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here2bbtstrash · 1 year

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crybaby (explicit)

genre: all pwp all smut babeyyyyyy

pairing: jungkook x reader

summary: your boyfriend has always mixed his pleasure with pain.

word count: 4.3k

contains: explicit sexual content!!!!!! like that's the whole fic lmao 😵‍💫 established relationship, marathon sex, wrist restraints/bondage, cocky yet eager sub!jungkook 🥵, soft dom!reader but she can be a lil tough, clothed tit play, objectification, she calls him bunny which i think is cute 🥺, spitting, dick riding, unprotected sex, fingers in mouth, humping/grinding, jk has a nipple piercing 🙈, overstimulation/multiple orgasms - for both of them hehe, vibrator use, jungkook (and reader!) pushing himself to his limits bc..... he's jungkook, he cries 🥲, reader finds it hot 👀, a lottttt of sweat & cum lol, cum licking/eating, blowjob, maybe some subspace if you squint, winners never quit 💪, talk of coming dry at the end, jk is kind of a little shit lmaooooo - alright i think that's it 😩

A/N: not me barely managing to get this up before the ticket sales start 😅 happy hunger games to y'all who have codes!!! this fic is a birthday gift to my love, my angel, my cunning linguist @moni-logues 💜 HAPPY (yesterday) BIRTHDAY bb, can't wait to marry you on our first date, it is the joy of my life to build castles in the air with you~

and god bless jk for his lives the past few weeks bc they breathed so much life into this regular degular "sub!jk" fic idea. i'm v obsessed with his personality and the way he always pushes himself "just a little more", whether it's in staying up til 5 am singing karaoke on his couch or giving his absolute all in a workout. just so in love with our bunny tbh, so i hope you enjoy this spicy version of him too!! 🥰

read on AO3!

~*~

You know your boyfriend has always mixed his pleasure with pain.

He stays up late even when he’s exhausted, likes to do his workouts to failure, could spend hours in a tattoo session with the needle pressed to his skin and his bones humming from the buzz. Always holding out for as long as he can, always wanting just a little bit more before he calls it quits, even when it’s hard, even when it hurts. Because he wants to test his limits.

And today, you want to test them, too.

That’s why you text him to meet you in the bedroom, let him find you in nothing but one of his oversized Carhartt shirts, kneeling up on the bed as you affix a pair of purple silk restraints to the headboard.

There’s the soft creak of the mattress from Jungkook’s added weight, and you feel the heat of him as he crowds you from behind, hands dragging up the curve of your hips and taking the hem of your borrowed shirt with it.

“This was the emergency, huh?” The low murmur of his voice is chased by the cool touch of his lip ring as he drags his mouth up the nape of your neck. A blossom of arousal starts to unfurl in your core. “Wanted to use these?”

“Yeah,” you answer, feigning nonchalance as you give the silk a firm tug to test that it holds. Satisfied, you let yourself sink back into Jungkook’s touch, dropping your head against his shoulder and smiling when he leans down to brush his lips over yours. He hums a soft little sound into your mouth.

You cup your hand to the nape of his neck when you pull away to finish the thought. “Thought we could try them on you.”

The words are seemingly all your boyfriend needs to hear; he drops down onto the mattress so hard that he bounces a little. You can’t help but laugh at the way he scrambles to strip out of his sweatshirt, like he’s being timed, then hurriedly centers himself on the pillows, eyes glinting dark with desire.

When you first started talking to Jungkook, everything about him made you expect that he would be the one to call the shots. The good looks, the tattoos and piercings, the muscles— and definitely the motorcycle. But once you’d sat across from him at dinner on your first official date, only to watch him blush and fumble his way through a conversation, you started to suspect that maybe he preferred to follow rather than lead.

That thought was certainly confirmed the next time you saw him out in public: it’d been a full two weeks since your first date, with nothing but radio silence between you since. You were admittedly maybe a little too drunk when you spotted him out with his friends at the same bar you’d been dragged to by yours— drunk enough to have no problem walking right up to him to read him for filth, in front of all of his friends, for ghosting you.

Except he’d just blinked those big brown eyes up at you, mouth dropped open in disbelief, and quietly admitted that he’d been waiting all this time for you to text him.

One of his friends had clapped him on the back, laughing loudly as he corroborated Jungkook’s confession. “He’s been having midnight karaoke pity parties because he never heard from you. Please take this boy out again before his neighbors have him evicted!”

That night told you everything you needed to know about how the dynamics in your relationship would work out. That if you wanted something, there was a very good chance Jungkook wanted it, too.

Which is why it doesn’t surprise you that your boyfriend is already sprawled out half-naked on the bed beneath you, arms folded behind his head in a way that makes his biceps bulge, dangerously attractive.

His mouth pulls into a cocky, flirtatious grin. “Ah, so you wanna use me?”

“I do,” you murmur, straddling your thighs over his torso and leaning up to take the smooth purple silk between your fingers. He offers you one hand before you even have to ask for it, and takes advantage of the other’s last few minutes of freedom to paw at you over your shirt. His tattooed fingers seek out your breast and squeeze, his thumb flicking lazy strokes over your nipple.

You tug the knot of the restraint to tighten it, then look back just as Jungkook closes his lips around the clothed bud of your breast. The rough drag of cotton against your sensitive skin makes you hot all over, your nipple stiffening easily at the rub of his insistent tongue.

“How’s that? Too tight?”

He smirks with your tit still in his mouth, soaking a wet spot into your shirt, teeth scraping gently. “Could be tighter.”

“You are such a show-off,” you huff, more endeared than aggravated as you redo the knot, this time as tight as you can manage. Jungkook pulls against it teasingly, but it does actually seem to hold him in place, and you can feel a dull thud between your legs at the flex of his muscles on full display, the image of him already half-helpless beneath you.

“I’m Jeon Jungkook,” he says, as if in explanation, giving your breast a final playful jiggle before you tug his other hand off to tie it up, too.

“Well, Jeon Jungkook,” you retort with a smirk and a grunt of effort as you lean over him to tug the knot tight. You glance down to find him already using the leverage of his restraints to pull himself up so that he can continue to nuzzle his face into your shirt between your tits, abdominals shaking a little from the effort, undeterred despite the loss of both of his hands.

You take his jaw in your grip and scoot yourself further down his body, dipping in to plant a kiss on his soft lips.

“Are you gonna be a good little toy for me?”

“Uh-huh,” he grunts, and you enjoy the tease of hovering just past where he can reach, watching him strain up toward your mouth to seek another kiss and fall ever so short.

You can feel arousal already dripping from your folds as you slide further down the bed, slipping off from on top of Jungkook to easily rid him of his joggers and briefs. His dick smacks against his stomach, thick and hard; wet, too, at the pretty brown tip. You toss his clothes over the edge of the bed, then strip your own shirt to follow before lowering yourself between his spread legs.

The muscles in Jungkook’s thighs tighten with visible anticipation as you hover above his cock, letting the heat of your breath fan out over him, not unlike the warm afternoon air leaking in through the cracked bedroom window, the first taste of spring. You can hear the wet clicks of Jungkook’s tongue in his mouth.

“Easy, bunny,” you murmur, and then you work up a mouthful of saliva and spit it right onto the head of his dick.

He hisses in a breath at the splatter of it, then gasps a soft little sound when you take him in your hand to slip your fist down the length of him. That’s Jungkook all over; always so eager, always so sensitive.

“What do you think?” you muse, your mouth ticking up as you feel Jungkook’s hips roll into your grasp. “Think it’s ready for me, baby?”

“‘Sready,” he grunts, teeth clenched. “Use it, jagi.”

You waste no time, crawling back up Jungkook’s body to settle your hips over his, flattening your palms against his chest. He’s still squirming, thighs flexing against the bed as he rocks up in a desperate attempt to find the wet heat of your cunt, and you giggle as you work yourself backwards until the head of his dick catches on your entrance.

It’s a bit of a stretch, but you’re wet enough to take it. You bite down on a smug smile as you manage to seat yourself on him hands-free.

“Fuck, love when you do that.” Jungkook’s voice is a low growl, and you slide a hand up the firm definition in his chest and slowly start to rock yourself along his length. His cock fills you up like he was made for it; you can feel every detail of him drag against your ridges, trailing sparks of pleasure as you tilt your hips to drive him right into your sweet spot.

Jungkook’s head kicks back against the pillow as a groan rips through him. There’s a gentle crease in his brow, furrowed in the way that tells you it’s so good: the tight heat of your pussy, the slick stretch of it when you work it on him. You ride him rough, make him take it like a good boy.

Another noise stutters out of Jungkook, chased this time by a huff of breath that it takes you a second to realize is a laugh, the tone caught halfway between shy and horny. You watch the way he squirms, restless against his restraints, like he can’t help himself.

He answers before you can ask. “The way your tits— fuckin’ bounce— fuck, I wanna touch you.”

The feeling sinks in as you watch him writhe beneath you, as you shove your hips back harder to pull more desperate sounds out of him. It’s fun, not letting him have what he wants, makes you drip that much more down the length of him.

“You can’t.”

“I know,” he grunts, wrists tugging uselessly. “It’s hot— that I can’t.”

“It is,” you concede, feigning composure despite the hitch in your breath, the way you’re already close to the edge and pushed that much closer by having Jungkook like this. Tied up, all yours, free to do with as you please.

And still fighting against his fucking restraints.

“Think I could rip these?”

It’s like your body acts faster than your pleasure-driven mind can keep up with: all at once, you’re tracing the pouted curve of Jungkook’s bottom lip, then slipping two fingers past it into the heat of his mouth.

“Shh, bunny,” you murmur. He blinks up at you, glassy-eyed as you pet over his tongue, all lush and wet on your fingertips. “Toys don’t talk.”

You press down more firmly as if for emphasis, enjoying how his soft parts give so easily to your touch, and then Jungkook outright moans around your fingers in his mouth.

The needy little sound makes your pussy pulse hot between your thighs.

“Fuck,” you hiss as you take him to the hilt, changing the stroke of your hips to grind against your toy, used solely to get yourself off now. Humping, really, rubbing your clit over the smooth skin of his abdomen where he’s blooming feverglow, flushed with need. Jungkook’s eyes flicker back in his head at the way your pussy’s taking him, squeezed tight like a vice and gushing wet. Working raw sounds out of him, his jaw gone slack; you can feel the blunt edge of his teeth and his heavy, shaky breath on the palm of your hand.

Your thighs shift to spread wider and the next drag of your clit is at just the right angle that pleasure surges up in you, undeniable, overwhelming. It’s all you can do now to chase your release, to keep rocking yourself into it, Jungkook’s thick cock plugged up inside of you and drool slicking out of his mouth to drip down your wrist.

“Gonna make myself come on my pretty little toy,” you manage to gasp.

Jungkook’s eyes find yours, burning intensity, the way he gets, and then he closes his lips tight around your fingers in his mouth and sucks, as if he’s begging to be used, and it sends you over the edge all at once. Your head tips back as your orgasm kicks through you, white noise pleasure, enough to get lost in.

Hips still rolling, you grind yourself through it, the waves of your climax swelling and receding again, until you finally drop forward against Jungkook’s chest, breathless and buzzing all over.

You let your fingers slip out of his mouth, exhale a laugh as they skip over the defined ridges of his stomach when you wipe your hand dry, taking full advantage of the fact that he’s powerless to stop you.

“Shit, that was hot.”

Jungkook’s voice is hoarse with desire as you shift to find the curve of his neck under your mouth, trailing kisses until your lips brush over the pretty lines of ink just behind his ear. He’s still thick and stiff inside you, with a steady pulse-throb that tells you how badly he needs to come, how worked up he is from being used as your personal hump-toy.

“Yeah,” you echo, paired with a tentative rock of your hips that makes your cunt flutter, overstimulated, tugs a little whine out of Jungkook, too. Your tongue feels thick in your mouth as you breathe against his flushed skin.

“Think I— wanna keep using my toy. Kinda feel like being greedy.”

Jungkook’s cock twitches, shameless, at your admission, again when you flick a thumb over the silver jewelry studded through his nipple. There’s a part of you that wants to keep him like this, his leaking-hard dick filling you up while you purr nasty shit in his ear, just to see if he can come from it.

“Might ride it until I break it.” You scrape your teeth up his neck and he moans. “Gonna take all I can give you, bunny?”

His throat jumps visibly as he swallows, fights to gasp a desperate “uh-huh”. Answers with his body, too, arching up to press himself deeper into you, rubbing the slick, hot tip of his cock into your front wall in just the right way to melt pleasure down your spine. You reward his eager submission with a soft kiss, then lick along the seam of his lips, enjoying the sweet little noises that pour into your mouth when you open him up.

Still intertwined, his tongue stroking over yours, your hand goes fumbling for the nightstand, comes away with the slender cylinder of your vibrator, and switches it on before slipping it down to press between your bodies.

“Oh my god,” Jungkook groans as you nestle the shuddering bullet between your folds and find the bud of your clit. You know he can feel it too from the way his hips jerk beneath you, the steady buzz engulfing his cock as you squeeze your pussy around him, all lush sensitivity from your first orgasm. “Oh fuck, I’m gonna come.”

“You can.” The words are hardly more than a warm exhale from your mouth to his, your lips brushing. “But I’m not gonna stop.”

You don’t give him time to respond or even heave in another gasp of air before your thumb finds the button at the base of your vibrator, clicks it once, then again.

“F— ahh!”

Jungkook’s body jolts like a live wire as he falls apart beneath you. You sit up to take in the whole of him, your free palm slipping to the jut of his hip, fingertips splayed out and pressed heavy to anchor.

Pinned down and helpless, he trembles through the hot rush of his release, dick buried deep and pulsing as it all comes spilling out of him.

“That’s it, baby,” you coo. Your nails scratch lovingly against his skin to coax him out of it— taking such good care of your toy. His breath is punching out of his chest in these ragged, overwhelmed gasps, sweat glittering at his temples while he whimpers through the comedown. So fucking beautiful like this.

The hum of the vibrator rolls through you, strong enough with the change in angle that your eyes drop shut to focus on the feeling.

Jungkook whines when you circle your hips with him still tucked up inside of you— it’s a wrecked little noise, high and sweet, underscored by the thick squelch of his cum starting to leak back down his shaft. Your thighs tense just right from the filthy sound of it, and then it’s all throbbing velvet glow in your core as you clench up and come on his cock again.

“Fuuuuuck, bunny,” you groan up to the ceiling, your head tipped back as it washes over you. “God, yeah.”

You flick the vibrator off when it gets to be too much, let it go rolling down the mattress— the bedroom feels bigger for the silence. Sweat slicks at the back of your knees, warm spring breeze still licking through the window to flutter the sheer-gauze curtains.

You’re fluttering too, all over: the kick of your heartbeat, the breath stuttering out of your lungs. The throb of your cunt, split open and drooling out juice, messy-wet fresh fruit.

The sound of the bedsheets shifting has your lashes flickering open again, and there’s Jungkook. Dark hair fanned out on the pillow, wrists bound, and that look in his eyes. Like he can take a little more. Like he’s waiting for your cue. Like there’s this whole-heart want brimming up inside of him, making his blood run hot.

He’s still hard between your legs.

“Go on then,” you tell him. “Give me another one.”

With a concentrated growl, Jungkook flattens his feet to the bed, grips tighter to his restraints for leverage, and starts to pound up into you. You can feel an overstimulated shudder in the stroke of his hips, how his cockhead twitches, sensitive, as it rubs over your g-spot. But he doesn’t stop; doesn’t even lose his rhythm.

He fucks you like a machine, and it’s all you can do to brace your palms against his chest and tip forward, rocking yourself down to meet him thrust for thrust.

The harsh slap of body on body is almost enough to drown out the rest: your open-mouthed panting, Jungkook’s groan when your nails dig crescent moon slivers into his tan skin, the gravel edge to your words, “Yeah, like that, fuck me just like that.”

It takes you a second to notice, the sound buried beneath it all, but then it floats through— Jungkook’s sucking his breath in through his teeth now, his jaw tight. You can see the jump of a muscle working there.

“Does it hurt, baby?” you gasp, more air than voice.

Jungkook’s head drops back against the pillow, brow pinched from the focus of keeping his pace steady. He’s breathless, too, when he answers: “Feels good.”

“Feels good because it hurts, huh? Is that how you like it?”

A strangled noise tears out of his throat, and he shoves up even harder, like he wants to fuck you into the shape of him. You splay one hand over the column of his throat and watch his pretty brown eyes blink-blink back at you, and then you have to bury your moans in the crook of his neck as you come hard.

The world around you returns a little at a time. First, the tremble of your tired thighs, the dull ache that’s already started to bloom at the bend of your knees. Then, Jungkook’s body curved up against yours, hips still slow-rolling as you exhale in hot, jagged bursts against his skin. There’s the distinct drip of his cum sliding out of you, and all the sticky-wet places where it’s slicked up the swell of your ass.

“Shit,” you laugh when you manage to find the breath for it. “That was crazy.”

Jungkook shifts a little, but doesn’t respond, and then he makes this wet, soft gasp. You realize he’s shaking beneath you.

You sit up so fast the room spins; your tether is Jungkook’s face, cupped lovingly now between your palms.

“Oh, baby.”

A fat teardrop traces a path down his cheek. Another threatens the dark border of his lashes. He can’t wipe them away with his wrists tied up, but you can see him trying to hold back even as a sob shudders through him, his chest heaving.

“You okay, my love?” you murmur, swiping a thumb across his face. He sniffles, nods, hiccups a little. The tip of his nose is flushed pink. “Shoulda told me to stop, if it was too much.”

“It feels good,” he insists, and his voice cracks around the words. “It’s just a lot. But ‘m not— don’t wanna stop.”

“No? You sure?”

Jungkook sucks his lip ring into his mouth as he nods again, sniffs again. That sends a bolt of something through you.

“You’ve been so good to me,” you praise, and you tip your ass back until his softening cock slips out, smeared glossy-white with your shared release. Jungkook’s still wound-up, pulled so tight inside himself that he flinches when you slip a hand down to ease his legs apart, sliding lower on the bed to slot yourself between them.

“Can I take care of you, bun?” The question’s posed sweetly, chased with a flutter of your lashes and kisses dropped down on the flat plane of his abdomen. “I’ll be gentle.”

He whimpers— answers in the way his hips lift up to meet your mouth.

Your hands press flat to Jungkook’s broad thighs, and you can feel the overwhelmed static-shiver beneath your palms, little tremors that jolt through his muscles. Head dipped low, you drag your tongue up his length and it punches a thick sob out of him, hips stirring like he’s trying to crawl up the bed. But you just keep going, pin him down and make him take it, working broad flat stripes over the whole of his shaft, root to tip. Tasting him, salt and slick and your own heady flavor; you lick him clean.

Jungkook comes quietly this time, feet flexing restless on the bed as you tongue it all out of him. You swipe two fingers through the mess on his stomach and suck that up, too.

Humming around the digits in your mouth, you surface from between Jungkook’s legs to take him in: eyes closed, face wet with tears. You can see the rise and fall of his chest as he gasps for air, shaky, coming down from it.

“Alright baby,” you soothe, shifting up to straddle his chest, knees sinking into the sheets. “All done now, just breathe. Gonna untie you.”

Reaching up, you gently tug open the knot on one restraint, then the other, easing Jungkook’s limp arms to the mattress. Your thumbs find his wrists to massage soft love-circles in case he’s gone numb there, gently coaxing him back to earth.

“Did so good for me, bunny.”

There’s a whimper, and then Jungkook’s surging up to kiss you, forceful enough that you give a little hum of surprise against his lips.

His hands are all over you, all at once, tugging at your legs to drag them forward until you’re flat on your back on the mattress. Your sore thighs shake when he shoves them up and apart, and then a sharp buzz rolls right over the bud of your clit and you keen. Fuck, when did he even grab the vibrator?

“Wanna make you come again,” he pants, and you smile even as your spine arches off the bed. Of course. You should’ve known.

It’s Jungkook all over, you think, hyper-focused on your pleasure even when he’s out of commission, and then you feel the head of his cock push inside and you both gasp. Your cunt aches, so swollen that it’s like he’s stretching you out all over again when you take him to the hilt.

“Oh my god,” you breathe. Jungkook’s hips snap, punctuated by a strangled grunt of effort, but he keeps going, making soft little sweet-pain whines with every thrust, brow scrunched as he brute-forces his way well past overstimulation.

He’s still crying, you realize.

Tears roll down his face and drip onto your collarbone, and everything’s somehow hotter for it. His length is slick, painted in the stored-up remnants of his cum, and you can hear the squish of your folds at the base of his cock each time he fucks it all back into you, so dirty it makes your head spin.

“J-just like that, baby,” you groan, overwhelmed; you can barely get the words out. “Oh fuck, I’m gonna come.”

Jungkook buries his face in the crook of your neck, and you can feel him shaking, dripping, still rabbiting his hips into you, and then the hum of pleasure reverberating through your body explodes. Your clit throbs with an orgasm that feels endless, dizzying, divine. Jungkook outright sobs as your walls pulse pulse pulse around him, begging for every last drop.

When it’s all too much, you swat at his hand, mumbling shapes that aren’t words until the vibrator’s switched off and tossed away. He pulls out with a thick wet sound and the hiss of his breath between his teeth.

Together, you come down slow. Exhaling staccato, limbs tangled, bodies flushed and sweat-sticking.

Jungkook moves first: flops onto the mattress next to you, entirely exhausted, the way you’ve seen him get after a particularly rough workout. Scrubs at his face with one hand, this shy laugh fluttering out of him. “Can’t believe I cried. Ah, so embarrassing.”

You turn onto your side, tugging his hand away so you can press a kiss to his open palm. “Don’t ask me why but… in the moment? Very hot, actually.” A flush colors his cheeks and you giggle. “My perfect little crybaby.”

He flashes you his signature cocky grin, eyes squeezing shut as it morphs into something nearer to a wince. “Fuck, I’m so sweaty.” A breathless gasp, again. “And my dick hurts. I think I came dry that last time.”

“Poor baby,” you coo, not quite sincere. “You really could’ve stopped at… what, three?”

Eyes closed and still smirking, he shakes his head, damp hair falling in his face. “No I couldn’t have— I’m Jeon Jungkook.”

“You certainly are.”

#jungkook smut #jungkook x reader #jungkook x y/n #bts smut #bts x reader

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is2katiemccard · 6 months

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ᅟᅟᅟ vacation & love at the first sight | leah williamson x brazilian!reader

Summary: With the Olympics drawing ever closer, the lionesses decide to take time out to enjoy the Spanish summer, but Leah didn't expect to see a familiar face there, or... When Leah meets a friend again and ends up falling in love with one of her team-mates.

* The hyperlinks guide you to the profile of some Brazilian players since most may not know them and a very famous song here, in case anyone is interested in knowing what it is like and what it is about.

ᅟ After a difficult season with even greater challenges ahead, Leah, as captain, made the decision to take her team to relax a little. The Lionesses had landed in Ibiza just over a day ago and it was already possible to feel the team's spirits lighter.

ᅟ The blonde was lying on the sofa with her legs on Georgia's lap, bored out of her mind while she scrolled through her Instagram feed when one post in particular caught her attention. Apparently, Rafa, her former Arsenal teammate and the rest of the Brazilian team had a similar idea and were also enjoying the pre-Olympic period in the Spanish paradise.

ᅟ Her fingers were quick to slide over to the other defender's profile and send her a few messages. Leah and Rafaelle talked for a few minutes before the Brazilian invited her and the other Lionesses to join them for lunch and a pleasant afternoon in their style as both captains thought it would be a good idea for their teams to get together.

ᅟ “Girls!” She caught the attention of the others who were spread throughout the living room and kitchen of the house. “We received an invitation to join another team for the rest of the day and after thinking about it a bit I decided that we would go, so get out of your pajamas and wear something comfortable. The Brazilian team awaits us.” Everyone was confused by the sudden announcement but they knew that once the blonde was determined to do something, nothing could change her mind.

ᅟ England and Brazil have met a few times on the women's football scene, with the biggest clash between the two teams being the Finalissíma played at Wembley and won by the European team after a tense and hard-fought game. Some players knew each other because they had faced each other in clubs or even played together on some occasion, however it was still new territory for them. With the change in the technical committee of the South American team, many new players ended up appearing in the new coach's squad, with the majority of them playing in national football and due to the Brazilian league being very subjugated, they and their skills were almost completely unknown. They all knew the big names like Marta and Cristiane who still remained in that cycle to share their experiences with the younger players as they were legends and great pioneers in the field of women's football, one of them being the winner of 6 Ballon d'Or, five of which won them consecutively.

ᅟ About an hour later the Lionesses arrived at the place where the other girls were staying, and they could already hear an unknown song playing loudly in addition to the sound of their laughter and the unmistakable smell of barbecue in the air. Rafelle, Gio and Geyse were already waiting for them outside with warm smiles on their lips, reassuring some of the players. Lucy was one of the first to run towards them, pulling the now United player into a hug despite Ella's protests telling her to leave her teammate alone. With that pleasant reception, the British already felt more comfortable in that environment, but when they arrived in the backyard where the “party” was taking place and the others were, Leah felt butterflies in her stomach, feeling a little nervous - something that was very unusual. for her -.

ᅟ The vast majority of them were gathered on the deck around the pool with a drink in their hands and excitedly singing a song in their language, barely noticing the presence of the other women, however, everything changed when one of them came running towards Rafa.

ᅟ “Graças a Deus tu voltou! A Marta estava te procurando feito doida. (Thank God you're back! Marta was looking for you like crazy)” An unknown girl began to speak, only then noticing the presence of the other women behind their captain. “Eita, eu nem vi vocês aí! Sejam bem-vindas, eu sou a Gabi, mas todo mundo me chama de Portilho. (Wow, I didn't even see you there! I'm Gabi, but everyone calls me Portilho)” She greeted excitedly, aware of the confused look on the Euro winners' faces as they didn't understand anything she was saying. When she didn't receive any response, the ward looked at the brunette in confusion. “Rafa, por que elas estão olhando pra mim como se eu fosse de outro mundo? (Rafa, why are they staring at me like I'm from another world?)”

ᅟ Since that was one of the first times that Portilho met a foreign player, she spoke in Portuguese as always, completely oblivious to the fact that the other women did not understand the language. Noticing this, the Brazilian captain was quick to correct her posture and translate what the other was saying to the British.

ᅟ “I apologize, I completely forgot that different languages could be a problem between us.” She said a little embarrassed by what had happened. “But, translating the previous statement, this one here is Gabi Portilho, she is one of our wingers and she basically welcomed you guys here.”

ᅟWith that clarification, they all smiled at the nice girl and greeted her with a handshake, saying their names to introduce themselves. As they continued walking around the yard and meeting the other women, They noticed that some had a certain trouble with English language, but they didn't let this affect them and did everything they could to try to communicate with the England squad. They were all a little shaken when Rafaelle guided them towards Marta, looking at her with total admiration and affection. Leah even stuttered a few times and was embarrassed when she was praised by the women's football legend for her defensive skills.

ᅟ The defender continued to explain to them a little more about the personalities of her teammates, finding it easier to separate them into groups. Antonia, Gabi Nunes, Portilho, Kerolin and Ary Borges were the most lively and extroverted. Marta, Tamires and Cristiane were the “mothers” of the group, Geyse, Lelê, Luana, Duda Sampaio, Zaneratto and Y/N were part of the more shy and reserved group and would certainly need some time to become completely comfortable in the presence of the European champions, but they were still as nice as everyone else and although she liked them all, Leah's eyes fell on you, marveling at your appearance.

ᅟ You were talking and laughing with someone Leah quickly identified as Duda, noting how close the pair seemed to be. The blonde was on the other side of the yard with Alessia, Mary and Gio, who were talking animatedly about something and despite wanting to interact with the others, her attention was focused on the young player. As if you were able to feel the blue eyes on your body, you turned your head towards the English defender and noticed that all her attention was on you, which resulted in a sudden wave of shyness and flushed cheeks.

ᅟ Despite the difficulty imposed by the language barrier, it was possible to say that the two groups got along very well and were having a very pleasant day, both introducing their own cultures in that peaceful environment and expanding their knowledge. At a certain point Leah learned that Y/N was 22 years old and that she played for a national club called Corinthians as a midfielder alongside Duda, the two being considered great promises in women's football but that they didn't have much intention of having a international career since they loved and identified a lot with the team from the east of São Paulo.

ᅟ Your shyness did not tend to last for long and this was proven when a little more alcohol was consumed. Now you sang and danced freely, having even more fun and creating a bond with some English players like Alessia, having tried to teach the clumsy striker how to dance, something that didn't work out very well, by the way.

ᅟ At that moment Marta was sitting in a chair with a guitar in hand, ready to show a little more of Brazil to the Lionesses. The oldest had already explained a little about the different styles of music that her country had and spoke proudly about MPB (Brazilian Popular Music) and was about to sing one of the biggest hits by one of the biggest names in Brazilian music. The song was ‘Carolina’ by Seu Jorge.

ᅟ “Carolina é uma menina muito difícil de esquecer, andar bonito e um brilho no olhar, tem um jeito adolescente que me faz enlouquecer e um molejo que eu não vou te enganar…” Most of them sing along with Marta, but in a more subtle way, while the rest just watched and listened carefully, loving the style of that song and getting into the mood, following the example of some players like Geyse and moving their bodies in movements. subtle. Despite her focus on the spectacle in front of her, Leah noticed your absence among the Brazilian players, frowning and wondering where you had gone when she saw a silhouette coming out of the house with something in her hands. It was only when that figure got closer that she understood that it was you carrying a tambourine, soon starting to play and joining the group again. “Maravilha feminina, meu docinho de pavê, inteligente, ela é muito sensual. Te confesso que estou apaixonado por você, ô Carolina isso é muito natural. Ô Carolina eu preciso de você, ô Carolina eu não vou suportar não te ver, Carolina eu preciso te falar, ô Carolina eu vou amar você.”

ᅟ The blonde wasn't sure if this was possible, but she felt even more mesmerized by you, every movement in sync with the music, moving your feet and hips in a graceful way that the defender had never seen and didn't even think she was capable of for someone to do. Due to the heat and burning sun of Ibiza, your tanned body was only covered by a white bikini and a thin layer of sweat. Your hair was still wet from the pool and adorned her face and delicate features to perfection. It was obvious to everyone there that she was attracted to you like a magnet is attracted to iron and you seemed to take advantage of that situation.

ᅟ None of the girls on the British team had ever seen their captain like that, so… helpless. It was as if the situations had reversed, suddenly Leah was the only one blushing at the slightest glance of your gaze on her. Rafaelle and Gio were talking to Georgia, Keira, Lucy and Mary about how painful it was to watch that while Ella and some other girls just took that opportunity to make fun of the blonde, who was just grumbling and threatening the young United player.

ᅟ At a certain point she saw an opportunity to get away from all those provocations and went to a place further away from that small crowd to put her thoughts in order, but she didn't count on the fact that you, among all those people, would be the one who would go after her.

ᅟ “Hey, capi. Everything is fine?" Your voice was sweet and carried the Brazilian accent that she found so adorable and that was almost enough to make her calm down. “Sorry if I'm intruding where I shouldn't, but you looked so good a few minutes ago and now you're seem annoyed... Did something happen?” Leah could tell your concern for her was genuine and felt her body relax even more at that.

ᅟ “Yes, everything is fine. I'm just feeling a little dizzy from the drinks, I'm not used to drinking that much alcohol, even though I have very good resistance. Your caipirinhas are definitely different from anything I’ve ever consumed.” With that, you laughed and Leah swore her heart sped up even more at that sound she had barely known but already loved.

ᅟ With the confirmation that it wasn't any bother, you got even closer to her, noticing that the blonde was admiring the view that the house's backyard had of the beach. Your thoughts were a million, having different ideas but still afraid of being inconvenient or being dismissed by her. In search of help, you looked over your shoulder, looking for Rafa in the expectation that she would give you some advice about that and ended up being surprised by everyone's attention on the two of you and several positive signs from you and Leah's companions.

ᅟ “Um, Leah, what do you think about getting out of here for a bit and taking a walk on the beach? I’m sure this can help you sober up.” Upon hearing your invitation, a huge smile lit up her expression and she said a very excited “yes” before gently taking your hand and walking towards the beach beside her.

ᅟ The sand was warm beneath your bare feet and the breeze blew a few strands of hair as you walked side by side in the middle of a casual conversation, taking advantage of the calm of the beach and the moment to get to know each other a little better. To both of your surprises, you had a lot in common on and off the field. Just like Leah, you were always a fan and always played for the same team since youth and you couldn't see yourself playing for any other club in the world other than him and despite identifying with your sentence and admiring the passion that you had for the sport and the club that created it, she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed since even with so little time spent talking she already imagined herself playing alongside you on the field.

ᅟ You seemed like the perfect person for her, a woman that Leah only believed existed in her wildest dreams but who was suddenly in front of her. The blonde felt like a teenager in love and, in a way, stupid for having given her heart so quickly to someone she barely knew. Damn, she didn't even know if you liked girls, how the hell could that work? Her thoughts were very confused and she was so caught up in her own head that she didn't even notice your gaze on her, staring as if the captain was a work of art.

ᅟ It took a long time for the British girl to find enough courage to ask you about your love life, but when she finally asked you if you were single, your first response was not something verbal, but rather a smile so bright that the defender thought be able to illuminate the entire world.

ᅟ “Why? Are you interested?" Your voice was provocative and the phrase had a great effect on the captain, who opened and closed her mouth without making any sound. “Hey, relax, I'm just messing with you! But to answer your question, yes, I am single.” With that answer, the blonde with flushed cheeks gave a small smile, muttering something to herself. She still needed time to compose herself and to plan her next move, but she was startled when she felt the wet sand on her feet. Leah was so oblivious that she hadn't even noticed that you were walking closer and closer to the sea and when she was about to say something her sweet voice interrupted her. “Wait, what is that?” You asked, pointing to something that was apparently in the water, causing the British girl to walk in that direction and start looking for what you had seen, but there didn't seem to be anything there.

ᅟ “What, love? I don't see anythin-” Just as she was about to finish her sentence you gave her a push, causing the poor girl to lose her balance and fall into the water. As she stood up with an irritated frown, you laughed louder and louder. Besides this, you were still able to notice her coming towards her with a serious expression that indicated that she wanted revenge.

ᅟ The two of you ran along the beach as if you were two children and the only thing audible was the sound of your laughter, her heavy breathing and the blonde's threats. Despite being a very well-trained athlete, your legs were already tired and it was no surprise that Leah caught up to you so quickly, but you definitely didn't expect her to throw herself at you.

ᅟ Despite the uncomfortable fall, you were loving the feel of her body on top of yours and when she gave you enough space for you to turn around and face her, the same roguish smile from minutes ago adorned your lips. Having Leah Williamson on top of you was quite a sight, her blonde locks were a little messy but still looked so beautiful and different from before, her blue eyes seemed to be a few shades darker and even more mesmerizing and carried a kind of determination and confidence. You could tell that she was as focused on admiring you as you were doing with her, it seemed like the whole world around yourselves had stopped and the only thing you were able to see was each other's presence.

ᅟ The attraction at that moment was so much that Leah barely noticed that their lips were just inches away. Kissing you seemed like the right thing to do at that moment, but she was still hesitant, but once again that afternoon, you surprised her. Your chest rose from the sand and now the distance between you, which was already minimal, became even smaller. The blonde licked her lips and looked at you expectantly, ready to reciprocate anything you did.

ᅟ “You know, I’ve been waiting for this moment all afternoon.” You confided, speaking so quietly that the other woman was barely able to hear. “But I have to tell you something, I don’t kiss before the first date.” And with that, your lips moved a little away from hers and rested on her cheek. Once again the captain was paralyzed and didn't know how to act while you freed yourself from her body and walked away laughing. It took a few minutes for the defender to recover and when she did you were already far away, but that didn't stop her from getting up and running away.

ᅟ“Y/N! WAIT"

[A/N: I'm definitely thinking about making a second part of this :)]

ᅟ

#leah williamson #leah williamson x reader #leah williamson imagine #leah williamson x you #wlw love #imagines #lionesses #women football #x reader #woso

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prettyandsarcastic · 9 months

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heart on the stage

Seven (@infamous-if)/MC

≈2,300 words

Mentions of substance/alcohol abuse

EDIT: I had to repost this because I noticed I got Avina's pronouns wrong. Also added some things.

Music to read by: "Euclid" by Sleep Token

The whiskey sears down her throat as Munroe throws back the shot, so used to it now that it no longer comes with the full body shiver as it settles in her empty stomach. For courage, she tells herself, has to tell herself. Not to dull the ache in her chest or the pounding between her ears, or burn out the sharp pain in the back of her throat. And that’s definitely why she’s taking shots in the bathroom of the green room because she’s not hiding it. No, of course not.

Her eyes drag upwards to meet her reflection in the dirty mirror and she nearly laughs. The stage makeup just barely hides the dark circles, and the contour only draws more attention to how hollow her cheeks have become in the last months. Despite the wild, manic brightness behind her eyes, she can’t help but think how threadbare she looks.

Munroe takes a deep, steadying breath and steps out into the green room as her bandmates all turn to her with varying degrees of concern. And why wouldn’t they? These last months they’ve seen her fall farther than she ever thought she would trying to chase away an unspeakable heartbreak, while she tried to keep the fracturing pieces of herself together long enough to get them through to the winner’s circle. And with all their eyes on her, Munroe has never been more aware of the fact that she’s become their weakest link.

Especially after their last gig landed them in the bottom two and so close to elimination. She knows it was her fault, so out of her mind that she barely remembers performing. When she watched the performance back, saw how she staggered around the stage and skipped whole lines in the lyrics it made her physically ill.

Her vision fills suddenly with Orion as he steps up to her. His warm hands cup her face and draw her eyes to meet his. Munroe sees herself as he sees her in the reflection of his dark eyes - blown pupils, clammy and flushed with the hint of whiskey on her breath.

“Munroe…” he trails off, his expression crumpling in disappointment and worry. Because she promised him she’d ease up. Orion didn’t want to see her burn out, collapse on herself like a dying star and leave just as much devastation in her wake.

Munroe appreciates Orion and everything he does, more than she could ever say, but this isn’t what she needs from him right now. She needs the man who has helped take care of her, promised to get her through this, who has kept her on just this side of breaking. She needs the calm, steady presence that she’s come to rely on - the eye in the center of the storm she's become.

“I’m fine,” she snaps, twisting her head from his hands.

“Are you sure this is a good idea? We’ve never played this song live before,” Devyn pipes up. Beside them Iris anxiously gnaws on her thumb, and by the look on her face she agrees.

Munroe sighs. “Look, I know this hasn’t exactly been the experience we expected and I know I fucked up last gig, but I need you guys to just… keep trusting me.”

She knows she’s asking a lot, but Devyn’s right. The song they have lined up for their performance has never seen the light of day. And while Munroe puts a piece of herself into every song she writes and bares herself for the world to judge with every performance, this song will be the equivalent of pulling her heart from her chest for a live audience.

Rowan rises from his seat, nervous energy obvious in the way his fingers twitch at his side - pantomiming his chords. He’s unusually serious because he knows what this song means to her, knows what singing it is going to do to her. But he smiles wide and confident as he cups her face in much the same way Orion had.

“We’re gonna fucking kill it,” he says, taking over Munroe’s usual task of assuring them that their performance is going to be amazing because she’s not sure she could muster her optimism. “They won’t know what hit them.”

“We’ve got your back, Munroe,” August says with a nod.

Her phone vibrates in her hand as Rowan steps away and Munroe finds a text from Sebastian:

‘Good luck!’

Quickly followed by another:

‘Oh crap, I’m not supposed to say that… Break a leg! Maya and I managed to get second row! She’s practically vibrating with excitement!’

Despite herself, Munroe smiles. She can only imagine how excited Maya is going to be when she realizes the song they play is one she’s never heard. Munroe wouldn’t be surprised to see the girl combust from the stage.

The speaker in the green room crackles to life before a tinny voice filters through: “Wanderer please make your way to the stage. Wanderer, to the stage!”

The crowd doesn’t know it, but they’re about to witness a performance that they’re going to talk about for the rest of their lives.

Seven can’t stop smiling as the band stumbles, laughing and hollering into their green room. They gave, hands down, their best performance thus far. There’s no doubt in any of them that they’re going to make it through to the next round. One step closer to the finale.

He feels too big for his body as he grabs and chugs a water, like he wants to run in every direction at once just to expend the pent up energy. Although he always gives everything he has into every performance, tonight feels different and his throat is on fire from singing, adrenaline bitter in the back of his throat and he can hear his blood in his ears. Nothing could kill this high.

Not even when Avina turns on the TV and switches to the channel featuring Battle of the Bands and he hears: “Stay tuned! Up next are everyone’s favorite underdogs: Wanderer! Can they claw their way out of being in the bottom two from last show?”

“God, turn it off,” Kieran moans, “We don’t need to watch them this time - we won this round!”

Avina turns and gives Kieran a look. Their hair is sweat-damp mess, cheeks rosy. “I want to watch it, thank you very much.”

Kieran gapes at them before turning to him, “C’mon man, I know you agree with me. Besides, after their last gig, ain’t no way they’re staying after this week.”

Part of him wants to agree with Kieran. Wanderer bombed their last gig so badly Seven's surprised that they weren't eliminated. And it wasn't even the band's fault - it was Munroe. She'd been such a mess, so clearly not in her right mind, her voice wrecked and thready, even forgetting her own lyrics.

But Seven’s on cloud nine, his ex could walk into their green room right now and he wouldn’t give a shit. He shrugs, “Let 'em watch it.”

The commercial break ends, the camera pans along the audience before Munroe’s band is introduced and then the lights on the stage go out completely. Seven resists the urge to roll his eyes - always with the theatrics.

A single spotlight comes to life on the stage. Munroe is seated at a keyboard with no sign of her bandmates. Seven watches as she takes a deep breath before raising her hands to the keys and starts to play - something slower and emotional so unlike Wanderer’s previous, high energy performances. Did she really think a ballad was a good idea?

It feels like a bucket of ice water gets upturned over his head when she begins to sing - no back up, just Munroe and the keyboard for the opening lines of the song. It’s been so long since he’s heard her play, he had almost forgotten how good she was. It feels like a lifetime ago when it was just her and her keyboard and him and his guitar writing together, falling together between chords and lyrics.

“Turn it up,” Seven says, ignoring the surprised looks from his band.

As the lights dim once again, the rest of the band’s vocals rise like a choir in the dark for the refrain, which surprises him because Rowan and Iris don’t usually provide backup vocals. He sees Munroe’s shadow take her mic and make its way to the front of the stage, place the mic in its stand. The rise of the band’s instruments finally coming in takes his breath away as the lights come back up and Munroe, now joined by the band, is backlit by the stage lights, her too thin silhouette outlined in the short, sheer black kaftan-like dress she’s wearing.

These months on tour have worn her thin, broken her down in a way Seven never thought possible. Munroe is an eternal optimist, she's not like him, she pushes aside her anger, her hurt, holds it quietly inside herself and puts a smile on her face, always, because she never wants anyone to worry about her. But this tour has dulled her light, turned her into something Seven never, no matter how he felt about her, wanted to see.

Munroe has thrown herself into self-destruction as she is wont to do. Into the parties, the hookups, and the glamor of it all - anything to avoid facing herself. She’s tried to hide the effects, but Seven notices more than he’d like - the drinking, the erratic behavior, the insomnia, the bloody noses.

Something in his chest kicks watching her and it suddenly occurs to him - he’s never heard this song before. This is new, or at least unreleased… and then it dawns on him: This is for me. And Munroe’s singing with her entire being, all her rage and pain and heartbreak displayed on live television for someone who has barely shown her any kindness these last few months.

And she had endured it all, his snide comments, his attutude, his disdain for her with such grace. While there were moments when Munroe seemed to reach the end of her long suffering patience, she still smiled at him, always had a kind word for most everyone, hid behind her laugh. Now, a shadow lurked behind her eyes, and Seven is forced to face the uncomfortable fact that he's, at least in part, responsible.

The camera pans to the audience that seems to be held in a daze as they watch her. And Seven understands, he really does. At her best, Munroe is magnificent on stage, something divine - a goddess demanding devotion and supplication from the masses.

They bring Munroe in close up - there are tears lining her cheeks, but her voice is strong as ever, ringing clear throughout the venue as the song comes into the denouement. It’s as soft as the beginning of the song, with the band slowly fading out until -

"You will never be mine…"

The lyric hits like a punch in the gut as, for a moment, the crowd is quiet in awe and then erupts into uproarious applause. He watches as Rowan sets his guitar aside and rushes Munroe, enveloping her in his arms. To the crowd and the people at home, it’s a happy hug - a celebration of just how amazing their set was, but it’s not. It’s to keep Munroe from crumpling right there on stage - he saw how her knees went weak.

Seven’s on his feet before he even realizes he’s moved, propelled by a sudden gripping panic. He hears the questioning of his bandmates, but can’t make out the words over the roar in his ears, the way his heart wants to escape the prison of his ribs. He rips off his mic, then he’s over the back of the couch and out the door of the green room, sprinting full tilt down the hallway.

The song wasn’t just for him. It was good-bye. It was letting him know, in the only way he’d listen, the only way he'd hear, that Munroe was letting him go. And Seven realizes he doesn’t accept it, can’t accept it. Once, not even very long ago, it was what he wanted, a freedom from the grip she's always had on his heart and soul. But he didn't realize until now just how much he unintentionally let her light and warmth back into himself because despite his behavior toward her, Munroe still tried. Tried until she was fractured and hopeless and worn. It was something he loved and loathed about her in equal measure, her refusal to give up even when she should.

Seven bursts through the door to backstage, dodging stage crew and members of other bands. He’s managed to make it backstage in time for Wanderer to come off the stage. He has to get to Munroe before she’s mic’d up again, before the after-performance confessional.

His body collides with hers with a surprised grunt, and for once he doesn’t care about the cameras and the people as he gathers her against his chest.

“Seven?” Munroe chokes out. But he feels her cling to him, her hands under his vest, nails in the back of his shirt. Then she's trembling, crying softly into his chest. Finally shattering apart as he tries to hold her together.

“I’m sorry,” he says, into the damp of her hair. He has so much to apologize for, so much to make up to her.

“I’m sorry,” he says, as he angles her face up to his, thumbing away fresh tears. And the awe on her face breaks something in him in turn, because he knows she doesn't believe he's there.

“I’m sorry,” he says against her lips. They have so much lost time to make up.

And kissing Munroe feels like a sun rising in his chest, like being found, like coming home.

#infamous #infamous mc #infamous oc #infamous if #seven/mc #seven lawless #kay writes #munroe redding

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thisurlwasnttakenbutnowitis · 7 months

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Every Epic Rap Battle of History Ranked, Part 3

Part 2

29. Freddy Krueger vs Wolverine

Winner: Wolverine

Best line: "You're a pedophile from the Midwest, at least R. Kelly could sing."

I mentioned this earlier (like 50 entries ago), but this is probably the single most visually impressive ERB to date. If anyone had any doubts about ERB going independent after being under Maker Studios for so many years, this quickly quashed them. Costumes look amazing, the backgrounds and lighting are top-notch, and of course, the nightmare sequences are fun and creative. Love the part of Freddy turning into a magnet to pull Wolverine in. But how's the actual battle? Well, it's great too! Both performances are stellar, and there's some great lines - "that wasn't even my main diss, it was just a side burn", "that claw is like a strap-on: there's a pussy underneath". Really great stuff.

28. Theodore Roosevelt vs Winston Churchill

Winner: Theodore Roosevelt

Best line: "I'll bust a trust fund lush with my American muscles, so walk softly over here and give my big stick a suckles!"

This was a battle that was hyped up for a long time thanks to Teddy Roosevelt's frequent appearances on the channel to announce news, and I'd say it lived up to the hype. Lloyd is clearly having the time of his life finally getting to play Teddy, and I'd say it's one of his best performances to date. While a couple of Churchill's lines are duds (I always groan at "Any way you want to fight, I'll fight you and I'll beat you, see"), it's not enough to sink this battle.

27. Thanos vs J. Robert Oppenheimer

Winner: J. Robert Oppenheimer

Best line: "Cause you break and bleed so easy, I think I'll call you Oppen-hymen."

It's interesting that this battle came out shortly before the Oppenheimer movie was announced and subsequently turned Oppenheimer into a household name. Good coincidental timing. I remember watching this for the first time, hearing Thanos's absolutely killer first verse, and thinking "Oh, he's got this in the bag". But then Oppenheimer fired back with a killer verse of his own! Sadly, this battle isn't as close as I'd hoped it would be, since Thanos definitely falls off on his second verse, but overall, the fight is still packed with great lines.

Peter's Oppenheimer portrayal is also amazing - the fact that he manages to mix in the melancholic, regretful tone and mannerisms the real Oppenheimer was known for while firing off disses is nothing short of incredible. It's something that shouldn't work, yet he makes it work beautifully. Lloyd's Thanos is pretty good too, although I don't know what happened with the costume; it's pretty clear that Lloyd can barely move his mouth in the mask, so it's a little distracting. I feel like there had to have been a better way to make Thanos's face work, especially when they already made Freddy Krueger work better.

26. George Washington vs William Wallace

Winner: William Wallace

Best line: "Don't tee off with me, laddy. If you held my balls, you couldn't be my caddy."

I feel like this is a very overlooked battle. I've never really seen anyone talking about it, but it's actually really good. It was an interesting choice to make George Washington a more antagonistic and sadistic character, I honestly didn't think that's where they would go with him simply because as an American, I don't think I'd ever seen Washington depicted in such a bad light. But I'm honestly down for it; it makes sense when comparing the stories of both men - Wallace died a hero's death for freedom, while Washington survived long enough to show hypocrisy in his cause for preaching freedom but still owning slaves.

I love how Wallace's depiction in this is purely based on Braveheart, despite historians agreeing that it's one of the most historically inaccurate movies ever. Really sells Washington's "A Mel Gibson movie is your legacy" line, because yeah, that's basically the only reason most people have ever heard of William Wallace. It's funny, ERB obviously puts in a ton of work to research the real stories of their historical figures, but if the most prominent depiction of said figure is in a work of fiction, they will just go with that version of the person because that's what the audience is expecting to see - historical accuracy be damned. They did it with Wallace and that's also what they did with Leonidas and Ragnar Lodbrok. Not saying that's good or bad, that's just what I've noticed when viewing all the battles so close together.

25. Gordon Ramsay vs Julia Child

Winner: Julia Child

Best line: "Here's a nice amuse-bouche: take a poor abused youth, set a 30 year timer, voila! Huge douche!"

This was a video I had actually completely skipped out on until needing to watch it for this list. I dunno, I just don't really personally like Gordon Ramsay and I wasn't familiar with Julia Child, so I was just never motivated to watch this one. But I really missed out on a gem, this one's great. Julia definitely steals the show here. It's kinda like Mr. T vs Mr. Rogers come to think of it, with one character angrily screaming at the other while the other just smiles and delivers cutting passive-aggressive lines. The part where Ramsay gets a whole kitchen crew running around behind him and they deliver backing vocals of "Yes, chef!" and "No, chef" to the beat is also a great moment.

24. Bruce Lee vs Clint Eastwood

Winner: Clint Eastwood

Best line: "Here's my two finger push-up: Kung F-U!"

Hoo boy, this has some of the edgiest jokes in series history - "I even squint better than you", "You don't belong in a fight, you belong in a sweatshop. So go ahead, make my iPod". Modern ERB would not go there if this battle was made today. That being said, it does fit who Clint Eastwood is as a person, so, y'know. This battle's great though - the person they got to play Bruce Lee has a lot of fun energy to him; his constant quick movements contrast nicely against the stone cold, slow and deliberate Eastwood. I also love the small detail of the background characters that both rappers are fighting switching between cowboys and ninjas as they cross from one side of the screen to the other.

23. Michael Jordan vs Muhammad Ali

Winner: Muhammad Ali

Best line: "McDonald's and underpants as corporate backers - You stay at the Ritz cause you sold out to crackers!"

And here we have one of the two appearances of special guest stars Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele. Considering this is the first time they're coming up on this list and we're this high up, it's pretty clear that I think they nailed both of the battles they had together. It's a shame they're not really working together anymore, so it's a lot less likely we'll ever get them again. Plus Jordan Peele's a lot busier these days I'd imagine.

But yeah, Key and Peele both obviously really know how to act in front of a camera and it makes for some great rap battles - Peele as Ali in particular is extremely expressive throughout his lines and it makes for a treat to watch. And I love the part where Jordan crosses over to Ali's side and directly gets in his face - both of Key and Peele's battles have a moment where the two rappers physically interact, and I'm glad they did this. A lot of ERBs have the two rappers film separately, but Key and Peele have such natural on-screen chemistry that it would have been a waste to not show bits of that. I was gonna say that moment does kinda break the illusion of Michael Jordan being tall in this battle since Key and Peele aren't too far apart in height, but uh, fun fact I just learned - the height difference between Key and Peele is actually greater than it would be between Jordan and Ali?? Muhammad Ali was actually pretty dang tall at 6'3", and Michael Jordan is relatively short for an NBA player at only 6'6". Meanwhile Jordan Peele is 5'7" and Keegan-Michael Key is 6'0". Truth truly is stranger than fiction.

22. Michael Jackson vs Elvis Presley

Winner: Michael Jackson

Best line: "Here's a tip: Don't swallow a bucket of drugs, so you won't die on the toilet dropping hunks of burning love."

This is the battle that Banner vs Jenner tried to imitate and failed miserably at - two characters with two distinct versions of themselves that they switch between halfway through the battle. This was such a great idea - they could have gotten away with simply doing the more modern versions of both characters, but showcasing how much the two changed their looks between the starts and ends of their careers was a genius move. My big worry with that would have been how difficult it would be to find a suitable child to play Jackson 5 Michael, but the kid that they did find was phenomenal. He looks the part, sounds the part, and has good dance moves to boot. I don't know how the hell they found this kid but his performance is easily the highlight of this battle.

21. Guy Fawkes vs Che Guevara

Winner: Guy Fawkes

Best line: "You're an ump-Che. That's Bay of Pigs Latin!"

Che definitely has some clunkers in his lines - "More like V for Very bad hat" would be a bad line even by season 1 standards, and the What Does The Fox Say reference was dated even when the battle first came out. That said, Che's actor does a great job, he's really charismatic. The face he makes and the voice he does during "Treat this battle like the gallows: Take another dive" is without a doubt the best line delivery in this battle. Also damn, Guy's takedown of Che by pointing out how his image nowadays is just a commercial product for capitalism, turning his legacy into the very thing he fought against, that was brutal. There was simply no coming back from that.

20. Gandhi vs Martin Luther King Jr.

Winner: Martin Luther King Jr.

Best line: "Flatten your style like bread: naan violence."

And here we have Key and Peele's other guest appearance. Just like I said before, these two have great chemistry and great screen presence. The ending of this one is what elevates it above Jordan vs Ali for me though - the two leading their armies of protesters together, all to finally meet face-to-face, and proceed to engage in the most passive-aggressive hug ever. Probably the most iconic ending in ERB history. Also can I just say that Peele's MLK impression is spot-on?

19. Terminator vs RoboCop

Winner: RoboCop

Best line: "They sent you back to kill a child, but he's defeating you still. They should have made a time-traveling morning-after pill."

I like that this video was sponsored by the actual Terminator franchise and they were still able to call Terminator 3 bad. This video has also invaded my psyche - whenever I see a farmer's market I can't help but think of "I take over these streets like I'm a farmer's market". Idk, this one is just good fun. Lloyd doesn't exactly look much like Arnold, but he sells the impression as well as he can. And hey, the actual Arnold makes a cameo appearance thanks to the sponsorship! Cool shit.

18. Jim Henson vs Stan Lee

Winner: Stan Lee

Best line: "M-I-C! I rock the mic properly! K-E-Y! Turning profits, I've got the key!"

This is an ERB with a message, probably the deepest one in the series - the legacy that an artist leaves behind after their death, and the tragedy of the magic of their original vision being squeezed dry by huge conglomerates in order to print more money. Hits even harder now that Stan Lee is also no longer with us. I gotta say, it was a fucking ballsy move for the ERB team to take such a direct shot at Disney while they were working at a Disney-owned studio. But man, did it make a memorable battle. I think Walt Disney may just be my favorite of the surprise third-party rappers across the entire series.

I also like how throughout the entire battle, Jim Henson basically only ever takes one real shot at Stan Lee, and it's just "you took credit for work Jack Kirby did". He's too nice of a guy to cut deep on his opponent. And I appreciate the small detail that you can still see Peter moving his lips when Kermit is speaking - I feel like just making Kermit lip-sync would have been an easy trap to fall into. I also love that they went through the trouble of making a custom Stan Lee puppet all for just one line. They totally didn't need to do that, but it goes to show the effort that went into making this one special.

17. Ronald McDonald vs The Burger King

Winner: Burger King

Best line: "Ask Rick and Morty who's the lyrical boss. I've got lines for days, call me szechuan sauce!"

I'll just put it out there: when it comes to food: Wendy's > Burger King > McDonald's. This battle had the advantage of getting a soft launch first on the secondary ERB channel (through the spinoff series Flash in the Pan Hip-Hop Conflicts of Nowadays) and getting a chance to incorporate fan feedback before releasing as a proper ERB. The lines about McDonald's broken ice cream machines and Burger King foot lettuce, as well as Wendy coming in as a third-party rapper were all fan suggestions. As such, I think this is one of the most tightly-packed ERBs in terms of great lines.

16. Napoleon vs Napoleon

Winner: Napoleon Bonaparte

Best line: "I'll whip you so bad, they'll make a virgin meringue. You're the only type of dynamite that's never going to bang!"

I don't remember where exactly he said this, but I recall Lloyd at some point saying that this battle was the first one made after he and Peter both quit their jobs so that they could focus on ERB full time, and that it was kind of a scary and uncertain time for them because of it. Well, clearly that gamble paid off, because they managed to create one of their best right after finally being able to put their all into the series. Okay, look, on a purely objective level, this probably isn't actually better than a lot of the battles I put below it. It's short, as season 1 battles tended to be, and it really doesn't go too deep into either character's history. But this is just ERB in its purest form - a historical figure and a fictional character tangentially related to them duking it out through rhyme. This battle is pretty basic, but that's okay. It does exactly what it needs to - gives you some laughs and gets out of your face. No flashy effects, no complex lines that you have to look up the meaning of in order to get the joke. Call it nostalgia, but there's just a certain charm to the simplicity on display here.

15. Einstein vs Stephen Hawking

Winner: Stephen Hawking

Best line: "I'm as dope as two rappers, you'd better be scared, cause that means Albert E equals MC squared!"

And here we go, the cream of the crop for season 1. Back when we only had the first season, this one was THE shit. If you were around during the early days, then "There are ten million million million million million million million million million particles in the universe that we can observe, your mama took the ugly ones and put them into one nerd" is probably burned into your brain.

You know this battle is good when it's freaking certified Gold by the RIAA, being the only battle besides Obama vs Romney to do so. And hey, it's also the very first appearance of our boy Zach Sherwin! The first of many great guest appearances he would grace us with.

14. Shaka Zulu vs Julius Caesar

Winner: Shaka Zulu

Best line: "Ask my kidnappers if I'm just a shit-talker. Doc J dunk on ya like boom shakalaka!"

For being possibly the most obscure historical figure ever depicted in ERB, Shaka Zulu certainly leaves an impression through this battle. His costume design is great, and his actor brings so much life to the role with his smartass line deliveries and faces. And of course, the fucking army formations that form behind both rappers at the end - masterful work.

13. Lewis and Clark vs Bill and Ted

Winner: Lewis and Clark

Best line: "We discovered bears and beavers and prairie dogs and weasels, rattlesnakes and catfish, owls, larks, and eagles. And plus flora galore, and according to our observations: these two dickweeds right here are severely endangered!"

And here we have the final appearance so far of Rhett and Link, and I think this is their best battle yet. I've always loved the little dance they do when they're listing off all the things they discovered, and of course, Sacagawea in the background constantly saving their asses is a hilarious touch. And on Bill and Ted's side, we get a bunch of cameos of previous rappers since most of their companions had already appeared in ERB (still waiting on that Billy the Kid battle though), so that's a nice treat for fans.

12. Zeus vs Thor

Winner: Thor

Best line: "Send you deeper underground than the depths of your Hades. Now make like your daddy, and swallow my babies!"

This was the first ever battle to be animated with Lego and I'm SO glad that it was, because this is just a treat for the eyes. Live action would not have done a battle between two gods like this justice. Of course, it being beautifully animated wouldn't save this if the battle itself wasn't great, but it absolutely is. I think "Who would ever worship someone as abusive as Zeus is? You're ruthless to humans, your crew is like the Clash of the Douches" is possibly the best flow in the entire series, it constantly gets stuck in my head.

11. Mother Teresa vs Sigmund Freud

Winner: Mother Teresa

Best line: "I can see right through you and you've got no flavor. I'm battling a communion wafer."

This is an absolutely slept-on battle. It's damn near perfect - almost every single line hits it out of the park. I never would have thought of these two figures as perfect foils for one another, but it works so much better than I ever could have imagined. A staunch religious figure versus a staunch atheist, with themes of physical therapy versus mental therapy and chastity versus sex. It's a brilliant matchup that they really get the most out of.

Mother Teresa's actress is amazing as well - I thought they somehow found an actual old lady dancer, but no, it's actually a younger woman whose entire specialty is doing super convincing cosplays of elderly women. She's great, the attitude she gives to Teresa elevates the entire battle.

S TIER

10. Steve Jobs vs Bill Gates

Winner: HAL 9000

Best line: "I'm coming out the socket, nothing you can do can stop it. I'm on your lap and in your pocket. How you gonna shoot me down when I guide the rocket?"

While Jobs dying mid-battle can be seen as a repeat of Billy Mays, there's a distinct difference in how the two battles handle the death of one of the rappers. Ben Franklin never even gets a reaction to Billy Mays's death, but in this one, Bill Gates actually gets to admit how he liked the rivalry, and that now he's lonely without Jobs. And that's true to life of the two actual men too - despite how competitive their companies were with each other, Jobs and Gates had deep respect for one another.

This was by far the most ambitious ERB of its time. I would say that it was the very first one to truly feel epic, and even more than a decade later, it still holds its own against even the newest episodes. Hell, I'd say it's actually just gotten better with time - that iconic ending with HAL 9000 to represent AI taking over just rings more and more true every year.

9. Steven Spielberg vs Alfred Hitchcock

Winner: Alfred Hitchcock

Best line: "Ask anybody, 'What's your favorite Sam Jackson part?', no one's gonna say 'What's-his-name from Jurassic Park'."

This one is a total treat. You have 4 of the most iconic movie directors in history battling it out… along with Michael Bay. Honestly I'm not a super big movie buff, but I can still appreciate how brilliant this battle is. I love the shifts in the music tones for each director - the grandiose Jurassic Park-like theme for Spielberg, the heart-pounding suspense for Hitchcock, the more funky beat for Tarantino, the dreamy space-like melody for Kubrick, and finally, the flashy, bombastic theme for Bay. And of course, each director having their own dig towards Michael Bay is great foreshadowing for when he finally comes in and proceeds to rap about how great he is. He doesn't even say anything about any of the other directors, but that feels like an intentional choice for his "I don't give a fuck" attitude.

8. Romeo and Juliet vs Bonnie and Clyde

Winner: Bonnie and Clyde

Best line: "O Romeo, O Romeo, wherefore you trying to flow, yo? Mofo, you soft as a froyo. Are those the drapes or your clothes, bro?"

The contrast between the two sides here is really fun - how ridiculous and over-the-top Romeo and Juliet act compared to the down-to-earth, no-nonsense Bonnie and Clyde. Bonnie pulling out a gun, shooting Juliet, and Juliet simply exclaiming, "Oh! I am killed!" really sums up everything that makes this pairing great. Of course, it's impossible to talk about this battle and not talk about how every character dies in the same way that their real/fictional counterpart does. I particularly love how Romeo and Juliet integrate their actual final words from the play into their final verses - "Thus with a diss I die" is such an obvious pun to make but it always makes me chuckle. And once Bonnie and Clyde get shot to death as well, leaving the normally loud announcer quiet and confused, that's just the cherry on top.

7. Harry Potter vs Luke Skywalker

Winner: Luke Skywalker

Best line: "Your origin story is mostly stolen from me. You might be Potter, but Harry, I planted your seed!"

Our second animated battle, and this was one that absolutely needed to be animated to do it justice. Both of these series have so many iconic scenes and locations, and they also both have so many Lego sets that it made perfect sense to do it with Lego. And the animators got every bit of mileage they could out of this opportunity - both characters get to go through so many setpieces from each of their franchises. And of course, the lyrics get to pull in just as many references for fans to catch. This is one of the longer battles, with each rapper getting three full verses, and I'm glad that two series with so much lore got plenty of time to integrate it all.

6. Ghostbusters vs Mythbusters

Winner: Mythbusters

Best line: "Good thing you work in a firehouse, cause you just got burned. You are poor scientists, and that's confirmed."

When I heard that Peter and Lloyd would be playing Adam and Jamie, I fully expected the opposite casting. Lloyd usually plays the shorter, stockier, more bald characters, so it was kinda surprising to me that he was chosen to play Adam and Peter was Jamie. But hey, they make it work. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the little synchronized dance the two do during their first verse as well. I have no idea why they decided to do that for the Mythbusters of all things, but hey, it's a lot of fun.

This battle has the largest number of rappers of any battle to date with 10, but that's kind of with an asterisk because Kari, Grant, and Tory barely get any time at all before Stay Puft comes in to finish the battle. I really wish the three of them had gotten a little more, it seems like kind of a waste to bring in three additional actors to only give them one line each. But that's really the only criticism I can come up with here; it's a great battle otherwise.

I know I didn't really even say anything about the Ghostbusters, but there's really not anything to say. They're all good! Zach Sherwin's Egon is definitely the highlight of the group.

5. Lara Croft vs Indiana Jones

Winner: Lara Croft

Best line: "Marion was 15 when you raided her bones. That's no time for love, Dr. Jones!"

This is the newest battle at the time I'm writing this, and needless to say with it being this high up, it's already one of my favorites. Every single line packs a serious punch, there is no wasted time here at all. My first time watching, I thought they maybe made a little too many jokes where the punchline is "Lara is sexy" or "gamers masturbate to her". But upon rewatch, each one is at least clever and does something different with wordplay, so I've lightened up on it.

Of course, I have to give a major shoutout to Croix Provence, who portrays Lara here. This was the first time a guest star on ERB was not either a friend of the crew or a major YouTube personality/celebrity - the casting of Lara was instead done with an open casting call, and I think that was the absolutely correct move. Croix was the perfect choice here - her faces and mannerisms inject so much lovable energy into the character, and the fact that she's not even British but can maintain a British accent while quickly rapping is incredible. She's a complete delight and I hope that she becomes a recurring guest.

This battle was apparently supposed to have a short verse from Nathan Drake as well, but I'm honestly glad they cut it. It really didn't need it.

4. Deadpool vs Boba Fett

Winner: Deadpool

Best line: "That Dr. Killbrew dude needs to go back to med school. Cause right now, you're no good to me, Deadpool."

This one's kinda funny in hindsight with how Deadpool rags on how Boba Fett barely even has any lines or screentime so there's not even much to say about him… right before he ended up getting his own show. Honestly it's kind of even in a weird spot with regards to Deadpool's characterization too - this came out before the movie, so nothing regarding that could be referenced either. Really, of any battle, this is probably the one that's in need of a rematch the most given how much has happened between these two characters in the years since.

What's really cool about this battle is that since both characters are covered from head to toe, while Peter and Lloyd did the voices, they didn't need to portray them physically. And they took advantage of this by hiring professional dancers to be the body actors for both characters, which really elevates the video visually. Deadpool's suit actor nails the mannerisms, and I love how Boba Fett goes into full-on breakdancing at the end. Stellar stuff from both performers.

3. The Joker vs Pennywise

Winner: Pennywise

Best line: "I haunt nightmares and I'm ruthless. This battle's like poker: the Joker is useless. Winning's not in your cards. Call me Arkham Asylum, I'm crazy with bars!"

Here we are, the absolute best battle that stays as a pure 1-on-1. Lloyd has said recently that this is his personal favorite battle, and it's easy to see why. Pennywise is easily my favorite performance Lloyd has ever done - he absolutely nails the voice, the line delivery, and the look. And Peter's Joker is awesome too - he also does a great job with the voice and delivery, and his costume is great too. Not as spot-on as Lloyd's Pennywise, but it's still more than serviceable. Really, this battle is Peter and Lloyd at their absolute best - you can tell they are both having the time of their lives here.

The lines here are top-notch too. So many bangers - Pennywise describing himself as "the John Wayne of John Wayne Gacys" and "the poster boy for missing person posters", and the absolutely killer lines "Ask Robin if I drop bars" and "No one's dying to play with Joker, except for maybe Heath Ledger". There's a super clever rhyme with "Beat Harley Quinn" and "see Steve Harvey in". And the flow of "You're a John Doe in my deadlights, and you're about to fall from a new height, cause you're weak and you've lost every fight to a knight who wears underwear over his tights" is amazing. And I love that so many actors that have portrayed the characters get shout-outs - obviously Pennywise only has the two with Tim Curry and Bill Skarsgard (though the Skarsgard reference is so subtly woven in that you probably won't even catch it on the first watch). But the Joker gets to pull in references to Cesar Romero, Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, Jared Leto, Joaquin Phoenix, and Mark Hamill, and it's a lot of fun.

Overall, this battle is amazing. Amazingly written with two amazing performances. Truly peak ERB.

2. Rasputin vs Stalin

Winner: Stalin

Best line: "You got off easy when they pickled that moose cock! I'd leave your neck in a noose in a trench and shot! Your whole family, shot! All your wizard friends, shot! Anyone who sold you pierogi, shot!"

Huh, I'm realizing just how few of these top spots have actual historical figures - four of the battles in this top ten have just been fictional character vs fictional character, and the only real people depicted that I'd say are old enough to be considered "historical figures" are Bonnie and Clyde, and maybe Alfred Hitchcock. Well, that's about to change - these top two spots are putting the history back in Epic Rap Battles of History, and to me, that's why they beat out the rest.

I've said before that I love when ERB can make me curious and actively want to seek out more information about history. And that's why this battle and the next one are so great - because it's not just about the battle itself being good. The best ERBs create an experience outside of the battle itself. You put on an episode like Luke Skywalker vs Harry Potter and you're like "Oh, that was awesome! All the references to both of the series were great!" and then you move on with your life. But a battle like Rasputin vs Stalin, you think "Wow, that was great!", and then you find yourself reading more about Russian history. ERB didn't tell you to do that; they're not your teacher. You sought out that information because they gave you the nugget of trivia that made you crave more.

But enough about that, how is the battle itself? Well, it's a certified banger. What you think is going to just be a simple battle between two long-dead high-ranking Russians quickly escalates as it takes you through the rise and fall of the Soviet Union via several more notable Russian leaders jumping into the fray. The battle royale format really does a great job portraying the fraught history that Russia has had over the past century - these guys all had so many different ideas for the country that they probably would all hate each other.

Lloyd steals the show here too - both Stalin and Gorbachev are easily the most memorable parts of this battle. One realization I've come to while doing this list and viewing all the battles so close together is that I think Lloyd is overall my favorite performer. That's not to say that Peter is a bad actor - far from it, he's also amazing. I just think there are overall more battles where Lloyd's performance outshines Peter's than there are the other way around.

1. Alexander the Great vs Ivan the Terrible

Winner: Ivan the Terrible

Best line: "Look alive, creme de la Kremlin's arrivin'! Try to serve Ivan, no survivin'."

…With that being said, this is one of those battles where Peter absolutely comes out on top. One strength of portraying historical figures from hundreds of years ago as opposed to fictional characters or people who are currently alive/recently died is that we don't really have as much information about their personalities, leaving how they act much more open to interpretation. And this battle takes full advantage of that. Would the actual Ivan the Terrible have acted this deliciously eeeevil? Probably not, but that's what makes it fun. Him murdering his opponents one by one and delighting in it makes him such a lovable villain. And of course, he's given a great (haha) lineup of characters with big personalities to burn through as well - the performances for Alexander, Frederick, and Catherine are all both memorable and stand out from each other - with Alexander adopting the most traditional rap style, Frederick getting a faster verse, and Catherine getting a slower, more sensual verse.

This battle also has the same deal as what I said about Rasputin vs Stalin, where it made me more curious about history, except this one gets more points for covering not only a larger span of time, but also multiple countries. The only figure in this battle royale that I was sorta familiar with was Alexander, so this definitely motivated me to look more into Ivan, Frederick, and Catherine (though it didn't really make me curious enough to want to know more about Pompey the Great, sorry Pompey :( ).

Overall, this battle just has all the best qualities of ERB rolled up into one tight package - it's funny, it's got great performances, and it teaches you a little something about history while also encouraging you to do your own research. On all fronts, it knocks it out of the park, and that is why it is my #1 favorite Epic Rap Battle of History.

And there you have it! Every single ERB ranked! Whew, this was a lot of work, but I think it goes to show that at the end of the day, I truly love this series if I can blather on this long about it. If you’ve made it this far, then thanks for reading my pointless ramblings, and look forward to more pointless ramblings in the future.

#epic rap battles of history #erb

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escmemesandstuff · 12 days

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Eurovision 2024: Fan Poll Comparison

A week leading to the final show of the 2024 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, let's look at the results of three major fan polls: OGAE, INFE, and Eurojury. Now, there are numerous polls held all over the internet throughout the season, but I consider these three the most "reliable" due to them not allowing voting for one's own home country. OGAE and INFE are long-running fanclubs, whereas the Eurojury vote consists of professional musicians from member countries and an online vote.

On the table below, I have compiled the final results according to each poll.

One factor that immediately stands out is the lack of one definite favourite to win. While last year, Sweden's victory was pretty much the obvious conclusion (which was also reflected by Loreen topping all these three polls), this year is clearly more open, with each poll having a different country on the top spot. Croatia turned out as the OGAE winner, INFE voters preferred Switzerland, and Italy emerged victorious after combining the jury and online votes of the Eurojury. That being said, none of those three countries could be considered a shock winner or unpopular favourite when looking at all three clubs' results, with all of them comfortably making it to the top five along with Belgium. The consistency continues with France, Ukraine, and Netherlands getting a top ten placing in all three polls; even Greece isn't in a bad place, as they only barely missed the top ten in the OGAE poll.

It gets more interesting when you look at where the polls' opinions differ more strongly. A striking example is Germany, who takes the all-too-familiar last place in the two fan club polls, yet earned the eight place in the combined Eurojury results; a placing largely thanks to the jury vote that placed the song fifth, even higher than the fan favourite Croatia (albeit only by two points). Serbia's lovely ballad, while not being what fans tend to gravitate towards, also earned a decent score in Eurojury and got tenth overall. In contrast, Austria and Lithuania got a significantly colder reception from Eurojury juries, raising the concerns of them ending up as flopping fan favourites.

When it comes to the "un-favourites" of the polls, all three agree on Poland and Azerbaijan being among the weakest final-worth entries, both ending on bottom five. Overall the first semifinal is clearly seen as the weaker one, with all bottom fives being dominated by semi 1 songs. When it comes to borderline qualifiers of the second semi, Armenia, Georgia, and Denmark aren't getting too much love from any camp. (On the other hand, Armenia did get a top ten result in the Eurojury jury vote - a bit surprising considering the general tendency of juries snubbing ethnic entries.) As for non-qualifiers, none of the polls would give a place in the final to Iceland, Moldova, Australia, Malta, Czechia, Albania, San Marino, or Latvia. Interestingly enough, Finland got a decent result in the INFE poll, getting 16th. Said poll seems to be fonder of "funny" entires, considering they also have Estonia following suit.

Could these polls give a hunch about the overall results? We should remember that the fan bubble can differ from the general public's taste, and the eventual live performances can have a huge impact towards either direction. That being said, Eurovision winners rarely come out of the blue, and if I had to pick a most likely winner based on multiple factors, it would be either Italy or Switzerland. However, the Eurojury jury winner France also stands a chance - you shouldn't underestimate the power of good-looking men singing romantic ballads, as we saw with Marco Mengoni last year - and despite all of the worries about Croatia flopping in the jury vote, their victory is still within possibility. And based on what we've seen, Ukraine is ready to deliver a magical performance that could very well touch the hearts of both viewers and jury members.

I might revisit this post after the contest and check how the polls compare to the actual results. Exciting times are ahead, for sure!

#eurovision #esc 2024 #ogae #infe #eurojury #fan polls

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boldlyvoid · 2 years

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Freezer Burns | Part Four

Chapter Four | Masterlist

Summary: Eddie goes to Steve's house for the first time

song used: The Winner Takes It All - ABBA

Warnings: Steve's dad is a dick, Mutual Pining, Idiots in Love, lots of kissing, Eddie's mom's cancer mentioned, internalized homophobia, touch starved steve, virgin!eddie, STEAMY makeouts

Word Count: 3.7

He barely sleeps, laying in the living room all night, staring at the ceiling, just thinking about how nice it was to finally kiss king Steve.

He has breakfast with the Buckleys, trying not to think about what happened in this same kitchen the night before. He was so later focused that Grandma Beth could tell something was up, she just smiled at him as she took his empty plate from the table to clean. Gareth and Jeff aren’t up yet, Robin doesn’t eat breakfast with them usually but today she came down. And sat beside him and had small-talk with him, having no idea that last night he was making out with her best friend down here.

“Thank you for breakfast,” he thanks Grandma Beth by walking over to the sink and wrapping her up in a half hug, kissing her cheek. “I’m not going to be here for dinner tonight. I have plans with a friend.”

He doesn’t notice but Robin's eyes grow impossibly large and she has to bite her lip so she doesn’t say anything… completely freaking out on the inside.

He heads out without saying goodbye to her.

He showers and changes his outfit about 4 times back at the trailer, all while Wayne sleeps on the couch in the main room. And thank god, because he couldn’t stomach lying to his face about where he was going for the day.

He wears his swim trunks under his jeans and packs a few of his things into a bag just in case he stays there all night. Not like sexy time things… more like his toothbrush and deodorant and the only brush he has that will go through his hair without scalping him. He spends so long packing and worrying that noon starts to approach and his stomach turns more than ever.

He's so nervous.

He fucking loves Steve and it's killing him from the inside out.

And then the drive over only takes 5 minutes so it’s not like he can listen to something to calm down before he pulls into the driveway.

He parks behind Steve's car, takes a few deep breaths on his walk up to the door and goes to knock right when he’s swinging the door open to tug him inside.

Steve hugs him tight as soon as the door is closed and no prying eyes will be on them. He kisses the side of his neck and breathes him in deeply. “You’re here.”

“I am,” he settles every fear fading as he holds Steve back. “Hi.”

“Hi,” he repeats, kissing eddies cheek lightly as he pulls away. “I have to go get the towels from the dryer, they beeped as you pulled in, you okay waiting here a sec?”

He nods, “yeah, take your time.”

“Thanks,” he steals one more kiss and then rushes out of the foyer and out of Eddie’s sight.

He looks around the foyer, the entrance of his house bigger than Eddie’s entire trailer… he sighed, wandering over to the black grand piano by the spiral staircase. He takes a seat at the bench, noticing the dust on the wood and the decorative runner laid on top of it. He lifts the cover, tapping some of the keys gently to see if they’re in tune, and if they sound okay.

He plays one of the only songs he knows on piano, his mom used to play the piano in her group recovery room, she taught him to play there, he’d never forget it.

The Winner Takes It All, with its easy key progression and sweet lyrics, it was a song his mother loved so dearly, from the moment it was released 6 years ago. Sometimes he couldn’t believe she’s been gone almost as long as it was out.

“I don’t wanna talk,” he sings softly to himself, not even thinking about Steve coming back to find this. “About the the things we’ve gone through. Thought it’s hurting me, now it’s history… I’ve played all my cards, and that’s what you’ve done too, nothing more to say, no more ace to play.”

Steve comes up the stairs from the basement to the angelic sound of the piano flowing through the house. It’s been years since anyone has played it. He didn’t even know Eddie knew how to play… he learns that Eddie can sing too, the closer he gets.

“The winner takes it all, the loser standing small. Beside the victory, that’s her destiny… I was in your arms, thinking I belonged there, I figured it made sense… Building me a fence. Building me a home. Thinking I'd be strong there. But I was a fool… Playing by the rules,” Eddie’s voice fits the song so beautifully that Steve stops in his tracks and stares from the doorway.

His voice echoes around the room beautifully, he’s effortlessly playing the keys like he’s touched them a million times before like his fingers are home. He plays with more intent, louder and more in the zone, it’s quite beautiful.

“The gods may throw a dice! Their minds as cold as ice… and someone way down here… Loses someone dear.

The winner takes it all, the loser has to fall. It's simple and it's plain why should I complain?”

Steve walks over slowly, not wanting to get too close incase he startles him and the song stops. He never wants it to stop.

“But tell me, does she kiss, like I used to kiss you? Does it feel the same when she calls your name?” Eddie doesn’t change the original pronouns, making Steve feel it even deeper in his chest.

What he’s feeling? He doesn’t know yet.

“Somewhere deep inside, you must know I miss you? But what can I say? Rules must be obeyed…The judges will decide! The likes of me abide… spectators of the show! Always staying low!!!” his beautiful voice hits that bravado and Steve’s knees almost buckle beneath him.

“The game is on again! A lover or a friend! A big thing or a small! The winner takes it all!”

He slows almost to a stop, playing softly, humming to himself, like he couldn’t carry on singing that hard anymore like his emotions got to him. So Steve stands behind him, placing his hand on Eddie’s shoulder softly, he jumps out of his skin and hits random keys, “I’m sorry—

“It’s okay— more than okay, even, that was beautiful,” Steve cuts him off and takes a seat beside him on the bench. “What brought all that on? Are you okay?”

He nods, “my mom used to play it a lot… before she died.”

“I’m sorry,” Steve looks deep into his eyes, tearing up just the same as his. “I didn’t know you lost your mom…”

“Yeah,” he takes a shaky deep breath and Steve feels bad.

“We don’t have to talk about it I don’t want you to be upset, this was supposed to be fun,” he reminds Eddie. “I uh, I have clean towels and stuff if you wanted to go swimming still?”

“I just miss her sometimes, but it’s okay,” Eddie whispers, not wanting to change the topic, not minding that he’s being vulnerable with Steve Harrington of all people.

“I don’t know what it’s like to have parents to miss, otherwise I’d say something comforting,” Steve’s honest. “In a way, I’m kinda glad they suck, cause this looks painful.”

Eddie laughs a bit, “yeah, it sucks, but I also have a shit dad so I get that side too.”

“I’m sorry,” Steve touches his arm again, smiling softly to let him know it’s okay. It doesn’t take much for Eddie to feel okay with Steve, but he feels safe when Steve moves in closer, hugging his arm and resting his head on his shoulder.

It’s such a small act of trust, so innocent and pure, like a child seeking safety in their guardians' embrace, Steve feels comfortable with him. Him. Of all people in the world, it was Eddie the freak Munson that he was hanging off of like a scared cat caught in the rain and rescued by his person… it means more to Eddie than he would ever express.

He keeps playing even with Steve on his arm, the same cords as before, finishing the song that fit them so fucking well it was like ABBA wrote it for them from the future. “I don’t wanna talk,” Steve sings instead, his voice so low and different from the key Eddie was used to. “If it makes you feel sad. And I understand. You’ve come to shake my hand.”

“I apologize,” Eddie sings alongside him, soft and gentle and just for him. “If it makes you feel bad. Seeing me so tense, no self-confidence.”

“The winner takes it all!” Eddie belts, louder than before, stunning Steve that he can do “The winner takes it all!” Hitting the keys with passion and fervour, it’s impressive and exciting and honestly… pretty hot.

Still wrapped around his arm, albeit gently and barely holding on as Eddie played enthusiastically, he digs his chin into his shoulder as he tightens his grip and hugs his arm before doing the impossible. He kisses Eddie’s shoulder gently and covers it back up with his chin as if it never happened. Snuggled in, Eddie’s gone still from shock Steve thinks, when really Eddie just didn’t want to move and risk Steve rushing away.

“I really, really, like you, Steve,” he admits, glad he’s not looking at him to see the panic on his face.

“I’d hope so,” he giggles a bit, his laugh vibrating through his body and shaking a smile into Eddie’s face. “I like you too.”

“Should we go swimming now?” He asks, hopelessly embarrassed by the confession and even more so by his confusion. He didn’t know if Steve was just like this with all his friends or if he like liked him…

Steve pulls away and stands up, reaching out a hand for Eddie to take, he does and makes it back to his feet, eye level with Steve. He never thought the colour of his eyes was to be desired until he saw Steve’s matching brown wonders, he gets lost in them momentarily. Swimming in the chocolate sea with content.

“Did you bring any swim trunks?” He asks, breaking Eddie out of his haze.

He nods, “under my jeans…”

“I was gonna say you’re a little bundled up for the end of June,” he teases.

“I have enough clothes for like 4 outfits, I can’t help it,” he explains, “it’s annoying trying that I only have so many ways to mix and match them so I don’t repeat often.”

“You can rummage through my closet? My mom buys me clothes to make up for how mean my dad is to us and I never wear most of the shit, you’re more than welcome to take anything you want,” he explains, “not like a handout or cause I feel bad for you or anything more in a what’s mine can be yours too if you want it? Kinda way…”

All he can do is nod along. His heart almost leaps out of his chest at those words, they sound a lot like what love is supposed to be to him and he wants it so badly. To be loved by Steve Harrington would be a blessing.

—

“Dude…” Eddie stills when he sees Steve’s room. It’s boring and plain, there’s nothing on the walls, the rooms an ugly cream colour, there’s no metals or awards or family photos… there isn’t a single sports banner or album artwork, it’s just a bed and a desk and a walk-in closet.

“What?”

“Your room has no personality?” His heart hurts, “where’s all your stuff?”

“Here?” He points, confused, “why? What’s your room look like”

“A pig sty where a bomb went off,” he quotes his uncle. “Do your parents not let you decorate?”

“It is decorated, there’s wallpaper,” he references to the wall behind his bed that was different from the rest. “And I made that model plane when I was 9,” he points at the old fighter jet hanging from the ceiling in front of his window.”

“i mean like posters, vinyls, nicknacks,” he really can’t believe it. Even his desk was clean. “It looks like you moved in yesterday.”

He shrugs, “it’s just always been like this.”

“I guess I expected it to be more like Robin's room,” he explains. “You know, her room is full of memories, she has everything taped to her walls and it’s so her… I was expecting all your sports awards to be up.”

“I have some participation ribbons and things I put away before you got here, I haven’t actually won anything myself, before,” he admits. “I’ve been on teams that have won, but the awards are at school. I don’t have any real accomplishments here.”

“That makes two of us,” Eddie rests a hand on his shoulder and pulls him into a hug. “Maybe we can get you some things to make it homier here…”

“I’m going to move out soon,” he admits, hugging Eddie back and resting his chin on his shoulder, swaying slightly. “I’ve saved all my money this summer and all my birthday money for years and I steal cash from my dad's desk drawer…”

“Rebel,” Eddie teases. “You should get a trailer… then we’d be neighbours.”

“Or roommates,” he suggests. “It would be nice to see you all the time… we could drive to work together and have dinners and stay up all night watching movies.”

“You’re so fucking cute it makes me want to scream, Harrington,” Eddie says through gritted teeth, squeezing him impossibly tight, he lifts Steve off the ground slightly and spins them around.

Steve laughs, holding on for dear life until his feet hit the ground again. “I’m just being honest!” He can’t help but get louder, his heart was so full that yelling was the only thing that felt right.

Eddie grabs both of his cheeks in his hands and kisses him right on the lips again, after thinking about it all night long, he was finally kissing him again. It's Steve who initiates more, swiping his tongue along eddies bottom lip, asking permission to make out with him.

With his hands searching Steve's back and his tongue making acquaintance with his own, he backs them up slowly until the backs of Steve’s knees are hitting the edge of his mattress. The kiss breaks for a second, Steve drags him into bed, pushing his jacket off his shoulders before he pushes Eddie down against the mattress and hovers over him. Laying mostly on his side, he tries his best not to touch Eddie too much, but Eddie grabs his hips and pulls him flush to his body, a hand on each thigh as Steve straddled him. He was literally in heaven right now.

He gently swipes Eddie’s hair off his face and behind his ear, “hi.”

“Hi?” Eddie’s breathless, shocked that they’ve ended up here as quickly as they have. “What are you doing?”

“Kissing my Eddie,” he whispers. He didn’t want to say friend cause they were more, and he couldn’t say boyfriend because that was too constricting for him right now… so he was now his Eddie.

He leans forward, kissing Eddie on the lips once more, and then his cheek and forehead. Both eyelids, his perfect nose, everything. “I’d like to kiss all of you…” he admits, moving to kiss his jaw and his neck.

Eddie cranes his neck to the side, giving him more room to kiss, “you can’t leave any marks… cause if I mark you up they’ll all know.”

Steve hums against him, his breath hot on Eddie’s neck as he pulls the neck of his shirt down, “you mean more… I have a hickie already, mister.”

“Mhm,” he bites his lips as Steve gently sucks on his collarbone, pulling away with a pop, he blows cold hair over it right after, making Eddie’s breath come out sputtered as he forgets how to swallow properly. He doesn’t even realize his nipples are hard until Steve plays with the left one, the one with a piercing through it.

He gasps, almost choking, “fuck, Steve, stop…”

“Okay,” he stills, afraid to move. “What’s wrong?”

“I’ve never done anything like this with a guy either… I’ve never even slept with a girl yet,” he admits. “And as fucking amazing as this feels, I have no fucking idea what I’m doing.”

“Okay, so I can show you,” Steve is gentile. “I mean, sex is sex—

“And I’m a virgin,” the words slip past Eddie’s lips as his face fills with shame. “I know it doesn’t seem like a huge thing to you cause you’ve had so many people in this bed before me…”

“Not that many,” he feels defensive. “I’ve slept with a few girls, sue me, but not all here…”

“It's still more than me,” Eddie whispers. “I feel like a fucking loser because of it.”

“You’re not?” Steve reaches out for him again, hand on his cheek, “you’re perfect the way you are and honestly… it will be nice when we finally do something cause I’ve never been with someone who cares about me… like really cares.”

“Not even Nancy? You were together a whole year,” he’s genuinely curious.”

Steve sighs and cuddles back into eddies chest

“Do you remember that party in 84, around Halloween? When Billy first showed up…”

“How can I forget,” he rolled his eyes. “God, it was a shit show, I think someone roofied the punch.”

“yeah… Nancy got so fucked up—

“You spilled the punch on her,” Eddie remembers. “And then you ran off to the bathroom.”

“Where she told me I’m bullshit, our relationship wasn’t ever real and she didn’t love me,” he starts to cry. “She just stayed with me 'cause she felt bad about everything that happened and she led me on for a whole fucking year. I loved her so much, I wanted to marry her… I was going to go work for my dad and stay here for a bit till she graduated and then follow her to school and she just couldn’t wait for me to get bored and break it off so she wouldn’t have to…”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Eddie’s instant reaction is to protect, and from how devastated Steve looks, Eddie wants to kill… “she pretended? For a fucking year?”

He nods, dropping his chin down to rest against Eddie’s chest, “God, I can’t even begin to tell you why… and you wouldn’t believe me if I did? But I could get Dustin to confirm it when he gets home from camp.”

“He said they went through something bad as a group, and I mean, I know the whole zombie boy thing with Will… didn’t Barb go missing around then too?”

He nods, “Nancy thinks we killed her… she was taken from my yard while we were right her.”

“Oh,” Eddie realizes. “So she had sex with you for the first time the night her friend died and that makes you the bad guy?”

He nods, “or at least the biggest mistake of her life.”

“Not to be mean, but girls are fucking dumb in high school, they always say guys are but they can be just as clueless,” Eddie explains. “I mean, with the hormones from having sex the first time and the trauma of losing a friend, I can see why she’d be so willing to get so fucked up at a party… but leading you on like that is so careless and hurtful, sweetheart, I’m sorry, genuinely.”

“It’s okay,” he says again.

“It’s really not… but I get it if you want to drop it?” Eddie stares at him gently, brushing his hair behind his ear and cupping his cheek. He just wants to know where to lead the conversation, never being very good at making a conversation last long without some fantasy, and he can’t do that here.

“Why don’t you tell me a secret?” Steve asks, “I’ve shared a bit, it’s your turn.”

“Oh… I’m a pretty open book?” He says as he thinks about it. “Deadbeat dad, fantastic uncle, dead mom, trailer park, almost high school drop out, drug dealer… not much more.”

“Nothing super juicy in your family line?” He teases. “Did you know I have a half-brother?”

He shakes his head, “no, what?”

He nods, “my dad got some lady pregnant on a work trip and my mom forgave him as long as he never saw the kid… I only know 'cause I heard them screaming about it once when he got a fathers day card in the mail from him.”

“I understand more and more why my uncle fucking hates his guts every time you tell me more,” Eddie says with a tone of disgust. “Seriously, what a fucking asshole?”

“I hope I meet the kid one day,” he admits. “I’ve always wanted a brother. I think it’s why I love Dustin so much.”

“He’s something else,” Eddie agrees with a smile, he only got a week and a half with the dork before he went away to camp for the month of June. Everyone missed him, he was the life of their party.

Steve, still resting his chin on Eddie’s chest, pulls back and scoots his way up the bed a bit more so he can kiss him. Once, twice, three times before they start smiling, “he’s going to love this, you know?”

“Yeah?” He laughs. “He’s going to like his dungeon master and his babysitter getting together?”

Steve nods, “love it.”

He likes hearing Steve say that word. Love. He wants to be loved by him so fucking bad he’d do anything for it. “Steve… you think you can refrain from talking about him so we can get back to what you invited me here to do?”

He nods, “mhm,” he mumbles against his lips, cupping his face in his hands as he straddles his hips again.

Eddies hands wander up his thighs and over his hips, he slips them into the pockets of Steve’s jeans, cupping his ass as his tongue slips into Eddie’s mouth. Lost in the sensation, they end up in a haze of emotions, slowing time and making the pleasure endless…

It’s the first time Steve didn’t have to have sex to feel truly connected to someone. He felt safe and loved and happy… all without taking his clothes off.

General Taglist

@ncsls0515 @stevesmunsons @reidsbookclub @wroteclassicaly @sweetyyhippyy @manuosorioh @mrs-dr-reid @k-k0129

Steddie

@nosaladallowed-ao3 @maya-custodios-dionach @wifeyreid @girl-with-an-orange-cat

#steddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #steve harrington fanfiction #eddie munson fanfiction #stranger things fanfiction #steddie fanfiction

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sunny-117 · 1 year

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Hi, how are you? I hope you are doing well. I have a request if you want to write it. Can you do a tickle fight between Jun Han, O.de, and Jungsu? Thank you and have a good day/night💙💙

Heyyy <3

Sorry that it took so long, but maby you read the post that I struggle with my health right now. But finaly the holidays are here and now I have more time to write if I feel ok 😁

I hope you like it and I hope you also have a good day/night🫶🏻✨️

And I hope the others like it too😌☺️💗

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Bored < laughter

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Switch: O.de , Switch: Junhan , Switch: Jungsu

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Since the other three members had their tickle fight, jungsu wanted to do the same.

He wanted also a tickle fight. But with whom and how should he get attention?Jungsu thought for a while and as he heard O.de singing to Thunderous by Stray kids. They really loved Stray Kids and thats why they also watched a lot of videos from them or listen / singing to their songs. That’s why he went to O.des room and quickly went in.Just like Gunil watched a stray kıds video before the second tickle fight happened, so did O.de. Only that he sang a Stray kıds song. Coincidence?

They are in the same company and that’s why they also had connections with Stray kids.Jooyeon was once in a live from Bang chan. Channie also reacted to their cover from the song Helivator or their debut song Happy death day. It was cool to have such great connections.

Jungsu stood behind O.de and he did realized that Jungsu was behind him, but he didn't turn around to tease jungsu a bit. Jungsu gave him an experimental squeeze in the ribs.That caught O.de of guard as he flinched and spinned around to see Jungsu.O.de didn't wanted to make it obvious that it tickled so he bit on his lip as he waited that Jungsu said why he was here. He tried to play cool and asked: ”What’s up?”

“Ugh… Just bored.” answerd Jungsu and thought to himself. Jungsu never really saw O.de laugh as they tickled him. He is just so good to keep the laughter in. Jungsu needed help. Also if that means that a tickle fight will break out. But that was what Jungsu wanted. Jungsu heard that Junhan was a good ler from Gunil so he wanted his help. “I hope your not bored from me.” Giggled O.de and jungsu also laugh a little. “Ofc not. I just want to have a little fun.” Said Jungsu and poked O.de rapidly in the belly.

The younger boy tried to get a hold on Jungsus hands but he failed. And O.de also failed to hold the laugh in. A little giggle came out and Jungsu heard that. “That was so cute!” Squealed Jungsu and formed a Claw with his hand like he did with Jooyeon and scribbled over O.des belly. “Juhuhuhungsuhuhu.” Shrieked O.de as he tried to wiggle away and tried to hold his laughter in again. But that was impossible now. The hand on his belly and the ticklish feeling that goes through his whole body…

He didn't had a chance to control it again. But what he could do is fight back. And he did it. O.de was still giggling but he pushed Jungsu gently and squeezed his sides. Jungsu legs went limp and he was sinking to the ground. The thin fabric of his t-shirt he was wearing didn't help much to stop the ticklish feeling a little bit. It felt like O.des hands were on his bare sides. He kneaded up and down the soft flesh of Jungsus sides. O.de didn't stop until he heard jungsus begs over his cute laughter: ”SEHEHEUHUHUNGMIN STOHOHOP!”

“Oh. Now we are using the full names. Are we?” Asked O.de with a playful grin on his lips and stopped for a second. That was a huge mistake. Jungsu recovered quickly and tried to tickle O.de again. But he realized it quickly and it turned into a wrestling match and the winner could tickle again. It went on for a few minutes as Junhan walked in.

“O.de I need-” junhan was interrupted by an hysterically giggling O.de. Jungsu had won the wrestling match and shoved his hands under the youngers arms and wiggled his fingers. Junhan knew that O.de was really ticklish there so he needed to do something. He thought and thought but heared as O.de begged:” JUHUHUNHAHAN! HEHEHEHELP!”

O.des face was red from all the laughing and you could see that he had tears in his eyes too. Ofc from the laughter. Junhan knew what he needed to do, so he went behind Jungsu who was still torturing O.des armpits and gently scratched at his neck. Jungsu stopped torturing O.de, because of the sudden ticklish feeling on his neck and looked at the innocent face of Junhan.

Junhan was grinning after a good minute of staring into each other’s eyes and squeezed his sides and also goes up until his hands were in Jungsus armpits. “Juhuhunhahan. Nohoho.” Giggled jungsu. Junhan realized that Jungsu wasn't as ticklish at his armpits then O.de but still giggled wich was really cute. O.de recovered again and Junhan saw that junhans legs were vulnerable. So he scribbled experimentally at junhans kneecaps and that made Junhan stop tickling Jungsu.“Ah… Seungmin I hehehelped yohou.” yelped Junhan and tried to curl up into a ball.“Junnie I know but you came into a tickle fight so you need to be tickled too.” said O.de but was really gentle with their favorite bunny. O.de squeezed the bunny's thighs and jungsu scribbled gently all over his waist. “Thahahats uhuhunfair.” Giggled Junhan and squeaked as Jungsu found a particular sensitive spot on Junhans lower belly.

They found their bunny really cute but they didn't wanted to wreck him. So they did tickle him for another minute and stopped. Jungsu pulled junhan in a hug and helped him to get the ghost tickles away. “You don’t help me?” Asked O.de and as they both look at him he made a face that looked like he was betrayed.Both man laughed and pulled O.de also in their hug even tho O.de is not a fan for physical contact and as they were finished they started a Instagram live because they were bored again…

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As i already wrote: I hope you like the fic💗

A gentle reminder: English is not my first language and that my DMs are always open for requests 🫶🏻

#kpop #kpop tickle #xdinary heroes #kpop tickle fic #Switch junhan #Switch O.de #Switch Jungsu #Xdinary heroes tickle

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sleepdeprivedsimp234 · 1 year

Text

Louisiana HC’s because I friggin’ love him 🥺🥺💛💚💜 Also @simpyfrog , cuz I think they might like this. Maybe.

-he has a few different nicknames, but his main one is Loui. His others are: Lou, Ana, The Pelican State, and Magnolia (his state flower).

-his "human" age is 22 and his state age (or how long he has been a state) is 211 years

-his height is 5’7

-Loui has an unnatural love for animals and knows a lot about them

-Texas decided to teach him how to ride horses and it went really well! Sorta. Loui just was kinda cautious about the horses because they are all a lot bigger than him and stronger.

-so as we know, Loui doesn’t, or at least, barely sleeps, cuz he’s usually "haunting’ the house at night and is active during the day. So sometimes his body will just shut down at random parts of the day and he’ll fall asleep on the spot (no matter what he’s doing). Florida now has the habit of putting an arm either in front of Loui, or behind him in case he falls.

-he has autism, high-functioning depression and anxiety, and PTSD

-one time Texas decided to give Loui hennessy. Yea. Um. Never again. The sounds coming from him could only be described as a demon getting strangled 😭 He hated it. It bit him.

-the LAST, and I mean, the LAST thing any of the states want is for somebody to piss off a hungover Loui. The last time someone did that, let’s just say Alabama got LAUNCHED across the living room.

-Loui love’s complimenting his friends, but he can’t handle compliments directed at him. If somebody compliments him, he will 100% malfunction and be blushing for a long time, and it’s absolutely adorable.

-absolutely adores thunderstorms. He loves the lightning and the rain, but sometimes the thunder will give him a little spook.

-he enjoys making weird concoctions of random drinks and always manages to make the most interesting drinks that just leave the others either concerned or impressed

-the resident "Shots Til’ You Drop" winner with Texas not too far behind

-sometimes he paints his nails black, purple, or gold

-his father was an absolute piece of sh*t and abused him mentally and physically before selling him to America, so now Loui also has ✨abandonment issues✨, and thinks that his friends will abandon him if he isn’t good enough.

-at random times, he will cuddle up to somebody on the couch and fall asleep hugging them, no matter who it is. And nobody, NOBODY, not even Alaska, have the heart to move him. They will just sit there and continue watching TV or whatever they were doing.

-he also purrs like a cat, so whenever he decides to mess with New York about basically being a cat in human form, York will shut him up by dragging him to the couch and reducing him to a tired purring puddle of adorableness. He shuts up pretty quickly.

-in that one episode where Loui insults Ohio (WNR 9/8 pt2: Boneless Chicken Wings Man, if ur curious), the aftermath of that was Loui just continuously apologizing to Ohio for insulting him and Ohio reassuring him that it was ok and all fun and games (😭😭 Bless his lil’ heart 😭😭)

-Tex and Loui are actually closer than most people think, and same with Mass and Loui. They just aren’t the duos that people would expect to exist and get along.

-so we all know that Loui is a sweet funky lil’ guy that could do no wrong, but he can most definitely be a b*tch if he wants to

-he knows how to play a bunch of instruments and he has a really nice singing voice

-as mentioned in one of my previous posts, Loui speaks French. And so do a few other states. Those states have heard and understood what Loui was saying whenever he decided to insult someone in French and to say they were stunned would be an understatement. Example:

*Alabama won’t shut up about his state being the one where Mardi Gras started*

Loui, done with his sh*t: *under his breath* Nan, je ne pense pas que tu vailles la quantité de dynamite qu'il faudrait pour t'envoyer en enfer…. (Naw, i dont think you're worth the amount of dynamite it would take to blow you to the pits of hell….)

Texas, who heard and understood him: *the man was too stunned to speak, but he’s also trying to not burst out laughing*

-Loui enjoys scaring people, but he also gets jumpscared really easily. And he doesn’t have a fight or flight response, he has a fight or freeze response, meaning he either punches the person that scared him, or he just freezes in place. One time, Alaska decided that it would be funny to stick his cold hand up Loui’s hoodie and place it on his back as he was zoned out and washing dishes.

Yea Texas ended up teasing Alaska about he got thrown into the kitchen island with a knife to his throat when he landed by someone that is only 5’7 and looks like he couldn’t harm a fly.

-sometimes Loui gets really anxious during meetings when things start getting too chaotic, and normally Florida would take that as a sign to calm down a bit, but when Florida doesn’t notice, Texas is the next one up (cuz I headcanon that Texas sits next to Loui). He’ll just reach over and grab Loui’s hand and just hold it for a while to calm him down before he has a full on anxiety attack. Or if there’s not too many states there (cOuGh CoUgH- Cali, Oklahoma, and Alaska- cOuGh CoUgH), he will snake a hand around Loui and hug him till he’s calm again.

-Loui is perhaps one of the only people that Alaska fears. For reasons.

=======================================================================

NOW TAKE SOME INCORRECT QUOTES WITH LOUI BEING THE MAIN CHARACTER BI-

===================================================================

York: Did it hurt when you fell-  Loui: From heaven? Wow, I didn’t think you were such a flirt-  York: No, I meant when you fell down the stairs.  Loui: ...  York: You just laid there for 15 minutes.

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Loui: I will send my army to attack!  Loui: *releases a dumpster of raccoons whilst grinning like a maniac*

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Loui: Don't go to the kitchen.  York: Why?  Loui: I saw a spider.  York: Well, did you kill it?  Loui: It has 8 arms and I only have 2, it's not fair...

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Gov: Stop setting things on fire because you're curious about what will happen. What will happen is fire.  Loui: But what if something else happens just this one time.

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*at a sleepover in Tex’s room (with Florida, Georgia, and Loui)*

Tex: Why aren’t you sleeping?  Loui: I’m too busy plotting your murder to sleep, Texas.  Tex:  Loui: ...The stupid ghosts and spirits. Tex: *wrapping their arms around Loui* Awwww, bud- (Mama Texas hours-)

============================================

Florida: Truth or dare?  Loui: Truth.  Florida : How many hours have you slept this week?  Loui:  Loui: Dare.  Florida: Go to sleep.  Loui: I don't like this game.

============================================

Some random b*tch with a gun to Loui’s head: What happens if I pull this trigger? Heaven?  Loui: *unfazed* Bold of you to assume I'll go to Heaven.

============================================

Gov: Just be careful, Louisiana!  Loui: *heading out the door* I'm always careful, Gov!  Loui: It's everything around me that's careless.

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Loui: *Gasp*  York: wHAT??  Loui: What if soy milk is just milk introducing itself in Spanish?  York: *inhales*  Cali, in another room with Washington: Why can I hear screeching?

============================================

Florida: If I were a drink, I'd be Cherry Vanilla Coke. If you were a drink, what would you be?  Tex: Bleach.  Loui: Sewage.  Florida, hugging them both: ...Please calm down, edgelords.

============================================

York: GET BACK HERE YOU DUMB F(speaks New York)!  Loui: LET ME RUN FROM THE CONSEQUENCES OF MY ACTIONS!

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(Georgia and Texas were tasked with keeping an eye on Florida and Loui, Geo took Florida, Tex took Loui)

Tex: I lost Loui.  Gov: How did you LOSE Louisiana?!  Tex: To be fair, he is very small.

============================================

Mass: Alright, listen up you little shits.  Mass: Not you Loui. You’re an angel and we’re thrilled you’re here.

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Utah to Loui: Look at you! All cute and small! I could just eat you up!  Loui: *proceeds to kick him in the shin and run away*  Alaska, limping while walking past: Rule number 1, don't call Louisiana cute or small.

============================================

Alabama, after he decided it would a good idea to jumpscare Loui: Is it still visible? Where Loui slapped me?  York: Your face looks like a don't walk signal.  Florida: Your face looks like a photo negative for the hamburger helper box.  Tex: A palm reader could tell Loui's future by looking at your face.  Gov, cringing at the mark: The phrase 'talk to the hand cause the face ain't listening' doesn't work for you, because the hand is your face.

Alabama: ...A simple 'yes' would've sufficed.

============================================

#ben brainard

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minachan95-written-works-on-ao3 · 8 months

Text

Title: That Rainy Night…

Fandom: King of Fighters

Characters: Kyo Kusanagi, Iori Yagami

Pairing: Iori x Kyo

Summary:

[This story was made as entry for September's month Aarinfantasy Writing Challenge.] [This story is a sequel to Something That You Cannot Dim and Take It Away...]

"<...>While Iori stares through the window, he wonders.

It’s been a while since he had such a sleepless night during the storm, or even much longer since that one time. That one rainy night changed their relationship completely. Or perhaps, just fastened the inevitable...<...>"

AO3 Link

September's writing prompt: "That Time"

Word count: 1949

It is almost the middle of the night, and everyone seems to be asleep in Yagami’s apartment. When the moon gets hidden by the gray clouds, it’s raining.

Soon enough, gentle raindrops grow into a heavy, pouring rain. And thus, a rhythmic, loud tapping at the window wakes one redhead.

Surely, it’s frustrating how such a simple thing disturbs his rest.

Suddenly, the lightning strikes, and he feels how someone clings to him and rubs his head against his chest before exhaling and releasing him.

At first, Iori assumes Kyo woke up as well. Yet, when he whispers his partner’s name, he doesn’t receive any response.

The redhead understands that the Kusanagi is unconsciously influenced by the weather while dreaming about something.

While Iori stares through the window, he wonders.

________________________________

A few years ago.

A couple of weeks have passed since Kyo’s wounds have healed.

Of course, he didn’t want to use his rival’s kindness for too long by living rent-free in his apartment. Nor to make Iori think he is taking advantage of him. And thus, when he could stand on his feet, he left.

Besides, he still feels guilty for making his family and friends worry about his sudden disappearance for a year. Perhaps he was buried in someone’s mind. But Kyo still worries about how he’ll get greeted or that his rival nursed him.

Either way, he wouldn’t mind staying longer if Yagami asked him. Strangely, he almost got used to it as it was his own home.

A month passed by. Finally, after a long time, the brunette is ready to have another match against Iori.

Besides, he is as thrilled as Iori, and it might be a good practice and a better way to get back in shape. Or so Kyo is determined as he fixes the biker gloves and puts on the white jacket before leaving.

After arriving at the destination place, he spots one certain redhead leaning against the wall.

When Iori notices him, he delightfully smiles and crosses his arms. “You’ve made me wait for you, Kyo.”

“Aren’t you so eager to get your ass kicked?” The Kusanagi replies as he raises his palm and ignites it. While the orange flame dances on his palm, he adds. “Fine. Just don’t get burnt~”

When Yagami approaches him, he repeats the same movement. “You talk too much… This time you’ll sing your swan song!”

Lastly, the brunette announces as the little fire sparkles in his eyes. “I would love to see that. Let’s do this, Yagami!”. Thus, after both dim their flames, both charge at each other, another fierce battle begins.

____________________

Some time passes. Finally, the match is over, but there is no clear winner. Apparently, both opponents barely stand while catching their breath.

While Iori holds onto himself and pants, he stares at Kyo, who wipes his mouth with a fist, giving a mocking look. “Have you realized that the victory is mine?”

Unfortunately, his launched punch is too weak that it’s enough for the redhead to move a bit and dodge the strike.

When the brunette harshly collapses on the gravel, he grunts.

“Tsk. Look who is talking?” Iori backfires as he bends and places his arm under his rival’s armpit. After they stand up together, he adds. “Either way, you’re going with me.”

Kyo only gives a questioning look. “What are you talking about?”

“Isn’t obvious? Your wounds need to be treated before you’ll face me next time.” Yagami explains while supporting the brunette.

____________________

After a while, they arrive at Iori’s apartment.

At first, the Kusanagi doubts his rival’s intentions when they enter the living room, and the redhead asks him to remove his black long-sleeved t-shirt.

Nevertheless, he does what is told and waits for Iori.

A few minutes pass. And thus, Yagami returns while carrying the first aid kit and sits close to him on the couch.

When the redhead opens the medkit and picks up the spray disinfectant, he orders. “Give me your arm.”

When Kyo turns his head away, he extends his arm. For now, he doesn’t mind how Iori holds his wrist or him examining his arm.

Yet, the sensation of the cold, stinging liquid sprayed over it makes him close his eyes.

“What’s wrong? It needs to be clean. So, hold it like this for a bit longer.” The redhead comments while he dries the disinfected area by gently tapping with the sterile cotton.

After he wraps the medical bandage around Kyo’s arm, he repeats the same process with another one.

Yet, the Kusanagi panics when Iori parts his legs with his knee and leans closer.

It doesn’t help that he cannot read the redhead’s serious face.

“The heck you’re doing?” The brunette widens his eyes and presses his back against the couch.

Meanwhile, Iori only narrows his gaze and sticks the white plaster on Kyo’s cheek.

After studying the brunette for longer, he remarks. “You don’t seem to have more wounds.”.

When Iori withdraws and tidies the left mess, he gets up and adds. “You can dress up and leave.”

For sure, ever since Iori brought him to his apartment after the NESTS lab incident, Kyo has noticed such weird behavior.

Of course, the brunette is curious whether Yagami is always like this or something bothers him.

That’s why he is determined to uncover the truth, even if he might get dragged out and thrown by the back of his collar.

When Kyo rests his hands behind his shoulders and sinks into the couch, he replies. “Why? I’m all good at staying here. Besides, I have no plans for tonight. So, be glad that I am gonna keep you a company.”

“Why do you have to be like this?” Iori facepalms.

The Kusanagi simply answers. “You’ve been acting strangely.”

“And you’re sticking your nose into other’s business as usual,” Iori complains.

“Then you wouldn’t put on a show like now if nothing happened. You’re in some sort of trouble, but you’re too stubborn to ask for help.” Kyo backfires.

As he lowers his arms and looks down, he feels a tightness in his throat, making it difficult to speak. After shakily exhaling, he adds while clenching his palms into the fists. “How can’t you understand that you’re not alone and the entire world is not your enemy? It’s okay to rely on others or at least on me if you don’t trust that much anyone, you know. And… I don’t want to see you suffering.”

Meanwhile, Yagami only rolls his eyes and thinks to himself. “Then do not interfere and leave me alone, you fool.”

Lastly, Kyo confesses in a calm tone. “I know I cannot lift your blood curse, nor you denounce your name to end it. However, at least let me relieve a part of your pain. Because I don’t want to lose you ever again.”

Suddenly, Iori corners his rival and grasps his throat while he doesn’t remove his eyes from him.

As his hand slides to the side of his neck, Kyo breathes a sigh of relief and looks at him, still in shock. “Yagami?”

“Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you.” The redhead whispers.

Just before Kyo says anything else, he closes his eyes and gasps when Iori sinks his face into the crook of his neck and starts licking it.

Soon enough, the sound of the thunderstorm and heavy rain made him widen his eyes.

The sensation of how his sensitive neck is assaulted bewilders Kyo. All he can do is hold back from letting out the purring-like noises. More so, without realizing it, he wraps one arm around his partner’s shoulders.

After such a gesture, Iori withdraws his face and stares at Kyo. For now, he is just as confused as the brunette.

However, none of them say anything, or there is no need to waste time on that. A second later, the redhead gives a questioning look to the Kusanagi while his placed hand on his chest slides down his abs.

Of course, Kyo is aware of what it will lead to, but he doesn’t mind. If this is what his partner wants or simply seeking comfort, then so be it.

After all, it’s the person to whom he can entrust his life and body. Iori saw and accepted him when he was most vulnerable, pathetic, and broken.

Besides, it should be fine to do it with someone he knows rather than being violated by soulless machines and disposed of after fulfilling his purpose. Or so Kyo decides, as he only closes his eyes and nods.

More so, if he was disgusted or didn��t want it, he could still push Iori away and run. The fact that Iori had concealed these powerful feelings for an unknown length of time was more shocking than finally revealing them.

In the end, the brunette leaves the rest for his partner.

__________________________

Several minutes pass. Aside from the raindrops rapidly tapping the window, the bedroom is filled with lover cries and groaning.

Only watching his long-time rival making such lewd, adorable expressions and sounds even more arouses Iori.

After all, it’s his first time seeing this side of Kyo. However, it only makes him desire of him more.

More so, the redhead hopes that nobody witnessed before or ever will something endearing that only belongs to him. He is even ready to kill anyone on the spot, whoever would dare to touch Kyo or take him away from him again.

Meanwhile, the brunette addresses his partner. “I don’t get it. You keep saying that you’ll kill me… But now… You.. you’re doing the opposite.”

When Iori stops moving, Kyo realizes he did something wrong and ruined the intimate moment.

However, he widens his eyes when Yagami holds his hands and pulls him to a kiss. At first, such a gesture genially confused Kyo.

After all, it’s only sex which only purpose is to use someone to get what you want, even if that person objects. Or so the brunette learned it the hard way.

That’s why, now it feels the opposite of what he had experienced in the lab. Surprisingly, it’s even something pleasant for him, and he doesn’t feel ashamed and stressed at all.

But for now, as soon as their fingers intertwine, Kyo blissfully closes his eyes while enjoying being embraced by Iori.

In the end, the Kusanagi can swear that the rain slowly soothes his scars from the past when he is being held by this man.

_____________________________

Back to the present.

Eventually, the storm finally calms down.

Suddenly, the Kusanagi’s struggling, and his sleepy voice returns the redhead to his senses. “What is it with you? Did you have a nightmare or something?”

Apparently, when Iori was staring out the window, he didn’t notice how he wrapped his arms around Kyo.

While Iori refuses to let him go, he replies. “Nothing. Just been thinking about something. So, go back to sleep.”

“And you need to use me as a plush toy for that?” The brunette genially asks.

However, he receives no answers, only having his head pressed against his partner’s chest.

Some time passed. It’s the beginning of the next day.

When Kyo gets up, the first thing is checking through the window. After noticing the view outside for a couple of minutes, he covers his face with one palm and fixes his hair upon remembering certain events. “You idiot…”

Perhaps yesterday, Iori saw the same rain as that one time.

#kof #king of fighters #iori yagami #kyo kusanagi #kyo x iori #iori x kyo #fanfiction #complete #one-shot #kyoxiori one-shot #hurt/comfort

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because-its-eurovision · 10 months

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who is your 2020 esc winner? oooooor could you give us your top 5 from 2020?

Ok, so. In my opinion 2020 was VERY weak year and I can barely scrape five songs I liked, so in that sense it doesn't bother me that this was the season we lost. What makes me sad though is that in my opinion the most likely winners were Lithuania and Iceland and even though they got great results the next year, it might take a long time before either of them is an actual contender again. Here we go:

5: Spain: Blas Cantó - Universo While I recognise the song is not necessarily anything special, I really like the modern elements during verses, the Spanish language and Blas's voice.

4: Switzerland: Gjon's Tears - Répondez-moi I mean, it's Gjon's Tears. His VOICE. It's otherworldy.

3: Iceland: Daði og Gagnamagnið - Think About Things So ridiculously catchy and entertaining. Better than 10 Years, even. 80's gamemusic effects are brilliant and really tickle my soul.

2: Lithuania: The Roop - On Fire My favourite Lithuanian entry of all time. Catchy beat, crisp and slightly melancholic, great lyrics. Love it to bits. I believe it would have won in 2020.

1: Italy: Diodato - Fai Rumore Which country is the best in Eurovision and why is it Italy? His voice, the orchestration, the lyrics. The contrast between the two performances, when during the the pandemic Diodato performed alone in an empty arena, and two years after that when he got to perform to a full arena in front of the home audience, and everyone was singing along fai rumore sì, che non lo posso sopportare, questo silenzio innaturale 😭😭😭

youtube

honestly the first chorus is probably the most magical moment I've ever been part of in a live Eurovision show

edit. almost forgot my bubbling under: we never got the live performance, but Germany was also excellent! Of course it had the be the year when the contest got cancelled.

#this was a lovely ask #thank you anon!#eurovision #asks

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galderthefuzzy · 1 year

Photo

Hello everyone, today I have a very unique piece to share.

Behold - Hypernia, a magical lute I've had the pleasure to paint for the wonderful MercuryAshoke! I had a lot of fun with this project, it's not every day one gets to design such a unique item. I hope you enjoy the final outcome.

Thank you for commissioning me!

For all those who like a good story behind the art,

MercuryAshoke

has provided one for Hypernia

Hypernia is quite literally a Bard's truest companion. The best way to describe her is to dive into the origin of her relationship with her Player Trist'Ayran who remains her constant companion and player:

When Trist was barely a teenager, living on the street off what little he could beg and busk for as a singing youth in his home city, a local nobleman announced that his family vaults had been opened on his former Patriarch's death, and they had recovered an ancient Heirloom Instrument that was known to shine with the very heart of a star when played by a musician with a soul pure as a melody and a Heart as full of music as it was life. The Lute was rumored to be carved of Purple Heartwood from a tree so ancient it had petrified and had ingrown opals in the wood grain. Rumors abound that this Lute was the priceless pride and joy of the Nobleman's line but the true potential of the instrument could only be revealed via a true musician's awakening.

Naturally this meant that the Lord would hold a competition: for any who could put forward a small sum to participate, Musicians, aspiring, and professionals were welcome to try and earn their chance to win the Purple Heartwood Artifact.

Trist of course being a street urchin since birth was immediately taken by the thought of having an honest to goodness instrument to play, and perform with he might have a means to truly feed himself. So he managed to stash away enough to pay the due and participate in the competition. Doing so meant he and his mother barely ate for a week but this was a chance to live his dream and sing for a crowd, a chance to truly show he was worth more than the gutter trash all saw him as.

The Nobleman's day of competition arrived and while he was sneered at and scoffed at the boy Trist was given the final slot on the roster following the lord himself. The crowd’s cheers were meant to decide the winner and Trist listened anxiously seeing so many musicians and bards playing, and singing, but he -had- to try. When the Lord performed it was heart stoppingly magnificent the crowd even if they weren’t in the Noble’s favor had to cheer at his talent, briefly Trist entertained the thought of backing out as there was no way he could outperform the Noble himself… Just before he fled however his name was called, and the emaciated street rat youth was herded onto the Dias. Everyone in the city was gathered round to dance all eyes on him. He began with the faintest tremor in his voice, but then the song came through. Trist’s voice was the sort of beauty that poets wrote of and that stories described as the sort that could move people to tears, for the joy of having been there to hear it. Indeed some listening as he sang in simple vocalizations and words of the hardships of those below, reaching instead for the dark seeing the hope in the next day, -did- weep their eyes glistening in the dusk light. As if in honor of the song’s conclusion the last vestige of daylight vanished behind the towering manor houses and estates, it seemed the world took in a breath and called for the silence that followed. Murmurs in the crowd halted and they all looked to this strange boy who had sung in rags and tattered shoes that were too big for him and mismatched, whose bones were too visible beneath his skin. Rather than despair rather than the agony of what his existence must have been, he’d sung of hope, and a love for his fellow people that none had ever reciprocated as so plainly was clear on his bruises under the dirt caked onto his too thin skin. Trist for his part had lost himself in the melody so much so, to this day he cannot quite recall what it was that he sang, not entirely. He held his breath when at first the conclusion had been met with silence… and the descent of night on the streets.

Then the crowd erupted in cheers Louder and more insistent than all the performances leading up to Trist’s. Had the boy not been so delighted and starstruck at the praise, the approval he had never gotten in his life before, he might have Noticed the Seething outrage on the Lord’s features, the bitterness, and the disdain plain on his face. Still he had his word, and clapped along with the crowd. Praise and smiles that never met his eyes graciously declared Trist the victor and assured all assembled by brandishing a purple Lute case that the Boy would receive his due. The Nobleman too was praised for his gracious loss, and cheered off the Stage. The Reluctant boy longed to bask longer in the moment of at last being seen, heard, understood by all that had heard him but this prize! The Heirloom he had won! He simply had to see what wonder it truly was for himself.

The Lord once out of view of the crowd sneered and had his men and himself Lead Trist into an alleyway. No sooner were they out of earshot that the Noble Wrenched Trist’s arm and hurled him past the gate that closed him off from the Estate, the Stage, The people who would see what their winner received. Bitterly the lord recounted how had Trist simply not been there he had been the clear winner and the whole pageant had been a formality, that the gutter snipe’s filthy hands had no right to touch something so priceless. Taunted Trist as he scrambled to his feet protesting that the Lute belonged to him, that he’d won it by the Lord’s own rules. He tried to make a grab for the case but the guards dispatched the Youth with a well placed blow to the back of his head and to the center of his core. The frail boy simply crumpled and fought the tears as new bruises formed under his layers of filth and grime from the streets. Scoffing and laughing the Lord chucked the case at Trist ensuring it landed with a pained twang and splintering sound as it collided with the boy hard enough to knock the wind out of him a second time, dislodging the tears and the sob that he had been fighting to keep inside, defeat and pain and humiliation settling in as he laid in the street. “Trash for Trash, urchin, you two deserve each other.” Was the Lord’s parting barb as Trist opened the now dented case to reveal what he’d ‘won’.

Within the crushed moth eaten velvet was a broken, brutalized Lute, stained with water damage and pain, splintered wood and only two strings on broken neck and pegs, every Rose hole had been cracked, their once intricate patterns now ruins of the image of two moons and a Sunburst. The instrument was a painful reminder, a reflection of how the world still saw him. Something to discard in an alley not even worth fixing. But Trist’Ayran Ambrosio was not one to accept that… That he and this abandoned instrument didn’t deserve a chance to sing, or to play again. Over time the story of the remarkable riff raff of the streets became a forgettable hear say, and everyone went on with their lives, the Nobleman Still dissatisfied because ever since the competition he’d have to wait until he might be seen with the artifact in person, and that was if it didn’t stop breaking strings when he attempted to play it in private. Trist for his part, knew nothing of that struggle, he only knew his own. He spent every waking moment that was not spent feeding himself working desperately on restoring the broken Lute into something playable. The time he didn’t spend scavenging for parts of heartwood, or broken strings to tether together he spent spying on Music Lessons other children took for granted, studying and listening in to learn how to play… Soon enough Trist was teaching himself, and having barely cobbled together the lute he’d even started to write his own songs, stories to keep him going on off the notes strummed from broken but never abandoned strings. He worked her back into working shape and played her until his fingers bled and were riddled with splinters and Calluses. Some nights he didn’t sleep, he always barely ate, and simply played… and played… and played, determined to prove that he had something to say worth hearing, that -both- of them did. The Gutter Trash and The Broken instrument. A year passed, and The Nobleman out of frustration and finally believing the superstitions that the Heirloom itself would not play for anything short of a musician of caliber having proved themselves to his people, decided to post the Competition once more. Only this time with the Fee doubled and the stipulation that those entering had to be proficient in Lute specifically before they could win the chance to earn this Priceless heirloom. He believed -then- perhaps he might handle the artifact as was his right. And the stipulations would prevent the Urchin from ever humiliating him again. Little did he know that Trist had been of the first to Pay his due, signing up under an assumed name so the Lord did not simply remove him out of spite, that is if the Noble even remembered the Child he’d brutalized and discarded. The competition this time was even larger and more Grand than before, nobles, lords and ladies of all parts were invited to play, and attempt to earn the Purple Heartwood Heirloom Lute, one said to carry within it the heart and power of a star. Many were very promising talents, phenomenal musicians; gifted all in their own right, being trained from childhood in the art of music. There were also others who wished to try their luck of lower caste if they could afford it, running on rumors that there had been a winner some time ago… but clearly he’d been found unworthy, as the Noble still possessed the Instrument but was never seen with it. Trist waited for his name to be called patiently, and what luck that he once again was to perform after the Noble. Trist clutched the half destroyed case close to his chest a boy in a sea of sneering offended faces, his very presence a blemish on their perfect evening, but he had paid for his slot well in advance insisting on the final show so that his was the performance they’d remember. It was a risk because it meant he’d be more likely to be discovered but He wanted to hear if anyone else truly believed as Trist did. If there was anyone at all that honored the Music as he did, loved it and needed it and -breathed- it as he did; Maybe then he’d be able to walk away. Finally the Noble took his place on the dias and boldly from the magnificent Crystal display pulled the Heirloom itself off the Pillar before beginning to play. Trist found himself cursing that the awe in his face was genuine, the magnificent tones produced from that priceless instrument was no doubt one of the most breathtaking any would ever have the pleasure to hear, and the Lord to his credit played her with the sort of expertise that was the envy of all assembled… All but perhaps one. The Noble’s fingers bled and ached from attempting to tame the instrument, but he hid it well, how the Heirloom seemed to fight him with every song he wrung from its strings. The crowd only saw cheers and delight. Trist from his tucked away vantage in an effort to keep from being seen before his name was called however saw the evidence of the Noble’s proving unworthy of such an instrument. In the end it didn’t matter because his false name was announced to the crowd, and he descended from the hiding space to walk up to the Dias. The Noble noticed him to late immediately recognizing the boy that bested him last year and snatched his Heirloom off its pillar once more, about to demand Trist leave, but the whole assembled crowd gasped when Trist tossed the case aside to reveal what he had done. There were laughs and jeers mocking the purple paint that had been used to try and mirror the heirlooms, strung with mismatched strings and Lute pegs, crudely repaired and looking as misused as Trist himself. Then he played. The melody competed with the jeers and heckling for a few moments but one by one each voice fell silent, as the notes rang from the reverberations of the Street-Rat’s lute strings. Trist’s eyes fell closed and for a moment he simply played, letting the Song guide him, allowing his voice to harmonize with the strings' perfectly tuned magic. The whole crowd of onlookers were left speechless, this boy that moments ago had been a laughing stock, sang as he had a year ago, sang with the hardship and the hurts but the determination to inspire any who shared his to sing as well, the strings sparking with light and stardust bursting from every strum of his callused child’s fingers. The lute herself seemed to hum and glow. Rage painted the Lord’s vision Red How DARE this child make a fool of him, and steal from him! Clearly the boy had taken what was his, He tried to make a dive for Trist but even entranced in his performance haze or maybe because of it Trist’s feet started to lift off the dias on the notes he played, off the Lute he had restored. His every emotion stirred awake, tears rolled down his cheeks painting clean streaks in their wake on his soot covered face as he sang the harmony to his playing, his voice carrying farther and farther, out into the streets and through the city like some haunting, echoing call to be seen by the world. Not as broken things to be discarded… but rather if they were simply loved as they deserved to be, that alone could redefine priceless. There were voices who had carried out the chorus in the crowd now, singing with him reaching out to him as he called out to every person who had felt they weren’t enough and clearly sang “I see you… Let me Listen… Let me hear your song, and let it be a better one for all its broken pieces.” When the music faded, Trist was deposited on his feet gently and the cheers erupted. They were however cut short by the roar of the Lord who accused Trist of stealing, of deceiving, of being worthless, his temper exposing him for the monster Trist knew him to be. The Youth stood his ground feigning calm even when he feared the Noble would not simply beat him this time. Convinced Trist had stolen his Heirloom after the display of starlight erupting from this cobbled broken instrument The Lord howled for Trist to give him back the prize he stole and The Lute in Trist’s hands -erupted- in light so hot it seared the Nobleman’s hands. The Lord screamed in abject agony watching his hands come away ashen black and unfeeling. Trist simply stared cooly at the Noble who had beaten him and once tossed the same Lute he held now at him as a cruel joke and simply said, “Keep your Precious Heirloom, my Lord, Perhaps one day she’ll let you play her if you prove worthy, it would be a tragedy to rob the world of your music.” Then Trist turned heel, his instrument still glowing with all the force of a newborn star, and strode through the crowd that parted for him. From that day on the only name they ever put to the humble Youth who bested the greatest noble musician in the realm was not his, but rather the Name he’d given his Instrument, “Hypernia”.

#digital art #digital artwork #fantasy #warcraft #World of Warcraft #Fanart #fanfiction #elf #commission #item design #lute #bard #magical #magic #story

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adoordelano · 2 years

Text

Lil RPF (so real life basically) Vandergerd fic because I’m not over this season

Or read on AO3:

The finale episode has just finished filming. Two endings were filmed, of course, so that if it got spoiled at least people wouldn’t know exactly who the winner is, and even though the announcement of the winner is fake, even though they don’t know for sure, the celebration is real, the tears are real, the emotions are real.

And Irma’s in the back, watching the possible winners take the scepter and make their speeches. They cheer and clap, and when they look to their right, Vivian’s looking right back at them.

The cast de-drags and goes to a local bar to celebrate, the small pub in Hamilton being completely unprepared for twelve drag queens fresh off filming their season, the cast taking up the bar, the floor, the karaoke machine on stage as Kimmy and Boom Boom sing a riveting duet.

Everyone is clustered around Gisele and Jada, yelling about how the two of them could possibly win, reminiscing on the season as a whole, and after a little bit the noise gets too much for Irma and they step outside, leaning against the building.

The door swings open, and Vivian walks out, stands next to them. They meet eyes, the brunette’s full of an emotion Irma can’t describe.

“So,” he says.

“So,” they reply.

The two are silent for a moment, then Irma says, “I really thought you’d be in the top.”

“Me too,” Vivian admits. “And I thought you’d be with me. But I’m happy for Jada and Gisele. They deserve it.”

“And you know we would have fucked up the choreography anyways.”

Vivian laughs and replies, “I think our verses would have been even worse. Come on, white Canadians trying to rap!”

They laugh and instinctively reach a hand toward Vivian, and he does the same, their fingers touching each other’s forearms, Vivian’s bare skin on Irma’s like an electric blanket they never want to take off.

They both realize what they’re doing, and Irma wonders if they should pull back, if they should stop whatever this is, but Vivian isn’t pulling back. He looks at their touching arms, where their fingers touch his skin, but before he can do anything a loud cheer is heard through the door as Kimmy and Boom Boom finish their song.

Irma and Vivian look back at each other, and Irma realizes where they are. What’s going on. The season’s done filming. Everyone will go their own separate ways, back to their own lives.

But they don’t want Vivian to leave.

With all the confidence they muster, they say, “So…we’re done filming.”

“Yeah,” he replies, looking at Irma with a twinkle in his eyes, a dare.

“We can do whatever we want.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Do you wanna maybe…call and talk to each other every day until we’re sick of each other?”

Vivian keeps his eyes on Irma, trails his fingers down until their fingertips are touching, loosely holding each other’s hands.

“Is that really what you wanted to ask me,” he questions.

If he wants to be bold, so be it.

“No.”

Irma leans down and kisses Vivian, lips cupping his sweetly, delicately. The brunette moves for a better angle, reaches up to cup Irma’s jaw.

They stay like that for what might have been an eternity, then their lips separate with a pop, and they look at each other, faces inches apart, the only sound being the chirp of crickets and their breaths.

“Do you wanna do that again,” Irma asks.

Vivian nods and they kiss again, all the pent up tension and feelings from the past weeks being unleashed, poured into this kiss, like a tsunami of craving that overwhelmed them both.

Irma pushes Vivian against the wall, runs their hands through his hair, and he responds in kind, mouth opening in a moan, deepening the kiss, gripping Irma’s jacket like he’ll never let go.

The door opens, and they quickly separate, trying in vain to pretend like they weren’t just making out against the outside of a bar, but luckily the person who opened the door is a very drunk Gisele.

“It’s fucking cold out here, what are you guys doing,” she half-yells, a broad grin on her face. Irma can’t blame her, she’s a possible winner of Canada’s Drag Race.

“Just getting a breath of fresh air,” Vivian lies.

“Well come back in here, we need to celebrate me being in the top two!”

Vivian gives a thumbs up, and Gisele seems satisfied with that answer, going back inside and shutting the door with a thud.

Irma and Vivian look back at each other.

“I don’t wanna go back inside,” the brunette says.

“Neither do I.”

They kiss one more time, softly, and then Vivian asks, “Do you wanna go back to my hotel room?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

They get an Uber back to the hotel, sending a message to the group chat saying that they’re tired and going to get some sleep, getting mostly drunk responses and thumbs up.

“Do you think everyone knows,” Irma asks, head resting on Vivian’s lap.

“Probably,” he says.

But as the Uber gets closer to the hotel, Vivian’s fingers running through Irma’s hair, the Newfoundlander couldn’t care less about anything but the person with them.

#vandergerd #vivian vanderpuss #irma gerd #canadas drag race

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cosettepontmercys · 6 hours

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Hi! I'm so sorry I haven't replied. I hope you had a good week! Haha that makes sense and is totally a valid reason to watch the show and I'm glad you're enjoying it. Maybe I will start watching a new show soon at some point but I always say that and then I never do. I did end up watching some performances of a few musicals...Gatsby, Water for Elephants, and also Suffs. I had no idea what the musical was about but I think I liked it and it seemed original at least. I also found out that Illinoise is a musical based on Sufjan Stevens songs, and Hells kitchen might be similar with Alicia Keys..idk. I think the problem with theater now is that there's always adaptations so maybe that's why those didn't get nominated. Last year, the best musical winner was Kimberly Akimbo which I think is only based on a play. I'm not even familiar with it but I thought Some Like it Hot had potential too so sometimes it really just depends. Even Newsies is based on the Disney movie and one of my other favorites is Waitress, so they can be good. I don't think I'm going to make predictions but I would be curious what yours are.

Oh that's nice. What did you think? Or what was your ranking of all of Carley Fortune's books? I haven't read Meet Me at the Lake yet but mostly loved Every Summer After. It's sitting on my shelf next to People we meet on vacation so maybe I will read these first. But she said the new book is kinda focused on friendship which was something I enjoyed in Every Summer After so I hope it's good, and I know People we meet on Vacation is too. I was reading mixed reviews on Goodreads earlier but I'm sure I'll find something to enjoy about it. But I just read a snippet of Funny Story and This Summer Will be Different to compare and they seem promising too. I was originally supposed to read and pair Meet Me at the Lake with Happy Place though so now I don't know..lol. How would you compare them to Emily Henry books..either to pair them or just in general. I definitely think there are some similarities with the summery vibes. Hopefully I can decide and stick to it so I will keep you updated.

Did you know what the Outsiders was about since you haven't even seen the movie or did you just know in a general way? The only reason I knew it was from my English class and I probably wouldn't know about it otherwise, which is why I ask. But I think you will like it if you like teen movies, which I love. Unfortunately I have only read the book once compared to seeing the movie a lot over the years but I love the movie so much so if you get a chance, watch the movie after. I'm glad you liked the Gatsby movie cuz that's what I was basing my knowledge of it on lol. Before that, I barely knew what Gatsby was either though lol but probably would have watched it eventually.

I did watch a bootleg of the Pippin revival once and enjoyed it. the circus stuff was cool and I liked the role of a female leading player..but this is the only version I've seen. I think for me it's one of the musicals where I prefer a few songs over the whole musical. I think I remember being kinda confused when it ended too and don't really remember it that well. The circus part is one of the most memorable things about it to me but I did enjoy it.

Omg I was pretty shocked she changed the order of the setlist around for the tour. Like Red is now after Fearless. I kinda wonder what the reasoning for that is, because she could have had it in that order since the beginning? But I guess it's cuz she combined Folklore and Evermore into one set and Evermore was supposed to be there I guess. Some of the cut songs make sense, like the Archer or Tis the Damn Season but Tolerate it kinda had a cool set that was theatrical which is why I liked it. I can't believe she cut Long Live and did not even sing Castles Crumbling..I hope she does at some point if only to see her and Hayley performing together! However it also makes getting it as a surprise song still special to me compared to if she would just perform it at every show so idk. Without that though, I'm sad and there was no reason to cut Long Live, but I understand the first half of shows didn't have it either. I liked the new sets and songs a lot but I can't understand her starting it with But Daddy I Love Him..and I think the Alchemy would be a much better choice than So High School, cuz at least that one could be interpreted about performing on tour. Who's Afraid of Little Old Me was definitely a highlight and her vocals were amazing. I knew she would perform Fortnight and I predicted Down Bad too. The alien imagery at least looks cool I guess. I loved I can do it with a broken heart theatrics and choreography. It reminded me a lot of her past tours especially Red with the circus theme. I was right about no anthology songs since I think they could work better as acoustic surprise songs. love when she has new costumes and I like seeing different color combinations, but I was surprised she didn't mention the new album really in her speeches. I also don't know why there wasn't at least one debut song at all. At first I thought it was because it was eventually gonna come out on tour and possibly be added but now I don't think that's the case eith the new album. I definitely understand why she would wanna perform her new songs while she's on tour too though if she won't be on tour for a while after this so to her releasing a new album instead kinda made sense? What did you think? I think I will try to guess surprise songs again next week. I wanted to reply since it had been a week and I guess I just kept forgetting but I'm sorry if I missed anything or am bad at replying again. I hope you're doing well!

hi friend!! i hope you're having a good week 🤍

i actually have not watched any more of graceland since we last talked — i think i might be done with it (i got seven episodes in though). it just really isn't my thing! but bridgerton is coming back this week so i'll try to watch that soon. i've been rereading the books in preparation! and then the bear is back in june! so much good tv soon!

i'm really intrigued by illinoise. the state of theatre now is just so ... :/ bleak? i don't know how to explain it (i say, as if i haven't been recording voice memos venting about it to some friends lately — but it's always been easier for me to verbally go on a tangent vs. write a more ... formulated/stuctured ... reply). and i also don't know if you're interested in hearing my ~ thoughts ~ on the industry haha. have you seen anything about stereophonic? i'm obsessed with it; i need to see it so badly. i've been listening to the cast recording on repeat. i'm not super super confident on my tony predictions, but i'm thinking: stereophonic for best play, the outsiders for best musical, merrily for best revival, groff for best lead actor, kelli (or maryann) for best lead actress, dan radcliffe for best featured actor — unsure about best featured actress but would love for it to go to lindsay mendez or leslie rodriguez kritzer but honestly would be happy for anyone... maria friedman for best direction, maybe korins for here lies love scenic — or tom scutt for cabaret. curious to see if stereophonic genuinely has a shot at best score. would love justin peck to win for choreo (i just love him). i think that's really where i'm at with my predictions right now! may or may not change if i do more research (looking at reviews, grosses, etc).

speaking of theatre, what are your thoughts on the wicked trailer? i'm not ... thrilled with it. i'm still trying to go in with an open mind but i ... am not a fan. but i did get tickets to see the tour when they're in seattle! so i'm excited for that! i might try to go more than once, if i can drag some friends to go.

my ranking of carley fortune books are meet me at the lake → this summer will be different → every summer after. i think i'd compare every summer after with the summer i turned pretty actually — so not an emily henry, but i can't think of one that would fit. meet me at the lake with happy place maybe. andddd this summer will be different with people we meet on vacation. i think.

i only generally know the outsiders plot! i do want to watch the movie at some point. i have lowkey been slumping reading wise, but i'm hoping to finish reading the iliad before i leave on my trip, and wrap up gatsby at some point... in june? maybe?

i loveeeed the pippin revival; i saw it on tour and i adore it dearly. i have a pippin sweatshirt that i was just wearing the other day, actually! fun fact! today i am wearing a roman holiday: the musical shirt. definitely back in my musical merch era. i think pippin is a show that is better the more you watch it, but i just think it's absolutely brilliant! ugh that ending is so good.

ok taylor time — i was definitely not expecting her to change the order of the tour and i literally texted my friend like "shit i need to figure out when my bathroom break will be" since red got moved up so much earlier. now that we have a new setlist — what is your ideal setlist, and your ideal order? i'm curious! i'm also surprised she cut long live + didn't add castles crumbling. and similarly agree with what you said!

as an aside, i am actually going out of town next week, so it'll likely be a hot minute before i reply again!! hope you're doing well and staying safe! 🤍 have a good may if i don't get to chat with you before then!

#post: answered #🩷 anon

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