" Mikey exclaimed happily, still not letting go of his vice-president's hair.

"Hey! Mikey, Draken, cut it out!" Both boys turned their heads towards the entrance of Mikey's room in pure fear. They feared that were louder then they thought and woke Emma up. An angry Emma is a terryfying Emma.

"Oh, Emma, sorry. Did we wake you up?" Draken was the first to say anything while mikey simply let go of his friend, just standing there like a sculpture with wide eyes.

"Yes. Yes you did. Do you have any idea what hour it is? I need rest! I promised Hina-chan to go to the mall with her." Emma definietely wasn't in a good mood. The scowl on her face only deepened when her brother tried to make his way towards the window to escape her anger.

"And where are YOU going, Mikey? Get back here!" Yes, this defenietely wasn't his day, was it?

🏳️‍🌈

"Ahhh, this is relaxing" A soft whisper escaped your mouth as you laid in the bathtub. After a long day like this one you defenitely needed this. That blondie who kept bothering you everyday for the past week really stressed you out. You were wondering why the actual fuck wouldn't he understand that you don't want to be a part of his gang. Like, man, can't you take a motherfucking hint.

"OI, (NAME)!" You heard a familiar voice. Your face imidiately fell.

What the hell is it now? You asked yourself, not caring enough to get out of your little heaven.

And soon enough three men practically fell into your bathroom, panting as if they just ran a marathon. You suppose they have fucked up again and HE was on their asses.

"Again?" You asked no one in particular. The monotone tone of your voice wasn't a shock to them. At this point it was an everyday thing, so you were used to this. In all honesty, it was almost getting boring.

"(Name)! Please! Plea-!" Finishing the sentence wasn't his fate today, huh?

"You HAVE to help us! He's gonna kill us this time." They desperately pleaded. They looked pathetic.

"Have? It's quite a strong word, especially considering your..." You looke them up and down. "... situation."

"(Name)-" Maybe Ran should all together give up speaking today.

On Ran's back fell your beloved bathroom door, crushing the poor guy on the cold matte black, tiled flooor. Rindou and Shion, who were lucky enough to miss the heavy, oak door by mere milimeters were scrambling on the floor like cockroaches, afraid to even look back at HIM.

"Here comes the star of the show." You say, bored of their antics already.

"YOU FUCKERS, HERE YOU ARE" Oh, he was furious. Yup, they're completely F U C K E D.

"God, did yo mama not have more of you or what?" You sigh rhetorically to no-one in particular.

"Huh-" Now that an interesting reaction, hehe.

Izana's face turned crimson red as his gaze was fixed on you. Has he never seen a man taking a bath after a lomg day or what?

"Hello to you too, boss." This was gonna be fun-

...

Nevermind.

Only a loud ass thump could be heard as the great Kurokawa Izana fell to the floor with wide eyes and blood rushing from his nose. Guess he really has never seen anyone taking a bath before. Oh well, his loss.

"..." Rindou was speechless to say the least.

"Now that's an unexpected turn of events" Said Shion as Ran could only show a thumb up from underneath the door.

"God, what did you even do for him to freak out on you like THAT." You move your arms around pointing at this whole mess around you.

Before Ran even got to find the right words, Rindou interrupted him. "I FOR ONE DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING-" "shut up, i've had enough of your shouting" "Sorry..."

"Um... well, uh-" This guy really wasn't god's favourite, was he.

When Rindou was busy being embarassed of his behavious, Ran took a chance to speak again. "As i was saying-" Well, try to at least. "IT WAS ALL RAN'S FAULT!" Shion was quick to cut him off. "I was just minding minding my own damn business, when he came to the kitchen and decided to pick a fight with me!"

"OHHHH HELL NAH! YOU'RE NOT GONNA PUT ALL OF THIS ON ME-" well at least he got to finish one sentence, right? Madarame threw himself at Ran, who just barely got out from under that cursed door and they started to bicker and fight.

"They broke Izana's favourite coffee mug." Rindou, the only somewhat sane one here, explained. "Tha one-" "Yes, the exact one that was gifted to him by Shinichiro."

"Ouuhhh, they fucked up big this time." You frown as if you were the one who would get their bones rearranged. "Yup."

"How did you get into their shit tho?" You raise your brow at him.

"I might have been the one who left it on the table..." You look at him as if he grew another head. It was common knowledge not to touch it. "Shhhh.... noone needs to know, and they're too busy blaming eack other."

"Anyway, Imma go and get myseld some ice cream from the fridge, want some?" He started heading for the (lack of the) door. "No, thanks."

🏳️‍🌈

"I am not even going to question this" Kakucho looked so done with this shit.

"Good. Save your sanity for later." You wish you could do so too. Your life would be so much more peaceful, but of course, you've got to be a nosy asshole.

"Sooooo..." Mochi started "what the fuck do we do with him?" He said gesturing at an unconsious Izana. "We can't let him just lay here forever."

"Why not?" Yeah, why not. For once you agree with Hanma (ew). It's so much more peaceful this way. "I think we should enjoy ourselves while he's not on pur asses about tenjiku." For once Ran gets it. Maybe his brain isnt pea-sized in the end? Hmm... Peanut-sized, then?

"Let's just wake him up, he's probably gonna be angry if we don't anyway." Okay??? That'd be a problem for the future.

"Kakucho, how the hell do you even wanna do that?!?" Shion asking a valid question? Someone write it done in their calendar! Quick!

"That's the problem-" Sorry Kaku, you're gonna share Ran's fate. "No-one has the balls here to try anyway" You say. "Why not just go do whatever you have to do and let him wake up on his own. It's most logical." You shrug.

"What if he doesn't wake up on time and misses his favourite tv series though?" Fuck. Mucho's got a point.He'd kill you all if you let that happen.

"Alright..." You move your sleeves up to your elbows. "Everyone get ready." "Huh-" Confusion. Confusion everywhere. "What do you-"

SLAP!!!

"..."

And before anyone registered what just happpened you have ready bolted through the door and were long gone, as if you were never there in the first place.

Oh shit. Oh fuck.

"Who. Has. Just. Slapped. Me." Izana was looking at them with a stare so manacing, that if eyes could kill, they'd be dead 3 time already and then roasted and served with aplles like a turkey.

"Who had the FUCKING AUDACITY to slap me just now." Sorry not sorry. You had to put yourself first..🤷

🏳️‍🌈

Mochi, Mucho, Rindou, Ran, Hanma and Madarame were looking at you with absolute fire in their eyes as you were patching them up. Kisaki was on the side, thanking whatever god has given his mother the idea to host a family dinner exacly when she did and Kakucho stood on Izana's right side.

"Why did i get caught in the cross fire WHEN I HAVE JUST BEEN STANDING TO THE SIDE!" Boohoo what and injustice. You wish you could say it outloud, but you don't need to dig your grave any further. It's already quite deep

"Hanma, do you want another black eye?" Uh oh. In the end, Izana hasn't calmed down yet. Now you were 100% sure you needed to keep your mouth as shut as possible.

"Izana, calm down. Tenjiku need fully able members and if you beat them up too much they won't be able to fight and [...]" Kakucho started panicing as he listed reasons as to why it's not a good idea to beat Hanma or anyone else up.

Meanwhile the Haitanis started whispering among themselves "I still can't believe Kakucho got out without a scratch." "I mean, he is Izana's right hand man so-"

"FINE." And on as if on cue, everyone, including stressed Kakucho, has let out a breath they didn't know they were holding. "But i still want to know who the hell had thw balls to slap me." Fuck. You knew it. There was no way you'd get out of this alive and well. It was too good to be true.

"No-one wants to come out and-" "I'm gay." You cut him off while putting your hands up in the air in a 'i give up' gesture. "Here, you've got the coming out you wanted." At this point you were praying (yes, even if you aren religius, let's be honest, Izana'd scary when angry/crazy) that your attempt at changing the topic would work.

"..."

"So like, wanna fuck?" Ran raised he eyebrows up and down as Rindou gave an... interesting proposition to say the least.

"Pfft! Ahhaaayhayea!" There it was, if you didn't know Shion, you'd think a hiena has somehow gotten into your house. (yep, yall are all at your house, let's say it's a common hangout spot for the tenjiku crew for the sake of this story) It was eerie how similar he was to a hiena, now that you think about it.

"Uhh... Congratulations, (Name)?" Kakucho was BAFFLED. Definietely not what he was expecting.

"What the actual FUCK. That's is not what i wanted to ask AT ALL." When the initial shock went by, Izana was back on track looking for the person guilty of leaving a big, red hand print on his face. Ypu shocked yourself with how hard you could hit someone, especially since it's beem an hour and his cheek is still red as ever.

"Okay, fine! It was me wha slapped the shit outta you! Happy?!" You finally surrender, unable to hide that you're guilty.

"Oh yeah? In that case we've got to talk a little, don't you think?" His tone of voice was fucking scary. Someone save you, please.

You looked at everone as Izana held your wrist in his hand and started heading to your room, but suddenly everyone was busy.

Mucho was brushing his hair with his hand, which is impressive how he was still able to with that balding head of his. Mochizuki was rebraiding his lil sad rat tail, as if he could save it from looking shitty (he couldn't). Rindou was checking the time. Most normaln of them all award goesto him. Shion was just being Shion. Theres not much to say, other then that he looked higher then the fucking sky, but always does so it's alright. Kakucho has a suspicious smirk on his face as he sent you a wink and Ran..

... Ran was checking if his dick is still in it's place.

Overall, there was no saving your ass from this. Amen.

🏳️‍🌈

"You think they know we can hear them?" Ran asked his brother, trying not to scowl too much at the sound he was hearing. "With all that moaning? Yeah, i'm pretty sure at least Izana is aware of that." Just as he said that a loud whine could be heard through the whole apartament.

"The neighbours are so going to complain. God, i almost feel bad for them" Almost, because Kakucho knew damn well that this was gonna happen one way or another, and just decided to give you guys a little push.

It's not his fault that push has required the Haitanis and Shion breaking Izanas favourite mug, and then with Izana on their tail running into the bathroom where you were relaxing.

Then after that he didn't even need to do much, it all went down on it's own.

"I should have been a full-time cupid instead of joining a gang."

[baby-xemnas]

Even tho Bepo does make a few comments about female bears, i wonder if it is more of an automatic response than anything, maybe something like compulsive speciism like you mentioned. Like it’s not something at the forefront of Bepo’s mind but that’s what is expected, that a mink will be with another mink, so that informs what he says out loud. I can’t help but think about how Bepo left Zou at such a very young age too, bc as far as we know, Bepo has been around humans far longer than minks at this point, so i wonder how that would’ve impacted or shaped his development and outlook on such things? In other areas too, I wonder if Bepo felt odd coming back to Zou, seeing the differences between himself and other minks who grew up and stayed in Zou or stayed in closer contact to minks even if they weren’t living in Zou. All this in relation to LawBepo and Bepo’s immediate intense strong attachment to Law, it’s interesting to think about!

yeeee.....

its a single crumb of Bepo's presense on Zou during that arc but i did appreciate when it was noted that "Even though he is from here, he is still an outsider" like thats GREAT thats a bit of worldbuilding i really appreciate making characters behavior more believable - ye no shit...not only did this guy not live with them, disappearing as a kid - he brought humans with him too - he is a complete stranger to the island. imagine moving to a very different country in elementary school - all your formative years would be shaped in accordance to the new place. I love that they treated him like the stranger he is

and GOOD POINT ABOUT HIS INSTANT ATTACHMENT TO LAW like yes of course its logical that he would be appreciative of a person who saved him - but Bepo had ZERO apprehension towards Law and following Law to a strangers house.. ofc u can say that he is too naive and easily trusting but it mustve been so crazy to him to be like wow! not only humans exist (when they met bepo have gotten over that initial surprise and probably hid from adults til pensha found him and beat his ass) but there are nice ones too! yay!!!!!!!!! :D!!

its absolutely compulsive species attraction like "i'm supposed to find a bear mink" and he just thought that way the whole time growing up and didnt even consider humans - and that was fine because he was very busy loving and supporting law - thought didnt cross his mind...if he felt horny he just thought "oh well i cant do nothing about this! idk where bear women are at!"

i love thinking about how weird it felt to come back home (and like i talked abt before i love that bepo didnt go home because he wanted to fullfill his initial wishes to 1) find zunesha on his own - reason he learned navigation 2) find out where his brother go - no he went to zou because (as he himself probably suggested as it was a safest place) law ordered them to lay low somewhere....i love that so much, that law going off on his personal vendetta mission caused bepo to fullfil his personal dream - the one that he put away for so long BECAUSE what law became way more important.

There is a sense of shame and wrong priorities there - imagine that instead of being a sort of triumphant/celebratory visit home where you can boast look at me i'm a pirate like my big brother! No instead he comes home asking for help, for a place to hide, not only for himself but strangers to the island - and he himself is as much a stranger as the humans. oof.

Its hard to imagine he felt that comfortable around minks at first, it was a wishful thinking like here i am among my people - but they look at him (and rightfully so) like an alien - and bepo is too worried about law to care....he is not there to integrate back into society....these people are not his people anymore, his crew and law are his family now

its super interesting and i really am sour forever that we didnt get more about this aside from "he is still a stranger even if he is from here" line about bepo and others being quarantined to a single area - and that one moment where bepo says "even if im a stranger this is my island too" when they are about to help defend zou against beast pirates along with locals

[heavyhitterheaux]

What Are We Thankful For?

First Lady of Private Garden Fic

AN: You know it’s always entertaining when the entire crew gets together

Synopsis: The Harlows host friendsgiving at their house at home in Kentucky

Pairing: Husband!Jack Harlow x Wife!Reader

Requested by: a gorgeous anon 😘💖

Please Do Not Repost My Content Anywhere

Special thank you to big sis Nicole! 

“I literally cannot wait to give you the biggest hug. You look so tired and I’m going to need for you to go straight to sleep once you get here.” You said while looking at your tired husband on the facetime call that the two of you were currently on.

“I can’t wait either. I missed your little short ass terrorizing me on a daily basis.”

“HEY!”

“Hmm? What’s wrong baby girl?”

“We’re going to fight when I see you.”

“Only thing that I’ll be doing is making you scream my name over and over again.”

“After you get some sleep, that is. When should you be back?”

“If I did my math right, I’ll probably land around 3 or 4 am. And you better be sleep and you better not come and get me either. You need your energy for other things.”

“But smush!”

“No, Sunni already knows and is coming to get us.”

You rolled your eyes and Jack immediately caught it and made a face at you.”

“Baby, don’t start because you know what’s about to happen when I get there.”

“Well, I was told to be asleep, so nothing.”

“Keep getting smart with me Mrs. Harlow.”

“Or what?”

“You being real bold since I’m in a different country right now. You won’t be saying that when you see me.”

“Hmm, we’ll see about that. Anyway babyyyyyy, I miss you.”

“I miss you too and it won’t be too much longer.”

“Are you going to help me cook for our friendsgiving this year?”

“Cook what?!?! Jack can’t even boil a pot of water!” You heard someone exclaim and you wanted to say that it sounded like Clay.

“Clayborn! Give your big brother some credit! He’s trying!”

“Hiiii wifey!”

“Clay, remove yourself from my presence immediately.” Jack of course was immediately annoyed. 

You then saw Clay come up behind him and wave towards you while Jack simply rolled his eyes.

“Hi, my baby! Can’t wait to see you!”

“Me either! I have the divorce papers drawn up!”

This earned Clay a smack to the back of his head from Jack and all you could do was laugh.

“Okay my little baby, stop terrorizing my big baby and you better be on your best behavior.”

“Oh? So I’m big baby now?”

“You have always been my big baby with your 6’3 ass.”

“See Clay?!?”

All Clay did was roll his eyes and make a face, before looking back over at you.

“I’ll stop terrorizing him for now. I’m still her favorite.”

“I will throw you out this window!”

Once Clay was out of your line of sight, you looked to see Jack staring at you and smiling.

“What’s got you smiling like that?”

“You called me your big baby.”

“Smush, you know that is never going to change. No matter how much you might get on my nerves.”

“HEY! WAIT A MINUTE NOW!”

“I love you so you know I’m going to put up with it.”

“Mmm hmm. Sure. I love you too mamas and I’ll be back before you know it. And you have a little over a week until you turn 24.”

“Oh shit…”

“What do you mean oh shit? Don’t tell me you forgot about your birthday?”

“I’ve just been so busy that it slipped my mind. I don’t even have anything planned!”

“Don’t you worry about that, your husband already has everything figured out.”

You simply eyed him not believing anything that was coming out of his mouth.

“And I’m not telling you so don’t ask me. We’re about to head to the airport now, pretty girl.”

“Okay, please be safe and don’t kill your little brother.”

“Absolutely no promises on that last part. I love you mamas.”

“I love you too, Pookie.” You blew a kiss to Jack before hanging up and scrambling around your shared bedroom to get things ready for when he got back. 

You made sure to take out one of his favorite pairs of pajamas, had a fresh set of towels and washcloths, face masks, socks, and lavender lotion to make him fall asleep easier. You knew that he told you to go to sleep, but you were literally bouncing off the walls in anticipation to finally be reunited with him. Jack’s tour was over, but yours wasn’t and you were taking a few weeks off before it started back up again.

You decided after getting everything together that you would at least lay down and you made sure to set your alarm so that you would be awake when Jack got back despite his protests.

It was around 3:45 when you heard his keys in the door. 

You were already awake and threw off your comforter to make a beeline downstairs to meet him at the door.

Jack was barely out of the doorway when he heard your light footsteps approaching him running at full force. He dropped his bags at his feet to be able to catch you and all he could do was smile at the sight of his wife.

“Baby? Are you crying?” Jack quietly asked as he heard you sniffle.

“No.”

“Yes you are and I don’t know why you’re trying to hide that from me. Don’t cry, I’m here now.”

“I just missed you so so much. You know I hate being away from you.”

“I know and I missed you too, mamas. And what are you doing up? I thought I told you to go to sleep.”

“You know I don’t listen and I wanted to see you. I set my alarm so that I would be awake when you got back.”

“We have a lot to do today so I’m going to need for you to get some sleep.”

“You too. You look so tired and I was so worried about you.” You said brushing a hand through Jack’s curls before he set you back down on your feet so that he could close the front door.

“I’m fine, I’ll get a little bit of a break and you know that will consist of spending the majority of my time with my wife.” Jack answered you as he leaned down to plant a kiss on your forehead.

“Come on so we can do face masks.”

“Wait, what?”

“I got out your favorite pajamas, the lavender lotion that helps you fall asleep easier, and the cucumber face mask you like. Come on, the sooner we get to it, the sooner that we can sleep.”

“Thank you for that, baby girl.”

“Anything for you. You know this.”

“Forever and always, right?”

“You damn right.”

___

“Best friend!”

“Yes, Urban Henry Wyatt?”

“Wait, why are you saying my full name? Am I in trouble?”

“No, not unless you did something that I should know about?”

All Urban did was shake his head no.

“No, not that I know of. I just have a question for you. I already asked Jack and he said it was up to you.”

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?” You asked immediately going into protective mode. You felt Urban’s forehead and was checking him for bumps and bruises.

“I’m fine! I’m fine!”

“Okay, then ask your question.” You responded while making sure that you had the ingredients for everything that you needed to make.

“Um, would it be okay for Yasmin to come to friendsgiving?”

You immediately stopped what you were doing and sighed.

“I mean, I get it if you say no. But I just thought I’d ask anyway. I know that you know that she’s talked to Jack and he told me that you weren’t ready to talk to her, which I understand. I just don’t want you to be uncomfortable or anything.”

“She can come.”

“Wait, really?”

“Urby, she’s your girlfriend and she’s important to you. I…. This is something that we do every year and the last thing that I want to do is make her feel like she’s being left out. I wouldn’t want anyone to do that to me either. So my answer is yes.”

“Only if you’re absolutely positive.”

“Urban, get out of my sight before I change my mind and take your best friend with you so that I’ll be able to cook in peace with Nic and Luna.”

“BABY! I HAVEN’T EVEN DONE ANYTHING!”

“YET, JACKMAN! YOU HAVEN’T DONE ANYTHING, YET!”

“I’ll keep him occupied.”

“Thank you Urby.”

It was around 2 pm when everyone started showing up and you and Nic were halfway done with cooking everything.

Jack, 2fo, Nas, and Druski had been banned from the kitchen so Jack elected the help of his little brother to slide him something that was already done since he hadn’t eaten anything yet.

“Clay, go in there because she’s not going to yell at you.”

“What’s in it for me?”

“Cut the shit. I’m letting you stay in my house. That’s what’s in it for you. I’ll kick your ass out right now.”

“That’s Y/N’s baby Jack, you better watch yourself.” Megan piped up from the corner where she was mixing margaritas.

“And?! I’m her husband!”

“That literally means nothing when it comes to Clay.” Urban laughed while looking over at him.

“Fine, I’ll go.”

“And get us something good.”

Clay hopped up off the couch and made his way into the kitchen to see you, Nic, and Luna laughing.

“Oh look, the baby has arrived!”

“Well isn’t it my favorite Harlow child! What can I do for you?”

“I’m hungry and am in need of a snack.”

“Sit right over there, I got you.” You said as you went into the refrigerator and got out the mini cheesecakes. You decided to make smaller individual ones so 2fo wouldn’t be able to sneak off with the pan and save it all for himself. 

You took two out of the container and placed it on a napkin before placing them down in front of him.

“Tell me how it is and if it needs something.”

“You made it so I know that it doesn’t need anything.”

“Not Clayborn trying to flirt with his big brother’s wife.” Luna said and immediately laughed.

“Not my fault she fell for the wrong Harlow.”

“CLAY! I HEARD THAT!”

“SMUSH! STAY IN THERE AND OUT OF OUR BUSINESS!”

“YOU’RE MY WIFE SO YOU ARE MY BUSINESS!”

“I swear he is a hot ass mess. My hot mess nonetheless, but a mess.”

“It’s really good. What else is finished that I can taste?”

“I’m glad you asked.” Nic replied before opening the freezer and pulling out sorbet for him to try. 

Back out in the living room, Jack looked down at his watch to see that Clay had been gone for at least 30 minutes and he was confused on what was taking him so long.

“What the hell is he in there doing? I’m fucking starving out here.”

“They’re probably holding him hostage.”

“Dua!”

“What does your big forehead ass want?”

“Okay, first off, rude. Keep in mind that you’re in my house and I can kick you out at any time.”

“For you to get yelled at by your wife?”

“Don’t test me.”

“State your business.”

“Go in the kitchen and get me something, pleaseeeee. Wifey will yell at me if I set foot inside.”

“I’ll try, but no promises.”

“Get whatever you can grab.”

Dua made her way towards the kitchen to see the three of you feeding Clay so everyone was distracted. She crept over to the fridge and found the sweet potato pies that Jack loved so much and immediately took out three of them. One for herself, Jack, and 2fo.

She then tip-toed back out of the kitchen into the living room and handed the pies to both of them.

“You’re a fucking lifesaver.”

“You know what this means right?” Dua asked while eyeing Jack. 2fo was already halfway done with his pie.

“What?”

“You owe me.”

“I don’t owe you a got damn thing. You’re in my house and I’m feeding you.”

“Your wife is feeding me.”

“With groceries that I bought!”

“Not the point!”

“JACKMAN!!!”

“Oh shit, you better go. Wife is calling.” Druski piped up and looked over towards him.

“YES, MAMAS?”

“I KNOW YOU STOLE THE PIE, I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT JUST KNOW THAT I KNOW IT WAS YOU!”

“I’M INNOCENT!”

“SAVE IT! INNOCENT MY ASS!”

Dinner was finally underway, but Nicole and Danielle couldn’t help but notice that you and Curse weren’t really interacting like the two of you usually did. Nicole made a note to corner Urban later to get an explanation out of him.

“She does it again. I know you put crack in your food when you make it.” Saweetie said from across you as she was stuffing her face.

“I see no lies!” Nas said while taking a sip of his drink.

Just then Jack had reached under the table to pull out a gallon bottle of ranch and set it out on the table.

“JACKMAN THOMAS!”

“Yes, my baby?”

“Where in the world did you get that?!?! And why is it on the table?”

“That’s for me to know and not for anyone else to find out.”

“Well got damn, do you need that much ranch?!” Druski asked, looking over at him in disbelief. 

“If he could turn me into a bottle of ranch, he would.” You replied while rolling your eyes.

“Nah, he’ll just pour it over you and then lick it off.” Normani added while shrugging.

“WHAT?!”

“Thanks for the idea, Normani!” Jack said while smiling at her.

“Jackman, if you so as much touch me with ranch, you won’t touch me for the rest of your life.”

“We know that’s a lie. Like you can keep your hands off him.” Megan added while rolling her eyes.

“She definitely can’t. You should have seen her this morning.” Jack said while wiggling his eyebrows. 

“NO. CUT THE SHIT AND DO NOT START. WE DON’T WANNA KNOW.” Urban exclaimed from the far side of the table where Curse was sitting next to him.

“I DO!”

“WHY DO YALL ALWAYS WANNA KNOW DURING DINNER?! DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME?!” Your eyes went wide knowing what they were referring to and you immediately tried to change the subject.

“ANYWAY! MOVING ON!”

“Are you pregnant yet?!” SZA asked and you immediately got a look of disbelief on your face.

“What?!?! NO!”

“Look, all I’m saying is how you were describing what happened in the group chat a few weeks ago when you went to visit your husband, I would take a test.” Nas said while eyeing you.

“HOLD ON! Can we talk about how Nas can be in the group chat but the rest of us can’t?!”

“BAD BITCHES ONLY! WE’VE BEEN THROUGH THIS! YALL DON’T MEET THE CRITERIA!”

“What if I put on a wig?”

“Druski, we’ve already addressed that and the answer is and will always be no.”

“I’ll shave too!”

“Still won’t help. The answer is no!”

“Group chat is only for baddies.”

“Anyway, first lady has a birthday coming up! What are we doing?!?”

“I have no idea. Ask Jack, he seems to have something planned and thank goodness because I honestly forgot.”

“Oh, and we can’t forget! THE WEDDING!!!!”

“Please don’t tell me you’re wearing white. There is nothing pure about your ass.”

“Nicole, if you don’t shut the fuck up!” You said while rolling your eyes and trying to find something to throw at her. 

“I’m just saying!”

“I’m not wearing white if anyone wanted to know.”

“If you could show up in nothing, that would be great too.”

“JACKMAN THOMAS!”

“Yes?”

“Behave yourself!”

“Aren’t you two already married?” Curse quietly asked. All of PG was shooting daggers at her except Urban.

“We are, but it was a courthouse wedding when we were 19. I promised her when we were secure that we would have a big one and it’s our five year anniversary this year.” Jack answered as you were suddenly more interested in your plate in front of you.

“That sounds nice.”

“And the fact that the two of you have been planning the wedding, on tour, doing multiple shows and appearances is just crazy to me. How did yall even find time to do it?” 2fo asked while trying to steal food from Clay’s plate who immediately smacked his hand away.

“If it’s for my wife, I’m always going to make time for it.” Jack said while looking over at you and smiling.

“Aww, smush!” You leaned over to kiss his cheek and of course he turned fire engine red. 

“Got damn it! Here they go!”

“Jack, please don’t make her cry! When yall got nominated for multiple grammy’s it took me HOURS to get her to stop.” Danielle said while looking over at you. 

“THAT’S AN EXAGGERATION! IT WASN’T HOURS!”

“It actually was. You didn’t stop crying until you fell asleep that night.”

“I’m a simp for my husband! And I have no shame! 2fo if you reach over here towards my plate one more got damn time, I’m cutting off your fingers!”

“Oh! What are we thankful for? Y/N go first!” Megan said while looking over at you.

“She’s thankful for me, duh!”

“CLAYBORN CUT THE SHIT!”

“Okay so I am thankful for my family, especially my husband.”

“And don’t we know it”

“Shut up, Urban!”

“And all of my friends of course. And being able to do what I love every single day with the best people by my side. Oh, one last thing…”

“I’m surprised she hasn’t….”

“I’m thankful for my husband’s dick and his mouth for when he goes down on me.”

“AND THERE IT FUCKING IS!”

“WHAT?!? I’M NOT GOING TO SIT UP HERE AND LIE!”

“We know that Jack is going to say ranch and his wife’s pussy.”

“And what about it?! I see no lies!”

“You two are fucking disgusting, I swear.”

“Have you seen my wife?!”

Everyone rolled their eyes and collectively yelled.

“YES!” 

Urban had then gotten up in order to get a refill on his drink when he felt a presence behind him in the kitchen.

Nicole and Danielle.

“Urban?”

“Uh yes?”

“There’s something going on with Curse and my baby cousin and you’re going to be the one to tell me exactly what that is because I know that you know and that it probably has something to do with you.”

“Umm….”

“Out with it, Wyatt!”

“I… look… they got into a little argument about something and they aren’t really talking right now.”

“And? What was the argument about?” Danielle immediately asked.

“Umm…”

“URBAN!”

“We were all out to dinner with PG and Neelam and Curse found out that I’ve had sex with Y/N. I admit it was my fault for not telling her but because she was so mad, once Curse confronted her about it, she let slip that Y/N had a miscarriage in front of everybody.”

“SHE DID WHAT?!”

“Keep your voices down!” 

“How the… I should kick your ass for not telling her and hers for airing out her business like that. We know how important it is for her to have kids and I can’t imagine how hurt she was by that.”

“We’ve just started talking and getting back to how we were before.”

“And she’s actually here? Showing her face knowing what she did?”

“Only because Y/N and Jack agreed to it. She said that she didn’t want her to feel left out.”

“I… just… Urban, come on now.”

“I know, I know. I’ve been trying to make it better as best as I can. She said she forgives me, but I know that’s something that will be in the back of her mind.”

“I can’t believe she would do that.”

“And the two of you don’t say anything. I’ll let Jack know that I told you so that he isn’t caught off guard by it, but I wouldn’t ask Y/N about it. I know my best friend and I can tell that she’s still sad about it even if she doesn’t show it.”

“Fine, we won’t say anything, but we’re going to need for you to be honest with your girlfriend and not drag my little sister into your shit, okay?”

“I got it.” 

All three of them went back into the dining room where everyone was and took their seats at the table to see that you and Jack were missing.

“Where in the world did they go?” Danielle asked while looking around.

“Knowing them, they’re probably fucking somewhere.”

“And they didn’t invite me? The audacity!” Dua chimed in while rolling her eyes.

Meanwhile the two of you were upstairs in your bedroom and Jack was making sure that you were okay since you had begun to space out a little at the dinner table.

“Baby girl? You feeling okay?” Jack asked while moving your hair out of your face. 

“I promise I’m fine. Probably just a little tired from being on my feet all day. It’s nothing, smush.”

“Are you absolutely positive? If you’re tired I want you to rest. I can make sure everything gets cleaned up and put away.”

“I’ll lay down for a few minutes and then I’ll come back downstairs.”

“You want me to stay up here with you?”

“No, babe. I’m good. I promise. I won’t be long.”

“I’ll keep my phone by me just in case you need me for anything.” Jack said while leaning down to kiss you.

“Okay.”

“I love you.”

“And I love you more.”

“Don’t start mamas.”

“Fine, I’ll let you go for now and we can finish this conversation later.” You said while hugging your husband and looking up at him.

“I’ll definitely make sure you finish later.”

“SMUSH!”

“What? What I say?!”

“Act accordingly please.”

“Can’t help it if my wife is fine as hell.”

“And I can’t help it if my husband is too.”

“Lay down and I’ll be back up here soon, okay?”

“Okay.”

Jack made sure you were comfortable under the comforter before he went back downstairs. You simply played on your phone in order to pass the time.

You had finally rested for thirty minutes before sitting up and wanting to make your way back downstairs.

You couldn’t put your finger on as to why you had been feeling so tired lately, but you attributed it to you working so much. You were happy that you finally had a break and were able to spend some much needed time with your husband.

The two of you were finally getting back to how you two were before the whole Anitta situation came into play and you were thankful for it.

But little did you know that she would be making another appearance and that she had it out for the Harlows.

It was only a matter of time before everything would come crashing down around you.

Taglist:

@harlowsbby

@babyharleezy

@hoodharlow

@stefansalvatoresgf

@jackiehollanderr

@primadxna-girl

@dessmxsworld

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[cant-get-no-worse]

i am always very intrigued by the neymessi relationship. thoughts on them?

Hiya people! I'm currently having a good chuckle because as I read your asks, I see mutuals celebrating the neymessi overtaking cressi on ao3 party. Uncanny. World colllides. Anyways. Imma rant now, you just gave me free real estate!

Disclaimer : this isn't me parasocially psychoanalizing the friendship of two grown ass men I've never seen nor talked to, this is just me covering bases of funny thoughts me n some friends have been entertaining about it. It's senseless ramble and fun and I gotta make profit off of those hours I spend looking at them interact aight.

First of, whatever I could say about it, in the end, everything condenses into this, really: it's a beautiful human bound. Akin to those unlikely friendships brought together by football — kinda makes you think this god wrenched sport isn't so wasted after all. Then you see Harry Kane's face, and you deflate, but that's a whole otha thang (sorry Kane mutuals) (the bloke is coming to PSG anyways).

It's all the more fascinating as we partially saw it develop in real life, and its 'public' aspect is well documented, from the tweets of Neymar all the way back in 2011 fan girling over Messi when they hadn't even met, to the countless footage of games, backstages, documentaries, interviews, little snippets here and there. Let's go over some aspects in an orderly manner.

Similarities between Neymar and other dudes

You can kind of wonder how Leo, introverted as he is, could have ended up entertaining a decade-long friendship (spent apart for four whole years) with such guy as Neymar, a whole five years his junior. And then you look at Leo’s other myriad of friends over the course of the years: Ronaldinho, the whole Brazilian squad of Barcelona who took him under their wing because they liked him, Kun Agüero, Rodrigo De Paul and Leandro Paredes. All extroverted, a bit immature/impulsive, loudmouthed, joyful dudes, and then you realize the guy just has a knack for befriending such people. It just compliments his character. (I’m not adding Luis Suarez to the bunch cause while Luis is impulsive, loudmouthed, extroverted, joyful, he is also a whole other vibe, much more settled/mature, it’s a whole other thing. Could rant about it for hours too. That Messi/Suarez friendship is so genuine, easy, weird, and amazing).

What’s the diff with Suarez

So talking about Suarez, I think the best way to start discerning a relationship is to oppose it to others. The easiest way being here opposing the Messi/Suarez and Neymar/Suarez to the Neymar/Messi. They’re all friends, but the duos don’t work the same way, and it’s obvious. Messi/Suarez are besties, they share the same age, interests, mate, families, whatever. Messi brought him on his honeymoon. Like what the actual fuck. Anyways. Suarez/Neymar reads more like a friend/brothers relationship, were they liked to mess around, fuck around and make fun of each other. You’d think since Suarez and Messi are rigorously the same age, Messi and Neymar’d have a similar relationship. But na. You just can’t look at it and state Messi/Neymar relationship is only brother like. They are brothers, but not only. There’s a shit ton of layers, due to the circumstances of their meeting, their career trajectories, what they represent, for their countries as for football, the roles they had to assume towards each other at FCB in the beginning, but also due to their characters. So what’s the layers?

Childhood/idol

The whole « child gets to play alongside the idol he used to watch on TV » boat has been sailed already by a ton of other players from all leagues, it’s one of the joys of this sport. It’s very sweet, to see how much Neymar used to hop on Twitter to unabashedly fanboy alongside other people over a Messi performance or to even just wish him a very enthused happy birthday (the proofs are there and he hasn’t even deleted them lmfao, the boy was relentless). What I like about it, however, is how little that behavior faltered over the course of the years. Younger players generally tone down the whole idolizing stuff, whether because they’re disillusioned about it (don’t meet your heroes, eh), because they’re just getting used to it, because it’d be awkward, they reserve it when they’re asked about it, in shorter commentaries. Neymar didn’t. Quite the contrary; it’s like playing with Messi only heightened his esteem for the other’s abilities, and to this admiration of the professional side, a personal layer of first-hand appreciation, by becoming a teammate and a friend, was added. Ten years later, placing a bet on Neymar name-dropping Messi on his interviews remains the safest money gambling you’ll do in your life, alongside betting on Pep doing the same (Pep’s odds are admittedly a bit higher, but the man is just batshit insane.) How little Neymar cares about how his admiration is perceived by others or by Leo himself, how unabashedly awed and praiseful he remained of Leo’s skills. Leo himself said he found it a bit embarrassing at times, because Neymar would say it to his face, but at the end of the day, it was just flattering and endearing to receive compliments from a friend and a fellow good player. That side of their relationship could have become, as some put it, embarrassing or awkward, a star-struck teammate who never grew out of it, but because of the sheer sincere nature of both their character (albeit a transparency showing through different ways, Neymar’s being the most flashy) – a trait that seemed to have been key in the establishment of their friendship – they managed to make it simply impossible for it to be embarrassing. They’re completely candid with the other about that, have been since day one, and the result is one of the healthiest child-turned-teammate-of-idol relationship you’ll get to witness. It’s utterly touching, and extremely human.

Brazil/Arg superstars & Countries rivalry

The other obvious aspect is the whole Brazil/Argentina dichotomy. This one is the thing that get a lot of imagination fuming on the internet due to the cinematic parallels/star crossed/movie-like narratives you can appose and romanticize. Barring every other consideration, I just think it’s so fitting it’s almost laughable. The resemblances in career path – two players from arguably the two countries the most insane about football and with the greatest football legacy, star boys turned 10 and figures of their respective selections, compared to an early age to the two ever looming figures of Maradona and Pelé (although Messi probably in a more glaring way, with Maradona himself stating outright the succession thing and Neymar’s comparisons being split between Pelé and Ronaldinho’s profiles). Their friendship threw a bridge over that eternal rivalry, bridge that became all the more obvious the more years passed and the more they became the centralizing figures for their NT and faced each other on the fields. The two teams trash each other on the ground, but respect prevail between players – not just Neymar and Leo, btw, that goes for seemingly every player, given that a lot of them crosses paths with each other at club level. In any case, I believe that mutual respect condenses itself in the 10’s relationship. The video of Leo refusing to engage in a song mocking Brazil (2023 Arg-Panama WC celebration) (keeping in mind trash-singing culture is widespread in Latin America, much more so than Europe; singing such songs isn’t necessarily personal, it’s just… tradition, and especially when you’re Brazil and Argentina and you just beat the other) and in another instance (after the 2021 Copa America) actively discouraging teammates to drop the subject tells you everything you need to know about the amount of care/respect the both of them hold each other to.

Mentor

There’s the whole mentoring role to it, too. When Neymar arrived in 2013 in the team, Leo had established himself already. Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, all remained the older mentors of the team, but in term of talent and path, it kind of became obvious that Neymar could become Leo’s protegee the same way Leo was Dinho’s. The first steps were hesitants, as we all know, what with Neymar needing time to fit in a whole new league and continent, the infamous locker room chat, but after a year or so the ball got rolling (ha-ha). Imo, eventually (perhaps not in the first years, but from 2015/2016, at least after the 2014 WC) Leo seemed to have fully settled/grew into this kind of mentor-mentality and wanted to help Neymar get his BO and stuff. That’s partly why the 2017 departure could have left a bitterness aftertaste or at least a feeling of failure to have completely achieved what Dinho did on his part. See how eager he was to help Ousmane when Dembélé arrived.

Complementary play and MSN balance

On the football side, I mean. Not much to say. They’re probably the two guys with the biggest reserve of pure, raw talent of the 21st century (I mean from 2000 til 2023, as far as we know). It’s ridiculous how those two guys ended up playing together. At 20 years old, people were asking if Messi was one of the greatest players of all time, and at 21 years old, Ronaldinho said that Neymar would surpass Messi. Talent doesn’t necessarily equal chemistry on field, tho (cough side glance at you know where cough), yet they made it work, thanks to Luis who provided the final balance for it all. Funnily enough, people always praise MSN as being completely devoid of ego, as if they’re some kind of saints individually, but that’s not true. They have some ego, they’re just good dudes. Ego isn’t a bad personality trait. Most top athletes have it, it pushes you. Those guys just knew where to place it, how to handle it, and they were just too good of persons individually, and too good friends mutually. They were selfless with each other, and it was so damn refreshing to see, and it's something that perpetuates still at PSG.

Physical proximity/chemistry

Do you hear that? That’s the horde of Ao3 writers barreling towards, foam at their mouth and keyboards at their fingers, wide eyed. Quick, shut the door. Oh wait, I’m one of them. YOU’RE TRAPPED. HAHA.

Na, about that, it’s just of those things that happen. Their chemistry and instinct to touch is obvious, if the hundredths of pictures and compils with Ariana Grande screaming Save Your Tears in the background wasn’t enough to pass the hint. But honestly, there’s nothing more to see here. Some players get more physical than others, just because. Some people get more physical than others, just because. That’s chemistry. Football, like all sports, take you from the lowest point just to lift you up with an adrenaline rush the very next minute. Unlike other sports, however, it’s a team sport, so you play, you work through it, you win, you celebrate not alone, but with other people. Much more so when you’re working as a unit, like Neymar and Messi were with Suarez as the forwards, tuning to each other’s mind/bodies to get the chemistry running and the goals flowing.

Seeing them together uncannily reminded me of one of my own relationship with someone in my entourage. We disliked each other, and then kind of overnight, unexpectedly, became friends, and started touching each other. There wasn’t anything sexual about it, it was innocent in all forms, but there was just this instinctive, mindless move of putting arms around each other’s shoulders, holding hands, or whatever. There was genuinely nothing to see here, it’s just the way our friendship/relationship worked. It’s an intrinsic part of it, a constant. Touching holds more than a thousand words. You can imagine how such a medium of communication is exalted through sports, where physicality is everywhere and the first language everyone speaks.

Whether in 2015 or 2022, take any video, they’re always going to be jumping to each other. There’s some degrees of variation; sometimes, most times, it’s to celebrate, it’s euphoric and lively and flying about, others it’s a touch on the shoulder, the hair, the waist. Whether as a teammate checking on the other because of an injury (generally it was due to Neymar being bodied by opposition players), diffusing a situation (Neymar getting worked up over another player), as friends gossiping, as opposite players (Leo asking for a yellow on Ney and then both touching to level the situation), a hug or touch on the thigh (2015 UCL celebration), a gentle touch on a knee during training for no other reason than it’s a natural instinct and it’s an relationship in which it’s normal, whatever. Sometimes they hug to celebrate, sometimes it’s loaded (see 2021 CA final). I can’t explain it, just browse about and you’ll see plenty. It’s also the eyes — Neymar can be caught looking unabashedly at Leo with the same adoration as a kid. His platonic passion is just one of a kind. Leo will be found staring amused, tender or just lost in thought. It’s endearing. The eyes, chico. Once again; it just works.

There’s not much to see or read here, it’s just because it is. Marco Verratti doesn’t have a relationship as personal with them as they do and yet the fucker will always find a way to touch them thighs or shoulders – because some people are just physical like that. Also because he’s an Italian hooker. But that’s a whole other story. Ramos and Modric have insane chemistry in the same way. A handful of teammates pairs have that kind of thing going.

They also don’t convey it like the other people they’re physically close to. You just watch Messi and Suarez interact and touch (and they do! A lot!) and it’s not the same as when Neymar and Messi do. Messi and Agüero, Messi and Piqué (cough), Messi and Pedri, Neymar and Mbappé, Neymar and Dani Alves, Neymar and the whole fucking world cause he’s that touchy mf. Each one of these ways of touching tell the depths and subtleties of the relationship lying behind, you could ramble hours about two people like I’m doing but at the end of the day you just look at how the both of them touch and look, and you get it. (i direct you to cara's blog!)

It works for them, as it works for lots of human beings. We touch to convey stuff. They lived through tough and euphoric times with their club, had the weight of the two arguably most prestigious football selections on their shoulders, went through boring training sessions, flights, team drama, tax evasion stuff (cue laughter), they’ve been evolving in the same world of money, public and fast-paced life for years. Add to that the personal relationship - friends, teammates, mentors, opposites, etc. They’re on a common understanding ground. They touch. That’s the wordless language.

Extrovert/introvert

The extrovert introvert thing, blabla. It’s just endlessly entertaining to see them interact because it seems like a stark contrast on paper, but in reality, they kinda even each other out. Neymar is his usual outgoing, ray of sunshine (Galtier’s words, not mine), fidgeting, energy-filled dude, and Leo’s calm, dealing with his shit on his own terms, perfectly okay with not talking, but also perfectly okay with gossiping and joking about. That’s one of the most underrated aspects to their friendship, imo. It just seems, from 2013 to now, that they just have tremendous fun being around each other. It’s not the same kind of energetic, very showy-pranksty-physically fun you can see Neymar have with other Brazilians or Suarez or Mbappé etc, because of Leo’s character, it happens in a different way (the energies match differently). Whether at Barca, on an international pitch or at PSG, each time they are seen being around each other, you just know there’s gonna be a picture of them cracking up over dumb shit. Every time. Clockwork. It’s kinda amazing lmfao.

The 2017 – 2021 era

Now you’d think they’d be close during their days at FCB because of circumstances; you have a coworker, you surprisingly get along fine, you become friends, then one of you leave works, and slowly but surely the relationship or wish to reunite get fainter and fainter. It’s just something we experience a lot, and it’s also something you see in football a lot due to transfers (cue that tumblr post about a player transfering is like selling your child). Players become friends, friendships get severed because of space and time and the impossible schedule. The thing with Ney and Leo is that all throughout 2017 – 2021, they not only seemed to have maintained a friendship, but above all a fierce wish to play with each other again. Multiple accounts from that period of time say Leo reportedly asked for Neymar to be brought back by the board each time they asked which improvements/suggestions the players (and esp Leo, given his influence at FCB) would give. Neymar stated multiple times and publicly (in a typical Neymar fashion) that he wanted to play with Leo again. It’s like they’d found the perfect partnership, on and off the pitch, and they were both wanting it again.

The Barça to PSG transition

Now the PSG era!! It's quite fascinating, for you could consider the dynamics to have been inversed: Leo was the one arriving, Neymar was the experienced one on these grounds. There’s no football mentorship going on, for Neymar didn't have to teach Leo how to play, Leo having enough experience to just about integrate himself anywhere, but there is the mentorship in adapting, if you will – to a new league, new country, new teammates. Similarities in situation plastered everywhere, eight years later. You can kind of see why it can be easy to go mad at how this entire relationship do seem like a written story filled with parallels cause the author is so keen on it.

In the first year, Leo was seen hanging with the Latam - Neymar, Paredes, Di Maria, Icardi etc - (and Marco Verratti, cause the short fucker is just likeable like that) to the point where there really seemed to be "clans" within the locker rooms. I don't think it's necessarily true, rather it was just a bunch of close friends (two of which he'd just won the Copa América with) and shameless admirers of him who were all too eager to help him adapt, esp given Leo's character - he just isn't one to take the first step towards others, normally, even less so in a foreign country/club where locker rooms dynamics are already up and going. I don't remember which PSG ex player said he was quiet in his corner and didn't make no waves. Then after Di Maria and Paredes' departure, it seems Neymar really took on that role.

See the videos of training or games from 2021 – 2023, a rough 80% of the time they remain glued to each other, with others tagging along (Verratti esp). They do the exercises together, they warm up alongside, they go in and out of the pitch talking, they wait talking (see : the Riyadh XI game). The difference with FCB times are quite stark: in Barça they would have other friends to be around to here and there - Suarez, Busquets, Alba, Piqué, Alves - while it seems at PSG they're revolving around each other. Not that Neymar doesn't have friends; he's befriended the whole locker room, but he did once slip in whatever interview that Paris had never managed to be really home. It's nothing dramatic, but an interesting insight. Leo on the other hand is perhaps not very interested in entertaining personal relationships with the other players outside of professionalism – once again Verratti seems to be an exception, they stick a lot together esp since Neymar’s injury —, so it’s just natural. So it was about falling back/gravitating around the most familiar thing you could find, made all the more obvious after the Di Maria/Paredes departure. They know each other, it’s a relationship of transparency and trust (as aforementioned) and fun, and they'd always wanted to play with each other again. At that point, it's not a new friendship where they just know each other for two years on surface, are unsure about each other, or prompt to unstability or smth. They've been friends for a decade. They've been through very emotional moments in club and in nation (2021 CA Final), it's not just being coworkers. Old habits die hard, etc. Imo the core of the relationship didn't change, but the setting and circumstances did add closeness to them - Leo is just fine/most comfortable being with Neymar and Verratti mostly, and the two are too happy to oblige because they love him. Makes for a wonderful midget trio, of which we unfortunately didn't get enough.

Conclusion

I like it. As you could probably guess from the Bible-length commentary I just pumped out. It’s just refreshing to see a relationship as genuine as these two, seemingly coming out of the blue, that somehow continued through time and space separation. The absurd resilience of such bound makes it seems so effortless for them to be friends, due to the fundamentally good/true nature of their respective characters, and I treasure it dearly, even more so after having followed/seen other friendships from different players be broken up over shit. It’s a caring, genuine, trusting, tender, fun, complicit relationship, and one I think will go on beyond the end of their football careers – in other forms.

[viscountoflondon]

Que Sera Sera 1.0

A/N: Please do not copy my work, only reblog or like. Tell me what you think, remember I’m sensitive about my shit

GIF: Credit Brunettessource

Warnings: Curse words, alcohol, implied sexual things

You sit by the kitchen watching the group engage in post thanksgiving dinner games, a tradition for your 2 families, Y/L/Ns and the Centineo’s. Ever since Noah and your younger brother became best friends in elementary school they were practically inseparable. So much so that the families had just decided why not throw one big thanksgiving dinner instead of doing the come to our house we’ll host next year thing.

“You okay honey?” Your mom asks

You smile “Yea!”

This would be the first year post your separation with your ex husband. It was strange territory he was your highschool sweetheart and now it sometimes felt like a part of you was missing

“You sure?”

“Yea mom! Just watching Lucas and Noah make asses out of themselves”

“HEY!” Lucas screams “I heard that!” 

You smile “sorry just telling the truth!” 

The night is filled with many events: games, movies, popcorn, second round of thanksgiving dinner, more games, and finally sleep. 

Tomorrow was the Y/L/Ns turn to make breakfast one last big feast before the two families split apart and went their separate ways

You work in the kitchen quietly humming to RnB that played softly in the background

“Morning” you hear Noah’s groggy voice

“Kid?” he groans he hated that nickname “what are you doing up?” 

In a very sleepy tone he asks “The question is what are you doing up? Its 5am and we all went to bed at like 2?” 

You shrug “I am prepping for breakfast if you must know” you answer, you briefly glance at his shirtless body “so what are you doing up?” “Heard some banging had to check on the noise” “I did not bang!” you whisper harshly  “I accidentally dropped the tray sorry for waking you up” 

He nods understandingly “It’s cool, need help?” “Nope! Go back to bed baby boy” 

He groans and throws up the peace sign, too tired to argue with you. You watch as his muscular figure disappears around the corner. 

Unknown: I miss you 

You roll your eyes, the real reason you were up at 5am making breakfast had nothing to do with you prepping but with your ex husband pestering you non-stop. So much that you were losing sleep. You didn’t want to tell anyone that he had started stalking you and you were positive he was standing across the street watching you in the kitchen. At least in the house full of people you felt safe.

Actually the reason you had dropped the pan was because you received the text 

Unknown: You look so beautiful 

It sent shivers down your spine freezing you in spot and ultimately causing you to drop the baking tray. 

You couldn't’ sleep after that expecting him to pop up in your room and ultimately cause harm to you like he had threatened so much. Even the restraining orders weren’t deterring him, you knew how this story ended and you contemplated packing and moving across the country so many times but then you would have to explain why and you just didn’t know how. You were an adult like your father preached. You have to learn to manage your own problems so you are doing your best. 

When morning comes and everyone is happily feeding themselves breakfast or left overs you’re brought back to reality when Noah plops down next to you

“Omg Noah! Almost spilled my coffee!” you complain wiping the droplets of coffee that were rolling down your cup

“Sleep well sleeping beauty?” he asks 

You roll your eyes “fuck off kid”

“Awww, i guess that's a no”  he fake pouts before taking a bite of the bacon

“Honestly kid, what are you doing here?’

“First of all stop calling me kid, and also you were looking like a sad puppy in the corner and your cousin asked me to come check on you” he motions to Lizzie

“I was not” you argue

“You were” he counters

You huff “I’m fine so you can go now”

“Orrrr”

“Or nothing” you were nursing 

“Orrr I can stay here and bug you he grinned showing all his teeth

“Okay whatever” you reach over his plate and grab a piece of bacon 

He pulls his plate away “Hey get your own!” 

You shrug “I cooked i have dibs on everyone’s plate” 

He rolls his eyes “fair enough”

“Y/N did you cut the fruit?” your dad calls to you from the kitchen “Oh yea its in the fridge hold on” you stand up and walk towards the kitchen leaving Noah where he sat

At the end of the weekend both families say their goodbye well Lucas and Noah were on a plane to NYC while the rest of you remained in California.

Noah being a semi famous actor now took Lucas with him everywhere, he gave Lucas the title of assistant manager. They would argue a lot because Lucas was in charge of his schedule and if he had to be in NYC in the morning and Miami by the afternoon thats just what he had to do. You’ve rolled your eyes at the many arguments you had to settle between them offering suggestions for Lucas to be less involved in Noah’s schedule and more involved in the background which of course they refused. Boys what can you say? 

The next holiday is Christmas, something you really used to enjoy but not so much now that you were in this predicament with your ex. 

“Y/N what is going on?” Lucas looks around your home “Are you not decorating for Christmas or what?” he asks as him and his friends occupy your living space

You shrug and look around “Oh I’ve just been busy Lucas didn’t have the energy”

“Wow so you’ve gotten lazy” he teases

You groan “Fuck off Lucas” 

You turn to look and watch as Noah silently observes you, he always did that just watched you from afar. It wasn’t creepy just Noah being Noah. 

“What’s up kid got a smart remark too?” you ask. He throws his hands up. For some odd reason he felt like the reason you provided was an excuse but he didn’t want to push it as he could see the bags under your eyes. He knew from Lucas that the divorce from your ex was taking a toll on you. Lucas had expressed concerns but never really dove into details just saying he wished you would snap out of it and forget all about your ex. 

“I need help with Sarah’s (Lucas girlfriend) gift” the conversation moves on and just like that the mood switches and everything is back to being light and joyful 

Another year, another year filled with you’re hoping this time more joy and spontaneity. You sigh and look down at your phone, it was new years eve 5PM if you were going to have fun you needed to leave now. Because LA traffic was not to be played around with, all that was pending was for it to get darker and that would be it! Grid lock for hours. It kind of sucked no one was available to hang out. Lucas was out of state with Sarah, your cousins were out with their husbands/boyfriends, you weren’t going to third wheel your parents, you didn’t want to go out but you had no choice as your friends had egged you on. Told you you had to get out of the house and live life, as they said,  they knew what was happening they were worried about you but they had lives too.  

You guys go downtown, you dress in your best attire, the best you could muster up anyway. You did a few club hopping until your final destination, the club where “Bitter Moon” an upcoming pop rock band in LA, were playing. 

The space is so packed you can barely move around, you manage to get drinks and sing to the songs from their EP and some of the popular songs they covered with their own spin. 

On your way back from the bathroom, you spot someone that looks like Noah ahead of you and think that it couldn’t possibly be him but decide to call his name anyway “NOAH you scream his name making him turn around 

He smiles when he sees you making his way towards you leaving the circle of friends he was hanging out with.  “HEEYYY, HAPPY NEW YEAR” He gives you a side hug 

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE KID?” He rolls his eyes “RIGHT SORRY NOAH” you two had made a deal not too long ago that you would stop calling him ‘kid’

He chuckles leaning down to speak in your ear “I am here for Bitter Moon, my friend plays the drums” 

“Oh cool! Not throwing a party?” you reference last years New Years events

He makes a face “HELL NO!” You giggle, the cops were called, it was a mess too many people had showed up, things were stolen etc etc.

“Where's your crew?” He asks  

“Oh uh”  you stand on your tip toes and shrug after your failure to locate them, “they are around somewhere” you point towards the neon sign “over there” 

He nods drinking his beer

A popular song comes on you lose yourself in the moment singing a long 

“AYYEEE look at you!”  You stop and blush looking away “AYYEEE KEEP GOING!”  he urges

You shake your head vigorously “No it's embarrassing” 

“Why?” he mouths to you singing along as well. You shake your head feeling bashful and turn to face the band. He doesn’t push, instead he bops his head to the beat. 

The song ends and the band takes a 10 minute break 

“I should go back” you speak “girls are probably wondering where I am” you say as you pull out your phone “Oh actually they left, going to the next club ‘Inferno’” you chuckle as you read the group text “so i need to catch up with them” 

“Orrrr” he begins to bargain  “you can stay, with me” he smiles at you

“Oh well i didn't wanna ruin your chances of getting some tonight” He makes a face. You motion with your head and he follows the direction of the group he was with earlier “Those girls are giving me the death glares” 

He scoffs “Fuck them i dont know them!” 

“Still I should really” you step away from him slowly

He grabs your hand pulling you closer “STAY!” he nods excitedly trying to convince you  “you should really stay and get some more drinks! And enjoy your new years!” he speaks with high energy 

“Okay okay okay” 

He pulls his arm towards him “Yesss! what are you drinking?”  

“Uh I was drinking white claw”

“One white claw coming right up don’t move” 

You nod and watch as he walks away you look around and boy if looks could kill they would. You knew Noah was getting more famous so of course the groupies were trying to shoot their shot and it's not like you were of any competition if they only knew you were a family friend. 

He doesn’t stay gone for a long time he returns when the band starts the next set. 

“They only had watermelon, yuzu and blood orange I got you the watermelon couldn’t get your favorite blackberry” 

“Oh that's okay thanks ki...Noah” 

He smirks as he turns to face the band, before you know it you are smooshed up against Noah. You guess its because they let more people in it was nearing midnight after all 

“Oh shit. Sorry” you say as you spill white claw on him “Sorry sorry” you reach in your purse to grab napkins

“Its cool its cool, don’t worry about it” 

“I’ll foot the dry cleaners bill” You offer y

“Will you relax It’s cool” 

“Okay” you turn around slowly and get lost in the music again 

He stands behind you and at some point snakes his arms around your stomach planting you against him so you wouldn’t get shoved around.

“Alright ladies and gentlemen boys and girls, in one minute we will be ringing in the new year and I want you to look to your left look to your right and back to your left find someone to plant a juicy fat kiss for your favorite band BITTTERRR MOOOON” the crowd goes wild you can't help but giggle. 

The minute comes to an end “10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 HAPPY NEW YEAR!” Confetti drops from the ceiling along with streamers and glitter 

You blow hard on the noise marker and turn to face Noah “HAPPY NEW YEAR!”  You scream as Auld Lang Syne plays loudly in the background

“Come here”  you read his lips right before they connect with yours (think about tabilb when Peter grabs Lara Jean and kisses her during Lacrosse practice)

“MMM!” It takes you by surprise, he isn't rough with it, in fact he kisses you gently, his arm anchoring you against his body, your hands move to his shoulders slightly pushing him away. It was brief roughly 5 seconds kiss or maybe longer or shorter, your eyes widen when he pulls away 

“Wha.. Wha.. What was that?!” you ask 

He shrugs “New years kiss” taking another sip of his beer 

You shake your head “We shouldn’t have” god if Lucas found out he would kill you “Oh come on its new years!”

You go to take a step back but you can't. Noah dips down for another kiss this time his other hand holds your head in place so no leaning back for you.This time instead of one long kiss its a burst of short interval kisses. And for a brief moment you let yourself get lost in the sensation, so much so when he licks your bottom lip you don’t fight it instead you let him have access to your mouth. Damn his lips are soft, so soft. When he pulls away you find yourself raising up chasing his lips. 

He smirks hiding his smile when you finally open your eyes

“Umm”  you blush tucking the hair behind your ear. What a way to start new years that's for sure. The band continues to play music and you two say nothing else to each other instead this time he rocks your body to the music.After an hour he suggests that you two leave 

“Oh what about your friends?” you ask 

He chuckles “I’ve been with you for the past 3 hours I think they’ll be alright” 

You nod as he grabs your hand pulling you out. You two get in an uber and he gives the driver his address. What was happening? Why did it feel like you were in a movie  watching yourself? When you turn to look at Noah, he sat nonchalantly skimming his social media pages. 

‘What do I do? Am I really gonna hook up with my younger brothers best friend?’ you think to yourself You begin to panic you had to find a way out of this. This wasn’t cool there's a code of ethics right? You couldn’t do this

When you arrive at his place you think to stop things right then and there say you should go home that it was all a mistake but its like your body is on autopilot and instead you follow him towards his door and inside his place. You’ve been here many times but now it felt foreign, too intimate in fact. 

He sighs when he sees your expression, a sort of  deer in headlights “look we don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. But we are both drunk. My feet hurt and I’m sure yours do too” motioning to your high heels.

You look down and play with your necklace “Right” 

He walks past you and towards the kitchen and looks in the fridge. I got left over pizza, ice cream, frozen corn dogs, fruit salad, some pre-made meals, water kombucha, beer, wine, chips, cookies, salad mix, cheese, and dressing. 

You turn to face him slowly after you text your friends letting them know you were safe

“Oh umm wine please” you slowly walk up to him. 

“Pizza okay?” he was too drunk to wait for the frozen corn dogs to cook in the oven  

“Yea!” You say placing your bag on the counter

“Don’t need to look like you’ve seen a ghost” he chuckles placing the pizza in the toaster oven 

“Sorry” you blush as he turns to face you “just a little” you swallow “taken aback”  

“Come on Y/N you know I’ve had  a crush on you ever since.....shit I can’t even remember” 

“Yea but I thought...” 

He interrupts you “Thought what?”  he straightens up and walks towards you pushing you against the counter, the height difference all of a sudden intimidates you. You who said you could fight him no matter what. 1 on 1 you could take him down.  

You can’t help but feel your face flush “That it was like a highschool thing like you grew out of it” you gesture with your hands

“Well” he clears his throat and cages you in with his arms “I haven’t”  he steps back a little so he could lean on them making you two eye level. “In fact it’s gotten stronger”

Your eyes widen and a meak “oh” escapes your lips 

“So right here right now I’m telling you I want you” he declares  

You go to say something but there are no words that you can find this is all too much.  

He straightens up and looks down at you “What do you say baby?”  he leans in and kisses your lips this time there's no hesitation from you in fact your arms immediately wrap themselves around his neck. He lifts you up placing you on the cool counter it startles you making you pull away you can’t help but giggle 

He chuckles softly “What is it?”  he asks stepping in between your legs 

“I” you giggle “I don’t even know what to say” because what do you say to something like this?!

He pushes the hair away from your face “then show me” 

You smile and pull him down for another kiss this time it's deeper, filled with the same desire he had for you, a deep moan rumbles from him as he pulls you closer, your legs naturally wrapping themselves around him. You two tease each other biting lips pulling hair but neither of you cross that boundary only because the toaster oven dings putting a pause to your make out session. 

Noah quickly removes the slices placing them on a plate

You cover your face in disbelief and chuckle

“What is it? Why do you keep laughing?” he asks amused taking a bite of his pizza 

“Lucas is gonna kill us” 

He shrugs, “Let me deal with him,” he says. 

This was new territory for you, it had been a long time since you were in the company of a man you most certainly didn’t think the next one would be Noah. You both agree you both needed to be sober before you ventured into the next step. However that didn’t stop the heated make out sessions nor the waking up in bed half naked the next day. 

[passionxwrites]

Best Thing (1)

Sooooo I finally built up the courage to begin my Erik Stevens fanfiction. I know no one will probably see it right now especially with me not being that active on here (I’m definitely about to start doing that) but it’s okay because there is a start to everything. This story takes place after Erik has been redeemed and is running the Outreach Center in Oakland. I hope whoever reads this likes it!! 

Noli jumped out of her sleep startled by the loud banging coming from her apartment door. "Got dammit, who the hell making all this noise?" She snatched her phone from her bedside table to check the time which read 8:30 am in big pink numbers. Begrudgingly she slid out of the bed and slipped on her house shoes and stomped to the front door. 

Swinging it open she was met with the one man who had become the biggest nuisance ever since he moved in 2 years ago. "Erik what on God's green earth would have you beating on my door this early on a Saturday like you the police!" She was way past furious being that she had just finished a shift at the club three hours ago. "Delivery man left your package at my door again," and with that he dropped it at her feet and trudged off as if she was the one who woke him up early. "Don’t beat on my damn door like again," she yelled as she picked up the package and slammed the door. "Bastard!" 

Flopping onto her blue suede sectional she stared at the package that was now on her coffee table in front of her. Wonder what he sent me this time. The packages had become a routine with her brother as he was always sending her some memento from whatever country he had found himself in. The last one contained an alabaster pyramid that he found walking around a bazaar in Egypt. "Tuh." 

Noli's relationship with Poe had been strained ever since the death of their grandmother five years ago. Being that she was there only relative still alive besides each other it took a toll on them both. However they both grieved differently and while Noli wanted to be able to seek solace in her older brother he hopped on the first plane out of Mississippi into another country. He left her a note stating their grandmother's death was the wake up call he needed to go see the world for what it truly was, whatever that shit meant. Now while Noli also decided to move out of Mississippi she decided to stay in the states and somehow wound up all the way in California. 

She had always wanted to be a celebrity hairstylist and figured going to Cali would be the best start. She ended up finding a beautiful condo in Oakland at a great high rise thanks to the money left over from her grandmother and immediately got to work. So far she hadn't done any celebrities but she was building her brand. She began working at a popular strip club called Diamond Dazzlers where she was a bottle girl/hairstylist to the dancers. The girls were always promoting her work and she was beginning to build a clientele and soon she would be able to purchase her salon and stop working in the club for good. 

That always brought a smile to her face, it wasn’t that she hated working at the club because the pay was great, the managers and the owners were cool and respectful, there would be some catty arguments between the girls but nothing that was ever too serious. The lows came from the long hours and the perverted ass men that frequented the place. There was nothing worse than serving a group of men just for one of them to grope you can just because they think they can. Noli glanced at the package one last time and rolled her eyes before shuffling back into her to get some more beauty sleep. Today was her self-care day and first on that list was most definitely rest.

-------------

I hope you all liked it and if you see it please give feedback. Part 2 coming soon

Noli (No-Lee)

[the-vibes-are-off]

The Stormlight Archive Volume 1: The Way of Kings’ Review: Chapters 5-8

link to contents page - https://at.tumblr.com/the-vibes-are-off/hey-hey/96xd9ohihrzs

Right, well, you know how I said in my previous post that my COVID test was negative? Yeah so I was swiftly clowned and I am now SICK right on essay season. I have dug out crusty dusty old HP Pavilion to do work but I’m essentially only using it for Tumblr so. My partner is officially in another country now (I know you’re going to read this so pls come back I am dying) so I cant even be babied 24/7 due to the time difference. On season 4 of Criminal Minds already tho so ....

In terms of reading, I am officially back and LOVING it. I am limiting myself to 4 chapters in one setting because that’s how much I want my review sections to cover and writing this takes longer than I thought it would tbh. Lets get to it! 

Spoiler Free Zone:

The split narrative is like definitely managing my problems with maintaining my attention. I will say that since Kaladin’s story line, although definitely interesting don’t get me wrong, would probably get boring if it was all I was reading. I’m more a magic and lore and pretty women fantasy enjoyer than a grr fight fantasy enjoyer since my like gritty lit enjoyment comes from different genres.

Loving the direction that Shallan’s plot line is going in, I’m glad Brandon doesn’t just give the characters what they want straight away and there is at least the illusion that they’re working for something even though its obvious they’ll achieve it eventually.

Mostly, I’m just loving the characters they’re introducing in Shallan’s story, maybe not so much SOME people (a certain person specifically I dislike is beginning, BEGINNING to grow on me) as they’re just so lovely and cute and nice and ugh we love to see it.

*** SPOILERS INCOMING ***

Spoiler Zone:

I’m saying it now, I did initially think Jasnah was just a bitch tbh like I get she’s all important and up her own ass or whatever but she doesn’t appreciate art??? I get Shallan like couldnt just get what she wanted but like .... come on. I was so mad when she just started shouting n shit when Shallan was waiting in the alcove like get a grip pls. However.... turning a boulder to smoke? I had to tab that as cool, like that was just a smart idea to clear it and a cool fckn power to have 

Shallan wanting to steal tho? I love her, a true icon as she should steal from the bitch. I literally just tabbed it love this bc ? Slay like what else could I do. I’d steal it too 

aaaaaaaaand then were back to Kaladin actually just getting fucking shit on at every turn yet again. mf has to carry a bridge?? and then get shot at with arrows?? my goodness give this man a break 

The spren getting a name tho like Syl is acc like carrying Kaladin’s arc for me I want to know what is going on there I am trying so hard not to spoil it for myself

From an arts and humanities student standpoint, I did tab Shallan describing how she views her art and the process of creation as like fleshy and human. Like in both studying and writing poetry I relate to capturing a person or a place or a moment on paper 

And then 2 cuties that I simply had to draw attention to in Brother Kabsal and Yalb. They are iconic and I adore them the end :*

Tab Count:

Cute: 2

Fights: 1

Sad: 1 

Death: 0

Cool: 0 

Wtf wow: 1

Wtf why: 0 

Slay Quotes: 0 

Love this: 2

Hate this: 0

Tab Total:

Cute: 3

Fights: 4

Sad: 1

Death: 2

Cool: 4

Wtf wow: 2

Wtf why: 1

Slay Quotes: 3

Love this: 5

Hate this: 1

PS: If anyone actually reads this far down comment (or post me if you’re feeling generous) your fave tea to drink when you’re sick because I’m going through maybe 10 cups a day and I am swiftly running out....

[manofmanymons]

You got any ships that'd have people side eying you?

Uuuuuuh out of any fandom ever? Short answer: yes.

Long answer: it's a little complicated what I would define as a ship for me bc when it comes to ships I actively ship and actually think should kith I have incredibly few. But when it comes to ships where someone else will be like "these two are cute together" and I'll go "yeah I see it" and maybe rt/rb a post about them it's like...almost any ship. Y'all have watched me write hcs for almost every mix and match combination of almost every character in Survive even though I have like,,,two ships from that game. And also what some people consider side eye worthy is different from what I do.

Like,,,for example, I know I've said it before, but I don't think human x digimon ships are inherently weird. I think it varies on a partner-to-partner basis. I've seen a lot of people in gg fandom ship Ruli and Angoramon or Kiyo and Jellymon and...yeah I think that's fine. But no one ships Hiro and Gammamon because that would be weird. And I don't think I really have to explain what the difference there is. But I know for some people it's just a hard no across the board lmao.

Probably the only ship I actively ship rn that people think is weird is, for reasons I will never understand, ThomAya. For those of you not in Genshin fandom they're just a classic cute longtime best friends to lovers ship that some people unironically think is incest because Ayaka told one person one time that Thoma is kind of like a second brother to her. These same people will turn around and ship him with her actual brother tho which...what? Like if you actually think they're related or whatever how would that not, in your eyes, also make him related to her brother I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOU PEOPLE. I digress.

OH OH OH NOT TO KEEP GENSHINNING BUT FUN FACT I totally got canceled on twitter for shipping kaether back when it was implied but not explicitly confirmed yet that Aether's an adult so the "Traveler is literally minor-coded" crowd came for my ass. I tragically got blocked by one of my only mutuals who liked Digimon back then over that shit lakfdjak. Like sorry for assuming a character who had "seen the birth and death of stars" but is kinda short was at least 18. I was right though.

I know a lot of my KH ships are side eye worthy because they'll be between characters who have literally never met (i.e. most mix and match combos of the characters who are Nobodies of or replicas of or the embodiment of darkness extracted from the other major characters). Some of them are between characters who, despite literally having entire arcs dedicated to establishing that they are NOT the same person, people will still point at and call self-cest. (i.e. shipping Roxas with Sora or Xion). So again I genuinely don't think they're weird, but I know other people do.

I've seen people say it's weird to ship Pao-Lin and Lara in Tiger & Bunny because of their "age difference." They are 16 and 14. Sue me.

Here's a special segment for things I shipped in middle and high school that no one thought was weird back then but would DEFINITELY get a side eye in 2024.

I was a sebaciel shippper when I was like,,,12. Would I still ship it today? Probably no. But hey it was 2013 and I'm pretty sure the show WANTED you to ship them.

Almost any hetalia ship. I am not even joking, almost every character in that entire show was related somehow or another. It was like 2015. I was not immune to smashing pretty characters together and shouting "now kiss." I also was not doing deep dives into whether or not the immortal personifications of countries were technically related or had age gaps, I'm sorry.

Totally shipped Yoichi and Gekkouin from OnS. I mean my main ship was kimiyoi but multishippping is real. To be honest it was just a classic case of being a teenager and shipping the character I related to with the character I thought was hot. It was not any deeper than that.

TLDR: if any of y'all do now or ever have shipped anything weird, I'm not gonna judge you for it. I literally do not have the right to.

[neaverse]

hi hi!! i am curious about the art class fic and the regulus birthday fic if you wanna talk about either or both of those!

Omg hi, thank you!! I'll gladly talk about both of them because they're so ridiculous and I love them😭

The Art class fic is such a silly fic that I came up with one night and I truly want to finish it. It's partially a texting fic— well, there's a lot of texting but it's also just a regular fic set in a modern, muggle world.

Basically, James spontaneously decides to sign up for an art class after seeing an ad online. James is not an artistic person at all, but it looked fun, so why not? He doesn't expect much, but he certainly doesn't expect to see Sirius’ little brother sat behind a desk as soon as he walks through the door.

Here's an excerpt:

James thinks, bitterly, as he comes to a harsh stop in the doorway to the classroom, that the universe is out to get him. There is no bloody way that this is happening. No, Regulus Black is not taking the same art class as him. He is just not.

Regulus is supposed to be in France, drinking and shopping and partying his way across the country with Barty and Evan, if his Instagram stories and posts are anything to go by, that is. So, imagine James’ surprise when his best friend's little brother— whom he hasn’t seen in three years— is not only back in England, but taking the same art class as James. At the same time as him. In the same building.

James contemplates the idea of running out of the building and not showing up to a single class because of this. Regulus has yet to notice him, sitting in the back with his headphones on and eyes plastered on his phone screen. He thinks that his chances of making a quiet exit without ever letting Regulus know that he was there are quite good.

Aaaand another one:

James: DONT YOU DARE LILY

James: I TOLD YOU THIS IN SECRET

Sirius: You told her but not me???

Sirius: What kind of best friend are you??

Lils: The kind that wants to fuck your brother

Sirius: WHAT

Mary: OH MY GOD

Marls: NO YOU DIDNT JAMES

Marls: DID YOU FUCK HIS BROTHER???

James: NO I SWEAR I DIDNT

Remus: Prongs…

James: Yes…?

Remus: little advice. don’t come over tonight

Remus: actually, you should probably start running

Remus: if you want to live

James: Sirius?

Sirius: Best listen to Moony.

James: It was good knowing you all!!

James: And thank you Lils. I hate you

Lils: Hate you too<3

Marls: this is like watching a movie. Where’s the popcorn?

Pete: 🍿🍿🍿

The Regulus birthday fic was actually written on my own birthday. I was having a hard time and thought I would project all of my feelings towards turning older —and my birthday in general— onto Regulus, and this fic was born. It's a muggle au and it basically follows Regulus during his birthday (no shit) and how he tries to avoid having to celebrate it. He pretends he doesn't care, that it's just another day, but deep down he wishes someone (his brother) would care enough to message him. So, in good old Regulus fashion, he shuts everyone out and ends up having a depressive ass birthday. Yay!

Here's an excerpt:

A perfect birthday, in Regulus' mind, is to pretend that it's just another day. No, nothing special about this date, just another boring, tiresome day of the week.

The problem, however, is his friends. They love birthdays. And despite knowing Regulus' hatred towards his own, they always plan something.

So, naturally, he has turned off his phone, locked the door to his flat and drawn the curtains shut, because it won't happen this year. He refuses to have them barging in with cake and wide grins on their faces. He refuses to watch Barty and Evan humiliate the fuck out of him as they start singing happy birthday out of tune in a packed restaurant. He refuses to have Pandora look at him with sympathy when he inevitably picks up his phone, waiting for a message from his brother that will never come. He refuses to have Dorcas beg him to go out for the night and get shitfaced drunk.

He also doesn't want to deal with his parents today, but there's so much to unpack about all of that so let's just… Not.

He's twenty as of today. Well, he's been twenty for eleven hours already. It doesn't feel real, very… anticlimactic, to say the least. It should be a milestone, but Regulus is all alone in his dark flat.

[blutschatten]

@griim

"Why wouldn't I have to worry about that?" A brow twitched upwards. Her past and her family were something she worried about damn near every waking moment that she could and with good reason. Gemma knew that as much as she wished it, her father wouldn't kill her well, not physically. But Matthew would rip out everything that made her who she was, leaving nothing more than an empty shell. A doll to make whoever he wants that day. Not that Nathaniel knew that, and she wasn't sure she was ready to let the man in on that secret. Though Gemma assumed he would not be surprised by the revelation, this was HYDRA they were talking about here. While walking, she takes a deep breath in, 'it's the past, Gem, let it die. You aren't their lab rat anymore. And, one day they will know your pain. And more.' But, her whole make them feel the pain would not happen anytime soon if she and Nathaniel did not have some form of trust. Though she assumed forcing it would only make it worse.

Eyes rolled, a head shake followed, "Nah, you didn't kick my ass. I had you running and on the ropes. Come on, I could have shot you back there and won, but I was being merciful." She glanced over and winked, "I can tell it was a good choice." In all reality, though, Gemma knew that he could probably outright kick her ass simply because he had the serum and other things that made him have the upper hand. "Besides, for you being a super soldier, I think I kept up pretty well, all things considered." Gemma shrugged, "oh? I am sure they didn't let women serve for starters, huh? Well, at least to my extent. But yeah, things have changed... For the better? Who the hell knows, but militaries got to adapt to the time and climate." ' And sometimes that change leaves the country to treat its soldiers like numbers and cannon fodder.' Jaw tenses at that thought. Gemma knew it to be true. "Maybe, though when I found out it was HYDRA, I was going to botch the job anyways. I don't work for people like that. I may have only a few boundaries, and HYDRA crosses every single one." Chuckling, she looked down, "I'm only confident because if you aren't, people tend to eat you alive, and where I come from... Confidence helps you not break... Even when you want to." Damn it, she thought, why am I getting so deep with him? "Damn right, we make sure when they try to take us, we make it hell for them." Winking, Gemma was prepared to burn down cities if she had to. It was time HYDRA and her father are stopped, for good. And he had a point, nodding she agreed, "yeah it would be weird seeing you pop up. And I am sure HYDRA would be all over that."

"--- Well... I've heard crazier if I'm honest." Her being one of those 'crazy' stories. Though right now was not the time or the place for her to share about that. There were too many ears and eyes, and she was paranoid enough as it is. Gemma hoped that Nate would trust her and follow him to her guy. However, if he wanted to back out, she would understand and do her best to help him in any way, even if it was from afar. Everyone deserves a chance at freedom. Well, most people. "Yeah, he was someone I considered a brother... He knows shit about me most people don't. Plus he's an all-around nice guy, makes a great steak." She glanced over, "you hungry?" She asked while continuing to stride beside him, "well, get used to it. Because you are a person, Nate. And HYDRA will know your name by the end of this."

"We are to work together, aren't we?" He questions back, looking over at her. This was a tentative partnership but what he did know was the fact that neither wanted to be caught by HYDRA. What her relationship and experience with them was, he wasn't sure and he wasn't about to ask. That was her own thing to deal just as was, in a way. She knew more about him from what they no doubt told her and what he had to say to get this to even work. Still, after that she didn't pry and so neither would he. Besides it seemed for right now, they at least were already picking up some form of banter. "If I remember correctly, you were the one on the ground." Nathaniel said with a tossed glance in her direction. "I could have crushed you before you reached for your gun." But that wasn't who he was, not anymore. Hell, it wasn't who he would have been if he had control to begin with. However, they made that instinct within him there and he fought against it and won thankfully. "I can admit you kept up well, I'll give you that."

She had skill, that he was never going to deny. Gemma had made him bleed and if he hadn't of broken through to her, she no doubt would have shot him. It would have been enough to take him down and get him back to who hired her. "Um, not exactly. Reserves they were allowed, it was just no front lines. None could fight. And from what I did see, no one should see war." He half mumbled, something she was sure to understand knowing that she served. Still the redhead shrugged. "So yeah, not to your extent. Adapting makes sense, sadly." Another tossed glance her way as they kept moving, his hands stuffed into his pockets but making sure he was aware of their surroundings. Even if he looked relaxed, he was alert. It helped make him blend in easier. "Probably why they didn't tell you." Nathaniel pointed out. "I'd hope most would but I doubt that." His gaze is directed to the ground, icy blue eyes catching his reflection in a puddle. Only once more reminding him how he felt almost like a shell of his former self.

Though her next reply has his attention shifting back to her, brow furrowing. That was the talk of someone who had seen and been through enough on their own. She was right of course. If one didn't have confidence in what they did, just the right amount of it, then they'd be dead. But not just them, everyone else around them who trusted them. He doesn't say anything, just lets that hang in the air and maybe only offers a small nod, if she sees it. It also doesn't get by him how she switches up the mood, something else that isn't surprising, brushing past the brief moment that let him see just a little bit more into who she was. But again, he wasn't going to pry. This was new to the both of them and he had no place in getting more out of her. He didn't earn that right. So instead he offers a smirk and a more obvious nod in agreement. "We take them out, only seems fair." And it was good to be on that kind of same page. "Any chance they can get, they'd be after me." Until he had his head fixed.

His brow furrowed together and he nodded slowly. "Right, I know Captain America isn't different. Same with his buddy, Bucky. And I read something about aliens?" Nathaniel was still doing his best to catch up and he found it was a lot more than he expected. Still, it was actually nice to have someone even partially have his back. Someone who talked to him the way she did, with conviction that he would get to be his own person again and make HYDRA fear him. It made a genuine small smile tug at his lips. "I, uh, yeah I'm hungry." He looks down a moment, attempting to hide the small smile. "I'll be sure to do that, that's all I can do with this life I feel. To make up for what I did." He shrugged, head lifting and looking over at her. "How much longer do we have to go?" The redhead couldn't help but ask and it was maybe because for the first time he had help in being his own person again, for finding that freedom he hadn't had in over eighty years.

[phoenixrising0308]

An American in Cordonia: Penny for your thoughts

Books: The Royal Romance 1

Rating: M (18+) Sexual situation and adult themes.

Trigger Warnings in this chapter: None

Pairing: None

An American In Cordonia Series premise: A New Yorker seeking adventure and love finds herself living abroad to competing for the hand of a man who will become King. When things don’t go according to plan they enter into a Cordonian arrangement. This is a series about Jessica Garcia’s life abroad, her time as a suitor, and explores her romantic relationship with Liam while she lives in a Cordonian arrangement. Catch up here

Disclaimer

Chapter Song inspiration: This is love - For King & Country

Chapter Summary: The TRR gang write in their journals as Liam try's to enjoy his last night of freedom.

Word Count: 1, 960 *As always, forgive my typos and grammatical errors.*

Average reading time: 8 minutes

Leo

So I did it at a gala. I felt I was in my comfort zone a gala that’s like my natural habitat. Turns out it didn’t matter where I asked because Katie said no. It was hard at first … I risked it all for love and failed. But I still think Liam would make a better King than me. I’m heading back home to help him get through the social season. He is in New York now. I know nothing happens in the first week but im still hanging low. Plus I don’t want to deal with Dad’s bullshit. Throwing Katie in my face or calling me a fuck up. Fuck Madeline. She is a boring lay. I’m over her and her vanilla sex. I guess it’s that permanent stick up her ass.

God, I hope he gets laid… like ALOT. He doesn’t really talk about his sex life. It seems like he is struggling to connect with someone. Is it that he is shy?  Is he evening having it? I mean the girls back home… yawn. But  Liam always follows the fucken rules every goddamn time. Well, he’s in this mess because of me, so I have to fix it somehow. Maybe I can help? He has been playing it safe. Dad has been trying to arrange marriages for him and he dated here and there with the hope he could at least marry someone he knows. But having a social season is so fucken different. It’s a few months and the council has to approve the marriage, but at least he would get to know the girl, so that’s a plus.

Maybe she will be exciting and fun. Maybe we can be really good friends. Some of the girls from my season are coming back … clearly, they didn’t love me, they just loved the crown. I hope my little brother meets someone who doesn’t give a fuck about the crown and just wants to be with him. The struggle for me has always been to be seen as just a man. I know Liam has felt the same. I used to get so annoyed with him – it was like he was trying to outdo me. But now I see all he was trying to do was step out of my shadow and not be called Leo’s brother… he wanted to be known as Liam.

I gave him a shit deal and it looks like I’m running away from my responsibility. In a way, I guess I am.  I was born to be king.  Liam wasn’t, but Liam is a fucken natural and he would do a much better job at leading a country.  It’s just when it comes to women, he is fucken lost. Like geezus you only live once fuck… and fuck alot.

Gonna probably get off this stupid cruise anyway too many fucken rules.

—

Drake

So I think it’s complete bullshit that Liam has to do social season. Can’t the guy catch a mother fucken break? He thought he loved that basic bitch Isabella Castille, but she fucken turns around and marries limp dick, Bradshaw! What the fuck, Bella? Bradshaw probably uses a dick pump. I didn’t think it would work anyway; she wouldn’t go down on Liam. What the fuck!? When I heard that I was like, “Damn, Liam.” He said sex wasn’t like intense and it was basic. How could you live like that? You should want to bend your girl over a pool table and give it to her anytime, any place.  Leo and Liam are like night and day.

Anyway, her excuse was that Bradshaw was a Crown Prince and her parents wanted a more favorable match. Well, you’re a crown chaser. Guess what, Dummy? Liam is going to be a King. How do you like them fucken Cordonian Ruby Apples?!  What does Auvernal have? Fucken tangerines. Get the fuck out here! I was pissed off for Liam. I mean he was upset, but he looked at me and said ‘I want to experience love. It almost sounds foolish to long for something that should be natural, but it doesn’t seem to be in the cards for me.’ That’s fucken sad, man. I remember my parent’s marriage and that was fucken love. He was always happy to see my mom. Everyone should experience that, which is why I won’t marry anyone who doesn’t make me smile when I hear their name.

When Liam was announced as the successor, he looked miserable. I thought he was pissed at Leo but he said, ‘I don’t even get to have much of a say in who I marry. It just people they invite. Well, I just hope for kindness.’ I have to look out for my brother because the vultures are circling. Everyone wants to be Liam’s friend now. Tariq all of sudden wants to hang out with us again. Not buying it …  he probably wants something from him. Liam is excited to have him around since they drifted apart. But, fuck that guy.  All he talks about is his fucken clown shoes. I don’t trust him at all.  He said he wanted to reconnect, but his timing is pretty interesting.

My mission tonight is to give Liam a good time. Maxwell was all excited about seeing New York and jammed packed our schedule with Broadway shows and shit. We got to do a lot of shit but tonight is our last night. So Liam needs to have a good time before he has to deal with Connie’s bullshit. All I know is I’m gonna give whoever gets close to Liam during the social season a hard ass time. I’m gonna be a complete dick because I don’t want a Bella #2 here. Apparently, it’s a bigger pool: a few suitors from Leo’s season (automatically disqualified in my eyes), a few girls of noble birth, some from what they call ‘lowly’ houses (again more nobility bullshit), and then you have those girls whose betrothal fell through (big question mark there). Did you really like the guy or did you pull a Bella and fall on your face?

She thinks she has to prove herself to Liam. No sweetheart, you’re gonna have to prove yourself to me first. Liam has to marry someone who makes him smile when he hears her name.

If this girl is fucken sincere, then she will stick around. Bonus points if she tells me to go fuck myself and puts me in my place.  Then I’ll know that she really wants to be with him. I hope maybe she is cool enough to be one of the guys. That shit won’t happen, but it would be nice. That way it won’t fuck with our friendship, because once he’s king he won’t have time for me.  He tells me nothing will change. I want to believe him.

Anyway, signing off because Maxwell is singing Taylor Swift and I can’t concentrate.

—

Jessica

SO as you know last month was my birthday and I waited a whole fucken month to see the Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox game. I caught a foul tip – hopefully a sign of a good fucken season…and year. Still working on meeting someone special and having a great adventure. I got my passport in the mail so I can finally start going places.

I wonder where I’ll go first. I wanted to go on a cruise with Daisy, but Mateo was being a dick. We talked about Greece. Trip advisor said it was a good place to go. Like, the men of our dreams could have been on that boat, but NOOOO you can’t go on a cruise. I got shut the fuck down. What would happen if I just took off on my own?  I’m not a kid. Next time, I’m not gonna ask, I’m just gonna go. I want to meet someone special. Clearly, I’m not meeting a man in New York. Well, I could leave the house more and try to look decent. BUT I want someone who will take me as I am. It would be nice to meet someone worth my time.

I want to call out of work today. Instead, I agreed to an extra shift. Hey! Working an extra shift only adds to my savings for that dream vacation I want to take as soon as I figure out where I want to go. Daisy says ‘always be ready because you never know who you are going to meet.’ I think tonight I’ll put some effort into my appearance as a little pick me up. Why go home smelling like hamburger and wearing boxy pants when you can look hot and meet a guy on the R train? Feeling like wearing that green dress tonight… still has the tags.

Also note to self: be extra kind so the universe pays you back.

—

Maxwell

“Today I saw the lion king on Broadway AMAZING!  Liam and I sang the whole score. If you ask Drake, he would say he wasn’t into it, but that’s a lie! I heard him sing ‘Hakuna Matata’ in the shower!

We lost Liam for a little while today. So, I’m just typing away on my phone so I can remember this awesome (note to Max: insert fist pump here ) trip. We took some pics and I’m going to scrapbook it all. ‘A Royal Vacation: A Story by Maxwell Beaumont…’ I’ve got to play around with that title some more.

Liam seemed a little shaken when Mustafa talked to Simba about the responsibility.  Then there was the assassination, so I kind of held my breath there for a second. I was a little nervous about the Nala situation too, considering the circumstances.

He wanted to see the Statue of Liberty. He said he wanted to clear his head. It’s been two hours since we last saw him. I gave him directions. I stepped out to see if he was near and got back just in time to meet our waitress. Her name is Jessie. She wrote it on a napkin. She said she was sorry they ran out of real napkins. It’s cool though because they have little blossoms all around them and they say ‘Dixie.’ I’m gonna save it for the scrapbook.

—

Liam

Finally, I get to settle down and write something! I’m on the plane back home. Maxwell and Drake stayed behind. Maxwell said he wanted an NBC Peacock mug. I’m surprised Drake went with him to get it. I will send the Jet back for them. My last night in New York was AMAZING. I spent a lot of time with Maxwell in our pillow fort talking about it once I got back to the hotel. I got lost on my way to the Statue of Liberty. I wanted to see it because it was a symbol of freedom, something that I can never have – at least not really. I got so distracted by the crowd that by the time I got there, they had stopped all the rides. I was upset but at least I got to see it from a distance. Maxwell gave me directions to our dinner spot. I got so lost again. I blame a combination of Google maps (it just kept recalculating ) and his bad directions.

BUT when I finally arrived, our waitress – God our waitress … her name was Jessica, but she calls herself Jessie. Drake was ridiculously rude to her and Maxwell was rather needy. I blamed Drake for the broken bottle of ketchup. I was to embarrassed too accept responsibility for it. She had to clean it up really didn’t mind the view so lets just say I dropped stuff…a lot and continued to blame them. I loved how she actually made my burger specifically. Jessie said she over heard me saying I never had one and wanted it to be better than what they guys were having. Honestly, it was one of the best things I’ve ever eaten I like to think it was all the care she put into it. Drake said that I could play the hero and ask her out for a drink or maybe more. I really wanted to, but I was nervous. I didn’t want to push the envelope. Still, I finally managed the courage to ask her out. She had thought that I wasn’t interested. I was interested! OH was I very interested from the first moment I saw her. There was a spark the minute our eyes met. I can’t describe the feeling.

She took us to a quiet, little beach. I told her who I was and the reason for our trip. She wasn’t scared or turned off by it and she just kept calling me ‘Liam’. She treated me like a regular guy! The way she looked at me… It was like she saw me.  She looked at me the way any man would want to be looked at by a woman.

I told her what I wish I could have seen the Statue of Liberty and she just started making calls. I could hear her negotiate with people and call in favors. Long story short, I got to see the Statue of Liberty with her after all!  Can you believe that? I have never felt so free as I did at that moment. We talked on the boat for hours. I told her she was gorgeous and she looked at me as if she had never been told that before in her entire life.

I made an excuse to hold her. I can still smell her on my sweater. She smells like Vanilla (which as you know I love) and lavender. I called her Jess and she didn’t mind. I like the intimacy of that. I will hold on to my memory of her ‘My Jess’ I wanted to kiss her so badly BUT she kissed me first! Her lips were so soft and the way she moved her tongue in my mouth – it’s like she knew me and how I like to be kissed. Like maybe I had spent a previous life with her or something. Is that what they call a soul mate?  She is such a great kisser; we spent the whole night kissing.

I’m still thinking about those soft lips. I just wanted to stay in that moment forever. I think the part that hurt the most, apart from leaving her tonight and knowing I will never see her again, is her wish.  A few weeks ago, it was her birthday and she asked for two things: to meet someone special and to have a great adventure. She said our date counts as an adventure and that I was special. She said that she regretted not adding in something about them not having to get married so we could see where this might go. God, how I wish we could. She told me she wished that I would find someone special to marry.  She thinks that the person I choose will be lucky to have me. As she spoke, I couldn’t help but think that she is that person. I fell in love with her the second I met her. I would choose her in a heartbeat if I could. I wish I could marry Jess.

I guess that’s it for me and my first REAL experience at love. Drake says you know it’s love when every time you hear their name it makes you smile. I guess I will keep repeating ‘Jess’ whenever I need a smile. I’ll make a wish for My Jess, that she finds a man that will love her and cherish her all the days of her life – the way I know I would if the circumstances permitted.  Everyone deserves their one true love. For me, it is Jessica Garcia and I left her in New York.

Jess, I wish you a lifetime full of happiness and love.  I hope that maybe once in a while you’ll think fondly of me. I know I will be thinking of you…Love.

[kindtobechurlish]

You want me to talk blackmail, brothel, what you already know? You should not be here. You are equal with slaves, and you don’t teach the freed negro? “Eighth Amendment”, now if there is a dispute between neighbors the judge isn’t deciding it by lashes. No more than 40, for the act of doing more is vile and would make your brother WORTHLESS before the community. Some fuck is looking at your woman, you can define it, prove it, and now the fuck is naked with bottom bare getting lashes, he isn’t a slave. You see this and protect the JEW, you are with him, “being a Jew is just a religion”, or you read and you just want to play video games.. you don’t want to google. A fuck reads newspapers, only, another doesn’t read anything. The Jew said he was a German Jew, he was German before he was Jew, and the Jew said being Jew was just a religion. Now, today, you see atheist Jews. You like hypocrites? See me hate interracial with I say what I do is evil, and I make it about people getting something they shouldn’t get.. and a guy makes it about something people can’t get anywhere else and the people want to treat themselves. Why aren’t people making their goal then? Impulse is impulse, I’m getting people, and some friendly fuck comes talking like he is my brother? Sad shit, makes you cry? Now, I’m selling something people shouldn’t buy - and I just get so angry when someone talks to one of my customers? Makes you want to cry. “They are your team, they are just trying to.. help”, and I’m being evil. I make it about skin, and then I make about something you shouldn’t buy. Makes you want to cry, people can’t take in the information and it amounts to me destroying their brain.

Them: “how much longer are you going to keep snorting this shit? I know it’s eating at your brain, you are so happy to see me.”

Them: “I don’t think I’m going to stop, I like the rush.”

A guy snorts too much, he has to walk away. It’s COKE!You go to a country, you live in it, and in it, by it, you see plain as plain. What do you care about other countries? Oh, you would care because people not your people are around, they want to be accepted, and they use the predominate factor to condemn you - they use you to be accepted by the predominate factor? What a nightmare! See me move on from a woman, and use her to DEBATE. When fucks don’t want to fight, here they are giving signs. I would say, “you want a cigarette?”, they don’t say anything. What do you care what goes on in Brazil? The Jew reports it, a white man listened, and now you say something is wrong? The Jew, the white, makes right or wrong, and the races could use them both to make a mould. Now, Washington is wrong? You lost it, you smart ass, you aren’t Alexander H. Stephens. What do I care what happens in Chile, what do I care, Venezuela, Turkey, Hungary, Germany, Negroland, what do I care? Now, my servants would care because people who should not be here would be here - to live permanently. Some fucks saying, “lazy, worthless negro”, and I love my servants, only for some fuckface to work a nine to five and he has no master - he doesn’t have workers - can’t afford to start the business or doesn’t have an idea - calling me king n’er and my servants n’ers. They didn’t have NOTHING to say about Joe Biden’s shit.. but here they are. And, why are they here, my women? Wow. See me seek wisdom, and I find women are property, your wife, and I’m rolling with it. What do I look like talking to a slave like he is equal, what do I look like talking to my younger brother like he is equal? Now, you see, you are my bro not, and you are going to hear my shit.. least not be here.

Some fucks. They don’t think. What do you care about Korea? What do you care? Some people are going to go back to their “home country” and not get equality. But, I’m supposed to give it to them least I am “king n’er?” You lost it, Joe Biden is serving you, telling white peoppe to deal with it, and he is doing for Americans, he is making Jobs’s, and I am so angry I am going out looking to start fights on the street.. just to think, and I said, “these people don’t need to be here.” Some people are retarded, I’ll give you a synopsis. Some fuck can’t get it right, he said he was saving something.. people made him into a hero. He then became this fuckface who promotes democracy and he is a business man. What nonsense! Some fuck! This fuck, he says he is saving something, and it amounts to him wanting to be a hero. He wanted to see a platform, and use it to “save what he knows.” He wanted to save democracy. You need a stop sign to stop? Another fuck is following after his own mouth, he needs to go down in Egypt. This fuck, he came to this country, and when he came here he said he was a business man. He started making money, he then got in politics. It’s a joke. Some poor white is just looking at TV, but this fuck is making money. Now, he says he has something for them - and he will give them some space. What a pipe dream, so you see a big area and you say you can make use of it, it’s a profitable trade, you will get something for it, but you aren’t the King of England? You fuckface!

Passive-aggressive to get the talk you want, and it amounts to your boss saying she wants you to coach her and another boss hears it? So, why shouldn’t I be her boss, and run the store? My boss wants me to coach her, because of it - why shouldn’t I run the store? I have these issues, I have to address, and now I am told to coach and I said that’s not my job roll. I can’t tell my co-workers nothing, only one of them make “goal” weekly. Are you crazy? Idiots.

You need me to say it? You would say, “no”, when your local guy hits it on the nose - and you hear what he had to say just to go watch the whole interview. Do you see? You are going to stay around women who don’t get out the house, or they need a promoter to get out of the house? “Cuffing season”, and you ain’t about nothing - it started at the party, what about the game? Now, I’m toxic when I will get your drunk and tell you what you didn’t ask me to hear. Give strong drink to those ready to die - give wine to they with a heavy heart! You see idiots on socials, and you read this? What the fuck do you mean something is dying? Something only has a look, and by the look it is or it isn’t. “Tumblr”, now, you don’t have what it takes and you want to come around me? Don’t come around me, go to bed, and get fucked by your husband. There are men just like him, fucking, and they can look at you and touch you just like your husband does. Therefore, you and your guy touch in public, you call it “love.” What? When was her last period, do you know about it, how many days, is she on it now, but here you are touching. Fuck you! Why would I shake your hand? I see you touch her, now I have to ask her if she was on her period an hour before she touched you and I have to ask you who you have touched before I touch you. You lost it. So, in your ignorance I am just to stay unclean - and you say deal with it? Dude, you don’t like negroes? Negroes say deal with it, you stay away. What a grotesque thing, no?

[spreadyourwingsc]

Sy and  Soirse. Chapter 5

 Summary: Sy and Soirse figure their way through their relationship, before, during and after Sy is deployed.

Disclaimer: This is the first story I have ever written and published. Capt Syverson is not my own.  Soirse is, I don’t intend to offend anyone nor anyones culture with my story, if you feel that this content belongs to you or anyone else, please let me know and I will delete it.

TW: This story contains: violence, attempted SA, strong language and mature scenes, please proceed cautiously, you’d been advised. If there’s something I missed, please let me know

AN: I’m open to any suggestion and advices, I don’t know where the story is going yet, but if you want to help me write it, or better it!, please let me know!

Chapter 5

Instead of beautiful Saoirse, there stood two men, one that looked extremely similar to Conner Walsh, he thought he was seeing a double for a moment.

“Logan Joseph Syverson?” 

“Yes sir.”

“Great, you’re already following accordingly son”.  The Colonel looked at his partner with a smile.

“I don’t follow sir-“

“Pardon, and let us introduce ourselves, I am Colonel Conner Walsh II, and this is Captain Alex Feinn, Special Forces”.

“Um, nice to meet you sir-sirs, to what I owe this pleasure?...or should I say displeasure?” Sy was sure they were there to execute him. 

“You’ve been recruited by the request of the United States government, dotted by your lawyer and representative of the state, to the US Military, effective immediately”. Sy was speechless what was going on?

“Hold on I never-wha-I though-“

“Can we have a few words in private with the inmate, officer…Wallace?” The Colonel read the officer’s tag, and looked at him with a stern look that didn’t leave any question for another answer other than no.

“Son, listen to me, we don’t have much time, and you don’t have much choice, you got the best lawyer in town, hell, he might be the best lawyer in this whole damn country, got to parol your sentence, if you devote your time to the military”. Holy shit. 

“So you either pick up your shit, and leave with us right now, or…you let your sorry ass waste in a prison cell you don’t even belong with in the same place”. Sy couldn’t believe what was happening, did this ever happen in real life, all he couldn think about is who the hell pulled these strings for him, he sure as hell didn’t think…well yeah his father was military but…wait

“Who arranged all this?”

“That’s confidential information and none of your fucking business…” He looked knowingly 

“Just helping a brother in law…out”

At this his eyes widened and realization came crashing on him, the Colonel was Saorsies brother, he should have known by his name and the way he looked like her dad, and a little bit like her, but the lawyer…Caohimin Walsh, of course, of course your family had all but fucking ridiculous talented people on it, he wouldn’t expect anything less for a brilliant girl like her, oh fuck sake, if only he could kiss her at that exact same

One thing was for certain as he made the paperwork for his discharge, and collected his belongings, including his favorite photo of her that he held for dear life. He was going to be the best damn fucking soldier the US army has ever sought, and after he’s done his first tour, he was going to come back to her make an honest woman out of her and marry her, and fill her up with all the babies she wants. He promised himself to give her a life that made them forget this horrible nightmare he has put her in. 

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Thanks for reading!

[travelling-on-the-octopath]

I'm sorry but ever since someone pointed it out I can't stop thinking about it lol:

Seteth on SB: The Gard may be attacking us and driving us from our homes but she must have reasons!

Dimitri on AG: The Gard may be invading our lands but some of her reforms are so admirable!

Shez to The Gard in their supports: Your war might be ruining lives but you probably thought a lot about it and things were kinda bad in Fodlan anyway!

Claude on GW: IF IT'S A FIGHT SHE WANTS IT'S A FIGHT SHE'LL GET I'M NOT BACKING DOWN (with the "THE NERVE" voice line to back it up)

HILARIOUS how out of everyone in the routes, Claude is the one to take the most stout stance against The Gard's war, without anything trying to soften her up as "maybe not that bad you guyz" getting in the way. There's no "well maybe she has her reasons" there's no "well she's doing good here" there's no "well she's doing what she thinks is right" there is ONLY "She is bringing war to my land and I will not tolerate it." Not to overlook Dimitri's stance against her too - it's impressive in its own right - but it's nice to see someone finally not try to give her any slack after she's demonstrably proven she's not deserving of any. It's just a demo so who know what the full game will reveal, but in the meantime... so much for "Claude would totally side with her" lmaooo

Wanted to reach into the screen and RATTLE the Lion man because Dimitri !!!! What are you TALKING about! From what I can tell she kept the nobles where they are; she still has a church, and it's one he doesn't like--surprise surprise, because it's Imperial rule dressed up as religion. It seems like she's done literally nothing different from Three Houses--in fact, she's done more!--and we only have the context of her war without the explanation of her reforms. I'm sorry, but why am I supposed to care that she's reshaped her country and STILL decided she wanted to tear Fódlan a new one. I'm not gonna say she didn't? change Adrestia in an admirable way? Because I don't know what she did. But it's BECAUSE I don't know what she did that I can only stomach Claude's response lol. Like when someone is knocking at your door with the intention to invade the shit out of you, you don't care. You're going to fight them tooth and nail and you're going to make sure they know better than to ever show their face at your border again; that's how you keep your country intact.

Slightly off topic, but was I right to see that Seteth was all "because she established a church she made an enemy of us an not the faith!" My brother in Sothis...a church established by the state? Are we joking? 😭 Why are the writers so intent on giving her leeway when she has none. Really hoping he changes his tune when she comes for his ass when his only crime is being Nabatean.

What also gets me is that Claude is the only one who hasn't been irreversibly antagonized yet; his route starts in defending Myrddin, whereas SB starts PAST Myrddin, and Dimitri already has to take in refugees. And yet, Claude is the one to get scrappy with the Empir lol?? Dimitri does say that he's not going to tolerate the injuring of his people, or the war in general (they kept you intact, my baby 🙏🏻), so I'm curious to see if his appreciation for her reforms comes from the fact that he's dealing with quite the bit of infighting that anything looks better? Because I don't think Faerghus would be any better off for having changed to look like Adrestia.

I'm trying not to be harsh because...demo. but also. I'm so not in the fucking mood to explain away her violent conquest. Here's hoping they don't do that 🙏🏻