#I did download a couple new coats to see if I could figure out how to reverse-engineer an outfit but so far no success haha | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

littlemisslipbalm · 4 years

Text

“you get me” (famous!y/n x harry)

Famous!y/n x Harry Styles

First Harry fic so please be kind, but feedback is SUPER appreciated

Initially inspired by the picture of Harry leaving the Gucci store with 15 bags but barely has anything to do with that lol

Definitely thought of Ellen for the interview idk why tho - also I struggle with writing Harry’s dialogue because I really want to get it right, but hopefully the more practice I get, the better/more natural it will sound. ALSO i have like no music or music industry background lol. Somewhat proofread, but its 2:30 am so it could be shit

Fluff!

Warnings: maybe some angst over being famous per say, past loneliness

Word Count: 3.7k literally howwww, i’m going to do a pt. 2 though because it was kind of a long set up and feelingsssss

---

Interviewer: Please, welcome our next guest, a woman who’s sure to have her name written up beside the music greats someday, Ms. Y/N L/N!

You can’t contain the grin that spreads to your face as you carry yourself out onto the stage and see the audience cheering for you. It was your third big interview since your first album had been released and you’d seen your fame skyrocket over night. This being the third one this week meant you’d gotten comfortable getting asked questions, but you also weren’t bored of it yet. It was exhilarating being the center of attention, especially for something that had been your life’s work up until this point. You always had to fight for whatever you got and the recognition you were starting to have was reassurance that you hadn’t been a fool to risk a safe and certain life for your dreams.

The interview begins as the rest had, a few pleasantries, how you were feeling, and then the introduction of the album. The host asked you what your inspiration was for some of the songs and the album name and cover. You loved to talk about the music, it was the whole reason you were there. The meaning, the sound, the name, it all meant so much to you and you talked about how music can be interpreted differently by everyone and even the shifts in someone’s mood can change a song’s meaning, but what it meant to you at the time of writing was always something specific. You practiced those answers in the mirror before the interviews because they were important to you and you didn’t want your words on your art to ever be misconstrued. The host then complimented your style and you were at the point where you thought your interview should be wrapping up when they asked you one more question, and it threw you for a loop.

Interviewer: So Y/N, we’ve been hearing some rumblings around, about you and another famous musician, Mr. Harry Styles. Anything going on there?

Your face heated up, you hadn’t been expecting a personal question about possible relationships. Nothing like this had been asked of you at your previous interviews. It’s about the music, the art, and who you were, it’s always about that and nothing more. To be honest, you were a bit annoyed the host had chosen to stray from those topics. You didn’t care for the celebrity side of being a famous musician, the lack of privacy, the prying eyes of media and the general public. They saw enough of you through your art, you bore your soul through music why did they want to peak into your heart as well?

Y/N: I don’t know if I’d rather be with Harry Styles or actually be Harry Styles. Like, he’s literally such an icon, I want to be able to walk out of a Gucci store after spending hours there with 15 bags full of my purchases and helpers to carry it all out c’mon… He’s also an amazing songwriter, musician, and performer, of course. Didn’t mean to sound superficial, but I’d also love to own even half of his closet.

You hadn’t really answered the question, but the audience laughed and the host obviously got the hint that you weren’t interested in fanning any flames of romance with Harry Styles or anyone else. For one, you didn’t even know the man, but you had always been a loving fan of his. You cited him as one of your role models when you were first starting to try and break into the music world. Second, if you did know him, that wouldn’t be an appropriate topic for your album press junket going on, even if it meant more publicity because of Harry’s big celebrity status. The host decided to qualify their original question with a final sentiment.

Interviewer: I totally feel the same way! I only ask because the outpouring of support you’ve received seems to be from similar groups who also follow Harry. Many have been comparing your sound to his solo career work.

Y/N: Ah...well that’s very kind of people to say. He’s definitely a big inspiration, his creativity and drive is incredible. I’d love to be as successful as him someday.

The interview ended. You and the host shook hands and you waved and sent kisses to the crowd before retreating backstage. You were exhausted, but happy. You hoped to avoid anymore stressful interview questions that didn’t truly revolve around music. Of course, life is never that simple.

One month later

You had done countless more interviews and talk shows as promo for your album and the buzz around it had continued to grow. Your fame continued to rise as well and that one question you had dodged at your third interview had come back around to bite you, naturally. Daily Mail’s dumb headline read: “Y/N can’t decide! Date Harry Styles or Steal His Closet?” The Sun was also running with your response and miscontruing it completely, something about how you were madly in love with Harry but jealous of his designer partnerships, you couldn’t even stomach reading the garbage. This was your worst nightmare. Not only was it taking away the focus from your album, but you were also sure this dumb gossip had reached the very set of ears that the gossip was allegedly also about.

You had signed with Columbia Records for your first album, the same record label as Harry Styles, so managers had been in contact with one another about the whole fiasco trying to get the actual truth - which was that the two of you didn’t even know each other and there were no problems whatsoever. Your manager also brought along the good news that Harry had actually listened to your album and loved it, “He said ‘Congratulations’ by the way, loved the sound. Said he’d heard you were very music focused and be open to do some mentoring on songwriting and vocal specifics, if you wanted. It’d have to be in private though, obviously.” She had added the last bit, but you understood why. To have the opportunity to discuss your music with one of your longtime role models, heroes even, was beyond anything you could have imagined coming from your album’s success. And it made the drama all the more palatable because now you at least got to talk to Harry like the media was so adamantly saying you were doing already.

You nodded quickly and agreed, while trying to keep your teenage fangirl excitement hidden below your mature now-famous musician facade. Like you said, Harry was your hero, he’d been your hero since you were in middle school and had Up All Night downloaded on your iPod touch, blasting it as loud as possible, sound hitting your poster-filled walls. You weren’t the same girl as you were then, obviously, you had grown up to be a strong, independent, and confident woman. But, you still smiled at the thought of your younger self with your baby face squealing in the nosebleeds at the Take Me Home Tour (where you swore Harry had looked straight at you) and her seeing you now, dressed in a sleek outfit setting up an appointment to meet with Harry to discuss your first album, a success.

The next Thursday evening

You took a deep breath, in through your nose and out through your pursed lips. You were anxious and excited at the exact same time. Your meeting with Harry was tonight, right now actually, and you hadn’t been able to think about much else since your manager had confirmed the meeting last week. She got you the details a couple of days ago, the location: his house in Malibu, the time: 5:45 P.M. You had brought along a copy of your album on vinyl because you thought it sounded best this way, second only to performing it live.

Choosing your outfit for tonight was probably the toughest decision you’d ever made, harder than choosing between an education and following your dreams, harder than choosing your favorite Beatles song. You didn’t want to worry so much, this wasn’t a date you kept reminding yourself, but everything you tried on earlier kept having something wrong with it, too dressy, too boring, too ‘not yourself’. You had settled for these blue high-waisted pants that you’d worn to your first ever podcast interview, a thin black long sleeve, and a brown leather coat that fell below your hips with vans sneakers, casual, simple, yet still true to you and your vibe.

You raised your free arm and formed a fist, hesitant to knock, as if you’d damage Harry’s seemingly perfect Malibu beachfront home by knocking too hard on the wooden front door. You waited a few moments and could here some shuffling behind the door, some incoherent words were seemingly said, but the walls muffled them before they could reach for ears. Soon enough, Harry Styles in the flesh was before you. He beamed down at you, huffing, slightly out of breath as if he had been clear across the house when you knocked. His strong figure towered above your far smaller stature. He was hanging onto the door since he had opened it only slightly. “Hello, Y/N?” he greeted and questioned simultaneously. “Hi,” you responded and extended the same hand that had just rapped against his now open door. He gripped it, ushering you into his home, “Come in, come in, it’s nice to meet you, don’t want you to catch a cold now do we?” He took note of your strong handshake and ring clad fingers.

He walked you into an area between the kitchen and a sitting area. The kitchen was open aside from a bar high top between the two rooms. You sat down at his prompting and made yourself comfortable. “I brought my record on vinyl, sounds best in my opinion, otherwise I’d recommend seeing it live,” you laughed as you handed the vinyl to him and took off your coat. “Technically, y’know, I could hear it live right now, if you were willin’ f’course,” Harry had responded over his shoulder as he placed the vinyl by his idle record player, “Anything to drink?” “Just water for me, please.” His accent was even stronger in person, especially since he had moved back to London and seldomly stayed in California, except for business and quick trips. As far as you knew, he had already been here on business for the week and was able to pencil you in.

You two settled in, with your waters, seated at the bar top beside each other, but swivelling the chairs to face one another more. Again, you were overwhelmed with the reality of the situation, sitting beside Harry Styles as professionals, peers even. He had heard your work and liked it enough to want to discuss it with you. It was a day you never thought would come to pass. He started off not by asking about the music right away, but about how you were doing with the whirlwind that stardom is. “How are you, Y/N? It’s been somewhat of a out of the frying pan into the fire kind of moment for you?” He stared at you intently, caring to hear your answer.

You couldn’t help but chuckle again and contain your smile, “Thank you for asking, Harry. Yeah, its been definitely stressful, but it’s everything I’ve ever wanted and more so the good is still outweighing any bad. Definitely, fucking exhausted though, dunno how many more interviews I can do before my jaw goes completely rigid from talking so much.” It’s Harry’s turn to laugh, his eyes shone with intrigue at what you said and how you said it. You were gorgeous, but it was how your hands helped you through what you were trying to say and the small laughs you tried to keep in while you amused yourself with your words that really made him want to hear you talk all night long.

He agreed about how the promo junket for an album can get tedious and tiresome, but also the absolute fulfillment you get from people loving the music you’ve made. The two of you chatted about surface level personal matters for a little more, but quickly moved to the music. “I took a listen a couple weeks after the album was released. I especially loved the last track. It reminded me so much of a song I never released, actually…” he trailed off.

Your final track had been a ballad, an homage to George Harrison with your use of guitar and sitar, but the lyrics were a story based off of a poem you had written one night in high school. It surrounded a girl never feeling quite good enough for the person she wanted to be with and how it happened everytime, everytime she was ready to giver herself to someone, they were always closed off. Of course it held some truth to your own life and feelings, but you wrote this girl as someone with a seemingly perfect life - when yours was obviously far from any semblance of perfection.

You wondered what Harry’s song would have sounded like, had it been about a seemingly perfect girl or a guy with a seemingly perfect life, always giving himself to the wrong person and getting destroyed by that very fact because he was impatient as the girl in your song had been. “Can I ask, how so? How’d it remind you of your own song, the words or the music?” “Oh, the story, I felt like that for a time in my life and I like to be vulnerable in my songs because it helps me process, but listening to it back has always been too painful. Could never release that or perform it, it’d wreck me.” You nodded, you completely got where he was coming from. You noticed his downcast eyes and his somber tone, you knew not to push it any further.

It was quiet and you decided it’d be okay to take his hand resting between the two of you. “Harry, I understand,” your sincerity spilled into the words, filling the quiet house, “It’s not easy. Feeling that way. Thinking you’re the only goddamn one and why the fuck does it always happen to you? I used to ask my ceiling ‘why me?’ every night of high school” you smiled then. “But you know how it is,” you rubbed your thumb over his large warm hand and he lifted his head, “it gets so much better - c’mon look at us now! It can get hard, too, all this, I’m sure. But our lives? They’re amazing!” He beamed as he had when he had first seen you at his door and when you’d first really spoke. He moved his hand from under your palm to weave your fingers with his, both of your hands with covered in rings and they clinked to fit together, finally resting perfectly fitted. He shook your two hands up and down, “God, you’re so right! That damn song, m’sorry always puts me in a mood,” he shakes his head, “not yours though, f’course, s’lovely, better than my sodding song” he finishes quickly.

After that, the mood lightened right back up. It filled you with such appreciation for Harry that he would trust you so much with such a personal detail since you two had just met. But maybe, he had trusted you because he had felt that same spark between you. It wasn’t necessarily a romantic spark, but it was obvious the two of you were kindred spirits. Besides your album, the two of you talked about everything. You loved the same bands, movies and books, you both loved to cook and had similar fashion taste, you even had the same person type - something you found out late into the night.

At the end of the Side B of your album, Harry switched to a Bill Evans record that had ‘Peace Piece’ on it. You loved that song. So did he. “So...planning to raid my closet?” Harry raised his brows from the record player and walked back to you. You almost sputtered the water in your mouth. Luckily, you got it down. “Pardon?” “All that bad press the two of us have been getting...I watched the interview that kind of ignited the tabloids. You’re obviously not used to those overstepping personal questions.” You nodded. “It’s fine, even if you’d completely shut it down, the tabloids probably would have picked it up still, they snap up anything and everything, true or not.” You softened at his reassurance. You hadn’t expected Harry to bring the interview up, but you were sure he wasn’t happy about it, he was so private, especially about his love life. “Thanks, I’m sorry I tried to laugh it off, kind of made it worse, didn’t I?” “No! Thought it was hilarious and I totally appreciated the sentiment. Little ol’me, an icon? And an amazing artist? All I gotta do is watch that clip and I’ve fed my narcissistic side for the week!” You giggled and replied slyly, “So does that mean I can raid your closet? As compensation, of course.” Harry threw his head back in an all consuming laughter, when he’d composed himself he looked in your eyes again and said, “You just...God, you get me.”

Harry had continued to put records on throughout the night, diligently flipping sides and asking for requests, he of course had an extensive collection. The two of you had moved onto his plush couch that looked out his french doors to the beautiful ocean view. Finally, your exhaustion caught up to you, mid-Harry describing his latest travel fiasco, you glanced up at the clock. You gasped. Harry stopped. “When did it get to be half 12?” you questioned almost incredulously, “I’ve gotta get home, Harry, but this has been truly amazing, more than I could have asked for, so thank you.” Your speech began to rush as you started to get up and gather your things, that had slowly scattered as you’d gotten more comfortable, jacket by the table, shoes around the back of the couch, your phone forgotten somewhere in the couch. You couldn’t believe you’d spent almost seven hours just talking with Harry Styles.

Harry quickly stood up from his relaxed positioned on the couch and asked if you were alright to drive this late. You scoffed, “Oh please, I’ve driven around at 3 am before, I just have to turn up the music and I can cruise.” He smiled, “This was great, Y/N, I know we didn’t really go super in depth into your writing process, but I’d love to write with you sometime or just hang out again f’course. Your seriously talented and obviously a wonderful person.” He didn’t include that he felt like he’d never met anyone like you, never met someone so perfectly matched to himself, in passions but also in work ethic and demeanor - compassionate yet confident. He felt like you got him perfectly and he got you. You had stopped your scramble to gather yourself and now you were both smiling at one another.

This had really been an unforgettable night, you couldn’t believe how well you two had meshed, like childhood friends reconnecting after years apart. “Can I give yeh a hug before you go?” Harry’s voice had grown raspier as the night had progressed. He had grown rather tired an hour ago, but had pushed through because they had been having so much fun and you hadn’t noticed his physical fading or the time, obviously. You stepped toward him and his large tattooed arms enveloped you into his body. His body truly dwarfed yours now as he held you to his chest. You both were warm and soft. He tucked his head on top of yours that rested on his chest. Your arms were loosely resting where his back met his waist because you would have had to strain to get them to encircle him. His arms rested around your small frame. “Love your jacket,” he mumbled into your hair. His rough voice was quiet, but the house was silent otherwise, Tusk Side C had finished around when you had noticed the time. The embrace lasted long, but it felt so amazing you had a hard time pulling yourself away, but you had to get back home.

“G’night Harry” you said softly at the threshold of his home. He had insisted on walking you to the front door at least, since you had declined his offer to walk you out to your car on the street. “G’night. Safe travels.”

You got in your car and headed to your apartment in the city. You didn’t bother digging for your phone so you turned on the radio and drove home singing whatever came on, including your own song at one point. The whole time you drove with a grin. Harry was the nicest person you’d ever met and you were confident that the two of you were friends now. As you pulled into your parking garage it dawned on you why you hadn’t connected your phone immediately when you got in your car. “Stupid, stupid, stupid,” you put the car in park and rested your palms in the depressions of your eyesockets, over your closed eyelids, and rubbed hard. “Fuck!” It was far too late to drive back out to Malibu for your phone and you obviously couldn’t text Harry that you’d left your phone at his place, despite the two of you exchanging numbers during the night for future hang outs, so they didn’t have to be arranged through your managers, like playdates. Even if he found your phone between the cushions, he couldn’t drop it at your place in the morning because he didn’t know your address. This was a whole mess, you thought. You’d have to drive over in the morning and hope he was still there or email your manager from your computer. The former meant you got to see Harry sooner and likely your phone, too.

part 2

@berrynarrybanana

#harry styles #harry styles fanfiction #har #harry styles x reader #harry styles x you #harry styles x y/n #harry styles fan fic #I DID IT #I sat down and wrote it #and it took forever #and I need to write a second part but I made something coherent #one direction fanfiction #not my gifs #my writing #I love you h #you get me #my writings

910 notes · View notes

sneyrwrites · 4 years

Text

|The Moon| Tsukishima x Reader

✘Wordcount: 5,9k

✘Genre: Angst

✘Tarot Series I ✘

My illusion, my mistake.

It was the first day of university when you met him.

You thanked destiny for sitting in the last row that day, and to the bus that got delayed, causing Tsukishima to arrive 15 minutes late to class.

As the teacher was about to start, all the chairs got taken and the creaking of the door cut through the silence. Turning in unison with the rest of the new students, your eyes met with the disheveled sight of Tsukishima Kei for the first time.

He tried to play it off, but the hurry in his step was unmistakable. From a mile away you could see he was uncomfortable under the scrutinizing stare of the entire room. Tsukishima came inside the classroom, as his eyes searched desperately for a seat, because almost all of them were already taken, only a few in the front and almost the whole back row empty except the seat you were occupying.

He sat down three chairs away from you and left his bag on the floor. For some reason you were still staring at his tall figure and cramped up legs against the row of seats in front. His harsh golden eyes met yours, and a brow went up, almost in a hasty manner.

Embarrassed you looked to the front, where the teacher was still giving the blond guy a disapproving look. Sighin, he resumed his presentation.

“As I was saying…” the jab he directed to Tsukishima was not discrete at all, and you heard him sigh, your peripheral vision catching how he crossed his arms muttering under his breath. “form pairs and introduce you to your partner. This is a task meant to reinforce the bonds within a group. I will ask you to present each other at the end of the class.”

You looked as everyone turned to the person sitting next to them and a murmur buzzed in the room, smiles were exchanged and hands were shaken. Stealing a glance to your left, you noticed Tsukishima was still in the same position.

Nerves flutter in your chest, and you were unsure how to start the conversation, considering the sour mood he had you would be lucky if he didn’t ignore you completely.

“Well… Are you going to come closer o what?” He asked.

If that was the way he tried to make a good first impression, it would be an interesting guy to interview. Hurriedly you picked up your coat and your backpack and changed seats. Now next to him.

“I’m (Y/n)…” You said, extending your hand for him to shake. Tsukishima’s eyes went to your gesture and then to your face again. You kept your hand for a moment too long, and you tough he would not introduce himself, but at the last second he uncrossed his arms and his icy fingers wrapped around yours, sending a chill up your arms.

“Tsukishima”

Soon after a few questions you found out little things about him, like how he liked his coffee, warm instead of hot, and that his favorite color was green. He had a brother and was a fan of Jurassic Park. He was a little too proud of his intelligence you noticed, and he liked strawberry shortcake.

His voice was nice and deep with almost an uninterested tone in it. His blonde hair and smartass look was not something you particularly enjoy, but in him it was almost captivating, and you found yourself way too distracted by the way his fingers would eventually brush his forehead, trying to swipe a stubborn hairlock away.

He had nice hands too. His long fingers and big palms were almost surprising, and you wondered if he played an instrument, or maybe played a sport that depended on hand dexterity and height, like basketball or maybe volley.

You considered asking him, but the ring of the bell impeded it.

Tsukishima didn’t even said goodby when he got up and left, you staying behind to collect your belongings.

You had hoped that maybe he was going to be your first friend or at least acquaintance in the new environment that was college to you, so you wouldn’t walk the halls alone, but it seem that he was not interested at all.

After that day you were conscious about him, your eyes staying a little more than necessary on him, listening carefully when he debated with the teacher, his tone smug and teasing, while the professor’s face turned red from frustration at Tsukishima’s logic and antics. Tsukishima was interesting, you had to give him that, but the only problem was that he was pretty unapproachable, only exchanging a quick greeting with you when he sat next to you by destiny’s tricks.

Speaking of destiny it seamed to have a funny way of crossing your path with Tsukishima, because two weeks after the start of classes you were entering the coffee shop that was just across the street when you bumped into him as he was exiting.

You were about to enter the cozy establishment when the door swung before you could grasp the knob, and a tall body crashed into yours, and half a second later something spilled over you. Some of it splashing on your face and thank god it wasn’t hot.

You looked down to your now damp coat, which was, thankfully, black. You frowned and were about to say something to whoever went out as carelessly as he did

“Shit” He muttered staring at the spilled coffee at his feet. His angry eyes went to your face, but as he was about to say something, an insult most likely, he recognized you and just frowned. “Are you Okay?”

You wanted to say something snarky back to him, but you bitted your tongue. He was, for once, nice.

“Yeah, don’t worry.” Side stepping him you tried to get to the door, taking off your coat, if it soaked through and got to your white shirt it would be ruined forever.

The line wasn’t long, and you got to the front pretty quick, asked for your order along for a brownie and you searched in the coat’s pocket for your wallet, As you grasped it and was pulling it out, a long arm came from behind you and gave the cashier a couple of bills.

“I’ll pay for her stuff.” You turned around to find Tsukishima. You shook your head no and were about to push his arm down, it wasn’t necessary for him to pay your stuff. You weren’t mad at him, just a little pissed off at the situation. “Let me do it, I own it to you” The cashier looked uncomfortable, his eyes darting from you to Tsukishima, doubting on who’s money to accept.

“All right, fine...” You gave in. At least you were getting a free drink out of the mess.

“Thank you.” He said, looking at the cashier, but it was directed to you.

With your paper cup in hand and the piece of brownie in the other you exited the room, Tsukishima by your side, opening the door for you, since your hands were full. You looked up at him and thanked him. The cold air piercing the naked skin of your arms.

“So…” You started " Are you going to class now?” Tsukishima nodded his head

“Yeah, but I have to wait for a friend.” He said, Unzipping his hoodie. Was he hot? It was the middle of autumn for god’s sake. Your teeth were about to clatter from the freezing air.

Once he stripped off the black fabric, he handed it to you, while he extended the other to hold your drink and snack. What he wanted dawned on you, and your cheeks flushed bright red.

“Oh no no. It’s unnecessary. You’ll catch a cold.” You protested.

“Just grab it, I have a spare in my backpack. It was my fault yours is wet, anyway.” He adverted your eyes. He felt guilty, and it was obvious. It was an interesting side of him.

You handed him your stuff and proceeded to cover your body with his hoodie. You laughed when you zipped it up and noticed just how big it looked on you. The fabric swallowed you completely, almost seeming like a dress, your fingertips weren't even showing, fully hidden underneath the sleeves.

“I think it’s a little too big on me…” You chuckled, not expecting him to laugh with you, but when the warm giggle came out of him. You stopped abruptly, marvelled by just how cute it sounded.

“Yeah, but it looks good on you.” He complimented like it was nothing. He was looking straight, but he stole a glance from the corner of his eye, a smirk on his face when he noticed your surprised expression.

You stood quietly as you extended your hand to retrieve your drink and brownie.

“Well, i better get going, class is about to start.” Your eyes were focused on his feet. Worried about the redness of your face, a hint o embarrassment still present on your face.

“Okay, I’ll see you in there then, save a seat for me and my friend. " He called, taking his phone out o his pocket.

“Yeah, sure.” You turned around, but kept looking at him. “I see you in a few then”

For the second time that day you bumped into another body. A pair o hands grabbed your shoulders and stabilized you.

“Oh, sorry…” You glanced up and a familiar pair of dark eyes greeted you. ”Yamaguchi?” You asked, surprised. He hadn’t changed much in the years, but he was taller and his features were sharper, no signs of the round and adorable face he sported when you were younger.

“(Y/n)? It’s been forever!” He exclaimed hugging you close to his chest, happy to see you. “When did you come back?” He pulled away, looking marvelled at your face.

“A few months back, I’m studying here now.” You answered laughing, pulling him back in for another embrace. " I’ve missed you so much. I lost your number back when we were thirteen, and I couldn’t find you in any social media!”

“Oh yeah, was not really into it when i was younger. But i got twitter now, my friend downloaded for me. I can follow you if you want.”

You had completely forgotten about class, too busy catching up with your childhood friend and neighbour. Until Tsukishima’s voice interrupted.

“Uh… am I missing something?” He asked, and both of you turned to him. “Do you know eachother?”

“Oh Tsukki! there you are. I couldn’t find you.” Yamaguchi exclaimed.

“Tsukki?” The cute nick name rolling off your tongue made Tsukishima blushed

“He’s been calling me that non-stop since we were kids.” He replied, faking annoyance to cover his embarrassment. You just giggled.

“Oh that’s typical from Yamaguchi. He used to do it with me too Tsukki, don’t worry.” He pinched the bride o his nose.

“Oh god, not you too.” He muttered

“I see you already know Tsukki, (y/n)” Yamaguchi spoke, breaking your attention away from the pink tint in the blond’s face.

“Yeah, we have a few classes togehter.”

“Really, do you have one right now?” He asked smiling excitedly, looking at Tsukishima you noticed how he was shaking his head, but a small amused smile was on his features.

“Yeah, why?” He clapped once exited.

“Me too! Let’s go” Yamaguchi grabbed your arm and started towards the entrance of the school, Tsukishima following behind.

That day you ended up bing late, but it was worth it since you found Yamaguchi once again, and Tsukishima’s hoodie and woody scent were with you the whole day.

The group project you had to do for the only class you shared with Yamaguchi was almost done, but still, it needed the finishing touches.

The three of you had agreed on getting together at your place to work on it. It would be the first time Tsukishima was going to step a foot in your home, and the nervousness for what he was going to think made you clean every single spot in your home.

The ring of the doorbell almost made you drop the plate filled with cookies you had bought from the bakery you and Tsukishima both liked. You left the goodies on the table and rushed to open the door.

Tsukishima’s neutral face and Yamaguchi’s bright smile greeted you.

“Hey (y/N)” Yamaguchi waved at you and taking a step aside you let him in, Tsukishima following behind, muttering a small “Hello” Under his breath.

The three of you got to work pretty quickly after that.

You were a little disappointed about the fact that Tsukishima didn’t even gave a second glance to your home, focusing instantly in the task at hand, which was finishing the project once and for all.

Small talk didn’t even occurred, the only conversations the three of you sustained were focused on the subject. But thanks to that, you were able to get a good amount of work done before Yamaguchi’s phone rang, signaling an incoming message.

His eyes flew across the words, and when he finished, he sent an apologetic smile your way.

“Oh, I’m sorry guys, but I have to go and help my mom out. We can finish this tomorrow, or over chat.” Yamaguchi got up from the chair and packed up his belongings.

“Oh um, okay.” You said, Tsukishima’s eyes went from Yamaguchi to the door, and then settling on you. “Do you want to keep working Tsukki and get a little bit more done or leave it like this for today?

Your stomach collided in anxious knots at the tough of being alone with Tsukishima. He was handsome, a little rough in the edges, but you still found yourself interested in him.

When Yamaguchi was around it was okay, because you felt comfortable with him around. Your childhood friend eased the tension you usually got whenever you were around Tsukishima’s dazzling eyes and salty personality.

“uh...” He checked his phone “it’s still early, we can keep going for a little longer”.

It was or you to concentrate when Tsukki was the only one in the room. Specially when he was biting the pen in concentration as he read through the text, or the way he would sigh in annoyance when he didn’t understand the concept he was going over.

“What?” he asked, an eyebrow raising in question. “Do I have something in my face?” He raised his hand and tried to brush the unexistent crumbs from the corner of his mouth, your eyes following his thumb intently.

“No, I just zoned out, sorry Tsukki” Like hell you would confess you were into him.

He hummed, and his eyes studied your face for a moment too long.

In a heartbeat he leaned over the table, and his hand brushed your mouth. His fingertips were cold against your skin, but left tingles whenever they touched. You could feel your skin heat up as words failed to come out o your mouth, too shocked by this bold move he was pulling.

He leaned back on his chair, and a smirk was on his face when he noticed your reaction.

“You had a crumb” Hi took his fingers to his mouth and licked it off, his eyes piercing yours.

“Uh....” Your brain took a second to reboot. “Let’s keep going...” You said hesitantly, unable to hold his stare, too flustered by what had just happened.

The butterflies in your stomach only intensified when he chuckled a low “okay” and the noise of his pen against the notebook filled in the silence that settled .

Tsukishima was a Tease. And boy did you enjoy it.

Movie night with Yamaguchi had to be the best day of your month.

That night it was Yamaguchi’s turn to host it, so you were sprawled in his couch, already in your pajamas, and with a popcorn bowl on your stomach. Two mugs of hot cocoa resting on the coffee table and Jurassic World playing in the T.v, you could not ask for more.

Your feet were over Yamaguchi’s lap and he was already dozing off half way in.

“Yamaguchi! You’re missing it.” You laughed, poking him in the side with your toes. He let out a screech and jolted. He was extremely ticklish.

“Sorry!” He exclaimed, sitting straighter. He leaned over and grabbed his mug, about to take a sip.

Three knocks on the door interrupted Chris Pratt mid sentence.

“Are you expecting someone?” You asked, lifting your legs from him, letting him free to go and open up.

“No, but it’s probably the neighbor, she’s always running out o sugar.” He said getting up.

You paused the movie when Yamaguchi opened up.

“Tsukki?” He asked. You leaned over the back of the couch and peeked at them.

Tsukishima was standing there with his backpack on his shoulder. His hair was a mess, and he looked stressed.

“I lost my apartment keys, the locksmith can only come tomorrow afternoon.” He explained, and it made sense considering his disheveled looks. “Can I crash here tonight?”

“Of course, We’re having a slumber party with (Y/n)” Yamaguchi exclaimed joyfully. Stepping aside or him to get in.

Tsukishima’s eyes found your face, and he smirked when he took in your appearance. “Nice pajamas.” He said.

“Thanks, they match Yamaguchi’s” You ignored his teasing and turned around, hitting play again.

Tsukishima’s chuckled filled your ears before his weight settled next to you on the couch. His hand went inside your bowl, and he stole a handful of popcorn, stuffing his cheeks like a squirrel.

“Hey! get your own lamppost.” You said. During the month you shared together, the relationship between you two got closer, probably because of Yamaguchi’s influence, but now you were comfortable around him, used to his teasing and jokes.

You still liked him though, but you knew not to get your hopes up. He only saw you as a friend, and you were resigned to it. So you sucked it up and buried your feelings deep inside, suffocating them with loads and loads of logical arguments for why they were ridiculous.

Yamaguchi brought Tsukishima his own cup of hot cocoa along with a pair of sweatpants for him to sleep in.

And when he came back from the bathroom wearing only the pants and a tank top, you prayed for the heat you felt rising up your body to not get to your face.

Tsukishima’s arms looked amazing and damn he had nice biceps. Your eyes traveled across his toned chest, and narrow hips before hurriedly adverting your eyes.

“Do you like what you see?” He joked. You knew he had caught you staring, but still you played it off.

“You wish.” He laughed at you and sat by your side once again.

Jurassic Park ended and Yamaguchi choose another one, a chick flick from the early 2000´s. Tsukishima groaned, but the two of you shushed him as the movie begun.

She’s the man was hands down one of the best rom-coms ever, and he didn’t like it he could go to sleep outside.

Your feet were once again in Yamaguchi’s lap while your head rested on Tsukki’s thighs. How you ended up in that position? You had no idea, but it was comfortable.

Midway into the movie, you felt Tsukishima’s fingers dig into your scalp, massaging your scalp. Butterflies went crazy in your chest. He was making the whole not getting your hopes up difficult when he behaved like this. The pleasing sensation made your eyes heavy and in the blink of an eye you fell asleep.

You woke up when the movie was about to end.

Yamaguchi’s body was sitting in the floor against the couch, while Tsukishima’s arms were around you, both of your bodies laying down in the couch, his lips resting against the crown of your head.

If you thought you had your feeling under control, now you knew it was just a bluff.

You felt the rumbling of the bass in your chest when you entered the house.

In between Tsukki’s towering height and Yamaguchi’s comforting presence, you felt a little better. Specially since you didn't want to be there in the first place, but when Yamaguchi asked you to go with him to the party you couldn’t say no, he wasn’t a party animal but it was his cousin’s birthday party and it was almost mandatory for him to assist.

Not even five steps in the crowded house a guy who was apparently too intoxicated to walk straight bumped into you and made you lose your balance. The wooden floor was slippery, possibly because of someone spilling beer carelessly. You felt the world tilt and braced yourself for the impact.

But the feeling of a firm arm around your waist prevented the embarrassment of your face kissing the floor. Tsukishima’s other hand went to your back, and he helped you up. For a change his hands were warm. His body heat transferred into your chilled skin, and the hormones went crazy. Your body heating at the feeling.

“Hey, be careful!” You looked up as Tsukishima sent an angry stare to the drunk’s back. His hands lingered on you for a little too long before he let you go. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine” You sighed, trying to calm your fast beating heart, partially altered by the fall, but Tsukishima in that black button-up shirt had a lot to do with it. “Thank you Tsukki.”

Two hours in the party you already wanted to go. It wasn’t like you didn't like to dance or drink, because you did. But you didn’t know anyone at the party and Yamaguchi was with his cousin and Tsukishima was nowhere to be found.

By the third time someone invited you to dance, you decided it was enough and went to search for Yamaguchi at the kitchen.

The smell of beer was heavy in the air and your friend’s flushed face came into view. He didn’t know how to handle his liquor. Just like you. A glass of whatever had you swinging from side to side and singing Disney songs to the top of your lungs.

“Hey! (Y/N)! Here have a drink…” Yamaguchi tried to fill a cup for you but ended up spilling more than what he poured. “Don’t worry its clean, I made sure it was closed before drinking, and I’ve kept my eye on it the who…ouch!” In his tipsy state, he poked himself in the eye.

A loud laugh bubbled up from your chest while Yamaguchi whined. It was sweet he cared so much about you and your safety, but it seemed like he was the one to be worried about.

While the laugh died down you took a sip and the strong burning sensation going down your throat made you cough.

An arm snaked around your waist and you were about to push the owner away, when Tsukki’s laugh came into your ears.

Since when was he so touchy?

With one glance at him, you found the answer. He was drunk, his cheeks flushed and a silly smile on his face. His drunk self was so different from his usual demeanor it was almost shocking.

“Be careful with that, I don’t want to carry your drunk butt back to your place.” He joked.

“It seems like i will have to that with you though…” You chuckled “How much did you drink?”

“Not that much… What are you, my mom?” He joked.

“Is it wierd that i worry about you?” You asked, taking another sip from the cup.

“Aw, you’re cute.” He said, and his lips were suddenly on your forehead, the warm felling leaving speechless. “You know i love you right?” If the kiss left you speechless that confession drop kicked the sense out of you.

You didn’t know how to respond, because, shit, you liked him, a lot. But you didn’t know how much of a joke it was. There was no way in hell that Tsukishima would confess his feelings sober, so it was probably just a friends kind of love.

Chugging the rest of your cup, you laughed.

“Hilarious, Tsukki.” You said, elbowing him jokingly in the gut, and you walked to Yamaguchi, oblivious to the pout Tsukishima had on his face.

Half an hour and three drinks more later, you felt way too hot to be in that crowded kitchen for a second longer.

“Yama, I need to go to the bathroom, I’ll be back in a few.” You said, and he nodded, holding his thumbs up, too busy dancing to respond.

You felt your senses a little slowed down, and you knew the alcohol was kicking in. Stumbling your way to the backyard, avoiding dancing bodies.

Sitting down in the garden chairs that were outside, you sighed and looked up. Your outfit was nice, and you felt good in it. The fabric was thin and the cool night air lifted the hair in your arms as your skin cooled down. A few people were mingling around, but no one shot a second glace your way.

The moon was full and beautiful that night, with a yellowish tint, and you couldn’t avoid Tsukishima’s popping up in your mind. The color was oddly resemblant of Tsukki’s hair.

You thought back to what he said. And your heart sank, hinge was hurting you, lifting your hopes up like this. Partially it as your fault too. He hinted a few things here and there, but it was never explicit.

A knot in your throat was present, and you closed your eyes trying to swallow the tears. The chair next to you creaked under the weight of a body.

“Hey…” Tsukishima’s voice made you open your eyes and turn to him

“Hey… You look better, did the alcohol wore off?” You asked. His eyes weren’t as glassy as before, and the blush on his cheeks wasn’t as obvious as before.

“Yeah, a little" Tsukishimas eyes went up to the moon, and under the warm light he looked like a dream.

a sigh left your lips as your wet eyes tried to contain the tears.

“I wasn’t lying, you know…?” He said, and your breath got stuck in your lungs. He turned to you, and you saw sincerity in his eyes.

You opened your mouth to speak, but closed it again.

“Can I kiss you?” He muttered, his face flushed with embarrassment.

That was all it took to break your wall down.

Without a heartbeat to spare, you crashed your lips against his. Tsukishima’s hands held your face with such tenderness you almost melted at it.

Your lips moved in sync, the taste of alcohol in them proving he was still drunk and that he wasn’t in his right mind, but the excitement of the moment threw caution to the wind, and just enjoyed the chance to kiss him just like you had wished many times before.

He tugged at your sleeve and without breaking the kiss you got up from the chair and positioned yourself on his lap, straddling his legs.

Tsukishima’s hands found your waist and he squeezed, moaning slightly when you slighly bited his bottom lip.

Your fingers grasped his silky locks, and you tugged at them every time he left an airy sigh out. The sound doing funny things to your belly. Suddenly, the contact wasn’t enough. You wanted more of him and you couldn’t wait any longer to get it.

Maybe it was the alcohol in your blood acting, but you two ended up walking to your apartment, since it was only a few blocks away from where the party was held.

There were more kisses in between the walk there, and before you opened the door Tsukishima caged your body against the door.

His lips found your neck, and an electric shock went from your head to your toes when his tongue brushed against the sensitive skin where your neck and shoulder connected. And if you liked Tsukishima before, now you were sure you loved him. Because the way he was riling you up was something you never experienced before.

His lips barely left your body enough for you to get the key in the lock and open the door. He kick the door closed behind you entangled bodies.

Walking in the dark with Tsukki’s lips glued to yours, you made your way backwards into your room.

With one playful shove, Tsukishima had you on your back in the bed. You could only see his silouete thanks to the moonlight coming in through the blinds.

He tugged his shirt over his head and a heat ignited in deep in your soul. You bones aching with desire.

Tsukishima came closer and leaned over you, his lips ghosting over yours before connecting them together. That was only the start of a long night filled with passion and tender caresses, encouraged by the alcohol still running through your veins.

The bright lights form the early morning pried your eyes open, a burning sensation behind your lids and an aching in your muscles that was unusual.

The hangover was going to be a bitch, you noticed when a sharp stab to the skull made you wince. The smell of old beer still in the room because of your stained shirt and shoes lying on the floor.

You turned to the side in the bed in a desperate attempt to sleep for a little longer, but the sight you got almost had you sighing in awe.

Tsukki sleeping was a gorgeous view. The crease in his forehead nowhere to be found, a relaxed expression all over his face, soft puffs of air coming out of his opened lips. His pale skin seemed to glisten in the light, and you were tempted to touch him, but by some reason you didn’t have the courage to disrupt the peace. Almost afraid he would disappear right under your fingertips.

He shuddered in his sleep and got closer to you, his arms wrapping around you and pulling you to his chest. You felt your body warm up at the contact, and butterflies erupted in your stomach.

Flashback’s of the sloppy kisses his vodka tasting mouth gave you and the way his hands traveled across your skin made you blush, suddenly the temperature in the room spiked and your naked skin against his was on fire.

You don’t know how much time passed. But you were still in his arms and awake when his eyes fluttered open.

Tsukki regained consciousness and when his eyes focused in your familiar room he sat up alarmed, taking in his clothes scattered and your exposed skin. His eyes were wide, no traces of whatever you thought to have seen the night before in them.

Tsukishima didn’t open his mouth, trying to put as much distances between your bodies, sitting almost at the edge of the mattress. If a slight breeze brushed his body, he would lose his balance for sure and fall backward on the floor.

This wasn’t the way you imagined the morning after to go down.

You tried not to show the pang in your heart at his expression. He was probably just confused and surprised, right? He was the one to make the first move in the first place.

“Hey...” You tried to say as nonchalant as you could, as if you were not naked in front of your friend whom you had sex with the night prior. “Did you sleep okay?”

Dumb question, but the silence was making you uncomfortable. Clearing your throat to vanish the knot in it, you swung your legs out of bed and grabbed your underwear, hurriedly putting it in place.

You could feel Tsukishima’s intense glare in your back, but you tried to ignore it as you grabbed a shirt and shorts that were folded in a pile on top o a chair. You needed to get out of that room and let Tsukki process everything.

Once he remembered the night before everything would get better.

“I’m going to make coffee, I’ll meet you in the kitchen...” You announced, and advanced to the door, without waiting for an answer or even looking at him, worried he might snap if you did.

Not even the sound of the pouring coffee relaxed your nerves.

You gathered the half-eaten package of cookies you had in the pantry and placed them on a plate to have breakfast with them, too tired to even try to cook.

Passing by the kitchen’s window you stopped dead in your tracks as your reflection displays the evidence of last’s night affair. Bruising around your neck and collarbones showed where Tsukki had nibbled and bitten in the heated moments you two had spent together. You could still recall the feeling of his warm breath hovering above your skin as he muttered against it, to sink his teeth in it a heartbeat later.

That was probably why he was so quiet in the morning. It was probably the shock mixed with the remaining alcohol in his blood.

The steam emanating from the cups was barely there, since Tsukishima liked it warm instead of hot. Sighing, you placed the cups on the counter and just sat there, waiting for Tsukishima to get out of bed.

Anxiety boiled in your belly when 15 minuted had passed and he was still inside. Was he okay? You pondered on opening the door to your room to check on him, but the sound of the handle turning made the thought useless.

Tsukishima came out, wearing his black shirt and blue jeans, his jacket in hand.

“Hey!” You started, relief invading you at the sight of him relatively okay. “I got you your coffee. Sit, I have some chocolate chips cookies from that bakery we like”

Tsukishima flinched notably when the word “we” came out of your lips, and you started to feel nervous again. His eyes avoided you and every personal thing in your house. His eyes shifting from the ceiling to the floor and to the only spot in the wall where there were no picture frames.

He swallowed dry and opened his mouth, as if he tried to say something but decided against it.

“Tsukki, are you okay?” You said, the usual nickname rolling off of your tongue effortlessly. But instead of his usual response, he snapped.

“Don’t call me that.” He said, taking you aback. His tone was low and harsh. He swallowed again and finally looked at you, his guard up and feelings under lock. “I got to go.”

He started for the door, but you found your voice again after his outburst.

“Tsukki!” You exclaimed, and he stopped, shoulders tense and head cast down. “...Shima” You added, trying to ease a little his locked up posture, but it only seemed to make it worse. “Is it because of last night?” You asked, trying to make it seem like it wasn’t a big deal for you, when in reality you had stupidly let your hopes up.

He turned to you, and the wall behind his cold eyes sent a shiver down your spine and an avalanche of rocks to settle in the pit of your stomach. With the most cold and empty voice you ever heard from him, he crushed you with only four words.

“Last night never happened.”

The door slammed behind him, but you noticed he left minutes later, when the roaring of his car’s engine disrupted the silence of the early Sunday morning.

Just like the moon doesn’t have its own light, but reflects the sun’s, this card symbolizes a mirage, something that does not correspond with reality, and it is an unfounded illusion, leading to disappointments.

Inestability.

Author Note: I’ll probably end up writing a part II for this, because i love Tsukishima so much, and i want him to overcome his compromise issues.

Also, I wrote this in between a covid outbreak in my town and my midterms exams so, I apologize if it’s not the best.

#tsukishima kei x reader #Tsukishima kei #haikyuuwritersnet #haikyuu x reader #kei tsukishima x reader #tsukishima x reader angst #tsukishima #tsukishima kei angst #Tsukki x reader #tsukishima kei fanfic

83 notes · View notes

desdemonafictional · 4 years

Text

Sunstorm

We’re currently working on a pretty long fic but I REALLY want to show you this part because I’ve been holding on to it since like March

Banners from the Turrets AU, set after Apotheosis

Rung peered through the viewing window, a long pane of reinforced crystal with enough radiation shielding to make the room beyond look fuzzy and gossamer. It was a shame, then, that the vision beyond was no image of gods and glory out of a golden age light sculpture. It was only a young jet-engine in an otherwise empty room, in that scrawny stage as his last round of frame growth endeavored to pad his armor out around his protoform.

“You can’t seriously mean to keep him in there,” Rung said, taking in the absolute lack of enrichment material. Not even a pad to doodle on, honestly. “He’s been picking at his paint, look there, you can see he’s scratched off a whole section over his thruster. This is no place for a growing mechanism.”

“We gave him all his post-natal downloads,” one of the doctors said, resentfully. “He’s got plenty of material to review if he wants.”

The sparklings were coming out of the new hotspot at whatever rate they were growing, which was normal. This one was from an earlier protoform harvest, but not long ago, judging by his armor growth. He would have been moved through the nursery into the creche by now, normally, but...

“Cybertronians are intensely social beings, Kaput,” Rung said, pressing his palm to the window. “Maybe a war-hardened soldier with a lifetime of experience behind him can handle days of unbroken isolation, but look at that bot, doctor. He’s barely grown in his cladding. He’s been out of the dirt for what, a week?”

The golden seeker looked up, optics zeroing in on Rung’s palm at the window pane, and then his wings started to vibrate. His biolights swelled with so much light that just imagining their heat output was enough to make Rung wince. And then the mech started to cry.

Rung turned a hard look on Kaput. The sparkologist scowled and shuffled, avoiding Rung’s eye. The rest of the attendant nurses backed up and found other things to look at.

It must be difficult for them, caught between their immediate supervisor and--for all intents and purposes--God. Rung frowned at the new-build, who had begun to emit waves of radiation on a near visible spectrum.

Glit, off to the side of the gaggle, made a polite little noise. Rung turned with some relief to the beastformer, who has always been one of the more communicative members of Rung’s wartime staff. A familiar face was helpful. Facilities where Rung was not in charge had become unexpectedly difficult for him to navigate, over the years.

“The thing is,” Glit said, “we can’t let him out. He’s too dangerous. If he starts to get worked up like that around anyone who isn’t designed for long term space exposure, he’ll melt the circuitry right out of them. He’s a walking timebomb. And we don’t have any shuttles cross-trained as medics, so I can’t even get anyone in there to examine him.”

“Another belated gift of functionism,” Rung murmured. They shared a moment of pained resignation, two off-mode medics more than fully aware of how little they’d ever had to work with.

“So we thought,” Kaput cut into the moment, “maybe you could go in there. Bring us back some close readings. You were a medic during the war, right?”

Rung turned on him. “You want me to go in there?” he rapped the window with a knuckle. “Is this some sort of very polite assassination attempt? Doctor, I’m certainly not shielded for interstellar flight.”

“Well no,” Kaput said. “But you, ah, you are God aren’t you? You’re immortal, basically. Everyone’s heard about how you grew back half your head after that terrorist blew it off.”

Rung pushed his glasses up and rubbed his eyes. This was the kind of manner the medical practice had come out of the war with. Truly disheartening.

Rung was lost on how to deal with the whole divinity problem, such as it was. In fact he was fairly sure he could be killed--an impressive healing factor was no guarantee of true immortality--but would letting people make their own assumptions about it discourage other trigger-happy atheists with a bone to pick? Or would it only tempt hotheads to try their luck? He didn’t know, he couldn’t say, and meanwhile Starscream was halfway to reinstating a theocracy on his behalf.

He looked at the hiccoughing newframe in the isolation room, radiation pouring off him, and thought about the medical examination of his own scheduled for later that day. If he slagged anything, surely Wheeljack would notice and address it before it became too dire.

“Alright,” he said, pulling off his glasses with their delicate mechanisms, “I’ll go.”

In the next several minutes Rung experienced deep space preparations in amazingly short order. Before he could think twice, he was sprayed down with an aerosol protective coating, bagged into some kind of hazmat suit, and shoved through the thick lead door into the room beyond.

For a moment Rung worried that the jet was going to rush the door, and given his size--easily as tall and heavy as Starscream’s earlier war frames--but then he fell back, curling into himself, as the door closed behind Rung. The whole place smelled faintly of singed circuitry.

Rung held out his opened palms. “Hello,” he said. “My name is Rung. I’m here to help you.”

The jet regarded him with a helpless expression. “My name’s Sunstorm,” he said.

“That’s a lovely name,” Rung said, and meant it. “My very good friend is a seeker, like you. I know a little about jet engine frame types. Would you let me take a look at you?”

“Are you going to jab me with something?” the jet said, wings flaring as if to make himself look bigger. “They were jabbing me with things and then I started to burn them, so they put me in here. I finished my testing files. I didn’t do anything wrong. They didn’t have to stick things in me.”

“Oh, sweetie,” Rung said, “they weren’t punishing you. They were just trying to get your levels, for medical reasons.”

“I passed all the cultural data tests,” Sunstorm insisted. “I even passed the test on historical figures, and some of those classical composers had really confusing names!”

There was a growing physical discomfort inside of Rung’s frame, hot and staticy. He winced, and tried to ignore the smell of charred circuitry inside his olfactory receptors. He took another step closer, palms out, trying to seem small and harmless. “Those can be confusing, can’t they? The names? Some of them are written in old Cybertronian, and I bet you don’t have the language database for that yet, do you?”

“No,” Sunstorm said, and wiped some fluid from his face. “It’s a different language?”

“A different writing system,” Rung said. “Well, a different form of the same language too, but if you knew how to pronounce the glyphs, it would still make the same sounds. But don’t worry about that right now. Did they give you anything about more recent history? The last couple thousand years, maybe?”

Sunstorm shook his head.

“Okay,” Rung said. “That’s okay. Some of the medics haven’t dealt with young people in a long, long time, you see? So they don’t remember that sometimes, it can be scary when you don’t know what’s going on. It’s okay to be confused.”

“You’re not angry?” Sunstorm said.

“Of course I’m not angry,” Rung said. “You haven’t done anything wrong.”

“Everyone was really mad before,” Sunstorm said. “They locked me in here and they won’t let me out.”

“I’m sorry it’s been a stressful first week on the planet,” Rung said. His more delicate components were starting to sizzle faintly. “I’d like to get you out of here as soon as we safely can. Will you come down here? I’d like to take a look at you.”

Rung reached up. Sunstorm glanced nervously at the viewing window.

“What are you worried about?” Rung asked.

Sunstorm curled back from him. “When I touch people, they scream. And the nurses grab me and drag me around. I don’t want them to come in.”

“It’s okay,” Rung said again. “They sent me in here to get readings, no one will be mad at you for touching me. Come on, kneel down.”

“I’m sure you’re not doing it on purpose, but do you feel that difference in the air now?” Rung asked. “Do you feel how hot it is? Can you feel something happening inside you that’s different from how you were a few minutes ago?”

Sunstorm closed his hand around one broad shoulder. His mouth wobbled.

“That’s radioactivity,” Rung explained. “There’s something inside of you generating these radioactive waves, and it’s very dangerous to the rest of us. They can’t let you out until they know how to stop people from getting hurt by it.”

Sunstorm’s face screwed up in acute distress, his fingers squeezing his shoulder reflexively. “You mean I’m hurting you? Right now?”

“Shh, sweetie, it’s okay, don’t worry about me.”

“But I’m hurting you!”

“It’s alright, I’ll be alright,” Rung said. He took Sunstorm’s face in his hands and gently pulled it into the crook of his shoulder. The bagging that Glit’s nurses had wrapped him in immediately melted open, exposing his shoulder to the hot jab of Sunstorm’s nose. “Relax your wings, sweetie. That’s good. There you go. Now open up your vents. Don’t worry about me, just try to get your frame to cool down.”

Slowly, as Rung walked him through the venting exercises he had taught to countless patients before, Sunstorm began to cool off. First it was just the heat of his out-vents, but then it was a gradual cooling in the air around them, and then the low grade itch of radiation dying away. A little at a time, Rung’s delicate circuitry stopped sizzling under the stress.

#banners from the turrets #wip #transformers

26 notes · View notes

esonetwork · 3 years

Text

Timestamp #226: Let's Kill Hitler

New Post has been published on https://esonetwork.com/timestamp-226-lets-kill-hitler/

Timestamp #226: Let's Kill Hitler

Doctor Who: Let’s Kill Hitler (1 episode, s06e08, 2011)

Hello, sweetie.

Prequel

A phone rings as the TARDIS is in flight. The answering machine picks up and Amy leaves a message.

As the camera pans across the console and the dark control room, Amy asks if the Doctor will fulfill his promise to find Melody Pond. Even though she knows that everything turns out okay, she doesn’t want to miss Melody’s childhood.

The Doctor listens intently, but doesn’t pick up the phone. He’s clearly wracked with regret and sadness.

Let’s Kill Hitler

It was once a nice wheat field. Then the Ponds plowed through it, scrawling the word “Doctor” into the crop. They stop in the middle of the O – a giant crop circle – to find the TARDIS and the Doctor in his new pea green double-breasted coat. The Doctor shows them a newspaper article chronicling the event.

It turns out that this was the only way Amy and Rory could figure out to get the Doctor’s attention. He consoles Amy: He will find Melody because River lives. The moment is shattered by police sirens, a speeding red car, and a woman named Mels. The new arrival holds the Doctor at gunpoint and demands to be taken in the TARDIS. It seems that she wants to kill Adolf Hitler.

Flash back to a long time ago in Leadworth as young Amelia, your Rory, and young heretofore-unknown Mels grow up together. Apparently, Mels knows all about Amelia’s “imaginary” friend, the Doctor, and that knowledge gets her in trouble. A lot. Including stealing a bus. She’s also present when Amy finally figures out that Rory loves her.

In the present, Mels, Amy, and Rory take a trip in the TARDIS. Mels actually shoots the TARDIS console while in transit to Nazi Germany. In Berlin, 1938, those same Nazis are being observed by a team with future technology as a machine (posing as a custodian) shapeshifts into a Nazi officer. That team is inside the machine, a highly advanced ship called the Teselecta, which shrinks the Nazi officer and draws him inside. Since the officer is responsible for a series of hate crimes – after all, what Nazi wasn’t? – he is disposed of by a series of “antibodies”.

The Teselecta then goes to Adolf Hitler’s office and activates Justice Mode, but two things interfere in the plan. First, they are too early in Hitler’s time stream. Second, the TARDIS crashes through the wall into the office.

The Doctor evacuates everyone from the TARDIS as it smokes away, then stashes Mels’s handgun in a bowl of fruit. The travelers are beside themselves for actually saving Hitler. The Teselecta tries to attack Hitler again, but he shoots the ship before being stashed in a nearby cupboard by the Doctor and Rory. The Teselecta feigns a fainting spell while the crew analyzes the TARDIS and determines that the most wanted war criminal in history has arrived.

Also, Mels has been shot by Hitler.

Mels, short for Melody, regenerates into a very familiar form. Mission complete. Well… sort of. This new woman has no idea who any of her traveling companions are, she is incredibly self-centered, and has maintained her programming that demands murdering the Doctor. She tries multiple times with every weapon in the room, but the Doctor is several steps ahead of her, but he misses the poison lipstick.

Melody jumps out of window and takes on a squad of Nazis. The soldiers try to shoot her, but she survives due to her regenerative state and uses the discharged energy as a weapon. She picks up their guns and drives away on a motorcycle. Rory and Amy give chase with the sonic screwdriver, followed by the Teselecta disguised as a Nazi soldier.

The Doctor enters the TARDIS and extracts the smoke. He consults with the TARDIS voice interface – the sequence of trying to find a face that doesn’t remind him of his failures is hilarious – and determines that regeneration is impossible due to the poison extracted from the Judas tree. The interface mentions “fish fingers and custard,” inspiring the Doctor to set a course in the TARDIS.

Melody storms a restaurant and demands that the patrons give her their clothes. Outside, the Teselecta takes Amy’s form and miniaturizes Amy and Rory. Just before being killed by the antibodies, the Ponds are given clearance privileges and taken to the control room.

The Teselecta nearly passes judgment on Melody for killing the Doctor, but the Doctor arrives in a tuxedo and top hat. He uses a sonic cane to scan the ship. He also verifies that the Ponds are okay. The Teselecta places Melody in stasis before the crew explains that the mete out justice to war criminals at the ends of their respective timelines. Amy convinces the crew to offer any help they can to the Doctor.

The Silence, a religious cult who believe “silence will fall” when the oldest question in the universe is asked, are behind the plot to kill the Doctor. When the Teselecta crew reveals that they don’t know what the question is, the crew resumes their torture of Melody.

The Doctor asks Amy to save her daughter, so Amy disables the crew’s privileges so that they will all be attacked by the antibodies. The Teselecta releases Melody and the crew is teleported away to a mother ship. As the antibodies descend on Amy and Rory, the Doctor tells Melody to save her parents.

As the Doctor faces his imminent demise, he begs Melody to help him. She talks to the TARDIS and learns to fly the ship, rescuing Amy and Rory before returning everyone to the Doctor’s side. Melody Pond, a child of the TARDIS, wonders who she is. The Doctor asks her to find River Song and pass on a message.

As the Doctor falls unconscious, Melody asks who River Song is. Amy uses the Teselecta to show Melody her own face. Melody decides to pass on her regeneration energy – all her remaining lives – to the Doctor with a kiss, thus becoming River Song.

River wakes up in a hospital with the travelers looking on. The Doctor’s message was that no one could save him, which made her think that she could. This is how she learns Rule #1: The Doctor lies. The travelers leave her with the Sisters of the Infinite Schism to recover, complete with an empty TARDIS-shaped diary. She’ll find her way back to them in time.

As the Doctor ponders the data he downloaded from the Teselecta, River Song enrolls at the Luna University in 5123. Her motivations are simple: She’s looking for a good man.

There are a couple of items working against this fun ride: First, the introduction of the previously unknown Mels. Second, the crux of the assassination of the Doctor relies on him being the smartest man in the room again.

The first can be explained if we’re looking at the events of this season through Amy and Rory’s perspective, therefore seeing a low-impact change in the timeline after Melody’s birth and abduction. The second, while an annoying feature of the Steven Moffat era of Doctor Who, adds a lot of humor and hangs a lampshade on the Doctor’s blind spot for River Song. Especially considering the fact that she is the person who kills the Doctor, an act for which she is imprisoned and is now revealed to be a fixed point. The second also hearkens back to the Ninth Doctor in Boom Town, but it worked there because it wasn’t as much of a storytelling crutch for Russell T. Davies.

That humor, coupled with the character development for River and the Doctor, really makes this story work. The origin story for River Song helps tie off her story and could have provided a convenient story terminus if not for the character’s immense popularity.

The humor also worked because it was self-deprecating. The scene with the TARDIS voice interface poked at the ongoing theme with companion departures and shame, invoking Rose, Martha, and Donna in the process. The scene also point us back to a moment of combined shame and innocence by invoking Amelia Pond, whom the Doctor had not yet screwed up but did leave hanging for her childhood years.

Going back to Rule #1, we find out in this story that temporal grace – the state in which the TARDIS interior exists – houses a “clever lie”. The Fourth Doctor claimed that weapons could not be used inside the TARDIS in order to stop Eldrad in The Hand of Fear. Of course, we already knew that it wasn’t absolute from Arc of Infinity – “Nobody’s perfect,” claimed the Fifth Doctor when challenged by Nyssa about a Cyberman shooting in the console room – as well as The Invasion of Time, Earthshock, Attack of the Cybermen, The Visitation, and The Parting of the Ways.

With all of the discussions about Doctor Who canon/continuity in fandom, it’s a good reminder that Doctor Who canon/continuity has never been consistent.

This story also presents a fascinating parallel to The Caves of Androzani, during which the Doctor was poisoned by could survive by regenerating. The Doctor had several lives to spare at that point, but this encounter comes at the supposed end of the Doctor’s regeneration cycle due to the events of Journey’s End and The Night of the Doctor.

There are also several other franchise callbacks: We’ve seen “justice machines” in the past, though they were in the form of the Megara; We’ve previously seen the TARDIS materialize in a micro environment, courtesy of Carnival of Monsters, and materialize in a micro state, courtesy of Planet of Giants; We’ve seen the TARDIS materialize around people and objects before in Logopolis, Time-Flight, The Parting of the Ways, and The Waters of Mars; We’ve also heard about transferring regeneration energy in previous adventures like Mawdryn Undead, the TV movie, and The Ultimate Foe.

I’m also a sucker for the “Doctor who?” title drop gag, which has been around since the beginning. It makes me snicker every time.

All told, I really enjoy the action, the spirit, and the heart of this story. It takes a tired time-travel trope (“Let’s kill Hitler!”) and turns it on its ear to both develop characters and move a story along. Well done.

Rating: 5/5 – “Fantastic!”

UP NEXT – Torchwood: The Gathering

The Timestamps Project is an adventure through the televised universe of Doctor Who, story by story, from the beginning of the franchise. For more reviews like this one, please visit the project’s page at Creative Criticality.

#Doctor Who #Eleventh Doctor #Timestamps Project

1 note · View note

swellwriting · 5 years

Text

LOVER Pt.1

- I Forgot That You Existed -

Bucky x Reader/ The Winter Soldier x Reader

A/N: Welcome to the beginning of this journey, hope you are excited for the rest of the story, please let me know what you think, like/ leave a comment/ reblog and all that stuff it’s really appreciated :))

Word Count: 2.7k Series Masterlist Part 2

Warnings: Just violence for this chapter.

Hydra had fallen and S.H.E.I.L.D had fallen with it, given they were truly one and the same in the end. But just because the secret was out, it did not mean that Hydra had gone extinct. They thrived working in the shadows and casting new light just made more shadows in new places for them to hide. Like rats they scurry from one safe place to another, making new hidden bases, moving back and rebuilding old ones. That was their dumbest tactic.

On their tails, they had the Avengers chasing them, and the Avengers weren’t easy to hide from since they seemed to be growing in numbers every day.

To make matters worse for them, because you just loved to make things worse for the organization that ruined your life and stole it from you in more ways than you could count, they had you, their very own prized “Asset Number 2” who was living just to continue to kill them all. You wouldn’t stop until you could safely say that Hydra was a thing of the past.

And any new organizations like Hydra that came up, you would put their fire out before they could burn someone else as they did to you, as they did to him.

You would search for intel, scan digital global maps, return to old bases trying to find where the disease of Hydra had spread to next. Hydra was right to call themselves by this name, Lerneaen Hydra being the type of monster that when you cut one head off, two more would grow in its place. It was tiring chasing after the “heads” but what else was their really to do with your life, with your abilities, work in a small town diner? Not a chance.

You consider for a moment what it would be like, serving drinks with a cherry fake smile, winking at men that made your stomach curl for an extra tip, and then bringing them out back and slitting their throats for trying to put a hand up your short uniform skirt? It would just never work out.

The explosive device you had set on the door goes off, blowing your hair back and spreading a bit of heat against your cheeks.

“That was a close one.” You thought aloud, feeling your face to make sure your eyebrows were still there. You had been looking into this specific base for a long time, you were tired of trying to figure out passwords and lock codes so you did a small heist of the local police department armoury and decided the loud and proud approach was more your style today. The alarms blared like music to your ears.

“That’s right, panic, scurry around like rats, grab a weapon, it won’t help you.” You say in a sing-song voice, purely for your own amusement, it had been a long while since you had had a partner to joke with.

You grab your .44 magnum revolver from your thigh holster, lean up against the wall and listen for nearing footsteps around the corner, you check and make sure you have all nine bullets loaded and when you hear the tip tap of the scurrying rats you duck down and peer around the corner, shooting upward as the men run towards you in blind panic. There were six of them, you counted each one as you put a bullet in their heads, even as they realized you were there and went to turn and run you were too fast.

You took a moment to admire your work because hell if you didn’t who else would?

The men wore bleachy white lab coats now stained in their own dark blood, “damn lab rats,” you say with a spite filled yet satisfied grunt as you spit on their bodies.

You look down the hallway, no one else seems to be there but you know better than to waltz down there with only three bullets left. You grab a grenade off your hip, pull the pin and hold it to your lips as you count to three before dramatically rolling it down the long hallway like a bowling ball until it hits the door at the end and stops.

You hear men begin to yell “grenade” but your timing’s too perfect, they don’t even finish the word before their lips are probably blown right off their faces.

“Strike!” You congratulate your self as you slowly stride down the hallway, a swagger to your step. Fuck a diner, this was what you were good at. You excelled at this.

One of the men wasn’t quite dead, you walk up to him, stick the heel of your boot into his chest where the skin is torn open and then kiss the blade of your knife before pushing it through his heart. You fake a frown as you watch the light leave his eyes.

“Awe just a spare, you ruined my streak!”

As if human lives were equivalent to bowling pins, but in your mind, the lives of Hydra officers were lower, even lower than an inanimate object, but can anyone blame you, they treated you the same way.

You skip down the hallway, twirling your knife in your hands until you think you hear a noise, holstering your knife you grab your prized AP4 gun off your back and hold it up to your line of sight, tired of the dramatics and wanting to see Hydra blood splattered on the walls of their underground steel hell box.

You find nothing and no one as you kick the door to the lab open.

In total there were only a few lab rats and couple meek soldier mice? Hydra must be feeling the pressure you’ve been putting on them lately, good.

You plug in your USB and start the download of all their files, this will help you figure out what Hydra’s up to and where their other basses might be.

You hear a noise down the hall, one expertly quiet footstep that only a super-soldier would notice, you should have checked the surroundings before you left your back so open, someone comes in and you raise your gun at them about to yell at them to drop their weapon, until you realize you are being held up by a man with a bow and arrow.

You laugh for a moment, he shoots an arrow as you lower your gun and you catch it, breaking it in half thanks to your super-soldier strength and laugh. Your laugh fades to shock when someone walks in beside him, his gun is covering part of his face but you recognize that metal arm, that messy hair that needs to be trimmed, his face as he lowers the gun a bit to look at you.

“Winter?” You ask, losing all of your focus as your mind panics and before you realize the stupid arrow guy shot again, right into your stomach, it feels like a sharp pain, it goes straight up your spine and into your head making your vision go blank and your stomach ache. You’re lying on the ground, when did you fall?

“Fuck,” you say but it comes out so quiet and you feel so weak, you squeeze your fingers to stay awake, to focus but something is wrong, something is so very wrong.

You hear faint footsteps.

“Someone already cleared out this base, I’m assuming it’s our gal there that you shot in the stomach without thinking.” Says a voice you swear sounds like Tony Stark, or at least how he sounds on tv.

“She was pointing a gun at me!” Clint defends and Bucky chuckles as he walks over to you, you’re alive and struggling on the floor, like an animal, helpless and visibly angry about it as you grab at your stomach.

“She’s not dead,” Bucky confirms as he grabs your hand, but he doesn’t look at you like he knows who you are, he doesn’t look sad to see you dying on the floor. And as the pain fills your body, as your head pounds against your skull, your eyes water, your mouth tastes tangy like metal you realize he has no idea who you are, your eyes go wide as you desperately try to speak to him, but you spit up blood which horrifies him.

“Impossible, I’m using those arrows you made me Tony, you said instant kill, that doesn’t look instant.”

“They are poison coated, Legolas, the poison should kill any normal person within seconds, seems our gal here is both a badass Hydra killer and a special enhanced. Barnes bring her on the jet, let’s nuke this joint.”

Clint instantly feels bad as he watches Bucky carry you away, how was he supposed to know you had killed those guys in the hallway, he came in after Nat and Cap who went into a different room, so he just assumed they had taken care of them. He looks at the small pool of blood you left behind on the ground and then grabs your USB, putting it in his pocket and hoping he can give it to you later.

You are only partially conscious, conscious enough to hear and to feel the pain circling your body but that’s about it.

You feel them lay you down and then strap you in, a safety measure, perhaps to keep you in place, or more for their own safety, you aren’t sure. You blackout from the pain, only waking up sometime later, you aren’t sure where or how long it’s been but the room is bright white, it’s filled with fancy technology on the walls and a nurse looks you in the eyes and then scurries away to get the others.

You blink a few times, sit up even though it sends shooting pain up your spine and to your toes, your brain feels numb, they must be heavily medicating you, and to achieve that they must know about your…abilities.

“We go into lots of Hydra bunkers, it’s not rare to find specially enhanced soldiers there, or traces of their past existence, but it is rare to find one who seems to be doing exactly what we were,” Tony says as the room quickly fills with various curious Avengers

“Do you usually shoot at them too?” You ask.

“No.” Tony answers easily while Wanda answers simultaniously, “yes.”

Tony looks at her, raises a playfull brow which gets him a shoulder shrug in return, and then turns back to you.

“Lets cut to the chase, you’re special. Another Super soldier by the looks of it,” he says as he flips through your lab results.

“I’m the same as Winter, same make, different model.” You joke as you gesture to your body.

“Winter?” Steve asks confused.

“Yeah, Winter, he is the only reason I even got shot, he broke my focus. I’ll never be killed by a dude with a damn bow and arrow.” You counter thinking that somehow answers who Winter is.

“Who is Winter?” Tony says, asking you again.

“How do you not know who he is? He was with you, in the base, on that jet. I saw him and blanked. The Winter Soldier, I’m exactly like him, he helped them create me, I am a copy of him.”

“Let me guess your name is Summer right?” Tony jokes.

“Spring, actually. Hydra is really creative, luckily they maxed out at two of us and didn’t run out of seasons.”

Tony chuckles at the nickname and speaks up, “FRIDAY, call Barnes to the medical ward.”

Then you just wait, still confused still in pain as the love of your life walks through the door.

“You didn’t tell us you knew our almost casualty here?” Tony asks and Steve listens intently, never having heard of “Spring” before now.

“I don’t?” He answers and your heart drops. You were right, your hunch from the way he looked at you before was right, it wasn’t that he moved on and didn’t care, it’s that he completely forgot, he has no idea who you are.

The Avengers, or at least the ones in the room, Steve, Tony, Clint, Sam, Wanda and Bucky, all stare at you with looks of confusion and some filled with accusation.

“So your story doesn’t work,” Sam suggests, instantly not trusting you, not that the others trust you any more than he does.

“It’s not a story, or an excuse it’s the truth. I was The Spring Soldier, Asset number 2, I was created by Hydra, I was the only person they found who could survive the half-assed knock off serum they created and used on Winter first. I was trained by Winter, he was my partner, my lover.” You say the last part quietly and they pretend not to notice as you look at your hands.

“You just don’t remember me, it’s happened before,” you finish.

“I thought you got all your memories back Buck?” Steve asks.

Clint chimes in, “How do you even know if you remember everything you…forgot,” but no one pays attention to him.

“I do,” Bucky assures himself aloud.

“I forgot you existed once too, and I’ve dealt with you forgetting me before too. After you left Hydra I couldn’t find you anywhere for years, they said you went chasing after some old friend, they couldn’t find you either.

I heard that you joined the Avengers and there were all these trials in the news and it seemed like you had moved on and I was tired of chasing after you so I thought it was my turn to forget, I begged a lower officer to perform the procedure, I thought to forget you would be hard, painful. I thought that it would kill me, but it didn’t. It wasn’t long before the memories rushed back. You should remember me too by now. What all do you remember, about the past?” You spill your guts, quickly running over your past skipping some of the darker moments. You ask the question as calm and collected as you can, masking the heartbreak as you search for answers.

“I remember Hydra, I remember the war and I remember Steve but not you,” he says so flatly like he isn’t bothered. As if he isn’t even trying to rack his brain for memories of you.

And he looks at you in this way that breaks your heart, behind his eyes there isn’t love, there isn’t hate, just indifference.

And it hurts because you want him back so badly but he doesn’t seem to care. As painful as the past is you crave it at this moment. Life with Winter was hectic and hard but it was worth it to be with him, this peaceful and quietness that lingered without him, without being part of Hydra was deadly. And then he had to twist the knife.

“I remember everyone I’ve ever killed, I remember everything the soldier did but I am not him.”

“Yes, you are!” You say raising your voice a little, like a wounded animal backed up against the wall.

“No, I’m not.” He says and he doesn’t yell but he says it like he’s so sure of himself and it hurts, a blow to the heart as if he’s stomping on the memories as if he’s ripping up pictures in your face. And he isn’t saying the words out loud, he’s not saying he doesn’t love you, but he might as well be.

As Bucky leaves the room in a rush the team gives you a new mix of looks. Tony looks at you as if you’re a new project, something begging to be fixed. Clint looks guilty and confused. Sam and Steve are both defensive, they had spent so long helping Bucky move on from his past, helping him believe he wasn’t the same person, that it wasn’t his fault and here you come, ruining that idea.

Wanda looked neutral, like she sort of felt bad for you but also didn’t trust you either.

The love of your life just walked out the door, leaving you behind like dust without a second thought, for what felt like the hundredth time, and you were stuck in a room of strangers who were all silently judging you and making their own opinions on you.

To make it worse you were handcuffed and strapped to this damn hospital bed. You had to get Winter or Bucky to remember you and you had to get the entirety of the Avengers to trust you and believe you aren’t a threat. What a fucking nightmare.

Part 2

Tag List: @finnofamerica @theseuscmander @fortisfiliae @theboywhocriedlupin @draqcnheartstrinq @carolinesbookworld

Let me know if you would like to be tagged, this series is getting its own special taglist since I discontinued all my other ones.

70 notes · View notes

01010010-posts · 5 years

Text

— our love is a starred staircase; i jump two steps at time but you can only go one by one.

i. → becoming human. “and this is hen.” “mhh, very interesting.” “.... i hate you.” he unwillingly cracks up, slightly turning to the other side because, honestly, he’s not that bastard (maybe) “sorry–” he bites his lips, not wanting to be exposed, gosh, he really is such a bastard “it’s just that– well, how do i put it.... learning a new language from scratch, without any download, it actually is difficult.” there is it again, that devilish sneer “i swear to god, love” “okay, okay. i’ll say it. but please don’t be mad. it’s your handwriting. it’s hard to read. it’s so ugly you could be a doctor.” he’s doing his best, he vows, but since being deviant his sense of humour has highly been affected. you lose no time in emerging onto his jolly demeanor and begin smacking him “you’re not being fair! ouch– please! you promised to not get angry!” he refuges his hair behind his knuckles, while still enjoying taunting you “i’ve spent the past hour memorizing things with you and that’s how you repay me! and i didn’t promise that!” he lets you tease him for too little, and without even realizing it you’re in his grasp, frozen, sweetly pouting, a mouth that he kisses “you’re right, here’s your reward, teacher.” “did you at least learn something?” “ohh, yes, a wonderful lot. i learnt how to kiss you here, here, and here.” and saying that he follows his preaching, teaching you where he adores to leave lovebites. ii. → pieces of you between the pages. it’s not his fault. sometimes night shifts happen. but he hates them abysmally. why? because, as much as he gets bored when you’re sleeping, he can’t help but worship those endless hours he has available, basking in the lone presence of your body, recording each minute thing, with such limited time on this earth, then, he.... but tonight is a little different. he phoned you for a while (you had to force him to hang up), assured that you finished eating at a normal pace, didn’t steal too many snacks from the cupboard, watched something nice and got to bed at a reasonable hour. yes. he’s not your mom but he likes to remind you that his way of loving is varied. of course, soft words and i love yous and invisible smooching were not absent at the roll-call. he’s not only your mom after all. ahh, almost forgot. this is just routine. the deviant thing tonight is: a book. your book. your favourite book. you probably forgot it in his bag. but it’s not very important right now. he picks it up, the spine slightly visible from the black fabric incorporating it. it’s an ordinary book. he sits, and since he’s kinda alone, nobody prevents him from propping his long legs on his desk, relaxing in his leather ergonomic chair. reading a bit won’t hurt. the content, the plot, it’s not really important. what he’s actually reading is: your underlined parts. you normally don’t do that, you said one time. it ruins the paper, you said. yet in this one, this one, so important to you, you used graphite pencil to emphasize. mostly, about love. iii. → doing nothing. “i won’t stand for this!” he huffs in a bit of what appears to be the middle of an angry and annoyed tone. his arms hurriedly coming into a fold around his chest, he doesn’t really know how to react. you try to hide your benevolent smirk, an android this cute shouldn’t exist “why? you’re already doing it.” “that’s– that’s because it was your turn to choose what we should be doing this evening.” “so you’re peacefully protesting?” you urge him, now holding back snorting is almost impossible “.... kinda.” and at this point you’re nearly choking on your own laugh “you’re making fun of me?!” he finishes his retort and darts, indignant, sitting upright on the couch. so so so sorry but you have to cover your face with your digits and turn towards the other side because, honestly, you’re not that bastard as to burst into laughter in front of him (maybe) “gosh– it’s– it’s– pfft– i apologize i’m– ahahAHAHA NO PLEASE NO!” while you were, indeed, mocking him you lowered your guard and him, a weapon, took that as his advantage “PLEASE BABY” “ohh, we’re begging before i even get serious? my my, you’re quite weak.” his fingers carefully threading between your ribs, stroking your skin in a delicate manoeuvring until he’s satisfied with his revenge “you’re terrible.” he grins, both short of breath from being such imbeciles “i am.” he gently lowers down your crouched shape, half on the sofa the rest on the floor, and kisses your reluctant cheek “what’s the plan, then?” “don’t think i’ve changed my mind. i don’t want to do anything. i want to continue until i reach absolute zero.” iv. → your things // your place. he doesn’t need to shower, nor to bathe, and if he indulges in those activities it’s just to bond, he assures you. but suddenly it’s not so credible when you, wanting to surprise him, come back to your place without telling, sneakily unlock the threshold and tiptoe to search for him to no avail. you’re about to open your mouth and shout, to see some sort of shocked reaction, maybe a jump from the scare, but he’s not in the living room. and not in the compact kitchen. and not in the bedroom either. then, where could he be? you silently ponder, a tap of your shoe asking if he left to go shopping. but you know, the fridge is not that empty. could he be....? without letting out a sound you enter the bathroom, certainly not expecting the sight that presents to you. a single curtain separating you from his shadow. of course, you can’t resist the call. with a swift movement you pull the nylon and expose him, who can’t help but nervously shriek in distress “ah! what the fuck!” you cackle “surprise!” he sighs, exasperated by your childish behaviour, and turns off the water “is that my.... body wash?” your attention shifts rapidly, taking in the image of his fully naked anatomy but pointing an index at his palms “what–” he halts mid-sentence, his cyan eyes darting to his fingers “oh, well, huh–” “you’re using my body wash.” “i can explain.” “you always say you’re too upgraded for bubbles.” “.... my phrasing is not exactly that however i was just– curious.” “to try my body wash.” “yes. to try your pink velvet sunflower body wash.” “wait. how do you know the exact name. suspicious.” if his forehead wasn’t already shimmering from the droplets of your interruption he would be drenched in cold sweat “.... i analyzed it.” “you fucking ate shower gel.” “in my defense–” v. → what do you do when you’re happy. he longs for moments like these. for when you both come home, him entangling his arms around your waist as soon as the door closes, leaving a trail of tiny pecks from your shoulder to your lobe, slow as a snail, savouring each millimeter of skin, each little relaxed spasm your muscles have, each complaint you attempt to address to his figure, each tender giggle escapes your mouth. he longs for moments like these. the same as when your shared friends send a text at the last minute, asking if it’s okay to come over and then maybe go somewhere, drinking or eating doesn’t really matter, it’s just to be together. and you sweetly smile, a bit tired after work, but still willing to say ‘yes’, serene in the comfort of not even having the need to change into fancy clothes, only bustling with secret excitement, waiting to be in stitches in the back of a non-automatic car. he longs for moments like these. as that time you both got a couple days off and decided to spend them in a countryside house, clutched by vines of different species: virginia creeper, common ivy and climbing magenta roses. and as soon as the door closed you rushed, gliding on the worn burnt sienna cotto tiles, up the old rusty stone stairs, reached the top and opened the small cabin, only occupied by a toilet and a small painting (‘in bed’ by federico zandomeneghi. a girl with long auburn hair, facing a floral wallpaper, resting in a tranquil atmosphere while stretched out in her bed under light blue covers.). you promptly proceeded to push the wood window frame, letting light invade the whole space. he was right beside you as your head stuck out, inhaling the fresh air and remaining speechless in front of the sun, the sky, the clouds, the as much red roofs interspersed with yellow lichens and green moss, the rest of the panorama composed by infinite sweeps of earthy fields. he longs for moments like these. vi. → our things // our place. “don’t forget to brush your teeth.” he whispers from behind you, his face reflected on the mirror in which you’re admiring yourself in search of some imperfections. you absentmindedly chuckle “i know” your eyes fixated low, watching the drain of the pale china sink. logically, the most convenient way of getting the toothpaste to exit the tube, is to squeeze from the end and let it come out on its own. of course, he noticed, you don’t do that. you, as if reading his mind while he’s standing close, watching and mimicking a human nightly routine, do the complete opposite of what he’s thinking, pressing your thumb at the very start of the mixed aluminium-and-plastic bottle you’re holding. a tiny bubble forms where the cap should be and you hint a smile. infos bothering his vision at the corner of his irises: it’s some internet articles about teeth blackening, mostly persistent in asia. it’s somewhat fascinating to him, or at least, it’s different from the constant obsession with lightening. he wonders what you would think about it. he wonders if you even know about it. white gel slowly fills your tongue and coats the ends of your lips. you’re kinda messy, he admits, but finds it utterly adorable nevertheless. vii. → dying human. your hand. your hand is what kept him alive for so long. because, despite his appearance, he’s as old as an adult can be at this time of your life. your life. two parallels tracks that never meet, going their way, wanting to touch but never able to. you, growing old. him, growing and nothing more. because he can’t be old, can’t he. he will never be old. he must be about.... no, that’s stupid. no hypothesis could change anything. it doesn’t matter which numbers he should have in his ID – not that androids have any in the first place –, what matters is the inequity of your age “you’re always beautiful” you murmur “mh? look who’s talking” the end of your mouth curls up in a childish smile, wrinkles adorning all of your features “flatterer. i could be one of your grandparents for all you know” he gives you a lazy expression, lids half closed, nevertheless content, a bittersweet happiness. he takes your right hand in his and draws it near his cheek “it’s rough, c’mon” you’re a bit ashamed but he lets the warm rays of sunshine glimmer onto him, eyes slowly leaving space to complete relaxation “no, it’s tender, don’t worry, just as you.”

121 notes · View notes

imjustthemechanic · 5 years

Photo

Glockenspiel

Part 1/? - Transmission Part 2/? - The Sandhill Hotel Part 3/? - Piccadilly Part 4/? - The Future Part 5/? - Too Late Part 6/? - The Mystery of the Missing Time Machine Part 7/? - Underway Part 8/? - The Sierra Bunker Part 9/? - Cross-Country Part 10/? - The Pit Part 11/? - Calls for Help Part 12/? - Campout and Reunion Part 13/? - Apocalypse Bunker Part 14/? - Terrible Truths Part 15/? - Library Crystals Part 16/? - The Stark Gallery Part 17/? - Caught in the Act

The employees never noticed Howard and Peggy as they slipped down a side hallway, and Howard opened a closet. In 1946, Peggy recalled, this had been full of linens. In 2015 it contained some boxes with lights on them and quite a bit of rubber-coated wiring. Howard ducked under these, pulling out some cleaning supplies and spare power cords that were piled on the floor, and removed a panel to reveal an opening just big enough for a person to wiggle through.

Peggy squeezed in after him, and pulled the items back into lace so he could put the door back. “What on earth was this room for?” she asked.

“To hide valuables if anybody ever broke in,” Howard replied. There was a click as the magnets that held the door shut made contact. “Stuff that’s not secret enough to put in the vault, but too expensive to lose. I didn’t plan on using it to hide people, but here it is.”

“I can tell,” said Peggy. The space was only just barely big enough for the two of them, and they had to remain sitting because the ceiling was less than four feet high. After only a minute or two, Peggy was already feeling uncomfortably warm. The only light was the tiny bit that got in around the edges of the door.

It was a shadow falling across this that alerted them to somebody passing by. “I swear I heard something,” said a man’s voice.

“Looks like something just fell over in the router cabinet,” a woman replied. The light flickered as she set some of the bottles of cleaner upright. “Somebody really should clean up in there. I bet some of this stuff dates from when Stark still lived here.”

“I’ll put it on the list,” the man promised sarcastically.

The outer door shut, and then there was no light at all. Peggy breathed out.

Now they just had to wait.

Long hours passed in the warm darkness. Footsteps and voices could be heard in the rooms below them, but not enough to tell Peggy what was actually happening. Howard figured out how to access the building’s wi-fi without needing a password, and found a little game to play on his new phone. Peggy just shook her head at first, but as time passed ever so slowly, she wound up downloading one for herself as well. The light from the screen seemed terribly bright in the tiny dark room, and the game’s music came on so loud that Peggy was sure somebody must have heard it in the few seconds it took her to figure out how to turn it off. Nobody came, though.

At five-thirty the museum closed to the public. People could be heard closing things up and vacuuming the carpets, and Peggy’s stomach began to rumble. Coffee and pastries was not a proper lunch. Why was it so difficult to find a square meal in this future?

Finally, everything seemed to fall quiet. They waited another half hour, just to be sure, then Peggy very carefully pushed the little door open again.

A few of the bottles fell over when she did so, and she froze – but once again, nobody came to investigate the sound. She opened the door the rest of the way and reached out an arm to open the closet. The hallway outside was dim, lit only by sunset coming in the windows, and there was a sound of faint music coming from the direction of the stairs.

“I don’t see anyone,” she told Howard. “Try to be quiet.”

They crept down the hallway again. The door of the security room was still open, propped by a rubber wedge, and there was still somebody posted there – this time it was a woman with a dark ponytail, and she wasn’t paying any more attention to the televisions than the previous occupant had been. She was busy trying to figure out a crochet pattern, and nodding her head in time to loud music with a lot of obscenities in the lyrics. She had already finished making a handlebar mustache and glasses, which she had attached to the portrait of Howard with scotch tape.

“Peg,” Howard whispered, touching her shoulder.

She looked in the direction he indicated. At the bottom of the stairs was another security guard, this one a large, middle-aged man with a shaved head. He wasn’t aware of them, either, but he would be as soon as they made a noise.

“You take him, I’ll take her,” Howard whispered.

Peggy frowned. “You will?”

“Yeah,” he said. “I have a plan.”

Peggy had several ideas what the plan might be, and she didn’t like any of them. “Very well,” she decided.

He stood up to enter the security room, while Peggy snuck down the stairs. She was halfway there when the guard at the bottom seemed to hear something – he began to turn around, so Peggy jumped on him and wrapped an arm around his neck to cut off his air. With her other hand, she pulled the gun out of his hip holster.

“Don’t scream,” she whispered. “Scream, and I blow your brains out.”

The man did not scream. In fact, he almost immediately collapsed like a rag doll. Peggy barely managed to catch him before he would have hit the ground with a loud thump. As big and fierce as he looked, with his bald head and the complicated tattoos all over his arms, he’d fainted dead away when she’d threatened him. That was helpful for the moment, but it probably wouldn’t be long before he came to. She needed something to tie him up with.

“Howard?” she asked in a whisper.

She heard voices upstairs, sounding like they were arguing. If there were more guards in the house, that might attract attention. She grabbed a piece of cloth that had been draped over the silver wine cooler to keep the dust off and tore it in two – that would do for now to tie up and gag the unconscious man. Then she left him at the bottom of the stairs and went back up to the security room to see what was going on.

There she found Howard standing over the terrified woman, in the middle of giving her a lecture. “How am I supposed to be at rest?” he demanded. “There’s all these people going through my house, touching my stuff! A guy tried to pull that Indian rug off the wall today, and now here’s you, defacing my portrait!” He pointed at the mustache stuck to the painting. “Who is responsible for opening my home to the public?”

“Your s-s-son, Sir,” the woman stammered.

“That traitor!” Howard declared “You go and tell him that I’m haunting this place, and I’m not leaving until he learns to treat my stuff with some respect! Now get out of my house!”

“B-but,” the woman said.

“Out!” Howard ordered. He pointed at the door.

The woman grabbed her ball of yarn and ran for her life. She darted past Peggy without evening noticing her and thundered down the stairs, only to go sprawling over the unconscious man at the bottom. When she picked herself up, she saw him lying there and screamed at the sight of what she must have thought was a dead body. She made for the door as if the devil himself were after her.

“Well done,” Peggy told Howard, hoping he could tell it was anything but a compliment.

“Thank you,” he replied. Evidently he could not.

If Howard shouting at the woman upstairs hadn’t attracted attention, then the sound of the scream definitely did. Seconds later, two more guards arrived in the foyer, and found their colleague tied up. One of them headed up the stairs, and Peggy hit him over the head with the folding metal chair from the security room. He crumpled. She jumped over him and tackled the second guard, and soon they had all three men tied up in the room with the televisions.

“Is that all of them?” Howard asked.

Peggy peered at the television screens. They didn’t show anyone else moving around. “I think so,” she said, “but the one you scared off is definitely going to call somebody.”

“What’s she gonna do, call the cops and tell them Howard Stark’s ghost is after her?” he scoffed.

“Possibly. They might believe her, too,” Peggy said. “Toulouse did say this was an Age of Miracles.”

Peggy shut the door of the room, and Howard kicked the rubber wedge underneath it so it couldn’t be opened from the inside. Once they were satisfied that was secure, they returned to the library and carefully took the plastic and the Indian rug down from the wall. Howard had found a screwdriver in the security room, and he used that to score the wallpaper along the gap and chip the plaster away, to find the panel that opened onto the vault. This closed with a combination dial, rather than the keypads they’d seen in so many places. Peggy found that a reassuring sign. If the people who’d turned this building into a museum had found the vault, they might have replaced the lock with something more modern. As it was, it was more likely to have remained untouched.

Howard tried a couple of combinations, and found one that worked. Old machinery rumbled, and the wall swung open.

“Ta-da!” Howard proclaimed.

The space beyond was totally dark. Peggy reached in and felt around for a light switch, but couldn’t find one, so she turned on her phone and used the bright screen as a flashlight.

The last time she’d seen Howard’s vault it had been empty, with a gaping hole in the floor. Now it was only almost empty. In the middle of the floor was a small pile of dusty boxes with a sheet thrown over them. Peggy went in and lifted this, then opened the top box. It contained only one item, a suspiciously familiar one.

“Isn’t this your over-enthusiastic ‘back massager’?” she asked Howard.

He joined her and picked it up to look at. “So it is.”

“You told me you were going to destroy all those things,” Peggy reminded him.

“I was. I did,” he said. “Most of them, at least. There were a few I thought I could still do something useful with.”

Of course there were. “And did you?” she asked.

Howard looked at the object in his hand, entirely unaltered from the last time Peggy had seen it. “I guess not.”

She shook her head and went on to the second box.

There were books, many of them with equations and notes scribbled in the margins. Other boxes contained devices Peggy could not even begin to guess the purpose of – even Howard looked puzzled by some of them. Finally, on the bottom, there was a very unremarkable cardboard filing box with the old Stark Industries logo on the side, full of shredded paper and softly glowing crystals.

One of these had to be what they were looking for, Peggy was sure of that. If the HYDRA people hadn’t found die Glocke yet, it as because it was among the crystals given to Howard for study. Which one, though? There had to be a dozen in here.

“We’ll just have to take them all,” she decided.

“Give me a few days,” Howard promised. “I’ll figure out how to read them.”

“Why read them when we can just destroy them all?” Peggy asked.

Howard grimaced. “That might take a few days, too. Remember what Samberley said about them vibrating? I wouldn’t want to try to just smash them.”

Peggy tried to lift the box, but found it very heavy – the crystals weighed as much as an equal volume of glass or quartz, which made them a little much for a single person to carry. She set it down again and started taking crystals out. They could each carry a few. That would make it easier to slip out, as well.

At the very bottom of the box, one of the crystals had a string tied around it. When Peggy pulled it out from under the shredded paper, it jingled – at the end of the string was a little Christmas bell. She smiled as she realized they weren’t going to have to test every crystal after all.

“Die Glocke,” she murmured. The bell.

“There’s something else in there,” said Howard. He fished around in the paper and pulled out a little leather-bound notebook, and flipped through a few pages of it before closing it and tucking it inside his jacket. “I’ll want to look at that in some better light.”

Peggy tucked the Glocke crystal into her purse and stood up. “We should do something with the rest of them, too,” she said. They probably only contained more cows, but there was always the possibility that the SSR had deliberately given Howard the crystals they thought were more dangerous, in order to hide them. Colonel Phillips had established the policy of the SSR keeping everything, because he thought things were better in their hands than somebody else’s – but Howard knew, and Peggy was beginning to conclude, that there were certain things that shouldn’t be in any hands at all. These crystals were one of those.

In that moment of silence, as both of them tried to think of what they were going to do with the rest, Peggy heard the sirens.

“Oh, bugger,” she said. “I told you. I told you she was going to call somebody!”

“All right, all right – let’s just take the crystals and get out of here,” said Howard.

A light fell on the wall behind them.

Peggy turned to look, and found herself staring right into a flashlight beam. After she’d spent the afternoon and evening in near darkness, it was blinding. She blinked into it, waiting for her eyes to adjust, but it was what she heard, rather than what she saw, that told her who was outside.

“Agent Carter and Howard Stark!” said the voice of Sutcliffe from the hotel in London. “I don’t usually change my mind, but I’m glad I didn’t shoot you! Let’s see those hands!”

Peggy set her purse on the floor and put her hands up. Next to her, Howard did the same. Would they be searched? Peggy tried not to look at the purse, keeping her eyes instead on the crystals they’d left sitting on the floor.

“I knew they’d be useful,” said a second voice. Peggy turned her head to the front again, and saw that Sutcliffe had around a dozen men with him. Most of them were in dark uniforms, holding guns, but one was a short, stocky little fellow in a button-down shirt and trousers. It was Zola.

They were right back where they’d started – in a walk-in safe with HYDRA men between them and freedom. Only this time, Toulouse would not be available to rescue them.

#fanfic #agent carter #peggy carter #howard stark

9 notes · View notes

norwegianfriedokra · 5 years

Text

I’ve done it!

It's been a while since I've posted something substantial, but now that the residency permit has come through I've got some breathing room, 11 months in fact!! So, it might get lengthy, but here is everything that happened as I remembered and experienced it.

To get a residency permit you fill out your initial application. That part isn't too difficult, as long as you already have a job offer. You must have a job offer before your application means anything. Then you wait for them to ask for follow up, because it seems there is always follow up to your initial application. That tends to be corrections, additional information, or something similar, and there was definitely some additional information needed about my job.

Next you'll get a letter in the mail, because everything is sent by mail by the Auslӓnderbehӧrde (Residency Office). This letter lets you know what you will need to bring to your appointment, and that you need to go to the Auslӓnderbehӧrde to get a "Wartenummer" (waiting number) in order to get an appointment. Here's where the real story begins.

After several cultural and translation miscommunications occurred, which for me is most likely way easier than most internationals seeking a residency permit, I show up at the Auslӓnderbehӧrde to get this Wartenummer. I show up around 11am, wait in line for about 60 minutes (that's on average around that time of day). When I get to the service desk they tell me all the Wartenummer have already been given out for the day and that I will need to show up the next day to get one. I ask how early I should show up the next day and they said people start to show up around 8am. Keep in mind, the next day they actually open up at 1pm, so that means if I want a Wartenummer I have to show up around 8am and wait for 5 hours before I get a Wartenummer.

Ok, no big deal, I pack some stuff to keep me busy and head down there the next morning. I show up 15 minutes before 8am and there are already 16 people ahead of me in line. I think to myself at this point that I'm still pretty early. I wait around for a couple of hours, get really cold and whine at Jens to bring me coffee. When he shows up I don't think I had ever shivered in my life that much, and by that time everyone waiting in line had a general understanding that movement and standing in the sun from time to time to keep warm wasn't going to lose your spot. Thankfully so, I was having a hard time of it. Luckily around 11am they opened the doors and allowed people into the warming interior waiting space, even though they aren't actually open, and give people a small piece of paper with their spot in line. This means you can now come and go until they officially open at 1pm. So I have lunch with Jens and then go back inside. When I finally get to the service counter again, pretty soon after 1pm because I was number 17, I find out all the Wartenummer are gone. I'm confused because I assumed that the slip of paper was the Wartenummer I was waiting for. I come to find out that no, actually, that was just the number in line, not the Wartenummer for appointments. But at this point they go ahead and schedule an actual appointment for me on the 6th of May. Which wasn't that far ahead and all, but still after my start date for work.

So, at this point I have an appointment to get my residency permit, albeit after my start date at work. So I bike off to work from the Auslӓnderbehӧrde to explain my situation...

Ah, I forgot to mention that biking to the Auslӓnderbehӧrde takes about 30 minutes, so every time I had to go there it was a bit of a bike ride. Not bad, it just took planning, right?

Side note: I often would get a bit lost on my way there because I was always searching for a more direct route, as I kept missing a certain on ramp (somehow) that would take me over the main tracks from the Frankfurt Main train station. You can see those tracks on the map above, they are quite substantial. Often my bike tires would get low on air, like really low, so biking was super painful (eventually I got them aired up), also I loaded down the bike with a sleeping bag and other gear to make the waiting easier and the bike was just heavy to begin with.

...but back to the main story. I arrive at work and tell them my story. Me: "I have an appointment for my residency permit but it's not until after my start date" *sad face* (see other definition; dejected duck face). Work: "That's cool, but can you please try to get a cancelled appointment (that really means Wartenummer)? Otherwise we have to redo all your paperwork." *slightly annoyed face* (see other definition; it's always hard being an immigrant get with the program...face)

Alrighty then..the next day the Auslӓnderbehӧrde opens at 8am. At this point I figure, I arrived 5 hours early for them opening at 1pm, but since this is really early in the morning I'll show up at 4am and see if that is early enough. This time I'm prepared with a sleeping bag, a thick coat and tea...I'm ready for it all! I arrive at 3:45am to find the doors already open, and I'm Wartenummer 22. Ok, I'm probably not early enough for an appointment but I'll wait 4 hours and try anyways.

Side note: During this whole process I learned all kinds of new sleeping positions, and I learned how little I really care about sleeping weirdly in front of other people, and vice versa.

And...no Wartenummer.

That evening (I think, it's still a bit of a blur), Jens and I are out with some friends of his of which many are internationals, and I share my story. At the dinner table I heard their stories, and one story was of a person who showed up at midnight in order to get a Wartenummer at 8am. More information I find out is that there are often only 2 available Wartenummer per day, because it's all based on how many unexpected cancelled appointments there were for that day.

Woah there...ok, I'm a bit intimidated at this point. But I'm like, ok this is my dream, work hard to get your dream right? I can wait overnight at the Auslӓnderbehӧrde, I can totally do this. You see, as an american I'm sitting here thinking the following, "I'm going to be by myself, in the dark, sitting outside this building, near a slightly industrial area in the middle of a big city". I'm nervous..and I can hear my relatives telling me not to do it because it's too dangerous. You see I've been told not to go running alone late at night (that means after 8pm) in the US. So for many europeans/germans they think I'm this crazy american, being scared. That still doesn't mean I'm not fighting against my cultural instincts here.

Anyways, the next time I arrive at the Auslӓnderbehӧrde I show up at 10:45pm, because they are to open at 7:30am the next day...

Side note: Did I mention they have different operating hours every day, so I had to reassess each day when I was to arrive? And as my story progressed I learned new information so I was continually having to reassess my arrival time.

...I have my gear, I'm ready. I show up and there are already 15 people in line. At this point I'm like, what the f**k there is no point in staying, but seriously folks. I ask those waiting when they showed up to wait in line and I'm greeted with crickets. No one is talking (or they don't understand english or german, either way), and when I thought about it, it was obvious. You don't want to share because in case you don't get an appointment you'll have to show up again the next day.

Side note: Just because they often have approx. 2 Wartenummer for cancelled appointments that doesn't mean they actually have them every day. Sometimes they don't have any Wartenummer because no one cancels. That means you might be waiting in line for your Wartenummer for five hours with nothing to show for it.

Eventually one person did pipe up and state that she showed up at 10pm and there were 20 others that had shown up but left, and that they had friends holding their place, so there were in fact more like 35 people in line at that point.

So I'm stressed, right? When exactly am I going to be able to make this work? How early do I really need to show up? How can I make this work when I have to use a restroom overnight? Would I need to buy that tool to allow women to pee like men and bring a bottle? Or would I need to find the German version of Depends to make it work?

Then Easter weekend shows up on me, something I hadn't even thought about because all I did every day was think about the Auslӓnderbehӧrde. I find out that their hours changed for Thursday, and that Friday and Monday they wouldn't be open for the holiday weekend. At this point, there wasn't anything else I could even do until Tuesday. But...oh wait..on Tuesdays they aren't even open, so I can't try to get an appointment until Wednesday!

So...my plan became this. I'll drop by work on Tuesday, explain the situation, and see if they are willing to push my start date to past my appointment on the 6th of May so my new start date would be the 15th of May. I arrive at work and no one's there, still on vacation from the Easter Holiday it seems. I send an email and get an automated response saying anyone who can make such a decision isn't there, but they will be back the next day. Alrighty then...Let's try again at the Auslӓnderbehӧrde.

I figured I would show up on Tuesday night around 7pm-ish, see what the line looks like and if it's bad already I will simply go to work on Wednesday and try to explain in person. I had bought myself a camp chair at some point to make the whole process easier too, so I bring that instead of a sleeping bag this time as the weather had gotten a lot warmer. At this point I'm pretty pessimistic that I'll get a Wartenummer. Here's a picture of me when I get there at 725pm.

I was the first one to show up! I couldn't believe it, I was so flabbergasted. I set up my chair, brought out my waiting gear (see other definition: kindle, phone with downloaded Netflix episodes, Spotify playlists). Not more than 30 minutes after I showed up someone else arrived, said that they normally start a list, and then he made a list with my name first, and then he wrote his name and left. I wasn't sure about the list thing, I hadn't heard about it before, so I figured I would stay to be sure.

It was a pretty nice evening so the first 3 hours were no big deal. Around 9pm people started showing up. Around 10pm it started to get a bit cold but I had brought my down jacket so I was ok. I started drifting in and out of sleep. I remember bolting awake just after midnight hearing the, I believe, turkish guy who had been sitting next to me holding people back saying I was first in line, as they had just opened the doors to let us in to wait inside. Kind of bleary eyed and panicky I grabbed my things and went inside. It didn't really matter though, because the security guy who let us in just took the list, after confirming everyone was on it, and then we waited another 2 hours. Weird sleeping positions abounded, but somehow snoring never showed up.

I definitely slept some more inside. Warm, in my camp chair (me and that camp chair are now good friends), I waited. At 2am we all got our little slips of paper, which I coveted and stored securely before I jumped on my bike and took off for home.

I had hoped to get some more sleep when I got home, but after that 25 minute bike ride I was awake again. I also knew I had to wake up in 3 hours to bike back to the Auslӓnderbehӧrde, so I was nervous to fall asleep in case I didn't actually wake up with my alarm. Instead I just took it easy, ate some food, packed my paperwork and headed back out there around 5:45ish. I show up and…

Side Note: I waited in one particular spot in the waiting area inside when I showed back up and the other 5 after me in line gravitated towards me and waited around me like I was a beacon. It was rather strange and humorous, or perhaps I was just sleep deprived?

...finally my number gets called at 8am when they open. I got an actual Wartenummer! Hallelujah!! I go upstairs for the open appointment. I go inside, bring all my paperwork out, and after 10 minutes of review they find a missing piece of information.

Unfortunately it was on the paperwork confirming my living situation, something only Guillaume could officially answer as the owner of the apartment. It's even more unfortunate because he's currently in Argentina for work. I had no idea when he would even wake up, let alone see a message from me about the situation. At this point I'm like, s**t, I was first in line but I'm still not going to get this finished today. Luckily she tells me an email from him confirming such and such is fine, and that if they get the email before 2pm that day I can show up and go straight back upstairs to that room and finish processing my paperwork. Also, that if I don't hear back from him before 2pm, I need to email them an update and they will try to fit me in before I'm supposed to start work. Ok, I'm exhausted, but I bike off to work to give them an update. That maybe, just maybe, I can start on the 1st of May.

Then I bike home, super exhausted now...wait wait, I stopped off at the store first and bought a pastry and some pringles because I'm also super hungry at this point, and go home. Oh man, I was beat walking through that store. If it had been slightly worse I might have been drooling as I walked around.

So now I'm laying on the couch for the next couple of hours, trying to stay slightly awake in case I get a message from Guillaume or the Auslӓnderbehӧrde. Then around 10:15am Guillaume messages me like the Superman that he is. Guillaume: "Is there still time?" Me: "Are you wearing a cape?" *something akin to Avengers/Superman theme music is now playing in my sleep deprived brain...OMG I'm so happy at this point*. He quickly sends the necessary email, and the previously super exhausted me who is now wide awake takes a quick shower and jumps back on her bike to bike back, a 3rd time, to the Auslӓnderbehӧrde.

I get there with 30 minutes to spare before their lunch break. The person helping me is also training someone else so I guess it takes 5 more minutes for my paperwork to get finished. The actual processing time for the paperwork was so short, but everything leading up to it was so drawn out and exhausting, I was stunned at the end.

Me: "Das War's?" (definition: that's it?)

Nice Lady: "Ja." (see other definition: ah you're so cute, what did you expect?)

Elated I bike off to the copy shop to make copies of my Aufenthaltstitle for work. I'm almost dancing on my bike, singing to the music on my phone. I'm overjoyed that it's finally done! I make copies, and dropped them off at work. Once home I'm so exhausted but still awake that it took me a bit but eventually I passed out. I think I passed out around...2pm? I'm not sure really. I just know I snacked hard on peanuts and chocolate before I fell asleep. I woke up this morning just before 6am, and have been until now writing this all up for ya'll to enjoy.

Ok, this was a bit drawn out, but seriously guys the whole process was intense. There were several times these past few weeks when I wanted to cry because of messed up sleeping schedules, unknowns, and the fear of having to leave the country and then come back in three months because I might have missed something.

Revelation: I have an even more profound respect for immigrants now. I have an inkling of what it must be like for people waiting in lines for things like water in 3rd world countries.

I met some really interesting people during this experience. The people waiting in line like me were from everywhere but europe or the US. I met some interesting people from Japan, Taiwan, Tunisia, Uzbekistan, Turkey, and India. Those were the people who I actually bothered to ask where they came from. They were also the people who understood what I was asking. I honestly cannot imagine how hard it must have been for those who didn't speak much english or german.

I have a request for anyone reading this blog entry. After reading my small commentary as someone without much of a language barrier and a lot of local help I hope I can share this with you all. This process for me was exhausting, confusing, and at times frightening. But can you imagine, after reading my tale, just how much harder it must be for those trying to immigrate in Germany or the US, who didn't have the help I did? How hard it must be for those who don't know the languages I know, and...for those who didn't have the skin tone I have? Let's also mention that I was, by far, the worst dressed out of the bunch. Oregonians, already known as rather lowkey in attire for the US, and here I am in jeans and a hoodie waiting in line next to others dressed super nice. Despite that I feel I still had an easier time of it simply from the lack of language barrier, and I'm sure some unconscious white privilege that came along with it.

Whelp my coffee's gone cold, and I'm starting to get hungry. Thanks to everyone who has supported me on this journey, a life goal of mine, to live and work in Germany as an adult. I didn't realize just how much of a dream this was until after leaving that office. The sunny bike ride from the Auslӓnderbehӧrde to work, when I should have been exhausted, was one of sheer joy. A life experience that I hope I never forget. With this I leave you with my theme song during this adventure, "Can't Knock the Hustle" by Weezer.

#immigration #germany #itreallyhappened #weezerpower

2 notes · View notes

mosylufanfic · 6 years

Note

Killervibe and room mates for the AU August thing!!!

Oh nonny, you are so patient. Here you go. They were roommates.

You Can’t Keep Secrets From Your Roommate

Texting about his plans for the evening, Cisco unlocked his front door and twisted the knob. It stuck under his hand, and he looked up from the phone. "What the - "

He rattled the knob, which steadfastly refused to turn. Then he realized that it had been unlocked to begin with, and he'd locked it again.

He also realized there was a little blue car in his driveway.

He grinned.

He unlocked the door and went into the house. A purse sat on the hall table, a coat heaped on the floor under it. In the living room, a woman in dark blue scrubs sprawled facedown on the couch, dead to the world.

"Dear god," he said loudly. "There's a strange woman in my house."

She didn't stir.

"What? Can it be? My long-lost roommate? She does look a little like Caitlin . . . "

She let out a snore.

He shook his head fondly. "Dork." He reached over her and pulled the deeply ugly crocheted blanket off the back of the couch, spreading it over her.

She stirred, snuffling like an adorable little piglet, and blinked her eyes open. "Cisco?"

"For that you wake up?"

She yawned. "What are you doing home so early?"

"Check the time, Sleeping Beauty." He held his phone out.

Her eyes widened. "Oh, I fell asleep."

"Sure as hell did. So they let you out of the salt mines?"

She yawned again and pushed herself to a sitting position, rubbing her neck. "Ow. Yes, I'm off until tomorrow evening."

She was doing her residency at a local hospital. Cisco had been gobsmacked when she'd told him that eighty-plus hour weeks were commonplace, even expected. But he'd gotten used to barely seeing her except on her way out the door or on her way to bed.

Not that he liked it. But he’d gotten used to it.

"Whoa, seriously?” he said. “Twenty-four whole hours of freedom? What are you going to do with that?"

"Laundry and cleaning tomorrow," she said. "But tonight, Netflix. Lots of Netflix."

"Sweet." He dropped onto the couch next to her. "Want company?"

"Oh, Cisco, it's Friday night." She paused. "It is Friday night, right?"

"Yep."

"So, I'm sure you have plans to go out. You always do."

He pushed his phone into his pocket as it buzzed with a text from Barry about which bars they were going to hit. "Actually, this week has thrashed me too."

She looked skeptical. "Really?"

"Yeah. I mean, I didn't save anybody's life or get drenched head to toe in bodily fluids like some people on this couch, but there was this big project due and my boss was riding us hard. I'm in serious need of unwinding."

That was all true, although up until five minutes ago, his plan for unwinding had included shots, dancing, and maybe making out with someone cute in a darkened club. But he tossed that plan without a second thought

"Besides, when was the last time we had a roomie TV night?"

"Months," she said.

And that was why.

When he'd first met Caitlin, as one-half of the couple who'd wanted to move into the spare room he'd advertised on Craigslist, he'd thought she was sweet but shy and not really his type of friend. He'd clicked much more quickly with Ronnie, her boyfriend, and been more than happy to sign on the dotted line with him. Caitlin had come as part of the package. He'd been okay with that because just looking at her, he knew she was the type to pay rent scrupulously on time and never leave her dishes in the sink.

But within a few months, he'd figured out that she was sharp and funny and smart as hell, and she'd become his friend in her own right, not just as Ronnie's girlfriend.

After Ronnie had been killed by a drunk driver, their senior year of college, it had never crossed his mind to have her move out, and as far as he knew, she'd never thought of it either. This was her home.

People thought it was weird sometimes - mostly women he dated, or biphobic guys. They just couldn't understand how you could share a house for this long with someone you weren't banging.

"She's like my sister," he told them, which wasn't exactly true, but it got them off his back. Anyway, he knew that was what she told the guys she'd sporadically dated after Ronnie died, that he was like her brother. As far as he could tell, it was true for her.

He didn't really need a roommate anymore. His job at Mercury Labs more than covered the expenses of the house he'd inherited from his grandma, not like when he'd been in school and only able to work part-time at a garage.

But Caitlin had four months of residency still to go, and besides her massive school loans, the hospital where she worked was only a few miles away, close enough to drive in five minutes. Or for Cisco to go pick her up when she was so tired she couldn't move.

Anyway, he liked having her there. He'd never lived anywhere alone and he didn't want to start now.

He didn't like to think about what would happen when she was done with her residency and got a job somewhere else.

She smiled at him. “Okay. Let’s do a roomie TV night.””

He smiled back, bumping her with his shoulder. "Excellent. Chinese or pizza?"

"Chinese," she said.

"Great, that means the show is my pick." He grabbed the remote and turned the TV on.

She gasped. "Dirty pool, Cisco. I'm not watching Game of Thrones."

"Please," he said, flicking through Netflix. "You'll fall asleep again." It still offended him to his mortal soul.

She rolled her eyes and peeled herself off the couch. "Did I leave my purse in the kitchen?"

"Front hall," he called out.

His phone buzzed again, and he pulled it out. A string of texts from Barry stacked up on the screen, his friend baffled that he'd ghosted in the middle of their conversation.

He tapped out, Actually, do you mind if I cancel on you guys?

Caitlin's got the night off for once and we need roomie time

Holy shit they let her out?

IKR It's been forever

Yeah it's okay

Have fun w o me

So, are you going to talk to her?

No I'm going to ignore her all night as we hang out watching TV and eating chow mein

Duh I'm going to talk to her

You know what I mean

TALK to her

He stared at the phone. Thought about pretending he didn't know what Barry meant.

He tapped back, No

!!!!!!

Wrong time

I told you

If you're not careful she's going to move out or get with someone else and you'll have lost your chance

He put the phone away without answering and kept browsing Netflix.

She wasn't done with residency. She'd had a breakup not even a month ago. Not to mention, she was living in his house. If he confessed that he'd been having not-brotherly feelings for her for awhile now and she didn't feel the same way, it had the potential to make things really weird and awful. And what if she felt like she had to date him to keep living there?

He'd rather keep pretending to be just her good buddy Cisco forever then make her feel like that.

"Orange chicken or sweet and sour?" she asked him, scowling at her phone as she came back in.

"Sweet and sour," he decided. "And crab puffs."

She held her phone out to show him that crab puffs were the first thing on the order. "I know what you like," she said.

"Yeah, you do," he grinned at her. "And I do too. Which is why we're watching Parks and Rec."

She smiled at him. She looked tired and frazzled but her smile lit up her face. "I need a shower first, though. I smell like the hospital."

"Yeah, I didn't want to mention it . . . "

She pretended to swat him, then checked her phone again. "As soon as this order goes through." She sighed. "It's so slow lately."

"Get a new phone."

"I'm waiting to upgrade until after - "

"Residency," he said along with her. "It doesn't help that you have, like, half a kilobyte of spare storage on there."

"I need all those things. Finally!" she said as the confirmation popped up. "Okay, about forty-five minutes."

"Great. Gimme that, I'll clean it out."

She clutched it to her heart. "You'll delete everything."

"Your pictures are backed up," he said patiently. She hoarded pictures and videos like a very specific kind of dragon. "I set up your cloud storage myself. And how the hell many apps do you have?"

"I use them!"

"Okay fine, if you've used them in the past month, I won't delete them. But you don't need six months' worth of podcasts."

She pouted a little. "I'll listen to them all."

"When? After residency? You can download them again." He wiggled his fingers. "Give."

She handed it over. "But don't touch Sawbones," she ordered, already on her way to her room and the attached bathroom.

"Got it," he called out, already busy deleting. "Sawbones is sacrosanct."

It took him about five minutes to free up several gigs of space. Since he was in there, he decided to clean up her pictures. Old screenshots, discarded selfies, random stuff he was pretty sure she'd texted him. It was all backed up anyway.

He found several selfies they'd taken together and sat smiling at them for a little while. He had most of the same ones saved, downloaded from wherever she'd posted them.

He scrolled through the set again and realized there were some of his, taken with his phone and posted online, which meant that she'd downloaded them.

Hmmm.

Well.

They were pretty good pictures.

A text popped up, with her ex-boyfriend's name at the top. I had a lovely time the other night

His eyebrows shot up.

As far as he knew, Julian was still in England and would be for at least another six months. So what was this "other night" he spoke of? Had they sexted? A little post-breakup virtual hanky-panky?

"I don't want to know," he muttered, which was a lie. He kind of wanted to know.

Okay, he really wanted to know.

Sorry! That was meant for someone else

But now I've bothered you, how are you doing?

"Oho," Cisco said as all came clear. He calculated the time difference between Central City and London and felt justified in calling bullshit. Unless Julian was booty-calling someone at about four in the morning, this was the kind of idea that sounded really, really good when you were very tired and more than slightly drunk.

Impulsively, he swiped to open the conversation and smirked at the keyboard, fingers ready to call the other man on his nonsense.

Then he thought - no, that's a terrible idea and Caitlin will be furious. If she wanted to call him out, she should get the pleasure of it herself. Reluctantly, he swiped down to close the keyboard.

That brought more of the text conversation down to fill the screen. It was pretty dull stuff - have a nice trip, take care of yourself. He scrolled a little and found stilted queries about whether he'd found a hoodie of hers, about whether she still had his charger. Very, very polite and a little bit pained. Breakup stuff.

It had been an amicable breakup as far as he knew. "Long-distance is too hard," Caitlin had said, packing a half-empty box of tea, a T-shirt, and the debated phone charger into a paper grocery sack. "Especially with my residency and his fellowship taking up so much energy. We decided it was better to end on good terms."

But even the nicest breakup was still a breakup, an ending, an us falling apart into a you and a me. So he wasn't surprised at the stiff tone.

He scrolled up and found the next one back, not polite, not businesslike at all.

I'm not doing this over text.

It was from Caitlin. He checked the timestamp - two weeks before Julian had left. Right around the time they'd broken up.

If that didn't sound like an about-to-break-up text . . .

His fingers hovered over the screen, and then he gave in to insatiable curiosity and swiped down to see what kind of dealbreaker thing Julian had said to her.

No matter what I do, you're never going to feel half as much for me as you do for him

What the fuck.

He sat staring at the text, especially the last word.

Him.

Who was him?

His first thought was Ronnie. But Julian had said do, not did. Cisco had talked with Caitlin about Ronnie enough over the years for him to know that while she'd always love him and treasure his memory, that memory was folded away in her past. This sounded like current feelings, for a living man.

He tried to remember if she'd talked about any of their guy friends more often than any other. Or someone at the hospital? She didn't mention her co-workers at the hospital much.

So who the hell was him?

And why hadn't she mentioned him to Cisco?

He debated with himself, then turned off the phone to clear out the deleted things, and not incidentally, keep himself from reading more of the conversation. He was already feeling guilty for having read as much as he had.

Should he ask?

Caitlin came out of her room in pajamas, her hair damp. "How's the patient?" she asked him, folding herself into the couch next to him.

She smelled like flowery shampoo and apple-flavored lotion. It was warm and familiar, one of his favorite smells.

He turned the phone back on and handed it back. "Think he's gonna make it."

She tapped in her code and opened a few things to test, then smiled at him when everything was speeded up. "Thanks. So, which season are we watching?"

He realized the Netflix screen was still up, waiting for a choice. "You pick," he said.

"Me? Okay." She reached for the remote next to his leg.

"So, uh," he said as she flicked through seasons, weighing their merits. "Julian texted while I was working on your phone."

"Julian?" she said, surprised. "What did he want?" She opened her texts and looked. "That's weird. Did you read this?"

"Well, it popped up, so."

She shook her head, baffled. "Do you think he's trying to make me jealous?"

"Seems like. Are you going to answer him?"

She laughed. "No. I think he's going to wake up in the morning and be very embarrassed."

"How's he doing, anyway?"

"I don't really know. Okay, I guess. We haven't talked much. We're both - "

"So busy," he finished. "Yeah." He fiddled with his own phone, watching as she finally chose season three. He should ask.

He shouldn't ask.

But he had to know.

But if she'd wanted him to know, she would have damn well told him.

He found himself saying, "I have to confess something."

She widened her eyes at him as Ron and Leslie bickered on-screen. "You deleted Sawbones?"

"No, I told you I'd leave it alone. You've still got like twenty episodes. No, uh - " He dug his fingers into the upholstery. "I kind of read more of your texts with Julian."

She frowned at him. "Why?"

"I - you're right. I shouldn't have. But I was in there anyway and - I'm sorry."

She shrugged, tucking her legs up under herself. "I'm sure they were very exciting."

"A little," he said. "Caitlin, why didn't you tell me?"

A little silence, and then she said, "Tell you what?"

"Why you really broke up with him."

Color seeped away from her cheeks. She turned her head to stare fixedly at the TV. "I told you. The distance and we were busy and - "

"And you're in love with someone else."

"Oh god," she whispered. "You read that far?"

"Yeah," he said. "Why is this the first I'm hearing about it?"

"I - I couldn't," she said. "Not to you. I couldn’t." She covered her face with her hands. "Do you want me to move out?"

"Move out?" he almost shouted. "What the hell? Why would I ever want you to move out?"

She dropped her hands to stare at him. Her eyes were wet and red. "It would be so awkward if I stayed."

"Why?"

The chirpy, peppy theme music started, jarring in the taut silence. He grabbed the remote from her lap and hit pause.

"Caitlin," he sad. "Why would it be awkward? Who are you in love with?"

Her eyes went very wide. "You - you didn't see the whole conversation."

"No," he said.

She bit her lip. "Someone. From the hospital. You don't know him."

He looked at her hard. "Caitlin Snow, you are the worst liar I've ever met."

Her pale face flushed with color. "I'm not lying."

"That's exactly what you say every time you bluff at poker.” He nodded at her phone, now clutched tightly in her hand. “If I’d read farther back, what would I have seen? Who was Julian talking about?”

“Someone from the hospital,” she said stubbornly, getting to her feet. “You know what, I think I should get a head start on my laundry.”

“But,” he said. “Wait. What? You're just going to run away?”

She stopped in the hall, not looking back at him. “I need you to not push me on this, Cisco,” she said evenly.

A moment later, the door to her room shut with a snap.

He stared blankly at the TV screen for a moment. Then he got up and went to her door.

It looked blank and stolid, about as informative as Caitlin’s stiff back when she’d told him not to push her.

He scowled and raised his hand to knock.

His hand froze, and then he pulled it back and laced his fingers together on the top of his head, letting out a long whoosh of a breath.

Was he crazy?

Had Julian meant him in that text thread?

Or did he just want Caitlin’s mystery guy to be himself so bad that he was talking himself into believing it was?

He had been pushing, like she’d said. What was going through her mind? What could he say to get her to let down those walls of hers? Because he’d seen what happened when people tried to just bash through. It didn’t end well.

The doorbell rang, and he jolted. The food. Shit. Had it been forty-five minutes already?

After he’d taken the food and paid the kid, he took everything to the kitchen and unpacked the bag, setting out square boxes, opening one after another to figure out which was his and which was hers.

His brain churned around and around, but no matter what clever things he came up with, he kept returning to the one thing that felt like it would work. Only one thing that would get her to open up.

But it was one hell of a risk.

Far away, Caitlin’s door clicked open. He forced himself to stay where he was, snapping a pair of chopsticks apart and poking at his sweet and sour chicken.

Caitlin walked through the kitchen with a laundry basket on her hip.

“Food’s here,” he said.

Her eyes flickered toward him, then the boxes lined up on the counter. “Okay,” she said. “I’ll just get the first load in.” She ducked her head and continued on to the laundry room. The washer door clanged, and cloth rustled as she started loading it.

He fished a piece of bell pepper out of the box and lifted it to his mouth, but his stomach felt like a whirlpool. He dropped it back in the box, his heart slamming against his ribs. He opened his mouth a couple of times, just to close it again.

There was a click, and then water started whooshing into the washing machine. In a moment, she was going to come out here again and he was going to have to say this to her face. And he didn’t know if he had the guts for that.

“You know,” he called out, “I didn't tell you, but I was pretty happy when you broke up with Julian.”

Silence.

“Not because I don't like him, or because he was bad for you, or anything. He was an okay guy, Julian, and he treated you mostly pretty good. It’s just that every time I saw you holding his hand, or kissing him, or - “ He swallowed. “Or going to your room together, it reminded me that, uh. That you were with him. And more importantly, you weren't with me.”

He looked up. Caitlin stood in the door between the laundry room and the kitchen, looking at him. Her eyes were huge and her face was pale.

“And I wanted to be with you,” he finished.

She swallowed hard. “But I’m like your sister. You say that all the time.”

“And I’m like your brother,” he said. “Which you say all the time. But who are we saying it to, Caitlin? Because I’m mostly saying it to people I’m dating, to keep them from being weirded out that we live together and you’re basically my favorite person.”

She nodded. “Me too.”

“Julian didn’t believe you, did he?” He had a balloon in his stomach now, instead of a whirlpool, blowing up wide, pushing his heart up into his throat.

She shook her head, very slowly. “No. And he - he wasn’t wrong.”

He licked his desert-dry lips. “So it was me you were fighting about?"

"I have so little free time," she said. "And he always thought that he should come first in my priorities when I did get a night off. He hated it that you did."

He remembered how she'd always waited to hear what he was doing before telling him that she was going to Julian's place, and how their more scheduled dates were always on his D&D night, or when he was going to a party. He'd always thought that was to take advantage of the empty house.

"Hard to blame him, really."

"I didn't realize how I felt when I started dating Julian," she said. "I really did like him. Just - like he said. Not enough."

Poor Julian. He'd come in second all the time; no wonder he'd snapped at her over text.

Cisco was finding it hard to feel too much pity for the other guy. After all, if he hadn't snapped, Caitlin wouldn't have broken up with him, and she wouldn't be here in this kitchen, drifting closer in soft little kitten steps.

"You said you wanted to be with me," she said. "Is that past tense?"

He set the box of sweet and sour chicken down on the counter, gripping the edge of it so he wouldn't just reach out and grab her.

"Present tense," he said. "I want to be with you. But I told myself I couldn't make it weird, what with you paying me rent and all."

She put her hand on his chest. His heart thudded so hard he wondered if it would just burst out and land in her palm. "I can move out," she said, mouth quirking. "I made the offer."

"The hell you will," he said, and pulled her close to press his lips to hers.

They did end up eating all the food. Eventually.

They didn't watch any TV, though.

FINIS

#Cisco Ramon #Caitlin Snow #killervibe #fanfiction #mosylufanfic lives up to her damn name #AUgust prompts #and they were roommates!!#roommate AU #the flash #Anonymous

31 notes · View notes

ayearofpike · 6 years

Text

Spooksville #23: Phone Fear

Pocket Books, 1998 113 pages, 9 chapters ISBN 0-671-00271-6 LOC: CPB Box no. 1872 vol. 29 OCLC: 40402284 Released November 1, 1998 (per B&N)

When Bryce’s phone rings, and the caller demands he do horrible things to a local man or face consequences, the gang figures it’s a prank caller out to get them. But then Bryce gets hurt, and Adam gets the next call, and they know it’s serious. How could someone know everything about everybody everywhere at every time? Maybe it’s not someone, but someTHING, come to life and possessing a malevolent desire to undermine humanity.

As complex as this cover is, it’s a drastic oversimplification of the story within. I feel like here, and also with The Creepy Creature, we’re starting to get more of the genre expectation that there should be a gross green monster out to get the kids in the book. Also, notice how the characters on the covers are not as consistent as with the first few stories. Like, we hadn’t seen Charisma Carpenter show up before, and now she’s being attacked by some kind of telephone lizard.

It might fit with the huge jump in time we’re being expected to swallow, or perhaps Pike is glossing over it while nodding to the fact that it’s been two years since the start of this series. Because in the opening pages, we find that Adam and Cindy are now two-year Spooksville residents, getting used to the town but still plagued by its evil and quirkiness. So that means the kids are now fourteen? Pike doesn’t say, but they have to be, even though I’m fairly certain he marked them as twelve as recently as The Living Dead. (EDIT: They are still twelve on page ONE of The Creepy Creature, and they’re twelve AGAIN on page 31 of The Witch’s Gift. Obviously Pike just fucked up.) Still, even though time has been sort of glossed over for the last couple of titles, I think this jump might be too big to swallow. Makes me think Pike just wasn’t paying attention.

Still, we learn that the school year is almost over (which is, again, another big jump, as Pee-Pants was just wearing Santa jammies six books ago) and the kids are looking forward to summer. They’re discussing plans and hopes when Bryce’s phone rings. Why does a twelve fourteen-year-old have a cell phone in 1998? Well, he had one hidden before, so this might not be so weird. But the voice on the other end tells him to go break the postman’s windows. Obviously Bryce is not going to do that, but they decide to go warn the guy that someone is maybe out to get him. On the way, though, a black van races out of nowhere and jumps the curb and clips Bryce, breaking his leg.

They get their friend to the hospital and stabilized, but then start talking about who might be after them. Is it just one person? How did he move so quickly to know that Bryce wasn’t going to enact the evil action and have him punished? Why does he sound like a computer? They try to go to the postman’s to do some research, but the guy isn’t answering his door. In fact, he blows out his own windows with a shotgun to scare the kids away and stop them going after him, like he knows something and is protecting himself.

Adam is still holding onto Bryce’s phone, and it rings again as they’re walking away. This is his first experience hearing the voice: it’s oddly mechanical, like it’s being diffused through a computer somehow. The speaker identifies himself as Nernit, and tells Adam to go burn down some old lady’s house with her inside. Again, he obviously refuses, and this is when the gang is set upon by a strange girl in a long coat with a knife. After aliens and witches and demons and giant robot crabs, a teenage girl is no match for Sally and Cindy, who quickly disarm her. It turns out that she is, in fact, working for Nernit, and that she was sent here from a neighboring town just in case Bryce and Adam failed to carry out their tasks.

So it��s more than just local? Watch starts to put some pieces together. What is it that uses the phone line to communicate, and has a worldwide presence and a near-bottomless found of knowledge to draw from? Might it sound like a computer because it IS a computer? Or perhaps a network of computers, some kind of, I don’t know, international network? That pronounces its name “Nernit” because that’s how the speech-to-text program parses “Neernitt,” an anagram for Internet?

But now Watch is pretty sure he can get in touch with the being that has emerged from connectivity consciousness. He goes online and Googles whatever-search-engine-it-was-in-1998s “Neernitt,” which quickly leads to a black screen with red text talking directly to him. The presence refuses to talk or negotiate, insisting that humans are tools and not valued as equals to it. But Watch is pretty sure we have something Neernitt wants: a body. Autonomy. Freedom to get out of the computer and do something with our physical selves. Watch can give this to Neernitt, and of course it agrees.

There’s one catch: they have to produce the body in a week. We don’t have the know-how or the technology — but the Lemurians did, and it just so happens that they buried a robot at the end of the last book. Adam’s all salty about digging her up to befoul her final form with this megalomaniacal computer monster, but Watch feels it’s the only bargaining chip they have. And so he works nonstop with Bryce’s help over the course of a week. They don’t have anything else to do, because Neernitt’s minions are guarding the house so they can’t leave, with orders to shoot to kill if they try. (I guess what’s weird about this, what doesn’t fit with the rest of the series, is that it is so LATE getting to Spooksville. Normally the bizarre shit STARTS in this town.)

Adam is concerned that his friend is going over to the dark side. He sees only one hope: get hold of a gun somehow and take the robot body hostage so that they can get free and then ... what? He hasn’t really thought that far ahead, and if Neernitt is, indeed, global, there’s nowhere they can run that they can’t be traced and taken down. Still, it’s all he’s got. He swipes a weapon from a sleeping guard and points it at the robot head, which really only serves to make us all realize how expendable humans are to Neernitt. It quickly and remorselessly gains the upper hand, but before anyone can act in killing Adam, Watch leaps in the way. He insists that he needs to protect his friend, and that the project is not completeable without him, and so if Neernitt commands the shooting it will never have a body. So Neernitt concedes and lets the kids live. For now. (Weirdly, the girl with the long coat slept through the whole standoff.)

A couple days later, the body is ready, and Watch plugs it into the computer so Neernitt can download itself. Now it is free to roam and act however it likes — but first it commands the humans under its control to go rest. They end up gathering in Watch’s room, talking about what life is going to be like under the unmerciful claw of an all-seeing robot network. Watch is actually kind of interested in the idea of becoming a robot himself, though, and the new girl concurs that it could be pretty good. So they get up and go back to Neernitt, where Watch encourages him to unplug and go outside. Neernitt agrees that it’s time, on one condition: Watch must demonstrate how little he cares for a human body by shooting one of his colleagues.

He doesn’t hesistate: He picks up the provided rifle and blasts the new girl right in the chest. This is enough for Neernitt, who allows himself to be unplugged. But you know what that means? That means his consciousness is now limited to the robot body he is in, and tricksy Watch has built in an electromechanical overload circuit that allows him to short out the computer and effectively kill off the robot. So we’re all safe! But didn’t Watch just shoot a dude?

Yes — with a blank. (Fuckin’ Pike and his blanks, I swear to god.) It turns out that New Girl is the mastermind behind the whole thing. Neernitt isn’t a naturally occurring emerging consciousness, it’s a program, written by this girl to effect change and evolution upon humanity. Watch figured it out because of speech patterns and commonalities between them, and also that even though she was supposed to have been asleep during the standoff the computer in her room was on. She admits that she’s controlled Neernitt since the beginning. She’s tired of feeling things, of being hurt, and figures that if she were a robot she wouldn’t have to feel anymore. (There is NO backstory or exposition on any of this; just a teenager being moody, I guess.) But she is surprised to have started having GOOD feelings for Bryce, which Cindy does not care for at all. But now, maybe she’s ready to suck it up and deal with the pain of existence if it can go along with happy and warm feelings.

Does this end the same way as the previous one? Kinda, right? With the exception that THIS girl is not actually a robot, and she doesn’t die in the end. I didn’t think I’d see this in Spooksville, actually, but it parallels the Archway books in that Pike seems to see the writing on the wall and is winding himself down to complete the contract with the bare minimum of effort. There’s only one more book left in the series, and I’ve been led to understand it goes too quickly to effectlvely wrap things up. Let’s find out if he actually gives us the goddamn Watch backstory I’ve been wanting for twenty-three books.

#spooksville #spookstober

2 notes · View notes

messier2102 · 5 years

Text

If I haven’t already wrote this before or announced it yet, then I’ll first like to start this post by announcing that I’ll be heading back to Singapore some time next month for about 2.5 weeks. The (return) flight ticket has already been booked for just a mere £500 (it was ~£900-£1100 when I checked last November/December!), but I have to deal with a 7 hours transit at Doha airport. But that’s fine, because I’ll have my laptop with me and I’ll be busy using the (overall) 40 hours to-and-from journey to write my dissertation report, which is also the topic of this post. Efficient time management much?

The weather is starting to become cooler this week, but I don’t think it’ll start to actually turn cold until mid-August, or early September. I’ll still be coming back here for a couple of months to carry on with my job hunt – so far, I’ve sent out my CVs to various parts of the world – like Denmark, Japan, Germany and even in Thailand. The process to get a working visa is hard, but I’m somewhat confident that with my newfound technical skills and expertise, I should be able to get what I want.

Weekly spending:

14th Jul Sun Groceries: £5 Total spending: £2538.85

15th Jul Mon Total spending: £2538.85

16th Jul Tue Groceries: £12 Total spending: £2550.85

17th Jul Wed Total spending: £2550.85

18th Jul Thu Lunch: £4.70 Dinner: £10.40 Total spending: £2565.95

19th Jul Fri Groceries: £6 Total spending: £2571.95

20th Jul Sat Dinner: £9 Total spending: £2580.95

I actually wanted to write a short introduction about Neural Networks (which is highly related to my dissertation project), but at the moment, I don’t understand it enough to write much about it. In fact, I don’t even think I’m qualified to write about it at the moment, and I’m not sure how long it’ll take for me to understand it to a “passable” level.

Anyway, the main task of my dissertation project – and what I was working on for the past month and the coming 1.5 months – is to implement an algorithm that can detect and draw bounding boxes around all the insects in a given image. The insects in these images can be sparsely distributed or densely packed together. For the former, it’s not too hard to detect with the right parameters and pre-processing – but of course it’s not so simple either, like just using template matching. For the latter, I totally have no idea how to approach the problem.

To give a better idea, for the image below, it’s easy for me to make the computer detect the exact location of where the insects are because it’s so obvious. A simple find edges and contours algorithm will get me an accuracy of >50%, with a few false positives here and there on the wooden frame, and on the labels. Just last week, I finally found a way to measure the accuracy of the algorithm. Now, the challenge for me is to pump it up by 90% by finding the right hyperparameters (I hope I’m using the term correctly here).

Of course, I wish that my dissertation were that easy. The same algorithm that works on the above image will not work on the images below. The caveat is that I’m only allowed to use automatic methods only – that means that it’s not like I can just make a GUI to get the results that I want. So far, I’ve just started having all my packages and I’ve got a few algorithms on my list to try. Implementing them, however, is another problem.

Either way, I’m sorry that I cannot even provide a simple explanation of how Neural Networks work at the moment, but I can give a very brief overview on the image classification/Computer Vision process. This is by no means a detailed explanation of the overall process, but rather, what I understand from the process off the top of my head. Computer Vision is a really vast topic and there are so many things that you can explore at every step of the way. Hell, I can even spend 3 months on a research topic about the best pre-processing methods and write a 30-50 page report about that.

Pre-processing In any image analysis/computer vision project, the first step is to pre-process the image. There are a lot of things that you should do to an image first – like resizing it (simply because a 256×256 image will process much faster than a 3200×3200 image), removing the noise (usually, this means smoothing the image using some kind of blurring filter), and segmentation (the simplest being thresholding, to create a ‘mask’).

Typically, this step isn’t very hard. You don’t even need to apply any coding at this stage – even using Adobe photoshop or Microsoft Paint to crop the image or re-colorize some parts is already considered ‘pre-processing’. I tend to use ImageJ to try different filters on the image first to check the result, and then deploy the code on Python to get the same results.

Algorithms This part is the reason why I’m posting this so late – it takes FOREVER to train the CNN model, but I think it’s important to include this since it’s the whole point of this post. By far, the gold standard for any image classification/detection problem is the use of Neural Networks, which I’m trying to implement on my project (and I’m pleased to say that after many months of getting stuck in the installation process, I finally got TensorFlow and Keras up on Python. You see, I’ve been using Python 3.7 all these while and it’s not compatible with those packages for some reason. Then, I downloaded Python 3.5, and while I could make TensorFlow run, I had some problems with OpenCV. I was stranded there until just yesterday where I downloaded Python 3.6 and shifted all my packages and lo-and-behold, it works!).

If you’ve been following the news recently, there’s this “FaceApp” application that’s been going around that makes your face look older than you currently are. The magic behind it is something called “Generative Adversarial Networks” (GAN), which are a type of neural network. Of course, I’m not using GAN in my project, so there’s no need for me to find out more about it yet. Anyway, the key thing here is that Neural Networks are like, the hottest thing in data science right now. In the last 5 years or so, almost every image classification problem will first approach the problem using some form of neural network algorithm, and the results are very promising – with about an 85-95% accuracy.

Anyway, I copy-pasted a code from the TensorFlow tutorial website and trained it on a built-in sample dataset. The training took ~5 minutes (may be faster if I just ran it from the console) and the result is…wrong. It classified the image as a Coat with 100% probability, when it actually is an Ankle Boot. If you are interested to go through the whole process yourself, you are welcomed to try your luck at https://www.tensorflow.org/tutorials/keras/basic_classification.

BUT, as my professor told me, the problem with these deep learning techniques are that the “hard part” – the intermediate step of actually processing and applying the algorithm to the image – are already done for you by the experts. These days, you just need to install the packages, feed the correct input to the pre-written algorithm, train the model (which is automatic), and finally get the output. Then you just check if the output is correct or not and get some sort of a truth table. Unfortunately, for a graded project, it’s hard to give good marks for this because you are not actually “thinking” or coming up with your own solutions, but just piggy-backing on the works of others. There’s no merit to give for just downloading images and packages!

Computer Vision is something that I’m really interested in, but unfortunately, I did not have the chance to take up a module on this in my undergraduate or postgraduate education – other than a small, small part in my Biomedical Imaging module about simple thresholding. Everything that I have learned about this topic is purely from online sources, A LOT OF TRIAL AND ERROR, and a bit of luck (but I’ve been very lucky with my results so far). On the other hand, seeing that I didn’t do too well for my signals and controls modules, the nitty-gritty details in Computer Vision might just be too maths-intensive for me to comprehend.

Last but not least, although I’m still stuck at Andrew Ng’s Machine Learning course on Coursera, I think I managed to learn some similar content in my Database Systems module, which takes a more theoratical approach, rather than focusing on the mathematical details. I highly recommend anyone who has a month or so to enrol in this course because it’s perfect for absolute beginners – you just need the basic discipline and time to get through it, especially so if you are bad at maths.

Results Finally, the last part of any image classification problem is obtaining the results of the classifier – that is, how well or not well did the algorithm perform. At first, I thought it was something so simple like just getting a truth table by counting the number of algorithm-generated matches and comparing if it matches with the ground truth rectangles, but it was more complicated than I assumed that it took me 2 weeks to figure it out!

Even at this step, there is no one fixed way to get the accuracy of the algorithm – and this all depends on the images that you are dealing with, like how many samples are there in an image? Say you have a dataset of 50 cat images and 50 dog images – each image contains either only 1 cat or 1 dog.

You have an algorithm that determines if a cat is present in the image. You apply your algorithm and you will have a list of cat images that are correctly identified as cat (true positive), cat images that are incorrectly identified as not cat (false negative), not cat incorrectly identified as cat (false positive) and not cat correctly identified as not cat (true negative). Okay, this is still a little confusing to me, even if I have been dealing with a question like this for every year since polytechnic, but I think I got it correctly (pardon me if I made a mistake – how shameful!). Anyway, you sum up all these numbers and you get some sort of a final value from 0 to 1 that tells you how good your model is – in the best case scenario, all of your 50 cat images are correctly determined as cat images, and all of your 50 dog images are correctly determined as not cat images. TP = 50, FP = 0, TN = 50, FN = 0.

You can just find the accuracy using the simple formula of TP + TN / (TP + FP + TN + FN), which you will get 1.

In my case, it’s not so simple because I have many different kinds of boxes in one image – how do I calculate the accuracy of my algorithm?

The quick answer is that I used something called the “Jaccard Index” to get the overlapping areas, and from there, get the number of True Positives, False Positives and False Negatives (True Negatives are not taken into account because there is simply no way to get them, unless perhaps you count it at a pixel-level). Then, I find the Precision and Recall for the algorithm and finally calculate the F1 score, which is the measure of how “good” my algorithm is.

I’m going to stop here because I really didn’t think that I’ll be writing about something so technical, and besides, I have better use for my time anyway, like ACTUALLY working on my project instead of writing a blog post about it. On the side, I’m also watching 1 or 2 lessons on YouTube every day about Neural Networks, and I highly recommend this as an advance course after taking Andrew Ng’s Machine Learning course.

youtube

Signing off, Eugene Goh

1 YEAR IN CARDIFF – WEEK 43 – PROJECT If I haven't already wrote this before or announced it yet, then I'll first like to start this post by announcing that I'll be heading back to Singapore some time next month for about 2.5 weeks.

0 notes

m-willis · 7 years

Text

If Clean Sheet Co. designed caps for the World Baseball Classic

I like to find the places where established systems and traditions smash into one another. For instance: what happens if you mix the visual cultures of soccer and baseball? I made the Soccer out of Context project to figure it out. How about if you combine a consistent, minimal design aesthetic with the World Cup? I created the 32 Nations series of designs to see. It was while working on 32 Nations that I realized I didn’t just have to imagine the places where these mashups were “real.” I could bring them to life.

That’s when I started Clean Sheet Co.

We began with t-shirts, then moved on to scarves and hats. (There’s even more on tap.) Along the way, I learned a few things. One of the biggest: the best way to demonstrate that something can be improved is to make something new. Another: national identity is something everybody cares about, but nobody owns. (Those specific lessons led us to create the People’s Crest, an open-source crest design for American soccer fans that’s free to download, use and remix.)

This is where it gets fun. With design series like Soccer out of Context, I’ve established a platform for interesting projects in this space. With Clean Sheet Co., I’ve got an apparel company ready to bring those projects to life. And my favorite things to design around are national identity, sports, interesting crossovers, and existing concepts that could be improved.

Well hey there, World Baseball Classic.

;

The WBC checks all the boxes. Sports + national symbolism + a unique cultural crossover (baseball in a soccer-style international tournament). Oh, and there’s some definite potential for improvement.

Sounds like a design project to me.

So I started with the question: What if Clean Sheet Co. designed caps for all 16 participants in the 2017 World Baseball Classic? We’ve been circling around the idea of making baseball caps (snapbacks, naturally) for a while now. This is a great opportunity to test those waters. The 16 designs you’ll see here are still concepts, but we want to know if we should bring any of them to life.

All of our design projects have guidelines, and this one is no exception. Here are the guidelines that informed this exercise:

No language characters. Sure, letters on baseball caps have a long and prominent tradition. Sure, they can look good. Sure, they can even be creative. All that said, we’re not using language elements in our designs. The idea is that the designs themselves should communicate the national identity without “spelling it out”, so to speak.

Also, guideline #1 solves a thorny problem - namely, what language system to use for what team? Currently, WBC designs use mostly english language characters. Teams like the Netherlands and Italy can use their own native spellings (Nederlands and Italia, respectively). But none of the Asian countries even use their own character sets. I understand why (marketing, audience expectation, tradition), but I don’t quite approve. For caps, we can do better. (And anyhow, initials on international ballcaps have always looked kind of cheesey to me - while initals work really well for cities and club teams, national identity somehow seems too potent to be represented up by a letter or two on a ballcap).

All caps have to be items Clean Sheet Co. could theoretically produce and sell. If you want one, let us know here.

We reserve the right to approach these guidelines creatively.

All set? Let’s get to it.

Pool A: Israel, South Korea, the Netherlands, Chinese Taipei

Israel

Israel is one of several WBC participants with a fantastic visual pedigree. Two strong colors (royal blue, white) and a universally-recognized symbol (the Star of David). The team’s current WBC cap is really good, with some extra adornment (the “I” initial and squigly lines). The classic Star of David mark can also stand on its own. The Clean Sheet Co. version of the cap introduces a white front panel, but otherwise, it’s easy to leave perfection alone.

South Korea

Like their group-mates Israel, this iteration of the South Korean team wears royal blue and white. And while Korea has always worn blue in these competitions (a departure from their soccer compatriots), they don't always wear the same exact shade. Korea sometimes wears a lighter shade of blue - bordering on Carolina blue. It plays well, and we haven’t forgotten it. The South Korea ballcap features light blue accents - the brim, eyelets and button (or squatchee, if you prefer). The logo features the red-blue yin-yang from the country’s beautiful flag. Strong and unique.

The Netherlands

Say what you will about the Netherlands - but they get international branding right. The country’s teams are generally attired in eye-catching orange. Amsterdam owns the “XXX” idea. The Dutch understand the value of a strong brand. One item they don’t always elevate on the national stage is the fantastic rampant lion, very prominent in national heraldry. The lion is beautiful, traditional, and cool. It’s the perfect ballcap emblem. Orange and black complete the package.

Chinese Taipei

Chinese Taipei, the politically diplomatic way to reference the state also called Taiwan or the Republic of China, has a suspect WBC identity. To its credit, it has elements with both eastern and western appeal - but to me it doesn’t add up to a coherent design. I know there are fans of this logo, but I'm not one of them. If Taiwan didn’t already have a strong visual brand, it would be simply be a case of mediocrity filling a vacuum. But take a look at the sun symbol on the flag Chinese Taipei uses in international competition. It’s gorgeous. And it works perfectly on a ballcap. Done.

OK: Which custom cap from #WBC2017 group 1 should we produce for sale? https://t.co/iLtoPVhzee

— Clean Sheet Co. (@CleanSheetCo)

March 15, 2017

Pool B: Australia, China, Cuba, Japan

Australia

Australia’s baseball identity is, on balance, pretty decent. But it’s got some issues. The most pressing: from the squad’s colors to the letter ‘A’, the current visual package looks way too much like how a video game who couldn’t secure MLB rights might depict the Oakland A’s. This is fixable. The Australian national identity is tied up with that of the kangaroo. This version of the ’roo is inspired by the one used by the Australian air force. Depicted in classic Aussie green and gold, there’s no way this cap is confused for any other team – or nation.

China

Out of China's population of 1.4 billion people, apparently a couple dozen can play baseball. Along with soccer, I’m hoping baseball becomes a national obsession in China. How great would that be for the inernational growth of the game? The current cap isn’t doing much - an olde english “C” has little pedigree or connection to the country. I debated using a dragon mark here - but getting that exactly right would have required some extra-special dedication. In its stead, this cap (inspired by the five stars on the national flag) is both strong and incontrovertibly Chinese.

Cuba

Cuba will always have one of the most compelling stories in this tournament. The baseball-obsessed country’s own national league continues to exist in a separate universe from the rest of the world, shrouding world-class players in mystery. As Cuba opens up to the world, that might change, and one day, I hope to see an MLB team in Havana. (Los Cubanos de la Habana, with a cigar-inspired logo, if I might put in an early pitch). I don’t know who designed the WBC Cuba caps, but they seem rote. A serif ‘C’ doesn’t begin to evoke this country’s story. We opted for a solitary white star on a triangular front-panel field of red, backed by blue – approximating the famous Cuban flag. It's a start.

Japan

Despite what WBC caps might say, Japan isn’t “J”. If they were an english letter, they’d be “N” - the english-language consonant that begins the word ("Nihon") that attepmts to represent how Japanese verbally express the name of their own country. Or they’d use the japanese glyph for Japan, 日本. But there’s a better, less confusing way: just use the flag. There’s no more recognizably simple symbol in the world than the Japanese flag. Use it! The red sun pairs here with navy blue, which Japan has traditionally worn as a sporting accent color. It’s unmistakably Japanese, and beautiful.

OK: Which custom cap from #WBC2017 group 2 should we produce for sale?https://t.co/Fu7bMduzzh

— Clean Sheet Co. (@CleanSheetCo)

March 15, 2017

Pool C: Canada, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, USA

Canada

This one’s simple. The maple leaf in silvery white on a red background, black brim lending a little edge to the look. Canada already did the heavy lifting here - the iconic leaf is a design masterpiece. All we have to do is get out of its way.

Colombia

I love that more South American countries are joining the WBC party. Visually, Colombia is challenging not because it lacks for great visuals to pull from, but because of its graphic similarity to neighbors and fellow yellow-red-blue enthusiasts Ecuador and Venezuela. We’ll get to tournament-participant Venezuela in a minute, but for now, we’re leaning on deep yellow to set Colombia apart. A stylized version of the condor, a dominating feature of the Colombian coat of arms, gives the cap some competitive personality.

The Dominican Republic

This one is a favorite. The Dominican Republic has a fantastic flag, with alternating quarter-panels of red and blue, divided by a white cross and a seal. The cap re-creates that – we only see one view here, but the panels alternate in quarters around the entire cap in the harlequin style. No further symbol or decoration is needed here - the look is strong and completely distinctive.

USA

There are a lot of ways to go here (especially when the symbol you’re looking to improve on is this) - but only one we at Clean Sheet Co. could fathom. The People’s Crest is our choice to represent American athletic endeavor, and it happens to look great on a ballcap. We went with a navy front panel and a white body to really help the colors pop.

Note: by popular demand, we're making this one! The USA Cap, in all navy, is available for pre-order at Clean Sheet Co. right now! You can get it here.

OK: Which custom cap from #WBC2017 group 3 should we produce for sale? https://t.co/5Hb0xege4d

— Clean Sheet Co. (@CleanSheetCo)

March 15, 2017

Pool D: Italy, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela

Italy

This was a tricky one. Italy doesn’t actually have a wealth of national symbols to pull from. When we designed an Italy World Cup t-shirt, the Stella d’Italia (Star of Italy) was a welcome discovery – but that wasn’t really the right symbol here. In looking at the country's national crests and symbols, there is one recurring element – the olive branch. It never quite stands on its own, content to be a decorative touch in most applications. Well, we’re changing that. An olive sprig stands in appropriate green against a field of Italian azzure blue. A small touch: the green-white-red of the national flag gets a nod at the bottom of the branch. (And yes, the branch kind of looks like a cursive “I” - this is a happy coincidence.)

Mexico

The current Mexican WBC cap is great, probably the best of the field. It’s hard to improve on it. We went for simplicity - a basic pattern, derived from Aztec textile traditions, creates a distinctive shape. OK, it’s an “X” - but this is a creative violation of our “no characters” rule. I’d argue that “La Equis” has symbolic meaning for Mexico in a way no other letter does to it’s particular country – it’s a point of national pride. It’s also a universally-recognized symbol as much as it is a letter of any particular language. Add in the indigineous pattern (if you squint, you can even see an Aztec temple in the negative space beneath the legs of the “X”) and it’s a no-brainer.

Puerto Rico

We looked for a while at options for Puerto Rico before finding the island’s crest, topped with a royal crown (to symbolize the island’s Spanish heritage). Simplified, in silver on a field of red, the idea took on surprising strengh, so we went with it. A stripe of blue beneath the crown gives a splash of the island’s other national color.

Venezuela

You don’t see looks like this on the field too often. Perhaps that’s for the best, but that didn’t stop us. The Venezuelan national flag is the inspiration for the striped front panel, and the galloping silver horse is taken directly from the country’s coat of arms. Even if this one never takes the field, we really enjoyed imagining the look.

OK: Which custom cap from #WBC2017 group 4 should we produce for sale? https://t.co/onlQAa7muV

— Clean Sheet Co. (@CleanSheetCo)

March 15, 2017

And that’s the field. Like any of these caps? Hit up Clean Sheet Co. in the usual spots and let us know. If there’s enough interest, we may bring a few of these to life.

(And thanks for ingulging me. I love projects like this. If you like this kind of stuff, we talk about it every day on the Clean Sheet Co. Inner Circle Slack group. Join! )

8 notes · View notes

jeanettethibodeau · 4 years

Text

Toronto Raptors vs New Orleans Pelicans Full Game 22.10.2019

welcome you back to Toronto our opening night comfort continues file 53 degree evening thousands watching on the big screen at Jurassic Park and inside [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] hi everybody I’m Marv Albert along with five five a star crisp weather Kristen Ledlow join us just a couple of its work from the sidelines so 60 Raptors without the sensational one adult Kawhi Leonard so what are your expectations for these two teams well my expectations at any time you have Kyle Lowry as your captain is you’re going to play hard and you’re gonna defend and protect the home court and I expect the Raptors to come out and play that way how about Pascal siakam I want to see his growth and improvement as well against Toronto with the third best home record last year and if you’re on the pelicans man you should look at this like this is the land of opportunity coach Gentry this style of play is fast fast fast and you will have an opportunity to establish your identity just play hard and play selfless but regardless this young team should be excited take a look at these starting fives presented by AT&T the pelicans with JJ Redick with the Zion out of action relative the starting lineup so Alvin Gentry going with a three guard set Redick ball and holiday parameters up front of Pascal siakam og at Adobe Marc Gasol and at the guards present leap and Kyle Lowry officiating crew Tony Brown and Courtney her Twitter’s in Secaucus in the replay Center to our Raptors 32 advise till at home last year second vets in the East behind being for walking pucks they went 58 and 24 second at the East with the second-best record heat Orlando at 5-1 at 7 over Philly on that dirt hole shot by Kawhi Leonard and Pete the Walker at 6 and what the NBA final defeating Golden State six let’s check in with Krista Marv as you know on opening nights the NBA champions are given their rings and their opponent is given the option to leave for to stay now you may have noticed that tonight the Pelican state coach Alvin Gentry told me I’ve been involved in a ring night madam there’s anything like it in the league I hope it serves as inspiration I also want them to see that these guys are bonded for life David Griffin also told me I want them to want those it’s a cool thing to be as young as you are to be present for ring night what Toronto did to get their ring was victory several years of refusing to bow down guys hard Thank You Kristin yes alvin wanted his club the young players to get a taste of what it’s like to receive a championship ring helicanus control ball puts it up at stip tall won’t count it is called no they say it does count the basket counts Hebert says wait a minute you sure enough come on now give me those two points and as you see here the battle inside and how about that basalt knocked that in but favors should get the credit he was the closest to the mantle tip the ball so what is current papers with the pocket to get things going van fleet second gets it into the corner [Applause] and back come the Pelican last season’s 33 and 59 same revenues battleships and Memphis off the steel Van Vleet to Lowry pulling up for the three his crowd ready to explode so Paul with that a groove touch during pre-season favors [Applause] just put these foul hit bike favors when you look at both these teams one thing you’re gonna see similar they they both like to get out and run and if you look at the pelicans you may be surprised at this but points per game last year they were number three coach Gentry loves to get his team out and run and that’s what they will if you try to sneak Toronto get some easy baskets Toronto one of the best defensive teams especially at home when Chris pick nerves telling us earlier that means the major concern of his team the fact that the pelicans are one of the fastest teams in the league needle mark one of the things that concerns me and again you know we’re in the game of speculations there is Lowry this is a second free throw is that now with the addition to one of my favorite players in the league badly I do not like him necessarily being the starter because it makes this team have such a small backcourt will be interesting to see how they figure it out during the season as it goes along it’s all for the little to the toughest and leave ice touched by Ingram rather they grow they do form Loker his weight of the pelicans and that deals and any day this kickball is called [Music] we’ve seen this young man improve seems like each year and I like the fact that he took massage in the ball a bond that played one dribble jump shot he has handles these wiry that can get to the coat badly got it by Redick [Applause] Oceana roti seasons back showing us let me show you shouldn’t talk how about that mark what I love about it is that he caught and shot the ball right away no hesitation one of the tough things about working on your shot and then implementing it in a game is can you shoot it with no hesitation no doubt in that time pulled up during the three holiday the free Lowery Peck sit down see active at the lead Jennifer Gasol and it’ll be New Orleans ball Redick looking for a shot ball get this download ice ball both hit Ingram yes it’s a ¾ knock it down it’s cornered we’ve not used to seeing that a game guys are trying to show us how they improved in the offseason I suppose even tear the pissed I’m an Adobe is way off favored set the pick here’s Ingram affiliate rebound Lowen [Applause] the past too deep save by holiday that comes Redick looking for the shot and gets from downtown talk about a quick hold right there Redick knows that his jumper is wet anytime it goes in shoots with confidence by not answered by a New Orleans timeout Toronto [Music] love you man big time Big Town big time Raptors enjoying the championship the sailboat is just a moment ago Norman Powell and planted Inc repairing the Mike’s tonight State Farm audio assist both turnovers now to Toronto their last five trips final road by the Orleans Fire virtue of three pointers by three different players here’s Redick hitting once again that’s cool that’s where he made his name last year using his height this size that time ridic Reddick did not get away trying to draw a foul but how about this ciacco using his limp that Y reframed to get it easy with the cup instead a travel called on run a good play by that leave soon yeah come at three ball pops it down Ingram let by siakam off the spin gives it back up Holliday whoa faithless puts it home I like this young team the potential did you see the trust rule Holliday had in yong-hwa he moved the ball back to ball saying shoot the three but the most dangerous part of balls game is his penetration if you’re a big fella had your hands ready he’s gonna get the ball to you let’s hope all played so well before he went down with the injury last season with the Lakers who can see the confidence that we shall drop this is a nice comeback [Applause] we one of the heroes but the championship run a year ago able to pop down a free there’s ball four three no hesitation rims out rebound seventy-nine lead for the pelicans the trust of these rafters not offensive Lowry penetrated something fun to watch Ingram with a catch up here see active rebounds first quarter being played at a very fast pace back to the pelicans and the Raptors cloud of magic Seattle is pushed and a foul is call that was on ball that leach showed us his heart last year not only in college how tough he was on both ends taking bumps taking hits going through droughts what I loved is that his confidence never wavered he continued to play with effort consistent effort at home and on the road he’s game one of his biggest fans a news serge ibaka checking in for the Raptors remark who saw Serge very emotional during the championship chatter and the rents of only ice remember when Ibaka told his team after being two down in Milwaukee no one believed but him saying listen we can do this great finish by favors inside the Bacchus should be emotional because he gave his heart and soul to his team last year they came to him awarded city good start here by Derrick Favors first season with New Orleans coming over from Utah that’s what he can do travel is called fall back to the rafters the pelicans right now I was getting ready could shoot a dribble handoff getting him an easy busca so he doesn’t have to force his way in stop the person watching the earth it’s a tip to run here by grottoes mentos flooring back after that I know screwed by the politics favors he’s off and bleep went to the cross against humble bed siakam on a step battle for the rebound and a loose ball foul is called it was against New Orleans Seattle was quite favorite and that’s what I’m interested to see in Seattle he just signed a new contract extension and with players you don’t worry about the effort they’ve been dreaming about this game their whole life but what you do wonder is can they take that next step in that next step for Sayaka is to continue playing with his energy level [Music] the console guys to get fallen guys he has to make sure that he speaks with this actions in not just his words VanFleet doesn’t he do that all the time boredom going in amongst the Giants Fred plant late hit a sport NBA season out of the wichita state bringing gelato with it a point as well [Applause] Howl’s come on for the lapis for the first time at a foul on Paul the FDA of GMT is murky by Geico 15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car occurrence and by that telluride from Kia official or navona partner of the NBA’s correction how the last file it’s holiday on Paul Pott holiday to stop us five remaining in the first [Music] skel siakam coming off a breakout season Most Improved Player Award he averaged better than 17 a game she was a first-round pick 27th overall out of New Mexico State four years ago log on really quick Pete has evolved into a terrific all-around player looks like a future all-star NBA tickets.

com is the official source for all NBA Tickets even for sold-out game start research now at NBA tickets.

com where tickets are always authentic and always about Ramar fees first nights we usually see a lot of turnovers ugly play super teams haven’t been together and this is one of the better post corners and starts it seems like both teams getting shots that they like I know it’s just one quarter flirt hug the pelicans doesn’t they don’t look like the team that has so many new players attention to 14th to run here by the Raptors they lead for the first time last touched by fouled of Toronto substitutions [Music] [Applause] firstly to timeout calls 4:16 left in the first jet retelling us early he was going to try to cut down on the rotation well enough set five new players out of the court Jahlil Okafor each marble Josh from part the rookie Nikhil Alexander Worple head of a compressor preseason at Frank Jackson this is Alexander Walker has been hitting a shot he must have the super green he has the curry green line any time you come in and coach cause of playing new cool step back three from the top of the key I can’t wait to see him just get a wide open Lee on the turnover the ball back [Music] okhla for [Music] Alexander Walker out the hole to the running one-hander kept alive [Applause] Williams is off [Applause] just like an takubo of course not as good as answer the Koopa the reigning MVP but just as you have to go in the fast break or when he’s attacking the basket you must build a wall his height athletic ability and his speed gets into the cup back to the most and if you don’t have help defend his back there he’s gonna get to the line foul committed by Josh apart Pelican soon as we have of discussing without Zion Williams and the out six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery we’re premiering that to talk right meniscus those who have missed season openers due to injury include fella by the name of Chris Webber those who have missed who have been number one overall graphics the last thirty years some pretty good names on that list yeah a little more fortunate than say of the late Griffin it had to sit out the whole your even though I don’t know if he Minds that too much and still got that Rookie of the Year trophy jumped over a few cars on his way this adult chopped to take his [Applause] two games and luckily for me it was an appendectomy and not [Applause] we gets the role and he will go to the line Alexander Walker picks up the foul for the pelicans I told coach nurse before the game I said you have a small backcourt don’t you think teams are gonna exploit it they are so small he said yeah Chris but you know they play humongous and that’s the type of player just shows me talk to them now I’m assuming these are the accurate heights that have been measured my lead source has been leading is listed at 6-foot and Lowry at 6 1 ok if I would have had to guess I would say vans lead it’s probably 510 but Alexander Walker’s yes ok Walker I’m a fan already rookie rookie that comes it it takes a shot 2 seconds into the game and then fires another one knocks a three now you have my attention I don’t Virginia Tech first round pick 17 overall the salt try to pitch it back [Applause] well hot come defense I mean look at how heart stays vertical he earned that when he got popped in the mouth for it but he doesn’t care as he got the charge look at this he goes straight up no no no no you can’t get upset Baptist fans you can’t get upset on that one because he got hit in the face they got a coach’s challenge right here okay here we go each team permitted to a challenge once again you must have a timeout remaining to make the challenge when we come back we’ll see the result of their challenge basketball is a very human game everybody comes together to create an atmosphere that makes this the greatest game in the world we’re all part of the same team and when the game was at its best it teaches us respect which is pretty fundamental please be sure to respect the players officials and your fellow fans remember this is our game we’re in this together by 1901 major Taylor was considered the greatest athlete in the world but he was still searching for something else we never stop never settle [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] welcome back to Toronto we’re going to have our first coaches challenge look how Powell attacks now the rule is defensively you must stay vertical do not reach over your man it looks like Hart has done that he looks like he’s also a little worse for the wear [Applause] great looks at that and the call stands it is an offensive foul on Powell so the play does stand let’s put on Joe boy sure they give us his explanation hi Marv how you don’t do it so this was the first challenge we’ve ever had in an NBA regular-season game and as you could see pal did lead with an unnatural elbow to the face therefore that that was confirmed to be a foul so the call stands there was no clear and conclusive evidence to overturn senior VP of officiating Joe Bourget drove thanks polka for with the chip 26:25 pelicans by one as we approach two minutes to go in this opening quarter his Maori on the drive he took a shot [Applause] Walker thyroids just the tip mark is still out at heart try to chase it down it’s kicked out about last touch final Wallace one thing you want to see from the other teams that have a burden of expectations and I believe with Zion and these young guys that they do have expectations that may be unfair maybe not they computed to us but you always want to judge their energy and effort level and tonight so far doing a great job for colorful maka head position but the saw how am I going to take a chance [Applause] [Music] the foul committed Maori Fawzi should have got credit for getting the shot off Okafor committed a foul big nurse wishes he had his challenge back because if you look at that plate again and again everything is fast motion we have the luxury to see that in slow motion but it looks like he went up right away as soon as it was contact Lowry but again no challenge so two shots there was a hesitation before the shot was mistaken you can watch serge ibaka grill his celebrity friends on his pillory web series how hungry are you new episodes exclusively on Bleacher Report have you seen what they’ve been eating more I have seen clips I would I’d love to hang out with him going to show and watch it but I would not be taking part yeah that’s that’s a nice way to put it coming up on a better to go first quarter four makes his move he’s found by Gasol for the Toronto Raptors missed the start of their 25th season and they open up as the champs coming off the six-game victory over the gold state warriors in the finals last season looking for the shot Williams before second plus it went off and a final snow heart was hit from behind walk off and just not think about anything he knows that it looked like it’s twisted his ankle just about how he landed let’s see here if that’s right yep you can always tell when a player does that and number-one rule and you do that keep moving do not sit still and let it get stiff parts tough you’ll get through it foul committed by a nobodies Josh Hart acquired from the lay cruising that package deal for Anthony Davis three-year man out of Villanova first-round pick of Utah 30th overall and then transplant traded to the Lakers [Applause] some are jumping too quickly yes it’s a lane violation on the Raptors it is on Gasol and if your aquifer good job that is your assist when a big man does that he anticipates he’s going to be met with force and has to get in there early to block out just your willingness to go after the rebound Mesa Kassar jump in there a little bit early you get another shot for your team Josh Hart 65% free throw to the last season when you consider that David Griffin was not exactly holding all the card into the executive vice president for the pelicans a long time Vienna Cavaliers what Anthony Davis demanded a Trekkie yes of the Lakers he did an awesome job I mean of course you get lucky with the number one bitch anybody’s number one kinky lefty but what about the pieces he put around Zion and these young players Payne Lee Alexander Walker they are trying to let it fly and again I look at this as the island of misfit toys that you have a second chance maybe people didn’t seem to want you before you’re only 23 if you are all prefer and you’ve been talked about is not being in the league anymore maybe not and if you’re all you’ve been questioned because you’ve been hurting and I look at this as an opportunity to have fun excitement it’s an establish your own identity you know this team has a lot of great young players and all you have to do is play hard a three part attack piscis all [Applause] fifteen seconds to go in the quarters each one more [Music] Alexander Wolcott pretty fast for okra for Donna mama hop a couple seconds remaining and the quarter so what what a complete opening night in the NBA publicans up by three Haley pass please leave us back check out his favorite players show-stopping almost live on at the a late pass for no cost at all this publicans Albert gently coach emotions run high on a ring night but you wanted your team to be out here to see it what the was the key to setting those emotions aside and to establishing the pace early on well first of all I thought it was great to see the ceremony you know that’s what we aspire to be also secondly when the game started I told them we just gotta play I thought we started the game great the pace of the game was really good we took a couple of tough shots in that but we have to keep the pace of the game what where it is right now you did though establish an early double-digit lead as the Raptors eliminated that deficit what was the difference in your team’s energy for execution oh we got to do a better job execution but I thought we started a game with a lot of energy we got good spacing and we got to continue to have the face thank you guys all right Kristin eleven to run by the pelicans the last three and a half minutes of that first quarter drive the tipless by Gasol tap tap Powell’s fires go through and Williams with the rebound for New Orleans there’s a rafters right now you must keep the pelicans off the glass and as you see right there they got a good stop but that’s their ninth offensive rebound and they have 11 total Alexander Walker’s how attempted seven shots what four seven he is fluff to la Paix here’s our example again on the drive the board here in Toronto played for Team Canada under each team back in 2016 while we asked the Turner High School how he’s using his body inside not suddenly for the jump shot using the strength around the post gotta love that it’s one more backing it up [Applause] [Music] and it is a tall fences all 30 friends and family here 40 kill Alexander Walker Toronto native attended port secondary school located in Bolton Toronto before playing couple of seasons at Virginia Tech you know what let it fly young man let it fly your family’s here this is a dream come true congratulations let’s get your feet set knock down a couple enjoy the ride not shy here we toss the foul bottles called on Nicole old mare who just checked it he’s a 28 year old rookie board and Italy was playing overseas and Germany’s Turkey remember of championship teams in Germany and Turkey play very well a preseason although Alvin Gentry said he’d like to see him shoot more frequently coach said he told him listen I need you to shoot he said coach I shot at four times he says shoot at four more times and then I’ll be happy miss talking good yeah yeah he heard the conversation coach that you need to be me right traveling violation Mulligan’s by one early second quarter Marv Albert Chris Webber Kristen Ledlow from Scotiabank arena in Toronto [Applause] [Music] that’s it Lulu Lowry this is Mel for three yes tomorrow he’s gonna get that shot all night pelicans trying to get in that shot earlier because cut Stahl is on him is it’s all his own of him can’t move maybe as well as the small guys so he can get that open look the soul with a series of teams rebounded by heart so the pelicans back to the offense it’s not a dutchman team yet but if they are they would go to the same play with a pickup bowl the move could sawed off the ball reach-in is called on young team sometimes have trouble with understanding what just worked sometimes young teams go away from what this work that the veteran is no wait a minute let’s exploit this mismatch until these team make some adjustments it downloads all because of the pick-and-roll play you took us all in a pick-and-roll with a guy that can shoot like now what happens you get penetration great passes open look from the corner they’ll defend God Gasol now they switched the sole as doubles got it down low OD Roby with the rebound every gentle fight Miller Alexander Wofford high speed family please break down the link of the scoop it counts in the foul [Applause] strong move by Fred Radley who went through a series of injuries last season and came back strong he’s about to head to the line Saxons call Wow the Raptors three from ten from the free from the three-point line so if you’re the pelicans you must understand the Raptors want to go to stop and push it even force the refs in a tough position that call and get a foul slow the pace down until they can speed it up in control the pace I told Josh Hart just went back to the locker room and just heard a moment ago this is expelling the food three once again because the plays work that the plays work penetration into the middle because the big fella that used to coming down to help you get a wide-open shot try to get it inside [Music] [Applause] [Music] as for movement by the pelicans and Jackson second year Patrick Duke with the pocket bleep a foul is called is that fleet again just children so impressed with the pelicans maybe this first of all on the knockdown shot that’s when you attack but but you want to see the ball movement you want to know what happens on the ball movement that’s 13 assists for the pelicans on 16 field goals may now that no those are Golden State type numbers if you want to talk about teamwork very impressed again I must say with the young team being that efficient foul was called on Jackson come back Fred van food off to the good start remember he began the playoffs struggling with that three-point shot at one point of these conference finals he was seated 19 who said from three and then Assad’s retirement was born at 4 tutors dad caught fire at that point from three-point range somewhere young friend his mom is saying wait and I did all the work didn’t either credit [Applause] complete also coming back hardship jute had a severe cut others his right eye [Music] that’s last touch by lot soul ball just check back here tell you what he’s young he’s exciting says you can hate on him all you want but he gets dance that’s so [Applause] [Music] [Applause] he’s got to shake his hand on now that was a rainbow let’s see now ball gets back into the pick-and-roll with me and Holliday even though it Bach is in and he can move closer and get up there in traffic they control Howell they played on a switch by a pocket five on the shot clock a sauce the Barden could’ve kept alive during pasta gets to her [Applause] Bowery on the strip that’s a foul ibaka party is gonna get the call but it was an offensive foul I believe this is the toughest call to make as a referee it can be so subjective and tonight just great job yes CJ jumpy was bitten that paint but he stayed vertical and you cannot hit the defender with that offhand but that off elbow and twice tonight the refs been right on it with a good call the wall moves up by 8 the bench has done a 25 zeros the pelicans against the Raptors bench the salvage actually has done a lot of shuffling in this first half [Music] [Music] [Applause] wait short by eight put stuff like wall [Applause] this is when Brandon Ingram can grow and develop we saw him last year with the Lakers playing a game in which he didn’t score and had 11 assists and I saw his development and growth happened there if he lets the game come to him he will be so explosive and exciting as he has the lip the athletic ability in the heart to finish inside just let the game come to you and I think that’s when we’ll see him grow by leaps and bounds foul committed by Seattle so two shots here for Ingram the NBA on TNT is brought to you by Burger King get for cheesy tots for just a buck for a limited time only at Burger King and by the Killians ideas official automotive partner of the NBA pelicans up by 12 just under 6 to go in this first clip see I can understand nicely see actively Nana’s 10 points lost control but he proved a foul pelicans 5 and OH in pre-season for what that is worth as a souvenir of our call the best players that I’ve played with and watched over my career have been the best decoys as well understanding when to set yourself up understanding window set others up if you like Redick understand you have a green light your job is catch and shoot every time Davis is just check they’re looking for all this Paul Sutter rates reflected what goes on [Applause] that’s why you want to attack let your big man’s come behind you and clean it up don’t worry about the percentage attacks the basket took the reps in a tough position and give your bigs a chance to clean up [Applause] if the pelicans you must build the wall being in the sea Aachen has a size advantage you can go right into the post first light up where that controls the foul half of this patch [Applause] their natural positions that we’ve seen coach Nick nurse encourage his guys attack attack attack and if they don’t what difference does it make if they get a steal or a stop on the other end but they just come down and get a tough shot and a half court office tomorrow Ian SPF double-header it’s the Celtics at the six-year start at 7:30 Eastern Time followed by the Denver Nuggets Portland Trailblazers starting at 10:00 o'clock Eastern Time Marv you’ve seen a lot of basketball and then we get to talk about a long time I must ask him put you on the spot I’ve never been this excited for a basketball season wish I haven’t played and I’m sure you have context is this one of the most exciting all seniors and then maybe expected seasons that you’ve seen how I agree because of all the player moves of star yeah good dealt or situs as free agents which laced into summer boxes brother touchdown him out of three just too bad about Zion Williams yeah yes it fills for him I tell you what I just won the first mount pick first pick as a fan I feel bad you know but the one thing I hope is that he keeps his head while he’s out because you hear so many people talking and things that aren’t true and things that maybe have truths and can you eat properly can you work out it’s hard to work out when you have an injury so how do you stay engaged in lose weight how does he keep his jump shot going how do you keep the chemistry with your team so he’s gonna have a tough adjustment to get back but I’m sure that he’s looking forward to it and he’ll handle it just fine so I can’t wait to whenever he makes his appearance because we need some Zion in his leagues don’t be excited it’s true because one your recovery it’s tough to stay on a diet or yeah whatever is being prescribed yeah and you’re not burning as many calories you still want to eat you still want to workout you’re young I mean she’s only 19 when I was 19 I 20 in terms of the league I would eat pizzas before the game hamburgers like a so they didn’t matter and still run the same way you were young that you’d be your ally so hopefully even that he’ll be okay but definitely going to be a tough adjustment with him missing some time for morons I hope still to Kristin Marva you’d speak to David Griffin before this game he told me there were multiple valuations before making that decision to operate on Zions but he did speak to him earlier today and he said he’s doing well he said that Sian is only upset that he’s not here with his team that he was so looking forward to this coach Gentry said the same thing before the games that the entire team facetimed him at brunch and he’s too sad and have missed the trip [Applause] you see a bucket there I think the narrative one sign has been a little unfair about him being injured because I really don’t believe that he was injured during the preseason I think that maybe the pelicans said wait a minute why would we put him in this situation to get hurt and maybe gave a little bit time 2019 is presented by Autotrader with 337 remaining first half three point lead for the pelicans they’ve led by as many as 11 balanced going to New Orleans Raptors went by the leap to 15 Seattle with 12 showed me a lot on that play I anticipated a broken play because coach Jimmy call to play out of Bounce and what happens with most young teams they’ll come out not know what coach said it messed up the play look at this come off the pick-and-roll now you have favors going down the Baka can’t help so when you go into the pump fake you know that you have siakam one-on-one on an island Ingram again means this is Linton is wiry strange the strengthen is why I’m afraid to get the end one 10 points for Brandon Ingram and a six point lead for the lead off the pics the hops we see action and it will be Toronto boy the job by the veteran JJ reddick saying to Zell ball listen I think this play is gonna come again and when it does we must come together and communicate switch not just think we’re going since we have to communicate it finish the play [Music] Terrence Davis with that shot way off davus the looking from this star wide receiver in high school a an excellent athlete and we’ll see much Blanche time off the bench scoop [Applause] Dave Astana – he’s back up [Applause] ask about this [Applause] for point New Orleans we know Papa has her so the lead is two as we approach 2 minutes remaining in this first half holiday with a look away faster [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] if you’re the pelicans you have to realize listen settle down we’ve gotten to good plays by our big fellow going on the point guard we must keep the ball oh what a pass from blossom oh my goodness and the double pump finish inside and if you haven’t had a chance to watch an NBA game in person drew a holiday his size it is unassuming he doesn’t look as small in person I’ll tell you what he does not care about going in amongst the trees inside the paint sixth number five for Alonzo deflected out last touch my the Pelican is that passion we’re talking about mom and that’s what I’m saying I don’t care what anyone says he’s one of the most exciting passers that I’ve that’s in the game today and if everything else keeps approving along with this passage there’s gonna be some special display [Music] I’ve been around this league a long time 25 years and an average entry has always been a trusted coach whether it was an assistant or a head coach the keys get as easy on guys confidence and Marv you right he see it in the play of all tonight so Watson will head to the line found on the act body Davis one of the areas he has struggled it along with the outside shot which seemingly has improved the other area is at the foul line last season and the pelicans have their shooting coach Fred Vincent working with Lonzo and it has paid dividends let’s see if it does right here two shots Marv no hesitations and I tell you what having been a poor free-throw shooter and then a pretty good one later there’s no feeling like that it’s like you almost have control of the game like you’ve never had before because you can play with the freedom but you’ve never had hesitations by Lowry but did not work this pregnancy fourth turnover committed by Kyle Lowry coming up it’s the American Express time reporting live from Los Angeles with Charles Lakers players take it personally I’m Brandon Taylor just just because we’re in the NBA if I’m Brandon Eagle I’m looking at shiok I’m like no no no I’m taking you every time because I know you won one but we’re the same size we play the same game and guess what I’m Nexen obviously siakam is felt doubt aware about other players over his time here because he’s just continue to improve but you need that personal battle in my opinion to be one of the greats you have to want your team to win but you also want to win the individual battles and right now siakam in England going out so siakam to the line you know some coaches head coaches to cheating countries but there are guys who have really done a terrific job obviously thread Vincent has chip Engelland yeah with the San Antonio Spurs as Tony Parker on the test tube there’s a white Leonard there’s some great was there buzz Braman he was mine right there a lot of coaches up playing for it it didn’t want guys to lift weight so it wanted you to eat a a whole hog before a game because they heard that’s what worked back in the day so those that are stuck in a time warp those are the ones you may not want to be advised by you want the ones that always pushing the envelope in whoever JJ Redick with Redick retires when a shooting coach he’s going to be that’s his third three of the night and a foul is called it’s it is a kickball on the phone and here’s a Vincent working before the game with Alonzo ball tell you what it starts with having someone to believe on you in practicing the same way I played with a guy Kevin Martin jump shot came from his hip it’s not about where your shot comes from or where it goes it’s about the consistency of where it stays each time and they’re trying to find some consistency with the placement of all jump shot high school policy successful weathers want to deep sameen let mrs.

Cartwright Vinnie Johnson it’s fun it’s like a golf swing their own individual Gossling and the only thing that’s pretty is this nice one is it effective we’re not eight-second violation Lowery walked it up and another turnover the pile our you rarely see that call he was thinking of killing the clock with only 16 seconds remaining in the half but killing a picture yeah and I think with Van Vleet game until he didn’t realize what it was and now look at the difference or look at the substitution pattern that Coach HP put in the game he moved Derrick Favors out brought a shooter in so that he could put the saw back in the pick-and-roll and what his coach Nick nurse do say I see what she’s doing let me get the big fella out this game so we can play you guys straight up and switch everything yes the rookie Nicole Nellie who was hitting the three-pointer early on is back on the floor Millikan’s will hold for a final shot Holliday with 10 seconds to go play bike Davis five seconds left of the half-holiday ask the trouble here comes Rollins Justin said it fair that is the end of the first half pelicans lead at 61 56 we’ll take a break in that it’s on to LA for the emerge Express halftime report [Music] after as we get set for the second half how about this start line Chris 22 field goals 18 assists for the pelicans in the first half you said to go to state warriors I mean and I say that of course in jest but what I mean by that we all know about the ball movement of teams like to go to state warriors and systems like what coach Kerr has that’s why I’m so impressed with the fact that they are moving the ball and playing selfish yes his game won but it still happened in early well Alvin Gentry was an assistant leave assistant for Steve Kerr several years back Marv I spoke to coach Nick nurse at halftime and I asked him what he talked to his team about in the locker room he said it’s not about our execution but our energy he said that he started the game with very low energy statistically he said we have to give the pelicans fewer rebounds fewer second-chance points though the Raptors are winning in both of those categories so I asked him is the energy perhaps lacking after the ring ceremony he said it could be but a nap time I told those guys to decide right now whether or not they wanted to win hard buckets five and bleep and then holiday we talked about that earlier on the pregame show the possibility of team being a little hyped up and could that affect them on opening night as it has affected other teams in in recent years foul is called on a retic that is his reminded of a scene last year in the playoffs with Kawhi sitting to the tunnel and guys on the Toronto Raptors playing around trying to give him five and he doesn’t even look at the guy in points at the court the reason why I brought that up Kawhi played 60 games and siakam played 80 and Kawhi still took the most shots still had the highest field goal percentage for three-pointers and it was the culture that he brought from San Antonio and I know this is Game one have we’ve seen teams with great cultures lose game this game is not over yet but the question for the arguer for the Raptors is who’s gonna feel the void of leadership not necessarily scoring leadership we’re koala well as Charles mentioned the Ingram is able to knock down yet another shot Ingram has 14 points Charles talking about it at halftime and I I agree these these teams have very solid play yes I mean even without Zion New Orleans done a good job in terms of filling the roster as a compared to a year ago but neither has a major star and you have to have at least one in these days it seems to you were so right in charles’s right and until you get that major star you know what you need to have a major sense of urgency to heaven that’s what these teams need to start off with knowing that you don’t have that player you can rely on him for me Toronto it all starts with care mentality that was Kauai like last year there’s Lowery open yes the subject of Kyle Lowery he officially has three turnovers of collection from the official score that eight-second violation if you will with us where he did get it across the midcourt line of time was a turnover and another who’s called out up without attempt holiday now with six points so three turnovers him he’ll be happy with that as he looks at the statue two minutes gone by here in the third Marv Albert Chris Webber Kristen Ledlow siakam shoots was three we bought it by hand room fires it down but those were throws of the ball back to the Raptors the Toronto Raptors third last year in fast-break points and it was predicated on their defense and getting out so when you hear Kristen Ledlow talk about coach Nick nurse being disappointed about the energy that is something that is different and then what they’ve had yes these are special circumstances bring night at the same time she must play to your identity and regardless of who’s the star on the raptors their identity has always been effort and defense is a tripping foul if it is Ingram it is that’s his fur you’d like to see the saw get the ball in the post and played point guard we’ve seen Mark Jackson do it we had to change the rule for Charles Barkley and Mark Jackson posting in the paint so long playing point out of that and Gasol is definitely capable doing that insult is such a great passer willing passer and how about Zola willing shooter knock it down at three point eight points five assists Alonzo ball to the three from downtown what blasted hits the three glass I called it for you big fellas he shakes his hand in all counts one-point lead to New Orleans step-back by Paul this one is real here’s the torch from the crowd see Yakima the beautiful spin Ottawa who was looking for help that was going behind them talk about cold I grew up in with the kids I kind of they’re growing up like how I grew up to give them a chance to say look anything’s possible you know I’m not that tall I’m not the fastest I’m not the quickest but I’m able to bring this trophy back and you know have you guys touch it and feel it and that was my biggest sounds like yeah I wanna take pity would have to touch it fill it like you know be able to like you know appreciate it a little bit more and Chris you know following the championship season head coach Nick nurse had a bucket list tour of his own to celebrate the title what did he do well he played the guitar on stage with the art kills they are a Canadian rock band and then he sang take me out to the ball game at Wrigley Field watching his favorite team the Chicago Cubs and people celebrated everywhere he said he also coached Team Canada at FIBA World Cup said that actually he found that more relaxing than continuing to rot allowed and accepted congratulations doodle where that of foul [Applause] talk about a place that gets loud and you’re gonna learn this is a young team in the pelicans you do not give any momentum to the home team they live off the energy of this crowd and that usually plays like that get their defense goals three point lead for Toronto pelicans have led by as many as 11 they’ve led post up away picked off by Lowry the activist top comes back to Lowry active on the spin stop by Paul and it’s a kickball lot so Paul is claiming that siakam kickflip no it’s the other one you know you try yeah yeah and truthfully I’ve never seen it work one time with a straight face shot clock to six see I come out of post office [Applause] so all postings are Lowery who pokes it away pelicans in possession again Lowery undersized that what does he do pokes the ball away he wants to make sure that he doesn’t get in the position that he can’t handle because of his size that’s the toughness coach nurse was talking about I don’t know fighters went up why are we pushing it off the hesitation sent back to the other way Redick Neely picked it off bad bleep with the high school the song the food [Applause] Ingram yes it’s a free for anger who has shot the ball well stop watching players and see how they return the next year I don’t care about all the talk but what media says I’ve been there I know you get better in the summertime and I tell you what see aqua has embraced his role too and Brandon he’s trying to have a body count because he’s saying listen I’ve been working at whoever gets in front of me can get the business 17 points now for Ingram who was fouled by Lowry second artist Lowry played at him last season with the Lakers averaged 18 points five rebounds and they’re really improved his game when LeBron was injured because he had more playing time or space to operate that’s an offensive foul Derrick Favors Papa tried to charge the defense’s contagious out of nobody he knows that if he does not get to that spot that Lowry and Van Vleet will come over and say listen we’re smaller than you and we take charges more charges than that a game sacrifice for the team he already knows he’s buzzing throttle thanks to the starting lineup while we’ve been asleep on the back cortisol is up [Music] Oh sillies of fakes it counts before I remember it needs to come to the league everyone will say oh my god coming around is so skinny he should gain weight even she gained 30 pounds in the hole they should embrace the body that they haven’t been given better with their skillset and then they’re hard to check the lip of Ingram he’s the size of what Apollo for it used to be now plain somewhat a hybrid point guard at times man doing such a good job letting the game come to him foul committed by at Adobe rather they were lifted at 6:00 I’d want my key I think that’s pretty fair maybe not the 190 maybe they did something but Noah’s tell you what he makes the defenders understand his Heisman every time he catches the ball in the space see hakam’s worry about it full bellies back on the floor and a three-point barrage going in the first half Redick is off without see a key part has returned for two wallets grant lease goes his heart not to step at school and that’s what Toronto we do it until they get their feel they trying to speed it up lost them fall back to the Raptors Norman Powell Serge Ibaka getting set check back in here they come so the public comes with five turnovers here already in the third quarter that’s the worry that’s why I’ve been praising them so much so much so earlier because you look 21 assists on 28 shots but you know that with the younger teams for that bad play it’s the only constant so if you’re the pelicans make sure you communicate on defense come together for switches and then more importantly on offense recognize the hot hand got to give Redick some good shots he’s been trying to chase his own shots that’s when you need veterans to say hold on let’s slow it down and get our guy a good look pelicans sure they got 44% for the right Raptors at 43 halfway through the third quarter Toby [Applause] report Toronto lead upon or by comma floors goes cross-court to Holliday fouled by Seattle to Novi does not play the same position that’s how it should work but I tell you what their bodies are so similar that if I’m watching this game and I’m out there in Washington I’m looking and saying this is how I could spin use my big broad shoulders to ward off shot blockers and still get an easy shot inside a great job attacking the basket at all be listed at six eight a very long should say backs it up on Ibaka they clear it out and cover the shot [Applause] [Music] [Applause] ibaka calling for it down low he has a smaller increments a great job by Ingram fighting to get in the front front of the post a pocke with space and rebounded by more there’s Park all the way and scores but the pace this is what coach ministry does if you don’t know teams even assistants on the players that he has he has a great context of how to get easy buckets but the young team and kind of be a decoy so you can’t see that the team can’t play hashed or overly often what Coach pinch-me does if you don’t know teams he’s been assistants all the players that he has he has a great context of how to get easy buckets with the young team and kind of be a decoy so you can’t see that the team can’t play half-court Oh [Applause] part of the foul so the pelicans with their fourth foul we are four minutes 11 seconds left in this third quarter opening night in the NBA coming up in the second of our doubleheader it’s the Lakers and the Clippers from Staples in LA and that is a clipper don’t leave me after the game I’m trying to get to the hotel to watch it’s right away I have to see this game la versus Natalie gonna be excited there’s William check back here for the wall Kevin Harlan Reggie Miller now they will force the telecast right here on TNT off the pass the entry pass to Ibaka foul is called as he threw the double Alexander Walker who adjustments checked in get rid of the flowers I’ll tell you what it’s gonna be awesome this year in LA the best part about the season is everyone making their predictions and everyone being wrong because something is going to just unfold but I tell you what it’s going to be fun watching that pick and roll with LeBron and ad the length of them is going to be so much fun watching the consistency of the I want to call it arrogance the brashness the defense of the Clippers coming through every night with can’t wait to get home and watch Game two and that’s gonna be that way for every game this season on TNT and it’s only opening height only open tonight I’m excited it was like championship the Western Conference almost every month Oh we’ll have excellent games and is here a fan of a home team you should love it because it’s going to be competitive competitive competitive now that is a over impact [Applause] call by Josh Tippin so the ball goes to New Orleans now let’s see if this second unit can play together as you sit yeah that it was not tip going back and I want to see how these guys adjust whether his heart Alexander to see if they could calm down and get settled into some type of religion it’s a three-second violation so the ball goes back to the Raptors Terrence Davis is back in for Toronto looking from Ole Miss Syfy Toronto as a as a free agent ibaka up top bad bleep deepest by the pelicans denying this for other shot clock how old 4:3 kept alive by Ibaka try to take up to the room study succeeds that flame is called since I got the rebound I don’t care how many people are around me I’m going to get to shooting he’s job dead time for Bob pass Alexander Walker throwing into a crowd here comes then complete an Adobe Capri [Applause] and a foul is called as he got entangled with Hinrich Williams officials talk it over Wilson from Alvin Gentry on this foul by interest and Williams against Serge Ibaka and the call was challenged by Alvin Gentry let’s bring that Joe bush with a senior VP of wrestling operations Joe what were your thoughts yeah Marvin say you have a loose ball foul called on Williams there so the crew chief came over looked at the video and what you see is Williams is grabbing Ibaka shorts ok so that’s where the loose ball foul came in and then they also look to see if Ibaka committed any unsportsmanlike after act afterwards which he did not so this is an unsuccessful challenge and New Orleans is charged with the timeout all right Thank You Josh tomorrow I have a question I was looking at my social media at half time people were asking me is it do you think maybe quick and that’s why we see the judgments of the coach is going for the caulk because they can’t see the instant replay now I would say from the bench area at times it’s very difficult because it depends on when they play the replay in South Jess is more tell you what he’s gonna want to see that replay a lot shooting knocking it down over balk at the top of the key I have a feeling at this stage of the season the coaches are just kind of auditioning fingering the whole challenge concept I think for the most part unless there is a third foul say in the first half called against an important player which might be challenged but watching it unfold isn’t it watching the coaches kind of get a feel for it it was just used in summer league the d-league and I don’t G League and those quote the coaches want to use it as much have to go in this third [Music] [Applause] I come back bleep please Kenneth dosha he’s way downtown it got about a six nine belly goes right out of splits through nobody goes shot clock is out of five new pakka [Applause] Alexander Walker on the drive Williams keeps it alive le for prettiest he has been on fire four for four from downtown his new name is melly-mel I don’t know why I just like the sound of that and I’m gonna give him that name after the rhyming great book man now let’s come inside he’s just stretched the floor knock it down it’s 20 year old rookie who’s played strictly internationally side of the free agent well slap the side off the miss two seconds remaining on the shot blocker was last touched by the father pelicans see Van Vliet take his share of hard falls in his League all and you just hope that his right ankle is okay he steps on a cameraman [Applause] you know he’s limping and – kyle lowery off the bench [Applause] leaders favors that ankle and you hate is a player to be hurt by anything that wasn’t true contact especially incidental contact out of bounds 11 points in this third quarter 11 it was 26 he’s the high point man of the game [Applause] his second differential shot blocking Dean front Alexander Walker working off the pick picks to the ribs and sit out [Applause] kept alive his hoppers it up and a foul is called with two point one remaining in this third quarter [Applause] [Applause] smart play by heart do not know if it is a foul or not what his job is to make you assume it in his one right there with the shot clock running out twisted his body whose ables of maybe sneak one in here get in Alana Josh Hart out three four three at the line see that start line with six rebounds [Applause] two seconds left in the third here’s Lowry from the backcourt that’s the end of the third quarter two-point lead for the Raptors now earlier tonight TNT celebrated the start of the season taking ability of the young pelicans ball getting into the lane five assists holiday five assists why is this so important to a fan like myself well because it’s awesome anytime you can see a young team our Feb 23 assists on thirty-one makes to me that says team has great chemistry great coaching and even though they’re gonna make mistakes are playing the right way and the major question for Toronto is the physical status of sled their leaders have a hot hand high point man with 26 bucks each to up interest ankle just moments ago in late third quarter and if you’re Toronto you’re gonna have to find a way to manufacture points in the paint as fred was doing attacking the guards pelicans in possessions fourth quarter on the way how do they the spires Lowry comes across see ya backs his way and he’ll go to the line that’s that power forward point guard facilitating spot the pelicans were so as it said look no one’s gonna come down wide because he has three point shooters all across the board and this is what she wanted the he’s a 25 attacking the user energy to get that nice second jump how about the stat line to see a can 28 cheap rebounds five assists tomorrow what’s so impressive about what you just said is I did not even think that he was playing that type of game and coach Nick nurses he misses his first free-throw siakam said today I said coach what do you want to see from siakam with the new contract and he said is he still gonna let the game come to him and yes he’s seen he’s not been selfish not had a bunch eternal has tonight been efficient that’s letting the game come to that’s a very happy time for Pascal inside that the four-year 130 billion dollar maximum extension that’s us the exchange rate versus it gets inside and draws the foul just so you’re aware it’s one u.

dollar people today but see Atkins certainly a breakout player last season voted the league’s most improved player averaging just under 17 points 7 rebounds and 3 assists I tell you what his work ethic was incredible watching him works before the games you love seeing players being rewarded congratulations and then now I would tell them where am I going to see you improve what play are you going to become because you’ve already put into work now continue it whether were financial matters involved we like to go to Kristin so let’s check in Marva I did sit down with Kyle Lowry yesterday and when I mentioned Pascal and he called him his rich beloved he said my money’s old money you’ve got that new money he’s exactly what Messiah dreamed of when he drafted him but I went on to say the hard work the continuous growth the evolution of his game he went from the skinny kid running up and down the floor Kyle’s words not mine – G League champion G League MVP the benchmark the most improved player and a max player now he was discovered by the Masai at the NBA’s basketball Without Borders program bathroom actually in his boot boot a player who first spotted he was able to hit Jews along with with threes massage [Music] rousing ovation during the championship ring ceremony when he came out of the court together was it because he won a championship or he didn’t go to Washington to take yes that’s a possibility definitely show their appreciation I even saw interview atomically let’s one go from the top of the key Dover Ibaka but I saw interview with Kawhi Leonard saying that as he goes around the country or goes around the world he has fans from Canada saying hey we love you thank you for what you did for us good luck next season and tell you what those are some special fans because I would be mad like man we’re never gonna win again without 701 for the pelicans [Applause] two-point lead for New Orleans were early fourth quarter hearts grabbed by Seattle puts the speed on his block balls knocked out of bounds last touched by Gotham pelicans I would say the pelicans get the ball upcourt from my court to front court as fast this is any team of the NBA yes this has been coach entry style they did this with a D last year will be played when he didn’t play and I asked coach why I said listen it’s the only way to simplify the games we can get easier buckets when the deepest isn’t looking part upset he feels it Ibaka was moving on that screen and our were told Kristen Ledlow just checking out Fred vanvleet status with the ankle injury he is being we taped he’s back in the Raptor locker room in that little band there is a friend of mine and you just want to keep it moving using that system worked at an equal ups and downs do not let us down I’ve been able to still smaller E is all without it by heart [Music] [Applause] your point mom a were attached the opposite three-point line with 19 the Paul fighting an open heart and more best but you could do when you played play fast pace you don’t have to shoot it the first 10 seconds but he ended up to have coordinated kid a great shot like they did that time with 10 seconds left on the clock we quantify a heart Davis right back with a flurry [Applause] [Music] it’s the downtown so far judges has to time step ball back to belly mill right away look at this color cheese ball moving it was 19 when they got shot just play with pace pants with these young players of the pelicans a good lunch so can you imagine how often playing at this place but what will make you assume they’re going to be effective my disability can jump 44 inches dumped on anyone if one of the fastest runners it illegally that’s all you’re going on part with the rebound Josh Hart is that an outstanding game gets you to Holloway they swagger off the shot attempt by Kent rich Williams which I saw a little Reggie Miller on that play right there and if you know what I mean that’s the kickstand and that right leg seemed to come out come on a foul and it’s learning for the grace let’s look here [Music] that is number four on C a cup a three-point attempt so three shots here for Kendrick Williams second-year man from TCU TCC they call them Kenny hustle undrafted side as a free agent played in the G League and appeared in 46 games for the pelicans season 29 starts inside [Music] Kelly will sit down quite a shooting performance and his NBA debut 15 minutes youko belly hitting 5 for 5 from the field [Applause] how old yes that’s a three for morbid power [Applause] pelicans but the two-point lead holiday gets the screen from goofy Jackson [Applause] Williams going for that rebound deflected it out of Bounce Italy to alibagh here comes Fred vanvleet taped-up back in the locker over give it a shot hears it from the crowd as he checks in and this is again it’s so great to be a fan of his basketball players out here and he showed us his hard to last last season and during the regular season and doing their championship run you knew he was going to be back out here at all [Applause] Jackson comes to the front court backfire and bleep Okafor [Applause] [Music] – got the good wallet or restrictions were lost kept alive our holiday for the quality [Music] [Applause] Powell let’s build the wall again if you the Pelican sees no their attacks siakam for food – if I would say I can his first three-pointer of the night mark gets inside [Applause] phyto almonds we need to settle down if you talked about don’t have that superstar but you do have great teammates that cannot get down this shot right here by the pelicans as long as you here to keep in the flow of golf to Toronto he presented by Auto Trader Kyle Lowry this joyous happy to bring as the Raptors have their fans celebrated earlier tonight and just knowing who Kyle Lowry is and he’s already mentioned taking his trophy back to Philadelphia it was a dream of a lifetime to show the kids in a 4.

2 Auto Lee they have reeled off nine unanswered points to stall committing the foul his second he said what would you say to people like myself and he said you have to play every game and all we can do Maxon at the basket counts is interference on the play and I feel that Kyle Lowry statement summarizes the will of this team whether you believe in us or not our child Frank Jackson the caddie guess it was gold here’s Lowry on the drive beautiful took a shot to the head I think if it was a ring light he may have had a technical in the first quarter on the other his team he was coming in behind the philosophy of lack of respect [Music] I think the referees have been patient tonight mark knowing that the first game of the season over gestures done by players of the direction of officials and other players so they’re not going to accept make sure we keep the integrity of the game the only thing is that again this is the first reality show and the gesture is something you have to have emotion in this game or you can’t be the best player that you want to be and I think the reps have done a great job out tonight letting players VIN letting players have their say and now they’re like shut up last five minutes is on to control the game this ball foul all the pelicans Seminole run by New Orleans they had hit 15 straight up the line before the two free throws with the refs to get across court and he just lived this yeah I’m like you were supposed to be right there jump 30 feet high [Applause] [Music] [Applause] before raptures looking for travels the balls knocked away knocked out of bounds it’ll be Nauticus Paul with 13 on the shot clock you can tell who a coach really trust right now and having harden Jackson in the game not that he doesn’t trust the other players it just shows what they’ve been doing in practice for him to have this confidence and it’s 4:30 lesson again final Wallace JJ ready for the best shooters in our game is over there Sam yeah I do he could knock that down it out I don’t want one so ball who’ve been playing very well early on seeing her little time in the second half yeah and a lot of times it’s not because of the play of the player per se that’s on the bench but maybe eat the play for the combinations that is found on the court right now party Jackson is such a good job as Okafor gyaku to take an extra step inside turnover and a timeout taken by Toronto 409 remaining fourth quarter it’s easy [Music] coming up on four minutes to play in the fourth period Toronto opening night in the NBA the pelicans with a runner of a 4th have a six-point lead our Raptors New Orleans in possession the small comes outside harder than I thought it Mike Jackson just checked the screen and leaked so hard to stop and he keeps attacking this young pelicans team when you talk about the youth of the pelicans again just think about how exciting they are going to be as you see Eddie Griffin there on the side tonight 27 assists on thirty eight shots him at the end of desire you want him to get healthy at home that’s somehow try to find the rhythm the back to my point earlier I just thought that the narrative on his arm was so unfair that he was always hurt where he saw him injure his self in college with in the summer league I didn’t want to play him in the summer league there’s no point to plan into something he wasn’t hurting to someone and of course now we know that he’s happy right knee surgery on this time until you can get to prove yourself on the court [Music] [Applause] before I show it to 240k with create team deploy good job I see Akamai fortunate but the pump fake always work almost got to stay vertical they’re open for did which so hard not to go with your instincts just stick your hand over and go in the cookie jar yeah come neutral that took advantage inside both teams are in the penalty 31 point 17 rebounds method 32 at 17 for siakam nice way to start the new season it is he’s gonna say don’t forget those five assists I’m trying to get people involved just under 3:00 to go here at the fort [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] during the season and he found out that he was allergic to white meat mark I know that’s crazy I told you to Scott I’m not gonna be the one to tell us or even though he did the great reporting but you can tell her okra for his body that there’s a difference in that he is concentrated and he’s concentrated yet in the gym and take care everybody as well [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Wow that would be the worst food and it’s 303 one territory so funny shots coming up have to let the offensive player land I gotta check out if it is in fact a three-point attempt Oh another let’s check it to see if it’s a flavor oh so I think we would call that bizarro maybe Zaza Pachulia specifically on Kawhi Leonard in the corner at Golden State rule you want to get that specific word even though it doesn’t look like it can be flavored and I’m not saying that this play is I’ve seen a lot of dirty not but he is cheap players not that he is they can’t guard guard by putting their foot under you and anybody that does that never was a true player of the game but I don’t think Oprah did that on purpose – we’ll wait and see incidentally Pascal yakking for 34 points 18 rebounds one of only four Raptors who have had 30 points plus and 50-plus rebound Chris Bosh next quarter Hawaiian runner that’s pretty good company and again he did it effortlessly which means he didn’t wave 15 people off you didn’t shoot the ball 10 times in a row and take 8 bad shots he’s let the game come to him and he’s been energy hitting those second jumps those second possessions extra possessions for his team on the offensive board Tony Brown Josh pivot Eric Taylor over at the scorer’s table check out the extent of that foul on what appeared to be a three-point attempt by Lowry right yes no question now they are looking as to whether it was a flavor [Music] they say hopefully gram you can’t really judge of God’s intentions but at the same time your body just takes you that momentum takes you toward that shooter especially as a big part about them I guess more action of sticking your foot way out up under you know really hard to tell so Kyle Lowry 5 for 6 at the line at the game tied at 110 and he has three free throws last time that Kyle Lowry was in uniform for Toronto was at Oracle Arena in Oakland had that magnificent yes twenty six point game six well the 10 assists seven rebounds and knocked off the state title the two more shots Holly G genuine opening week 2019 Thursday with the Bucks of the Rockets o'clock Eastern thought about the Clippers or the Warriors at Houston Rockets debut of James Harden devil also Westbrook facing the honest and the box I cannot wait you’ve seen what have you heard with hardness in the offseason which definitely players some players agree with and reigning MVP coming in they’re all fans high schools to fight holiday to tie the game could you come on small and wanna see you Kabakov want to take advantage of male inside not you must use the defense and pace to get savant over disabilities budget got out of four with a clutch three-pointer the pelicans take a quarter opening night of the NCAA here TMG come on now we right there okay I have everybody rebound we got to be able to contain the ball we got to do a better job of containing the ball where are we going with it those on defense this season as head coach of the pelicans Alvin Gentry his team is up by three 125 where we’re going to win it is on defense pelicans make sure you listen to that more on your speech Elly kicks it out yes Loretta could wanna get that shot off the foot tough jump shot yeah bodies hanging all over him they were so close they just didn’t follow him but young kids it was the footwork and his concentration and knock down the shot [Applause] [Applause] these teams may not have a star but these teams have veterans and look with the veteran JJ Redick guards you can agree with the call or not but he puts his self in a position to have the ref make a tough call JJ Redick if he can knock down the shot that he can get it done on the other end as well and this is one of those situations where perhaps yes Nick nurse might think maybe I should have held the challenge yes yes and this is fun watching the evolution of this rule and how coach is handling marvelous but I agree with you unless it’s a foul maybe an extra file and excessive foul on your star players you may be smart to say that’s in a wait a minute so the icon fouls out it has been a batter night for Pascal see back in 34 points eight rebounds five assists [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Laughter] salad diva Toronto but they were helped out by the pelicans whose listen wide open middle at the top but it does not matter that this may be the smallest backcourt in the game with Lowry and bam bleep they may also be one of the toughest Lowry 7 of 9 from the line his fourth and it’s a one-point game Raptors have one timeout left pelicans have two both teams in the bonus well you always want to keep things simple with the younger team and so I wouldn’t go to the one here I would take the best shot available according to the philosophy of coach Gentry 9 Toronto you just want to make sure you get a stop and if I am the pelicans I am looking at the mismatch going to the pick-and-roll at the saw trying to get mail and open shot Pascal the active has fouled out [Applause] [Music] [Applause] so the Raptors have a chance to pull it out here at the final second the pelicans got the play they wanted but not a shot they missed it so if you look here they want to get the consultant to the picker more watch them go right away Gasol does a great job of coming out hedging that means he does not let his man get a wide-open look now that they cannot go to the original play they’re looking trying to figure something out not enough covers and the spacing is it right at the end they got the mismatch they wanted they did not get the play they want to execute at the end it’s the final timeout for the Raptors elegance do have a timeout left what are you looking for from Nick knows what I’m looking for from Nick nurses now that you don’t have see Aquaman bleeding then your best penetrator all night but Van Vleet either in a clear-out role it’s called a14 where you put them feet at the top and all other four players on the baseline to give him space if he has tile and others on the floor that means he could be a great decoy either attacked foot score or attack to draw the defense kicked out to one of the shooters [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] that’s been attacking the bat could you have shooters around you do not want a 50-footer the last second unless his name becomes 5 117 Toronto without Pascal see I can be fouled out after scoring 34 holding down 18 rebounds behind the pelicans Brandon a trip with 22-fret back pleat has put up pretty rewarding for the Raptors that’s why I thought that bleep would take the last shot but don’t understand that but I bet you that Van Vleet will take it upon herself next time to try to get that ball in and now it’s very important if your consol the saw can you stay in guarding the perimeter shooter will Toronto use you in the post to score and to facilitate the Lakers of the Clippers from Los Angeles coming up on TNT after this game is over but it is starting out on NBA TV with Kevin Harlan and Reggie Miller his towel to the rim that’s what you want to get that amuses have led a fertility get inside locked Oh ball back on the fourth hot plate of some time ready fire so impressive its footwork yes is shot we know about this shot for this three-point attempt but now with four threes 16 points at all beside an excellent game gets into the lane ricotta pie Gasol Gentry changed his lineup again you have ball in with all four starters and mail shows you coach Jimmy he’s getting his rhythm is the closest to your two shot partially deflected a possible deflection actually was deflected off the front rim rebounded by Powell the coaches at there in the first game as well so they’re taking time to find the new chemistry to find new units that played together guys are showing different phases of their games tonight so an adjustment for everybody the first couple of weeks the sole for free this all is just 1 of 8 from the field pelicans by water and in possession as we talked three minutes to play him his five headed over time Kelly is fouled by Gasol there are favors we’ll check it those are looking for the Lakers the Clippers you can to to md80 the start of the game while we try to take it away but a foul is called all the lectures it’s on lalalina perform so lots of ball will put it in play like tightly by Powell [Music] eager we want that back so you can shoot it favors is actually trying to get position to get the rebuttal this all up top how old how you get your rhythm and know you’re allowed to shoot three-pointers on this team which is the lefty use your size your strength inside such a great pass which always makes you dual threat finish it inside strong Gasol to foul off Derrick Favors [Applause] play from Marc Gasol who has had a quiet hide on the offensive to play off the dribble into the lair tied at 122 he got bailed out ahead he had no shot at a shot wondering what comes in to be jumped up from over there foul ball is almost saying that he was fouled on the shot I’m wondering how does that happen but Kyle Lowry being aggressively Mauri mention dude and last time he played and go to state 26 points and he’s been a player of the jollies to talk about where is he shown up in the playoffs in last year he’s shown that you know he’s gonna be steady on the defensive end and now I think he has even more confidence in his offensive game Kyle coming back from a series of injuries back from surgery repairing a torn he’ll showed up for training camp for the u.

Raptors up by 2 [Applause] [Music] [Applause] sigh we gotta buy powell what up tough didn’t know that time he should trust favors again in pasadena kind of got stuck and hesitated in the air little junk shop Wow [Music] [Applause] you [Music] [Music] welcome back to Toronto where the Raptors are up now check this out he was assaulted such a good shooter he puts holiday in a tough position how they didn’t know whether to stun him or to get back at VanFleet and it’s all because the sock is space the floor up there no matter what his shooting percentage is tonight and such a good passer he makes the right decision hits the bland beat he knocks it down better 27 remaining it over time come against us now with one timeout remaining and you have a foul to give Toronto also has a foul to give and they have their two timeouts left and if you’re the pelicans do you want the best shot available first you don’t want to force it three or force it to the rim you want to play within your office and get the best look that you can right away before it’s off for four points here about the stretch of overtime [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] up to that point Bali will head to the line that’s what you understand about Lowry not only is going to be consistent in effort but consistent in being aggressive check that foul to give so now they’ll be on the bonus five on the shot clock [Applause] with 14 points three to go and at eight-point lead for the Raptors so I saw picks up number five the Raptor is the start of their 25th season they open up as the champions celebrated championship backer and win by his huddle a supply [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Kristen Ledlow so long well the Scotiabank Arita it it like this that’s a way as we said it kept it Harlem [Applause].

from IPTVRestream https://iptvrestream.net/us/toronto-raptors-vs-new-orleans-pelicans-full-game-22102019/ from https://iptvrestream.tumblr.com/post/629434420035796993

from Best IPTV Channels - Blog https://reneturgeon.weebly.com/blog/toronto-raptors-vs-new-orleans-pelicans-full-game-221020199383566

0 notes

trandangelilber · 4 years

Text

Toronto Raptors vs New Orleans Pelicans Full Game 22.10.2019

com is the official source for all NBA Tickets even for sold-out game start research now at NBA tickets.

from IPTVRestream https://iptvrestream.net/us/toronto-raptors-vs-new-orleans-pelicans-full-game-22102019/ from IPTV Restream https://iptvrestream.tumblr.com/post/629434420035796993 from Best IPTV Channels https://reneturgeon.tumblr.com/post/629435473738301440

0 notes

reneturgeon · 4 years

Text

Toronto Raptors vs New Orleans Pelicans Full Game 22.10.2019

com is the official source for all NBA Tickets even for sold-out game start research now at NBA tickets.

from IPTVRestream https://iptvrestream.net/us/toronto-raptors-vs-new-orleans-pelicans-full-game-22102019/ from IPTV Restream https://iptvrestream.tumblr.com/post/629434420035796993

0 notes