#I mean more has happened but that's the big stuff
Text
The other Bronze – Pt. 19
Without looking back you just sprinted away from Keira who watched you cut through the crowd and took a deep breath before turning around after she lost sight of you. And oh boy she wasn't wrong with what she expected to see – Lucy was pissed. Her whole body was basically shaking with anger and Keira was grateful for the glass door that divided the two of them for the moment. Keira wasn't scared of Lucy by all means but she also knew that both Bronzes – Lucy and y/n – can get quiet unfair when being emotional. So she took another deep breath before scanning her own ticket entering the tunnelway to the plane
“I'm not talking to you when you come at me like this nor will I deal with this whole issue in the middle of Boarding while others are around” the blonde calmly said before stepping around Lucy continuing walking towards the plane
“What the fuck is going on?” Lucy asked her voice shaking with anger and she was straight in Keiras face
“Keira Fae Walsh” your sister growled trying to grab Keiras wrist to suddenly found herself blocked by Irene
“Let's get home first Lucy...” the spanish player said calmly
Normally not one to get involved into clearly family stuff but as the quiet observant Irene was she saw what Keira did there and obviously Keira only wanted to make you happy. Irene never was someone who was always outgoing like say Mapí or Pina she usually stayed back and just observe. It was clear to her that after what happened in Barcelona just before the international break you needed more time away from the catalan city. It wasn't obvious to Lucy, Mapí, Pina or even Alexia but Irene saw you slightly flinch every time someone would mention Barcelona. You obviously needed distance to overcome whatever was still bothering you. So she did something very unusual for her – she stepped in and got involved.
“I need to get my sister” Lucy suddenly felt a wave of panic wash through her and quickly turned around “... she's still a baby she can't be in a big ass airport by herself”
“Lucy...” Irene said soothingly grabbing the defender by her forearm “... she's a young growing woman – she's not a toddler anymore. We both know who she sprinted after so she isn't alone and you need to trust her... I know it's hard – believe me I know better than anyone. You want to keep her safe and secure and keep the rough world away and make it as easy as you can for them – but they grow up and learn to walk and talk and as hard as it is you need to let them Lucy. When Mateo took his first steps it was the proudest and scariest moments in my life – I was proud he walked and at the same time I was so scared something happens to him. But even if they fall and get hurt – you need to let them Lucy... trust your sister – she's a good kid and has a good head on her shoulders”
“She's fragile right now” your sister tried again weakly
“And you think it's getting better if you force her back to the place where it happened?” the spaniard asked knowing Lucy was just hurting a little too
“I can protect her” Lucy swallowed hard trying to not let her teammate see the tears that were starting to pool in her eyes “I can make it right again”
“We all know that Lucia... we know you can protect her – but right know she doesn't need you to protect her. She needs you to understand that she needs time away. She's save Lucy and that's the only thing that matters”
“I know Irene... I know that she's save.... but it's so hard to let her go” your sister was on the edge of tears standing a little to the side with her teammate while other passengers walked passed uninterested
“Trust me Lucy... I understand you... I understand you better than anyone but you brought her up to be an amazing woman... you let to set her free Lucy – as hard as it is” Irene tried to consult her obviously upset friend “Let others see too that there's another amazing Bronze out there”
“Yeah... yeah okay” Lucy took a deep breath “Thank you Irene”
“No need Lucy – I know how you feel... it's the same feeling I get every day when I drop off Mateo at the kindergarten and he just runs off without even saying Bye because he needs to show his friends his new toy” Irene chuckled pulling Lucy in for a hug
“She didn't run off to show G her toys” Lucy chuckled back through her tears as she hugged her teammate back
“Oh you never know... she's probably showing Georgia her grown up toys” the spanish grinned as she let go of Lucy and turned around to finally board the plane leaving a flabbergasted Bronze behind
“No she's not!!! She's a baby!!!” your sister yelled after Irene a minute later after she collected herself earning strange looks from people going past and further down the tunnel you could hear Irenes laughter
“G!!!! WAIT!!!” you yelled spotting the blond ponytail from your girlfriend as you did your best not to run into someone
You saw Georgia turn around a confused and shocked look on her face thinking she started hallucinating hearing your voice calling out for her. But no – there you were jumping (not) so gracefully over a trolley sprinting towards her. Your girlfriend had mere seconds to collect herself before she saw you launching herself in Georgias arms. Just as you knew your girlfriend caught you with ease but she had to use the momentum to spin you around so you both didn't end up on the floor.
“What are you doing?” Georgia asked slightly panicked “Please don't tell me you ran away because seriously y/n... your sister is going to kill me for real – that's if she's faster than Keira”
“No... no don't worry... I didn't run away – Keira and Sarina rebooked me ticket... I get a small getaway in Munich... that's... if you'll have me” you quickly explained smiling but you'll make sure to drop your voice at the end so bystanders wouldn't hear it
“What...? Yeah... yeah of course” your girlfriends face changed from confused to widely grinning
“Good... I kinda start missing Jill... she's so unintentionally funny” you grinned after your girlfriend put you down again
“Scuse me?” the blonde looked at you offended “What you mean you miss Jill??”
“Oh my Mrs. Stanway... do I detect some jealousy?” you teased your girlfriend keeping your voice low while you move towards the boarding queue
“No... just interest” Georgia tried but you saw right through her
“Interest my ass” you snorted while you handed a Stewardess your ticket happy that the light turned green after she scanned it “Everyone thinks your this easy going persona... in reality you're possessive, dominant and jealous...”
“... and yet still you love me” your girlfriend husked in your ear standing behind you
“That I do... also... you make me laugh” you mumbled back smirking to yourself “But so does Jill”
You couldn't stop the little squeal when Georgia pinched your side and you just started to laugh. You already felt so more at ease for just being with your girlfriend that you set yourself a mental reminder to get the biggest fruit baskets for Mama Rina and Keira that you could find. You steadily moved forward and stepped into the plane that would fly you to Munich when it hit you and you suddenly turned around to Georgia
“I don't feel good” you said a little panicked and try to push past Georgia who just grabbed you gently and turned you back around towards the plane
“It's okay Baby” your girlfriend murmured next to your ear “I'm with you the whole time...”
“No G... I don't FEEL good” you pressed while you got pushed forward gently
“It's not a long flight Baby” Georgia tried to calm you down again smiling slightly at the Stewardess “... she's a little nervous about flying”
“Oh don't worry Miss... our planes are on the newest safety standards and flying is even safer than driving” the Stewardess smiled politely
“Driving... that's it... we're driving... let's go” you rambled trying to turn around again for Georgia to sigh and keep pushing you forward
“No... I have training tomorrow afternoon... we can't drive” your girlfriend said calmly pushing you through the tight aisle and you already felt your chest tighten
“G” you said your voice trembling
“It's okay Baby... nothing will happen I promise” Georgia said soothingly stopping you at your seats “We take off, have a nice conversation about how you miss.. Jill... and then we already land... easy peasy – like the win over Spain”
“G” you said again desperately your panic rising
“You're safe Baby” your girlfriend mumbled quietly pushing you into the middle seat at your row before taking her own seat at the aisle
“No G... I don't feel good... I feel if I'm gonna throw up” you whispered your eyes fixed on the seat in front of you
“Oh...” Georgia said a little lost “.... ehrm.. you haven't eaten this morning.... wait... I still have a cereal bar”
“No please don't make me eat anything” you begged your girlfriend but she was already out of her seat searching her little carry-on bag for said cereal bar
“Here... eat that... you don't have to chew just bite some off and swallow it” your girlfriend held the bar right under your nose smiling encouraging
The smell alone made you heave and you pushed her hand away
“Baby please... I beg you” you looked at her with pleading eyes
“No... you eat that cereal and then you feel better.. it'll help your nerves Baby” Georgia said her voice low and caring
“I'm not...” you started but she interrupted you
“... hungry I know...” your girlfriend rolled her eyes “... for me... please?”
“You better keep your stomach in check because I'm 87.94% sure I'm gonna throw up” you mumbled as you grabbed the cereal bar as if it personally insulted you
“Thank you” Georgia said before checking her surroundings quickly then pressing a sweet kiss to your cheek
“Yeah yeah” you mumbled opening the snack and biting into it “That's disgustingly sweet”
“Yeah sorry... it's white chocolate/strawberry” your girlfriend smiled apologetic
“You KNOW I hate white chocolate” you whined but didn't get very far as Georgia pushed the bar back into your mouth and the safety instructions started
“I don't know why they do that every flight... if we crash we crash” you mumbled with a full mouth
“There are still people who never flown and not every crash is deadly” your girlfriend mumbled back not paying attention herself already having her tablet out looking for a movie to distract you during the flight
“Still...” you mumbled taking another bite from the cereal bar chewing it aggressively
Georgia chuckled lowly laying her hand on your knee in a calming manner stopping your leg from bouncing nervously
“Okay... we're about to take off... take my hand” your girlfriend said quietly offering her hand
“I've flown alone before...” you grumbled but take her hand nonetheless
“Oh I know you did... just wanted to give a reasonable excuse to hold my hand” Georgia smirked
“I kinda missed the sneaking around” you mused squeezing her hand tightly feeling your nerves rising again as the plane rolled onto the runway
“You're doing great Baby...” Georgia whispered and ran her thumb over your knuckles
“G... my stomach is acting up.. I think... bad feeling” you mumbled your voice strained
“Just nerves babe.... relax... tell me about Barcelona” your girlfriend tried to distract you
“It's hot there... so so hot G... the weather isn't bad either” you said nonchalantly and your girlfriend bursted out laughing
“So... who looks best in a bikini?” Georgia smirked mentally congratulating herself for succeeding with her distraction plan
“All of them” you quickly said “Ratings... Bonmatí is a 9 – she had one of these big white hats on.. kind of a turn off... but still... a 9... Princess Norwegian is a 10 – she's a full package... I kinda digged that dark blue bikini... Lucy probably could've pulled that one off too – she got a nice tan... apparently without lines”
“Ew... too much” your girlfriend pulled a face
“... yeah... that's what I said... who else was there.. uh... tweedledee... a 8.5 – she definitely has the body for it but the bikini was a little... boring... tweedledumb... a 7.8... she small and I really don't get the printed bikinis you know... why would you wear somethings with pineapples on it?” you looked at Georgia confused who chuckled shrugging her shoulders “... then you have Ona... I don't really want to rate her – I saw her naked... okay I saw her back and ass naked... ugh” you shuddered “... I thought I forgot about that”
“Sorry to open old wounds” Georgia smirked and you saw that she wasn't sorry at all
“You're nooo...” you started but then you felt the plane pick up speed feeling the unmistakable little jump when the plane started to take off
“It's okay... look at me...” your girlfriend calmly said feeling you squeeze her hand to the point where she was sure you'd brake it “... Baby... look at ME”
“I hate it..” your breathing starting to get quicker as you turned your head looking into your girlfriends brown eyes
“It's all good... you're doing amazing...” Georgia said lowly holding your stare until she felt you relax and lighten your squeeze “How does Lucy deals with it when she's with you?”
“Keira always gives me these Vitamin gummies” you mumbled
“Vitamin gummies?” your girlfriend asked confused and there was the well-known “pling” as the seatbelt sign went off
“I love you... but move” you quickly opened your seatbelt basically climbing over her
“What... where are you... y/n” Georgia looked puzzled after you as you speed walked down the aisle before she quickly tried to get after you but forgot that she still had her seatbelt on
You quickly made it into the tiny bathroom just in time to hunch over the toilet and empty your stomach content into it. Your girlfriend squeezed in behind you as you felt a new wave of nausea hit you and you crouched over the bowl again heaving again
“Oh god” you heard behind you and heard Georgia dry heave
“Get out” you pressed out
“No no... I'm going to help you” your girlfriend said her voice strained
“G... you're a sympathy puker... GET. OUT” you said before heaving out there
“You need...” another heave “Help”
“I need you to get out” you said before getting hit by another wave which caused you to vomit again
To your surprise your girlfriend stayed the whole time holding your hair and rubbed over your back soothingly. When you thought you were done you sat down your back against the cold wall and you looked up towards Georgia. The blonde still held your hair loosely but she looked in the complete different way than you were in. It made you smiled lightly before you remembered where you sat and you quickly jumped up already shuddering thinking about all the gems that were now on you.
“I'm done.... I don't think there's anything left” you mumbled
“Thank god” your girlfriend sighed out “What do you need?”
“A bottle of water to wash my mouth... and some spearmint” you said slowly “... and some disinfectant”
“Wait here... I go to the stewardess” Georgia said and out of routine she leaned forward wanting to press a kiss to your mouth but you stopped her just in time with your hand against her chest
“Yeah I don't think so” you said pushing her backwards
“Sorry... habit” your girlfriend mumbled ashamed before disappearing
A few minutes later you heard a quiet knock on the door and you tiredly opened it to see the pitiful face of your girlfriend
“Do not pity me Stanway” you said exhausted “Told you I hate flying”
“I just wish there was more I could do” Georgia said sadly
“You did more then everyone ever before...” you whispered accepting the bottle of water gratefully
“More than Lucy?” your girlfriend perked up
“Lucys asleep before we hit the runway... especially with early flights...” you mumbled after you rinsed your mouth twice
“Keira?” Georgia tried
“I never let her in” you admit and in this second Georgia realized how special this moment was – even if it costed it her whole willpower not to puke on your back
“I'll always take care of you... lets go back to our seats – you can rest some and I'll wake you up when we're landing okay” the blonde whispered and pressed a soft kiss to your forehead
“Kay... sounds good” you mumbled exhaustion clear in your voice as you let her lead you back to your seats
“Baby... wake up” Georgia shook you slightly as the captain told the crew to prepare for landing “... we're landing”
“Hm?” you grumbled your eyes slowly opening as you looked around confused
“We're landing... nearly home” your girlfriend smiled lovingly pushing you in a normal seating position
“Home?” you asked the sleep thick in your voice
“Yeah... just landing, getting our luggage and getting home...” Georgia confirmed intertwining your hands
“Good... I'm really hungry now” you answered still not fully aware of your surroundings
“I bet... nothing left in your stomach huh” your girlfriend chuckled
“Nope... dropped it somewhere over... I don't know.. maybe Berlin” you shrugged your shoulders getting more awake by the minute
“We didn't fly over Berlin” Georgia laughed
“Then some other German city... hope they didn't get offended or flashbacks...” you bit out and suddenly you felt the wheels of the plane connect with the runway in Munich “.... we're... already down”
“Yes... knew it would help to let you sleep as long as possible” your girlfriend grinned proudly
“I didn't sleep” you mumbled grumpy
“The patch of drool on me shoulder says something different” Georgias grin widen
“You probably spilled something on yourself” you huffed and rolled your eyes for good measure
“Mhm” your girlfriend grinned like a maniac now
“Hate you” you grumbled
“No you don't...” the blonde laughed and pressed a subtle kiss to your temple as the plane got in it's final parking position
“When do you have to be back at training?” you asked as you opened your seatbelt and nudged your girlfriend to do the same
“Tomorrow at 4....” Georgia answered as she stood up getting your carry-ons from the overhead cabs
“Sooooo... we have the rest of today AND tomorrow morning to our selves?” you grinned
“Oh god woman... what have you planned now?” your girlfriend exclaimed scared
“I'll break your knees if you call me “woman” ever again” you growled but Georgia saw the glint in your eyes before you playfully push her forward
“Why does baggage always takes so long??” you whined
“They unload about a 100 bags... relax Babe” Georgia said sitting in one of the chairs opposite to your baggage carousel turning on her phone “Text your sister that you're still alive”
“I'll text Kei later...” you answered starting to pace again
“Babe please... text Lucy so she knows I didn't kill you... she hates me anyway I don't want her to have stuff to add on top” your girlfriend pleaded
“Lucy... might not be happy with me either at the moment” you said carefully
“What? Why?” Georgia asked confused looking up from her phone
“She... didn't know about... this” you waved your hand around
“She WHAT now????” your girlfriend shot out of her seat
“It was Keira and Sarina... I didn't know either... Keira pushed Lucy through tickets before me and then told me... so Lucy was already through and just saw me... running off.... so I doubt me texting her will help our case” you confessed scratching your neck
“Oh dear jesus Mary mother of god” your girlfriend groaned “... she'll kill me... she'll think it was my idea.... she's probably already on her way to Munich... but... Munich is a big city... she'll never find me... I just... I... WitSec... do they have Witness Protection in Germany?”
“G... calm down... she won't... Keira wouldn't let it happen – Keira is in our corner and she's basically the only One who will get away with it because she's the only One who can make Lucy see reason...” you grabbed your girlfriends shoulders shaking her slightly “... and Witsec is American... so I don't think they have that here”
“Okay... yes... yes you're right” Georgia took a deep breath before her eye shot open wide in shock “Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.... hide me”
“Huh??” you asked confused as G already started to pull you behind a pole positioning you in front of her as she crouched down “G?”
“Ssssshhhh...” she shushed you peaking out around your waist “If she sees me I'm fucked”
“Who??” you whisper yelled
“Oh Georgia” you suddenly heard a sing song from the other side of the pole and you saw all color leave your girlfriends face
“Shit” you heard Georgia swear before she pushed you to the side sprinting off
Next thing you knew a flash of blonde came around the pole and sprinting past you. You were confused to know end seeing a blonde woman chasing your girlfriend around the baggage carousel
“What the fuck?” you mumbled to yourself watching how Georgia quickly cut a corner and jumped over some seats
“This an ex??” you asked loudly as your girlfriend was near you not knowing what to make out of this scenario
“God NO” Georgia yelled back jumping up when she saw that woman coming in for a slide tackle
“Crazy fan?” you tried again grabbing for information
“Something like that” your girlfriend answered before coming to a skitting halt next to you pulling you quickly in front of her using you as a human shield
“Talk to me woman” you growled seeing the other blonde walking over to you
“Magdalena Lilly Eriksson!!! I DARE you!!” you suddenly heard from your right and when you turned your head you saw an angry even blonder woman pointing aggressively towards the blonde woman in front of you
“But...” the slight darker blonde whined
“What the fuck is going on here??” you asked with a mixture of confusion and anger
“SHE” the darker blonde pointed at Georgia who was still hiding behind you “Ate my last Kanelbullar... and THEN she just fucked off”
“I swear I didn't know it was the last” your girlfriend piped up from behind you
“She what now??” you asked baffled
“Okay... stop... that poor girl is losing her mind right now” the lighter blonde said sternly turning towards you “Hi... my name is Pernille Harder... this hothead over there is my girlfriend Magdalena Eriksson... we play with Georgia at Bayern”
“Hardersson...” you exclaimed after a second that you needed to process that information “... I heard of you before”
“Yes... that's us” Pernille smiled warmly “And you... are?”
“Uh uh.. sorry... I swear Keira taught me manners.... y/n Bronze” you extended your hand to Pernille “... the best kept Secret in the Soccer world as it seems... or the better looking, younger and smarter Bronze”
Pernille grabbed your hand shaking it while she laughed heartwarmingly
“I do remember you... you were Lucys shadow when City played Chelsea...” the Danish smiled
“Now I'm just her pain in the ass... I upgraded meself” you grinned back which set off a fresh round of laughter
“So Pernille... Harder... better part of Hardersson... what do I call you?” you asked stumbling a little over your words
“P is just fine...” the lighter blonde laughed
“Okay... P... WHAT exactly is the problem here and why is Stanway using me as a human shield?” you asked teasing
“G ate Magdas last Kanelbullar... it's a Swedish... I would like to say dessert but they eat it at whatever time they feel like it... so I just say Swedish dish...” the Danish explained while her girlfriend had the biggest scowl on her face “Oh stop it Magda – I know for a fact that you stuffed your face with Kanelbullar the second your feet touched Swedish ground”
“That's NOT the point...” the swede grunted “... and how do you know about that anyway?”
“Frido AND Stina” Pernille waved off “... not to mention all the complaints from Zečira about all the crumbs in her bed...”
“These backstabbing...” the swede grumbled before her gaze locked on your girlfriend again “... you still...”
“Magda leave her alone...” Pernille said warningly and as much of a hard ass Magda was on the field – when her girlfriend used this tone she knew to listen
“Okay... for the stupid english over here” you pointed at yourself “... G ate what?”
“Kanelbullar” Magda grumbled “MY Kanelbullar”
“WHAT. IS. THAT??” you looked at the swede talking overly slowly like the blonde didn't speak fluent english
“It's a Swedish delicacy” the swede looked at you like you were stupid
“You guys stuff your face with fish that makes the whole WORLD puke... you could end wars with that stuff” you exclaimed “... so don't just say “Swedish delicacy”... EXPLAIN it”
“Ey... Surtrömming is eatable... you just need to wait after you opened the tin” Magda looks at you offended
“Okay.... you obviously don't get me” you said turning around fixing your girlfriend with a glare “You ate her last what now??”
“Kanel...” Georgia started
“If you just repeat that word I'll break your kneecaps...” you sneered your nostrils flared
“It's a Swedish... yeah.. zimtschnecke” your girlfriend quickly explained a little scared of you
“a what?” you started to lose your patience
“Zimtschnecke... you know... like Nussschnecke... just with... Zimt” Georgia looked at you lost shrugging her shoulders
“A WHAT??” your breathing picked up significantly as you heard Pernille chuckle behind you
“You ate that before! I saw you eat it” your girlfriend tried to calm you down
“Georgia” you heard Pernille chuckle “... maybe you should try to explain in english... you just used German... she doesn't look like she speaks German”
“Oh... OH” your girlfriends eyes widen “Cinnamon rolls... I ate her last cinnamon roll”
“Oh for god fucking sakes... all THAT because of a cinnamon roll???” you asked baffled
“She likes her cinnamon rolls” Georgia smiled apologetic
“Here...” you turned around to the Swedish player pulling a fiver out of your pockets “... buy yourself some cinnamon rolls... kindergarten.. seriously”
Magda was about to grab the money as Pernille just cleared her throat behind her girlfriend and the Swedish smiled at you
“That's very nice but not necessary... but thank you very much” Magda smiled strained which made her look like she has a stroke
“Suit yourself.... Stanway... luggage...” you grumbled not ready to deal with more bullshit and your girlfriend knew that – that why she stumbled away as quickly as possible trying to find your twos bags.
“I like you little Bronze” Pernille smiled “... good to know someone has at least some control over Georgia”
“She just scared of Lucy” you shrugged your shoulders watching your girlfriend – now in company of Magda – running around the baggage belt looking for your bag
“Because she's sleeping with her baby sister?” the Danish smirked
“Don't know what you're talking about” you said nonchalantly
“Oh but you do... but it's okay.... not all of us are as comfortable showing their relationship as Mags and I.. it's okay...” the Danish said warmly “... but I saw the way G looked at you... I KNOW that there's something going on”
“There's nothing going on...” you said neutral “... not for the next 14 month, 2 weeks and 9 days...”
“Oh really...” Pernille looked at you surprised “... and why is that?”
“That's the day I turn 18” you shrugged your shoulders your eyes still on your girlfriend
“Oh damn...” the Danish caught on immediately
“So... no.. there's nothing going on... we're just friends” you said but Pernille heard the strain in your voice
“Look at me” the blonde said a little more stricter and waited until you looked her in the eyes “I know we don't know each other but I won't tell a single soul and as long as it's just me and Magda around you two can be as open and as touchy as you want to be... you two love each other and we're not judging anyone... so if you want I would like to grab dinner sometimes... just the four of us”
“Thank you” you whispered gratefully “and dinner sounds go.... wait... we're getting take out right? No way I'm eating that Swedish fish”
“I'll cook... Magda would just burn down the house” the Danish laughed out loud
“G's the same... Keira told me they banned her from using the toaster because she nearly sat their shared apartment in Manc on fire... she tried to shortcut making fish fingers.... she didn't do them in the oven like every normal person but put them in the toaster and the toaster basically exploded” you told Pernille shrugging your shoulders unimpressed
“Magda managed to burn down the water cattle” Pernille smirked
“Wha... HOW?” your head snapped in the blondes direction shocked
“She didn't close the lid properly and it kept boiling.... and boiling... and boiling... until there was nothing left to boil except for itself” the Danish smirked at your expression
“We should get Bayern media team to make them cook and put it out there...” you grinned “... I mean she already gets shit for the half-Jamaican thing...”
“Please no... they probably injure themselves so badly they can't play anymore and you know we have Champions League coming up” Pernille said
“.... after maybe?” you mused innocently
“No...” the Danish said firmly and you huffed disappointed
“Ba... y/n... I found your bag” you girlfriend came running over dragging your bag behind her like an excited golden retriever
“Good job” you cooed “... I'll make sure Pernille gets you a cookie”
“Why me?” the blonde looked at you frazzled
“I'm not getting in trouble with our Health and Nutrition Coach” you lifted your hands in a surrounding matter “You're not English... she can't make you run laps”
“If Stanway gets a cookie I want one too.. I got our bags” Magda suddenly appeared behind Georgia
“No one gets cookies” Pernille sighed out
“Spoilsport” your girlfriend mumbled
“Glädjemördare” Magda mumbled at the same time just as disappointed as Georgia
“Excuse me Magda Eriksson?” Pernille raised her eyebrow at her girlfriend “You do realize we're dating long enough for me to actually speak and UNDERSTAND Swedish yes?”
“What did she dare you to?” you looked interested
“She didn't dare me to do anything?” the Danish looked at you confused
“She said gibberish gibberish dare” you said like it was clear what you meant
“No søde... she said “glädjemördare”... Swedish for “joy killer”...” Pernille laughed at your language confusion
“Great... another confusing language” you rolled your eyes “Can't you guys just stick with english?”
“I can teach you all the swear words... so you can annoy Frido” Magda grinned
“You will do no such thing” Pernille scolded her girlfriend
“You will absolutely do such thing” you grinned widely
“Ehrm... y/n?” Georgia looked at you
“Yeah??” you looked at her confused
“Home?” your girlfriend asked
“Yeah... day was emotionally exhausting” you said yawning
“Will we see you tomorrow at training?” Pernille asked you
“Think so...” you shrugged your shoulders “... apparently I'm not allowed exploring by meself anymore”
“I'm not taking any chances for you to end up at the botanic garden again” Georgia exclaimed (Note: the “old botanic garden” is one of the most dangerous parts of Munich)
“It was a mistake... your directions weren't clear” you defended yourself
“I told you ENGLISH garden... not botanical!!” Georgia bursted out
“It a garden isn't it???” you asked lost
“But the wrong one...” your girlfriend pressed quiet stressed
“Yeah... you shouldn't go there søde... it's really dangerous” Pernille said seriously
“It wasn't on purpose... Georgia talked about that beautiful garden and I just googled garden and that was the nearest one...” you defended yourself “And why are you calling me soda?”
“Søde...” the Danish corrected while she ushered all of you towards the exit “... Danish”
“Great... ANOTHER language...” you huffed as you exit the baggage area to get met with quite a large crowd of fans “Oh lovely... fans... a lot of them”
“You're not a fan?” the Danish blonde asked a little alarmed
“Not really no...” you shook your head falling back a little letting Georgia go in front “... had some not so nice interactions with them”
“Magda” Pernille pulled her girlfriend back “Make sure she's okay...”
“Yes ma'am” the swede nodded seriously
“Just stay with Magda... fans get really quiet around her because she always has this scowl on her face... she'll make sure you're save” the Danish told you and pushed you next to her girlfriend
The Swedish blonde laid her arm around your shoulders pulling you into her side which you surprisingly accepted gratefully and let her lead you towards the crowd of fans
“When it gets to much tug on my shirt okay... I get you out of there in seconds” Magda mumbled through her smile she put on for some pictures
“As long as they don't invade my space too much it should be okay” you said quietly “... or touch me...”
Georgia was already in full fan interaction mode, signing stuff, taking selfies, talking to the fans a little – full package. Pernille was also signing some Jerseys and pictures while Magda tried to keep you out of the middle of the crowd. Your girlfriend glanced up every five seconds to check if you're okay even tho she knew Magda was like a pit-bull when it comes to keep people safe – nearly as bad as Lucy. But just nearly. Lucy was a whole other level.
“Magda” you whispered and you saw how the swede turned her head lightly obviously waiting for you to continue while she took some more pictures “... getting too much”
Immediately you got pulled along through the crowd and sat in the next chair that was empty while some Police were slandering over asking if everything was okay. Of course they knew who Magda was so when she told them you were on the verge of a panic attack (so not true) they offered some protection. You were so SO grateful that Magda got you out of the bunch of crazies as you call them ever since you were little and some fans ran you over you to get some autographs from Lucy – got you a free ride in the ambulance and then seven stitches to the back of your head and a free concussion on top. Since that day Lucy made sure she either carried you (which heated up the rumors about you being her daughter) or sat you on top of the baggage trolley. Now Magda took over the responsibility to keep you safe and damn she took it seriously. There was a girl about your age that started her way over to her but one glare from Magda made her change directions quickly.
“Thank you” you mumbled a little ashamed
“No problem... I know they can get a lot sometimes – even if the Bayern fans are pretty well behaved... most of the times” the swede smiled sitting down next to you “... so... you're staying with G?”
“Yeah... needed some time off” you nodded
“Off what?” the blonde asked interested
“Barcelona” you said biting your lip
“Spanish people are something else huh” Magda kept the interaction light
“Yes... you could say that” you answered quietly
“I would love to see you at training tomorrow” the blonde said suddenly “.. you make her better”
“Huh?” you looked up confused
“Georgia... she's different when you're around... better different....” the blonde said “... in love different”
“Dear jesus lord have mercy” you sighed “... not you too – is it that obvious?”
“Not to people who haven't experienced love...” Magda smiled “... but the way you look at each other - that's love Busunge”
“Did you just insult me? It sounded like an insult” you looked baffled
“No...” the swede laughed “... it means “little rascal”...”
“Why is everyone giving me weird nicknames?” you wondered out loud
“Because you are loved... I've only known you for about half an hour but it feels like I've known you forever and I want to protect you.. you have a pure soul and people see that” Magda said calmly
“Okay... now it gotten weird” you mumbled looking over to your girlfriend “... I'm not confirming nor denying anything...”
“You don't need to...” the swede smiled laying her hand on your knee in silent support “... I already know... and don't worry – no one will hear a word from me”
“Thank you” you whispered thankfully as you saw your girlfriend approaching the two of you
“Ready to go home?” Georgia asked smiling herself
“Sí” you nodded standing up “Thank you Magda... it really means a lot”
“Always Busunge... Stanway... protect her with all you have” the blonde looked at Georgia seriously and G nodded curtly
Meanwhile Lucy, Keira and the Barca woman landed in Barcelona with Keira still ignoring her ex-girlfriend. After they all got their bags and said their goodbyes Keira put herself in Lucys way
“You with me... we have something to talk about” the blonde sneered keeping her voice low
“Ona drives me home” your sister said a little scared
“No she's not... I told you we're gonna talk” Keira said simply
“But...” Lucy tried again but got shot down with just one look
“Ona can come too if she wants to” the blonde said looking at her friend
“Ehrm...” the small spaniard rubbed the back of her neck “... I actually... yeah... uh... I have to pick Coco up... yes.. See you later Babe”
And with that she was gone and left Lucy fearing for her life. She saw that look on Keiras face once before – when fans were a little too excited to see the Lionesses and pushed you around and hurt you in progress. This look on Keiras face means business. The drive to Lucys apartment was short and not enjoyable for the england defender. The atmosphere in the car was icy at best and Lucy wrecked her brain what she could've done that would make her ex that angry
“Unlock” Keira simply said gesturing to the door which Lucy follow suit and quickly unlocked it pushing it open so the blonde could step inside before following
“Who the hell do you think you are?” Keira turned around looking even more furious than before after the door fell shut
“What?” your sister asked dumb folded
“I ask... WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE??” the blonde now outright yelled
“I... can't follow” Lucy said confused
“Who do you think you are sabotaging your sister relationship like this?” Keira asked again
“I didn't...” your sister started to defend herself
“Oh you fucking did and you know it... do you know that the WHOLE TEAM planned their little getaway from you Lucy... THE. WHOLE. FUCKING. TEAM... Sarina including... you didn't even noticed how hurt Bitsy was when you shooed G away every morning at breakfast. Or how sad she got when G didn't even take her hand when we were watching analysis... Or that six out of seven days y/n came to ME crying herself to sleep at night why YOU were so angry at her and G and she seriously thought about ending it so YOU would be her sister again and not some mental deranged cunt” now Keira got really angry
“Ehrm...” at this point Lucy was at loss for words
“... you didn't realize that hurtful look in Bitsys eyes whenever you pushed yourself in between them two... YOU didn't... the rest of the Team did and Sarina helped them... your own coach helped the Team to work something out which didn't benefit you, did it now?” the blonde kept talking ignoring Lucys attempts to interrupt her “... so again... who the hell do you think you are hurting them like that?”
“I... didn't mean too” your sister started “... I just... every time I saw G near her I got so so scared she'd hurt her”
“YOU were the one hurting her Lucy” Keira pressed again
“Not on purpose!!” Lucy exclaimed “But.. it's G you know...”
“It's G... exactly... the woman who loves Bitsy with all her heart... with all her being... with everything she has... the woman who jump off a building for her or walk the Antarctica in shorts... the woman who makes sure to give her more love than she can actually offer to make up for YOUR stupid behavior...” the blonde said seriously “... she LOVES her Lucy... it makes me so sad that you can't see what we all see... these two... they are their forever Lucy....”
“That's what we thought about ourselves too one time” your sister said just as serious
“We both know that's a lie... we both realized pretty quickly that we're not our forever... but they are Lucy... just like Ona and you... G is everything to Bitsy... and more” Keira said turning around before stopping again the door handle already in her hand “... everyone needs a G in their life Lucy... I hope you don't fuck it up with yours and see that she's your forever just like G is Bitsys”
With that Keira left leaving a gob smacked Lucy behind who used the next best cupboard to sit down
“Home sweet Home” you sighed as you stepped into Georgias flat after her “... and OCD clean as always”
“Had to clean before I left” your girlfriend mumbled looking through her mail
“Babe... I love you... but you ALWAYS clean... I swear we could do a surgery in here” you grinned as you walked into the kitchen opening the fridge “... we need to go shopping”
“God Damnit fucking fuck shit” you suddenly heard Georgia swear
“What happened?” you quickly walked into the living room not used to your girlfriend swearing so openly – the occasional “fuck” yes but that?!
“I got a speeding ticket!!” your girlfriend exclaimed upset holding the letter into your face
You didn't know how to react so you did the first thing that came to mind – you bursted out laughing as you took the letter from her looking at the little black and white picture on it
“What did that picture cost you Stanway?” you laughed
“You have to give it back so I can look” your girlfriend grumbled as you already handing the letter back “... 178,50€ and a one month suspension.... fuck”
“What does that mean?” you asked looking over her shoulder
“I have to hand in me license for a month....” Georgia was pissed now – pissed at herself
“You know that you could get better pictures of yourself from fans for free right... you didn't have to do a shooting that's so expensive” you grinned smugly
“Not in the mood Baby” your girlfriend growled
“Hey... G... Baby” you softly said seeing how tense her body was “... it happened okay... nothing you can do about it... it just means you have to go to training with public transport – or maybe someone can pick you up”
“It's not that... I'm pissed at meself” Georgia grumbled her Manchester accent coming in thick
“Shit happens... I can drive if you want” you shrugged your shoulders
“I'm not giving you my Audi... I saw what that stunt guy taught you” your girlfriend looked at you shocked
“So... public transport it is then... we need to go shopping” you shrugged your shoulders walking towards the bedroom and you heard Georgia groan loudly
“What's that?” you pointed at some weird looking steaming mass at the meat counter
“Leberkäse” Georgia said “It's translated to liver cheese but it hasn't got any cheese in there... it's just meat.. normally served warm in a bun with sweet mustard”
“Sounds.... yummy” you pulled a disgusted face but smiled as soon as the saleslady looked over
“It's not bad... you wanna try it?” your girlfriend shrugged her shoulders
“No thank you” you said shaking your head slightly
“You want something else to eat? Schnitzel or Bratwurst?” Georgia asked again getting excited that for once she's the one who knew all the food instead of you
“Can't we just get some vegs and make some pasta?” you looked at your girlfriend pleadingly
“Since when are you voluntarily eat vegetables?” the blonde looked at you confused
“This looks all so.... much” you said ashamed looking at the meat counter
“We can share a Bratwurst if you like... like.. to go and then make something at home” your girlfriend offered “.... cause I'm starving”
“You're always starving” you rolled your eyes “... but sounds good”
“Okay...” Georgia smiled turning towards the saleslady “Hallo... eine Bratwurt im Brötchen bitte”
“You sound like you're choking when you speak german” you said flatly
“You want ketchup or mustard?” Georgia chose to ignore your comment looking at you expectantly
“Is it like.. a must?” you eyed the sausage carefully
“Of course not...” your girlfriend shook her head addressing the saleslady again “Entschuldigung.. wir brauchen noch eine moment”
“Des is koa problem – nehmts eich nur Zeit... wir han schliaßlich ned auf da flucht” the lady smiled
“Whatever she said” you mumbled confused “What did she say?”
“I have... a slight clue but I'm not sure – I think she said to take our time” Georgia looked a little bit lost too
“I thought you spoke German” you shook your head at her in disbelieve
“That was Bavarian... I can speak tiny little bit Bavarian... but not.. like sentence” your girlfriend answered
“Gosh... it's like Lucy and catalan all over again...” you rolled your eyes
“Ketchup? Mustard? Nothing?” Georgia asked you again
“Well... I don't know... what's authentic?” you looked again at the sausage – this was answer enough for your girlfriend
“Senf bitte” she smiled proudly at the saleslady
“Oamoi mit senf... basst” the woman smiled and squeezed an awful amount of Mustard on the sausage “Bittschee... da hobt's eier bratwurst... zwoadreisge mochts”
“Dankeschön” Georgia smiled and handed the lady some cash in trade with the sausage roll “Das passt so”
“Mei merce dia derndl” the lady smiled brightly
“Take a bite” your girlfriend looked at you with excitement “It's really good”
“It's... spicy” you said after you took a bite handing the roll back to Georgia
“So you don't like it?” her face fell slightly
“No no... it's good... just... different you know” you quickly said “... I've never had a sausage like this”
“Oh yeah... it's a weird taste at first.. but you'll love it soon – it's the best... what's also good, but A LOT is schweinshaxe” Georgia smiled happily
“Come again?” you choked on your water
“Schweinshaxe... it's deep fried pigs leg.. it's REALLY good but you need about four people to eat one portion” your girlfriend snickered at your shocked face
“A pigs leg....” you swallowed hard trying not to heave
“Trust me... sounds disgusting but is REALLY good” Georgia said as she took your hand starting towards the shopping center with her sausage roll in the other hand
Two hours later you sighed in relieve once you kicked the front door closed with your foot. You've never been a fan of shopping. But shopping in a big ass shopping mall with five million shops for everything and some more with 35 million people around who obviously understand you just to answer your questions in german was just too much for you. Also – half the stuff they sell you never heard off. For example “Obazda”. Never heard of it but apparently it's the shit under the locals. Georgia made you try it and you were 97.8% positive cyanide wouldn't taste much different. G explained that it was basically just cream cheese with brie cheese and some spices but you were sure that stuff was poisonous. Your girlfriend laughed tears when she saw your face and heard the sounds you made after you put that little testing spoon in your mouth. The second you could talk again – after you cleared your mouth with Spezi – you threatened your girlfriend with no sex for the next six month which cause G to buy you some weird looking sweet dish. She called it “Auszogne” - it was weird looking but oh SO tasty.
Back in Georgias apartment you dropped all the shopping bags and just fell face forward onto the couch with a loud grunt
“You okay?” your girlfriend poked her head inside
“Just tired” you mumbled into the pillows
“I'll quickly put away the groceries and cook something okay... stay there and rest” Georgia said and went into the kitchen
“Okay” you sighed relaxing instantly – until your brain registered what she just said and you shot up and off the couch into the kitchen “no!”
“No?” your girlfriend asked confused “No what?”
“I cook... you just... put the stuff away” you said quickly
“I can cook” Georgia said a little offended
“The last time you set fire to the potatoes” you deadpanned “FIRE G – I didn't even know potatoes could burn even less catch fire”
“They were dry from the beginning” your girlfriend defended herself
“No Baby... they weren't... so you do groceries I do food” you smirked and Georgia rolled her eyes and grumbled a little bit as she started to put away the shopping
“Fuck me” your girlfriend moaned as she ate the first fork of the dinner you made
“Been there – done that” you smirked but started to eat too
“Where and when did you learn to do.... that?” Georgia gestured in between your plates
“Making pasta? Pretty much when Lucy fled to Spain and left me to fend for me own” you said shrugging your shoulders
“She didn't flee.... she did what was right for her career” G looked at you “... like when I went to Munich... sometimes you have to make decisions you don't really wanna make”
“Yeah I get that... it was the way it happened” you said avoiding your girlfriends eyes
“What do you mean?” Georgia looked confused before taking another fork full of pasta
“You know how I found out Lucy was transferred to Barcelona? Through the media... she didn't tell me herself – I found out through Instagram” you said and G noticed how your voice changed
“Hey... calm down” your girlfriend said taking your hand on the table “... maybe she just didn't know how to tell you...”
“She had no problem telling me she's going to Lyon” you pointed out
“I... don't know what her reasons were but I'm sure she had some” Georgia said a little lost
“Oh I can tell you the reason... the reason was.... is... Ona Batlle” you smiled sarcastic “... You know Lucy and Keira basically split after the Euros... and like.. 8 month later there's the first speculation about a new girl at her side??”
“Ehrm....” now you lost Georgia completely
“Sorry... I really don't want to talk about Lucy.... what are tomorrows plans?” you took a deep breath “And more importantly... where is Giovanni”
“Tomorrow... training at 4... other than that? Nothing?” your girlfriend was glad about the topic change “... and Giovanni... waiting in the bedroom for you”
“Perfect... didn't you tell me you wanted to take me out for breakfast?” you smirked sweetly
“Oh I see how it is... spending all me money why don't you” Georgia rolled her eyes smiling
“Says the woman who has to pay a 180 bucks fine for speeding” you shot back
“And here I thought you love me” your girlfriend grumbled offended
“I do love you... I've never cooked for anyone else than myself before” you pointed your fork at her a slight glint in her eyes
“And it's delicious...” Georgia quickly said
“I better fucking hope so.... I kinda want to do that for a living one day” you answered smiling
“You do?” your girlfriend looked at you surprised
“Yeah.... since Keira left too I was looking after myself – so I started to cook
“Morning...” you heard Georgia mumble into your neck pulling you closer into her
“Go back to sleep... it's still dark outside” you grumbled but melted into her
“That... are the blinds Baby... it's actually 9” your girlfriend chuckled
“Ugh fuck me... you're awake aren't you?” you groaned
“Yeah...” Georgia said a little embarrassed
“Ugh” you groaned again “... go... running or something... I want to sleep”
“I thought about taking you out for breakfast... I promise it's worth it... Avo-Toasts as many as you can eat” your girlfriend nuzzled into your neck
“Orange juice?” you asked your eyes still closed
“As much as you can drink” you could feel G grin into the back of your neck “... and a shower before we leave”
“I swear Stanway if you drag me out of bed for a shitty coffee I tell Lucy we had sex with her sleeping on the couch” you grinned evilly and your grin widened when you felt your girlfriend tense behind her
“You... wouldn't right?” Georgia asked carefully knowing fully well which situation you talked about
“Get me good coffee and I won't.... my dear” you said sweetly as you stood up walking towards the bathroom leaving your baffled girlfriend behind before turning around “You coming?”
Seconds later you heard the blankets rustle and Georgias naked feet on the hard wood floor.
“Oh god... this is GOOD” you moaned shamelessly at your first sip of coffee
“Could you please not act like you're shooting a porn right now... it's just coffee” Georgia said turning bright red looking around if someone looks
“You should be able to tell me moans apart Stanway” you shot back not caring who's listening – you haven't even had your first coffee yet
“Oh god” your girlfriend groaned embarrassed “Just... keep drinking...”
“What a sight for sore eyes” you suddenly heard behind you and your head shot up
“Seriously??? Munich has like... 500 million people and YOU find me amongst them?” you asked the person behind you without turning around
“I told you... I'll always be able to find you... Liefje” the person answered and you could hear the smirk in her voice
“You sound like a stalker... and don't call me Liefje... only ONE Gouda-head is allowed to call me that – and the last time you weren't her” you smirked as well still with your back to that persona
“I'm gonna tell your precious Head coach you called her a Gouda-head...” the person said a little offended
“Oh I called her far worse to her face... so by all means... be me guest” you continued smirking
“I gladly be your guest” the person said pulling a chair over to your table and flopping down trying to steal your coffee
“First and only warning... If you try to grab me coffee again I'm going to shoot your feet with a nailgun” you growled holding your cup out of her reach
“Hello too you to Baijings” now Georgia grumbled feeling left out
“What's up Stanny?” the Netherlands player grinned opting for stealing half of your avocado toast
“May I ask why you crush our breakfast?” your girlfriend asked a little irritated
“Actually just walked past and saw that... sweetheart over here through the windows and thought I'd say hi...” the blonde said before biting into your toast “Shit that's good stuff” she moaned which made you laugh
“Stop moaning like you shooting a porn” you threw your girlfriends words in your friends face laughing
“Sweetie... you know what I sound like when I REALLY moan” the dutch threw back which caused Georgia to choke on her tea
“Excuse me?” your girlfriend coughed
“Get your mind out of the gutter Stanny...” the blonde waved off “... I stayed with Viv in England for a week and so did the gremlin here... apparently the walls were very thin”
“Scarred me for life” you mumbled disgusted before you tried to bite into the other half of your Avo-toasts only to have it taken out of your hand by Jill “Come on now” you whined
“You snooze you lose” the dutch shrugged her shoulders
“G...” you whined looking with puppy eyes at your girlfriend “... por favor”
“Por what?” your girlfriend looked confused
“Damnit... spaniard again.... these paella eating shrimp lovers mushed me brain....” you snipped your fingers “.. please...”
Your girlfriend just sighed and waved the waitress over to order you another avocado toast.
“German sounds so weird...” you said as a matter of fact after the waitress whose Nametag said her name was Dinara left again “... but not as weird as dutch”
“Excuse me?” Jill exclaimed starting to cough a second later
“Please die more quietly on that toast thank you” you smirked satisfied that you threw her off guard
“One day I'll get you back for all those mean comments I tell ya” the blonde pointed an accusing finger at you
“Be... my... guest” you grinned
“Are you happy to wait here Baby?” Georgia asked her voice low as you just found a seat in the shade at the Bayern trainings ground
“Sure... I'm gonna watch you and tell you afterwards if you're able to be a pain to Barca” you grinned and your girlfriend quickly looked left and right before pressing a lightning quick kiss to your cheek
“There she is.. my favorite player” Alexander greeted you happily and came over to hug you for your girlfriend to look absolutely offended
“I'm here too” she huffed out
“We all know she's my favorite... nice work with Rubiales... looked like you got him good... did he need stiches?” the Norwegian asked grinning widely
“Sadly not.. but it was definitely broken” you grinned proudly back
“Such an amazing bitch move” the Trainer couldn't stop grinning
“Thank you... just to let you know... I don't hold back for anyone...” you now smirked
“So Georgia... starting XI the whole season... how does that sound?” the Norwegian laughed understanding you immediately
Your girlfriend just huffed rolled her eyes and turned to leave
“You need more than her if you want to scratch Barcas ego” you looked at him seriously “I watched them train... you need something”
“Giving me tips so we can win over your sister?” the trainer grinned
“No... I'm giving you tips so you can annoy them...” you shrugged your shoulders “They won two titles already... they only have the Coppa and the Champions League left... I want you to at least annoy them... and not annoy them with rough play – I want you to annoy them with your skills... Harder, Eriksson, Stanway, Viggó, Guili... you got good players... use them”
“Give me a little more” the man got serious
“The player you want to have an eye on is Salma... don't let her run – she a freaking sprinter... have a player on her all the time... Caro is fast as well... she always comes over the right wing... her connection to Aitana is unmatched...” you started seriously “... Alexia is dangerous in general – from far, near or in private... don't let her get the ball on her left foot... Ona and Aitana are dangerous because they're small and agile – one second they're on you right and a split second later they're on your right... they all have an amazing ball control... but they're not.. flawless” you pulled a face when you said flawless getting a flashback.
“Thanks y/n... greatly appreciated” the Norwegian nodded and left to start training
You watched the girl train for a bit before closing your eyes relaxing in the shade with the players shouting for the ball or the pass or whatever. Lucy always said since you were a wee baby you were able to fall asleep with thousands of people screaming around you without any problems. When it would be quiet tho you screamed your head off yourself – up to this day you didn't like it when it was totally quiet. So even now it wasn't a problem for you to nap away until you felt a presence in front of you. When you opened one eye you saw your slightly panting girlfriend leaning on the railing smiling at you
“Yeah?” you asked a little dazed
“We're done... I'm heading for the shower... you wait here or outside?” Georgia smiled
“Gonna wait here... got comfortable” you yawned
“Okay... Gonna be quick” your girlfriend smiled pushing herself off the railing walking into the tunnel
You looked around and noticed you were really alone at the trainings facility. You were alone except for a stray ball in the corner. One for being raised with cleaning up a field after training you slandered over to the ball and picked it up. What you didn't expect was that the ball slipped out of your hands and bounces off the ground. Like on autopilot you started to do keep upsies while walking down the sideline. The ball bounced off your feet easily until you didn't got the angle right and it bounced away further into the field. You jogged after it kicking it up again before catching it on your forehead balancing it a little before letting the ball fall again catching it this time with the inside of your right foot holding it there for a second before starting to perform a few tricks.
Unknowns to you Georgia came back wanting to get you so you could go home to find you walking down the sideline playing with a ball. She quickly pulled out her phone starting to record a video when the ball bounced off your foot wrongly and rolled into the middle of the field. Your girlfriend thought you were done know knowing from stories how easily irritated you became at times but to her surprise you kept going. So she kept filming. After watching (and filming) you some more your girlfriend carefully retreated back into the tunnel giving you some more time with the ball for the first time in what felt to you like forever. Even tho you didn't play for over three years know you still could feel it. The way the ball bounces on your foot. The way the grass felt under your soles. The strength you needed to play it higher. You remembered it all.
When you were done you chipped the ball into one of the ball containers on the side of the field before making your way towards the tunnel and the locker rooms.
“Stanway...” you said entering the locker room to find everyone gone except your girlfriend who just dried her hair “... Babe you're still not done??” you whined
“Yeah sorry... got caught up with Guilia” your girlfriend smiled apologetic
“I'm getting hungry” you said and right on cue your stomach rumbled
“Yeah lets go..” Georgia said getting her bag and holding out her hand for you to take
“I thought Chinese...” you said as the door closed behind you not knowing your girlfriend send her video all the way to Barcelona to her best friend who received the message with the capture
When Keira clicked on the video tears sprung immediately into her eyes and she began to silently happy cry
“I think she's home”
#lucy bronze x reader#keira walsh x reader#lucy bronze#barca femeni#woso image#ona batlle x reader#mapi leon x reader#lionesses x reader#georgia stanway x reader#fc bayern frauen
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Warning! Spoilers for Stranger Things Season 5!
1.) (El talking) ‘what if you prefer us more as/than friends’ (note: each denotes a very different mindset in el than the other)
2.) (El talks) well, if we win/live, we can have a happily ever after
3.) (El talks) No. You should have (I am 99% certain of this considering what I can reasonably say I know about the hospital)
4.) (you should have been there?) but so much has happened, if it’s too much, you know…
5.) if it’s too much, you know… Will was with me…. you’re all friends to me
6.) so it’s okay, yes!
7.) El says something beginning with ‘but what if’)
8.) Of of course, you can X with me, whatever you’d like! - El seems to laugh at this. Perhaps Mike exaggerates her original words?
9.) but I mean…whatever happens… shrug
Notes:
I was running these for comparison against a partial m*leven transcript I’ve seen on twitter. The only plausible line,as far as I can see, is their reading of the first one as “but what if something happens to the both of us?” They read the next line as “… whatever happens, happens” and I can kind of see it but overall I think his mouth is too busy. They posited he was proposing running away or leaving Hawkins after everything ends and framed it around that, but I don’t agree with the choices they made - eg “I will come with you” instead of what I see: “of course you can still…with me”
The ‘Will’ part is obviously the part I’m least sure of. I’m really just conjecturing based on leaks. The best I can say is that I’ve checked it against clips of Mike saying Will’s name and it looks roughly the same but not conclusive. I am quite sure of ‘you’re all friends to me’.
I used @byler-endgayme’s excellent AI enhanced video here and put it into gifrun to make these gifs. It’s important to note that, between takes, Millie was wiping her eyes and nose. She was on a roof in January so she could have just been tearing up (and her nose running) from the cold. Finn doesn’t seem affected in the video here (from @cloudycleric) but women do have lower basal body temperatures than men. However, she could also have been tearing up in-character as Millie, suggesting it’s an emotional and heavy/cathartic scene. It’s also very important to note that this video is catching them in the middle of the conversation, and that there’s undoubtedly crucial stuff at the start that we’re not privy to.
It’s also worth noting that m*leven have had problems in episode 2s since season 2 - El reaching out to touch Mike and him walking away from the call, their breakup, and their disastrous roller rink date. Atlanta-filming insinuates in a comment that this occurs after the hospital plot in episode 2, and I will be discussing all of that in a big post out later today - and I have discussed it here already. The TLDR is that Mike is injured at the hospital and Will shows up distraught, but El is nowhere to be found - hence, why I’m reasonably confident that what he says is “no, you should have, you should have been there…”
#byler#mike wheeler#el and mike#el hopper#st5 leaks#st5 spoilers#stranger things 5 spoilers#stranger things 5 leaks
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So it means something when Tommy is awarded and the camera pans to Buck, and Eddie is awarded and the camera pans to Marisol, but it means nothing when Buck is awarded and the camera pans to Eddie instead of Tommy?
This is the stuff I be talking about when I say BT shippers are being intentionally rude. Of course it may have just been an oversight on the editing team, but we don’t know that, do we? So when added to all the other times Buck and Eddie have been framed as a couple or parallel the other couples on the show… why are they mad?
Claiming the editors had to put the cut of Eddie there because he was up next, as if they chopped up the scene for any other character being awarded, is ridiculous. Because it once again proves BT shippers do not care about Buck, just his bisexuality. Because in what world is everyone else getting that wholesome little moment perfectly fine and sensible, but for Buck it’s suddenly meaningless and was the only editing choice left because Eddie was coming up next? Again, if we learn it was an oversight, sure. But until then, they’d rather we believe it to mean Buck didn’t get a shot of his loved one because the editors didn’t care enough to do it? Huh?
And no, BT shippers aren’t delusional, because at least their ship is canon, but they sure can be goofy. Like, even though we didn’t see it nor were told, it’s fine for them to headcanon Buck as having gone to Tommy’s place after his talk with Eddie, to get railed out of his sadness. But it’s the reach of all reaches to wonder why Buck and Eddie were yet again framed in a questionable way?
I don’t agree with majority of Buddie shippers in thinking BT will be over before s8, but I truly cannot understand where their shippers come from most of the time. They’re getting less than bare minimum screen time and plot, and as of right now, not even the editors thought to include Tommy in a scene where every other loved one was shown.
What makes how I feel about this worse (funny worse), is that I also don’t think any of this is intentional. The Buddie framing, yes, even if Tim or whoever tries to say it isn’t. But I’m referring to the lack of BT development. People keep saying they think Tim is purposefully keeping Tommy on the sidelines or as a Debbie downer to prove he and Buck are incompatible, but I really don’t think so.
I think they think they did their big one by having Buck come out, and I think they’ve convinced themselves that because fans will eat up whatever queerness they shovel out for Buck, even the smallest of bits, they don’t need to do more. I can 1000% see BT lasting as it is, because people love it. They don’t care that the nicest thing Tommy said to Buck was he’s adorable. They don’t care that Tommy did more exciting things with Eddie. They don’t care that Tommy has never mentioned anything he likes about Buck at all. They don’t care that Buck hasn’t talked to anybody about Tommy beyond telling two people he’s dating him, and coming out to the rest in one fell swoop.
I would love for s8 to bring up the possibility that Buck is both frightened by and idealizing his relationship with Tommy and that’s why he won’t talk about it, and Tommy’s lack of screen time and sarcasm is the “reality” of their coupling. And I wouldn’t be mad about that. It would actually be a solid story for Buck to have, because he does idolize people and bury his own wants in order to be accepted and loved. So imagine him learning something new about his sexuality being the catalyst for him to stop just letting relationships happen to him?
But again… I don’t think they’ve gotten that far in brainstorming for s8, and I don’t think they even really see what we see once the finished product airs. The actors and creative team have so many different versions of the stories they’re telling, I imagine it’s impossible for them to recall all the correct emotions and tethers needed to react and respond accordingly. That’s what show bibles are for though, and based on the timeline and ages in the show in general, it’s clear Tim doesn’t have the best one or at least it’s not being used to it’s fullest. Either way, I think BT shippers are absolutely loose in the brain if they think the only scenes that make it to air that matter, are all except Buddie.
No, Buddie isn’t canon and fans have spent six seasons theorizing, but in a season where the show runner has stated he’s open to making them a couple and has made one of them canonically queer, it doesn’t make any sense to act like Buddie shippers are reading too far into things. The only reason Buck is bisexual, is because of Buddie shippers latching on to the ship and Oliver and Ryan saying they’d be down. The only reason BT is canon, is because Tim wanted to canonize Buck’s queerness and didn’t want to write a new character into the show.
It was not built up. It was not some red string of fate inevitability. Tim and Oliver both have spoken about how it came to be at the last minute, but BT shippers flat out refuse to listen. Buddie may never become canon, but it won’t change the fact that because of the dedication of Buddie shippers, and Tim and Oliver liking the idea of Buck being queer, BT is happening. Which is not a gotcha or me trying to be petty. It just is the unbiased truth.
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So we know the protagonist used to go to the park when he was little, because of all the memories he had. For example, when looking at the collectables in the Information Kiosk, we uncover several memories he has of the park:
• Mollie Plush: "I remember when my mom took us to the parks one summer. Her favorite was always Mollie, so when they first openes new Mollie Meet & Greet in Jetstream Junction, we were some of the first in line."
• Lloyd Plush: "I feel like as a kid, Indigo used Lloyd a lot more. He was always one of my favorites."
• Finley Plush: "The sea serpent always kinda freaked me out. I love aquariums and fish, but the size of him always made me feel uneasy as a kid."
• Rambley Ears: "I remember watching those old DVDs that Indigo would send to your house when you booked a reservation. They always advertised the biggest gift shops and made all this silly merchandise look so fun! My dad promised me he'd buy me a pair when we went."
• Souvenir Cup: "When I was a kid they used to have free unlimited refills on those things. I once drank so much Bird Up that I got sick and threw up while riding Rooftop Races. That poor kid behind me..."
It is clear our main character has a lot lot positive experiences with the park, apart from the mild fear of Finley. It may have been a park they frequented, much like Thorpe Park, Alton Towers or Legoland Winsor over here in England, which explains the amount of memories and merchandise the main character has. However, Rambley says he doesn't recognise our face, and that we either haven't been or we had plastic surgery. This is strange, isn't it? An AI like Rambley should be able to take facial recognition data and apply ageing prospects to it, being able to recognise a younger guest in the future. This is something AI can definitely do already, which would mean younger protag's facial data should be in the database, as he was a child in or before 2015, when the park used AI and when it was closed. So it's not because he's older...
Hear me out. What if our protagonist had an accident, either not involved with or involved with the park's closure, and had to have plastic surgery. However, since it happened when he was younger, he most likely repressed this traumatic memory and only focuses on the good stuff that happened. It would be dramatic irony if the accident was caused by Feral Lloyd, considering how he was always the main character's favourite. If you look at the models of the feral mascots, you can see they have blood on them: on Mollie's beak, on Finley's side, and on Lloyd's claws. Mollie's beak may possibly cause some damage, Finley would be way too big and could kill a child instantly, however Lloyd clawing up a child's front? The bodily injuries could be saved, but not the face. He would need facial reconstruction surgery.
This accident involving the protagonist's favourite character would shatter his world, sending him into denial. And with all the positive memories he had of the park, it would make sense that he would repress these memories. Adults tend to experience recovered memories of trauma they experienced as a child, as their childhood brain repressed these traumatic memories due to the trauma being too overwhelming for their central nervous system. As you get older, your brain goes through the cognitive processing required to comprehend these memories, causing them to resurface later in life, most commonly in adulthood. He can only remember the positive experiences he had at the park, because those are memories his brain can process cognitively, so the severe trauma gets shut away for years to come.
His repression of trauma could also be reflected in Rambley, since the AI tends to ignore or excuse everything bad happening to the park until it's right in his face and he can't ignore it anymore. Rambley acts oblivious, maybe even wilfully ignorant, when confronted with the park's disarray. He claims the park is under renovations, he tries to call the repairman, he still speaks about basic park functions such as the hotel, payments, etc. It is not until the protagonist is hunted down by a feral Mollie when he really processes the gravity of the situation and admits to the abandonment of the park. Maybe our protagonist will have a similar journey throughout the game, digging up repressed memories and piecing together the truth due to his brain finally being able to process everything that happened to him. Maybe it would come all at once, maybe it will come piece by piece? We'll just have to see...
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Just some thoughts on the new Steam trailers and promo stuff.
I just watched the Steam trailer announcement for the KH series...and they made it really het/S*kai focused. It's very gen/friendship focused as well, but they seriously somehow were even able to make the DDD section of the trailer very not gay and just very gen/friendship based.
Here is the Steam Announcement Video:
youtube
The two short KH is on Steam trailers on Utada's YT page are more for promoting the re-recordings of Hikari and Simple & Clean, but they are fairly het/S*kai and general friendship focused as well. Though, Hikari's promo works better with they lyrics, timing, and lyrical meanings than Simple & Clean.
(More under the Read More due to length).
Here are the two promos to compare. First, Hikari:
youtube
In this version we have the lyrics break down like this:
どんな時だって (donna toki datte) - No matter when it is
From KH1 Sora to Sora in Castle Oblivion, just before battling Marluxia (who's in the background) from the KH2 OP
ずっと二人で (zutto futari de) - We'll always be together
From Axel in the DDD OP to the Time Station shattering around Ven from the BBS OP
どんな時だって (donna toki datte) - No matter when it is
From Aqua holding a frozen Ven and looking up at the blue "Kingdom Heart" in the sky (BBS OP) to the Back Cover stuff
側にいるから (soba in iru kara) - I'll always be by your side
From YX looking at the night sky out the window (KH3 OP) to Sora & Kairi sitting together from the KH3 ending
君という光が (kimi to iu hikari ga...) - The light known as "you"....
This last bit starts as the titles that are going to be released on Steam start to appear on the screen (there are spinning heart shapes that appear over the image, and those turn into the titles), which turns to a plain black screen and info on the release dates, games, etc.
The Simple & Clean take on this promo is definitely a bit more awkward timing and lyrics-wise. It doesn't work as well, though, both promos don't really highlight the bond between Sora and Riku like at all, but highlight the bond between Sora and Kairi, along with just gen friendships in general (which I like and don't mind).
Here is the Simple & Clean Re-recording + Steam promo:
youtube
I don't know. Obviously, they are focusing on the whole series as a whole, which makes sense and the more gen focused stuff for nearly all the characters makes sense and I like and appreciate that. But, it just feels weird to see/have so little of Riku and have the video end with the S*kai stuff, since that relationship is just so underexplored, underdeveloped, and often times just straight up ignored in a lot of the games/Sora's overall journey.
Also, while I'm a fan of Soriku, I don't really care for a number of the big theories out there that exist (some of which, like the whole aitsu thing, has been debunked, and I just find the whole "Sora forgot about Riku" theory to be a theory more so created to cope with the reality that the series is trying to push S*kai more now...even if there are a lot of issues with that from a writing perspective). IDK, but when I see stuff like this...when I played KH3...they all just kind of worked as reminders to keep my expectations in check. I might just be too burned by past media experiences, but a large part of me still believes that the closest we might ever get to canon Soriku is a realization and confirmation on Riku's part that he loves Sora, but S*kai still ends up happening because of "I want my lover to be happy" type trope stuff.
At the very least, I'm happy that we got largely gen and friendship based trailers and promos with all of this, instead of all of the imagery being like "potential het couples" type stuff, lol. But yeah, this is probably an overreaction, but KH3 is a game that really killed my love for the franchise and makes me very hesitant, skeptical, and cynical of KH4 along with the franchise going forward in general. So these promos just don't help at all with that.
#kh#kingdom hearts#Soriku#Riku#Sora#thoughts and feelings on this#feel free to share#no hate#just some sadness and disappointment tbh#it's what i should have expected though#Youtube
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Do you have any adventures of bean to share before you sign off for a bit? good luck with the move!
I wish I had more specific ones, but life is all blurring together at this point so I must settle for Tidbits: Moving Edition
She loves to pack stuff. I have no idea where it's coming from, but holy cow this kid. She's going to be the only reason we're completely packed and ready to go on time. Every morning, she hops in my bed and goes "Can we pack another box?" And any time we're not actively doing something, "Should we pack more boxes?" Her dad whispered to me earlier, understandably dumbfounded, "What is with the packing thing? Why is she so into this?" And she somehow heard it from the next room and merrily hopped in holding the roll of packing tape and said "I dunno, I just really like packing things." So... yeah. She's keeping us on task.
She has Plans for the drive.
-First, we need to eat at Subway (she was very excited to learn she can, in fact, have Subway in moderation).
-Second, we need to stay at one of the number hotels-- those being National 9, Super 8, and Motel 6. (She is bummed there's no 7 hotel.)
-Third, if we successfully get a number hotel for one night, we also need to do a Red Roof Inn some other night.
-Fourth, she wants to go inside a gas station and look at the maps. (She means the visitors guides and brochures that truck stops have when they're near-ish to state lines and/or tourist destinations.)
-Finally, she wants to borrow my phone to take pictures. Unbeknownst to her, we are getting an old digital camera tuned up and outfitted with a child-proof case so she can have her own camera, because when she starts taking pictures it's an hours-long affair, and I kinda need my phone for GPS purposes. We're presenting her with said camera next weekend when we get the trailer, so hopefully she'll stay occupied while we do the part of packing she can't actually help with.
But yeah, she knows how to set realistic, attainable goals, and I honestly think we can make these things happen for her.
She's been obsessively watching that Bluey special every day, and it Concerns me. See, she's generally quite media literate, and knows how to separate fiction from reality, and we had our big group cry about leaving our friends the first time we watched it. But. I am deeply worried that she's under the impression that we'll get all packed and ready to go and then do what Bluey's family did and decide to stay. I desperately hope not, but hoo boy, if that is the case, that's gonna be one heck of a 4-day drive. We've tried bringing it up and talking about it, but we still can't tell what's going on in that little noggin.
She is really, really sad about leaving her friends. I know that's not fun to hear, but honestly, I'm really impressed and proud of the way she's been handling it. She's come up with some great coping mechanisms all on her own: asking if we can get everyone's parents' Facebooks so we can do video calls, asking if we can do a party before she leaves so she can play with her school friends again (both yes, of course), and the one that truly floored me-- she asked if we can find "a new therapy place" when we get to where we're going. My four year old asked if she can go back to therapy, y'all. She's been 'graduated' since before Christmas, but she remembered that it helped when she was feeling anxious all the time and wants to do that again after we move. I just... Holy moly! I am so, SO proud of her for how she's so in tune with herself and her needs.
Her requests for our next housing situation have been few, but very specific. It has to let her get a pet, either a rabbit (maybe two so they can be friends), or a ball python, or both. It needs stairs so she can bumslide down them. It needs a pantry with a shelf she can reach for her snacks. And she'd really prefer if it had hard floors so we can get a fuzzy rug. We don't have it on lock yet (fingers crossed!), but the place that looks most likely meets all of these criteria.
That's all I've got for right now, because I need to go pre-plan what tomorrow morning's packing adventure is going to be so I don't have to think about it two minutes after opening my eyes.
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Laying something new out for ya here... This is just a silly AU
But AU with a girl sanji who is very androgynous because 1. Those suits hide her curves very well and she isnt that big chested 2. She has short hair because she likes it better then that but also one time when she was like 10 Zeff accidentally fucked her hair up and she had to go short- and the style just kinda stuck. 3. She has a deeper voice that can pass as a higher guys voice because of the smokes And 4. Canon sanjis behavior is already a fine mix between masculine and feminine so its not that suprising
So when she joines the strawhats none of them fucking know she's not actually a guy and she also just... Doesnt bother mentioning it to them (i kinda love the idea that SANJI also doesnt realise that they dont know, theyre all idiots)
So when they give her a tour of the ship and point to a bed in the mens bunks saying thats her bed she doesnt even blink an eye, she's spend like 10 years around guys at the baratie and sleeping around them is something she's familiar with
And bathing, we all know besides nami robin and sanji the rest barely shower and when they do they just miss each other
Idk just seemed like a funny idea and wanted to hear your thoughts!! When do you think they would realise and how would if play out 🤔 also how longer it plays out how funnier 😭
That's...that would be her luck. That's so funny.
She let Zeff cut her hair once when she was younger and cried afterwards because he cut way too high and had to deal with the emotional fall out of that because it reminded Sanji of her mom's. It's easier to maintain so she just keeps it short. Zeff is surprised she still lets him cut it but he guesses it's already short so he can't fuck it up much more. She wears suits and as she grows up as one of the guys and while she has her own room it's not much and she still has to get used to waking up shitty men in their bunk room because they're running late to prep and shit.
Between, the hair, the suits, the smoker's voice, and the barely A cups she has she's so androgynous. The regulars know, Mihawk who's had her cook his food and serve his wine and Garp who is passing through. After Sanji joins the crew and they defeat Arlong and Sanji is being shown around she doesn't care and just flops in a bunk to sleep. Maybe Sanji doesn't notice at first because she's mostly called Black Leg but she's being referred to as a boy, is being sent to the boy's quarters, is being called mister. She just shrugs it off as it keeps happen.
When they get the Thousand Sunny Sanji still doesn't move into the women's room, there's just more room in the mens room so she's in there, doesn't question it still. When she's in Kamabakka and going through bridal training Ivankov calls her candy boy she is straight up frowning at them and asking what they mean. She's a girl. She gets like B cups after the TS and Ivankov has tried to convince her to stuff her bra or something. She grows her hair out to shoulder length. I think it'd still be hilarious if after the TS no one still knows until Zou/WCI/Wano.
Like on Zou Sanji doesn't confirm or deny anything just promises she'll come back. Everyone is confused about the Princess thing and so when they go get her. She's in dresses through out all of WCI and during the escape as Judge is shit talking her and Luffy is confused about Judge saying all the best things about her and calling her a girl? Sanji says she is a girl, has been since she was born. Chopper knew but didn't disclose it because he thought Sanji was trying to keep it a secret. In Wano it's Luffy running around to all his crew calling Sanji a princess and a girl and has been the whole time they've been sailing.
They're all staring at Sanji, dressed like the men in her yukata as she stares back and tries to get them to answer why none of them except for Chopper knew. She thought she was in the men's room because of her smoking, did she actually have to be in there? Nami and Robin assure her she can move to the women's room. Nami is very excited to play dress up.
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*JWCT SPOILERS BELOW*
extremely messy live reaction
watched ep 1 from the roblox thing and didn't live react so
ep 2:
BEN GET UR EYES ON THE ROAD
ben eating out of a boot what is wrong with him
this whole van scene is fucking hilarious
BEN BROOKLYNN MEMORIES?? ON A ROOFTOP???
gonna make me cry on ep 2 I see how it is
darius just being overall disgusted with bens lifestyle I'm drying
"benjamin if you don't pull over I'm jumping out of your moving van is that what you want"
"is your friend ok?" "no 🙂"
USING THEY THEM PRONOUNS AS A DEFAULT HELL YEAH
ben has brown eyes at 17 mins
the roadtrip vibes are immaculate once u get past all the conspiracy stuff
why are these 2 licorice fanatics I hate them sm (affectionate)
ep 3:
"that is not at all what Hay smells like. have you never been around Hay before?" I'm obsessed with the dialogue
SAMMY HAVING AN ESTRANGED RELATIONSHIP WITH HER PARWNTS HUH????
"why are we running? we do not have a good track record with running!"
BUMPY CHASIMG BUTTERFLIES MY BABYGITL
she still picks him up 😭😭
mantah corp island investigation hmmm..
"that destructive carnivore" DONT SPEAK ABOUT MY DAIGHTER LIKE THAT
ANOTHER BROOKLYNN MEMORY KILL ME NOW
is that the fuckimg pink jakcet
sammy holding thr box with no effort anf bens big ass almost dropping it
why is so much happening in Sammy's life I wanna give her a hug
"he's getting more than a mud pie! he's getting a knuckle sandwich!" "You kiss your mother with that mouth?"
OH SHIT CARLS DEAD
now sammy has blue eyes wtf
damn that atrocitaptor really hates pies
SAMMY RUN GIRL
bumpy basically telling ben to leave omfg 💔
do his eyes ever stay on thr road
the hug 😭😭
THE BROOKLYNN CONSPIRACY BEGINS
MYSTERY WHISTLE PERSPN
Ep 4:
this eps called "brothers" time to cry
darius mocking ben I love him
"she's fine 😌" "I'm not fine!"
ben calling bumpy a "strokg independent woman" " strange thing to say but ok"
TWO BENJAMIMS??
BEN HAS A GIRLFRIEND NOOPOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
fuxk this
"she lives in.. europe?" he met her on that fucking conspiracy site didn't he
THE ALLOSAURUS
ben u eat food out of a boot u cannot talk ab kenjis place like that
"were not exactly on speaking terms" WHEN ARE YOU EVER
did kenji fucking shrink why does he seem so small
HE SHUT THE DOOR ON DAROUS STOP
THE STICKERS 😭😭
"this is. really something kenj!"
THE FANILY PHOTO IM GONNA SOBBBB
oh good lord the tension
"that's where my dad lives" OH FUCK
"I think we should split up" "you and yaz?!" TJE DISTRESS IN HIS FACE
his hand on his heart for the rest of the conversation he would've been more hurt by a breakup then they wouldve omfg
sammy tickle attacking ben THE FACT THAT SHE KNEW IT WOUD WORK
kenji masterfully climbing while darius is fighting for his life trying to put the gear on
WHY ARE THEY FIGHTIJG ON A MOUTNAIN SIDE
KENJI DUMPED BROOKLYNN?? OMG??
ANOTHER MEMORY
"I can't be with you anymore if you're not going to be with me" 😭😭😭
OH HES CRYING
ope kenj I saw that smile
KENJI AGREED TO SEE HIS DAD THE ANGSSTSTTSTSTST
NOOO THEY GOT BUMPY
ep 5:
WHY IS SO KUCH HAPPENING AROUMD THIS SANDWICH
WHY IS IT EVEN IN THE ROAD LIKE THAT
"that bush looks like ben" what does that even mean darius
KENJI CALLIMG DARIUS' MOM EVERY WEEK HE LOVES HER SM
I love this relationship ben and sammy have they're acting sm like siblings
ANOTHER BENJAMIN
HE STILL EATS CAROB
ben and sammy being dino activists ik that's rihht
mr king dino they could beat ur ass
FUCK YOU DANIEL STOP LOOKIMG HAPPY
THIS MAN TRYING TO LOOK GUILTY STFU
"did you have brooklynn killed?" straight to the point ok
"worried what?? that I'd double cross ya??" WHAT WAS ON THAT STICKY NOTE
BEN PUTTING SAMMY AS A SUSPECT?? ID BE PISSED TOO
he can't say the right thing to save his life
DANIEL TEYING TO KEEP SECRETS I VATE HIM
"just never had a father around to practice with" YEAH YOU GET HIM KENJI
NAH WHATS HE GOT PLANNED
"yeah ok I'll get my violin" kenji ily
NAH DANIELS STILL A SNAKE DONT TRUST HIM KENJI
sammy and ben causing mass destruction without meaning too hold habits die hard ig
YEAH SAMMY BEAT THAT MAN
bens list of loyal and amazing friends:
1) bumpy
2) corndogs
3) his van
DINO KING IS SUSPICIOUS?????
4) sammy
"he's just so!" "graah?" "yes! yes! exactly"
THE BROTHERS ARE COMMUNICSTIJG YEAAAHH
oh God I hope kenji has a backstabbing plan with this agreement
"I won't let you control me anymore" YEAH KENJI WALK AWAY
NUH UH YOU DO NOT GET TO LOOK SAD DANIEL YOU DID THIS TO YOURSELF
"there was something about her that was different. almost dangerous" I am taking everything be says with a grain of salt but things are getting so suspicious??
OH SHIT ANOTHER DEAD GUY
LET 👏 HIM 👏 DIE 👏
THE WHISTLE AGAIN
what in the goddamn green earth is that woman
daniel u may have saved kenji but I still don't like u
THEY KILLED DANIEL WE ALL CHEERED
she seems so robotic I'm terrified
now who is this
not him speaking Japanese 😭 he needs a hug so bad
ep 6:
YAZ I MISSED YOU
her ptsd is hurting her so much omfg
ANOTHER BROOKLYNN MEMORY
moment of respect for the outfit changes in the memories
brooklynn got yaz into dino immersion therapy 😭
these memories are killing me man am I allowed to stop cryjng
SAMMYS CONTACT PHOTO 🫶🫶
BEN LIKES ROCK MUSIC CALLED IT
WHATS HE DOIN THE BG
"we haven't really talked much lately" does ANYONR have a good relationship in this show
"It'll be good for you two to reconnect"
"yeah.. I hope so" IT WILL BE SAMMY IT HAS TO BE
the gfs are still healthy all it good all it well in the world
"no dinosaurs?" "judging by the look of that thing I'd say we have one now"
oh sammy really is treating her like a fragile flower
I already watched this scene in the released clip but bens scream is somehow even more funny
ben still callimg her fadoula I love their relationship
THE GIRLF ARE FIGHTIJG NO
"girlfriend?" "why does everyone act so surprised when insay that" bc u are gay
I feel so bad for all these people like imagine dinos get into the place ur promised they won't be
OH THAT AINT DPW OH SHIT OH FUCK
IVE BEEN WANTING TO SEE THE AFTERMATH OF THE VAN GOING OFF THE BRIDGE YEAH
off topic but I am obsessed with the end credit cards
ep 7
the ep is called "that night" I am in fear
oh that's the moment sammy saw how much yaz has grown calling it now
I feel so bad for kenji rn hes in so much pain :((
he's probably so conflicted rn. daniel only ever hurt him but he's all kenji knows as his dad
THE HUG THE HUG THE HUGGGGG
"I'd be dead if it wasn't for her!" what do you know mateo WHAT DO YOU KNOW
"it was there on purpose" AAAAAAHHHH I mean we knew but AAAAAAHHHHHHHH
HEY DONT DO THE HOPELESS MHSIC WHILE THEYRE TRAPPEDBIN THE VAN I DONT LIKE WHAT IT INDICATES
"I can't have the last thing I see be bens soggy van!"
YEE HAW THEY GOT OUT
MATEOS STORY WOO HOO TIME TO GET SOME GAPS FILLED IN AND SOME ANDWERS QUESTIONED
oh shoot did he accidentally help the bad guys
now why would he get out ofbthe truck in such suspicious circumstances
WE HAD TO SEE HER DIE FROM A DIFFERENT ANGLE ARE YOU KIDDING ME ?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?
OH HE TOOK THE PHONE
THEY SWITCHED SCENES BEFORE WE COULD SEEBWHAT WAS ON THE PHONE AVAAAHAHAH
oh wow the wet hair animation is so much better omg
GIRLCEIEND MOMENT GIRLFRIEND MOMENT
"I guess we need each other huh" *makes out*
them having their moment while bens grieving his baby
"ciao cara mia" I hate him
BROOK HAD A SECRET HOUSE
kenjis night just keeps getting worse
bros been DYING to throw those phones
"oh I am so gonna haunt them from beyond the grave" never change yaz
where on earth are they gonna hide on that truck
mateo seemed like a decent guy hope all goes well for him
her apartment was cute asf ok brooklynn
DID YALL SEE THE MOTORCYCLE HELMETS ?????????????? YEAH BROOK U WERE THAT GIRL
kenji stop reminiscing ur gonna make me cry
THE BROS ARE BONDING THEYRE GETTING ALOMG
KENJI WHAT DO U SEE
darius putting all the pieces together is so rad bc I sure am not
A SUSPICIOUS BAG OF MONEY???? IN HER CLOSET??? BFOOK GIRL WHAT WERE U A PART OF
SHE WAS WPRKING WITH DANUEL SHE WAS WHAT WHAJAJDHSLAJHFJSLAJD
I hope she was doing it for an investigative purpose SHE BETTER HAVE BEEN
but why didn't Daniel bring it up HMmmmmm...
"or what else she was hiding from us" OH HES HURT HURT
darius driving the motorcycle instead of kenji I'm cackling
ep 8:
THEY HID WITH THE SEDATWD DINO ARE THEY INSANE
not the dino smacking rhe lips it doesn't have
now why is she gonna stand on the dino instead of getting bens giant self to look out the gap
the drop is gonna be how they reunite isn't it
kenji screaming bc of a spider he's so real
THEYRE BEINF BROTJERS YEAH WERE SO BACK BABY
oh so they're working for extra cash too hmm
oh this place actually looks nice
VIDEO MEMORIES IM GONNA SOB
I am sufficiently uncomfortable thanks for asking darius
the boys are fighting again JUST VET ALOMG PLEASE
darius misses her so much seeing a bird made him think of her 😭😭
lookimg at the dates on the voicemails it's been at least 3 months since she died
DARIUS IN BATHTUB I laughed this is supposed to be sad and I laughed
I sense something big coming I gotta walk around for a bit
"I was in love with brooklynn" OH FUCK OH SHITNOH AJAHDKLAQKHFLAKHFKLAL
now I REALLY have to walk around for bc WHAT
WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WJAT WJATBQKHRLAJFLAHSLALKFHAL AAAAHAAHAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
rewatched the scene and I am no more sane ab it
BEN THIEVING ABILITIES MAKING A COMEBACN HELL YEAH
NAH WHATD THEY DOBTO BUMPY THEY BETTER NOT HURT MY GIRL
"boo." Yaz ily
THE VIDEO THE VUDEO AAAAAAAAAAAA
"were brothers righr?" HE SAID IT HE SAID IT WE WIN
every single moment with these 2 is so painful how am I supposed to exist in these conditons
WHAT DID THEY DO TO BUMPY WHAT DID THEY DO TO HER
THE GFS SAY I LOVE YOU SO MUCH ❤️❤️❤️❤️
THE DINOS JUST CHILLING INSTEAD OF STAMPEDING
YES QUEEN DINO U KILL THE MAN THAT TORTURED YOU
love the steggos just watching everything
yaz was smart with the lights u go girl
my heart is genuinely pounding for bumpy I am too attached to this fictional dinosaur
avocado costume?????? girls be fr
KENJI AND DARIUS ARE HERE TOO??
DARIUS IS GONNA FREE THAT BABY I KNOW HE IS
I hope the sino causes chaos later
"with me by your side, you kon climb anything too"
YEAH THE SINOS CAUSING CHAOS WOO HOO
"bumpy.. are you dying?" NUH UH BEN DONT SAY THAT NOPE
ALL THE CRYING SCENES THEY GOTTA STOP
kenji doing everything with graceful agility vs darius and his childlike experience
sammy kicking kenji TWICE now
TWO HUGS?? IN A ROW?? IM FED
the hugs are so much more natural in this series the animation improvement is insane
"creepy micro bangs'" that is a fantastic description kenji
THE ALLOSAURUS AGAIN
sammy being bumpys other parent 🫶
istg I'm already cryjng
if they kill bumpy idk what'll happen
bumpy is genuinely a part of their family they are completely falling apart rn
"move her tail!" IS SHE ABOUT TO LAY AN EHG
BUMPYS A MOM????!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!???@?!?!?!?!?!?!??
them passing the egg around like a baby in a hospital such a proud family
"wait what?" "don't think about it bud"
"ben! you're gonna be a grandpa!" glad they also see her as his daughter
NAH THE GUY I FORG9T THE NAME OFNIS EVIL
ep 10:
LAST EPUSOXE ALREADY??????
cabrera thats his name
YEAH SAMMY BEAT HIS ASS U GO GIRL
NAH FREAKY BOB LADYS BACK
she is genuinely somebhorror movie shitnor something
that scene was genuinely so intense I completely froze
EHOS DRIVING THE TRUCK
MATEO MY MAN I KNEW YOUNWERE GOOD
THE DINOSBARE GOING FREE BEAUTIFUL GEORGOUS THROWUNG BOUQUETS
obsessed with the shot of the t Rex in front ofbthe explosion hell yeag
"leave my girl alone!" SCREAM IT YAZ
DARIUS FREEING THE ALLOSAURUS I SMELL CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
WAS THAT BUMPYS EGG IN THAT CASE
about time this man died
creepy lady is actually super pretty I hate that she's evil and kinda insane
darius finally stopped blaming himself 😭
"my guy. you're still here?" "unfortunately yeah. you all get real vulnerable with each other. it's weird" I'm dying
FUCK DUXK A AKHDLAKWYAPAHHFLAHWLAK
BROOKLYNNNANNAMANANNN
OH MY GODBOHNMYNGOD SHES SYDNEY GUYS SHE FUCKIMG SYDNEY ITS FUCKIKG BROOKLYNN AKSHALAKQLLQKDJALJFL
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAJKALAFJAJ
#did not go thru and read back over this before posting bc i currently am actually insane#you can actually see my mental state slowly deteriorating as this goes on#jurassic world chaos theory#chaos theory#jurassic world camp cretaceous#camp cretaceous#jwct spoilers#chaos theory spoilers#c posts
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Not to be that person, but I'm gonna vent on here. My last 2 weeks have been frustrating to say the least.
S/O and I split, it was mutual, but like that's still a connection with someone that's been changed.
Someone tried to get me fired from work by lying about me, I got it situated, but it's still irksome.
My mortgage company is saying my payment went up by 200, but it shouldn't have and I wasn't warned about the payment increase meaning they're trying to catch me with late fees.
Mortgage company is also saying that I missed a payment, I have the paperwork stating that I didn't miss a payment.
If you hear about a bunch of random people getting round house kicked straight into oblivion, just know they deserved it.
#Rant over?#I mean more has happened but that's the big stuff#I also had some mild issues with a car tire not keeping pressure#Really there's a lot more I guess#Gonna throat punch the fucking sun
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I keep thinking about how on earth they would canonize ggy bc like. at this point if they have to sacrifice Gregory screentime of just him to make something we already know actually canon, I would rather just take the screentime, but on the other hand they have to canonize it if they want to do anything at all with that plotline, and that makes me wonder if theyll stick with it as canon in the games at all or just leave it as background knowledge if u read the book 😭
#like i love ggy just as much as the nezt person and go crazy at how canon it is but not yet#but also i like gregory a lot more and ggy isnt the only reason hes my favorite#gregory was my favorite for a whole year before ggy even came out#i want him as a person to be developed more than his ggy plot when we already know its real#but gregory himself desperately needs more time focused on his character to tell us more about him#maybe give some context to some of his decisions#best case scenario honestly is Gregory has a protagonist plotline where it showcases his character and relationships with others#as the game progresses naturally with dialogue and stuff (freddy and vanessa being his guides or something)#with the focus being saving cassie#but as the game reaches its climax gregory realises for some reason or another that apparently he was ggy and did all those things#and was the mimics fave#but its established he had amneisa before security breach so he didnt remember and still doesnt#he just knows he did it and has to deal#so it doesnt completely take over everything else about his character#and then whatever happens at the end of that game has cassie saved and joining 3 star#who GOT DEVELOPMENT in this hypothetical#like idk i want ggy to be canon but i dont want it to overtake gregory#yknow what i mean#it should be background to him not the other way around#vanessa and cassie already have that big main possession plotline#pandas.txt#tbh if they replace gregorys backstory with something equally interesting I'll be ok with no game ggy#we already have a whole book to mess around with i wouldn't mind it being a little au even tho i know it isnt#its VERY canon and ill 100% be alright and happy w game ggy#but im nervous for how they would establish it in a game if at all#with how much gregory needs screentime just as a character and if he'd need to wait even longer after a ggy reveal#thoughts#gregory
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you can't reclaim a word that's never been used against you
#if you've never been called fat before please dont use that word#as someone who has been called fat a lot in my life in very painful ways... y'all dont get it#and i dont want people within a hundred feet of a word they dont understand the connotation/power of#im really just sad and tired of seeing non-fat people call ashton fat. because it just Keeps happening a *lot* and i just like#cannot stomach it at this point. i mean i literally see it FREQUENTLY and now ive just seen some stuff about it on my dash tonight and like#it brings me to tears literally every single time i see it. and i *never* see fat people call ashton fat ever. it is *only* non-fat people#and it's because they just simply do not understand how that word feels. and i shouldn't necessarily fault people for it BC they dont get i#but people writing feeder fics about him?? and going out of their way to describe his body in a way they never would a thin person's...#and more than that. like. he's not *fat*???? that's just not the right word. sure he HAS fat. everyone does#but calling him fat pointblank is just like... i do not see the benefit in it. he's Big. he's Muscular. but he's not *fat*#and it makes me think that you dont know any fat people. when that word has only ever been used in a derogatory manner by the majority#i mean that is NOT a neutral word. at this point in history. and if you have never experienced the harm that it can bring i just#i mean i dont know why you *want* to be using it#so yeah uh saying my bit on that bc y'all know me#im a little blabber box chatter mouth#and it's just something that i see a lot of especially on ao3 and one of the primary reasons actually that#i dont really read new fics by authors i dont know#because the way people treat ashton's body is very different than how they treat others'#and it's usually not fat people creating that content SO!#please uh consider maybe the words you're using... and how they could affect others!#ok i have a lot of homework to do tonight so im gonna. hunker down and do that#and feel Not Good about my body because if you think *ashton irwin* is *fat* then#i dont really want to know what you think about an actual fat person
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yakuza: dead souls - american vibes, bigass guns, and why zombies are super weird to have in ryu ga gotoku thematically/ideologically speaking
so i've been playing dead souls recently (hell yeah hell yeah hell yeah) and although i'm having the time of my life with it, there was something about it that kinda felt off to me, and i think i've figured out what it was, but i'm gonna have to walk you through a bit of my thought process to get there.
my first instinct was that it felt... american? and upon further examination i think that boils down to a couple of things:
everyone suddenly has lots of guns and also way way bigger guns
high emphasis on individual heroism (this itself is quite typical for rgg, but it manifests differently here; more on that in a bit)
military/government incompetence, which must be solved by the right individuals having the biggest and bestest guns
[for the sake of transparency i will note that my experience with zombie media is pretty limited and skews american (and i myself am american), so that may create bias. however, the 'this feels american to me' instinct is a rare one for me even in genres where i have seen little/no non-american media, so i think the fact that it did occur to me is notable. what about dead souls triggered that response when little else has? that's why i examined it and, truthfully, i think there's merit in the idea itself.]
the first point is pretty self-explanatory. america's got more guns than it does people, and its gun worship is infamous. japan's ban on guns (aided by its being an island state) means there's far fewer guns in the country, as well as far fewer people with guns (and likely far fewer guns per gun owner, excepting arms dealers/smugglers) than somewhere without such a ban. obviously, there are guns anyway. due to their illegality they are clustered within the criminal population, which explains their presence within organized crime within the series. very few guns will be sitting around in the homes of otherwise law-abiding citizens.
and yet, when the zombie outbreak hits kamurocho, plenty of civilians suddenly have access to quite an arsenal. everyone has the knowledge they need to aim, fire, and reload smoothly and quickly; ammo is infinite for certain guns. characters we've never seen using firearms before suddenly have shotguns under their couches (looking at you, majima). it's not only very different from reality, it's very different from guns' place within the series up until this point, when they were limited weapons used primarily by the enemy.
and they're making a zombie shooter, so of course they would have to do this. it has to be unrealistic to be simultaneously in this setting and in this genre, in the same way that yakuza solving their problems with bareback fistfights instead of guns is itself both unrealistic and necessary to being the kinds of games rgg are.
my point is that this is a kind of focus on and valorization of gun ownership and competency unusual for the series and setting. further, it serves as an argument for why an armed, competent populace is crucial typical in american media.
which brings us to the third point (we'll get to 2 in a minute). guns are often marketed as self-defense weapons. the implication is that the government's defense of the individual (via law enforcement or the military, but particularly the former), are insufficient. this is objectively true. if someone pulls a gun on you at the gas station, will a cop manifest out of thin air to intercede? no. that's impossible. but if you have a gun, or if some bystander has a gun, you or they may be able to do something with that gun to stop the armed person. thus, there is an undeniable gap in the effective immediacy of such responses.
many gun advocates also point to the incompetence or insufficiency of law enforcement, even when they are present to stop an armed aggressor. the fact that law enforcement do not have a 100% success rate in protecting the citizenry is also objectively true.
so, when you are in danger, arming yourself increases your chances of being able to put down (or at least take armed action against) a present or potential threat. whether it is viewed it as a supplement to or a replacement for law enforcement, it is meant to make up for the shortcomings of the government's ability to completely protect all its citizens. it's a safety net for state failure.
back to dead souls. rgg has always centered political corruption in its stories, including politicians, the police, and sometimes even the military, though usually the former two. sometimes this is treated sympathetically (i.e. tanimura, a dirty cop, whose dirty-cop-ness allows him to work outside/against the law to help disadvantaged people, not unlike how kiryu views being a yakuza), and other times it's simply a matter of greed or lust for power (i.e. jingu).
however, something that's almost never touched on so clearly is government incompetence. when the government fails to help people or hurts them or does corrupt things, it's usually due to a competent, malicious bad apple who is removed from power by the end of the game. this implies holes in the system because it keeps happening all the time, but that's on a series-wide scale, a pattern ignored by the series in favor of the individual game solution of "this guy's gone now :) yay".
but in dead souls, the SDF's barracades fall, their men are killed, they are unable to help protect the people outside or inside the quarantine zone. they are weak in a way the government usually isn't in these games. and who is stronger than them? our individual good guys with guns. so we need to be armed because the government is weak and can't protect us. boom. america.
returning to point 2, i'd like to say that dead souls is not particularly more individualistic than any of the other games in the series (other than, perhaps, y7). rgg is an incredibly individualistic series, actually. its protagonists are usually men who defy, oppose, and skirt around the law as a way of helping others and doing what is truly right (with a few exceptions, like shinada and haruka). the romanticized view of the yakuza as a force for helping the community in the face of government incompetence is a real one, and one that tends to manifest itself most in kiryu and how the series treats him. it shows us yakuza who aren't willing to kill, yakuza who cry about honor and justice and humanity and brotherhood, yakuza who never dip their hands into less palatable crimes, or only do with intense regret (and only ever as part of their backstory). the beat-em-up style emphasizes this as well. i mean, what's more individualistic than a one-man army?
put more clearly, this series is about men defying legal and social laws and expectations to live in a way that feels right to them, and about making themselves strong enough to combat those who would get in their way. the individual is placed before the society in importance, (though generally in a way that benefits the community, because they are good guys who want to use that agency and power for good).
all of this is true in dead souls as well, technically. those who live on the outskirts of society are the ones who actually save the day, and the ones who go in there and save people rather than just walling them off and pretending like they don't exist. they have the guns, which are illegal and mark them as criminals, but this broken law is what gives them the power to save themselves when the government will not, and to save their community if they so choose.
where dead souls differs is in the nature of that strength.
rgg places a lot of emphasis on self-improvement, both of one's body and of one's character. do both of these, and you will be strong enough to back up your ambitions. what allows someone to carve their own path in life is the ability to put down ideological and physical resistance by having resolve and the ability to tiger drop whoever won't be swayed by your impassioned speeches. you make yourself a weapon. you make yourself strong. in dead souls, that strength comes from an external, material possession. strength is something you buy (or that you take from someone else). who is able to survive the apocalypse comes not from the heart, nor from rigorous training, but from who has the most, the biggest, and the most bestest guns. it's an intersection of capitalism, militarization, and individualism. simply, deeply american.
[when i was talking myself through this a few days ago, i spent a lot more time on the capitalism + individualism stuff, but i think i'll keep this moving. consider this aside the intermission]
dead souls also differs for a few other interlocking reasons. it can be described with this equation:
zombification of enemies + lethality of guns = loss of emphasis on redemption
if your best friend turned into a zombie, could you shoot them? or your child? or your lover? it's a common trope, but it's a damn good one. watching your family, your neighbors, your town, everyone turn into a husk of themselves, something that looks like them but cannot be reached, is deeply tragic. it's even more tragic when these husks are trying to kill you. unable to be reasoned with and unable to be cured, you must incapacitate them before someone innocent is hurt--or hurt, then themselves made dangerous; each loss adds to the number of threats surrounding you. your life is seen as more valuable than that of your zombified friend, not only because the zombie is attacking you and it's self defense, but because they are no longer a person to you. to be a zombie is to no longer be human; zombification is dehumanization.
and so in a series so focused on connection with one's community, on saving innocent civilians, often on saving kamurocho specifically, one would expect similar tropes to occur. even if one's friends aren't turned, perhaps the cashier at poppo you chat with sometimes is. it's the destruction of that community and of the members one has tertiary relationships with that i expect would occur most within a kamurocho zombie story, since they are likely unwilling to axe anyone more important than that, even if dead souls isn't canon. i'd especially expect to see that in the beginning, before the need to kill zombies rather than contain or redeem them becomes apparent.
this does not happen.
i cannot speak for the entire game, but i can speak of gameplay choices that affect this, and ones i think will not be subverted throughout, even if they are somewhat contradicted by plot events i am presently unaware of.
kamurocho is not a community to protect, nor is it filled with your fellows. it is a playground filled with infinitely respawning, infinitely mow-downable, infinitely disposable zombies. you are meant and encouraged to kill them by the thousands, and never to hesitate or consider whether they may be cured or who may be mourning them. who may be unable to identify their loved one because you were trying to reach a headshot goal from hasegawa. you are not meant to consider them as human, nor beings that were once human, nor beings that could be human again, in the eyes of the zombie shooter. they are merely bodies, targets, and obstacles.
the zombies are contrasted with the true humans, those barricading themselves within the quarantine zone or those living in ignorance outside it. humans are meant to be saved, zombies are meant to be killed. the player character is the only one who can truly help with either of these goals, because the other humans are cowardly, ignorant, or unarmed/helpless. you must be their savior. to be a savior is to eliminate zombies, who are less than human.
the black and white nature of this is also emphasized by another gameplay characteristic: the lack of street encounters. when you traverse the peaceful parts of kamurocho, you are never attacked. you are also never directly attacked by the humans within the quarantine zone. kamurocho feels very different without its muggers and hooligans, but it's because this is a zombie shooter, not a beat-em-up. in a normal rgg title, you'd subdue threats by punching, kicking, and throwing them. you'd use your body in (supposedly) nonlethal ways. dead souls does not have a combat system meant for civilians. you have your guns. you subdue threats by shooting them, preferably lethally. the game doesn't want you to do that to humans, so you never fight humans. this furthers the black and white divide between the salvation-worthy, noble humans and the death-worthy, worthless zombies. combat is only lethal, and only used against the inherent other.
this leads me to the part of dead souls i find most conflicting with the ethos of rgg broadly, and perhaps its greatest ideological/thematic failing.
because the enemy are incurable, dangerous, and inhuman, you must kill them to protect yourself and others, others who are still human. humanity is something that is lost or preserved, but never regained. once someone's gone, they're gone, and you not only must kill them, it is your duty and your right to kill them. you should kill them.
in dead souls, there is no redeeming the enemy.
and that's a big problem.
rgg is about a lot of things, but a key one is the ability of people to change for the better. its most memorable, beloved villains are those who see the light by the end and change their wicked ways (usually through some form of redemptive suicide, though that's another essay in itself). its pantheon of characters is full of those who come from questionable backgrounds struggling to be the best people they can be, to live as themselves authentically and compassionately. it's about the good and the love you can find in the moral and legal gray zones of life/society, and the potential/capacity for good all of us have, no matter how far we may have fallen. it is a hopeful series. it is a merciful series.
this is something bolstered by its gameplay. countless substories are resolved by punching a lesson into someone until they improve their behavior, either out of fear or genuine remorse/development. the games don't just discourage killing your enemies, they don't allow you to (yes, we've all seen the "kiryu hasn't killed anybody? umm. look at this heat action" stuff before, and while they've got a point, i believe it's the narrative's intent that none of this is actually lethal, based on how laxly it treats certain plot injuries (cough cough. y7 bartender) and the actual concept of taking a life, the gravity it is given by the text, particularly when it comes to characters crossing that threshold into someone who has killed. explicit killing is not an option open to you, even when you're being attacked by dozens and dozens of armed men. conflicts are resolved by simply beating up enough guys in this nonlethal manner.
but dead souls is a shooter. to avoid conflict with the series' moral qualms about letting its characters kill, the enemies cannot be human. furthermore, the zombie shooter genre can only fit within the series if its zombies are completely inhuman. this means their pasts as humans cannot be acknowledged, nor the possibility of a cure, nor the characters' own potential conflicts about killing them; or, at least, not in a way that impedes their or the player's ability to gun them down afterwards.
if you can't kill humans in your series, then it cannot be possible to save (in this case, rehumanize) zombies. this is especially true in a game where you are unable to fight humans, and thus human lives are universally more valuable than zombie lives. because if you kill a zombie that can be cured, you are, in a way, killing a human.
and so, in a series where you should always assume your enemies (and everyone, for that matter) are capable of reason, compassion, change, and redemption, and where they are always worth that effort, even if they reject it in the end, dead souls' enemies are irredeemable and only worth swift, stylish slaughter. there are only good guys and bad guys. good guys must be protected, lest they be turned irreversibly into bad guys. good guys are only protected by killing bad guys, and the only way to save good guys is to kill every last one of the bad guys. do not spare them, and do not ask whether or not it's right. only kill.
i love dead souls. it's a silly game. i like seeing daigo in decoy-drag and majima gleefully cartwheeling his way through zombies and ryuji with his giant gun arm prosthetic. it's fun. but when i was trying to figure out what felt off about it to me, one of the words that came to mind (besides american) was indulgent. that, too, felt odd, because i love indulgent media. i am not one to scorn decadent, hedonistic, beautiful high-calorie slop type media. if dead souls was just fan servicey, that wouldn't really bother me. i am a fan and boy do i feel serviced. it rocks. but i think my problem is in what dead souls is indulging.
i think dead souls indulges in the desire to cut loose, and to see these characters cut loose. thing is, they're cutting loose all over kamurocho, and all over the bodies of people they used to (at least in concept) care for. with lethal weapons. it is catharsis via bloodbath, not by pushing your body and mind to the limit in man to man combat, but by pulling a trigger before the other guy can hurt you, or even think about hurting you, for the crime of existing as the wrong kind of thing.
and i just don't think that's in line with rgg's beliefs.
yes, it's probably fair for dead souls' characters to kill zombies. i'm not against that. i'm also not against games letting you do purposeless violence. i spent a good amount of my elementary school years killing oblivion npcs for shits, like. that's not what bothers me about dead souls.
rgg as a series has always taken a hard stance in both its game design and narrative choices against killing and for the potential for redemption in its enemies. and i think the lengths to which it goes to promote that despite the probably-lethal moves you do and the improbability of a harmless do-gooder yakuza is one of the most endearing things about the games. so for this one entry to disregard that key theme for the sake of a genre shift that flopped super hard, well? i dunno. it feels weird i guess. it's out of place not just because it's a dramatic shift in gameplay and style and also zombies are only a thing here (and the supernatural/fantastical are thus only prominent here), but because of what those shifts imply.
so, uh. yeah. my pre-dead-souls thoughts that dead souls wasn't that out of pocket bc rgg's just kinda weird? turns out it was actually super weird to have a zombie shooter in there, but for way way deeper reasons than anyone gives it credit for.
(footnotes in tags)
#1) i deemphasized the physicality of shooting to emphasize my points about the viscerality and personal nature of rgg#brawls and the colder more detached nature of gun use relative to that but i do NOT mean that shooting has no physical component to it#obviously it takes a lot of skill to shoot quickly and accurately and lugging a bigass gun around kamurocho would tucker me out for sure#2) no i don't think all those things i said were american were usa-exclusive. it's a big world out there. i'm just saying those things#combined feel like a particularly american flavor of thing to me#3) there's probably more to be said about the connection between wanton killing and american styling or anti-immigration theming in zombie#stories or dead souls But i figured that was a bit too disconnected to the funny zombie game. this shit was a lot anyway y'know?#4) also i don't think most of this was intentional on the part of rgg studios. i genuinely think they just wanted to make a fun zombie#shooter and didnt really think about it all that hard. whenever you make smth there's gonna be implications you never considered. it happen#5) is it ballsy to write a giant essay on a game i'm like 1/4 the way through? yes. i've done smarter things. i'll revisit it when im done#if i'm wrong then i'll figure it out probably. but like. i don't think they'd set up the hasegawa objective stuff or have akiyama just#unflinchingly start shooting zombies and then later challenge that. we'll see but my hopes aren't high y'know? i know rgg#6) i should also clarify that violent catharsis is a) a part of all rgg games and b) cool as hell. it's the lethal bit that doesn't fit with#the series y'know?#rgg#ryu ga gotoku#yakuza#like a dragon#yakuza dead souls#dead souls#classic skrunk 4 hr middle of the night impulse essay hooorayy
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People complaining about Star Wars shows being too slow, too much filler, like ok why don’t you just not watch? Log off Twitter?
If you can’t see any of the importance of the episodes that don’t have firefights and explosions every five fucking seconds, and complain there’s no story when the plot flies right over your head, that’s not everyone else’s problem. Yes the beginning of Andor takes a while to swing into things, and there’s many reasons for it. I frankly don’t even understand the complaints around the Bad Batch because each episode is far more obvious in its intents and still very exciting. How did any of you watch The Clone Wars?????
No one cares that you think the episodes not involving direct conflict with the Empire are boring. You’re boring. Gain some sort of common sense and think critically about the storytelling before you complain that there is none :)
#sorry luke skywalker isn’t there to hand feed you the plot and symbolism and lessons you’re meant to take away!#this is mostly happening on twt but I’m complaining here it’s my god given right#stop saying this last episode was filler! they got their ship back omega has a lesson of what home is to others and that injustice can#happen anywhere. power imbalances and greed and unjust actions. there’s also those who can step in and help fight it#like sitting at thanksgiving talking about Andor with my uncle and he’s like ‘it was just soooo slow starting out’ and I was like ????? huh?#i get that stuff like Andor or some episodes of tbb don’t appeal to everyone. complain away whatever. I’m talking about people who say that#it’s just filler or that there’s no story so it’s boring. like huh????#also filler is such an overused and misused term. episodes where there isn’t huge direct conflict with large plot points aren’t just filler#meet the characters explore their relationship there’s story there there’s often more than that even#it’s their first real battle without echo! there’s meaning behind this! sorry you don’t get dramatic empire villains and huge heroic shots#which even then you do! hunter in the big fuckin exhaust pipe! hunter barely saving omega! tech and wrecker shooting the droids!#anyways that’s my opinion ✌️😘#tbb#sw#the bad batch spoilers#z speaks#not gonna tag this as anything else because it’s not my silly little analysis it’s just me complaining
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am finally back home and can say without a doubt that i am just fundamentally not built for long distance travel however the train was much nicer than planes
#that being said. pressurized cabins drive me insane a little bit#and also it gives you pretty intense sea legs for a While#like. the ones from the first trip hadnt gone away by the return one. so. might be stuck with that for a few days#we shall see#also ajr live fucks severely#the albums were already incredible but that was a goddamn religious experience#like. idk the way i think abt it is theyre more djs than a regular band esp w their performance showing the making of way less sad#like their music is very electronic‚ theyre making mixes of their own sound effects more than singing in one go#so like. the vocals were a teeensy bit rough at times#notably times it has taken me Literally Hundreds Of Hours Practice to be able to consistently sing along with#and times ive found its literally physically impossible to like. no matter what#idc how big your lungs are‚ there is no human on earth who can do that final run of karma in one breath#much less to An Entire Stadium After An Hour Of Jumping And Dancing And Singing Loud As Fuck#so like i dont blame them for that‚ you dont go to live shows expecting it to be 100% perfect anyways jwbdjsbfksb#the trumpet however. well she was certainly playing sometimes. and was very enthusiastic about her flares.#however. in most of their songs they use midi trumpets to my ear at least#meaning she was likely an addition specifically for live performances and in my personal band kid opinion#prooobably was not in any of the like. higher tier bands? idk just. a lot of the mistakes she was making were hitting as stuff that got#taught out of us the instant we joined any band beyond regular concert#so i would guess she was probably just like. a friend who happened to play trumpet in high school or maybe even just middle school#and they knew that the trumpet parts in their pieces were big and distinct enough that like they /had/ to get a live player#and just kinda. didnt anticipate the audition -> performance gap#like. her tone was really fried the whole time like she was playing as hard as possible#which. she was mic'd. have the sound guy turn her up.#the way they did it made it sound like she was using a mute but not. like she only got the bad parts of a mute from it yknow#her tempo and timing were. bad. theres no nice way to put that one it just Was Bad‚ like the trumpet runs in ajr songs arent. complicated#like. quite literally if you handed me the sheet music right now i would have it down perfect in a week at absolute most#and better than that player on sightread. like. we did so many sightreading drills.#like ill share my band kid creds if anyone cares but i need to emphasize this isnt me being braggy like. they genuinely just arent hard#fuck im out of tags. w/e i think only like one of yall also listens to them anyways so i can leave it there
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We‘re all Disney haters here but with Dracula daily going on I desperately need tumblr to know the existence of this comic adaptation of Dracula that exists within a series of monthly published comic books and looks like this:
Please look at this effort - they really went all out on these, NONE of the other comics look anything close to these. It’s just this one randomly sitting between normal Mickey and Donald comics about going to space or smth
Aside from the lack of prominent character death and replacement by transformation into beetroots it seems surprisingly accurate so far
(Also Disney has like. Nothing to do with these books aside from owning the copyright to the characters, so it’s cool. Pretty sure they don’t even really know these exist lol.)
#Dracula#mickey mouse#joining the dracula daily ride this year#this comic is a lot more accurate than I thought when I read it#also they replaced minor characters and made the more important ones do their tasks instead#so you end up with Mina throwing away flowers instead#(which is Quite A Change when comparing to the og Dracula)#and comedic changes - because it’s still a Mickey Mouse comic obvs#but aside from that#this seems a rather nice adaptation#also with ^Disney isn’t in on these^ I mean it.#pretty sure I saw Mickey with a gun more than once in these#and don’t even get me STARTED on DONALD#my guy‘s got LORE in these books#and a comic series WITHIN these comics#that’s supposed to be a James Bond type parody thing#but goes way harder than it has any right to be#like. it’s an actual ongoing comic series#one big interconnected story released in parts between these books#and stuff that happens in one chapter actually STAYS RELEVANT for all others that come after it#anyways please someone ask me about the Donald Duck Agent comics#i need a reason to post about them properly XD
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Random TGCF AU of the day
Something something SWD goes on a long term trip and leaves SQX with Pei Ming. Pei Ming is determined to be a good temporary guardian/older brother figure. SQX is determined to destroy him.
#random tgcf thoughts#I picture this as a Royal AU for some reason#(some reason being the danmei novel snippet that inspired this xD)#the way I have it in my head is Rong Guang visiting Pei manor in order to scheme#Pei Ming trying to talk him out of scheming#and their not-so-secret meetings constantly being interrupted bySQX’s own schemes#RG finds this hilarious#sqx just misses his brother#and is convinced pm knows more about this trip and when he’ll be back#pm doesn’t but has suspicions#and keeps pointing out that swd writes more to sqx than him anyway#then later swd does go out of contact for mysterious reasons#which really strains their tumultuous cohabitation#RG is also investigating something in between schemes which SQX later gets mixed up in#so PM gets involved to bail him out even if that means he now owes RG big time and will be a part of Schemes#an exchange I see happening at some point:#pm: you’ve been skipping your lessons. what are you going to tell your brother?#sqx: if my brother really cared about my education he would have left me with ling wen#pm: that just shows how much he loves you. lw wouldn’t put up with half the stuff I do#when I can finally read the danmei novel that inspired this maybe I’ll revisit this AU#also I need to go back and develop the calamity swd AU at some point
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