#TFC December challenge

[itwasthereaminuteago]

|| Rough Road ||

Frank Castle x female Reader.

Tags/warnings: 'annoying acquaintances of circumstance' to lovers, fingering, oral (f rec), unprotected sex (wrap in RL!), swears 😯

Author's note: This is for the TFC December fic challenge 'Snowed In', so check the tags for more!

If you enjoy my fics please consider reblogging, it means others get to enjoy them too! Thank you so much for reading! 💕

"I think we should try and find somewhere to pull over." you say to Frank. You had been driving for hours and the snow was coming down harder now.

"Mm, I'm pretty sure there's a motel about 15 miles ahead, we can make it, get a couple of rooms and start again in the morning." He replies, concentrating on the road.

You stare up through the windscreen at the neverending horizonless thick grey-white of the sky and the flurry of heavy flakes building up on the road ahead of you. "I don't think we'll make it that far."

Sure enough after another couple miles the road became impassable, you had hardly seen any other cars ahead of you or coming the other way for most of the drive. It was gonna get dark fairly soon.

"Shit." Frank says simply, turning off the ignition after he stopped the van at the side of the road.

"Thank fuck I've got cell service" you say, "I'm gonna call for a truck."

While you were on the phone Frank checked his paper maps for the nearest habitations, but there was nothing that warranted risking trying to walk through a snowstorm at night.

"Okay, the rescue company is dealing with shitloads of people in similar situations and 'cos we've got a van and some supplies they're saying we're further down the list. Earliest they could get to us is tomorrow morning."

"Alright, well they'll probably have cleared the roads by then. Guess that ain't too bad. Just gotta hunker down for the night."

You kicked at the dash in frustration. "Urgh. I told you we should've left after the storm, now we're stuck here in your stupid van, which stinks by the way."

"Stinks?" He screwed up his face in disbelief. "What of? I keep it clean!"

"Of you!"

"Listen, as much as you're a complete pain in my ass it was too dangerous to wait in the city any longer. Now the Russians associate you with me…"

You threw your head back against the rest and sighed. "Yeah. I know. Just gotta lay low for a while." you parroted.

"This ain't exactly my idea of heaven either sweetheart."

You hated when he called you that. Even though it was just an automatic thing for him and it didn't mean anything it really annoyed you. He reached into the back bringing out a pack of cards from the seemingly random selection of shit he had squirreled away there. "Imagine you don't wanna talk about what happened, so it's this or I-Spy."

You groaned and nodded as you whiled away an hour or so playing blackjack until your hungry stomach noises got too loud to ignore.

"Alright, chicken or beef sub?" he asked, diving into the backpack.

You chose the chicken.

"Damn, this is really good. You pick them up before we left? Where from?"

"Made em." He replied, taking a bite of his own.

"Huh." You mused, digging in again.

"Surprised I can make a sandwich?" He scoffs.

You shrug. "Surprised you can make a good sandwich. Guess being ex-marine you gotta have some talents."

"You got no idea." He throws you a wink as he takes a sip of coffee from the thermos and you roll your eyes.

After another hour of whooping his ass at blackjack and a lightning quick excursion into the nearby trees and back to relieve yourself, your yawns and heavy eyelids make it clear that you're gonna have to go to sleep at some point soon.

"Does one of us, uh, need to keep watch or something?" You ask him, watching as he crawls into the back of the van and starts digging out a mat, a singular sleeping bag and blanket.

"Nah. Even if they did send someone to follow us ain't nobody getting through this, we're safe enough." He rolled out the bag and caught your awkward look.

You wrapped your arms around you, it was getting cold now the residual heat from the van had disappated. "So… just the one lot of bedding then?"

He nods. "Yeah, usually just me in here y'know, with all my stank."

You rolled your eyes again. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense."

He has to resist the urge to let you panic about sleeping beside him for a while longer, he's not that cruel. "It's okay, you can have it. I'll be alright up front." He sees your visible relief as you process what he's said, nodding and rummaging in your pack for the toothbrush and toiletries you'd thankfully picked up at your last gas stop, there having been no time to grab anything but the absolute ultimate essentials before you left.

The thick layer of snow that had built up around and on top of the van probably provided quite a bit of insulation, but that didn't exactly stop you from being fucking freezing. You tried to snuggle up deeper into the sleeping bag, all your clothes and a beanie on and the blanket on the top, but you were still cold. You tilted your head up to glance at Frank in the passenger seat, still awake with his jacket on and arms wrapped around himself tight, the occasional puff of his breath misting the air.

"You awake?" You ask, already knowing he was.

"Yeah. You alright?"

"Cold."

"Yeah."

The silence between you seemed to stretch on forever. You pull the blanket tighter around you.

Fuck it. "Uh, if you want, you could come back here, share the blanket? And y'know, body heat will help I guess."

"Thought you couldn't stand my stink?" He throws back at you.

"Well, the cold is kinda trumping that, but it's fine if you don't wanna… just thought it is your stuff after all, don't wanna put you out of your own van."

"Nah, s'good idea." he agrees, climbing into the back with you. You shiver at the initial chill as he lifts the edge of the blanket to lie next to you, your back to his. His jacket is cold against you but after a while you began to warm up, stopping your shivering and finding yourself drifting easily to sleep.

When you wake up it's still dark but you're warm, hot even. As you gradually gain a bit more consciousness you realise that the reason is because Frank has you in a bear hug. He must have turned around in his sleep. His arm is draped over you, big hand splayed over your stomach pulling you impossibly close to him. The only skin contact is his nose at the back of your neck, the warm exhales tickling the light hair there.

It's… pleasant, maybe even something more. He actually smells good. You smile to yourself thinking about the juxtaposition of this killing machine, this angry guard dog let off the chain being a big soft snuggly puppy of a man behind closed doors.

You shift slightly in his hold and then freeze.

Okay, maybe not so soft…

Despite the layers of clothing and a sleeping bag between you, it's unmistakable that it's his cock that's hard and pressing against your ass. You try to rationalise. It's just a normal bodily response after all, but do you dare move? What if he wakes up and it gets awkward, you've got a lot of driving still to do if this snow ever clears…

Any control is taken away from you as Frank stretches momentarily and then wraps you even tighter in his arms, his nose nuzzling into your skin and hips slowly grinding against you with a quiet contented moan. He suddenly stops, pulls away as he wakes and realises where he is, where you are, and what he's doing.

"Shit, fuck…" he turns away from you as he sits up scrubbing his hand over his face. "I'm sorry, I uh… it's uh, been a while since… y'know?"

The blanket rustles softly as you shrug.

"Fuck, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-" He cuts himself off as his eyes adjust to the darkness, his ears registering the sound of the sleeping bag zip being opened and his gaze finding the smallest glimmer of soft light reflected in your own.

"It's okay. S'been a while for me too," you admit. This might be the stupidest decision you've ever made when it comes to sex, or even when it comes to roadtrips, but you can't seem to override it. Not when he looks at you like that, smells like that, makes you feel like that. He saved your life but you don't think that's all it is.

You slough off your defensive dislike and begin to embrace something that at least feels real.

His face is a picture in the dim snow-reflected light within the van as you reach for him, pulling his warmth and his lips towards you. He's taken aback, but his hand cups your jaw and you find yourself surprised by the tenderness with which his mouth meets your own. You don't waste a second, catching his wrist and guiding him down to palm over your chest, quickly leading his hand under the waistband of your pants so he can feel just how much he's affected you in this short space of time. It's like you're trying not to have the time to think about it. You both carry ghosts from your past that you've never openly shared, but you know, simply from the slight hesitation in his touch even as you urge him on.

The tender kisses soon heat up. "Call me sweetheart again." You breathe against his mouth, and he groans deep as his fingers meet with the wetness at your core. Your own hands explore underneath his jacket, fingers feeling the hard muscle of his chest under his shirt. You reach down to cup his cock through his jeans and then tug at them, moaning as he hurries to unbutton your pants so he can swipe his fingers through your slick folds. His mouth is on your skin, hungry to taste more of you as you scrabble to undo his pants too, urging them and his underwear down just enough to free his gloriously erect cock. He helps you wriggle halfway out of your pants too and now you're jacking each other off like a couple of teenagers, his fingers slippery and desperate over your throbbing clit, and yours covered with sticky precum as you wrap your hand around and stroke him.

"Oh shit…" you whine, as he skillfully brings you closer to the edge, your hips moving against his hand as he watches you. You forget the cold, gasping as he slips a finger inside you, your grip tightening around his cock making him grunt in such a delicious way that you can't help the words spilling from your lips.

"Frank, fuck me, please!" You're begging, you've never begged for anything other than to stay alive, but you need this, you want to feel him inside you, there's nothing else that will satisfy the ache.

He pauses, staring at you like you've just proposed or something. It takes him a hot minute to register what you're saying, but once those words sear into his brain he moves fast, lips sucking and kissing at the skin of your neck like a brand as he yanks your pants all the way down and off, his mouth following. He pushes up your shirt when he gets to the hem, his tongue trailing right up the centerline of your body to your bra where he mouths over the curve of your breasts before pulling down a cup. You arch your back as he takes your peaked nipple between his lips before he continues downward.

You claw at his shoulders as his nose bumps at the front of your underwear, just giving your clit the barest pressure, teasing you instead of giving you what you need, but you soon change your mind as he hooks his fingers under the elastic pulling them off you so he can bury his face in your pussy. He presses your thighs apart, holding you down as your hips try to rise up to meet the mind melting sensation of his tongue on you, in you. You moan, curse, and praise him as he quickly stokes your need and desire into a sharp dense point where you can do nothing else but implode in on yourself, screaming his name as he makes you feel.

He rises from between your thighs, licking his glistening lips with a small smile. It looks good on him.

"You alright, sweetheart?"

"Getting warmer, could be better." You throw back as you catch your breath and return the smile, yanking him back over you and using your feet to help him push his pants all the way off. When you take him in your hand again his gaze flits between your eyes and your mouth, which he claims in a hot kiss as you guide him to you, reveling in the feeling of the head of his thick cock spearing inside your heat.

"God damn." is all he can say, and you can only agree as he repeats it like a mantra as the slow slide of his cock filling and stretching your cunt has your eyes almost rolling back into your head with a long and loud moan.

You wrap your legs around his waist as he rolls his hips into you, the mental and physical battle he's fighting between going slowly, gently, and pounding you fucking senseless is palpable. He's drawing out sounds that you would never even make when you're alone. It might just be because you haven't had any form of touch from anyone for a long time, but you're more certain that it's all him that's making you flustered, hitting all your spots and stripping you down to a bare wire of being with nothing but his soft dark eyes.

That growling, barking, flesh-ripping fighting dog is still there underneath, you can feel how he holds it inside himself, yanking at the chain and always ready to be released when there's a need. The fact that he's driven you out of the city is proof that he actually cares what the fuck happens to you, and that sort of blows your mind. You could have easily gone alone, you were ready to jump on a Greyhound and make your own way but he wouldn't have it. He made you his responsibility. Yeah he was a killer but he was also a protector. Your protector.

He wasn't much of a talker but with his dick buried inside you he's soon gritting out reams of praise that have you clenching around him and mewling as his hand squeezes over the firm curve of your ass.

"Feel so good girl, s'fucking tight…"

You inhale sharply as he reaches between your hot skin to find your clit and ensure that you feel what he's feeling. Your fingernails graze over his scalp and the short hair at the nape of his neck as you pull him even closer, your second orgasm building up fast as he drives into you over and over.

"Ohh, god-"

"That's it sweet thing," he murmurs against your ear as the indescribable feeling of his cock dragging inside has you both on the very edge. "C'mon angel, such a good girl f'me."

You keen at the praise, something he'd unlocked from your subconscious with the simplest key, something even you didn't know you would react to. "Fuck… you're gonna make me-"

Frank feels you start to shake around him, moving his fingers even faster over that swollen little bundle of nerves. It's too much.

"Shit. You feel too fuckin' good, I gotta-" He moves to pull out suddenly and you claw at his ass stopping him before he does, you'll be damned if you don't feel him come inside you.

You whine as he stills. "Fuck! Don't stop, don't fucking stop…"

He looks for your assurance. "You sure? You want this?" his voice is quieter now, wavering. If you say yes he doesn't know that he'll last.

You nod frantically, tilting your hips up, wrapping your arms around his neck, the movement making him groan as you feel like utter heaven around him. He never thought you could be so soft, so open, needy.

The van rocks gently on its suspension as he resumes, every powerful thrust as he's fucking you punching such beautiful sounds from your throat. He can feel every gripping twitch of your perfect cunt as you begin falling apart underneath him, so tight, hot, and wet and quietly begging him to fill you. Your nails dig into the muscle of his huge shoulders and your mouth falls open, thighs tightening their hold around his waist as your moans crest. Don't stop, you told him, and he briefly wonders how he thought he ever could when you feel like this.

"Good girl, fuck- that's my good girl…" it's whispered and desperate, he's barely holding on by a hair.

The possessiveness in his words makes your eyes scrunch up tight and your body open. His cock is hitting you hard right where you need it, the focused touch of his fingers radiating out and burning you up.

"F-frank I-"

You unravel, crying out as you clench around him again and again as torrents of pleasure rip through your entire body. Your eyes fly open, locked on his, determined to witness how he might follow you into bliss. Your hips buck up chasing his own, his harsh warm breath washing over your skin with a deep, sensual moan as he finally lets go, pulsing inside you, not stopping the slowing, stuttering motion of his thrusts until he's given you absolutely everything he's got.

Laying there still entwined, a deep satisfying rumble from Frank's chest breaks the contrasting near-silence as he carefully rolls you on top of him and strokes his fingers lightly over your cheek and along your jaw, sliding them into your hair as his lips brush yours in a soft kiss.

"Frank..." you hum, your forehead resting on his. You can't stop your small nervous giggle as you're still unsure about what this is.

"Yeah." is all he says in return, his hands gliding down over your bare back and your hips, the sleeping bag and blankets forgotten now that inside the van had become a damn sight warmer. The windows with the covering of snow on the outside almost glow through the misting from your body heat on the inside of the glass. It's like you're trapped in a snowglobe. The image soon shatters as your mind clears from the dreamy fog of what you've just done.

"Shit. I-I'm sorry, I know that you-" you start to explain all the reasons that you know this is just a one-time thing, more for yourself than him, but he stops you before you can reel off the excuses.

"Hey," he says, gently catching your chin in his hand and running his fingers lightly over your skin. "We don't need to do all that shit, y'know?"

You can't help looking anywhere but in his eyes.

"Hey, c'mon, it's okay." He repeats.

You wish he wasn't like this, wish he would be colder with you, go back to the sniping, reluctant, thrown-together partnership, or whatever it was you had before. It takes effort but when you manage to meet the warmth of his gaze it feels like something you could get used to looking at.

"Look, it is what it is, yeah? I'm gonna keep you safe, no matter what."

You nod and allow him to pull you close to his chest, feeling the rise and fall of his breath and the thump of his heart through his ribcage.

"It is what it is," you murmur, your eyes growing heavy as you melt into sleep.

Frank tags:

@divinearchangel @saintmurd0ck @castlesnchurches @mindidjarin @hellskitchenswhore @pedrito-friskito @sweetieswiftie @shedaresthedevil @freshabogados

@father4giveme @stress--relief @e-dubbc11 @whistle1whistle @tea-and-wine @emiemiemiii @imherefordeanandbones @phoebe-danvers @munsonownsmyass

#TFC December challenge #frank castle x reader #the punisher x female reader #the punisher smut #frank castle smut #TFC challenge #frank castle x female reader

[skvatnavle]

Matt Murdock x reader

Warnings: None, really. Some swear words, fluff, a little dash of pining and some kissing.

Notes: On my discord server, Thirsty for Cox, we were a few people who thought it would be fun with a monthly challenge. This is the result of that. This month's prompt was Snowed in.

Words: 1.4K

”Fuck! Matt, we were supposed to take that exit! Why didn’t you say anything?” you groan out in frustration, already so late and fearing for the weather. The sky had gotten darker by each passing minute, the forecast saying a snowstorm was coming.

“Well, next time you shouldn’t choose the blind guy as your navigator.”

Out of the corner of your eye, you see the signature Murdock head tilt followed by a small frustrated smile.

“Shit, Matt. I’m sorry.” You try, reaching out to give his arms a soft squeeze. He’s so capable that you often forget he’s blind. But luckily you’ve known each other for years, so he knows you mean no offense. It had been several years since you met Matt, one weekend when Foggy had invited you to visit him at college. 

“It’s okay, Nugget.” He grins, knowing you still hate that nickname. Him and Foggy had teased you relentlessly when you were younger. Sometimes, they still made you feel like you were just a kid, but you loved them both nonetheless. You’re just about to shoot something back at Matt, when he leans forward, putting a hand over yours. “Is the winds picking up?”

Almost panicked, you look to the horizon. The dark skies are close and the trees are swaying more by the minute. And then it hits. The first snowflake soon turns into a blizzard, making it hard for you to see anything. You’re still an hour and a half away from home, but you fear you’re not gonna make it.

“Fuck. I’m not a good enough driver to go through this shit.” You pout, causing Matt to chuckle beside you. He gives a comforting pat on your leg, trying to calm your nerves.  “I’m sorry if I get us killed.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll make it. Where are we?” He says softly, really doing his best to remain calm and focused, while you’re slowly panicking beside him. You read some of the signs out loud for him and he just smiles. “There’s a little bed and breakfast a few miles from here.”

“And how do you know that?” You ask, surprised that Matt has been here before. He usually never leaves Hell’s Kitchen and when he does, it’s with Foggy.

“I plead the fifth.”

“Oh, fuck off Murdock. I refuse to stay at one of your sex cabins.” You tease, but deep down you feel a pang of jealousy. You’ve always liked Matt, maybe more than you should, so the thought of possibly staying in a room where he’s been with a girlfriend pains you. 

“I never had sex there. Not yet, anyway.” He smirks, clearly trying to rouse you and you hate that it’s working. You punch his shoulder, trying to ignore the feeling deep in your stomach. You know Matt will never see you as anything other than Foggy’s little sister. 

At the next exit, you turn and after a short while arrive at a beautiful little Bed and Breakfast. It’s looks magical in the snow, almost like taken out of a fairytale. Quickly you gather your things and run inside, the few seconds outside enough to freeze you to the core. Luckily, there’s one room left and you take it, happy to be out of the storm.

Once in the room, you quickly call Foggy and explain the entire situation to him. The entire family had been worried about you, fearing the worst since you should have arrived hours ago. The whole family is gathered for Christmas already, it’s only you and Matt missing. He had some business he needed to take care of, so while Foggy took off, you volunteered to stay back. But now you wish you had left yesterday.

“I’m sorry about this, Nugget.” Matt tries softly, when he hears the frustrated sigh you let out. He pulls you into a hug, kissing the top of your head softly. “I know you just want to be home already.”

“It’s fine, Matt.” You mutter, already forgetting that you’re not home now that you’re in Matt’s arms. He holds you for a while and you melt into his touch, wondering if you’ll ever get enough of him. You know you can’t have him, Foggy would kill you, but you sometimes wonder how it would be. Coming home to him after a long day at work. Making him dinner as you talk about your days. Having his soft, perfect lips on yours. His strong body on top of yours as he-

“You okay, Nugget? your heart’s racing.” Matt asks softly, caressing your arm. And no, you’re not okay. You’re hopelessly in love with Matt Murdock, but you can never tell him. Could you?

Breaking away from him, you look to the ground, always finding it hard to meet his gaze even though you know he can’t see you. You always feel like he can though, like he’s the only one that ever sees you truly. Shaking your head, you try to forget that thought. You can’t think like that, especially not now when you’re trapped with him in this room until tomorrow. So you settle for a ‘I’m okay’, knowing you can’t fool him. But you try. For your own sake.

He doesn’t press you further, just settles on the bed, getting comfortable. The silence between you is deafening all of a sudden, which is rare, cause you always have something to talk about. You wish one of you could say something, that anything would break the silence. As if he read your mind, he finds the remote and turns on the tv. More for your sake than his, but you are thankful, nonetheless. 

An hour later you order room service. The meal is actually quite good, and the wine Matt ordered is even better, so you feel yourself letting loose. After the second glass, you’re both more relaxed and by the time Matt pours from the second bottle, you feel better than you have in a long time. Sitting against the headboard of the bed, you lean against Matt, laughing hard at one of his stories. He always had this ability to make you laugh harder than anyone else could.

“You should have seen Foggy. He was fuming! Still to this day, I don’t think he’s forgiven me for that.” He laughs, falling into you. Your sides are hurting from laughing. If Matt really is that funny or if the wine’s just getting to you, you don’t know. But you feel good again, already forgotten about the horrible car ride.

“Thank you, Matty.” You giggle, kissing his cheek briefly. Right now, your family was probably playing some game or watching a christmas movie, but honestly you wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

“I’m glad I got you smiling again.” He says softly, his hand cupping your cheek. You look into his beautiful hazel eyes, your heart beating a mile a minute. Maybe it’s the alcohol, maybe you’re just drunk on Matt, but you feel your resolve getting weaker for every second.

“You always make me smile, Matty.” You say, hating how your voice breaks. “I… I’m always happiest when I’m with you.” You know you shouldn’t say anything, that you should keep pretending, but how could you when he’s right here, still holding you close.

“Foggy’s gonna kill me.” He breathes out, before his lips land on yours. Your body ignites, the small flame burning for him turning into an inferno as he deepens the kiss, pulling you closer. You should stop him, he never should have kissed you. You don’t care, fingers running through his hair as the kiss turns hungry, years of want pouring into it. 

“Just to be clear. This is not because of that ‘not sex yet’ comment. I’ve wanted to do this for years.” Matt says between kisses, his hand gripping your waist as he pulls you under him.

“Wait, for years?” You stop him with a hand to his chest, shocked by his confession. “Then why didn’t you do something sooner?” 

“Foggy… I can’t lose him.” You hear the fear in his voice, knowing how much he means to Matt. With all his family gone, all he had for years was Foggy. 

“I know you won’t. You mean too much to him.” You reassure him, kissing him gently. “But he’ll probably get mad, so let’s not say anything until after Christmas?” You suggest, causing Matt to chuckle.

“Sounds like a good idea.”

His hazel eyes look to you, his eyes almost finding yours. For a while you just lay there, taking each other in, before Matt breaks the silence. “God, sweetheart. I’m so in love with you.”

“I’m in love with you too, Matt. More than you know.” You whisper back before you kiss him again. The snow is still falling outside, almost covering the Bed and Breakfast. It looks like you might not be able to leave tomorrow, but that’s okay. You’re no longer in a rush to get home.

Thank you so much for reading <3

TFC girls: @e-dubbc11 @mindidjarin @phoebe-danvers @itwasthereaminuteago @idrinkcoffeeandobsess @saintmurd0ck @pedrito-friskito @a-bang-for-your-bucky @lunaserenade @mattmurdocksscars

Tagging: @lucy-sky @fictionaljunkie @chasingdreamer @freshabogados @murdocks-devil

#Matt murdock x reader #matt murdock fanfiction #daredevil fanfiction #tfc december challenge #tfc writing challenge #thirsty for cox writing challenge #matt murdock

[munsonownsmyass]

When Snow Falls

Matthias Helvar x reader

Summary: Caught outside during a snowstorm, you're thankful your fjerdan neighbor comes to your rescue.

Authors note: This is my contribution to the TFC challenge. Us girlies on the Thirsty for Cox discord thought it would be a fun idea. Masterlist to all the stories will be linked here, once it's out.

Also, you can't tell me Matthias Helvar isn't either a virgin or very inexperienced. Look at how he acts around Nina in Shadow and Bone. This is the hill I die on. But maybe I'll change that 😜

Warnings: pining... so much pining its disgusting. Fluff, some fjerdan language (everything should be translated). Kissing, SMUT! 18+. The softest sex (unprotected) I've ever written. I'm so sorry, but they're in love.

Hajefetla means Songbird

Part 1 -

It didn’t take long before the leaves fall from the trees and the winds started getting colder. Winter was coming and while others might hate this time of year, this was one of the reasons you moved here. You had always loved the snow and knew Maine had some cold, snowy winters and you just couldn’t wait to be curled up in a blanket next to the fire, looking out over the snow-covered forest.

A week later you got your wish. The first day of snow fall was an absolute dream. Röed was running around, trying to catch the falling snow while you just stood there on the porch, watching quietly as the warm colors of autumn gave away for winter. In no time at all, a white blanket covered the forest. Almost like the forest was getting a clean slate.

The daily trips through the forest were getting harder, but you still did them. Mostly because Matthias often was waiting with some hot chocolate or mulled wine, if you made the journey to his house. The two of you had gotten friendlier. Matthias was still shy at times, but slowly he opened up and told you more of his home and past. He hadn’t lived an easy life, so you were glad he had found some peace here in the wilderness.

And so had you. Never felt more at home, like you’d finally found your place. You had also found inspiration again, the words flowing out onto the pages. A certain encounter had ignited the light within you and you already had several chapters of your newest novel ready. Some day you would have to thank Matthias for the inspiration.

Pushing away from the desk, you need a break after a long day writing. Röed nudges your hand, whining softly. You know she wants to go out, but the weather had taken a turn for the worse. Arguing with her on how it’s gonna be a short trip, you put on your coat and boots, nearly getting knocked over by the wind when you open the door. Before you can stop her, Röed runs off into the woods.

“Röed, stop!” You try, but she doesn’t listen. Running after her, you hope you catch her before she gets to far. The forecast had called for a storm and you did not want to get stuck out here. Soon you loose your orientation, seeing nothing but white and trees.

“Röed! Come here girl!” You shout, barely audible over the strong wind. The cold is seeping through your clothes, making you shiver. Limbs start to go numb, and you can barely move your fingers, trying your best to shield them from the cold. “Where are you?! RÖED!”

You fight through the thick dunes of snow, feeling like you hardly move as the winds keep knocking you back. Everything is white and you can’t see where you are anymore. Slowly you start to panic, imagining the worst. What if you don’t find your way home? What if you get lost? Fuck. What if you freeze to death?

“HAJEFETLA!! Over here!” You hear a voice in the distance, distorted by the heavy winds. Looking around, you see nothing besides snow and trees. “Matthias?!”

“Come on, we need to get out of the storm!” He shouts, taking your hand in his as he guides you through the storm.

Suddenly, you feel a pair of strong arms wrap around you and without thinking you scream. “Calm down, min hajefetla.” Matthias says softly, turning you around to face him. Relived to be saved, you lunch forward, throwing your arms around him.

“But Röed… I need to find her!” You sob, the exhausting and cold starting to break you down. Matthias stops when he hears the distress in your voice, pulling his coat off before wrapping it around you.

“She’s already in my cabin. That’s why I came looking for you.” His words are soft, laced with concern for you. You tug at the coat, realizing he must be freezing. But before you can take it off, he stops you with a smile. “I’m Fjerdan. I’ve been through worse.”

Outside, the snow keeps falling, the dunes growing at a rapid speed. It wont take long before the house is covered and you won’t be able to leave. With a gentle tap on your shoulder, you look up to find a hot cup of tea and as you take it, Matthias sits down beside you, looking out through the window.

Stumbling through the front door, you are instantly hit by the warmth of his cabin. Röed and Trassel greets you both as you shed the cold and wet layers. You mutter a curse under your breath and Röed knows she’s in bad standing, hiding her muzzle in Trassel’s side. In a matter of seconds, you’re placed in front of the fire with a blanket, while Matthias is warming some water.

He keeps looking at you, making sure you’re okay. The kind gesture makes you smile, the butterflies in your stomach you're always feeling in his presence, suddenly feeling like an entire swarm.

“What?” you grin, hating the way the sound of Matthias speaking his native tongue makes your body tingle. He smiles softly, cheeks turning pink as he leans in a little closer. “It means ‘Welcome and wait out the storm’. Since we’re stuck, I might as well teach you some Fjerdan.”

“Looks like you have to stay. I won’t let you out in that storm again.” You just nod, silently agreeing. Matthias takes some of the blanket, before he holds up the cup in a cheer. “Jormanen end denam danne näskelle.”

The hours go by as the snow grows higher. It’s lucky Matthias was used to weather like this from home, so he had already stuck up on food, beverages and enough firewood for a day or two. You silently thank Röed for running off, cause if you’d been stuck at home, you would probably have freezed to death or starved. Not much of a survivalist, you’re very thankful you have Matthias. Especially now, as he turns out to be quite good company. With most of the shyness gone, you’ve talked nonstop since you came.

“So… ‘Dja jarmin ness’? is that right?” You try and by Matthias’ soft giggle, you realize you’re way off. Punching his shoulder playfully, you feign being hurt. “Well, tell me then.”

Still giggling, Matthias stops the chopping and look at you. Trying to compose himself. “Dje janin ess.” He speaks softly looking deep into your eyes. You swallow hard, fighting hard to resist him. How easily it would be to just lean in, feel his soft lips against your own. But you look away, fingers fidgeting with a loose sting in your jeans.

“What does it mean?” You ask, voice barely above a whisper as you look up at him again. His sky blue eyes find yours and for a second you forget how to breathe. Somehow, you always forget just how beautiful he is. He leans in close and all you can focus on is how desperately you want to kiss him.

“It’s a swear word.” He grins as he pulls back, resuming his chopping. Letting go of the breath you didn’t even knew you were holding, you feel embarrassed at how you expected something else, your whole body feeling like it’s on fire.

“Don’t you guys have any sweet words or sayings? You’ve only taught me oaths and swear words.” You huff out, trying to hide how flustered you are under a cover of annoyance. Matthias just smiles, dropping all the vegetables into the soup, before he leans against the counter with his arms crossed across his chest.

“I was a Drüskelle. We live hard lives. We are not soft men.” He looks to the floor, the memories of his past coming back, making you not quite believe the last statement. From what you’ve seen, Matthias did seem softer than most, kind. He sighs, before turning back to the pot. “We don’t talk much.”

“Yeah, I’ve noticed.” You counter, causing him to smile wide. “Still… What would you say to a woman you love?”

He is silent for a while, stirring the soup. You fear the question was too much, ready to apologize when he speaks. “I would call her ‘min hjerte’. It means ‘My heart’ or...” He pauses, barely able to meet your eyes. “‘Min hajefetla’.” With the last words, he looks deep into your eyes.

“But… But that’s what you call me.” You breathe out.

“Yes.” His voice is low, like he’s afraid to speak the words. They hang between you like an unspoken prayer, a soft plea for you to head. After all this time, was he feeling the same way you did? You reach out, about to take his hand when your phone rings, startling you both. Frustrated, you take the call and jump of the counter.

“Mom, I’m fine.” You say, sending Matthias an apologetic look. “No, of course I’m not outside in the storm. I’m with Matthias and-” You pause, interrupted by your mother. Cheeks slowly turning pink, you look to Matthias before walking away. “It’s my neighbor. Look mom, I’ll call you later.”

You hang up, muttering an apology to Matthias, before returning the phone to your pocket. He stirs the pot, the moment from before gone. You set the table and most of the meal is in silence. You talk some, but the tension in the room is hard to ignore.

After you’ve cleaned the dishes, whipping them in silence beside Matthias, he takes the towel from your hand and look at you with a heartbreakingly sweet smile. “I have an idea, if… If you want to help me?”

30 minutes later you look at your little masterpiece. In the living room, on the floor in front of the fireplace, were now a makeshift bed. Lots of pillows, blankets and mattresses, making sure it would be very comfortable. The winds were picking up and every other room was cold, so Matthias had suggested making a bed here. You agreed, not because of the logic of it, but because deep down you had a small glimmer of hope that the moment in the kitchen weren’t completely lost.

It doesn’t take long before you’re both comfortable there, enjoying the warmth of the fire while watching the tv. Christmas movie marathon. You couldn’t wait for Christmas, always loved this time of year. Your family was coming in a week, staying over the holidays and you couldn’t wait to show them how beautiful this place was.

“What are you doing for Christmas?” You ask before you can stop yourself. Matthias just huffs, looking at the tv as he picks another piece of candy from the bowl. “I’m gonna sit here alone.”

You could kick yourself. You knew his family was killed when he was younger, which was why he had joined the Drüskelle. He had left his whole life behind and probably didn’t have anyone besides you, Röed and Trassel.

“Would-” You pause, trying to muster up the courage, afraid he’ll say no. ”Would you wanna spend Christmas with us?”

When he doesn’t answer right away, you mentally kick yourself, afraid you overstepped. But then he takes your hand in his, giving it the lightest squeeze. “You… You really want me to spend Christmas with your family?”

“Of course. I wouldn’t want you to sit alone.” You say softly, turning towards him and look into his eyes. You cup his cheek, fingers trembling slightly. Here goes nothing. “But mostly I wanna spend Christmas with you… If you want?”

In an instant, his lips are on yours, the kiss soft and warm. It’s delicate yet still sends shivers down your spine. One hand is still holding yours, the other resting gently on your thigh. The kiss is short, but till the best kiss of your life.

“I do want that. But wouldn’t your family think it’s weird?” He asks, face flustered as he looks into your eyes, his full of glee. You match the grin on his face, already knowing that from now on you’ll do whatever you can to keep that smile on his face.

“Definitely not. My mom’s been pestering me about finding a man, so she would love it if you were there.”

“Oh, so I’m your man now?” He chuckles, playfully tickling your sides. You try to push him away, to no avail since he’s huge and built of pure muscle. He continues his onslaught, grinning at the sound of your giggles. When he finally listens to your pleas to stop, you find your self on your back, Matthias' wide frame over you. His leg is slotted between yours, his thigh rubbing dangerously close to your clothed core.

There’s a softness in his eyes as he looks at you, like you hung the stars from the sky. He leans on one elbow, his free hand brushing away a stray hair before he runs his thumb along your jaw. “Min hajefetla.”

His lips claim yours again, this time the kiss is more passionate. His wide frame cage you in under him, pressing you softly into the mattress under you as he deepens the kiss. Overwhelmed by desire for him, unable to hold back any longer, you pull him closer. One hand on his back, feeling his muscles dance under your fingers, the other entangling in his hair.

Moans fill the air as he presses closer, his hips now fully slotted between your thigs. His desire is palpable, his hard length pressing against your already wet core. But suddenly, he pulls away, breathing hard as he tries to compose himself.

“Is something wrong? If you don’t want to, we don’t have to.” You say honestly, but still hoping he just needs to breathe. You’re already soaked for him, never wanted anyone like you crave him in this moment.

“It’s been a long time.” He confesses, a soft tremble to his voice. “And… There’s only been one… before.” He looks away, face red with embarrassment. He might think it’s humiliating, but it’s far from it. Only makes you like Matthias more, proving that he is just the sensitive soul you thought he was.

“It’s okay. We can take our time.” You plant a soft kiss on his cheek, before claiming his lips gently. His kiss is still hesitant, but slowly it grows deeper, his tongue eagerly dancing over yours. Prepared to not go further, you’re surprised when Matthias breaks away to pull his sweater off. With idle fingers, he pull at the hem of your t-shirt, pulling it over your head. The rest of your clothes soon follows.

It’s not wild and hard, but soft and passionate. Taking your time, your hands explore his body, storing every inch of him to your memory. Hardly any sound is uttered, only soft moans now and then. Although you ache to feel him, you revel in this. You simply just want to be in his arms, feeling him close. You kiss again and again, as if you have all the time in the world.

You feel his hard cock rub against your wet slit, begging for entrance. You wrap your legs around his waist, kissing him deeper as he pushes in. Gasping, you feel how every inch stretches you open as he thrust in slowly. He moans your name, kissing you neck. It’s achingly slow, but it feels like heaven. Every thrust of his hips sends bolts of pleasure through you, making you quiver under him. it’s sweet and sensual, just what you both had needed for so long.

You look into Matthias’ glistening eyes, a look of pure devotion on his unguarded face as he hits that sweet spot inside you, feeling the way you clench around him. Your bodies move together in a slow, desperate rhythm. You whisper Matthias name, falling from your lips in a quiet chant. Both your bodies screaming with pleasure, every inch of your skin prickling with bliss.

As the day grows darker and the snow covers the cabin, you and Matthias are lost to the world, knowing nothing but each other and pure bliss. The storm silenced for a moment, only the beathing of your hearts filling the air. It wasn’t so bad, after all, to be snowed in.

TFC girls: @e-dubbc11 @mindidjarin @idrinkcoffeeandobsess @itwasthereaminuteago @phoebe-danvers @mattmurdocksscars @saintmurd0ck @a-bang-for-your-bucky @pedrito-friskito

Tagging: @lucy-sky @our-chaos

#matthias helvar x reader #matthias helvar fanfiction #seasons may change #TFC December challenge #TFC challenge #matthias helvar #six of crows fanfiction #shadow and bone fanfiction #modern!matthias helvar

[e-dubbc11]

Snowstorm Shenanigans

Photos are not mine. They are courtesy of Pinterest/Google.

Pairing: Billy Russo x F! Reader

Warnings: Some swearing, alluding to smexy time, all the fluff you could ever ask for, unicorns and fluffy bunnies PG-13 for the most part, mentions of Billy’s scars

Word Count: 7.5k-ish (there’s a lot going on, more characters, I’m sorry it’s a little long)

Summary: Billy takes you away for the weekend, invites your friends to come along, has elaborate plans for you but the snowstorm is throwing a wrench into his plan.

A/N: They’re baaaaaack! Frank and Ginger have come along for the ride on this one. If you’re new to the world of these two, you can read how they first started getting on each others nerves in Happy Birthday part ONE and TWO, and how they continued to drive each other nuts in GAME ON. This is also part of a writing challenge that my lovelies from the Thirsty For Cox server decided to do for the month of December, the prompt was Snowed In. I hope you enjoy this and check out everyone else’s also.

As always, thank you for reading!  I appreciate it so much and comments, reblogs are welcome and encouraged. Don’t be shy to tell me your favorite part. 💕💕 💕

“Where are we going, Billy?” You asked your boyfriend as you sat in the passenger’s seat of the car, staring at his handsome profile, and Billy grinning from ear to ear.

“It’s a surprise, sweet girl. It will be fun though. Frank and Maria are coming and I invited Ginger and her boyfriend to come too.” He said, adjusting the heat in the car while you turned to look out the window as flurries fell from the sky.

All the signs you passed on the highway said he was headed north, and earlier in the week he told you to pack warm winter clothes but also pack the new dress he bought for you because he was taking you to a very nice dinner on Saturday. Obviously, he was taking you away for the weekend but there was something different about this getaway, Billy didn’t normally invite others to come along, he always loved having you all to himself, so what was he up to?

“You invited everyone to come along? You’re up to something Mr. Russo, I know it.” You said with narrow eyes and a straight expression.

He glanced at you with a sly smile and said “It’s gonna be a good weekend, baby. I promise, and they’re not comin’ until tomorrow so we have the place to ourselves tonight.” Keeping his eyes on the road, Billy brought your hand up to his lips to kiss it and there was a rush of warmth through your entire body.

“Do you wanna place a bet on how many arguments Frank and Ginger are going to get into?” You started to laugh and he did too, it was definitely going to be an interesting weekend with those two involved.

After riding in the car for a handful of hours, you saw the sign on the side of the highway—Welcome to Vermont, The Green Mountain State. The snow falling was a little heavier now and the scenery was absolutely beautiful, even on the highway. Blankets of white covered the tree tops on either side of you, the soft glow of the moon which was just starting to rise up over the trees, bounced off of the freshly fallen snow which shined brightly like little diamonds sprinkled everywhere as far as the eye could see.

You slowly turned from the car window to look at your boyfriend, he was glancing down every so often at the GPS on his phone, carefully making sure he was going the right way. The man spoiled you every chance he had, always taking you away to some of the most beautiful places in the world but he hardly ever took the time to look around because he was too busy looking at you.

The St. Regis in Bora Bora was gorgeous, your own little private hut on the clearest bluest water you’ve ever seen, glass windows on the floor so you could see the fish swimming underneath you. Your jaw dropped to the floor at how beautiful it all was and every time you told him to look at something or “did you see that?” He always responded the same way while gazing at you “I’ll see it later, sweet girl.”

Or the time he took you away to Lake Tahoe, the mountains, the hot springs, all of it was breathtaking. You both turned your phones off for the entire week and he wanted nothing more than to just see your reaction to the scenery around you.

Every morning, Billy would watch you drink your coffee out on the deck. You were looking out at the snow covered mountains and breathing in the crisp clean air, you could feel he was there and after watching you for a few minutes, he would join you outside. “Hey there, handsome. It’s beautiful out here isn’t it?”

Billy wrapped his free hand around your waist, he pulled you in close, kissed you on the top of your head, still only looking at you and he said “Yes it is.”

“You’re not even looking, Billy.” You said with a smile.

He leaned down to kiss you and whispered in your ear. “Yes I am.”

You would just roll your eyes at him, smile, and kiss him back, you loved him so much.

************************************************

“I love you.” You told him, gently brushing his beard with your fingers. If he wasn’t driving, he would have turned to look at you.

Keeping his eyes on the road but stealing a quick glance, he responded “I love you too, baby. I love you too.”

The exit he took said Dover and he kept driving until he pulled up to a timber frame contemporary cabin, surrounded by trees. It was very private and extremely beautiful and you couldn’t wait to get out and look around.

Billy parked the car, you bit down on your bottom lip as you unclipped your seatbelt with a glow of excitement in your eyes.

“Go on, my love. I know you wanna go look around. I’ve got the bags.” He said with a warm smile.

You put on your winter hat and gloves then took off to explore the outside of the house. Looking up, you saw the wrap around deck that was attached to the back of the house, there was a path that led down to the fire pit and overlooked a stream.

You couldn’t believe you were going to be staying here for the next three days. The hot tub faced the woods, the two of you would make good use of that later and you walked around the entire house one more time before walking up the back steps onto the deck.

Billy was standing at the kitchen counter, his back towards you and you could see he was holding something but you couldn’t see what it was. You tapped lightly on the glass, he put whatever it was in his jacket pocket and walked towards the door to let you in.

“Well? What did you find out there, beautiful?” He asked.

You started to untie your snow boots. “Billy, this place is gorgeous! I found the path that leads down to the fire pit and the stream, it’s so beautiful.” You finally got both boots off and set them by the door. “And then I found the hot tub, I thought maybe we could—“

Cutting you off mid-sentence, he pulled you in close and brushed his thumb against your cheek, which was a little cold and flushed from being outside. His rich dark eyes looked down at you before pressing his lips firmly against yours, they tasted a little like coffee with just a hint of sugar and he started to unzip your jacket.

“Billy Russo, we JUST got here!” You said, playfully pushing him away from you. “Can I look around inside before you attack me with your lips again?” You asked.

Billy rolled his eyes and in a joking manner, he said “Ok, but look fast because I can’t promise I can stay away from you for too long.” He said with a wink.

Starting in the kitchen, the counter tops were marble, there was a breakfast bar in the middle and all of the appliances were stainless steel. The dining room off of the kitchen had a large wooden table with a chandelier overhead. The main living area had soaring cathedral ceilings, beautiful natural woodwork, a stone gas fireplace and natural wood floors.

The master bedroom was upstairs and two more bedrooms were downstairs. There was also another common room area with a double queen bunk bed. Both living areas had tvs and plenty of board games.

You stopped in the doorway of the master bedroom, Billy had already put all of your bags inside and you felt him sneak up behind you. He snaked his arms around your waist from behind and started kissing your neck. Oh god, you loved it when he did that. You closed your eyes and just let it happen, he peppered kisses up and down the sides of your neck as your coat dropped to the floor.

Turning to face him, his eyes weren’t focused on anything else but you. “Billy, you’re staring at me like you haven’t seen me in a week.” You said to him with a slight smile.

He gently pulled at the hem of your sweater. “It was a long car ride, baby.”

You knew that look of his very well, even though he kept his hand on you basically the entire ride, it wasn’t enough for Billy. He needed you, what he had said a few minutes ago was true, he couldn’t be away from you for too long because he knew that as quickly as he got something, it could be taken from him just as fast.

No matter how many times you reassured him you weren’t going anywhere, that you loved him, and wanted to be with him always, he kept you close and tight to his chest. You were everything to him.

“I know, handsome…I know.” You whispered in his ear and nervously touched the fabric of his thermal Henley shirt.

Billy’s gaze roamed over your body from head to toe, he studied you. He was always doing that, watching as to where your hands would touch him next. You thought it might be a reflex action leftover from being in the Marines, anticipating the enemy’s next move and even though you weren’t the enemy, his guesses were never wrong.

He always predicted your every move, it was hard to surprise him but you still tried to. Your hands moved from just below his chest to the hem of his dark green shirt, you went to pull it off but he beat you to it.

In one quick motion, his shirt was off and he made the sweater you were wearing disappear just as fast, revealing the silk camisole you had on underneath.

His lips collided with yours after watching your sweater fall at your feet and he parted your lips with his tongue, taking your breath away. He eagerly walked you backwards towards the bed, before climbing on top of you as your head gently hit the pillow.

His greedy hands slipped underneath the camisole so he could brush the soft skin on your stomach with his fingers, causing goosebumps to pepper across your body like it was the first time he’s ever touched you.

His caress did that to you every time whether he was being gentle with soft sweet kisses or ravaging your body like lion after a fresh kill, leaving love bites all over to remind you that you were his, you loved them both equally as much.

Before he kissed you again, you glanced at his scars, it was hard not to. Every time you did, you felt a little twinge in your heart, the dull pain in your chest always came back.

The two long scars on his shoulder from where his rotator cuff was torn, for some reason looked like they still caused him pain and considering how old they were, you thought they might have faded more than they have.

Billy was breathing heavily as you extended your arm to gently trace the two prominent scars on his shoulder with your fingers, he looked away when you did but still, he let you do it.

You said his name softly. “Billy?”

“Yes, sweet girl?” He tried to smile a little when he turned to answer you.

You looked up at him and peeked again at his scars. “Do they—?” You paused. “Do they still hurt?” You asked.

Billy slowly closed the gap between you, his handsome face inches away from you, his muscular body pressed firmly into yours, and the affection in his eyes eased the pain you felt for him.

With one of your legs wrapped around his thigh, you closed your eyes as he rested his forehead against yours, wishing with all your heart you could take all of his pain away, all of his suffering but he surprised you once again with his answer. “Not anymore, my love. Not anymore.” He said with a smile as he covered your body with his, concentrating on you and only you, silently thinking about what he had planned for this weekend, hoping…you would say yes.

*************************************************

Billy wasn’t next to you when you opened your eyes the next morning, he was so light on his feet that you never heard him leave the room or even close the door behind him. You must have been sleeping hard, between the hot tub and the wine, no wonder you passed right out last night.

When you opened the bedroom door, the aroma of coffee floated in the air and you could hear Billy in the kitchen doing something so you put your sweater on and made your way to where he was. He was putting away groceries, he must have had them delivered as he was still in his sweatpants and t-shirt.

“Good morning, beautiful. Sleep well?” He asked with his head peeking around the fridge door.

“Good morning, handsome. Yes I did.” You said as you walked towards him, biting down on your bottom lip and checking him out from head to toe.

Billy closed the door to the fridge and leaned forward to give you a kiss. “Coffee?” He asked.

“Yes please.” You answered and he handed you a mug of coffee just the way you like it.

“The others will be here in a few hours. Frankie called me a little while ago, Ginger is already making him nuts singing along to every song that comes on the radio.” You and Billy both started to laugh. “Ginger’s in the passenger’s seat, Frankie and Maria are in the back seat so she’s controlling the music.”

Trying to control your laughter, you said “I didn’t know they were all riding together, I can just see Frank leaping out of a moving car to get away from her. There might be three people in the car when they get here, not four. Could you hear her singing?”

Billy took a sip of his coffee. “Oh yep, I could definitely hear her. It was hard not to. 80’s hair metal, I believe.” He said with a sly grin.

Stepping outside on to the deck, you looked up at the overcast sky. The clouds were a bright silver color, the air was frigid and dry, and you could sense that it was going to snow. Wrapped up in your sweater, you took a sip of your coffee when Billy came up behind you and kissed you on the temple.

“It smells like snow.” You said softly with a smile.

Billy looked up at the sky. “It smells like snow? What do ya mean it smells like snow?” He asked with a slight chuckle.

“Exactly what I said, Billy. It smells like it’s gonna snow. Did you look at the forecast?” You asked him. “I’m usually not wrong about these things.” You let out a little laugh.

He gave you a concerned look. “Well no, I didn’t check it but—“ Billy took out his phone, opened his weather app and all of a sudden you watched all of the color drain from his face.

“Shit.” Billy gnashed his teeth, then tightly pressed his lips together and shook his head.

Well that can’t be good.

“This says the area is supposed to get between 2-3 FEET of snow starting early tomorrow morning, all day and into the evening.” He said angrily. “We’re all supposed to go out to dinner tomorrow night and we can’t do that with that much snow on the ground.”

You didn’t understand why Billy was so upset, the snow sounded so romantic and fun but you knew your boyfriend, and he was irritated that his plans were on the verge of being ruined so you tried to diffuse the situation. “Well maybe you can change the reservation from tomorrow night to tonight?”

His expression softened. “That’s a good idea, baby. I’ll be right back.” And he went inside to make a phone call. Why couldn’t he just do it out here, you wondered? There was always a method to Billy’s madness and you couldn’t tell him otherwise so you just left it alone.

He returned to the deck even more flustered than he was before and started pacing back and forth. “I can’t change it, they’re all booked up for tonight and they even said more than likely they won’t be open tomorrow.”

“Ok, then we’ll just have dinner here, Billy. We’ll get take out tonight and save the food you bought for tomorrow. It will be great.” You gently touched his shoulders to reassure him it was alright but he just leaned up against the railing and stayed silent, you weren’t even sure he was listening to you. “Well I’m going to go get ready for the day before everyone gets here, you comin’, handsome?”

Billy tried to smile but you could tell he was furious. “Yeah, I’ll be in in a minute, love.”

Once Billy got angry, it was very difficult to snap him out of it. He completely shut down when things don’t go as planned so walking away was sometimes your best option, you knew he’d get over it—at least you hoped he would.

*************************************************

After readying yourself for the day, you prepared drinks and little bites to eat for your guests, they should be arriving any minute. It was a little before noon when you thought you heard a car door close outside. You weren’t positive until you heard the familiar sounds of Frank and Ginger giving each other a hard time.

Looking down from the window in the front of the house, you heard Frank first. “Ya know Ginger, if you didn’t have such a tiny bladder, we could have been here an hour ago.”

“You’re the one who wanted to all ride together, Frank. So if you think about it, this is all your fault. We could have taken separate cars and you wouldn’t have had to deal with my tiny bladder…or my singing.”

You couldn’t stop giggling at your friends taking playful jabs at each other. Frank and Ginger’s friendship has been love/hate from the start. Ginger tortured Frank with karaoke at your birthday party a few years ago, then there was the time you put them on the same team for a friendly game of laser tag. They’re both very competitive and it was amusing to watch their banter back and forth.

They continued to argue about Ginger’s bladder all the way up the stairs, to the front door. Frank was just about to knock on the door when Ginger hip checked him out of the way and walked through the doorway without knocking.

Maria and Ginger’s boyfriend just acted like that was an ordinary occurrence for the two of them—because it was. They both just threw their hands in the air and just went with the flow.

You ran up to Ginger to give her a hug. “You guys made it!”

“You should have knocked first, Ginger.” Frank said. “Y/n and Bill could have been in a—compromising position.” Frank was grinning ear to ear when he said that.

“Yeah that’s a New Year’s Eve I’ll never forget. My retinas will never be the same.” Ginger laughed.

You could feel your ears and your cheeks start to turn red and you covered your eyes in embarrassment remembering the time you and Billy were caught in the act during a New Year’s Eve party.

Your sparkly black dress hiked up over your hips, while Billy had you pinned against the wall, buried to the hilt, and you not realizing how loud the sinful noises were that Billy was drawing out of you. Or how hard you were hitting the wall behind you until it was too late. Busted. Well at least it made for a good story, you thought.

You cleared your throat. “Ooook if y’all are finished, there’s wine on the counter, glasses are there too. If anyone wants beer, it’s in the fridge and snacks are on the table. I’m going to get Billy, I’ll be right back.”

You called out for him. “Billy?” You found him in the bedroom. “Hey handsome. Everyone’s here, you comin’ out?”

You could tell he was still angry but he tried to put on a happy face for you.

“Yeah, my love. I’ll be out in a second ok?”

You moved closer to him and kissed him on the cheek, his beard tickled your lips. “I love you.”

“I love you too, beautiful.” He winked at you.

From downstairs, you heard Ginger yell out “BUNK BEDS?!!! This place is amazing!”

That made you smile but on the other hand, you were worried about Billy. Why was he so upset about not being able to change the reservation? You knew he wanted to take everyone out for dinner tomorrow night but if you couldn’t go, you couldn’t go. What’s the big deal?

***************************************************

You, Maria, and Ginger filled your afternoon with some shopping at the little boutiques in town and left the men to do whatever they do when they’re left alone with each other which was basically hang out by the fire pit with a couple beers.

Ginger held a black sweater up to your chest. “You should definitely buy this, it’s super cute. What’s the matter, why do you have that look on your face?” She asked.

“Hmmm? Oh, it’s nothing.” You said.

“Nothing my ass. Tell me—tell us. MARIA!! We need you!” Ginger shouted across the quiet boutique and waved her hand for Maria to come over.

“Ok, so this morning when I was outside, I told Billy that it smells like it’s going to snow. He looked at me like I was crazy but then when he looked at the forecast, it said they’re expecting 2-3 feet between early tomorrow morning and tomorrow night. And he got really angry, goin’ on about not being able to go out to dinner tomorrow night if there’s that much snow, it ruined what he had planned, etc., etc.” You explained to them.

A smile crept across Ginger’s face. “We’re getting that much snow?! I saw the snowmobiles outside of the garage, this is gonna be fun!”

“I’ve known Billy for a long time, y/n. And he’s very meticulous in his planning, it’s the marine in him, there’s always a purpose. I think he just wants everyone to have a good time, that’s all.” Maria said, and glancing over at Ginger as if they were silently communicating to each other about something but you ignored it.

“He planned this weekend for all of us and I just want him to enjoy himself too, ya know?” You said to them.

“Should I pick some more fights with Frank? That always seems to make him smile. I saw the Pictionary game in the living room, things could get ugly.” Ginger said with excitement.

Maria started laughing. “I’m sure you’ll do that anyway, Ginger. I thoroughly enjoy you messing with my husband. He openly hates it but I’m convinced he secretly loves it.”

You all started to laugh and suddenly you were very grateful to have them with you.

Around the Fire Pit

Billy, Frank, and Ginger’s boyfriend Chris sat around the crackling fire, drinking beer and talking when Frank asked Billy. “So do you have it on you, Bill?”

Confused, Billy tilted his head to look Frank. “Have what on me, Frankie?” He took a sip of his beer.

“The ring, Bill. Do you have the ring on you? I mean, that’s why you asked all of us to come up here, yeah? You’re gonna ask y/n to marry you.” Frank said with a wicked grin.

“How did you…?” Billy turned to Chris. “Did you know too?!!”

Chris couldn’t do anything except shrug his shoulders and say “Ginger has a hard time keeping secrets.”

“I know you have it on you, Bill. Let’s see it.” Frank reached for Billy’s jacket pocket.

Billy swatted Frank’s hand away. “Alright, alright. Ok, yes I have it with me.” He reached into his jacket pocket and when he took it out again, his long slender fingers were wrapped around a navy blue leather box with the letters HW printed on the top.

Billy opened each side of the box to reveal the ring inside.

“Holy shit, Bill. That’s beautiful.” Frank said with a surprised tone to his voice.

Billy smiled. “You think she’ll like it? Ginger and Maria helped me pick it out. I didn’t know there were so many styles.” He said, glancing down at the ring. “I just hope she says yes.”

“She will, Bill. She loves you, lord knows why.” Frank said with a laugh as he patted his friend on the shoulder.

Billy shook his head while smiling a little. “I can’t believe the girls told you, I told them it was a secret and NOT to tell you guys yet. I asked them for ONE thing!”

Frank and Chris’s reaction was just to laugh at Billy’s disappointment in the girls’ inability to keep his secret.

“Ginger just texted and said they’re at some place called North Star Pizza and they’re bringing home dinner.” Chris said.

“So what’s the deal, Bill? Why were you so salty when we first got here?” Frank asked.

“I wasn’t salty, Frankie.” Billy said.

Frank started to laugh. “You think I don’t know when you’re in a mood? Now what’s the problem?”

Billy started to explain to Frank what the plan was for the proposal but since it’s supposed to snow tomorrow, the restaurant is going to be closed and he wouldn’t be able to do what he wanted to do.

“Well, we can do all of that here. You told us to bring nice clothes so that’s what we’ll do. We’ll all get dressed up like we were going to but we’ll just have a fancy dinner here and you can propose with all of us around just like you would have done at the restaurant, yeah?” Frank said.

Even though his original plan was scrapped, Billy was starting to feel better about the new one his friend came up with.

Chris chimed in. “So I still have to wear the tie, don’t I.”

The three of them started to laugh.

**************************************************

So Friday night was filled with pizza and Pictionary.

Frank and Ginger were on opposite teams, but it still didn’t stop them from heckling each other while the other was drawing.

“That doesn’t look like any movie title I’ve ever seen before, Frank. Maria is never going to guess what that is. Your drawing skills are atrocious!” Ginger joked.

Frank just kept angrily pointing at what he was drawing on the paper and Maria was shrugging her shoulders and trying to not laugh. “I don’t know what that is, Frank!”

“Time’s up!” You yelled out.

Ginger wasn’t finished messing with Frank. “What the hell was that supposed to be anyway?”

With a furrowed brow and his lips pressed firmly together, Frank threw the marker down on to the table and said “Top Gun, it’s supposed to be Top Gun! That’s a plane!”

Everyone erupted in laughter.

“Frankie, that’s the worst drawing of a plane I’ve ever seen. I’m pretty sure Frank Jr. could draw better than that.” Billy laughed, taking the last sip of his drink.

Ginger had a hard time recovering from her laughter. “Hey Billy, don’t let Frank quit his day job, ok?”

You got up from the couch and headed towards the kitchen for more wine but you didn’t notice that Billy got up to follow you and when you turned around to see him standing there, it scared you half to death.

“Jeez Billy!! You scared me!” You yelled, clutching your chest.

“I’m sorry, baby.” He said.

Billy hated to disappoint you in any way and he knew you weren’t very happy with the way he reacted earlier. You weren’t angry with him but he didn’t have to react the way that he did, there was something bothering him but you couldn’t figure out what it was.

“Can I talk to you for a minute, y/n?” The look in his eyes was very remorseful.

He was constantly trying to be better at communicating to you how he felt and you never made excuses for him to yourself or to anyone else. You helped him as much as you could and listened whenever he wanted to talk.

Billy has told you more about his life than he’s told anyone else with the exception of probably Frank, no one else has ever shown Billy love, patience, or kindness. All he’s ever known was abandonment, the feeling of being unwanted, and anger. Things were a lot better now, definitely not perfect but better.

“Of course, handsome.” You gave him an inviting smile and rested the wine bottle on the counter.

As soon as you put the wine bottle down, he laced his fingers with yours and pulled you into his chest. The heat from his body warmed your torso and soon the warmth was everywhere.

“I’m sorry for the way I reacted earlier. I wanted to take everyone out for a nice dinner tomorrow, and now I can’t—it’s just—I“ Billy was visibly flustered again, only because he was having a hard time expressing his feelings. “I just wanted everyone to have a nice time this weekend.”

Keeping your arms wrapped around his waist, you pulled back slightly to look up at him. If “sorry” was a face, it would be Billy’s at that very moment. Your expression softened and you brushed his lips with your thumb.

“Billy, you were just in the same room as I was. Do you hear that laughter in there right now? Everyone IS having a nice time. This house is gorgeous, and so romantic. You invited our friends to share a weekend away with us, it’s amazing and I can’t thank you enough for doing this. We have plenty of food, wine, beer, anything we could ever want is here so it really is ok that we’re staying in tomorrow night.”

His stare dropped from your face to the floor and back up again, he nodded. His endless dark eyes looking at you with a love that will never be duplicated, you were THE ONE for Billy. No one else will ever have his heart.

***************************************************

When your eyes fluttered open the next morning, you remembered it was supposed to start snowing very early that morning so you jumped onto the bed to look out the window. Freshly fallen snow covered the property and the tree tops, there had to have been at least a foot out there already. It was coming down fast.

Billy didn’t sleep much so again, he wasn’t next to you when you woke up, so he must be in the kitchen. When you opened the bedroom door, you saw him sitting at the breakfast bar with his coffee next to him just staring off into the woods, watching the snow fall. He looked…relaxed.

“You know you can’t sneak up on me, my love.” Billy said turning his head slightly, you could see his million dollar smile. “I’ll get you some coffee.”

You rested your hand on his arm, stopping him from getting up. “No, no baby, I’ll get it. Just sit and relax.” You noticed no one else was up yet as you walked over to the coffee maker. “You see anything good out there besides the fresh snow?” You asked him, pouring your coffee into a mug.

“I saw a couple of cardinals at the bird feeder.” He said. “You don’t get to see this stuff living in the city, it’s beautiful.”

You stood in front of him so his eyes were level with yours and leaned in to kiss him, his lips had a slight hazelnut taste to them and his rich brown hair was all over the place. “Good morning, handsome. No one else is up yet, huh?” You said, sweeping the hair away from his eyes.

“They had a long day yesterday, baby. I’ll start breakfast.” He kissed you again and gave you a wink.

You heard one of the bedroom doors open downstairs and Chris’s voice came sailing up the stairs. “Ginger, I’m pretty sure you were arguing with Frank in your sleep last night!”

You and Billy looked at each other and just started to laugh.

***************************************************

After getting dressed, you walked out into the kitchen and found Frank, Billy and Chris hovering over a piece of paper, a pen in Billy’s hand, and a bunch of whispering going on.

“I don’t know if I like the looks of this…what are you three up to?” You asked, pointing at them suspiciously.

Before any of them could answer, Ginger finished climbing the stairs and said. “They’re being very secretive, aren’t they? I think we should be worried…what if they’re planning our demise? Or if they’re trying to figure out a way to cheat by finding a quicker route to the liquor store.”

Very confused, you looked at Ginger and asked “Ok, what are you talking about?”

Full of excitement, Ginger explained that the liquor store has to be open, one is always open during a snowstorm, and they did pass one on the way up yesterday. So she made a bet with Frank last night that she could get there on the snowmobile quicker than he could.

All you could do was shake your head and cover your eyes with your hand but you were dying to see it.

“Ok, first of all…I need to be a part of this race. Second, do I get to see what’s on this piece of paper?” You asked.

Maria walked up the stairs as Frank started to say “None of you get to know what’s on this piece of paper. This is the menu for tonight’s dinner.”

“I hope you boys know where the fire extinguishers are.” Maria said with a chuckle.

***************************************************

The race on the snowmobiles to the liquor store was very close, you rode with Ginger and Maria rode with Frank. And although it was close, Ginger did manage to squeak out the win and she was right, the liquor store was open. Frank bought some nice champagne for later although you’ve never seen Frank drink champagne ever…maybe it was Maria that wanted it.

Ginger was never going to let Frank live it down that she beat him in a race, she would definitely get a lot of mileage out of it and Frank looked completely defeated when Billy asked who won.

As the snow continued to come down, the rest of the afternoon was filled with laughter, more games, good conversations, a snowball fight, and playful banter. It seemed like everyone was having such a good time which made Billy happy and made you happy to see him that way.

After a game of chess between Frank and Billy, you walked over to the couch to sit on Billy’s lap. You pulled him close for a kiss, it was passionate and you nipped his lower lip with your teeth. The only reason you pulled away was because Ginger made you laugh.

“You guys aren’t gonna start making animal noises, are you?” She asked.

“Today was fun.” You whispered to him while raking your fingers through his hair.

He smiled at you, it was a nervous smile although Billy doesn’t usually get nervous. “Well, it’s not over yet baby.”

“What are you up to, Mr. Russo?” You asked him.

He kissed you one more time. “I just think you’re really going to enjoy dinner tonight.”

“I’m sure I will, handsome.” You said with a slight smile.

**************************************************

With Billy hard at work in the kitchen with Frank and Chris, you were getting ready for dinner with Ginger and Maria. You were sitting on the floor, close to the mirror, putting your makeup on.

“It’s so sweet of them to cook for all of us.” You said.

Maria laughed a little. “Well obviously Frank isn’t helping very much because it smells delicious out there and nothing is on fire.”

You laughed and nearly messed up your eyeliner.

As you continued to do your makeup, you thought about your entire relationship with Billy. Flashbacks of your birthday party popped into your head, when he told you he had feelings for you, the skull tie he wore just for you. The Harry Winston diamond earrings he gave you that night, or rather Frank gave you from him, laser tag with your friends, the getaways, and cozy nights at home.

It wasn’t all good times though, you and Billy had your fair share of arguments. He wasn’t perfect, but you weren’t either. He was learning how to be an actual boyfriend and you were helping him with that process while trying to be understanding at the same time. It wasn’t easy but you loved him and did your best to show him that every day.

You thought you saw Maria give Ginger another look of silent communication. What is going on?

“Are we ready?” You asked.

Ginger clapped her hands together and pumped her fists. “Let’s do this!” She said.

Whatever they were cooking did smell wonderful, as you got closer to the top of the stairs, the aroma got stronger. You could smell the fresh garlic, herbs, and spices and there was definitely bacon involved.

Frank greeted the three of you at the top of the stairs with glasses of wine and escorted you into the living area where the fire was going, there were hors d’oeuvres on the coffee table, and the lights were dimmed to a soft glow. You could see the snow falling at a rapid pace from the windows, as you peeked outside, the snow looked so beautiful and perfectly untouched.

Frank started to point to the appetizers on the table and in a confused tone, he called out into the kitchen. “Hey Chris, what are these things called again!!?”

“Those are artichoke phyllo cups and on the other plate are rosemary veal meatballs.” You heard him yell from the kitchen.

“Uh yeah, what he said. They’re good, I swiped a couple before you guys came upstairs. I’m starvin’ and Bill swatted my hand away when I tried to taste one.” Frank said.

The three of you started to laugh.

“You look very handsome tonight, baby.” Maria told Frank.

He blushed a little. “Thank you, sweetheart. You look amazing as always…you all do. Even you Ginger.”

Collectively, you all let out a big “AWWWWW!!!” And scared a flustered Frank back into the kitchen causing the three of you to laugh uncontrollably.

Back in the kitchen, they were putting the finishing touches on dinner when Frank said to Billy “You look nervous, Bill.”

Billy tried to brush it off. “I don’t get nervous, Frankie.”

“You do when it comes to y/n.” Frank said. “Remember how nervous you were to tell her that you liked her, or when you wanted to ask her to move in with you? You absolutely get nervous when it comes to her. You really, really love her, don’t you.”

“More than anything, but what if she says no, Frankie?” Billy asked.

At the same time, Chris and Frank said “She’s not going to say no.”

“She’s going to be surprised but she’s not going to say no.” Frank said. “She looks beautiful tonight, Bill.”

Billy smiled. “I can’t wait to see her.”

***************************************************

Dinner was delicious. There was a wedge salad to start, filet mignon wrapped in bacon (you knew there was bacon involved), scalloped potatoes, asparagus, along with plenty of red wine.

“I made those potatoes.” Frank said with confidence, pointing at the dish.

Maria smiled at her husband. “And you did a very good job with them, baby. If Frank knows how to make anything, it’s potatoes.”

Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Ginger brought up the time you all played laser tag together. “…And they wouldn’t even let me wear my night vision goggles!”

Maria could not stop laughing. “I’m sorry I missed this!”

And through all the conversations and the laughter, Billy couldn’t take his eyes off of you, his hand resting on top of yours while the other grazed your knee. Your chair pulled as close as possible to his so he could touch you, breathe in the scent of your perfume, and kiss you whenever he wanted to.

All of you were enjoying your coffee and dessert in the living area by the fire, when Ginger said “Hey, ya know we never finished our Pictionary game last night—it was Billy and y/n’s turn.”

The large drawing pad was off to the side of the fireplace, it was Billy’s turn to draw and Maria handed him a folded blank sheet of paper, he already had a plan for what he was going to draw. Ready to guess, you sat on the edge of the couch and waited for him to start drawing.

Frank turned the timer over. “GO!!”

Billy started to draw. He first drew a circle, with what looked like a diamond on top, little lines above the diamond to make it look like it was shining.

You shouted out. “My Best Friend’s Wedding!! Father of the Bride!! My Big Fat Greek Wedding!”

He started to draw something else. “Billy, those are words. You can’t write out words. What are you doing?”

First word. Will

Staring at him confused, he wrote out the second word. You

You looked around at everyone, they were grinning from ear to ear.

Third word. Marry

Finally you realized what was going on.

Last word. Me?

With your knees shaking, you stood up from the couch as you watched Billy drop to one knee and produce a box from his jacket pocket. Was this really happening? He had opened the box but you couldn’t take your eyes off of his.

“Will you marry me, y/n?” He asked.

Tears had flooded your eyes and there weren’t any words or sounds coming from your mouth. You couldn’t speak, only a gasp when you finally looked at the ring, it was a cushion cut diamond surrounded by smaller stones and diamonds around the entire band. It was the most beautiful ring you’ve ever seen.

Taking your hand away from your mouth, you were finally able to answer him. “YES! Yes Billy, I will marry you!”

He slid the ring on your finger, stood up and pulled you in for a kiss. “I love you…so much.”

“I love you too, baby.” You said with a hitch in your voice.

He looked at you like you were the only other person in the room. “Do you like it?”

Looking closely at your ring, you were practically speechless. “Billy—I—I love it! It’s beautiful! Oh my god, it’s huge!”

“That’s what she said!” Ginger shouted.

Frank rolled his eyes and tried to contain his laughter. “Real mature, Ginger. You ruined the moment.”

“I didn’t ruin anything, Frank. Look at them. Look how happy they are!” Ginger said pointing at you and wiping a tear away from her cheek. “I got the best picture too!”

Amidst all of the commotion from everyone, Billy leaned down to kiss you again and you tuned out everyone else for a minute to ask him “Are you really ready for me to be Mrs. Russo?”

He just looked at you with his beautiful brown eyes, smiled and said “I’ve never been more ready for anything, sweet girl.”

A light bulb went off in your head and you inhaled sharply. “THAT’S why you were so mad about the snow! You wanted to do this at the restaurant.”

Billy simply nodded and shrugged his shoulders.

“Honestly, Billy…” You stopped and pointed to everyone around the room. “I like this much better, just us and our friends, no strangers.” You said softly as you cupped his cheek and pulled him towards you for another gentle kiss.

You looked around at everyone, they were talking and laughing with each other. You had your best friend here and Billy had his, and this was the perfect way to spend a snowed-in weekend.

It was with the people you loved, people that made you smile, that made you laugh—that made him laugh. It always made you happy when Billy laughed because he deserved to.

He held you close against his chest, kissed your forehead and as you closed your eyes to enjoy the moment, you heard Ginger say “You know what this means, right Frank?”

With a furrowed brow and a confused look on his face, Frank said “What does it mean, Ginger?”

Rubbing her hands together, she said with a wicked smile. “We get to walk down the aisle together at their wedding! Isn’t that exciting?!! I was thinking maybe we could do some sort of choreographed dance. I have plenty of ideas, we’ll figure it out.”

All eyes were on Frank pinching the bridge of his nose and his eyes were shut, Maria was trying not to laugh while the rest of you waited for his response.

Frank just pointed at Billy and said “Well…it better be open bar.”

Tag List: @saintmurd0ck @wheresthesunshinesblog @rafaelakelley @idaoftheburningmind @snowkestrel @xdervyxccgh @mattmurdocksscars @fakehappy27 @music-indie-tv @fictional-hooman @kayhi808 @gijos

TFC Ladies: @mindidjarin @munsonownsmyass @skvatnavle @phoebe-danvers @itwasthereaminuteago @pedrito-friskito (I hope it’s ok I tagged everyone)

If you’d like to be added to (or removed from) my tag list for the ever so handsome Billy Russo, just let me know and thank you again for reading! 💕

#thirsty for cox writing challenge #tfc december challenge #tfc challenge #billy russo x reader #billy russo imagine #billy russo #billy russo fanfic #ben barnes

[she-likesorchids]

A Perfect Storm

Pairing: Michael Kinsella x F!Reader

Summary: You find yourself stuck at the Kinsella's house during a freak snowstorm in Dublin. A power outage brings about some surprising confessions.

Warnings: Mentions of drugs and alcohol, tooth rotting fluff, annoyances to lovers, there's only one bed (kinda).

Author's Note: This was written for the TFC December writing challenge, so I'm re-posting it. The prompt was "Snowed In".

---------------------------------

Snowfall like this was rare in Dublin, and of course it would come when you were at a party at Jimmy and Amanda Kinsella’s house. You liked the Kinsellas well enough, but there was something about Michael that just really irked you. He was always standoffish, and rarely social when you or your family were around, which gave you the idea that he thought he was too good to associate with you. Sure, your family and the Kinsellas hadn’t always gotten along, but you all decided to let bygones be bygones and you all got on just fine now. Well, all of them except for Michael. 

Read the rest on AO3

#mandy writes #michael kinsella x reader #michael kinsella #kin amc #rte kin

[at-thezenith]

hi hi, happy last STS of the year!! it's hard coming up with an original end-of-year ask, so I'm just gonna shoot off a bunch of questions, and you feel free to answer whichever you want/haven't already:D are you satisfied with where you're at right now in your writing journey? where do you hope to be at this time next year? do you have any Must-Accomplish 2024 writing goals? anything new you'd like to try in your writing (technique-wise, story-wise, scheduling-wise, structure-wise, etc.) next year? any stories you'd like to start? end?

hello! apologies once again for being late :(

i am pretty happy with my writing journey as of right now! i took a break from tfc in december to focus on university, but hoping to get back to it this month :)

i hope to have finished tfc's first draft at the end of 2024, and to have written the entirety of baby let the band keep playing. also hopefully i'll be 5 articles deep on substack!

my Must-Accomplish goals are pretty similar to my hopes - i WILL be done with tfc's first draft and i WILL have written 5 articles on substack.

hm, i'd like to try my hand at dual-perspective for writing, because i think it's a great challenge to learn to write in two voices. ali smith's summer is a great example of that, as well as six of crows by leigh bardugo

i want to start baby let the band keep playing, but i'm also interested in starting a paranormal-comedy short story about a socially awkward supernatural investigator. if that ever makes it out of my voice notes stay tuned!

#asks

[theultimatefan]

Three Undefeated Boxers Highlight Triller Fight Club Undercard Expansion For April 17 in Atlanta

(Quinton Randall)

Triller Fight Club today announced the latest additions to a world-class lineup of boxing for its April 17 event at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Joining the global PPV boxing and entertainment extravaganza will be three undefeated boxers, including welterweight Quinton Randall (Houston, 7-0), super middleweight Junior Younan (Brooklyn, N.Y., 15-0-1) and middleweight Lorenzo “Truck” Simpson (Baltimore, Md., 9-0). Simpson will meet Francisco Torres (Buenos Aires, 16-3-1), while Younan will meet Jeyson Minda (Quito, Ecuador/Salem, Mass., 14-4-1) with an opponent TBD for Randall. Triller Fight Club is a partnership between leading music and social media platform Triller and Snoop Dogg, and is spearheaded by visionary producer Ryan Kavanaugh.

“Nowhere will you find this mix of world class fights mixed with some of the biggest names in entertainment,” said Peter Kahn, Triller Fight Club Chief Boxing Officer. “The undercard we have built continues to stoke the fire for boxing fans, who will come for the action and love the music, while our audience coming for our elite music talent will be enthralled by the hard hitting, fast paced mix of legends and rising stars in the ring. Everyone learns, we grow audiences together and our vision of four quadrant entertainment reinvents the pay per view experience, with more to come.”

As revealed least week, the card will also have another fan favorite, hard hitting Steve Cunningham (Philadelphia) replacing Antonio Tarver in the previously announced fight against Frank Mir.

These world class additions help round out Triller Fight Club’s first in a series of 2021 special events. In the headline matchup April 17 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Jake Paul takes on former Bellator and OneFC champion Ben Askren, while Regis Prograis (New Orleans), a former world champion and arguably one of the top two super lightweights in the world, takes on Ivan Redkach (Shostka, Ukraine); heavyweight MMA Bad Boy Mir (Las Vegas) will battle Cunningham (Philadelphia); and Joe Fournier (London) will challenge music icon and worldwide star Reykon (Envigado, Colombia).

Since turning professional shortly after his 18th birthday in 2013, the Brooklyn born Younan (15-0-1, 10 KOs) has stopped all opponents in the first two rounds. In his last start on March 9, 2019, he won a dominant unanimous decision over Derrick Findley in Verona, N.Y. Prior to turning professional Younan was a very highly decorated amateur including a 2011 National Junior Olympic Championship, a four-time National Silver Gloves champion, a three-time National PAL champion and a two-time National Junior Golden Gloves champion.

The former U.S. national boxing champion, Randall (7-0) turned pro in February 2019 and has quickly racked up seven victories, including two by way of stoppage. The 30-year-old native of Houston last fought in The Bubble at MGM Grand in Las Vegas on October 17, 2020, a unanimous decision over Jan Carlos Rivera. He is one of boxing’s great redemption stories, having overcome a series of personal tragedies, including the death of his eight year old son in a car accident, to turn his professional career around and put him in a position for continued success, now with TFC.

Minda enters at 14-4-1 with nine KO’s. The native Ecuadorian will bring a loyal and diverse Latino fan base to the card as well for his fast rising undefeated opponent.

The 20-year-old (9-0, 5 knockouts) Simpson made his pro debut in December 2018, and last fought in October, scoring a unanimous decision over Sonny Duversonne. Simpson is a 12 time National Champ and six time Silver Gloves winner, who many have dubbed “The Future of American Boxing.”

Torres (16-3, 5 KOs) has won his last eight bouts, two by KO, since April 2-18. He last fought on February 20, taking a unanimous decision from Louis Hernandez in Shelbyville, Ohio. Last August he claimed the WBA Fedecaribe super welterweight title with a win over Cleotis Pendarvis in Daytona Beach, Fla.

The lineup for the four-hour Pay Per View show will include performances by Justin Bieber, The Black Keys, Doja Cat, Saweetie, Diplo, Major Lazer, and the exclusive world premiere of the hip hop supergroup Mt. Westmore (Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Too $hort and E-40) performing for their first time ever together. Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Bert Marcus will lead and direct the creative storytelling for the Triller Fight Club event.

The lead up to April 17 officially also includes an original series exclusively on Triller and FITE. “PRBLM CHILD” is a raw, all-access look into the life of one of the world’s most polarizing and controversial personalities, YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul, as he trains for his fight vs. Askren. The series also will include boxing legends Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Ryan Garcia, Jorge Masvidal and Snoop Dogg, among many more.

In addition to being a co-owner, Snoop also provides strategic counsel to Triller Fight Club, helping to select fighters and musical acts for the show-stopping events. An entertainment expert who has successfully maneuvered through a range of projects in a variety of different fields, Snoop secured his spot as a fan favorite during Triller's first sporting event, Tyson vs. Jones.

iNDemand, the leading transactional video-on-demand and PPV programming provider in North America, will serve as the exclusive U.S. and Canadian cable, satellite, and telco PPV provider for the event. Fans will be able to order the event on PPV through their existing cable, satellite and telco PPV providers, including Xfinity, Spectrum, Contour, DIRECTV & U-Verse TV, Fios, and Optimum in the U.S., as well as leading providers in Canada.

FITE, the premier PPV digital platform, will handle worldwide live pay-per-view streaming distribution online, and via FITE mobile and Smart TV apps, game controllers and all major OTT devices as well as power TrillerFightClub.com.

The suggested PPV retail price for the event is $49.99 (U.S. & Canada). Fans outside North America can check the FITE link at https://www.fite.tv/watch/jake-paul-vs-ben-askren/2p8y0/ for international pricing. All fight information can be found at TrillerFightClub.com, which features fight news, announcements, promotional videos, and the digital portal to buy the event.

**HOW TO WATCH THE APRIL 17, 2021, TRILLER FIGHT CLUB PPV EVENT**

TV: Cable, satellite & telco PPV providers, including Xfinity, Spectrum, Contour, DIRECTV & U-Verse TV, Fios, and Optimum (U.S.), as well as leading providers in Canada.

Worldwide Streaming: FITE.TV and all FITE mobile, Smart TV, game controller and OTT apps as well as the event microsite hub: TrillerFightClub.com

Triller Fight Club, April 17, 2021

Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

Bout Schedule as of March 30, 2021

Main event:

Jake Paul, Cleveland (2-0, 2 KOs) vs. Ben Askren, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (pro debut/boxing, 19-2-0, 6 Kos/MMA), 8 rounds, cruiserweight

Undercard:

Regis Prograis, New Orleans (25-1, 21 KOs) vs. Ivan Redkach, Shostka, Ukraine (23-5, 18 KOs), 10 rounds, super lightweight

Steve Cunningham, Philadelphia (29-9-1, 13 KOs), vs. Frank Mir, Las Vegas (pro debut/boxing, 18-11-0, 14KOs/MMA), 8 rounds, heavyweight

Joe Fournier, London (8-0, 8 KOs), vs. Andres Felipe Robledo Lodono (“Reykon”), Envigado, Colombia (pro debut), 6 rounds, light heavyweight

Junior Younan, Brooklyn (15-0-1, 10 KOs), vs. Jeyson Minda, Quito, Ecuador (14-4-1, 8 KOs), 8 rounds, super middleweight

Lorenzo Simpson, Baltimore (9-0, 5 KOs) vs. Francisco Torres (Buenos Aires, 16-3-1) 8 rounds, middleweight

Quinton Randall, Houston (7-0, 2 KOs) vs TBD 8 rounds, welterweight

[phgq]

Life's still good: Overseas Pinoys share Christmas amid pandemic

#PHnews: Life's still good: Overseas Pinoys share Christmas amid pandemic

MANILA – While the Philippines is still battling with the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-2019) pandemic, Filipinos are slowly but surely bouncing back and showing glimmers of hope to celebrate the Yuletide season. Filipinos working overseas are no exception in spreading the Christmas spirit amid the health crisis and willingly shared to the Philippine News Agency (PNA) how some of life's biggest blessings are borne out of their hardest challenges. Reyven Osorio, 54, works as an engineer for various oil companies for 27 years in different parts of the world.

Due to the pandemic, Osorio is now temporarily out-of-work but the Japanese government is providing for his monthly stipend covering at least 60 percent of his income. He is spending his free time to good use by going around different tourist spots in Japan such as Hokkaido, Harada, Tokyo, and Asakusa, with his daughter Vena Roshiena.

“A lot of good times have been created during this pandemic, there are ups and downs but the blessings that came along with it are definitely bigger. I am able to spend a lot of my time with my daughter. We would go to places and she would keep records of it through her vlog which our family in the Philippines can see. It’s a way to ease their worries by letting them know we are doing alright here,” he said. Osorio has been working abroad as an engineer since he was 26.

He first worked in Saudi Arabia where his journey as an OFW began when his older brother died and he stepped-up to be the kuya for his four other siblings. Soon, he also had a family of his own which prompted him to continue working abroad.

Osorio said there are a lot of happenings in the world that may distract a person and the key to remain grounded is to keep the focus on family.

“It’s difficult in the start but it will grow on you eventually and in a lot of ways the sacrifices of being an overseas worker are worth it. To those who are still in their early years of work and are having a hard time, it will get better. For now, let’s enjoy what we have and do what we have to do, celebrate the little things and the big ones with pure joy like Christmas,” he said.

Reyven Osorio (right) and his family will often go on trips to celebrate milestones of their life and to compensate for the times they were apart. (Photo from Reyven Osorio) 

 Jianzel Villacorte, 25, who has been in New Jersey, USA for five years recently got her nursing degree.

Villacorte followed her mother to the United States in 2015. Despite being armed with her AB Mass Communication degree from Ateneo de Davao, she studied and earned her nursing degree from New York University in May this year.

But jobs were hard to come by following the restrictions due to the Covid-19.

“I was in the process of doubting myself during job hunting. Luckily I found one, and it was not easy either. As a pediatric nurse, I had to be there not only for my patients but also for their parents. I had to provide emotional support. The term 'patient care' was given a new meaning at this time. I coped by thinking that it is a big opportunity to be able to give service to these people during this challenging time. It’s very rewarding,” she said.

A simple dinner shared with family after attending the Holy Mass would be a delightful Christmas for Villacorte. There may not be any parties for this year but she shared she is still happy that she is spending the holidays together with loved ones.

 Jianzel Villacorte's (left) mother Rufina (center) laid down the path for her to move to the United States, together with her sister Jett, for greener pastures and to be together. (Photo from Jianzel  Villacorte) 

Marion Florentino, 27, is a seven-year licensed seafarer.

The life of a seafarer is already filled with uncertainties but much more during the pandemic.

Florentino shared his flight from Davao to Manila had to be re-booked three times by his crewing officer when he was called to receive a new contract in July this year from the company he has been working for since he got his license.

“I had to find a safe place to stay while waiting for the confirmation from the agency and it was a tedious process looking for a unit that is safe and clean, there were many restrictions and protocol. Luckily after I got my swab results which turned out negative, the company has provided us with decent accommodation. Still, anxiety was sky-high then thinking we do not have an income yet and there were bills to pay. I’m just blessed that my company allocated some financial aid for us while we were waiting for dispatch,” he said.

When he was younger, he said, he did not plan on becoming a seafarer but he was offered a scholarship grant by a shipping line based abroad so he took the chance considering how much he can save from the deal.

Florentino likened spending his days at sea to being in quarantine. “It’s hard. It has its ups and downs but seeing my parents happy, that they are proud of what I have achieved takes all the sacrifices away, it’s the best incentive. Really, it is just about looking forward to a better future for them and for the family than I will be building,” he added.

For this year, he will share Christmas with his shipmates as he started his new contract in September.

“We just video call with family. Hopefully, the Internet connection will cooperate,” he added.

 When time permits, Marion Florentino and his parents (Ariel and Gina) will catch up with each other via video call.  It is a cure to loneliness, he added. (Photo from Marion Florentino)

Rhea Bragas, 31, moved to Australia in 2018 to study culinary.

Relocating to a different country was a decision Bragas pondered on for over a year. After quitting her job as a journalist for almost nine years, she went on to chase another dream in Australia.

“I want to make more so that I can give more. I knew that there is something big for me, supernatural opportunities that are waiting for me in Australia. I won’t settle for a life that is less than the one I am capable of living,” she said.

Everything for her was a learning opportunity when she finally arrived in Sydney.

She shared that she developed a better grip on managing her time and finances because she can only rely on herself.

“When I was still studying Culinary and Hospitality Management, I had two jobs: an apprentice chef and the TFC (The Filipino Channel) News Correspondent for Australia. After two years, I completed my studies and I graduated last July. It was not easy and comfortable, but it was all worth it,” she said.

When the pandemic hit, the tourism industry halted its operations leaving her jobless.

However, she was hired for temporary work in Sydney Transport until things get back to normal again.

“We are so blessed to have a job during the pandemic. Giving up and going home was never an option. Everything is still working out for us. Now, I ended up having three jobs and I am so grateful for it,” she said.

For Christmas however, “work is life” is her mantra.

“If you are working in the hospitality industry, it is expected that you always spend your Christmas and New Year working, giving the customers the best dining experience. But I won’t mind at all because I can still enjoy watching the fireworks in the most beautiful harbor in the world. It’s just a matter of perspective. We just need to carry on with life,” she added. (PNA)

Rhea Bragas (front row, 2nd from right) moved to Australia to learn culinary. She worked two jobs while studying. (Photo from Rhea Bragas)

      ***

References:

* Philippine News Agency. "Life's still good: Overseas Pinoys share Christmas amid pandemic." Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1125220 (accessed December 19, 2020 at 10:06PM UTC+14).

* Philippine News Agency. "Life's still good: Overseas Pinoys share Christmas amid pandemic." Archive Today. https://archive.ph/?run=1&url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1125220 (archived).

#Philippines #News #Filipino #Pinoy #Tourism #Politics #Culture #Editorial #Environment #Society #History

[winterolympicssports2018-blog]

Despite Champions League loss, Toronto FC's reputation keeps growing

Click here for More Olympics Updates https://www.winterolympian.com/despite-champions-league-loss-toronto-fcs-reputation-keeps-growing/

Despite Champions League loss, Toronto FC's reputation keeps growing

There is no hiding place in professional sport. Nor should there be. If your day job is to entertain the public, criticism comes with the territory and judgment follows every performance.

The record books will show that Toronto FC came up short against Chivas of Guadalajara. Agonizingly short, but short nonetheless, losing 4-2 on penalties (3-3 on aggregate). They will also show – for the 10 straight year, under the current CONCACAF Champions League format – that a Mexican club has emerged as Champions.

Mexico’s Chivas beat Toronto FC 4-2 on penalty kicks to win the title. 1:54

I recently ran into TFC President Bill Manning at a fundraiser. My immediate thought was to congratulate him on TFC’s run in the competition. I only got halfway through the sentence before he stopped me. “Don’t congratulate us yet,” he said, “There’s still one more series to play”.

Wise words from a man who has presided over the most successful era in the club’s history. 

And yet, despite this success, here’s the problem: reputations cannot be bought or manufactured. They can only be earned over an extended period of time. There’s only one way to build them — turn up week in, week out, season after season, and deliver a competitive performance.

No team is going to win every game, but successful teams are always hard to beat. As we witnessed in Guadalajara, Toronto FC is becoming one of those teams. The record is beginning to speak for itself and the club’s reputation continues to grow.

Back-to-back MLS Cup appearances have established TFC as one of the strongest franchises in Major League Soccer, and, by a margin, the best Canada has to offer.

Winning the Supporters’ Shield was proof positive of its stability, and delivering the MLS Cup demonstrated strength of character in the capricious format of knock out soccer.

Right of passage

And now, Toronto FC has taken those new-found skills and transferred them to the international stage. The effort and commitment required to beat both Tigres UANL and Club America (to reach the final) should not be underestimated. Tigres were Champions League runners-up in the previous two seasons, while America remains the most decorated club in the competition’s history.

We should also recognize the rarity of the occasion. Mexican sides have won every edition of the tournament in its present format, and only two other clubs have dared challenge that dominance. The Montreal Impact made it all the way to the final in 2015, a feat first achieved by Real Salt Lake in 2011. Both departed, as have TFC, as runners-up.

In other words, making it to the final is a statement in itself; unfortunately, it’s not enough. The Mexicans have turned this competition into a domestic right of passage. Bigger budgets, hostile fans, and a century of soccer culture have all contributed to their supremacy.

Chivas players celebrate their penalty shoot victory over Toronto FC to claim the CONCACAF Champions League trophy and secure a place in December’s FIFA Club World Cup. (Eduardo Verdugo/Associated Press)

Chivas and America are perhaps the two biggest Mexican dynasties. Decades of success and glittering trophy rooms leave a legacy most other clubs can only dream of. Success begets success—more fans, richer TV contracts, and wealthier corporate partners.

Unfortunately, MLS doesn’t want dynasties. It wants all of its franchises to be able to sell the dream of success. If supporters buy into the remote possibility that this could be “our year”, season seat sales remain steady and the League’s salary cap policy ensures operating costs cannot spiral out of control.

A global view

The business model may work, but it is also restrictive by design. Every serious soccer league in the world has its leading lights. Real Madrid, Juventus, Manchester United and Bayern Munich spring to mind. Would it be so bad, so financially irresponsible, so unfair if Major League Soccer allowed its club owners to build their businesses into respected, global brands?

Perception and expectation go hand in hand. Toronto FC has essentially reinvented itself over the last three years and the perennial MLS strugglers have taken the necessary measures to build a strong foundation. The bar has been raised dramatically and the club must continue to build on that in the years ahead

Toronto FC moves on – its reputation enhanced – despite losing the CONCACAF final and the chance to represent the region at the FIFA Club World Cup.

The team, like many before it, returns from Mexico defeated and deflated, but ultimately stronger for the experience. Lessons will have been learned, mental notes stored away by players and coaches for the next time.

And there has to be a next time, and many more thereafter. For that is how reputations are built, through consistency of performance, not over two games, but over two years or two decades.

Toronto FC is barely ten years old – a baby by global standards. Its time will come.

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#winter Olympics Updates

[365footballorg-blog]

For TFC&#039;s Giovinco, All-Star Game marks "exciting" reunion with Juventus

Action Images / Reuters

July 30, 20181:29PM EDT

TORONTO—When Juventus FC take to the pitch at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for the 2018 MLS All-Star Game presented by Target on Wednesday, it will be a special reunion for one of the MLS’ biggest stars.

Toronto FC’s Sebastian Giovinco learned his trade with the Italian giants, spending a decade in the academy and then nine seasons with the first team, albeit on loan with Empoli FC and Parma FC for three of them.

“I’m very excited to meet again my old friends,” Giovinco said last week of the impending reunion. “It will be a nice moment to see everybody. We’ll try to have as much fun as possible.”

Giovinco traces his footballing roots back to a dusty pitch in his hometown, Turin, and his local youth club, San Giorgio Azzuri.

It was there, at age 6 or 7 that he first caught the football bug, and also the eye of a scout who invited him to try out for Juventus.

“[In the beginning, it] was always to have fun,” Giovinco said. “Then became like work. For me, was a very beautiful experience. It was good.”

From that dirt and chalk to the training grounds of one of the biggest clubs in the world. The transition was not without its costs.

🎂 Happy 31st Birthday to La formica atomica, Sebastian Giovinco! 🏳🏴 pic.twitter.com/3D90RsB5tu

— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) January 26, 2018

“It was difficult because I left all my friends. But then I met other friends and with them I grew up,” Giovinco said. “Not difficult, was fun.”

One of those friends from the academy, Claudio Marchisio, is still at Juventus and will be part of the roster that tours North America.

Giovinco remembers those days fondly: “We won a lot with the academy.”

The Viareggio tournament in 2005, the Campionato Nazionale Primavera in the 05-06 season, the Supercoppa Primavera in 2006, and the Coppa Italia Primavera in 2007, to name but a few of his honors from those days.

It was shortly after that when his most cherished memory occurred.

“The best part was my debut with the first team,” Giovinco said. “That was the best moment.”

Giovinco made his debut on May 12, 2007 in a Serie B match against Bologna at the Stadio Olimpico in Turin. He came off the bench in the 31st minute to replace Raffaele Palladino and registered an assist with a lovely ball for David Trezeguet in the 47th minute. Juventus won 3-1.

All these years later, Giovinco never thought he would cross paths with the club in North America of all places.

“No, no, no,” he said, laughing at the prospect.

However, he has played against Juventus before, scoring a brace against his parent club while on loan with Parma in 2011. He would do so again the following season. Notably, he did not celebrate any of those strikes.

Giovinco while on loan at Parma in 2011 | Reuters

Will he pay that same respect should he find the back of the net on Wednesday?

“The game is only for fun,” said Giovinco. “It’s important, but not like a final. It’s a friendly match, so I don’t know.”

Come 2015, Giovinco decided a new challenge was in his future, moving to North America, signing for Toronto FC. 

It was not the decision to leave his homeland itself that was difficult.

“It was difficult because me and my family we changed our lives completely,” Giovinco said. “After a bit, we started to know Toronto, and then it became simple.”

He has maintained his links to his old club: “Yeah, I talk with some guys.”

And though he still tracks their results, it is not the same.

“I follow, but not like when you play with the team,” said Giovinco. “You follow because you have some friends.”

As for the massive news of Cristiano Ronaldo transferring from Real Madrid to Juventus, Giovinco said: “For Juve, for all Italy, for the movement, it’s a big transfer.”

Since coming to MLS, Giovinco has taken the league by storm. In 103 matches, he has 60 goals and 46 assists. Winning the MLS Golden Boot, MLS Newcomer of the Year, and MLS MVP in 2015. Last season, he was part of the first domestic treble in league history, as TFC won the Supporters’ Shield, MLS Cup and Canadian Championship. 

🏆🏆🏆#MLSCup pic.twitter.com/BaAxCpzD64

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) December 9, 2017

This will be his fourth-straight MLS All-Star game.

At Juventus, the overriding message was to win, something Giovinco brought with him to Toronto.

“I think yes, no?” replied Giovinco. “In three years, we’ve made three finals (including this season’s Concacaf Champions League run). We lost two; we won one. We did a good job.”

With 14 matches remaining, Toronto are looking to push for a playoff position having struggled since the end of their unsuccessful to the final of the Concacaf Champions League, where they were a penalty kick away adding a fourth trophy as continental champions.

“It’s a difficult moment,” said Giovinco. “Now that players start to come back from injury, maybe we can make the playoffs.”

Series: 

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MLSsoccer.com News

For TFC's Giovinco, All-Star Game marks “exciting” reunion with Juventus was originally published on 365 Football

#AllStar #exciting #game #Giovinco #Juventus #marks #reunion #TFC&039s

[munsonownsmyass]

On the 15th December, we are a few girls who want to try something new.

We selected a prompt and had to write a story based on it. This month's prompt is Snowed In, and if it's a success, we'll do it every month.

It's the wonderful girls from the Thirsty for Cox server that are the happy participants.

This month will feature the characters above and the lovely amazing writers are:

@mindidjarin with Matt Murdock

@e-dubbc11 with Billy Russo

@phoebe-danvers with Michael Kinsella

@itwasthereaminuteago with Frank Castle

@skvatnavle with Matt Murdock

@pedrito-friskito with Nomad Steve Rogers

and me with Matthias Helvar

So yeah. If you think this sounds great, keep an eye out for our fics on the 15th of December 😄❤️

#Thirsty for Cox writing challenge #TFC december challenge #TFC challenge #matt murdock #michael kinsella #frank castle #billy russo #matthias helvar #steve rogers

[munsonownsmyass]

Masterlist for all the stories submitted to our first ever TFC challenge.

Rough Road by @itwasthereaminuteago

Because of the snowstorm, you're forced to spend the night with Frank in his van.

Snowstorm Shenanigans by @e-dubbc11

Billy takes you away for the weekend, invites your friends to come along, has elaborate plans for you but the snowstorm is throwing a wrench into his plan.

Storm in the Quiet by @mindidjarin

Some Matt angst. Matt gets caught in the snow.

Warm me by @mindidjarin

Matt fluff to make up for the angst. Matt doesn't mind getting snowed in with you.

Driving home for Christmas by @skvatnavle

Because of a snowstorm on your way home for Christmas, you have to spend the night at a bed and breakfast with Matt.

A Perfect Storm by @phoebe-danvers

You and Michael don’t always see eye to eye, but a freak snowstorm has a funny way of bringing you together.

When Snow Falls by @munsonownsmyass

Caught outside during a snowstorm, you're thankful your fjerdan neighbor comes to your rescue.

Walking the wire by @pedrito-friskito

You’re a new addition to the team, and steve can’t seem to keep away from you.

#thirsty for cox writing challenge #tfc december challenge #tfc challenge #tfc writing challenge #matt murdock #frank castle #michael kinsella #steve rogers #matthias helvar

[365footballorg-blog]

Big body, bigger goals, better dance moves? 10 things about Roman Torres

USA Today Sports Images

June 7, 201812:10PM EDT

Roman Torres is best-known to those who follow MLS as the hulking defender for the Seattle Sounders, one half of one of the league’s most formidable center back duos along side three-time Defender of the Year Chad Marshall. At the moment, however, Torres is away from his Rave Green home, gearing up for the challenge of a lifetime as he gets set to lead the Panamanian national team in the 2018 World Cup in Russia. 

Leading up to this summer’s festivities, here are 10 things about the Sounders’ back line stalwart and soon-to-be World Cup participant.

He’s Panama’s captain

Even before he helped see his country through to Russia in dramatic fashion (we’ll get to that later), Torres was firmly established as a footballing icon in his home country. Now 32, Torres has been racking up caps for Panama since 2005, becoming one of the faces most identified with the team and earning a reputation as one of Concacaf’s most fearsome defenders. That longevity has led to him serving as his country’s captain for many of those caps and, assuming he’s all healed up from a recent hamstring injury and able to play, that figures to remain the case when Panama takes the pitch at the World Cup this summer. 

He’s an A+ Dancer

One of the most indelible aspects of Seattle’s 2016 MLS Cup championship run was the Sounders’ postgame locker room dance parties that followed victories. The tradition was spearheaded by Torres, who told MLSsoccer.com in the midst of that playoff run that it was actually something he’s brought to teams dating back to his playing days in South America. 

“I’ve done it before with other teams,” Torres said. “It’s something that the Panamanians have in them — the dancing, the happiness. It’s good for the group. It doesn’t make a difference what [music] they put on, I’ll dance to it.”

He’s the reason Panama is in the World Cup

Torres is known first and foremost as a brick wall defender, but it was actually his attacking chops that saw Panama through during World Cup qualifying. Needing a goal in their final qualifying match against Costa Rica to avoid elimination, Torres improbably ranged forward from his center back position and hit a highlight-reel first-time volley into the net with just three minutes left in the game, setting off one of the wilder post-goal scenes you’ll ever see at Panama City’s Estadio Rommel Fernandez Stadium. 

“Pure happiness. The Panamanians are so blessed with what happened,” Torres said of the milestone moment after he returned to Seattle. “It’s something we’ve been working towards for a very long time. I can’t say it enough, the stadium was just pure happiness and euphoria over what happened. It was a historic moment for our country and for our national team.”

Oct. 10 is now a national holiday in Panama

¡Celebra Panamá, esta es tu victoria! #RUSIA2018 #VamosPanamá pic.twitter.com/CTXeRLOnXY

— Juan Carlos Varela (@JC_Varela) October 11, 2017

Torres’ goal against Costa Rica was the culmination of a long road for the Panamanian national team, which came close to qualifying for the 2014 World Cup only to fall agonizingly short. If you need any more evidence of just how much the opportunity to compete in Russia means to the country and its soccer-mad supporters, consider this: Panama president Juan Carlos Varela swiftly declared Oct. 10, the day of the historic tally, a national holiday.

He also has a field named after him

The national holiday isn’t the only immortalization of the moment that took place after the goal. In the weeks that followed, officials in Arraijan, Panama proposed renaming a local stadium previously called “El Mystic” after Torres. The facility, used for both soccer and baseball, now features Torres as its permanent namesake. 

He used to be a forward

It may have come as a surprise to some to see Torres bomb forward and cash home such a cheeky finish against Costa Rica. But it actually makes sense when you consider that in his younger days, Torres used to be a forward – something he frequently reminds reporters of during his media scrums. He’s also jokingly campaigned in Seattle training for a chance up top. Torres didn’t convert to defense until a tryout for Panama’s U-17 national team, where he ended up giving life on the backline a shot. 

“There were a lot of [forwards] with their hands raised [at the tryout],’’ Torres recalled in an interview with the Seattle Times last season. “They called for defenders and I noticed there weren’t a lot of them. And I was like, ‘I’ll play defender!’ because there really weren’t a lot of people to compete with.

“And so, from that moment on, I was a defender and I was learning and learning and getting better at the position. And I decided that was going to be what I adopted as my position. I just kept learning how to play defender as much as I could.’’

He’s also an MLS Cup hero

Torres has achieved iconic status in his home country, but he’s also managed to cement his place in Sounders lore. During the aforementioned 2016 championship run, it was Torres who stepped up to the spot during Seattle’s penalty kick shootout against Toronto FC with a chance to clinch the Sounders’ first-ever MLS Cup win. Using a short run-up, he managed to get TFC goalkeeper Clint Irwin to dive the wrong direction before drilling his shot into the net to give the Sounders the shootout victory and their first championship.

He has commemorative tattoos of his big goals 

Torres has covered himself in tattoos over his long career playing professional soccer, but his most recent ink since joining the Sounders commemorate those two historic tallies. The first is a self-portrait of him hoisting the MLS Cup trophy the night of his penalty kick winner.

Román Torres culmina el 2016, haciéndose un tatuaje levantando su primera Copa de la @mls. Que gran año para este talento Panameño. pic.twitter.com/efhzxImDOz

— PlenayGoles (@PlenayGolespty) December 20, 2016

The next spells out ‘October 10, 2017’ in roman numerals – in honor of his national holiday-creating World Cup qualifying goal.

Nada mejor que recordar uno de los momentos más felices de mi vida 10-10- 2017 gracias por el arte @ptyinktattooshop Pancho pic.twitter.com/WULkW5knc2

— Román Torres (@romantorres05) December 1, 2017

He’s not small 

At 6-foot-2, 195 pounds, Torres is currently listed as the heaviest player on any World Cup roster. But don’t let that fool you. On a Sounders team that features two of the more physically gifted raw athletes in MLS in forward Jordan Morris and freight-train left back Nouhou, Torres could still make his case as the most impressive physical specimen on the roster, combining that height and weight with incredible speed and athleticism for his size. That impressive build, combined with his nimble and fluid footwork, are what allow him to continue to keep pace with some of the league’s dynamic attackers, while also providing a devastating physical presence beside Marshall.

“He could play a lot sports,” Schmetzer once said of Torres. “[So] we’re happy he plays soccer.”

His daughter won’t let him get a haircut

Torres’ original plan was to cut his easily identifiable free-flowing braids after Panama qualified for the World Cup, but following his clinching goal, that plan ended up getting nixed by his daughter. MLS has seen some great hair over the years, from Kyle Beckerman to Dominic Oduro to DeAndre Yedlin, but Torres has a solid argument that he should be considered in that elite tier. Whether he keeps his now-trademark look through this summer’s run in Russia, or whether any haircut-related plans get overruled again, remains to be seen.

Series: 

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Big body, bigger goals, better dance moves? 10 things about Roman Torres was originally published on 365 Football

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Toronto FC "have every opportunity" to beat Tigres despite MLS-Liga MX past

John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

March 7, 201812:14PM EST

TORONTO – That a disparity has existed in the past is plain to see.

Since 2008, MLS clubs have met Mexican clubs in 75 competitive matches. From those, the MLS side has won just 13. It is not a pretty history.

But ahead of their 2018 CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal series against Tigres UANL, due to kick off on Wednesday night at BMO Field (8 pm ET | TSN2 in Canada, UDN/go90.com in US), Toronto FC aim to show that the gap has lessened.

“Our hope is that we’ve closed it,” said TFC head coach Greg Vanney on Tuesday in the prematch press conference.

Treble winners, setters of a new all-time MLS points record in a single season, the Reds have reason to believe in their capabilities. Vanney points to two specific elements in that process: continuity and TAM.

“We have continuity, which enables us to move forward as a group, build on experiences,” he explained. “With the various mechanisms the league [has put] in place, you bring in more experienced players, players who have different skill sets, which creates more depth, more variation.”

As related by Bill Manning at TFC’s President’s Breakfast, 21 players on this year’s roster were members of the 2017 MLS Cup-winning side. Of those, 17 were on the Reds side that reached the MLS Cup final the year before.

Continuity and skill have allowed Toronto to evolve tactically as well, yet another asset in these knockout situations.

“From the quality standpoint and the vision of how we want to play, our thought is that we’ve closed the gap,” reiterated Vanney. “We have every opportunity to win this game.”

That is not to say that all barriers have evaporated.

“We’re three games in and they’re 14 in,” said Vanney, assessing the challenge of timing with CCL action falling early on the calendar for MLS clubs compared to Liga MX’s. “In our league, the first 10 games are feeling things out, getting into a rhythm. Then you find what that looks like and it starts to flow. We’re always pushed in our time line to be as sharp as we can, as quickly as we can against teams that are already running.”

Another obstacle to overcome: Toronto will face a daunting and decisive second leg away in Mexico, at Tigres’ Estadio Universitario in Nuevo Leon, dubbed “The Volcano” for its noise and passion.

Toronto will have one slight advantage at BMO Field: The evening kickoff will see temperatures dropping towards the freezing point, an inhospitable Canadian welcome for the Mexican visitors.

“They’re probably not used to this cold weather,” said van der Wiel. Meanwhile TFC have braved successive MLS Cup finals in December, as well as a frosty pair of matches against Colorado in the CCL Round of 16, including what’s believed to be the coldest conditions any MLS team has ever experienced.

Victor Vazquez and TFC are no strangers to cold weather in big matches | USA Today Sports Images

The New York Red Bulls showed what’s possible on Tuesday with a 2-0 quarterfinal first leg win over Club Tijuana – just the third win by an MLS team in Mexico in 49 attempts. Yet Toronto will be looking to seize the initiative in the home leg nonetheless.

“We’d like to like to [take a lead to Mexico],” said Vanney. “The whole point of these first legs is to set yourself up in best possible way.”

Recent two-legged history has shown TFC have a propensity for doing just that. Against Colorado, a 2-0 win in the first leg paved the way for progression. In the 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs, a 2-1 win away to those same Red Bulls and a 0-0 draw in Columbus had them in good stead to finish off those series at home in the second leg.

Even a 3-2 loss to the Montreal Impact away in the first leg of that epic 2016 Eastern Conference Championship proved useful, as those away goals were crucial in the end. Similarly, a 2-0 home win over New York City FC at the Conference Semifinals stage opened the door to a 5-0 thrashing in the second leg.

Factor in the Canadian Championship, which TFC have won two years running, and the Reds have not lost a two-legged affair since May 2015, winning nine straight aggregate series, no matter where they began or ended.

“Our team is capable of getting a result anywhere on its day,” said Vanney. “It comes down to executing. We tend to be pretty good at creating chances; have been stingy defensively. We have to continue to do that.”

One thing matters most.

“When two good, top-level teams play, it becomes [a question of] who takes their chances when the opportunities arise,” suggested Vanney. “That’s going to be an important aspect, whether we’re home or away.”

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Toronto FC “have every opportunity” to beat Tigres despite MLS-Liga MX past was originally published on 365 Football

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Vanney: Toronto needed to get in sync on Saturday ahead of Tigres showdown

March 5, 20186:26PM EST

TORONTO – As Jozy Altidore might say, Toronto FC are busy in the laboratory, cooking up some good stuff for Wednesday night.

Monday afternoon at the BMO Training Ground, ahead of the opening leg of their 2018 CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal series against Tigres UANL, was all business, precious little time to chat.

The 2-0 loss to Columbus Crew SC on Saturday was an inauspicious start to the 2018 MLS regular season, but focus has already shifted towards the next challenge, the next match: Wednesday against Tigres at BMO Field (8 pm ET; TSN2 in Canada | UDN, go90.com).

“They’ve been very successful the last few years, domestically and internationally,” said midfielder Jonathan Osorio. “It’s going to be a good test for us, to see where we stand. Everybody is looking forward to it; excited to see how we do against Tigres.”

Added defender Nick Hagglund, in his trademark understated way: “They’re pretty good.”

2018 has started quickly for the defending MLS Cup champions. A two-legged series with the Colorado Rapids in the CCL Round of 16 gave way to the opening day defeat against Columbus. 

For their third match in little more than a week, TFC will square off against the reigning Liga MX Champions: Tigres won the 2017 Apertura on December 10, a day after Toronto won the 2017 MLS Cup. A true clash of champions.

With such an encounter on the horizon, it was some surprise to see Greg Vanney trot out a largely first-choice eleven that included Altidore, Sebastian Giovinco, Michael Bradley and Victor Vazquez against Columbus on the weekend, whereas other MLS clubs with Champions League aspirations rested starters.

“I don’t think we have the luxury,” explained Vanney. “If you have any desire to win this tournament, and you are an MLS team, you need every minute to get your guys on the field and in sync with each other.”

“Going to Mexico, playing a team who has played ten-to-twelve games, are already sharp and have a lot of things worked out,” continued Vanney. “We can’t rest guys right now. Guys have to get through this. Our guys are very aware of that.” 

Vanney wants observers to trust the process.

“Each game is important for gaining information about our group as we go into the Tigres series,” stated Vanney. “We were able to get Ager [Aketxe] out there, never played in MLS; never played with Greg [van der Wiel]. There’s a relationship we’ve got to test before we move into a knockout series.” 

“That’s what all of these games are for,” added Vanney. “That’s the process. We’ve got to see what everybody is going to give us, how these partnerships will look.”

That strategy did leave one concern, as Vazquez was forced off in the second half on Saturday through injury.

“He was having a bit of a nerve issue,” detailed Vanney. “Lower back, creates a sensation in his legs that tighten up. He’s had it before, something we’re able to treat and get through quickly. Now we start treatment, see if we can turn him around for the next one.”

Vazquez, who was pivotal to Toronto’s success last season, was undoubtedly looking forward to taking centerstage in front of Mexican eyes, having endured a difficult spell at Cruz Azul before joining TFC.

“I spoke to him quickly after, I don’t think he thinks it’s too bad,” relayed Bradley. “Over the next day or two, he’s got to get the right treatment, put himself in position to be ready to play on Wednesday. We’re a better team if he’s on the field.”

Vazquez or no, Toronto FC are eager for the fun to begin.

“We’re getting our rhythm,” said Osorio. “We had a good preseason; we’re prepared. We spent some time in Mexico that went really well. Nothing [is] going to catch us off guard. We’ll be ready.”

Only the most brief glimpse of Toronto’s approach emerged.

“We have to start aggressive,” urged van der Wiel. “Don’t let them play and play our game when we have the ball.”

“We have so much quality in this team,” noted the Dutchman, who made his debut against Columbus. “We’re playing at home; we have to forget about Saturday and start aggressive.”

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Vanney: Toronto needed to get in sync on Saturday ahead of Tigres showdown was originally published on 365 Football

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