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in-my-feels-probably · 8 months

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slytherin boys or mattheo riddle as a dad please?

Slytherin Boys as Dads

Request: slytherin boys or mattheo riddle as a dad please?

Hi! So sorry for the wait, this one took me a while for some reason. I was kinda vague with these, but hopefully you like them. Thank you for the request :)

(Warnings: mentions of bad home lives, insecurity, let me know if i missed anything)

—

Theodore Nott:

deathly afraid of being anything like his own family or father. he’d be a little apprehensive about having kids in the first place, but he’d eventually be more open to the idea once you promised to be there every step of the way and take things slow.

the proudest dad ever. the type of dad to clap and cheer once they use the bathroom on their own for the first time. he literally wouldn’t care (within reason) how good they’re doing at a sport or in school, he’s just proud that they’re putting in effort.

he’s got a short temper. i think he’d get a little snappy, and then immediately regret it once the tears started or they got angry and snapped back. he’d put on a brave face in the moment, but he’d for sure cry about it later to you.

he has such a way with words, and he’s so imaginative. they’d ask him kid shit that makes no sense, and he’s just deadpan answering them without hesitation. and it would be like that even when the kids were grown and moving out of the house. he just knows the right thing to say.

wouldn’t want a lot of kids. he’s too easily overwhelmed, and although he’s got the love to go around, he just can’t stomach the idea of being responsible for that many lives. one or two is enough for him, and he’d love them with all of his heart.

Every milestone your little girl met had Theo in shambles. No matter how big or small, he treated every single one of them like she had cured cancer or won an Olympic gold medal. When she started growing more independent and wanting to do things on her own, it wasn’t any different.

Theo came into your room after saying goodnight to your daughter, tears welling in his eyes.

You stumbled out of bed to approach him, holding him steady by his shoulders when he wavered. “What happened? Are you alright, love?”

“She made her own bed,” he said, letting out a shaky breath. “She didn’t want me to tuck her in. She said she wanted to try doing it on her own this time. And she did it so well.”

You could feel your heart warm, wrapping your arms around Theo’s shoulders. You gently rocked him back and forth, running your hand through his hair. He pulled back, quickly wiping under his eyes.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, a sheepish smile on his face. “She’s just so smart.”

“Don’t be sorry, love. Just wait till she gets to Hogwarts. She’ll be top of her class, just like her Dad was.”

Your words sent him spiraling again, his cheeks paling. You chuckled, bringing your hand up to hook a finger under his chin, turning him to look at you. You spoke gently, giving him a warm smile.

“But that’s not for a long time. We’ve still got years with her before she does something substantial for us to fawn over her for. Let’s not worry about it yet.”

Theo groaned, shaking his head. “I’m always worried.”

You smiled, wrapping your arms around his middle. You rested your cheek against his chest, listening to the faint thump of his heart.

“Did you ever see this coming for us?” He mumbled, resting his cheek on the top of your head. “Back at Hogwarts, I can remember wanting a life with you. But this isn’t what I was picturing. I used to not even want kids—Merlin, how could I have not wanted kids?”

You shrugged, closing your eyes and breathing him in. “I always knew you would be a good Dad. I pictured some sort of family with you.”

Before Theo could respond, your little girl came around the corner into your room, immediately running for Theo’s leg. She wrapped herself around him, playfully hanging from his pant leg.

“What are you doing out of bed, silly girl?” You asked, bending down to scoop her up.

“I have a question,” she babbled, absentmindedly reaching her hand up to squeeze your nose.

You laughed, passing her over to Theo. “Ask your Dad. I’m sure he’s got an answer.”

She wrapped her arm around Theo’s neck, tiredly rubbing her eyes. Theo looked down at her adoringly, patiently waiting for her to ask her question.

“Why can’t I see my eyes? I can see your eyes and Mum’s eyes, but not mine. Why?”

You had to stifle a giggle, turning your face so your little girl wouldn’t see you laughing. But when you looked back up, Theo was just smiling down at her, like it was the most normal thing she had said to him all day.

“I’ll tell you, and then it’s off to bed with you, darling,” he explained, brushing his thumb across her cheek. “You see with your eyes—through your eyes. That’s why you can’t normally see them themselves. But technically, you can see your eyes. Do you want me to show you, pretty girl?”

She looked up at him with wide eyes, nodding excitedly. Theo grinned, chuckling as he looked over at you. He nodded towards the bathroom where the mirror was, shifting your little girl on his hip.

“I’ll be right back,” he said to you, before whisking your daughter off to the bathroom.

They giggled together all the way down the hall.

—

Lorenzo Berkshire:

the sweetest most dedicated man in the early stages. he would NEVER let you do more work than him. you’re not climbing up high, you’re not lifting something heavy, you’re not doing anything that keeps you on your feet. he’s BOLTING to beat you to it.

would give no fucks about gender. i think he’d absolutely adore having a little girl, but a boy is just as good. because he’d get to raise him up into a man the both of you are proud of.

gets overwhelmed easily for sure. would absolutely stress about not doing enough or upsetting the kids, and you’d have to remind him that he’s an incredible dad, and how he’s only human. making mistakes is gonna happen, there’s nothing you can do but keep going and try your best.

100% going all out for any sport/extracurricular they get involved in. he’s their number one fan.

probably the gentler parent. he’d try his best to be stern with them, but he just doesn’t have it in him to upset them. tears would literally break his heart, so you’d probably have to take on the more serious role.

You had two kids with Enzo, a girl and a boy. They adored their father—as they should. He was sweet and loving and hardly ever said no. But that was the problem…he hardly ever said no.

And it got the best of him today.

The kids came bursting through the door, running into the kitchen with Enzo hot on their heels. He was carrying bags from the new toy store in Diagon Alley, a distressed look on his face as your children ran up to you to show you their new toys. You gave them a tight smile, faking enthusiasm.

“Very cool! How about we help Dad take them to your rooms, yeah? You need to eat before you play with them.”

“No,” your little boy whined, trying to dig in the bags Enzo was struggling to carry. “I wanna play now!”

Enzo let out a sigh, his voice strained. “Listen to your Mother—”

“We wanna play!” Your little girl screamed, her little cheeks flushing.

She turned around to root through the bags with her brother, when one ripped and the toys clambered to the floor. They scattered, and Enzo finally reached his limit.

“That’s it!” He shouted, hoisting the bags up to set them on the countertop where they couldn’t reach. “That’s enough. You’re going to eat your dinner, and you’re never allowed to yell at your Mother again! Do you both hear me?”

Your kids stopped in their tracks, looking up at him with wide eyes. He might as well have slapped them—that was how they were looking up at him. Like he had hurt them worse than he ever had before. They were being dramatic, of course. You had scolded them far worse than that in their lives. But Enzo was never one to yell. He hardly ever raised the voice around the kids, it hurt him too much to do it. You looked up from their faces to Enzo’s.

And the look on his face was heartbreaking.

“I’m sorry,” Enzo stuttered out, unable to say anything else.

You could tell he felt terrible. His eyes were glazed over, and his hands were shaking at his side. You quickly scooped the toys off the floor, shoving them back into their bags. You bent down to speak to your children, grabbing each of their hands.

“Alright…everyone breathe. You two, I’m going to take you to your rooms. I expect you to be ready for dinner in ten minutes. And if you behave—and you apologize to your Dad and I for not listening to what we asked you to do—we’ll let you open up a few toys and play with them later. Your Dad was very nice to get you all of these things, and you both need to act like it.”

Your little ones looked up at the both of you, batting their eyes. You could feel your anger slip away as they watched you, their little cute faces scrunching up.

It wasn’t fair—they were too adorable to be mad at.

“We’re sorry, Mum,” your little girl said.

Your boy nodded. “Yeah, we’re sorry Dad. We didn’t mean to yell.”

“I know, my loves,” you smiled, squeezing their hands. “Neither did Dad. It’s alright…everyone is just a little tired. Thank you for saying you’re sorry. Keep that attitude up, and your Dad and I will be happy to play with you after dinner.”

Your children giggled and ran off to their rooms with bright smiles on their faces, like nothing had happened at all.

Your husband, however, was steel reeling. As soon as they were out of the room, you turned to him. His face was full of regret, his eyes sad. You frowned, opening your arms.

“Come here, sweet boy,” you murmured, wrapping your arms around his shoulders. “You did so good. You’re okay.”

“I didn’t mean to yell,” he choked out into your shoulder, holding you tight.

You just shook your head, shushing him. “You had every right to. I love them to death, but they can be brats—and they know their Dad loves them too much to tell them no. You saw them, Enzo. They’ve already gotten over it. Don’t beat yourself up over this, love.”

Enzo sniffled into your shoulder. You held him tighter, gently rocking him back and forth as he leaned into you. It was quiet while you looked over his shoulder to the bags still on the counter, toys spilling out of the top of them.

You chuckled, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. “You’re such a good Dad. They’re gonna be glued to you for weeks after they open all of those.”

“I’m sorry you had to take the lead. I should be better at this by now. I just can’t handle it when they look at me like that.”

You heard a clattering, and looked over to see your kids in the next room, politely sitting at the table. They were giggling to themselves, on their best exaggerated behavior so that they could earn back time with their toys. It was adorable, and it brought a smile to your face. You looked up to see Enzo smiling as well, despite his anxiousness.

“How do they look now?” You asked, reaching for his hand. “Because to me, it looks like they’re on their best behavior so they can play with their lovely toys that their even lovelier Dad got for them. It looks to me like they want to play with their Dad so bad, that they endured—Merlin forbid—washing their hands and setting the table just to do it.”

Enzo chuckled, squeezing your hand. “It does look like that, doesn’t it? Well, let’s not keep them waiting, darling. We have bags full of toys and two lovely children waiting for us.”

—

Mattheo Riddle:

girl dad girl dad girl dad

absolutely gonna have a meltdown raising little girls because it means he’s gotta start kicking some little shit’s ass for hurting one of his daughters. you’d seriously have to hold him back once they start showing interest in dating, because he’s not ready for them to be that grown up.

absolutely an affectionate parent. hugs and kisses before bed, he didn’t make the rules he just enforces them. he’d want his kids to feel like there was never a point in their life where they were too old for a cuddle.

deathly afraid of fucking them up. he’d rely on you in the early stages to help him along, but he’d really get the hang of it fast. later on in their lives he’d wonder what he was even so worried about.

would absolutely adore you after you give him kids. he would never whine about being stuck with diaper duty or homework because you already did so much giving him his girls. it’s only fair that he takes care of them—including you.

During Christmas break, your girls came home giggling. It took you days to get them to finally tell you what was going on, and you made them swear not to tell their Dad what happened. They had both met someone they liked over the term and had asked you to help them owl them.

“As a woman, I’m thrilled,” you explained, speaking in a hushed whisper in the kitchen. “And I want to hear all about it. But as your Mother, I’m begging you not to tell your Dad. Do you remember what First Year was like and you two came home talking about all the cute boys at school?”

Your eldest groaned in her chair, looking at her sister. “We’re silent till summer, got it?”

“Got it.”

—

You woke up the next morning to shouting coming from the kitchen. You rushed out of bed to find your two eldest sitting at the table, their heads in their hands. Mattheo was standing across from them, your youngest in his arms innocently looking up at him.

Your eldest looked up once you walked in. “Help. I’m begging you.”

“Mattheo,” you scolded, giving him a stern look. “They’re our girls—they’re smart, and they’re ready for this. You should be happy they came to one of us first.”

“But they’re my little girls,” he whined, shutting his mouth when your eldest piped in.

“We’re not little, Dad. Not anymore.”

You watched his face fall, his chest tightening. You gently took your youngest from his arms, passing her to her sisters. You motioned to the living room, nodding your head.

“Go sit down for a bit, girls. We’ll be right out, yeah?”

They nodded, filing out together. You could hear them whispering as they sat on the couch, giggling. You turned back to Mattheo, gently guiding him backwards until he fell into a seat. He looked up at you with a pout, heaving out a sigh.

You smiled down at him, brushing your thumb across his cheek. “Do you remember when we met at Hogwarts? We were so lucky that I was smart enough for the both of us. Who knows what kind of trouble we could have gotten into if I let you lead.”

“We got into enough trouble,” he murmured, his tone sour.

You rolled your eyes, reaching down to grip his hands. You leaned forward, your knees knocking with his.

“Listen to me. Our girls are smart—they’ve got their Mother’s intuition, thank Merlin for that. And one day, they’re gonna grow up. But that’s a far day from today. They’re not getting married, love. It’s just a crush. They want to send an owl.”

You squeezed his hands, nodding for him to turn his head to look out into the living room. He turned to see your girls all sitting on the couch together, the youngest in the eldest’s lap. Your older girls were making faces and sounds, trying to get the little one to laugh. She was looking up at her sisters with wide eyes and a bright smile, breathy chuckles pulled from her chest. You smiled, turning back to Mattheo.

You hooked your finger under his jaw, turning him back to face you. “They’re still your little girls, Matty…they’ll always be your little girls. But we have to help them grow into women. And they need their Dad to help them do that.”

Mattheo sighed, leaning forward to rest his forehead against your stomach. You threaded your fingers through his hair, holding him close to you.

“You’re my best girl, you know that?” He murmured into your stomach.

A warm feeling spread through your chest as you smiled. Your daughters interrupted you before you could speak, the middle one shielding hers and the youngest’s eyes.

“Ew! Stop being gross, Dad!”

Mattheo chuckled, leaning back to look up at you. He glanced over at his daughters, absentmindedly reaching for one of your hands. He interlaced your fingers together, letting out a—this time, content—sigh.

“You’re right. It is going to be a far day.”

—

Regulus Black:

i feel like regulus would be a very chill parent.

i don’t think he particularly likes children, but he would love his own. he’d adore them when they were all little and cute.

he definitely would be really good at disciplining them. he never has to raise his voice or get physical, he just gives them a look and calmly explains to them what he expects, and they’re content to listen to him. it’s so different than how he was raised, and he would promise you that he’d do better with them than his parents did with him.

he’d be really afraid of hurting them like his parents did. you’d have to assure him every time he felt like he was doing a bad job with them.

when they’re older, they’re totally momma’s boys and girls. when they’re children they couldn’t get enough of him, but as they get older they’d start leaning towards you. he wouldn’t even mind the favoritism, because you’re his favorite too, of course his kids would be smart like their dad.

You and Regulus had a little boy and a little girl together, the boy a few years older than the girl. Sometimes your little boy would play a little rough with her, not understanding that he was too big to be getting that excited with her.

You’d catch them in the yard, him chasing her around while she dawdled and squealed. You watched through the window, calling Regulus over to come watch. Regulus smiled as he came from your bedroom, rubbing sleep from his eyes as he peered out the window. But your little girl tripped after a while, and your boy was quick to tumble after her, laughing as he fell. He was still giggling when he sat back up, but she sat up with tears streaming down her face.

You quickly rushed out the back door, panic settling in your chest. “What did I tell you about playing rough with your sister? She’s too little, darling!”

You tried your best to remain calm, but you just couldn’t do it. Regulus, however, was as calm as ever. He followed you out the door, walking over to scoop up your daughter. He sat down in the grass with her, cradling her in his lap.

“What happened, sweetheart?” He asked her, gently shushing her. “You’re alright, it’s okay. Just breathe.”

While you were too busy calming yourself down, you failed to pick up on the shock on your little boy’s face. He was wide eyed, taking rapid breaths. Once your girl was calm, Regulus held his arm out for your boy.

“It’s alright. Everyone is fine. We just have to be careful, yeah? Can you remember that?”

Your boy nodded, and Regulus gave him a grateful smile, pulling him in for a hug. You watched in awe, finally pulling yourself together. You took a breath, sitting down in the grass next to your kids. Your little girl was quick to switch to your lap, wrapping her arms around your waist. You hugged her tight to you, smoothing your hand over her hair.

“I’m sorry for snapping at you,” you said, reaching your free hand for your boy’s. “You just scared me. I know you didn’t mean it.”

Regulus nodded, giving you a smile before grinning down at his kids. “Lots of excitement this morning, huh? Barely nine in the morning and we’ve already given your poor mum a heart attack. I vote we spend the rest of the morning inside, yeah?”

Your kids nodded, standing up and running inside like nothing had happened. Regulus stood after, offering his hands to you before pulling you up and into his chest. You pressed your cheek into him as you hugged him, letting out a breath.

“You’re a good dad.”

Regulus smiled to himself, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. “You’re a good mum, darling. The best.”

—

A/N - Hi! Hope you liked these! Thank you again for the request, I really enjoyed writing this :)

#harry potter #slytherin boys react #slytherin boys #theo nott x reader #theodore nott #theodore nott x reader #mattheo riddle #mattheo riddle x reader #regulus black x reader #regulus black #enzo berkshire #lorenzo berkshire #lorenzo berkshire x reader #enzo berkshire x reader

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hugheses · 21 days

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love your scholarship 🥸

do you know anything about their school/college days - ie if they liked school/had favourite subjects/took particular classes? if Quinn and Luke declared majors at mich?

also if they’ve ever said what they read? think I read that Jack says he likes to read (sports books maybe?) in his spare time and one in of Ellen’s interviews she talks about reading (to them?) and somewhere else about how she was super involved in their academics

The teacher in me is fascinated!

quinn was enrolled in the school of kinesiology and majoring in sports management.

in 2021 he said

If you weren’t a hockey player, what else might you be doing? — Veronica X. I don’t know, I love golf. I’d probably be golfing a lot. I’d be in school somewhere … I’d be a senior right now so I’d probably be getting my degree in the next couple of weeks. Maybe business or sport management? That’s what I was looking at at Michigan for two years.

luke's intended major was also sports management. he was taking a business management class and fumbled his part on a group project when he signed with the devils. he took a greek sports history class and talked about how he doesn't love school but he likes history here (worth listening to imo) and he also enjoyed history of college athletics. luke actually took an online college class before officially starting at umich

"I'm taking an online chemistry class to get it off my plate. I wake-up and do two hours of that and then I go and work out with [trainer] Brian Gallivan and then I skate and then just chill by the pool and hang out. It's been nice."

here's a snippet from quinn about books

Hughes has become an avid reader to expand his knowledge and make better use of downtime. He recently completed “The Boys in the Boat” historical epic that was made into a movie directed by George Clooney. “I buried it, it’s done,” Hughes proudly stated Tuesday after practice. “I finished it three weeks ago. Great book. Page turner. I’m reading ‘Moneyball’ now.” “Boys in the Boat” is a riveting and true account of how the Depression-era University of Washington junior varsity rowing team stunned the world by overcoming immense odds to capture gold at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. Joe Rantz was a driving force for the eight-man crew. A strong rower with an unshakeable disposition sounds a lot like the driven Hughes. “I thought Joe was just a hard worker who did his job and was a quiet guy,” said Hughes. “He appreciated everything that came his way. He pretty much raised himself from the age of 10 and was a very outdoors person.”

he apparently is "reading a book almost weekly to try to improve his brain" and he also was spotted reading Stay Sane in an Insane World: How to Control the Controllables and Thrive

jack likes reading sports books as said here, specifically Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success and Three-Ring Circus: Kobe, Shaq, Phil, and the Crazy Years of the Lakers Dynasty. The Mamba Mentality: How I Play was on his reading list in high school. he also talks about books here

Craig: The other thing that (Williams) said was reading. He said you’re asking for book recs. We’re looking for book recs. We’re big readers. Jack: Yeah, you guys got any? I dunno. (I’m tired of) everything on my phone, social media, things like that — and I never went to college, so you gotta get smarter somehow. Craig: Are you a fiction guy? Are you a self-improvement guy? What do you find yourself gravitating towards? Jack: I read a lot of sports books. “Eleven Rings,” by Phil Jackson. Also, “Greenlights” by Matthew McConaughey. Those are my favorite ones I’ve read recently. It’s important. We’ve got a lot of down time on the road, so it’s good stuff.

as for ellen, she said this in the cammi & aj podcast

So for me, you do things that you enjoy or you- you teach them things that you feel like you can teach them, Right. So it's kind of a slight on me that I wasn't more worldly and wanting to take them to museums. Or maybe like I felt like I had do those things because like, ‘Oh my God, what am I teaching them?’ But you tend to do the things that you - you're trying to find activities. Jimmy was off coaching a lot, I had three young boys that were really close in age. So what do I know? What can I do to pass time and keep them active? It was kicking a soccer ball. It was throwing a ball, it was doing rollerblading, it was passing the puck, it was taking them skating. So for me, those were mommy and me activities, right? And then every once in a while I'd be like, you know, I'd be like, ‘uh, we got to do Kumon, we gotta do like - we gotta read.’ You know, academics was really important to me because I felt like I was so driven the other way that like, I didn’t want to miss out on the other. So for us, it was never this grandiose plan, and I'm sure you guys were the same way. It was more like, ‘be the best at whatever it is you're doing, work your hardest at whatever it is you're doing.’ Working the hardest didn't mean scoring the most goals. It was playing the right way, whatever it is, being a great teammate and working really, really hard and we always felt like the other would come.

other potentially interesting notes, jack was an honor roll student in 8th grade, and quinn agreed he was the best at school when they were younger, so it's funny he's the one who didn't end up going to college. ellen's brother is actually the president of denison university and they have some pretty academic cousins also.

#also thank u for saying u love my scholarship 🥹#answered

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onceuponaoneshotfanfic · 7 months

Text

Something There (Chapter 8)

6.7k words

Roy Kent x Reader

Warnings: Language, mentions of sex, angst, mentions of slut-shaming and double standards, horrible reporters being horrible, pining, finally some fluff!!!

A/N: This is probably my favorite chapter so far, and has some of my favorite scenes I've ever written!! My heart is HAPPY!!

Series Masterlist

I understood; I understood completely.

Ted Lasso was warm, and kind, and fun. He looked at a person like they mattered and listened with genuine interest. He made you feel like he’d have your back and believed in you.

Ted Lasso was exactly what I needed.

After chatting over drinks about our backgrounds and careers, delving into our shared deep love for sports and coaching, he finally broached the subject that had been plaguing me nonstop for what felt like an eternity.

“So. How’re you doing? With all this… hullabaloo?”

He was too kind and polite to even name the hell I was living in.

A grimace crossed my face as I lifted my beer to my lips, trying to delay answering the question for as long as possible while those patient eyes gazed at me. Finally, I had no choice but to fill the silence. “I am… okay,” I finally mumbled. “Trying to just focus on the team, you know?”

Ted nodded, watching me carefully. “I completely understand,” he hummed. “Well, I mean, not completely of course. It’s mighty unfair the way they talk about you. But…” He shrugged, giving a small pop with his mouth. “I mean, they weren’t exactly nice to me when I got here. The press, the team, hell, even Becca.” His face softened at those last couple of words. “But, eyes on the prize, as they say.” He patted my hand gently, a paternal touch I didn’t realize I needed. “Now, like I said, I don’t totally understand what you’re going through. But if you need someone who has some small idea, well, I’m here.”

“Thank you, Ted,” I murmured. “I really appreciate it.”

He shrugged, turning his attention to glance around the pub. “Anytime, Clementine.”

After a moment, I opened my mouth again. “I’ve just waited my whole life for this. To be a role model, more than a pretty face that runs fast. Sometimes that’s all I felt like back when I played. And being a coach, well everything depends on my brain, you know?” Ted’s understanding nod urged me on. “And I was finally doing it. I was winning, and because England actually gives some semblance of a crap about soccer, people started to know who I was. And then…” A big breath left my lungs. “And then this… thing happens, and it’s like nothing else matters. Olympic medals, World Cups, national titles, win streaks. Nope. Everyone thinks I’m just another Roy Kent girl.”

“You’re not just another Roy Kent girl,” Ted assured me. “It might feel like it, whatever that means, but you’re not. You’re Coach Buck, for Pete’s sake.” His smile warmed all the cold parts of my heart that had developed since Keeley first showed me the photos. “And it might feel like everyone thinks so, but I can tell you for a fact it’s not true.” He pulled out his phone and showed me the freckle-faced kid who took up his lock screen. “My boy has not stopped asking about you since I got here. Kid thinks you’re the absolute bee’s knees, Coach. He doesn’t care about these stupid headlines or what you do off the field. Heck, he even told me I should ask you for some coaching pointers.”

Beer nearly shot out of my nose as I let out a thankful laugh. “Ted Lasso, you have no idea how badly I needed to hear that.”

“Sure, I do.” He bumped his shoulder into mine. “Sometimes, ya just need a reminder about why we do what we do. To inspire other people to be their best selves.” He nodded towards his phone before pocketing it. “And you sure as heck inspire this kid. And I’m willing to bet he ain’t the only one.”

I stared at him for a moment. “You know… If you want, we could Facetime him while you’re here. If you think he’d like that, I mean.”

Lasso’s smile lit up the whole pub. “He’d love that, Coach.”

“Hey, Coach. Ready for that chat?”

A growl escaped Roy’s throat as Ted entered the empty office. “No,” he huffed, turning his attention back to the playbook on his desk.

Ignoring Roy’s scowl, not for the first time since they’d met, Ted plopped himself down on Beard’s desk, eyebrows raised. “I know what you need,” he announced, leaning over to grab the phone off Roy’s desk. “Better get some bones and treats, because I’m calling the Diamond Dogs.”

Before Roy could protest, Ted had called Higgins and texted Nate and Beard; almost instantly the office was filled with the sounds of howling and barking that Roy was sure anyone who was still in the building could hear. The men assembled, closing doors and perching themselves in chairs and against walls, eyes expectantly trained on Roy, as if they already knew the reason for this meeting.

When Roy glared at Ted, the American knew he’d have to get the ball rolling.

“Diamond Dogs,” he announced, “as y’all know, our favorite junkyard dog here has been goin’ through somethin’. I bet he could use some friendly ears to bark at.” He nodded to Roy. “Coach?”

There was no getting out of this. Roy knew that. So, he might as well get it over with.

“Yeah.” He turned his chair and plopped his feet on his desk, trying to keep up his uncaring demeanor. “You all fucking know. Fucking photos, fucking paparazzi and reporters, blah blah blah.” He nodded to Ted, whose face was stupidly supportive. “There. Done.”

Nate cleared his throat. “What about you and Coach Buck?”

It was probably the harshest scowl Roy had given in a long time. “What about me and Coach Buck?” His chest felt tight just saying her name out loud.

“Well…” Nate’s eyes were on the ceiling. “I mean, the two of you were getting kind of close, weren’t you? Before all this happened?” He seemed to shrink slightly under Roy’s glare. “Weren’t you?”

“We’re not close,” Roy spat. “So, dunno what there is to talk about.”

Beard sighed and narrowed his eyes at Roy. “How about we talk about how unhappy you’ve been ever since this all went down? How about we talk about the fact that you slept with her- don’t make that face at me, neither of you have denied it- and now you both look like the most miserable people in the world? Let’s talk about that.”

Before Roy could argue, Higgins cleared his throat. “Roy, have you tried, I don’t know, talking to the poor girl?”

Was there a way to renounce his membership from the fucking Diamond Dogs? “As a matter of fact, we have talked. And she wants nothing to do with me. So, again, what’s the point in any of this?”

Ted cleared his throat. “If I may, Coach, it sure didn’t look like she wanted nothing to do with ya when I saw y’all in the parking lot.” His face was soft. “She seemed pretty grateful for your help, actually. Did everything but call you her knight in shining armor when she told me about that paparazzo.”

Roy rolled his eyes, hating the blush on his face for betraying him. “Yeah, well, that’s about all I’m good for probably.” He stared at his shoes for a moment, scrunching his nose. “Just hate seeing her so fucking miserable,” he heard himself admit quietly. “It’s not really fair, this shit. All that ‘takes two to tango’ shit, but no one’s saying a word about me. It’s stupid as hell.” Dammit, he was ranting now. “And I just want to fucking fix everything but I can’t.”

“You could be her friend,” Ted said quietly. “It sounds like she could really use more of those right now.” He cleared his throat. “You know, I told her all about how Henry just really admires her- heck, I think there might be a little crush there too- and let me tell you, she looked so relieved to hear that. We actually FaceTimed him earlier today before he went to school, and man she was almost as jazzed as he was.” Ted shrugged.

Higgins nodded. “I think she just needs to feel supported and respected right now.” He cocked his head at Roy. “Just give her that, Roy. The rest will follow.”

“The fuck do you mean ‘the rest’-?”

The sound of a door opening had the men jumping. Through the window, Roy could see Buck stroll into her office, sipping her water bottle and looking at something on her phone. She froze, as if she could feel the eyes of the Diamond Dogs on her. She blinked several times when she looked up and saw the Greyhounds office filled with men staring. With her eyes on Roy, she gave a small, awkward wave before sitting at her desk and turning to her computer.

Ted smiled at Roy. “Diamond Dogs, dismissed.”

With soft barks and yaps, the men dispersed, ready to call it a day and go home. Roy sat at his desk, staring through that window, watching her type away. He thought about what they’d said; for some reason, he felt struck by Ted’s mention of Henry. Not quite sure what he was doing, Roy stood and approached the door that separated their offices. He opened it softly, raising his eyebrows when she turned around to look at him.

“Knock, knock,” he mumbled stupidly.

Her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes, but Roy would take what he could get. “Hey, Coach.” She wrinkled her nose. “What the fuck was all that barking?”

“Barking? What barking?” Roy entered the office and perched on Lucas’s desk, feigning ignorance as he stared at the too-pretty manager.

“Fine, don’t tell me,” she chuckled with an eyeroll. “Need something? I’m just trying to finish a couple emails before I head out.”

Roy studied her face for a moment. His gaze briefly flickered to her Brandi Chastain poster before returning to those eyes that made his insides squirm. “Would you want to come meet Phoebe’s football team?”

She blinked a few times. “Phoebe’s team?” she echoed.

He nodded, feeling good about himself for once. “Yeah. She asked me a while ago about inviting you, hasn’t shut up about you since the charity game actually.” He shrugged. “I think it’d be… fun.”

The hesitation in her eyes was heartbreaking. “Oh, I don’t know, Roy…” She bit her lip. “What if the parents don’t like me being there?”

Fuck, her voice was tiny. “If they don’t like the idea of a fucking Olympic champion watching their daughter’s football practice, they can deal with me,” he huffed. “What d’you say? Want to make me the coolest uncle in the world?”

“Well, in that case.” A genuine little smile graced her face. “Alright. Fine. I’m there.”

Leaving the Dog Track to go meet Roy and the girls’ team, I felt that familiar mixture of excitement and anxiety, the kind I got before games, or before an important meeting. It was a good feeling; I hadn’t had it in a while. My phone vibrating interrupted my reflecting on why this practice had me so wound-up.

“Hello?”

“Hey there.” I could hear Geroge’s smile through the phone. “I know it’s last minute, but I wanted to see if you’d want to grab dinner tonight?”

I cleared my throat as I started my walk towards the address Roy had given me. “Oh, sorry, not tonight, George. I’ve got plans.”

The disappointment in his voice was kind of sweet. “No problem. Anything exciting?”

Why did I feel weird telling him?

“Kent invited me to come meet his niece’s team,” I explained slowly. “So I’m heading on over to the school to go see their practice, say hello to the girls. Should be fun.” I tried to keep my voice light and casual, as if this was a totally normal thing to do.

Goerge was silent for a moment. “Oh. That’s lovely of you.” He cleared his throat. “Don’t you think it’s a little risky though? Being out like that? Someone might see the two of you, take some pictures…”

I passed a Whippets advertisement, one that had yet to be graffitied. “I mean, it’s a kids’ soccer practice. I doubt the press’ll be there,” I pointed out with a huffy chuckle. “And honestly, I don’t really care if anyone sees. What can they say about me visiting a girls’ team that they didn’t already say about me going into Roy Kent’s house?”

Another silence came, the same one that usually followed references to the fact that I’d slept with Roy; I hadn’t directly told George that I had, he hadn’t directly asked, but it wasn’t difficult to figure out. It was clearly not something George liked thinking about, and it was something I did my best to avoid bringing up. But for some reason, it slipped out now.

“Well,” he finally murmured. “I think you’ll have a good time. Should be a fun little evening with the kids… and Kent.” He paused. “Call me later?”

“Sure,” I hummed, hating the sinking feeling that I’d done something wrong. “Talk to you later.” I shoved my phone into my pocket and continued my walk, trying to ignore whatever that phone call was and focus instead on the evening ahead of me.

When I finally arrived at the school field, I realized my heart was hammering. It was kind of ridiculous; I’d done school visits and things like that. I’d spoken in front of crowds of students and young athletes. But for some reason, visiting one little girls’ soccer team had me feeling the way I did before stepping onto the field for the World Cup: anxious, unable to breathe.

But a high-pitched squeal immediately brought a smile to my face.

“Coach Buck!”

With a small wave, I approached the group of girls that were passing and warming up; immediately, I was tackled by a familiar blonde.

“Hey, Pheobe,” I chuckled, hugging her back. “How’ve you been?”

She beamed up at me. “Good! I’m so glad you came. I’ve been asking and asking Uncle Roy to invite you. And-”

“And she’s fucking here, ain’t she?” Roy wrapped an arm around Phoebe and shoved her aside. “Go warm up, you.” As Phoebe scampered away, he nodded to me. “Coach.”

I couldn’t help but smirk at him. “Coach.”

He cleared his throat, suddenly the picture of nervousness. “Right. So, I was thinking, I’d introduce you to the team, you could say a few words if you want, and maybe you could help run training? Unless you’d rather just watch. Either way’s fine with me.”

“I’d love to help.”

His face turned relieved. “Great.” He turned towards the group of girls, who were more interested in us than in their warmup. “Oi! Huddle up!” As soon as the girls were gathered around, Roy nodded curtly at me. “This here’s Coach Buck. She manages the Richmond Whippets. And, in case Phoebe here hasn’t already told you, she’s a World Cup champion and has an Olympic gold medal.” The excited buzzing from the girls had me fighting a smile- and it looked like Roy was fighting one too. “She wanted to come say hello to you all and help with practice. Sound good?”

“Yes, Coach!”

Roy raised an eyebrow at me. “Coach?”

With a deep breath, I took a step forward, willing myself to gaze at the little faces staring back with solemn expressions of excitement and awe. “Hello, ladies,” I greeted, putting on my best smile. “Roy- Coach Kent- has told me that you are probably the best team he coaches.” Their little giggles began to put me at ease. “And I am so excited to get to hang out with you today and see what you’ve got!”

The next hour was the best one I’d had since I moved to England- probably one of the best hours of my entire life. The girls were more than talented- they were enthusiastic, fierce, passionate, determined, fearless, everything I remembered being at their age. They played as if there was no such thing as losing or getting hurt. Every mistake was an opportunity to get better, every success was meant to be exceeded. By the end of practice, I knew every girl’s name and felt a tug in my heart when they called me “Coach”.

“Uncle Roy,” Phoebe hummed as he gathered the team at the end of practice. “Can we try to get past you?”

Roy glanced in my direction before shrugging. “You girls really want to play?”

The resounding YES had me wondering what ‘getting past’ Roy meant. As if she could sense my curiosity, Phoebe tugged my hand.

“You’re going to love this, Coach Buck,” she gushed. “It’s our favorite!”

The girls lined up, bouncing with excitement, while Roy grabbed a ball and jogged towards one of the goals made of a couple of cones. With the ease of someone who’d done this dozens of times, he rolled the ball to Kokoruda, who was first in line. She immediately began dribbling towards Roy and made a respectable attempt to score on the experienced player.

“Next!” he barked after kicking the ball out of bounds.

One by one, the girls tried to score on Roy; and each one failed.

“You don’t go easy on them?” I probed as I trotted over to Roy to return another ball to him.

He caught the ball with ease. “Fuck no,” he chuckled. “Their opponents won’t ever go easy on ‘em, will they? Why should I?”

Before I could concede that he had a point, Phoebe called out, “Coach Bucky! You should try!”

With a smirk, Roy tossed the ball back to me. “Yeah, Coach Bucky. You should try.”

Maybe it was being around the girls, maybe it was the cockiness on Roy Kent’s face. Maybe it was something else. “Fine, I’ll try,” I shot back, taking my place at the front of the line. I looked at the girls. “Any of you ever get it past him?” When they all shook their heads, my grin grew. “Well, guess he’s due for a loss then.”

I stood with my foot on top of the ball for a moment, just staring down Roy Kent. He narrowed his eyes playfully, a smile almost breaking through his serious glare. With a deep breath, I began dribbling, wondering when I had last just played like this. Roy jogged out to meet me, expertly trying to get the ball out of my control. We moved this way, that way; I was a bit surprised how well I was doing against him, if I was being honest.

“Not going easy on me, are you Kent?” I huffed, very aware of the way his body pressed against mine as he tried to steal the ball from behind me.

“Not a fucking chance,” he assured me, his breath tickling my neck.

With what I hoped was a casual chuckle, I found my opening, evading Roy and making my way towards the goal, a smaller target than I was used to. As I inched forward, I felt a pair of hands brush my sides, warm and playful.

Phoebe’s giggling voice interrupted the reeling in my head. “Uncle Roy, that’s a foul!”

“Right!” came a gruff voice behind me, laughing as the hands disappeared.

Able to return my focus to the ball at my feet, I sprinted forward, ankle be damned, and broke away from Roy; the ball sailed between the cones with ease, giving me that old, thrilling feeling of scoring a goal. When I turned around, the girls were cheering- and Roy was smiling at me.

“My knee’s fucked,” he huffed jokingly between breaths, hands on his hips as he approached. “That was hardly fair.”

I quirked an eyebrow at him as we started to walk back towards the team. “Oh, and what would you call my ankle?”

His smile widened. “Also fucked.”

Before I could snark back, the girls tackled me with hugs and shouts, clearly impressed that anyone could get past their burly coach. Roy eyed me over their heads, his face soft, reminding me of the night of the gala. All I could do was grin back at him, wondering if he felt the same warmth in his chest that I felt.

Roy dismissed his team, reminding them about their upcoming game, one they begged me to come watch. To my shock, a few parents stopped me to shake my hand and ask if they could get a picture of me with their daughter; that warm feeling in my chest grew with each “My daughter adores you!” or “It’s so cool that you came!” The whole time, Roy and Phoebe collected the equipment, with Phoebe watching me with great interest.

As the last of the girls left, I meandered over to the coach and his niece, stopping when I found myself looking into those brown eyes.

“Thanks, Kent,” I said, wondering if he could hear the thick emotion in my voice. “This… this was exactly what I needed.”

His eyes sparkled. “What, a bunch of little girls worshipping you?”

A snort escaped when I tried to hold back my laughter. “They didn’t worship-”

“Fuck off,” he chuckled, giving me a soft punch in the arm. “They fucking adored you. You’re their queen or some shit. Seriously-” He bobbled his head playfully. “-they’re probably planning a coup to get rid of me so you can be their coach.” He pointed to Pheobe, who was hovering nearby, obviously anxious to interrupt our conversation. “And that little traitor will be leading the fucking cavalry.” He waved her over. “Come say goodnight, Phoebe.”

Phoebe wrapped her arms around me, giving a squeeze. “Thank you for coming,” she gushed before letting go. “You know I have your poster in my room?” Her smile was full of pride. “I told Uncle Roy I wanted one, so he got one for me. It’s right above my dresser, so I can see it when I get ready for football.”

My jaw dropped slightly as my gaze shifted between Phoebe and Roy, who shrugged at me. Before I could think of something to say, he opened his mouth.

“I’ll make you a deal, Pheebs,” he started, eyes fixated on me. “You score in our next match, I’ll take you to see the Whippets, and we can ask very nicely if Coach Buck here will sign your poster.”

A lump formed in my throat when I saw the delight on Phoebe’s face. “Yeah,” I managed to choke out as I blinked back tears. “I could do that.”

There was a dull ache in Roy’s knee when he arrived at the Dog Track early the next morning, but it was a hell of a lot better than the sharp pain in his chest that seemed to be slowly disappearing. He figured he’d pop into the treatment room, grab some ice and baby his knee before getting ready for training.

When he walked through the door, he realized he wasn’t the only one that needed some tending to.

There she was, leg propped up on a chair, ice on her ankle as she scrolled on her phone. Her head snapped up at the sound of the door opening, and her face broke into one of those perfect smiles when she saw it was Roy. Without a word, they both started chuckling, almost relieved to see that the other had also overdone it the night before.

“Guess you meant it when you said you weren’t going easy on me,” she mused, watching Roy grab himself an ice pack.

He chuckled and rolled up his trackpants to expose his knee, flinching slightly as the cold touched his bare skin. “You’d fucking kill me if I did,” he pointed out. “It’d be fucking insulting.” After a moment of silence, staring at each other’s injuries, Roy opened his mouth again. “I’ll be at your game tonight,” he murmured, hoping he sounded casual.

Instead of the surprised look he expected, he swore he saw pleasure on her face. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” He let his eyes linger on her face. “I know the guys’ve been trying to go to as many matches as possible to show their support. Told Sam and Jamie I’d be joining them tonight. Richmond til we die, right?”

“Richmond til we die,” she repeated, her soft smile nearly stopping Roy’s heart.

Their quiet moment was interrupted by the door opening again. Rebecca stood with her hand on the doorknob, eyebrows raised at the sight of her two managers grinning at each other and icing their injuries.

“Good morning, coaches,” she greeted in a light voice, eyebrows raising slightly higher when she locked eyes with Roy before turning to the Whippets manager. “Just wanted to check in, I know you’ve got a long day. Match is at six, I believe some of the Greyhounds will be there again-”

Roy couldn’t resist piping up. “We will be.”

Rebecca didn’t bother hiding her smile as she went on. “After the match, Keeley will take Lucas to the press room, and you and I can-”

This time, the other manager interrupted her. “No.”

“No?” Rebecca blinked.

“Fuck it,” she sighed, sitting up and tossing her ice pack aside. “This is my team, right? I’m doing the press conference. Luke has covered for me long enough.”

Rebecca tilted her head sympathetically. “Are you sure?”

For a moment, those eyes turned to Roy, silently asking for his thoughts, as though his opinion mattered to her. When he gave her the tiniest, almost unnoticeable nod, she looked back at Rebecca, head held high. “Hell yeah.”

Roy had chosen the right match to come to, he realized. A 4-0 win to move into first place had him grinning with the Greyhounds as they cheered on the Whippets before they disappeared back into the tunnel. For a moment, he locked eyes with Buck, who tapped her fingers to her temple, giving Roy’s signature little salute. He saluted back, ignoring the grin on Jamie’s face. Maybe, just maybe, the two managers could grab a drink together to celebrate her win. Roy’s treat, of course. She’d more than earned it.

But first, she had a press conference to give. The Whippets and Greyhounds, intent on celebrating together, assembled in the weight room and gathered around the televisions on the wall. Roy stood right in front, Jamie by his side, eyes glued to the screen as she took her seat, red lips curled into a perfect smile.

Initially, the questions were typical post-match queries: how did she feel about the performance, what did she have to say about this error, how thrilling was that goal. And she handled them all with ease, reminding Roy of that first press conference he’d watched, where he couldn’t keep his eyes off of her. But now, instead of a scowl, he almost wore a smile watching her, and he finally understood why his heart was hammering so hard. Yeah, this was good. She was good.

Until the questions weren’t good.

“Roy Kent was in the stands today,” one reporter called out. “Any thoughts on that?”

Her smile faltered as her eyes shifted away from the crowd in front of her. “Oh. Yes, the Greyhounds have been great in showing their support for the Whippets.” Her smile returned, though not as confident as before. “We’re overdue to cheer them on, so keep an eye out for us at their next match!”

Another question came at her. “What is your relationship with Roy now?”

She cleared her throat. “All the coaches here at Richmond have a great respect and fondness for one another. We’re lucky to have two great staffs that work together so well. It’s how we get wins like the one we had today, on both the men’s and women’s sides.”

Roy felt his face burn, along with several pairs of eyes staring at him. He didn’t care that she avoided the question; it was the same non-answer Keeley had given him to spout out whenever he got asked the same thing. It was the way the question came out, accusatory and aggressive, that had him frowning.

“Does your dominant personality play a role in your relationship with Roy Kent?”

There was no denying the way she scrunched her nose, fully understanding the implication. “Again, all of us coaches hold each other in high regard and have great professional relationships. Now, if you want to talk dominance, out there on the field today, Kira-”

“Speaking of Kira Malone,” a gruff voice interrupted. “She was recently seen at a pub with Jamie Tartt. Do you think your affair with Roy Kent has made the Whippets think it’s okay to run around with the Greyhounds? Is that professional?”

She began sputtering for the first time. “I would hardly call it an affair- But honestly, they’re adults, they’re professionals, I honestly-”

“And you were spotted with Ted Lasso recently,” another voice called out. “Can we assume you’ve moved on from Roy Kent?”

Her eyes widened, but she tried to recover her cool. “Coach Lasso’s a great coach. I-”

A harsh laugh rang out of the speakers. “Yeah, what does Kent think of your relationship with his ex-manager?”

Roy took a step towards the door; he knew that running into that press room would make things worse, would be a headline every paper would be running in the morning, but he didn’t give a fuck. His whole body was burning with fury as he listened to them challenge and fucking laugh at her.

A hand clasped his shoulder; Jamie was shaking his head, eyes full of sympathy, as if he too wanted to rush in and rescue her. But they both knew that she needed to do this on her own.

“Oi, is Roy why you always wear that red lipstick? Should we expect to see it on his collar sometime?”

She looked small, so impossibly small, not at all like the woman Roy had been fighting with and falling for all these months. Her defiance disappeared under their demeaning questions, her fierceness was stolen by their laughter, her cockiness was stifled by their mockery.

“What kind of example do you think you’re setting for the girls of Richmond? Sleeping with Roy Kent and all?”

That seemed to be the question that knocked the fight out of her.

“Oh, fuck this,” Roy growled, tugging out his phone. He quickly typed six little words, the first text message he’d ever sent her.

Don’t you fucking dare play nice.

Her eyes flickered to her phone, eyebrows raising; Roy knew she’d gotten his message. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting them continue to shout and shame her. Finally, she sat up tall, jaw set, and stared down the crowd in front of her.

“You know what?” she asked, her voice low and gravely. “Fuck these questions you keep asking me.” Roy was sure he heard Keeley squeak on the television. “You’re not asking Roy Kent these questions. You’re not asking if he’s a good role model. You’re not questioning his ability to manage his team.” She shook her head. “What message am I sending to young girls? Really? How about what message are you sending?”

Roy was sure it was Kira Malone’s voice behind him calling out, “Fuck yeah, Buck!”

She sat up taller now. “I am a fucking Olympian. I am a champion coach. I have won more titles and trophies and medals than this entire building combined.”

“Tell ‘em, Coach!” Jamie laughed, nodding up at her face onscreen.

Roy’s mind wandered, of all places, to his niece. To the way she adored that loud, abrasive woman, a woman who was standing up for girls like Phoebe. A lump formed in his throat as he listened; fuck, he might actually fucking cry. And he didn’t care if the Greyhounds saw the tears in his eyes. He didn’t even care about the way Jamie was staring at him; he was too enraptured by the scene unfolding on the television.

“I chose to sleep with a nice man one time, and suddenly all my accomplishments don’t matter? Who cares about Olympic gold when you’ve gone to bed with Roy Kent? What defines me is who I go home with? What message is that for the daughters of Richmond? You’re telling your girls that their accomplishments and dreams are nothing compared with what they do in the bedroom. No.” Her eyes were hard and steely as she shook her head. “Fuck this. I’m done. If I wanted to go and sleep with Roy Kent tonight, that’s my own damn business. If I wanted to sleep with any other man, or woman, or whoever, that’s my business.”

Shouts of agreement echoed through the weight room, from both Whippets and Greyhounds. A smile crept across Roy’s lips; fuck, she was incredible. If he wasn’t in love before, he definitely was now.

“What example am I setting for the girls of Richmond?” she asked with a dry laugh. “Not letting jackasses like you question our worth because of a man. That’s the example I’m setting. So if you’re here to ask about my sex life, you can fuck right off. It’s not up for debate, not anymore. It’s not what we’re talking about, now or ever. What I’m here to talk about is the fact that the Whippets are in first place and are expected to finish in the top three in our first damn season. How about you ask me about that?”

My heartbeat throbbed in my ears as I stood up, only vaguely registering the female reporters and handful of men who also stood, clapping and calling out words of support. I grabbed my phone and rushed out of the press room, not bothering to look at Keeley and Rebecca; I’d apologize to them later. I’d do whatever Keeley needed me to do to spin this. I’d offer to do whatever public appearances Rebecca demanded.

But first, I needed to get to my office to hyperventilate in peace.

As my feet did their job, carrying me down the halls, I became aware of the sound of… clapping? Cheering?

When I turned the last corner that would take me to the changing room, I finally stopped in my tracks.

Lining the hall were both Richmond teams, a beautiful jumble of smiles and applause and cheers, all watching me with affection. Suddenly, I found myself smothered with hugs and kisses and handshakes. Kira held me close, whispering in my ear about how proud she was to play for me; Jamie Tartt kissed my forehead and called me a bad-ass; over and over, Greyhounds and Whippets embraced me and offered their love and support.

By the time I reached the locker room, tears were freely streaming down my face, releasing all the emotion I’d been holding back in the press room; hell, all the emotion I’d been holding back since Keeley first showed me the photos of me and Roy.

The Greyhounds coaches stood in front of the locker room, pride shining on their faces. Beard and Nate each held me tight, murmuring about how amazed they were. Finally, Roy stood in front of me, his eyes watery as he gazed down at me.

“Welcome back, Coach,” he hummed, sticking out his hand.

I grasped his hand, shaking it firmly, unable to hold back my tearful smile. “Good to be back, Coach,” I murmured. I gave his hand a squeeze before letting go. “And thank you,” I whispered.

He shook his head softly. “Anytime.”

A pair of arms wrapped around me; Lucas was hugging me, tighter than anyone else had. “I’m so proud of you,” he choked out, crying almost as hard as I was. “So fucking proud, kid.”

With one last look at Roy, I let Lucas steer me into our office, listening to him chatter about how much he loved my little speech. I collapsed in my chair and laughed, from disbelief that I had just done that. My phone went off; George.

“Hey!” I exclaimed, wiping my face. “Did ya see me?”

“What the hell, Buck?” he hissed. “You just made things so much harder on yourself. They’re not going to forgive you for this. They’re not going to like you after this. Trust me, I know these people.”

When Lucas saw the way my face fell, he gave my shoulder a squeeze and left, figuring I needed some privacy.

I hunched over my desk and clutched my phone to my face. “To be honest, George, I don’t think I care if they like me. They don’t respect me, so why do I care if they think I’m nice?” I shook my head. “I’m proud of myself, actually. And so is my team. And so are the Greyhounds.” And so is Roy Kent, a little voice in the back of my head whispered.

He paused. “It was good,” he sighed. “You sounded great. Honestly, it was a great ‘girl power’ moment.” There was another moment of quiet on his end before his voice turned thoughtful. “You know, I bet we could do a great article about this. Give your side of things, talk all about the slut-shaming and double standards-”

“Didn’t you listen to what I said?” I scoffed, sensing someone approaching my office. “I’m fucking done talking about this. I’m not answering questions about this, ever again. Everyone knows I had sex with Roy Kent, that’s more than they need to know. I don’t owe anyone anything else.”

“Right.” He cleared his throat. “Why don’t we grab a late dinner? Could, I dunno, celebrate your win or something.”

For the first time since we met, I had no interest in seeing George Willows. “Not tonight,” I muttered. “I just… want to go home. Sleep. Avoid Twitter.” I finally turned, realizing it was, of all people, Roy hovering in my doorway. “Listen, I gotta go. I’ll call you tomorrow.” Not waiting for a reply, I hung up, tossing my phone on my desk before turning my chair around, raising my eyebrows teasingly at Roy. “Need something? Or are you going to send me another inspiring text message?”

He stared at me, mouth open like he was about to speak. Finally, he just shook his head and let out a breathy chuckle. “Fuck,” he breathed, stepping further into my office. “You… you were fucking something today, you know that?”

I shook my head and stood up, meeting him in the middle of the room. “Kent-”

“No.” He smirked at me. “Take the fucking compliment.” He shrugged. “I just wanted to tell you I was… really impressed today.” He cleared his throat. “On the field. In the press room. You’re a fucking great manager.” He let out a deep breath, eyes shifting around the office. “Don’t think I’ve told you that, and I’m sorry I haven’t.” He met my gaze, his smirk becoming a smile. “And I am very glad Phoebe has someone like you to look up to. So… that’s it, I guess.”

Roy Kent was looking at me with admiration. Roy Kent, who’d hated me and screamed at me. Roy Kent, who’d slept with me. Roy Kent, who asked me to speak to a girls’ soccer team. Roy Kent.

Roy Kent, who I wrapped my arms around and pulled into a hug. Not giving a shit about anything outside my tiny office, I pressed my body close to his, squeezing him tight. I buried my face in his shoulder, letting my tear-stained face dampen his Greyhounds shirt. His words, the look on his face, they were exactly what I needed.

His hands hovered over my hips, not returning the embrace, and I could hear him clear his throat, the vibration rumbling against my chest. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Immediately regretting my impulsive action, I pulled back, positive my face was bright red. “Shit,” I mumbled, my mind reeling from the roller coaster of emotions I was having tonight. “Sorry, I-”

Suddenly, I was pulled back to Roy’s chest, his arms wrapped tightly around my waist. I swore he sighed when my arms returned to his neck, and when my head hit his chest, I could hear his heart pounding, just as hard as I knew mine was. We stood there, hugging, wrapped up in whatever little world we were in, away from the press and the rumors and the judgement.

Just me and Roy.

Taglist: @optimisticsandwichgladiator@reading-blogs@callmecasey81@ladygrey03@puckyou-forpuckssake@royalestrellas@shineforever19 @rae4725 @burnafter-reading @her-fandom-sanctum @infinetlyforgotten@giggling-sewer-ginger@whataloadofmalarkey@agentstarkid@kingleahhh@tortilla-maria1@geekgirl1996 @amatswimming @meg-ro@spicyraccoonlordking@spaghetti-dad187@needlesthreadandbuttons@elissaaa @imsoluckyeverythingworksoutforme @reverieisaway@djskakakaksjsj-blog@thatonedogwithablog@allthetroubleiveseen@sunderland-6 @netflix-addict @paranormal-is-my-life@jill2629-blog@itsbuzzfeedbitch@pretzelactivist@amieinghigh@kashee-h@beingalive1@mythicalbinicorn@needyomega@kno-way-home@janalustare@sssatorus@its-a-rich-mans-world@confessionsofatotaldramaslut@hesitant-alien33@katie-sheep-111 @bonesbonesetc @seacactusplant@thebookwormlife @dreamscape22 @rae4725 @timelordhunterandmysterysolver@littleesilvia @anonurs @itswhateveripromise @chewymoustachio @gcidrvsh @katdahlali @ohwauwdoritos @lemoonandlestars

#roy kent something there #he's here he's there he's every fucking where #roy kent #roy kent x reader #roy kent fanfic #roy kent fic #roy kent fanfiction #ted lasso fanfiction #ted lasso fanfic #ted lasso fic

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sunsh1n3s · 15 days

Text

— beaming. ( bobby moch x reader )

a.n. inspired by the lovely request/idea from @lilfreebee

contains. swearing? possibly i dunno it’s me, fem!reader, makeouts, suggestive at the end but no full smut ( weak for your love by thee sacred souls was stuck in my head as i wrote this )

washington won their biggest race yet, pushing them closer to competing for a spot in the olympics. the anxiety was gone, and the crew was joyous, and their energy continued through the weekend.

a party followed after the competition, food was prepared, decorations were put up as quickly as possible for the winning team, and everyone had their party outfits ready.

what made it more exciting was that the party was for the home team, not their competitors. the party was packed and filled with joy. it was simply a sweet night to be a part of. the boys were happy to attend, talking with girls or people who had any question or infatuation with their sport; with their win.

bobby moch was on his high horse, it didn’t go away all weekend. his crew complained about his high ego, but they couldn’t deny that theirs were up a bit too. however, the crew claimed bobby’s napoleon complex was at its peak that night, never shutting up even when he threatened them with tougher strokes for the next practice.

but the threats stopped and bobby was less egotistical when an angel sat at his table. “bobby.” she smiled, leaning back in her seat. “y/n.” he returned, grinning like a little kid. behind him, some of his friends laughed, knowing he was now nervous. “how’re you?” he asked, giving her his full attention.

for a while now, bobby and y/n had seen each other at races, class, and bobby noticed her in the hallways passing by. they both started college the same year, so bobby always had an eye on y/n. from his freshman year, he was whipped. and now here she sat, at his table, in a fitting dress and her hair perfect. she was perfect.

“i’m good, the party is nice. how are you, moch?” she asked, smiling at him. bobby glanced at her painted lips, smiling back at her. “i’m great, actually.” he replied, subconsciously leaning towards her. she looked around, noticing all the guys had some girl’s attention; meanwhile she had his. “any girls demand dances or have they fallen at your feet yet?” y/n asked, looking back at him and raising an eyebrow.

a few did, but he wouldn’t admit it completely.

bobby shook his head, “not any of interest. i don’t think they truly have any interest anyway.” he replied, catching y/n by surprise. “do you have a certain interest?” she teased, surveying the crowd again to see if there was any girl looking at him or glaring at her. “you wouldn’t find her in the crowd.” bobby answered, his hand gently went over hers in a now or never action. y/n looked down at their hands, surprised.

a smile bloomed on her face, and she looked at bobby once again, he was beaming at her. “you’re my interest.” he admitted, making a face at how it sounded. y/n laughed and bobby felt his heart melt and his blood rush. “you’re mine too, moch. i didn’t think i had a shot.” she replied, squeezing his hand. bobby shook his head, “you have every shot in the world.” he assured, getting up and pulling y/n up with him.

“would you dance with me?”

and so for the next half hour, the two laughed, talked, and danced. they both were tipsy and bobby felt like the luckiest man in the world. as he spun y/n around he noticed his best friend and best stroke sitting on the bench alone.

bobby pulled y/n to him to make her see what he was seeing. “hold on my dear, i gotta get this guy a girl or something.” he spoke, leaving y/n on the dance floor. she smiled and let out a small chuckle, turning to dance with another teammate of bobby’s. they all knew her, and respected her. after months and months of bobby’s rambles about her and every moment shared between them; they all admired her.

somedays, bobby was less of an ass because of her.

before y/n knew it, bobby returned and created a plan with the guys. his hand on her back as he discussed his idea, “he’s great at the piano, you have to hear him play.” he said to y/n, grinning as he ran to the microphone. y/n stood in the crowd, trying not to laugh as she watched bobby gather everyone’s attention and the boys drag don up to the piano.

bobby helped don sit down, he leaned over. “can you play something i can dance with y/n to?” he whispered, don looked at him looking clueless, but he nodded. the boys all returned to y/n, smiling up at don and egging him on to play.

y/n noticed the feeling of bobby’s hand on her back once again while the other rested on her shoulder, keeping her close while they watched. she tried to fight the burning feeling on her face.

to gather the crowd, don first played washington’s anthem; getting everyone to sing. and like promised, he played a song for bobby to dance to.

bobby spun y/n around and pulled her close, his face close to hers. “you’re quite a catch, you know that?” she complimented, dancing smoothly with him. “i’m glad you caught me.” he replied, smiling at her and taking in all of her beauty. from classes, catching each other with quick glances at races, and bobby sometimes working with her; this is all he ever wanted.

“im glad i did too.” she replied, squeezing his hand gently. bobby kept her close, “after this song would you like to get some air?” he asked. y/n raised an eyebrow then nodded, “my feet are getting tired anyway.” she informed, still moving with him. once don finished and the two cheered for him, they both went to gather their things.

bobby waited for y/n, his hand out for hers to take. she did without hesitation, following him into the night. they walked in silence towards y/n’s dorm, it was comfortable, yet there was so much running through their minds.

they made it to the front, y/n stood across from bobby with a sweet smile on her face. the tension that slowly grew between them was thicker than before, bobby silently backed her into the wall. “i had a great time.” bobby said, his voice low and his smile wide. y/n scanned his face, looking at his lips a few too many times.

“the great times don’t have to end.” she replied as he leaned in, her face nearly touched his and they both remained grinning. “can i?” bobby asked. “please do.” she whispered, and before she knew it his lips were on hers.

bobby was pressed against y/n as they kissed, one turned into more, many more. y/n’s hand wrapped around his tie, bringing bobby in. she pulled away for air, her eyes eagerly meeting his. he was in awe of her, his face was flushed and he could feel the warmth of hers in his hand. “want to take this inside?” she whispered, smiling bashfully.

bobby couldn’t form words, simply nodding as she let go of his tie, kissed his lips quickly, and led him to her room quickly.

the two barely made it into the door before his hands were on her again and his lips were on her. despite his confidence, being with her and as close to her as he could get made him beyond nervous. however, he was calmed by her touch; her hands in his hair, touching his arms, resting on his shoulders, or squeezing them. her touch was relaxing, somewhat grounding.

her hands never left him, and his never left her. as clothes were discarded and hair was messed up, they always kept one another in touch.

her hips, her hands, and her legs felt perfect under his touch. her skin soft against his calloused hands, she was like silk. the night with her was blissful, one unexpected but welcomed.

bobby felt like the luckiest man alive in the past 48 hours, but his favorite memories of the time was the hours spent with the girl he admired so. he didn’t care what they did, he was just happy to be with her. and his heart felt whole when it was clear she was just as happy for the same reasons.

together they laid in her bed, still somehow nervous after what had happened between them. bobby held y/n’s face and placed few kisses on her cheek and forehead, letting her rest her head on his chest. he never wanted to leave this moment.

#bobby moch x reader #bobby moch x fem!reader #bobby moch imagine #bobby moch #j’s imagines

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absolutebl · 8 months

Note

Heyy it's me again lol .

So in the post about your Gmmtv predictions of 2024 you talked about Gmmtv making gay versions of Kdramas , right? I have been thinking about this for a long time too and I have a question for you somewhat related to that. What are some tropes/dynamics/setups you'd like to see more in BLs which are less used or has not been used at all in BL as of yet ? You said you are busy in the last ask so take your time :)

Also thanks for answering your asks in details . Your answers are extremely interesting everytime.

Hi hi!

Kdrama Tropes/Archetypes/Dynamics I'd like to see in BL?

AKA what if Korea just actually made Kdrama's gay

Hum, most Kdrama's (I watch) are pretty much love stories and romances just like BL. It's just that they get longer treatments and better scripts. KBL in its current form, isn't long enough to encompass the true value of its own het genre. Thai BL, which is long enough, rarely has the story structure or production values or aesthetic.

So, it's more that I want the BL romances to be given Kdrama respect in terms of narrative and packaging and length or treatment (money money money). And style. I do love Korea's very fashionable, mannerly, repressed way of pimping romance.

So I lot of my choices have more to do with that, I suppose?

Here's some I'll just throw out:

Historical (serious political or romcom)

Martial Arts / Sports / Teams (olympic hopefuls?)

Fantasy (cultivation/progression)

Suspense (like proper murder investigation)

Super Hero (esk) - special powers

Fictional alt-world (like isikai)

Medical drama (not just setting)

Military

Political thriller (corruption)

Supernatural creatures (like Kumiho)

Soldier/healer

Capers (think Leverage or something like Taxi Driver)

Small town up in EVERYONE's business

Idol boy band romance (of course)

A lot of these are too expensive for BL (either because Thailand who would do it, can't afford it, or Korea doesn't find gay bankable enough) in costumes, setting, cast size, and so forth. A couple are out because of content (neither country would ever do military BL, and Thailand can't do political stuff).

I did do a pull on Kdrama's I really want remade, and many of these contain the things I named above:

Some of my favorite Kdramas (so you know my taste/perspective):

And here's:

10 Famous Kdrama Actors Who’d Never do BL but I Want ‘em To

#asked and answered #true KBL #what if Korea really did just make gay kdramas?

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eddieschains · 1 year

Text

Joseph Quinn X Fem!Reader

thank you @choke-me-joey for answering all my stupid annoying pregnancy questions for this

this is based off of a JQ dream i had that i did NOT want to wake up from

TW: i don’t think theres any warnings other than RPF (don’t like it, don’t read it), and pregnancy??

You and Joe had taken a trip to America to visit your family, as it would be the last time you could fly before the baby came. Your family made a big deal out of it since you rarely got time to visit with your daughter and Joes busy schedule.

You could see your family gathered in the living room as the three of you pulled into the driveway. Joe took care of the luggage while you carried your daughter to the front porch.

Your dad spotted you from the window and raced to the door to greet you.

“My two favorite girls!” He pulls you in for a hug as you set your daughter down, Joe trailing close behind. “And my favorite son in law!” He pulls Joe in for a hug too, patting his back before taking the bags from him.

“You only have one son in law dad.” You chuckle, hobbling into the house.

“That’s why he’s my favorite.” Your dad responds before making his way to your bedroom to set your bags down.

You’re greeted with lots of hugs and kisses from the whole family, and fondling of your protruding belly.

“How far along are you?” Your cousin asks.

“Just over 7 months.” You smile, watching her rub her hand over your stomach.

“I can’t wait to see him.” She smiles back.

“Neither can we.” You look up at Joe and he smiles, placing a small peck on your lips.

“And how old is this little one now?” She bends down to your daughter, who was playing the shy game and covering her face.

“How old are you Leila?” You ask your daughter, and she holds up 3 fingers.

“Three?! Oh my goodness how’d you get so old?” Your cousin tickles Leila earning some giggles. “Well come, sit. You must be exhausted.”

“Yeah its pretty tiring carrying this thing around.” You chuckle, “Where are my brothers?”

“Oh they’re all out back. Grilling, drinking beers, talking about whatever sport they watch.” She laughs, before trotting off into the kitchen.

“Do you want anything to drink baby?” Joe asks.

“Just water is okay.”

“With lemon?”

“You know me so well.” He leans down to kiss you before you take Leila’s hand, dragging her outside to visit with her uncles and cousins.

“Sister!!” Your brother, Jack yells with his arms in the air.

“Brother!!” You embrace him in a hug while his wife Anna scoops Leila up in her arms, giving her raspberries all over making her giggle loudly with joy.

“You look like you’re about to pop.” He jokes, softly patting your stomach.

“Yeah, feel like it too. Where’s my niece and nephew?” You ask, and he points to the yard. You bring Leila with you to say your hello’s.

“Auntie!!” They both yell, running up to give you a hug.

“Hey guys. What are we playing?” You ask them.

“Jump rope! I can do 23 in a row.” Your niece proudly tells you.

“Wow 23?! You must be on your way to the olympics by now, huh?” You scratch her head as she laughs.

“Not quite, but almost. You wanna play with us?” She asks you, holding the rope in her hand.

“Oh i’d love to but I can’t. Belly’s too big. But i’m sure Leila here would love to. Just go easy on her ‘kay?” You smile down at your daughter, motioning for her to join them.

You return to your brothers and their wives by the grill, as Joe hands you your glass of water.

“Hungry?” Anna asks, directing the question at both you and Joe. You nod, grabbing two plates to fix you and him something to eat.

Once everyone has pigged out on the barbecue, you take a seat on the couch in the living room, catching up with your mom and the other ladies of your family. Joe is outside with the boys, watching Leila play with her cousins in the yard.

“How’s the pregnancy this time honey?” Your mom asks, sipping on her wine.

“Ugh its awful.” You say, earning laughs from everyone. “I’m so much bigger this time, and more emotional. I feel sorry for Joe, but he’s been so great to me.” You smile, rubbing your belly.

“Well i’m sure it’s nothing he can’t handle hun. He’d have to be a patient person if he’s with you.” Your mom laughs.

“God I know! I was such a little shit when i was younger wasn’t I?” You think back to what you were like before Joe. Constantly sneaking out, hanging out with the wrong people, dating the wrong guys.

“I’m just glad you found such a good man. I was worried there for a second.”

You and your mom both chuckle, as he gets up to refill her glass. You lean back on the couch, resting your eyes for a moment before you feel a little tap on your knee.

“Mommy will you come play kitchen with me?” Leila asks with her big brown eyes. She looks so much like Joe. A curly mop of golden brown hair, those puppy dog eyes, and perfectly round lips. She makes the same face he does when he’s trying to get his way, and as much as you want to say yes, you’re physically exhausted and just want to lay down.

“It’s almost bedtime baby, we can play tomorrow.” You tell her.

“Pleaseeee mommy?” Joe walks in just as she starts to beg.

“Hey pumpkin, how about I come play with you til bedtime? Give mommy some time to rest okay?” Leila agrees and starts dragging Joe back outside. You mouth him a thank you and blow him a kiss before going back to conversing with your mom.

About 30 minutes later, your family starts to part ways. Exchanging lots of see you soon’s and good luck’s regarding your pregnancy.

You’ve fully taken up one of the couches by sprawling your whole body across it, trying to find some kind of relief on the weight in your lower back.

Your mom and dad are cleaning up in the kitchen, insisting that you stay on the couch instead of helping.

“Where’s Joe?” You ask them.

“Oh I think he went to put Leila down for the night. Really wore her out.” Your dad responds, putting the leftover food in the fridge.

“Good. Sometimes I swear she’s got the energizer bunny inside of her.” You laugh, laying back down.

Almost on cue, Joe comes back in, asking your parents if they need help as they usher him away. He makes his way to you, “Can you spare a spot?” You lift the top half of your body as much as you can, and he takes a seat. You lay your head on his lap and he begins rubbing your shoulders and playing with your hair.

“Hey.” You speak. He looks down at you, pulling your hair out of the way so he can see your face. “I love you.” He smiles, kissing your forehead.

“I love you more. Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Giving me this life. Giving me a family. This is all i’ve ever wanted, and i get to do it with you. Forever.” You smile, grabbing his cheek and rubbing it with your thumb.

“I’d do anything for you, you know that? You’re my favorite boy.”

“Don’t let little man hear you.” He chuckles, rubbing your bump.

You pull him down for a kiss, and you hear the noise of a camera shutter behind you. You both turn to see your parents standing there, grinning from ear to ear with their phones held out. Joe laughs and you shoot your mom a look.

“Just capturing the moment sweetie.”

#joseph quinn x fem reader #joseph quinn drabble #joseph quinn blurb #joseph quinn fluff #joseph quinn fic #joseph quinn x reader #joseph quinn rpf #joseph quinn

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sergeifyodorov · 10 months

Note

Sidney Crosby for the character ask

actually i do have a very specific first impression of sidney which is that i was . can’t have been ten, probably closer to seven or eight and i was living w my dad and hockey was on and it was pens vs a team that was not the leafs, and i knew he was a leafsfan so i was like “why are you watching hockey if it’s not your team” and he was like “sometimes i like to watch it for sid the kid” and i was like. a kid? and he pointed out what must have been a truly baby sidney and i remember clearly thinking I Hope He’ll Be A Leaf Some Day… truly my delusions have always been there.

IMPRESSION NOW

well GOAT obviously

beyond that he is such a good leader and obviously just a huge awkward dorky sweetheart -- there are no stories of bad encounters with him, like, ever. i think my general vision of him is just someone who is so stubborn and willful and good, who has pushed all of himself into doing hockey and doing hockey well and has negotiated some kind of reward from the universe for it. definitely has The Tism. if i were a hockey boy i too wouldve jerked off to posters of young sidney.

also is aging incredibly as both a player and as a guy… i don’t think either sidney or the audience are ready for silver fox sidney crosby. but the time is approaching far more rapidly than either of us would care to admit

i do however believe that the instant he retires he will vanish into the distant nova scotian woods, or perhaps the sea, and we will never hear anything about him again.

FAV MOMENT

much like ovi, sidney is Old and thereby has an abundance of Moments. Here are some:

sidovi duelling hat tricks night (it was both of their moments, come on)

That one anecdote about him walking with reporters coatless somewhere in the negative tens, followed by them going through the tim hortons in the rink and people stopping and realizing who it is the moment that he goes into the elevator

2010 olympic golden goal

this isn’t technically a Sidney Moment but the steve dangle tweet about “has sidney crosby passed the torch followed by sidney crosby ripping out his opponent’s heart and eating it has been happening for the past six years” (the tweet itself is also about four or five years old)

The entirety of his Fucked Up Teeth era where he had to wear the fishbowl and fought a bunch of people . I think we don’t remember enough that Sid used to be an absolute bloody menace -- I’m pretty sure he’s either the only rookie or one of the only rookies with 100 pts and 100 PIM in a season.

he did the michigan before it was cool btw

IDEA FOR STORY

well let’s go back to the disappearing into the woods thing. have you guys heard of sable island perchance

well u see. there is an island off the coast of nova scotia

it’s got an electoral district and everything. Or it’s part of one. Which is weird because only a couple of researchers live there periodically.

anyway. king under the mountain type au where post-concussions sid decides instead to leave hockey, go back to nova scotia and become a lighthouse keeper/researcher. living on sable island, skating once a year on the thin-ass ocean ice when it freezes. disappears when the sport of hockey needs him most etc

in fact in this au he leaves in 2012, and because there’s no hope of his returning the penguins are. Substantially worse in the following year, not only breaking hard from the playoffs but also doing a leedle light tanking to get themselves a similarly touted prospect… 2013 first overall pick nathan mackinnon.

natemac who is and has always been a sidney fanboy numero uno AND a sicko who wants 2 win above all else. natemac who gets himself immediately into a war of wills with geno because geno wants sid to live a good life, a long and peaceful life away from where he has been and natemac who knows that there is something else going on. that sid gave up, but he is not lost.

so nate and geno play out nate’s rookie year; nate breaks in the offseason for sable island in search of sidney. cue geno coming along.

nategenosidney roadtrip 2 return to hockey nightmare psychosexual experience for everyone involved (geno has to contend with his feelings for sidney, a dear friend and colleague who he wants to both protect and win alongside, as well as his frustration towards nate, this doughy-faced and overemotional young firecracker… a lot like a certain sid, back in the day.) (sid has to deal with his feelings for geno, a respected teammate who he wanted to become captain after him but so clearly would rather not have that spot in his life replaced, and his new affection for this nate guy, someone who is so earnest and so competitive and so insane in exactly the same way as him that he’s not sure if it’s deliriously endearing or driving him nuts)(nate has to deal with his huge awfully enrapturing celebrity crush on someone he has always wanted to play with but who is apparently unavailable and has to deal with this sort of weird captainrookie mutual bullying homoeroticism he’s developed with geno)

i think this just ends up in a threesome tbh but who am i to say

UNPOPULAR OPINION

honestly… i do not find him that particularly attractive… i think it is maybe something to do with yalls competency kink (can’t blame u). the lips and the ass are great though he’s just almost too pretty for me.

also i am a sidstache truther

FAV RELATIONSHIP

genuine tie between nate, geno, and ovi

FAV HEADCANON

go read jes ticklefighthockey’s entire archive right now and then go read her entire ao3. THAT is true sidscholarship i do not feel as if i am anywhere near capable of that level of it

#asks #sidney crosby

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hellotailor · 1 year

Text

Scott of the Antarctic (1948)

Scott's 1910 expedition to the South Pole is famous for ending in death and disaster, but this 1948 dramatization is so full of jovial post-WWII patriotism that the tragic finale almost comes as a surprise. rarely have i seen such a zealous piece of propaganda for the british stiff upper lip. a real treat for anyone interested in the cultural obsession around polar explorers.

i wound up watching Scott of the Antarctic by chance, thanks to a local screening with a live orchestra playing the score by Vaughan Williams. filmed by Ealing Studios (known for making crowd-pleasing and Extremely British films in the mid-20th century), it offers a surprisingly accurate - albeit simplified - portrayal of how Scott's team prepared and executed their mission.

or rather, it's "accurate" in the sense that it covers the correct timeline and contributing factors to Scott's demise (bad luck; under-funding; prioritizing motor sledges over dogs; hiring unqualified teammembers), while presenting these facts in such an upbeat Boys Own Adventure tone that viewers can enjoy the tragic heroism with an uncritical eye.

lots of scenes with adorable dogs and penguins. an unmistakably Ealing enthusiasm for english lads having an ol' knees-up. not to mention the epic technicolor photogrography accompanied by a stirring score. you can absolutely see why it would be a huge hit with british audiences at the time.

one of the things i find most interesting about these 19th/20th century polar expeditions is the psychology of the guys in charge. it's like running for president or competing in a non-lucrative olympic sport; you have to be a real freak to do it. as a distant spectator, i'm perpetually torn between morbid awe at the indomitable human spirit, and thinking “uh what the fuck is wrong with these guys.”

the english explorers often seem to be laden down with the most hubris, desperate to stick their flag in a new piece of land as the British Empire begins to wind down. and of course they’re convinced that any amount of hardship can be overcome, and suffering must be met by boundless stoicism - an attitude that’s drummed in from childhood by the brutal british prep school system. Scott joined Queen Victoria’s Navy at the age of 13; the kind of formative experience that completely warps your reactions to hardship.

meanwhile the norwegian explorers Nansen and Amundsen (who beat Scott to the south pole) are equally singleminded and eccentric, but often seem to make more practical decisions in terms of basic survival techniques. the main contrast offered in this film is the different ways the British and Norwegian teams treat their dogs.

Amundsen (who never appears onscreen) traveled to antarctica with over a hundred dogs, serving a dual purpose: pulling the sledges and acting as a portable food supply. Scott, who is portrayed as squeamish about killing and eating Man’s Best Friend, opts for a combination of dogs, ponies, motor vehicles and man-hauled sledges. the film makes it clear why this was a bad idea, while tacitly endorsing Scott’s viewpoint by lingering on the cuteness of the dogs. this feels very similar to the weird internal tension between the film’s overall tone (a sentimental celebration of stiff-upper-lip heroism) and the basic fact all this suffering could've been avoided. the stiff upper lip is bad, actually! maybe you don’t actually need to die of frostbite!

obviously i'm not *actually* attempting to backseat drive a deadly journey into the great unknown, but surely the most british element of this movie is the way these guys voluntarily put themselves through a ton of unnecessary pain, failed in their goal to defeat johnny foreigner, and then the apparent moral of the story is "this is good, actually."

(crossposted from letterboxd.)

#south pole #polar exploration #robert falcon scott #films #history

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dragonmuse · 1 year

Note

The Roach scene in Hymnless got me wondering if Charlie ever appeared/will appear on the Vengeance Chefs YouTube channel?

(hi all! apparently I still do this from time to time, who knew?! )

“Okay, worms, you asked, I delivered.” Roach reached out of frame, grabbed and pulled Charlie into it by his t-shirt sleeve. “Behold. America’s champion. Say hello.”

“Hi!” Charlie grinned at the camera. “Nice to be back.”

“Yeah, that’s right,” Roach stared down the lens, “I told you I knew an Olympian and you all assumed I was hiding him, but it’s just this tall skinny ass white boy that thinks peanut butter out of a jar is an acceptable snack.”

“I like peanut butter.”

“So do I. ON things.”

“It’s on a spoon,” Charlie pointed out with a sly grin.

“There you have it. Two Olympic medals, not the sense that Mother Earth gave to a mosquito. Charlie, let me ask you the question I ask all my victims.”

“I’ve been in like five videos at this point,” Charlie reminded him. “We’ve done this before.”

“Oh, I know,” Roach nodded. “I’m going to insert a montage right here of your last five answers.”

“Great, I was like fifteen the first time. They can watch me grow like a flipbook. Shoot.”

“Charlie Bonnet, what is your favorite meal to order out?”

“Waffles, eggs and crispy bacon with a coffee.”

“Breakfast food. When is the correct time of day for that food?”

“Any time,” Charlie said staunchly. “Breakfast exists when I break my fast.”

“I have taught you well,” Roach nodded. “All right, a breakfast for a champion. Breakfast of Champions....good fucking book. You read that one?”

“Love Vonnegut, Cat’s Cradle is my favorite though.”

“So it goes,” Roach reached for the eggs.

“So it goes,” Charlie agreed.

“Now if you’re expecting me to ask this fine athlete a lot of jockey questions, I think you all forgot who the fuck I am,” Roach shoved a bowl at Charlie, cracked an egg on the rim then thrust a whisk at him. Charlie started to whisk as Roach added more eggs. “And you’re still thinking this kid is a normal jock.”

“I’m twenty-two,” Charlie pointed out, diligently whisking.

“A mere babe in the woods,” Roach agreed. “And you swim good. Great job. Everyone’s very proud. Got anything to say about that that you haven’t already said on the interview circuit two hundred times which anyone can easily google?”

“Yeah, actually,” Charlie kept his eyes on the eggs.

“Wait, really?”

“Sure,” Charlie glanced over at Roach. “I’ll give you an exclusive soundbite. In fact, I saved it for you.”

“Did you?” Roach asked suspiciously. “Okay, lay it on us.”

“I didn’t eat anything the day I won. I don’t have a magic winning meal,” Charlie shrugged. “That’s not a recommendation, I was just too nervous. My post-win meal was a liter of chocolate milk with three tablespoons of protein powder.”

“Amazing,” Roach patted him vaguely on the shoulder. “Thanks for saving the grossest moments for us.”

“That is so far from the grossest thing,” Charlie said solemnly. “But I’m not here to put everyone off their appetite.”

“Then what are you here for?”

“Decoration, I think. And to do an impression of a stand mixer.”

“Correct!”

They cooked together, bantering a little as Roach shoveled ingredients into Charlie’s bowl. The waffles came out beautifully brown, the bacon crispy and the eggs fluffy. They ate and talked about corruption in sports judging, Roach grilling Charlie like he was personally responsible for the entire concept of judging. Charlie grinned through the whole thing.

Once the cameras were off, Charlie polished off the rest of the bacon while washing pots. Roach dried. They stood almost shoulder to shoulder, not touching, but close.

“You know,” Roach said as he slowly dabbed away the moisture from the last plate, “the stuff for the camera...I am actually pretty proud of you.”

“I know,” Charlie turned off the tap. “I feel the love, I promise.”

“Let’s not go too far,” Roach sniffed and Charlie laughed. “But I might part with some leftovers. Just this once.”

“I’ll take whatever you’ve got.”

If Charlie went home weighted down with food stuffed into reused takeout containers that was Roach’s business. He’d show his affections in the way he saw fit and if that was in cheese bread and barbecued short rib then so be it. Charlie understood it.

Charlie: Felix says he wants to marry you instead.

Roach: tell I’d rather stick my hand in the garbage disposal

Charlie: you don’t have a garbage disposal

Roach: i would buy one for the express purpose

Charlie: harsh but fair. It was the cheese bread, apparently.

Roach: I’ll send you the recipe. Then you can keep your fakakta fiance.

Charlie: can't’ wait to send you pictures of a burnt pan

Roach: you’ll make them perfectly. Just takes a few times. I know you can be a persistent little asshole when you’re in the mood. Charlie: stop with the praise, I’m blushing so hard I’ll pass out. thnx tho.

#leda house and the kraken verse #ficlet #charlie bonnet #roach feldman

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grandmaster-anne · 1 year

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Relative Values: royal siblings Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips on miscarriage, horses and Harry and Meghan

Interviews by Audrey Ward | Published 29 July 2018

Zara

Peter and I are 3½ years apart. Because I was younger I was always trying to play catch-up with him. When we were little we fought a lot and he was pretty mischievous, but he would often say that if I did something he would get in trouble for it.

I joined him at boarding school in Dorset when I was eight. My mum [Princess Anne] originally said I wasn’t going, but I wanted to go where my brother was and my parents probably got fed up with me as well. It was different back then. They were always travelling. When they separated [Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips divorced in 1992] it was obviously sad, but the way they did it was not harmful to us. I don’t remember it as a painful time. And I had Pete.

I loved school, I loved sport and being with my mates all the time. I don’t know how much work I did. You do get homesick, but I had so much fun, and Pete was very protective. All his friends were too. They kept me out of trouble. After Dorset, I joined him at Gordonstoun. He hung out with a group of lads who liked to have fun, but he always knew how to get away with stuff. When he was made head boy, I thought, “How did you manage that?”

After school I decided to commit to riding to see if I was any good. I managed to find a horse called Toytown and it went from there. We went up the levels together, me and Toytown. I had a very good horse in him. Taking part in the world championships was a career highlight, along with winning silver in a home Olympics. My grandmother [the Queen] loves the horses. It’s easy for her to understand it. She’s very proud of all her grandchildren, everyone is doing such different things.

I met Mike [Tindall, the former England rugby captain] in 2003. In the beginning of our relationship, Pete was very watchful of how Mike treated me. He wanted the best for me. Did I ever hook up with any of his friends? No way. It was the complete opposite: “Don’t go near my sister.”

I think Pete found it quite strange when I had my first child [Mia, 4]. I’m not very maternal. If someone had a new baby and said, “Do you want to hold my baby?”, I’d go, “No thanks,” but I really enjoyed all of it when I had Mia. I shocked myself. There’s quite a big gap between Mia and Lena: Mia is about to start school; with Lena, who is a month old, I’m going back and doing it all again.

I had a miscarriage in 2016 and afterwards loads of people wrote to me and Mike to say they’d been through the same thing. In our case, it was something that was really rare; it was nature saying, “This one’s not right.” For me, the worst bit was that we had to tell everyone — everyone knew.

At the time, Pete was again very much the protective brother; he was very concerned about me, as was Mike. Everyone was. It was a time when my family came to the fore and I needed them. I had to go through having the baby because it was so far along. I then had another miscarriage really early on. You need to go through a period where you don’t talk about it because it’s too raw but, as with everything, time’s a great healer.

I’ve got a huge amount of respect for Pete, for his work, for his role as a family man. At his wedding to Autumn [Kelly, a Canadian management consultant, in 2008], I was so proud, and it was the same with William and Harry when they got married. I was happy for them to experience the next chapter of their lives. Pete is someone who I’ve looked up to all my life. When I was growing up, he was a great person to have around, he was very level-headed, very calm, considered and grounded. He’ll be there no matter what I need.

Peter

Zara and I always did a lot of stuff together as kids, anything from riding to helping out with the farm — or not helping out with the farm, depending on which way you looked at it. We were brought up in a very active environment. If it wasn’t raining we’d have to be outside; if it was raining we just had to put on the right clothing to go outside.

Most little sisters are annoying and Zara was no exception. She tried to boss me around and tell me what to do. Wild is probably an unfair attribute to attach to her, but she was certainly at the centre of anything that was happening that was fun and boisterous.

I have a huge sense of pride in Zara as an equestrian. What she achieved at the age she did was remarkable. She was never really fazed by — or she never seemed to be fazed by — a major championship or event. People trusted her to deliver in a high-pressure situation.

I’ve worked in sports marketing and sponsorship since I left Exeter University. I’ve spent time at Jaguar Racing, Williams and the Royal Bank of Scotland, where I headed up their global Formula One sponsorship programme.

Harry and Meghan’s wedding was a really happy occasion. The weather and the fact that it was at Windsor helped everyone massively, it just added a slightly more relaxed feel to it. Windsor is such a special place. Autumn and I were the last ones [in the family] to get married there, and it was almost 10 years ago to the day. There’s definitely a different feel to things when they’re not in London or at Buckingham Palace.

Zara and I live 200 yards apart. It’s very difficult to keep my daughters and her elder daughter apart. At weekends it’s always, “What’s Mia doing?” When Mia arrived it was quite difficult to compute. Zara has always been the little sister and suddenly I thought, “Christ, you’ve properly grown up now.” That rather annoying little sister is now a well-respected equestrian and an exceptional mother. If my daughters come close to achieving what Zara’s achieved, I’d be happy.

STRANGE HABITS

Zara on Peter He sings really badly, but my singing voice is not very good either

Peter on Zara I genuinely don’t know. I can’t come up with a single one

#zara tindall #peter phillips #princess anne #princess royal #the times #article #interview

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accio-victuuri · 2 years

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some weekend sweets : asian games, roborock, duck and double standards.

before we all celebrate 9/5, have some candy from the past days. 🍭 i hope you are all having a good weekend.

1. Last friday, a statement from Asian Games was going around and it’s about them recognizing the film One & Only. People were quick to connect the fact that GG is the Ambassador for the HZ Asian Games and this is an indirect collaboration for our boys.

this is part of the statement :

The Organizing Committee of the 19th Asian Games in 2022 plans and exclusively authorizes Ruyi Pictures (Hangzhou) Co., Ltd. filmed the Asian Games-themed movie "One and Only" in 2022.

It started in Hangzhou on May 27, and was successfully completed on August 5. The film was directed by Dapeng, Huang Bo and Wang Yibo lead the cast, and Chen Zhixi serves as the chief producer. A new competition item, breakdance, will be added as a carrier, telling the story of teenagers who are pursuing their hip-hop dreams. Under the guidance of the coach, overcome many obstacles and shine on the stage of love.

The film integrates the beautiful image of Hangzhou city and the concept of the Asian Games into it. It lets the general public feel the charm of the Asian Games and the beauty of the city inside and outside the stadium, constantly deepen the understanding and understanding of Hangzhou at home and abroad, and enhance the popularity and reputation of Hangzhou city.

Turtles always ask when the boys will work together again or collaborate, and I think this kind of connection is what we will be having first. It may not be a direct drama/movie collaboration yet, but expect to see them be involved in the same efforts like this one. It is definitely on brand for them because they are all about representing their country and promoting things they love. This “thank you” from the asian games committee is decided by lots of people and takes into consideration that the film will be a good way to promote the games and the city. It’s nice that XZ/WYB are both ( in a way ) at the forefront of endorsing the games to the larger population.

I also remembered this bit today ( and thought about making a CPN post ) because in the let’s chat episode, Bobo was talking about the dance competition championship he watched. Then he said they have a better chance to participate in the Olympics. He really is serious in promoting street dance as a sport and i’m sure it’s no problem for him to lend his celebrity status to do so.

I am excited to see their names pop up in other events together, where people don’t really have a choice but to shut their mouth and support whatever it is they are working on. The Asian Games are postponed because of COVID and is to resume next year. I hope it goes well and both boys get to be a part of it and represent their Country 🇨🇳

2. So funny because in SDC episode 4, we all saw Roborock as one of the sponsors. Not just roborock, but the G10s model, which GG recently endorsed. I’m not saying GG made this possible or what— it’s just a coincidence. Lol. Thank you Roborock for supporting this season of SDC 🙏🏼 and I think it’s a good thing they are gaining sponsors because it wasn’t that much when they started. Just shows that the program is popular so brands wants a piece of it.

3. In the let’s chat episode 3, while everyone was busy playing — Bobo was fiddling with other things. Specifically, a Duck toy. Hmmmm. Why did he get that? Mayhaps, it reminds him of a certain someone who recommended it to use when you are soaking your feet. This is the kind of thing that only turtles will know because of what we know of them. ☺️

4. I just have to spotlight this again! Ahhhhh!!!! I don’t remember the 🦴 necklace getting this much visibility before! and Bobo is extra happy/giddy in this episode. Having said that, I will be keeping an eye out on every frame of next week’s episode in case I see the reason why. Lol.

5. Lastly, have some good old double standards in Yibo’s POV. 🤍

• When asked in his Cosmo interview how people often describe him, he says someone who doesn’t talk much. Well, not a new information, but with ZZ he is the most talkative. We see him interact with his colleagues and even on SDC, but he has to be prompted. Or he will say something and then it ends for a while. It’s not the kind of pestering he does with ZZ 😂😂

I know I said I don’t like doing double standards anymore, especially like this, implying that Bobo won’t open up to anyone other than ZZ. We do like him having friends — and actually, what I think about is that his relationship with ZZ allowed him to be more relaxed in interacting with people. 💕

• A BAH bts showed one of his co stars asking him where his injury is. A normal question from a colleague, not really worrying much. Compared this to ZZ’s constant worrying even in the slightest chance that Bobo will get hurt 🥺

AND OH, I noticed this in the Let’s Chat episode!

I don’t know what Bouboo’s relationship status is but his reaction and Yibo’s is making me 👀. Is he shy because he does not want to be put on the spot and talk? Or is it something else? I didn’t expect Bobo to do this. HAHAHAHAHA! He is like the kind of person who is in a loving relationship so he wants his friends to have a partner too! 😂😂😂 Bobo, not all of us can be in a sweet relationship like yours! 🙃

- END.

#yizhan #bjyx #all of this is cpn #there is no science here folks im just clowning like i always do #hello to me and a long weekend ☺️☺️☺️

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smileysuh · 1 year

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ok so i'm working on my february svt wip and-

when i tell you, tsundere seungcheol and y/n have horrible narratives because they're both in fight, flight, freeze during their scenes-

but Joshua, Gyu and Jeonghan are a joy to write-

this fic is going to be such a dumpster fire-

god i love it so much

like- how do we go from this:

“You slept in,” Seungcheol finds himself stating. “We weren’t sure we’d bump into you today.”

“Right…” you trail off, giving Seungcheol a quick once over before your eyes return to Mingyu, and an easy smile works its way across your face again, “Have you been skiing long? I mean, I get the feeling that I’m the only person on the trip who doesn’t have much experience with all of this- you guys all brought your own skis.”

“Yeah, we’re all big snow sports people,” Mingyu tells you. “Seungcheol was actually almost an olympic level snowboarder-”

“Really?” Now you’re looking at Seungcheol. Really looking at him. “But… you brought skis?”

“He’d be much too fast on his board,” Mingyu grins. “Skis slow him down, make him level with the rest of us. But, he’s still pretty good at skiing too.”

“Could give you a few pointers if you want,” Seungcheol says, earnestly.

He’d gotten a good look at what you were doing wrong before they approached you, and a few minor tweaks would have you skiing with the best of them-

“Erm, thanks, but no thanks, I think I’m good learning at my own pace for now.”

He notes the way you avert your eyes, upper lip curling slightly with disdain.

He should have never bothered to offer you help.

Seungcheol takes a deep breath. “You two are probably more compatible for your level, and I want to do some harder runs. I’ll see you around.”

And with that, he leaves you and Mingyu, taking off down the mountain at a speed his friends can only dream of.

to this:

Sitting in his mother’s hotel room, watching her do the final touches on her wedding look, Joshua is struck with memories of the past.

There’d been many mornings growing up where he’d sat on the closed lid toilet, watching her brush through her hair, sometimes braiding it, before taking him and Jeonghan to school.

In the quiet of their small apartment bathroom, nothing could come between them, not Jeonghan whining for whatever reason, nor the angry father who’d disappeared from the picture when the boys had turned ten.

To Joshua, the moment feels like peace, or at least, as close to it as he’s ever come.

He can tell, by the way his mom smiles when she looks at herself in the mirror, that she’s truly happy, and it’s all he’s ever wanted for her.

The moment is fleeting, as Jeonghan enters the room and brings with him a certain level of chaos, the kind of windswept mayhem that follows him everywhere, like a moving storm.

like- this is literally cheol every time he sees y/n

so help me god this fic is already like 5k words, and i've only done 7 of 24 scenes-

if this ends up being another cheol fic that's close to 20k i think i might riot and try to run away from him

i might have to give simp joshua a spin off cuz he's literally stealing my heart in this fic

in other news, i'm keeping a tally of my daily work on this fic in my masterlist :)

#february svt wip

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aussie-wbb · 7 months

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Lauren Jackson is back.

The most decorated Australian basketballer in history, at age 42, is adding another chapter to her incomparable story, defying the odds to return to the court with the Southside Flyers in the WNBL.

In a massive boost for the sport that will reverberate all over the world, Jackson has not only recovered from the mental and physical trauma of dual-major surgeries but says she is fitter and stronger than when she returned to the international arena to help guide the Opals to a bronze medal at last year’s FIBA World Cup in Sydney.

“Yep, I’m back,” Jackson, echoing another ‘GOAT’ of the sport, Michael Jordan, told Code Sports.

“I don’t think anyone thought I would come back — but I still thought I could play again.

“The rehab went really, really well, I was back on court a couple of months ago and it just got to a point where, physically, I don’t think I’ve felt better than this, at least in the last five or six years.

“I didn’t want to be left wondering how I would feel in 10 years time if I looked back and I didn’t play this season, knowing that I was fit and able.

“I know it’s my last shot. One more year.”

Following last year’s World Cup glory, Jackson joined Southside and quietly played through the pain of a Lisfranc fracture in her left foot.

In February, she ruptured her right Achilles tendon, a minute into the Flyers’ clash with Sydney Flames in front of a record WNBL crowd.

The 7681 at Melbourne’s John Cain Arena were silenced as the three-time WNBA MVP fought back tears as she hobbled to the Southside, souring what was to be one of the biggest celebrations of the WNBL ever.

Many thought it was over but the four-time Olympic medallist, even then, refused to close the door — she still felt fit and didn’t want to end as she did in 2016 when knee issues forced her into premature retirement.

“It’s really hard to close the door after everything that I’ve been through,” she said.

“It was so traumatic, just going through the break and then the Achilles, I was in so much pain, but I thought ‘look I’m going to get fit, I’m going to stay fit’, my mind was in a place where it didn’t matter if I played or not.

“Everyone was asking me ‘are you going to do it?’

“Even my best friends and my family will tell you I really didn’t know for sure until only recently.”

TURNING POINT IN AN ‘UNBELIEVABLE RECOVERY’

Jackson’s initial goal when she went under the knife was to recover enough — and in time — for a farewell tour with her hometown club Albury-Wodonga, which plays on a court named for her in NBL1 East, next year.

But, as rehab progressed, so did the once remote prospect of a WNBL return. A turning point on the court, coupled with a recovery that left her surgeon floored, helped solidify Jackson’s decision.

“The injuries were pretty nasty and I didn’t think I would get to a point where I’d be ready to play before the WNBL season,” Jackson said.

“Had surgery in February, started my rehab pretty intensely in April and was running by early May.

“It was so painful, and I was pulling up sore but, in June, I turned a corner.

“I’ve tested it massively, the last two months, running with a weighted vest every day and just putting as much load through the Achilles to make sure my body’s ready to do it again.

“When I went back and saw my surgeon a couple of weeks ago, he said ‘I honestly never thought I would see you the way you’ve recovered, it has just blown me away. As a 42-year-old, this is unbelievable’.

“It’s been a bit of a journey, for sure.”

A basketball journey, for Jackson and the nation, still to reach its final destination.

FAMILY FIRST

The key to it all, was Southside’s support in helping Jackson relocate to Melbourne to have her two beloved boys Harry, 6, and Lenny, 4, by her side.

“It was hard last year because they weren’t with me and we were coming back and forth from Albury. I can tell you right now there were times I was so sad, I missed them desperately and it would have been too hard to do it again,” Jackson said.

“The club has been so supportive and we’re in the process of moving to Melbourne at the moment, I’ve been down with the team and running some camps.

“I love that my children get to be around a female basketball team, they’re going to get so much out of it and being in a team environment is so important for them, especially at their age.”

Harry’s a chip off the old block, possessing a similar attitude to mum and a heavy interest in the sport that made her an icon.

“Harry’s really into it, I’ve got him in a team down in Melbourne over summer, which is fun,” she said.

“He’s probably still a little bit too young but he loves it, watches NBA all the time, loves the WNBA as well, loves the women’s game, loves everything about the sport.”

A Jackson in the NBL, Boomers or NBA is a distant dream, right now, but a young Lauren Jackson dared to dream, so why can’t we?

#she's backkk!!#lauren jackson #wnbl #southside flyers

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whatisreggieshortfor · 2 years

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Episode One- The Swimmer, The Banker, The Chef

@bypine’s OC Chrys.

Narrator voice: “It was nine am. The sun was shining. The AC was up.

And three guys found themselves crammed in the back of a panel van together.”

The video clicked on before they could even introduce themselves to each other. “Uh, hey there, boys!” A girl with caramel skin and short black hair appeared there almost drowning in her oversized grey sweater, self conscious smile lighting up her face, “My name is Chrys. I’m a surgical nurse, I’m 27, and I’ll be snooping through your rooms today!” She giggled to herself, “They gave me ‘spy tools’ for the occasion. Gloves to check for dust, a black light- which I might just leave in the case-“ she wrinkled her nose, “And tongs? I guess in case I think something is too gross to touch. Here’s hoping I don’t need them!”

“Oh, man, I wonder who will be first. Levi, by the way.” He extended his right hand to the two of them, his left reaching up to scratch at his head.

“Nice to meet ya, mate. I’m Jasper.”

“Jake.” He nodded at them, arms crossing over his chest. “What made you guys sign up for this?”

“Thought it would be a laugh.” Jasper shrugged, “But if I get a date with her it might be worth it.”

Levi chuckled with a nod, “It was a dare on my end. My teammates always say that if I can’t smolder at a girl then she won’t be into me.” Jake frowned at that. Sure, he hadn’t signed up himself. Tim and Rohan did it for him. But he didn’t think these were good attitudes to go into this with. “Oh!” Levi pointed at the screen, “Looks like she’s at my place first.”

“Okay!” Chrys cheered to herself as she walked through the front door, “This place looks…very clean. Are you a neat freak?” She wondered aloud, wandering through. She grabbed the remote to the tv, scrolling through his DVR. “A lot of sports. An athlete? Or just a fanatic?”

“Bit of both.” Levi chuckled.

Chrys trailed herself down the hallway, cameraman never far behind, before she stopped outside the open door of his bedroom, “I just…I go in? Seems a little rude.” Someone off screen must have said something, because then she was walking in, peering around at the walls, “This room is just covered in frames.” Eyes wide, she leaned closer to one of them, “Olympic Qualifier…so you are an athlete.” He had his team jacket framed up on the wall, but she barely glanced at it, “Seems like something that takes a lot of time and focus. We probably wouldn’t get much time together.”

Levi sighed, “Yeah, I get that one a lot.”

“Could be worse, mate. Least she knows you got a good physique from all that training.” Jasper offered. Jake nodded, but just from watching her he didn’t think she cared about that. Not with way her left hand was twirling the black ring peeking out of her sweater sleeve as it sat on her right middle finger whenever her hands were empty.

“Oh, what is this?” She was holding his speedo up to the camera with the tongs, clearly trying not to laugh, “I get cutting down water resistance, but I’ve never understood why they literally only cover the bits.” She did the process of wiping the gloves on things, the tops of the frames coming back dusty, “Good thing they gave me gloves. I don’t need to deal with hives today.” She flipped through his closet, humming at the plain clothes, “We have a similar style. So that’s cool.”

Jasper glanced between the three of them, “Do none of us have prints?”

Jake shrugged, “I meet with investors at the restaurant too much. I need plain clothes so I can take my coat off.”

Chrys cringed as she pulled the black light from the case, moving toward the bed, “Okay, let’s do this.” She picked up a pillow, only to stop short.

“No! Oh, bollocks, I forgot that was there.” Levi buried his head in his hands.

“Oh, uhhhh, they were supposed to take all the pictures out of the house.” She held up a picture of Levi and his ex girlfriend, her proudly kissing his cheek, “I hope this isn’t your girlfriend? Kind of messed up to sign up for the show if you’re still with her.”

Jake’s jaw dropped open, “Mate-“

“No, no, no. It isn’t like that. It’s my ex. I’ve been trying to actually throw the damn thing away but I just-“

“You still kept it.” Jasper shook his head, “Not liking your odds now.”

“I suppose we are on to the next home now!” Chrys chirped at the camera, the short strands of her hair swishing with the movement as she bounced out the door.

Jasper groaned as the screen showed her in front of his place. He knew all the flat surfaces looked like a mess, he had work papers everywhere. And unknown to the two boys beside him, he was panicking over some very real things he knew were in his bedroom that he only just thought he probably should’ve taken down. Jake patted him on the shoulder, complimenting the exterior of the flat as they watch Chrys make her way to the door.

“Okay guys!” She grinned shyly, “House number two.” She walked through the living room, commenting on how sparse it was, “My living room looks just the same. No need for much when you live on your own, right?” She found an office, files piled everywhere, “Whoa,” eyes wide, she gently shut the door again, “I don’t know if those are private so I’ll just leave them be.”

Jasper was thankful for that. They contained customer information that he was not allowed to share.

Eventually she found his bedroom, and he refused to look at the screen or either boy beside him as she opened the door. Mouth agape, she stared at the walls covered in band posters. “We’ve got…*NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, New Kids on the Block, One Direction? Mate, how old are you?” She squatted down next to his stereo, flipping through the cases, “I didn’t even know people still bought CDs. You really like boy bands, huh? Boys in Motion, Five Seconds of Summer, Big Time Rush. Not all bad choices, but do you have any music that…ya know, isn’t a boy band?” She found a collage on the wall, pictures missing from it that she assumed had his face, while other pictures were of the concerts attached to the ticket stubs stuck beside them. She moved to the closet next, mostly dress shirts, but with quite a few shirts from the concert sellers thrown in, “You really run with a passion, huh?” She giggled as her fingertips trailed over the sleeves. “Okay, I think it’s time to head to number three, what do you think boys?”

Jasper blew out a puff of air, face buried in his hands. Levi spoke up first with a shit eating grin, “Boy bands, huh?”

Jake wasn’t pleased, “Mate, you shouldn’t be judging someone’s room when you had a photo of your ex literally under your pillow.” Levi scowled, but Jasper just offered Jake a grateful fist bump.

When Chrys got to Jake’s flat, he was nervous. Everything he’d seen about her already- he knew she was amazing, knew he liked her. But she had to like him based on his room. And he knew there wasn’t much there.

“Okay! Home number three.” Chrys almost skipped into the house, getting more comfortable with wandering around a strangers home, she flipped through his DVR like she had at Levi’s, finding a lot of Gordon Ramsey’s shows, “I love watching Kitchen Nightmares! Gordon is bloody good talent. Does this mean you like to cook?” She seemed to toss around an idea in her head, venturing past his bedroom at first into his kitchen. She opened the fridge, eyes lighting up at the fresh ingredients, “You do cook! That’s mighty impressive for a bloke.”

“Ain’t you a chef?” Levi asked, turning to look at Jake.

“Head chef, got my own restaurant. Certificate from culinary school is hung there, so she won’t find it at home.” Jake watched her carefully through the screen as the cameraman followed her to his room.

“The walls are so pretty.” She smiled, gaze drifting across the deep blue walls before landing on his bookshelf, “What do we have here? Cooking, cooking, poetry? Are you a romantic at heart, Number Three? I bet you’re the kind of guy that recites poetry to his girlfriend.” Jake felt his face burn, but couldn’t care as she continued, “I can get behind that, honestly. I love sweet gestures like that.” She kept moving, with more pep in her step than had been there before, opening his closet she pulled out one of his chef’s coats. “Oh, you don’t just like to cook! Wow, that’s great. Really.” She smiled softly, like it was just to herself before flipping through the other clothes, “This jumper is so soft. Makes me want to steal it from you.” She giggled.

Jasper leaned over to Levi, “I’m not liking either of our odds at this point.” Levi nodded in agreement.

“Whelp, boys, I think that’s all for now. I guess I’ll be meeting you soon!”

Next thing the boys knew, they were being led into a building and into Chrys’s flat. Levi let out a whistle, “Pretty empty in here.” He commented, there was really only the basics in furniture, scarce decorations hung on the walls.

“What flag is this?” Jasper pointed up into the wall.

Levi rolled his eyes, “Philippines.”

“What about this one?” Levi stared at it, eyes narrowing as he tried to place.

Jake turned to look from where he’d been looking at her bookshelf, distracting himself from the volumes of novels, “That’s the ace flag, boys.” When they stared at him blankly, he clarified, “You know, asexual? Didn’t you see her ring?”

“A ring is a ring, mate.” Levi rolled his eyes.

Jake just shook his head.

It didn’t take long before the three of them were sat on the couch, watching as the door opened and Chrys waved at them from beneath her long sleeve. “Hey guys! It’s nice to, ya know, actually meet you.” Jake chuckled to himself. She was adorable.

“Hey, good to meet you, too.” Levi gave her a hug that she seemed to almost shrink away from, so after Jasper did the same thing, Jake just offered her a nod in greeting that she seemed grateful for.

“Well…let’s get to it, shall we? I have to eliminate one person right away, so…” she took a deep breath, and Jake realized she was probably worried about hurting someone’s feelings right off the bat, “Room number one.” She looked right at Levi, which made sense with what she’d found, “I’m sorry, you seem like a very driven person, working hard enough to make it to the Olympics, but you still have what I assume is a picture of your ex. It doesn’t seem like you’re ready to move on.”

“I understand. It was good to meet you.” The swimmer gave her a kiss on the cheek before disappearing out the door.

“Okay…” she was twisting her ring again, “The second one I will eliminate is…room number two. I think it’s sweet that you have such a love for music, but I’m not sure our tastes wouldn’t clash. It doesn’t seem like you branch out very far.” Her gaze jumped between them, clearly unsure who she was rejecting, but Jasper gracefully nodded his head, offering her a handshake before he left the same way Levi did. She smiled shyly over at the last remaining boy, “I guess that makes you the chef.”

“Indeed it does.” He chuckled, “I’m Jake. It’s very nice to meet you.”

“It’s very nice to meet you, too. So…about the date…”

“I was hoping you’d let me cook for you?” He smiled, “And you were right. I do tend to write poetry for my girlfriend. Maybe when we get there I’ll have some inspiration.”

#litg #litg season 1 #old mtv #mtv room raiders #litg jake #litg levi #litg jasper

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