#the only saving grace that team has is this man probably
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#the only saving grace that team has is this man probably#toto bring him to lewis you coward#lewis hamilton#adrian newey#f1
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Go It Alone - Part 1
Virgin!Fem!Reader x Hotch | When you realize you’ll be going to another wedding alone, Hotch offers to be your plus one.
Warnings: 🤭+😰 Description of insecurities, and MAJOR FLUFF (You didn’t realize just how much of a softie your perpetually serious boss really was. Hotch already has feelings for you, but it’s the start of feelings for someone you’d never truly considered before.)
Word Count: 10,496
NEXT
Series Masterlist / Main Masterlist
This is the longest fic I’ve written, but it’s probably my favourite. I just want this sweet man to hold me and tell me everything will be alright.
**********
Weddings were happy events.
Right?
You’re surrounded by people who are all there to celebrate two people coming together; to celebrate love.
The only thing was, during quiet moments in the midst of the bustling people around you, your mind always wandered. The invitation for a “plus one” was always there, but you’d never had that person by your side who made your heart flutter. You always felt guilty for allowing these thoughts to seep in at the worst possible times, but you couldn’t help it. You knew you should be joyful. You should be focusing on the happy couple, and the love they have for each other. Instead, you always found your chest heavy with feelings of longing and inadequacy, wondering when it might be your turn.
When the invite arrived in the mail, you had to read it a couple times before realization finally settled in. It was from an old classmate you’d hardly talked to in years, though in this day and age of social media you’d somewhat “kept in touch” with the odd like or comment on each other’s posts. As much as you were surprised to get the invite, you couldn’t deny that you two had been together through every major milestone in your lives so far, and knowing she wanted you to be there to share in her special day warmed your heart.
But it didn’t take long before a pit in your stomach began to grow at the thought of having to attend the wedding alone. The thought of facing your old classmates, still single, was almost too much to bear. You decided you would give yourself a few days to think it through before responding.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Sitting in your usual spot, the rest of the team dispersed throughout the plane and chatting amongst themselves, you stared out the window at the dark night that encompassed the aircraft. Your mind was focused on the wedding once again. You hadn’t responded within the few days like you’d planned to; it was now over a month later and the deadline for your RSVP was less than a week away. The collage of happy images that scattered the front of the invite flashed through your mind; you couldn’t help but imagine who’s face you might see next to yours on your own save-the-date one day.
“Everything okay?” A soft voice pulled you from the depths of your mind. As you looked up, you saw that JJ had sat down across from you, sliding a steaming mug of coffee your way.
Smiling at her in thanks, you wrapped your hands around the warm mug and lifted it to your lips. “Yeah.. yeah. I’m good. Just a little tired. So this coffee is exactly what I needed. Thank you.”
Your attempt at pretending nothing was wrong didn't go well, and she saw right through you. "What's on your mind?" she asked through a warm smile.
Looking down at the drink in your hands, unable to maintain eye contact, you fidgeted with the handle of the mug. Opening your mouth to speak, you hesitated before finally admitting, "It's stupid, really." You paused for a moment, and she was silent, allowing you time to gather your thoughts. "I got a wedding invitation in the mail a few weeks ago. Someone I used to go to school with. I just.. I guess I'm just tired of going to these things alone." An understanding smile graced her lips as she nodded her head gently. When she didn't respond right away, you shook your head and laughed quietly, turning to look out the window again, "it's nothing JJ, really. I'm sure I'm just overthinking it."
A second later, you felt a comforting hand on yours, pulling your attention back to her. "If you're feeling this anxious about it, it's clearly not nothing.." She trailed off, and you smiled weakly at her. Gently nudging you once more, she asked, "I’ve been told I’m a good listener.”
Laughing softly, you breathed in deep and closed your eyes, slowly released the air from your lungs. You were thankful she was approaching the situation gently, because you were currently fighting to keep your emotions at bay. Your mind was attempting to rationalize the overwhelming feeling as simply being overtired, but you knew there was a lot more to it. The question now was just how much you were willing to share, at the risk of someone else overhearing you. "Most of the time it doesn’t bother me.. the fact that I’ve never been in a relationship.. but then stuff like this comes up, events where bringing your significant other is a special thing, and I don’t have anyone..” Finally looking up at her once more, you ended honestly, ”I know it’s stupid, but it makes me feel lonely.”
Giving your hand a loving squeeze, your eyes met once more, and as she spoke you felt the start of tears threatening to escape. “It’s not stupid. Your feelings are valid. I can only imagine that’s not an easy feeling to process, but just know that you are loved.” The smile in her eyes warmed your heart. “And if this person wants you at their wedding, they clearly care about you. Try to focus on that.”
Smiling weakly at her, you nodded your head; you knew she was right. You weren’t new to this feeling, and you knew you could push through like you always did, but that didn’t make it any easier.
Just as you were about to look out the window once more, you heard a voice from behind you, “did someone say wedding? I love weddings! Who’s getting married?!”
Laughing softly, one single tear finally rolling down your cheek, you looked up at JJ who was glancing over your shoulder, “of course you do Morgan. Why does that not surprise me?”
As JJ looked back at you, she caught the tail end of you wiping the stray tear away, before you turned sideways in your seat to look at Morgan. He was leaning his arms on the back of the seat beside you, that huge grin of his spread across his face. “It’s an old friend of mine. The wedding is next month, and I was just telling JJ about how I was thinking of asking you to be my date,” you teased.
His smile grew even wider as he laughed and dropped his head, shaking it slightly before joking right back, “you know I would be honoured, but I think my Baby Girl might have something to say about me stepping out on her and being someone else’s pretend wedding boyfriend.”
Laughing right along with him, JJ also cracking a smile at your exchange, you admitted, “I wouldn’t want to get in the way of Baby Girl and her Chocolate Thunder now would I?” Both of you knew Penelope wouldn’t actually have a problem with it, but both of you also knew that the prospect of going together wasn’t substantial.
Reaching over the seat to give your shoulder a gentle squeeze, he spoke in a caring voice, one that Morgan didn’t use often, but when he did you knew he meant it. “You’re an amazing girl, and any guy would be lucky to be by your side.” Placing your hand overtop of his, you patted his warm knuckles a few times in thanks.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Before you knew it, you were back on the ground and making your way to the office to file your paperwork. You’d only been sitting down at your desk for a few short minutes, flipping through the mountain of papers when you heard the familiar commanding voice of your unit chief calling for your attention, “Y/N, could you join me in my office when you have a minute?”
Looking up from behind your computer screen, you answered his question with a swift, “not a problem, Sir,” and he nodded in response. You were the only two in the bullpen; most everyone else had either gone home, or out for drinks, but neither of you had felt up for that.
Glancing at your watch you noted the time; it was 1:17AM. Somehow it felt like it was much later, as the exhaustion from the case, and the conversation on the flight home, finally began to take affect on your body.
Filing the last of the paperwork, you stood from your desk and made your way across the carpeted floor and up the stairs. His door was open slightly, and you could hear the sound of shuffling papers. Knocking, you waited for his quiet, “come in,” before stepping through the doorway.
Closing the door behind you, you turned around and glanced across the room to where he sat behind his desk. Without looking up from his papers, he spoke once more, “have a seat.”
Responding silently, you simply took the few steps across the open space and sat down in the chair across from him. Smoothing out the material of your skirt, you couldn’t help the slight anxiousness that built in your chest. You’d been called into his office before, and never for anything bad, but taking into account the fact that everyone else had left, you rationalized that if bad news needed to be delivered, now would be the time to do it.
“Sir..” you began to speak, but your train of thought was abruptly cut off as he looked up at you. There was something different in his eyes, something kind, and gentle, that you’d only seen a handful of times before.
The ghost of a smile flashed across his lips, the corner of his eyes crinkling as he spoke, “please, call me Aaron.”
Nodding, you repeated, “Aaron, right. Is there something I can help you with?”
Shaking his head, he looked back down at his paperwork and paused, almost as if weighing his words before speaking. As he set his pen down, he looked back up at you and eased into it, “will you be needing any time off for this wedding you’re attending?”
Blinking a couple times, you took a few seconds as your mind switched gears. You weren’t sure exactly what his motivation was behind asking, but you knew there was more to it than anything work related. “Oh! Umm.. honestly I haven’t even decided if I’m going or not. But no,” you answered finally, “no I shouldn’t need any time off. It’s here in the city.”
Nodding, quiet as he processed your answer, you could feel your heart beating in your chest. You wished you hadn’t admitted your hesitance about accepting the invite, knowing well that he would more than likely ask why you were unsure.
“Okay. Well if you ever need extra time off, you just let me know. I’ll do what I can to make it work for you.”
Smiling softly at him, he returned the smile as you thanked him, “thank you Sir.. Aaron.. I appreciate it.”
Nodding once more, he added, “you said you haven’t decided yet if you’re going? May I ask what has you feeling hesitant?”
Making eye contact with him, you couldn’t help the tightness that gripped your chest. There it was. It wasn’t that you didn’t trust him, but this was one of your deepest insecurities and you’d already discussed it once tonight; the prospect of rehashing it all again, with your boss, didn’t thrill you.
But the longer you looked at him, the more the softness in his eyes became apparent. He wasn’t always that stern, intimidating man he was in the field. You knew there was more to him, but you didn’t see the gentle side of him often. Truth be told, you were intrigued by the enigma he seemed to be; you wanted to know more about him.
Looking down at your lap, your fingers fidgeting nervously with one of the buttons that trailed down the front of your skirt, you decided being honest was your best option. “Oh, it’s really not a big deal, I just.. don’t have anyone to go with.” Finally looking up at him once more, gauging his reaction, you were greeted with a look of comfort and understanding. You confessed, “I guess I’m just tired of going to these things alone.”
You simply gazed at each other as he weighed your words with care. He fought with what to say next, and you could see the gears turning in his head, see the contemplation on his face.
The feelings he had for you had crept in slowly. It wasn’t long after you’d started at the BAU when he’d noticed it the first time; the way your nose crinkled when you laughed. It took him a few seconds to recover and fake a laugh of his own at whatever joke he’d missed because he was too lost in thought as he glanced at you.
Over the months, he did everything he could to fight the scenarios that played out in his head of you and him together. He was your superior, and he never wanted to put you in the position of feeling like you had to say yes to dinner with him simply for that reason. He’d decided that even though it wasn’t going to be easy, he was going to carry on as if nothing was wrong.
And that would stay true, until he overheard the last bit of your conversation with Derek about the wedding. He couldn’t ignore the opportunity to spend more time with you, to be close to you, if it was what you wanted. Knowing you were looking for someone to go with, he wanted to offer to simply accompany you as a friend; someone to share those memories with. But he couldn’t deny there was a tiny “what if” making itself known in the depths of his mind. He wondered if after spending time together, away from work, just two people getting to know each other, maybe, just maybe, you would see him the way he saw you.
After what felt like an eternity, he finally spoke, “I don’t mean to overstep, so please know that you can be honest with me..” He hesitated before continuing, and all you could do was stare, anticipating what he was going to say next. “I quite enjoy weddings. I would be more than happy to accompany you. If you’d have me.”
His offer might have come as a surprise to you, but to him, it was a long time coming.
A subtle smile flashed across your face as you took the time to process his words. Glancing down at your lap once more, your fingers still fidgeting with that same gold button, you let out an airy laugh. It wasn’t a teasing laugh, but more a laugh of disbelief. No one had ever voluntarily stood by your side before, never mind a man as put together as Aaron Hotchner.
Your mind began running through any possible explanation as to why he might be offering. Was it pity? Probably not. Was he looking for an excuse to dress up? Maybe, but you doubted it; he wore better suits every day than you’d seen most of the men in your life wear before. Was he trying to get closer to you? Nope, definitely not that. Though you’d acknowledged very early on that he was handsome, you knew he was so far out of your league that fantasies of you and him never stood a chance. Not to mention the fact that he was your boss. The potential mess of an office relationship was enough to make you distance yourself from possibilities with just about anyone at the bureau.
It had been a few seconds and you still hadn’t responded, so he added faintly, “I promise you it’s perfectly fine if you don’t want me to join. I just wanted to extend the offer in case..”
You cut him off mid-sentence, “no, no, it’s not that.. it’s just.. are you sure?” You were still having a hard time believing what he was offering. As you looked him in the eyes once more, you saw the realization on his face; you weren’t struggling with whether you wanted him to join you, you were struggling with wondering if you were worthy of the company.
Nodding softly, he spoke through a smile, “I’m sure. The day you started I could already tell you were going to be an irreplaceable member of this team, and you’ve only proved me right.” You couldn’t help the faint blush that spread across your face. “But I also like to know my team outside of working hours. I believe it helps to build trust, and form stronger bonds between us all. We don’t know a lot about each other yet, and I would like to change that.”
Breathing a sigh of relief, you accepted his explanation at face value, not currently having the mental capacity to read into it further. Smiling, your first genuine smile while thinking about the wedding since you’d received the invite, you maintained eye contact as you responded somewhat timidly, “okay. Thank you, Aaron. This means a lot to me.”
As you both smiled at each other, he answered honestly, “don’t mention it. The pleasure is all mine.”
Neither of you had told the rest of the team what you’d discussed, having agreed that it might give the wrong impression.
The next month passed rather quickly, as your excitement for the day grew more and more. Much to your surprise, work wasn’t awkward or uncomfortable at all. If anything, it had pulled you even further out of your shell. Knowing your boss had confidence in you, not only as a colleague, but also as an individual, brought so much more of your true self out. Parts of you that you hadn’t even realized you’d been hiding started to shine through.
You’d noticed a change in Hotch as well. He seemed.. happier. He smiled more, involved himself in team banter more, and spoke to you using your first name now rather than your last. It was a small change, but one that made you feel warm inside.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
When the day finally arrived, you couldn’t help the giddy feeling that washed over you. You knew this would be a night to remember, and you were so thankful to Aaron for making it possible that the memorable parts of the night were going to be happy ones.
You had just finished slipping into your dress when you heard a knock on the door. Running your palms along the material, smoothing it out, you smiled as you took in your appearance. Your hair was curled slightly, and pulled off to one side. The dress you were wearing was a deep emerald green, and the cut hugged your curves just right.
As you opened the front door, you motioned for him to join you inside. Stepping though the door and closing it behind himself, it took everything in him not to completely melt into a puddle at your feet. He wasn’t sure he’d ever seen anyone so beautiful in his life. You were stunning and he could feel his heart beating faster in his chest.
He still hadn’t said anything aside from your initial greeting, almost unable to speak for fear of saying too much, so he was thankful that you spoke first. “Would you mind helping me with this? I don’t usually struggle this much with my jewelry, but I just can’t seem to get my necklace done up.”
Taking the dainty gold necklace from your grasp, he tried his best to steady his hands as you turned your back to him and lifted your hair out of the way. With the soft skin of your neck exposed, he couldn’t help it as his eyes trailed from your hair, down your neck, and across your back. Slipping the necklace around you, he fastened it in place. The slight graze of your skin against his knuckles had his mind reeling, and anticipating the evening, wondering if he might be so lucky as to share a dance with you.
Dropping your hair against your back, you turned to face him once more as you tugged gently at the necklace so it would settle in place. He responded to your thanks for the assistance, and he couldn’t hold back the praise that fell off his lips, “you look beautiful. Green is a good colour on you.”
Smiling up at him, you brushed your hand across his shoulder playfully, “you don’t look so bad yourself.” He was wearing a simple black suit, something you’d seen him wear a million times before, but he switched things up from his day-to-day wear and swapped out his regular tie for a bow tie. Tugging gently at the fabric around his neck, you noted, “The bow tie is a nice touch. I like it.”
He couldn’t help the smile that flashed across his face. He wasn’t going to let his feelings get in the way of simply enjoying the evening, but he couldn’t ignore how it felt to hear you compliment him the way you had. If there was ever any doubt in his mind about the way he felt for you, the tightness the gripped his chest as he reached out his arm to you cemented it; he wanted to spend the rest of his life helping you put necklaces on and accompanying you to all kinds of events neither of you really wanted to be at.
Looping your arm under his, you rested your hand on his forearm as you spoke, “shall we?” Nodding, he smiled at you once more before opening the front door and leading you down the walkway to his vehicle.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
The drive to the church went by too fast; conversation flowed so naturally, and you both wished you could have more time just the two of you to talk. When you arrived, he got out first and made his way around the vehicle to open the door for you. Acknowledging his kindness, you spoke as you placed your hand in his and stepped out, “and they say chivalry is dead.” He laughed lightly, that beautiful smile of his flashing across his face. “Thank you, Aaron.”
Responding once again with a simple nod and a quiet, “you’re welcome,” he motioned with his hand for you to lead the way.
Making your way up the front steps of the church, you stood behind the line of people filtering in. Once you were through the doors, you made your way up the aisle, Aaron following close behind. Finding a spot about halfway back, you sat down and smoothed out your dress as he lowered himself into the pew. As he did, his arm brushed yours gently, and he was quick to apologize, but you responded just as swift, "oh, no problem! Thank you again, for coming with me today." As you exchanged smiles, you added, "I feel a lot better being here with someone I can talk to.. someone I'm comfortable with."
He could tell your words were sincere, and it warmed his heart. He felt like he should be thanking you, for the simple fact that you had accepted his offer to join you today. Allowing him to spend more time with you, knowing you trusted him and felt comfortable with him, seemingly made every worry of his fade into the background. He felt like the luckiest man alive just to be by your side.
As more people arrived and filled in the empty seats around you, a few familiar faces caught your attention, but only for a short enough period of time for you to throw them a quick wave, before you were back in deep conversation with Aaron. At one point he'd said something that made you laugh, and he was mesmerized, staring at that same crinkle in your nose that had first caught his attention those many months ago. You reached over, innocently placing your hand on his knee, and the warmth of your hand sent shockwaves through his system; like a jolt of electricity had entered his body at the point of contact and nearly stopped his heart from beating.
It wasn't long before the music began playing, and the wedding party was making their way in one by one. As the bride began walking down the aisle, you caught a glimpse of her, and she was absolutely stunning as you'd expected; she was one of those girls that was effortlessly beautiful. But your eyes quickly found their way to the front of the church. Your favourite thing at any wedding was watching the groom's reaction to seeing his soon-to-be wife making her way towards him.
Aaron noticed the slight turn to your head, and followed your line of sight. Once he noticed who you were looking at, a whole new understanding hit him; you might not have realized it, but your body language was clear as day. He immediately picked up on how intently you were watching the groom, paying the closest of attention to how in love he was. It was hard to fake that kind of a genuine reaction, and it was one that, typically, only the bride got to see.
Once more, as he glanced back at you, he felt the whole world disappear around him. He imagined himself up there, you walking towards him, as he tried his best to contain the tears that would evidently be threatening to escape. You nearly caught him staring at you, but thankfully the music fading and the voice of the officiant speaking snapped him back to reality as you turned to face him. Smiling at him, he returned a smile as you both seated yourselves once more.
The ceremony was over before you knew it, with the couple sharing their first kiss as husband and wife, before making their way back down the aisle.
Once outside, you shook the hands of a few old classmates, and congratulated the happy couple, giving your long-time friend a warm hug. And as much as you'd tried to fight it, you could feel yourself pulling away from the phony greetings with people who had hardly said a word to you in school, never mind in the years since you'd graduated. You were thankful that the line was moving rather quickly, because you didn't want to stick around and mingle much longer; there would be more than enough time to do that at the reception later, and you already weren't looking forward to it.
Aaron knew something was up, with how fast you had made your way out of the crowd of people and towards the parking lot, as he took long strides to keep up with you. "Hey, hey, is everything okay?" he spoke through a light laugh, but the genuine concern in his voice was apparent.
Once you reached the vehicle, you turned to face him and decided it was best to be honest, "I just want to get out of here.." Your voice cracked slightly as you spoke.
All he could do was nod, as he opened the door for you, allowing you to get settled before closing it once again. Your eyes followed him as he made his way around the vehicle and climbed into the drivers seat. "Where to?" It was a simple question, and you were thankful he hadn't questioned your urgency to get out of there; he knew you would tell him what was going on when you were ready.
Looking over at him, you admitted, "You know, it might sound kind of stupid, but I've always wanted to get all dressed up and go out for some cheap pizza."
Smiling at your honesty, he responded immediately, "consider it done. I know just the place."
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
The sound of singing played faintly over the radio as you drove, both of you silent, because he didn't want to pry, and you weren't ready to talk quite yet. But the stillness between you wasn't awkward. You both felt comfortable simply being in each other's company. Whether that was because you'd spent countless flights sitting near him without uttering a word, or because you truly trusted him and were thankful to be escaping the hell in your mind with him, you weren't sure, but you took note of the ease you felt around him. He felt it too, and couldn't help but smile to himself as he listened to the faint inhale and exhale of your lungs.
A few short minutes later, you arrived at a small hole-in-the-wall pizzeria, one you'd never heard of before. As he put the vehicle in park, he finally broke the silence, "this is one of my favourite places. It's cheap, not usually busy, and the pizza is surprisingly good."
Looking over at him, you smiled and nodded your head, "sounds good to me."
Once you were both out of the vehicle, he held the door to the restaurant open for you and you thanked him as you walked in. Glancing around, you saw that it was dimly lit, only 6 tables sat along the walls of the tight area, and in the back corner you saw an elderly man tossing crust by hand. As soon as he looked up from his work he smiled wide, "Oh hello Mr. FBI man! How is my favourite customer today?"
As your eyes trailed from him to Aaron, your chest swelled as you took in the bashful grin that crossed his face. "I'm doing well Marco, how are you?"
The man behind the counter smiled wide as he spoke, "oh you know me. Another day above ground is a good day." As Aaron laughed at the playful comment, Marco added, "and who is the beautiful lady you've brought with you today?" You felt your face flush, flattered by his kind words.
As Aaron glanced down at you, you swore you saw something in his eyes, something that told you he wanted to say more than he did, but he didn't give you time to read into it. "This is my friend, Y/N."
Aaron looked back over at Marco as he spoke, and your eyes followed his line of sight back to the cheerful man. "Well any friend of yours is a friend of mine. Where are you two off to dressed so fancy?"
You filled him in on your plans for the day, as you both ordered what you wanted. When you reached into your purse to pull out your wallet, Aaron stopped you, sliding his card into the machine before you could. "You didn't have to do that! This was my idea.”
Gazing down at you, he admitted, "I know. Consider it my thank you for letting me join you today. I'm having a great time."
You couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corner of your mouth, soon spreading like wildfire across your face. "I am too. Thank you again for keeping me company."
He nodded in response before leading you to what you could only assume was his favourite table. In no time at all, the fresh slices of pizza were being brought out to you, and did it ever smell delicious. Diving right in, you hummed in delight, "you were right, this is some good pizza."
You talked about the restaurant, how he'd found it, how he takes Jack here all the time. The joy this place brought him warmed your heart. As he sat across from you, beaming as he spoke, you were quickly beginning to realize that at his core he was truly just a gentle man who enjoyed the little things. The stern, intimidating exterior you saw so often at work was simply that, a face he put on when dealing with the awful things humanity was capable of.
When the natural lull in the conversation settled between you two, you sighed quietly. Looking up at him, you spoke slowly, "I'm sorry for rushing out of there earlier." You couldn't hold eye contact for longer than a few seconds, as embarrassment over the way you'd acted prodded the back of your mind.
You caught the slight movement of his hand out of the corner of your eye, almost as if he was reaching out to grasp your hand in his, before deciding against it. "It's alright. Just as long as you're okay."
His genuine concern for you tugged at your heart, and you looked back up at him. "Yeah, I'm alright." You added with a laugh, "I think."
Giving you a gentle smile, he offered, "do you want to talk about it?"
That was all it took, and everything came pouring out. You explained it all, from the smaller things like never quite feeling like you belonged in your group of friends, never mind fitting in with majority of the people who were there today, right down to the lasting loneliness you'd felt for as long as you could remember.
As you spoke, Aaron sat and listened. He never once interjected or told you that you were crazy for feeling the way you did. He could only imagine what it must feel like to think that no one wanted you. He'd met Hailey when they were both so young, and as difficult as it was, he had to admit that some times he took that for granted. Reality was, not everyone had that.
It broke his heart to hear you talk about yourself the way you did. Knowing how he felt for you, and knowing you didn't feel like you were worthy of those feelings tore him apart. He wanted to say something. He wanted to confess everything. He wanted to wrap you in his arms and never let go.
But he didn't.
Bombarding you with all that when you were vulnerable could do damage, to both of you, and he didn't want that. He was going to be patient. He was going to show you that he was there for you. He was going to continue loving you from a comfortable distance, until the time was right.
"Gosh, listen to me. I'm so sorry." You shook your head and looked down at your hands, "welcome to the Y/N pity party."
"Hey, no, you have nothing to apologize for. I'm glad you feel comfortable sharing that with me." Finally looking back up at him, he continued, "those people, the ones you're so worried about impressing? I'm willing to bet they peaked in high school. I'm sure they see you now, successful, independent, and wish they had your work ethic. They're clinging onto the past, and them talking to you like you've been friends all this time is their way of trying to keep that connection alive, no matter how fabricated." You knew he was right. He was a profiler after all, and a damn good one at that. If you'd stopped to think about it, you might have drawn a similar conclusion, but hearing him say it out loud helped you to feel a little less crazy. "As for everything else, I can see why you feel that way, and I'm very sorry you do. No one should ever have to feel like that. But if I may, you are a remarkable woman. Anyone who can't see that, anyone who doesn't know how lucky they would be to call you theirs, isn't worth your time. Being patient and waiting for the right person will be worth it in the end, I can promise you that."
As you took in everything he had to say, you didn't realize just how much he meant every single syllable. He was hoping, with every fiber of his being, that you might some day realize that he could be that person for you.
It was all you could do to thank him, "you are very kind, Aaron. Thank you for saying that. You have no idea how much it means to me."
Giving you a warm smile, he nodded his head once more. He could feel the wall between you slowly coming down, brick by brick.
In no time at all, the ease of conversation had shifted back to where it was on the drive to the church. You found that you could talk to each other about everything. As you sat there in the dim light of the pizzeria, time raced by, and before you knew it, the reception was set to start in less than half an hour. You thanked Marco once again for the delicious food and the hospitality, before making your way out the door.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Arriving at the venue for the reception, he held the door open once again as you stepped into the foyer of the hotel. Making your way through the maze of hallways, you found yourself at the back of the line of people waiting to sign the guest book and find their seats. The seating chart displayed your name and Aaron's side by side at table 17, along with a bunch of names you didn't recognize. You weren't sure which one you would have preferred, small talk with people you'd never met, or small talk with people you had left in the past for a reason.
Finding your way through the crowd of people, you were thankful that table 17 was at the back of the room. You had a clear view of the head table, but you were also far enough away that you could sink into the background of the sea of faces.
The reception went as well as expected. Supper was served directly to your table, and you received the meal you'd pre-selected when you sent in your RSVP. The food was delicious, and you and Aaron both made a mental note to ask who had catered it. The MC was hilarious, and the parent’s speeches were warm and heartfelt. The cake cutting followed shortly after, and the classic smashing of the cake in each other’s faces made everyone laugh.
"Now if everyone could direct their attention to the dance floor," the DJ's commanding voice caught everyone's attention, "the bride and groom will share their first dance!"
You watched intently as they made their way across the room to the area that was lit by the glittering lights of a stunning backdrop. As she draped her arms over his shoulders, the music faded in and they began to sway. Every once in a while, one of them would pull back from the embrace to simply look into each other’s eyes, or to sing along to a favourite line in the song.
As you gazed across the crowded room, unable to take your eyes off them, your mind began racing once again. You so desperately wanted what they had. Your conversation with Aaron earlier had helped, and you knew that being patient was best, but you couldn't help but wonder when enough was enough. You'd waited your entire life, not even to find your ‘soulmate’, but simply to find someone who would hold you the way he was holding her. Even if it was temporary, and the relationship didn't have the legs to go the distance, you craved the feeling of being wanted, needed.
You felt tears welling behind your eyes, one tiny moment away from the dam breaking.
And that moment would come whether you liked it or not. One particular blink-and-you'll-miss-it glance between them sealed the deal. He looked into her eyes, brushed her hair out of her face, and though it was whispered, you could see it clear as day, the "I love you" that fell off his lips.
As the first tear escaped, you closed your eyes, squeezing them shut in an attempt to keep any more from making themselves known. But your efforts were in vain, as silent tears began rolling down your face, one after the other. Turning your face to the side, thankful that everyone in the room was focused on the happy couple and not you, you breathed in deep through your nose, and exhaled slowly through parted lips. A couple more deep breaths like that helped to slow your racing heart, and halted the tears where they stood, as the music faded out once more.
Abruptly turning your head to look back at Aaron, the remnants of the escaped tears still damp on your cheeks, your voice was broken as you spoke, “I’m going to get myself a drink now.” Glancing at him, he saw the look on your face, but he didn't say anything. He knew exactly what you were thinking. The conversation earlier made it abundantly clear, but you knew deep down that he would have figured it out anyway; he could see the pain behind your beautifully heartbroken exterior.
Nodding, he stood from his chair and reached a hand out to you. Placing your hand in his, he wrapped his strong fingers around yours. Once you were standing, he let go of your hand, only because his instincts were working faster than his thoughts, and before his mind had time to catch up and stop him, he rested his hand on the small of your back. You felt it immediately, but you didn’t pull away; you welcomed the comforting gesture. As you made your way over to the bar, he trailed close behind you, his hand still on your back.
You’d just made it to the back of the short line at the bar when Aaron leaned in and spoke softly, “would you excuse me for a minute?”
You looked up at him through your eyelashes as you responded with a gentle, “of course.”
As he smiled down at you, you noticed something in the way he looked at you; something similar to the look he gave you earlier when he had introduced you at the pizzeria. But in no time, he was down the hallway, pushing the door to the men’s room open, your eyes lingering on his tall frame as he made his way through the crowd.
You would come to find out later, he had excused himself for those couple minutes because he knew he was mere seconds away from whisking you away from all the commotion and comforting you in any way you would allow him. Though you hadn’t reacted negatively, he felt as though the hand on your back had been too bold of a move, and he was kicking himself for not having been able to control his actions better. After seeing you so heartbroken, the lines from tears still fresh on your face, he wanted nothing more than to do anything he could to take all that pain away. He couldn’t stand seeing you hurting so deeply.
Turning to face the bar once more, you were trying to decide what drink you might want; you didn’t have anything in mind, in fact you didn’t drink often, but alcohol felt like the right move after the brazen attack on you by your own emotions.
As your eyes scanned the drink menu, you’d hardly noticed the person in front of you turning around to greet you, “Y/N? Oh my gosh hi! It’s been so long!”
As your eyes flickered away from the menu, you found yourself face to face with a stunning woman, her blonde hair tied back in a half-up hairstyle, and a bright blue dress accentuating her curves flawlessly. “Emma? Hi, wow it has been a while. How have you been?”
As you both shared generic greetings, you couldn’t help the anxious feeling growing inside you. You had hardly recovered from watching the first dance, and you weren’t sure you were ready to take on a conversation you didn’t really want to be having.
“So how long have you two been together?” She asked, motioning with her head down the hallway towards Aaron.
Your eyes widened slightly as your mind frantically tried to correct the assumption, “Oh! No, no we’re not together. We’re just.. friends. Co-workers actually.” She raised her eyebrow, and your eyes flickered from hers, then down the hallway, then back at her.
“If you say so,” she said through a smirk.
Blinking a couple times, trying to interpret what she meant, you murmured, “I’m sorry?”
Laughing lightly, she admitted, “I apologize if I’m overstepping here, but the way he was looking at you earlier? During their first dance? It looked like a lot more than ‘just friends’ to me.”
All you could do was stare, almost unable to process the information penetrating your blissfully unaware state of mind. While you’d been watching the happy couple share their first dance, heart aching with want for what they had, Aaron had been looking at you.
Before you had the chance to respond, you heard footsteps approaching from the side. You hadn’t looked over yet, but you knew it was him. It was almost as if your senses were on high alert, as the familiar scent of his cologne filled your lungs. You’d breathed in that same mix of sandalwood and.. something sweet that you couldn’t quite put your finger on.. before. You simply hadn’t realized until now that your body had logged that scent in your subconscious alongside the feelings of comfort and safety.
Finally glancing up to the side, Hotch read the look in your eyes and immediately knew something was off. He glanced warily from you, to the girl you were talking to, then back at you. As you made eye contact with the stunning blonde once again, you hesitated before speaking, “uhh.. Emma, this is Aaron.”
Looking back up at him, you noticed he was still looking at you, taking in every micro-expression on your face in an attempt to read the situation. As he turned his head to face her, he reached out his hand in greeting, they shook hands briefly and exchanged pleasantries. “Pleasure to meet you, Emma.”
The low rumble in his voice lingered in your chest; that was new.
“Likewise,” Emma responded gently.
As silence fell between you, you wanted the conversation to end before she said anything about her observations in front of him. It was almost like the bartender had read your mind, because just as she parted her lips to say something, her attention was pulled away, “miss, what could I get for you?”
As she turned to face the bar, she ordered her drink before turning back to you. Before she could ask any more questions about you and Hotch, you spoke up, “anything exciting happening in your life?”
Smiling wide, she was all too ready to brag about her perfect life. She had an amazing husband, three kids, and a golden retriever. She was the face of the picture-perfect family. Selfishly comparing your life to hers, part of you wished you’d let her believe that you and Aaron were together.
You faked a smile as best you could, and wished her and her family nothing but the best, before the bartended set her drink on the counter. “Well it’s been great catching up with you! Again Aaron, nice to meet you.”
Hotch simply nodded in response as you said your goodbyes, “enjoy the rest of your evening.”
The look she gave you before she turned away was one of, “think about what I said..” and you did your best to play it off like it was nothing.
No such luck.
Once you’d ordered your drink, Aaron teased, “What was that about?” He could tell something was off, especially with the last look exchanged between you two.
Laughing softly, you did your best impression of not caring, and simply said, “Oh it’s nothing.”
He could tell you were holding something back, but he didn’t want to pry. You saw it on his face, you weren’t a good liar, but he respected that you didn’t want to explain any further, and you were grateful for that. How you would have explained the comment she’d made before you’d even had time to process how you felt about it wouldn’t have been easy.
Once your drink was in your hands, you began making your way back to your table, Aaron following closely behind. You tried to focus on anything other than the moment earlier that you’d been unaware of. You fought with what to do, what to say. The new information rattling around in your mind made everything a little foggy. Was there more to him offering to accompany you tonight? Could you possibly feel the same way for him? Why had you never considered him before? He was kind, and strong, and as you’d found out tonight he was gentle when it mattered. And handsome.. so handsome. But he was your boss. You knew that was why you’d never given him a second look, you didn’t want to make things difficult at work. But maybe he would be worth the risk.
Finally making it back to the table, he pulled your chair out for you, and you thanked him before sitting down and taking a sip of your drink. The father-daughter dance had just ended, and the groom was now sharing a dance with his mother. When you saw the look on the mother’s face, it was clear she was proud of her son, and nothing could hide the pure joy radiating from her.
Looking over at Aaron, you saw the strangled smile on his face, and couldn’t help but wonder if he was thinking about Jack, about how he would never have the chance to share a moment like that with Haley. Though you hadn’t been working at the BAU during the Foyet case, you knew about it, and your heart ached for him. You knew it wasn’t his fault, but you also knew him, and there was no doubt in your mind that he blamed himself for everything.
Before you knew what you were doing, you reached a hand out and placed it on top of his comfortingly. He looked down at your hand first, before his eyes trailed along your arm, across your shoulder and collarbone, then to your face. Just as you were beginning to second guess your decision and pull your hand away, a soft smile creased the corner of his eyes as he covered your hand with his. Squeezing your hand gently, he looked you in the eyes, and he knew you were reading his mind like an open book.
Once again, with the confidence and comfortability that could rival that of people who had known each other for years, you spoke just loud enough for him to hear over the music, “Jack is lucky to have you as his father.”
He blinked slowly, before dropping his head and letting out a deep sigh. Looking back up at you, he smiled once again, and you knew it was his way of thanking you for being so kind.
The vulnerability in that moment brought a whole new level of confidence to you. So what if he knew what Emma had said earlier? So what if you were unsure of your feelings for him. Even though the possibility of you two had nearly blindsided you, you wanted to see if there was more to it than just what you knew in your own mind.
Squeezing his hand once more, you laughed softly before leaning in, “do you really want to know what she said earlier?” Gazing at you, a smirk appeared on his face as he nodded, and you confessed, “she thought you and I were together.”
Raising an eyebrow slightly, he couldn’t help it as his eyes trailed from yours, down to your lips, and even farther down to the silky green fabric hugging your curves. He finally looked back into your eyes and asked, “and what did you tell her?”
A bashful smile crossed your face, but you answered honestly, “I told her we weren’t. But only because I didn’t want to put that on you. I truly appreciate you being here with me, and being so kind to me, but I didn’t want to take advantage of that. I didn’t know if you’d be comfortable with it.” You never would have imagined yourself being so bold, so brave, when talking to a man, especially him. But everything had changed during that interaction with your old friend. The fact that she had noticed the way he looked at you, coupled with the look in his eyes you’d made note of earlier, had you coming to the realization that there just might be something there. It had you feeling like you could take on the world.
Just then, your attention was pulled away from one another as the DJ made another announcement. “We’re going to squeeze a couple more slow songs in here for any couples that might want a moment to themselves before we get the party started!”
Turning back to look at each other, he scanned your face carefully, almost as if deciding whether or not to act on the heat coursing through his veins. Finally caving, not only from what he was feeling in that moment, but under the weight of everything he’d felt for you for months, he leaned in close so only you could hear, “so let them..” His voice was more carefree than you’d ever heard it before, “let them think we’re together.”
He abruptly stood from his seat and reached his hand out to you. With your hand in his once more, he lead you through the crowd of people and onto the dance floor. Stopping right in the middle of the sea of bodies, he turned to face you, and you could feel the butterflies in your stomach come to life. You two might not actually be together, but he wasn’t afraid to show you off, he wasn’t ashamed to let people think that you were his.
Still holding your hand in his, he looked you in the eyes before gently placing his other hand on your waist. With your interlocked hands stretched out to one side, you placed your free hand against the breast pocket of his suit and slowly slid your palm along the soft material until it was resting on his shoulder.
As the music continued, you both began to sway back and forth, neither one of you able to look away, completely caught up in each other’s gaze. The bashful grin that flashed across his face made your heart stop, and suddenly it was like everything around you faded into the background, and the world began spinning in slow motion.
The people around you didn’t matter.
The aching in your feet from wearing heels all day didn’t matter.
The only thing you cared about in that moment was him.
It was clear he felt the same way you did. Unable to fight the urge to hold you close any longer, he acted before he fully understood what he was doing. Using his hand that was still grasping yours firmly, he moved your hand to his shoulder and encouraged you to wrap both of your arms around him.
You looked up at him and he gave you a look that enveloped your entire body in warmth, and suddenly everything clicked; you knew you would remember this day, this moment, for the rest of your life.
There was no longer a need to overthink everything, you were simply acting on impulse now. Stepping forward and wrapping your arms even farther around his neck, you pulled him close and immediately felt his entire body sigh. As he slowly wrapped his arm farther around your waist, he gently cupped the back of your head with his free hand and pulled you into his chest.
The second your cheek met his sturdy frame, you let out the breath you didn’t realize you’d been holding in. Somehow, even with your arms wrapped tight around each other, you felt like you weren’t holding him close enough. Sliding your hands back down from around his shoulders, you tucked your arms under his and around his waist, underneath his suit jacket. Feeling his body heat radiating through his shirt made you sigh against his chest, and before you knew it, he was placing a gentle kiss against your hair.
Resting his chin on top of your head, he held you impossibly close, his large palms lying flat against your back. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat calmed even the deepest of worries within you, and you felt like you never wanted this moment to end.
As he held you, swaying back and forth, he knew that trying to describe how he felt in this moment would be a hopeless task. There were simply no words for finally feeling your body this close to his, being able to wrap his arms around you and protect you from harm. Up until then, his hopes and dreams had been just that. But now, finally getting to hold you in his arms, everything became terrifyingly real.
In that moment, he truly fell in love.
He was utterly and completely in love with you.
Once the song began to fade out, you were hit with the conflicting feeling of the dance having lasted an eternity, yet not being long enough. You didn’t want to let go, but the commanding voice of the DJ rang in your ears once again, “Oooookay everybody, let’s get this party started!!”
You felt Aaron reluctantly release his grasp on you, as you pulled back from his embrace to look him in the eyes. The second your eyes met his, your stomach jumped into your throat. Everything had happened so fast, but it all felt so right. The overwhelming urge to pull his lips to yours was coursing through your veins, and you knew he was thinking the same thing, as his eyes flickered down to your parted lips.
The magnetic pull he felt towards you was immense, but he knew he needed to wait. He didn’t want to kiss you for the first time in a crowded room full of strangers, and he didn’t want to kiss you simply because it felt right in that moment; he wanted to be sure that it was what you wanted, too.
Before either of you could act on it, he leaned in close and spoke just loud enough so you could hear him over the music, “let’s get some air.”
Grasping your hand in his once more, he lead you through the seemingly endless group of people to the side of the building, where the door lead out to a stunning patio and garden. As you both glanced around, you noticed that there were only a handful of other people out there, most everyone else was inside enjoying the music.
Not letting go of your hand, he lead you down the steps, into the garden, and along the gravel pathway. Only a few steps along, there was an unoccupied bench, and you followed his lead as he sat down. The view was stunning, you could see the skyline in the distance, with the sun low in the sky.
He still hadn’t let go of your hand as you sat down beside each other. You only encouraged him to release the grasp on your hand so you could tuck your arm under his. Hugging his arm tight, you rested your cheek on his shoulder and you both sat there in silence for a short while, simply breathing in the fresh air and watching as the sun slowly slipped beyond the horizon.
Your mind was at peace for the first time in a long time, and you only had him to thank for it.
In the last couple minutes before the sun disappeared completely, he shifted slightly and you let go of his arm so you could turn to face him as well. “I had a wonderful time with you today,” his voice was sincere.
As he spoke, you felt that same feeling well up inside you again; one that told you exactly what you wanted him to do. You managed to utter one more thing before he finally leaned in,��“Aaron, I..” you trailed off, finding yourself completely unable to express just how much today meant to you, “me too..”
And with that, his hand found it’s way to the side of your face, the pad of his thumb brushing against your cheek lovingly. He paused momentarily, giving you the opportunity to pull away if this wasn’t what you wanted. But it was exactly what you wanted, and you showed him by resting your hand on his thigh gently, before closing the gap between you.
As your lips finally connected, you felt the air change around you. Everything suddenly felt much warmer, as your face flushed, and your heartbeat began to rise.
Aaron deepened the kiss first, as months of repressed feelings began to surface. Pressing his lips against yours passionately, he felt your grip on his thigh tighten and he could have sworn that was what touching heaven felt like.
His hand quickly found its way into your hair, and he curled his fingers, tugging ever so gently, eliciting a soft moan from you. Swallowing the whimper on your lips, he kissed you deeply once more, before finally breaking away.
With your eyes still closed, all you could hear was the harmony of your heavy breathing matching his. Resting his forehead against yours, still breathing through parted lips, he admitted, “I have wanted to do that for a very long time.”
A breathless laugh escaped your lips as you pulled back to look him in the eyes. Bringing your hand up to the side of his face, it was your turn to caress his cheek as you responded playfully, “well I guess we have a lot of catching up to do.” The smile that graced his lips made your heart skip a beat, as you leaned in and kissed his lips tenderly once more.
Wrapping his arms around your shoulders, he pulled you into his loving embrace once again, as your arms circled his waist and you nuzzled your head into the crook of his neck. For the first time in your life, you felt truly cared for, you felt safe. And he knew it, too, as he kissed the top of your head and held you close.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Tag List: @ssamorganhotchner ; @ccristata ; @anlin2058 ; @sannunah28
#go it alone#hotch imagine#aaron hotchner imagine#criminal minds imagine#hotch fanfiction#aaron hotchner fanfiction#criminal minds fanfiction#hotch#aaron hotchner#ssa hotchner#ssa aaron hotchner#hotch girls#thomas gibson#criminal minds#bau#behavioural analysis unit#fan fiction
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if you still do TF2/Team Fortress 2, can you make a contitutation of you medic x angel! reader fic where he kidnaps them?? i love that fic sm and thank you!! if you do it :3
I just ended up doing a little weird poetic concept for the aftermath, I hope you like it. It wasn't really meant to have a continuation.
Fic this continues here I think
Yandere! BLU Medic with Angel! Darling Continuation
Pairing: Romantic
Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Worship yandere, Mentions of the Christian religion, Sinning/Vague implications of intimacy through wording, Manipulation, Descent into madness on Darling's part, Darling gives up on humanity, Probably could be seen as a metaphor, Mature Themes, Forced relationship.
Ah yes, the tale of a mortal man on the verge of death only to be saved by one of God's divine messengers.
However the tale ends in the mortal man stealing away the beautiful wings of the angel in order to keep them with him.
He couldn't possibly allow his divine savior to leave, could he?
After all, you saved his life….
Was he meant to just let you go?
You, the poor angel in question, didn't judge the BLU Medic's character right.
Sure, he is no sadist like his RED counterpart…
But he is selfish, selfish enough to steal your purity away.
Without your wings, you're no different than him.
Are you even an angel anymore?
You've been forced into mortality… completely at his mercy.
Yet like you nursed him back to health, he nurses you back to health.
Your “surgery” is a success…
To you it feels like mutilation.
Medic is over the moon when he claims you as his own.
He fawns over you just as he did when you had wings.
You'd think the removal of your wings would ruin your beauty in his eyes.
No… even when tarnished he still sees you as a holy being.
A being he prays will forgive him.
You're dressed in elegant clothes and your wounds are monitored.
Even now he worships you as his savior, his beautiful angel who has fallen from grace by his hands.
Medic already knows he will be unforgiven, both by you and God.
He's selfish, a man not meant to keep something so beautiful all to himself.
Yet he's done it anyway to satiate his desires.
Every hug and kiss to your skin burns.
He is a mortal man but acts like a demon.
A human enveloped by sin, one you saved.
By saving him… were you doomed from the start?
Would you have been cast out of Heaven's Gates anyways for your miscalculation?
You don't know… and why should you care about what could've been?
All that you should care about is the fact you've been grounded.
Medic's praises and touches don't feel nice.
It just feels like he's corrupting you more and more with his twisted form of love.
Medic wants a relationship he can not have.
Not after what he's done anyways.
You pitied Medic when you found him, this is how you're repaid?
Even as he cares for you, tells you he loves you, and treats you like a loved one… you're not swayed.
He's forced you to be a human, ripped from your divinity by knocking you out and stealing your wings.
What does he do afterwards?
He frames them on the wall like a trophy as he lays you both to bed.
The longer you're with him, the more you feel sin corrupt you.
Soon… you find yourself half giving into him.
You pretend to be his little spouse, his little pet…
A slave to him and his desires.
You begin to hate humanity.
Are they all little sinners?
All just waiting to pull something like you out of the sky to corrupt and lock away?
Do all of them, deep down, want to corrupt others like you for themselves? Inside and out?
God would've told you no.
But as this mortal, the one who stole you from your home after you showed mercy and kindness, covers you in corruption…
You begin to doubt God's teachings.
The thought sends you into denial, it makes you feel sick.
Yet… as you look at Medic…
As you stare into his lustful loving eyes and feel his burning comforting touch…
The thought echoes in your mind.
Medic is a sinner… and now you are too.
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Warning for Unpopular Opinion:
I kinda hate Primis Richtofen
As a character, he's fantastic. But if I were to ever cross paths with him, he would be on the receiving end of at least 28 stab wounds.
Strap in for another Long Fucking Textpost.
I have three main gripes with the guy.
1. How he treats Victis/The Rest of Primis
Richtofen manipulates Victis into doing his dirty work, actively putting their lives in danger by siccing Undead Ultimis Richtofen on them, and then puts them on ice in a parallel to his Ultimis self doing the same thing to his teammates. Not to mention Victis is frozen in a HELL POCKET DIMENSION. And EVEN THEN, he’s not even the one to wake them up; it’s Ultimis Richtofen, likely prompted by Primis Nikolai.
As for how he treats his team, holy shit. He deceives them the entire cycle. Sure, he didn’t technically lie to them, but omission of information is just as bad. The other three had no idea what they were walking into. They didn’t expect to have to kill themselves. And that’s the fucking thing. They didn’t sign up for this. Richtofen clearly never asked if the other three wanted to live in Agartha with him. Richtofen never considered that they have lives of their own, outside of the cycle. Richtofen considered his own goals above the lives of his team. In ZnS one of his opening lines is “Do you trust me, [whichever of the three he is talking to]?”, to which both Dempsey and Takeo respond that they feel like they have no choice but to and Nikolai who basically says no. And yet, RIchtofen keeps charging ahead, doing “what he has to”. Sure, he ensured that they didn’t get wiped from existence, nevermind the fact that they wouldn’t have even been in danger of that without Richtofen leading them there. Instead, Richtofen leads them in a fucking circle. They’re going to do the same song and dance, forever. Now, no matter how much personal beef I have with BO4’s writing, it’s implied that the only way peace could ever be achieved is through the Motherfuckers’ deaths. Accepting his own death is something Richtofen could never do, we even see it happen. When he dies in Blood, it’s not graceful. Rather than subject himself to death, he instead has everyone go through something arguably worse, a never-ending loop of suicide by proxy. What the actual fuck.
2. Dimensional collapse
Richtofen lets Dimension 63 (Morg City [SoE]) get eaten by Apothicons. To give him some credit, there’s probably not a lot he could’ve done by himself. Apothicons are known for gobbling down dimensions like rednecks at a pie eating contest. But also. There was Keeper intervention. Maybe let the Keeper use the Incredibly Powerful, yet Loosely Defined MacGuffin #52 to save the dimension before swooping in, stealing the Key, and then dipping? I don’t know man, the general lack of remorse in his actions, the whole “I have a universe to set right” line before dooming the entire place just rubs me the wrong way.
3. General Assholery
Richtofen is a bit of an arrogant prick. The apparent reason the others can’t peek at the Big Book of Plot Convenience is because they’re too stupid. He also refuses to answer any of their questions. No wonder the other three don’t trust him, what with his complete and utter lack of transparency and his compulsive need to beat around every goddamn bush in the Forest of Equivocation.
On a slightly different note, there’s one quote of his that stood out to me. It’s a start of session conversation with Takeo.
Takeo: “I fear that denying Dempsey the chance to better understand himself may have… consequences.”
Richtofen: “Even had he been conscious before his death, I do not believe that Dempsey had any… great knowledge to impart.”
What the hell. My Brother in CoD, you made him that way. An alternate you literally experimented on and tortured him and then froze him taking away all autonomy from him. Not only that, you selected that dimension. You chose that specific Dempsey. If you wanted a "smart” Dempsey, then literally go anywhere else and murder him instead. Holy fucking shit. And Primis Dempsey is also there. Mourning himself. And you’re out here insulting a dead man that you murdered behind his back. Richtofen did murder him; Dempsey was coerced into doing it. Even fucking worse, is that Dempsey confesses to Nikolai that he’s starting to trust Richtofen. The one thing Richtofen wants most and he doesn’t deserve it.
However, the actual worst part is that nothing comes from Dempsey not being able to properly meet with his other self. Dempsey pulls himself together by himself, which is very admirable, but does have the unfortunate outcome of confirming Richtofen’s position. There were no ramifications. That Dempsey was simply an idiot who had nothing of worth to contribute, other than his death.
PART 4: END OF POST WHERE I SAY MORE RANDOM BULLSHIT IN A SLIGHTLY INCREASED INCOHERENT WAY AS A MOCKERY OF A CONCLUSION
Ok now to preface this I’m not attacking anybody who interprets Primis Richtofen differently. He's a fictional character and other people viewing art in a different way than me will not cramp my style.
I do think that he genuinely loved his friends and wanted the best for all of them. The way he goes about it is just one of the worst ways possible. Comedically terrible, falling on his face, fucking Looney Tunes-ing it up.
Simultaneously, however, I think at his core, Richtofen is a selfish character. And that’s shown in both version’s actions. Ultimis is pretty blatant in his egoistic pursuits. I spent the entire post pretty much draggin Primis in the mud, so I’m not going to repeat myself.
To end this: I hate him so much I want to rip him to pieces. But I also really like him as a character, so I would sitch him back together. And then his insufferable face would send me into an irrepressible rage and I’d shred him again. Rinse and repeat.
#cod zombies#codz#call of duty zombies#edward richtofen#should probably specify#primis richtofen#tank dempsey#takeo masaki#nikolai belinski#1027 words baby#Anyways Primis Richtofen is such an interesting guy#He loves his friends but he's a horrible person and a total loser#loses at every possible turn#*makes it to Agartha* *gets punted to medieval France*#*finally breaks the cycle* *has to die in order to do it*#*gets to have a party with his friends :)* *dies again lmao*#Also half of this was written at Late o'clock and it probably shows
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Least fav comic and fav comic
Ooooh okay! So, I’ll assume you’re talking about Marvel Comics, but I can add DC as well if anyone’s curious :)
Favourite -> It’s a super hard choice, but I have to say it’s a tie between, Black Widow (2014) and the 1975 run of Champions. For Black Widow (2014), I just adore Phil Noto’s art, and Edmondson’s characterization of Natasha is honestly so great. For Champions, it’s honestly a comfort comic. I love seeing Natasha run the team, and it’s just so fun and goofy with typical super-hero/god hijinks that it makes me laugh.
Least Favourite -> That’s honestly hard for me because I don’t tend to read comics I don’t enjoy, but the Zeb Wells Amazing Spider-Man run just really grinds my gears, especially when they killed off Kamala Khan (one of my favourite characters!!) in such a stupid and terrible way, only so they could resurrect her as a mutant. I could go into a whole rant about it, but tbh it’s probably very well-worn territory by this point lol, so instead I’m going to go with the current Spider-Woman run.
A lot of people don’t know this, but I really like 616!Jessica Drew, but this solo has been utterly terrible plot-wise. The whole thing where they aged-up Gerry just left a sour taste in my mouth, though I did really enjoy Jessica’s and Carol’s interactions (literally this comics only saving grace tbh), but other than my inner CarolJess Stan, I really don’t like it? Idk how to explain it, but it just feels like the writer doesn’t know what to do with Jess, and that sucks, because she’s such an interesting, complex character, and there is so much you could do with her and it feels like the writer is totally dismissive of her potential.
Oops! I definitely rambled too much there lol. Hope you don’t mind anon :) Thanks for the ask! Have a great day/night!
#froggyspeaks#ask#anon ask#marvel comics#jessica drew#natasha romanoff#peter parker#spider man#spider woman
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Guys I have a theory as to why Piers hates dynamaxing that isn't just "his parents died by some dynamax pokemon "
So. If I am having the timeline of events right, Oleana created the dynamax bands in recent history, correct? It was probably around the time Piers was young, possibly before then. So, before the dynamax bands were made and utilized, we can only assume that the Galar league didn't have a way to dynamax their pokemon. So like, opal and Mustard probably didn't have dynamax bands or pokemon ( note: I could be VERY wrong on this, the timeline of swsh is wonky so I might be missing some key details!). And all of that in relation to Spikemuth is that I think Spikemuth, before dynamax bands, was honestly fine. Like we know the place has a lot of shops, and is near a vast amount of water for fishing, so again, I feel like Spikemuth pre- dynamax bands were honestly fine as it was. But then Dynamaxing became part of the league circuit and everything just went down hill for Spikemuth. Their town was way too small to even place a power spot, let alone to have dynamax pokemon battle. So, if all of this holds true, dynamaxing being commercialized the way it is basically shot Spikemuth to the ground. That plus the fact that most people already don't have a good view of spikemuth - being a town of punks - and Spikemuth was pretty much doomed( note again: I don't remember if anyone in game has ever bad mouthed Spikemuth as a whole. Team yell certainly, so that's why I kinda made this assumption here), with its literal saving grace being it's gym.
Tldr: Dynamaxing becoming the Thing™ of Galar pretty much ruined Spikemuth. If you're wondering why Piers rejected Rose's offer- I can think of many reasons but the main one was the fact that the new gym would be far away from Spikemuth. 1) that wouldn't really help Spikemuth at all I think. At that point Piers' would be "The Spikemuth gym leader" rather the gym leader of someplace else. The title is important for Spikemuth's future. If Piers isn't the gym leader of Spikemuth, then why go to Spikemuth at all? The decision would just hurt Spikemuth even more. And 2) going off of the previous point, what's the point of having a gym if you aren't around a community to support it. It's very clear that Piers loves his town and loves his people, hence why he's trying so hard to get a handle on things. I don't think he likes the idea of being away from his home, especially if it wouldn't really help them.
Soooo yeah. I think that's a good theory as to why Piers doesn't like Dynamaxing. Of course, it's just a theory lol. I hope this wasn't already stated before by others bc man I would feel like an idiot. And it just shows I was late to pick up on this lmao.
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Thoughts regarding the changes of certain elements of the OG in "Rebirth" (e.g. Cid's personality being changed or Dyne's death)?
This is such a great question!! I'll answer for both of these because I do have thoughts, and the game is so big that I'm already forgetting some things that you guys remind me about. I'll start with Cid.
I'm not entirely convinced that Cid's personality is changed, so much as the...timeframe of his life is being shifted? I'll try to explain.
In the original, you meet Cid and he's already this grizzled asshole who is doing THE MOST, and his hatred of Shinra is so acute that he eventually starts to rival Barret for who hates that company the most. I love Cid, but I guess if anyone from the playable party had the weakest motivation, it would be him. "They stole my dream" is motivation, don't get me wrong, but doesn't it sort of pale in comparison to "they murdered our parents and burned our village; they murdered me and brainwashed the love of my life; they did EXPERIMENTS ON ME." Sorry Cid, but your trauma is a bit...hmnnggh bebi by comparison...
In Rebirth, Shinra hasn't 100% fallen from his good graces yet, at least with regard to him being ambivalent about their misdeeds because he needs to turn a profit. I think the changes to when you meet Cid, how you meet Cid, and how he behaves about Shinra boil down to two things;
1.) Game functionality. It made the most sense to introduce him sooner to give access to the world in an exploratory sense, and the only way to do this in a remotely timely manner would be to introduce him sooner. But then you kinda fuck up the placement and point of Rocket Town, so he needs some other "hook."
2.) I believe they're saving his "fall" for the third part, much like Vincent's background will be saved for the third part. We still need some dramatic flair and some reminders why everyone should hate the fascist overlord, and by then we already know very well why Barret, Tifa, Cloud, Aerith, Red, Yuffie, and even Reeve harbor those feelings.
Long story short, I think he's been set up for his own character development. It was also kinda nice to have the Tiny Bronco around before Cid's wings are totally clipped, so to speak. It was interesting to see that spark of pre-FUCK THIS SHIT Cid. One thing I do find VERY intriguing is the connection to Ifalna!!!!!! I can't wait to see how that pans out...how well did he know her? Did he have FEELINGS for her?! Is he the reason she was able to escape, even though she didn't make it far? Is Aerith walking free because of Cid Highwind?! That would be kind of gaggy, to be quite honest.
So, sure, they did adjust his personality a bit. Like I doubt he's going to verbally abuse Shera and drop F-bombs, but that's fine. They changed a lot of things from the original that just would not play well to an audience nowadays, and I get it.
Dyne stuff under the cut!!!
My husband and I fully disagree on Dyne. I'm not too assed about him not leaping to his death (I mean, he already fell into a gorge which was probably kinda traumatic???? So having him NOT choose to off himself that way could make a bit of sense). What I am most intrigued about is how he goes full fucking Tetsuo from Akira half way through the fight??
In the original game, Dyne is just a man. He's strong, but he's just a broken man. He isn't experimented on by Shinra, we have no canon understanding of him being Mako poisoned or something, he should not be capable of what Rebirth Dyne was doing during that fight with Barret. My husband has chosen to write it off as the dev team just beefing up the battle to make it more modern/difficult/fun.
I don't share this thought process. Hojo is already understanding things (in my opinion) that go above and beyond the original plot. There are already mutations in Rebirth that didn't exist in the original, and I don't know if I'm reading too much into that, but it seems to me that it's kind of an emerging theme...
SOMETHING. Happened to Dyne. Whether he...fell into the gorge and then was Mako poisoned from being too close to the blown up reactor for years...or something else...I don't know for sure. But I wouldn't be surprised if Rebirth is NOT the last we hear about what happened to Dyne. They're REALLY going in on the human experimentation thing...it's going to get quite ugly with Cloud's background (and Aerith's, I'm assuming, if Cid ever spills those beans), and just Red XIII's Trial in the Temple of the Ancients ALONE was bone-chilling. I don't have precise answers or predictions or anything, but I do think it was changed with an intention deeper than "let's make this battle harder/more cinematic."
#stanswers#Anonymous#ff7#ff7r#ff7 rebirth#ff7 rebirth spoilers#ff7r spoilers#final fantasy 7 rebirth#final fantasy 7 rebirth spoilers#final fantasy vii rebirth spoilers#dyne#cid highwind
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half the things that haven't happened yet
Summary: What Lt. Sadi Ratan has once jokingly told Jo Gar at the end of "The Amber Fan" comes back with a vengeance.
+++++++++
The words echoed in Sadi's mind as Señor Isidro Alcantara had told them to team up to work on Miguel Chua's case.
"I don't care what you think, but you two should work on this case together. You both found him, you both saved him from those miscreants, so you better investigate this case together! Your egos pale in comparison with this poor man's life. This is a life-and-death situation!" the head of a small but dedicated group of marketplace regulation agents told them.
From the looks of it, the old man was clearly exasperated at how they had behaved while Doc Maggie Alcantara was treating the survivor with the help of her younger brother Noli, still awake at this time of the night. And he was probably exasperated at how they had been carrying on for years since the first time they met. Who could blame Isidro Alcantara, anyway?
And then he remembered what he had told after having solved the case involving an expensive amber fan, hitting him like a gut punch:
"We should work more closely together, Señor."
He had thought that it would bring him into the good graces of the Island Detective, even joking about resigning from the police force so he could join him. But Jo rebuffed him, though more gracefully that he'd give him credit.
"I'm afraid," he had begun declining, "that the loss to the Force would be too great, Lieutenant."
That was a blow to his ego, that was certain.
Yet when it was someone like Isidro Alcantara who suggested this--or rather compel them--he never thought that those words would haunt him back. What was he thinking as this wave of déjà-vu washed over him? He was too sure about himself about handling himself against Jo Gar and probably handling him--
He stopped. Dios, what was he thinking? Handling him, indeed! he sneered mentally.
Only the thought of working more closely with Jo Gar began creeping into his brain. It was not like a jolt of thunder but a slow simmering that would boil at a later time. And when "working more closely" meant doing the investigation together, being subjected to each other's habits and quirks that each might find irritating or fascinating, wondering what it felt like to be near one another, finding out each other's strengths and weaknesses, contemplating on how to shut each other up by--
No! Sadi scolded his brain. He could not afford to entertain any unwanted thoughts about Jo Gar, pleasurable they might be. Not when they had a survivor wary of their intentions and of them, not when said survivor would rather cut his heart out rather than cooperate with them for any reason.
Perhaps the elders were right. Be careful what you wish for, they had warned.
Once kicked out of the clinic, sitting on a bench to wait to be allowed in again, he turned to Jo Gar, and he didn't want to think about how unreal he appeared. He was one wily devil with the face of an angel, his graying hair like silver under the dim lights and his blue-gray eyes luminous even when half-closed when thinking.
Here we go again, Sadi thought as he tried to stamp down those thoughts that might be the death of him.
"Did the señor say that we must work on this case together?" he asked Jo, who turned to him, his eyes on him.
Jo Gar sighed. "It is so, Lieutenant. It looks like this is going to be that way."
Sadi didn't roll his eyes heavenward, but he hoped to God to survive this...collaboration or whatever this would be called unscathed.
Survive without losing his heart, mind, and soul to the man he hated the most.
#perfect 'verse#fanfic: half the things that haven't happened yet#title inspired by 'i can see you'#also the reference to the amber fan#'work more closely together' you say?#here work more closely together NOW#not yours truly writing sadi ratan like a panicked teenager who tries not to think about working with his rival#who may be his crush or smth#also he is extra and a dramatic bitch#jo gar#island detective#west of guam#raoul whitfield#fanfic
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Gretson Masterlist (9/2)
Happiness Is...
All I Wanted
Carson’s always been other. It starts before she knows what that means and continues on throughout her life. Her only saving grace is baseball, though Carson doesn’t really know the extent of that truth until she’s looking to find tryouts when she stumbles upon Greta Gill standing there, searching for something too.
Or, a closer look at Carson’s life before and after meeting Greta.
Take A Look At This Girl
Though Carson is chomping at the bit to be with Greta, she makes the decision to try and be just friends with the woman who sets her entire world on fire. It’s doomed from the start but Carson is determined to be normal. Her wet dream remains eyeopening and Carson still has no idea what to do with it. As the days pass and her resolve crumbles, Carson must come to terms with the fact that Greta isn’t going anywhere.
Or, the one where Carson is thirsty for Greta until she finally gets a sip of that cool drink.
Can I Get It?
After deciding that getting alone time is a must, Carson constructs a plan to outsmart both Beverly and the rest of the team. It takes a couple of tries but she gets her way - while they’re playing the Comets, Greta is her roommate where a door and a lock exist. Between anxiety and unanswered questions, Carson lets the first night pass without much other than nun approved snacks shared. Read to find out what happens when Carson finally gives herself permission to take all the things she desperately wants without shame.
Or, Carson finally gets a piece of Greta’s pie.
Stand Alone Fics
All In Good Time
Carson decides to chase after Greta a little too late, so she misses the redhead's train by seconds. Without anything else to do, Carson follows Jess and Lupe to the city in hopes of eventually bumping into Greta while she's there. In the months it takes to finally find Greta again, Carson comes into her own. She's no longer a little baby gay by the time Lupe comes running home with happy news to share. Read to find out what happens when Carson and Greta meet again and try to take on the world together.
Or, a little post-season one thing. You can probably call it wishful thinking.
Prompts/Requests
Gave Me Something to Lose
When Greta is asked out on another date by some guy that doesn’t matter, Carson quietly seethes. It’s one thing to sit at a table every day with Greta without reaching out to touch her. It’s a totally different thing to play dumb as Greta charms the man chomping at the bit to be with her. It’s torture and extremely terrible but enlightening all the same. Read to see what happens when Carson finally gets Greta alone again.
Or, Carson is jealous and does some crazy shit because of it.
Jess's POV
‘A little ditty about Greta and Carson through Jess’s eyes since she clocked them earlier than anyone. Like little stolen moments that Jess caught because she was some how always at the wrong place and time and Greta & Carson weren’t aware they were being that messy.’
And I'm So Proud to Call You Mine
Greta is constantly taken aback by her feelings for Carson. One particular day in the dugout, they overwhelm her and she makes a statement she usually wouldn't allow herself to say in such a public place. It's a good thing, though - she hits a homerun and the Peaches win. Read to find out what Greta does to handle the rapidly expanding want for Carson that consumes her more and more with each passing day.
Or, a tumblr prompt that grew arms and legs and became this!
Dear Carson
They're miles away from Rockford, living together in New York when Greta leaves Carson a letter. After trying her best not to just rip it open, Carson greedily absorbs every word, quickly realizing that Greta wrote to her during the season, practically narrating her thoughts as they navigate their whirlwind relationship. Carson has no idea what any of them mean but she's getting insight into Greta that never seemed possible. Read to find out how Greta felt throughout their time together and what that means for their future.
Or, a collection of letters from Greta to Carson.
#gretson#greta gill x carson shaw#carson shaw x greta gill#carson x greta#greta x carson#greta/carson#carson/greta#aloto#a league of their own#bobbie writes#masterlist#masterlists#gretson masterlist
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"why does it feel like we're writing letters to each other in the 80's" I WHEEZED SO HARD-
oh no wonder, i thought i heard a familiar voice sobbing praising kamisato ayato's elegance and handsome face a few cells away, that was you huh /j
LMAO i thought the puppy spirit was influenced from that voiceline that's gold slfklsdj and i'm sure he finds it very adorable of you whenever your sassy side comes out, especially when it comes to interacting with him. i'd imagine he would return the sass in a graceful and ✨elegant✨ way. it becomes a contest to see who'll blush and give in first :p
i love love love how cool the air was but gosh yes it was very very windy ahsjsjdaldj i've always lived in tropical countries with the average temp of about 26+ degrees celcius so i had my jacket on 95% of the time lmao and yes there were loads of food - i can imagine you drooling over them, cause i did too eheh
i don't know ;w; i am so torn shldsksjsl if we're looking at team comps i should probably get tortellini archons knows i have too many anemo characters already.... but i also want the mean lil skrunkly harbinger man....
RIGHT YES I FELT THAT TOO he was so helpful in the last event, so i am crossing my fingers they'll put his rerun soon!!! 🤞🏻
the dinner table will be a battlefield in itself cause i need to make sure he's treating you right ok do not stop me (ง •̀_•́)ง
gosh yeah the aiming part of bow characters is partly why i don't usually pull for them... using a controller that has drifting issues in that circumstances is a nightmare :D
YES omg i heard about that too... and i have given up on the onikabutos for now in favor of slime hunting cause i want to max xiao and zhongli's talents first lol why is one day only 24 hours i need more time pls them beetles are so hard to find hyv what do you have against beetles smh
hehe good good anything for my adopted son <3
the nobleman language made me feel like a dignified lady writing to a penpal across the seven seas lol
i think i'm okay now after a few nights' rest hehe i hope your day is going great so far <3 and my tea adventure is over for now bc i finished the box hskdksdj i will definitely be looking at other tea samples after i make some progress with my older teas >:3
waiting for ayato to bail me out even if he is the reason i'm here <//3 i shall come for you soon, rin jie, i'll save you with... the power of money. *pushes zhongli away softly* (/j)
THE COINCIDENCE 😭 like i already knew i embodied the energy of a puppy, but i didn't realize ayato had a voiceline about being a dog person??? does this mean ayalia was written in the stars. (/lh) and yes, i can imagine he'd call my sassy side cute and then tap on my nose HNGHSJJFJE
i see, my country is also like that! >:) four seasons? nope, only summer and monsoon here, love <//3 going to the highlands was the only way i could ever experience a chill like the one overseas, hehe~ but you're more of a jacket gal, aren't you, rin jie?? i'm more of a sweater gal, so we complete each other LOLLLL jackets 🤝 sweaters
TORTELLINI HELPFEIJDKE are you the secret gatekeeper of the infamous childe bullying community?? 🤨 because if so, let me join (/j) ngl, i just recently watched his collected miscellany and i can't believe i'm saying this but... why he kinda cute 🚶 i'm vv sure you already saw the simping tomfoolery in my priv help but rn, it's safe to say that i will be pulling for tartaglia! but if i even sniff an ayato rerun in v3.4 or nearer patches, then tartaglia will unfortunately realize that he'd be second to my beloved husband <//3 are you going to try your luck at tortellini's banner first?? hehe, perhaps, you can follow the mindset of: if tartaglia comes home, then he comes home. if not, aight, then the little angy anemo harbinger shall. >:)
the scarabs are actually one of the reasons i'm kinda glad that i lost the 50/50 on cyno's banner 😭 but i see that you're spending your resources on your hubby and our grumpy adeptus, good luck! <3 AND FR, LIKE WHY CAN'T THE DOMAIN I WANT TO FARM LAST A FEW DAYS OR SO. PLEASE DON'T GO YET. #easierlife (/j)
i'm glad you're feeling better <3 i haven't been on a plane yet, but i'm sure the jetlag is really smth 😭 and you already finished the box, i see! i remember my intuition telling me the mango-flavored one sounds super good, is it??? 👀 me and my strawberry tea are just chilling, hehe.
#two simps speaking in nobleman language from their respective jail cells HELPFEIKDKWK#maybe i'll pull another nobleman language stunt out of nowhere next time hehe#mwah mwah! headpats for rin jie <3#ask box! 📬#visitor: dearest rin! 💠
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hi! i just wanted to say that I’m really enjoying your top 10 set and I’m (nervously 👀) looking forward to seeing the last two , but I wanted to know what your top 10 episodes were? They’re all so good it’s so hard to choose!
thank you anon! it's been a lot of fun, and there were definitely a few surprises on that list. as for my own top ten, it's a little hard. my top five is pretty easy, but here we go:
1. in the unlikely event of an emergency
- i hold this episode so close to my heart and consider it one of the most beautiful episodes of television I’ve ever seen. gwyn is undoubtedly one of my favorite characters on the show, and tk's experience losing her so suddenly and dealing with that subsequent grief hits very close to home. i'm going to cherish this episode for a very long time.
2. push
- what is there to say about push that hasn't already been said? it's a perfect cap to the first arc of the season, and was my favorite episode of lone star up until 3.08. it's just beautiful all around, and my only complaint is that this is the only episode we got with andrea this season. i miss mama reyes.
3. saving grace
- i love me some judd and grace, and this episode by far is one of the most magnificent. heart eyes all around, tommy leveling judd in the past and in the present, pushing him to say introduce himself to grace, the three of them and charles (who i miss dearly) being a family, and the 126 coming together to support judd in the hospital. never not crying.
4. riddle of the sphynx
- i think this one is pretty self explanatory. we have carlos learning to take a step back while tk takes a step forward in his sobriety, carlos learning what it means to be in love with an addict, hard conversations, and a moment of, once again, reassurance that tarlos is endgame. shout out to wes from the icarly reboot who played cooper and made me scream when he first appeared on screen.
5. bad call
- i mean obviously the first carlos-centric episode has to be on the list! every single bit of this episode was perfection; we got our first glimpse at detective reyes, learned a little more about his realtionship with gabriel, the first instance of tnt being badasses (and also absolutely fucking done with these kidnappers), and, of course, "hi baby, hi baby."
6. the big heat
- alexa, play fever by elvis presley. i mean. i mean. clearly. on my first watch i was being thrown back and forth on who was on whose side, which is probably what the writers wanted, and ultimately did not expect raymond to be the culprit or gabriel and owen to team up like they did. so many twists and turns, so much yelling, our first on screen "i love you." and, of course, that ending when tommy gets home. oof.
7. red vs blue
- nostalgia ep, my beloved! despite the fact that i have a v small, v playful, grudge with tk/ronen choosing #2 for his jersey in honor of derek jeter because i'm a mets fan, this episode makes me wish i was still playing softball. all of the 126 is competitive, we knew that from catan, but my god was this a whole other level. and then there's nailed it nancy followed immediately by the phone call that had every single person screaming at the screen in shock. man, oh man.
8. displaced
- the first instance of paramedic siblings being paramedic siblings as well as the first time the 126 really made nancy she part of the group. that tribute to tim was everything. (re: let's continue to have episode 7 of every season feature something for nancy, thanks! but maybe not episode 8 be where we hurt tk). we also had owen and gwyn sincerely breaking my heart in this episode because they just love each other so deeply at the end of the day, along with, if i'm correct, the first instance where owen actually showcased his anger. also, that mri scene. damn, tk.
9. a bright and cloudless morning
- don't yell at me for how low on the list this is, but classics took over! this was, hands down, lone star's best season finale. it was epic all around, and i'm so happy everyone wound up ok. i was genuinely nervous for wyatt and judd there for a while. the prominence of owen's grief and guilt with 9/11, gwyn coming to him just like she came to tk when he needed her, the sequence of the 126 getting owen out of the rubble as he saw faces of the 252 and nypd. i had chills the entire time, and especially during that shot of paul and tommy passing owen's helmet down the line. that, for some reason, gets me more than anything else. and of course — the proposal. i've watched it too many times to count, honestly, and i'll keep doing it for the continuation of the hiatus.
10. prince albert in a can
- give me all the carlos and grace teamwork! this is what we needed! carlos boxing to up in here by dmx made me scream, sure, because wow, but watching these two team up and figure out what went down on a call they were both so clearly blaming themselves for was incredible. and ask literally anyone, i jumped up and down and screamed "there she is, there's mom!" the second athena was on screen. god's plan, bitch.
honorable mention to hold the line, in which this was the first time i met the 118. i watched the episode again during my first og watch and it felt like i was visiting the 126 with them. such a great episode, i don't care what anyone says. get those crews back together!
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✰ HELPING HANDS, LANDOSCAR
in which fem!reader is helping out oscar's puppy love on his teammate lando without realising the consequences
tw: landoscar is real, swear words, sex hinted, time jump 🗝 . . previous part & next part
two idiots and their saving grace
you
i see you got on very well last night. i'd appreciate a word put in for a promotion or a trip to somewhere warm with beaches, hot men, yadayada you get me
havent expected you be such a dirty man lan, but then oscari has probably ruined your dick by the looks lol
lan
girl, he destroyed me, he's made to be a lover, lemme tell you that. took me like a champ
you
shallowed too?
lan
every last drop, took my breath away and sucked me dry
anyways, thank you for this little one, we definitely own you a thing or two 🤍
oscari
yup 100%, believe we'd dance around each other for months if it was for you cupid.
enjoyed the video?
you
wasnt bad to look at, bit shaky but oscari those hands work fast wowsa. you'll take good care of the man
just don't fuck when we work, yes? then i might leave you for another team
"i bet little y/n took care of her sweet pussy, look when she saw the video and when she replied", lando giggled as he shoved down a bite of the fruit salad he shared with his lover in bed, smartphone laying on oscar's lap.
they had enjoyed soft kisses and equally soft sex under the white coversheet, taking in a memorable place in their love filled hearts — for some their thing, whatever they should name it, might be running fast but then they waited patiently for a year to realise their feelings and now there was no coming back, just straight up truth, desire and love, because this was love, pure and soft, fast yet romantic. they were two peas in a pot but they also noticed their lust for oscar's girl for everything, you.
you weren't just a woman with a hot, curvy body, no, you had the personality too, bold and headstrong, taking no fucks — neither oscar nor lando knew how they wanted you in this but to a threesome, they wouldn't say no.
"maybe but let's focus on us this month before adding sweets to the mix in any kind of form yeah?", the younger man said, hand grasping lan's to press a kiss on it.
his partner hummed in agreement, happily munching on the breakfast as they exchanged ideas for possible date ideas; paddle, golf as well as pottery, trying every local cuisine once ( we'll just leave the fish alone, right, babe?") and whatnot — typical things couples tried to depend the bond and enjoy their partners company. you'd for sure cover for them somehow to let it look like they're only teammates, having a good time being single.
and so the mclaren men went on all kinds of dates, some great, a few alright and two of them weren't very much enjoyable (the aussie rated the gold date as the most boring thing he had to do but because he liked lan alot, he'd come back whenever the older one would win above him in a race).
you were their saving grace, saving them from noisy reporters and brewing scandals with some greedy models and who not, giving them an ultimate hiding place for their blossoming romance. to add a cherry on top, you suggested more date ideas for their second and third month, putting a professional love doc to shame. where you got the ideas from was more or less a mystery to them but other couples on the grid like alex and lily, george and carmen, and kika and pierre rated your skills to heaven. it was a skill set of yours, the only thing no one got behind is, how you didn't have a partner by yourside, though no one wanted to get on your bad side and kept their mouth shut; you liked to say that your love life was dead and that's it.
"how are my birdies doing this fine morning? ready to talk some racing?", you entered the room and began to talk, lips coloured in a bright red, complimenting your all black fit and red-orange necklace, oscar had gotten you from when you both started to work at mclaren over a year ago. oscar returned to his position next to lando on the bed, leaving you to stand in front of them, cheeking your nails before continuing. "remember to shut down the rumours with that instagram model, lando, and oscari, for you I have nothing on my agenda. you're just too wholesome to people, so they dont wanna ruin your imagine it seems."
lando moaned, face in his hands, letting his boyfriend kiss his neck. "i don't do anything but be a doting boyfriend, little y/n. i don't even know who that woman is." "I know, i know, just say something along the line of who? or talk about not knowing why those silly bitches get connected to you. state your truth, honey. and now get decent, it reeks of steamy sex in here."
"yes ma'am", you heard. "are you coming on track with us or driving separately?", your friend wanted to know, as he put on a maroon silky shirt lando had gifted him on their stay in the latter ones flat. shame, the aussie hid his muscles behind the shirt tho but he didn't close all the buttons and left his collarbone for show, were a dainty golden necklace rested, a promise ring of sorts that mclaren number four also wore in form of an actual ring, blending in quite nicely with his collection of jewelry. that's taste.
"i'm driving with you, i'll sit in back, if thats okay with you, boys?"
they didn't reply, packing up their stuff and gently pushed you out off the door, osc's hand resting heavily against the small of your back.
hopefully I don't blush like virgin Mary, you thought.
they guided you to the car, a beautiful mclaren in a sleek navy blue. lando opened the door for you and waited until you settled to shut it again, walking around the car to drive it as oscar had decided on being the passenger prince for the day (he was also very sleeping looking and had the desire to control the music today). "have you eaten something or should we grab you a bite on the way, sweets?"
a moan left your painted lips, now being able what you forgot this morning when you rushed through your hotel room. fluttering with your lashes, a cute smile danced on your lips. "some food would be fantastic, thanks for the reminder, daddy." you then proceed to chance your attention to your vibrating phone, seeing a couple of messages of people trying to get hold on osc, who, if you looked up into the mirror, blushed hard at the nickname.
"oi where's my sexy nickname, little one? you just can't call him daddy in front of me, the boyfriend of months and don't gift me one too, you hear me?", lando pouted, resting his right hand behind oscars head rest when parking the car in front of a small café. "Don't have one for you, it seems", you grinned like a cashire cat and closed the door to get yourself a snack.
oscar broke the comfortable silence between them, laughter bubbling over the music. "she could call you sir too, treasure. i know you like it. imagine her on her knees, waiting for our command — she'd look so good taking you, us."
"you shit, want me to hide a bulge?", the other male whinned, hand joining his lover's in the middle console of the car.
"don't act like a cry baby, it doesn't suit you."
POLY/MULTI DRIVERS — SINGULAR DRIVERS
wanna be tagged in the next part of helping hand? comment below :)
🗝 . . . tag list [open] — @d3kstar @hiireadstuff @vellicora @jupiter-je-taime @denisebeee @jaehyunluvcult @chezmardybum @koalalafications @thebook-bitch @ln4norizz @entr4p3 @67-angelofthelordme-67
#landoscar#f1 imagine#f1 x reader#oscar piastri imagine#oscar piastri x reader#lando norris x reader#lando norris imagine#f1 smau
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Genesis 9
9:1 God tells Noah and the team to fill the Earth. This is similar to the role of Adam and Eve. Noah really is the new Adam of mankind. It is also mentioned here that Noah and his sons were blessed. We continue to see the theme of the exaltation of men in the Bible rather than women. This blessing was most likely brought about by Noah's sacrifice when he left the Ark, showing God's appreciation for man. It kind of seems like God felt like how we would feel on Christmas morning when we open our gifts. Sacrifices might have been the only 'gift' that man could have offered an almighty God.
9:2 Every animal has dread and fear of man (or just Noah?). This is to protect mankind from the jaws of the predators of the world. Would it not be more useful to have this command issued before everyone entered the ark? If animals feared man in the ark, then no one could have been fed and daily ark operations/maintenance would have proved difficult. Since everyone is safe on land, fear leads to avoidance and reverence. In this verse, God mentions the "fish of the sea." This tells us that God, nor the author of this book, have neglected the fish in the mass extinction but they were intentionally left out.
9:3 This line explicitly states that every moving thing that lives shall be food. If the previous generations of man were vegetarian, then now man has converted to being omnivores.
9:4 What is "lifeblood?" This is probably a statement that man should not eat of living things while they are alive but only after they are killed. Another assumption could be made is that blood should be drained before eating of an animal.
9:5 God places importance on the lifeblood of man, stating that there will be consequences to any who decides to rid of the life of a man, whether it be man or beast. God states that if a man decides to kill a fellow man, the life of that man must be required by God. "I will require the life of man at the hand of his fellow man." This command contrasts what happened to Cain. For Cain was saved by God when he murdered, but now man will be killed if he decides to kill. Notice that the life of the killer must be turned to God, rather than having his peers kill him on behalf of God.
9:6 This verse goes over the importance of the previous statement. The reason the killer's life is demanded is because that individual has decided to destroy something that was made in God's image.
9:7 Ending of God's command by telling party to go out and fill the earth.
9:8 Last verse seems like a dismissal, so why this verse saying that God spoke to Noah? It would probably imply that after time has passed.
9:9-10 God states that He will establish His covenant with Noah, his descendants, and every living creature that came out the ark.
9:11-14 Covenant is that water will no longer produce a mass extinction, nor will there be a great flood over the earth. God uses the rainbow to be the sign of this covenant. In verse 13, it states that God made the covenant between "Me and the earth." I assume this means that God formed the covenant with everything on the earth rather than the dust of the earth itself.
9:15 This is the second instance we see God 'remembering' something. This act of remembering is not synonymous with the alleval of forgetting but rather it is God's grace/mercy being shown.
9:16-17 Why does God repeat Himself when talking about the covenant? Maybe to ensure His great stance with mankind.
9:18-19 Statement of Noah's sons. Ham is the only one whose son was mentioned: Canaan.
9:20 Noah planted a vineyard and is noted to be a "husbandman." What is a "husbandman?" This verse says that he "began" to be a husbandman. Also, what is the correlation between a husbandman and planting a vineyard? Looking at the grammatical structure, the comma before the word "and" suggests that these two ideas are separate.
"Husbandman" refers to being a farmer. Husband in this context does not refer to an individual who is married but rather an individual who is the head of a household. This makes sense as Noah is now settled after the flood.
9:21 Noah became drunk off his own wine and lay naked in his house. Ham saw his father in this state and told his brothers. Why does the Bible reinstate that Ham is the father of Canaan? Does this foreshadow something in the future about Canaan?
9:22 The two brothers covered their father without seeing his nakedness. The verse here starts with the word "But." This implies that the intentions/actions of Ham going to tell his brothers did not match the intentions/actions of Shem and Japheth covering their father.
9:23-25 Noah sobered up, learned of what happened, and cursed Canaan. Canaan was cursed to be a servant of the servants to his brothers. Here why does Noah curse Canaan, who did nothing, instead of Ham? This is probably because earlier in the text, Noah and his sons were directly blessed by God. It would have been a grave sin of Noah to curse what God has decided to bless. So instead of cursing Ham directly, Noah decided to curse Ham's only son.
9:26 Recognition of the God of Shem and a statement that Canaan shall be his servant.
9:27 Japheth is asked to be "enlarged" and to dwell in the habitations of Shem. Why would Japheth need to be "enlarged" and what does that mean? If we observe the order of the brothers, Japheth can be assumed to be the youngest one, thus why Shem was mentioned first in the list of blessings. When it states that Japheth shall be in the inhabitations of Shem, it probably means that Japheth shall be accepted and taken care of by his older brother. This verse also states that Japheth would have Canaan as his servant.
9:28-29 Noah lived 900+ years. He might have been the last one with that blessing. Is the statement that man should only live to 120 years continuing with the sons of Noah?
Other Remarks:
Sacrifices were the only thing we could have offered an almighty God as a gift. The only other thing is our actions as a reflection of His creation. That is something that is a longterm gift.
Ham's first reaction to something out of place and incorrect was gossip and shaming. This contrasts the action of Shem and Japheth as their first intentions were to correct the situation in a proper manner.
Questions:
God establishes a covenant with man and states God's part. But what is man's part of this covenant?
Do the sons of Noah live 900+ years or about 120 years?
Things to Add to Prayer:
Let us discern situations and apply moral solutions that appeal to Your will, just like Shem and Japheth.
Prevent us from acting irrationally and enjoying in the displeasure of others like Ham.
-Mikhael
#genesis#bible reading#bible study#noah#adam and eve#ark#flood#Shem#Ham#japheth#Canaan#Covenant#sacrifice#blessings#God
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Mastering Team Management: Effective Strategies Unveiled
I think you will agree when I say: managing teams is challenging regardless of your level of your experience.
Yet, managing your team effectively allows you to accomplish your goals in time and within your budget. The converse is true; if you manage your team poorly, you can only expect poor results.
Turns out managing a team effectively is easy, and in this post, we show you exactly how to make your team great.
Read on to learn more.
Unlock the secrets to effective team management! Discover powerful strategies that will transform your leadership skills and drive your team's success to new heights. Don't miss out on this game-changing opportunity! #teammanagement #teamleadershipClick To Tweet
Integrity
Integrity is probably the most important quality of all great leaders. Without integrity, you will have a hard time dealing with your team at any given time.
For starters, endeavor to be honest and transparent at all times. Honesty shows you’re a noble leader, which builds trust within your team.
Lying and withholding information will only corrode the interpersonal relationships and respect you enjoy as the team leader.
Integrity also means treating all members of your team fairly.
Encourage Creativity and Innovation
“No man can stand alone,” goes a popular adage. You cannot run your organization without your team – it’s the reason you created the team, to begin with; because you needed new thoughts and ideas.
For this reason, you will only be shooting yourself in the foot if you stifle creativity and innovation within the team.
The more people you have contributing to discussions on how to grow the business, the better. A new idea from a team member could be the saving grace your company needs to survive an impending storm.
As such, don’t chastise any member of your team for expressing an opinion, so long as they do it respectfully.
If you cut someone down for expressing an opinion or idea, it will build resentment and discourage people from sharing new thoughts.
"Managing a team can be hard and the more people that you are in charge of, the more difficult it can be. Staying in control of a large number of people and making sure that they are getting all of their work done on time is something which you get better at over time. You should, however, always make sure that your team respects you and that they know that you are there to lead rather than just be their friend. " - How to Manage A Great Team
Set Team Goals
The dream of every human resource manager or entrepreneur is to get their team to work together. But how do you get your team to work together?
It’s actually pretty simple. Just set team goals that each give team players a unified purpose. A common goal will inspire the whole team, unlike a per-person goal that isolates team members and breed a limited mentality.
You can use tools such as Trello, Asana, or Goalscape to set goals and collaborate with your team on the go.
Embrace Effective Communication
Every successful leader knows the value of possessing great communication skills. Without effective communication, you will have a difficult time leading your team to success.
Facilitating good communication within your team (and even across the organization) helps you to detect problems early, build trust and avoid costly misunderstandings.
As an effective leader, you should be ready to brainstorm, actively listen to each member of your team and clearly express your ideas. On top of that, learn skills such as win-win negotiation and assertiveness.
Additionally, invest in modern communication solutions, such as Zipline, that streamline communications and task management within your team so you can focus on growing your business.
Build Interpersonal Relationships
You don’t work with a team, you work with individuals within the team. Every member of your team has unique interests, ideas, strengths, and weaknesses, which means you can’t adopt a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach.
I mean, you cannot use the exact same approach when dealing with each member of your team. Instead, invest time in knowing each team member on a personal level. In other words, focus on the individual and mold your approach to fit each one.
Focusing on each member of your team builds friendships and better rapport between you and your team members.
Publicly Reward Hard Work
Rewarding your team members goes beyond offering them a salary. While a bonus check is great, strive to publicly reward any member of your team who does something exceptional.
Now, rewarding a team member needn’t be challenging. You can vocally recognize their efforts or offer a small trophy – just make sure you do it in front of the group.
Why is rewarding hard work in public effective? Well, it makes the intended recipient feel great and shows the rest of the team that you reward hard work. Think of it as killing two birds with the same stone.
Remember to remain consistent in your rewarding scheme to achieve the best results.
Take Employee Compensation Seriously
Nothing is as demoralizing as poor compensation. If compensation is inadequate or late, you cannot expect your employees to perform effectively.
The greatest sign of respect towards your employees is paying them fairly and on time. Otherwise, you cannot expect great performance.
This is why it is important for every manager to understand the intricacies of payroll process. On top of that, consider doing annual salary reviews to ensure your employees are well taken care of year in and year out.
The livelihood of your employees depends on their pay, so ensure you pay them fairly and on time, or the job means nothing.
Make Work Fun
All work and no play make Jack a dull boy. A great manager understands the value of keeping staffers happy at all times. They understand all work and no play results in decreased productivity, which is bad for business.
You don’t need to buy expensive pinball machines or pool tables to make work fun, although a pool table is a pretty swell idea any day. If you don’t have the budget, however, you can go for cheaper ideas to make the workplace fun.
For instance, you can arrange surprise day and night outings or celebrate small wins in your own unique ways. Socializing with your workers is also a great and inexpensive way of making the workplace fun.
Conclusion
Managing a team effectively is no easy task, but with the right mindset and motivation, you can do it like many other team leaders out there.
Our post outlines a couple of ways you can get your team to achieve the extraordinary without breaking a sweat or the bank. Take these tips, and infuse them into your leadership style, and soar high like the eagle you are.
Have questions or suggestions regarding this post? Please share your thoughts and tips in the comments.
Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't
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In his work with organizations around the world, Simon Sinek noticed that some teams trust each other so deeply that they would literally put their lives on the line for each other. Other teams, no matter what incentives are offered, are doomed to infighting, fragmentation and failure.
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Manchester United vs Chelsea - Match Preview
Prediction: 2-0 United
Chelsea. What a state they are in. They probably boast the best squad depth aside this season’s champions but find themselves languishing in 12th place in the English Premier League.
Owner Todd Boehly’s intervention-heavy approach feels like something from a Football Manager game, and sees his new play-thing on 43 points with -6 goal difference. Even if Chelsea were to beat United on Thursday and Newcastle on Sunday, they cannot break into the top 10.
For United, they need just 1 point from 6 available to secure top 4 and a Champions League place, and it’s very likely that the tired-but-organised United can produce an underwhelming-but-professional win over a jaded Chelsea side.
United:
Erik Ten Hag’s season needs a strong finish. Both Chelsea and Fulham have nothing but pride to play for, whereas United do. Incentive helps, and so does a home crowd, but 2 wins and 2 losses in 4 is hardly elite form.
United since the EFL Cup final have been patchy, if not poor. The 7-0 hammering to Liverpool, the 0-0 with 10 men vs Southampton, defeats to Brighton, Newcastle, and West Ham... and Sevilla knocked the club out of the Europa League (though admittedly they have made it to yet another EL final).
As the season’s fatigue has set in on United’s players, so too has a lapse in concentration it seems. Rashford’s scintillating form has tailed off, Casemiro looks off the ball, and Martinez is out til pre-season. To compound this, Martial and Weghorst just aren’t scoring the goals needed from a centre forward.
The team has lacked the goal threat to kill off games. Plenty of draws or defeats could easily have been wins had teams not been given so much time to regroup, refocus, and fight back. Rashford has done well for goals this year and Bruno’s chipped in, but Sancho is the third highest scorer. This is a man who is clearly struggling with something behind the scenes and took 2 months out to rehabilitate. That’s not enough goals from the supporting cast.
That being said, gelling as a team takes time - another issue facing both sides. Next season, with a proper CF or two, plus some other players in, some players out... perhaps we’ll see more of that bite that United teams of old had. It certainly feels like Erik Ten Hag’s United are a more tactically astute team, with a variety of gameplans.
For now, we the fans will take a disciplined win to secure CL qualification. It can be boring, it can be close, but the result is all that matters.
Chelsea:
Chelsea’s form since the start of April has been woeful. A loss to Villa saw Graham Potter sacked, they drew with Liverpool under an interim coach, and then proceeded to lose 6 on the bounce under the temporarily returning Frank Lampard - a man already dismissed for failing to perform as Chelsea manager. Right...
Lampard will be relieved that a 3-1 away win against Bournemouth helped secure Chelsea’s safety and spare any blushes should a relegation battle have emerged, but 7 losses in 9 games under Lampard demonstrates a) how clear it is that Chelsea lack identity and a team cohesion and b) how poor a choice of manager he was.
Goals have played a big part of Chelsea’s lack of bite. While their star striker is on loan back at Inter and has made the Champions League final, the Blues find themselves struggling to score. 6 goals for May (so far) is the joint-third most they’ve scored in a calendar month. They matched the same in August, 8 in March, and 16 in October. April and February they only managed 1 goal each month respectively, 2 goals in both December and November (impacted by the World Cup and Christmas), and 3 goals in January and September.
Chelsea’s saving grace is that Manchester United are tired, and lacking a true centre forward. They may not like it, but playing for a draw could be the best option. Quiet the crowd, kill the energy and the tempo, and maybe Chelsea can upset United. It’s a big maybe though. Does Frank Lampard have the humility to play safe? Do his players?
#manchester united#chelsea#EPL#Premier League#Premiership#football#soccer#match preview#match prediction
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Survivor Series: War Games - Review
Regal's not here to say it, but it's time for the Main Roster to engage in War Games!
Only 5 matches on the card but two are the big 5v5 in Dusty's Cage Creations, so let's see how it goes.
Spoilers for the PPV
Scrubbed the Kickoff because it had no matches.
Women's War Games
Team Bianca (Bianca BelAir, Asuka, Alexa Bliss, Mia Yim & Becky Lynch) def. Team Bayley (Bayley, Iyo Sky, Dakota Kai, Nikki Cross & Rhea Ripley) [Pinfall by Lynch on Kai via Leg Drop]
It was odd to see Becky in a most tame attire, it kinda looked like a modification of her old Royal Rumble gear, the red and black one, Nikki Cross climbed the mini-cage too. Bianca started against Dakota (who has been in four matches), both did trade advantages but Bianca had the edge so Iyo could come in next, after a 1v1 bit the women's tag champs ganged up on Bianca - highlight being Iyo doing a double rope dropkick - until Asuka came back to cross with Iyo for a mini-match. Nikki came out next and brought out the weapons: kendo sticks and trash can lids, though she attacked the faces more with her coat until Bliss' arrival to face her former tag partner, Bianca's strength feat probably wasn't as impactful as she only bent the kendo stick over her knee, but Nikki did the top cage spot with a flying crossbody.
With everyone prone, out comes Bayley to bring out more weapons. Ladders in hand and a table (much to the crowd's glee since they were asking for it) but she wasted a lot of time which allowed Mia Yim to come out with the trash cans - leaving her teammates to be beaten up for a bit - Yim did use the weapons and environment to her advantage, which gave the faces a respite, but next would be Rhea. Rhea of course bullied the babyfaces until Mia cannonballed a trash can into her, the final member unleashed The Man, hitting Iyo with a trash can leg drop before crossing her fellow Horsewoman. She held the advantage over Bayley but not Rhea, who hit a Riptide on The Man - broken up by Asuka - the two then combined to hit Rhea with the mist and a DDT, Asuka saved her team again when Becky was hit with a Roseplant on the middle steel bar between the rings. Iyo would be next to do a top-cage move with a moonsault, leaving all members prone, Nikki and Alexa took each other out when Nikki tried to cuff Alexa to the cage, only to be cuffed to Alexa and hit with an Electric Chair on a trash can, Rhea took out Asuka by throwing her in the cage wall, then reversed a Backpack Sleeper to cannonball Mia through a ladder.
This left Damage CTRL vs Bianca and Becky, Kai escaped the KOD but landed right into a Manhandle Slam, the inverse happened for Iyo. Becky went up top as Bianca draped Iyo and Kai on the table, Bayley tried to make the save but was KOD'd into the cage wall as Becky landed the leg drop, pinning Kai.
Was a good match, this does mean however much of my predictions are gonna be wrong XD WWE gave Becky her big comeback win contrary to putting Rhea in line for Bianca's title, which you can't be too mad about - y'know if you ignore that Bayley's feud with Bianca involved her losing 4 Times in a row on PPV. I guess for main roster onlys this is your basic guide to War Games.
Jey comes to Roman backstage telling him about the conversation he overheard between Sami and Owens. Roman however tells his cousin that he will handle matters. When Jey leaves though an angry twitch appears on Roman, as he tells Heyman to call Zayn.
AJ Styles (w/ The Good Brothers) def. Finn Balor (w/The Judgement Day) [Pinfall via Phenomenal Forearm]
Dunno what the deal is with Balor just wearing a blank mask but better than the spiky one, AJ's mask was better but also kinda weird. Styles worked on the leg, wearing him for the Calf Crusher but also weakening his Bloody Sunday and Coup de Grace, however, Balor worked on the ribs and lower back. AJ got the first pinfall attempt with a sliding forearm and an ushigoroshi but only good or 2, Judgement Day got involved to delay the Phenomenal Forearm, which got the Good Brothers involved, brawling into the crowd.
Balor took control by reversing the Calf Crusher transition with a double stomp, fighting off a comeback attempt with a Reverse DDT, but his attempt at a Styles Clash was reversed, eventually knocking both men down with Pele Kicks. A lungblower was only good for 2 with Balor, so he hit an Ushigoroshi but failed the Bloody Sunday, allowing AJ to hit the backflip catch reverse DDT. Balor scouted a 450 and landed a Shotgun Dropkick, but the Coup de Grace missed, damaging the leg further to be rolled into a Calf Crusher, which Balor broke by slamming AJ's head against the mat. After some tussling, AJ hit the Phenomenal Forearm to pin Balor for the win.
Another good match, however I felt like the finish was a bit tame, would've been a lot more impactful if he won via the Calf Crusher. Plus the addition of Mia Yim hasn't really paid dividends since Rhea didn't get involved thanks to the prior War Games match, so it was more a limp win for the OC.
Smackdown Women's Championship
Ronda Rousey (c) (w/Shayna Baszler) def. Shotzi [Submission via Armbar]
Shotzi comes out with her tank, but even though Raquel did come to the stadium commentary says that she's not cleared to come to the ring. Ronda again with the ugly makeup but it works better for her now that she's a heel. And that is the key topic because her heel characteristics allows her to be more basic, but Shotzi is the one who ran wild to the start, hitting Baszler with a suicide dive. Ronda inevitably took control again, using her judo skills and submission technique to keep Shotzi grounded. A punch did stagger the champion, but a poorly-executed ring-apron DDT left both members a bit silly, fortunately Shotzi recovered by throwing both Ronda and Shayna into the crowd and crossbodying them. Shotzi tried to go up top but was Judo Flipped to the floor, hit with her ugly Piper's Pit then tapped to the armbar.
Basic, but not inoffensive, it's just that we never really had a reason to think Shotzi had a chance.
Sami was summoned to Reigns's office to discuss the interaction with Owens. Zayn however was honest with Reigns, saying he lied to Jey to not cloud his judgement. Reigns asked Zayn to look him in the eye and tell him whether he's with them or gonna stab him in the back, and Zayn did, pledging his allegiance once more and getting a hug from Roman - but the camera does linger on the pensive Tribal Chief.
US Championship
Theory def. Seth Rollins (c) & Lashley [pinfall on Rollins] NEW CHAMPION!!!
I did not expect Beyblade to be a sponsor for WWE, let alone hearing Michael Cole saying 'Let it rip'. Much like his wife, Rollins' outfit was once more extremely tame in comparison. Lashley and Rollins both kicked Theory out the ring to fight between each other, but Theory slammed Rollins into the barricade in retaliation. Lashley kept the role as the power player by facing both men at once, his OG Dominator would've gotten the 3 but Theory pulled the ref. Rollins and Theory fought each other between trying to take out Lashley, Theory using the steel steps to keep the All Mighty down. Rollins did fight off Theory's physical performance with end to end dives against both his opponents, catching a rolling cutter from Theory into a Sit-Out Powerbomb, Lashley pulled Theory away from the Stomp though and got in the Hurt Lock, Theory though put in the Backpack Sleeper on Lashley, releasing the Hurt Lock, Lashley dumped Theory out the ring but landed into a Pedigree for 2.
Rollins went for the Phoenix Splash but missed, so Theory dumped him out of the ring, he hit Lashley with a rolling blockbuter, but the A-Town Down was reversed into a Hurt Lock, he used the turnbuckle to roll Lashley up but it was broken by a Frog Splash from Rollins, only good for 2 though. After tussling between each other, Theory and Rollins were put in the Hurt Lock together, they used the turnbuckle to sandwich Lashley out, then dodged the spear that followed up, causing Lashley to crash into the opposite turnbuckle, Rollins had two stomps lined up, but used Theory to platform the stomp to Lashley, Theory tried to throw Rollins out but went into a Superplex, when Rollins lifted for the follow-up Falcon Arrow however, Lashley speared him, meaning Theory collapsed on top of Rollins for the 3.
That finish was clever but also kinda dumb, like the whole point of Theory's new aggression was that he would earn an accolade by being more focused, instead he falls upwards into the title thanks to Lashley being a dumbass. It's also not lost on me that both WWE and AEW just went 'it's the 10th Anniversary of the Shield so we're gonna make our Non-Roman Shield members lose to shenanigans'.
Jey approached Reigns about Zayn, expecting him to have lied to Roman too, but Roman was more focused on the match.
Men's War Games
Team Brutes (Sheamus, Ridge Holland, Butch, Drew McIntyre & Kevin Owens) def. Team Bloodline (Roman Reigns, Jimmy & Jey Uso, Solo Sikoa & Sami Zayn w/ Paul Heyman) [pinfall by Jey on Owens via Uso Splash]
Sundance - who has also had 4 War Games matches - started against Jey, while Sikoa stared daggers at the faces. They spent a minute talking...Sundance used his experience to damage Jey's arm - which remember had been injured before - but Jey hit back by attacking the arm also, Dutch arrived next to steamroll Jey, the Brutes going 2v1 against the heel. Jimmy was ready to come out, but was stopped by Roman, telling Zayn to save the man who doesn't trust him. Zayn gingerly entered, waiting until Dutch's back was turned before assaulting the Brutes, the two were still at odds though, allowing Dutch to hit a moonsault on them, however Zayn saved Jey from Dutch sandwiching him against the cage wall.
Drew would be next, overpowering both Bloodline members as he threw them around, shouting 'I'm feeling pretty Ucey right now' for some light humor before Jimmy came out next with tables.
Tensions between Jey and Zayn over setting up the table almost cost the advantage but they were able to fend the Brutes off, setting up the table on the corner. Owens came out next with chairs, smacking through the Usos, his staredown with Zayn cut short by Dutch. Jimmy set up another table but got sent through it by Owens' Uranage before Sikoa fended off the Brutes, in the middle he brawls with Owens, no-selling being hit into the cage wall and hitting Owens with a backdrop, against Drew the two took each other out for Shamu to arrive. Zayn tried to keep the door shut but had it slammed in his face, Sheamus continued this form by assaulting the Usos, rallying his Fellas to beat on Sami and the Usos, an avalanche White Noise on Sikoa preceded Reigns' arrival.
Battle lines on either side drawn, but Reigns being the fresher held the advantage, Sheamus however countered the Spear, a scramble led to a full Bloodline being hit with the Beats of the Bohdrán. In one ring, Shamu and Reigns fought while the others fended off the Bloodline, when Sheamus went for the Brogue though, Solo got in the way, allowing Reigns to hit the spear that was broken up by Butch. Zayn then attacked Butch, looking to defend his tribal chief, but ate a superkick from Jey when Sundance ducked, Jey not looking remorseful about it. An Avalanche 1-D to Butch was saved by Dutch, but he ate a Spear through the table, Drew came to confront Roman next, but was also sent through a table by Sikoa. Sikoa was hit by a Stunner, which was broken up by Roman, Reigns hit a Superman Punch but ran into a Pop-Up Powerbomb and a Stunner, ref went 1, ref went 2, but Sami blocks him from going 3! Old friends and enemies stare down as Jimmy's superkick is caught, but Zayn uses this to hit a low blow, remorse flowed through Zayn's face but after exchanging a glance at Reigns, he hits Owens with a Helluva Kick, he sees Jey in his line of sight and lays Owens for him to hit the splash who pins him for 3. Reigns and Jey embrace Sami, proving his allegiance once more.
Spectacular storytelling that had been built up from the start of the PPV, Sami has literally saved the Bloodline's story from going stale again with the charisma and drama we knew him capable of, if this doesn't end with him as being world champion it is the biggest misstep WWE has done in a long time. The match itself was good, driven by the story with a lot more weapons spots, it was the better of the two in my opinion.
Overall it was a good show, I think it was weird that the double ring wasn't used in the normal matches, all of which were a tad on the weak side. The men's world title picture remains layered in the Bloodline soap opera which is good, but the rest of the titles do have a 'what now' feeling to them, but for a first Main Roster crack at War Games it was at least successful, could've still had a pre-show match though.
#wwe#world wrestling entertainment#wwe survivor series#survivor series war games#bianca belair#asuka wwe#alexa bliss#mia yim#becky lynch#bayley#iyo sky#io shirai#dakota kai#damage ctrl#nikki cross#rhea ripley#aj styles#the good brothers#karl anderson#luke gallows#finn balor#the judgement day#dominik mysterio#damian priest#ronda rousey#shayna baszler#shotzi blackheart#seth rollins#austin theory#bobby lashley
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