#so everyone being like ‘well domi is So GoOd’ is like yeah sure but he’s also got a MASSIVE help from the money

[notahungryjoke]

Captain Domi interview

I: "How are you, what do you think about the match? Another win with a clean sheet, and another goal for you."

D: " The most important thing for me is the win with a clean sheet, me scoring a goal is secondary. I'm not at all satisfied with the first half, but I doubt anyone is, which is good, at least, we can learn from it. We reacted well however in the second half."

I: "What was the problem in the first half?"

D: "Only if I know... I don't know what happened. We made the same mistakes that we have previously discussed and promised to avoid. It was just one of those days."

I: "What can you tell us about your goal?"

D: "Uhm, funny story, because after we were done with the celebration, Lacika (nickname for Kleinheisler) told me that the only reason he lost the ball was so I could score a goal, thanks, I guess? *laughs* No, Lacika lost the ball, it happens, we reacted well, got the ball back. I saw Seffi (his nickname for Schäfer) on the wing, then I think it was Barni (nickname for Varga) who made the run [to distract the defenders], and then with some luck, but I managed to get [the ball] in."

I: "How satisfied were you that essentially it was the defenders who made the second goal happen?"

D: "We need everyone in equal measure, all eleven of us. The goalkeeper to do his magic, the defenders to do their longballs, the midfielders to keep the ball and pass to the forwards. Or in this case, a defender and a left back. Finally, even Lang used his brains, even for a defender. *laughs* (This is some kind of inside joke between them that the defenders have no brains lol)

We go match by match. We still have a lot of improvement to make, however the most important thing in my opinion is that our team is close, we are one. Everyone fights for everyone. We all have each other's back, [most importantly] if someone is going through it. It doesn't matter who is who, we are one team, and we play and fight as a team."

I: " This is your 14th unbeaten match in a row. How long do you think you can keep going and what does this mean to you?"

D: " *smiles* Only I know the answer to that... Yeah, 14 games, but as I said we go match by match. I'm glad for this streak, obviously. Even the boss [the manager] said let's keep carrying on until we can. Besides, we are at that point now, that we not only want to remain unbeaten, but we want to win every game. This is how I see it, and I'm sure the rest of the guys see it the same.``

His reaction on the stadium chanting his name: 

D: " I heard it, and I thanked them for it. If you saw me doing that, yeah, that was for them. (He sent kisses to the crowd) I'm thankful, I felt goosebumps all over my body. I hope it can happen again. "

About having to do a lot of defensive work, dropping back deep, playing as a right back.

D: "It's not really about playing as a defender, more like being everywhere, where I'm needed. Still, I hope I won't have to become a right back. *smiles* But if the manager puts me there, then that's where I will play.

About Séfi's assist:

D: "It was perfect. He carried the ball nicely, and we discussed it previously what we should sometimes do in situations like this [...]. It worked out well."

About his free-kicks:

D: " Sometimes they go in, sometimes they don't. They haven't for some time now, but surely I will have one in the net soon enough."

I: "There are still a lot of challenges waiting for you. How are you managing that, with the Euros coming up soon too?"

D: " It's not easy. I will go back to my club, like everyone else. We have a lot of matches, I will try to do my best at each one. Hopefully I can get called up for the nt if I play well enough. *smiles* That's it.  

[good7luck]

My quick personal thought on Noe in VNC manga latest chapter 61.5

(more under the cut)

.

I do NOT think Noe "pretended" to not notice the racism towards Dham in the office because he didn't "want" to accept the harsh reality that his "good" fellows are being bad / racists. It didn't happen...yet, at least.

I'm rather sure Noe simply, sincerely had NO "concept" of the racism ITSELF towards Dham AT ALL. "They probably still don't know their individual name each" was the ONLY and "best" guess Noe could ever make ON HIS OWN, within HIS (extremely limited) "common sense".

Noe does NOT realize the word Dham was being used like a slur purposefully in THEIR context, because Noe believes it's "by definition" not inherently an offensive term. They're Dhams, it's who they are, what's the problem? Vani is a human, so there's nothing wrong to call him human, cuz it's what he is, isn't it? But yeah, it's weird to keep calling all of them as just Dham when they all have their own name, let's fix it now!

Well, Noe does not have the same view / experience as other characters, much less we audience. He tends to listen well, but he's not always good at catching the hints / full context quickly. Of course, Noe hated to be called only "vampire" on and on by Vani in the previous arc, but Vani was clearly super hostile and seriously fighting Noe to death at that time, while this is happening "in peace", so Noe couldn't possibly imagine the people were hostile, "too", just in a different or "softer" form, perhaps? Or Noe failed to notice it because it's not directly about Vani lol

I get that it's very tempting to call Noe "stupid / annoying" etc for not noticing the "obvious" malice. But it's NOT obvious to him, unfortunately; he's plain ignorant and oblivious for real, because he literally has had NO chance to learn until now. He can't magically know what he doesn't know. He isn't even a genius character. This is the first time Noe witnessed the subtle and explicit racism, and honestly...I highly doubt if even now he truly understands that he watched people being openly bigoted and that it's never from their "innocent ignorance" as he first believed. Sadly, it indeed doesn't help that those people are the ones who Noe does NOT see as an enemy.

Noe never heard of Ruthven, who "can't" be unknown to anyone. Noe genuinely believed everyone else (Vani & Domi) was lost, when it's actually him alone who was lost. This is the Noe we're talking about!

Shapeless One didn't teach Noe anything about Dham and the prevailing racism (which is surely suspicious and irresponsible). It seems he at least didn't tell Noe that Dham should be oppressed / hated, and thankfully Noe has grown up not to discriminate people merely for race. Since he arrived in Paris, Vani has never bothered Dante and others for being Dham in front of Noe, either. But yeah, now Noe should get to know more and face the unjust reality that the Dham has to deal with.

"Noe should've known better because, Archiviste!!" I feel he believes that it's NOT the same and mostly the matter of the "rightfully creepy" (he thinks) "ability" of the memory-reading (for now, at least). When you think about it...no VNC character has negatively reacted to Noe for being Archiviste so far (and like, most of them barely know in detail or get interested a little) - except Vani XD and we all know Vani currently doesn't care, as long as Noe doesn't try to drink his blood. Astolfo hated Noe, but it's because he equally hates any "vampire".

However, in regards to Dham, people are loudly making "the existence ITSELF" a huge problem, including their mere "appearance" difference. People "discuss" their "right to exist", which is similar to Jeanne, Bourreau, the slaves. Yeah, I suppose Noe has been kinda "lucky" not to be the target of discrimination...until now. I won't be surprised if Noe still doesn't understand what makes Dham "deserve" all the disgust when they don't even have any "disgusting" ability "like his". I'd like to also add that...Noe might've been safe solely thanks to his (problematic) "guardian" Shapeless One, the (in)famous & powerful vampire that no one can casually ignore, similar to Ruthven ^^;;

In short, I think Noe did NOT "forcedly" "choose" to "ignore" the racism and try to make an "excuse" for his "cannot-be-racist" fellows "instead"; how can he "choose" to believe "otherwise", when he doesn't even notice the deep racism "specifically" towards Dham in the first place? Though I can agree that it'd be hard for Noe to properly process what's going on in the office because he unconsciously believes the fellows he trusts wouldn't be "weird" or "malicious" to other fellows "for an unreasonable reason".

.

This was written quite quickly, and I might regret it and remake a similar post later...or not XD

Thank for you reading my current personal opinion!!

[kloppinthekop]

Have you ever thought what would be trent/domi's shopping style? Who would be spending more time in selecting items, who would spend more bucks? Who would like to try new things? Would any of them change their mind and return stuff after purchasing 😝 and lastly what is the thing they would rather die than being seen wearing 🤪

Hi anon! ✿ Sorry for the late response, but this is a fun topic to ponder and I ended up having many thoughts, lol! Okay, hmm, so I think that Domi is definitely more eclectic with his sense of fashion, more playful and willing to try new things. I think most of the time he feels comfortable staying within brands he knows, like LV or Gallery Dept, but occasionally some new designer or style will catch his eye and he’ll become super obsessed with it for a month or two. He probably lurks on a few fashion influencers’ pages, clicking through the tags when he sees a cool pair of trousers and then spending ages scrolling through all the options before buying something, maybe ending up with a OOAK customised piece. He will splurge on a statement item and then make sure he has all the other pieces and accessories to match it (shoes, sunnies, etc.) just right. But although he occasionally branches out to independent designers, for everyday/casual clothing he’ll usually stick with brands/designers he knows.

Either way, he loves to wear more unique pieces—his light blue LV backpack with the adorable patches, his checkerboard trousers, the basketball player pants, etc.—and isn’t afraid to make a bold fashion statement. He likes when people think he looks good, but he also really doesn’t care when other people don’t like his sense of style. He can do the fuckboy/frat boy look that everyone expects—and he’ll look hot doing it—but he also can rock a sparkly suit and embrace his camp fashionista side.

Once he’s bought something, he doesn’t do returns—no regrets; he’s very confident in what he likes, even if his best friends or people on social media make fun of him for an outfit.

Ultimately he knows what he likes and wants to have fun.

(I love him for that.)

Trent, on the other hand, cares very much what other people think about him and how he looks. His style is usually a bit more bland because of that, but also, he dresses like he’s born and bred in Liverpool, you know? Nothing too flashy—he’s from a working class town, and his sense of style usually reflects that.

Loves a trackie, loves a hoodie; will usually choose comfort over style. Usually sticks with neutral shades, but they work well on him. He wants people to focus more on his talent and his hard work, and ultimately, he’s more interested in being known as a footballer than a style icon. (However, that obviously doesn’t stop him from being competitive in everything he does, and fashion is no exception. He still thinks he’s the best-dressed in the team, with maybe the occasional exception of Virgil, which Trent will allow just because Virg is the captain and all that.)

He’s lucky that he’s so naturally good-looking, because yeah, he sometimes relies on that face card. But that’s okay, because I mean, look at that face!

Domi will spend more on a single item (and definitely more on jewelry), but Trent will spend more overall. At home, Domi will wear whatever is clean, and in fact wears a lot of team clothing or swag that he’s gotten for free. Trent probably spends a lot of money on trainers, and I bet he has clothing items that he thinks are cool but maybe just too over-the-top for normal situations, so they stay hidden in his closet until he has the opportunity to go somewhere like Milan Fashion Week.

Domi wouldn’t be caught dead in fur. Trent wouldn’t be caught dead in a sparkly suit. (He loves how Domi looked in his though… maybe a little too much to admit. This is why he never commented on Domi’s Instagram post about the Hungarian Male Athlete of the Year award, because he was stressing over how stupid that suit looked but how stupid good it looked on Domi specifically. And kept getting distracted… 😌)

Anyways, these are just my thoughts! Thanks for the ask. 🙏

[stormoflina]

hello! I'm sure your anons have been flooded with a lot lol but I wanted to change the subject a little. I'm a little sad that Trent is out until the Atalanta game (don't know if its the first leg or second leg) feel like he's been gone for the whole season. miss watching him play with the team and the last interaction we saw with Dom was with haaland being annoying lol.

Also idk if it's just me but I don't know if Dom is very appreciated by fans on how much he does on the field. I get he's had some off games but he's such an important piece to the midfield especially when it comes to his pace. During the Brighton game the right side was getting torched until he started spending some time there to help on defense and even the man u game when he was subbed off we were winning and then we lost control of the midfield. It was a glaring difference and I'm not bashing on any other player NOT at all or saying they don't bring anything to the team, it's just he's a part of the success to the team and it's not spoken about as much.

anyway have a good day!

Hi lovely! I want to thank you for this wonderful ask, it's always both a pleasure and an honour to read your thoughts, especially when it's so well put together! 🫶🏼

I know I miss Trent so much:( I looked back at the pre-match interview he did this weekend as much as I could find, and as lovely as it was to see him, I just wish he was back on the pitch, doing his magnificent passes as he does. :( I understand that with so many reinjuries, they are being extra careful with him, but I feel like the dates just keep getting pushed back and pushed back and it's stressing me out lol.

With Domi, yeah, the narrative around him has shifted recently. In a sense, I think he, too, became the so called stepchild of the team, same thing that I have called Cody back in the past, of course just under very different circumstances. I do think that now that we are in April and have already seen how the season progressed, out of all the starting midfielders he has had the least luck lol. Meaning that he basically carried that midfield on his back for the first three months, then yes, he both got fatigued and fell off a bit, but also Macca grew more comfortable in his position and role, Endo caught up to the Prem and Curtis had entered into a really good form too. Obviously the attention then shifted to them, which is only natural, they were putting in some fantastic performances. His injury also came at a very wrong time, then I think those weird social media posts that were made about him also didn't help ( I actually have a lot to say about that lol), then when he did came back from months long injury and wasn't dropping 10/10 he was quickly made into (one of the) scapegoat(s). Sadly, it's only natural, and what's even sadder that those 'fans' will only move on from him if they find another player to overly criticize. Agendas work like crazy. Right now, if Endo or Alexis loses the ball, likely no one will say anything, if he does, he gets ripped a new one. At the start of the season, it was the other way around. It's insanely annoying, but that's online fans for you. Also doesn't really help his case, that he is in a very limited role, which is good for the team (nobody has his levels of athleticism and pressing intensity), but it also highlights his weaknesses. I have talked about this before, but going from always being the protected player to the one who has to protect everyone else can't be easy and it's pretty easy to see that it doesn't come natural to him. However, it's a role that every team needs, and I think overall, he does a good job at it.

Haha, anyways, I spend waaay too much time wondering about the psychology behind how these things work, I could talk the pants off of anyone with this lol.

Have a lovely day! <3

Edit: With all that yapping I forgot to tell you that I agree with you regarding Domi. We definitely lost momentum when him, Andy and Mo were subbed off. The midfield especially got run over. Klopp nearly always gets his man management right, it just wasn't his day that day - or anyone's really, I mean we let Antony score. 😅😅

[unsleepingtales]

We’re back! It’s folk fair time!

Get got!!

Oh sick you get a salad with the lobster bisque?

I fully forgot Fabian was proficient in glassblowing

Ooooooof

They’re all so good at this game. And so deeply in it.

Awwww riz has a board in Adaine’s tower now

Oh please tell me he’s using a wild magic table to decide what happens from Fig’s bardic

WHAT

This is horrifying

We’ve talked so much about the quangle I forgot that they’ve barely acknowledged it in the show

That was shrimp vibes for sure

Murph’s incredulous ‘oh good’

Siobhan <3

Dome!!

The cubby’s house is so fun

Brennan letting his folk fair roots shine

Yeah I was thinking about that and I didn’t have the chance to make a coherent post but. Why is my clerical gnomance performing at the folk festival.

That drum circle thing is exactly some folk fair shit. Idk how many other folk fair kids follow me or watch d20 but I need to make sure everyone who was not a folk fair kid knows how Eerily Accurate this is.

Definitely swingers.

This reminds me soooo much of the arts festival I go to every summer lmao

Cassandra was married??

Hello??

Whoooo did Cassandra marry??

Cassandra being married to or engaged to Sol or Helio would be wildddd. And would kind of say something about why Kristen is so connected to them.

Like. Kristen was the chosen of Helio. If Helio and Cassandra were married, and Kristen left Helio, then Kristen going and becoming the prophet of Cassandra would be a weird roundabout return? Or deeper betrayal if they weren’t happy?

Dust mites suck

One thing about Brennan is he loves a magical axiom.

Ok so living gods can’t talk about dead gods to mortals

That’s fucked up!

Hee hee hee!

Kristen wants to get coffee with her parents?

Buckyyyyy

Kristen is just having visions now I guess

Shatter stars??? Are those the same things???

That was uncalled for

Yeah no I get that it was a bit but that really is crossing a boundary. Lines are weird and wobbly around the family situation and the band but that just felt weird.

Holy shit?? That’s sick??

Oooh look at the fairy lights

That’s a folk festival baby!

Kristen’s original tie dye look would actually probably be very fitting

OOP

What are you ON about

Zac is bordering on real world annoyed

You’re literally not

I hate it I hate it SO MUCH

WHY ARE THEY PLAYING THE FOLK FESTIVAL

STOP IT PLEASEEEEEE

You’re not the cops!!

WHAT

YOU CAN’T DISINTEGRATE A STUDENT????

Fabian whyyy

Why does he get lair actions??? This is gorgug’s house!!

You have no fucking jurisdiction here man

Fucking creepy as shit

Horrifying!!!!!!!!

This is how the audience finds out Lou has had sex before. Ok.

Gorgug puts his goggles on. I do not see it.

WHAT???

We been knew this babes

Somehow I think grix did not want this.

One thing about Fig Faeth is she’s going to imply the admin are pedos.

Kristennnn

It’ll just stab him normally

I keep thinking it and then getting too distracted to write it but Lou’s hair looks great

Thus, it has been goaded!

Fifty seven damage on one turn <3

Rude

Oooooooooh that’s a fucking sick spell

The washing machine adds three to wisdom saves?

Leans back against what??

Bahahahaaaaaa

ICE FEAST

I love the duo shots happening. Siobhan and Zac. Ally and Murph.

Fight me in the sky!

That’s soooo dark

Ok good I was trying to figure out how Ruben wasn’t gonna clock Fig-as-Wanda clearly fighting alongside the bad kids

A PODCAST <3

Ok! What?

Sickkkkkk

Unreal

Lmaooooo

Awwww their crew is so sweet <3

Horrifying!!!

Yeah Murph was right, that energy was Not gonna make the save

Are you kidding me

The lawnmower animation has me deaddddd

Pleasure and lawn maintenance 😭

What does that MEAN

So funny for all of this to happen less than five minutes after Brennan said they were doing really well in this fight

The shift from fun magic shit to ‘I Shoot Him With My Gun’ is always so funny

Fury of the ball!!!

Nice!!!!!

You can’t call it that man.

Rick. Why is there a vulture again.

Gilearean rolls over here

The complicated women podcast (the cw 😭)

Fucked up!!!

Dominate monster???

Wait did Adaine already use her bardic?

Augh

Eyyyy

FUCKS SAKE

I’m best medium rare 🥲

Oh my goddddd

They all want them to do this

Famously

Why are you doing this

We just gotta hit this guy once

WHAT THE FUCK BRENNAN

You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me

I’m gonna lose it

[worldchampionpeccobagnaia]

Hi! This is really random but may I know why you don't like Domi? I mean on the rare occasion I watch motoE I don't really vibe with him but I just thought it's because I prefer Eric. Is there any specific reason why?

other than being a massive creep he’s done some pretty unsportsmanlike things during races. at the 2021 motoe finale he and jordi torres were fighting for the championship and he pulled a dodgy move that took jordi out, meaning domi won the championship but he ended up getting a time penalty that was the equivalent of a ride through which meant he lost the championship, then he went on social media and effectively declared himself the moral and true champion (which is bullshit anyways and if he’d not been so desperate he might even have won it fair and square) and then this season in wssp he was involved in a crash, that he didn’t cause he was just collateral damage, and basically faked a concussion to try and get a red flag brought out so he could restart the race, he admitted to doing this the next day and got banned from taking part in race 2 because of it ! finally, and this is just personally, but his fan club just weird me out they’re like a cult almost and apparently only something like ~200 people are allowed to join it’s all very weird and :/

[hockeytrashgoblin]

I’m Needy ~ Travis Konecny

A/N: Hi yall, a special treat for you! A two for one smut with Nolan and Travis! Not together but hey maybe later. I’m stressed, depressed, and dealing with it by writing smut. A Max Domi one is on the horizon. Enjoy!

*4 months earlier*

"(Y/n) just move in with me! I live right near the university!"

"No you don't you ween."

"I live pretty close. Come on it'll be perfect!"

"Trav please be serious for 5 seconds." I sighed loudly making him laugh. 

I'd been friends with Travis since we were kids. He was my brother and I's best friend actually. We're twins and Travis loved joking around about it. I would be lying if I said I didn't apply for a Philadelphia school to be closer to him again.

"I am being serious babes. I've got a two bedroom and it's big so all your shit will fit."

"I dont have that much shit."

"Pfft yeah okay."

"I can hear that eyeroll you bitch."

"It was deserved. But seriously (y/n) think about it."

"I don't want to crowd you teeks."

"You won't. I really want you to be close if you're gonna be here. Just promise you'll think about it? You've got a few months to decide still, I don't need an answer now."

"Okay I'll think about it."

"Promise?"

"Yes you goon, I promise."

*present time*

I didn't realize that living with Travis would entail so many parties. The parties weren't really an issue but watching him get drunk and grind all over countless girls was. No girls ever spent the night thank God. I always took care of Travis once the party was over. 

Now however the party was in full swing. I was sitting on the counter nursing a drink talking with Nolan while trying to keep an eye on Travis. A box-dye blonde laughed too loud at something he said. I rolled my eyes and Nolan made a gagging sound making us both laugh.

"How long do you think until they're in bed?" 

"Judging by how fucked up he is I'm surprised he's not fucking here right now." I said laughing with him.

"I'm just glad there's another person around to deal with him too now. Before I was the only one who would only get tipsy and make sure no one died."

"I don't like getting crazy drunk. Trav on the other hand.." I trailed off looking over to him mixing a bunch of alcohol together.

"He's fucking insane. I dont think he ever remembers what happened the next day."

Conversation flowed easily between Nolan and I as it always did. He was around so often so he had quickly become my best friend too. He was the only one who knew about my feelings for Travis.

"Hey how's your head? Should you really be at a party right now?"

"I'm fine mom." He said rolling his eyes and playfully shoving my shoulder.

"I just wanted to make sure." 

"I know, it's sweet that you care but I'm totally fine. Promise."

"Okay good." We were quiet for a bit before I spoke up again. "Hey do you want to hangout in my room instead? I'm getting kinda sick of watching Travis dry hump that girl."

"Yeah I get that. Let's go."

"We're cuddling. That's a threat." I said unlocking my door making him laugh.

"Alright."

"I'm touchy. It's worse with alcohol."

"You and Travis are exactly the same that way. You both need to touch someone all the time." I pulled him down into my bed.

"Yeah well touch me already Nol."

"Sounds like you're asking for something totally different."

"I wouldn't complain."

"Oh really?" He asked leaning to hover over me.

"I mean as long as it's clear we're just friends and I only have feelings for Trav, then why not?"

"That's clear. We're just two friends helping each other out. I don't have any feelings towards you either."

"Okay then fucking comere and touch me." I pulled him down and attached my lips to his. He moaned into it and rested some of his weight on top of me. I was trying to get our clothes off as quick as possible.

"Someone's eager." He mumbled into my neck.

"I haven't been this sexually frustrated since I was a teenager, I just need you to get in me already."

"Whatever you want (y/n)."

Soon enough our clothes were off and he was 3 fingers deep in me. His thrusts alternated between sharp and fast to rubbing along the inside walls of me and it was torture.

"Fuck Nols, your fingers feel amazing but I need more. Please?"

"Yeah. Yeah sorry do you have a condom?"

"Drawer." I said pulling him back in for a kiss. He blindly fumbled around but pulled back with a victorious smile on his face which made me roll my eyes and laugh. He quickly put it on and was hovering over me.

"Are you sure (y/n)?"

"Yes I'm sure. Make me forget about Travis for a few minutes yeah?"

"I'll be the only thing you're thinking about in a second." He said in my ear as he kissed my neck.

He guided himself into me and groaned loudly as he inched his way in. I was silent as I threw my head back trying to get adjusted to the intrusion.

"You okay?" He asked, kissing along my chest and collarbones.

"Yeah sorry, it's been a while. Like 6 months a while. I'm good though, you can move."

"Thank God. You're so tight, I'm not going to last as long as I want to."

"Fuck..you feel so good Nolan holy shit."

He built up a steady rhythm that had me moaning loudly underneath him. The only other sound you could hear from this room was skin on skin slapping as his thrusts picked up speed.

"How are you so wet that it doesn't even feel like I have a condom on fuck." I couldn't answer. I was a whining mess at this point. He chuckled and started rubbing my clit. "I can feel you getting close (y/n). You gonna come on my cock?"

"Yes, fuck Nolan, yes right there! Shit!"

"I'm close too. Want to get you there first though."

It didn't take long until I was finishing and screaming. The orgasm lasted long enough for Nolan to finish too and then some. He was fucking relentless on my clit. He collapsed on top of me out of breath and we were just quiet together for a minute.

"Not bad." I said making him snort.

"Yeah you weren't so bad either."

"Nice."

"Did I make you forget about Travis?"

"Yeah for a bit."

"He's gonna be so lucky once he fucking clues in that you like him."

"Yeah well we'll see if that ever happens."

"Come on we should get back out there. Who knows what kind of mayhem is happening out there."

"Yeah sure."

We went back out and couldn't find Travis anywhere. Nolan and I split up to try and ask around to find him. I ended up at Claude and he told me that he had gone to his room alone. The alone part shocked me but sure enough I saw that blonde from earlier hanging off of Nolan now. I laughed and winked at him before going off to find my boy. I knocked on the door and got no answer so I just unlocked it with my spare key. I got into the room and locked the door behind me.

"Tk?" I called out into the dark room.

"Hmph." I heard from the corner behind his bed.

"Trav, honey, what are you doing on the floor?" I asked crouching in front of him.

"Don't call me that I'm mad at you."

"Any particular reason why?"

"Hmph." He said again getting up.

"Travis talk to me why are you mad?"

"You fucked Nolan! You fucked my best friend!"

"Trav, what are you talking about?"

"I heard you! In your room. 'Fuck Nolan. You feel so good Nolan'." He imitated my voice and I rolled my eyes.

"I don't sound like that."

"Yes you did! Why did you do that?"

"Travis-"

"Why? Why fuck him when I've been right here the whole time? Your whole life pretty much? Why Nolan?"

"Travis listen-"

"No! No, I'm the one who loves you not him! I'm the one who wants to hold you and take care of you! I want to get to see your body not him! He's not better than me."

"He isn't Travis, no one is."

"Then why would you fuck my best friend (y/n)? When I want you so much why would you?"

"Travis I didn't know that. Nolan is my best friend too. There wasn't any feelings involved at all."

"So what you're just being a puck bunny now? Why would you do that? You're too good for that." He asked getting more upset than angry.

"Travis, love, I think you need to go to bed. We can talk about this later, alright? Promise."

"Okay fine. Will you sing me to sleep please?"

"Of course Trav." I sat on the bed next to him and started singing brushing hair off his face trying to relax him to sleep. Eventually it worked and I left the room to help clear out people and clean up after them.

"How's the baby?" Nolan asked.

"Not great. He's sleeping but he's upset with me."

"Why?"

"He heard us.."

"You mean?"

"Yeah he heard it all. He's like mad at me Nols."

"I'm sure it'll be okay. Travis holds grudges but I don't think he could ever hold one seriously against you."

"I hope you're right."

The rest of the night was spent quiet until everyone went home. I tried to sleep, I really did, but I was so upset that Travis was mad at me that I just stayed up all night crying. I eventually gave up and went to the living room to do some school work. I had a couple essays due in a couple weeks and if I didn't have to worry about them anymore that would be ideal. I didn't notice how late in the morning it was getting until Travis came stumbling through to the kitchen.

I started gathering up my things to go back into my room. I got everything in my arms and tried to quickly leave the room, almost crashing into him in the process.

"Shit sorry.."

"Watch where you're going." He said in a snarky tone.

"Sorry I just- sorry." I sighed looking down and left. I closed the door and cried again. I got my essays done and handed in by noon. I knew Travis was probably just sitting around but I didn't necessarily want to bother him so I stayed in my room. I cleaned for a while but I mostly just laid there quietly, confused. Until he barged in of course.

"You planning on ever leaving this room?"

"Nope."

"It's dinner time come on let's order something."

"I'm not hungry."

"Bull, you haven't eaten all day."

"I just don't really have an appetite today I'm sorry."

"Stop with this shit and pick what you want to eat." He said getting snarky again.

"I don't want to Travis."

"Well you have to."

"Maybe I shouldn't. I better start watching my weight if I'm just some fucking puck bunny now right?" I said with an edge in my voice.

"What are you talking about? You're not a puck bunny, who told you that?"

"You did. Last night."

"Last night..? Are you sure I said that to you?" I shot him a look and he raised his hands in surrender. "Okay dumb question sorry."

"You don't remember saying that to me? So you don't remember saying anything else to me either then?"

"I remember most of last night. I just can't believe that I'd say something like that to you. You know that's not what I think of you right?" I just shrugged and he came to sit beside me on the bed. "I have never thought that about you. I think too highly of you for that."

"You did tell me last night I was too good for that."

"I meant that part."

"Okay."

"I also remember you putting me to bed promising we would talk later about you fucking my best friend." He spit out the last few words. "I can't believe you would do that."

"Travis it didn't mean anything."

"It meant something to me."

"Travis I'm sorry okay?"

"It isn't okay."

"Well it should be. I'm an adult and you're not my dad. Plus I have to watch you like twice a week get drunk and fuck whoever will let you! That means something to me too."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means I don't want you to fuck all those girls. Last night you asked me why I fucked Nolan when you've always been right here for my whole life. What was that supposed to mean?"

"I don't want to answer that question."

"For fuck sake Trav why not?"

"Because I don't want to."

"God you know why I've never chosen you my whole life?"

"No and I don't think I want to."

"Too bad."

"Rude."

"I never chose you growing up because you never made yourself an option! You were always too scared and you spent years making me look stupid pining after you. Even now when I'm pretty much confessing 13 years of built up feelings for you you still can't give me any answers. I never picked you because you never grew a pair and made yourself an option for me to pick. Because if you had I would've picked you over and over and over again. I pretty much did anyway."

"I didn't know you felt like that."

"How could you not have known all this time? Everyone knows."

"Well no one told me."

"That's bull. My brother teased us both about it so much."

"Yeah but I just thought he was being an idiot."

We were quiet for a minute both just sitting there not really looking at each other. I had just confessed almost everything to him and he still wasn't saying a single thing back.

"Look Trav, I'm sorry I slept with Nolan. I was fucking frustrated."

"Whatever, don't worry about it." He said getting up and going to the door.

"Travis wait!" I called to him, my voice cracking with tears. He turned around and frowned at me. "Did you really not mean anything you said last night?"

He didn't answer. Just shrugged and left my room. I wanted to cry again but the tears had run dry and I wanted answers. I got up and found him by the front door slipping his shoes on.

"I'll be back whenever, I'm going out." He reached to open the door but I reached past and slammed it. "What the fuck?"

"You're not going anywhere until I get some fucking answers, you fuckhole."

"I have no answers."

"Then we're gonna be here a long damn time huh?"

"You're fucking insane." He rolled his eyes and tried to leave but I boxed him in against the door. This shouldn't have worked at all. He was much bigger and stronger than me but he just stayed put. Well for the most part. He kept wiggling around so I pushed forward so most of my body was pressed up against his, my knee between his legs.

"Fucking talk to me you coward."

"What do you want me to say (y/n)? I'm fucking mad at you. I don't want to talk."

"We have to talk because if we don't you're going to be super mad at me forever and I'm not having that shit. We're not allowed to be ruined by me sleeping with someone."

"It was my best friend."

"I know Trav."

"You should've at least asked me, talked to me about it or something."

"You want me to ask permission to get fucked?"

"At least by Nolan yeah." He said shrugging.

"You're fucking delusional teeks."

"Why? Why is it too much to ask for you to let me know if you're going to be with someone?"

"Why are you acting so jealous?"

"M'not jealous." He said quickly making me laugh.

"You are fucking so! You can't just sit on the ground last night whining about 'why isn't it me? Why won't you fuck me instead?' then be all pushy today about it and expect me to believe that you're not jealous. You're so jealous. Why?"

"You shouldn't have slept with him."

"Love, we're well past that. I'm sorry." I said exasperated, bringing my hands down around his waist to hug him. "I'm sorry."

"Would you do it again?"

"Honest answer, if I got as frustrated and desperate as I was last night again and he offered I would."

"Goddamn woman, what had you so fucking horny that you decided that was the move?" He asked, rolling his eyes.

I decided to push the boundaries a little. Just to see what would happen. I couldn't make it any worse. I shifted my weight making my thigh run against Travis' dick making him gasp. I put my hands on his hips and pulled him closer to me.

"You did."

"Me?" He looked genuinely shocked by that answer.

"Yes you. Always you. How could you not gather that?"

"I don't know.."

"You always talk such a big game about how you can tell what a girl wants but can't figure out that I fucking want you?" I asked brushing my thigh against him again. I could feel him getting hard and it made my mind race. He wasn't stopping me, he wasn't disgusted by me.

"I thought you were always too annoyed with me to want me in any way."

"No Trav."

"I always thought I was too much."

"Travis you're not too much for me. You never have been. You never will be." I pressed against him again making him groan.

"Fuck.." he whispered before lifting me up, making me squeal. He carried me into his room and threw me on the bed before crawling over me. I instinctively put my hands on his hips and he held my face and half my neck in one of his hands.

"Trav.."

"Did you really mean everything you said?" He asked looking desperate and vulnerable. Not something I was used to from my boy but I did love that he felt that he could be that way in front of me.

"Of course Travis. Every word." 

"So you really don't think I'm too much?"

"Of course not."

"And you'd really choose me if it was an option?" He asked not looking at me anymore. I reached my hands up to either side of his face to make him look at me.

"Over and over and over again. I would choose you so fast, love."

And suddenly his lips were on mine in a soft but desperate kiss. It was years of hidden feelings being poured into it and it was a little overwhelming, not gonna lie. He pulled back and had the biggest smile on his face which made me smile too of course. The boys smile was contagious always.

"I really want you to choose me."

"Are you finally giving me the chance to?"

"Yes. Please (y/n)?"

"Yes Travis, I'm choosing to be with you. You're mine."

"You're mine." He said nipping at my bottom lip.

"Yours." I said pulling him down on top of me kissing him again. It was way more heated this time as he pushed himself against me making me moan quietly.

"Come on, you can be louder than that." He teased rolling his eyes.

"So make me be louder than that Tk."

"Oh I fucking plan to babygirl." He sat up to take his clothes off and I did the same, really just wanting to feel Travis on my skin finally. "You're always so loud in your room alone."

"Maybe I wanted you to hear me."

"Well I did." He was holding his dick and stroking it lazily. "I've touched myself like this to your sounds so often. That seems creepy to say, sorry."

"Don't be. I touch myself to the sounds of you too. When you're fucking some random girl I do and imagine it's me you're pounding into the bed."

"No more imagining. You're going to be pounded into this bed today."

"Please Travis? Want it so bad. Feel how wet I am for you babe." I took his hand and brought it down to me. He slipped two fingers in and we both moaned.

"This pussy is fucking water babe. I did that to you?"

"Every fucking day you do this to me Travis."

"And it took you 4 months to crack and fuck someone? Babygirl how did you not go crazy?"

"I did." I said shrugging.

"I'm gonna fuck you so good. Better than Nolan."

"Babes it's not a competition."

"Sure." He said waving it off. "I'm not gonna prep you anymore. You're probably still good from last night yeah?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm good. Get in please?"

"How can I say no to that?" He leaned down to kiss me quick. "You want a condom?"

"Are you clean?"

"Yeah I always use condoms and the team check us every couple months."

"If you always use them why are you asking me?"

"Because you're special (y/n). I trust you and I just kinda really want to feel you. If that's okay."

"Yeah it's okay. Fuck me raw Trav. I love that shit."

"Did Nolan fuck raw?"

"No he didn't." I said making him smile.

"Then I'm special too." He said slowly thrusting into me. My mouth dropped open and I just nodded. "Feel good baby?"

"Fuck Travis. Move. Please fuck me?"

"So fucking needy." He chirped before starting up a steady rhythm. It wasn't fast at all like I thought it would be. He was fucking me like he had all day to do so, which I mean technically he did but it was again overwhelming. His thrusts were powerful but still lazy at the same time. He had me moaning and writhing on the bed underneath him. He left kisses up and down my neck, shoulders, chest, anywhere he could reach really. It lasted a long time and I was really savoring every moment with him. I finished a couple times in the time he was fucking me, touching me, and loving on me. He had already finished once too but he just kept fucking through it. His pace started picking up again.

"You close again baby?" I asked, brushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes.

"Yeah. Fuck. You feel so fucking good. Look amazing finally wrapped around my dick like I've wanted you for so long."

"I've wanted you just as long baby. Cum for me, love." I said kissing kis neck and scratching down his back.

"Shit.. fuck okay." His speed increased a lot and all you could hear was skin slapping together, me whining, and travis grunting. Arguably he was the hottest sound in the room. He was really pounding into me hard and I finished again all over his dick as he came inside me. He collapsed on top of me breathing heavy. We were quiet for a while just trying to calm down. He grabbed a tshirt off the ground and wiped us both down. He got back in bed and laid on top of me. We laid there for a while longer quietly just me running my fingers through his hair and him tracing patterns on my bare skin.

"You can leave if you want now."

"What?" I asked him confused as he rolled off me.

"You can go. Now that you got what you want, you don't have to stay here."

"Travis I- what? What on earth are you talking about?"

"You fucked me like you always wanted to, you can go. I'll be around next time you want to."

"Travis Konecny you're a fucking idiot."

"Um okay ouch? Why?" I rolled my eyes and threw my leg around him holding him close to me. 

"Is that really all you got out of everything I said today? That I just wanted to fuck you?"

"Well you did didn't you?"

"Of course I did. But I meant everything else I said too. I'll choose you everytime and not just for sex. I choose you for everything. I want to be yours. I want you to be mine. I thought I made that clear."

"You didn't." He let out a sigh of what I guess was relief and hugged me closer.

"Maybe you're just dense, love."

"I could be." He said with a smirk.

"Well just to make everything crystal clear, I want you to be my boyfriend Teeks. I always have."

"Really?!" He yelled in my ear.

"Ow you fucker, yes."

"Oops."

"I'll fucking oops you." I said kissing his jaw.

"I was really expecting you to just want a friends with benefits kind of thing. I was ready to settle for that."

"Travis you never have to settle for anything. You never have in any aspect of your life and never will. I want this with you."

"You really want to be with me? Even though you know how I am? What if you get sick of me?"

"It's been 16 years and I'm not sick of you yet. I want to be with you Travis. All of you. Angry Travis, happy Travis, sad Travis, stressed Travis, overexcited Travis. All of it."

"Really?"

"Yes really. Now stop trying to push me away and just date me already."

"Okay deal. You're mine now. Get fucked Nolan."

"Oh my God." I said rolling my eyes.

"Was I at least better than him in bed?"

"Trav-"

"No tell me, I wanna know."

"You were better but his dick was bigger. Do with that what you will. As long as you know that I'm never ever going to sleep with Nolan or anyone else for that matter until you get sick of me and dump me."

"Never going to happen babygirl." He kissed my forehead, making me blush. "So just me and you now? Exclusively us?"

"Yeah unless you don't want that?"

"Oh no I absolutely want that. I'm not sharing you with anyone."

"Me neither."

"I'd never hurt you like that."

"You better not or I'll tell your mom."

[askaceattorney]

Dear kuromajinevil,

Co-Mod: Thanks for letting us know.  I’ve changed the response to indicate that.  I’m still a little freaked out by them, but I like the art style.

(Previous Post)

Dear Inferno,

Co-Mod: You set me up!  You set me up!!!  The Cheat, tell him that he set us up.

(Previous Letter)

Dear Anonymous,

Co-Mod: Thank you for explaining.  Even without having those stories for context, I find it somewhat believable that Ga’ran could have a hidden interest in something like the Mighty Moozilla.

Dear angry-blonde-ish,

Co-Mod: Thanks a bunch!

In return, I’d like to remind you (and everyone else following us) that it’s all of you who make it possible with your letters.  And compliments like this one, of course.

Dear Anonymous,

Co-Mod: I try to keep it T-rated, as indicated in our submission guidelines.  Like in the games, there’s the occasional bit of language, innuendo, or mild violence, but apart from that, I try to keep it clean.  If it ever seems like we’re taking it too far, please let us know.

Mod Kristoph: Exactly. We’re not DD. We’re clean...ish.

Mod Paups: I feel we do a good job mantaining stuff T-rated! but yeah, do let us know if something is too much.

Dear Tony,

Co-Mod: I try my best to answer questions like that as carefully as possible, especially if they’re about heavy topics that I’m unfamiliar with (i.e. mental illness, family issues, etc.).  If you feel like asking one of the characters for life advice, please feel free, but bear in mind that we aren’t professional counselors or therapists, so our answers aren’t guaranteed to provide the best advice.

Occasionally, I run across a letter I feel is either too personal or too complicated for me to give an answer to, so I play it safe and delete it.  We’re here to have fun, after all.

Mod Paups: I’ve answered a few that have been quite personal, and I try to not only put myself completely into the character, but I also do my best to be understanding and caring, I get what Co-Mod is saying but I feel some people may try to cope with heavy stuff with characters they admire, so that’s why I domy best to answer them with care <3.

(Previous Letter)

Dear Spoil R. Warning,

Co-Mod: Thanks!  I’m not sure why I didn’t do so in the first place.

Mod Paups: It’s ok, sometimes it flies by, but thank you for letting us know!

Dear ajanisapprentice,

Co-Mod: I think you might have, but I had to delete all but those three, since that’s one of my rules.

I don’t see a letter to the judge about Operation Turnabout, so feel free to send that one again if you really want an answer from His Honor.

Dear Inferno again,

Co-Mod: Absolutely!  Much as I’d hate to see Athena (or any good-hearted lawyer) suffer abuse, I’m as eager as a human being can get to see her get her own piece of the Ace Attorney pie (heck, I’ll even settle for one game with her as the central character at this point).  If Phoenix and Apollo can take on one civil and two abusive prosecutors each, then why not her?  Huh?  Why not, Capcom?

Mod Paups: I feel that in comparision to Nick and Apollo, Athena is much more hot-headed and might actually retaliate...

Dear Andrea,

Co-Mod: Possibly, but I think it might instead be the new “Franziska’s sick of cats,” if anyone still remembers that trend.

Dear Anonymous,

Co-Mod: That sounds fairly accurate, but let’s not forget that even Phoenix isn’t a perfect paragon of morality.  He’s a nice guy overall, but he’s been known to play “hook or crook” on occasion.

I'm not read up on the Green Lantern, so I can’t really say if he or any of the other characters would be worthy of the ring, but it just so happens there are some letters on that subject in the queue, so perhaps we’ll see.

Mod Kristoph: If anyone else would be worthy to join the Green Lantern Corp., it would definitely be Dhurke. I mean his motto is “A Dragon never yields.” If that’s not a strong will, I don’t know what is.

Dear Christianthepupbot,

Co-Mod: It hasn’t so far, but that’s mostly because I answer the vast majority of the letters.  They can always be rewritten whenever inconsistencies or other issues pop up, thankfully. 

Mod Paups: It has happened that we’ve accidentally answered the same ask, but we delete it as soon as we realize it, overall we try to organize things well.

(Previous Letter)

Dear Anthony,

Co-Mod: I was just being silly before, but thanks for keeping our nerves in mind.  I hope none of the spiders you had to deal with were that big.  *shudder*

And once again, thank you (meaning you and every other submitter) for your letters!

-The Mods

[chadlesbianjasontodd]

if it's not too much to ask who are problematic nhl players like a whole list please? or ones you don't like personally im getting into hockey and don't wanna be looking like a clown supporting certain teams ik blackh*wks are a big one but idk much about everyone

no problem! there’s a list somewhere on tumblr of nhl players who are trump supporters; i don’t have it to hand but you can probably find it fairly easily. (and if anybody else has it handy, would you mind linking it in a reply/reblog?)

as for the ones i remember personally. p*trick kane is obviously the big one & the things jonathan toews said about that don’t make him look good either, not that you need me to tell you about the h*wks. varlamov, the avs goalie, is a known abuser; so’s desmith on the pens, so’s drew doughty on the kings, so’s austin watson on the preds, so’s kampfer on the bruins. evander kane on the sharks is violent towards women and is iirc suing a woman who got an abortion, so he’s real great. alex tuch of the golden knights is racist against latino people (and if you mention it even one (1) time on twitter he’ll block you lmao). max domi in montreal is too, he’s anti-immigration and islamophobic. brendan gallagher has said some nasty racist stuff abt pk subban. andrew shaw once called a referee a homophobic slur and then the habs made him their hockey is for everyone ambassador! you can decide for yourself how genuine his redemption arc was. (this year their hockey is for everyone ambassador is max domi. yeah.) the habs are also famous for making alex galchenyuk apologize for being a distraction when he was the victim of domestic abuse. they sure are……a sports organization.

getzlaf on the ducks is a homophobe. kevan miller on the bruins is, yknow, a trashbag republican type. mario lemieux, currently owner of the penguins, was at least present at if not participating in a gang rape and he’s hired a lot of rapists since. the tampa bay lightning organization iirc basically traded jt brown for protesting during the anthem. tom wilson of the caps has been if not necessarily malicious definitely outright dangerous in the past; i’ve heard he’s turned over a new leaf recently but i don’t know that i believe it. tyler seguin on the stars once publicly outed a gay dude without his consent and is bffs with patrick kane. ovechkin (caps) is an incredibly large putin fan, like more than you would think would ever be necessary, like the level of someone who started a MAGA club at their high school to support trump, but if he’s ever done anything heinous he’s kept it under wraps very well.

i have a grudge the size of a mountain against leon draisaitl (edmonton oilers) for not stepping up to give brianna decker her prize money this january when the nhl wouldn’t, and for not bothering to learn the names of the four (4) female athletes at the asg. morgan rielly of the leafs, aside from whether or not he said a homophobic slur at that game, said when talking about work ethic “you’re not here to be a girl about it” and follows jordan peterson on twitter so personally im not into that. brent burns on the sharks follows some scary scary right-wing people on twitter but afaik keeps his thoughts in his head where they belong. there’s some guys on the jets who are kind of trash but i can’t hold an image of a single non-laine winnipeg jets player in my mind for even a full second so you’d have to ask an actual jets fan who they are.

realistically, a lot of the guys who look unobjectionable now are probably going to turn out to be awful people later. you can’t catch em all and you’re not going to find an organization that doesn’t have at least one man you would 100% beat up if you got the chance. so long as it’s not the h*wks and you don’t get capital-w Weird about the players, if you boo the people you know (or have just learned) to be terrible when they appear onscreen it’s all good.

on the bright side: brad marchand, patrice bergeron, zdeno chara, jt brown, and pierre-edouard bellemare all seem to be genuinely great people! many of the new jersey devils wear rainbow shit all the time! you can go on the internet and see multiple videos of austin watson getting punched! also, not nhl, but hilary knight is fantastic and the face of women’s hockey and she is very i_am_aware_of_the_effect_i_have_on_women.gif

hockey is a fun time despite all the terrible men who play it. let me tell you, it’s gonna be great.

[powwidge]

Beach episode just for @exicio lmao I advise everyone else to not read this because you wouldn’t understand it anyways lol

Have fun with this bullshit of about 2700 words. Keep in mind that everything in this is your fucking fault.

~Vanitas~

It had been two years since Domi had come back from Spain. Two whole years already. Time really did fly by.

“Break, do you have the sun screen?”

“Sharon, I know I’m stupid, but it’s 30 degrees and very sunny, so I can’t forget sun screen!” I sighed. Break surely had become too caring for his son who was currently sitting in the Van next to me and Misha. Noé was on the backseat with Jeanne and Domi. Lily had agreed to sit in the very back of the car. It was Lily. Nobody really questioned it.

“Vani?”, Noé asked and leant forward to me.

“Hm?” “I just noticed that I haven’t seen you in a swimsuit or something yet!” “Ah, Noé, it’s not that big of a difference to being in underwear and I’m sure you’ve seen her in underwear often enough”, Domi pointed out and I felt myself getting red.

“Ah yeah, you’re rig-“ “Noé, could you please not agree to it?”, I screamed and Jeanne laughed out loud.

“Not in front of Dave, you horny teenies~”, Break chirped and put on his sunglasses that looked incredibly stupid, “if you do have Sex on the beach, I hope it’s the cocktail~”

I was losing my goddamn faith in humanity right here. Humankind. Partly vampirekind.

Was I a Bella from Twilight make off because my boyfriend was partly vampire- I didn’t really want to continue that thought.

“I brought sun screen too, by the way. I mean, I barely get burnt, but Vanitas is so pale, she’ll need it”, Noé said and I felt like a little damn kid. Not like his girlfriend, but like a kid.

“Ugh, the parking lot is full”, Sharon moaned and drove through the whole thing just to drive past the last space which was free.

“Sharon, you’re so utterly stupid, I have no words.” “Well, fuck you!”

What had it been about “not in front of Dave”?

“Go drive yourself if you think you’re better at it! It’ll still be free when we drive there again, so-“

 It took half an hour more to park somewhere. We were already at the beach and it really was terribly full. Like yeah, honestly, I didn’t fucking know why we didn’t just apparate close here, but apparently we were the stupid kind of wizards.

“It’s my only day off this summer, so please don’t ruin it, guys”, I said and Noé took my hand.

I swore that I wouldn’t get used to this at all. It’s been three damn years, I shouldn’t freak out at hand holding anymore, especially when Domi and Jeanne were the lesbians here who were stared at strangely but were happily holding each other’s hands. But it was Noé. How was I supposed to get used to be loved by him? I wouldn’t and that was definitely a problem.

“It’ll be fun! You probably haven’t gone swimming in years, right? It’ll be so much fun, Vani! I never got to go swimming with you but now we finally can without people staring like they would have- you know.” Yeah. I knew. People would have stared if the spell… if I hadn’t invented it. They would have stared at Zach, too. And at all my other clients.

There even had been some muggles who I told that they should keep their mouths shut to everyone except to close family. I didn’t want to see them suffer. Not after what I had gone through for years and years of my life.

“Here’s enough space for all our towels!”, Lily said and pointed at a part of the beach were no damn people were and it made me incredibly happy.

Misha and her ran to it to get the space in the shadow of some rocks. Yeah, I would have liked them too. I wouldn’t get a sun tan anyways.

Noé got the Quidditch towel out of his bag and placed it neatly onto the floor.

“I wished you would make our bed like this, but no, that one always looks like a mess when you do”, I sighed and put mine next to his, then I sat down onto it.

Noé did that too and took my hand again.

“Ah, I never would’ve thought I’d be so happy to be with you at a beach one day! The last time I was at a beach was-“ He didn’t need to finish the sentence. I knew who he meant. I knew he still loved him and that he’d never forget him.

I was well aware of that. But it was ok. Noé wasn’t limited to only being in love with one person. He had so much more love to give.

“One day we’ll go here with our kid, yeah?”, I asked and smiled at him.

“Lmao, Dave tried eating sand!”, Domi screamed and picked up the boy who was gagging and coughing sand and I couldn’t do more than laugh.

“We’ll just have to teach our kid not to do that, Vani”, he chuckled and then reached for the bag, picking up the sun screen.

“Come here, I’ll rub it on your back for you.” “Lemme just get out of those clothes, yeah?”

He nodded and I opened the buttons of my jeans skirt and my blouse to slide them off. I was really uncomfortable. I was so not used to being half naked in front of anyone else than Noé. And Noé was my boyfriend. He was allowed to see me naked. But others were just… kinda urgh.

Domi whistled in my direction.

“If I didn’t already have a girlfriend, I’d make a move now”, she grinned and winked. She winked at me.

I buried my face in my hands.

“I’m not strong enough for this patchwork family.”

Noé laughed out and touched my shoulders with cold cream. “She’s right! You’re sexy!”

I lost it.

I did not know what to respond except for burying my face in my hands even further. This day was already a catastrophe. Sometimes, Noé was a little too honest. But I adored him for it. But-

“Please don’t get horny”, Sharon said and now I really had to deadpan.

“Says the woman I have had to hear fuck like almost every single day before Dave, huh? Also we’re not horny, we’re just cringy.”

Noé laughed out loud again at that and I slowly took my hands away.

“No, seriously, Vani. You look beautiful. Be proud of who you are, damnit. You’re a woman just like all the others are and you know that. You remember when you apologized for your body back when we-“ He got quiet and I got fucking red again. Yeah, I remembered apologizing to him about having small breasts.

“Anyways, uh-“, he seemed quite embarrassed now too, “you… you’re beautiful and I want you to finally accept that as the truth, chérie.”

“I know I’m repeating myself, but only in the form of a cocktail, Dominique.” I looked over to Domi who was putting sunscreen onto Jeanne’s back and then lower and lower and- holy shit.

“Hello, can you please stop doing this right in front of us?”, I screeched and buried my face in Noé’s shoulder now.

Domi sighed and raised her hands. “Ok, ok, sorry for wanting to protect my girlfriend from the sun in every possible place of her body! Swimsuits aren’t that good against UV-rays! You need protection everywhere!” “I doubt that”, Noé whispered and pulled off his shirt then.

“Ok, Vani, let me put it on you. Don’t worry, I’m not like Domi.” Yeah, and I definitely didn’t have an exhibitionism kink.

Compared to some other people.

I really did enjoy him massaging my back though. I was overworking myself. I really should slow down and I knew it, but on the other side, I just wanted to be completely financially stable. It was obvious that both of us wanted a child someday. Or maybe two. And maybe I would be able to stay at home for two or three years then. But on the other side… I was the only one who was able to perform that sort of magic.

“I need to teach someone my job, shit”, I mumbled and Noé laughed out, rubbing my shoulders.

“I totally agree. Oz said his little sister was really good with magic. Maybe you could give her a job offer!” “Ah, you mean Ada!”, Misha exclaimed and looked at us, “She’s really good and kind! But she also had a crush on Gilbert, which is why some kind of dude named Jack tried to kill her because he-“ “What the fuck is wrong with our author”, Break sighed and I stared at him.

“Our… what?”, I asked in confusion.

“Ah, never mind.”

I wasn’t going to question it any further. It was Break. I’d not question this guy.

“So, finished with sun screen! Can we go into the water now?”, Noé asked, his eyes practically sparkling with joy and I stood up, keeping my arms away from my body now. It was ok. I was beautiful. It was ok.

Noé took my hand again and I suddenly got a very good idea.

Yeah, I’d do this. This was the perfect payback.

I pulled him with me into the water and as soon as we reached a certain depth, I took his head in both hands and pressed it into the water for three second.

I let go and he looked at me, puzzled, his hair now completely wet.

“What was that for?” “For when you pushed me against that damn wall in grade one.” He smiled and then that smile grew into a grin and he started laughing, placing his hands on my shoulders to bury his head in my hair. I hated that he was so tall.

Ok, no, I loved it. His pullovers were completely oversized when I wore them and that was just absolutely perfect.

“I swear… you are… you really are…!”

I loved him so much. So incredibly much.

In the next moment my whole head was cold and I wanted to kill my brother.

“We can’t leave that beach without a water fight, can we?”, Misha sad and got water into his bucket to pour it over me again.

“Hey! That’s unfair! You have a weapon and I don’t!”, I breathed out and hid behind Noé.

“Noé, you’re my shield now! Protect me from this evil brother of mine!”

I only caught a glimpse of Lily before Noé, but he suddenly started laughing and when he slowly sank more into the water, I saw that Lily was tickling him, alas, killing my one and only protection I had left for this last war.

 Misha had beaten me. He had won and I had accepted it. It wasn’t as if I could help it.

“We need help like right fucking now”, Domi suddenly screamed and we looked at her. Jeanne was standing next to her, terribly flustered, her hands in the water. Domi was kind of grinning but also she looked like she wanted to die.

“You two stay here and look after Dave, Break and Sharon are currently getting ice cream for us”, I said and took Noé’s hand, “come, we’ll help them with whatever problem they have.” He nodded and together, we walked to them.

“So, what’s the problem? Got your finger stuck in your girlfriend, Domi?”, I snarled and she looked at me as if she wanted to kill me.

“No. Jeanne has lost her panties.” In less than a second, Noé had buried his face in his hands and sighed and then he made a sobbing-like sound.

“How the fuck did that happen?” “I-“, Jeanne began, stuttering, then she looked at Domi, then at the water and her hands which were covering the lower part of her body, “I- tried to pee and-“ “That lie is worse than the truth, Jeanne”, Domi shouted and looked me in the eyes, “I was fingering her and she raised her leg and whoops, it was gone. Now help me search for it, it’s not like you’ve never seen panties before anyways.” I sighed and shook my head in complete desperation. I didn’t want to fucking live anymore. This was just too much.

“I’m doing this for Jeanne because she’s the victim, but not for you, Domi”, I answered and then went on more to the shore in the hope that the waves would carry it.

Jeanne let herself sink more into the water. Everything about this was just absolutely awkward. And it would not have happened if they weren’t that horny, but no of course, sex on the beach was apparently necessary for them.

“I have it”, Noé said, he was not standing far away from me, holding a pink pantie between his right middle finger and thumb.

He walked over to them and gave it to Jeanne who mumbled a ‘thanks’. Yeah, they should definitely thank us. God, right now, I kind of hated them.

“Vani, I’m going to lie down for a while, I’m still kinda tired from the quidditch training yesterday.”

 Half an hour later, Noé was asleep in the sand and he had boobs made out of sand as well as a mermaid tail, made by Lily and me. We stared at the result happily. He’d not get out of that without help and we should definitely hide somewhere.

Misha, Sharon, Break and Dave had gone to look for toilets and Jeanne and Domi had… disappeared. I didn’t want to know what they were doing now. It was more than obvious what they were doing anyways.

“Behind the rocks”, Lily whispered and I nodded, hiding behind them with her now. We just had to wait until he woke up now.

“You know, Vanitas…”, she suddenly said, looking downwards, “I’m… I just wanted to say that I admire you. You basically raised Misha. And he’s so kind and loving and… I’m glad that you made him like that even when your father…”

I didn’t really know what to answer to that, so I just kind of put my hand into her hair and ruffled it a little.

“Of course I did that. He’s my brother. I love him just as much as you do. And you’re good for him, I can tell that. I know that you’d never pressure him into anything except for like, cooking or something like this.” Lily smiled and nodded.

“Thanks I just… I admire you so much, Vanitas. You went through so much and yet you still made him into this person, and also… you’re… really beautiful and I have to admit that I’m kind of jealous sometimes. Like, I don’t really care about beauty or anything but- I just… you’re really beautiful, ok?” “Lily, are you sure you’re not a lesbian and are you sure you’re not drunk?” She shook her head and looked at me with those completely honest eyes of hers. She was serious about that.

I felt myself starting to blush.

“O-oh… ok, thank you, then… I guess…? How am I supposed to respond to this? I don’t fucking know…!” “Why the fuck am I a mermaid?”

Lily and I both burst into laughter when we heard his scream. Yeah, hiding surely hadn’t been logical if we only laughed like that.

“Vanitas, get me out of here, you fucking…!” “Ah, I’m a fucking what now?”, I asked and jumped over the rocks to kneel down before him.

“You’re a brat! Now free me! I swear to god, I won’t-“ “You won’t what, Noé?”, I asked and leant down closer to him.

Lily was still a little farther away.

“I guess I won’t be able to have sex with you then.”

“Lily, we’re freeing him. Right now”, I said and he laughed out.

“I knew that’d work.” “Yeah, you jerk, of course it does”, I sighed and his grin didn’t fade, “Noé, stop grinning or we’ll get the same fucking problem Jeanne and Domi had.” “I can hear everything you’re saying!”, Lily complained and grabbed a tiny shovel, “let’s get to work before you two starve on horniness or whatever, I just don’t want to be near you then.”

[vera-invenire]

VnC Liveblog - Chapter 9

.All chapter liveblogs are linked HERE.

Welcome to the flashback chapter. Fun and daises for everyone! 

...what’s that? We’re gonna get terrifying tragedy and endless heartache, not fun and daises? oh.

Well. Onward?

Last time on VnC, Vanitas was having sexy bloodtimes with Jeanne while Charlatan was digging through Noé‘s head for kicks and giggles.

And everything in Noé’s head, apparently, revolves around this kid named Louis, who happens to be Domi’s older brother. It is time, ladies and gents, to meet Unnerving Boy.

Look at these precious children, they hardly look creepy at all.

Teacher seems a bit flake-y, but he’s looking pretty good for a grandpa. (are some vampires immortal? how long do they live?)

So we know Teacher bought Noé, the last Archiviste, off the black market. Somehow, I don’t think it was because he just really wanted to adopt a kid. I mean, he’s already got two right there.

Oh my gosh, Domi is shy. And look at Noé clutching at Teacher’s arm, aw. Even Louis seems like a nice kid.

I take it back, LOUIS YOU ARE STILL CREEPY. AND KIND OF A JERK.

But he also knows Something is up about his grandfather. Teacher’s interest in Noé will probably not be a good thing for Noé himself.

The chapter is subtitled ‘Friends’ but like. I think you can find better friends than this Noé, I’m just saying.

Noé being raised by humans before this point is interesting. I’m guessing we’re in Averoigne, in the vampire world. (exactly how big is the vampire world...?) (and is the assumption here that vampires always give birth to other vampires?)

Note for Noé‘s timeline, as it seems likely to become important -- he was found in the human world crying by himself during winter when he was very young. Geez, that’s a mystery in itself.

Uh, humans aren’t the ones who regularly consume the bodily fluids of other people, buddy.

woah, Noé‘s got a good arm for a little kid, good job, Noé --

The adopted grandparents knew about vampires, hm? More specifically, they knew Noé was a vampire. Was this because they knew more about the situation than little Noé was aware, or was his nature just hard to hide when he was that young?

One thing is sure -- they treated him well.

He made Noé cry. Keep glaring at him, Domi. (I feel like this is the first inkling we’re getting of who Domi will become when she’s older.) (Actually. Current!Domi is a lot more like Louis than she is like past!Domi. Starting to wonder if that’s a deliberate change on her part, along with the more masculine clothes. She dose survive the massacre her brother dies in, after all, that has to have left an impression.)

And now we find out if it’s possible to guilt Louis into acting like a decent human vampire being.

Hey, it is! There’s hope for you yet, kid.

That last panel “I thought we’d be together forever, but...” has a double meaning. Noé’s talking about his grandparents (grandpa got sick and died, grandma passed in her sleep shortly after), but the narrative is whispering that it applies to this little trio, too.

1. Was Noé completely by himself after his grandparents died?

2. ...the vampires kidnap humans and force them into labor in the vampire world?? Blood source, too, I imagine.

3. Look at that bed, that bed is amazing. I want one.

4. The vampires don’t seem to have many compunctions about selling their own kind, either.

5. The background of the purchase scene is weird. Those are awfully fancy curtains. I’m thinking gaudy, horrifying auction.

Oh my god, this precious bean hasn’t changed at all.

So this is a very cute and humanizing moment for Louis, but it’s also a very Vanitas-ish moment. Vanitas does this, the unexpected and uncontrollable laughter thing, all the time. Which means I am now going to be looking for Vanitas parallels everywhere.

A bonding montage~

Louis turns into less of a jerk -- we see him helping Noé up into his tree and helping Noé with his reading. Domi delights in dressing Noé up in feminine clothes (reminding me of that little flashback of her teaching him to dance where she was dressed in masculine threads.) They even sleep in a cuddle pile with Domi curled up against Noé and Louis acting like he’s trying to put some distance between them but he’s still there, you aren’t fooling anyone, kid. (and he’s getting hit in the head by a sleeping Noé for his pains, heh.)

There’s one more picture: Teacher comes back with presents. Domi and Noé are cheering, but Louis wanders over all cool and disinterested. But remember what Louis said at the beginning of the chapter -- “Having my grandfather take a shine to you...you poor thing.”

Louis distrusts his grandfather. He knows something we -- and Domi and Noé -- don’t.

...yeah, that fun ain’t gonna last. Also, how much you want to bet the ‘secret base’ is gonna be where all the heads start rolling. (it’s chekov’s base!)

(are they playing dress up with Teacher’s clothes?)

Hey, Louis, you see how innocent and simple that blood exchange was? Unlike whatever it was you were doing in that other flashback.

Though we are seeing this from Noé‘s POV. The incidents might look different because Noé perceived them as being different, emotionally. It would mesh with how he sees Domi as ‘just a friend’ and Louis as this mysterious, complicated, unnerving, compelling tragedy who haunts him to this day. (also it’s pretty gay, lbr.)

Domi’s crush is so cute. And pfff, Louis, you thought you were gonna get out of it that easily, especially after you made fun of Domi like that? Nah, bro.

This is the point where we remember that Louis is just a little kid, too. One who has been dealt a crap hand we don’t know about yet, and is probably acting out in small ways in reaction to that.

This would be why Domi feels more sheltered than Louis. Though I do wonder, if Domi is making monthly trips, why isn’t sister Veronica shown, too?

Firstly, what the hell, family de Sade.

Secondly...this feels like one of those Sneaky Pages. I’m assuming that hand in the left most panel is Louis’ and that the last panel is those pages catching Louis’ (almost shaken looking) eye.

Lastly -- the kids are growing up. I’d guess we’re into the pre-teen years by now.

Noé, you’re making her dance under the symbol of the vampire bogeyman, have a care, would you.

We’ve seen this flashback before, too, so we’ve just about hit all of them. Except for, you know, the Big One.

(oh, no, wait, there was a mini-flashback of Noé training with Teacher, but he was a teen in that one. When did Noé start training? Why did Noé start training?)

Louis can see right through his grandfather, has ALWAYS been able to see right through him.

I’m glad that panel in the library was resolved so quickly, though. Saves me from going nuts about details, lol.

So this is a very Kid reaction to bad family news, but like, he might be right? Louis is cynical by nature, but also very sharp. If at this point he thinks his parents had Domi to replace him then -- I think I believe him.

Grandfather just fucking smiles at him. Grandfather is a dick.

And then the teeth come out.

“You have no luck. Having my grandfather take a shine to you...you poor thing.”

Look at those tendrils of darkness reaching out for Louis. And they’re coming from Grandfather.

Grandfather is sending a very clear message: he is here as an observer. Grandfather is not going to interfere with anything Louis wants to do. He’s not going to give him any help, either. And something bad is going to happen to Louis -- he’s going to do something bad. Louis now knows for sure that his family expects him to turn into a monster and not one of them is going to try to help him.

This whole bucolic paradise is an experiment with Louis as the test rat.

And why?

Because Louis is a curse-bearer from birth, or shortly thereafter. How did that happen? Why isn’t he showing any symptoms yet? The implication seems to be that he’s a ticking time-bomb, but is he?

(and if Louis is the test rat...does that mean Domi is the control?)

Noé says that after this day, little by little, Louis started acting (*cough*more*cough*) strange.

By which he means... Louis took up wood-carving? Louis is carving a piece of wood, Noé asks what he’s doing, Louis says it’s a secret.

The way to Noé‘s heart is through gifts, got it.

We know why Louis is acting this way, but Noé has no clue. But though Domi’s presence started to cause Louis pain, Noé doesn’t say anything about Louis taking it out on Domi herself, which is a big point in his favor, imo.

Unhealthy (?) coping mechanism, check.

The one person who tried to help him.

Louis was finally going to tell Noé what’s wrong with him.

I know I drag Louis a lot, but I do like him. He’s clever and dry and is so alone because the adults that were supposed to protect him wrote him off when he was days old.

Of course he came out weird and morbid. And unlike other characters I could mention (*cough*Vincent*cough*) he hasn’t resorted to taking his pain out on stuffed animals or cats or his little sister. This kid isn’t a lost cause at all, he’s just lost.

Those brittle edges can still cut though --

Aaaaaand here we go. This is what sets it all off, what brings the happy memories to an end.

Now that Domi’s older, I wonder...does she know Louis is a curse-bearer? Did someone finally tell her?

This is the thing Louis has been living with since he found those papers in the library. You know, on top of the whole “gonna turn into a rabid monster” thing.

But Noé, he can only read this as callousness toward their friend. He doesn’t know Louis is talking about himself.

Remember in Orlok’s office, when Noé snapped at the thought that they wouldn’t be able to save Amelia? How he did a complete 180 with Vanitas, making *him* come along with *Noé* because he was going to do what it took to save Amelia, no matter what?

Yeah. That reflex (and trauma, because he didn’t save Mina, did he) was born here.

(”save me, then, if you can”)

He doesn’t get to save Louis, either.

Berserk button that will shape Noé and follow him into adulthood: officially installed.

Domi chases Noé out of the room, saying she wants to help save Mina, too. She’s the one who comes up with the only plan they have, bare as it is -- they’ll ask the other village kids for help to somehow get Mina out of the village.

Oh hey, remember the secret base? As he asks around for where Noé and Domi went (the servants don’t know), he realizes that must be where they went with Mina.

“...they didn’t --!” he says once he’s figured it out.

Louis is frightened. And then...

Louis’ curse is manifesting. (that typesetting, though...some things don’t work across languages, YP)

And Mina’s curse manifests, too.

This is a classic zombie movie scene. The survivors don’t know they’ve let in an infected until it’s too late and they start to turn, taking bites out of everyone else.

Let’s run with the infection metaphor. For people like Amelia (and Mina? hard to say), Charlatan finds them and ‘infects’ them by corrupting their true name. Infection to manifestation doesn’t seem to take much time at all, maybe a few weeks.

But for people like Louis, who are born with the curse, it needs to be triggered by desperation or desire and may lay dormant for years.

It is Charlatan in his mind, though -- see the finger-claws? But I wonder if ‘Charlatan’ isn’t a single entity per se, but a creature more like PH’s Humpty Dumpty that is spread out among multiple hosts.

This desire and the manifestation of Louis’ curse is what Grandfather was waiting for. The most heartbreaking part of all this is that the desire that finally triggered it was Louis’ desperation to protect his friends.

Mina went full zombie and took a chunk out of Fred’s throat. She lunged for Noé and Domi, but was knocked aside. And then we see this -- Louis half turned, Mina’s ripped off head in his hand.

But look at his hands. Those claws remind you of anything? Say...Vanitas’ gloves?

The difference is, these claws are very real.

And now, Louis starts to lose control.

Out of his mind, he attacks Giles and Fanny, killing them as Noé watches in horror, unable to do anything.

He tries to get through to Louis, asking if Louis is doing this because Noé didn’t listen to him earlier (Noé.) and that he was sorry and he takes the blame, all he wants is Louis is to go back to normal again.

He knows what happened to him, he doesn’t want to be like this.

Were any of the other curse-bearers half this aware and coherent?

That’s his last wish. That’s his --

Nope, I’m sorry, I’m done, this is all terrible, goodbye.

of course he can’t do it, he’s like 12 and this is his best friend, this is a fucking tragedy

This flashback is painful, how long have they known each other? Five years, more? Half their lives?

....I’m just numb at this point

what the fuck was that

I knew that Louis died at the end of this, but who was that? The bourreau meant to come for Mina?

Grandfather is a piece of shit

(part of me wants to look at that last panel and make comparisons to that one early, creepy panel of Break with Gil and how Break ended up not being a bad guy, but no, no. Grandfather is a piece of shit. HE KNEW SOMETHING LIKE THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. HE WAS WAITING FOR IT.)

(I really wish I knew for sure what color that moon is. what if it’s blue? what would that mean?)

where is child services, please god, someone take these children away from this man and put them in therapy

ugh. alright. before we close, couple more things I wanted to think about.

1. Louis’ curse obviously worked much differently than the other curses we’ve seen. suppose that’s because his curse WAS different? could he have been another Blue Moon vampire, another Vanitas in the making?

(this bit is pure speculation, but I’ve been wondering if Vanitas’ gloves are an affectation he picked up from the Blue Moon Vampire, like the name, and now we’ve just seen Louis’ hands go full claw when the curse overcame him. could be a link between the two.)

2. We’ve seen how this incident has scarred Noé, but what about Domi? She was there but we haven’t really seen how -- ...oh. Oh, I forgot. It’s the clothes. Even the personality, a bit. Domi reacted to the violent death of her brother by trying to become more like him. She’s not entirely like him, she’s still Domi, but. Ugh. Ugggghhh. I already knew this, but I didn’t know it, ugh.

3. Grandfather/Teacher (I’ll go back to calling him Teacher after this chapter, I think) deliberately threw Noé and Louis together. Why, we don’t know. (part of me is thinking he’s using Noé the Archiviste as his freaking camera, but who knows.)

Here’s what we do know -- he is ALSO the one who threw Noé and Vanitas together. For some reason. (it won’t be a good reason)

4. Vanitas and Louis are distinct characters with a few striking similarities between them, but I think their biggest difference is that, underneath his manic energy, Vanitas is Tired™, while, under his morbidity, Louis is Tired of This Shit™. It’s a slight but important distinction.

5. Remember that look of wonder on Noé‘s face in chapter one when he saw that Vanitas could cure curse-bearers. Yeah. Yeah, that has a new layer to it now, doesn’t it.

And that’s it for chapter 9. Did you have fun? I did not have fun.

See you next time for chapter 10, folks.

(Chapter 10 now HERE.)

[domiandsascha]

Roland Garros diary - Day 4 - Thursday the 31st of May 2018

Those events happened five days ago, but my memories are crystal clear so this review should be pretty accurate.

For our last day in Roland Garros, we decided to try another gate, where we were first in line, again, obviously. We met a really sweet old couple and watched the ballet of official cars driving players inside the resort (playing "who do you think that is?" when the tinted windows were closed). Once in, as usual, we ran to an information desk and ask about practices. Domi being scheduled to play second on court 18, I was 95% certain he would practice on site. I was a bit too certain of it, so when we couldn't find his name anywhere on the schedule, my heart broke slightly. But it didn't make any sense (after four days, we knew exactly how things were being organized), so we tried another desk and realized the first scheduled we had been shown was partially cropped. Domi was, indeed, going to practice on site, on the same court I had seen him on Monday. So the pieces of my heart gathered, but started shaking big time. We went there straight away to grab a spot at the front, behind the bench I was hoping Domi would choose. Fognini was practicing, but because this man is the personification of everything I despise in a human being, I couldn't have cared less. He left earlier than he was supposed to, without a single look to the dozens of fans who had made their way to the court for him. A great person, truly… The court remained empty for ten minutes, but because Domi was going to practice with Gasquet, a lot of people sat on the bleachers behind us. Günter arrived on the other side and leaned on the barrier. The second our eyes met, he gave me a slow and respectful nod to say "hi" and I'm not going to lie : that made me feel pretty special haha. Because luck was our best friend, a player (whose identity is still a mystery) came on this court by mistake and chose the other bench. Therefore, when Domi arrived, the only bench free was the one right underneath my nose. I really need to play the lottery soon. Thank you unknown player. So yeah, Domi was right there, once again. Stretching my arm would have been enough to touch him (spoiler alert : I didn't). And he was looking down, sorting his stuff out, all focused. And we knew better than to disturb him before his practice. But… I'm a really polite person and he was so close, it just came out of my mouth "Good morning Domi". For a couple of very long seconds, nothing happened, but then his eyes shifted, straight into mine, and with the shyest of smiles, he replied "Morning…". And some officials from the tournament are still trying, five days later, to scratch my melted heart from the floor over there. His practice was as mesmerizing and painful to watch as the first one. I think it would take at least ten to get used to it. Or ten thousands. I'm not sure. Once he was done, he came back to the bench just to grab his spare racket and said "Sorry guys…" before leaving the court. I guess it was too many of us at this point. Or he was in a rush to go prepare for his match. Or he wasn't in the mood. I don't really care, I didn't mind. He acknowledged us and apologized, like a decent person (take the hint Fognini…). And as I've been telling a lot of people over the past few days (coz some people are getting really rude when they don't get what they want from players) : they're athletes, under pressure, in the middle of a freaking important competition and hell no, they absolutely don't owe us to stop whenever we're on their way. After Domi was gone, his fitness coach gave the practice balls away and Jue and I got one each. Then we rushed to court 18, where Domi was going to play a couple of hours later, and on our way there, we crossed path with Rafa, "walking" to practice, surrounded by security and followed by a hundred of fans. But still, we saw Rafa haha. I must admit : I wasn't expecting to find court 18 that packed that early (considering the previous day), but that's because I had forgotten how people are fascinated by Fabio Piece of Crap Fognini. Because yeah, I was about to watch Fognini's match to secure my seat for Domi's… Oh Thiem, the things I do for you… We managed to get in and walked all the way around. After watching 3 sets of Domi from the most perfect spot (view wise) the day before, I had been hoping to seat behind his bench for the second part of the match. But for now, his bench was Fognini's and the bleachers were full. We only found two separate tiny spots on the last row. But when Jue and I decide we want a certain spot, we get that certain spot. As I said before, that's what we do best in life. So we basically spent Fognini's match working our way down the bleachers (and cheering for his opponent who we had never heard of before). It wasn't that hard, really. During most of the changes over, some people were leaving. We just had to keep our eyes open and be faster than the people walking in. And we were fast. When Fognini left the court, we were second row, right behind Domi's bench. Epic win. (I'm not going to waste time on Fognini's disgusting behavior towards the female umpire, his opponent, the crowd and his own fans, but gosh, do I hate him even more now…). On the first row, there was an Austrian couple with a massive flag that was kind of putting my tiny paper one to shame, but I still held it proudly the entire time. Domi and TsitsipASS walked in and the match resumed quite quickly. (Again, I'm not going to waste time on negativity, but Tsitsipas gave me the ultimate proof that my gut feeling about him was the right one : he's nasty). It went really fast, because Domi was flying. He was flawless, in total control and I was dying from adoration and admiration. He won. I saw him win a match. I'll carry that with me as a feel good thought for a very very very long time. When everyone stood after match point, I managed to jump at the very front. The previous night, I had dreamt (like for real, at night, while sleeping) I would get Domi's towel, but he chose to give it to an Austrian boy and became quite bossy when someone else tried to grab it (that was really hot). He started to sign balls and take pictures, walking closer and closer to where I was, but catching his attention seemed really hard. I was handing a second copy of my present (not to give it to him again, but to get him to sign it for Cla, my epic friend who got us all the tickets for Roland Garros and is also the co creator of this silly but brilliant idea of a present). The sweet lady next to me helped to put it right underneath Domi's nose and he looked up. I asked "Did you get it, Domi ?" and he replied "Yes I did !" with a little smile. Then I asked if he could sign a copy. He had let go of the first marker pen he had been using, but turned around and another super sweet person gave him one. He signed the present, I thanked him, asked for a picture and got a quick selfie before he started to chat with the Austrian couple. After that, it all went a bit blurry in my overwhelmed brain, I don't really remember him walking away and leaving the court, I was a bit too busy freaking out. Especially coz Jue, who had stayed behind me, had filmed my interaction with him and like, omg, she's the absolute best !! After all this, we were in urgent need of shadow, quiet and food, so we sat on a bench in an alley to eat our lunch. Then we entered the Lenglen, our official court for the day, and we watched the end of Malek VS Gasquet (and I do like Malek but it's always really nice to watch a Frenchman win in front of a French crowd). And then it was Borna time, on court 3. He had already started when we got there, but the bleachers were half empty and making our way to the row behind his bench was so easy, it was almost boring. But Borna's match was great ! He lost his first set, just to give us some more of him, and then played masterful tennis. We cheered for him as loud as we could. The only moment we went silent was when he undressed and remained shirtless for an entire minute. Speechless. I called him a piece of art on day 2, well… little did I know then… After the match, he came to us and the family next to us who had been supporting him too. We congratulated him and when Jue asked him for a picture, I did a hell of a job at photobombing their selfie and we now have an epic picture of the three of us hahaha. On our way back to the Lenglen, we passed by the court where Angie Kerber had just won her match. Perfect timing being perfect, we stopped there a few seconds before she walked out. Despite the mess of fans and security guys, I managed to get a couple of super nice shots of her. She's such a princess. On the Lenglen, we watched Caro's match, which was a bit more of a fight than the one we had seen on Tuesday so that was a great way to end our stay in Roland Garros. And also, after that, we watched on a big screen part of the crazy battle going on between PH and Jeremy Chardy on court 1. Before leaving the resort, we stopped in the different shops but didn't buy anything, because it was crazy expensive and nothing was really appealing. I mean, in the Adidas shop, I starred at and stroke Domi's current shirt for a few minutes (and Sascha's and Lucas'), but no. That would have been a crazy expensive pajama top considering I don't wear man shirts. And… that was it. We had to say goodbye… But there was no way we could feel sad. Those four days were just perfection. We got everything we had dreamed of and everything we had been too scared to dream of. We were too happy and grateful to be sad. Also… our adventures in Tennisland were not quite over yet ! But I'll tell you all about it in another review coming… as soon as possible.

[ol-razzle-dazazzle]

All the gay asks bc you made me do all of them

OWO thank you I love you1. describe your idea of a perfect dateAll of them??? Kakhiwkdkalgr walking around the beach or going to a bookstore or maybe a forest to chill or an abandoned place for a spooky date??? Movie date??? Ocean date??? Marriage date??? All good!!! Crab catching would certainly be on the agenda though. The oceans the best2. whats your “type”My type? Uhh anyone that’s nice to me lmao. Someone i can joke with and I know that cares about me. Quiet on the outside but like, nurturing and fun when you get to know em. Someone that doesn’t let people treat em like garbage because i yearn to be like that. On a side note I’m not sure why but most people i used to tend to have crushes on were ISFJs (or ESFJs) probably because they fit the criteria above. I don’t really like people that are totally my personality, and I think it’s important to not surround yourself with yes people or people that vehemently disagree with you. And communication! V important In terms of looks though? The kinds of girls I’m attracted to vary a lot actually. Buff girls soft girls tall girls short girls thin girls medium girls big tiddy little tiddy it’s all good. I guess I tend to prefer girls that aren’t white (not in a fetishistic way of course it’s just most girls that I’ve had crushes on or knew that were gay that were white just had really bad personalities and that brand of White Feminism™️ sorry if I worded this poorly) brown or black hair I guess? Just someone that doesn’t look like me adjnrujbslltgbk. Also someone I can squish and hug nicely. Of course I think there’s a lotta bullshit with people limiting themselves to only a few criteria and the racism or body type discrimination is total bullshit. Fetishisation is just as bad. There’s just so many cute girls out there why be a shitlord to people y’know? 3. do you want kids?Later on in life, if my partner would then yeah sure why not. I hate babies though so I would...4. if you do, will you adopt or use some other form of child birth?Adopt definitely. I’d personally prefer to adopt a kid that’s older, because they have a less chance of being chosen and I want them to be raised in a loving environment. 5. describe the cutest date you’ve ever been onI’ve never been on an actual date ;v; but tbh any date I’d have with my gf would automatically top the list6. describe your experience having sex for the first time (were you nervous? or was it easy peasy?)I’ve never had sex so I got no gosh dang clue aside from fantasies, which I would be nervous as heck but ultimately want to be as adoring as possible and kisses everywhere7. are you a morning time gay or night time gay?Mornings when you don’t have to go to things are amazing and beautiful but otherwise afternoon or night time gay. Anything that isn’t midday is good though8. opinion on nap dates?I’d be down for it. Sleeping is great, but cuddling and sleeping? Even better! Doesn’t matter for how long but yes! Good shit!!! 9. opinion on brown eyes?Only the most beautiful thing ever??? Brown and black eyes being ugly is a government lie, they are gorgeous. Black eyes just have that deep obsidian stare and like an adoring cat with dialated pupils you just want to hug, and brown eyes??? When the light hits them or you’re staring into them? Beautiful galaxies my dude. 10. dog gay or cat gay?I love dogs but I would never own one unless my partner wanted one. They’re just not a companion I prefer to cats. Cats are very good and fluffy and compact in comparison to dogs. Dogs are amazing though and I need to pay every one I see. 11. would you ever date someone who owned rodents or reptiles?Dude we already planned to live in a pseudo-barn to have crabs, rats, bats, cats and lizards 12. whats a turn off you look for before you start officially dating someoneSomeone who’s very ‘my way or the high way’. (My mum’s a lot like this and it’s caused me to try to constantly be appeasing. But with my mental illness I’ve gotten a lot more irritated by it.) Or someone that is a bit too mean I’m joking about people to the point where you don’t know if they’re serious. (I have this problem a lot with ‘friends’ and it leads to a lot of doubts and depression.) Also highly argumentative people who want to seem better than you and debate everything you say. (Just...ew.)13. what is a misconception you had about lgbt people before you realized you were one?I live in a homophobic family, so I used to think gay was a swear word lmao. I was told that we were unnatural, burning in hell, hypersexual, all that shit. Issues on trans people were even worse, and back when I considered the possibility of me being a trans man (while I experience dysphoria In my body I don’t think I would ID as a man- at the time I didn’t know what agender identities were) I was made to feel like it was the worst thing ever or that it didn’t exist that everyone was just straight and ‘normal’ 14. what is a piece of advice you would give to your younger selfDon’t pretend you’re aroace to hide who you are, you’re autistic but that’s okay just don’t overwhelm yourself, try to do things to the best you can. Also toxic feminity/masculinity is bullshit don’t feel guilty about wearing anything. You’re gay it’s so much easier now and don’t let people dictate of make you defend yourself 15. (if attracted to more than one gender) do you have different “types” for different genders?Lmao nah. There is always that awkward moment when you think you see a hot butch but then he’s a twink. Bamboozled again. 16. who is an ex you regret?A few years ago I was forced into a relationship with some rude ass dude who ignored that I ID’d as aroace at the time. I guess at the time I had some comp het so I think that’s why I went along with it? It was kinda some toxic shit like nothing nsfw but he was just a huge dick that went off at the slightest disagreement and I’m glad I got rid of that trash lmao17. night club gay or cafe gay?Cafe gay by far!!! Well I’ve never been to a night club, but I’m someone who gets overwhelmed by loud noises and people, so it wouldn’t be the place for me. Cafes are relaxing18. who is one person you would “go straight” forNo one lmao, The only possibility of slightly me becoming straight is like a fictional character19. video game gay, book gay, or movie gay?Books and video game gay! There needs to be more gaymes, but books are good I just have less time to read them as opposed to gaymes which I can do whenever 20. favourite gay ship (canon or not)Probably RenMerry from Touhou! These two mean a lot to me, and got me into the series that helped me realise I was a lesbian! These two just work so well together that I strive to have a relationship like that- a slightly bickery old couple with the freshness of new adventure tied together with a love that will never fade away even as it transcends borders~21. favourite gay youtuberDon’t really have one. I’m not really into the British youtuber scene and the ones that I do sub don’t really talk about their sexuality or not (I think sailor j might be bi? But that’s about it) I usually watch comedy channels or vocaloid covers. Actually Oktavia’s Gay, yeah let’s go with her. Her voice is amazing and made me realise how much I love deep voices22. have you ever unknowingly asked out a straight person?Ahbkowejkboesh I’ve had crushes on straight people that I’ve wanted to hang out with but no of course not I’m too shy for that shit23. have you ever been in love?Yes! And I’m still doing so right now! 24. have you ever been heartbroken?While in a relationship? No. But like the whole ‘falling in love with a straight girl senpai and then everyone tells her that you have a crush on her which causes you to be distant to each other leading you to cry copiously at her graduation and never truly repairing your friendship which is all you ever wanted and never being able to talk to her again?’ ...y yeah 25. how do you determine if you want to be them or be with someoneHonestly I try to make a distinction between ‘people I have crushes on’ and ‘people I would date’ bc yeah someone might be cute but dating is another story. I’m someone who varies a lot in style (as someone who may possibly be gender fluid or agender but hasnthad the opportunity to explore that for family reasons) 26. favourite lgbt musician/bandUhhh Queen I guess? Idk I need more gay shit recommend me please. Queen is quality shit though 27. what is a piece of advice you have for young / baby gaysDon’t ever feel the need to apologise or defend you being gay. Be happy even if other people aren’t about you. If you’re autistic chances are you’ll question your identity, don’t worry about it and just love who you love. If you’re a lesbian especially don’t apologise or feel you have to be in a certain role to ‘be truly gay’ and also please ask people out otherwise you’ll never get anywhere- all lesbians are useless and I got lucky shjgowkgowlgr. But above all, don’t feel guilty and have fun exploring yourself and fleshing our who you are, even if you can’t always show that out loud. 28. are you out? if so how did you come outI’m not out to any family member (I say that I’m aroace but they believe I’m straight despite jokes on the contrary) but pretty much everyone that isn’t a complete stranger knows. I can’t help but talk adoringly over my girlfriend so it just happens. Otherwise I go on some spheal about homophobic bullshit dropping hints that I’m gay before saying I’m gay. It’s led to some shittalking and other various bullshit but I don’t give a fuck anymore 29. what is the most uncomfortable / strange coming out experience you have Believing I was aroace and my friends saying that i was in denial of being gay. I was like ‘lmao Domi’s just a friend I lowkey have a crush on her but she’s just being nice :^)’ then like a week later burst through the door like BITCH GUESS WHOS GAY FOR HER GIRLFRIEND 30. what is a piece of advice for people who may not be in a safe place to express their sexualityEvaluate the consequences of coming out. While I live in a homophobic family, Australia is somewhat accepting and there’s no conversion therapy to my knowledge at least (there are highly fundamentalist Christian groups but I’m not sure if they include forms of violence) Especially if you are in an anti-gay country or an area where you could be persecuted, I think it’s important to be out to at least one person you know who supports you. It could be online or a friend that you know you could trust (if you don’t know if you could try subtly bring it up and see their reaction, but better safe than sorry.) because it’s hard to go through this entirely alone. While it’s important to be unapologetic of who you are, it’s more important to protect yourself- this doesn’t make you wrong, but the people who make you feel wrong wrong.

[ceescedasticity]

0k: Party Time (Interlude)

Party Time (Interlude)

terrapinSymposium started trolling sighthoundsTrajectory

TS: so TS: are you remembering to breathe right now? (:DC ST: >>hat? ST: Oh, you mean am I freaking out about the case presentation. ST: Only a little. >>e're >>very prepared, and I think it's more urgent right no>> to >>atch out for possible attacks. TS: ... TS: I think that still counts as freaking out TS: but I'm not going to tell you not to watch your back ):DC ST: Partnership >>ith Pyrope is still in effect, so it could be a lot >>orse. ST: Ho>> about you? The partying as annoying as you >>ere afraid it >>ould be? TS: it's not good TS: could also be worse TS: I think I can get away with hiding in my room most of my off-duty time ST: >>ish I could, but I'>>e got to net>>ork. Blech.

...............

loopyFruits entered HELMCHATiaas612_1111ianas (already present: marineVessel, ruthlessRegulation)

LF: I'm back! LF: ...I see Domi and Swarm *still* aren't here. LF: Still haven't made up enough to play Marrio Kart?

RR: they.have.not

LF: ... LF: Did Swarm ever even say he wanted to play?

RR: only.when.Domi.suggested.he.leave.until.after.the.game

LF: ***UUUUUUUGGGHHHHHH!***

MV: not all MV: one sided MV: Domi MV: knows MV: carrier ship MV: too big MV: surveil MV: accusations MV: unfair

LF: Yeah, but bringing up Overbear like that was *****not***** cool! LF: Domi was **********sabotaged**********!

RR: are.you.sure.you.have.enough.asterisks.

LF: **Ugh** LF: I'm going to go back and make sure Cephal isn't being poisoned by fumes.

loopyFruits left HELMCHATiaas612_1111ianas

MV: ?

RR: moirail.is.sensitive.to.alcohol.fumes RR: ... RR: or.possibly.matesprit

...............

catsPaw started trolling majorJaws

CP: hey CP: want to co to the ropot fight with me?

...............

hearthKeeper entered GHOSTCHAT (already present: argentWings, cosmicMelody, cameoAppearance, yarnBomb, justCaterpillar, grayDuck)

HK: Hi? HK: Am I doing thiS right? GD: Yeah you're gooD. GD: Efessa, right? AW: probos is very happy you are here to join his midblood club GD: DiD I say that? HK: Um HK: Really I think it'S going to take a while longer for me to Stop being Startled by anyone non-jade HK: Sorry GD: No neeD to aPologize GD: It isn't my miDblooD club anyway GD: It's Perlen's wants-to-avoiD-highblooDs club YB: And she might not be very comfortable there anyway considering Gilyan's attitude problems CA: No need to get too person@l CM: I don't think you need to do the ash thing when Gilyan's not ever #here. CA: Th@t w@sn't @n @sh thing CA: Gily@n not being here m@kes it not @n @sh thing AW: riiiiiiight AW: so what brings everyone else here AW: all the ghosts at the concert were giving me a psychic migraine so I'm hiding from it GD: GARPing is on holD until after the robot fight -- some sort of concern we'D mess with safety? GD: Thought I might as well check in YB: My descendant isn't doing anything right now GD: I KNEW you weren't here to GARP CA: Hiding from the irration@l urge to offer to @uspisticize between CG @nd his cult CA: Believe it or not I h@ve Limits CM: I'm hiding from #encores. I swear my voice was getting strained and I didn't think that was #possible. JC: Sure you aren't hiding from that teal blaming you for his not getting into propagandart? CM: His act was doing a handstand on a two-wheel device. That was it. He would have been eliminated against practically anyone. AW: ... AW: CATERPILLAR????? JC: Yeah! JC: I can type fine when it's not biowire, turns out. AW: you seem AW: uh AW: normal JC: ... JC: it comes and goes HK: Well HK: The thing iS, I don't mind telling the necropaths about the CaVernS, and I couldn't get out of it anyway HK: And the ghoSt army iS okay HK: But I am not going to tell EVERY GHOST IN THE FLEET

...............

disorderlyImpulse messaged popularDecay, unnaturalIntuition, dailyDemolition, upwardDescent

DI: No updat=s y=t. DI: I may com= back, I'm just loit=ring out h=r=. K=b=la will b= m=ssaging m= anyway.

disorderlyImpulse messaged popularDecay, unnaturalIntuition, dailyDemolition, upwardDescent

DI: Ashtar if you hav= s=t off ANY fir=works in the dormblock I will mak= sur= =v=ry computing d=vic= you us= for th= n=xt SW==P mak=s bagpip= nois=s at you.

[sheyrenawyrsabane]

Hockey/Leverage!AU

1. Flower - First time Sidney hears of Marc Andre Fleury

“I don’t like change,” Sid says as he relaxes in his favorite chair, eating his customary peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Mario looks up from his tablet where he’s playing single-deal Solitaire (cheating) while supposedly having an “important” conversation with Sidney. “Really?” Mario asks, dry. “I didn’t know that.”

Sid casually flips Mario off, his heartbeat steady even though it still fills him with mild panic to be so familiar with Mario Lemieux.

Everyone in the business, and even people outside of it have heard of Le Magnifique. No one with a brain dares to cross him and people who think they’ll be the one to bring Mario down always find themselves in handcuffs at the end of the experience.

If Mario is feeling kind then he delivers the idiots to the local authorities.

If he isn’t; well, Sid’s still isn’t sure what happened to Adam Graves after Mario was done with him. Mario has never said where he left him, preferring to let whispers and rumors warn people off. Some say he dropped Graves in the Allegheny River and watched as he drowned. Others say he turned him over to the Russians as a show of good faith.

Reputation is everything in this business, and no one’s name carries more weight than Mario Lemieux’s.

He can’t be leaving.

He threatens it every once in awhile and sometimes even “retires” but as soon as there’s a threat in his city then he brings the crew back together.

Sid stopped believing Mario would retire after the third time he left, but this time is different. He has files of replacements for him as if anyone could replace Mario fucking Lemieux.

“Backstrom in Sweden does good work.” Mario says, tapping a folder.

“Fuck no,” Sidney says. He spins lazily in his chair. “Ovechkin’s part of his crew, and I like having an ocean between us.”

“He likes you.”

“I knocked out two of his teeth and he turned them into friendship necklaces. That’s creepy territory.”

Mario shrugs. “Price is settled in Montreal.”

“Too settled. He has PK and the Gallys, and even if they didn’t have Prusty as their hitter I would stay away. The Gallys are young.”

Mario grins. “Tough words coming from The Kid.”

“I’m not a kid anymore. Do you have anything local?”

“Like the States?” Mario asks.

“Like Pittsburgh.”

Mario’s grin grows, proud that Sid’s grown to love his adopted city. “It just so happens that I do. A former protege of mine. Marc Andre Fleury.”

“No,” Sid says. And then, in case that wasn’t strong enough, “Hell fucking no.”

“He’s not that bad.”

“He’s obsessed with explosives which is all well and good for him, because he’s never on site. I’m the one who has to worry about being blown up if I can’t clear a building fast enough.”

“We should revisit speed and endurance training then,” Mario says.

Sid glares at him. He’s run with Mario since their paths crossed on a job that had been double-booked. Sid knocked out Tie Domi, Mario’s hitter at the time, but the Lemieux crew ended up swiping the Monet first. And then, a couple days later, Mario showed up at Sid’s current lodgings with a job offer.

Sid’s grown used to having a crew, used to having people to rely on. He wouldn’t call them family, he has a family somewhere, a mom and a dad and a sister that he hasn’t spoken to in years. Sometimes, between jobs, he’ll swing by Cole Harbor to see how they’re doing. When he can, he leaves money for Taylor or he’ll have Duper hack into her Amazon and send her things off her wishlist.

His family still thinks he’s in the army. It’s better that way. What Sid does now is just as dangerous and sometimes, when a job is over, he feels better than he ever did behind a sniper rifle.

Mario’s expression softens into something more serious. “I’m done for real this time, Sid.”

“Heard it before,” Sid says, affecting boredom.

“I went to the doctor.”

Sid’s posture straightens as his gaze snaps to Mario’s.

“My heart,” Mario says, staring at an original Van Gogh he has hanging on his wall. “Nathalie and I, we’re ready to retire. I’ll play golf and make sure the kids all go to college.”

“Boring.” Sid turns his head so Mario won’t see the tears welling up. He’s sat across from Mario for dozens of these conversations, but this one is different. He might be telling the truth this time. This might really be the end.

“We’ll keep in touch, of course.”

“Yeah.” Sid shrugs as if he doesn’t care. He holds his hand out. “Hand me the Fleury file? We can’t let anyone move in on Pittsburgh, not after all the years you put in straightening it out.”

“Of course.”

[thrashermaxey]

Ramblings: Tkachuk Injured, Crawford Returns, Game Recaps, and Early Shot Rates – October 18

  There was a lot of injury and lineup information that came out Wednesday so let's not waste any time getting to it. 

  Brady Tkachuk is going to be out of Ottawa’s lineup for about a month with a leg injury. It was suffered on this hit, apparently:

Brady Tkachuk goes for a hit on Comeau and looks to go somewhat awkwardly into the boards. Tkachuk hobbles off but stays on the Senators bench. pic.twitter.com/DOJTKtvrQM

— Dylan Nadwodny (@dnadders) October 15, 2018

  It’s a blow for Tkachuk, the Sens, fans, and fantasy owners. He had six points and 14 shots in four games, a great start for the rookie. If you were using him, he was probably a late-round pick so the waiver wire replacement value is low. Let’s hope he’s fine when he returns.

*

Jonathan Huberdeau has been demoted to the fourth line with Troy Brouwer taking his place. I assume this is just a temporary issue as the coach said he had been unhappy with the play of the second line. Don’t expect this to last long.

* Anthony Mantha was also on the fourth line, or the third line, whichever you want to list a line centred by Christoffer Ehn. Detroit is a mess and this only makes things worse.

*

In other Red Wings news, Trevor Daley will return for Thursday’s game. Not sure there’s much fantasy relevance here directly, but it’ll be interesting to see how Dennis Cholowski’s ice time will be affected as the Red Wings blue line starts to get healthy.

In the same update, Mike Green will need at least another couple weeks so if Daley doesn’t take Cholowski’s spot on the power play, it should be safe to the end of the month. Beyond that, well, who knows what Blashill is thinking.  

*

In a much-awaited return, Corey Crawford looks to be back on Thursday night against Arizona. He has missed months with post-concussion issues, so the first game back will be a nervous moment for Crawford and the fans. Getting through the game with no issue would bode well for the future. As always, concussion issues are a tricky thing so fantasy owners will have to take it game to game.

*

Sven Andrighetto also looks ready to return to the Colorado lineup, providing a much-needed boost to the depth scoring. He’s only valuable in deeper leagues but he has performed very well in an Avalanche uniform. This could be the year we see him break out.

*

Martin Necas was sent to the AHL by Carolina. Just two days ago, I was hoping against hope that a Necas-Svechnikov duo would become a regular thing. Now? Well now I’m just left with a cold coffee and another broken dream.

*

One day after I said McLellan had no faith in Jesse Puljujarvi, he’s lining up next to Leon Draisaitl in practice. So, uh, progress, I guess?

*

Ryan Callahan looks set to return soon though it’s doubtful he has much fantasy relevance. It’s more how it affects everyone else, namely Mathieu Joseph and even JT Miller. Not that Miller will be taken out of the lineup but he’s on the fourth line right now. Does he move up with the return of Callahan?

*

There was a really interesting piece at The Athletic yesterday from Corey Masisak discussing how the Devils could (and would) improve their five on five play.

*

Jaden Schwartz returned for the Blues on Wednesday night, slotting on the second line with Brayden Schenn. Patrick Maroon stayed on the third line with Jordan Kyrou on the top line alongside Ryan O’Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko.

*

Montreal snuck out a 3-2 win over St. Louis with a goal in the dying seconds from Brendan Gallagher. Max Domi scored his first in a Habs uniform with Mike Reilly scoring the other.

Vince Dunn and Brayden Schenn replied for the Blues, both with the man advantage.

Jordan Kyrou really impressed me in this game, a game that had very little impressiveness from the Blues at all. Seems to have instant chemistry with Vladimir Tarasenko and Ryan O’Reilly. His speed and skill is a good addition to their wing. Hopefully he gets an extended look there.

It was another great game for Tomas Tatar. He poked the puck to Gallagher with 10 seconds left to push the Habs to a 3-2 win. His ability to make close-area plays is something the Habs have needed from their wingers for years. That top line for Montreal is fun to watch.

*

It was another banner night for the Washington power play. Alex Ovechkin picked up a pair of goals from his office with John Carlson having the primary assist on both. Not to be outdone, Chris Kreider and Jimmy Vesey also scored on the power play for the Rangers.  

John Carlson and Mika Zibanejad had the other tallies in regulation. Matt Niskanen scored the overtime winner.

Carlson now has nine points on the season while skating 26 minutes a night. Heavy minutes like that on a team with this much talent, on that power play unit, means he should repeat as a 60-point blue liner.

*

I will update these Ramblings for the late games in the morning.

*

Let’s talk shot rates.

I don’t really start adjusting my season-long projections until November hits. The sample is just too small. That doesn’t mean there aren’t situations that are not worth monitoring, though.

The top of the shot rate board (five-on-five only) features a lot of names we’d expect. In terms of shot attempts per 60 minutes, Evander Kane, Brendan Gallagher, and Alex Ovechkin are all in the top-10. There are also a lot of surprise names worth keeping an eye on. Let’s go through some of them.

Data from Natural Stat Trick.

  Josh Anderson

Maybe it’s not a huge surprise given his jump in shot rate last year, but as of Wednesday afternoon he’s fifth among forwards in shot attempt rate at five-on-five. In five games, he has 16 total shots on goal. That’s helped him start the season with three goals in those five contests.

But herein lies the rub: Anderson’s TOI/game is way down from last year. In fact, his TOI per game is nearly four minutes per game lower than 2017-18. That includes over two minutes per game lost at five-on-five and over a minute on the PP. In fact, he’s a complete non-factor when it comes to PP usage right now.

The silver lining: Torts gonna Tort. We’ve already seen significant changes to the top PP unit with Anthony Duclair and Zach Werenski getting time due to underperformance and injury. It’s conceivable that Anderson sees some time there eventually. It’s just that for now his upside is extremely limited due to the significant loss in ice time at all scoring strengths.

  David Pastrnak

Remember that Pastrnak’s shot rate took a dive last year; it declined from 17.7 attempts per 60 minutes at five-on-five in 2016-17 to 14.8 in 2017-18. That was cause for concern. He’s allayed those concerns with a gigantic leap in shot rate this year, clocking in at 22.1, seventh among all forwards. That number would have led the league last season.

Like Anderson, though, Pastrnak’s ice time is way down as he’s dropped below the 16-minute threshold. At five-on-five, he’s down nearly a minute. He’s also lost over a minute of PP time as Bruce Cassidy has opted for a more balanced approach to the power play. Now, the top PP unit has been wildly successful so that is not a huge issue yet. It could become one when that top PP unit slows its scoring.

By no means is this meant to alarm Pastrnak owners. He’s still shooting a ton and has elite-level deployment. It’s just the usage that is a bit of a concern right now. Just something to monitor for the next few weeks.

  Alex DeBrincat

So, the top line for the Blackhawks has been exceptional. Both DeBrincat and Jonathan Toews are off to fantastic starts, the former with six goals and nine points. DeBrincat is also third among the league’s forwards in shot rate at five on five and is skating nearly two more minutes at that strength per game. This has all led to his landing nearly four shots on goal per game.

The duo is absolutely flying, with the team generating nearly 80 shot attempts per 60 minutes so far this year with the two of them on the ice. For reference, a mark of 60 shots per 60 minutes would be good. That’s what gives me hope that DeBrincat can at least maintain close to this level of shot rate – if his line has exceptional shot generation rates as a whole, it stands to reason he’ll get a lot of those shots. Again, the line’s sample is small (a bit over 62 minutes) but it’s a good start.

  Here are a couple names at the bottom of the shot rate board that should concern fantasy owners.

  Josh Bailey

As of Wednesday afternoon, there are 280 forwards with at least 50 minutes played at five on five. Out of those 280 forwards, Bailey is 276th in shot rate. His shot rate this year (3.6) is worse than Henrik Sedin’s last year (4.7). Yeah, it’s bad.

Bailey wasn’t drafted for stout shot totals but being on pace to put up like 120-ish is incredibly poor. At that pace, he’d have to put up 60+ assists in roto leagues to have any relevance. The power play production is still fine so that will mitigate some extremely poor five on five play, but that shot rate needs to improve soon.

  Patrick Maroon

Starting the season on the top line and top PP unit provided a lot of hope for fantasy owners. But his shot rate at five on five has absolutely tanked of late; in 2016-17 it was 12.6 attempts per 60 minutes, dropping to 7.7 last year and just 5.9 so far this year. That rate has him in the bottom 20 percent of the league’s forwards. Not great.

His overall shot totals are fine (12 in 5 games) because of the power play, where he’s amassed 5 of his 12 shots. If that PP time should ever disappear, Maroon’s value will be hit even harder than just a loss in point production upside.

We’ve already seen Maroon moved down to the third line at even strength. Should the power play start to falter (it has been fine this year), it’ll be hard for owners to hang on to him.

  Remember that these are still small samples. They are just a few situations to monitor for the next couple weeks so that fantasy owners aren’t surprised.

  from All About Sports https://dobberhockey.com/hockey-rambling/ramblings-tkachuk-injured-crawford-returns-game-recaps-and-early-shot-rates-october-18/