higher and higher, we're gonna take it down to the wire
[embarrassing teenage concerns redacted]
Again, still open (because I am a masochist), all and any fandoms I have written/shown interest in.
For rondaview: Five (embarrassing) things Stevie's said while fucking Xabi.
1. Bloody hell.
2. Are you sure we're doing this right?
3. So, right, about that goal -- (Shut up. Please.)
4. I think my leg just cramped up.
5. Danny.
Five things that've caused Iker to question his resolute heterosexuality.
1. Figo, when Iker was twenty and they roomed together on away trips. That's all he'll say about that.
2. A couple of years ago, Guti had taken the team to some gay bar (because they were ten times better than regular ones, apparently). It had been ridiculous and over the top and far too glittery, but. Well.
3. Raúl, around the turn of the millenium, at the height of his career. When Iker looks at him nowadays, he still sees flashes of it sometimes - little bits and pieces of what once was. Raúl had been Real back then, everything it meant and didn't mean, the line of his jaw and nose sharp and dangerous and everything about him so beautiful in motion, on the pitch, that sometimes Iker forgot what he was supposed to be doing.
4. He'd kissed his best friend in the Castilla, once - they were sixteen and a little drunk; it had been awkward, limbs too long and angle all wrong, but his mouth had been hot and willing and quick.
5. David Beckham. Yeah, it's more than a little embarrassing.
Five ways Iker thought Becks was easy.
1. Beckham had kissed him on both cheeks the first time they met. I'm embracing the culture. A hand warm on Iker's wrist and a slow, wide smile.
2. The man will do whatever it takes for Starbucks coffee at five in the morning. Whatever.
3. If you're sincere with him, honest and upfront but not unkind, it's pretty much a guarantee that he'll like you and invite you to dinner and clean out the inside of your car just because its messiness drives him crazy. That's how it worked for Iker, at least.
4. He lets people trace his tattoos, honest to god. Iker had walked into the locker room one day after a match to find Beckham straddling a wooden bench, shirtless, with Sergio drawing a finger over the wings on his shoulder blades. Beckham had flicked a glance at him, chin resting on the palm of his hand, said, You curious? I was just giving Sergio my artist's phone number.
5. He'll do anything and everything in the world for you if he trusts you.
Five ways Gattuso shows his love!
1. Running tackles.
2. Pant donations.
3. Messy kisses all over the (un)fortunate recipient's forehead and hair.
4. Horrendously off key and monotonic singing.
5. Piggyback rides.
For commieprincess: Five favorite non-Liverpool players and why.
1. David Villa. of_doom is completely to blame, COMPLETELY. His hair and enthusiasm and goal celebrations are all so lovely.
2. Zidane. Smoking, headbutts, unbelievable beauty. I can't wait to see the film.
3. Cesc Fabregas. His hilarious hair. The default expression of pouting.
4. Morten Gamst Pedersen, for looking like an elf or something. Whatever, he's just adorable. Kissing fish, the celebration after the Fulham goal, the hair. Also, GAY BOYBANDS FOR THE WIN.
5. Iker Casillas, for, um, everything.
For niche: Five reasons why Iker Casillas kissed Cañizares on the night that Spain was booted from the World Cup.
1. He was really kind of furious and Cañizares only pisses him off more usually, so Iker figures that he can at least reciprocate, because, hey, why the hell not. It's not as if locker room unity matters anymore. These things make sense when you're lying on a hotel room floor staring at a bottle of whiskey.
2. Plus, Cañizares is hilarious when he's red and raging and spluttering alcohol everywhere, although, ew, not over Iker's arm please.
3. He's got a not so well-hidden weakness for blond hair, naturally so or not.
4. Joaquín dared him to, and Iker'll be damned if he ever chickens out of a bet from him of all people.
5. Iker wanted to see if he tasted as angry and sharp as he looked, sounded.
Five reasons why Joaquín Sanchez put his hand on Cesc's thigh on the subs bench that time, in front of the press, the stadium and all the world, and didn't withdraw it.
1. Cesc froze when he did it, and Joaquín counted the seconds before he moved again with a smirk tugging at the left corner of his mouth. He deliberately looked the other way. (Eleven. Eleven, almost twelve, seconds.) The satisfaction he derived from that was pretty immense. Cesc is so terribly easy to tease.
2. He was trying to say: hey, kid, don't look so worried. We'll be fine, you'll be fine, how could you not be? There's always next time, anyway.
3. My fingers are fucking numb, he says, lifting his eyebrows carefully, and you, you're warm.
4. It's an annoying habit of his, grabbing onto whatever happens to be in the closest proximity when he's tense or worried or really focused on something.
5. Cesc was young and kind of scared, Joaquín was not so young and fucking terrified and something about that made sense, somewhere, in some odd frightening way.
For zauberer_sirin: Five people Xabi wanted to say I love you to but never got the chance (or the courage).
1. Mikel Arteta. He's harder to deal with than Stevie when he's sulking, and he's got some habits that drive Xabi crazy (how he whitens his teeth far too much, the way he likes to call Xabi at two in the morning), but still. Still. They've known each other all their lives. Xabi isn't naive enough to believe that it's simple coincidence and luck which has made Mikel follow him to Sociedad and, later, England. Mikel's a constant in his life, and they've dished out their worst at each other years ago; they know each other, the good and bad and plain stupid - Xabi is more grateful for that than he will ever say (they don't work that way, it's just something unspoken, known).
2. Steven. He had wanted to say it after Istanbul, wanted to say, I love you for being who you are, for being Liverpool, for making this happen, for believing in the pitch and the color red and the impossible.
3. It's hard to say something like this to forty thousand people, but if he could, he would tell it to each and every supporter in the Ataturk that night. Xabi still doesn't believe it, sometimes.
4. His second girlfriend. She had hair that was a deep red in the right light and smelled like cinnamon and pine all the time. He would've meant it, really meant it, too.
5. His father. It's a weird one, because he does love his father. They get along well, better than well. Xabi's sure he's probably said it as a young kid during those years before concrete memory. But Periko's always been a busy man, someone who always needs a project to dedicate himself to; he's strange for a Basque in that he doesn't value the home as much as most do. He's raised Xabi and Mikel and Jon to be independent, capable of taking care of themselves, okay with loneliness, but Xabi's the only one with whom it's really worked. Xabi can't ever remember telling his father that he loves him, and he tells himself that he will, that he has to before he regrets it, but the more the years pass, the harder it becomes to say. He's not scared of much, but the words, they just won't come out.
For gameazel: Five things Beckham really wants to say to the world, but will never.
1. I don't think I'm the Christ of the footballing world, of England, of anything. All of you can give me abuse about that now, but you'd be lying if you said that you never bought into it, not even once. I got you to believe, didn't I? Even if it was only for a moment.
2. Sometimes I wish I could just play football. Nothing else. No advertising, no books, nothing. Just football for my club, with my mates, with kids above all.
3. But if you gave me another chance, I wouldn't do a single thing differently. Not a single thing. Except maybe that sarong incident.
4. I care. I'm real and I forget my car keys and I love my kids and my wife, even if she's fucking insane sometimes, and why can't you fucking see that? Who, what gives you the right to belittle that, you fucking cunts.
5. Fuck off.
For tasheila: Five things Xabi wants to tell Danny about Stevie.
1. He never talks before games against you.
2. Your number is second on his speed dial, behind Alex.
3. He's not the same person he was even two years ago.
4. Steven mentions you a lot, offhand, casually and without thinking. I knew a lot more about you than about him for a few months there.
5. Sometimes, I think that if he could turn back time and change it so that you had stayed and I had never come to Liverpool, he would without any hesitation.
For tangledtale: Five things Kaka almost said during confession only to bite his lip to silence at the last minute.
1. I had almost stopped believing before that accident.
2. If religion worked, this world wouldn't be such a shitty place.
3. I lied when I said I saved myself for marriage. Hey, only two people know, and you're not going to be one of them.
4. Sometimes, I think I believe in Jesus but not God; Jesus was human, he bled for us and died for us and saved us, and what has God ever done? He created us and, just. Just look around.
5. It's hard, trying to divide yourself between two people.
Again, still open (because I am a masochist), all and any fandoms I have written/shown interest in.
For rondaview: Five (embarrassing) things Stevie's said while fucking Xabi.
1. Bloody hell.
2. Are you sure we're doing this right?
3. So, right, about that goal -- (Shut up. Please.)
4. I think my leg just cramped up.
5. Danny.
Five things that've caused Iker to question his resolute heterosexuality.
1. Figo, when Iker was twenty and they roomed together on away trips. That's all he'll say about that.
2. A couple of years ago, Guti had taken the team to some gay bar (because they were ten times better than regular ones, apparently). It had been ridiculous and over the top and far too glittery, but. Well.
3. Raúl, around the turn of the millenium, at the height of his career. When Iker looks at him nowadays, he still sees flashes of it sometimes - little bits and pieces of what once was. Raúl had been Real back then, everything it meant and didn't mean, the line of his jaw and nose sharp and dangerous and everything about him so beautiful in motion, on the pitch, that sometimes Iker forgot what he was supposed to be doing.
4. He'd kissed his best friend in the Castilla, once - they were sixteen and a little drunk; it had been awkward, limbs too long and angle all wrong, but his mouth had been hot and willing and quick.
5. David Beckham. Yeah, it's more than a little embarrassing.
Five ways Iker thought Becks was easy.
1. Beckham had kissed him on both cheeks the first time they met. I'm embracing the culture. A hand warm on Iker's wrist and a slow, wide smile.
2. The man will do whatever it takes for Starbucks coffee at five in the morning. Whatever.
3. If you're sincere with him, honest and upfront but not unkind, it's pretty much a guarantee that he'll like you and invite you to dinner and clean out the inside of your car just because its messiness drives him crazy. That's how it worked for Iker, at least.
4. He lets people trace his tattoos, honest to god. Iker had walked into the locker room one day after a match to find Beckham straddling a wooden bench, shirtless, with Sergio drawing a finger over the wings on his shoulder blades. Beckham had flicked a glance at him, chin resting on the palm of his hand, said, You curious? I was just giving Sergio my artist's phone number.
5. He'll do anything and everything in the world for you if he trusts you.
Five ways Gattuso shows his love!
1. Running tackles.
2. Pant donations.
3. Messy kisses all over the (un)fortunate recipient's forehead and hair.
4. Horrendously off key and monotonic singing.
5. Piggyback rides.
For commieprincess: Five favorite non-Liverpool players and why.
1. David Villa. of_doom is completely to blame, COMPLETELY. His hair and enthusiasm and goal celebrations are all so lovely.
2. Zidane. Smoking, headbutts, unbelievable beauty. I can't wait to see the film.
3. Cesc Fabregas. His hilarious hair. The default expression of pouting.
4. Morten Gamst Pedersen, for looking like an elf or something. Whatever, he's just adorable. Kissing fish, the celebration after the Fulham goal, the hair. Also, GAY BOYBANDS FOR THE WIN.
5. Iker Casillas, for, um, everything.
For niche: Five reasons why Iker Casillas kissed Cañizares on the night that Spain was booted from the World Cup.
1. He was really kind of furious and Cañizares only pisses him off more usually, so Iker figures that he can at least reciprocate, because, hey, why the hell not. It's not as if locker room unity matters anymore. These things make sense when you're lying on a hotel room floor staring at a bottle of whiskey.
2. Plus, Cañizares is hilarious when he's red and raging and spluttering alcohol everywhere, although, ew, not over Iker's arm please.
3. He's got a not so well-hidden weakness for blond hair, naturally so or not.
4. Joaquín dared him to, and Iker'll be damned if he ever chickens out of a bet from him of all people.
5. Iker wanted to see if he tasted as angry and sharp as he looked, sounded.
Five reasons why Joaquín Sanchez put his hand on Cesc's thigh on the subs bench that time, in front of the press, the stadium and all the world, and didn't withdraw it.
1. Cesc froze when he did it, and Joaquín counted the seconds before he moved again with a smirk tugging at the left corner of his mouth. He deliberately looked the other way. (Eleven. Eleven, almost twelve, seconds.) The satisfaction he derived from that was pretty immense. Cesc is so terribly easy to tease.
2. He was trying to say: hey, kid, don't look so worried. We'll be fine, you'll be fine, how could you not be? There's always next time, anyway.
3. My fingers are fucking numb, he says, lifting his eyebrows carefully, and you, you're warm.
4. It's an annoying habit of his, grabbing onto whatever happens to be in the closest proximity when he's tense or worried or really focused on something.
5. Cesc was young and kind of scared, Joaquín was not so young and fucking terrified and something about that made sense, somewhere, in some odd frightening way.
For zauberer_sirin: Five people Xabi wanted to say I love you to but never got the chance (or the courage).
1. Mikel Arteta. He's harder to deal with than Stevie when he's sulking, and he's got some habits that drive Xabi crazy (how he whitens his teeth far too much, the way he likes to call Xabi at two in the morning), but still. Still. They've known each other all their lives. Xabi isn't naive enough to believe that it's simple coincidence and luck which has made Mikel follow him to Sociedad and, later, England. Mikel's a constant in his life, and they've dished out their worst at each other years ago; they know each other, the good and bad and plain stupid - Xabi is more grateful for that than he will ever say (they don't work that way, it's just something unspoken, known).
2. Steven. He had wanted to say it after Istanbul, wanted to say, I love you for being who you are, for being Liverpool, for making this happen, for believing in the pitch and the color red and the impossible.
3. It's hard to say something like this to forty thousand people, but if he could, he would tell it to each and every supporter in the Ataturk that night. Xabi still doesn't believe it, sometimes.
4. His second girlfriend. She had hair that was a deep red in the right light and smelled like cinnamon and pine all the time. He would've meant it, really meant it, too.
5. His father. It's a weird one, because he does love his father. They get along well, better than well. Xabi's sure he's probably said it as a young kid during those years before concrete memory. But Periko's always been a busy man, someone who always needs a project to dedicate himself to; he's strange for a Basque in that he doesn't value the home as much as most do. He's raised Xabi and Mikel and Jon to be independent, capable of taking care of themselves, okay with loneliness, but Xabi's the only one with whom it's really worked. Xabi can't ever remember telling his father that he loves him, and he tells himself that he will, that he has to before he regrets it, but the more the years pass, the harder it becomes to say. He's not scared of much, but the words, they just won't come out.
For gameazel: Five things Beckham really wants to say to the world, but will never.
1. I don't think I'm the Christ of the footballing world, of England, of anything. All of you can give me abuse about that now, but you'd be lying if you said that you never bought into it, not even once. I got you to believe, didn't I? Even if it was only for a moment.
2. Sometimes I wish I could just play football. Nothing else. No advertising, no books, nothing. Just football for my club, with my mates, with kids above all.
3. But if you gave me another chance, I wouldn't do a single thing differently. Not a single thing. Except maybe that sarong incident.
4. I care. I'm real and I forget my car keys and I love my kids and my wife, even if she's fucking insane sometimes, and why can't you fucking see that? Who, what gives you the right to belittle that, you fucking cunts.
5. Fuck off.
For tasheila: Five things Xabi wants to tell Danny about Stevie.
1. He never talks before games against you.
2. Your number is second on his speed dial, behind Alex.
3. He's not the same person he was even two years ago.
4. Steven mentions you a lot, offhand, casually and without thinking. I knew a lot more about you than about him for a few months there.
5. Sometimes, I think that if he could turn back time and change it so that you had stayed and I had never come to Liverpool, he would without any hesitation.
For tangledtale: Five things Kaka almost said during confession only to bite his lip to silence at the last minute.
1. I had almost stopped believing before that accident.
2. If religion worked, this world wouldn't be such a shitty place.
3. I lied when I said I saved myself for marriage. Hey, only two people know, and you're not going to be one of them.
4. Sometimes, I think I believe in Jesus but not God; Jesus was human, he bled for us and died for us and saved us, and what has God ever done? He created us and, just. Just look around.
5. It's hard, trying to divide yourself between two people.