#obviously gonna watch season 1 too though | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

youkissedareaderinthedark · 8 months

Text

Pay Attention

Synopsis: The 3 times everyone else knew you and Lando were in love with each other, and the 1 time you two actually admitted it

female driver reader x lando norris

A/N: for this one, reader is 22 and drives for mercedes with george. also, most of the story is told from lando’s pov because this originally started off as an entirely different 3+1 fic, and I don’t have the energy to fix it. and obviously, things like race results, driver lineups, ect will be changed to better fit the story

Lando Norris knows Formula 1 is unpredictable. He knows you can’t tell what will happen during a race, nonetheless a season. But no matter how unpredictable the sport is, this was the most surprising part by far.

It’s barely been 10 years, but Lando feels like he’s known you forever. You two first met at the Karting World Championship in 2014, a race you were teammates with both him and Zhou Guanyu in. Even though he beat you to first place, your 14-year-old-self didn’t let that stop you from becoming best friends with him.

It was hard to keep track of each other when the two of you were traveling all over Europe to compete in different series, so Lando almost thought he’d never get to see you again. Until in 2020, when he heard talks of the most successful female driver yet making her way through the ranks.

Since you were announced as apart of the Mercedes driver line up in the beginning of 2022, you two have been attached at the hip. You both lived in Monaco and whenever you weren’t busy with media or team duties, you were together. Traveling, in the paddock, celebrating races; if you were there, so was Lando.

Fans were used to that fact and they usually expected it off the track, but not for races and track battles, so everyone was a bit surprised when you two placed P3 and P4 in Bahrain.

It was Round 1 of the 2023 season and even though everyone knows your results at Bahrain don’t dictate your entire season, Lando was still excited you were on the podium. He had qualified P6 behind George and yourself in P5 and P4, and with both Fernando’s Aston Martin and both Red Bulls in front of you, you weren’t expected to make it on the top steps.

Though after a few badly timed pit stops, Lando ended the race in P4, 5 seconds behind you in P3. Cheers rung out from around the grandstands as both the Mercedes and McLaren cars crossed the finish line. Your team garages were ecstatic, climbing the fence to meet you at the checkered flag and shouting congratulations through the radio.

Lando watched from behind as you steered your car into perc ferme alongside Max and Sergio and climbed out to celebrate with your team. It wasn’t P1, but it was a huge achievement to place so high so early in the season and it was obvious how proud everyone was of you.

He couldn’t help himself from leaving his car and engulfing you in a hug. You were both laughing and the Brit could practically hear your grin through it.

“You did amazing! I’m so proud of you” He says, the words muffled through your helmets.

“Thanks, I wish you were gonna be up there with me, you deserve it” you say, looking up to the podium.

Lando smiles and he’s suddenly grateful his helmet is there to hide his blush. “Thanks. Don’t worry though, soon enough we’ll be up there with a 1-2”

“With me P1, I assume?”

Your eyes are playful underneath your helmet, and he laughs. “Yeah, we’ll see. Go celebrate with your team, Y/n. Don’t ditch me for the after party though!” He shouts as you walk over to your post-race interview, starting to laugh.

“I’d never ditch you!” You shout back over your shoulder, your helmet and balaclava coming off to reveal your grin.

Lando leaves to get weighed and meet his team back in the McLaren garage, keeping his head gear on because of the stupid smile he’s all too aware is still on his face. He was supposed to go to the media pen to finish up some race interviews before sitting down for the debrief with McLaren, but you were his best friend; he couldn’t miss your first podium of the season.

Lando, still clad in his orange race suit, arrives just as Max’s national anthem is playing. He probably should be paying at least a bit of attention to the winner, he’s one of Lando’s best mates after all, but then he saw you, grinning on the third step under the many bright lights of the street circuit, and he couldn’t look away.

He watched with his own smile as you opened your bottle of champagne and poured the majority of it on the Red Bull drivers, before downing the rest of it yourself. He’d wait until you came back to street level, where he’d be waiting for another hug and feeling the sticky champagne and bright grin against his neck.

You’d start talking about the race, the moments where you didn’t think you’d make it to the podium and how happy you’d be if you could get another one. You’ll ask about his race and tell him that next weekend, he’d better be up there beside you, no matter what.

And Lando will be next to you, like he always is, smiling and hanging on to every word you say because you’re happy, so he’s happy too.

What Lando would not realize is that each moment, from when he hugged you after you got out of your car to just then when you were walking through the paddock together, had been caught by multiple people, each one thinking the one thing you two had not yet realized.

“They’re so in love with each other”

Lando Norris did not hate the Miami Grand Prix, at least not usually. But this time around, F1’s 2023 stop in Florida is one he could’ve gladly missed.

It was a double header weekend, and after coming off an extremely mediocre P9 finish in Azerbaijan, Lando was less than excited to spend 4 days in the hot sun in an even more mediocre car. There were so many unnecessary media obligations to go with the flashiness of Miami, and by Friday evening he was already looking forward to the flight back home.

The one thing that did brighten his day was you, who he also had dinner plans with after FP2. He let you distract him with whichever details about your life you had neglected to tell him before, let you get him excited for Sunday’s race again, and let you put him in a better mood.

You two were walking from the restaurant to Lando’s car, still talking and laughing as usual, when Lando asked to you come by his hotel after qualifying the next day.

“If both our qualifying are shit, we can get ice cream and mope together,” he posed jokingly, “and if it goes great, we can celebrate together as well”

But then you stop laughing and your tone changes. “Oh, sorry Lando, but I’m going out with Logan after qualifying; he’s gonna show me around Miami a bit. I’m sure he won’t mind if you come though? Do you want to?”

He pauses; Logan? “No it’s fine. I should probably be relaxing after tomorrow anyways, I think the heat’s getting to me a bit. You two have fun, though” He assures you, keeping a light-hearted tone to mask his distaste.

Logan?

Lando didn’t have anything against Logan, he thought he was a nice guy with a lot of potential. But now he’s taking his best friend away from him and for what reason? You can see Miami any day, any time you want, and if you wanted to, you certainly didn’t need him as your guide.

But fine. Lando does not own you, you’re perfectly allowed to have your own friends, and if you wanted to have an evening out with Logan Sargeant, it was perfectly okay with Lando.

The Brit drove you back to your hotel before setting off to his own, and while you were his best friend and of course, delightful company, he couldn’t help but dwell on the sour taste left in his mouth. He didn’t know why this bothered him so much.

By the time Lando was back in his room, he was too tired to figure it why and decided it was a problem for Future Lando.

He woke up Saturday morning completely forgetting about the events of last night and instead focused on getting the best results possible today. He met up with his trainer for breakfast, left for the track, and joined his PR officer in the McLaren garage. She was escorting Lando to the media pen when he suddenly slowed.

“Lando? What’s wrong?” The woman took note of his tense figure, his hard-set eyes.

All because you were walking away from the media pen with Logan at your side, laughing and looking way too happy for his liking.

He felt the sourness this time. He felt it rise throughout his body and spread like wild fire. His only question was why.

Why were you laughing so much? Why did he feel this way? Why couldn’t he let any of this go? Why were you with Logan and not with him?

“Nothing,” the McLaren drives says. “let’s go” Lando never usually hurries to the media pen, but he didn’t want to look at you and Mr. American boy-next-door any longer.

He was asked questions and he gave answers, Lando just couldn’t tell you what any of them were. This was the problem Past Lando had left for him, and he couldn’t ignore it any longer.

He ruled out anger; he didn’t feel mad, per se, more frustrated than angry. He wasn’t upset; he certainly didn’t feel sad. Possessiveness? He wasn’t usually possessive over his friends though, and you two weren’t dating or anything like that, so there was no real reason to feel protective. Still, Lando couldn’t shake the sourness, and was once again left without answers about you and his feelings.

It wasn’t hard to miss the Brit’s change in attitude, and it wasn’t something his friends were going to ignore.

“Are you okay, mate?” Carlos says, walking alongside him through the paddock after FP3. “You’ve been quiet all day”

“Yeah, ‘m fine. Just tired, I guess” Lando shrugs, not sure if he should tell the Ferrari driver.

“C’mon, you’re seriously not gonna tell me? It’ll make you feel better, trust me” Carlos pushed, and he hesitated before answering.

“I don’t know. I barely know what’s wrong myself” Carlos gives him a look, and he sighs before continuing.

“It’s just weird with Y/n lately. I don’t know but the entire weekend’s just been weird”

“Why? Because she’s hanging out with Logan?”

“How did you-”

“Lando, it’s not that hard to notice, and it’s not that hard to notice why you don’t like it” The Spaniard nudges him, looking at him with a mischievious glint in his eyes.

“What do you mean?”

“You like Y/n, so you don’t like her hanging around with Logan” He says, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

“What’re you talking about? I don’t like Y/n, she’s my best friend, that’s ridiculous” Lando makes a face. That makes no sense, of course I don’t have feelings for Y/n.

“Yeah, and the Haas is going to win tomorrow. Lando, I told you, you can trust me. Just admit it, cabrón”

“Admit what? I don’t like her, I told you that” Lando insists, because he doesn’t. There’s no way.

“Okay mate, whatever you say” Carlos says, putting his hands up in surrender and moving towards the Ferrari garage. “Let me know how that ‘not liking my best friend thing goes’”

Lando just shakes his head and sighs. Carlos has no idea what he’s talking about.

Qualifying turns out to be the thing Lando needs to get his mind off everything; he qualifies P6 with Oscar right behind him and confidence in his car for tomorrow. The man spends some extra time going over the data from today with the strategists and leaves the track just after sunset to head back to his hotel.

He wasn’t completely lying to you yesterday night; the heat was having a bit of an effect on him, and it was probably a good idea to relax and stay in for the night. He ordered something from room service that his trainer would approve of and took a shower before climbing into bed.

A knock on his door is the thing that stops Lando from falling asleep.

It’s past 10, no one should be knocking at his door, but that’s not good enough of a reason to ignore the person, so he gets up to answer it and should probably be more surprised that’s it you.

“Not here to collect team secrets for tomorrow, are you?” Lando questions, jokingly.

“I don’t think we need anymore help beating you McLarens, thank you” You play along with a laugh.

“I’m offended. I hope you have an apology along to go with whatever that it” He gestures to the bag in your hands, and you nod.

“I do, but you’ll have to let me in first to get either” Your best friend moves aside to let you into his room and onto his couch.

“Seriously though, what’s up? Is something wrong?”

“Oh no, nothing’s wrong. I just felt bad for ditching you today and figured I could make up for it with ice cream” You shrugged, opening up the bag and holding a container covered in frost.

“I appreciate the gesture Y/n, but we both know our trainers-” You cut him off. “Would kill us if we eat this, I know. That’s why I only bought one, so we could just share and have half. That way it’s not really eating an ice cream sundae, it’s just eating a scoop and a half”

“I like your thinking”

“That’s why you keep me around” You both smile, and Lando gets up to get two spoons.

“You don’t have to be sorry, by the way. It doesn’t bother me that you went out with Logan” He knows you must’ve felt really guilty, because you’re still wearing the clothes you wore in the paddock, meaning you went immediately from wherever Logan took you to straight to get the ice cream and come here, despite the fact you should be in bed and it would be chaos if someone found out you were here this late Saturday night.

He also knows you wouldn’t do this for just anyone.

“I know. I still felt bad though” You shrug, thanking him before taking a spoonful of ice cream.

“Don’t be. Where’d he take you, anyway?” Lando questions. He knows that if he was talking about this any time else, he feel that sourness all over again. But there was no reason to if you were right here beside him.

“Nowhere special; we just walked around, shopped a bit, and stopped to get some food before we realized we should probably head back to our hotels”

“And aren’t you having the same realization now?” He asks, taking another spoon of ice cream.

“Yeah, but I’m not worried enough to the point where I’m actually gonna do it” You explain, and Lando laughs.

“So what? I’m stuck with you for the rest of the night then?”

“You say it like you don’t totally love the idea” You smile playfully.

“You’re right, I’d rather you here with me than anywhere else”

“Me too” The man misses your soft gaze and love-sick smile.

Truthfully, Lando just likes when you’re with him in general.

It was the Austria GP and for the first time in a while, Lando Norris felt a little carefree. He had over two weeks to recover from Canada, the next round was his home race, and things were looking positive for Sunday. He was happy with racing, and he was happy with you too.

Ever since Miami, you two have been closer than usual; fans were used to seeing you guys always together, but this time, they really never saw you without seeing Lando, and Lando without seeing you. Both of you seemed oddly smiley recently and it didn’t go without notice. Even more than usual, it was like you and Lando were in your own weird little obliviously-in-love bubble that nothing could break through.

Maybe that was why you and Lando finished P4 and P5, each of you one place away from a repeat of Bahrain. It obviously wasn’t your best finishes you two have ever had, but it was good enough for there to be a celebration afterwards. The drivers you and Lando were closest to also finished high in the points, and before you knew it, you had agreed to attending the after-party happening in a few hours at the nearest club.

You put on some makeup, fixed your hair, changed into a beautiful outfit, and stuffed your purse with your essentials before you got a text from Lando telling you that he was outside. You insisted that you could drive yourself and he didn’t need to pick you up, but Lando persisted, saying that it was stupid to bring two cars incase you weren’t fit to drive at the end of the night, and had to leave your very expensive car on the street all night.

“You look gorgeous, it almost makes up for the ridiculous amount of time I’ve spent waiting here for you” Lando says with a smirk as you open the door to his car.

You roll your eyes through your blush. “It wasn’t that long. Besides, my room’s on a high floor, it was the elevator’s fault.” You reason, clicking your seatbelt into place before Lando pulls out of the hotel parking lot and onto the streets.

“Yeah sure, blame the machinery because it’s never your fault you’re late”

“It’s not!” You insist with a laugh. He hums sarcastically in response, turning on the radio and letting it fill the comfortable silence

The streets in front of the club are lined with dozens of high-end cars, so you and Lando are forced to park nearly a block away from the entrance. The bouncer lets the two of you in without hesitation, and even from outside, you can hear the bass from the speakers inside.

The interior is exactly how you expected it to be, colorful strobe lights from overhead, music that you have to shout to hear someone over, and a dance floor that’s packed to the brim with celebrities, drivers, and everyone in between.

You and Lando claim the nearest booth to the exit, and he leans in close enough to be audible. “I’m going to get us a few drinks, try and see if you can find a few people” You nod, and the two of you go off in different directions.

You manage to locate Alex, Lily, George, and Carmen in a booth together and after a few very loud greetings, manage your way through the mob again to find Lando and lead him back to your friends. You all start talking and laughing, placing bets on which drivers are going home with a mystery girl, which ones are going to get black-out drunk, and which ones are going to show off their embarrassingly bad drunk dance moves in front of everyone.

Drinks and shots get handed out, a few more drivers join your table, and soon enough, you and your group are somewhere between tipsy and drunk and are moving onto the already-packed dance floor. Lando moved up to the DJ, telling you he’d be back to dance soon, and left you with your fellow drivers and their girlfriends.

You spend a few hours dancing with the girls, giggling through your drinks, and wandering around the club in search for more friends. At the point where your vision starts to got a bit blurry and the music is making your head hurt, you feel a hand on your shoulder and a familiar voice in your ear.

“Hey stranger!” Lando shouts, turning you around to face him.

“Lando!” You call out loudly, wrapping your arms around him in a hug. “Missed you” Alcohol made you a bit affectionate.

“Only been gone an hour and a half, love” Even though you can’t see his face and you’re not at your sharpest, you know he’s got a dumb smirk on his face.

“Missed you too, though” He says, taking the drink out of your hand and taking a sip before wrapping his hands around your waist.

“Are you here to dance with me?” You pull back, looking into his eyes. His pupils aren’t dilated, so you know he’s sober and the designated driver for the night.

“Wouldn’t want to do anything else” Even though everyone else around you is dancing at a fast, eager pace, you and Lando keep your arms wrapped around each other, bodies swaying softly, heads laying on each other’s shoulders.

Even with the flashing lights and booming music, you probably could’ve drowsed off on your best friends shoulder. You don’t realize how much time has passed but at some point, Lando taps your arm and pulls away from you.

“Time to go home, I think” He says, placing his hands on your shoulders to get you to focus on him.

“You think?” You reply, both drowsy and a little drunk.

“I think so. I’m gonna see if anyone else needs a ride and say goodbye, then we’ll leave, okay?” Lando tells you, intertwining your hands together before leading you further onto the dancefloor.

The Brit finds the other drivers and does what he said before handing you your purse and guiding you out of the club, hands still held together. Your best friend hands you his jacket to wear and places his arm around your waist as the two of you walk back to the car.

You know that Lando will get you back to your hotel and to your room where he’ll take your heels off for you. You know he’ll place a glass of water and a few Aspirins’ on a nightstand for you and lay down underneath the duvet with you because he’s too tired to drive back to his own hotel.

You’ll know you two will fall asleep almost immediately, and wake up closer than you were laying last night. You know Lando will not mind doing any of this, will actually like it, because you don’t let him take care of you as much as he’d like.

You know all of these things and a lot of other stuff too, you just don’t know that the person you did it all with is the person you’re in love with, or that he’s in love with you too.

+ 1

Lando always appreciated the summer break after half a season of racing, but there was something special about this one that made him wish it would never end.

You, Lando, and a group of your mutual friends planned a week-long trip to an island in the Caribbean as ‘one last hurrah’ before you two had to fly to Zandervort for the second half of the season. It was your fourth day on the island, and even though every moment since you arrived has been filled with some sort of fun and exciting adventure, this was already your favorite day of the trip.

You and Lando had connecting rooms, ‘a complete coincidence’ as your friends had put it, and this morning, you two decided to take advantage of it and make breakfast together. You weren’t supposed to meet with the others until a few more hours, and you loved cooking with Lando, so shortly after you woke up you made the short journey into his room.

“Morning,” your best friend greeted you, clad in black sweats and an old T-shirt you’ve seen millions of times. “I bought pancake mix from the store in the lobby, but we can run out and get something else if you like?”

“No, it’s okay,” you insist, “pancakes are fine. Besides, I know you make the best ones.”

“I know, you must be so jealous” Lando smirks, grabbing a mixing bowl and pan from the hotel’s kitchenette cabinet.

“Totally. So what’s on our agenda today?” You say, moving around him to take ingredients from the fridge.

“Not much, actually. I think we’re just going to the beach and walk around the town a bit” You nod as you grab your phone and click on the shared playlist between yourself and Lando.

You let the music fill the comfortable silence as the two of you move around the small kitchen. It’s a beautiful and all-too domestic scene; the morning sun streaming through the windows, the soft music in the background, the way you both seamlessly know your way around the kitchen, how easy it was to work around each other. They’re the facts your mind notices too quickly, and it’s hard to stop your brain from thinking about a future where things could be like this everyday.

Within a few minutes, you each had a reasonably-sized stack of pancakes that you brought outside onto the balcony with you. You settle into the adjacent chairs that look out to the waves crashing onto the beach and deep blue ocean. It’s still early; this part of the island isn’t awake yet, and it’s easy to relax in the still quiet.

While you shooed away the image of the future like this, Lando welcomed it with open arms. He thought how effortless it would be to make a scene like this; a hotel room, an apartment in Monaco, a house in the UK, Lando would take either and all of them. As long as you came with it.

His mouth speaking before his brain can control it. “I wish it was like this forever” He blurts out.

“You don’t want to go back to racing?” You look over at him, eyebrows furrowed. He doesn’t look back at you, keeps his eyes on the view in front of him instead.

“No, I do. I mean-” Lando pauses, thinks it over. He gets up from his chair to lean on the railing, his back facing you. This could ruin everything, he thinks. If he says it, he can’t go back, and nothing will be the same again.

He stops thinking.

“I mean with you. I honestly don’t care where we are; racing, on an island, whatever. We could be on another planet for all I care. As long as it’s just you and me, I think I could handle it” He finishes, feeling your presence next to him a few moments later, your shoulders brushing.

“Really?” You ask, eyes widened. You would’ve never thought he felt the same.

“Really. I’ve always felt that way” Then he’s looking you in that way, the way everyone’s been trying to explain to you for a while.

You don’t second-guess yourself when you put your hands around his face and press your lips onto his, and especially not when he starts moving his lips against yours. He wraps his arms around your waist and pulls you closer to him, and you don’t think you’d be mad if this was your forever.

You two finally pull away from each other, and even though the waves on the beach are still the same waves and the ocean is still the same deep blue, you think that everything changed just a little bit.

You’re still so close you could probably count his eyelashes if you wanted to, and you smile.

“I love you”

His smile mirrors yours the second after he hears it. “I love you too”

You two don’t really have to tell people; everyone figures it out within the first five minutes of being around both of you. Everyone teases you relentlessly, but internally, they’re just glad the two of you finally saw what’s been there all along.

i think this is really bad, so if u see it one moment and then don’t the next, it’s because I deleted it. i also never really know how to end these. anyways, a lando fic to make up for the time i’ve been gone. sorry about that btw, i got major imposter syndrome and the lack of f1 content makes for a lack of motivation. this is also my first ln4 fic, and i have no idea what to expect from it. hope u enjoyed tho 🫶

#reader insert #formula 1 #driver reader #f1 imagine #f1 grid x reader #formula 1 driver imagines #female driver reader #lando norris #lando norris imagine #lando norris x reader #lando norris x you #lando norris x female reader #lando norris x female driver reader #3+1 #slow burn #oblivious characters

530 notes · View notes

xpao-bearx · 2 years

Text

"Like A Virgin"

Steven Grant x Fem!Reader/Jake Lockley x Fem!Reader/Marc Spector x Fem!Reader

Read Part 1 HERE

Read Part 2 HERE

Read Part 3 HERE

NOTES: I literally put my whole heart and pussy into the previous part and it's just so THRILLING to see all the immense love and support!! 🥺❤️❤️❤️

I'm reeeally hoping y'all will like this part, too! Steven has an extremely special place in my heart, but this time we're shifting focus and giving our lovably murderous Moon Boy JAKE his time to shine!! \(^o^)/

Now as we all know, Jake unfortunately hasn't had a lot of screen time yet. I also watched Moon Knight for the third time and besides his confirmed appearance in the post-credits, there are some other more subtle scenes that I'm PRETTY sure Jake was in and it was a lot of fun for me to think so and obsess over!

But I digress! Anywhore, as I was saying, since Jake hasn't been on a lot the way I write him is PURELY made up. Of course, I try my best to capture the vibes I personally get from him, but until Season 2 drops (because I am NOT giving up on that) we don't know for certain what his personality's actually like (and I haven't read the comics please don't shoot me). It was a little challenging, but I really enjoyed getting to explore Jake and his perspective quite a bit! Though he ended up being a bit sadder than I intended CUZ THIS BOI JUST NEEDS AND DESERVES A WHOLE LOTTA LOVIN'❣️

Furthermore, I am not a Spanish speaker. Jake obviously is and I wanna stay as true as possible to the character by having him speak some (*cough* S E X Y *cough*) Spanish throughout, but if I made any mistakes at all then please kindly correct me as I mainly just use Google Translate and/or search up Spanish terms! For example, I was made aware that "ese" means "that" in Spanish. However, it's also Spanish slang for "dude", "man", etc. and I just find it fitting for Jake to call the boys that 😅

Also, Jake is...rough 😳 Don't worry, he loves and cares about you a LOT, but this is a fair WARNING in case you're not into that! And this part got pretty long, IDK I probs blacked out somewhere in the middle and this is le horny result~

Additionally, do y'all think the relationship between reader x Steven/the boys is going too fast? I really try to make it as natural as possible, but hey this is only fiction after all and I think Steven, for one, falls in love FAST since in the show he was already simping for Layla the first time they met 😂 But I can't judge Steven cuz I'd be the same if I ever met Oscar Isaac I mean, I'm already simping now but YOU GET IT

And a lil funny coincidoink, Like A Virgin came on the radio which I guess was your guys' universal push for me to continue this ASAP!

I truly am sorry for the wait!! Life is hard but I simp harder xD

TAGS: @autismsupermusicalassassin @ungracefularchimedes @pimosworld @ababynova @sweatyroadcowboyjudge @anapnovo-blog @am-3-thyst @harrys-tittie @zukoisbabee @wiltedwonderland @the-ginger-draws @bitchyglitterfox @readingfan @spidey-3 @minigirl87 @wandasupremacy @simba-will-live-on @wavychelle @thepowerthismanhasoverme @blackholegladiator @kittytiddywinks @literalfkinsimp @valen-yamyam16 @shaunalouie @howellatme @aleat0ri0 @bean-is-reading @indigxjunipxr

Part 4: Gonna give you all my love, boy

Your chest rose and fell with each soft, blissful snore. Your face void of any burden, open and peaceful; plump lips parted slightly, looking so kissable. And that's exactly what Steven did, lonely lips descending to meet yours--his slumbering goddess.

An insatiable part of him longed for you to awaken, to spend more time fumbling around in the sheets until sunrise. But he knew, more than anyone else, that sleep was important. And he had no doubt that after all the...unique events that progressed your relationship, you deserved all the rest you can get.

Like the proper gentleman he was, he had cleaned you up before snuggling in bed together until dreams inevitably consumed you. And now here you were, using one of his arms that he can't feel anymore as your pillow and your bodies exchanging heat.

Then his mouth lowered, down your chin, to your throat, and to the delicate dip between your neck and shoulder. Planting butterfly kisses on your skin, lips tracing and eyes memorizing every perfect imperfection that dotted your body like constellations.

He noticed your breathing slowly growing uneven, your nipples salaciously peaking through your tank top. He knew he had to stop. He had to, but...

He lifted his free hand, inching towards your breasts before freezing, clenching into a tight fist that had his nails digging into his palm.

His cheeks bloomed red, pulling away and laying on his back as he stared up blankly at the ceiling. What the fuck was he doing?

"Jake, mate... I know you're there, might as well say something, yeah?" Steven whispered.

'Your senses are improving, ese.' Jake snickered. 'Is that why you stopped? No need to be shy, it's just the same as watching porn.'

Steven turned redder, clearing his throat. "Jake, you know you can meet Y/N too, right?"

Silence greeted him. Steven waited patiently, giving his alter all the time he needed. As rough around the edges as they may be, the boys all cared about each other and Steven knew that all Jake needed--deserved--was time. Hell, he and Marc didn't even know Jake existed for a while until he finally felt comfortable enough to reveal himself.

'Nah, ese.' Jake snorted, though his voice held a certain heaviness to it. 'She's all yours. You deserve her, Steven.'

"You're a part of me, Jake. You deserve her, too."

'Don't think your little cariño would appreciate it so much that you're wanting to hand her off to some other asshole.' Jake scoffed.

"I'm not 'handing her off', you git. I wanna...share." Steven mumbled the latter, gulping thickly.

'Steven...' Jake sighed, but Steven sensed intrigue in his tone. 'I don't know what the fuck you expect from this talk, ese. We only share the same body, that's it.'

"You're lying and you know it. Two months working with Y/N, I never said anything, but I knew you were always there. This damn body isn't the only thing we share, 'cause I know your feelings are just the same as mine."

It was then that you mewled softly, shifting and wrapping an arm around Steven's waist and cuddling close to his side with a content little smile on your lips as you slept.

Steven melted and he felt Jake do so, too.

"I'm not giving you an out, mate." Steven chuckled, pressing a tender kiss to the top of your head. "I'm absolutely buggered and so are you."

♡•••🌙•••♡

Steven, that absolute fucking puta.

As soon as Jake opened his eyes, dread filled him. Slowly turning his head and seeing your back to him, he knew Steven gave up control at some point and forced Jake to come out from the shadows.

He's tried multiple times to drag that pendejo back out, but Steven has obviously put up a block between them. Jake sighed frustratedly, his gaze lingering on you once more.

His heart ached. And fuck it hurts.

He wasn't Steven.

He did not deserve you.

He was dirty--rotten. He was only good for causing pain; even the ways in which he protected the boys were brutal, inhumane.

And he loved the chaos. Thrived in it.

When Steven met you for the first time, two months ago, that was what Jake intended to cause as well. Pain. Heartbreak.

Nothing more than another pretty notch to add to his belt.

But you...surprised him. You actually cared about Steven, gave him basic human respect and the time of day when no one else did and just fucking listened. Accepted him with open arms and such a kind, blinding smile. And pretty soon, Jake yearned for that, too. From you. Just you.

You didn't even know he existed--you didn't fucking care about him--and yet you smashed his glass heart into a thousand pieces, leaving him to find the sharpest shard and continuously stab himself as punishment.

That's what he deserved. Not you.

But oh... You looked so cold. Why were you so far away? What the hell were you thinking, pulling away from him?

Like a lion stalking its prey, Jake crawled towards you until he was on top of you. His dark eyes trailed down your sleeping form, so beautiful, so vulnerable. He didn't realize his hand was shaking slightly as it reached up to caress your face, breath hitching as his thumb glided across your bottom lip before slowly slipping it inside your mouth.

He watched, completely entranced, as your saliva coated his thumb and the way in which you squirmed so that you were now laying on your back, facing him. You were still asleep, though your brows creased together and your breathing grew shallow.

What were you dreaming about, Jake wondered? Were you dreaming about last night? Steven didn't feel him then, but Jake was there and it was the best torture he's ever endured.

He can make you feel good--better. And if there was any room in your heart (and legs) for him, he'd more than happily prove it to you.

But you were so kind, so sweet... Surely you'd accept him, too, right?

Surely you'd relieve him of his huge fucking hard-on, right?

He found himself lowering, lowering, lowering--then stopped just as his lips were about to meet yours.

No...

You didn't deserve this. You didn't deserve him.

As if he was just burnt, he sprang away from you and sat at the foot of the bed, keeping as much distance as possible. His head hung low, hands scrubbing his face in frustration before turning into self-loathing slaps.

He quickly got a hold of himself, lest you have a cruel awakening to him. Not Steven.

He looked over his shoulder. You really did look cold. He unchained the ankle restraint then stood up, walking over to your side and tucking the blanket over your unfairly scantily clad body.

God... How he wished he was the one keeping you warm.

He then shook his head, glancing towards the wall clock. 5:40 a.m.

He can sneak out and do some business for Khonshu. And by the time he returns, hopefully Steven does, too.

He has to.

♡•••🌙•••♡

You rolled over in bed, expecting to cuddle up next to something much more solid than a pillow. Your brows furrowed, a hand flying out to pat the bed and not finding what--who--it was seeking.

Your eyes snapped open and you bolted upright. You looked around in a frenzy, eyes still bleary with sleep and finding the apartment completely empty.

You then noticed the time on the wall clock. 7:20 a.m.

You were off work today, but you weren't sure if Steven had a shift. But even if he did, it was still too early for the museum to open.

So...

Where the hell was Steven?

He couldn't have ditched you...could he? No, that wasn't possible, this was his flat.

But wait... What if this was his subtle way of telling you to get lost? That he didn't want to see you still here when he comes back from wherever the fuck he went to?

You overstayed your welcome, didn't you? This was what it was about, isn't it? This was all your fault, right?

You were on the verge of hyperventilating when, at the corner of your eye, you spotted a bright yellow sticky note on top of the books on the bedside table. You quickly ripped it off, reading the messy, rushed handwriting.

Don't know when I'll be back. Just relax. Food for you is in the kitchen, amor.

You blinked away tears you didn't realize were forming once, twice, then bursted into laughter.

"Fuck, seriously, what is wrong with me?" You berated yourself, still laughing.

This was Steven. Of course he would never abandon you, and you would never abandon him.

He proved it to you, after all. The memories of last night terrorizing your brain once more, making you blush like a virgin (which you were--for now).

You wanted to prove yourself to him, too. And you're sure you'll think of something, but at the moment you became distracted as your eyes landed on Steven's black sweatshirt sprawled carelessly across the floor.

You put on your glasses then hopped off of the bed and picked up the sweatshirt, tugging it on and letting out a giggle as it drooped over your thighs, turning the sleeves into little hand mittens and your body and heart just feeling so warm.

You ambled over to the kitchen, seeing a plate of slightly burnt toast and scrambled eggs clumsily covered in plastic wrap on the small dining table. You chuckled softly, taking the plastic off before sitting down and having breakfast.

As you chewed, once again your brain couldn't help but wander off.

It was only a little thing. Such a stupid thing, really. But still, it just would not stop nagging you.

Amor. It was French for 'love'.

But... Steven didn't spell it with a U. It was supposed to be amour.

Amor, no U, was the Spanish spelling. And Steven, who seemed fluent in French, should know that.

But people make mistakes, and who were you to judge such a minuscule, silly mistake?

Before you could entertain yourself by ruminating over such nonsense some more, your ears perked up when you heard the lock click and the door opening and shutting close. You kept quiet, watching as Steven slowly trudged in.

He was wearing a flat cap and a trench coat, and from your spot in the kitchen he hasn't noticed you yet. But he looked...different.

You couldn't quite explain it, but he seemed...tense. On edge. An air of agitation surrounding him, stiff in his movements yet carrying a sense of confidence at the same time.

Wild.

You then swallowed, standing up from your chair and silently making your way over to Steven with his back turned to you as he busied himself with stripping off his coat and hanging it on the coat rack.

You wrapped your arms around his waist, feeling him jolt. But before he could react, you spoke up.

"I missed you..." You murmured, embracing him more tightly as you pressed your cheek to his back. "Don't do that again, please. At least wake me up if you're leaving."

Steven didn't say anything, completely rigid and gloved hands balled into tight fists.

Then it clicked.

"You're not Steven...are you?"

His shoulders jerked, and you pulled your face away to look up at him. But you never removed your arms, keeping them in place around his waist.

Then his shoulders drooped, hearing him take a sharp intake of breath before ever so slowly turning his head over his shoulder.

"Caught red-handed." His lips curled up into a smirk, dark eyes gleaming down at you. "You're much more observant than I thought, princesa."

Your breath hitched, mouth agape and eyes blown wide as you gawked at him. You didn't know what to feel. Well, there was definitely excitement, but you weren't sure if it was appropriate for you to feel such a way.

Regardless, you were glad Steven was open and honest with you from the get-go. You knew, at some point, it was inevitable that you'd meet the two other men he's mentioned. So, you weren't too taken aback to be experiencing this right now.

"Judging from your accent and what you called me just now... You must be Jake?" You queried, cocking your head to the side as you stared up at him. Funny, he shared the exact same body as Steven, but he was still...different. The way he held himself, the little quirk to his lips, the look in his eyes--it was all very distinct.

"Don't see why you gotta keep asking me questions, princesa. Seems like ya got it all figured out." Jake scoffed, amusement in his tone.

"Well... You certainly made an...impression when you asked me out." You spoke slowly, carefully, as if not daring to spook some wild animal. You wanted Jake to feel safe, welcomed; because it felt like Jake hasn't at all expected to be here right now, but you wanted to let him know that you didn't mind him. You were happy to be meeting him.

But Jake took it the wrong way. He read your body language as aloof, like you were just trying to be polite. And why wouldn't you be? You were naturally kind, but he knew better.

He was absolutely not supposed to be here. He was never supposed to meet you, never planned to. After all, you preferred Steven.

...Didn't you?

His jaw ticked, his hands untangling your arms around his waist before he spun on his heel to fully face you. You gasped as he did, paling at the sight of blood on his shirt.

"What happened?!" You panicked, your hands immediately touching his body, eyes frantically searching for any injuries. "Did someone hurt you?! Oh my god, who did this to you?!"

"It's not my blood."

You froze, a chill coursing through your veins. Slowly, your head tilted up, meeting his gaze. It was much darker than before, flecks of savagery brewing within. And yet, you also saw...loneliness.

Longing.

"Are you scared, Y/N?"

You held your breath, his voice cracking as he uttered your name for the first time. It was a simple question that had a painfully simple answer.

"I am."

Jake shut his eyes, inhaling deeply and letting it out in a wavering breath.

He fucking knew it.

"Jake..." His eyes snapped open at your voice, so soft, so unexpectedly calm. "Will you...hurt me?"

"I would never." He whispered--promised--holding your gaze sincerely. "I couldn't."

"I'm scared of the...things you can do, Jake." You admitted, noticing his Adam's apple bob as he gulped. His gaze fell to the floor, but you reached up, gently cupping the side of his face. "But...I'm not scared of you."

Jake met your eyes once more, his hardened expression softening as he sighed, nuzzling into your comforting hand. For the first time in a long time, he felt...safe. He was not one of Khonshu's pawns, he was not Steven or Marc's ruthless protector, he was simply...

Jake Lockley.

"I'm sorry..." He murmured, trembling hand reaching out and caressing your cheek; tenderly, fondly, lovingly. "I...was never supposed to meet you. I was fine watching you quietly. But last night, Steven said he wanted us to meet. For me to be a...part of what you have with him."

A deafening silence rang in your ears. Jake watched you with those intense, soulful eyes, brows furrowed and jaw clenched as he waited with bated breath for your reaction. Any reaction.

"Jake..." You have no idea how you even managed to speak, your volatile heartbeat replacing the silence. "Take a shower first, we'll talk after."

♡•••🌙•••♡

Water dripped from Jake's hair, his hands pressed against the wall with his head tilted down as he watched the pristine white tiles of the shower's floor stain red.

This was an all too familiar situation for him. Washing off blood that didn't belong to him, his body getting cleaned though never his damned soul. But it never bothered him before...until now.

He knew there was a chance you'd be awake when he returned, but he figured that he can just pretend to be Steven at least until that idiot takes control of the body again. Jake's done it convincingly enough a few times before back when Steven and Marc were still unaware of his existence, acting as one of them whenever something triggered them and he suddenly had to front.

But when you hugged him, he just...froze. It felt as if he was struck by lightning because this was real--you were real. Your heart-wrenching kindness and beauty were all directed towards him, and he was no longer just a pathetic fly on the wall through Steven's eyes.

But how could he be so fucking dumb? He never should've shown himself, he should've stayed away from the apartment even if it took all day and just let Steven deal with the consequences. And yet...he came back.

Because, the absolute truth is, he wanted to meet you. At his very core, he was a selfish bastard who wanted to be with you, no matter the punishment inflicted on him--he inflicts on himself.

But was he really being selfish?

As drastically different as they were, Steven and Marc managed to control their own separate lives. Steven had his job that he despised, but also the comfort of regularly getting a paycheck that provided for his daily needs. Marc was Khonshu's (main) Avatar and as draining as it was, he could still unwind after a long day with a pack of beer and a Chicago Cubs game playing on TV.

And then, of course, there were Moon Knight and Mr. Knight that ultimately tied them together.

But what about Jake? Was he nothing more than a punching bag for Marc and Steven, only seizing command and handling whatever shitshow they got themselves into that they were too weak to finish?

Jake knew that was his job--his purpose. And honestly, it was okay. He cared about the boys, and keeping them safe meant the same for him as well.

...Until you came along. And for the first fucking time, he actually wanted something. Yearned for someone. Just for himself, and not because of anyone else's expectations or demands of him.

He didn't realize it until you came crashing into Steven's--and his--life like some fucking meteorite, but he was empty. And on the extremely rare occasions that Jake was entitled to the body all for himself, he grew tired of being tired from aimlessly hopping bar to bar. Nearly wiping all his fucking memories out with heavy drinks and the need--the desperation--to forget about the problems he deliberately ignores, hides, even for one single measly night through fucking some random stranger he didn't and won't ever care about.

But you weren't a stranger, that was perfectly clear. Days bled into weeks, and weeks into months; and here you were now, looking all cute--tempting--wearing Steven's sweatshirt, eating breakfast in his home, as his girlfriend.

Steven's girlfriend. Not Jake's girlfriend.

"Jake, you know you can meet Y/N too, right?"

Steven's words from last night echoed in Jake's head, taunting him. And the ridiculous proposition that followed afterwards, of the two of them sharing you.

"You're a part of me, Jake. You deserve her, too."

And maybe, just maybe...Steven's right.

Maybe Jake did deserve you.

But did you deserve him?

"What's got you looking all emo?" Jake's head abruptly whipped around, seeing you with one hand holding the shower curtain open while the other clutched onto a towel covering your body.

Your naked body.

Jake's mouth went dry, completely paralyzed. All he could do was let his eyes scan you from head to toe, undressing you in his mind. He's already seen you last night and he thought he'd be fine just basking you in from Steven's point of view, but oh...he thought dead wrong.

Because now he really wanted to touch you. Feel you. Make you come undone, all because of him. All for him.

"What the hell are you doing here?" His question came out sharper than he intended it to, eyes narrowing as he watched your gaze drop, shifting on your feet uncertainly along with the tantalizing way you bit your lip.

You seemed to be engaging in a silent war with yourself before you shook your head, straightening up as you dared to meet his eyes and slowly dropped the towel to the floor.

"I told Steven this before, but I prefer to get things over with." You smiled a bit sheepishly, stepping into the shower; the warm drizzle of water helped to thaw the ice cold sensation anxiety gripped you with. "I'm a very impatient woman, Mr. Lockley."

"And you think jumping into the shower completely naked with a man you barely know is the answer to your impatience, señorita?" Jake arched a brow, an amused smirk playing on his lips.

"Well, it's not like I can get into the shower with clothes on, right? That's just fucking stupid." You scoffed, playfully rolling your eyes. "Besides... It's because I want to get to know you that I'm here."

"This is a dangerous game you're playing, princesa." Jake murmured, his smirk instantly vanishing; that furrowed brows, clenched jaw sternness once more overtaking his striking features as he regarded you. "I'm not your sweet, sensitive little boyfriend. I'm not Steven." He practically hissed out the name, though there was more sadness to it than venom.

"This isn't a game to me, Jake." You stated firmly, standing your ground as you held your chin high and levelled your gaze with his. "None of this is. I take Steven very seriously--I take our relationship very seriously." You paused, taking a deep, shaky breath. "And I know, maybe I'm moving too fast, and I totally understand your doubts about this--about me. But I'm not a fucking dumbass. I know you're not Steven and I like you, anyway."

Jake was rarely speechless, but even as his mouth parted to say something--anything--nothing came out. He felt something fall down his cheek, and he wasn't too sure if it was water or the strange liquid that suddenly made his vision all blurry.

But he didn't have much time to ponder on it when your hand gently pressed against his cheek, your eyes kind and full of adoration, the same adoration you always bless Steven with and something Jake believed was only a far-off miracle for him.

"Y/N..." He choked out, glossy dark eyes intently set on you. "I'm a monster."

"You're not a monster, Jake." You were quick to counter, taking a step closer, now being chest to chest with Jake. "You're a part of Steven, and anything--anyone--that's a part of him is beautiful. And you sure as hell deserve to live your own life, too. And, well, if you'll have me..." You blushed, looking down. "...I would really, really like to get to know you better, Jake Lockley."

Silence smothered you, wrapping its invisible claws around your neck, and you now fully understood what people meant when they say something takes forever. You thought it would be easier and much less frightening if the ground actually opened up and swallowed you whole, but Jake finally put you out of your misery, his hand turning off the shower and a low chuckle bubbling out of him.

"Well... Damn." He smirked, cocking his head down at you, though his smug demeanour couldn't mask the rosiness that dusted his cheeks. "You really do like me and Steven, huh, querida? Or maybe it's just your boobs up against me that's convincing me."

"Well, if it's helping you to believe me, then I'm not complaining." You giggled, wrapping your arms around his neck, pushing your breasts against him. Both of your breaths stuttered at the close, intimate contact, and you whimpered as his hands landed on your hips, callused fingers squeezing your soft flesh.

"Dios mío..." He growled lowly, his hands slowly, reverently travelling up the curves of your body, leaving a burning wake, before dipping once more and giving your ass a hard smack.

"Ah..!" You gasped, lurching forward, your face bumping against his solid chest. You felt his chest vibrate as a deep laugh rumbled out of him, one hand fisting your hair and pulling your head back.

"I ain't lying when I said I'm not your sweet, sensitive boyfriend." There was mania in his eyes, baring shiny white teeth as he grinned widely at you; like a shark who's smelled blood--your blood--from a mile away, he's set his target and can't be satisfied by anything, anyone else. "Then again, if you could see Steven's thoughts like I can, 'sweet and sensitive' aren't completely accurate for him."

You gulped, but not from fear. You squeezed your thighs together, pupils dilating as you stared up at Jake. "I-I don't mind if you or Steven aren't sweet and sensitive. I wanna be treated nice, but there are plenty of ways 'nice' can be translated to..." You placed a hand on his abs, lips parting as you traced along his taut muscles, looking like some fucking Greek sculpture--a god--with the way his wet body shimmered a divine bronze. "Don't you think so...Papi?"

With no warning, you felt the air get knocked out of you as his lips collided with yours, attacking you; tongues intertwining with a clash of teeth, the moist smack of your lips harmonizing with the vulgar moans Jake drew out of you.

You felt Jake's neediness, the desperation underlying his roughness--as if this was not just the first, but the only time he'd get to kiss you and have you for himself.

As if you'd ever allow for this to be the only time.

Your hands fell to his shoulders, nails breaking his skin and marking him with crescent indents. He groaned as you did, kissing you with even more fervour, fiery passion never ceasing as you both chased after that hellish ecstasy; seizing, bruising, suffocating you.

More, more, more. Giving and taking, taking, taking.

You just could never have enough, clueless as to where you started and Jake ended, Jake's tongue practically down your throat now. You know you needed air, your eyes rolling to the back of your head, but your body refused.

If this was how you died, then you'd die an elated woman.

But Jake suddenly pulled away from you, making you whine loudly. Your hands pawed at his chest, tears springing to your eyes and your ears couldn't even register the pitiful pleas that tumbled out of your mouth for more, more, more.

"You're such a fucking slut, aren't you, mi amor?" Jake snickered, one hand wrapping around your neck, thumb stroking the column of your throat, squeezing just enough to feel as if your head was floating. "Steven always saw you as this pure, innocent angel. But you're not, aren't you? You wanna be corrupted, don't you? You wanna be my pretty little devil, slut?"

"I'll be anything for you, Papi." You replied breathlessly, tears staining your scarlet cheeks. "Just be my everything."

"I'll be whatever--do whatever--for you, mi vida." His voice was low, barely above a whisper, but you heard him loud and clear, his earnesty and sweetness cloying. His other hand caressed your face before he leaned down, his tongue licking away your salty tears, a reprieve from the rapturous flames that engulfed him. "Now... What do you want Papi to do?" He purred, smirking wolfishly down at you. "You want me to fuck you? Spread your little virgin pussy, fill you up with my cock? Wanna see how much you can take, cariño. Take all my cum, don't waste a single fucking drop."

As tempting as his filthy words were, as much as you wanted to, you remembered how Steven refused to have sex with you last night. Of his promise that he'll make love to you another time, when he was better prepared with condoms. And fuck, you wanted him--them--so badly. Steven and Jake. But you respected Steven and his decision, and you did also want for your lovemaking to be special.

"Can I taste your cock, Papi?" You asked, biting your lip as you met Jake's gaze shyly. You felt like a mouse and he was the lion, yet you held the power in whatever was going to happen. "I-I promise I'll take it all... Take all your cum, like a good girl."

Jake knew that you chose not to have sex with him out of respect for Steven, and that only made him love you more. He felt a pang in his heart and a smile tugged up the corners of his lips, eyes locking with yours, full of tenderness and affection.

Right then and there, he knew that you were "the one". For him and Steven.

"Get on your knees like a good fucking girl, then." He breathed, and you didn't hesitate as you instantly dropped to your knees, breasts jiggling slightly as you did. Your eyes widened as his cock stood proudly, mere inches away from your face.

"I...I'm sorry if I'm...bad." Your voice came out as a squeak, mentally slapping yourself before clearing your throat. "I-I've never done this before!"

"You better have not or else I'll hunt down and kill all the fuckers you've ever been with." He barked out a laugh, but his eyes were dark and serious.

Murder was not something Jake Lockley ever joked about, after all.

Strangely enough, you found his possessiveness...sexy. Which only meant that Jake was already corrupting you.

But was that really such a bad thing?

You shook your head, focusing on the cock--erm, task--at hand. Your hand wrapped around his shaft, hearing Jake breathe sharply through his nose as you did. You licked your lips as you watched the pre-cum drip out of the tip, so curious, so transfixed like a moth to a flame.

Your tongue then darted out, experimentally licking the milky fluid. Jake threw his head back with a guttural groan; you've barely even started, and it made you fucking giddy that he reacted like this.

"Jake..." You murmured, giggling softly. You peered up at him through your long lashes, flashing him a dazzling smile. "You're so beautiful, Jake."

"That ain't something you should call a man, mi vida." Jake scoffed, but the crimson tint on his cheeks have spread like wildfire to the tips of his ears and neck. "Especially not when you're the beautiful one."

"Going soft on me now, Jakey?" You teased lightheartedly, slowly beginning to stroke his length.

Jake's breath hitched, brows furrowing as he watched you intently, attentively. "You really are a little devil, Y/N." He chuckled deeply, and you knew that meant trouble. "You think I'm going soft? Looks like you really have a lot you need to know about me."

Like before, his hand fisted your hair, pulling your head back and making you look up at him. "Open up, slut." And you did, opening your mouth and sticking your tongue out. You flinched slightly as his cock hit your tongue, his other hand grabbing his member and moving it around on your tongue, painting it white.

"Now you're gonna be a good cocksucker, got it?" He grinned down devilishly at you, eyes twinkling with sheer, wicked glee. "You're gonna make Papi cum, like the good whore that you are."

You nodded hastily, eagerly. And you just couldn't fucking take it anymore, jostling forward and burying his cock in your wet, hot mouth.

"That's. Fucking. It." Jake hissed, his grip on your hair tightening ever so slightly. Slowly, you began to bob your head, your mouth accommodating his size. You briefly wondered how anyone could ever even compare this to a banana or a popsicle stick; it was much bigger and your jaw started to hurt, which Jake quickly noticed as you tensed.

"Hey, relax." He cooed, reaching down to tenderly wipe away the tears you didn't realize were flowing down your cheeks. "Easy, Y/N. Relax your mouth, loosen up your throat... Fuck, yeah, that's it. Keep going, hermosa."

With newfound confidence and assurance, you gradually increased your pace. You hollowed your cheeks, your tongue sliding along the underside of his cock with each rhythmic bop of your head. Up, down, up, down--Jake's sinful groans bouncing off the walls of the bathroom, never breaking eye contact as you burned all of him into memory.

Then your surprised gasp was muffled as his foot pressed against your clit, only offering you a cocky smirk in return.

He began to move his foot, his toes budging your clit and stroking along your pussy. You moaned around his cock, grinding against his foot for more friction. Then his other hand grabbed onto your hair, both of his hands now pushing and pulling your head up, down, up, down--drool spilling down the sides of your mouth, resisting the urge to gag as the tip of Jake's cock pounded your throat, your hands floundering to his thighs as you clung on for dear life.

"Fuck, look at you... Una putita tan bonita solo para mí." He laughed, the thrusts of his hips growing fiercer, more rabid as he mercilessly fucked your throat. "Wanna taste me, mi vida? Think you've earned it?"

All you could do was nod, nod, nod--looking up at him pleadingly as you continued to desperately grind yourself against his foot, your own orgasm fast approaching.

Jake's jeering laughter soon stuttered into a heavy, gasping moan; his eyes squeezing shut as his head fell back, hitting the wall. You felt his cock twitch, releasing his seed, shooting down your throat and his balls slamming against your chin.

Your own release coated Jake's foot, your entire body shuddering from the intensity of it all and coughing as Jake finally withdrew his cock out of your mouth. But you didn't have time to revel in the afterglow as Jake's hand wrapped around your neck once more, dragging you up and crashing his lips with yours. You swapped spit and cum, but neither of you cared; the two of you groping, squeezing, clinging onto each other any which way your needy hands could fumble.

You didn't keep track anymore of who pulled away first, laughter ringing in your ears as you both grinned at each other; spent, happy.

The dawn of something new, exciting, promising shining between the two of you.

Wordlessly, Jake turned on the shower again. Then he grabbed the soap, his hands gliding along your smooth skin, his lips attaching to the crook of your neck where he could see the faint pinpricks of his handprint slowly materializing.

"Did I hurt you, mi vida?" As rough of a lover as Jake was, none of his pleasure mattered if you didn't enjoy yourself.

"A little bit." You admitted, wrapping your arms around his neck and kissing the top of his head. "But it's okay. I...liked it." You blushed furiously.

"Fuck..." He grumbled, pulling away and looking very much like a kicked puppy, something that you thought only Steven was a pro at. "As cute as you are blushing like that, princesa, I'm so fucking sorry. I know I should know when to stop, when to be gentle...but those are not really what I'm good at." His eyes drifted down, and you can tell that he had a lot more to say. A lot more to regret. "I'm sorry, Y/N."

"I forgive you, Jake. Now please... Stop beating yourself up, okay?" You cupped his face, pecking his nose and meeting his gaze. "I'm not lying when I said I liked it, but don't blame yourself too much. I also should've done something, spoken up if it was too painful for me." Your fingers ran through his hair, smiling softly, lovingly at him. "All of this is new for me--for us. But it's okay, 'cause we can learn together, yeah? And if you'd like, we can come up with a safe word if things get too rough."

Jake hesitated, wondering if you were really telling the truth and not just trying to comfort him. But one look at your sweet, loving smile was more than enough for his worries and doubts to fade away, his own smile gracing his lips and his hands holding your own that were so gently, kindly cupping his face.

"I think that would be great. Any idea what the safe word should be?"

"I was thinking 'Khonshu'." Your answer made Jake snort before he bursted into laughter, you joining shortly after.

"Mi vida, if you say that bastardo's name while we're fucking, you really are gonna make me go soft." He chuckled, pinching your cheek and kissing your forehead.

"Fine, fine! Clearly coming up with a safe word is what I'm not good at. Let's figure it out together." You playfully rolled your eyes, giggling and kissing his cheek. "Anyway, I'll head out first. But don't take too long or else I'll jump in the shower with you again and for the sake of Steven's water expenses, you do not want that happening."

"On one condition, señorita. You have to wear my clothes when you get out, not Steven's." He hummed to which you laughed and nodded, but just as you were about to step out of the shower, Jake suddenly grabbed your wrist and pulled you back to his chest.

He leaned down to your ear, voice a low purr as he spoke; like it was a secret, a sacred oath between only the two of you.

"El amor de mi vida, mi salvavidas... Nunca te dejaré ir."

Your lips curled up into a smile, your heart swelling achingly within your chest. You turned around and leaned up on your tiptoes, your lips melting perfectly together with Jake's, becoming one.

"I love you, Jake Lockley." You whispered, sealing your oath. "Now... Don't keep me waiting. You know I'm an impatient woman."

Jake watched with a dumb, lovestruck grin as you pulled away giggling, finally stepping out of the shower and closing the bathroom door behind you. And as soon as you were gone, Jake piped up to the other occupant in the bathroom.

"Steven, ese... I know you're there, might as well say something, huh?"

'Bloody HELL, mate...' Steven's words stumbled out in a rushed, breathless breath. 'That was MENTAL.'

"You're welcome for the free show, ese." Jake chuckled, standing under the spray of the shower as he washed himself off.

Although Jake couldn't see Steven, he knew that the poor, flustered English man was having a damn heart attack at this very moment.

'That was...that was...' Steven was completely at a loss for words, making Jake smirk.

"The hottest fucking thing you've ever seen? Yeah, I know. Y/N's our sexy girlfriend, after all." Jake turned off the shower, hopping out and drying himself off with a towel. "You're right, by the way. We're both absolutely fucked."

'I'm just glad it all worked out, mate.' Steven replied, relief and happiness flooding his voice. 'You deserve her. WE deserve her. It's just...' He trailed off, sighing deeply. 'Now that I think about it, I'm worried about Marc.'

"Fuck Marc." Jake snapped, his eyes settling on the mirror, Steven's reflection staring back at him with an anxious crease between his brows and lips downturned. "We deserve to live our own lives, too, Steven. That cabrón's just gonna have to deal with it."

And deal with it, Marc will. But...

You'll have to deal with Marc, too.

946 notes · View notes

foreverisntenough · 7 months

Text

- YOU’RE MINE -

Summary: While you daydreamed about his face an ocean apart, he had no idea what yours was about to do to him. With a twist of fate and the heat of summer, a new relationship would completely ransack his heart - Everyday heavy with the thought of one another, neither of you were going to let the unexpected love of your life go. You were going to be his, you were his, and you were going to stay his.

Warnings: This story will contain fluff, suggestion, smut love bombing, little sad, and kind of angst- not sure what else really…

Note: I was planning on keeping this just for myself so please be nice. I hope you like it! There will definitely be more parts (don’t know how many just yet though.)

Chapter 8 - ‘You’re Mine’

Marcel watched Trent rub his eyes sitting in the airport lounge. He looked so distressed that it confused his brother. He had a good holiday but wasn’t mad about getting back to his own bed, not understanding Trent’s dismay. He didn’t particularly want to ask, still annoyed about the snub last night but he did anyway.

“Bro, what’s up?” Marcel asked pretty disingenuously but he did care.

“Nah, don’t worry about it. All good mate.” Trent pushed the inquiry away.

“Marc, obviously it’s the loss of his unlimited supply he’s had for the past few days.” One of the other boys quipped alluding to the amount of sex Trent and you were having. The comment struck a nerve.

“Aye, shut the fuck up. Don’t talk about her again bro. I’m fucking serious.” Trent snapped, causing all the boys to quiet down. Tyler stood up and moved toward Trent sitting down next him placing his hand on his shoulder.

“Yo bro, sorry, just bants,” his friend spoke before Tyler could.

“You good Trenski?” Tyler said quietly more to him then to the group. “It’ll be fine. Keep your head down, focus in on the season starting, if it’s meant to be you guys will work something out later.”

“That’s not what I want at all. I don’t want later.” Trent sighed although seeing your name light up across his phone, a slight smile pulled at the corner of his mouth.

“… and you want?” Marcel chimed in inquiring.

“Her. Her all day.” Trent confessed but was getting overwhelmed by the attention on him now. He stood up walking away from the group with his hand rubbing his face the other opening your message. His brothers knew him well enough to know it was better to leave him be for a little. Trent was always stubborn but sensitive too although they hadn’t really seen him get so worked up over someone else before.

You took a selfie of your face pressed into the bouquet left by Trent, your face was tear stained, cheeks flushed full with a soft smile. You could see your naked shoulders rolled into the flowers, your arm holding the phone outstretched showing your legs wrapped around the arrangement your spine curled leaning into it. You liked the vulnerability of the photo but didn’t think too much about it as Trent had already seen every inch of you. You sent a text with the photo to him thoughtlessly

“Missing you baby 😘 Thank you again sweet boy”

The message had Trent’s heart beating out of his chest. The image of you in a towel, almost naked, made his cock twitch. He could almost hear your voice singing the word ‘baby’ in his head which ultimately just made him sad.

He boarded the private plane and tucked into his seat, headphones on, ignoring the boys who were being particularly rowdy. Marcel decided to check on Trent seeing that his little sulk was going on longer than he was used to.

“Bro, give her a call. Just try to relax, if you want her.. show her that. You’ll work it out if you actually give it a go and don’t just dwell on it.” His words were actually quite true which surprised Trent but he didn’t have the energy to give his brother shit about it.

“Yeah, yeah, mate. I’m gonna get this to work.” Trent said with more confidence than he actually had.

Your phone buzzed once you had arrived back in your apartment. The sun beamed through the window illuminating the flowers you had brought home, his sweater wrapped you up perfectly as you sat tucked on your couch.

“Hello..” you answered apprehensively but with a big grin.

“You okay, baby?” Trent asked you but you could hear that he was sad.

“Trying but little better hearing from you. I’m pretty cozy right now though, thank you for ‘leaving’ your jumper for me.. you did leave it on purpose right?” to him, you were incredibly endearing. He giggled at your words and your innocence.

The boys on the plane quieted down listening to Trent laugh for the first time all day.

“I did. Thought you’d like to have it.” He cooed with a big smile plastered across his face.

“It’s embarrassing how much I miss you already. Are you sure you’re 100% set on this whole football career?” You joked a little.

“Yeah” he giggled some more. “Pretty set on it, it’s my job after all.”

“Alright, alright. Fine, I guess I’ll have to come see you at work then.”

“Yeah, I’d like that.” Trent couldn’t pull the grin off his face as he kept talking to you. He stayed on the phone with you for a while before he told you he had to go because he didn’t want the call to drop during the flight, leaving you without a proper goodbye.

By the time they landed back in England the plane had completely gone quiet. The boys all passed out, begrudgingly having to wake up now to get off. Once on the tarmac the boys yawned saying their goodbyes surrounded by a barrage of Rimowa luggage and the Louis Vuitton duffle bag you lusted after when you first saw it in Trent’s hotel room. Trent, Tyler, and Marcel all got into a car to head to their family home to see their mum first, a ride that was particularly quiet compared to the brothers normal volume. They dragged their feet into the house. Marcel beelined to the couch slouching down into it. In typical boy fashion, the three boys had failed to tell their mum, Dianne, exactly what time they would be returning.

“Oh my god, my babies!” Dianne yelled seeing Marcel appear on the couch, leaving the kitchen, she ran over to him squeezing his face. “My youngest baby” she cooed.

“Mum…enough,” Marcel groaned trying to pull her hands from him.

“Coming from America mum, not back from war.” Tyler smiled walking over to her giving her a proper hug and kiss.

“And you… hello sweetheart” Dianne pushed at Trent who wasn’t really in the mood.

“He’s being a bitch today,” Marcel quipped, only to catch a light tap to the back of his head from his mum.

“Why so moody hun?”

“Yeah, just tired, don't know.” Trent ignored the obvious reason, giving his mum a tight hug before leaving to go to the kitchen, grabbing a water before sitting at the island.

“He’s upset he had to leave his girlfriend.” Tyler exposed him.

“…girlfriend?” Dianne was confused but wanted to stay calm in an effort to get as much information out of them as possible.

“She’s not my girlfriend,” Trent yelled, overhearing from the kitchen.

“You wish she was.” Marcel chimed in again. The conversation fizzled out though with no one really having the energy to further it, the boys now splitting up going in separate directions throughout the house. Although Dianne was still hooked on the limited information about a possible girlfriend.

Trent sat at the island counter slumped over his phone, resting his face on his hand, swiping through photos. He sighed zooming in on little details seeing your smile lines, his hands on your waist, little freckles placed on your bare shoulders, your lips pressed to his skin. Pictures of you in bed had him fantasizing about being back there with you but when the pictures got a little steamier, erotic almost, he had to swipe out of the application to compose himself, he was in his mum’s kitchen after all.

“Going to tell me her name?” Dianne asked entering the kitchen, her hand coming to rub her son's back.

“Y/N” Trent sighed again. Pulling up a more innocent photo of you to show his mom. Trent became obsessed with taking pictures of you over your days together. He thought you were so beautiful without even trying. He had so many pictures of you asleep on his chest or wrapped in a towel in the bathroom, some incredibly more lude, and some much more sweet.

“She’s very pretty, Trent.” His mum confirmed.

“Yeah, I know. She’s perfect, the thing is she has no idea how beautiful she is and she’s so smart..” he began rambling about the intricacies of you. His mum just smiled listening patiently.

“You must really like her” she cooed “so she’s your girlfriend?” Asking what she really wanted to know.

“No, no, I mean…” he paused. “She’s mine, like she’s not but we’re… I don’t know.” Trent struggled to explain.

“Hmm okay. But you like her? And she knows this?” Dianne kept talking, trying to wrap her head around the situation.

“Yeah, yeah she definitely knows. I’m gonna have her come visit after the preseason.” Trent informed her.

“Oh… is she not from here?” She asked, causing him to laugh, thinking that would’ve been obvious or have already come up somehow.

“Nah, she’s American.” He said smiling at another picture of you.

“I don’t mind that” His mum smiled as she had American roots. “If you're happy, I’m happy sweetheart but don’t lose sight of priorities, alright?” Dianne wanted to make sure nothing was going to disturb his focus on the fast approaching football season.

Trent collapsed onto his bed in a huff after a long day of traveling. When he mustered up the strength to shower he stood in front of his bathroom mirror pulling his shirt over his head to see little love bites, light bruises from where your lips had been the night before. His hand brushed over the spots. He silently moaned at the thought of your lips back on his skin. The thought of you in bed paired with the fact that he wasn’t going to have that for weeks had his cock growing hard painfully. He turned to get into the shower in an attempt to clear his head. The water stung his skin. When he rubbed his hands over where he could reach on his back he felt the markings from your nails. He smiled a little at the memory of what caused you to scratch down him, his cock only getting harder.

Trent looked down at his cock beginning to leak pre-cum. He missed you a lot and liked you a lot but god, physically you drove him mad. He felt bad but he needed to release; the thought of you had him burning up. He placed one of his hands against the cold shower tiles, his other dominant hand began stroking his cock to the thought of you. For some reason the image of you on your knees in the bar’s maintenance closet was the one scenario that came flooding back to him.

“Fuck, you’re perfect baby. Taking me so well.” He moaned out, his eyes closed remembering you with his cock in your mouth. He could imagine your beautiful face tear stained bobbing up and down his length. He wanted to hear the sounds of you sucking him off so bad, feel the vibrations of your moans on his cock. God, this was going to be a long few weeks, his hand pumping himself faster until he released. His cum leaked, his chest heaving, your name on his lips. “Fuck..” he groaned.

Trent laid in his bed alone. He missed the smell of your perfume, seeing your clothes littered in the hotel room, he missed a strange place that you had managed to make feel like home. A few days passed and you spoke a lot but both were tentative to dive into conversations you were dying to have when you called him one night.

“Are you busy baby?” You asked needily. You missed Trent a lot. The days were getting incredibly long and your distance felt further than ever.

“Never for you, beautiful. You okay?.” He asked sweetly, genuinely wanting to hear how you were. Lucky for Trent he was often preoccupied with work outs most of the day but at night he was so lonely without you. He hadn’t even left for preseason yet, the time apart was just dragging on forever.

“I miss you…” you said quietly, a little ashamed at just how much you did.

“I know, sweet girl. Miss you so much.” He cooed back. He was being cute but it wasn’t exactly the mood you were in.

“T… I really miss you baby.” You sighed, practically moaning. You just couldn’t hold it together anymore.

“God, your voice is my favorite sound.” He was quick to reply with words that had your heart aching. You giggled trying to push away how sad you were, only making room for your desperation to bubble over uncontrollably.

“I miss your voice in my ear” you told him before he groaned at your suggestive comment.

“Yeah, you miss me telling you how sexy you are? What a good girl you are f’me?” He was practically growling. You sank down in your bed, rustling under the duvet. Trent leaned against his headboard trying to compose himself to some degree because the thought of you had the blood rushing to his cock.

“T, I miss being close to you.” You complained.

“Me too, baby. Miss your body so much. Do me a favor, yeah?” You smiled, praying you and he were going to be okay at this. You just needed to hear his voice coach you through an orgasm again so you could finally breathe during the day.

“Whatever you want.” You assured him you would do anything for him.

“Can you touch yourself for me?” He asked so innocently.

Your hand slipped into your sweats, your fingers running through your dripping wet folds.

“T, I’m so fucking wet. I miss you so much.” You moaned

“Yeah?” Trent couldn’t not smile. He liked knowing he could have you like this even across an ocean through the phone.

“Baby…” you paused, “can I see you?” You asked cautiously. Your phone buzzed with an incoming FaceTime call before you even heard a verbal response.

“Lemme see that pretty pussy,” he said without hesitation, his voice laced with lust. You had discarded your sweats and leaned back propping your phone up for him to see you spread your legs some more, your fingers tracing through your folds gathering your slick.

“Fuck… suck on your fingers like it’s my cock baby.” He commanded you and you happily obliged, slowly dragging your fingers up your body pulling your shirt up with your fingers showing more and more to him. You sucked on your fingers being incredibly messy, spit pooling in the corners of your mouth, showing him as you licked your fingers like you would if it was him, drawing your tongue up around and down them.

“Do you miss having your cock sucked?” you asked boldly, pulling your fingers from your mouth. Trent knew he missed you but hearing your words made him completely fall apart. The thought of you had him impossibly hard.

“Yeah, baby, miss your mouth so much.” He said his hands sliding down to stroke his cock. He could barely talk because he was lost watching your fingers grazing back over your body down to your soaking wet core. Trent begged you to slide your wet fingers in and out of your body.

“Fuck T, I miss you... I-fuck.. I need you.” you whined at the feeling of your quick pace dreaming it could be him.

“Need you baby, want to feel your pussy on my cock again.” He moaned laced with desire. You talked to him like he was with you making you feel good like he had many times. Your mind was clouded by how badly you wanted him in the room with you, his lips on your skin. You were pathetically begging for him but he honestly was no better. There really was no shame, you both missed this.

“Be a good girl and cum f’me” he was barely able to grunt out the words completely enamored by the noises you were making that he missed so much.

“Fuck, fuck..fu- fuck..” you couldn’t hold it anymore, white hot pleasure surged though you as Trent watched you squirm.

“That’s it baby, feels so fu-fucking good” he shuddered. “Shit baby, I’m gonna cum too.” He said before he released onto his stomach, breathing incredibly hard, eyes shut.

“I miss you so much, I miss this so much.” You panted out.

“Me too baby. I don’t want to say too much or have you think it’s just some sort of post cum sentiment but I like this, I’m not sure what you think this is but whatever it is I really really like it. I like you so much. You’re mine, beautiful.” He admitted wholeheartedly, vulnerable, in stark contrast to his lustful words moments ago.

“Really?” You questioned despite hearing the sincerity in his voice. You rolled over in your bed, your face leaned against your pillow, laying your phone across from you the same, holding so it felt like he was on that pillow next to you.

“Yeah, really baby.” He cooed confirming.

“I wish you were here so I could kiss you, T” you said sweetly. You two were so enraptured in the other you failed to notice how much time had passed since you began the call.

“I want to kiss you so bad sweet girl.”

“Oh fuck.. it’s late here, it must be so so late for you T. I’m sorry.”

“I don’t care, I missed your face. Wanted to hear your voice and definitely missed hearing you moan” he said giggling a little. You two talked for way too long after going back and forth gushing over the other, missing each other tremendously.

Nights continued like this, early evening for you, late for him, you stayed glued to your phones talking. Whenever you could you’d sneak a cheeky photo to send. You wanted to make sure he didn’t forget about you and he sure as hell wasn’t going to regardless. Trent practically drooled at his phone at the provocative photos and videos you sent to keep him attached. In the wake of the sexts and phone calls, you two were simultaneously falling more and more for each other, learning little things about everything. This wasn’t some athlete you met and slept with anymore, this was your Trent.

You two were completely attached to the other and yet, no one really knew about your closely intertwined relationship. You both were quiet, reserved, respectful of one another not wanting to push boundaries bringing other people in. You liked being his and you didn’t want to do anything to risk that so you kept your relationship with Trent to yourself. Trent took care of you. He called when he said he would, he texted with you as much as he could, he sent you gifts and flowers often, you were definitely together, neither of you had any interest in seeing anyone else but being far apart made asking or putting a label on things a little awkward.

It was late again. You two lost in each other's eyes talking about how much you missed being together.

“It's a long flight tomorrow, I can just sleep on the plane, baby. I’ll wanna stay up with you.” Trent said, yawning a little.

“T, go to sleep, please.” You cooed trying to get him to go to bed after talking with you for hours.

“Just keep talking to me, I want to hear your voice. I like it. If I fall asleep, I fall asleep.” You giggled a little at how cute he was but you decided to tease a little.

“Erm, no… If I’m talking I’d like it if you were actually listening!” You poked back at the sleepy boy on your screen.

“I am listening! I’m always listening to you, beautiful.” He tried to rectify something he didn’t really need to, you were kidding, but he was so tired he didn’t catch on. “Just wish you were here in my arms.” He cooed eyes half closed snuggling further into his bed imagining your warm skin on his, your scent, the feeling of the skimpy silk pajamas you were currently wearing.

“Goodnight babyyy.” You sang trying to hang up to get him to sleep.

“Wait, wait , wait…” he perked up some. “Do you know how beautiful I think you are?” He tried to sweet talk you into staying on the phone.

“I do” you giggled. “I read it today in the note that came with the flowers… again.” You made fun of him. The same way you were adamant to keep Trent hooked with explicit photos, he was sending you everything from flowers to luxury gifts to your morning Starbucks. His persistence had filled your apartment with little reminders of him. Deliveries appearing at an unbelievable cadence. Neither of you needed to do anything to maintain the other’s interest or hold fascination but it was a fun way to connect when you were far apart.

“I think you’re beautiful too but you're also awfully tired T so..” you kissed towards him on the screen exaggerating a ‘mwah’ sound “ goodnight baby.”

“Goodnight baby” he cooed “I l-lo..I’ll, yeah I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” He hung up letting out a sigh of frustration. This wasn’t the first time Trent felt himself almost slip. Just like the night before he flew home from New York, Trent knew exactly how he felt about you but was terrified and the distance was not helping or giving him a good way to tell you. He was flying out of England tomorrow for preseason meaning your time apart was coming slowly but surely to an end. In lieu of that he needed to find a way to ask you to come and visit him officially now.

Weeks had passed when you were laying in your bed on a Friday night. You weren't big on nights out before but staying in consistently to talk with Trent or just cuddling up to your pillow missing him had become your new norm. Your friends had started to get a bit worried. They knew you were seeing someone, it was obvious, but they didn’t really have a lot of details as you tried to keep things hush. Although your emotional distance had them interested, they were more so curious if they should be genuinely concerned. Unannounced, your best friend came to your apartment to check in on you. The knock at your door caught you off guard. You slumped off your unmade bed, the blue light of the tv that was casting Sky Sports in hope of catching a glimpse at your Trent was the only thing illuminating the room.

“Ermmm… you okay? Where have you been, lady?” Your friend stepped past you into the apartment turning on a light.

“I’m here, just keeping to myself, don't know.” You shrugged. Your apartment was now filled with flowers and gifts from him.

“So this man…” she paused until you looked at her.

“What man?” You tried to play dumb poorly.

“You’re just buying yourself all these flowers now?”

“No, no. It’s... ” you started to laugh. It was funny. You weren’t sure what had gotten into you. You just missed Trent and it resulted in you hiding out a little. You both jumped when the phone on your apartment wall rang from the front desk downstairs telling you a delivery was coming up. The irony of a gift arriving from Trent right now was just icing on the cake for your friend giving her the perfect opportunity to pry.

Two packages and another bouquet came. You smiled at how sweet he was, you didn’t particularly care what was even in the boxes, he was always thinking of you and that’s what mattered but your friend was eager to know what was sent.

“Go on! I need to know” she just about yelled. You both sat on your carpet cross legged after you put the new flowers on the table. You opened the first box which contained another box but a black one with a white camellia flower you recognized. You pulled it out slowly, smugly just awaiting your friend's response.

“What the fuck!” She was actually yelling now.

“Stop! Let me open it” you laughed.

“What the fuck is happening! Who is sending you Chanel? Did you order from like a DH Gate site?” Still yelling with a ridiculous smile. She knew you would never do that and this was obviously a gift, from the man she knew nothing about, but she was just giving you a hard time as she normally did.

You opened the box and undid the tissue paper painfully slow for her, picking up a dust bag before removing a silver metallic Chanel 22 handbag. Your friend audibly gasped as your hand grazed over the shiny calfskin. Neither of you were strangers to designer items, shopping being a favorite hobby of yours but again… to receive this from a man was different. A card was sat in the box and she grabbed it quickly before you could even try.

‘Swear days are getting longer but the wait is getting shorter. See you so soon, baby xx T’

“T! T! Whose T?!?” She gently pushed at you.

“Okay, okay… he’s my… I don’t know what he is exactly, he’s just mine I guess.” You said honestly.

“Yours? Is this like a sugar baby thing?” You just laughed at her audacious question.

“Sort of…” her face dropped immediately. “I’m kidding!!! Obviously not, he just does well for himself I guess.” You were giving her nothing but crumbs.

“Well, what’s he do?” She said almost salivating at the bag now in her hands.

“Can I just open my other package in peace please?” You said ignoring her eagerness.

“Yeah! Please” she motioned toward the next box. “Then you’ll tell me more...”

“Sure” you said not really anticipating having to share too much. When you opened the package you were surprised to find a blank white box inside so you opened it a bit more hesitantly not sure what he had sent, praying it was nothing overtly sexual you’d have to explain. When you got it open there was just a familiar red jersey.

“Huh?” Your friend cut in. You pulled the shirt out of the box revealing the front to you and inadvertently showing her Trent’s double barrelled last name plastered on the back.

“Alexander-Arnold? So he knows you have a crush on someone else... good.” She joked. Most everyone close to you knew you had a little crush on him but it was superficial at best. Another note that had been tucked into the package fell as the shirt unfolded when you picked it up.

‘Flights booked. Meet me at Anfield, beautiful. Can’t wait to see you there. xx TAA #66”

He teased you signing it like he would an autograph, it was cute, funny, and ultimately a little sexy. You were caught in a daze. You held the little card flat enough for her to be able to make out what was written

“WHAT THE FUCK!” Your friend screamed snatching the note for closer inspection.

“Oh fuck..” you snapped bank to your reality. “Yeah, well.. I’ve been…”

“Fucking a soccer player!?” The word ‘soccer’ made you cringe but also laugh.

“We’ve just been talking!” You completely downplayed your situation.

“Did you DM him? How did this happen?” Your friend needed more information immediately and to be fair you hadn’t really gotten the opportunity to squeal about this all with anyone yet so you divulged.

“No, no we met here actually, I stayed with him for like a week at his hotel and… I don’t know, we really hit it off, I really like him. I think he likes me. I don’t feel like myself without him now. I guess that’s why I’ve been hiding out.”

“Yeah I would hide out too if a man that looked like that was on the other end of the phone, sending me Chanel.”

“It’s not a bad situation!” You joked. “I mean I miss him so much, it makes me sick but..”

“But? But he’s flying you out to see him!” Your friend was amazing at always seeing the positives.

“You’re right…” you paused when your phone vibrated, glancing down at it to see an unrelated text from Trent.

“Is that him? Oh my fucking god. This is wild.” She leaned over trying to see your phone. “ ‘Wah, no guys are into me’ … ‘I’m just not the type of look guys want’ …you're ridiculous, you know that?” She mocked things you had said recently complaining about men.

“Yeah, it’s him.” You said with a childish giddy grin on your face.

“Of course you pull a fucking famous athlete… only you.” She teased some more. You were objectively attractive, always turning heads but your confidence wasn’t great so when men paid attention often your confusion always made your friends laugh.

“Let me see your phone.” She said grabbing at it, opening your camera roll.

“Wait! Wait!” You protested knowing there were some particularly spicy pictures from your time together and lately… your time apart.

“Oh my god, shut up! He’s so hot, holy fuck.” She said zooming in on a picture of you two in the mirror after a shower back in the hotel.

“Stop! Wait, you can’t just ravage through my photos. Give him some privacy!” You tried to reason with her.

“Tell him to stop sending you pics of his dick then!” She teased not actually tapping on any of the clearly more explicit images.

“No!” You laughed. “I like them, they’re for me.” You said not needing a photo to picture his naked body you had come to know well right this second.

•

Thank you for continuing reading! I hope you enjoyed it. Please let me know what you think or if you have any thoughts/ questions! 🤍

Next part is up - Chapter 9

#trent alexander arnold #trent alexander arnold x reader #trent alexander arnold imagines

114 notes · View notes

bridgertonandchocolate · 4 months

Text

Top Polin moments from part 1. I can't put them in any particular order because I really LOVED ALL of them. Truly. But there is obviously a top favorite. If it's not everyone's #1 I don't know what you've been watching.

Carriage. Need we say more?! This is the top Polin moment of part 1. The way I finished the season around 6:30 in the morning and then proceeded to watch the carriage scene over and over for about an hour straight before I had to leave for work. They told us we weren't ready and they were right. I'm still not ready and I must have watched it hundreds of times. The rollercoaster of emotions from the anger and desperation to the despair to pure love and laughing together. Not to mention I think this has to be one of the longest Bridgerton love scenes (besides Simon and Daphne's honeymoon probably). It was the hottest make-out sesh followed by some special finger time I've ever seen. The way that you know they're both gonna be kinky too. The hair tugging and smirk. The AFTERCARE. Good god. I can't. It's fantastic. The way you can see in Colin's eyes that he's like "she's my wife now and forever" before he climbs out of the carriage. He's like maybe I should ask her lol. This will be my favorite scene of Bridgerton forever until part 2 comes out probably and then it might get topped.

Now in no particular order:

2. Cake. I really want to know what was going through Luke Newton's mind when he was watching her lick icing off her fingers. Because...the boy was hungry. You can't tell me he wasn't thinking about just how her mouth tastes but other parts too. You know he was. Also throwback to season 1 when Marina told Pen babies basically came from cake lol. And then Colin bought the same cake just to taste what she tasted and he LICKED HIS FINGER just like her and then looked at her. Like...bro be more subtle please.

3. "Shall we gallop on?" The two of them laughing together is something I absolutely ADORE about them. Colin and his dad jokes. I don't find dad jokes funny unless they're coming from Colin Bridgerton's mouth and obviously so does Pen. Even in the market when they giggle about their first meeting. PLEASE. Giving me life. The other two couples were too serious for me. This couple DGAF about propriety. Obviously.

4. Drawing Room Lesson and Cutting of the Hand. From beginning to end. Another rollercoaster of emotion. The fact that Pen no longer feels comfortable in Bridgerton House (like bitch you belong there don't even) to Colin's hand on her back. Had to rewind that a few times in the initial watch. And then he's setting the scene pretending they're at a ball and telling her to flirt with him. The eyes. A confession that's not really a confession from Pen. Colin rushing her out of the room. Her reading the journals (naughty Pen) and then we know what happens. He literally holds her hand. You cannot convince me he doesn't curve his fingers against hers to pull her in.

5. First Kiss. Perfect in every way. It's a moment I loved in the book and it was nearly identical and I loved seeing it play out on screen. The quick peck. The going back in for seconds and thirds. The hand lingering on her face. The way you can see he's fundamentally changed. GAH!

6. The Dream. I want to know what other dreams Colin's had because it seems like there was definitely more than one because he said he prefers sleep to being awake so....there's definitely more than what we were graced with. The way he pushed her up against the door frame. Good Lord Colin.

Honorable mentions: literally every other Polin moment. The savior moment with the balloon. The first lesson while promenading and then again in the market when she thinks she can't be taught and he's like "you already know what you're doing babe." Post kiss under the willow tree. Colin's conversation with Mama Bridgerton even though Pen wasn't super involved. It was magnificent. Colin getting interrupted by Debling when he wants to ask Pen if she feels the same way and he just can't help but stare at her lips and totally forget what he came there to do. Pen literally looked at him scared that he was about to eat her face. And then him sad and depressed watching them dance like he just lost his wife.

#bridgerton #polin #it’s polin season #bridgerton season three #romancing mister bridgerton #colin bridgerton #penelope featherington #colin x penelope

64 notes · View notes

bueckerscore · 10 days

Note

Istg you dumb uconn fan can never take criticism when it comes to Paige. When are you gonna understand she’s sucking up all these wnba players so she can have a better rookie season when she goes to wnba? Like believe it or not she’s not that great not a generational talent yall wanna make her out to be, going to all these events and shit so she can have all the attention on her because she’s a insufferable little brat. Paige will never be batter than cc you can hate her all you want, you can make up all these delusions that Paige is better but she never will be. She’s gonna come to the league and fail. She gets everything handed to her on a silver platter because she gets everything even though she’s not deserving of them especially that npoy as a freshman.

first of all hoe if you gonna say all of this at least make it make sense, i can take criticism but what im not gonna do is let some people say paige bueckers get shit handed to her because that girl worked hard for everything she’s gotten.

second of yall “sucking up all these wnba players” is such disrespectful thing to say because it shows you don’t even WATCH this sport or respect it, wnba is a professional sport league do you think some players are just gonna put aside basketball and be fucking nice to paige? for what? for what exactly i want you to tell me? idk why it’s so triggering for you and some people that paige has friends in W and is well liked like im sorry she’s likeable??

paige bueckers no.1 high school recruit npoty led uconn in SCORING, she’s done things no other college basketball has done and had to deal with injuries, she was in a national championship game only in her sophomore year with basically one leg. she sustained an ACL came back led her half ass baked team with 7 available players to the final four is not a generational talent… OKAY! i could list her stat line for you but you obviously don’t watch basketball.

and idk what events you’re talking ab if it’s all- star game or nyfw recently but the all star game is literally a fun event lots of wbb players went? like it wasn’t only her, mind you she was supporting cc throughout the night too like idk why yall hate her THIS much 😭 and if you mean nyfw i must laugh because baby that’s an invite only event because paige is an household name in wbb. (SO IS CC DONT SHOOT ME) and beside it’s a great marketing opportunity

and for ur last point i don’t hate cc? do i think paige is a better overall player while they were both in college? yes i do and you’re not gonna change my mind about it 🤷‍♀️ you think paige is gonna fail in the wnba? okay fine u are free to think whatever bullshit u wanna think!

npoty getting handed to her is crazy because she literally led uconn in points assists steals and 3pfg in that same season.

and matter of fact i like cc, she’s a great player and she’s having a great rookie season and she’s gonna go to have a long successful career, but what i’m not gonna do is let yall talk shit on paige at the end of the day this is a uconn fan account so!

anyways goodnight pls don’t send me anons idgaf this should should let all the 10 other ppl who sent me some bullshit in my inbox know what i think!

#wbb #wcbb #wnba #uconn #uconn huskies #uconn wbb #paige bueckers #caitlin clark

47 notes · View notes

hrtsoldierboy · 2 months

Text

[PT.1] — BUTCHERBOY HCS »

Small warnings: cursing, implied violence, implied sex, and old man yaoi >:’)

Pairing/s: Billy Butcher x Soldier Boy/Ben

———

When Ben and Billy started “dating”, both of them were actually really reluctant for two main reasons for both of them

For Billy, well, it was Soldier Boy of all people. And he’s a typical asshole bigoted supe! Didn’t stop him from getting that peepaw d though

For Ben, it’s really obvious. One, Ben was definitely NOT gay. And secondly, he absolutely despises Billy for making him gay

To be honest, they didn’t know exactly how they happened. But it’s probably because they both hooked up when they were both pent-up with anger

But who knows…

Both of them didn’t want to become public at all costs. One of the reasons being, yknow… MM..

But that didn’t stop Ben from being affectionate even in the slightest bit.

Same with Butcher too

Ben doesn’t share his liquor with the group at all but with Butcher? Yeah, both of them are finishing that shit in no time. Which, to Ben, is kind of a big deal. He doesn't share his shit too much

Butcher doesn't have too many clothes if he was being honest. Just his Hawaiian shirts, a sweater or two, some jeans, and his coat, but that didn't stop Ben from stealing his sweaters when Butcher wasn't wearing them

Both men don’t want to seem soft (somewhat for Butcher I guess, and Ben is a different story)

It didn't take long before the others found out (blame Ben for that)

As expected, none of them took it well, especially MM, but everyone else either accepted it or just didn't care much about it. Well, except for MM, of course.

Now, both of them are absolutely FREAKY with each other, that's no doubt

One round and both of them are definitely covered in bites (freaky old men, I tell you...) More than two rounds? Covered in blood, can't properly walk... yeah. Definitely freaky fucks

They aren't really cuddly, but Ben is clingy 24/7 when given the chance, even more so after they went public (kind of)

Like, kisses often, staying at Billy's side, sitting on the man's lap unprompted, more or less to Billy's dismay, but that doesn't mean he doesn't like it

In fact, Billy loves it, flaunting off his man like a proud boyfriend, even when it gets annoying sometimes

Ben still wants to have children but he doesn't know how to talk to Billy about it

Billy eventually notices that Ben wants to talk about something and finally sits with Ben to talk (basically, Ben cried but don't tell anyone)

Billy takes Ben to visit Terror, and Ben loves the lil' guy, asking Billy to get a pet right after they left

Billy pretty much agrees, and they now have an orange cat named Fuckface (Ben named her)

Butcher thinks it's cute that Ben is a softie for a random stray cat that they found on their way to adopt a dog at a pet store

And then the season three finale happens, but let's ignore canon! :3

In this AU, Butcher doesn’t betray Ben, but MM convinced Frenchie to help him try to make Ben go to sleep

Spoiler alert, it doesn’t work

Blah blah blah, all the fighting still happens and Ben is heart broken that it happened, but Butcher does fight with Ben

Ben doesn’t hurt Ryan btw

The Maeve and Ben explosion still happens, but what happens to Ben is different

Butcher goes out of his way to find Ben afterwards, and he does

Just in time, actually since Grace arrives not too long after

Butcher and Grace strike a deal with each other for Ben

Ben being under Grace’s watch (not in a box this time) while still being able to see Butcher

And Butcher doing missions for her in return

Obviously, Ben and Butcher also fight, as all couples do

Their most recent one being about Butcher being sick, Ben getting worried, Butcher refusing help, Ben being absolutely devastated that he can’t do anything but watch Butcher act weird and slowly dying (Grace did a check up, and yeah…)

Butcher tries to reassure Ben that he’s gonna be alright, that they’re gonna be alright

It helps Ben, but he still worries a lot

Moving on, both of them get jealous easily

Like, if a random person (guy, girl, or anything else), hits on one of them, the other one is definitely gonna act like they’re in the Omegaverse or something

When they’re mad at each other but totally want to get their Ds wet, expect some angry sex

The first time Ben realises that he loves Billy is when Fuckface and Terror were both playing together while Butcher was video taping them on an old camera

Ben was looking at him with pure joy, thoughts were running through his head, when he thought about how Billy is the man he loves

Ben doesn’t know what to feel about that at first, but he eventually accepts it because, hey, he’s an old man and he can love anyone he wants at this point

When Butcher realises he loves Ben, it was after they’d had sex

Ben was asleep, snoring away, the sun hitting his face at the perfect angle, and Butcher just smiled and thought

“I love my man.”

After that, things changed for the better

They were softer on each other now, only in private though because Ben didn’t really want to draw attention to himself that much anymore

When they’d both said ‘i love you’ to the other, they just cuddled with each other while making out

———

Aaand I think that’s all for now 😁😁 I’ll make a part two but with season four once I have enough motivation

edit:

And probably a part three with season five once it comes out, but that’s in 2026, so enjoy for now lol

Lots of love, hrtsoldierboy !

#soldier boy #billy butcher #billy butcher x soldier boy #butcherboy #jensen ackles #karl urban #the boys #mlm #rarepair #headcanon #toxic old man yaoi #i hate and love them sm #literally my babies #hrtsoldierboy #my writing is shit but we move along

34 notes · View notes

destinygoldenstar · 26 days

Text

For Anyone Who Wants To Watch 90s Sailor Moon But Doesn’t Want To Watch Several Episodes Of Filler, Here’s A Guide (Dark Kingdom Arc)

Hello, as someone who just rewatched season 1 of the 90s Sailor Moon, I wanted to give newcomers a bit of help.

I watched this version way back as a kid, I will say it didn’t click with me until years later after two or three rewatches. But my opinion isn’t too important for this post, I ran down all 46 Episodes of the first season, and made a list tracking down the filler contained.

Cause yeah… 46 episodes for a 14 Chapter story in manga text… yeah there’s gonna be a lot of filler. And people, myself included, want to enjoy the shows story without getting interrupted.

I will NOT be condoning ALL filler. In some episodes, there is SOMETHING plot relevant that happens, whether it’s based off the manga or based off 90s show lore that they changed.

Basically, I’m going to list off EVERY Episode of the Dark Kingdom Arc, 90s version. If literally ANYTHING tied to the seasons main story is in the episode, I’ll list it as a watch. And if there’s nothing, I’ll list as a skip. Or I could add better context, skip some episodes because they’re pointless, skip because they’re bad episodes, or cause they’re pointless AND bad episodes, my favorite /s.

So, for anyone who wants to get into 90s Sailor Moon, here’s a guide on what episodes are a must watch, and which ones you can skip and lose nothing.

‘The CryBaby Usagi’s Beautiful Transformation’

Quite obviously the first episode is VERY VITAL TO WATCH.

It’s the first chapter of the manga. It introduces our main character Usagi and her powers. It introduces Luna. It’s when our two lovebirds first meet. It’s the introduction of the Dark Kingdom, Beryl, & Jadeite. It’s the introduction of Tuxedo Mask as a mysterious figure. You get it.

It’s one of the few episodes that’s pretty close to the manga version, with the exception of a few not very harmful changes here and there.

Also her mom kicking her out of the house is funnier in the anime.

Manga: “If you’re gonna come home with grades like this, don’t even bother coming home!”

Anime: “YOU DON’T DESERVE TO BE LET INTO THIS HOUSE”

(I watched this subbed)

‘Punishment Awaits: The House Of Fortune Is The Monster Mansion’

Literally the only plot relevant thing in this episode is the introduction of Motoki.

In both versions, he’s a red herring for Tuxedo Mask. In both versions he’s also a very nothing side character, only serving in the manga as a love interest for Makoto, AKA Sailor Jupiter in the first two arcs. But it goes nowhere.

So… if you care about this character, watch the episode just for his introduction. But if you don’t, (I don’t blame you,) there is nothing in this episode for you.

Unless you have a kink for sexual harassment. Umino’s got you covered there.

‘The Mysterious Sleeping Sickness: Protect The Girls In Love’

This one is NECESSARY.

The episode introduces the Moon Power disguise mechanic, which unlike the manga, is used a lot in the anime.

It also has Sailor Moon and Jadeite actually meeting each other… which, yeah, is also important.

I also just like the episode. It’s one of the episodes of the anime where Usagi actually shows some growth as a guardian. The action in this one is really fun. And they use the stock Tiara Attack creatively here. That’s appreciated.

‘Learn How To Be Skinny From Usagi’

SKIP THIS EPISODE

Especially for anorexia and body shaming trigger warnings.

It’s very fatphobic. It’s very offensive to people without mainstream body types. AND there is NOTHING plot relevant that happens in it.

‘Scent Of A Monster: Chanela Will Steal Your Love’

I’m very torn on this one.

On the one hand, this is an episode where Usagi actually uses her brain, (though she kinda drops the ball at one point) and we get to learn more about Usagi’s family. Which is an appreciated form of filler. And we also get Moon Tiara Stardust and Luna living with the family.

ON THE OTHER HAND, there’s NOTHING plot relevant that happens in this episode. The Stardust function NEVER gets used again. It’s not in the manga. And in terms of Luna, I would agree with the plot of her living with their parents if it weren’t for a simple fact: SHE WAS ALREADY LIVING WITH THEM AND NO ONE BAT AN EYE

So, no, you’re not gonna get anything plot related in this episode. But if you want to learn more about Usagi’s brother and you are anti-animal cruelty, maybe you should watch it idk. You decide that one.

‘Protect The Melody Of Love: Usagi Plays Cupid’

Okay, there’s nothing plot relevant in this episode. Absolutely nothing. The characters in this episode besides Usagi and Luna never show up again and have absolutely no purpose. Nothing progresses.

It’s also one of the few episodes where Mamoru doesn’t show up once… though that’s a win in my book.

So no. You do not have to watch this episode.

But… darn it! I can’t write it off! It’s SO SWEET

It has such a different atmosphere than the ones before. It’s so pretty to look at. Usagi is actually extremely competent at her job in this one. And I cared about the stakes in this one. I cared about this piano guy wanting to get his music to his girl. I actually felt like Sailor Moon was a guardian of LOVE and JUSTICE in this one.

Seriously if all the filler episodes were like this, I would not be making this post. It’s that good and sweet.

But it is filler. So it’s your choice. But I think it’s a filler any Sailor Moon watcher can love.

‘Usagi Learns Her Lesson: Becoming A Star Is Hard Work’

SKIP THIS EPISODE

There is NOTHING IMPORTANT or of value in this episode.

At least the rose did something useful in this one I guess.

‘The Girl Genius Is A Monster: The Brainwashing Cram School Of Horror’

Obviously VERY IMPORTANT.

This is the episode that introduces Ami Mizuno AKA Sailor Mercury. She’s an important character.

It’s also Chapter 2 in the manga. So… yeah. Must watch.

Also, I actually like Ami as a character best in this version. Believe it or not. This episode, of every version, did the BEST at grasping who Ami is.

In the manga, she gets brainwashed along with everyone else.

In the anime, she doesn’t fall for it, not because she knows it’s a trap, but because she’s the kind of person that studies on her own terms and her own interest. Shy or not, introverted or not, she has that moral code in her that she stands for. Studying is all she sees value in herself with.

It’s a small change, but I LOVE this change because it gives Ami more characterization to stand behind. And sets up her own story throughout the show.

Her attack sucks though.

‘Usagi’s Disaster: Beware The Clock Of Confusion’

Surprisingly necessary.

The episode itself is meh. It’s confirmed in this one that Tuxedo Mask is indeed a stalker. The animation is quite rough in this one for some reason. And Elder Sailor Moon is cursed.

But I mostly say you have to watch it because Mercury gets a power up in this one. That being her calculus.

This thing is used quite a bit in the anime. And it is also used for an emotional punchline at the season finale.

(Again, I’m going off the anime’s story logic here. This calculus was an addition just for the anime. This was never a thing in the manga. Maybe they realized they did Mercury dirty and tried to course correct)

‘The Cursed Bus: Enter Mars, The Guardian Of Fire’

Obviously this one is also VERY IMPORTANT.

It introduces another Sailor Guardian, that being Rei Hino AKA Sailor Mars. It’s Chapter 3 in the Manga. Rei is an important character. Obviously.

I will say I prefer the Crystal version of the episode over this version, but this version is not bad at delivering THIS version of Mars… a rival character for Usagi, basically. And a rose thorn. Not sorry.

I think that just has to do with me not being given a good reason to like her in this episode. The episode is more focused on the bus mystery and the shrine location than Rei herself. Whereas with Crystal it’s the opposite.

We saw there her insecurities about her abilities and how people unfairly treated her and assumed she was monstrous. So we could sympathize with her when she snaps back.

Here? She just snaps back. At everyone. Even her own family. And that’s our intro of her character. This is the first impression the writers want you to take away of her. Not exactly a positive light on someone who’s supposed to be a main character.

(In case you don’t know, this is NOT Rei’s character at all in the manga)

I find it funny that when Luna senses energy from Rei she wonders if she’s the princess, but when she senses energy from Ami she assumes she’s a monster.

Someone in the writers room hates Ami and that makes me sad.

Also, Tuxedo Mask does something other than throw a rose and peace out in this one. So that’s nice.

‘Usagi Vs Rei: Nightmare In Dream Land’

This is the first of many Usagi & Rei rival episodes. The titles are not subtle.

I know some people love their dynamic in the anime… I’m not one of those people. Like, there’s witty banter and teasing, and then there’s insulting, agreeing with the bullies, and being physical. I just think they take it way too far sometimes and it overstays it’s welcome in this season. They’re both pretty annoying this episode, for different reasons.

But ignoring my opinion on that matter, I do know people who love their dynamic, so this episode will deliver on that content.

And this is the episode where Rei meets Mamoru, which becomes a whole controversial subplot that didn’t exist in the manga. But it is a subplot that happens later and this is its intro so maybe you should watch it. Idk. It doesn’t really affect the main plot.

There’s also a little combo attack Moon and Mars do and it looks pretty neat.

‘I Want A Boyfriend: The Luxury Cruise Ship Is A Trap’

Oh look, an Usagi & Rei rivalry episode…

Wait, didn’t we do that last episode-?

This episode is about these three girls fighting for each others affection when Rei asks Ami out on a date. That’s it. That’s the plot.

Rei denies things. The cruise’s energy draining is homophobic. But I see right through her that she’s just a closeted gay 🏳️‍🌈

(That’s my headcanon anyway)

At least last episode was about solving a mystery related to the villains. Here it’s solely for these girls own dreams. Not that it’s a bad thing. I like it when protags are selfish sometimes.

But this episode is also important because it acts as significant build up to the next episode. That being Beryl getting very pissed at Jadeite for a scandal he pulls. Plus it’s the only time Jadeite gets any sort of character depth ever so enjoy it while you can.

‘Girls Unite: The End Of Jadeite’

I don’t think I need to tell you this one is VERY IMPORTANT.

The death/defeat of one of the major villains of the show is very important. I don’t need to tell you that.

It’s also just a really great intense episode. Usagi is excellent in showcasing her growth in this one. Like GOSH does she feel so REAL in this version of the story.

She also asks a really good question.

“What’s wrong with our government, hiring people like this?!”

I ask myself that a lot, Usagi. And I don’t know that answer.

Mamoru is insufferable as usual. And this might take the crown for his most pointless insults. What do you gain from being a dickhead to this girl, I seriously need to know!! (It’s also sad considering he’s only like this in the first chapter in the manga and then never again)

But at least Tuxedo Mask gets a one on one duel with a villain and that is epic. So I guess this balances it out. Especially since he’s fighting against another misogynist.

“Go on and cry! Do you need a man to do everything for you?! Women are such shallow, useless creatures!”

That’s how you know Jadeite deserved his fate.

‘A New Enemy Appears: Nephrite’s Evil Crest’

Important episode because it introduces the new villain character.

Actually, TWO of them, as Zoisite also shows up.

Yes Zoisite is a queer dude. DEAL WITH IT.

This is also the first time the introduction Usagi makes at the start of these episodes changes. I always like this, as it shows where we’re at in the story and her development.

And yet everyone roasts Usagi and treats her like an idiot, and to that I say “Where were you guys in this episodes battle?? That’s what I thought”

Mamoru doesn’t show up this episode, but Tuxedo Mask does and he actually fights and participates this time. Both of those are music to my ears.

‘Usagi’s Panic: Rei’s First Date’

The start of the episode is about the trio learning this guys beautiful park is being bulldozed and the creatures in it are in danger and he’s all sad about it.

AWWWWW, it’s a cute ‘save the environment’ episode and they’re gonna help this guy. That’s-

“I better find a boyfriend and have a date before it’s gone.”

Oh…

No it’s just an episode about Rei being a selfish prick. As usual.

I know I said I like it when these characters are selfish sometimes, but there’s going to have fun instead of working cause you’re a kid, and then there’s forcing a guy to date you in a park that you heard is being bulldozed as well as not taking no for an answer.

They just go way too far when it comes to Rei.

This episode is about her dating Mamoru. Which is a very pointless love triangle plotline if you ask me, and anyone with even the slightest knowledge of Sailor Moon lore KNOWS this ship is dead in the water upon concept alone.

BUT… as much as I don’t like this plotline, it IS a running plotline in the show, so if you care about it you have to watch it.

I don’t blame you for not bothering though.

Oh yeah this is also the episode where we learn that Mamoru is a college student.

I’m gonna do die in a corner now.

(In the manga, he’s in high school and only TWO years older than Usagi. There was literally NO reason to increase that age gap. What the f-)

At least Mamoru was tolerant in this one, AND Ami was great in this one. She really is precious.

‘A Girl’s Dream: Usagi Becomes A Bride’

This has a group transformation.

That’s it. That’s all the value there is in this nothing episode.

SKIP.

‘Usagi’s A Model: The Flash Of The Monster Camera’

THIS, of all episodes, is where Luna gives the girls communicators.

(For manga context, they don’t get communicators till the second arc)

AND this is our first mention of the Legendary Silver Crystal, which is very important.

So yeah, surprisingly, you have to watch the episode.

I completely forgot about this episode before I rewatched it. And I’m kinda embarrassed that I did. It’s better than I remember it being.

Even if it’s one of those ‘Usagi Bullying’ episodes where everyone makes fun of her and insults her, even though time and time again she’s proven to be much more competent than she seems. AND she saved everybody’s asses this episode. By herself.

And they STILL belittle her.

Really, your tolerance for it depends on who you are as a person. Or whether or not you hate Usagi. I can see why some people would, but I’m not one of those people. Usagi getting bullied just makes me sad :(

‘Shingo’s Love: The Grieving Doll’

This episode was nightmare fuel. Those dolls, just… UGH

There’s really nothing to say about this one other than it’s another episode about Usagi’s family, and this one shot of Mamoru and Nephrite walking by each other.

Yeah… nothing really noteworthy. Pass.

‘Usagi’s Joy: A Love Letter From Tuxedo Mask’

This is an important episode. Quite a bit happens here.

This is the episode where Sailor Moon and Nephrite properly meet. Which is important.

This is the reveal of Tuxedo Mask’s identity… albeit pretty underwhelming of how they revealed it. Still a reveal though.

(In the Manga, he has complete control over his two personas. In the anime, he’s not. That’s a detail change right there.)

This episode also has a bit of a conversation in the manga. Well, a part of it at least.

(In the manga, there’s a conversation Usagi & Mamoru have upon finding out Tuxedo Mask’s identity. It’s explained why Tuxedo Mask fights and always protects Sailor Moon. Another half of it is Mamoru explaining his past, but in the anime that part is split into a different conversation later. This half of it presented in the anime is much sooner than in the manga. In the manga, this takes place after Jupiter joined the team, and after Usagi got her moon wand. And instead of an elevator escape life or death situation, it took place in Mamoru’s apartment.)

This episode is also where Naru & Nephrite first meet, which is… a can of worms. But it’s important. So…

‘The Summer, The Beach, Youth And Ghosts’

Does nobody find it weird that it’s summer break but when they get back to school they’re not up a grade?

Idk how Japan schools work.

Anyway, unless you like haunted mansions, there is nothing in this episode for you. And even then it’s one of the weaker haunted mansion episode stories.

It’s also one of those ‘Forgive your abusers’ story and defiance of said abuser is the bad guy.

Thanks… I hate it.

‘Protect The Children’s Dreams: Friendship Through Anime’

I would say this episode was important for Sailor V lore… if this was actually Sailor V lore, and not about lesbian animators.

Yeah… there’s nothing in this episode for you.

Unless you like lesbian animators.

‘Romance Under The Moon: Usagi’s First Kiss’

Chapter 4 of the manga.

12 Episodes later… oh Serenity…

It introduces Kunzite, another main villain. It introduces Mamoru’s nightmares about Serenity (which near exact to the manga btw). There’s more of the Nephrite & Naru plotline. (Hell, if you skip the previous two episodes like I suggested, this is a near perfect transition.)

It’s also Sailor Moon & Tuxedo Mask’s first kiss.

Though whereas in the manga Usagi was unconscious because she was exhausted from the fight, the anime decided the reason she passed out was because she was intoxicated by wine… as a 14 year old… and Tuxedo Mask kissed her…

What the f-

‘Wish Upon A Star: Naru’s First Love’

“And you’re under arrest for romantic scam charges!”

Couldn’t have said it better myself Usagi.

You thought the 90s age gap between Usagi & Mamoru was bad? Try a 14 year old girl slobbering over a middle aged man who is also a terrorist.

But I like that the other characters call her out that it’s creepy and unhealthy and that their plan is to get her to stay away from him... even though they're the ones proven wrong because 'love'... UGH.

Legit, this episodes subject matter is very sensitive. So trigger warning for this one for abusive relationships & scammers.

But it is important. So… just be mindful of some uncomfortable stuff.

ALSO, this is Part 1 of 2 in a story. So it’s buildup to the next episode.

‘Naru’s Tears: Nephrite Dies For Love’

Part 2 of this two parter. It’s important. You know.

As problematic as the story they came up with is, it is still impressive how the 90s anime utilized Nephrite to flesh out the Dark Kingdom agency over the manga counterpart.

In the manga, Sailor Jupiter just kills him with lightning and we knew nothing about him.

So automatically the 90s anime is an upgrade for this character.

You will be missed, dude.

I didn’t spoil it, the episode title did.

‘Jupiter, The Powerful Girl In Love’

This episode is VITAL. Obviously.

It introduces a new guardian, who is one of the best characters of this show (not sorry).

Like, in manga context, Venus is my favorite, but in 90s anime I’m a Jupiter Stan. (She’s great in the manga too)

I think one of the most interesting changes to her character in manga/anime is Mako’s approach on violence.

In the manga, she saves Usagi from a car, and there was more emphasis on her being an outcast due to her height, where the stories of her being expelled for picking fights were fake.

In the anime however, she actually DOES pick fights with people to protect others, and that’s how she meets Usagi, AND she punches Zoisite in the face without powers… which is just badass. Ngl.

In both versions, her behavior is a trauma response to all her loved ones leaving her. Her parents died in a plane crash, leaving her to live alone, & her previous boyfriend dumped her in a very nasty way. So yeah, her response to crushing on every guy she meets in the anime actually has more depth to it than just a running gag. (I can’t speak since I didn’t watch the other seasons in full, but I heard they go more into this)

As a kid I wasn’t very fond of the anime’s change because the whole point of the manga version was that people misjudge her, whereas here, they really aren’t. BUT I’ve warmed up to it as just another version of the character and one that DOES work for what they are trying to set up about her. Mako’s still the tough girl into cute stuff and a hopeless romantic. She just goes at her treatment from others different ways depending on the version. So, yeah, I like it.

Off topic, but the live action movie based off the first season of the anime goes more into depth on this before Mako even becomes Jupiter. We see her get expelled, and we see her home life and how… depressing and lonely her life was before she met Usagi.

I loved it. I wish those scenes were in the 90s anime. Because we only meet Mako THIS episode, where she was NEVER mentioned before, and we’re supposed to just accept she’s a new main character.

I mean yeah the manga kinda had that issue too, but at least it was Chapter 5 of the manga and not episode TWENTY FIVE.

Whatever. I still love Mako here.

This is also the episode where we learn the existence of Metalia. In a scene from Chapter 7 of the manga. In the manga Metalia is the final boss. But in the anime, it’s just Beryl. So… honestly I kinda wish the 90s anime cut Metalia entirely because not only is Metalia a very boring generic evil entity in both versions, but she does absolutely nothing in the anime. And Beryl is just a way more interesting villain in comparison to Metalia. In both versions. Especially in the manga she’s way more interesting.

And this is also the start of the ‘Silver Crystal Fetch Quest’ arc. There’s these rainbow crystals all three sides are after because they need these things to form the Legendary Silver Crystal.

So, automatically, the Zoisite Arc has nearly all of its episodes important, unlike the last arc. (Sorry Nephrite)

These rainbow crystals were not in the manga. In the manga, the crystal was made from Usagi’s tears. (In the manga the crystal is teardrop shaped as a result. In the anime it’s a sphere.) BUT I don’t hate this choice. It gives us a good excuse to learn more about the world and these people living in it.

At least there’s a reason given for this many episodes now.

OH, and one more thing. This episode introduces the Moon Stick…

…I’m sorry, I prefer how the manga introduces it by MILES. And I’m legit disappointed about how the anime handled it. Luna just… makes it appear. I could buy her doing this with the pens, but this weapon wasn’t that.

It also completely takes away such a wholesome and heartwarming bonding chapter with Sailor Moon & Tuxedo Mask by doing it like this. The stick wasn’t just a weapon, it was a wand of healing magic generated by the couple’s love. It’s so important to the story.

‘Restore Naru’s Smile: Usagi’s Friendship’

Rainbow Crystal. Important episode.

You’re gonna hear me say that five more times.

As problematic as the plotline was, you gotta REALLY appreciate them using the screen time to showcase the grief of the loss of a character. It’s such a great episode to just breathe and process what happened.

This is also the episode where the Usagi introduction changes again. To highlight how amazing Mako is. Can’t argue.

Despite Umino Rei and Luna being especially insufferable this episode (like come on, it’s been how long and Usagi’s saved your asses how many times, how are you STILL so entitled and discrediting her?!), we all wanted Naru to fight Zoisite even if she’d lose. This poor girl needs some serious help. She’s a good kid! Leave her alone!

Also the monster is a boxer…

This is made from a Pastor…

And it made a boxer…

Okay.

At least Tuxedo Mask gets to fight this time. He doesn’t always throw a rose and leaves. Y’all over exaggerate. We also get the music watch this episode, which is used for an emotional punchline in the finale.

‘Crushing On Ami: The Boy Who Can See The Future’

NEW OPENING!!!

Don’t watch it, cause it spoils the fifth Sailor Guardian on this team & the arcs major plot twist. Why???

(Though, the latter is not very hard to guess anyway)

Anyway, Rainbow Crystal. Important episode.

Hooray! It’s an Ami episode!!

Seriously, we got how many Rei episodes and only NOW we get an Ami episode?

On top of that, the episode is more about the victim of the week than Ami.

Who in the writers room hated Mercury?

Whatever. It’s still a nice episode.

‘The Painting Of Love: Usagi And Mamoru Get Closer’

Rainbow Crystal. Important episode.

The Usagi intro also changes.

I know. Already. Guess Mako wasn’t that special /j

It’s build up to the big plot twist. I have nothing else to add.

‘Total Chaos: The Messy Love Rectangle’

Rainbow Crystal. Important episode.

Oh yippee, it’s an episode where everyone fights over the same guy. I got Miraculous flashbacks watching this episode with all the stalking involved. But at least it’s just one episode here and not the entire show. And at least that plotline is over with now, at least for this season.

Mako strangles Mamoru at one point and that got a good laugh outta me cause yeah, he deserved it.

Beryl, you don’t need to do anything. Just let Jupiter finish him.

‘Grandpa Loses Control: Rei In Danger’

Rainbow Crystal. Important episode.

Why Rei is such a prick in this show, I cant explain. But at least in this episode it’s somewhat justified…?

But like, she saw her grandpa get attacked and how that emotionally affected him, and she doesn’t do a thing about it till it’s too late?

There’s also a new ship that gets introduced here, one that wasn’t in the manga. Take it however you will.

‘Loved And Chased: Luna’s Worst Day Ever’

Rainbow Crystal. Important episode.

Wow is this the first time we got a Luna episode? I’ve ignored Luna this whole time, and that’s mostly cause she’s just been… there. There to occasionally tell Usagi how dumb she is. But here she actually gets her own little story.

And it’s actually pretty epic.

Yeah this episode is 90s comedy GOLD. They did cat lovers justice.

Jupiter also checks out Mercury. They had no reason to put that in there. But I suppose 90s Jupiter is the bi icon we needed.

‘Umino’s Resolve: I’ll Protect Naru’

Dang, Naru moved on quickly from Nephrite, huh?

But at least this ship is much healthier than that, so that’s nice. It’s something to appreciate Umino for. He’s a good guy.

I guess I should also point out the Zoisite/Kunzite ship since it’s brought up now.

It wasn’t a thing in the manga. Idk whose idea it was. But there’s no real ‘damage’ in making them a couple far as I’m concerned. Yeah there’s the ‘bury your gays’ trope, but it’s 90s, so what do you expect? And hey, could’ve been worse. Uranus & Neptune could’ve not existed.

I mean, I watched this anime subbed with the original Japanese dialogue. I didn’t watch the dub where they censored everything, but I have heard about it and heard dubbed Usagi’s voice, and I couldn’t take it seriously. I also heard about the censorship of the LGBT content in that, where they made the lesbian Sailor Guardians ‘cousins’, and in this case, making Zoisite a woman.

Yeah… the manga specifically calls them the ‘four dark KINGS of destruction’ so why would they call themselves that if a woman was a part of the group?

For those without original context, there you go. Zoisite is a guy. He and Kunzite are a canon couple in the 90s anime. Deal with it.

This episode is actually important because Sailor Moon loses the Rainbow Crystal they had. Can’t say I’m surprised. Like, why did SHE have it? Why not give it to someone like Ami if you really didn’t trust Usagi?

Whatever. Her reasoning was understandable. That’s what counts.

‘Enter Venus, The Last Sailor Guardian’

Obviously this episode is VERY VITAL.

It introduces the last Sailor Guardians of the main team, my girl Sailor Venus.

While I’m not a fan of only foreshadowing/exploring Sailor V in the first episode and a game when this version has so much time, the manga didn’t do that very much either so I can’t complain.

Actually, I more prefer this version of the chapter as an intro to Sailor V.

In the manga/Crystal, Sailor V just shows up at the end as a last ditch save. While that’s also true here, she gets more screen time to actually showcase who she is and WHY she’s a big deal. (Plus, in Crystal, the fight was more focused on Tuxedo Mask’s resolve and complex about Sailor Moon & the Legendary Silver Crystal. A moment with some great writing. BUT that whole bit was made just for Crystal. It didn’t happen in the manga. In the manga, Tuxedo Mask couldn’t even get to Sailor Moon because of a barrier, which was why Venus had to jump in)

This is also the fight where Kunzite participates in the first time.

‘The Shining Silver Crystal: The Moon Princess Appears’

This is part of a 2 parter that is VERY VITAL TO WATCH.

The plot twist is not really hard to guess if you have a brain, but it’s still there and how it’s revealed is pretty sad, Ngl. It’s also the climax of the seasons plot.

Like, even the biggest Mamoru haters have to feel bad for him here.

There is also no Usagi intro in this one. She just describes the plot of the last episode. Shows you the severity of relevance that and this episode have.

Though, there’s a whole plot point on this subject matter involving Venus in the manga. Manga viewers know what I’m talking about. And they just drop it immediately here. And…

Well it was bloody obvious that she wasn’t the thing either way, but it was also heavy characterization for her. So… I guess it’s just another Mako situation how you feel about 90s interpretation.

I’m not someone who docks points just cause it’s different. I’m someone who docks points if the change made makes the story worse. (Like, if you gave Batman a gun. Shit change. Shouldn’t have been done.) In this case, it’s not harming too much. So whatever.

Oh wait, there’s flashbacks to dialogue from the fat shaming episode and the worthless idol episode, so I should claim they’re relevant after all, right?!?!

Yeah, no. I just hate the former episode that much.

But in terms of this two parter. Even haters of the 90s anime gotta LOVE how they handle this part of the story.

‘Returning Memories: Usagi And Mamoru’s Past’

Again, VITAL TO WATCH.

It’s Part 2 of this two parter and part of the major plot twist. We get the Legendary Silver Crystal’s first appearance, a power up for Sailor Moon, Zoisite’s execution (bury your gays), Tuxedo Mask getting abducted, and there’s no Usagi intro this time, as this time it’s Luna that describes what happened last time. We also get some huge vital lore dumps and backstory here.

Rei also somewhat redeems herself a bit. Like I said, she gets better.

Great episode with a lot of plot.

‘Usagi’s Confusion: Is Tuxedo Mask Evil?’

No Usagi intro this time. At all. Instead it’s a follow up of Usagi’s trauma from the two parter. Which is needed.

Though this episode also contains one of the dumbest plans I’ve heard from a villain and the DUMBEST reasons for why it doesn’t work. And the two parter further proves my point.

HOW DO YOU NOT KNOW HER IDENTITY FROM LAST TIME?!

AND HOW DOES A DNA SCANNER FAIL ON YOU?!?! HOW?!?!

These villains are stupid. Kunzite, you’re stupid. Stop being stupid.

This episode is important because of Tuxedo Mask’s role in this episode being revealed.

Also, this episode lies to you. Roses, in fact, do not turn black when they wilt.

‘Let’s Become A Princess: Usagi’s Bizarre Training’

This episode is fun, actually.

We learn that Artemis is the guy that’s been contacting Luna this whole time… which I thought she knew that already, so it’s awkward.

And… that’s it. And in my opinion it’s not enough to call this an important episode because… it’s not.

But it is cute, so… you decide.

‘The Snow, The Mountains, Friendship And Monsters’

Oh. It’s a Usagi & Rei rivalry episode.

(Geez there are a lot of these…)

Pretty stupid they don’t immediately detect there’s a trap in this one considering they literally call it “Moon Contest”

Though Rei actually shows character development and helps Usagi in this one. Like I said, she gets better after the Mamoru incident. Huh, I guess her subplot with him meant something. It leads to some pretty cute bonding with the two that had been missing all season.

And it makes the finale hurt a bit more. You know with what scene.

This is a character episode. In terms of plot there is nothing. You decide.

‘Paired With A Monster: Mako, The Ice Skating Queen’

Uh… let’s see… we learn that the Moon Kingdom loves ice skating.

But it’s completely irrelevant to the rest of the season. And we learn nothing new about the title character. And the episodes existence makes the whole ‘Tuxedo Mask is brainwashed’ thing worse.

SKIP

‘The Legendary Lake Yokai: The Bond Of Usagi’s Family’

This episode is so sweet. Usagi’s family isn’t entirely relevant or anything, but it’s always nice when they get focus.

We also get build up to the next episode with Usagi and Mamoru’s interactions in this episode. Which honestly, I prefer over the manga and how that chapter handles it. Usagi seems less stupid here, surprisingly enough.

Very nice episode. But it’s not needed for the plot so you decide.

‘I Won’t Run Away From Love Anymore: Ami Vs Mamoru’

Yaaaaaayy!! Mercury gets to actually DO STUFF!!

And it’s glorious! It gives a strong look on her character and this is easily her best focus episode in this season!

They also bring back the boy from the last focus episode she had. Who is one of the better side characters in this.

It’s also an important episode because of what happens to Tuxedo Mask.

Mercury W

‘Sailor Venus’s Past: Minako’s Tragic Love’

Okay fr, this is the only character focus episode we’re getting of Venus this season. So take it while you can.

It’s a great character episode just for that and it’s worth a watch if you want to.

‘Usagi Abandoned: The Falling Out Of The Sailor Guardians’

Alright, this is the last filler episode that is not necessary at all.

Nothing in this episode carries over at all. It also forgets the skiing episode being development that happened. So yeah, skipping this episode makes the finale better in my opinion.

‘Usagi’s Awakening: A Message From The Distant Past’, ‘Death Of The Sailor Guardians: The Tragic Final Battle’ ‘Usagi’s Eternal Wish: A Brand New Life’

And of course, the final three episodes make up the finale. All VERY IMPORTANT.

I’m not gonna say much because it’s the ending, but it’s the lore coming full circle, a pretty devastating beat down, and an… odd ending.

I’m also very glad that this anime changed aspects of the backstory from the manga. Changing the Romeo & Juliet date to a plain ‘they were murdered’ and the queen wishing them to live happier in the future is so much less romanticism and the theme from the manga isn’t lost.

Really, my only gripe is the very ending fate of all these characters. If you’ve seen it already, you know what I’m talking about.

The manga didn’t do it, this was an aspect made just for the anime. And it DOES work bittersweetly… if this was a one season show. But it’s not, so Season 2 is left in a very awkward spot. But other than that, this is a great finale to a great season of a great anime.

I actually had quite a bit of fun making this and revisiting this anime. And I do hope that with this some people realize this anime is actually NOT as loaded with pointless filler as many claim.

I thought it would be that way going in, but look at the math I picked up. Of the 46 episodes, only EIGHT of them I found completely pointless and meaningless. But that’s really only if you watch all the episodes that are in the grey area of this regard (what I put in yellow). Those are episodes that help with characterization and/or plain fun if you want it. Or you can skip them if you only want plot. That’s completely your choice.

Whichever route you choose, this is a great entertaining show that is worth your time. Just… be mindful of how many episodes there are.

(Also if you guys want, I can do the other seasons as well. I have no problem with that.)

#sailor moon #sailor moon 90s #sailor mercury #sailor mars #sailor jupiter #sailor venus #usagi tsukino #luna #tuxedo mask #ami mizuno #rei hino #makoto kino #minako aino

22 notes · View notes

bylertruth3r · 6 months

Note

Hiii, what were the signs in the first 3 seasons that will liked mike? When I watched it back in 2019 I thought Will was gay but I when I saw other people say that Will liked mike I wasn’t really convinced, obviously those people were super right, so if you want, can you tell me what were the signs? And are there signs that mike likes Will back? Thank you! 💕💕💕

thanks for asking :)) @palumboompje

1 in s1 Will was able to lie to everyone except Mike and told him that he rolled a 7 during the dnd campaign even though Lucas told Will to lie to Mike (Will was able to lie to Mike in s4 because he was lying for Mike and even there he wasn't able to look at him in the eyes when he told Mike that El commissioned the painting

2 in the Snowballl script it says that Will was looking at Mike who was dancing with El instead of looking at the girl he was dancing with

3 he was really jealous about Mike dating El and spending time with her and it was really evident during the rain fight

4 you can see him staring at Mike's lips in s2 when Mike was arguing with Seth about Nancy and in s3 at the cinema (and Mike was staring at Will's lips too)

and yes there are a lot of signs that Mike loves Will back and i have a pinned post about it but i'm gonna list a few

1 Mike keeps staring at Will's lips

2 his relationship with Willl has always been something more than platonic and you can tell by how much physical touch with Will he initiated and even the bullies know there's something more between them because when they were being homophobic to Will they said those things to Mike's face

3 Mike was the one more affected by Will's disappearance and even Hopper could tell because he was the first one he interrogated in s1

4 in the previous seasons he had no problem hugging Will and being more physical with him but after s3 things started getting awkward between them because of Mike and he hugged Will in that weird way (he doesn't know Will is gay) he took what Will said "and us?" at rink o mania romantically and felt the need to clarify that they're friends twice even though he views Will as straight and then "in the closet (at rink o mania) started playing while the camera was on Mike and he started talking again

5 Mike is the one who starts most of Byler's interaction and he has a soft voice he only uses for Will (his Will voice)

6 he got really jealous in s2 when Will agreed to let Max join them for Halloween because he thought Will also liked Max like Dustin and Lucas did, at the snowball he pushed Will into dancing with that girl and then he regretted it a few seconds after that and moped about it next to Dustin who was moping about Max dancing with Lucas, in s4 he got jealous and thought Will made a painting for a girl (Angela) but then when in the van he realized Will loves him back and that the painting was for him he got really happy about it

7 Mike wasn't able to say "i love you" to El because he's in love with Will just like Nancy wasn't able to say it to Steve in s2 because she's in love with Jonathan

8 he said that his friends are great but they're not Will and that Hawkins wasn't the same without Will "you know Max, Lucas and Dustin they're great, they're great it's just.. it's Hawkins it's not the same without you" and he asked Will to be a team which parallels Hopper saying "we make a great team" to Joyce in s3

9 he said asking Will to be his friend was the best thing he's ever done (he already knew El in s2 btw)

#stranger things #byler #mike wheeler #mike wheeler is gay #will byers #stranger things 4 #stranger things 3 #stranger things 2 #miwi #jancy

37 notes · View notes

wisteriagoesvroom · 5 months

Note

Blind Date x Forgotten First Meeting AU landoscar

Hilarity of slightly mutual friend groups so they assume the other is the other half of the blind date (they aren’t 😂 friends assume they are too different to work) even tho they don’t *know* each other but one of them (A) remembers a very young encounter/friendship that really struck a cord in A and has been on their mind forever but assumes B has completely forgotten or it wasn’t as profound or B doesn’t realize the other component is A (would be funny if B talks about the friendship/encounter around A at some point but has no fucking clue the person B is talking about is right fucking there 😭😭😭)

As I was writing this it definitely felt like lando would be more B and oscar more A but I trust this in your hands wiz 🧡

Feel free to ignore blind date aspect if it flows better another way ✌🏻

Idea for very young encounter totally not ripped off from an episode of Bluey: they meet at a campsite locale to one of them as little kids and spend the entire week just getting along like a house on fire but eventually the week ends and the other has to go back to his country and they are too young to keep in contact. Bluey episode totally not for reference cause it’s really really cute 8 minutes 😭😭😭 https://www.bluey.tv/watch/season-1/camping/

-brooke <3

brooke/ @scuderiabs my friend i literally sat on this for so long cus i genuinely wasn’t sure what else i could add to your gourmet ask right here.

but! on the night of the blue suit oscar debut, it’s perfect because either of these would work beautifully… especially if oscar or lando met again at a friend’s wedding (alex albon’s is always gonna be my default setting for romcom-at-the-wedding AUs).

and obviously we gotta have some supporting visuals so here you go:

and ahoy… maybe a glimpse into this world.

snippet below:

————

“I didn’t think it was you.”

“Why?!”

“You look… the same. But different.” Oscar says, tapping the rim of his glass.

The evening light’s dipping into darkness, sky going blue and sooty. Yellow candlelight casts soft circles on Lando’s face. The years have been kind to him. He’s handsome, in a way that endears easily, draws people close to him in a way that works well for Alex’s large contingent of groomsmen.

“How different?”

“Older.”

“Well you look exactly the same as you did when I kicked your arse at tennis. Remember the instructor?”

“Yeah. Thomas was never subtle about the cigarette breaks behind the shed.”

“Pretty funny when your serve hit that citroën though.” Lando shakes his fists in the air dramatically.

“Arrêté!” Lando adds, in a poor imitation of Thomas, the very harried summer school tennis instructor.

Oscar snorts with undignified laughter. One of Alex’s stern Thai aunts looks at him disapprovingly.

“Sorry.” Oscar mumbles. This is far too much emotion for a communal setting. A flush creeps up his neck, and he wonders if he’s getting a food allergy. Maybe it’d be easier if he disappeared to the bathroom to play tetris on his phone and stay inconspicuous like he’d planned after all. Or maybe he could walk into a wall and take refuge in an ambulance.

“I think I saw a tennis court out there earlier.” Lando says, sipping his gin and tonic. There’s a sprig of boysenberry in Lando’s that somehow perfectly matches the cheery boutonnière on his brown suit. Oscar’s not sure how Lando got the bartender to do that up as a special, because it was presumably off menu from the carefully curated wedding drinks. (Probably Lando’s bizzare Prince-Charming-via-Clapham-Common act, and god knows the charm offensive has been working on him too. Nonetheless, it’s really the least of Oscar’s priorities at the moment.)

Because Oscar is looking at Lando’s face. At the quizzical slant of the other man’s brow. He’s watching as Lando leans in curiously, knee just microscopically close enough that they could touch. Though Lando stops just short of doing so, as if sensing that Oscar needs to come in willingly.

Oscar knows Lando has been flirting with him all night. Saying look at you in that amused voice, finding excuses to clink their glasses together far beyond the wedding toasts were over, with flimsy excuses to do so (“god save the queen!” “she’s long gone, mate.” “then god save us all!”).

They’ve also been reminiscing about that one summer camp from over a decade ago. From when they’d lost touch, and all the things that have happened in their lives since. Life in Australia, life in England. Finishing Engineering school. One dropping out of college to pursue music. Births and deaths and having to pay taxes now.

And of all the millions of possible places, of the skipped stops and lost connections in the world; of all the phone numbers and emails and social pages they’ve near-missed, they’ve met again, right here.

Oscar remembers summer sun. Shouting across the net, knocking elbows. Chocolate and marshmallows stuffed into a baguette, sticky on his hands. Dogeared detective novels passed back and forth. A blur of curly hair streaking past him, both of them jumping headfirst into a lake, surfacing to take in huge lungfuls of air.

“You fancy a rematch?” Oscar asks, sipping the last of his drink. He’s not sure if he’s talking only about tennis.

But he doesn’t break eye contact, and hopes Lando understands what he’s really asking.

Lando’s gaze stays steady at him.

A corner of Lando’s mouth tips up into a smile.

(Cicadas hum outside. It’s summer, again.)

“I thought you’d never ask.”

#landoscar #mclaren #twinklaren #op81 #ln4 #814 #814m #f1 rpf #prompt fill #drabbled this thinking it’d only be snatches of dialogue but it appears I have many thoughts about the two of them re-meeting at a wedding #thanks Brooke for the prompt <333 #if typos exist I ask that you simply ignore them as it’s been a v e r y long day

42 notes · View notes

phantomoftheorpheum · 3 months

Text

The Bear Season 3 Thoughts

Okay, I first want to say that obviously these are opinions! They are subjective. This is also quite a casual compilation of my thoughts, I didn't spend a long time trying to perfect my wording, which I think will be pretty evident.

Anyway, I love The Bear, I remember watching that first trailer and I was so excited for season 1 to drop, I just knew it was gonna be my kind of show. This is a show that makes me laugh, cry, stress, etc. However, like every other show in existence, it's not a perfect show, and I think season 3 in particular showcased some decisions/issues that I'm hoping will be handled a bit differently in season 4. I have some popular opinions and some unpopular opinions, but that's everyone, right?

Just a warning, this is long. I have a tendency to ramble.

*Spoilers from 1x01-3x10 of The Bear

The Good Stuff First!

The Tina Episode!!! I loved "Napkins" and even though Tina's antagonism at the beginning of season 1 was already understandable, getting these layers of her home life, the foundation of her relationship and loyalty to Michael and The Beef, her fears for her job stability, her jealousy of the opportunities of youth, etc. was just incredible. And Ayo directed it beautifully! I have cried over Tina's emotions multiple times in every season. Liza is so fantastic and can give you so much emotional complexity with her face. Gorgeous job as always. I hope they continue to spotlight her in future episodes, because she brings such a lovely balance of determination, hopefulness, warmth, and humor to her scenes.

I also loved getting to see this side of Michael in 3x06, since what we last saw of him was so, so dark. I think it's very interesting to get to see Michael through various people's eyes, because they see and remember different sides of him. The way Carmy remembers Michael is different from the way Tina does is different from the way Richie does. And that's how real relationships are. We don't show every side of ourselves to every person. I also really liked getting to see Michael talk to someone who doesn't know Carmy about Carmy, because it made me realize that Mikey very much had as incomplete of an understanding of Carmy as Carmy did of him. I think it was already very evident that Mikey cutting Carmy out was something he did as an attempt to protect him (and likely also due to shame/not wanting Carmy to know about his struggles), we've been able to gather that since season 1. And in a lot of ways, it worked. Carmy got out. He excelled, and dreamed, and learned, and succeeded. But it also damaged Carmy a lot more than I think Michael ever realized. Carmy saw it as a rejection, as not being good enough, as Michael not believing in him, and he's been trying to prove him wrong ever since (and still, clearly, is). We might be able to see what Mikey did ultimately as an act of love, but that is not how Carmy experienced it, and that's valid, too, even though Carmy's desperation for validation (which is literally impossible for him to ever earn from Michael at this point) is not an excuse for how he has treated others around him. Carmy clearly needs to find a way not to only view himself through the lens of other people's validation (or lack thereof). Easier said than done, obviously. Anyway, 3x06 was fantastic in every way and it's my favorite individual episode of the season.

In what feels like an unpopular opinion, I actually really liked 3x01. I know it was a divisive episode, and I can see where the criticisms are coming from, but I really enjoyed it. I liked the nonlinear timeline, the minimal dialogue, finally really piecing together Carmy's journey. I just enjoyed it. I also appreciate the fact that The Bear isn't a show that is afraid to try things. Sometimes those choices will land more with the audience than others, but it feels very refreshing in an age where so much of what is made plays everything incredibly, exhaustingly safe. I don't think it's a show that has ever intended to speak to everybody, and 3x01 is a good example of that. On a personal level, it ticked a lot of boxes for me as an editor, and I found myself so fascinated by the choices and time/craft that I know went into them. This was not something you see everyday, and I liked that, but I can also see why some people didn't. It really requires a lot of patience from the viewer, and it's a shift from what we're used to from this show itself.

Richie, Tiff, Frank, and Eva. Richie is such a great character, and I really liked getting a little more of a glimpse of his family situation in this season. I hope there's even more in season 4 (I hope we get to see the wedding). The amount that he has grown, while not being a completely different or perfect person (struggling with his place in his daughter's life, self doubt still being big for him, how hurt he is by Carmy's words, his stubbornness in his fight with Carmy & disagreeing with him even when he agrees just to spite him, etc.). I love how his relationships with Natalie and Sydney have grown so much. I loved watching his scene with Tiff this season, because I think it shows how far Richie has come and how much he really loves his daughter and Tiff. I also think this storyline is so relatable to a lot of people. Navigating a divorce and a new relationship with children is tough, but it's something a lot of people go through. The fact that they seem to be making it work, despite how hard it is for everyone, is really nice. And I love the showcase of "Just because you love someone a lot, that doesn't mean your romantic relationship will or should work out." Richie is just a great, beautifully flawed character.

The return of Donna. In a season where a lot of storylines were left completely up in the air, getting some kind of emotional resolution with Donna and Nat felt really important. It's not that their relationship issues are fully resolved, obviously, but the tension of "is it even possible for Natalie to have any kind of relationship with her mother?" is finally addressed. It's never going to be a perfect relationship, but there is hope in it. I've also seen this episode criticized for "nothing happening," but I think a lot happened! It's just that it happened internally. And internal progress is just as important (sometimes more important), than external progress. Watching this episode felt very cathartic to me because I felt like we got to see Nat do what Carmy cannot (in this season), which is to look at her relationship with her mother, which is not a good one, and understand that neither she nor Donna will ever be able to change the past, but they can try to move forward. It may or may not work, but they can try. And Natalie can be brave enough to open herself up for potential disappointment (and hopefully establish healthy boundaries), because the risk is worth it to her. Loved that. Both actresses were also phenomenal in this episode, imo. This is another episode that requires some patience from the viewers, but I think it is richly emotionally rewarding if you let yourself just be in it.

Olivia Coleman (Chef Terry)! I feel like that's explanation enough.

Carmy & Marcus. Personally, I haven't seen people talk about this much, but I feel like Carmy's relationship with Marcus, while only getting a small amount of time, was such a key part of the season because of how they are alike and how they are different. They're characters who are both passionate about what they do, both have a tendency to get at least a little lost in it and neglect other things/responsibilities, but Marcus has this beautiful ultimately positive outlook on life that Carmy lacks, while Carmy has the knowledge and experience that Marcus really respects and hopes to one day achieve. I feel Carmy's kindest moments of the season come during his support/mentorship of Marcus. Carmy is able to instill more confidence in Marcus, and give him space to explore, and Marcus is able to look past some of Carmy's worst character flaws and appreciate his artistry and passion. Since Carmy is so low this season, him having these encouraging/supportive moments, where we see that he did pick up some of the really good lessons in mentorship from some of the chefs he worked with (and not just the bad), with Marcus felt very important to me. While we didn't get a full Marcus-centric episode this season, I thought he was very good when we did see him. I wonder if Marcus may eventually (like possibly at the end of the show, depending on how long it runs) get an opportunity to go to an esteemed culinary school. He's always shown a lot of interest in the experimental, techincal, and academic side of the craft, as well as the artistry, so I could see him jumping at an opportunity like that.

The acting in general! Another season of fantastic performances! I really don't know what else to say about that.

The commitment to continuing to really flesh out side characters. Obviously the biggest example of this in this season is Tina, followed by Donna, but I love the small moments we get with characters like Ebra, Pete, Sweeps, Luca near the end, and even Fak (Neil).

Luca. I really like Luca and feel like he is a character with a lot of potential! I would totally be on board with him being a regular cast member. I think he has great energy and chemistry with everyone, and it was interesting to see the nerdy and less confident side of him (when surrounded by esteemed chefs), adding another dimension to his character. I feel like he already has a lot of potential to be involved in several storylines (Carmy's, Sydney's, Marcus'). I don't know if there's any chance of getting him as a regular in season 4, but I would love it. They did mention he's sticking around for a while, so I hope that's what that was foreshadowing.

A dive into Carmy's trauma/dysfunction. Okay, so I'm going to be talking a lot about Carmy in my critical section, so before we get there, I want to acknowledge what I liked about his arc (or half of one) this season. I feel like I get Carmy. I relate to a lot of his negative qualities. I, too, am a perfectionist with obsessive tendencies who has impossibly high standards for themselves. I, too, often get stuck in a negative feedback loop, where I avoid conflict and hyper-fixate on something else to justify it. I, too, struggle to open up to people in a meaningful way, to be genuinely emotionally vulnerable, and kind of shut down when I'm hurt. And I, too, know all of that about myself, can recognize it from a distant, theoretical standpoint, but still struggle to not fall into that kind of behavior when put under stress. I also have a complicated relationship with my older sibling, so there's that. I get Carmy. I have a lot of empathy for Carmy. I think he sometimes doesn't get enough credit from the fans for his positive qualities, because his negative qualities are massive, driving forces in each season. So, aside from the deep dive into the unhealthy ways we process trauma, here's what I think is positive about Carmy's arc this season- I think the writer's know what they're doing with Carmy, even if I don't totally agree with how they've paced it. For a little while, I was concerned that maybe they had lost sight of how to handle Carmy and pushed him too far, just as a character in general, but the last 2 episodes of the season reaffirmed to me that they are, at the very least, aware of how far they have pushed him, and they know exactly where they're going with him. Does that mean I agree with the pacing of this now? No, I still think this could be improved significantly, but at least it feels intentional. Maybe I'll change my mind when I see how things play out in season 4.

This is a show that cares. It isn't always perfect, but it always cares. One thing that I've seen as a criticism, I actually thought was perfect (maybe I'm the one reading the scene wrong, you can let me know your thoughts), but I saw people say that the details were sloppy this season, and specifically citing the fact that Sydney makes a fennel salad in season 1, but is served something else by Carmy due to a "fennel allergy" in this season. When I saw this in the episode, I thought it was brilliant attention to detail, because my reading of the scene was that there is no allergy, Carmy just says that so he can rebel against Chef David's orders and serve the dish the way he wants to. I assumed the fennel allergy was chosen by the writers specifically because, if we notice, it is a confirmation that Carmy is lying. I still think that's the point, but maybe I'm wrong.

Another thing I really respect about this show is that I don't think they make really many (or any) of their creative decisions based off of fan response. Now, don't get me wrong, I think there is a lot of value in flexibility and willingness to adjust when something isn't working or when it receives solid constructive criticism. I respect being able to raise your hand and say, "hey, you're right, that wasn't the best," and make a change. But I also really respect not allowing loud opinions to fundamentally change the story you're telling, just for popularity points. I think The Bear, due to a lot of attention on social media and the awards circuit, has grown past the audience that it is really made for. There are a lot of people watching (or trying to watch) who absolutely never would have if they didn't see so much chatter about it online. And that's fine! I have certainly tried shows out of my comfort zone for the same reason. Some worked for me and broadened my horizons, and some didn't. But The Bear does not seem to care about adhering to "popular" tropes, storylines, filming style, editing style, etc. just for the sake of mainstream validation. When it does do those things, it very much feels like it does so because the creatives behind the show want to, not because of external pressure. And that's going to alienate some people. That's not always going to land well. It's probably going to come off (or even just be) pretentious sometimes. But I would always rather watch something that was clearly a passion project, even if I don't really get it or it ultimately doesn't really work for me, than something designed specifically for mass appeal and without a soul. So, to me, this is a huge net positive.

The Less Good Stuff

Let's talk about the elephant in the room- "To Be Continued..." The double renewal for season 3 & 4 clearly changed their approach to the pacing/storytelling this season, and I'm not personally convinced it was for the best. I love that there's going to be a season 4, and I love that they got an opportunity to leave some big things unresolved because they knew it wasn't going to be the end, but... this really is just 3A and 3B and the fact that it ends with "To Be Continued..." means they absolutely know this, too. I guess it's better that it's an intentional choice, but it does make season 3 feel incomplete, and it doesn't really stand up on its own. It may be 10 episodes, but it is half of a story. That's not necessarily a bad thing (I think this isn't usually such a problem once it ages, because people who are watching in the future will be able to jump from season 3 straight into season 4, and it won't feel as grueling), but it is a different thing from the first two seasons. And I don't love it. Personally, I think they could have paced some of the storylines a bit differently, so we were closing a few more smaller arcs out to give the end of the season a sense of resolution, even with big things hanging over our heads. The fact that the season has left nearly every storyline completely up in the air is a bit much, imo. I think season 3 is the weakest individual season so far, and it's really all tied back to the pacing.

Okay. Time to tackle Carmy. I love Carmy. I actually, really do. He's very flawed, very layered, and feels like a fully realized human. However... I am, quite frankly, tired of Carmy being so low. I know he's the main character, and therefore a lot of the driving drama centers on him, but he's been in a downward spiral for (imo) a bit too long now, and I just need... some little ray of hope for him. The season 2 finale felt like a low, but then all of season 3 just got worse. And I am tired. I think this pacing is on purpose, but I am too tired, and I think a lot of people feel the same way. I will say, the last two episodes gave me some hope that he has seen the light (a little). I hope it will not take the entirety of season 4 to mend some of these fences and face some of his actions (I don't expect him to suddenly be a different person, but I don't want to spend 10 episodes of season 4 with him only dealing with stuff head on at the end), because he genuinely becomes difficult for me to like, despite all the empathy I have for him, by the midpoint this season. Again, I think they meant to do this, but I also, personally, think it's a little too grueling. And if this is the pacing they wanted to go with, I think it would have been nice to see at least a few more glimmers of Carmy's positive qualities, to remind us why we like him in the first place.

Carmy & Richie, Carmy & Syd, Carmy & Claire, Carmy & Nat. I think one of the reasons I'm struggling so much with Carmy throughout is that absolutely none of his closest relationships make any positive forward progress this season (this is part of the reason I feel like the Carmy & Marcus scenes were so important, because he doesn't get a lot of other vulnerable moments with anyone else this season), and, again, I think it's just a little too much. I understand that Carmy basically shutting himself off from his life is part of the arc, but I think that could have come across and still moved at least one of these relationships a little bit forward. I get why they didn't want to resolve Carmy & Claire yet (they knew they had season 4 and based on the falling out they had, there really did need to be time away from each other). I get why Carmy & Sydney are in a rough place, it's important for her storyline, and so I get that, but... Carmy & Nat are also not communicating this season. I feel like even at serious low points in previous seasons, Nat would still tell him what's what. And here's the thing, I get that she's distracted and has her own stuff to deal with, but it still stretches the believability a bit for me because the restaurant is her job, too. It's not as if she is working elsewhere and having a baby and just doesn't have time to deal with Carmy. His behavior is literally central to her job and having negative impacts on literally everyone around her. That she would just bite her tongue when this puts her and nearly everyone she cares about in a precarious position just feels off. In this season, everyone who would normally confront Carmy about his choices basically just completely give up on that after 3x02, and this feels to me like a choice made for the plot, not necessarily reflecting the established character relationships. But the big one for me that doesn't land is Carmy & Richie. Because they are handled by being separated entirely. I wish they had more scenes together. Would those scenes probably be arguments? Yeah, okay, mostly. But the fact that they basically don't speak after 3x02 takes one of the best dynamics of the show out of play for an entire season. Personally, I think Carmy & Richie reaching at least some stable ground this season could have really improved things, and given us some sense of resolution, when so many other storylines are up in the air. Even if they didn't clear the air entirely, but they came to a kind of grudging truce, that would have helped, imo. Even if all of Carmy's other relationships were still on the rocks, if we got a really cathartic, vulnerable moment between Carmy & Richie, I think it would have helped inject just a little more hope into this season.

Too many Faks (AKA, too much of a good thing). I love Fak (Neil) and I even like Ted, but I think Sammy was a bridge too far. Not only was the choice of guest star a bit too jarring, imo (it just feels like he's in a different show from everyone else? and unlike the other cameos, I was never able to let go of the fact that I was watching a celebrity), I think they spent way too much time on it. I did like the duck bit, but overall, it felt tonally off. The extended scenes about "haunting" didn't really hit with me, and I feel like Fak (and/or the Faks) is at his best in small, strange, chaotic doses. I didn't mind their uncle, though, because his scene didn't take that much time. When we finally got around to the "haunting" conversation with Carmy (about Claire), I felt like I finally understood why this whole thing was even a thing, but I also felt it was just a clunky/poorly paced way to do it. A ton of set up for minimal payoff.

Sydney. Okay, before you get upset with me, this is not me saying Sydney is bad this season, this is me saying I don't think they've totally done her character justice with the writing and pacing of this season (the, "this is really just 3A," thing strikes again). I have rewritten this section over and over because I'm really struggling to put into words what I mean here. I think the closest I can come is- I want more of Sydney's screen time to be about Sydney. I feel like a lot of her time this season went to scenes that were in service of other character's arcs. And it's not that I don't want any of those, like of course her relationships with other characters are important, and of course she can be in a scene that is mostly about someone else and that scene also be furthering her arc, I just felt like her individual arc was a little stalled out, and (basically same complaint as Carmy's, except for Sydney is much more enjoyable than him this season) due to how they paced this, it felt a bit too slow to me. However I have a lot of hopes that season 4 will be more Sydney-centric and faster paced in a lot ways, both in what we see from her, and how her choices (I am assuming that she will take the job, though I hope she doesn't leave The Bear forever) have a huge ripple effect on the other characters. I hope that means in season 4, we'll have more scenes where other character's are in service of Sydney's storyline and not the other way around. I think I completely get Sydney's storyline in 3, I just don't love the pacing of it (how many times can I say that I don't agree with season 3s pacing?). But I am so hopeful for Sydney in season 4. I think there is a ton of potential for a big showcase of Sydney growing, exploring, struggling, failing, persevering, and just generally discovering what she really wants, and I'm excited for it. I really love Ayo, and that last scene of Sydney this season gave me chills, so I am ready to see what she delivers in season 4.

The editing/pacing of the finale. Obviously I find a lot of the storylines too dragged out and slower than they should be, I've mentioned that a lot, but this is a more specific complaint about the last episode. As much as I praised The Bear earlier for having an artistic and creative vision and not compromising that for mainstream appeal, I definitely felt like the dinner at Ever could have been a lot shorter. It almost felt like, "hey, we invited all these real chefs and we don't want anyone to feel slighted, so we have to make sure to really feature all of them," and while it did relate to things Carmy & Sydney are feeling/thinking, it just dragged quite a bit. I also think some of the better lines got buried by so many different people making so many different points. It was slow. And hey, maybe this is one of those moments where the show isn't for me, and that's okay, but it doesn't make me like this scene any better.

Lack of warmth. I think one big thing missing from a lot of this season is the warmth that the first two seasons exude. Some of this is literal, the color palette at The Bear has shifted to mostly cool tones, so there is a visual coolness, but also the chaos feels cold. The chaos in the first 2 seasons had an endearing (though still stressful) quality to it, but the chaos in season 3 is largely just stressful. Again, I think this is an entirely intentional choice. It wants the atmosphere to feel clinical and impersonal and detached, it is reflective of Carmy's mental state, but the loss of that vibe just makes the show less fun, imo. And yes, the show is not about fun, but the higher highs of seasons 1 and 2 gave some much needed levity and contrast to the lows.

The Stuff I'm (Theoretically) Neutral About

Claire. It seems like everybody on the planet has a strong opinion about Claire. They hate her, think she's the worst/most boring character ever. Or they love her. Or they feel the need to fundamentally pit her and Sydney against each other and use one to tear down the other. Or they complain about her even existing. I don't mind Claire. I don't love Claire. I don't hate Claire. I still haven't passed judgement on Claire as an individual character. That feels like an unpopular opinion to have. Is anybody else neutral on Claire? I think she plays an important role to what they decided to do in season 2. She is Carmy's dream girl, she's been Carmy's dream girl for years. I think Claire is the living, breathing example that we get to see in real time of how Carmy romanticizes people that he feels intensely emotional about, and fails to see fully realized versions of them. He did it to Mikey, and then he does it to Claire. Imo, she seems "perfect" and 2 dimensional in season 2 because we only see her through Carmy's eyes, and he's romanticizing her and their relationship. I don't mind that in season 2. And she's barely in season 3 (even when we do see her, a lot of it is flashback and so is still solely through Carmy's eyes), so I don't feel like I can make any new judgments of her character. I think she genuinely is a nice, lovely person, and whether or not she interests me as a character is still up in the air. If she begins to play a larger, more present role in the narrative individually, then I'll expect them to reveal more layers to her. For now, I'm neutral. I'm not super for or against her. This kind of leads into my next point, which is-

Shipping. I'm not against shipping for this show, and romantic love is a dynamic that is great to explore. I'm just not personally all that invested in romance in this show in general. So, like, I love it from the standpoint of how it reveals things about the characters (like the scene with Richie and Tiff where we see Richie's familial love overcome the pain of his romantic love not working, or the lovely background stuff with Tina and her husband) and how it fits into character's overall arcs, and I'm open to exploring different romantic dynamics with different characters, I just don't feel super strongly about who those characters should be. It's very much on the back burner of my mind. I think they're definitely setting up Richie & Jess for something in that regard, that feels like a question that needs to be answered (even if the answer is no). I can see little hints towards several potential relationships, and I'm willing to walk down any path they want to go in this regard, as long as the show stays what it is and doesn't become a clichéd romantic drama (I don't think it will), but I just don't have strong feelings around this. That's open to change, but that's where I'm at right now.

My Season 4 Hopes

The Bear. I have some specific hopes for the restaurant. I think it's quite evident that things can't stay the same. What Carmy is trying to do is completely unsustainable. I do hope the restaurant is able to stay open (like it would be quite sad to lose the place, after so much work to keep it open and improve, etc.), but I also hope it goes through some major changes, obviously in the way it's run, but also in the way it looks. There's a gorgeous shot of Richie and Carmy in the penultimate episode, with Carmy in the kitchen and Richie in the dining room, and it is absolutely stunning. And it is also absolutely blue. Ever's light is very cold as well, and I don't mind that for that restaurant, but when we meet The Beef, it's this warm, chaotic, dirty, ugly mess. But it's also got a soul. The Bear in season 3 feels soulless, a lot of the time. And the shift from the warm yellow dominant tones of the first two seasons, to the cool blue dominant tones of season 3 creates this kind... unwelcoming feeling to viewers. Sure, it's intentional, absolutely, but I hope it isn't just going to be like this moving forward. I think the restaurant needs to stop trying to be Ever, stop trying to be all these other places Carmy has worked at, and get to some middle ground. Not quite The Beef, but also not quite The Bear (as we know it right now). Which, honestly, is what Carmy needs as well. I think there's a lovely opportunity to physically shift aspects of the restaurant to match Carmy's internal journey, which will hopefully have some positive movement in season 4.

Sydney-centric plot! As previously mentioned, I have a lot of hopes for how Sydney's storyline is going to go, and I hope we get to see more elements to her story, because even though she had a lot of screen time, so much of that is devoted to just building her frustration, but very little outside of that.

Cicero episode. Oliver Platt is awesome, and with the little bits we got about Cicero's money troubles, and how much he loves the Berzatto kids, I think I would really enjoy a Cicero episode.

A second character focused episode. There are a lot of options for this, but I want at least two episodes that spotlight character who we haven't gotten to see too much of yet.

Carmy sees the light, and not in the season 4 finale. I just think we need to start building him back up ASAP (doesn't have to be linear progress, but I gotta see something), because his season 3 was completely grueling and exhausting to watch.

Richie & the wedding. I love Richie's dynamics with his family, and I think this would be really fun. Particularly since it might be a chance to see a lot of the main characters gathered at a non-work related event (I don't know how close Tiff is various characters, but based on the Christmas episode, she has some kind of relationship with a lot of them, plus Tina mentions going to a Berzatto Christmas in season 1). The wedding feels like it could be an incredibly fun bottle episode.

If you're still here, hi and thanks for reading my very informal, very off the top of my head thoughts. I definitely feel like this season has been quite divisive and while I certainly have my criticisms, I feel like how they stick the landing in season 4 (or don't) will, in the more long term view, ultimately play a big part in how I feel about season 3.

As always, shoot me an ask if you've got thoughts to share!

#the bear #the bear season 3 #the bear fx #the bear spoilers #the bear season 3 spoilers #text #long post #extremely long post #my thoughts #some of y'all said you wanted this (maybe you'll change your mind when you're in the middle of my ramblings) so here it is!

19 notes · View notes