#your fave is from new jersey sorry :

[max-nolastname]

ruined my new yorker friend’s day by telling him gotham is in new jersey state, not new york

#your fave is from new jersey sorry :// #he was so adamant that bruce wayne and gotham are from new york #i told him to google it then and there and he did and he was so disappointed #inside him were two wolves #one wolf that hates new jersey and everything it stands for #and another who has kinned batman since btas #im from the west coast i can never understand the nj/ny rivalry #anyways #batman #new jersey #new york #stfu haidee

[percervall]

Ms Mar, my favourite list-maker, would love to know your thoughts about a liverpool Secret Santa exchange, since all we got for a Christmas video on best present was kinda boring lol.

who would get who, and what would they gift each other? 🤭

Okay, after messaging @curiousthyme to brainstorm we quickly discovered that this was accidentally sent on anon. oopsies 🤭 So thank you Ives for this brilliant ask!

In true teacher fashion, I used a name picker wheel to link players and then went from there. Some of them were just too good, honestly this wheel is a Liverpool girly

Putting them all under a read more because it's a long list

Lexi → Virgil - a personalised maté set, similarly to the one he gifted Ibou (whom I have seem to forgotten to include in this 😭 my poor petit)

Virgil → Alisson - a gift card for a spa day (+ a "we're sorry for fucking up so much" card signed by all our defenders)

Alisson → Wataru - a gift card for a local Japanese restaurant, for Endo to enjoy with his partner on a double date with Ali and his wife

Wataru → Pep - a new set of whiteboard markers and magnets shaped like football kit for all his tactical planning sessions

Pep → Cody - (like I said, this wheel was just being so kind to us) Pep would give him a Christmas ornament shaped like a Bossche bol (shout out to the 2 Dutchies who follow me and know what this is) to remind him of home

Cody → Lucho - seeing as Luis' partner is about to give birth to their second child, a mobile to hang over the cot. Maybe even Liverpool themed with tiny felt jerseys 🥰

Lucho → Joe - Joey would get a picture frame key chain so he can take his family with him wherever he goes

Joe → Ryan - A Scouse dictionary and an FC24 game but with Ryan's face photoshopped onto every player on the cover 🤭

Ryan → Joël - New shower curtains with Virg's face all over them to push the bromance agenda, and a friends mug

Joël → Darwin - A DVD set for friends to help him with his English and a little pin that says "chaos demon"

Darwin → Mo - A t-shirt with Darwin's cutie lil face as he says "thank you for support" + that photo in a frame. You know the one, where Darwin became Mo's bodyguard/sleep paralysis demon

Mo → Kostas - Some weights and a DVD on how to get abs + a t-shirt with a photo of Mo's abs printed on it in the meantime

Kostas → Thiago - (I told you the wheel is a Liverpool girly) Maui and Fuerte in cuddly toy form for their the new baby + a donation to Thiago's charity

Thiago → Domi - a beard care set, like one of those high end ones, and the game werewolves (iykyk)

Domi → Trent - (y'all, we were YELLING) a chain necklace "because that's what the girls like" + Hungarian schnapps/pálinka + a temporary tattoo of the CL trophy because his mum said no to the real one 🤭

Trent → Andy - (SCREAM) a BFF necklace, a Dua Lipa album, and his fave biscuits

Andy → Klopp - Andy would give Klopp the Scotsman treatment: full kilt + a set of bagpipes (bonus: Kloppo promising to wear the full get up when they win the league)

Klopp → Diogo - An annotated copy of Cruyff's book about football because Jots wants to go into coaching after his playing career

Diogo → Lexi - a personalised gaming chair with a maté holder, and a personalised game controller

This was so much fun, thanks babe!!

#ask #ivy asks #lfc #alexis mac allister #virgil van dijk #alisson becker #wataru endo #cody gakpo #luis diaz #joe gomez #ryan gravenberch #joel matip #darwin núñez #mo salah #kostas tsimikas #thiago alcantara #dominik szoboszlai #trent alexander arnold #andy robertson #diogo jota #mar’s emporium of lists

[hearts4golbach]

Light Shower. (Sal Fisher x Fem!Reader)

part 6

-

"I was cold, my past grew mold around my heart."

-

in New jersey, no one cared for valentines Day except for the 4th graders. exactly one week before Valentines, a Monday to be exact, I walked in from recess to see a wilted dandelion on my desk. I gingerly picked it up and looked around the class. I looked at sal, who just shrugged. what an amazing actor he was. I sat down, placing the bright yellow flower at the very top of my desk, and reached to get my math book. a piece of notebook paper fell out of my cubby hole. It was neatly folded and had a cute little cat with a messy heart drawn on it. I smiled and opened the note. the handwriting was messy but legible:

rozes are red, violets are blue. the sun shines bright, and so do u! :)

-secret admirer

the way the note was signed caught me off guard. I felt my stomach bubble with excitement. I couldn't wait to tell sal how I had a secret admirer, me! little did I know.

the short poems and silly little flowers kept coming all week without fail. with every gift, I became more anxious and excited to know who was responsible for this. cliche, I know.

I hid every note in my sock drawer, eventually collecting a small pile of 5 notes.

the next Monday, valentines Day, I walked into class to see the usual wilted flower in the middle of my desk. except, there was a tiny Hershey chocolate bar next to it. I dare say, that was my favorite valentines Day.

-

my heart yearned for sal, just like it had for so many years. except, it ached and screamed, making me want to sob. I wanted to run to sal and for him to kiss and hold me, just like he had. but I couldn't. everything changed. I was glued in my bed, once again. this never-ending cycle was exhausting, and I only knew one thing that'd help. I took the plastic baggie out of my shoe. everything was already crushed. I cried as I finished off the bag, feeling even worse for relapsing. I knew I'd forget eventually. I begged whatever God was out there to make it stop. yet, flashbacks and guilt kept hitting me, like they were in the same bed as I. I could feel Shawn's hands on my body. everything burned until it didn't. I stared up at the ceiling, my brain becoming TV static, and my body went numb. it was a choice between feeling everything or nothing, and I'd choose nothing over and over again.

when my parents had gone to work, I dragged myself out of the pool of sweat and tears that was my bed and grabbed a soda from the fridge. the cold fizz brought me a short-lived sense of relief, that maybe everything isn't so bad. but that was quickly interrupted by an eager knocking at the door. I rubbed my eyes, hoping I didn't look like I had just relapsed, fully knowing who was behind the door. I couldn't fave sal like this. i couldn't let him see me, not sober.

I held my breath, staring into his electric blue eyes, silently begging him to say something. "Y/n, I'm so sorry."

a feeling of actual relief washed over me. "sal, you have no reason to apologize for something like that." I mumbled.

"Y/n." his tone changed. "Can I come in?"

I nodded and stupidly enough led him to the room where all of the evidence was. my heart dropped when I saw the baggie and book still on my bed.

"Look, before you get mad..." Before I could finish my sentence, he pulled my in for a hug. I began to cry, and I felt a few of his tears seep through his mask, too. "I'm so sorry, I didn't have a choice."

"I know." I could hear the pain and sympathy in his voice. "I should've came sooner."

"Sal, it's not your fault." we laid in my bed. I nuzzled my head into his chest as he gently ran his fingers through my hair. he took off his mask and put it somewhere in my room.

"I really fucking like you." he whispered, breaking the silence. I looked up at him. I quickly pulled him in and connected our lips once more. I felt him smile, excitement and logning coursing through my views.

I pulled back. "I really fucking like you too." I mimicked. I watched his eyes light up.

"I was wondering if you'd wanna be my girlfriend. I'm sorry, I know you've been through some deep shit and-"

"sal," I cut him off, placing my hand on the side of his face. "I'd fucking love to. I want you more than anything. I trust you to be different, hell, I KNOW you're different." I sighed, the weight of the world finally off my chest.

-

sals POV:

Y/ns mom kicked me out, saying it was late and to go home. I laughed quietly as I walked out, like I hadn't stayed over for days at a time before. I went home and checked on dad, who was asleep in his work chair. i let out an exhausted sigh and made my way down to Larry and Lisa's apartment. I felt like I could smell his stench all the way from the 4th floor. I wandered down the hall to the apartment and walked in quietly, knowing Lisa was asleep. I walked into Larry's room and jumped onto his bed. "Hey, Lar Bear."

he groaned. "I was just about to sleep! and don't call me that, dude." he playfully punched my arm.

"me and Y/n are dating."

Larry looked at me, shocked. "finally! God damn."

"shhh! you're being loud."

he laughed. "my bad. its funny cuz I got a girlfriend today. some blonde bimbo, she's hot as fuuuck."

I rolled my eyes. "you really shouldn't talk about women like that."

he shrugged. "whatever."

#ash campbell #larry johnson #sal fisher #sally face #fanfic #fanfiction #friends to lovers #light shower #melanie martinez #sal fisher x y/n

[gaytotaldrama]

For the requests: maybe Brott? (Brick x Scott)

full disclosure: i haven't gotten to TDROTI in my rewatch yet (mid-TDWT rn) so if anyone seems OOC i apologize it's been a while since ive seen it!! but i think brott is a super cute pairing and brick has always been one of my faves from the newer casts so i hope you enjoy :)

also on my ao3!

Part of a soldier's duty is to keep alert, and notice the little things not everyone else does. Brick may not be top of the class, but he had to have gotten picked for the new season of Total Drama for a reason. And if he really wants a shot at the money, it's probably best to start strategizing before the game even begins.

Which is why Brick starts people-watching as soon as he boards the boat to the island, so he can get a head start on sizing up the - somewhat intimidating - competition.

The most obvious threats, he checks out first. The girl in the grey tracksuit is clearly super athletic, as is the guy in the jersey he's pretty sure is named Lightning. Loud, both of them, but probably also headstrong. Easy to anger. Brick's known plenty like that over the course of his years of training. They'll be ones to watch out for, for sure.

The big guy is quiet - really quiet - and Brick's positive he's got to be secretly housing some mad brains up there. The small kid with the glasses won't get anywhere in the physical challenges, but in Brick's experience, those types of people can serve up a truly merciless smackdown of intelligence. Brick wouldn't call himself dumb, but he's never exactly been an Einstein - watch out for them, too.

Zoey is sweet - she'd introduced herself to Brick near the top of the boat ride, obviously eager to get to know her fellow competitors - and therefore not much cause for concern. Ditto Mike, who seems both nervous and excited, and ultimately, non-threatening. Dakota (and he knows her name is Dakota, because she'd loudly announced herself as she'd sashayed on board) is caught up in her own glossy glamorous self, the curly-haired guy too wrapped up in his video games to give Brick cause for much worry. The Italian girl is a little scary (not that Brick's afraid or anything, haha) and the small kid in the green sweater has done nothing but meditate this whole time. Yeah, they shouldn't be a problem.

Neither is the loud girl in the pink jacket. Brick never caught her name - he's sure she introduced herself, but she's been talking the ear off of everyone non-stop and in all that prattle, none of it seems to actually hold any merit. And Brick would know a thing or two about merit, yes sir!

Chatty Cathy's current victim appears to be the only other remaining contestant - looks like your classic Nova Scotian farm boy, chopped red hair, threadbare wifebeater, unimpressed look on his face. Brick doesn't know his name, or his deal - strength from years of outdoor chores? Some hidden smarts no one would assume of him? Brick has no idea. Come to think of it, Brick's not even sure he's heard the guy say a word. Not that it's in any way easy to get a sentence in edgewise with pink jacket girl around, of course - had she said her name was Tracey? Sarah?

"What are you staring at, buzzcut?"

Brick instantly straightens his spine, standing at attention, embarrassed to have been caught looking at the farm boy. "Nothing. I wasn't staring at anything."

"Uh, yeah, you totally were," says pink jacket. "It was so obvious! By the way, did you know that my great-great-great-great-great uncle Gordon first coined the term obvious wayyyyyy back in - "

"Put a sock in it," farm guy mutters, and strangely, she seems to listen to him. He diverts his attention back to Brick, advancing on him like some sort of terrifying jungle cat. "Trying to size up the competition?" He sniffs, thin lips curled into a sneer. "All you need to know about me is that I'm gonna kick your sorry ass off this island."

Brick stands his ground. "With all due respect, you don't know that for certain. Mr....?"

"Scott." He grabs a hold of the front of Brick's shirt, pulling him in close and oh no, he's hot, and whoa, he's got freckles like everywhere. "I'll make sure you won't forget it, private."

And with one last withering glare, he lets go of Brick and stomps away.

"Wow." In all that had just happened, Brick had forgotten Staci (!!) entirely, but she's throwing an arm around his shoulder now in what she likely thinks is a comforting manner. "That guy is gonna eat you alive! Speaking of cannibals, my cousin's sister's dog's landlord totally eats people! Chris would probably love to have him on the show, yah, he's a total maniac but I bet he'd be great for ratings, ya know? Ya know, my great-great-great-great - "

But Brick isn't listening to a word. He's staring down at his shirt, positive he can see the imprint of Scott's fingers seared into the fabric there, because why else would Brick have burned the way he did when Scott touched him?

#love scott he's like a little gay rat #td #brott #brick mcarthur #td scott #td fanfic #my writing

[echoweaver]

15 Questions from Mutuals

@oasislandingresident, @hazely-sims, @danjaley, @anamoon63, and @olomayasims tagged me in this meme. This is the first time I’ve been able to actually do it! Thanks. I feel loved. It feels good to be included.

​ Are you named after anyone? My great-grandmother, father’s father’s mother. She and my great-grandfather were immigrants from Hungary. I have have a picture of her holding me as an infant. I’m sorry I didn’t get to know her.

When was the last time you cried? I cry all the dang time. I find it more notable when I haven’t cried recently -- when putting our cats down, despite me being the one person in the family who was tracking their health in detail and really worrying about their quality of life. I’m also the one who made the call and coordinated the final vet visit. There’s stuff in there about my personality that I’m pondering.

I guess the last time I really cried it out was over gender politics, if you would believe it. My wife is trans. The horrible state of conservative oppression toward trans people right now is terrifying. OTOH, I think that enemy has led trans advocacy to be less nuanced rather than more. The complex landscape of gender, sex, and safety is often trivialized, and people get hurt. When I can’t jump on the bandwagon, I feel like a traitor to my wife. I wish there could be more thoughtfulness and compassion and nuance, but with the wave of vicious anti-trans laws and rhetoric, I appreciate why it doesn’t feel like there’s space for it.

Do you have kids? One bio-daughter, age 12. We wanted to have another and couldn’t. Then we tried to adopt from foster care, which ended up being a miserable 5-year rabbithole that led nowhere. OTOH, we have a found-daughter who entered our life through the side door as our girl’s babysitter when she was young. It’s an odd family, and we’re still figuring it out, but it’s ours.

Do you use sarcasm a lot? I think of myself as fairly snarky, but actually sarcasm not that much.

What sports do you play/have you played? I got into really physical stuff late-ish, close to 30. I got into weight-lifting and cardio rhythm games. No team stuff. Later, I took up figure skating when my kid was 4 and taking lessons. I love it. I think I could have been really good if I’d found it when I was younger, but I’m very YOLO about this stuff. If I’m going to be a figure skater in middle age, so be it. Convenient classes for adults were canceled during the pandemic, though, and I haven’t built up the momentum to return. I’m settling for a lower-hanging fruit at the moment and taking up Tai Chi.

What’s the first thing you notice about other people? I don’t know exactly what it is, but I get a sense of how easy it is to relax around someone.

Scary movies or happy endings? Those aren’t mutually exclusive. I like being scared, but not so much the jump-scare, blood-and-gore way. Definitely happy endings though. I’m only much into dark endings when my life is stress-free, and I don’t remember when that last happened.

Any special talents? I’m good at looking at a problem from all angles. I think this is objectively a good thing, but it’s also a pain in the butt because I can’t turn it off.

Where were you born? New Jersey, USA. Grew up in Indiana, just north of Indianapolis.

What are your hobbies? Dur. I knit, edit movies, mod video games, write fiction (sims and other), scuba dive, play board games, downhill ski, do amateur carpentry. I did some glassblowing in my 20s, and I’m finally getting a chance to take lessons! I do not specialize well. I also played the viola as a serious amateur. I bought a guitar and am going to try to learn to play so that I can sing and accompany myself.

Do you have any pets? One cat, down from 3 cats. Also one corn snake.

How tall are you? 5′4″ or 162 cm.

Fave subject in school? History, I think?

Dream job? I’m not sure all the stuff I’d want to do in a career can be digested down to 1 job. I’m pretty close to it at the moment, though. I write educational software on a small very family-like team at a university. Sometimes I fantasize about quitting and doing something with game modding that could somehow be profitable, but I’m sure if that were actually possible, I’d end up hating it because my hobby would then be my job.

Eye color? I have the exact eye color @zosa95 described in her reply to this meme.

It feels good to be tagged, but I still have this weirdo anxiety about tagging people. Plus this has mostly made the rounds. I’ll try @withlovefromayre, @declaration-of-dramas

#echoweaver #non-sims #memes

[hearteyesmcgarrett]

is it weird to just answer the ask meme questions without actual asks? probably, but i want to yell about fandom shit rn so you can't stop me

A - Ships that you currently like a lot. its obvious that im in a grimm fixation rn, so i have to say nick/monroe as a romantic ship (or nick/monroe/rosalee), and the whole gang as a platonic relationship. For SGA, i'm always a mcshep fan but i honestly enjoy any pairing of AR1. Anyone that has followed me for an extended period of time knows that im a mcdanno (H50) and leverage ot3 truther as well.

B - A pairing–platonic, romantic or sexual–that you initially didn’t consider, but someone changed your mind. hmm, not sure? OH some folks doing the sga kinkmeme have mentioned john/cam and im very intrigued

C - A ship you have never liked and probably never will. Rodney/Jennifer :( I love Jennifer, but the writers consistently changed her characterization and that relationship felt forced and weird (SGA)

D - A pairing you wish you liked but just can’t. John/Elizabeth. I'm sorry! maybe its just because im gay af but to me their relationship felt like bffs, not romantic (SGA)

E - Have you added anything cracky/hilarious to your fandom? If so, what? I made that stargate cinnamon roll meme, if that counts

F - What’s the longest you’ve ever been in a fandom? ~10 years

G - Have you ever had an OTP? If so, do you remember your first one? Who was in it? i'm a multishipper for sure, but one of the first ships i remember really clearly was eric/ryan from csi miami (circa age like 12)

H - What is your favorite source text for fandom stuff (e.g., TV shows, movies, books, anime, Western animation, etc.)? TV!

I - Has Tumblr caused you to stop liking any fandoms, if so, which and why? I dont know that it was entirely tumblr, but yeah, Voltron. The fandom was truly fucking awful

J - Name a fandom you didn’t think about until you saw it all over Tumblr. (You don’t have to care about it or follow it; it just has to be something that Tumblr made you aware of.) uhhhh, like every show tbh. 99% of the shows i watch came from tumblr or online friends

K - What character has your favorite development arc/the best development arc? Eliot Spencer (Leverage)

L - Say something genuinely nice about a character who isn’t one of your faves. hmm, I guess Adalind counts as a character who isnt one of my faves. She's a complex and interesting character, and its clear that a lot of her decisions come from a place of trauma. After having Diana it really shows that she does want to protect her and keep her safe (grimm)

M - Name a character that you’d like to have for a friend. Ronon (SGA), Hardison (Leverage), Teal'c (SG1), etc

N - Name three things you wish you saw more or in your main fandom 1. men showing emotions!!! (grimm does this well, thankfully) 2. on a similar note: depicting how the shit these characters get up to is traumatizing and how that impacts them long term 3. literally any canon queer rep. can we PLEASE have a show like stargate or grimm where one of the characters (especially a man) is canonically queer? is that so hard???

O - Choose a song at random. Which ship or character does it remind you of? Forfeit by Rise Against always makes me think of ascended Daniel/Jack (SG1). Oh and ever since i saw a gifset with lyrics from it, Timberwolves at New Jersey by Taking Back Sunday makes me think of John (SGA)

P - Invent a random AU for any fandom (we always need more ideas). one of these fuckin days i am going to write a baseball SGA AU

Q - A fandom you’ve abandoned and why. As previously mentioned: Voltron because the fan base was toxic and awful

R - Which friendship/platonic relationship is your favorite in fandom? all my favorite fandoms are themed around found family so this is so hard lmao. Nick & Hank (Grimm), Eliot & Harry (Leverage Redemption), Harry & Breanna (LR), Don & Charlie if brothers count (Numb3rs), etc

S - Show us an example of your personal headcanon anyone who reads my H50 fics knows that i will fuckin die on the hill that Danny has an anxiety disorder

T - Do you have any hard and fast headcanons that you will die defending?  besides anxious danny, I'd say John having ADHD (SGA), and Monroe being bi (Grimm) are two right off the top of my head

U - Three favorite characters from three different fandoms, and why they’re your favorites 1. Steve McGarrett (H50) - he's been through so much shit, but he's still so damn loyal and protective and kind. He's such a good dude who is just traumatized beyond belief. 2. Charlie Eppes (Numb3rs) - besides the fact that i am CONVINCED he has ADHD, he's just so fucking loving and passionate about his work and the people he loves. he balances out the hardness of Don and the gang with the sheer size of his heart 3. Eliot Spencer (Leverage) - basically the same reason as steve. I have a type.

V - Which character do you relate to most? this is tough. probably Daniel (SG1) - esp early seasons - because of similar worldviews and interests and personalities, and Danny (H50) because of similar personalities

W - A trope which you are virtually certain to hate in any fandom. MISCOMMUNICATION!! its so frustrating.

X - A trope which you are almost certain to love in any fandom. im a big ol softie so i love stuff like mutual pining, hurt/comfort, etc.

Y - What are your secondhand fandoms Good Omens is a big one rn lmao. I've read the book but haven't watched the show. Also, Daredevil probably. I watched at least the first season years ago, but haven't seen anything beyond that. I still enjoy seeing people's posts about it and i read fic sometimes

Z - Just ramble about something fan-related, go go go! im so cranky rn about the lack of depiction of trauma/mental illness/neurodivergence/etc in fandoms where its to be expected. like with Grimm rn, you give Nick PTSD and sensory enhancements but then suddenly forget about them?? that's not how that works! Or why is it always just hinted at that characters are ND? why is it so hard to just be like 'yeah no x has ADHD (or whatever)'? i want to be able to actually have complex/tough/interesting/etc protags that are ALSO neurodiverse. if we're all reading John as having ADHD (SGA) or Parker being autistic (leverage) anyways, why can't these things just be intentionally part of the character

#sorry i just have opinions and wanted to yell into the void about them #ask game

[hangmanbradshaw]

I’ve been a giants fan since childhood and am watching them now for the first time in years and instead of childhood memories I’m just getting Jake/Bradley vibes and it’s great. Also watching jones at QB and you truly picked the best one to replace in the AU world😭 you might have answered this already but how did you end up picking the Giants for Jake? It is the perfect franchise for your story and I’m curious

omg I'm sorry that game was such a rough one to tune into, BUT I love that so much? The Giants are forever associated to Jake/Bradley in my mind, and it really adds a little something something to watching them, don't ya think? Makes me feel like I'm in my fic haha

The whole game I was like someone put Glen in a damn jersey and throw his ass on the field. Jake needs to save them from Jones.

I LOVE this question. Okay...sooooo I thought about doing my fave team but I know myself and there's no way I could have been normal about that hahaha also I know it's fiction, but I wasn't going to replace Mahomes. Couldn't do it. So I was thinking, and I knew I wanted to do a big market team in a big city for story sake, there were certain teams I refused to do (LA...) because of my own personal feelings towards them, and I wanted somewhere progressive enough that he'd be supported, and New York fit perfectly in my mind. The celebrity of NYC, the Giants are such a historic franchise, Bradley could have his little new york chef moment, Mav would be there as a big sports agent, Ice for the NFL headquarters which are there, etc etc. I love their vibe, colors, and I'm familiar with NYC so it seemed perfect in my mind? I really do think it was the perfect choice and I'm glad you agree! Just felt right once I started brainstorming.

#asks #iwtby

[almost-a-class-act]

Got tagged by @multifandomlover01 who is kind enough to occasionally tag me in nice things, so I am getting my act together and participating. It's Friday afternoon - did you think I was working?

Nickname: Sammie, Spam, Smish, So-So. Re: that last one, my ball jersey says 'Sammy So-So' on it, as a pun on being a very mediocre version of famous slugger (and steroid-user!) Sammy Sosa. I knew you guys would appreciate that since Tumblr is such a sports-oriented website.

Star Sign: Sagittarius. My birthday is in one week! What are you guys getting me?

Height: 5'11". I will put you in a backpack and carry you around, if you're into that.

Amount of sleep: Seven or eight hours. I'm old now so I wake up by 8AM on the weekends whether I want to or not.

Dream job: Writer, I guess, although I'm working on my accounting designation.

Currently wearing: Leggings and a long-sleeved undershirt. Not that I was fashionable before but the work-from-home life really buried the girl inside of me who thought about matching her shoes and earrings sometimes.

Follower count: 227 - if you're still around from the One Direction days, I am so sorry.

Current favorite song: If Spotify Wrapped is any indication, probably something by Jason Derulo. My musical and cinematic bar can best be described as 'on the floor'.

My aesthetic: Lumberjack gym rat? Leggings, buckets of flannel, and a seasonally appropriate hat (toque or ball cap). Am I coming from or going to the gym? No one knows.

Random fun fact: I have one kidney because I donated the other one. Did I do it specifically so that it could be my fun icebreaker fact for the rest of my days? Don't rule it out!

Favorite author(s): My all time favourite books are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll. I loved them as a child and I think they hold up. I read a lot of nonfiction so I don't know if I have a favourite author whose work I go out of my way to read.

Currently watching: On episode 9 of the Pacific rewatch that never ends with @fayestardust and I'm making my way through Firefly Lane.

Currently reading: Shadowlands by Matthew Green. If you're thinking, 'but Sam you were reading this like three months ago', you're correct. I've been doing buckets of writing and I am apparently incapable of having more than one hobby at a time. See also: re-learning the guitar, doing more than the bare minimum in my Italian lessons on Duo.

Fave color: Green

Fave food: Pierogies, but truly I will eat almost anything. Food is so great.

No pressure tags: If you see this and we follow each other, do it. New mutuals? @aerokriegs @bobparkhurst @hurricanerex666 any of the writeblr people I followed during NaNoWriMo? Tell me your facts!

#personal #sam indulges in her favourite hobby listening to the sound of her own voice

[groovytimes]

Oh it's so nice to find someone who loves the Sopranos, not many people on this site know it unfortunately..can you talk about the things you loved? Favourite season, episode, character/actor? What you thought of the ending and where the characters ended up?

Aw sweet! Glad to hear from someone who also loved the show. I rarely get anons to discuss film or tv series, so you've just made my day!

Full disclosure, I haven't finished it yet. I'm still six episodes away, but I already know mostly how it's going to end; I watched the last few minutes of the finale when it aired back in 2007. And yes, people did talk about it in my high school the next day and I was glad I tuned in for that. I didn't watch the show then because I was too young and not interested, but I lived in New Jersey around that time and the show and its huge success was something the state and the city I lived in was proud of (and you would hear sometimes about them shooting a scene somewhere near). I liked the ending then and now; Tony’s luck was going to run out one day, and we didn't need to see it. No one can cause that much carnage and destruction and get away with it, even he knew it from the day of his first panic attack. The people who didn't like it obviously weren't paying attention to the brilliant writing and James Gandolfini's masterful acting skills (rest in peace, king).

I love how Tony is obviously a morally flawed human being and is affected by his actions. He's not someone we should cheer for, but we silently hope for him because we want him to be the good man he has shown he can be (look how loyal he is to his family, even to his mother and uncle, for better and worse). Take his depression, anxiety and the intergenerational trauma; his mind and body can barely take it anymore, and although his sessions with Dr. Melfi do work, he is doomed to the life he was born into. It's a tragedy, in some ways. He is the definite definition of the word anti-hero. Even Carmela, whom I love, knows exactly what her husband is up to and how the glamorous lifestyle she loves is achieved and she wilfully turns a blind eye until it literally comes into her home, the only place in the world she has any real say and control (the breakup in season 4 and 5 have some of my favorite episodes). And his fellow goons who are part of that notorious subculture are pretty clear that they love the goodies the life of all that crime gets for them, conscience be damned.

My favorite characters are Tony, Carmela, Dr. Melfi, Johnny Sack, Corrado Soprano, and sometimes Paulie when he's not being a full blown sociopath. These characters are fully written and fleshed out, your favorite skips from the episodes you watch (like one week, Adriana is my fave, the next Bobby, etc.). The success of this show is because of how these characters were written with their motivations and intent made subtly clear, and we get to see how it ruins their lives. No one gets a happily ever after here.

Favorite seasons are the first (talk about starting with a bang!) and the third, and so far the 5th. Maybe the sixth when I finish it, but I also liked the episodes when Tony and Carmela were separated, because I seriously wanted that for her.

Sorry for the long and rambling response, but this was such a treat for me and I hope some parts make sense. Thank you!

#anonymous #The Sopranos

[friesian]

1, 13, 30 (https://kralkatorrik.tumblr.com/post/691801307850440704/soft-asks-to-get-to-know-people cos it was a while ago)

HI HELLO!!! i hope u don't mind since i answered 1 and 30 a lil bit ago, i give some more options for those!! plus for 1 i just love talking about my music tastes hee hee. 1. what song makes you feel better?

MORE SONGS THAT MAKE ME FEEL GOOD!! WOO HOO!! i'll give down 3 more! if you notice repeating artists.... i sorry... but a lot of them are just very much some of my faves and i like A LOT of their tracks. fish whisperer -- vylet pony (i will always feel so artistically motivated after this one.) goblins -- nekrogoblikon (named my new kitten after this one. his name is nekrogoblikon. idk. something about this song is just GREAT.) euthanasia rollercoaster -- foreign gnomes + KM_EXP (THIS ONE IS BECAUSE i associate it with the big soo-won fight and marwyd with aurenes hammer and im just like. YES YES YES YES YES YES YES!!!) 13. what’s your comfort food? OHHHHH so. i have a REALLY bad stomach. celiac, intolerances, and just a sensitive bitch of a muscle. so my comfort food is very limited. but my go to is honestly french fries. ESPECIALLY fresh. i really like getting them from sheetz. i get 2 cups of fries and hard boiled eggs and it is GREAT. it's very simple and filling believe it or not. 30. what reminds you of home (doesn’t have to mean house… just things that remind you of the feeling of home)?

so. i suppose to get sappy again, maybe a little sad. so sorry for how long winded this one is. i never knew any of my grandparents except for my grandmother on my dad's side. i loved her very much. she had a bad marriage. my dad only talked to her through arguments honestly. but she never ever took it out on me. when i was in middle school, she got REALLY sick. there was malpractice and she had to move near my parents, and essentially ended up moving right next to the school. i used to walk over after school and care for her since she had breathing problems, stomach problems, you name it. however, she made sure i still felt at home and wouldn't go hungry. she'd still spoil her grandkid despite being on disability and not really ever having a job. so, before i was sick as i am now, she used to buy me those REALLY cheap box pizzas you see in stores for like a dollar. she would get A LOT of them since the school lunches were SO bad i just would not eat, and i was always too tired in the morning to make my own lunch (i lived out in bumfuck nowhere, so i woke up at 5 so i could get to school at 7). she'd have a stack of them in the old fridge from the early 90s, alongside her michelina's alfredo noodles she loved, and the ice packs she had in there for her back pain. i'd slap one of those bad boys in the microwave for a few minutes, turn on courage the cowardly dog on that small sad excuse for a flatscreen tv, check in on her, sit and eat my pizza. just me with this little tv table, her in bed, me watching tv. it felt great. she'd still ask me "those pizzas okay?" in that thick jersey accent she had. like somehow i'd change my mind half way through devouring one of those things, covered in sauce and cheese lol. i can't have those pizzas now. but sometimes my wife buys and makes them. it makes me think of her small apartment. a place i'd happily call a second home. makes me tear up a bit writing it since my grandmother passed about nine years ago now. i think around the start of next year will be ten years without her. but those damn pizzas still make me think of her, and that cozy feeling of her watching cartoons with me.

#more sap from elf? at this hour? its more likely than you think #i don't often talk about my childhood so thank you for giving me the opportunity to talk about someone who meant a lot to me #my grandma deserves to be remembered.

[goatsandgangsters]

Hi! I know you have probably answered this before, but I was wondering how you think meyer and lucky got together (in boardwalk empire)? I think about it a lot, and I just can never fully grasp what I feel about it, especially because this was in the 1920s

yeeeeeeeEEEEeeeeSSSS oh I’m so glad you asked, I’m gonna have so much fun! So YES I do have specific headcanons for how they got together, though I don’t know if I’ve ever actually laid them out explicitly? (also I’m saying “my” headcanons but I wanna acknowledge that they originate from Friend Conversations that happened a number of years ago, to the point where I don’t even know who originally said what but the idea of it is just lodged in my brain now. BUT ON THE FLIP SIDE, I don’t want to present this as This Is The Fanon We Agreed On, Everyone Has To Think This, because fandom should never operate that way. ANYWAY)

TL;DR: I think Meyer’s near-death experience in Emerald City was an instigating event for them to get together, because it shakes them enough to act on their feelings. Plus, it coincides nicely with Vince and Anatol becoming more comfortable around one another as actors in a way that lends itself to that reading. BUT I AM NOT THE EXPERT OR THE ARBITER ON THIS MATTER, and I think any interpretation is perfectly wonderful!

So the headcanon I operate with is that they got together after the near-death experience in Emerald City. That originates from a Watsonian vs. Doylist perspective on Vince and Anatol’s acting. They’re not quiiiiite in sync with each other in the first few eps they share, which I’m sure in actuality is them finding their groove and their dynamic as actors. But from a Watsonian perspective, it’s really easy to read their earlier scenes as pining. Like in their first scene together in Home, they’re both constantly looking at each other, but never quite meeting each other’s eye. It’s like that thing where you have a crush on someone, so you keep looking at them, but oh god they saw me and you look quickly away. And they both keep doing it!

Some of their other early scenes—like with the D’Alessios while Charlie’s playing pool, or that weirdly staged scene earlier in Emerald City where Meyer’s sitting way farther away at the table—they may exchange looks, but there’s a fleetingness to it. But then you watch the scene at the end of season 1 where they’re talking to AR with the umbrellas AND THE PSYCHIC BOND HAS ARRIVED. They are having those telltale Full On Conversations with their glances! They are synced up. They’re a team, they’re a unit, they’ve hit that dynamic that they have for the rest of the show.

And in actuality, probably it was Vince and Anatol finding their footing with each other as actors. But if you read into that textually, they go from “staring at the other but constantly dodging eye contact, like they’re afraid to be caught looking” to “we’re having an entire conversation in one look” and you’ve gotta think: what changed?

Meyer’s near-death experience in Emerald City, conveniently enough, happens in the middle. And I think that works well as an instigating moment for them, because it’s BIG. Meyer almost died, in another state—in goddamn New Jersey!—and that’s enough to make anyone act on things they wouldn’t otherwise act on or reevaluate life and relationships.

In terms of their feelings for one another and when those developed and how, my usual interpretation is that… I mean Charlie was heart-eyes from the jump, but not in a romantic way, whereas Meyer was the first to develop full-on pining feelings feelings. Because obviously Charlie was not like “I have feelings feelings for this tiny child” when they first met, but he DID very much imprint on Meyer like a little baby duckling and was like HEY I LIKE THIS KID, WE’RE GONNA BE FRIENDS, CAN I FOLLOW YOU HOME whereas Meyer was like “um, what the fuck.” Classic “enthusiastic puppy befriends sulky cat” dynamic. But then when the FEELINGS FEELINGS come into it, I think of Meyer as having been harboring feelings for Charlie for a while. (also basically all of this is from @meyerlansky, because we successfully tag-teamed on headcanons by one of us wanting to hyperanalyze Meyer and the other wanting to hyperanalyze Charlie and then we just shared!) I mean, you know, Charlie’s good-looking and they’re friends and Charlie’s so casual about flinging his arm around Meyer’s shoulders or roughhousing with him and Meyer’s insides do a little flip that they shouldn’t be doing, but they’re getting older and Charlie’s starting to sleep around with girls and that stings and bothers him in a way that It Shouldn’t, but also It Is What It Is, there’s nothing he can do about it, they’re friends and they’re business partners and that should be enough and it’s all it’ll ever be so focus on the task at hand and ignore the flip in his stomach.

For Charlie, I’m not actually sure WHEN he realizes there are feelings for Meyer. I don’t have a solid, definitive default interpretation for that. But in early season 1, pre Meyer-getting-introduced, he’s definitely enamored and smitten with Gillian, and he’s similarly moonstruck towards AR. I think that can read as, “trying really hard to distract yourself so you don’t acknowledge that maybe you’re in love with your best friend.” Whether he’s doing that consciously or unconsciously, I could also go either way on that.

A lot of this interpretation is based around the simple fact that Charlie was introduced and established in the show before Meyer, so I wonder how my headcanons would have been different if they’d been introduced together from the start. But with how the show unfolds, the change as Anatol and Vince find their groove as actors, plus a near-death experience to make someone act on something they wouldn’t otherwise act on—it all lends itself nice and neatly to Emerald City being the get-together point.

(I know a number of people have worked that headcanon into their own fics and written post-Emerald City get-together, which I can rec you. Though again, by no means do I want this to come across as “this is what the fandom has decided, you have to think it too” because that’s never how fandom should operate. No one is the arbiter of When Did Charlie and Meyer First Kiss. I love get-togethers in general, so I will always be happy reading any get-together fic that happens at any point in time, with any instigating factor, in any way, because that’s just delightful!)

Here are some get-together and/or pining fics that I can recommend:

born once of flesh, then again of fire, i am reborn a third time (a post-Emerald City get-together)

Contact (another post-Emerald City get-together by @rubecso)

Making Accommodations (by @transdracosmalfoy, the post-Emerald City genre lives on!)

to see God in the skyline (by @lurusciutelumare a sprawling masterpiece of chapters intertwining Charlie and Meyer’s childhood and growing up. It takes a while to reach the get-together point, but the whole thing is well worth the read. The entire fic is set pre-Boardwalk Empire)

beg dead trees for money next (by @meyerlansky, a pre-Boardwalk fic of Meyer realizing he has feelings for Charlie which is one of my faves for a lot of reasons)

(also I’m sorry if I missed anyone’s get-together fic. I tried to wrack my brain but I’ve been in this fandom for, uh, a while and it’s hard to remember back sometimes. Feel free to add yours in if I did!)

Also re: getting together in the time period and how it being the 1920s shapes things, there would definitely be added concerns and dangers, though I don’t think it’s necessarily a black-and-white thing. I don’t think the wider attitudes of society towards queerness would have impacted them as much in comparison to the specific culture of lower Manhattan and the criminal spheres they operated in.

Because on the one hand, in the criminal world in which they were operating, it likely would have been dangerous for anyone to know that they’re queer. It probably would have hurt their business and their reputation among their peers and rivals, and—because of how masculinity and queerness interconnect and operate—would look like weakness to others. But in terms of “well can Charlie make a move, because it’s dangerous if Meyer doesn’t reciprocate or reacts badly” (or vice versa), it would reflect equally bad on both of them? Like, if Charlie made a move and Meyer was like “nah,” he can’t very well go gossiping to the whole Lower East Side about it, because it hurts his reputation too, it hurts his business, and they were also close enough as friends that even if there wasn’t reciprocation, neither one of them would do anything to damage the other’s reputation like that.

As far as how they feel about it on an internalized level, I definitely don’t think they… care from a legal and/or moral standpoint. I don’t think Charlie’s like “oh god I’m going to hell for liking men,” because by the time he and Meyer kiss, he has DEFINITELY KILLED PEOPLE. They already break a lot of laws all the time. So that wider societal stigma from a moralizing perspective probably doesn’t matter to them much, because wider society already thinks they’re an “undesirable criminal element,” they’re already “dangerous immigrants,” so what’s it matter if they also bang on top of doing crimes and killing people? Charlie and Meyer are already outside the Predominant Ethical Framework of Society by virtue of their class background and criminal enterprises (and class and queerness have huge intersections historically in terms of what the experience was like). Being in an urban area in the 1920s (especially New York), queer sexuality is something they would have known about; it probably wouldn’t have been any more shocking than any other “vice” they grew up around in that area.

If they do have any concerns or guilt about what they’re feeling for one another, for Charlie I think it all has to do with masculinity and with the machismo he’s grown up around. It’s also something he’s already touchy about, given the emasculation that happened being called Sal (which, at the time, was common nickname for Sally) and historically he has a history of experiencing sexual violence. So I can see him struggling with conflating that together—as well as worrying that his feelings for Meyer are unwanted and similar to what he experienced. Meyer, I would say, cares less about the performance of masculinity, but I do think he sees himself as an eventual family man in a way that Charlie does not. @meyerlansky also has more thoughts on Meyer + sexuality + being a-spec.

I’M SORRY FOR MY LONG TANGENTS!! I literally do not have the ability to be succinct.

IN SUMMARY, I think Meyer’s near-death experience in Emerald City was an instigating event for them to get together, because it shakes them enough to act on their feelings. Plus, it coincides nicely with Vince and Anatol becoming more comfortable around one another as actors in a way that lends itself to that reading. BUT I AM NOT THE EXPERT OR THE ARBITER ON THIS MATTER, and I think any interpretation is perfectly wonderful!

As for the time period and being the 1920s, it definitely has ramifications on how they conceive of themselves—particularly in relation to their ethnic and class identities—but that also the history of sexuality is very non-linear and I think queerness is less shocking and scandalous to them than it would have been to someone more upper-class who didn’t grow up in the Lower East Side, or to someone more rural, or to someone who was more “inside” the social framework of the time, as opposed to being forced outside of it already by class, ethnicity, and criminality.

Finally, and most importantly, they should KISS!!!!

#boardwalk empire #charlie luciano #meyer lansky #boardwalk meta #otp: soulmates in crime #emerald city #THANK YOU FOR ASKING #I had fun writing this all out! #they are fun to talk about #anon tag

[sadaboutniall]

happy halloween! 👻 here’s a quickie little yn x niall fic to celebrate my fave holiday! this song is the vibe, if you want some listening to go along with.

the moon laughs and whispers, ‘tis near Halloween

Unsurprisingly, Halloween is perfectly at home in Edinburgh. The night is dark and damp, a pervasive chill hanging in the air as you and your friends rush  drunkenly along the cobblestone street, rain hitting the backs of your necks, and  warm, golden lamplight from flats above trickling out onto the dark stone. The city is as alive as it always is—alive in a way that feels like a million different lives, like it somehow knows both the past and the future, like it’s holding you close but also hurtling you forward. It feels like tonight is a special night—and, although you have no real reason to think this Halloween will be different from any other Halloween, you let that feeling in, let it settle into your bones and carry you forward toward the party. 

It had been Fiona’s idea, going to the football squad’s Halloween party. Your other friends had championed a pub crawl or a scary movie night at the flat, but Fiona’d heard about the football party and, knowing the keeper she’s been crushing on would surely be there, insisted. And now you’re here, drunk in a witch costume on a dark October eve, your pointed hat barely keeping the rain off your face, orange and brown leaves crunching under the heel of your boots  as you pick up the pace and run toward the party, giggling into the night.

The football house is packed even fuller than you’d imagined it would be, the air thick with the smell of beer and weed and Fiona, dressed as Posh Spice, spots the keeper just milliseconds after your group ducks into the party, disappearing in a flurry of rhinestones. It leaves just three of you—Fleur, Amina, and yourself—standing in the middle of a heaving party, first years entirely out of their element. 

“Drinks?” Fleur, dressed as a zombie bride, asks. 

“Drinks.” Echoes Amina, the antennas on her alien costume bobbing as she nods her head. 

The three of you clasp hands so as not to lose each other and Fleur leads the way, zig zagging through the crowd of goblins and ghouls and strangely sexual Boris Johnson costumes until she finds the kitchen, a dark, damp little room with one, singular coffin shaped window above the sink and no furniture save for a wooden table in the middle of the room, without a single chair. Atop the table sits a literal cauldron, cast iron and all, with a pink liquid gently swaying inside. 

“Ick,” says Amina, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth. “Boys.”

“It doesn’t look like anyone’s been in here for a hundred years,” you say, voice low. Something about the room makes you feel like you’ve travelled a million miles away from the party, just on the other side of the door. You can’t hear a thing in here—just the pitter patter of the rain against the window, and the creaking of the floorboards as Fleur steps forward.

“That’s probably true,” she laughs, peering into the cauldron. “I bet none of these lads can cook. They must order Nando’s every night.”

“Probably,” Amina agrees, stepping forward to peer over Fleur’s shoulder. “At least they went through the effort of making a mixed drink, though. I’m far too bloated for a beer.”

“Aye,” Fleur’s Scottish accent thickens when she’s drunk, but it sounds even thicker all of a sudden. “Commitment to the theme as well.”

“It smells lovely,” says Amina, shutting her eyes as she smiles. “Like roses.”

“Really?” Fleur says, as you step deeper into the kitchen and join them around the cauldron. “I reckon it smells like chocolate.”

You lean forward, too, despite yourself. The scent of the drink is intoxicating—neither roses nor chocolate but, you think, the distinct smell of a chilly day by the sea: salt air and a rising tide and it’s more like a memory than a scent, a moment in time, the most peculiar sense of deja vu. Whatever it is, it’s not the kind of smell that should be coming from a mixed drink at a house party. Whatever it is, you don’t want to step away from it.

The three of you—the witch, the bride, and the alien—stand over the cauldron for a long moment, breathing it in. There is no sound beyond the rain outside, no semblance of the party raging beyond the kitchen door. It’s just the three of you, this cold, quiet room, and the strangely comforting feeling that you are, after all, not alone. 

“Are there any cups?” Amina speaks first, glancing up at you, across the table from her. Her brown eyes are glassy, her gaze faraway. 

“Cups,” you echo, a little floaty, your mind still by the seaside. “Right. Let me find some.”

The room’s only cabinets flank the sink and the single window, one on each side. You find the first cabinet empty except for a shimmery spider web and an old looking candle, but the second holds exactly what you’re looking for: three cocktail glasses, set on the shelf in a pretty row, glinting despite the dingy light. Perfect.

“Bingo!” You say, turning back toward your friends. “And only three left anyw—guys?”

The room is empty. 

The cauldron still sits atop the table, its intoxicating smell strong as ever, but your friends are not where you left them, twenty seconds ago, when you turned toward the cabinets. Your friends are not anywhere in sight. 

“Guys?” You call out again, taking one step forward. “You’re so not funny. I found cups.”

Silence.

“Fleur? Amina?” You step forward again, toward the center of the room, toward the drink. “You want a drink, or no?” 

Still, silence—somehow more silent than before. Even the rain sounds like it’s whispering. 

“This is fucking freaky,” you say, one last shot, trying to keep the tremble out of your voice. “You guys win, I’m fully freaked out, Happy Halloween.”

Silence. Stillness. A sudden, oppressive need to get out of this room. 

Quick as a cat, you do. 

-- 

When you step back through the door and out into the party, alone, it’s like you were never gone. In fact, it’s a bit like time has stopped—the party is just as packed as it was when you arrived, and you’re pretty sure the same song is still blasting through the speakers. Confused but ignoring it, you start to push your way through the crowd, in search of your friends.

A few steps deeper into the crowd and you spot a sliding back door. It makes perfect sense to you, the idea of Fleur and Amina slipping out into the backyard for some air, so you head straight for it, stepping out into the chilly, dark night. 

The rain has mostly stopped, though the leafy  ground is still damp beneath your feet and the air feels wet, like it could begin again at any moment. Although it’s dark, you can see well enough—the yard is illuminated by a group of jack o’lanterns lined up along the back brick wall, and fairy lights strung between trees, casting a warm, flickering aura—and it’s immediately clear that Amina and Fleur are not out here. In fact, no one is. 

You turn around to head back inside, pulling your phone out of your pocket as you do. And that’s when you walk right into him. 

“Lads, are you—oof. Deo, you eejit—shit, you’re not, I’m so sorry, are you okay?” 

“I—” you step back to collect yourself for a moment, eyes trailing up the hard chest you just stumbled straight into. It’s just a guy—blonde hair, bright blue eyes, thick Irish accent—but there’s something about him that keeps you rooted to your spot. Something about him that feels safer than going back inside. 

“I didn’t hurt you, did I?” He rushes, when you don’t answer. I should’ve been looking, I’m so sorry.” 

“No, no,” you manage. “I’m fine. It was my fault anyway, was looking at my phone. Are you okay? You sounded, like, worried?” You don’t know this man, you have no idea what his worried sounds like. But you can’t stop yourself from saying it. 

“Can’t find my mates anywhere,” the stranger says, eyes sweeping the backyard over your head. “It’s like they fucking vanished.”

“I lost my friends too,” you echo, turning to look with him, though you know you’ll only find an empty yard. “I thought they might be out here, but nothing.”

“Two lost souls,” says the stranger, a smile in his voice. When you turn back around he’s pulling at his phone, saying, “I’m just going to text them and tell them I’m out here. They can come find me.”

“I was about to do the same,” you tell him, glancing down at your phone in your hands to shoot off the text. “There are way too many people in there.” 

“Wanna wait it out together?” He looks up from his phone, a smile on his face. It brings out one tiny dimple, and sets your heart moving a little faster. “I’m Niall.” 

“I’m a witch,” you smile back at him and he laughs, blue eyes trailing down your body once. It sends a jolt of something through you, makes you hope the flush creeping up your face isn’t visible in the flickering light. 

“Have you got any powers?” Asks Niall, his eyes moving back up to meet yours. The blue is stunningly bright, even in the darkness. 

“That’s for me to know,” you say, more smoothly than you ever imagined. “And you to find out. What’s your costume?”

“You can’t tell?” He glances down at himself, dressed in double denim with an American flag bandana tied around his neck. “Bruce Springsteen.”

“Right,” you nod, though it wasn’t obvious to you at all. “Course. You need to work on that accent, though.” 

“Do I?” He raises an eyebrow, and adopts a surprisingly good—if over exaggerated—New Jersey accent. “I’m pretty proud of it, honestly. Been convincing people that it’s real all night.”

It’s not all that difficult for you to believe, actually, a bunch of drunk Brits buying into a fake, over the top, American accent without a single question. Instead, you ask him, “is there a tragic backstory, then? To go along with the tragic attempt at an accent?”

Niall laughs, bold and loud into the dark night, and suddenly you realize how entirely unafraid you feel with him—how you’d been on edge since the moment you stepped into the party but now that’s gone, evaporated, replaced, with a warm feeling in your belly and Niall’s infectious laughter. You bring your drink up to your lips and take a sip before you realize yet another thing: you have no memory of filling up your cup before leaving the kitchen. 

Across from you, Niall’s clutching what looks like a pint of Guinness, which is a drink that makes very little sense at a house party. The more you think about it, the less of the night makes sense. You shake your head to push it away, not quite ready to give this up just yet. 

Under the golden, flickering light from the jack o'lanterns,  you study Niall: the way his freckles sprinkle across his thick neck, how his roots are so much darker than the blonde at his tips, the tuft of chest hair peeking out from where his denim shirt is unbuttoned—everything about him leaves you breathless, desperate, longing, attracted to him in a way you’ve never experienced before. You feel, distinctly, that you are both supposed to be here, tonight, alone, together. 

You feel, distinctly, that something went out if its way to make sure this would happen. 

And maybe it’s the drink—the mysterious thing that smells like sea salt to you and roses to Amina—but here, with the wind rising around you and the night settling in, you have the distinct feeling that Niall is on the exact same page. 

“I have the strangest feeling,” Niall says, voice dropping to something like a whisper. Behind him, leaves rustle as the wind blows a strong, measured gust though the garden. “We haven’t met before, have we?”

“I don’t think so,” you can’t look anywhere other than Niall’s eyes. “But I know what you mean.”

Niall nods, taking one step forward to lessen the gap between you. He’s so close you can smell him: warm and musky and soft and something else, too—something that reminds you of salt air and days by the sea. “I just feel like,” he says, and you nod. 

“Me too.”

Far, far away someone calls your name, but you can’t stop looking at Niall, stepping closer and closer to him with every distant shout of your name. The shouting grows louder and louder until it’s impossible to ignore, although Niall doesn’t seem to acknowledge it at all. You open your mouth to ask him if he can hear it too, but before you get the chance something shakes your shoulder, calls your name one more time, and you open your eyes. 

“Jesus,” says Amina, a mixture of relief and concern clouding her features. “You are impossible to wake up.”

“I’m—what?” You sit up in bed, head foggy, limbs heavy. “Fuck, what time is it?”

“Noon,” Amina pulls out her phone to check. “We’re gonna be late for our brunch reservations, that’s why I came to wake you up.”

“Oh,” you rub your eyes, shaking your head to try to bring yourself back down to Earth. “I was having such a vivid dream, sorry.”

“It’s cool, just hurry up.” Amina makes her way to your bedroom door, but pauses before she steps back out into the hallway. “Oh, by the way, Fiona said there’s a Halloween party at the football house tonight and she’s fucking desperate to go since she fancies the keeper. Could be fun, no?” 

-- 

On Halloween night, dressed as a witch, you stand in the backyard of the football house with your friends. The yard is illuminated by jack o’lanterns and fairy lights and Fiona is off snogging the keeper upstairs and you feel warm and safe and happy, despite the autumnal chill in the air. As Fleur tells your small group a story about the weird couple sitting across from you at brunch today, you drop your head back to stare up at the night sky, sprinkled with stars, and the full moon peeking out over the clouds. It feels like you are supposed to be here tonight. You exhale, watching your breath fog with the cold and curl in the air above you. 

“I’m going to refill my drink,” you say, smiling at the small group you’ve been standing with. You can feel something budding between Fleur and the pretty girl she’s been chatting to, dressed as Britney Spears, and you want to give them a moment alone. Fleur flashes you a grateful smile as you walk away.

Back inside, you locate the entirely normal kitchen, bright and airy and crowded, with a coffin-shaped window above the sink, and pull open the fridge to grab a beer from the stock inside. When you shut the door, there’s someone standing on the other side. 

He’s dressed as Bruce Springsteen, double denim and an American flag bandana around his neck. He’s blonde hair with dark roots, and bright blue eyes. He’s staring right at you, with an unmistakable look of recognition on his face. 

“Hi,” he says, stepping forward to lessen the gap between you and him. He smells warm and musky and safe—with a whiff of something like salt air.  “Sorry if this is a bit weird, but I’m Niall. Have we—have we met before?”

####

sources for images: 1, 2, 3

#one direction #1dff #one direction fan fiction #niall horan #niall horan fic #niall horan fan fiction #niall horan imagine #niall #niall horan x reader #halloween #thank u to rand for all her help with this as always!! #this is v different for me I hope it's ok!

[shinymooncolor]

hey! you don’t have to answer this, but i know close to nothing about hockey and my family and i have never really watched it and i’m starting to get very interested, but i have no idea where to start 😅 what do you think i should focus on first, as a newbie? what should i absolutely know as a fan? what teams are pretty good in your opinion? again, thanks for your help if ever you see this p.s: i really love your posts and they bring a smile to me face, so thank you for your hard work! <3

Hi!

Ohhh well. First of all. Welcome to the nerve wracking, nail biting, jaw clenching, gut wrenching, heartbreaking and utterly incredible world of (ice) hockey. Angry muscle machines on skates chasing a tiny rubber puck in the nhl and their goddess equivalents in wnhl - what’s not to love?

You’ve decided on a hell of a year to join. Due to Covid, the normal system was paused and a recent bubble playoffs series played and later won by Tampa Bay Lightning a few weeks ago. The new season would’ve begun last week but is currently expected to start around December.

I’d say the best starting point would be to watch some games - YouTube has a lot of highlights, game compilations etc. and browse hockey tumblr. Hockey tumblr is a great combination of hockey gossip, game reviews, fans sharing their love, passion and (hateful) opinions about players, clubs and the sport in general.

My personal team faves are a handful - you see, the league is “split” into two conferences - east and west and within here a few other divisions dictating who the teams will play on a more recent basis. The clubs in the nhl being split over North America and Canada means a lot of ground to cover and therefore it’s split like this - time zones, distance and whatever. So maybe decide on a conference first? East or west.

I’m an eastern conference gal meself, but the west sure has its merits too.

So. Teams. You’re about to start a rumble here 😂

I am a personal fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins 🐧 they play good hockey, in spite of their idiot general manager (I’ve got posts detailing why he’s an ass hat extraordinarie). They’re captained by Canada’s hockey savior, Sidney Crosby: hockey robot, yellow crocs enthusiast , triple gold member (youngest captain to get all three?) and the goodest boy in the league. He’s been heralded as the next great one yada yada since he was about 5? And shot pucks into a dryer back in Canada - with that came a lot of shit for the poor guy who, in his own words, just wants to play hockey. And he’s good. He’s got his team of French Canadian d-men (letang, dumo), a whole lot of goalie drama which seems to be a pattern and his Russian (husband) assistant captain Evgeni Malkin who’s got the cutest kid, a really cool wifey (seriously her insta is 10000 better than geno’s own) and a wicked sense of humor which he conviently hides behind his “English big bad today” excuse to avoid media on a daily basis (he’s played this card since his wild escape and temporary defection from Russia back in 2006) seriously google it. It’s wild. They’ve won three cups since 2009, they’re contenders in the playoffs most years and their pr department provides some hilarious videos of captain Canada and his Russian (husband) A. It’s a true love story. Sue me. We’ve got an intense rivalry with philly and the caps. Seriously. That orange flyers jersey is intense - even if philly’s mascot is the next president.

Funnily enough, my strange obsession with Russian hockey players have led to the most disturbing but developing club crush on the Washington capitals who are the penguins’ nemesis.

I mean, this club led by the one and only gr8 8 mr Alexander Ovechkin is a rollercoaster of emotion and hot daddies in skates armed with sticks and a murder Swede.

So. Washington caps used to be a joke in the league until they went and drafted mr ovechkin first overall, brought him to the capital and let him do his thing. He’s got a rep for being a hell of a lot of fun on the ice (if you’re on his team) and one of those players that people love to hate (even if they can’t take away how freakishly good he is at hockey) - look up his impossible goal(s)! He’s an exuberant, fun loving Russian with a heart of gold and a missing tooth. In 2007, the caps went shopping for a center just for ovi who needed a playmaker and a slap shot feeeder - they went and drafted the Swedish angel (maybe assassin) (Lars) Nicklas Backstrom - and the purest hockey marriage was forged. The actual words (we needed a center for ovi and ovi wanted backstrom) have been said. Yes, these two Are now famously the mama and papa of the caps and they have a roster of unruly (and handsome) hockey babies with the fighting menace Tom Wilson, bird impersonator and Russian cat Evgeni Kuznetzov and a whole army of other adorable (albeit hockey playing menaces) babies. Most recently they had the leagues daddiest daddy goalie Mr Holtbeast as the fun and handsome canadien cowboy uncle but he’s ventured to Vancouver to adopt a new group of hockey babies. To compensate, the caps went shopping in New York and brought the one and only king Henrik from the crease in msg to be the goalie mentor for baby Russian caps goalie and to keep the daddy energy flowing.

(Seriously why are Swedish players part time models? Their national team strategy is to be so handsome the other teams are distracted. It’s a thing. Look it up)

I also love a handful of other players on other teams (I really don’t dislike any team in particular - but you’ll meet some dedicated and strong minded fans here)

Erik Horse Johnson, Cale Makar and Nikita Zadorov (Colorado Avs - zad have recently been traded to the blackhawks (not sure how I feel about that). Phwucking fun team. Who needs teeth anyways.

Marc Andre Fleury (Vegas now but hell always be a penguin to me)

The Russian gang in Tampa - and giant Swede victor Hedman (seriously he’s massive)

The canes (Carolina) and their collective of Finnish and Russian babies (aho, svech) with chaotic Marty and former penguin Baby Staal as captain

And a whole lot of others too. It’s hard to choose.

The Dallas stars and the most precious bean of them all (Russian) dobby - Anton khudobin their backup goalie turned playoffs hero and fashion icon. The man said we’re not going home and threw the entire team on his back and dragged them to the final. And their homoerotically charged captain and his alt captain and their Hollywood epic soap worthy relationship. Stallions, people, Stallions...

Btw we like to project our brash queerness onto this league. You’ll learn why quickly. There’s only so much talks about hot hands, slick moves, eternal love for teammates and quite frankly obscene (sexy) amounts of kneeling, roughing (let’s face its it’s just aggressive cuddling) and teammates honorably defending teammates.

Anyways. I love hockey. He. Sorry.

Fun fact I’ve dragged @canesinthecrease kicking and screaming into the hellhole that is the caps and I’m working on convincing @dontpuckwithme about the incredibly sexy thing that is Russians and Canadians being secretly married in Pittsburgh.

Great, sexy, amazing, cool, smart and wonderful hockey ladies to follow for even more amazing content on more clubs (the hurricanes - also a team I’m starting to love). They’re my queer sherpas and emotional support network.

Hope you can use this dear (new) hockey friend and mutual 💖🐧

#dallas stars #anton khudobin #washington capitals #alexander ovechkin #nicklas backstrom #hockey #nhl #stars #colorado avalanche #henrik lundqvist #pittsburgh penguins #sidney crosby #evgeny kuznetsov #evgeni malkin #tyler seguin #jamie benn #marc andre fleury #seriously I’ve got a problem #no one kill me please #not trying to offend anyone #i’m not even ashamed #oh no here comes murder swede #caps really going for the daddies #erik johnson #nikita zadorov #cale makar

[eyssimont]

So, yesterday, I went to select a seat for my season tickets. It felt so unbelievably nice to back inside of an arena I became attached to in the short span of two months last year.

I went back to the seats I used to sit in. Row A, middle section, glass seats. The seats I watched Cal Petersen in and after he was called up it was where I creeped on Matt Luff and Mikey Eyssimont during warm ups and games. The seats where Gio Fiore, at my last game, shot the puck directly at the glass where my face was and then stared me down as I recorded the whole thing on my phone. (I still think about that interaction often.)

The seats where I dragged anyone that wanted to join me to games, to the AHL all star game, to early afternoon and 7 pm games. Those seats were so great. I loved them. They were taken up already and also had a hefty price but after standing there reminiscing I decided to move sections. My time there was up. They weren't for me anymore.

Also, this picture lol

I moved to the other side of the arena. Directly across from the bench, near the penalty boxes. A new seat to make new memories in, a new seat to see the game differently, a new seat to pine over someone else in lol. A seat to plot how I'm going to murder project all my feelings onto Brayden Burke. (I am sorry Brayden, it's a habit now)

And maybe that's been the theme in the year and a half I've had these tickets. I never had the chance to use them, I left the arena in late February not knowing I wouldn't come back, not knowing I'd miss a whole season in person, not knowing my favorite players I loved to watch wouldn't be around and not bc they got called up but bc they moved on... having to... after spending years developing and perfecting their game eventually for nothing here. The fact things just happen suddenly and we need to adapt. That life moves in ebbs and flows. That a small change, like sitting on the opposite side of an arena, a new player to grow an infatuation for, will be exciting enough to continue on this new chapter.

I look back to those first two months of 2020 and think about all the fun I had. All the memories I made. All the players I got to see. I'm grateful and I'm happy. I'll miss my two favorites the most, absolutely but I'm excited for what's next. I'm hoping they make their new teams out of training camp and that Eyssimont is on the Jets (omg I almost threw up writing that ugh) when they come play and I can finally see him in an NHL jersey I'd always hope he'd be in. I'll miss him and I'll miss Luff but that's hockey, baby. Your faves aren't staying forever. Ok maybe Cal might lol.

I'm excited for the future. I hate change but maybe they'll make that Eyssimont jersey I had my eye on a lot cheaper lol oh maybe they'll have it at the equipment sale omg 😳

#elle rambles on about a hockey arena #elles life lb

[bronanlynch]

beam saber recap time: an ex-osha inspector and an ex-mech sports athlete walk into a secret underground bunker full of scientists who hate each other and now they’re all snowed in together! what happens next will shock you!

(technically a christmas episode, depending on how you define christmas episodes)

starting off strong with kay @girlfriendsofthegalaxy saying concerning sentences to me: “I’ve been playing red dead redemption so I’ve been looking up a lot of pinkerton manuals about union busting” “I love where this is going” “don’t worry about”

“unions?? in my god-fearing underground base??? it’s more likely than you think”

accidentally gave an npc a slightly stronger version of my new jersey accent, which I guess is fair considering they’re an archaeologist who’s trying to unionize so it that not just a self-insert oc at this point

zan @duckswithwings: “that’s my secret, cap, I’ve always been from new jersey”

reappearance of the artist formerly known as hawthorne march aka ballad imperative aka herculine vane

v bought her silence by asking her out on a date. love this awkward fraught spy romance we’ve got going on here

a very fun conversation between v and her rival, holliday rue. I love playing holliday she’s so awful. I didn’t transcribe everything we said but. some highlights

Holliday: “We need to talk”

V: “do we, what do we need to talk about”

Holliday: “I think it will be relevant to your interests”

V: “Relevant to my interests, right, because you know so much about those”

Holliday: “is your continued self-preservation not still relevant to your interests?”

(some stuff that I didn’t transcribe because I started paraphrasing, holliday is threatening to tell someone that v’s been doing shit she’s not supposed to, and saying that she knows v’s up to something, at some point v says “and yeah I am up to things, because I’m a spy”)

V: “I thought you were smarter than to threaten a spy with a gun, my expectations for you were low, the bar was on the ground, but now it’s in the bunker we’re in”

Holliday: “valentine, darling, I thought you were smarter than to assume that I don’t have a gun”

V: “you might have a gun but do you have a bulletproof vest”

Holliday: “think about this sensibly, if you were to shoot me in a crowded room, imagine how that would look”

helpful aside from zan suggesting that v doesn’t need to shoot her and can just stab her with a poison volt meter

kay: “How do I give my rival food poisoning”

V: “Only one of us is a dedicated decorated civil servant (I’m lying, they don’t give spies medals)”

Holliday: “and yet only one of us was forced to resign in disgrace”

the other fun thing abt that conversation is that while v is having a miserable awful time, indigo is arranging a threesome in the background because they’re snowed in and he’s gonna live his best tropiest life

I think this was a mission where I did a little bit too much prep and had things a little too complicated in my notes but I like how it turned out and like. which parts of my planning I decided to keep

especially happy with how some of the stuff with hawthorne/herculine turned out, and the part about her helping some other spies defect from the empire as a way of showing the party one potential way out for them

and then also managing to include some stuff that I wasn’t sure how to fit in until indigo started flirting with some of the people who were defecting, so now he knows that some of them want to join the cirque du soldat, the independent squad his twin belongs to

my other fave moment as a gm this session was when I said that a certain npc would probably join another faction instead of going independent, and I have in my notes that it’s because she likes belonging to a military hierarchy, and before I said that zan said “yeah, makes sense, she seems like she likes the structure” which. love when I can characterize relatively minor npcs well enough that my players pick up on what their motivations are

zan made sure to establish that indigo still had the orb in his pocket during any and all seducing he was doing, leading kay to call him a nevernude and me to say the horrible sentence “instead of leave room for jesus, leave room for the orb”

indigo installed the orb into his mech and then bonded with it like he’s the protagonist of a horse girl movie

my game mechanics answer to what having a sentient orb installed into your mech does was “a mech can make a move at any time”

indigo took one of his several boyfriends on a date

zan: “Have I learned anything about Dr. Boyfriend” me: “yeah his name maybe”

v is having trouble buying a house because her credit score is bad because she’s a spy who lives on a secret base and legally doesn’t exist

zan and I kept saying a distorbance in the forbce and kay made increasingly distressed noises, sorry kay I need to say at least one cursed thing per session it’s how I reduce my stress

#this is a long one #not bc our session was any longer than usual but just. i put the whole rival conversation bc i love holliday/v conversations so much #honestly i think rivals bring out some of my best roleplaying #can't wait to bring indigo's rival back for more nonsense #dreaming.txt #beam saborb

[miracleonice87]

Boston, Detroit, Montreal, NYI, Pittsburgh, STL, Vancouver, Washington

boston bruins: fave player on your least liked team? Kevin Hayes for sure (sorry Dad, I just love me some Boston himbos)

detroit red wings: which player looks like a literal prince? Mathew Barzal and Brock Boeser might honestly be tied in this category. my handsome perfect blonde and brunette princes 👑

montreal canadiens: favourite captain? Sidney Crosby (what a lame answer, I know)

new york islanders: best goalie mask? Flower 🌸 mostly because I understand all the little Easter eggs and references

pittsburgh penguins: best chirp? I have a recent new one. Jason Zucker: “fuck you, Willy.” Tom Wilson: “you’re a fucking nerd.” Zuck: “thank you. I like to think I’m kinda smart. a little bit. a little bit smart.” 🤣😭

saint louis blues: best jersey? I love literally every jersey Toronto has. and of course I’m partial to the Penguins’ reverse retro 🤩

vancouver canucks: a team you’re slowly falling in love with? the Leafs but that has happened way more quickly than I originally intended. a slow burn turned heated romance, if you will.

washington capitals: funniest memory from a hockey game? I think it has to be when my boyfriend took me to the Stadium Series game at the Linc in Philly in 2019 and we were sitting in the upper bowl and suddenly, before puck drop, everyone is looking up at us and gasping and laughing and pointing and we’re like “huh???” and we turn around to find Gritty standing above us at the top of the stadium and then he jumped and ziplined right over our heads. I could not stop laughing. he was basically brand new at that point and it was totally unexpected.

#hockey team ask game #m answers