#really if the other teams want to win they just need to communicate better that’s the whole point of the event!!

[ultra-violetra]

the reason why red team wins isn’t because they submit tasks last minute. that isn’t even the biggest part of their strategy, so let me tell you what red is doing to win:

delegating tasks: each member has spent most of their time collecting whatever resource the team needs. they work together to come up with specific goals (eg. enchantment table, mining iron, getting string) and then send specific people out to do that task, usually whoever’s free at the moment

helping each other: they would all drop everything at a moment’s notice to help a teammate in trouble

sharing resources: red team shares literally everything they own. most notably, bings and personal quest items

personal tasks: they all help each other out to finish these, and they make sure everyone active gets them done. i think a good chunk of their points come from this category actually, since the other teams don’t seem to prioritize it as much

not seeking fights: ok sure, they’ve gotten in a decent amount of fights, but usually the fight comes to them. they aren’t spending their time searching for people to kill, rather most of their kills have been from running into others in the wild or at spawn (foolish did spend time looking for tina today, but that was mostly looking for blue base as a strategic point)

using time wisely: to kind of add onto the point above, they aren’t spending all their time walking thousands of blocks to others’ bases. they also are very communicative about how much time they have left and what to use it for. they’ll ask how they can help the team with their last ten minutes, for instance

communicating: red team spends almost their entire time on the server in a vc together. I know this isn’t exactly every creator’s thing, but they could still type in chat if they didn’t want to talk. red team have even been leaving discord messages to their teammates to tell them info when they’re not online!

varying their points: i think this is the most important thing tbh. instead of only focusing on tasks or kills, etc. they do a little bit of every. they make sure to do well in every possible point category

being silly: it’s the best part!! the silliness boosts team morale

seriously though, the red team doesn’t just sweep the win at the last minute. if that was true then they wouldn’t log in until the last ten minutes. all the active members spend their 5 hours (or however long they’re playing that day) working on gathering materials and being useful for the team. the only advantage they have from being online later is they know how many points they need to get to catch up. so they can sort of measure how many kills or resources they’d need, etc. but knowing what they need doesn’t guarantee they’ll get it. the red team puts a lot of hard work into their wins it’s not just a cheap sweep. they are clever, resourceful, and strategic

[mysticfalls01]

The Wonder Twins

(Williamson!reader)

The Wonder Twins Universe

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Twins

Fraternal twins to be more specific

Leah is not only your sister, but she is also your best friend. You have always been there for each other. She was your biggest supporter and you were hers.

You were there for her when other kids made fun of her because of the way she walked and she was there for you whenever you had an injury.

It has always been Leah and y/n, the wonder twins.

You guys joined Arsenal’s academy and went through the ranks together but there was a problem and Leah always knew it.

Arsenal was Leah’s dream team but it wasn’t yours.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

It seemed that defending was part of the Willamson’s blood. While Leah was a CB you were a defensive midfielder even though you could play as an offensive midfielder if needed.

After an amazing season with Arsenal Sarina decided to include you in the Euros squad.

During the tournament you were a key part of Sarina’s starting 11. Your impact was incredible, some even called you England’s motor because your tempo in the midfield was part of the things that dictated England’s game pace.

Winning the Euros had been the highlight of your life. Nothing compared to playing for your country with your sister as captain, your best mates and winning at home soil in Wembley. You were in cloud nine.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

It was known that after your amazing Euros performance you were going to call the attention of some of the biggest clubs in Europe.

You knew that you were entering the last year of your contract with Arsenal and that you had to take a decision really soon.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

You were sitting in your living room of your shared apartment with Leah when your phone ringed, it was your manager James.

“y/n I know you just got home some days ago from a well deserved Euros celebration but I wanted to remind you of our meeting with Jonas tomorrow”

“Don’t worry James I’ll be there tomorrow”

If anything you knew the reason of tomorrow’s meeting, it was to know more about Arsenal’s contract extension offer and to learn about the offers received by Arsenal for you.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

“So what happened in the meeting with Jonas sis” Leah asked while she saw you preparing pasta for the both of you

You were scared to see Leah’s reaction of your next words. How could you not, it has always been Leah and y/n, y/n and Leah.

“The meeting was to check what the club was offering as an extension and to…. see the offers received for me made by other clubs”

As soon as the words left your mouth the only thing heard was the sound the pastas boiling water.

When Leah heard those words she got scared, she has only known how to play with you on the field.

The chemistry she had with you she wouldn’t have it no one else, for you guys on and off the field words weren’t needed to communicate with one look you guys knew what the other one was going to do. It was twins telepathy.

“What clubs want’s you to play for them?” Leah said staring at you

“Lyon, ManCity, Barcelona, PSG, Real Madrid and obviously there is the club extension offer”

Leah knew that sooner or later your dream club was going to make an offer for you and that Arsenal has always been her dream, you joined Arsenal because of her. She will always be grateful for you, there was no one else with who she would have liked to share her path with. There was no better partner than her twin.

Now it was her turn. You were there for her when she was younger and had doubts of her skills, when she cried because of a broken heart, when she got mad with her friends because of something stupid and you were always the voice of reason, you made her laugh when no one else could and now it was her turn. It was her turn to push you to follow your dreams even if it meant going separate ways, she knows that the national team will always be there for you guys to play together.

“Call James and tell him you are accepting another clubs offer”

“ What are you saying Leah?! Are you crazy?! Arsenal is home, we can play together if I stay” You said with a loud voice. You never imagined that Leah was going to encourage to leave.

Leah moved next you to give you a hug.

“I know that sis, I know that Arsenal is my dream club and that you joined the academy because of me. You’ve always done things for me and now it’s time for you to follow your dreams, to start your own journey. Don't worry we will always be the wonder twins no matter where we are”

Those words were everything that you needed to hear. You knew that everything was going to be alright with your twin by your side nothing would stop you.

You separated from Leah and looked at her as she mirrored your red eyes caused by crying, she had a smile on her face.

While looking at your phone you searched for James contact, you looked back at Leah who was nodding while you pressed the call button.

After three rings James picked up and the call that changed your future started

“Hey James I need you to call Jonas and tell him that I’m not extending my contract. That they can start negotiating my transfer with …”

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

After reading so many stories and imagines of so many amazing authors I decided give it a try and to write my first story.

English isn’t my first language so if I made any grammatical mistakes please tell me as I want to improve my writing skills.

If I do part 2, what club do you guys want?

[ecoamerica]

Watch the American Climate Leadership Awards 2024 now: https://youtu.be/bWiW4Rp8vF0?feature=shared

The American Climate Leadership Awards 2024 broadcast recording is now available on ecoAmerica's YouTube channel for viewers to be inspired by active climate leaders. Watch to find out which finalist received the $50,000 grand prize! Hosted by Vanessa Hauc and featuring Bill McKibben and Katharine Hayhoe!

[letters-to-lgbt-kids]

My dear lgbt+ kids, 

So, you have been in a relationship for a while and you’re ready and eager to take the next step - but your partner isn’t. What now? 

The “next step” I’m referring to here could mean a lot of different things because relationships do not all follow one specific timeline (and also because my readers may be of wildly different ages and live in wildly different situations) but I am thinking of any “deepening our commitment” things here: for example introducing them to your friends or your family, moving in together or (if you are in a situation where that’s a legal possibility) even marriage or having a child together. 

Whatever the step actually looks like, you may have this romantic idea of “If they’re right for you, you’ll always naturally want to take these steps at the same time”… but that’s not really how relationships work in real life. Even in the healthiest relationship and even if you absolutely feel like they’re your soulmate, you may still disagree on when to take those steps or even on whether you want to take these steps at all. 

In fact, it’s uniquely frustrating if everything else is going well. If their refusal to meet your mom is just another point on the long list of behaviors that make you feel like they don’t really care about you, that’s also painful but it’s easier to give advice there: maybe you should think about breaking up. It’s tempting to believe that you can make them love you more if you move in with them or that they’ll treat you better once you get engaged, but that won’t work out. You can’t fix a broken relationship by deepening the commitment - commitment needs a stable foundation to grow. And this doesn’t only go for outright abusive relationships: they may be a wonderful person but you two just have entirely different goals and needs, and those won’t suddenly overlap more just because you moved in with them or married them. 

With all that being said: if there IS a healthy and stable foundation, if you are happy in every other aspect and they’re just hesitant about this one specific step, then jumping straight to “break up with them” would obviously be pretty unhelpful advice. Differing opinions occur even in the most compatible couple, you are both whole people with your own individual feelings and those do not necessarily doom the whole relationship. It’s important to see this situation in the context of the relationship in general. 

You may be able to guess that a big portion of the advice is just gonna be “Communicate with your partner” - but first of all, I’d advise you to have an open and honest conversation with yourself. Why is this step of commitment so important to you? What does it mean to you? Do you feel a sense of urgency in taking it and if so, why? Is this specific step the only possible path for your need to be met? Are you open to alternative approaches, are you open to waiting (and if so, for how long)? The purpose of these questions is definitely not to convince yourself to give up on your needs or to talk yourself into a compromise you’re not really happy with! The opposite of that, actually: It’s helpful to reflect on what exactly you want and why you want it, so you have the clarity you need to discuss it productively. You don’t want to agree to something that ultimately leaves you unsatisfied and bitter, but you also don’t want to push hard for something you later on realize doesn’t even mean that much to you. 

When you feel confident enough about your own stance to discuss it with your partner, the most important thing to remember is: you’re on the same team. The goal here isn’t to “win” or to change their mind, but to see each others perspective better and find a solution you’re both happy with. Listen with an open mind. Try to understand before you try to influence. Remind yourself that your partner isn’t your enemy, they also want the best outcome for both of you - otherwise you (hopefully) wouldn’t want to commit to them! 

Something you should get clarification on during your conversations: is it a hard no (do not want to do that at all ever), a soft no (open to alternatives or adjustments), a no for now (want to do it but not yet), a yes but (want to do it but only under certain circumstances or in a different way than your original plan) or a I don’t know? How does this affect your feelings on the situation? (I’m sure that even just while reading these different scenarios, some instinctively feel better or worse than others! But it’s still important to take some time to sit with any new information that comes up during those conversations. Neither of you should feel pressured or rushed here!) 

You may find that they just never considered that there may be multiple approaches to that step (an example for this would be that they are not actually opposed to the idea of being married to you, just to the idea of a wedding, and didn’t consider yet that eloping is also a possibility) - but don’t set yourself up for disappointment by expecting the conversation to 100% go that way. It may also be a hard no, and that wouldn’t make them a horrible person. People can deeply, truly love someone and still do not want to take certain steps with them. It’s a good idea to remind yourself that you’re not “in the right” or “the better person” for wanting to take those steps. While certain steps may be a big part of your own future plans or even of your identity and self-image (and that’s valid!), they are just personal preferences. It’s not a moral obligation to want them, and your partner isn’t mean for not wanting them. But, of course, at this point we also need to say: if you can not imagine a life where you never get married, you are not a horrible person for breaking up with a partner who can not imagine to ever marry. “Irreconcilable differences” are a common breakup reason for a reason. 

So, to summarize: Building a strong foundation is crucial before taking big steps. Communicate openly with yourself first - understand why you want to take this step and if there are alternatives. When talking to your partner, remember you're a team; it's not about winning but understanding each other. Be open to different responses, from a clear no to conditions on a yes. Do not pressure your partner but do not completely give up on your own happiness either. 

The journey of commitment should be a shared adventure - not a battle or a competitive race! 

With all my love, 

Your Tumblr Dad 

[rakkuntoast]

day one for red was just the fundamental thing that made them like actually such a competent team, like the bonding they had directly attributed to the amount of communication and coordination they have. its actually scary and its what has kept them on the top yesterday and today

which leads to seeing the other teams man i really hope they are able to at least coordinate something, ik im a red team fan but idk its not fun when no one is having fun, yk?

like yeah this is purgatory all means are fair play but maybe the sending stuff at the last hour is maybe a BIT too unfair for the europeans, and like seeing different povs its like night and day. going from red being in constant communication to green and blue still whispering to eachother

hearing cellbit rn saying "the teamwork we have from that arc of craziness (...) they just dont have coordination (...) they left etoiles all alone carrying the team" (not verbatim) is actually kinda true, maybe this team just found out the meta to win too early cuz im more than sure as soon as the other teams up the teamwork, they wont have any chance at all. they literally are better players than red team are but red have outsmarted them without needing knowledge of pvp

(also something about red team being constantly on role has a factor on it tbh, also if any of you that watch other povs want to add something please feel free to do but keep it respectful pls)

[void-and-virtue]

Neil as a team captain is positively delightful, because making him captain is both absolutely insane and absolutely brilliant. It capitalizes on the passive effect of having one (1) Neil Josten (god knows the world couldn’t handle if there were more of him) on the team in the most efficient way. Like. I’m 90% sure that after spending some time around him on the same team, most people will look up to him completely awestruck for how much he has impacted their lives, but that’s just not what is actually happening here. I feel like what’s going on is this:

Neil is a terribly amazing choice for team captain entirely because Neil is a meddlesome little asshole who will forcibly fix all of his teammates’ personal problems and improve their entire lives for literally no other reason than that he needs them to be able to focus on fucking ball so he can win at sports. It’s not even that he genuinely cares about people and their well-being (apart from his original foxes). He just gets pissed when things aren’t working properly because it makes Exy annoying when the lineup can’t communicate. Exy isn’t supposed to be annoying. Exy is life. He’d meddle whether he is captain or not, but by making him captain, he has so much more official executive power at his hands. It’s like people are explicitly asking for him to do his worst. So, fueled by his own competitiveness and love for the sport, off he goes.

Neil is just as bad as Kevin when it comes to his Exy obsession. The major difference between them is that Kevin is endlessly tactical and he runs Exy with a focus on a technical and physical level entirely, whereas Neil’s approach is to look beyond a lack of practice and basically psychoanalyzing people on why they are not doing 110% for Exy. Kevin says “let’s run this drill 500 times, then we will inevitably be better”. Meanwhile Neil is scheming how to coerce and bribe people into life-changing decisions and long-needed healing, entirely because he wants to optimize playing a sport. Exy is a team sport, which is why this is the most logical approach his little Exy brain comes up with rather than minding his own fucking business. He looks at the team and is like “is anyone gonna whip this into shape? No?? I’ll fucking do it then cowards” and goes and does exactly that. It’s like he’s fixing the equipment so he can play.

I don’t think anyone except for Andrew is really aware that Neil really isn’t doing this out of the innate goodness of his heart, but because his personal brand of practicality involves the most convoluted and creative kind of scheming. I feel like Neil is a lot more selfish than people give him credit for. Sure, there’s people he cares deeply and unconditionally for, but that’s really not everyone. It’s fascinating to watch, especially because it’s not like he ever hides that he doesn’t particularly care, but people kinda assume he does, because why else would he put in this much effort?

Exy. The answer is Exy.

[findafight]

Not me writing a prologue for a fic I'll maybe never write about Steve being on the Dream Team lmao. I saw a pro basketball player Steve post a while ago and couldn't stop thinking about it. Anyways-

At the end of March Madness in 1989, the scout for the Pacers has lunch with the head coach of a community college basketball team that somehow made it to the first round before being pulverized. They sit across from each other, the coach seemingly a bit overwhelmed but not outright surprised. That's good, it means Jerry, the scout, doesn't have to worry about him freaking out or babbling too much.

The team captain had caught his, and possibly others', eye. Good layups, a few three pointers, solid defence, and a helluva lot of potential add up to someone to keep an eye on, except they can't because the guy plays for a rinky-dink community college and only had one televised game. The only reason Jerry saw the kid is because the Roane County Community College Ospreys had put in a hell of a fight the past three seasons. Jerry wonders why the hell the kid hadn't been offered a scholarship somewhere...not Roane County. Doesn't matter though, because they're here now.

"so. You wanted to talk about Steve?" Says the coach, August Nearaly, a bit weary.

Jerry nods, sipping his coffee. "Yeah. Wanted to get a sense of him before I actually talked to him."

August sighs. "As a player or as a person?"

Raising his eyebrows. "Is he that different off the court?"

"no! No, not like how you probably think. Harrington's a sweet kid, but also incredibly...well, not weird, but. Peculiar? He's got quirks. Bit paranoid, but not in a conspiracy way. In a 'no one should walk home alone in the dark' or 'hey, where'd John go? He was right here and then I did a headcount and he's not?' kinda way. Y'know? Like, they're all adults, but he does headcounts and worries anyways."

"huh. Oookay?"

"it-- I'm not saying this to rag on him, to be clear. It just too a while to get used to. Honestly, it's been good for team building. Makes them think of each other not as individuals, but part of a unit that needs everyone healthy and whole to work."

"that's good. He's a team player."

"oh yeah. It's not surprising, really. He's from Hawkins." August says the name like Jerry should know what that means. It's a town, sure, but other than that... Jerry's at a loss. Maybe something a few years ago about a fire? "He has most assists in Osprey history. Some of the guys joke that he's allergic to the ball."

"He's good on the court?"

"Jerry. I know you're here because you saw the March Madness game. You know he's good. He'd be even better if he could afford those fancy prescription goggles Horace Grant wears."

"seriously? Why not contacts?"

"don't make them for his prescription. You didn't see his interview? Kid's got thick horn rimmed glasses. Too many concussions apparently. God knows how he tells players apart when the jersey colours are similar."

"shit. That's why he was squinting the whole time? I thought he was just stressed."

He shrugged. "eh. Probably a bit of both. He takes it seriously, but not too seriously. Y'know? Half the guys were shitting themselves from nerves and Harrington stands up in the locker room, hands on his hips, and gives a speech worthy of the most melodramatic underdog sports movie."

Jerry laughs. "No shit."

Waving his hands, August nods. "no shit! He says all this stuff like 'we worked hard...we deserve this...we may not win but let's do our damn best. The worst that could happen is we lose, and that isn't the end of the world. So let's go out there and play some basketball!' or something, his was better, and the boys cheer. Then they put in fifty points to one-thirty."

Jerry winces. "Must have hurt, huh?"

August grins. "No way. One of the best games they ever played. You saw it. You wouldn't be here if you hadn't. They played their goddamn hearts out." He leans forward. "My boys don't have the same facilities as the big universities, or the funding to offer scholarships. They're at Roane Community because they want a degree or certificate but have other responsibilities. Parents or siblings to stay close to, jobs to work, people to take care of. They joined my team because they like playing basketball, loved the game and wanted to spend some of their precious time playing it. They put the work in on the court and off it. And we made it to the NCAA tournament because of it. We put in fifty points against the goddamn Michigan Wolverines! The champs! And they knew that. I've never heard of a locker room after an 80 point defeat so happy."

"seriously?"

It's all pride when Coach Nearaly says "yep. They may not be the best basketball players in college, but my god, they're probably the best team."

"because of Harrington?"

"partly. They all contribute, make sure they do things right. It's not a one man show, that's the point. They rally around him, but they all are part of the team, and know it. That's what Steve makes sure. Why I made him captain."

"So, you think he'd be a good pick for the Pacers?" This is, after all, a business meeting.

August nods, picks at his pancakes. "I'll be honest with you Jerry. You're not the first scout to talk to me about Steve."

"really? Who?"

"you know I won't say. But, between me and you, Steve's Indiana born and bred. His wife's planning on getting some lib Arts degree in Chicago or Indy, and your offer might be the deciding factor for them."

Jerry blinks. "He's married? At, what? Twenty-one?"

August nods. "Just turned twenty-two. High school sweethearts or something. Obsessed with each other." He chuckled, a bit ruefully. "I'm a bit jaded but damn. You mention her name? He lights up like the fuckin Fourth of July."

Jerry whistles. "Honeymoon phase gets us all."

"for almost two years? Nah. It's just love." It sounds a little wistful, coming from August. "Anyways. I dunno if the other team is serious about him, and if they are, they'll probably be disappointed. Kid isn't moving out of the Midwest. He's got family here, and is getting a goddamn elementary education degree. He won't uproot his life for a chance at the NBA. But, if you offer. Well. He'd at least seriously consider it."

Humming, Jerry chews his eggs as he thinks. "You think he'd be up for the lifestyle? The road games out numbering home ones?"

There's an air of seriousness when August levels Jerry with a look. "If he doesn't want to, he'll tell you. You gotta give him time to talk to his family though. This offer? It'll come out of left field for him, even if I give him a heads up. You get that, yeah? You want to recruit a kindergarten teacher to the NBA without any build up. He needs time to process that and then see where the people in his life are at with it."

"I guess it is unusual."

"try being the community college basketball coach getting two goddamn calls from NBA scouts. Thought I was hallucinating."

Jerry laughs, counts some bills for the tip. "Thank you. For your time and insights. Let Steve know I'll call tomorrow?"

"will do. He'll still probably drob the phone on you, though."

"as long as he doesn't hang up!"

[txttletale]

I really agree w/ all your Hades opinions! I played that one first and then went back to all the other SG games, and was surprised at how much better the storytelling was in Transistor and Pyre. Hades is really fun and clearly high quality, but its world and characters feel so much shallower compared to its predecessors, and I really despise Hades himself, so the "reconciliation" stuff falls flat for me. Since you like Pyre, I wondered if you would maybe want to talk about your general feelings on it a little bit--what you like about it, what you don't? It's the least popular of SG's portfolio, which is so sad to me because I think it's the weirdest and most interesting one of the bunch, both story-wise and gameplay-wise (even though my personal fave is Transistor, which is still excellent, I think Pyre does more things I admire).

pyre is one of my favourite games of all time so i would love to talk about it! i mean. where to begin. i love its world. i love the very clever decision to make all the proper nouns and fantasy stuff hoverable hyperlinks so that you, the player, can be filled in on important background information about the world without the need for stilted expository dialogue:

i love the world of pyre. it's genuinely beautiful, it's my favourite of any of supergiant's worlds: the downside looks genuinely unique, it looks at once forbidding and electrically pretty.

like god damn. but what i love most about pyre is the story and characters, and how they're both not just communicated to you through the traditional methods this game employs (dialogue, flavour text) but in a way that's woven into the gameplay.

like, pyre isn't a game about fighting, it's a game about sports. it's a very high-stakes sport, but it's a sport -- for those who haven't played it, the plot of pyre is that you and your band of wacky misfits have been banished to a secret underground world. from time to time, the stars align and one person can escape this exile by winning a game of fantasy baskebtall -- and because it's a sport, the game's happy to let you lose. you can lose and that can just be part of the story. on two different occasions, i chose to throw plot-critical matches in pyre--once because an NPC on my team asked me to and once because i felt like the other guys deserved to win more than the protagonists did. and the game treats that as a valid choice, a valid thing to happen in the story! it lets the game explore opportunities and feelings and situations that a more traditional game where the player 'has' to win in the 'canonical' ending isn't capable of and it does it really well

and similarly there's something very very clever done with the character writing. getting to know characters better -- finding out why they were exiled, what's at home that they want to return to, why they want to get back to the surface -- is the same process as improving that character's stats and skills in the basketball games. the result of this is that the characters you know best, the ones you're most emotionally invested in getting to escape exile, are also the ones who you've been relying on to win your basketball games! it's by far the best iteration of the 'switch up your playstyle or else' mechanic that supergiant obsessively puts in their games because it ties directly into the emotional stakes of the story and can make it a genuinely difficult choice to liberate someone who's an essential part of your team but you've just learned has a desperate need to escape before something terrible happens to their loved ones outside.

also its got the best romance route of any supergiant game. i dont give a shit about meg or thanatos when i've got sandra the unseeing

<3

[itsclydebitches]

Building off your argument that Ted isn't going to go back to Kansas, he was constantly correcting his mother this episode with regards to British terms. Where before he was the outsider who didn't understand Britishisms, now he is the native who uses the terms instinctively to the point where he gets annoyed when they're used wrong. Sounds like he's acclimatized to England.

Yes!!! I was thinking that a couple weeks back too when Ted first uses "football" instinctively and then comments on how natural it's become. He's reached a point where he's both using that terminology as a matter of course ("Some of us have a football team to coach!") as well as teaching others (here's how the dials on the oven work). (Sidenote: I'm not sure what to do with Dottie's tea comment yet. Not even sure atm whether I read it as sincere or sarcastic, but regardless, I think it's a potentially useful detail next to Ted willingly drinking tea in "Sunflowers." That was another version of acclimation on his part.) Now, combine this verbal/dietary acclimation with our opening where every previously negative interaction Ted had with the community has been flipped to show that they now adore him -- seen most strikingly through the "wanker" guy and, throughout this season, the pub trio supporting him at training -- and if they do send Ted back to Kansas it's really going to read as that Mary Poppins situation of, "He arrives to brighten everyone else's lives and then leaves. Why do you care what he needs? He's just a narrative tool."

To further add to this I can't help but think about the long-term structure of Ted's life now that we know Beard's backstory. We're told that, like his time here in Richmond, Ted helped Beard, forgave him, gave him another chance, and ultimately gave him a life. If we look at Beard's situation as a microcosm of the whole show, it seems significant that Ted does not leave Beard behind. That was not a situation -- a situation we're worried about getting now -- where Ted played the part of emotional coach and then sent Beard on his way, far from him as he's no longer needed. Instead, we get the opposite. Beard becomes his best friend, a staple of his life, and continues to help Ted in turn. By waiting until the penultimate episode to reveal the roots of Beard's loyalty, the show has ensured that the focus is on their equal standing and how Beard has likewise benefited Ted over the years: helping him see that wanting to win isn't a bad thing, trying to provide support through his anxiety, recognizing Ted's tells and informing their new community of what to look for (Nate, during the divorce arc: "Is he okay?" Beard: "No!") Beard could have been a minor, flatter character who popped out of the woodwork just to say, "Ted Lasso changed my life for the better, extraordinarily so, and he is The Best Man anyone could ever meet" (which, frankly, would have made Ted a flatter character too) and then gone on his way, having succeeded in the narrative function of reminding the viewer that this is Ted's sole role in the story: coaching others to be their best selves while pushing his own needs aside.

Instead, Beard becomes the cornerstone of Ted's support system. Ted doesn't leave him behind, he permanently integrates him into his life.

What's a microcosm of this microcosm? Ted Lasso does the same thing with Trent. Does he go off into the writing world once Ted helps him realize what he truly wants in life, his story concluded, never to be seen again? To quote Beard, "No!" Trent comes back and, significantly, Ted doesn't pull any metaphorical Mary Poppins arguments along the lines of, "I'm done all I can for you. It's time for you to move on." He eagerly invites Trent into their Richmond circle when no one else will (I'm currently working on a meta of Trent's first scene of Season 3 because OH BOY IS THERE A LOT) and Trent stays, not simply writing his book but becoming a member of the family. Surely there's a pattern here: The people Ted helps don't leave him, but rather become core additions to his life that enrich his own outlook and understanding of himself.

I'm not saying I'm going to toss Ted Lasso in the bin if we get the Kansas ending, but I AM saying you all will have to suffer through a dissertation length meta on my blog about why that was a bad choice lol

[mazzystar24]

So next episode, we have eddie, buck, Tommy and marisol at the restaurant. So who Is looking after Christopher? All of Eddie's baby-sitters are there!

But jokes aside this is wild like literaly the episode ended with bi buck reveal and straight away (bad pun I'm sorry) we have the promo that starts with Eddie high jacking the date. Like this has been approuve by the team not just PR like it has to have been approved. And if they didn't want buddie they wouldn't do it like that, heck if they didn't want buddie the bi reveal would not have included eddie and we definitely wouldn't have eddie interrupt the date (I know it's been said before but that is fanfiction territory and just wild!). I'm repeating all the points that shows that they aren't against buddie and that shows that we have a line following them in this journey and all the interviews and all cause im terrified they'll just not make buddie canon and only have eddie being BFF ally eddie but it would be cruel of them to taunt us like that and leave us hanging cause that is a lot like never seen before in any other show a lot!

Fr - this is how Chris is at a sleepover can still win🤭🤭

I love bad puns 🫡

Yesss totally like they’re having the very major moments (and whole storyline in 7x04) be VERY heavy in the Eddie involvement and that’s supposed to be subtle? Nooo they KNOW what they’re doing 10000%

I highly HIGHLY doubt they’d pull the straight best friend thing with Eddie and buck because they KNOW how committed the fandom has been

I totally agree they are DEFINITELY not against buddie (as you said in all the interviews things are looking really good for us) and if I’m 100% honest I do think they’re only being vague still to try to keep us guessing

Like I mentioned this before 7x04 aired but buck and Tommy kissing could make buddie becoming canon less of a shock to the fans so I think that while they kinda needed to do it that way to better communicate to the new audience and GA, sorta to set the scene, they’re kinda now trying to still maintain as much build up and shock for when they do make buddie canon if you get what I mean?

Also that last point of yours EXACTLY like buddie would be monumental, like I don’t think I can name a single queer ship like it and we are SO close

Also yes the fanfic territory is WILD Tim minear tell us your ao3 account 🕵️‍♀️🕵️‍♀️🕵️‍♀️

[the-minecraft-bat]

unhinged word vomit incoming read at your own risk

my "true" scarian interpretation at the moment is that they were never truly healthy but they weren't always toxic. grian is the issue haver and with or without meaning to he hurts scar a lot. they get together in 3rd life after dancing around each other for ages and there's problems in the relationship but they're generally going in a good direction. it's just that they're stuck in third life lol. the cactus ring fight traumatises them both, so after third life they break up without really talking about it and that's where everything gets worse. in last life they were not okay. double life grian is an abusive soulmate. cheating and putting down scar's skills and interests. i think that by secret life, they're doing better, but they still haven't had a real conversation. there's these lingering feelings of love and resentment. they were almost going to team up but i don't think they would've been ready. grian wanted to but he still acted like scar was somehow his last option, even though they work well together. grian constantly acts like scar is a liability and tries to protect him, even though scar is just as good a player as him. there's truth to it in 3rd life. i will give it to him that grian is the one who builds their base and the creeper farm and makes all their plans. scar even says it in his iconic line "for everything you did to keep me alive this long.." but the truth is more complicated. grian doesn't see the value in scar's social power. all he sees is scar dying and being on his red life and he instead of taking it seriously he's running around with a bee? why won't he listen to grian, grian knows how to keep them safe! ironically grian causes a lot of scar's deaths throughout the series, but it think the guilt about this only worsens this feeling of responsibility. this way of thinking is a pattern for grian. he refuses to change his perception of scar from here. which is why in double life he barely communicates with him and does not take anything scar does seriously. double life scarian is the direct result and worse version of third life scarian. this next thing is more fanon but i think they view what happened in third life differently. i imagine scar idealises it as this loving relationship against all odds whereas grian remembers it as a horror story where the man he loved kept dying. the truth is somewhere in the middle. they have these opposing views in different areas as well. scar loves being in love with grian. grian finds romance stressful and wishes he could get rid of these feelings (mentally he's drawing hearts around scar in pink glitter gellpen). i think it's canon that grian takes the life series and especially winning more seriously than scar. it's so interesting that scar won secret life though. grian's view of scar as this fool who needs his help to survive is proven untrue. if there's a next life series he can't constantly put scar down for being bad at surviving without clearly being wrong about it (though i imagine he could still find a way to talk himself into believing he's right). idk they're soooo interesting i hope they keep killing each other forever. i hope they talk it out and get married and divorced and married. above all i want scar to kill grian for once i think it would be cathartic

[s-seishiro]

࿐STREET RACER AU! shidou ryusei

summary: pretty explanatory. just some ideas inspired by that one oikawa street racer fanfic and @asxte.ria on tiktok

— headcannons+

— no warnings!

Shidou is FAMOUS in underground street races. Everybody knows his name, everybody knows his game and everybody knows to stay out of his lane.

He drives a modified Toyota Supra. The body paint of the car being a magenta-ish pink. It’s decorated in decals and other miscellaneous stickers.

Everyone knows he arrived based on the sound of his 2JZ-GTE engine.

Most of the racers tend to stay clear of Shidou because of his anger issues and eagerness to throw hands with anything or anyone who inconveniences him.

He is a brash driver. He doesn’t really care if he has to play dirty to win—as long as he’s number one.

Shidou just loves living life on edge. Wether it’s speeding through the city in a high speed chase, or riding dangerously fast just to feel the wind in his hair. All of it is for the thrills.

This carefree, idgaf attitude of his has landed him in the underworld hall of fame. Causing him to be one of the most sought after racer in all the competitions. Everyone is itching to see who will be the one to dethrone the king.

He is VERY competitive. He LOVES the adrenaline he gets during and after a race. But because of this rush he tends to get pretty violent and angry at times. It during those moments when people fear him and know to stay clear of his path.

Surprisingly, Shidou is VERY popular with the spectators. Many people enjoy betting on him to see him trash his opponents—or vice versa. And of course there are those who think he is extremely attractive. Women would often flock over to him to compliment him, hoping for at least one chance. And he doesn’t really mind the attention.

He NEVER lets anyone else handle his car. He doesn’t trust the street. If it’s not him fixing his car then nobody is.

Okay so let’s be real, he has tattoos. I’m thinking a dragon tattoo that’s kinda in the same position as Kaiser’s rose tattoo. And for some reason he’d probably have those Japanese back tattoo of the tiger and the dragon.

Is known for his odd relationship with the Itoshi brothers.

Everyone in the underground community even public community knows of Shidou and Rin’s rivalry. The first time the met was at a underground race—one that Rin accidentally stumbled upon. And Shidou, of course wanted to prove that he was better than the “official” racers. This whole ordeal was trending on Twitter and every time they have a rematch, the event is sold out.

Itoshi Sae was more interested in Shidou’s speed—and at one point you can see that Shidou’s was on a official team. But he quit because he had tons of restrictions placed on him to “save face.”

“If it isn’t baby eyelashes? I see you switched out your car for something a bit more modest!” Shidou pulled up beside Rin’s car, smirking once he saw the clear disdain on his face. The two of them just happened to be stopped by a red light on the same intersection. And Shidou, despite Rin not using his official race car, STILL spotted him.

Rin didn’t even need to glance in Shidou’s direction to know it was him. His brightly colored car instantly gave him away. “When will you ever stop being an public eyesore?”

“Your life is an eyesore.” Rin gave Shidou the deadliest side eye known to mankind, twitching in annoyance at his words. Shidou however was having the time of his life! Bothering the little Itoshi brother was his favorite pastime.

“Shut up, you antenna ass freak.” Rin spat, winding his windows up to block anything else Shidou had to say. It was still early in the morning and he was already getting pissed off.

“Hey hey hey language! Does your brother know you talk like that? Oh wait! You two aren’t on speaking terms are you?”

“You—”

Before Rin could get a word in Shidou zoomed off, leaving a trail of skid marks and exhaust. Shidou finally got the perfect reaction out of Rin, and so there was no reason to wait at the red light anymore.

Once again he had successfully left Rin without the last word. And he knew Rin wouldn’t dare run the red to catch up to him. He had a professional career to worry about—a restriction Shidou was glad to not have over him.

Now if Shidou has a lover…things get a bit interesting.

I can just see him always inviting you to watch his races. And most of the times you can’t attend because it’s late at night and the two of you are still college students.

But there are special instances where you watch his races—and it’s then he makes sure to show out.

After you get used to the run down of how things go—he drags you into the race into the passenger seat. Leaving you with no wanting except:

“Buckle up angel~!”

He loves hearing your screams of fear and excitement as he drives dangerously fast. He would tease and laugh at the way you clutch onto the seat for dear life.

[stoopid-turtle]

moar made-up thoughts about dd's thoughts

Some of the replies on my previous post left me re-evaluating, and I don't know that I was incredibly effective at what I meant to communicate (honestly, that is really frustrating for me). So I just want to clarify and maybe add some context.

I assume it goes without saying that everybody in turtleland adores dd and gg and that we think dd is a sweetie-pie (I can't conceive of being a turtle without that belief). And as a group, dd and gg's sweet moments get highlighted a lot, which I adore. These posts I have on dd are more about stuff I don't see discussed quite as much and they're not meant to encapsulate all that dd is because, wow that's a lot. For the previous post, I'd been thinking a lot about dd's mentality and how he approaches things, as seen in SDC, because his captaining style seems really distinct in a way I wanted to dig into.

Honestly, we've known dd for years at this point, and he's grown and changed throughout that time. He's been influenced by gg and by other friends and mentors. And like most people, how he acts is variable and dependent on context. 

I do think dd was sometimes thoughtless when younger, but I don't think that's anything out of the ordinary for his age at the time, and I think he's grown out of it. In any case, it was never mean-spirited. Still, I think the way he expresses his feelings is pretty reserved and that he's not incredibly prone to sentimental gestures, like the gifts he sent Yang Kai. I think he can be thoughtful in that he's responsive when people indicate what they want, but I don't think he's the type to think up a gift idea on his own. Given that Yang Kai actually knows the guy and said as such, I don't think it's too far off-base to say that. I honestly think he probably gets help from gg with that sort of stuff, and he's likely to have gotten better at it as a result. But dd has never struck me as a sentimental guy.

(though with the captain gifts, I have no idea the logistics of how those worked, and I suspect, like most things on reality shows, that production assistants helped with suggestions and such)

I think he's a fantastic captain! I don't think I said that, because it's one of those things I assume goes without saying, especially as it's often said as such in turtledom. I think even back to Produce 101 when he was mentoring the young girls who were fawning over him. He did the cutesy dance with them to support them, even though he hates being cutesy (and bless him for it. That dance is a gift (and led to cute bts moments of gg poking fun at dd)). He's passionate about dance and he's passionate about helping other people improve (and learning from others). Dancers want to join his team because of that passion, and because dd just has a natural talent for it that is incredibly inspiring.

But he does like winning. He explicitly said as much himself. And that one episode I highlighted where his team lost is pretty tense. The rehearsals were tense, the performance was tense, dd's response to everything was tense. During one round, his team only gets 4 votes compared to, like 40 for the other team. I can't recall the score ever being so lopsided, especially when the losing team is full of top-tier dancers.

And dd's behavior then is incredibly relatable to me. He laughs about it, joking about how he only got 4 votes. But it's the laugh you get when you're really unhappy and kinda embarrassed but trying to keep a good, positive face on things (or at least, that's a strategy I have for those moments, and given dd's switch to serious-times when he's doing the team debrief, I think he's somewhat similar). 

And dd recovers well. He has a debrief with his team. He talks to Han Geng about what his team is lacking (they specifically talk about his team performance not being thematic like the others) and realizes they need a choreographer to pull everything together and give them direction. And the very first round of recruitment, he gets a choreographer for them. 

I don't think dd only likes winning. The reference to "not here to make friends" thing was a bit of rhetorical exaggeration for fun. Like I noted, he makes friends. He learns a lot and he mentors a lot, and that's definitely a big part of the draw for SDC for him. And while dd never intentionally cultivates a family atmosphere (as opposed to the other captains who explicitly tell their team that they're like a family), they come together like a family anyway. But he still likes winning, and I think he has trouble enjoying everything else as much if he's not winning. 

It's not a bad thing to be competitive like that (I once got into a fight with my wife because I kept losing in thumb wars against her. I personally know when competitiveness becomes stupid). DD has a passionate drive to succeed. This is how he's managed to excel at basically everything he tries (except cooking). I think way back to the auditions in SDC 3, when dd impresses his group by being savvy about street dance gestures (like the plagiarism gesture) and by knowing how to appeal to dancers (by having them warm up with some freestyling). He quickly overcomes any doubts the dancers have based on his idol background by being genuine, sincere, and passionate and that's why people want to join his team.

 *rereads all this* Hmmmm...feedback and replies are good. This is a better post.

Also, this judge is the one who always says nice things about dd. He's said at one point that dd has an extraordinary natural talent for dance even among professional dancers. He's right and he should say it. Best judge. A+ I hope they keep bringing him on.

[alltimefail-sims]

You've all seen the Goth kit styled beautifully by other creators... but what if I showed you it straight up?

No cc, no pairing with items from other packs... this is what we're left with. Alternative heading: Idk how some of ya'll have made this kit look so good, but let's talk about it.

My thoughts... ↓

Right off the bat: I don't like most of the swatches on these items and I don't think I would constitute most of the swatches as "Goth." For example - what is that weird blueish-purple swirly tablecloth looking swatch on every item? More than that though, I think the biggest issue with this kit is that the items themselves don't pair well with each other.

We'll start out with the makeup: we only got 3 makeup items with this kit and I don't feel strongly about any of them personally. I will say that the runny makeup swatch is kind of cool and unique but idk how often I'll personally find a use for it. (Sidenote: because all the makeup is slider compatible I do think he lack of swatches is okay. Also, storytellers might find the runny makeup item useful if they slide the opacity down because then it would look like more natural, runny makeup after crying. Just a thought!) It is peculiar to me that 2/3 makeup items are locked for fem frame only and I'm wondering if this was just an oversight. Regardless, I'm noting that as a negative - if you want to use the lipstick or eyeshadow on a masc frame sim you need to uncheck masc frame in the makeup category of CAS for it to show up.

I HATE the egg-head hoodie, especially because 1. it could have been such a cool item that I would have used a lot if it didn't give sims a dramatic gnome pointy head and 2. it's unusable on fem frame sims due to the bug eye issue which everyone has already pointed out but I'm going to point out as well because... wtf?! I am also not a huge fan of the earrings and necklace that came with the kit due to the fact that they're just really clunky-chunky and the necklace felt like a late addon to me as most of the outfits had a high neck, so pairing the choker with the majority of outfits from this pack didn't actually look good. I was shocked there were no tattoos, no hats, not a single hairstyle (my biggest complaint about this kit and CAS kits in general as we always need more hairstyles), no facial piercings, not even a nail polish. And, as always, masc frame sims were short-changed in comparison to fem frame sims.

One positive note is that I think a few of these items could pair well with items from other packs and, of course, some amazing cc that's out there as you've probably already seen some creators do. (But, again, that's not what I'm personally reviewing so really that's neither here nor there, but I wanted to note it nonetheless.)

Here's a list of the items I personally liked:

The trench coat full-body outfit in both frames (sans some swatches).

The Tripp style shorts - I think I will use these a lot (and I think the recolors will be great).

The very first outfit I showed above in the fem frame (mesh shirt and shorts) is workable.

The plain leather jacket top in both frames (versatile, simple, lays on all bodies well and recolors will be nice).

The t-shirt with a mesh shirt or fishnet shirt underneath.

I suppose I also like the bracelet and gloves that came with this pack, but that's just because they were simple and inoffensive lol. Idk how the sims team could have possibly screwed up those items. I'll use them at some point though I'm sure, so that's a very weak win I will give them.

All of that to say...I don't like this kit nearly as much as the Grunge kit. Most of the items are middle of the road at best and poorly executed at worst. I didn't have unreasonably high expectations for this kit, but I still think it could have been done better and I think it's okay to want better as a community (especially because not everyone can use cc, so this might be the only goth stuff they have to work with). If EA can't execute something well, they just should do it. This is why I don't agree with the "did you all expect EA to give us a well-done Goth kit?" crowd because yes, actually, I did! We should expect them to at least do the bare-minimum and do their research so they can deliver on a concept that they proposed to us in the first place and will be making money off of... but I digress!

I still stand by the fact that nearly everything looks super chunky and dated - if someone told me all of this came out with the base game or an older pack like Realm of Magic, I would believe them.

Here's a closeup of the makeup:

I'll say it again: the hoodie thing is bananas to me. Idk how they didn't catch that before releasing the damn kit but that's a careless mistake that would be funny if it wasn't so expected.

That's the Goth Galore kit in its entirety! These were just my opinions, so keep that in mind. You can love this kit and disagree with me and that's okay! But for those of you wondering what it looks like in game with no cc/reshade/or any embellishments before you buy it, I hope this little overview was helpful!

[naanima]

Oh, dear Ratboy. I really like it when he does long podcasts. It helps that he can communicate. Interview starts around the 1h.11sec mark. Dot points things of interest:

He has finished moving from Calgary completely, doesn't even have winter clothes anymore. LOLs.

When he first arrived in Florida he was happy to take a backseat, but the team wanted him to get involved in the leadership group.

He really loves living in Florida.

VGK was the best team they played. Boston & Vegas were very similar. Talks about how Boston slapped them during two of the regular season games, but they played really well against them for the other two games. And that's why he had the belief they could win. OMFG. He fucked up by jumping on the ice and got the penalty LOLs. It was all his fault.

He thinks players who come through in OT etc are the ones who want the puck on their stick. Good or bad they will need to be able to live it.

His dad always preached live in front of the net. Take some physical abuse in the games, earn it to score. Can't get your stick tied up. He learns a lot from Brady when it comes to spinning it off and getting it into the net. Watches every one of Brady's games.

When he switched to the Right Wing he watched a lot of vids of good right wing players.

Evolved as a player year to year. Same mindset as when he was a kid, "screw you I'm getting that puck." Paul gets on him when he gets into a bit of a shoving match on ice with guys he shouldn't. LOLS.

Offseason - earlier was PT, playing catch-up in strength, conditioning wise more cardio in the hopes to play more mins and faster. He feels he is better prepared this season. He is back to 100%.

Microphones on ice - good for the game. NHL gotta do a better job. It is evolving more via the players and teams. Players don't like it too much bcos they would feel like walking on eggshells. If it is used properly it can grow the game.

Wedding vids - makes athletes look crazier than they are.

Media/SocMed blowing things up. Keith talking about his team being "soft' - he was pissed bcos of how it got blown up. They had a chance to be in the playoffs and then they lost four games in a row. Ouch.

His current health - "Everything feels great." He didn't realise he broke his sternum, he thought maybe a collarbone, it wasn't how hard the hit was, it was the spot. He had to leave the game bcos he had to do concussion protocol. Game 3 didn't really hit him how bad he was. After the game he was not feeling great. Drove home that night with a sling, probably shouldn't have done that. The next morning he couldn't get out of bed. The day after he had to call Brady to help him get up, he couldn't even remember if he had a shower. LOLs. During one of the scrums he couldn't even really grab people's jerseys.

Getting into fights etc. Not that they want to get into a fight, it is more that they just hate losing. LOLs.

Sticking Jonathan Quick - doesn't know what happened, he has no excuses. He is not a fan of goalies that play out of their creases.

Buddies with Auston Matthews & other hockey players. It is the game. He would run almost everybody... except Brady for a lot of reasons, one of them being Brady would take him down. Lols.

Olympics & World's etc - a shame that they can't play together. It is sad. His first dream is to win a Stanley Cup, and then to win for the US with his brother.

Right now - being down in Florida outside; jetskis etc. Not going to buy a boat. Love hanging out with his family and friends. He used to not like the beach at all, but now he is there all the time. He is not into nice cars. Only into golf and stuff on the waters. No gators close to his house, they are close to the rink (wtf).

Him changing team - talked to Calgary that he wasn't gonna sign a long-term contract, worked together with the team, and with permission he had one week to talk to a handful of teams. Came down to Carolina, St Louis' and Florida. He just wanted to learn everything he could before he made the decision.

Going back to Florida in a few days.

Taryn is doing great, was injured last year/season and when she came back she was great.

Invited to 6 weddings, attended 4.

Jack Eichel - his hit. Haven't seen the video.

Fav goal in the playoffs - when Cousins scores. The Carolina one.

Barky is so chill, he thinks Barky is the best player he ever played with/seen. Loves watching Barky playing, during training he learns from him.

Scoring between his legs, his dad was pissed. LOLs. He used to do a lot of trick stuff, flipping his picks etc. He remembers watching Kane and Crosby doing it when he was growing up.

He will chat with his dad after games, and nowadays his dad trusts him.

He thinks Brady is great, a great scorer. Brady's goal is to get the team into the playoffs. Ottawa loves Brady, he is a god there. They treat him and his family well bcos of Brady.

His parents come to Taryn, Brady and his games etc.

It is fascinating to me that Matthew is so very much, "I did this", 'it is my fault", "we didn't play well enough", "the other team is better" etc.

I typed this as I was listening to this so there will be mistakes. LOLs.

[kyber-crystal]

i’m all yours || bradley “rooster” bradshaw

summary: top gun pilots are the most competitive there is. throw in a little beach football + suntan oil, and you have yourself a recipe for peak entertainment. also chaos. 

words: ~1.4k

warnings: shirtless rooster, also everyone being super competitive, this is mostly just crack and fluff LMAO. also this was really poorly written i’m so sorry i have no idea how to pace fics. but i tried

a/n: requests are open :) during my socal trip i went to the beach two days in a row. and it kickstarted the rest of my inspo for this fic

“I should be flying right now, you know. It feels weird not to be flying right now.”

“Y/N, we came here to relax. Not to worry about what’s up there,” Phoenix placed her hands on your shoulders. “Give yourself a break, you’ve earned it…I mean, look at this nice weather! You’re going to love it. Now we need to get our asses out there before Hangman beats us to the coin toss.” 

“He’s such a ball hog,” you scoffed, and you two started running down the sand. “I’m putting you on my team!”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way!” 

Phoenix was right. With the rays of the warm San Diego sun streaming down on your shoulders, you felt so much better within seconds. Everyone else seemed to be in high spirits as well. Hangman and Fanboy were wrestling over who’d flip the coin to start the game…as predicted.

The group had split into two, with you and Maverick as team captains. You’d picked Phoenix, Fanboy, and Hangman, while Maverick took Rooster, Bob, and Payback. Coyote sat next to Penny in a foldout chair, sipping beers as he agreed to keep score. 

Soon enough the game started, and you locked into your overcompetitive sport persona. Yours and Phoenix’s strategy was to play it like you did up in the air, making for minimal communication but maximum results. It was easy that way, falling into a routine you’d executed countless times before. 

“Stop hogging the ball!” Bob yelled as he went chasing after Hangman. “We’re on the same goddamn team!”

The score was, surprisingly enough, pretty close after half an hour of play. This only made everyone grow even more competitive—and aggressive—as the game went on. 

You were only seconds away from scoring the winning point when someone tackled you from behind, knocking you down into the sand. Standing up, you came face-to-face—well, more like face-to-chest—with none other than Bradley Bradshaw. 

Feeling your mouth run dry at the sight, you forced yourself to avert your gaze. Heaven’s sake, he was perfect—in his bare-chested, sweaty glory and all. 

Rooster grinned. There was a mischievous glint in his eyes and it made you want to tackle him, but also made your breathing hitch. You mentally cursed at yourself for reacting the way you did. “So close, yet so far, sweetheart.”

You tilted your head at him. “Oh, you’re so dead.”

“Catch me if you can, then!”

He broke off into a sprint and you did as well, chasing close behind him as everyone watched. Maybe putting the two most competitive people at Top Gun on opposing teams wasn’t the best idea ever. It would only end up becoming a game of who could tear the other apart first and how fast that could happen. 

Once you got close enough you reached forward and gave Rooster a shove. You missed your footing as you did so, though, so both of you went tripping into the sand once again. 

You were about to get up but were knocked right back down with a large and heavy splash of salty seawater. Looking up, you saw that Rooster had a giant, smug grin on his face.

“Bradshaw, we’re no longer friends!” you yelled (or more like, you tried to yell but couldn’t stop laughing) as you wiped sand off your face. You gave him another light push, and that was enough to send him falling backwards and landing in the water as well.

“Do you have a death wish?” he challenged. 

“Maybe I do!”

Rooster stood up and shook the water from his hair, sending water spraying all over—including right in your face. You stared at him, slack-jawed. Oh, he was so on. 

The football game was completely lost on you both as you chased him further down the shoreline. Good god, he was pretty damn fast…both in the air and on land, it seemed that he’d be a hard man to beat. 

Bob nudged Phoenix in the side—everyone had stopped playing at this point to watch you two, but you and Rooster were too busy dogfighting to notice. Obviously. “How much do you wanna bet that one of them will make a move this week? My money’s on Rooster for Tuesday…70.”

“Don’t challenge me to a bet you know I’ll always win,” Phoenix raised a brow at him. “Eighty-five. By the end of tonight. Either one of them.”

“Losers,” Hangman snorted and rolled his eyes. “I say 100. By the time they stop trying to kill each other.”

Within seconds, they’d formed a small cash pile by the beer cans. “Someone’s getting RICH tonight!” Coyote whooped as he placed his own bets into the pool. “This right here is three weeks’ worth of gas money for me. Might even be some left over for groceries…”

It was getting harder to throw attacks at each other and shove each other with the heavier your clothes got. You fell backwards and swallowed a rather generous mouthful of seawater along the way, which momentarily threw you off-course.

After relishing in his brief victory, Rooster offered you a hand to help you up, and at that moment you took him by the wrist and dragged him down into the water with you as revenge. You quickly straddled him, placing your thighs on either side of him to lock him in, but you’re too late. You’d hesitated long enough for him to slip out and flip you over onto your back.

But you have no energy to get up and fight back, so you’re completely pinned down by the weight of him. You can’t tell if your breathlessness is from your close proximity or because he’s pressing against your ribcage—it was most likely a bit of both. If either of you decided to move even an inch at this point, your lips would touch, and the thought alone is enough to send your heart racing. 

You’re not sure how long you stay like that, sand sinking into your skin and Rooster’s body flush against your own. And the cheeky little shit notices everything—reading you—it’s the thing he’s best at. The sweat and salty water in your hair and face, your reddening cheeks (he knows it’s not from the sun) and the way your chest was rising and falling with each nervous breath you took.

The tense moment finally breaks when Rooster stands. This time, when he offers you a hand, you take it without the intent of pulling him down. 

“I won,” He’s breathless as he speaks. He’s still holding your hand but the feeling doesn’t register with you—you’re still busy trying to steady yourself. “You know that, right?”

“No, I don’t, because my team won.”

“And you say that because?”

“I say that because I was this close to scoring the final touchdown until you decided to act all high and mighty and swoop in and—”

Any protests building up in the back of your throat were instantly muffled by his lips on yours. You weren’t even that deep in the ocean anymore yet you felt like you were sinking beneath the weight of the tides. It was suffocating, but you cling to it anyway—to him.  Your hands moved to pull him even closer as if the little distance between you right now was not enough…and it wasn’t. But really, would it ever be when it came to him?

“I hate you,” you exhaled as you broke apart for a breath. “I’m getting back at you for this.”

“Try me.” 

And then he kissed you a second time, and once again you’re enveloped with the overwhelming sense of his presence. There’s salt on your lips and you’re both sweating and you’re soaked to the core with icy seawater, but it still feels perfect to you. 

It was a loud voice that forced you to pull away. Unfortunately.

“I WIN!” Hangman snatched the wads of cash from the pile, beaming wide. “The victor of tonight, folks, is…me!”

“You’re willing to leave people hanging, but not money…” Phoenix sighed. “What a man.”

“You guys made a bet?” Rooster raised an eyebrow. You could tell he was trying not to laugh—both at your flushed complexion and the idea of betting on you two. 

“We did!” Bob declared with pride. 

“And I won,” Hangman added.

Rooster turns back to you and smirks. “How about we give them their money’s worth, hm? They’ll get what they came for.”

“Sounds like a plan.” 

And so, you lean back in.

tags: @sarcastic-sourwolf​​ @totomoshi​​ @sebastianstangirl01​​ @cosm1cfae​​ @altheadarling​​ @ellabellabus07​​ @hay-9105​​ @vitanileon​​ @93joons​​ @katiemcrae​​ @deadpoolgirl23​​ @thatchickwiththecamera​ @lunamoonbby​ @honey-dew-woo​ @cabin-w​ @walkonthewiidside​ @the-untamed-soul​ @n3ssm0nique​ @itscheybaby​ @11114444​ @charlesl3cl3rc​ @winteryoungie​ @optimisticdiplomatshoelight​ @whoredalorian​ @em2213​ @criminalyetminimal​ @yeehawnana​ @hazelgirl355​ @lunamoonbby​ @yeehawnana​ @hazelgirl355​ @multifandom-fangirl4​ @paintballkid711​ @lyn-lc​ @hufflepuffprincesse​ @sergantbarnesbitch​ @adorephina​ @kristensworldin​ @callsignrunaway​ @purelyfiction​ @skylynch03​ @sweetdayme4427​ @spawn0fsatan​ @11-river​ @kajjaka​ @azari-anna​ @planetpheromone​ @utterly-in-like​ @aphrodites-flowers​ @j-elese-53​ @adorephina​ 

(if you asked to be tagged and you’re not on here, that means i couldn’t tag you for some reason) 

[sneezemonster15]

A lot of adults women behave like incels but less violent and more manipulative. They usually love the cringe romance movies where the main girl is average looking and not like the other girls and manage to make the badboy soft. Generally they hate hot girls bc they are jealous (see the way Skr stans talk abt Ino and feel victorious bc they "won" against her, the hot girl). Those women are full of insecurities, thats why Skr is so relatable.

The way Skr tries to not think about the fact Sske dont wanna spend time with her is the same way some irl women ignore that their husbands are cheating, and if they cant ignore it they will attack the other women but they will NEVER leave the guy. All their self worth is based on having a bf/husband.

Then there are some lesbian/bi women who stan her as an act of feminism. She is a female character who got what she wanted so its a win apparently. Fortunatly those ppl are minority bc as a queer woman and feminist, it is very embarrassing to read those takes. I'm all for uplifting women and for them to get everything they desire but not at the expense of non sexist men. Plus, Skr dont even look so happy at the end of the day. So is it really a win for her and women?

Yeah that makes sense. But it's sad isn't it? Because even trying to have a dialogue with them isn't helpful. There's no point having it if they aren't ready to be receptive to it.

Sakura really sees no contradiction between what she says and what she does.

And yet...

Lol. Till only two days ago, she was found styling her hair in the middle of chuunin exams, all skinned knees and having suffered minor injuries, while her team mates were working. She let her hair grow in the first place because she thought Sasuke liked it. Lol.

What impression can it possibly give to the reader? Kishi had to stress on it too, with another character this time.

Why would Kishi stress so much on Sakura and her obsession with her hair, just to make her say something totally hypocritical five chapters down? Lol. Kishi is very clever about writing his characters act according to the character traits given to them. Like for example, the panel below, Kakashi acts according to his character (where he has a blindspot for Sakura's negative shades) thinks Sakura is not the type to brag when she is actually exactly the type to brag.

Lol, Sakura's whole personality is about being obsessive for Sasuke which in turn makes her violently jealous of Naruto and Ino. She beats Naruto up regularly for no apparent reason and harasses Ino, even though that girl did nothing but try to help her. And she brags, it's the only thing she does properly. Lol.

And yet, she is always bragging, showing off. From start to end.

And I am positive I am missing some panels here lol. She is always looking for external validation. She revels in it. While external validation itself is not a bad thing, since humans need some amount of external validation to measure their abilities, and Naruto does it too, but for him, it's rooted in his quest for acknowledgement and acceptance, so he could make friends and not be ostracized from community. Sakura does it because of her ego. While Naruto has his principles rooted in his belief systems, his emotions and his dream that egg him on to do better, Sakura finds her motivation in the desire to show off and impress people, mostly Sasuke.

She disrespects Ino, Tsunade, and she fights Kaguya while she says this?

Girl, why are you so embarrassing? If you wanna attack her, just do it. Why even mention her being a woman? She wasn't mocking you, she barely even noticed you. You aren't worthy enough for her to notice.

Lol. And things she says about being a woman are just so cringe lol.

No one underestimates her because she is a girl, in fact Kakashi coddles her because she is a girl. She is underestimated because despite training, she is just weak and unskilled, as compared to her cohorts. And if she is skillful, we don't see it in the same proportion measured against the way she talks about herself. Tsunade never had to sing about her being a woman and yet people are bloody scared of her strength. Temari never had to mention it, neither did Kushina. Chiyo certainly briefly talks about how women always get the short end of the stick in their male driven society, but she not only belongs to a much older generation that has seen a hell lot, she is a master puppeteer and a superior warrior in her own right, she has earned it.

It would have been fine if only Sakura had actually consistently kept her word, proven herself through actions and not just empty words. Because when she doesn't, it reduces the value of those words. I don't know if she really meant it when she said women were fickle. Who? Tsunade? Kushina? Chiyo? Temari? Nope, they didn't give any such impression.

She constantly condescends to Naruto despite him having proved himself to be skillful, strong, the one who wins team seven several battles while she stands in a corner shaking and sweating. Thing is, she realises she makes mistakes. She acknowledges Naruto's strength as well, but she doesn't do anything to change. The whole point of a realization is to work on it and correct your behaviour. She is condescending towards Naruto till the end. Konohamaru takes her down a peg when she is being disparaging towards him and Naruto when they are doing the oiroke jutsu contest. She even hits Konohamaru, and he gets pissed off. So he makes a reverse oiroke jutsu just to show her true face, and that face has a streak of blood trickling down her nose lol. But when Naruto uses it against Kaguya, she again condescends to him. Narusakus are kinda embarrassing tbh, Sakura doesn't get Naruto. She thinks she does but she doesn't. She thinks she gets Sasuke but she obviously doesn't. And yet, she makes her 'strategies' in kage arc around her knowledge of Naruto and fake confesses to him. Naruto rejects her. Lol. She goes to Sasuke and tries to kill him (with a kunai...) by tricking him, only to be attacked, twice. Even when she drugs her cohorts before going to Sasuke, they clock her real plan. Lol.

She overestimates herself, even though it's clear that if she only thought things through, she would be much more successful. She is really blind to her own shortcomings even though she tries but remains unsuccessful, which is even sadder.

She does know Sasuke doesn't wanna spend time with her, she also gets a sense that she will always be much lesser than Naruto in Sasuke's eyes, she knows but she doesn't care. Even if it means long term misery for everyone involved.

Yes, I am sure some women find her character relatable. But relatable doesn't mean everything. I relate to Sasuke and I am very wary of establishing emotional connections but I know it's not something ideal or healthy. Connection is what people thrive on. If I ever started to relate with Sakura, I would really be compelled to take a hard look at myself. Lol.