#most of the time the fans have picked up on signs long before the media anyway 😆

[uyuforu]

Pick-a-Card: Your Future Spouse

₊ ⊹ ALLEGEDLY FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY₊ ⊹

pile 1 -> pile 2

piles 3 -> pile 4

pick an image and scroll down to read your reading

Pile 1 - ₊˚⊹♡

Ekta Oracle: The medicine; The bunny; The arts; The road + The mind

Celeste Astrokiff Oracle: Winter; Aries; The man; Treason + Pluto

Original Tarot de Marseille: The tower; 3 of pentacles; 7 of swords; Queen of wands; The moon reversed; 5 of pentacles reversed + The lovers

Botticelli Tarot de Marseille: 8 of wands; The lovers; 5 of cups; 6 of pentacles; Ace of wands; 10 of wands + The stars

Lenormand Oracle: The choice; The fox; The well; The ink; The howls; The storks + The ring

Love Languages Oracles: A place to live; The unsaid; To be peaceful; Social medias + Wing of change

𓆞𓆝 𓆟 Don't forget that it's a general reading so take what resonates. If you don't resonate with this pile, you can choose another one. If you don't resonate with any of the piles, it just means there is no messages for you today. Don't take informations you are not comfortable with, and take care of yourself 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

-> Just starting with the reading and I can feel it right there, you and your FS are soulmates. This is a divine union, a protected relationship, and nothing was a coincidence in your meeting. It seems like this person will make you very much happy, you will feel blessed to have them in your life. You will feel so much lucky, it seems like this person was the magical cure you needed in your life. Now, I don't see a Prince Charming kind of vibe, I see this as an angel here helping you grow and evolve, and just being your daily dose of sunshine. This person will help you motivate yourself on life, they will be such a good supporter, even your number one fan. I feel like you might even become a leader or just even more motivated in your projects because of them. They will help you out to realize and use all of your inner potential. You might often run from reality, finishing your tasks or projects, or just refuse to be too serious, and this person will help you accept reality. They will help you realize this is not such a bad world as you may think it is. They may even help you be more stable in your life, they will literally be a wake up call from the universe. You will feel so thankful for the universe to have them by your side.

-> It's definitely a planned meeting, divinely organized. You may have been lovers in a past life too, so it will fee like you already know this person who you meet them. Some of you may have met this person before, and so you know them already. Some didn't meet them already. This person will help you a lot regarding your career. They could be a future or current co-worker of yours, but it doesn't seem like this detail really matters. What matters is that this person will make you develop all of your big potentials in your career. You will feel very successful because of this person, and you will definitely have a lot of money. This could also mean they are successful and so have any contacts, they will help you a lot with all the resources they have.

-> This person could be born in winter or spring, or you could meet them at that time. Aries, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Sagittarius, Gemini, Scorpio are important signs here. Your FS could appear quite cold and distant at first, but they have a very warm heart. They are someone who fight for what they want, they are not scared to make a move or change things, they will get what they want. Very ambitious. A go-getter. Very. masculine energy. They could be scared of treason too, could have enemies. So they might protect their back often, to earn their trust you need to prove yourself. This person might be a fast talker, or they just walk very fast. They have a very quick energy. They could work in the arts, medical fields. They are not scared how long the road is, for them the destination is what matter the most. Also, they don't care because they will run there lol. They are very quick minded and very smart too, could be a very logical person too. Very mature person. I feel like they are very stable in their life. You could meet them on social medias, or they are active on social medias. Social medias seem important here. This person will be your home, and you could feel like home from the first time you meet them. Even if this person seem very busy, it seems like they are not stressed, and they will also help you with that too.

Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed, and don't forget to like (even comment your pile if you want) and follow for more content ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡

Pile 2 - ₊˚⊹♡

Ekta Oracle: The time; The ribbon; The balance; The mind + The knight

Celeste Astrokiff Oracle: Treason; Saturn; The guide; Earth reversed + 3H reversed

Original Tarot de Marseille: The tower reversed; 7 of cups; The hanged man reversed; The pope; Ace of wands reversed; The chariot + King of pentacles reversed

Botticelli Tarot de Marseille: 7 of cups reversed; The hang man; Queen of cups; Ace of pentacles; The empress; The hermit + King of wands reversed

Lenormand Oracle: The ship; The ink; The dices; The knight; The woman; The man + The cross

Love Languages Oracles: Trickery; The impediments; The key of destiny; To feel attractive + The reconciliation

𓆞𓆝 𓆟 Don't forget that it's a general reading so take what resonates. If you don't resonate with this pile, you can choose another one. If you don't resonate with any of the piles, it just means there is no messages for you today. Don't take informations you are not comfortable with, and take care of yourself 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

-> There is a very masculine vibe from this pile, and it feels cold, distant, and very logical. That person is someone who value timing, and being patient. They could have a lot of wisdom and think patience is the real thing in life. So they could be slow, or just a person who is considered slow, but only by rushed people. They don't car much about other people. This person is very logical, they don't work with their hearts but mostly with their head. The could be a lawyer too, or work with Justice, the government, something similar to that. I think this person is very collected, they are not emotional or don't show their emotions that easily. When I pulled the first card, I got such a Capricorn & Saturn energy, so funny that I got the Saturn card too, it's a confirmation. This person is attached to their routine, and they don't like changements. They may also loving that everything is balance, and living an healthy lifestyle is important to them. They could appear older, or are older than you. I don't think this person is spiritual, but they are guided, and they may feel it but it doesn't seem like an awaken soul. This person is also an introvert for sure. They may feel awkward with strangers and don't open up easily at all.

-> Now, do you know this person? Could be for some of you, but I don't think so to be honest. This person has quite a story to me. It seems like they got brokenhearted. I think they literally had some sort of treason in their life by their ex partner. This could be cheating, lies, have been manipulated, gaslighting, etc. But something similar. It deeply hurt your Future Spouse, and they feel blocked for relationships now. They feel like they should keep their heart guarded, and not let anyone in from now on. This experience literally crushed their heart and destroyed them. I think it was def a lesson for them, but it created a trauma. For them, it was the end. And once you have a trauma, it's very hard to face it again. Almost impossible for a while. And this person seems like they are walking away from it, but their pain is still there. Deeply, I think this person still wants to get married later, but is def super scared. They feel like giving up, and they feel like they should move on from this idea. It seems hard for them to actually let anyone else enter their heard again. Very pessimistic at this idea. To them, it seems like humans are no good, and everyone is full of bad intention. Pretty sure this person was either married or engaged, or at least it was a strong commitment, a serious one. It wasn't just a random partner, they actually thought the person who betrayed them was the one. So I think this person now is trying to move on, but it seems like they prefer to move on alone. They can see selfish, or just cold, awkward by other people who don't know them, because of what happened.

-> Now, let's talk about you! This is my favorite part of the reading. I told you this person was ready to give up on the relationships, but that's because they don't know you yet! The thing is, you'll enter this person's life like a savior, like a knight. You'll come and rescue them from the darkness. It's def something that is destined, like it's organized by the divine. You are the key to this person's heart. Now, will it be easy? No lol. But you will def change this person's opinion on marriage and relationships. This person has been broken and you'll help them collect the pieces and heal their heart. This person will start to see a different point of view in life and even in themselves, you'll help them being more confident. You'll help them believe in love again, because they will fall in love with you. You will def get married later. They will see you as a gentle soul, a romantic person, such a nice and sweet heart, you will be their sunshine. There is a lot of feminine energy to you, but could be also in their point of view. You will make them so happy, and they will literally worship you? Like seeing you as their queen/ king, their loved one, they will be so proud to have you by their side. They will learn a lot from you, and they will have so much respect for you, my god I have so much love right now in my heart :(((( You will help this person open up, so don't be surprised one day if they literally cry in front of you, it's literally the most beautiful thing that will happen. They will let it all out.

Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed, and don't forget to like (even comment your pile if you want) and follow for more content ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡

Pile 3 - ₊˚⊹♡

Ekta Oracle: The bee; The link; The office; The couple; The man + The heart

Celeste Astrokiff Oracle: Uranus; Chiron reversed; New moon; Solar eclipse + The ruin

Original Tarot de Marseille: Ace of sword reversed; Temperance reversed; The strength; The pope; The devil reversed; The justice + 4 of cups reversed

Botticelli Tarot de Marseille: 5 of wands reversed; Death; Ace of cups; Jack of pentacles; The fool reversed; The empress; Jack of wands + The high priestess

Lenormand Oracle: The bridge; The book; The moon; The well; The lucky charm; The scythe + The swans

Love Languages Oracles: The unsaid; Magnetic relationship; Break-up Total Success + Cheating

𓆞𓆝 𓆟 Don't forget that it's a general reading so take what resonates. If you don't resonate with this pile, you can choose another one. If you don't resonate with any of the piles, it just means there is no messages for you today. Don't take informations you are not comfortable with, and take care of yourself 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

-> This pile is pretty confusing to be honest. I think you know this person? And something happened with them. Here is what I'm seeing. This person is someone who is busy, they may work a lot, or just has a busy life. You guys had a good connection, you were very attached, and maybe still are today. You may have dated or be a couple before, or you could have had feelings for each other. You may have wanted or been in a relationship with this person. This person can be a man, or have masculine energy. But there is something that happened, like a fight? It's like someone suddenly can't do it anymore and just go away? (I have the image of people fighting and one just throw stuff off a table lol). You could have been coworkers too. Or you could still be. This person may also be like a butterfly style of person, meaning they like to visit a lot of different flowers... you know what I mean. It means they may not have been ready for a relationship before, they prefer to flirt with many people, go on many dates, enjoy being single like that. And it may have hurt you. If you were in a relationship, there could have been some sort of cheating?

-> So you guys are not talking right now, and if you were in a relationship, you broke up now. You guys had such a good and amazing chemistry, and even you remember that. But it seems like despite that, things just ended. I think there were some lies, if not cheating. This person lied to you about something, or avoided the truth. You could have done that too. Maybe also not being honest with each other's feelings. Someone could have cheated, or it felt like it. Or maybe someone thought the other cheated why it wasn't the case. In any ways, there is a separation now. And I think you are not talking at the moment. But, there are still hope. To be honest, it feels like the connection is not over (obviously, this is your future spouse) but what I mean is that you can even feel it. There is a feeling of still having hope, and still feeling the link. And it seems like the separation was meant for you both to realize what went wrong, and how can you fix it. Despite whatever happened, you still love this person and they still love you. You may be not talking, but you guys think about each other a lot.

-> I think this is a divine union, like you guys have a soul link, whatever it is. The "break-up" or separation was meant for you both to work on yourself. What triggered you in this connection is what you should work on. Any toxic patterns, any triggers, work on it. Heal and work on yourself. It seems like you think there is no hope for the connection, but there is still. It feels like something is about to start over, but with good intentions. Like as if there were a huge storm, and it needed to rain, and once the rain is over, there is sunshine. It feels like that. Starting over. You guys can't move on from each other. Now, it feels like this person will message you or contact you. You will not. I think this person is seeing you as their divine counter part. It could also be that once you start working on yourself, they may want to contact you. You will def receive a piece of information from this person, something you had no idea about. They may have kept a secret, or they may reveal what they really feel for you. Or it may also be unexpected contact or message. It seems like they will take a chance, like contacting you, and revealing something to you. And it's something you didn't expect. You really will not see that coming. I think there will be some sort of long term proposition, and you will accept it. You guys will see each other again, and there is high hope for reunion!

Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed, and don't forget to like (even comment your pile if you want) and follow for more content ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡

Pile 4 - ₊˚⊹♡

Ekta Oracle: The brain; The island; The 3 bamboos; The deer + The fire

Celeste Astrokiff Oracle: The happiness; 12H; Earth; North Node + 11H

Original Tarot de Marseille: 5 of pentacles; 7 of wands; 6 of pentacles; Ace of cups reversed; Temperance reversed; The hermit + The stars reversed

Botticelli Tarot de Marseille: The justice; Knight of wands; Jack of pentacles; 6 of wands; The judgment; Ten of cups + 5 of wands reversed

Lenormand Oracle: The scythe; The dices; The lucky charm; The sun; The ring; The doors + The man

Love Languages Oracles: Softness & Tender-sweet; Home; Total Success; Karmic Connection + The beginning

𓆞𓆝 𓆟 Don't forget that it's a general reading so take what resonates. If you don't resonate with this pile, you can choose another one. If you don't resonate with any of the piles, it just means there is no messages for you today. Don't take informations you are not comfortable with, and take care of yourself 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

-> This person may be someone smart, someone who knows a lot, someone curious. They could also love to travel, and love to learn from this. They could also love to be alone, or the be in their own bubble, their own world. This person is pretty optimistic, and they could also have a lot of intuition. Could be a fire sign. Or could just be passionate. I also have the masculine energy here. But it's someone who has a balance energy. This person can be spiritual, or they could be religious. They feel a sort of link to a divine force. They could also be intuitive and connected, without actually calling it spiritual. I feel like they could also have a balanced natal chart, meaning the earth, air, water and fire energies are all balanced. They could be good at organizing their finances. Extrovert person. I don't think you know this person yet. This person works hard for their money, and they are someone right when it comes to work ethic. They will not lie, not cheat, and they want justice. They could work in something related to money or finances. They could also have their own business or their own company. They are good at handling stuff, tasks, projects, and they are hard working. A natural leader. And because they work good and make smart move, they can actually make any of their projects successful? This person is generous too when it comes to their money, and they know where to place it.

-> I don't think this person is focused on relationships right now, and I think they are single. They could have a hard time to balance their life between work and personal life, so I think it's unbalanced right now. Meaning they may spend too much time at work, and not enough with their loved one. It will be something you will teach them to do. Or remind them to do. They could have honestly lose hope about relationships? Or just felt like it's a waste of time. Despite that, I feel like they will be the one to give an offer, you guys could meet at work or related to money. When you meet, they could be the one asking you on a date, or just making you see they are interested. Of course, you will be in a relationship, obviously. But I think there is not resistance, I mean that you will also be interested. There is no games with this person. This will feel like a great love. A sort of love at first sight could happen too. But you guys will feel like you are in a fairytale. The honeymoon phase will be long for you. You will feel so at home with each other, this is definitely a divine connection. A lot of love and pda. And to be honest, you guys could be in a relationship together quite fast. And a proposal could also happen fast.

-> I think this person will ask you to marry them very fast, because they love you so much and they will just feel so euphoric about their feelings for you. They will just take a leap of faith, and ask you to marry them. But as I said, it will be fast. Like not even a year of dating? Pretty sure more fast than that. But you will hesitate. Not because you don't love them, you will LOVE that person. But it seems like you will be logical at that point, and may feel like it's too soon? You may say no, and this person will see that as hardship. They will feel sad about it. I don't think you will break up, this person will see that as a challenge. Mostly because everything turned out in their favor before, and you are the first hardship? Lol. They will wait again and make sure to ask again later...

Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed, and don't forget to like (even comment your pile if you want) and follow for more content ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡

back to index ; ask ; requests ; rules

[fooled-around-and-fell]

you write papí pascal so well i absolutely adore your writing! any chance there could be a continuation of Age Gap while they’re at the red carpet? thats all i’ve got feel free to do what you want with it! love ya <3 - 🪐

a/n: Thank you! And I did not expect some of you to request a part 2 hahahha but here you go, lovelies 💕 side note, look at how proud he looks in the gif right before he said "cool slutty daddy" - i love him

Pairing: Pedro Pascal x reader

first part || Masterlist

------

It made you sick to your core -- your nerves. Maybe that's a good sign, maybe that meant you're taking this seriously.

So you're nervous, as you should be! You're dating the world's biggest star right now, and it just so happens that he's 20 years older than you.

No big deal, right? You'll get through it, right?

You tried to smile at yourself in the mirror and ended up grunting in stress.

The red carpet event was tonight, and you're already in the hotel room Pedro's team had booked for the two of you to get ready in. You didn't even think you'd have his team help you get ready, you thought you'd just get ready at home and leave with him, but nope!

This must be how Mia Thermopolis felt, you thought.

"Hey Y/N, you ready?"

You looked at Pedro's stylist, "Yes! What do I have to do?"

She chuckled, "Nothing, honey. Just sit tight. We'll do the work."

Behind her, 3 other people followed. They brought in the outfit you were going to wear, a huge makeup box, and what you assumed to be a few options for shoes.

They were quick, of course, they're professionals. By the time Pedro got to the hotel room after a press conference, you were already in the outfit, and his stylists were picking out the right shoes for you.

"Dios mío..." Pedro whispered to himself, "You look... fucking beautiful, cariño."

You smiled back at him, "Thank you, Pedrito."

"Pedrito?" He raised his brows suggestively, "Oh I like this new nickname."

Pedro made his way to smother you in kisses and hugs, but his team had pulled him away because he, too, had to get ready. "I'll be with you soon, amor!"

"You two are too cute." One of his stylists commented.

"He's too cheesy sometimes."

"I can hear you!"

-----

You were holding Pedro's hand for the entire ride to the red carpet. It wasn't long, but it felt like ages.

"Don't worry, you'll do great." He smiled, trying to reassure you.

You couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt. You didn't want to make the red carpet to be about you, it was the premiere of one of the biggest, most famous video game adaptations of all time. But at the same time, you felt a little relieved knowing that maybe - just maybe - the media might focus on the series instead of you.

"You ready, cariño?" He asked before he opened the door, making sure you were okay.

Nodding your head, Pedro exited the car and circled around to your side of the door. He had made you practice letting him open the door for you every single time.

You could hear the screams of fans, the cameras flashing, everyone was incredibly happy to see him.

Just put on a smile. You're here for Pedro.

Pedro opened the door for you, peeking his head to make sure you're okay one last time before offering you his hand. You took his hand and slowly got out of the car, keeping a friendly smile.

"You're doing great." Pedro kissed your temple as you both made your way further into the red carpet, hand in hand.

Just. Breathe.

"Pedro, over here!" You keep hearing paparazzi scream. Pedro's team had warned you and basically trained you on how and where to pose, but Pedro was leading both of you in such an amazing way that you had no problem doing it at all.

Of course, there were times where Pedro had to take solo pictures, so you'd stand on the side, watching as your lover really took control of the crowd.

"Y/N!"

You heard a familiar voice. Bella had a beaming smile on her face as she raced towards you and gave you a bear hug. "Pedro told me you'd be here and I'm so glad you are!"

You met Bella before when you'd visit Pedro at their shooting sites. She's very kind towards you -- the entire crew was, which surprised you because well.. again, the age gap thing doesn't usually sit well with everyone.

"You look amazing!" You complimented her, "And it's been a while, how are you?"

"It's been good," She nodded, "Tiring, but good. How about you- Wait, is this the first time you two are going out in public together?"

"Yeah," You laughed nervously, "I'm a nervous wreck, if you can't tell."

Bella laughed, "You're doing fineee, besides, you've got nothing to worry about. I'm sure Pedro has it all under control."

You nodded, "I know, but I don't want him carrying all the weight, you know? I don't want to be a burden."

"Nah, you're definitely not. I'm telling you, he doesn't stop talking about you when we were on set."

Pedro finished his session and went to hug Bella, "I hope you girls aren't talking about me."

"Of course not, we've got better things to talk about than you, old man." She teased, "Anyway, catch you guys later."

You held onto Pedro's arm as he guided you through the red carpet again. It was time for what you were most nervous about -- interviews.

Given, you probably won't be in a lot of them, but some of them were bound to ask about you. Speak of the devil.

"So, I see you brought in a plus one," One of the interviewers who's known Pedro for a while teased, "Can we meet your special someone? Can we introduce you two as a couple now?"

Pedro laughed and brought you closer, "This is Y/N, the love of my life, and.. we've been in love for about 2 years, actually."

"2 years?!" He gasped, "How are we only hearing about you now??"

Pedro rubbed circles on your back, comforting you in any way he could.

"I'm a bit shy." You smiled, "He's actually been begging me to come with him to events for a while but I've always refused."

"Honey, it's about time you showed up." He said, "Have you seen his fans? They're about to eat him all up."

"That's what I said!"

"And Mr. Pascal, sir, what is with all this daddy content you're promoting when you have a lover??" The interviewer tsk-ed.

You laughed, "It's alright, I don't mind sharing."

"What?" Pedro asked, almost in a whine.

"Well you heard it here first, people. Pedro Pascal is taken, and I am here for the cute couple! You two look amazing."

-----

It was more fun than you expected, you had to be honest. You put your phone on silent for the entire night because you were afraid of what the internet would say, but that was a mistake because you realized you'd need to deal with it the next morning.

"Morning, cariño." Pedro mumbled, his arm rubbing circles on your naked back.

"Good morning," You kissed his chest and sighed, "I don't want to check my phone."

"Then don't." He pulled you closer to him, "Who cares what the world thinks?"

Sighing loudly, you decided that he was right. Who cares? All that matters is that you're happy, and he's happy. "Yeah, you're right. Fuck it."

He smiled lazily and moved to be on top of you, "Good. Now relax and let me reward you for doing so good last night. You were amazing, cariño. So good for me."

"Mm, I think you've shown me enough last night."

He gasped. "Nonsense. You can never get enough of me. You know it."

------

a/n: ....should i just write smut on this account? I swear, I have a separate account for a reason but now I kinda just want to smush it all together......

[tacticaldiary]

N&R MASTERLIST || COD MASTERLIST

PAIRING: Simon Riley x Reader

WARNINGS: Stalking, Blood, Kidnapping, Panic Attacks

The Heat Of Indifference || Chapter 1 >>> (coming soon)

Unrequited delusion turns the sweetest cup of intentions sour.

She stares at the note in her hand numbly. A tremour starts in her as she skims over it, spreads until her shaking has nothing to do with the chill of the air, the cool metal of the mailbox her other hand clutches onto.

'too busy for me?'

'i'll make time in your life for me'

'fucking someone else behind my back?'

'you looked so pretty the other day, i had trouble staying away'

'took a few pictures for my collection'

Crumpling the note, she looks around the dimly lit porch as if she might spot the culprit, might see the man that's been making her life a living hell, inducing a paranoia she's never experienced before. Unsteadily, she stumbles backwards into her house, locking the door and sliding the deadbolt.

Safe. It doesn't feel safe. Breath caught in her throat, she runs to her bedroom, sets her back to the door after locking it.

The other notes could be ignored, mixed in with the other fan mail, some scattered in her emails and her inboxes on social media, but this one? In her mailbox?

Her personal mailbox?

The one right outside her house?

He knew where she lived.

Bile crawling up her throat, she fumbles with her phone, dialing the number she memorised ever since she signed with the agency. It rings once. Twice.

Alban picks up on the third ring.

"It's one in the morning-"

"He knows where I live," She gasps out, the grip on her phone a kind death itself could not have pried away. "He-...he put something in my mailbox, what if he's inside?" The thought sends her into a spiral. "He's-he might be here, Alban, might be in my house. He's seen it, knows where it is, what if he's waiting outside? What if-"

"Calm down, hey, listen." He cuts her off, the sleep in his voice dissipating at her panic. "I'm on my way, okay? Hang tight, lock your doors. Stay put, you hear?"

"Stay on the line?" She requests shakily.

"Of course," The jingle of keys, the zip of a jacket. "Fuck, I shouldn't have let you go home alone from the shoot, I'm sorry." He sighs.

There's no more talk from her end, she listens as he stays on the line, hears the hum of a car engine, the slam of a car door. Alban would be here, and she wouldn't be alone then, and then-...

And then what?

Back to square one? Back to losing sleep and screwing up auditions To looking over her back and wondering when the next note would appear? No, that's not the life she wants, her gut twists painfully just thinking about it.

It started sweet.

A letter in her fan mail, just another proclamation of love, messages of praise and devotion online. Nothing out of the ordinary for one of the most popular rising actresses of her time. It's a place she's earned after years of hard work, growth and determination.

Then the letters started to change in tone. Annoyed. Impatient. Not understand why she wasn't writing back, why she wasn't noticing him.

The threats started after that.

To a degree, she understands that putting herself in such a bright spotlight opens her up to people like this, people who lived in delusions and acted in their own interests, but to be the victim of it...it was overwhelming, stressful, and frightening.

She's really, truly frightened.

                                  · · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

The blanket around her shoulders was knitted by her mother.

Warm but slightly scratchy, it's one of the items that appears misplaced among the sleek, expensive look of her living room. Leather couches, wall-to-ceiling windows, and an open floor plan.

The dull scratchy blanket brings about a childish comfort, something long forgotten between the glitz and glamour of her new life. She buries her nose into it, her thanks muffled by the fabric when Alban places down the steaming mug of tea. His hair is pulled up in a bun haphazardly, his jacket only half zipped up. Pajama pants speckled with cartoon bananas she'd make fun of if she could bring herself to conjure a laugh.

The crickets sing, and it's good background noise for their silence. It's odd, how at ease the world is when the weight of it feels like it's caving down on her.

"I don't think this is going away on its own." She finally says, gaze flickering to meet Alban's.

"The police said they'd do what they could," He clicks his tongue. "The best they're going to do is run prints on the note, see if they can match the handwriting to somebody."

"Didn't work before, won't work now." She mumbles.

"So you know that we need someone other than the police now."

She manages a tense nod, and her acceptance seems to grant him an ounce of relief. "I'll give my contact a call then. We'll get you a personal detail sorted out by tomorrow."

The idea of someone being in her space 24/7 makes her uncomfortable. Alban had brought it up before, had brought it up multiple times actually, but she'd always shot down the idea, hoping the problem would resolve itself on its own. A personal security detail, a bodyguard. It seemed...excessive before. She values her privacy, values the little space that's left untouched by the eyes of the public, and letting someone else, a stranger, into it makes her uneasy.

His gaze softens. "I know this isn't what you wanted." He squeezes her shoulder, "But I'd rather see you alive and uncomfortable than dead in a ditch somewhere."

She likes that outcome too.

"I'll live." It was just for a little while, she reasons. "Just till everything passes."

"Just until it passes." He promises.

His presence makes her grateful. Alban has always been an anchor to her, someone to rely on. Her manager. Her friend, above all. He'd been with her through the ups and downs of her career, of her life.

"Thank you." It's not enough to convey the company he brings, but he seems to get it. His smile is knowing, and reassuring.

Enough to make her relax the barest bit.

                                  · · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

"I'll find the bastard myself, wring out his neck!" Melvin glares at her through the rearview mirror. He's been on a rant for the past twenty minutes, and she hasn't the heart to tell the old man to stop. On the contrary, it makes her feel better that someone is as angry as her about it.

"Not if I get to him first." She smiles despite the dreary topic.

"Now you listen here, you tell me about any more trouble you're getting into, alright?" They pull into the parking lot and this time Melvin turns around to stare at her, fiery and outraged. "I'll find 'em, set 'em straight!"

His wispy grey hair curls around his forehead, wrinkles and smile lines carved into a face that's seen more of her childhood than her own father ever cared to.

Melvin was the closest family she had. He'd driven her to her first audition, had seen her through it and took her to get the ice cream he always grumbled was too sweet when she'd been rejected on the spot.

"I'll let you know." She nods solemnly.

He narrows his eyes, squinting at her. "Are you mocking me?"

"Me? I wouldn't dare." She laughs, scrambling out of the car before he can go off on another tangent about the youth of today. "I'll see you in a couple hours!"

The office building stands at an impressive height at the heart of the city, glass windows showing off an impressive view of the surroundings. It wasn't often that she came here, Alban mostly took care of any paperwork she had to fill out and submit so there was never a reason for her to be sat behind a desk when she could be performing and showing her talents elsewhere.

Things had cooled down considerably after last night. Alban had stayed the night with her, and although she hadn't gotten much sleep it was reassuring to know that Alban's contact had pulled through and arranged a meeting with the security company that the man had been raving on about ever since this whole mess started. He'd gotten everything sorted before she'd even woken up for the day.

Task Force...something. She couldn't remember the numbers at the end of the title, but they were supposed to be the best of the best.

The elevator has a line too long for her to think about waiting in, so she turns to the stairwell inside. It was only three floors up, and she could use the exercise anyway. She's already a few minutes late to meet them all anyway, the wait wouldn't be worth it.

Would she meet her detail today? Her bodyguard? She really should've asked Alban to expand on his vague "I've taken care of it" this morning...

The hallway she ends up in stretches the expanse of the room, widening into a larger floor plan overlooking the rest of the city. A break room of some sort? Confused, one glance at the floor directory hung up next to her answers her question.

Wrong floor.

Clicking her tongue, she turns to go back into the stairwell when the hair on the back of her neck stands up, and a chill shivers down her spine. It's the same feeling of being watched, the feeling that's made her triple-check her locks at night and lose precious hours of sleep trying to convince herself that she was safe.

There's nobody else in the hallway, not a soul passing by. The distant voices and noises indicate whoever's occupying the floor is in the offices farther in, but nowhere near her...

Faltering, she takes a few hesitant steps into the nearest room. An office of some sort.

The feeling remains, stronger than ever. Goosebumps prickle her flesh, her teeth worry her lower lip. This is stupid, this entire thing was stupid! It's an empty room...

"I know you're there!" The words pass her lips before she can stop them, fuelled by frustration and fear. Her own eyes widen at her words, but she doesn't take them back. No, she's commited to it now. Clenching her fists to hide the trembling of her hands, she turns around in a small circle trying to find the source of her discomfort. "This isn't funny, it's fucking creepy! Just leave me the hell alone!"

Maybe it's a trick of paranoia and the light but she swears she sees a shadow move out of the corner of her eye, and it startles her so bad she bumps into the desk behind her, clutching it so hard her knuckles go white.

Her heart is in her throat when the door creaks open.

This felt like a fucking horror movie. 'I've never been in one of those before', she thinks a little hysterically. 'Don't think I'll ever have the chance to after this.' Maybe it was a random employee who'd forgotten something in the office, she tries to reason with herself, or Alban coming to see what's taking her so long-

She screams when a tall man in a balaclava peers through the door, a hand fixed on the pistol on his belt.

Blindly grabbing onto a stapler, she throws it at him and scrambles to put the desk in between them. "Leave me alone!" She yells, wielding the keyboard like it might protect her from him and his firearm.

The man catches the stapler and gives her a rather unimpressed look.

He was clearly fucking insane, she thinks. Batshit crazy, stalking her down in an office building in broad daylight with a mask. The cool glass of a window touches her back and she swallows, glancing behind her. Four stories up, but if he made a move to grab her would she have enough time to unlatch the window and climb out? Did she even want to risk breaking her legs?

"It's a shitty idea."

The voice is smooth gravel, the grit of the sand on a clear beach.

"Who are you?" She narrows her eyes, fingers playing with the latch. "Why do you keep following me?"

"It's my job." He deadpans, and it makes her hesitate to jump to her idea of trying to escape the situation.

"...what?"

He loosens a sigh from his chest, and tugs out the manilla folder she hadn't seen tucked under his arm before. She tenses when he takes a step forward, tossing it on the desk. A couple of documents spill out, and she catches bits and pieces until her eyes land on the logo sealed at the top of the folder.

Her eyes flicker back to him and spot the same logo patched onto his jacket.

Last night comes back to her in a rush, the hurried explaination she was given.

Task Force 141.

A security company known throughout the country as being the best of the best. Being ex-military, they took care of messy situations in ways that didn't reflect poorly on anyone, kept their means and methods unknown but their clients happy. Alban had given her an overview of the company a while ago after the photographs of her had started to arrive.

"Screaming your head off like that, jumping out a four-story window? Bloody hell, no wonder you need a babysitter."

Any lingering fear snaps to irritation. "I don't need a babysitter, I need someone who's not going to scare the shit out of me." Still a little shaky, she lets go of the window. "Alban hired you?"

"Clearly." His dry tone makes her bristle. He'd just scared the hell out of her, her being a little jarred is perfectly understandable. "Sent me to see what the hold up was." He jerks his chin towards the documents. "Needs your signature, then I'm yours until your issue blows over."

Him? He was her on her private detail? Her bodyguard?

She expected someone in a suit with an earpiece, simple and subtle, something akin to the usual security that surrounds her at her venues. Fitting in was important, after all. The less she was noticed the safer she'd be.

Given that, the 6'3 man with the large, strong stature definitely had taken her aback, but his face was the thing that freaked her out the most, the mask making her mind flash to every horror movie she'd ever seen.

A black balaclava covers his lower face and tucks itself into the collar of the all-black suit he dons. The fabric's printed with the bottom half of a white...skull? Puzzled, she gives him a once over, wondering how someone this...intimidating could possibly be inconspicuous. He holds himself with a rigidity she's only ever seen in someone who holds discipline to a high standard, shoulder back, eyes brown and piercing in a way that makes her feel oddly vulnerable.

She nods slowly, picking up a pen from one of the holders, willing her heart to stop pounding from the lingering adrenaline. "I'm pretty sure you know an awkward amount about me already." She skims over the paperwork quickly. "But what do I call you?"

Life had taught her the hard way never to blindly sign a document.

"Ghost." She pauses, blinking up at him. He doesn't look like he's joking, and after a beat of silence her lips quirk up to a half amused smile.

"Ghost?" She cocks her head. "Like the things that haunt houses? That's your name?"

"Afirmative." He retorts.

"But that's a nickname, I don't think your parents would have named you Ghost." That was just unnecessarily cruel. He'd have gotten bullied at school with a name like that. "What's your name name?"

"Ghost is enough of a name for you. I'm here to keep you alive, not have a heart to heart, yeah?"

Okay. So he wasn't the warmest person she'd met.

"You're off to a great start, nearly pushing me out a window." She mumbles under her breath going back to reading.

"It was your hand I recall being on the latch."

At the flourish of her pen, her signature settling next to his and Alban's, some of the weight on her shoulders settles into something slightly more bearable. Things would be easier for her hopefully.

She could admit that although he was gruff and not the friendliest, he was certainly intimidating. By the way his eyes flicker around the room every now and then, he was perceptive too. Despite their rocky start, she already felt like someone was watching her back.

"Anything else I need to sign?"

He doesn't respond, shifting in place instead, eyebrows furrowed. It makes her uneasy, his sudden change in posture. Muscles tensing, his sights land somewhere behind her and he suddenly moves to grab her before she can register it.

A crash of glass echoes through the room as the window opposite to them shatters.

She can barely let out a shriek before Ghost has her against a wall, shielding her body with his, pressing close enough for him to feel the way her heart hammers in her chest.

Sandalwood and smoke, she can't help but note as she draws in a shaky breath. He's built well, all strong muscle and capable hands that crowd her back. Her breath hitches for a completely different reason.

"You alright?" He grunts out, peering over his shoulder. It's sharp, the way his gaze flickers from the shards of glass to the bolt embedded in the wall a metre away from where she'd been.

Right where Ghost had been standing.

"Fine," She manages, looking between him and the bolt in the wall with a cold sinking in her stomach. "I-...you're bleeding!" She exclaims, reaching up to tilt his face to the side, a splotch of red seeping through his mask. Before she can make contact, he steps away from her leaving her hand hovering in the air.

It shatters the brief moment from before, the breath she couldn't catch loosens from her chest.

She feels like she looks a little stupid with her hand hovering like that and, the back of her neck going warm as she clears her throat. "Your cheek." She says aloud after a moment. There's a small cut where the projectile had grazed him, bleeding sluggishly.

Ghost doesn't pay her any mind as he yanks the bolt out of the wall, cement cracking onto the floor. Turning it this way and that, she finds enough feeling in her legs to move towards him-

"Stay there." He orders, and the authority lacing the words stuns her into compliance. "Away from the windows."

She certainly sees how he's ex-military now, that he's used to his orders being obeyed.

Ghost turns around eventually, brow furrowed and she finally has a clear view of the item.

A white rose is twined around the bolt, the petals speckled with red dots. A drop of crimson drips onto the floor by his feet and she realises that the colouring isn't from the flower itself.

It's Ghost's blood, tainting the purity of something so delicate weaved with an intentional threat.

He was here.

In her house, on her mind, in her workplace, God, he was in her workplace now. Her breath stutters as she tries to take a deep one, panic she refuses to let loose in front of him clawing at her chest. So she was right, someone had bee watching her. It hadn't been him, it had been her stalker that had made her wary.

This was new. She'd never had actual contact with the guy before, her nightmares had been restricted to words scrawled onto a page. Judging by the bolt's direction, the man was probably in the building opposite.

Ghost barks something into a radio connected to his belt, sharp eyes sweeping the room, narrowing at the window across, cautious and confident.

He's an ass, they haven't started on the right foot but she doesn't want to see him dead. What if the next 'threat' hit true? What if she had to stand there and watch his head trickle crimson, watch that strong body hit the floor with a lifeless-

"I don't think this is a good idea." She blurts out, frightened by the thought. Nobody needed to get hurt but her, was expanding this...this horrid torment onto other people really worth it?

When he doesn't answer, she pushes on. "It's...you could get hurt. Or killed." A shaky inhale. "And I don't want-"

"Your concern won't void my contract. I've survived worse." He cuts her off, peering out of the window. She swears she spots the barest bit of amusement in his dead stare when he glances back at her. "You're too exposed in the open. We're going to your residence, my team's already secured it, set up a perimeter."

And she can't find it in herself to protest when he ushers her out of her room taking care to shield her from the windows.

Glancing up at the blood seeping through his mask, the unease from last night creeps back into her heart. What would have happened if Ghost hadn't been there? Would she have been the target instead? Would she be...Alban was right, it was stupid to think that this would stop on its own.

Hope was a fool's playground.

Ghost notices the sudden tense silence, casts down a long glance as they enter the elevator together, strangely free from the mass of people earlier.

"You're safe now."

She looks up in surprise, but he's already shifted his gaze to stare at the metal doors in front of them. Safe. How long has it been since she's felt safe?

Miraculously, she finds herself nodding. Finds herself trusting. Trusting this man she just met a few minutes ago. It's strange, but she lets his reassurance wash over her, her shoulders dropping down ever so slightly.

It seems enough to satisfy him, because he doesn't comment again.

Safety.

What a luxury she'd taken for granted.

Reblog, Like and Comment!

(1/12/2023)

[chirpingfromthebox]

I forgot to post about this back when it came out. But this was an interview with two prominent figures from the management side of the PWHL from a few days back. I was expecting it to be a bit dry, but they actually address quite a few prominent questions.

I was originally going to skip doing this one as it's somewhat long, but I've been seeing a number of things they talked about coming up in discussions here, so I thought y'all might be interested to hear what they have to say.

I'll transcribe what I personally found to be the most interesting elements that came up, but know I'll be cutting down some of the remarks and only doing some of the questions, so definitely watch the video for the full story.

Since this is already going to be a massive post I'll spare you my musings on the answers.

Transcriptions of some of the questions under the break.

At the table are Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations Jayna Hefford & Advisory Board Member Stan Kasten.

And I believe this was after Game 2 of the finals and before the start of Game 3.

For context on who these two are in a bigger picture, what little I know is:

Jayna Hefford is a HIGHLY successful and influential former Canadian hockey player who's been working in the field of women's hockey ever since she retired from playing. If I tried to sum up her career we'd be here all day, so let's just say she's in the Hockey Hall of Fame for a reason.

Stan Kasten comes from a background of running/managing large sports teams, though mostly baseball. He is even the current president of the Los Angeles Dodgers and also one of the co-owners. He seems to have had a brief foray into hockey as the president of the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers for a few years. The Thrashers no longer exist and I think they moved and became what are now the Jets? (I dunno, I shouldn't be your source for NHL history, that's for sure.)

--------------- INTRODUCTIONS ---------------

STAN KASTEN: I can’t describe the pleasure this is for me to be here [at the Xcel Energy Center in Minnesota]. The last time I was here I told you that I thought that day, the 13,000*, really convinced us that we were going to make this work.

[* the first home game for Minnesota had an attendance of 13,316.]

But even then I couldn’t have imagined how the year would play out. How we would set attendance records, sponsorship records, and viewing records. So our media strategy was a success. But of course the thing that made it work, really, was what I said opening day: we got the hockey right.

And that’s because of Jayna [Hefford] and her staff. You know, we didn’t know our playoffs ‘til after the last game on the last day. Who could have imagined that we’d put together a system that would've worked out that perfectly. You see how close and competitive the playoffs have been. And as exciting as this is for all of us, we can’t wait to get started on year 2, because we know with all Summer to prepare, it’s gonna be even better.

JAYNA HEFFORD: When we kicked off this league we had a few goals and—at least on the hockey side—one of them was to create parity across the league. And through the draft and the player dispersal, the player signings that we put in place, we were able to do that.

And to Stan’s point, I don’t think we could have wrote the script any better the way it played out and came down to the last game of the regular season to decide who was in the playoffs. We certainly achieved that.

Secondly, innovation and creativity was a priority for us. We wanted to find ways to improve the game. To make it more engaging for fans, to make it fun. We didn’t want to change hockey in the traditionalism of hockey, but we wanted to do things a little bit differently.

So implementing the Jailbreak rule, implementing the pick your own opponent, the Gold Plan*. All of those things are new. But I think right now, and of course we’re going to debrief post-season, but right now the response from all of those things has been overwhelmingly positive. So we will continue to try to be creative and think outside the box and present the game in new ways to people.

[* It didn’t come into play this season, so in case anyone isn’t familiar: The Gold Plan is the system by which after a team is out of contention for the playoffs during the regular season, any wins they get would be factored into where they’d be placed in the draft order for next season. It was designed to be an incentive for teams out of the running to still play their hardest and strive for wins.]

...

So excited to be here now for the next two or three games. And really it’s been a remarkable, amazing journey this last number of years, but really this last 8 or 9 months. And as Stan said, I don’t think I could have envisioned this playing out the way it did. The excitement around this, and the response from our fans, and response from media. So we’re just thrilled with where it’s at and I know this is gonna wrap up in a really great way in the next number of days.

...

--------------- LOOKING AHEAD, WHAT ARE THE CHANGES/CHALLENGES FOR NEXT YEAR? ---------------

STAN: We didn’t have our business staff in place until about 60 days before the season started. So we have a lot we can still do.

The most obvious one was merchandise. Having, you know, the amount of inventory that we needed was a challenge for us. Getting an online business started, in two countries, that was a challenge. So all these two country problems are different than other leagues.

By the end of the season we did really well on merchandise. But we have more coming and more designs and greater inventory. The one good thing is that we sold everything that we could make. I mean, it was just flying off the shelves when we could get it to arenas. And the online business has been strong also. Those things are challenging when they’re start-ups, and as I said, they’re start-ups in two countries, so we know how to do it now. It’s gonna get a lot better going forward.

JAYNA: And I think what everybody is waiting for is names and logos. So that’s one big thing that’s coming. So I think that’ll be really exciting to be able to build those brands and make those brands significant in the markets and communities we’re in.

STAN: It’s interesting how the name thing played out. We did not start out to do that, but because the lead time required in these things, we just thought it was better to just skip that for now and just go with: PWHL and the location.

And that has had an amazing unintended consequence of anytime anyone has talked about any of our teams all year, you had to say “PWHL.” So our league has gotten more exposure in the first year of its existence than any league in history ‘cause they kept repeating our name.

Again, we didn’t plan it that way; it just worked out that way. And it was about mid-season that I started hearing from fans and players, “You know, we kinda like the name the way it is.”

We’re gonna have team names. And I invite people to adopt those names too. But you can feel free to continue to call it what you’ve always called it. And we will be selling merchandise with both of those names. So these names aren’t going away because they have become popular. But for those of you who like team names, we’ll be addressing that as well.

...

JAYNA: ...Of course we feel like we have incredible talent on the ice every night now, but putting the best on the ice is about putting the best on the ice. And we know there’s a number of incoming players. So it will get more challenging. Good players will have a hard time making this league. But when you think about the product we’re gonna put on the ice? It’s gonna continue to get significantly better every single year as we welcome in newer and younger players. Then at some point we’ll look to add teams, when that depth of talent is at the right place in our minds. But right now it’s just exciting to look at all the new and fresh talent that’s going to step in.

--------------- WHAT CAN YOU DO TO IMPROVE DIVERSITY AND ATTRACT MORE BLACK FANS TO THE GAMES? ---------------

JAYNA: I think the first thing is representation. And we have some incredible athletes in our league that continue to be great role models, be active in their communities. And when you think of Sophie Jaques and Sarah Nurse and players that continue to give back and become something that young girls can look up to? I think all of our players do that for a lot of different communities of people.

And I think the one thing that’s really special about our league is- I feel it every game I’m at, it doesn’t matter what market we’re in, is that there’s a sense of inclusivity in our buildings. People are here and they’re excited and they’re happy and they feel welcome, regardless of who they are. And they feel free to be themselves. I’ve talked to many, many people that have never felt this way in a hockey rink. So we’ll continue to do that on the culture side.

I think what we want to do is continue to grow the game for young girls and I don’t think there’s any limits on who those young girls are. We want people to fall in love with the game. And I think we approach our business side and staffing side the same way. We want to bring people in who love the game and we want to bring people in that represent different communities.

--------------- WHAT ARE THE PLANS FOR NEW YORK TO POSSIBLY PLAY IN ONE VENUE INSTEAD OF THE THREE OR FOUR THEY USED THIS SEASON? ---------------

STAN: When the season is over we’re gonna review everything. Every city, every venue that we’re in, and we’re going to try to improve. We’re aware of the New York situation. It wasn’t ideal this year. But we’ll see what ways we can improve the situation. We’re not ready to say here today which way we’re going to go or what we’re going to do. But I can tell you that certainly one of the things we’re going to spend a lot of time looking at.

REPORTER: What do you guys think is the ideal venue situation?

STAN: The ideal venue situation is to play in the biggest NHL venue in every city. And merit playing there. We’re not always there yet in every market. But in big markets, as you might know, the big venues are there because there are a lot of events and a lot of teams in those cities. That gets into availabilities. We don’t want to be in a big venue, but have to play on a Tuesday morning, right? We wanna play on weekend nights or nights in general.

So it’s a complicated matrix of considerations that goes into where we choose to play, when we choose to play, what’s good for the team, what’s good for the visiting team, how we travel. It’s complicated.

It’s complicated with 6, it’ll be more complicated the bigger we grow and the more games we have. Those will be good problems, but we don’t ignore it. We’re thinking about all of it. And you saw in this year when we found an opportunity that we thought would work for our fans in cities where we could go to big venues, we did it. I would call them experiments and in general I’d say those experiments were all wildly successful.

--------------- WHEN CAN WE EXPECT NAMES AND LOGOS? ---------------

STAN: Sometime this Summer. I don’t have an exact time, but you should be counting the days.

--------------- HOW DID THE GATE RECEIPT REVENUE COMPARE TO WHAT YOU EXPECTED? ---------------

STAN: I will tell you that, yes, it exceeded what we thought we were going to- it exceeded our early projections. But that’s partially because we made the strategy decision to also greatly exceed our expected expenses.

Let me give you an example. You know how women’s hockey games have been broadcast in the past, right? Single camera from upstairs. It isn’t what we chose to do. We made the conscious choice to spend a lot of money to make it a major league professional broadcast. And I think all of you who watched our games would agree. That’s what we delivered. It was expensive. But we think it’s gonna pay off for us in the long run.

Additionally we didn’t hire three people and slowly build each franchise. We went right to 120 people by opening day and now we’re over 200 people. So that was a lot of expense that we didn’t expect right away, but we said, “you know what? We’re all in. So let’s do year 4 expenses in year 1.”

So yeah, and that resulted in a lot more revenue. And that’s why we think our decision to invest in the league, which is what I call expenses, was the right one. We’re on the right track. The investments we made are paying off.

--------------- WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT NEXT SEASON’S SCHEDULE, NUMBER OF GAMES, AND POSSIBLE NEUTRAL-SITE GAMES? ---------------

JAYNA: Well, in terms of number of games the league will go up to 30. And that’s in our CBA that 24 regular games in the inaugural season will move to a minimum of 30 next year. In terms of neutral site games, we do expect that there will be more of those next season. I don’t have a timeline for our schedule to be done yet, but we do expect more games, more neutral-site games next season.

--------------- WHAT WAS THE CONSENSUS ON THE OFFICIATING THIS SEASON IN THE LEAGUE? ---------------

JAYNA: I don’t know if you’ll ever get a collection of people that all agree on officiating in any sport, in any league. So we’re actually really happy with where we’re at.

We set out initially to find the best officials we could find. We worked closely with the NHL, the AHL, Hockey Canada, USA Hockey, to select the top officials. We obviously also adjusted the standard of play to this league. It’s not full body checking, but there is an increased level of physicality in the game. So I think we spent the early months of the season really trying to figure out where that line is and get people comfortable with it.

Now where we’re at I think players have figured it out to some extent. Of course not everyone’s going to agree on that. But the way I see the players playing the game now, and their awareness of positions they’re in, and to be ready for that physicality has changed. So, are we right there? We’re probably not right there yet. But we’re really happy with where we’re at, we think the officials have done an incredible job in the league this season.

--------------- ARE THERE PLANS FOR DRAFTED PLAYERS WHO MIGHT NOT MAKE THE PWHL ROSTERS? ---------------

JAYNA: I think trying to figure out what the right solution for that is in the short term is at the top of our list of things to do. You know, building one league in 9 months, but to build a whole ecosystem for hockey? It’s just not something that we can do right now. But we are thinking creatively around places that players could play if they don’t end up on our 23 or 26 player rosters next season. So it’s a bit of a work in progress. But in speaking to number of stakeholders there’s many many people that want to figure out a solution to this so that we can keep more women in playing the game at the highest level.

--------------- DO YOU LOOK AT THE LEAGUE AS A “WOMEN’S SPORTS” SUCCESS STORY OR HAS IT MOVED BEYOND THAT? ---------------

JAYNA: I think that we are very different from most men’s leagues. I think we’re very different than many women’s leagues. I’d like to see us stand on our own as a sports league. But in saying that I also believe that this time for women’s sports and the success of one feels like it’s a success for all. We’re all big fans and collaborate with folks in the WNBA and the NWSL, and it feels like we’re all working together to raise women’s sports. So I don’t know if that’s an appropriate answer, but I feel it’s a little of both.

--------------- HOW DO THE INVESTORS FEEL ABOUT THIS FIRST SEASON? ---------------

STAN: I have one investor, he is ecstatic.

...

--------------- WHAT IS THE POTENTIAL FOR DOING A BEST OF 7 GAMES SERIES IN THE FUTURE? ---------------

JAYNA: This is a little bit like getting asked about expansion 3 months in. Great question. Would I love to see a best of 7 series? We’re sitting here 1-1, you know of course I would. But I think we’re really excited about the format we have now. This is new for women’s hockey. Even the best players in the world who’ve won multiple Olympic gold medals have not played in a best of 5 series. I think we’re seeing that it’s challenging. There’s a lot of travel, there’s fatigue, the volume that they’re experiencing is huge

So I think we’re really good where we’re at right now. Somewhere along the line I could see us maybe expanding, but again, year 1? The two best of 5 series have been a really great format for us.

STAN: And that comes from someone who’s won 4 Olympic gold medals.

JAYNA: [laughing] I’ve never played in a best of 5 series either.

STAN: Exactly.

--------------- end of interview ---------------

[daftpatience]

Do you have any tips or advice for running an artists booth at a convention? I'm thinking about doing it eventually and been wanting to hear from people who have done it before :^)

yeah!!! lemme rattle off a few things off the top a my head also, pardon me 4 using amazon dot ca links for products that i mention. its just easy to find references that way (and often u can look up the brand and find their non-amazon store etc etc)

this got super long so im putting it under a cut!!

• join an artist alley group!! i'm in this artist alley discord and it is a fantastic place to get info about cons, table display ideas, manufacturer recommendations, etc. there are more than just this group out there and i think there are bigger ones but i personally really like this one ^u^ i make a ton of use of the display resources and manu recommendation channels!

• if you can afford it, be choosy about the events you apply to. there are a lot of cons out there that are fantastic, and a lot that aren't worth the trouble, and i don't necessarily mean small vs big cons. some of my fav events are smaller artist alleys local to me, and most of the artists i know avoid informa (fanexpo) like the plague. check out what other artists have to say about past events and keep an eye out for red flags: personally i find cons with really out of date/poorly advertised social medias and websites that have mismatched info are a warning sign of a mismanaged and not well attended event. • you don't need a lot of fancy display stuff to start, those sorts of things you can build up over time. im a fan of getting a ton of my display stuff from the dollar store >:)

when you're ready and need the space to display a good amount of art the main thing you wanna pick up is definitely something that gives your table some verticality, whether that's a pvc pipe style setup, pegboards, or modular cube shelving (we all used to use these big heavy grid ones until the plastic sheet covered ones came out and now we all use those. theyre cuter and lighter and fit better on a table and come in more colours yayay. im sure some people still like the grid ones since they fit gridwall accessories tho) there are lots of other ways to display stuff but these r what i am most familiar with. definitely helps to look at youtube and pinterest and discord groups for display ideas!!

another thing you will want to start is a tablecloth. not every con has their tables already covered! there are those plastic picnic ones at dollar stores, and you can thrift bedsheets/fabric too.

• depending on the type of display and art you do you'll need some way to attach signs/prints/charms/etc to your display. i just moved from blu-tack to magnets but i used to use sewing clips (back when i used the grid cubes) and before then masking tape. all of them are okay and cool! except blu-tack. don't make the same mistakes as me it adds like 40 whole minutes to teardown and it leaves gross oil on the prints after some time. evil

• if you don't have business cards you can make a sign with a qr code that links to you/your shop! there are lots of qr code makers online that u can even customize with images and colours and stuff. there will be people that wanna know how to find you again after a con!

• these days a lot of people don't bring cash to conventions and it's pretty vital to bring some sort of card reader or other digital payment method. most of us use square - they recently made it so that the phone app can accept tap! so you don't need to jump for the expensive physical readers. i've also got a paypal dot me qr code and my etransfer email (i think this is a canadian thing) on a lil sign on the table so people have lots of payment options. usually over 50% of my con income comes from non-cash sales!

• make sure to bring change!! we've forgotten in the past and done okay but it's always handy to be able to make change for people. you'll want a secure place to put cash as well, whether it's a locked moneybox that you keep out of sight or a place on your person (friend of mine uses a fanny pack!) you never wanna leave your table completely unattended but especially when it comes to the moneybox. if it's a multi day con this is an item you mustn't leave at your table overnight.

• keep count of your sales and expenses properly so that you can see how much you made at the end of the con. i really like spreadsheets but you can even just note it down in a book. here's a little example of one con for me:

• you'll want to make a checklist of stock and display stuff to bring, but don't forget to make a list of minor stuff like phone chargers and scissors and tape and glue and pens and paper. multiple types of tape and paper if possible. they don't feel super important until you're stuck because you forgot to make a price sign and have to get by with a sharpie and a napkin. don't let that be you!! dollar store sticky note pads are super useful for this type of thing.

• plan out your prices and do as much prep (counting, sign making, display planning, packing/sorting) as you can beforehand so that the event doesn't feel too stressful. make sure your merchandise is stored in an easily accessible way for you behind the table so you aren't scrambling or rummaging too much when people are asking for stuff!

• similarly, whatever you can leave out for people to just pick/grab themselves, the more of it you're likely to sell. things like stickers and charms are good for this - people like to touch stuff! and it makes it so you don't need to go fishing for items for people as frequently. generally i don't do this with more expensive items just to be safe.

• if you sell prints, people are gonna ask for sleeves to keep them safe, especially at outdoor events. sometimes people ask for sleeves/bags even if they dont buy anything. they're a good idea to have on hand and you can find em for pretty cheap online and for a bit more expensive at dollar stores (i use OPP bags. if you dont wanna use plastic you can always get paper bags/envelopes/glassine bags instead)

• a cushion for the chair is a good idea. lots of conventions have really uncomfy chairs. some folks even bring camping chairs instead!

• pack snacks/lunch/water/drinks/have lunch plans. if you have a table buddy that is able to run out for food that's always nice. you might be sitting but it uses a lot of energy to interface all day!! you'll be exhausted and hungry and it's gonna be important to get enough fuel for your brain to function properly. i genuinely would recommend juice/soda/coffee/energy dink alongside water and food if you wanna live, especially if its a multi day con. get good sleep on days between!

• if you're excited to do trades with other artists during the con, the general etiquette is to wait until later in the day/near the end when the crowds are winding down! it's always okay to ask if someone's doing trades, and don't be upset or press them if they aren't interested or have certain stuff they don't want to trade.

• speaking of con etiquette, depending on the type of vert you are (intro/extro) and or how much customer service experience you have, interfacing can be nervewracking. my general rule is that if they stop to look, i say Hello and let them browse. if they seem interested in my table i try and do some small talk. stuff like How are you/How's the event been for ya/compliments on their outfit/cosplay/merch they have on like pins etc are good! kids and old folks love this. as tiring as it is to do some of my favourite parts of cons is talking to nice people that like my art!! all the folks that say nice things about my work are what keep me drawing ;w; i keep my sketchbook with me to jot down/doodle nice and funny encounters just cus it makes me happy to look back on XD

• when it's teardown time try to put stuff away as neatly as you can. you might be tired and just wanna toss all your stuff into whatever it is you brought it in but i promise future you (especially next-con you) will be so thankful that you put all your price signs into one baggie etc etc.

• speaking of bringing and putting away merch - you'll need a way to get it all from your home/car to your table and back. lots of people use dollies and other types of utility cart (i can guarantee there are a bunch of those grandma grocery ones at your local thrift store!!) - i personally use a big luggage bag and a collapsible wagon, but back in the day we used to CARRY bin after bin of stuff from the car and back in multiple trips which i would NOT reccomend lol. not every convention hall is easily accessible or close to parking so not having to lift stuff if you can avoid it is gonna be vital.

[bananaofswifts]

Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour opening weekend: Tears, joy and ‘therapy’

Fans descend on Glendale, Ariz. (a.k.a. ‘Swift City’) for a long-awaited chance to commune with their pop icon, revel in her lyrics and express their true selves

By Emily Yahr

GLENDALE, ARIZ. — Taylor Swift had endless choices when deciding how to kick off her first concert tour in nearly five years on Friday night, a captivating spectacle that stretched over three hours and included 44 songs. After starting with a brief snippet of “Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince,” the namesake song to her 2020 Netflix documentary, she launched directly into “Cruel Summer.”

As the track’s hazy opening synth-pop beats blasted through State Farm Stadium, you could hear the gasps, with simultaneous shouts of “OH MY GOD!” barely heard above the ecstatic mayhem (and in some cases, heaving sobs) among the nearly 70,000 in attendance. Swift, resplendent in a shimmering bejeweled silver bodysuit and matching knee-high boots, beamed at the crowd, because she knew exactly what she was doing.

Swift fans believe that, in a parallel universe, “Cruel Summer” (the yearning anthem on her 2019 album, “Lover,” about a steamy and toxic relationship, with a chorus that demands you sing-scream along) was destined to be the song of the summer of 2020, released as a single as Swift planned to embark on a series of festivals called Lover Fest. Obviously, the global bummer of 2020 happened instead. Yet the obsession with “Cruel Summer” persisted, especially because Swift had never performed it live.

So this wasn’t just a song. For many, this was a stinging, subconscious reminder of how much we lost and what could have been. It was also a moment of pure, delirious joy — not only because of the thrill of hearing a beloved song live for the first time, but also because it’s clear that even one of the most powerful celebrities on the planet had felt all of that, too. It doesn’t seem like a coincidence that at the top of her first show on her Eras Tour — 52 dates of sold-out stadiums — she wanted to pick up right where she’d left off before the world shut down.

“I don’t know how to process all of this and the way that it’s making me feel right now,” Swift told the stadium when the song was over, her voice slightly shaking. Later, she added: “I’m really, really, really overwhelmed, and I’m trying to keep it together all night.”

ying to keep it together” has rarely applied to the 33-year-old Swift, who, nearing the end of a second decade as a professional musician, has ascended to a rare, glorified status as a once-in-a-generation pop star. She has no chill. After rising to fame with songs about her awkward, unpopular teen years, she now embraces cringe and earnestness. That’s part of the draw for her legion of fans, who see her as one of them. After Ticketmaster melted down during sales for the Eras Tour, the parent company’s chairman went on the defensive by pointing to the extreme demand, claiming that the number of people trying to buy tickets “could have filled 900 stadiums.”

The Swifties shelled out hundreds — sometimes thousands — of dollars for tickets and travel and descended on Glendale this weekend, determined to make the often harrowing process of ticket-buying a distant memory. The Phoenix suburb, which recently hosted the Super Bowl, could hardly contain its excitement. The mayor declared it would temporarily change its name to “Swift City,” and electronic signs on the highway encouraged safe driving with Swift puns: “CUT OFF? DON’T GET BAD BLOOD. SHAKE IT OFF.” “RECKLESS DRIVING? YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN.”

But that was nothing compared to the electric energy surrounding the stadium. To be a Taylor Swift fan is to learn to master the clues and secret messages that could be embedded in every lyric, public comment and social media post, no matter how opaque. To be a Taylor Swift fan is to always come ready, which includes devising the perfect outfit to wear to a concert, with unlimited options bestowed by the singer herself, who chose a tour theme, “eras,” that celebrates her past and present.

Being in the crowd was like being in a force field where all pretenses are gone; Swift’s music covers the spectrum of bubble-gum pop (which she refers to as “glitter gel pen lyrics”) to deep introspective poetry, and her concerts are a place where you can dance or cry to either. Swift has laid bare her own insecurities and emotions over 10 studio albums and more than 200 songs. Here, in her presence and among one another, fans become their truest selves.

Scanning the crowd, you could see countless sequins and bejeweled skirts and jackets, an homage to the “1989” era. There were also dark blue dresses with stars for “Midnights”; red heart sunglasses, a black bowler hat and a T-shirt reading, “Not a lot going on at the moment,” a shout-out to the “22” music video; dark lipstick and black leotards as a tribute to “Reputation”; lyrics scribbled down people’s arms in marker, something Swift used to do before every concert; and No. 13 painted on hands, another former Swift tradition, from when she was starting out as a country star.

“My inspiration is the Red Tour, one of Taylor’s iconic outfits, and I just wanted to re-create it,” said Giacomo Benavides, a 26-year-old content creator dressed like a circus ringleader who traveled from Peru for the show.

Some were even more specific: Olivia Jackter of Tucson, 26, wore a traffic-light get-up that displayed the phrase “I don’t know,” referring to a lyric from the song “Death By a Thousand Cuts.” Would non-Swifties understand it? Of course not. Did that matter? Of course not. “This was going to be my costume for Lover Fest. I’ve been waiting for this for years,” Jackter said.

A group of 20-something women attached plastic Easter eggs to white T-shirts with photos of some of their favorite “Easter eggs” and hints that Swift has dropped over the years. One man dressed in a cat costume as Swift’s newest pet, Benjamin. Two women whooped excitedly when they walked by each other in a line for food and saw that they wore matching floral dresses similar to what Swift wore to the 2021 Grammy Awards.

Another popular theme was “All Too Well,” the searing breakup ballad that recently got a second life when Swift released the updated 10-minute version. Lots of fans wore outfits displaying those lyrics. Ivan Hernandez of Phoenix sported a blue T-shirt that read, “Where’s the scarf, Jake?” — a reference to the song’s supposed subject, Swift’s ex-boyfriend Jake Gyllenhaal, and the lyric that suggests that he swiped her scarf.

“[My son] wanted to go to the concert, and he said, ‘Let’s wear outfits,’ and I was like, ‘Well, I’m not going to wear an outlandish outfit,’” said Hernandez, 46, whose 13-year-old son, Eli, was wearing an Eras Tour shirt they had bought at the merchandise stand Saturday afternoon before Swift’s second show. “So I just went online and started looking for something about ‘All Too Well,’ and this is the one that came up.”

Swift, who misses nothing, praised everyone for their effort from the stage.

“You have really outdone yourselves, guys. The way that you decided to show up to this concert, you really, really decided to show up,” she said, noting that she saw people dressed as mirror balls (from the song “Mirrorball”); willow trees (from “Willow”); and “sexy babies” (from “Anti-Hero” — and too complicated to explain). “I have seen, like, really amazing, specific visual representations of lyrics or weird online inside jokes that we have.”

“I was thinking about tonight and how special this is,” she added. “You have led me to believe, by you being here, that it’s special for you, too, so it’s really nice that it’s mutual.”

Swift’s unusually close relationship with her fans started back when she was a country artist, a genre in which singers are supposed to think of listeners as their peers. Swift always went a step beyond, chatting with fans on Myspace back before Nashville executives even knew what that was, and that connection has continued to this day.

In concert, Swift referred to the journey that she and her fans have taken together, like they’re a family. (The “four new members of the family,” she said, are the four albums she has released since her last tour.) She made no secret of the fact that she monitors fans’ social media activity, even dryly noting that her 2020 record “Evermore,” is “an album I absolutely love, despite what some of you say on TikTok.” (People on the platform are convinced that “Evermore” is her “forgotten child.”)

This is all why her bond with her fandom remains so strong. She connected early on to fellow teenage girls who inferred from society that their crushes and feelings and dreams were silly, only to find someone in Swift who took them seriously and who could articulate, in songwriting, what they didn’t even know they were feeling.

“By the time she’s done living through something and writing about it and releasing music, I’m living through it,” said Briana McReynolds, 32, of Phoenix, who showed up in a T-shirt covered in lyrics, as well as a purple streak in her hair to represent “Lavender Haze,” Swift’s latest single. Her best friend, Chris, accompanied her to the concert as an “emotional support Swiftie.” (“I’m doing my best,” he said.)

She’s just accidentally kind of written the soundtrack for my life,” McReynolds said. “She’s matured with all of us, or we’ve matured with her. So no matter what age I am, she can totally sing my heart.”

Caitlin O’Connor, 32, of San Diego came to the show with her mom; they have seen every Swift tour together for the last 15 years, and O’Connor makes sure to go multiple times.

“You don’t need therapy; you need Taylor Swift songs,” O’Connor said. Swift’s concerts, she explained, “are my happy place, and there’s nothing else like it. It’s the most natural high you could get in your whole life.” On her arm, she has a tattoo of lyrics from Swift’s “Treacherous”: “All we are is skin and bone, trained to get along.”

“I love that line. Really, at the core, everybody is human,” she said. “And that’s also the thing with Taylor Swift concerts: Everybody is really nice. … You bond over something immediately.”

Swift is highly aware of the world she’s built, and she doesn’t shy away from it. In a surprisingly direct admission, while introducing the song “Mirrorball,” from her 2020 album “Folklore” during an acoustic set, she reiterated to the crowd just how intensely she’s missed them over the past several years.

“I was thinking about how one of the songs that I wrote with you in mind during the pandemic was one of the first songs I wrote on ‘Folklore,’ and it was me writing about how badly I craved the connection that I feel from the care that you have directed my way,” she said. “I was trying to think of a sort of eloquent way to say that I love you and I need your attention all the time.”

The stadium quieted as she strummed and sang.

“I’ve never been a natural, all I do is try, try, try; I’m still on that trapeze, I’m still trying everything to keep you looking at me. ’Cause I’m a mirror ball. … I’ll show you every version of yourself tonight.”

And although she asked the members of the crowd for their attention, she didn’t need to; it was already there, and it always will be.

[h0ney-fiction]

The Bet Pt. 6

A/N: Happy New Year! We are back with a new, super long, super fun chapter! The tagging system is refusing to work with me so if you can see this, thank you for reading! As always, I would love to hear your feedback.

Word Count: 2,883

She told Kenny she would think about it.

Taylour was well aware of the arrangements of the roster on the road and didn’t think she was a prude, in any regard, but Eddie could make her face beet red with some of the stories she’s heard him spill over airline coffee. More times than she would like to count, she’s been stuck on a plane listening to him, Santana, Trent, and even Wheeler boast about their sexual conquests on and off the roster. 

Kenny and Taylour’s arrangement, while novel in the stipulation, wasn’t necessarily unusual. She always thought it was a playful benefit amongst two friends on the road. However, the possibility of going home with Kenny made it feel so much more than that.

On the night of the show, she wasn’t sure of her answer.

Before her last interview, Taylour found herself alone in the design room, deep in her thoughts.

Sandra walked into the room wearing her coat half-buttoned, preparing to close the room for the night.

“Taylour? What are you still doing here?”

Taylour shrugged, “Just thinking.”

Not wanting to pry, Sandra nodded.

“Well, if this helps, if you’re thinking about it you’re not going to give yourself an answer.”

Seeing the younger woman’s puzzled expression, she continued.

“If you think about something too much you’re going to end up in an endless loop weighing the pros and cons. You have to go with this, this, and sometimes even that,” She said pointing to her heart, gut, and then the sky.

Taylour stifled a chuckle at the older woman’s advice, “Wouldn’t that be dangerous to follow my heart and my gut all the time?”

Sandra shrugged, “Sometimes it’s not possible, the head can always get in the way of things. But I think it’s always worth trying.”

Taylour smiled. Somehow Sandra’s advice was everything that she needed.

She hugged the older woman goodnight and made her way to the media room for her final interview of the night. By the time things wrapped, Kenny and Adam were deep into their match with Nick and Matt. While she was tempted to stay and see the end, she was more than ready to take everything off into more comfortable attire. She waved a good night to the crew, thanked them for another amazing Pay-Per-View, and headed back to her dressing room.

No matter the venue, Taylour always decorated her dressing room. She had a carry-on dedicated to all the things she used to make the room cozy. It carried all the necessities but her most valued item was a wooden sign of her name. A woodworking fan gifted it to her at a convention and she carries command hooks in her carry-on just to hang it perfectly on the door of her dressing room at each venue.

So when she noticed it ever-so crooked to the side, her pace slowed. 

Taylour took her time getting to the door. Once there, she stood and debated if she wanted to open it or turn back around.

The main event was next so Maxwell was probably somewhere gearing up. 

Shawn usually tried to bag a groupie during the last hour of each show.

Wardlow was home with a sprained knee from the week before.

Taylour decided to take her chances and firmly grabbed the knob. She quickly opened the door. It was dark, but no one was there.

She exhaled the breath she didn’t know she was holding. She flicked on the light switch to reveal the room filled with lilies.

Her favorite.

She closed the door behind her, pressing her back against it as it closed. The sweet scent of the flowers filled her nose as she stood there, stunned. Her eyes roamed around the room and found a note nested in a bouquet on the coffee table. She approached and placed her hand over it nervously as if the envelope would explode at her touch.‌ Delicately, she picked it up. The envelope bared nothing but a burgundy wax seal on the back with the gold monogram MJF.

She carefully opened it to reveal a cursive handwritten note.  Taylour could smell a faint fragrance emitting from the note and brought it to her nose. She breathed in and smelled a woody, clean scent. She brought the note down and read it.

A car will pick you up after the show next week. 

Wear something sexy.

 - Maxwell

She laughed to herself, shaking her head, not knowing whether to be aroused or terrified. 

There was a knock at the door that nearly made her jump out of her skin.

Glancing at herself in the mirror, she inhaled a deep breath as she opened the door just enough to reveal the top half of her body. She was relieved to see it was Kenny, beaming with the belt over his shoulder. He was covered in sweat and panting, still catching his breath from the match.

I couldn’t wait. I had to know…” he trailed off. 

The young woman couldn’t help but return his smile.

“Yes.” She affirmed.

Somehow Kenny’s smile grew even wider.

His body betrayed him and he leaned down to kiss her. Taylour obliged but quickly backed away and looked at both sides of the hallway to see if anyone may have seen. Kenny didn’t care. He almost couldn’t resist the urge to continue and “celebrate” in her dressing room if he didn’t promise Adam.

Kenny pecked Taylour once more and turned to walk toward the men’s locker room. When he arrived, he saw Adam standing in front of the door; a belt in one hand and a half-drunk beer in the other.

“Where’d you go?!” The cowboy inquired as he approached within earshot, matching Kenny’s smile.

Kenny shrugged, “Just a victory lap.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Kenny’s home wasn’t what Taylour was expecting.

Thinking back, she wasn’t sure what she had in mind, but she was surprised to see palm trees sprawl around his property like a fence as they pulled into his driveway. She was even more surprised to hear the sound of waves crashing in the not-so-far distance.

“There’s a private beach that’s a three-minute walk from here,” He said, casually.

“We can take a walk later tonight if you want.”

Taylour just nodded, taking it all in.

Inside was more of what Taylour expected. Clean, and modest, with vast displays of various anime and video games. Not surprisingly, he had a dedicated gaming room with all of the latest games and systems.

They went upstairs and reached the bedrooms.

“This will be your room for the weekend,” Kenny said as he opened the door. It was a spacious room painted a calming grey with a tranquil blue bedspread that reminded her of the ocean.

An oh slipped through her lips that she didn’t realize she said until he gave her a concerned look.

“Do you hate it? I have three others you can choose from,” He said quickly, attempting to pick up her luggage, but she stopped him.

“No!‌” She exclaimed.

“It’s not the room,” She said, calmer this time.

“I just thought we would be…”

An oh erupted from Kenny’s lip as he began to flush.

“I-I wasn’t sure you wanted that.”

Feeling embarrassed, Taylour assumed they would share his bed during her stay. It wasn’t unusual for them to fall asleep in each other’s hotel bed.

They just never woke up together.

“I don’t want to make you do anything you’re uncomfortable with,” Kenny said to break the silence.

Taylour pressed against Kenny, pushing his back against the door frame. She kissed him. Kenny responded by wrapping his arms around her. They suckled and teased one another until Taylour broke away, giving Kenny a look of wanting.

“I do,” she affirmed.

Kenny picked up her luggage and began to walk down the hall to the master bedroom. He dropped her luggage and turned around to find Taylour in the door frame taking out her shirt. Her denim shorts soon followed.

It was going to be a great weekend.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Taylour woke up the next morning to the smell of fresh coffee. She opened her eyes to see Kenny sitting on the edge of the bed holding two coffee mugs. He was fully dressed, hair wet from the shower.

“Good morning sleepy head,” he teased. 

Taylour groaned and grabbed her phone from the nightstand to check the time. 9:15 AM.  She sat up and took one of the coffee mugs from him. 

“For most people, this is early for a Sunday,” she said after taking a sip.

“Not for me. I already worked out and had a phone interview today,” he returned.

“Do you ever take a break?”

“I‌’m taking one right now.”

The two finished their coffee in comfortable silence.

After breakfast and a shower, Kenny took Taylour for a ride around town. The neighborhood was covered lusciously in palm trees and other Florida greenery. The weather was warm, but the sweet breeze of the ocean kept things cool and smell like sea salt wherever you went. After a little while, he turned into a parking lot. Kenny glanced over to Taylour as they pulled in. Her increasingly pleasantly surprised face as he parked gave him great satisfaction.

“How did yo-”

“I remembered a promo you and Brandi did talking about figure skating together growing up.”

Figure skating was a foundational sport in Taylour’s upbringing. Like her sister, she started at the age of four and competed for over a decade. It was a sport that Taylour loved and missed being more active in. The promo that he was referring to was one of the first they filmed for the show. Taylour felt touched by his ability to recall. 

The pair walked inside and rented skates.

“I would have asked you to bring your pair, but that would have given away the surprise,” he said as they laced up.

Taylour shook her head, “That just means we have to do this again.”

It was an early morning on a Sunday so the rink was mostly empty. They took their time talking with the occasional kiss before making their way to the rink. They skated and talked for hours. Taylour found out that Kenny use to play hockey and that was his dream career before wrestling. In response, she let Kenny know she received a scholarship for figure skating throughout college and had dreams of going professional.

“Maybe we could have met each other under different circumstances,” Taylour said.

Kenny hoped so.

They continued to skate until their bodies grew tired.

“I’m starving,” Taylour said as they walked out of the rink. The Florida heat instantly warmed their bodies.

“There’s a Mexican place not too far from my place. We can walk there.”

“Only if we can walk on the beach afterward.”

“Call it a date.”

Taylour blushed at Kenny’s forwardness. Today felt like she was seeing a different side of him.

Kenny opened Taylour’s car door and they drove back to his house. They walked to the Mexican place which was a homey ma-and-pop shop. The guacamole was fresh and the tacos were authentic as the smell of carne asada filled the air. Kenny and Taylour ate their weight in tacos by the time they got to the beach. 

It was a warm night, as the moon made a crescent in the sky. They walked close enough on the shore for the waves to touch their feet, Taylour’s arm intertwined with Kenny’s. They stopped for a moment to admire the sky, filled with stars.

Kenny turned to Taylour.

“So‌ I’ve been thinking…” he began.

Taylour looked at him.

“What?”

He was slow to come to his words. He looked up to the moon and then back at her. Her skin was glowing as if the moon was bouncing its life off her skin. Her big brown eyes looked at him intently.

“What have you been thinking about?” Taylour inquired, snapping him back from his daze.

Finding it hard for the right words to come to mind, Kenny decided to speak from the heart.

“I don’t want us to do the bet anymore, Taylour.”

He cupped her face,

“I want to be with you without the stipulation. I’m tired of counting the days until I can see you again.‌ I don’t want to hide how I feel from anyone, including you, anymore. I want to fall asleep and wake up next to you. I want to be with you.”

Kenny was afraid that he wasn’t making any sense but Taylour’s soft smile graciously reassured him.

“Yes,” she said with the same ease she had the night she agreed to the bet.

He could still recall how nervous he was, just like he was now, to tell her what was on his mind. Yet she took it all in and managed to calm him down with just a smile.

He leaned and kiss her. Taylour parted her lips, letting his tongue explore hers as they melted into each other underneath the moonlight. Their feet were covered in sand as the waves crashed into their feet. They teased each other, nipping each other’s lips for a while before deciding to walk back home before things went too far.

They barely made it through Kenny’s front door before taking each other’s clothes off. By the time they reached his bedroom, everything was tossed off somewhere in between. Taylour’s body ached at Kenny’s touch, his lips tracing down her neck from behind. His hands were firm and taking his time grasping and playing with her breasts. He pinched her nipples, causing her to yelp in surprise but soon afterward moan in pleasure. 

Kenny wasn’t sure where to begin. He’s been fantasizing about this moment for so long that it almost felt too good to be true. At any moment he was going to be awakened to find himself alone in a hotel room. When Taylour took one of his hands and placed it over her wetness, it brought him back to the sweet reality that this was real. He rubbed his finger against it, teasing her. He moved his other hand from her breast to caress down to her thigh. Taylour’s moans grew louder, enjoying the fact that she doesn’t have to hold back. 

Kenny guided Taylour to the bed and have her sit on the edge. He got on his knees and spread her legs. He kissed her from her toes to her thighs, caressing her skin. He inserted a finger inside her sweetness and gently pulsed. Taylour leaned back, closed her eyes, and savored his touch. After a little while, she felt Kenny’s tongue against her sweetness causing her to throw her head back in pleasure. Her pants and breaths filled the room. With every moan of his name, Kenny rolled his tongue around her, causing her knees to shake. He pulled away and was met with Taylour’s hands cupping his face, meeting him halfway to kiss him. He felt stiff from her touch as she pulled him onto the bed on top of her, lying on her back.

Kenny nibbled her ear and then suckled on her breasts.

Taylour wrapped her arms around Kenny’s muscular back. She pressed him against her and placed her lips over his left ear.

“I want you inside me,” She whispered.

Kenny positioned himself inside her. In response, Taylour wrapped her legs around his hips. Wanting to take his time, he took deep slow strokes. Taylour’s moans and sweet nothings filled his ear, becoming more charged with every stroke.

Taylour moved her lips to Kenny’s mouth and kissed him with intensity. He could feel her hips tense underneath him, a signal she was close. 

He broke the kiss, breaking free from Taylour. She gasped at his strength to pull her on top of him in a straddle position and put himself back inside her. He quickened the pace of his thrust, causing her breast to bounce with every pump. Taylour’s moans became incomprehensible as her breaths shortened. He felt her orgasm ripple through her but it didn’t stop him. He slowed down his pace to just shy of what it was before. The feelings of pleasure took over and overwhelmed her body as she whined out his name over and over again.

Kenny came inside her soon afterward.‌ He let out a deep, low groan as his cock pulsated inside her. Taylour let out a soft moan, thrusting her hips up once more before pulling away.

She laid on her stomach beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. The two lay in lover’s bliss.

A few moments later, he could hear Taylour lightly snore, dozing off. Kenny gently slid out of the bed and went to collect their clothes. He picked up his phone from his shorts pocket and checked the screen. The clock flashed, 11:52 PM as he noticed an email thread between him, Brandi, and Tony debating on whether to sign a new wrestler. He decided he would reply in the morning.

He set his alarm for the morning and crawled back into bed with Taylour who already wrapped herself in the sheets.

She kissed her forward and pulled her close. He fell asleep but couldn’t dream because it had finally become a reality.

[magireco-minibang]

Here we go again!

ABOUT AND FAQ

What is a Mini Bang?

The Magia Record Finale Mini Bang is a fandom event for writers and artists, with the goal of creating collaborative work based on and inspired by the mobile game Magia Record (and its spinoff media).

Participating authors will each write a fanfiction of at least 5,000 words. Once the authors have decided on and submitted summaries for their work, the stories will be claimed by artists and matched. As the author works on completing their work, they will collaborate with the artist. Then, each artist will create at least one piece of accompanying fanart.

Once we reach the deadline, all fic writers and artists will 'reveal' their work, resulting in a 'bang' of MagiReco fan content.

How Does it Work?

Once signups open, authors will have until early September to complete a MagiReco fanfiction of at least five thousand words. A month into the writing period, they must submit an anticipated summary of their piece, and closer to the end of the event, they must submit a draft showing that at least two thousand words have been written.

A month into the event, summaries are received and posted publicly for artists to see. Artists then go through and pick the TOP 3 summaries they would like to draw art for most. We will do our best to get artists the summaries they prioritize highest, but it's very important they select three, because unfortunately giving everyone their number one pick is likely impossible.

Artists will be allowed to tell us pairings, squicks, triggers, tropes, ratings, characters, etc that they refuse to draw for, and they can also inform us if there are any participants they are not comfortable working with.

Once the posting period begins in early September, participants may post their works at any time throughout it. All of these will of course be reblogged to this blog!

Who is in charge here?

Mod Abarero (she/her, cis lesbian): This is my second time running a bang, but I've run several large fandom projects before. I've been playing MagiReco since August 2019, survived playing on both the NA and CN servers until closure and still play regularly on the JP Server.

Tumblr: @abarero

Twitter: abarerokitty

Discord: Abarero

FAQ:

What can I write?

Whatever you want as long as it's Magia Record. This means it must focus on elements that are specifically Magia Record related (those original characters or Holy Quintet in MR-specific world/premise)

There is no rating restriction (but you must be CLEAR about the rating when submitting your summary, and participants under eighteen cannot write or draw for mature fics). Alternate Universe is acceptable, as is crossover as long as the focus is primarily on the MagiReco cast.

Finished fics must be posted on A03. If you do not have an A03 account and need one, let me know.

Finished fics will also be added to a MagiReco mini-bang collection.

Can anyone participate?

Yes, absolutely. Just sign up.

What happens if there are more writers than artists?

In this admittedly likely scenario, there will be a section of the artist signup form that asks if you are willing to complete art for more than one fanfiction.

If you are, please let us know (tentatively, this does not have to be set in stone) how many you think you can do. It is perfectly fine if you can only do one, but we appreciate anyone willing to help out by doing more than one.

Can I do something that isn't fanart? Cosplay, gifs, graphics, or fanvids?

Yes you can! However, there will be a section on the form for writers for if they'd prefer only fanart, or they'd be willing to collaborate on another medium. Please do sign up though!

Can I sign up as both author and artist?

Yes. Definitely. Just select both on the form!

CONTENT GUIDELINES:

• ALL work must have sensitive content labeled.

This includes the standard A03 labels (Graphic Depictions of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage), as well as anything else you may deem necessary. Please do not just label something 'dead dove, do not eat!' You must explain what the dead dove is. All pairings present must also be labeled.

• As mentioned earlier, mature content is okay, but participants under eighteen cannot write or draw for it.

Other notes:

* It is required that participants join the official mini-bang discord to help communication between artists, writers and mod.

* If you participated in our Spring Mini Bang, you must be complete with that project before September 1st. (If you formally dropped, you are welcome to rejoin)

* If your story is a chapter fic, you do not have to post it all in one go. If you have a longer fic and want to space out chapters on a weekly basis starting in September, feel free to do so.

[emblazons]

Honesty Hour: I am literally never going to understand “Duffer doubt” or full abject disappointment in them as show runners…and it’s because their story makes sense.

Like. The fear for queer rep thing I understand completely, but so far, even with how little I resonated with S3 or S4-2 at first…they are solid writers with a sense of both direction and their audience, and I have no core issues with what they’ve presented.

Forewarning: pettiness, byler doubt (only mentions for context) & potential elitism idk (it’s also a little long lmao)

This idea The Duffers are gonna drop every single thing they’ve set up from the get go to accommodate the most surface level, least in-character storyline “because heteronormativity” is absolutely insane to me. The idea that, after setting up FOUR SEASONS of buildup, they’re going to kill off the primary protagonist of S1 and drop every single character lesson / core narrative to shove the YOUNGEST CHARACTERS in the gd show into a Disney fantasy marriage is crazy. I literally don’t even know how to imagine them doing that—not because it has never happened in a show, but because hearing them talk about ST makes it clear it’s BEEN mapped from the get, and they have explained clearly why certain things went the way they did in their own way.

Noah got cast on a monologue from a second season before they even have a confirmation of its existence, and character traits we are just pulling on now in characters like Mike (his insecurity especially) are written CLEAR AS DAY in the PITCH OF THE SHOW. Every single sign people on THIS LITERAL APP have pointed to for Y E A R S before S4 that Will was gay turned out to be right, and there has been, from the very first moment Netflix picked this thing up, a 25 page document where they broke down the UD lore.

Where on literal earth are people getting that they have no idea what they’re doing? Or that the lore people point to as foreshadowing is gonna get thrown out the window in the final season of the show? I get being nervous or anxious that your favorite character might not get all the time you want, or even being afraid that they won’t dig into all the things you want personally, but…the idea that two self-proclaimed film boys who were as into their inspirations as we are their show are going to undermine their own narrative integrity to pull a 180 on every theme they’ve set up from the get go and start killing off characters who are front and center in the “we tell the stories of the outcasts as a fuck you to the people who make media we think sucks” narrative? I’m gonna need you to be serious.

As a long time fan and fandom consumer of television, and someone who had to live through being invested in Game of Thrones, I am saying with my whole chest that the doubt is entirely emotional rather than based on anything objective that the duffers have said or done.

They’re not D&D from GoT, who were great ADAPTORS but who just started winging it because they didn’t have completed source material from GRRM. They aren’t the Voltron writers who had a good premise but mixed it all up because of firing their best writers and then caving to fandom nonsense. They aren’t the supernatural writers, or the Sherlock writers who set up an ongoing joke without the follow through people expected. They are the Duffers. And while their writing style is nothing like what I would do, they are telling a story that I can follow and respect until proven otherwise.

All this talk about “mistakes” and the like, even with queer rep. Like??? They released this show in 2016, and the last several years in its country of origin have been absolutely steeped in a horrifying level of bigotry both sociopolitically and in media. Stranger Things was released the same year Tr*mp was elected, and still managed to stand in abject criticism of every value on display in American conservatism ever since.

The push and pull of what was “allowed” in media because of the cultural insanity & bigotry that moved to center stage in the United States makes it clear why they didn’t bring their queer storyline to the fore at first glance and just put it in the subtext—to tell the story without being undermined by the “two seasons and cancelled” era of Netflix before it got huge (because, as we all know, Netflix and cancelling shows is a huge problem for many writers to this literal day) and to keep the bigots on main from noticing it until the train was too fast to stop. That’s what we’re dealing with now—a lot of people yelling loudly on places like Reddit, expecting to be consoled in in their homophobia and bigotry, because now Stranger Things is popular and far along enough to start saying the quiet part (that has ALWAYS been there) out loud.

Hiding the queer storyline in the subtext is something people have done in tv and film for DECADES anyway, and in literature for CENTURIES before that…but somehow the fact that it wasn’t made explicit until the fourth season invalidates it? Or makes it suddenly a reason to call into question the integrity of the entire show, or to let some random m*leven shipper undermine your sense of what makes a good story (which is also what matters most to the “we don’t listen to Reddit, and we regret focusing more on fan theories than our plot” duffers)? Once again: I’m gonna need you to be serious.

All I’m saying is that the way some people in this fandom are willing to believe and agonize over the takes of 18-19 year old actors or a random twitter account or YouTuber instead of listening to the creators of the show + looking at cultural context and how queer stories have been told for eons is crazy. It reeks of immaturity insecurity and media illiteracy, and gives two guys who have put a lot of time and (ADMITTEDLY IMPERFECT) effort into a show that remains one of the best told stories (despite network interference) in recent memory.

I get being nervous. I get being suspicious. But critical consumption & media literacy is more than just theorizing about what things mean or watching what inspired The Duffers. Stop looking at social media posts and randoms for information and start paying attention to the people who MAKE the things you’re so emotionally attached to in their context. I am literally begging at this point.

[the-s-exy-squad]

I have so many headcanons about all for the game and the parts of everyone’s lives that weren’t discussed in depth. Also a few oc/canon character interactions yk. (Another post bc I am not adding it to this today)

To start off, things about canon characters.

I don’t think the entire reason Neil stayed was bc Andrew and Exy. I think he decided at some point whether it be subconsciously or not that even if it results in death, he wanted to help the people who treated him the best. He wanted to make sure that they were better so that he’d have the comfort of knowing that in his last moments when his dad finally caught up to him. He was the foxes team captain and lead most of the practices until he left palmetto and got signed to a pro team with Andrew. They lived together and everything.

Nicky still have spurts of depressive episodes around thanksgiving for sure and during random times bc he feels guilty. Andrew wouldn’t have been there if he didn’t ask Neil to get him to go. Andrew snaps at him once about how it isn’t his fault and he didn’t hand him on a silver plater to drake and that even though he wanted him to go, it wasn’t like he KNEW. Which would also mark the first time Andrew openly talks about the shit drake did to him. He eventually goes back to Germany but makes sure to stay in contact with everyone so he doesn’t miss them too much and can make sure they’re staying out of trouble.

Andrew gets better. He still struggles with his feeling and emotional control but it’s gotten to where he knows his limits and the little tells that his body gives him in regards to what he needs to do to calm down. Mostly includes alone time with Neil and Neil touching his shoulders or hair. I also like to believe that one day he forces himself to budge on his touch boundaries. They start off small like one of Neil’s hands on his arm and when he gains a positive association (Neil) with that touch they do another. I also like to think that he goes back to criminal Justice and gets a career as a social services worker or juvenile court lawyer. He wouldn’t want any kid to get some shitty ruling like he had with the meds and he’d be trying everything he can to ensure it doesn’t go that way bc fuck he knows those meds didn’t do shit but make him find stupid shit funny.

Kevin goes to pro obviously and that’s his entire life. He gets traded to a team and agrees to go because it’s the same city Aaron is a doctor in. He missed his college team and despite how he disregarded their well-being over exy, he hopes they’re doing good. He and Neil still stay in contact and occasionally taunt each other on social media that the fans go WILD for. Andrew rarely pops in with some embarrassingly clumsy thing Kevin did in college or a picture of him half asleep during a practice HE scheduled and the fans eat it up.

Aaron leaves the state and goes to a city that was hiring for doctors. During his intern/probationary period, he would work 3- 12 hour shifts a week and usually pick some up as well because he didn’t like having entirely empty days. When Kevin moved to that city to play exy Asron debated letting him stay in his apartment bc he’d have social interaction and he closer to someone on the team again. I read in a fic once and I absolutely love this idea: Neil is still working on fixing their relationship by making them have calls. I edited it a little to be at least 10 minutes once a week instead of however long once a month.

I think Matt would (since he majored in business administration) just go get a job at some big corporate business of some sort. He’d be the funny work friend guy and a lot of people would ask questions about college and how he and the team get during the whole thing with the ravens to which he’d laugh and say something light hearted about the situation. Even though they asked, they still treated him great and never brought up his life before palmetto.

Renee on god I love this so much. Since she’s adopted, I think she’d start a summer camp for kids in foster care and adopted kids so they didn’t feel alone. I feel like it would be the same way a Christian summer camp is but that wouldn’t be the priority at all. She’d mention it a few times as camp Dean and they’d pray before meals (if kids didn’t want to partake that was entirely fine), but the main thing for the camp is to be able to feel less alone and gain some friendships through exy and religion just like she was. I love this idea sm and it is entirely based off a camp I went to when my dad got full custody of me that was entirely for kids in bad homes or in distaste/was in distaste and adopted.

I think Dan starts her own little league exy team and would take the team to the camp. I just don’t see her slipping out on letting her team go to a camp that’s p much CENTERED around Exy but also super fun and nice and also missing out of her friends.

I believe Allison would also work at camp with Renee bc she thinks that if there’s support at a younger age, kids won’t turn to drugs. When the camp isn’t open, She runs a non profit organization for helping families with struggling kids to work through finding ways to support them. (She would very clearly state she is not a psychologist but she does have a thing for helping people see things through their kids eyes and emotions) she runs a small fashion and clothes/accessories business that she uses for funding the non profit that allows for more people to have a chance at getting assistance through her or other programs. A lot of the kids she works with through her non profit go to Renee’s camp since she can send a majority of them through her business profit. The ones she doesn’t send have stated their stance on it and would rather not go. (Usually it was for it being too overstimulated and/or anxiety about being away from home or with a bunch of strangers).

I DEFINITELY want to believe that since Exy is one of the main topics of this camp, Kevin, Neil and the rest of team go visit for a few summers when they can. Matt would even save up his vacation days so he could go. It’s like a annual reunion with the team (Nicky would call and be on call with them every second he isn’t working or something if he can’t go back to the states to actually be there). All the kids that knew of exy previously would be jaw dropped that the entire team that beat the ravens were standing in front of them.

As for Seth, I think he didn’t cross over yk. I think he decided to stick it out until his found family was happy so he can say he’s seen them happy before he goes to the after life. I think he’s been with them since his death and the beginning broke him. Seeing Allison miserable and so broken. I guess he just wanted closure on their closure. Seeing everyone together and smiling as they played Exy with kids left him feeling genuine joy her never thought he would. They were still foxes, the disfunctional, and emotionally stunted college kids that he knew, but they were happy.

This doesn’t really fit into the the previously stated ones but I think when his old teammates going to interviews he fucks around behind them bc cmon. He would. He’s dead nobody’s gonna see him 😂 and always adds in his own two sense about the situation. He’s also joked several times about his death bc what’s gonna happen? Ghost therapy?

[911-on-abc]

same anon here! no hate on needing to take a break before finishing summer sons <3 i happened to read it at possibly THE most perfect moment of my life, so it sunk it’s claws in and never let go. i keep forgetting that not everybody can experience it like that. i will say, based on how you described the other book you said was similar, you may be surprised by summer sons— it leads with a simple premise, and manages to be so much more. i describe it to my friends as like three different stories masquerading as one. i like to think i’m not super emotionally affected by things but that story breaks me a little if i stop to think about it (and the implications) for long. i’m not sure if you’ve read the raven cycle (if not, you should), but some aspects of the storytelling are comparable for good reason. also, if you don’t like cars now, you might find yourself with a newfound appreciation after finishing it. shit was partially responsible for sending me headlong into car obsession, now i’m trying to buy a mustang that i can rip apart to put a big engine/supercharger combo in to fit my even bigger ego. i’m very broke. it hurts. Lee Mandelo open the door i just want to talk. peace and love.

I totally get what u mean about a book hitting u at the perfect time of your life. I have a few books that I come back to over and over again just to recapture the feeling I had during that first read, you know?

omg I was a HUGE raven cycle fan back in the day (who am I kidding, I have multiple signed copies of Maggie Stiefvater's books, I'm still a fan asdfghk). I actually heard that the author was influenced by TRC and read an essay he wrote analyzing it! From what I've read, Andrew definitely radiates some Ronan energy. Also, I love Maggie Stiefvater's magical realism (for the lack of a better term) and I've been so so hungry for more media that is able to capture that same, almost liminal, magic.

also it's kind of funny that you asked if I like cars or not because I am very very much a car girl. like my first car was a classic that I worked on as a kid. my dad literally gifted me merch from an auto equipment company this past christmas asdfghjui.

I have no interest in street racing through :/ Where I'm from the car culture is very much about cruising and lowriding and showing off the bodywork you've done vs. going all high octane (no disrespect, it's just not for me, and, besides, once you experience the torque of an electric motor there is nooooo going back -- fuck tesla and their shitty cars though, they are excluded from this conversation)

anyways... I will definitely be picking the book up again in the near future, so I'll keep u updated on what I think!!

[thisiskatsblog]

harry & louis have clearly broken up and it's time to accept that, my guess is 2014, early 2015 & they kept the larry shit up until 2016 (the coded messages or whatever) to keep us from being disappointed by it but now it's time to just let it go, they clearly don't want us in fandom and have made that clear time and time again, and it's not good or healthy for lgbtq+ people to stan people who clearly dislike them (both have shown signs they dislike larries, harry recently with his actions ie. taking known larrie things and using them in different contexts like giving his blue bandana to his friend, saying songs we associate with larry is about gemma, etc. and louis with another denial, it's obvious they've been showing contempt for us), it's healthy for all of us lgbtq+ people to just let them go and find other celebrities to focus on, it's torture to stan someone closeted when you're lgbtq+, it's not good for our mental health, even you are stressed and struggling with it so larries need to stop encouraging people to become part of us and just leave for our own good and the good of our mental wellbeing, harry and louis are evil villain gays and have made their beds, now they need to lie in them, we supported them, we created a safe space (despite interviewers and media and others claiming it was harry lol no honey that was all us), we made (most) of the fandom lgbtq+ friendly (you can hear that by the cheers and screams harry gets when he says "we're all a little bit gay" and does gay shit on stage etc) yet they still haven't or won't come out despite all we have done to prove it's safe and welcome for them to do so, whatever we have done is not enough and it never will be so we need to put ourselves first and stop investing our time, energy and money into them.

That’s one way of explaining things for yourself but I’m not sure if it’s the only way or the best way.

There’s definitely been references to a relationship between Louis and Harry since 2016 and in the years after that I actually did have the impression the support was much wanted. There has since been a shift, for sure, but it’s really up to every individual LGBTQ person in this fandom to decide how they want to deal with that.

To be honest, I’ve been receiving anons trying to stop me from “queerbaiting LGBTQ fans into a hostile environment” since long before 2016. But that was and still is a complete misunderstanding of the situation (and of what queer baiting is for that matter). No one lured in the LGBTQ fans. They were already here.

And the safe space that we’ve created, together with Harry, and with Louis - because I think their seemingly positive reactions certainly helped - that’s something I believe we did for those LGBTQ fans first and foremost. It was a positive and constructive outlet for all the frustrations which made the space safer for us.

And yes, we did “our part”, we did so much. If they haven’t come out it doesn’t mean we didn’t do enough. That’s not how coming out works, at all. Creating a safe space doesn’t create any obligation for any queer person to anything.

“Every queer person has the right to come out on their own terms and on their own timeline. They also have the right to choose not to come out at all.”

I repeat: if they haven’t come out,it doesn’t mean we didn’t do enough.

We know that we did, we know we did the right thing, and we know we did all we could.

If the “results” are disappointing compared to the expectations that may have (inadvertently) been created then that is sad, but I don’t believe it deserves anger.

What is more, i really think what we did made a big difference, for so many people in the fandom and, I believe, also for them. Harry picks up flags night after night. Louis’ shows has rainbow lights.

I honestly think that the rainbows in the fandom gave them a means to express themselves in a way that feels comfortable to them without having to say the words and if that is the case then I really think that is valuable.

But again - it was never just about them - it was always for queer fans first and foremost and those queer fans have become so much more visible and so much more comfortable in this fandom. And I think that is really valuable too.

Also I don’t agree that rainbows mean “it’s safe to come out”. It is safer. It never is completely safe. That’s societal homophobia for you. People have many reasons not to come out.

So I think every LGBTQ person in this fandom should make an assessment for themselves: does being here make me happy or not .

If it doesn’t, then by all means, draw your line in the sand.

[onmytape]

please do tell about the pg cougars

okay i’m kissing you on the mouth rn for asking. i’ll try to be chill about this

in general the team is very close. partially bc prince george is so much further from other teams so travel is longer and also bc there’s nothing to do in pg and it’s so isolated from other cities so they basically just spend a lot of time with each other. something about being the joke of the league makes you closer��idk. the team this season has been the best they’ve been in a long time. they made it to round two of the playoffs for the first time in 17 years this season (only to be swept by seattle) but they’ve been fun to watch! and they have two top prospects that will be drafted in june. 

here's the notable players from this season. i was going to make a separate post for wheaty/wiebe to beg dallas/anaheim fans to like them next season but whatver. I can’t wait. 

chase wheatcroft #29 (from calgary, ab) was traded a few times and had a mediocre juniors career and went undrafted. winnipeg traded him in the 2022 offseason to pg because they had other 20 year olds and couldn’t keep him, but everyone likes to bring up that he was traded for a fourth round pick and then became one of the whl's top scorers. he’s said that he didn’t fit into the role winnipeg wanted for him, which was an older, enforcer type. he’s a lover, not a fighter. Even though pg has a reputation for being a physical, dirty team, he was a perfect fit. they gave him an “a” and the team and city loved him. literally so humble. he was a favourite for media stuff and the post-game show. he was signed by dallas in march.  

jaxsen wiebe #22 (moose jaw, sk) another undrafted overager, wiebe was also traded a few times. he won the ed chynoweth cup with edmonton last year. He’s a bit of a short fuse and is hated by most whl fans. before getting traded to pg he had five suspensions over three years for a total of 18 games. A lot of dirty hits/fights and generally a poor attitude, yelling at refs and fans, etc. he was suspended on his last team when he was traded in november but eventually he became really well liked in pg. eventually he and wheaty were put on the same line (the team socials call them wiebecroft) and wheaty tamed him...???and taught him how to love...<???idk??. he was invited to and attended the columbus dev camp in 2022 and he was signed by anaheim in march. during the playoffs he was kicked out of game three against seattle for a hit on colton dach and given a suspension so he didn’t get to play his last whl game. 

dynamic duo - riley heidt #27 (saskatoon, sk) and koehn ziemmer #13 (mayerthorpe, ab) are two forwards projected to go first round/early second round in the draft. Both were drafted to pg (ziemmer in 2019, heidt in 2020) and have played their whole junior careers there. despite technically being draft competition, they’ve been dubbed the “dynamic duo” because of their linemate chemistry. theoretically heidt is the playmaker and ziemmer scores the goals but in reality heidt's a princess and ziemmer is his enforcer. they played on opposite teams at the chl prospect game.

ethan samson #4 (delta, bc) was drafted by the flyers in 2021. unanimously voted the captain by the team in 2022 and totally deserves it. looks like he could kill you (and he could) but he also pats his teammates heads like mama duck when they score. was invited to 2022 wjc camp but didn’t make the team. part of the trio.

Honourable mention: goalies (the "ty's") tyler brennan #30 (winnipeg, mb) drafted to new jersey in 2022, ty young #33 (coaldale, ab) drafted to vancouver in 2022. brennan was the third goalie for canada's u18 team in 2021, also invited to the 2023 wjc team camp but didn't make the cut. part of the trio.

blake eastman #28: the third and final part of the “trio” with samson and brennan. he’s not the best player, a fourth liner. not tough enough to be an enforcer but he is definitely a shit disturber. has never blinked in his life. Eastman is the only one of the trio that wasn’t drafted and no pro team has taken interest in him. the trio was all drafted to the whl in 2018 and have played their entire junior careers in pg. samson and brennan will be moving on next year and it’s highly unlikely the cougars will keep eastman as one of their 20 year olds. i firmly believe he could be the new mascot. If he’s not already. 

the team vibes:

[alexandcrfm]

*      & .    〔    joe keery,   cismale,   he/him    〕    alexander russell is   a   thirty    year   old   superhuman   known   to   be   passionate   and   cheerful,   yet   awkward   and   cautious   at   the   same   time.   rumor   has   it   they’re   a   civilian   who   has   power mimicry   abilities    —    you’d   never   guess   it   when   you   see   them   working   at   new york presbytarian  as   a   doctor.   apparently   they’re   always   listening   to   someone new   by   hozier,   which   makes   sense   since   they   kind   of   also   remind   me   of   neatly organised video games,  saying every line of your favourite movies, and seeing good in everyone.    

BASIC INFO

name: alexander russell nicknames: alex age: 30 gender & pronouns: cismale, he/him sexuality: bisexual occupation: doctor for new york presbytarian ability: power mimicry. when within a few meters of a superhuman, he is able to copy that person’s powers and keep them indefinitely. however, he can only maintain one person’s power(s) at a time, and if they’re abilities that require skill to use well, he will behave as though he’s new to the abilities until he’s learned how to use them. additionally, his control over his power is currently tied to his emotions, as he doesn’t know he has it. if he is particularly emotional and within range of a superhuman, he is likely to pick up on their power without realising it.

BIO

alex’s parents agreed to enter him into project echo for the money a little before he was born. they’d always wanted a child and were extremely happy to be having one, but they weren’t doing well financially and knew a child was only going to worsen their finances.

when alex showed no signs of any extraordinary powers, he was considered a failed test subject and his parents swore to never tell alex what they’d agreed to have done to him. as far as they knew, nothing had even come of it and they were just a little richer. it didn’t seem like it would be an issue

they raised him well and were amazing parents. the money helped them a great deal, and alex lead a good, mostly normal childhood

he was bullied horribly in school for his nerdy interests like sci-fi movies, reading, comics, etc., for being considered a know it all, and for being considered ‘strange’. he became quieter because of this, only seeming to come out of his shell and talk about his interests with those he loved and/or deeply trusted for most of his childhood. more recently he’s become a lot less ashamed of the things he loves and is more openly himself.

has always been a big fan of superheroes but still acknowledges that superpowers can be dangerous in the wrong hands. still, he thinks that everyone is capable of good and doing good and he admires those who were once in the liberty league; they saved people and made the world a better place.

went into medicine so that he could also do good and help the world be a better place like those heroes, or like the fictional characters he admires in his favourite media. he had the smarts and the passion, and although he knew it would be a long, tough journey, he knew that the outcome would be more than worth it.

is now a really good doctor. he’s gentle and understanding, and he has the knowledge he needs to do the best job possible. he really cares about his patients and wants what’s best for them.

MISC

autistic

hobbies include: gaming, drawing, reading. would love to get into dnd but is too shy to find people who’re interested in playing

if you get him talking about his interests, he could go on and on for hours. he has so much love and passion that he might never shut up

is working through the process of loving and accepting himself. it’s a hard road, but he’s getting there. fake it til you make it!

believes everyone is capable of good and everyone is worthy of love.

as mentioned above, he doesn’t know about his powers! hanging around other supers is going to be Very Stressful and Confusing for him

i don’t have any specific wanted connections for him but i’m definitely open to ideas! friends, exes, ex bully, etc. anything goes!

[sinceileftyoublog]

Yakuza, Oxbow, & Sybris Live Show Review: 2/25, Thalia Hall, Chicago

Yakuza's Jerome Marshall & Bruce Lamont

BY JORDAN MAINZER

For two Chicago bands, Sunday night was all about reflection. First and foremost, local metal legends Yakuza were there to celebrate 25 years of existence. They first caught the eyes and ears of listeners with their independently released debut album Amount to Nothing before signing to a label for 2002's Way of the Dead, an album that truly introduced them as a hard rock band with elements of avant-garde and jazz. On Yakuza records, folks like Ken Vandermark and Fred Lonberg-Holm would rub elbows with members of Mastodon; founding member Bruce Lamont, the lead singer and saxophonist/clarinetist, was the tying thread between the musical worlds. Yakuza steadily released records for the next 10 years before taking a decade-long break, while Lamont would stay active, playing saxophone, participating in bands like Bloodiest and Corrections House, and tending bar at Empty Bottle. Finally, last year, Yakuza picked up where they left off with Sutra (Svart), a record that again dipped its toes into seemingly disparate genres--thrash, prog, free jazz--and managed to churn out a cohesive stew.

From left to right: Marshall, James Staffel, Lamont, Matt McClelland

Sunday night, the Sutra songs sounded among the best, standing tall with Yakuza's back catalog. Set opener "Capricorn Rising" gradually built into a chug, Lamont alternating between sax flourishes and a chanted vocal. Matt McClelland's brawny guitar carried "Burn Before Reading". In general, the rhythm section--bassist Jerome Marshall and drummer James Staffel--provided steadily swirling noise to contrast the unpredictability of McClelland's riffs and Lamont's incantations. Perhaps the most moving moment of the night was when Lamont, visibly choked up, dedicated a song to the late Mars Williams, a fellow Chicago area journeyman saxophonist who passed away late last year.

McClelland

Lamont, Staffel, & McClelland

Lamont, Staffel, & McClelland

Sybris' Shaun Podgurski and Angela Mullenhour

Speaking of decades of inactivity, how about Sybris? The local stalwarts, who have released only two records, 2005's self-titled LP and 2008's Into the Trees, played their first Chicago show in 10 years last summer and are now gearing up to release their long-shelved third album Gold on Hold (Absolutely Kosher), recorded in 2011. It's very easy to play "what if?" with the four-piece, as their unique mix of epic, feelings-heavy indie rock and nervy rhythms could have seen them further soar among beloved sounds and bands of the 2010s: the early 2010s emo revival, the late 2010s post-punk revival, Screaming Females, and Hop Along, to name a few. On Sunday, they primed the passionate crowd with clear old favorites, like the jagged "Hurt Hawk", country-tinged burner "Burnout Babies", slow love song "Blame It On The Baseball", and the thunderous "Something About A Darkhorse Or Whatever". As if to whet our appetites for what's to come, they ended their set with two Gold on Hold tracks: the unreleased "Dance" and driving album opener "Watermelon". For music fans all over the globe, Gold on Hold should be one of the more anticipated upcoming releases of the remaining year.

From left to right: Podgurski, Mullenhour, Clayton DeMuth, Phil Naumann

Naumann

Podgurski, Mullenhour, Naumann

From left to right: Oxbow's Dan Adams, Eugene Robinson, Greg Davis, & Niko Wenner

In between the two Windy City phoenixes? None other than San Francisco experimentalists Oxbow, who used the most of their 40-minute set, not limiting the sensory experiences and media to just music. Indeed, for five-plus minutes, they played a short film, whose images, sound-tracked by a droning instrumental, repeatedly cut to black, as if they were pulsating. All this time, they were burning incense. When guitarist/keyboardist Niko Wenner, bassist Dan Adams, and drummer Greg Davis finally entered the stage, they launched into the pseudo funk of Thin Black Duke highlight "A Gentleman's Gentleman". Eventually, vocalist Eugene Robinson sauntered on and did what he does: screech and wail devastating lyrics, his voice raw as hell, and expressively dance and convulse. Similar to Yakuza, Oxbow's most recent songs, from last year's Love's Holiday (Ipecac), sounded the most fresh and urgent: "The Night the Room Started Burning", "Icy White & Crystalline", and "Lovely Murk". The album version of the last one features Kristin Hayter, who Robinson made sure to mention was not there but is playing Thalia Hall in a couple months. Nonetheless, Wenner admirably filled in, emulating her soulful vocal turn. And the band took time to remember another experimental genius and collaborator who passed last year, Peter Brötzmann, but made sure to take advantage of Lamont's saxophone prowess, having him fill in on tempo-changing freak-out "Cat and Mouse". (Though "Cat and Mouse" was released on their sophomore album King of the Jews, their live version with Brötzmann has become well known.) While the three bands who played on Sunday might have constituted an odd group on paper, all share one of the preeminent qualities of good performers: unbridled passion.

Robinson

Robinson & Wenner

Wenner & Robinson

[wahlpaper]

Gender Queer Review

Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe

CW: Naked Bodies, Talk and Depiction of Sexual Interactions, Depiction of Pap Smears, Medical Trauma, Blood, Body Horror, Vomit, Depictions of Dysphoria, Queerphobia, Deadnaming (redacted), Misgendering, Excrement, Misogynistic Microaggressions, Positive References to Problematic Media, Ace Bandage Binding, Cursing

5/5

Considering how many times Maia Kobabe's Gender Queer has been banned, I have been well aware of this graphic novel since its release in 2019. Despite how well-known it is, I didn't pick it up until now. I just wanted a graphic novel to spend a Saturday reading. I'm not a huge fan of non-fiction books, but my love for graphic novels will almost always supersede that. Memoirs are much more interesting when there are pictures involved. Kobabe's is definitely popular for a reason.

Maia Kobabe (pronouns e/em/eir) was never one for autobiographical works, preferring not to share so much about emself with the world. Maia grew up in the 90s and early 2000s, a time when trans topics weren't being so freely talked about. E grew up in rural Northern California, spending a number of those years being homeschooled. E has a loving and supporting family, and knew a few other queer people growing up. Still, eir journey to self-discovery took a long and twisting path. Gender Queer is this story.

I am cis, but most of my friends are non-binary, including my older sibling. It's important to remember that if you've met one trans person, you've met one trans person. No one is the spokesperson for all trans people. I know who my friends are as people and I know a lot more trans-specific details about my sibling, but this graphic novel addressed things I would have never thought to ask. In particular, the dysphoria. I knew that it can be intense, but it was hard to imagine until I saw the pap smear scenes. I have read trans books before, but the visual aspect of a graphic novel adds to my understanding. Kobabe was able to better understand emself by interacting with the trans community. It was a joy to see em get to the point where e would want to write and publish Gender Queer.

Although this memoir focuses on gender identity, Kobabe comes out as bi and is potentially aroace. Kobabe never directly states that e is asexual or aromantic, but there is a page where e expresses relief over not having to date anyone or have sex with anyone. There is another page where e is complimenting the signs that the ace community brings to Pride. I heavily related to the asexual aspects of Kobabe's journey. Kobabe mentions that it would've made a big difference to have seen someone like em growing up. I love ace representation for the same reason.

Obviously, it's ridiculous that Gender Queer has been banned, but I would like to talk about why. I think there's this conception that graphic novels/comics are for kids and adults who never grew up. This graphic novel just isn't for kids, that's okay. It has depictions of sex and gynecological appointments. We don't ban bodice ripper novels for having sex in them. A simple rating or content warning is all the book needs. This book is banned because it's queer and that's not okay. People of all ages need to see people that look and feel like them. It's validating and can help us understand ourselves better.

As Gender Queer is a graphic novel, I think it's important to talk about the art! I don't know what Kobabe looks like in real life, but I think e did a great job of depicting how e sees emself. It's a casual androgynous look in clothes and face. I loved when the narrative would split from panels into full-page spreads. They're all unique and let Kobabe's creativity shine. E has a masters in comics and it shows. It's implied at the end of the novel that the target audience is Kobabe's family. The color palette and art style feel like a stroll through the countryside. This is clearly eir roots, so perhaps that touch was for them. Overall, the design of the novel made it easier to read the hard parts and engaging to read everything else.

Nonfiction graphic novels are a great way to learn more about the world if you struggle with traditional nonfiction books. Maia Kobabe's Gender Queer can show you a lot about one trans person's experience with being non-binary. It will also teach you many other things about the queer community, Northern California, and connecting to people through fandoms. I definitely recommend giving this memoir a try!