#can u imagine the champions watching a ceremony like this like . | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

allthemenofmydreams · 3 years

Text

Euro Final - Ben Chilwell

This whole tournament has been full of ups and downs for Ben. Starting with his absence from the bench in England's first game, everything seemed to be going well in the next one when Southgate finally put him on the bench. But as I said, all seemed to go well because, after that game, Ben had to isolate himself, and if things weren't already difficult just because he couldn't see his family. Now he was deprived of seeing, and training with, his teammates. He had to stay alone in his room.

I always admired Ben for his strong mentality and positivity, but with everything that has happened to him these past few weeks, I started to worry about his mental health. He had to miss a game, and in the next game, when his isolation was over. He reappeared off the bench. Honestly, I lost faith that Ben was going to be able to make his major tournament debut after being isolated for having contact with his clubmate Billy Gilmour who tested positive for Covid.

If I lost my faith, I couldn't imagine how Ben would feel. Every time we talked on the phone or FaceTime, I knew we were both lying. I knew he was trying to sound positive about all this stuff and that it would be a matter of time before I saw him play. Because that's what I told him and what he told me, I don't think either of us wanted to face that reality, so we lied to ourselves in a way that didn't hurt us.

Every time I hung up, I started crying. And every time I saw England's starting line-up, I was pissed off. I was angry because I knew they were wasting Ben's talent. After all, he had had an incredible first season with Chelsea and because he played a big part in the Champions League final. I knew Ben deserved to play, more than some of his teammates, I knew he had all the weapons to prove he deserved to play in the Euro, yet they deprived Ben of playing and showing his skills.

As England progressed in the tournament, I had a lot of mixed feelings; I was sad, angry, and happy. And when England beat Denmark in the semifinals, I was very happy. I felt this would be Ben's chance, or at least I was trying to convince myself. I was happy for him because after everything he's been through in this process, and playing or not, he deserved it as much as the rest of the team because they were all making history.

The final match arrived and I was on my way to Wembley Stadium, wearing my England jersey with my boyfriend's last name on it. I had a knot in my stomach, my palms were sweating, and all the noise was overwhelming. After being stuck at home for so long with no social contact, this was a bombshell for me and was making me anxious. If it wasn't for Ben's message, I definitely would have freaked out.

Ben

"Breathe in and out Y/N."

Your message came at the best time. As I inhaled and exhaled, I imagined a moment of Ben, so I could relax. Eventually, that relaxed me. I started breathing normally and feeling better.

"We're not together but I know all these people are going to scare you. It's more than we're used to in the last few games, and it's a hurricane after over a year of not socializing... And I don't want you to pass out again."

After a long time watching the games from home, when we finally had the opportunity to go and watch a game, which was also the FA Cup final. The number of people that attended to watch the game was not even half of the number of people that attended today. That day, I remember I was walking down the aisle to enter the stadium when I started to gasp for breath. We were still in an open area, but all those people made me feel like I was in a room where the walls were squeezing in. I was also wearing a mask that made breathing difficult, and a few seconds later, everything went black. The last thing I remember is waking up in the team infirmary, and at halftime, Ben went to see if I was okay.

Another message brought me back to reality.

"I'm off the bench again, but I trust this team, and I know we're going to bring it home. Besides, I don't mind not playing if I'm finally going to get to hug you."

I read his message and replied to it as I walked around the stadium to find my seat. I was sad for him because all his chances of playing were now zero.

Me "Oh, babe. I'm sorry to hear that, but I know you'll make the country proud. I'm so sad that my vacation break from you is coming to an end."

I replied sarcastically. I couldn't wait to feel his strong arms wrapping around me. I was eager to feel his warm body and his perfume, I mean his perfume is all over our house, but it sure isn't the same. It's not the same fragrance when it comes from Ben's body.

Ben "If you prefer, you can stay at home while I go to Ibiza."

Me "I'm not letting u go without me."

Ben "If your good to me, maybe I can take u with me."

Me "I think it should be all the opposite."

We exchanged a couple more messages until I found my seat and the game started. Minute 2 and England scored! Luke Shaw gave us the lead. It was too early to think about the trophy but, it gave us hope. Unfortunately, in the second half, Italy scored and tied the game. Time passed, and it went to extra time, which led to penalties.

We were waiting for the penalties. My heart was racing, my hands were sweating, and my stomach was burning. From goals and missed shots, happiness turned to sadness. We lost, England lost. Italy was now the new champion of Europe.

As soon as the ceremony was over. I ran to the room where the post-match dinner with the families was to be held, and where the players would finally see and have contact with their families. I couldn't wait to see my man, to hug him, but most of all to comfort him. It was a hard blow, but I was proud of him and the whole team.

I opened the door and looked for number 21. Ben's number. I was about to take a step when a voice behind me stopped me.

"Looking for me?"

I turned around immediately. I knew that voice perfectly well. It was the voice I had missed for over a month. I rushed into Ben's arms and burst into tears.

"I missed you!" I murmured into the crook of his neck.

"I missed you too, like crazy." He kissed my forehead. "These days have been hard without you."

"I know, and I'm sorry for what happened, although I'm still proud of you."

"None of that matters anymore, when I can finally be with you" we both smiled. I was more than happy to finally see that beautiful withe smile and those blue eyes that made me fall in love every day. "Shall we get in?"

"Yup," I said, taking his hand. "A well-deserved dinner. I still can't believe you guys made it to the finals."

"It didn't end the way we hoped, but it's still something I'll never forget, and I'm proud of what we accomplished."

After all of Ben's ups and downs, I was glad to see him smiling and positive. I could tell he was looking forward to the vacation because I was too. He has worked so hard these past few months that he deserved a break.

We walked into the lounge to join the rest of the guests.

#Ben chilwell #ben chilwell oneshot #ben chilwell one shot #ben chilwell imagine #football imagine #imagines #football #football fanfic #ben chilwell fanfic #fanfic #oneshot #ben chilwell blurb #football blurb

81 notes · View notes

iliveiloveiwrite · 4 years

Text

Champion

Request: omg i saw that u opened requests again and i’m in love w ur writing 🥺 so can i request a fluffy cedric diggory imagine where he wins the triwizard tournament and finally ends up confessing that he loves you bc he thought he was gonna die? tysm!! (i can’t handle his death so this is my way of coping).

A/N: Same nonnie, same. My first Cedric request!! I loved writing it and I can only hope I got his characterisation right! There’s a ton of fluff but a little bit of angst as well because I had to, sorry! I hope you enjoy and I hope I’ve done your request justice! Enjoy reading, love to you all!

Warnings: some swearing, some angst, some fluff!

Word count: 2.5k

“Cedric, are you sure you want to enter? You know what this competition holds.”

“I have to try, (Y/N). Others from Hogwarts are entering; it probably won’t even be my name they pull from the Goblet.”

You nod, his words reassuring you slightly. However, the worry and panic still eat away at your gut as he places the piece of parchment with his name written in his best handwriting into the Goblet.

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

Cedric keeps an arm around your shoulder at the choosing ceremony. Your legs bounces to the rhythm of your heart; nerves beginning to get the better of you.

“Calm down, you’re jostling the table.” Cedric whispers into your ear.

You calm the bouncing of your leg, replying, “I can’t help it if I’m nervous.”

“It’ll be okay. Whatever happens, it’ll be okay.”

You flash him a small smile, pretending that his words have reassured you but as you watch the flame of the Goblet of Fire flicker, dread pools low in your gut.

The little pieces of parchment are spat out of the Goblet one by one. Each name announced by Dumbledore as the newly appointed champions make their way to a side room to await further instruction.

Victor Krum; champion for Durmstrang.

Fleur Delacour; champion for Beauxbatons.

Dumbledore’s hand snatches the final piece of parchment spat out from the Goblet of Fire.

His voice rings loud and clear through the Great Hall, “The Hogwarts’ champion: Mr. Cedric Diggory.”

Cheers ring out from the Hogwarts’ student body, but you can’t bring yourself to do so. You force a smile across your face as Cedric hand squeezes your shoulder before he heads to the front of the hall to take his piece of parchment from Dumbledore. You watch him walk through a side door

It’s as if the rug has been pulled out from under you; leaving you gasping for breath and grabbing for help.

You lose focus; you don’t hear the Goblet of Fire give one more name, and you don’t hear Harry Potter’s name read out to the questioning mutters of the crowd.

You simply watch the door upon which Cedric had walked through as if your gaze was powerful enough to bring him back.

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

You wait for him in the common room.

He’s greeted with cheers and shouts of congratulations, but he only has eyes for you. You’re already watching him as his eyes find yours.

Cedric takes a seat next you; he doesn’t speak immediately, already knowing that you’re finding what you want to say to him.

“I’m scared for you.” You whisper, eyes focused on the fire.

He pulls you into his side, dropping a kiss to the top of your head. “I know you are.”

“What’s going to happen?”

“I’m going to win.”

You drop your head into your hands, “Cedric, I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to you…”

“Nothing will.”

“You sound so sure of it.”

“I can’t promise everything will be okay because this is a dangerous competition, but what I do know is that with you by my side helping me, not a lot can go wrong.”

You slump back into the couch, “Cedric Diggory, I did not expect our friendship to make me prematurely grey.”

He laughs, “So you’ll help me then? With preparing for the trials?”

“I’ll always help you.”

His arm is back around your shoulder; you lean into his side. A friendship that had been so precious to you for two years now but had always teetered on the edge of something more. As you both lose yourself in your thoughts, you both wonder what the outcome of this tournament could be.

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

“Cedric Diggory! Are you making it your life’s mission to give me high blood pressure? If so, you’re doing a fine job of it.”

Cedric looks at you wide-eyed. You’re stood at the bottom of his hospital bed with your hands on your hips, ready to duel the entire Ministry of Magic if it meant it would get him out of this shitshow of a tournament.

“(Y/N), it’s okay,” He reassures, “I’m okay. Look – everything’s working just fine.” He stands from the bed to pull you into a hug. You hide your face in his chest, listening to the solid thump of his heart.

“Cedric, half of your face is burnt. From a dragon, might I add.”

“But Madame Pomfrey has already healed it because she’s a miracle worker.”

“You scared me half to death. They wouldn’t let me in until everyone had caught their egg.”

His arms tighten around you, “It’s okay. I can do this.”

“I know you can, I have every faith in you, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be scared for you. If anything was to happen to you, I don’t know what I’d do.” Repeating your words from the common room conversation a month ago has this all settling into place for you; if anything were to happen to him you would never be able to tell him how you feel.

“Nothing is going to happen to me… well, nothing major at least.”

You sigh through your nose, “Cedric, you really are doing an awful job at reassuring me.”

He laughs, “How should I do it instead?”

You bite your lip, “Just keep hugging me. I know you’re still in one piece that way.”

Cedric’s hand rubs calming circles into your back, “I can do that.”

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

You don’t remember anything before breaking the surface. You don’t remember anything until Cedric is helping you swim towards the stands where warm towels and blankets are waiting for you both.

Your teeth chatter as you ask, “What happened?”

Cedric is wrapping blanket after blanket around your shoulders, ignoring the fact that his lips are turning blue. “(Y/N), are you okay? Are you warming up? I should have known they’d use you when I couldn’t find you this morning. What do you remember before leaving the lake?”

You grab his hand, “Cedric, calm down. Take a blanket, you’re panicking me. I’m warming up just fine. The last thing I remember was being asked to go see Professor Sprout in the Headmaster’s office to discuss becoming a prefect.”

He slumps down next to you on stand; finally accepting a blanket, wrapping it around his shoulders.

Teeth still chattering, your eyes narrow at the teachers watching the scene, “I better get Prefect for this, Professor Sprout.” You call.

The only indication she gives that she’s heard you is a loud chuckle. Your eyes narrow even further, but they’re directed at Cedric, “Why was I down there?”

“It was part of the mermaid’s riddle. They took something I cared about so I would bring it back.”

You shiver, “Oh?”

Cedric nods, not ready to have this conversation yet so instead focuses on your shivering, “Are you okay? Are you sure you’re warm enough?” He shuffles closer to you; sharing his blanket with you.

“I’m fine, Ced. I just don’t think I’ll be going swimming for a while.”

Despite it all, Cedric laughs. You follow; gasping for air in no time because what else is there to do when you’ve been involved in a competition that holds possible to risk to life?

You are both still laughing as Dumbledore’s voice announces the winner. “For his unique use of the Bubble Head Charm, we award First Place to Cedric Diggory!”

Fellow Hufflepuff’s begin to chant Cedric’s name; all trying to pat his shoulder. You sober up; eyes wide as you turn to look at Cedric.

You throw your arms around him, “Cedric! First place! You’re doing so well, I’m so proud of you.”

His arms wrap around you, whispering in your ear, “Thank you, (Y/N). I think you might be my good luck charm.”

“Oh hush. It’s all you and you know that.”

Cedric opens his mouth to say something but quickly closes it. He knew what he wanted to say but wanted a better setting. He wanted to confess; wanted to tell you how he felt about you, but he decides against it at the last moment.

I’ll tell her if I win, he thinks.

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

Cedric’s eyes seek yours before he enters the maze; knowing that your face would calm his heartrate in no time and help him think logically before completing the final task.

He finds your face in no time and already feels his heart calm down. You’re sat at the end of the row; ready to run to him should anything go wrong. His love for you surges through his body and he suddenly wishes he had told you he was in love with you before all of this.

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

Time drags as each champion makes their way into the maze. Worry had settled in your gut like a lead balloon as Cedric was the first to enter. He caught your eyes before he entered, flashing you a small smile that had your heart racing. As you waited for him to return, you found yourself regretting the fact that you had never told him how you felt before the tournament even started.

You’ve bitten your nails down to the bed in worry. Your gaze does not leave the very entrance to the maze that Cedric had walked through just over an hour ago.

Nothing happens; then everything happens at once.

Two bodies land in the arena. Neither moving.

Dumbledore begins to shout for Madame Pomphrey as he races to the bodies. You finally recognise the Hufflepuff yellow of his jersey.

Your heart falls to the floor. You don’t recognise your own voice as you scream his name over and over again. Trying to get through the crowd forming; elbowing your way to him.

You are caught by Professor Sprout who holds you to her; whispering that he’s alive but he needs to be healed.

He’s alive.

He’s alive. He’s alive. He’s alive.

You sag in her arms; the fight leaving you in a single second. You let Professor Sprout lead you away from the arena. The words continue to circle in your mind; he’s alive, he’s breathing, he’s still here.

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

It feels like days before you can enter the hospital wing, but it’s only hours. You refuse to leave the area; sitting outside the hospital wing, back straight against the wall, keeping your eyes on the door.

Cedric’s mother and father both leave the hospital wing and catch sight of you slumped against the wall.

You open your mouth to say something, but Cedric’s father beats you too it.

“He’s awake, and he’s asking for you.” His father says.

You sit up straighter, “Would you mind if I go see him?”

He nods, “That’s fine. Would you keep him company as we go find something to eat?”

You stand up, brushing yourself down in an effort to look presentable, “Of course. Thank you for letting me see him.”

Cedric’s mother smiles at you, “It’s no problem, dear. We’ll be back soon.”

They walk away, hand in hand, needing the physical support of their partner right now. You watch them for a single instant, then you push your way into the hospital wing.

You stare at Harry Potter for a moment; arm bandaged, asleep. You had heard his screams before they gave him a sleeping potion. Mrs. Weasley smiles at you as you pass their bed, pointing to the bed where Cedric lays. You reply with what you hope is a grateful smile before turning to Cedric’s bed.

His grey eyes take you in as you approach the bed; the crumpled clothes, the puffy cheeks and red eyes. He knows instantly that you’ve stayed outside the hospital wing for him and that you’ve cried for him.

Him whispering your name is all it takes for you to begin crying again.

“Sweetheart, no. I’m okay, I need you to look at me.” His first thought is to reassure you; to stop you crying. The pet name falling from his lips without a second thought.

You do; you take in the bandages covering his body as well as what looks to be fresh scar on his left arm. There are shadows under his eyes that no amount of sleep could cure, but he’s smiling at you. Despite it all, he’s smiling at you.

You sob. “Cedric, I was petrified.”

He reaches for your hand; you’re by his side immediately, wrapping it in your own. “I’m here, (Y/N). Did Professor Sprout explain what happened?”

You nod; your tears beginning to dry, “There was nothing, and then there you both were.” You close your eyes, reliving the moment of seeing him lying in the arena, lifeless, “And you weren’t moving. It was like I was in a nightmare and I couldn’t wake up.”

He frowns; despising himself for the pain he had put you through. “In the graveyard… when I was facing him with Harry, would you like to know what my only thought was?”

“What?”

“You.”

“Me?”

Cedric nods, “If I was going to die, I wanted my last thought to be of you.”

The tears start anew, “Cedric…”

“I can’t keep it hidden anymore, not after that. I love you. I’ve loved you since Second Year and you dropped ink all over my notes and in guilt, you made sure your notes were copied neatly so I could have a copy. I would have said something sooner, but I was worried that it would ruin our friendship. I’m not worried anymore.”

You sniffle, wiping your nose with the sleeve of your shirt. The last thing you cared about right now was your appearance, “Cedric, I love you too.”

“You do?”

You nod, “I do. I have since that very same day. When you entered the maze, I had this overwhelming sense of regret that I didn’t tell you sooner, but I’m happy that it’s out there now.”

He smiles at you, “When I’m out of here, I’m taking you on a date.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, we’re going to do this properly. I want to do this properly.”

You nod, “Okay. A date sounds good, but only after you’re entirely healed.”

He nods, agreeing with you, settling his head further into the pillow, closing his eyes. You go to pull your hand away, but his eyes fly open, hand gripping yours tighter.

“Where are you going?”

“I was going to let you get some peace and sleep.”

“Stay with me?”

“Your parents will be back soon.”

“I know, but I want you to stay with me. I don’t want to let you out of my sight just yet.”

You relax at his words, “Of course. I’ll duel anyone if they try to make me leave.” Then the realisation hits, delayed after the drama of the night, “Cedric, you won. You won the tournament. You’re the Triwizard Champion!”

He nods, grinning, “And you’re in love with him.”

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

The formal ceremony takes place once Cedric is released from hospital. He’s handed the cup in front of the whole school and Hufflepuff cheer the loudest upon the announcement of Triwizard Champion.

He accepts the win graciously; offering to share the money with Harry, but Harry declines. Cedric won it fair and square; Harry was just happy that Cedric had his back in the graveyard.

As grateful as he is to be named Triwizard Champion, he’s won something better.

You.

*****

General (HP) taglist: @the-hufflefluffwriter @obsessedwithrandomthings @kalimagik @summer-writes @lupins-sweater @slytherinprincess03 @mischiefsemimanaged @soleil-amaryllis @masterofthedarkness @bforbroadway @chaotic-fae-queen @peachesandpinks @nebulablakemurphy @siriusly-addicted-to-writing @firewhisky-kisses @deafgirltingz @kylosleftbuttcheek @heloisedaphnebrightmore @harrypotter289 @sprvpti

#cedric diggory x reader #cedric diggory #cedric diggory fanfiction #cedric diggory fanfic #cedric diggory fluff #cedric fluff #harry potter fanfiction #harry potter fanfic #My writing #fluff #the lightning era #cedric diggory angst #cedric angst #angst #hp fanfic #hp fandom #hp fanfiction #hp series #HP

567 notes · View notes

romeoburg-archived · 4 years

Note

If there was to be a season 3 of mcsm, what do you think the plot would be?

so this could go one of two ways for me. long post ahead.

the way i kind of imagine i want it to go now would actually contain a different cast of characters. not next-gens, not people related to the new or old order or any supporting characters or antagonists. a completely fresh slate to build onto. id imagine because s2 deviated so far from the new order that it’d be best to keep it to, possibly, a set of three instead of turning into a band of 50 million like it tends to for both seasons.

i think you should still get a choice to customize your appearance similar to jesse, but instead of jesse we could have a character with another neutral name not similar to any we have already (so not named alex, sam, etc. bc they sound similar to axel, sammy, etc.). i also would like it to be something that would get u a line similar to torquedawgs in s1e6 as awful as it was. perhaps charlie? and i think the other two should play on whatever charlie’s strength is as well. i dont particularly think we should go another warrior/griefer/redstoner route.

anyways, a plot for an entire season NOT trying to base it off of existing characters or plots is a little difficult. would the main town still be beacontown or would we feature an entirely new area? thats something id have to flesh out on my own, so definitely my biggest need is to just have a fresh slate of characters with new personalities.

idea #2 is under the cut bc its MASSIVE.

my original idea last year when i made a post like this (the original post was deleted so i cant grab it but) was to slightly deviate from the format and structure of the first two seasons in favor of something that would still have to come to a certain conclusion but also seem more like a ‘choose your own adventure’ plot.

it was going to be a scenario where you could choose between the 3 admins (xara, fred and romeo) and view their backstories from their points of view at different points that could eventually culminate into the big fight that led them all to separate completely. each of them would also have 3 episodes each, which would total to six and make sense with the fact that if you count s1e5 as a dlc and not as an opener, then it could continue the trend of each season picking up an extra episode to add onto the count (s1: 4 eps, s2: 5 eps, s3: 6 eps). each of the episodes as well, since each character gets 3 from their own povs, would be labeled a bit different as well. for instance the first episode of xara’s route would be s3xe1 for xara episode and so on. they would include enough ‘your story in changing’ to help establish a certain arc for each character while also keeping them true to their personalities and keep the events of season 2 accurate. it would also function similar to s2 where you can build your experience using your s2 save or yknow. completely fudge it. so of course like s2 contains s1 spoilers, s3 is THE DEFINITION of a spoiler season. i equate it to playing zero escape. each game in itself is the definition of ‘if you play this youll spoil a whole other game’.

xara’s episodes would have gone in this order xe1: the fight with romeo and watching fred die, her time in the sunshine institute, and finally an episode that actually hinges on your choice to give xara her bed or not. the final episode would either end with her final moments running into beacontown and being killed, or her staying in the underneath and dealing with themes of loss and depression kind of how s2′s major theme was that people can change and youll always have your friends even if they arent with you physically. my major ‘choice’ for this episode set was to be if you forgave romeo or not but it woud rly only work if you gave xara her bed in s2 to stop her from charging beacontown

freds episodes follow a more ‘linear path’. fe1 was to be a sort of flashback-type episode similar to xe1, except it would be played out as if it wasnt a flashback and that was something that was happening in quote unquote real time. it starts off with the three just living their normal life and near the end of the episode its obvious theres something wrong with romeo, episode 2 involves more escalations and fights and episode 3 starts with fred writing his journal and creating the gauntlet and ends with him getting killed. like i said this would probably be the one with the least ‘your story is changing’ considering fred is already established as a dead character by the time s2 even beings

romeos episodes are like this: episode 1 is backstory on how they became admins which i wont totally push my headcanons but they totally came across something related to herobrine that gave them their powers. the episode continues with the three helping people and being nice, but it ends kind of abruptly similar to how s2′s episodes tend to end. episode 2 is similar to fe3, except re2 ends with romeo killing friend, banishing xara and bedrocking the underneath, ultimately ending with the first shot of him creating the overworld. episode 3 is post-overworld creation with him trying to find a friend and champion, we see the witherstorm from an outside perspective and it ends with romeo watching jesse from afar at the beacon ceremony at the end of s1e4.

#admin.txt #mcsm #minecraft story mode #long post #Anonymous

23 notes · View notes

fanfic-inator795 · 5 years

Text

RotTMNT/Baron Jitsu fanfiction: Dating… With Children - Chapter Seven

(Also on AO3 if you want to leave a comment or kudos)

Plot: Benjamin Draxum hardly considered himself a man of high social standing. Not because he was uncouth or unworthy of it, mind you, but simply because he didn’t have much of a social life. Hard to have one when he usually spent his days at work, cooped up in a lab for so long that he often had his lunches in there, and his nights at home reading or doing research for more personal projects. But perhaps meeting handsome semi-retired movie star - as well as his four young sons - could change all that…

((Soooo, I know I said this chapter would have a bit more drama, but as I was writing that chapter, I realized that this idea was better as a lead-in to the next, slightly more dramatic idea. So, you're getting this chapter first, hope you guys don't mind! Anyway, enjoy the action and fluff! ^v^))

They say no news is good news, and for the most part Draxum could see some truth to that. It wasn't as if he had wished for something to have gone wrong, like their lab’s computers completely crashing or one of his intern’s screwing up. But at the same time, there also hadn't been any major breakthroughs, not even small discoveries in their research and tests that could lead down a rabbit hole of possibilities.

No, instead it had just been another average day at work. Just like the day before, and the day before that… And the several days before that…

Draxum sighed, rubbing his eyes. He only had a couple hours left in the shift, and he knew exactly what he was going to do afterwards. It was a part of his routine that he had been somewhat denying himself, thanks to all the extra time he had been spending either at the Jitsu house or at his own apartment. And, while he certainly didn't regret the time spent with his boyfriend, he was still looking forward to a couple good rounds…

Suddenly, he felt his phone vibrate for a second in his pocket. “Speak of the devil,” he mumbled with a smirk, taking the phone out. Sure enough, it was a text from Lou.

“Hey, babe. Whatchu up to? Hope work is going well.” Draxum wasn't quite sure when Lou had started calling him that (though it certainly flustered him a bit the first time he noticed), but while he usually wasn't one for pet names, he supposed he didn't mind this one too much.

“Work is work. Going to stop by the ring after,” he texted back.

It only took a few seconds for Lou to reply. “Oof, that bad of a day?”

“No, just haven't done it in a while. Figured it'd be a good way to clear my head somewhat, instead of feeling like a rat on a wheel.”

“Fair enough, hope u have fun!”

Draxum stared at the reply, thinking about it for a moment before typing, “Would you want to come with?” He waited, and then-

“Really, you don't mind?”

“If I did, I wouldn't have asked.”

“Haha, ok! Let me call my babysitter to see if he’s available, otherwise yeah, I'd love to!” A few minutes later, Lou sent another text - a simple thumbs up emoji - and Draxum replied with what time he'd be picking him up.

A quick stop at home after work to change and grab his gym bag, and then it was straight to the Jitsu house. Thankfully traffic was on his side for the most part, making him only a couple minutes late. He walked briskly up the colorful sidewalk - it looked like the boys had tried to play some sort of space themed hopscotch game - and knocked twice. The door opened, and-

“Well hello there~!”

Draxum blinked, stepping back slightly. He had been expecting Lou or one of the boys to answer the door, but instead he was greeted by a stout man with bushy blond hair and an even bushier mustache and a smile that just seemed much too happy and friendly to be natural. “...Hello. I-”

The short man suddenly grabbed his hand, shaking it firmly. “You must be Lou’s new beau! Oh it's just so great to meet you! And I can just tell already that you two must be the sweetest thing and probably look so CUTE together!”

“...If you say so,” Draxum said slowly, allowing the man to hold onto his hand for only a few seconds before yanking it away. Figuring that he wouldn't just want to stand and wait in the doorway, the overtly happy man stood aside, allowing Draxum to come in. He noticed all four boys - and… Was that a dog? What in the world, where had that come from? - in the living room, contently sitting on either the loveseat or the beanbags as they all watched TV together.

“Oh, hey Dr. Draxum!” Donnie noticed, waving. The Labrador puppy that was sitting near him also gave a quick greeting, barking loudly before settling back down. The mustached man just giggled at the pup, wagging a finger at it.

“Er, hello boys,” the scientist nodded, giving them a halfhearted wave, “Where is your-?”

“Hey, you.” Draxum turned and saw Lou coming down the stairs, dressed in a v-neck tank top and long gym pants, with his yellow-tinted sunglasses once again being opted out for darker ones. His hair was also missing its usual pompadour-like style, his bangs instead being tied back in a top knot. The leaner man’s smile almost immediately helped put Draxum a bit more at ease, even if he still wasn't too sure of their ‘guest’.

“Have a fun date, Pop!” Raph told him as his father gave him and his brothers goodbye-and-be-good hugs.

“I'm sure we will,” Lou smiled. Once he was done with his boys, he turned to the blond. “We’ll try not to stay out too late. I would imagine that-”

“Oh no, take your time!” The stout man insisted, “I'm in no rush! And you know how I just love looking after your boys, Lou, it's no trouble at all! Now you two go on and have a great time, okay?

Lou chuckled. “Alright, if you insist. Thanks again, Todd.” They quickly shook hands, with the smaller man once again insisting that he was happy to help. Finally looking back at Draxum now, he led his date out the door while his babysitter waved them off. And as soon as the door closed, Draxum broke his silence.

“Okay… Who was that guy?”

“Who, Todd?” Lou asked, “Uh, he's my babysitter? Kinda thought that was obvious, but-”

“So, you just found this guy and thought, ‘yeah, he seems normal enough to trust with my children’, huh?”

Lou laughed as they walked. “Okay okay, I know Todd seems a bit weird-” Even he could admit to being a bit overwhelmed by the guy’s friendliness and enthusiastic niceties the first time they met- “But he's also just a nice guy! And a good babysitter too, the boys have a fun time with him. ...Though, that maaaay be because he always brings over one of his puppies whenever he sits - he runs a puppy rescue that's on the outskirts of the city.”

“Ah,” Draxum nodded, opening his driver’s side door, “Well, that's one way to give them a pet without actually giving them a pet.”

“I know, right! That's what I thought too!” He paused as he got in the car. “Though, Mikey still tries to ask me for a cat sometimes…”

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

Since it was for amateurs only, the gym wasn't too fancy, all things considered. It was a little on the small side, and the youngest equipment there was still at least ten years old. Even his tiny home gym in his apartment was technically more modern. Still, the structure was sound and the roof never leaked, more than half the lockers there still locked and - the thing that always kept people like him coming back - there was still a well-kept, MMA regulation ring right in the center of it all. The perfect place for people to spar, as well as the home of amateur league bragging-rights-only championships every other month.

Draxum could still remember his first few times stepping into this old gym. He'd never been interested in team sports in his youth, but once he had found this place on one random walk around town, suddenly the strength and strategy behind mixed martial arts seemed pretty appealing. It kept him in shape at least, and even after three graduation ceremonies and earning a doctorate, he still found himself coming to the old gym to let off some steam about as often as he did as a teenager.

Lou seemed fairly impressed with it as well, immediately taking interest in the ring. The only other people there were a trainer and his hopeful eventual-champion, and since they were currently busy with the heavy bags in the corner, the ring was completely free.

“So,” Lou asked, stretching his arms as he glanced over his shoulder at his date, “Should we just get down to it then?”

Draxum smirked back at him. “Eager, aren't we?”

The ex-star shrugged. “What can I say, I like a good fight… Think you can give it to me?”

“I'd say I've got a pretty good chance.” Draxum walked over to him, close enough to let his natural height tower over Lou slightly. “Even when up against the great Lou Jitsu.”

Lou grinned. “Well then, let's see what you've got, Doc~”

“...This is ridiculously cheesy and over the top, even for us.”

“Oh don't act like you don't love it.”

All flirting aside, the two of them did take some time to stretch after climbing into the ring, with Draxum making sure to face away from his date, not wanting to risk staring or be caught staring. (Unbeknownst to him, Lou was doing the exact same thing. After all, Draxum was wearing a faded blue-grey tee and black shorts. Lou had never seen Draxum in shorts before, and he had no idea why. The man certainly had the legs for them.)

As they then turned back around to face each other and got into a starting position, the doctor couldn't help but feel a sense of deja vu, recalling the last time they ‘fought’. Of course, this time would be without the music, which meant it would naturally be more fight-like than dance-like, and there probably wouldn't be nearly as much fancy footwork. Still, he could feel excitement bubbling up in his chest, and allowed a small smile to stay on his face as they began the ‘round’.

Lou started things off, rushing in with a punch so fast that Draxum just barely managed to block it. “Ah, I was wondering if you'd actually take this seriously,” he said as he dodged another blow.

“Hey,” Lou chuckled, “Gotta keep you on your toes somehow!” He definitely had an advantage on speed, side-stepping and bouncing on his feet with ease as he hardly gave Draxum any room.

Of course, Draxum had his advantages too. He still had his height on Lou, as well as his physical strength. Once he saw an opening, he didn't hesitate to throw a punch. “Whoa!” Lou cries out, ducking down to avoid it before popping back up. “Nice one!” His date quickly raised his arms, ready to block.

Smirking, Draxum continued to throw hit after hit, keeping an eye on his openings and making sure to throw a fake out or two in there, just to keep things from getting to predictable.

Of course, Lou had his surprises as well. Turning one particular dodge into a sort of somersault, he gave himself some extra space. Once he was back on his feet, he tried a kick that was so fast and sudden, Draxum actually gasped as he moved away, thankfully only getting lightly kicked in the shoulder. The other amateurs he sometimes sparred with couldn't get their feet up nearly that high! “Too much?” He heard Lou ask.

“Hardly,” Draxum retorted, taking only the briefest of moments to regain his footing before rushing his date. Lou had been so focused on getting a possible tide-turning move in that he failed to also keep in mind his surroundings.

Not wanting to get pinned to the fence behind him, Lou dove out of the way, once again getting back to his feet in record time and trying another kick, this time aimed at Draxum’s back. But his boyfriend had speed of his own, it would seem. Draxum was able to catch the kick as he turned, taking the chance to shove Lou away.

Lou cried out a bit as he stumbled, though managed to keep from completely falling over. Standing back up to his full height, he was all smiles as he stared down his smirking opponent. “Alright, you’re asking for it!”

For the next two to three minutes, it was nothing but punches, blocks and dodges, with the two of them switching off between attacking and defending so quickly that if their fight had been an official match instead of just a spar, it could've been anyone’s round. Then again, if it had been an official match, Lou would've pulled out all the stops and shown off every trick he had while Draxum certainly would've been hitting a lot harder with quite a few more face shots, with either one of them being able to end the fight quickly.

But really, what was the fun in that?

For now, they just enjoyed the push and pull of the spar, observing each other’s strategies and clever moves while also admiring the other’s strength and athleticism. It was enjoyable, there was no denying that, but things were starting to slow down some. So, as Draxum caught his last punch, Lou allowed his body to stop. He smiled at his opponent, tilting his head slightly as he stared into Draxum’s eyes, not once trying to pull his hand away. “So… Wanna call it a draw?”

“Hmph.” Draxum lowered his arm, but didn't let go of his boyfriend’s hand. Only changing the position of his own hand, so it could feel like he was actually holding it rather than catching it. “Normally I wouldn't, but I think I can make an exception.” He rubbed the back of Lou’s hand with his thumb, taking a half step forward. “Good fight though. Shame it had to end.”

“Funny,” Lou said as he began tilting his head up now, “I was just about to say the same thing…” Still, there were certainly worse ways for a great spar to end than with a draw and a kiss...

Always seeming to have a few crumpled dollar bills and dull quarters sitting in the bottom of his locker, Draxum took the responsibility of keeping them hydrated and headed out to the old pop machine in the alley behind the gym. It took a couple tries for the finicky machine to accept his money, but Draxum was stubborn, and eventually this determination was rewarded with two bottles of water.

Unfortunately, once he stepped back inside, his mood quickly soured. The gym was a bit busier now, and while most of the people there were doing their own thing and minding their own business- “-Come on, you can't expect anyone here to believe that you are anything more than some washed up pretty boy from Hollywood!”

“Well, if you want to get technical, I'm actually from Tokyo,” Lou replied, arms crossed lazily, “Though I do appreciate the pretty comment, even if you are not really my type.”

The Chinese man who had recognized him (though definitely wasn't a fan) just sneered at the comeback. “Yeah, say all the one-liners you want, but that doesn't change the fact that you're not a real fighter!”

“And what makes you say that?” Draxum said suddenly, now directly behind the two of them, “After all, Hun, if you're going to be stupid enough to insult someone with enough skill in one hand to outclass you, then you'd better at least have some so-called evidence to back it up.”

Looking over his shoulder, Hun smirked. “Didn't think you were the fanboy type, Draxum. What, you think your ‘star’ can't handle a bit of trash talk? Can't handle someone who knows how to actually fight and not just swing a ladder around a set or toss around opponents who aren't even trying? Yeah, sounds like a real champion to me!”

Draxum narrowed his eyes, glaring down at him now. Of all the acquaintances and opponents he'd met at this gym, Hun was both the most cocky and the most annoying. Covered in tacky tattoos and always bragging about his ‘skills’, and despite only winning about two-thirds of the time, he still gloated incessantly about his victories to his cronies when they were there to back him up. The only good thing that came from running into him was usually beating him and shutting the mouth of his for a good while. ...But now, he could think of one better…

Draxum gave Lou a look and Lou didn't have to think about it, nodding back and giving his boyfriend a look of his own. Oh yeah, I've got this. “Well, if you are so confident, then why don't we have a friendly spar?” Lou asked, “Since we’re, you know, next to a fighting ring and all. You don't mind, right Ben?”

“Nope,” Draxum answered, “Don't mind at all.”

Hun grinned, cracking his knuckles. “Alright, Hollywood, let's do it. I for one can't wait to tell everyone how I beat the oh-so-great Lou Jitsu!”

“Oh I'm sure it will be an enjoyable tale,” Lou told him, not even looking at him now as he headed towards the ring’s entrance. Hun huffed, and started towards the other entrance. As for Draxum, he just found a good spot to watch from, and waited for the show to begin.

Lou took off his sunglasses in order to have completely clear vision, his face rarely serious. Hun smirked again, not at all intimidated. As far as he was concerned, this spar would be his, no sweat! “Here in the ring, you can't use fancy moves and convenient props as a crutch,” he taunted, “It's all skill!”

“I prefer to think of those things as ‘style points’, but hey, I can do basic.” Lou took one last deep breath before shifting into a starting position, completely prepared for whatever his opponent had to throw at him. “Ready when you are.”

Hun’s face shifted into a scowl, and he rushed towards Lou with a punch. Lou hopped back, dodging it easily. Another punch, another dodge. Hun tried a kick, and Lou simply ducked, sidestepping out of the way.

A small crowd was starting to gather outside of the ring. “See, I TOLD you that was Lou Jitsu!” “Whoa, you still think he can kick ass?” “Hun’s got this, Jitsu’s barely even fighting!” “Are you kidding me, Jitsu’s a pro! He's gonna wipe the floor with Hun once he gets going!”

Draxum watched in silence, eyes totally focused on his boyfriend. He could see the concentration in Lou’s face as he continued to duck and dodge, each move calculated as they darted around the ring. He wasn't trying to tire Hun out, he was just waiting for the perfect moment to go on the attack…

One more punch was thrown, aimed directly at Lou’s face - and this time, Lou blocked. His arms up now, he shifted into a punch so quickly that it made Hun flinch. He put his own arms to block, but the punch never came. Not from that direction, at least. The first one had been a fakeout, and it had done its job well, allowing the second punch to have a clear shot at Hun’s midsection

The crowd gasped and cheered. Hun grunted at the attack, but managed to stand tall. A respectable feat, but now he was out of step. Now it would be time for him to play defense. Lou began throwing hit after hit, hard and fast enough that even the ones Hun managed to block still caused a bit of pain. The occasional fakeout was enough to keep Hun from regaining an edge, and for the second time tonight, Lou was able to surprise his opponent with a well aimed kick to the shoulder.

As this all went on, Draxum could only stare, eyes wide. He didn't cheer along with the others. He couldn't even smile. All he could do was watch his date with amazement as he fought. It had been one thing to watch an extreme version of his fighting style in his movies, or have a playful spar-dance with him, but this was the real deal. No quips, no smirks or taunts, nothing but raw skill and strength. He could also see just how muscular Lou still was at this angle, despite being so lean and his abs, while not being completely gone, not nearly as tight as they used to be.

Each movement of his arms was a natural extension that was as easy as breathing and as powerful as a cobra strike. His stance was firm and as solid as a skyscraper, yet his feet almost never stopped moving. His eyes were sharp, always looking for the next opening and always trying to think two moves ahead. This was the mind and body of a true champion.

Simply put: To the others watching the fight, it was amazing. To Draxum, it was incredible.

With the two of them quickly running out of space - they were nearly up to the fence now - and the clear fatigue beginning to appear in Hun’s face, Lou decided it was time to officially end it. Huh threw one last punch, desperate enough that there was little technique in it. Lou caught it with ease, and with his other hand, he punched Hun right in the nose, sending him to the floor. He’d held back quite a bit, not being annoyed with Hun enough to seriously hurt him (or risk getting sued by him), but the man’s nose was sure to be bleeding for quite a while.

“Good fight,” Lou said simply, offering a hand.

Hun slapped it away, and stood up on his own, swaying only slightly. Even with one hand holding his nose, he managed to sneer at the ex-movie star. “So you proved that you can fight. Good for you. Just don't expect it next time, you got that?” With that, Hun stomped off, shoving past anyone who tried to talk to him outside of the ring.

But despite the harsh words, Lou just shrugged and headed towards Draxum, a smile already returning to his face. “Hey!” He waved, “So, I think I did pretty good in there.”

“Yes,” Draxum nodded, his voice slightly stiff, “You… Did well in there. Very well.” He inwardly scoffed at himself. That was only a mere fraction of the reaction he had to Lou’s fight, of the praise he wanted to give, though the rest would have to wait. “But I think we should head out to the car now.”

“Huh?” Lou raised an eyebrow. “You want to leave?” Did he get turned off by Lou showing off, or-?”

“I'm saying…” Draxum tried again, his cheeks a bit red now, “That we should go out to the car.”

Lou stared at him for a couple seconds before it finally hit him. “Oh. ... OHHHH.” He grinned. “Why, Benjamin~”

“Shut up,” Draxum hissed, his face burning now as he grabbed Lou’s wrist and dragged him towards the exit, with his date just barely managing to hold back his amused and excited laughter.

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

“One roast beef, and one burger. Enjoy, you two!” Lou nodded, silently assuring that they would.

The two of them had decided to stop somewhere for a bite before heading back to Lou’s place, and as luck would have it, the diner they’d had brunch at a few weeks prior was on the way there. Even better was that the diner was pretty deserted for a weekday evening, which meant other than a couple whispering waitresses, there was no one to really bother them.

The ex-action star smiled as he picked up his burger. “Heh, nothing like a couple good spars and a great makeout session to get you hung- Ow!” The kick under the table wasn't very hard, but Lou still gave a pout. “What was that for?”

“It's just not really the type of thing to say in public, is all,” Draxum grumbled, blushing slightly again. He took a moment to brush some hair out of his face, his hair tie currently lost somewhere under the seats of his car. “Especially not for us. We’re not exactly teenagers, after all.”

Lou scoffed. “So what? We can still have our fun, can't we? Not too old for that. And it's not like there's too many people around to hear. ...Though, if they did, they would probably call us lucky, and I would say the same.” Draxum just rolled his eyes while Lou chuckled, finally taking a bite of his burger.

The couple ate in silence for a bit before Lou spoke up again. “I had fun tonight,” he told Draxum, his tone much more sincere now, “Thanks for letting me tag along.”

Draxum smiled back at him, swallowing his own bite of roast beef and mashed potatoes. “If you had that much fun, then I’ll remember to invite you along next time.”

“Yeah. It really wasn't that bad of a place.” Lou dipped a couple fries in his ketchup, looking a bit thoughtful now. “Maybe I could even take the boys there. Once they're older, of course.” Can't exactly have fights out in the backyard, after all. ...Well, you could, but it'd probably lead to a visit from the cops.

Draxum looked curiously at him. “Oh, so you are teaching them your fighting style?”

“Eh, sort of.” Lou gave a small laugh, shaking his head. “From the first time they saw one of my movies, they have been begging me to teach them. Perhaps they were a bit young for those films, and certainly too young to begin intense training. Not that something like that was going to stop them. I lost count how many times I caught them trying to spar with each other - and usually hurting each other or themselves accidentally in the process. Once I even caught Raph with a ladder.”

Catching Draxum’s look of concern, Lou quickly clarified. “It was one of those little kitchen ladders. More like a stepstool, actually. Still, it scared me enough to send both him and his brothers that were cheering him on to their rooms. Afterwards, I sat them down and we had a long talk, leading to the compromise that I would begin to teach them when each of them turned ten.” He then sighed slightly. “Still, you know how insistent kids can be. So, in the meantime, I'm teaching them tai chi as well as the very basics.”

“Ah, I see,” Draxum nodded, “That seems fair.”

“Yeah, and it's actually been working out well. Tai chi actually makes for a very effective cool down exercise when any of them get into a fight with one of their brothers or have a meltdown over something. Plus, just learning different moves and techniques is just fun for them, no matter how simple they are.” Lou smiled to himself. With how enthusiastic they were at such a young age, not yet being bored or frustrated enough to quit, there was a good chance for martial arts to remain a long term part of their family.

His date smiled back at him. “Perhaps they'll grow up to be like their father, then,” Draxum commented.

“Heh, not exactly like me, hopefully,” Lou replied, “But yeah, maybe. It's like they say, you pass down who you were in life as well as what you knew during it. I just hope I'm passing down all good things.”

“I'm sure you are,” Draxum assured him, “Can't think of many bad things about you…” He stretched out his foot once again, this time gently brushing past Lou’s ankle rather than kicking it. Lou said nothing, wanting to use his mouth to take another bite of his burger instead, but returned the touch with his own foot.

Traffic slowed outside the window by their table, bright lights flashing by only occasionally. Some old 60s melody came up on the diner radio, further adding to the homey feel of the room. Once he was finished eating - for such a skinny guy, he could not only eat quite a bit but also eat it quickly - Lou rested the back of his hand against his drink, the water droplets from the glass of pop cooling the spots where light bruises were already starting to form. Switching his fork to his other hand, Draxum gently took Lou’s for the third time that night, lightly massaging it. And just like twice before, Lou didn't dare pull away.

Indeed, playful spars and showing cocky jerks who’s boss was pretty fun. But as it turned out, simply sitting at an old diner table, holding your date’s hand and just being able to peacefully exist with them was just as nice.

"...Would you like to join in on one of our tai chi sessions?" Lou asked suddenly, "We usually do it early weekend mornings, so I can understand if you would want to sleep in, but..."

Draxum personally didn't know much about tai chi, yet it didn't seem to matter. "Count me in," he answered, and the two didn't hesitate to seal the agreement with another kiss.

I'm admittedly not a huge fan of TMNT 2012 - though if any of you like it, it's fine, glad you could find more enjoyment in it than I could - but I thought including Hun from that incarnation could be a fun little easter egg, plus he seemed to fit better than just a random no-name character. And of course, gotta have some Todd! Heh ^v^ Anyway, please leave a kudos and a comment if you can, I'd love to know what you guys think of this chapter and story as a whole, and i'll see you all next time!

#rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #rottmnt #baron jitsu #baron draxum #lou jitsu #human au #fanfiction #my writing

29 notes · View notes

wordsandshawn · 7 years

Text

Championship

Requested: can u do an imagine where you play college volleyball and it's your big championship game and you get really nervous since it's a huge game and shawn tells you he can't make it but really he's surprising you at the game?

Masterlist

~~~

You’ve done everything you can possibly do to prepare for this game up to this point. You’ve worked insanely hard, along with the rest of your team, to have even been able to play in this upcoming game. It is the championship volleyball game for Division 1 volleyball. You play volleyball for your University, and you’re a sophomore this year. This is the first time your University’s team has made it to the championship game in a few years, so everyone on the team is extremely excited about it, and pretty much your entire school is excited about it as well. You’re a starter, even though you’re only a sophomore. However, last year your team only made it to the quarterfinals so you haven’t experienced this much pressure in your college career yet.

You’re headed over to event center for the game in about twenty minutes, and the thought of how important this game is and how hard you’ve worked to get here is really getting to you, and stressing you out. You’ve been trying to stay calm and not let the stress overwhelm you, but you’re really starting to freak out. Picking up your phone, you do the only thing you can think to do in a moment like this: you call your boyfriend. He answers after only one ring. “Hello?”

“Hey Shawn,” You say, a calming feeling coming over you at just the sound of his voice on the other end of the line. He wanted to be here for this game, since it is such a big deal, but he wasn’t able to change his work schedule so he’s in London right now.

“Hey baby, how are you feeling?” He asks, already knowing that you’re freaking out about the game.

“I’m nervous.” You admit, “So many people are going to be there, and it’s going to be on tv. Are you going to watch it on the livestream?” You question.

“Of course I’m going to watch it. And I know you’re nervous, but its good nerves, yeah?” He says, trying to be encouraging and help you to freak out less.

“I guess, I just don’t want to screw up. There are so many people who are going to be watching, and I don’t want to let anyone down. What if I mess up?”

“You’re not going to let anyone down. You’re going to go out there and kill it, just like you do every time. I believe in you. Being nervous isn’t a bad thing; it just means that you care. And when you get out there on that court everything else, all your worries, they’re all going to disappear.”

“You sure?” You question. Even though Shawn’s never played college volleyball, you trust his advice, because he has more than a little experience with performing in front of crowds and performing under pressure.

“I’m sure y/n. As soon as you step out there nothing else is going to matter but the game. And just know that no matter what happens out there tonight, I’ll still love you, and anyone else who is important will love you no matter what happens, whether you win or lose, that isn’t going to change.”

“Thanks Shawn,” You respond, feeling a little bit better. “I wish you were here.” You add.

“Me too, baby.” He responds. You talk for a few minutes before you have to go to finish getting ready for the game.

Shawn was right, just like he always is. As soon as you step on the court, almost all of your nerves wash away. Only some of them remain, but they only serve to make you play better. You’re on top of your game, playing better than you have in a long time. Your teammates are on fire as well, and you manage to win the game in four sets, only losing one. At the end of it all, confetti pours from the ceiling and the amount of excitement and happiness in the air is so much more than anything you’ve experienced before. You’d won major tournaments with your high school and club volleyball teams, but it never felt anything like this.

You celebrate with your teammates for a few minutes, and talk to some reporters who are reporting on the game, but you can barely process anything that is going on. You do the award ceremony, and finally the crowd starts filing out of the arena as the deafening noise of celebration has finally died down.

As the arena empties out, your coach holds a quick congratulatory talk, but then releases you all to go on and celebrate in whatever ways you want. Most of your teammates’ parents are there so they’re all going to celebrate with their families. While they all start finding their families who had come down to the court, you just take a seat in one of the seats, taking it all in. Your family lives far away, and just couldn’t make it to the game tonight. It’s okay, though, you’re used to it, and you know they all watched it on tv. You’ll call them a little later. You had planned to go out with a few of your other friends, so you know you have to meet them soon, but you take out your phone to call the one person you really want to share this win and this moment with. “Hello?”

There is a lot of background noise, and you wonder where he is. You thought he’d be in his hotel room, watching the livestream. “Hey Shawn, did you watch it?” “Of course I did, you were absolutely amazing.” He replies

“Thank you, you were right, thank you for your advice.” You reply.

“You didn’t need any advice baby,” He responds.

“Thanks,” You say, then sigh loudly, sadness coming over you despite how thrilled you still are over the win. You just wish Shawn were here to celebrate with you. “I wish you were here.”

“Don’t waste your wish on that, y/n.”

“What are you talking about, that’s not a wasted wish.” You say, incredulously.

“It is if it already came true.” He responds, and you can barely believe what you heard.

You immediately look around, trying to spot him, but you don’t see him anywhere. “I swear, if you’re messing with me right now, Mendes, I’m gonna kill you the next time I see you.” As soon as the words leave your mouth, you spot him. And you can see him laugh, the sound coming through your phone delayed by a split second. You’re out of the seat and running towards him in as soon as you see him. He puts his phone in his pocket when you get close and wraps his arms around you.

“Did you really believe I’d miss this game?” He questions, still holding you close.

It’s a rhetorical question, so you don’t even reply. Instead you just kiss him. When you pull away, he rests his forehead against yours, his hand lazily around you waist, and says, “I love you, my little champion.”

“I love you too, you big liar.” You respond.

He just chuckles and grabs your hand in his, saying, “Lets go celebrate your win, baby.”

#So i have a presentation in 15 minutes #but instead of practicing I'm posting this #enjoy #feedback is always appreciated #shawn mendes #requested #imagine #shawn mendes blurb #shawn mendes fanfic #shawn mendes imagine

120 notes · View notes

racingtoaredlight · 7 years

Text

The official RTARL 2017 college football preview issue, vol. 9: Pac-12

youtube

There is a lot more old pop culture effluvia about Lead Belly than I’d ever imagined. This has been a great discovery while going through this little exercise. And just think, if I’d taken the truly lazy way out and asked for submissions I might never have found out. What are readers good for anyway?

If you missed the previous entries in this series go here: preview of previews, CUSA, Sun Belt, FBS Independents, MAC, MWC, AAC, Big XII, B1G.

The Pac-12 is slowly going the way of the Big XII but it’s not there yet. They’re in that weird phase where they still produce defensive talent for the NFL but they don’t really play much defense in the league. Theoretically UCLA, USC, Colorado and Washington can all shut opponents down if they need to but in practice none of them can. The Pac-12 is still much better watching than the B1G overall but things are shaky at the top for now. USC might be able to waltz back to their rightful spot as the leaders of the conference or they might have just had a lucky run at the end of last season.

NORTH DIVISION

WASHINGTON

The 2016 season is mostly getting written off as a lucky one for UDub but that seems way off to me. This year was actually when everything was supposed to come together for the Huskies but then they got really good really fast and lost a few key pieces. There’s still a lot coming back this year and I’m including the head coach in that. Chris Petersen is among the best in the business and I don’t think he’s going to waste Dante Pettis,

STANFORD

This is just inertia. Is Stanford a good team in spite of their boring schemes and odd offensive playcalling that veers between disinterested and point shavingly bad? We’ll see, I guess. They lose one of the more transcendent offensive talents in program history with Christian McCaffrey off to the pros but David Shaw, for all of his faults as a coach, can recruit like a motherfucker and it’s not like McCaffrey was a known quantity at the start of the 2015 season. So we’ll see how it goes and just throw Stanford in this spot because it makes the most sense.

OREGON

I really ended up loving Willie Taggert by the end there at USF, which is shocking with the way things started for him there. Taggert is a high energy guy who did a magnificent job of putting his players in a position to succeed over the last two seasons and he’s starting with some very interesting players in Oregon. There is still speed to burn at Nike U so I’m projecting them to turn back into a conference contender in basically a heartbeat this season.

WASHINGTON STATE

7-5, 8-4 seems about the cap of what Coach Pirate can do in Pullman unless the other programs all falter spectacularly all at once. There’s no shame in that but it’s likely to remain the case this year. Luke Falk is back for his final senior season and if he stays healthy for all 12 games he should get a career validating Heisman ceremony invite in December.

OREGON STATE

I haven’t really seen a ton in the way of positive momentum for Oregon State the last few years but Gary Anderson must have had some reason to move there instead of racking up wins in Wisconsin, right?

CALIFORNIA

It took a while for the Bear Raid to really yield results for the Bears way back when and I assume we’ll see the same sort of thing with Justin Wilcox. Cal really went against the grain by hiring a defensive coordinator in this era for this program but maybe they’ve found a market inefficiency? I’m not super optimistic but it works for their Bay Area rival well enough. I hated the Bear Raid so I’m glad to see it gone and buried.

SOUTH DIVISION

USC

I’ve got a bad feeling about this, to be honest. Clay Helton still seems like a weird, bad hire in the long term and the turnaround last year was really only impressive when the Trojans bulled Washington around. Otherwise they won a bunch of games they should have won but with a QB that nobody was familiar with and who got the job and got hot at the right time. Darnold might truly be the best USC quarterback in a generation and still be massively overrated. Two of last three USC quarterbacks of a generation were massively overrated and the one who was legit good was considered a bit of a bust until his senior season. I do like Ronald Jones a lot, though.

UTAH

I don’t think there’s a compelling reason to say Utah is good this year but I’m putting them second in the division more as a way of saying I don’t believe in Colorado’s resurgence and I think Jim Mora, Jr. is one of the worst coaches in the world at developing talent.

COLORADO

They won on pass defense and not turning the ball over last year and lost their insanely talented defensive backfield and their QB. So there’s some rebuilding to do if they’re really back as a program. I’ve got a very Iowa read on them for now - just good enough to contend in division most years and the coach will hang around forever.

UCLA

Jim Mora, Jr. is back for another year of rumors about jumping to the NFL, good players losing games they shouldn't be able to, and a star QB not developing between high school and moving on to the NFL. Will the Bruins play decent defense since JMJ is supposed to be a defensive savant? No! Will the Bruins looks competent and well-coached on offense with a potential top 10 pick at QB? Probably not! If they do then Josh Rosen deserves to go #1 overall because overcoming the coaching of Jim Mora, Jr. is franchise saviour level shit.

ARIZONA

I have a secret passion for RichRod and everything he’s done as a coach. I don’t know if I liked him more for the heights at WFV or the lows at Ann Arbor but this guy is entertaining forever. Maybe he shouldn’t actually lead a power five team, though, because he seems to be pure garbage as a recruiter. Maybe he can be the next Bama OC?

ARIZONA STATE

I just want to state for the record right now how much I hate the hype for Kalen Ballage. I put him on the RTARLsman list last year after he had his 8 TD game or whatever and then I watched him. He’s like all of the worst tendencies of big running backs rolled into one dull package of bad stats and backbreaking fumbles. Draft Twitter loves the guy and I’ve never understood it less for any prospect ever.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

CHAMPION: Washington

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jake Browning, QB, Washington (I’m actually slightly iffy on Sam Darnold and think Washington’s offense is a more well-oiled machine for this season)

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Azeem Victor, LB, Washington (not even the best player on Washington’s defense but he’ll get sacks)

WATCHABILITY ADVICE: Pac-12 football is consistently fun for TV and the schedules are all fucked for them so you can pretty much find one of their teams playing at any time from 7pm on Friday Night until midnight on Saturday.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

#leadbelly #huddie ledbetter #stewball #rtarl college football preview 2017 #pac-12 #sam darnold #jake browning #ronald jones #azeem victor #rich rodriguez #willie taggert #kalen ballage #vita vea is the best player on udub #jim mora jr #josh rosen

0 notes