jakerandall

[jakerandall]

When it came to writers trying to get their foot in the door with either a publisher or publication, Jacob wasn't stingey about helping out if he saw the means to do so. He sat with a drink in reach as his eyes moved over and took in the words on the pages in front of him. "If you're to know anything about me it's that I'm honest," he said glancing over at Pearce. It wasn't gospel, not a single person was honest, but he meant in the way of if Pearce had a shot or not. This wasn't something he'd lead someone on about. "So far I like it," Jake commented, glancing over again, "is this a rough draft or something you'd try to turn over to an agent?"

closed starter for @jakerandall

pearce didn't often share his work with other people and that was mostly because it wasn't something he did professionally, so he wasn't even sure if it were worth reading. though, once he met jake and he knew the other did it for a living, he felt as though the other could steer him in the right direction. he leaned back, eyes studying the other as he continued to read what pearce had written. "come on, be honest. you can tell me if it's absolute rubbish."

#threads — jacob randall. #01 — pearce callahan. #thank you for the starter!!

[jakerandall]

"You'd think I'd know my own sister well enough to be able to easily pick out a birthday gift, but... here I am, clueless." Mahi's point of questionable gifts was exactly the reason he'd enacted some help. It came with a side benefit of getting to see his friend and catch up. His shoulders shrugged at her comment because how could he blame her or hold it against her. "I'd not only be an asshole but also a hypocrite if I was mad at you." Sometimes he too could disappear at the drop of a hat. It was the life, and now the trauma from that life. "See, I only touch the food court when it comes to those pretzels," Jake pointed off to the kiosk where a tray was being tossed into an oven. "Build A Bear... can't say it's for me or my sister but if you're in need," he grinned down at her momentarily, "just let me know." It was so easy to spend time around her, Jake figured he wouldn't be bothered if they never actually got to shopping for what he'd come for. Catching up seemed to be the better option for the day. "Well, just that," he chuckled, "busy being a big time author." And avoiding his demons the best he could. "I kind of maybe am stepping back into journalism a bit. The things going on around Wilmington these days are... not letting me be." Another light laugh. "What about you?"

Whenever she had the time, she liked to help out friends. This time was no exception. She didn’t think Jake was exactly into shopping for women, though. "You’re welcome. I can’t say you’re right. I’ve had some questionable gifts given to me before." She always felt the need to smile and act like she loved a gift—even if she hated it. "I know. I can't even remember the last time we saw each other in person. I’m glad you’re not mad at me though.” Not that she would blame him since she was in a habit of disappearing. “Just a tad. There’s a lot of interesting things at the mall…like Build A Bear and nasty food court food? You can’t find those anywhere else,” she teased. “Anyway, Mr. Big Time Author, what are you up to these days?” 

#threads — jacob randall. #01 — mahira yoon castillo.

[jakerandall]

#tunes — jacob randall. #i need this song to hurry up and be released #Youtube

[jakerandall]

Was it a surprise that her answer was a Taylor Swift album? Not really. The very talented songwriter had a chokehold on this generation and Jake didn't see anything wrong with that. The nervous chuckle after admitting so was what put a bit of a smile on his face, however. "Are you sure," he teased. "You don't have to say it because you think you have to or the army will come after you," Jake winked, "this is a safe space." After he gestured between them, still teasing a bit he let out a soft contented sigh. "For me it's U2's The Joshua Tree. Each song on that album resonates one way or another."

Jemma gave him a thoughtful expression, though the answer was pretty simple. Still, the question was about an album and not an artist, so she indeed needed a second to figure out which one had the most songs she could relate to or rather which one was constantly on repeat in her house. "I'd say Taylor Swift's Folklore or her most recent are coming head to head." She said it proudly, despite the nervous chuckle at the end. "What about you?"

#threads — jacob randall. #01 — jemma lawson.

[jakerandall]

"I'm really happy that I haven't had to endure what you have," he joked with the woman who's companionship over the years had meant a lot to him. As did her children and their music tastes. "I remember when I babysat my niece a few years ago and she wanted to watch Frozen and then when it was over she wanted to watch it again." Jake shook his head at the memories. Of course he was happy to oblige and give his niece whatever she had wanted but it was torture. "I say prayers for you every day... that is your life now." Another tease but then she said something that pulled his brow together in intrigue. "What's high power music? Is that motivational stuff you're listening to? Here I thought you were a bad bitch above all the affirmations." Okay, maybe he should take it easy with the teasing and sarcasm. Truly it was just how he was but Jake was interested in what genuinely spoke to Camila. Then she rose his brow with another comment and a smirk formed on his lips. "Come again? Is that you saying you listen to sex music or..." That needed some clarification. "Uhh... yeah I guess you could say I do and it's probably cliché as fuck but... U2's The Joshua Tree. I can listen to that album without a single skip and each song resonates in one way or another."

Cami looked at her long time friend, and shrugged, "Um... to be honest, Jake. I think I've heard the Frozen soundtrack, and Peaches by Jack Black the most in the last two years that I'm not even sure I know what other music is out there anymore." She chuckled, aiming it as a joke, but she found herself sighing at the reality of the fact. "And I listen to high power stuff at the gym, whenever the hell I can get there nowadays." Which wasn't often, she was really gonna have to finish her home gym at this point. "And when I listen to music to write, it's usually not... well, lets say if you're listening on the other side, it's not writing you'd think I'd be doing." She scratched behind her head, and shook her head, "None of that was an answer to your question, sorry. Do you have one? An album, I mean."

#threads — jacob randall. #01 — camila moreno.

[jakerandall]

Always athletic but never really a gym rat Jacob Randall truly only stepped foot in a gym these days if he needed to blow off some steam that couldn't be resolved in his usual go-tos. With his hands wrapped and his knuckles punching into a bag repeatedly Jake worked on his footwork. As a journalist and back in his university days as well he'd kept up with MMA because it was often he'd get himself into sticky situations. Now in his early forties and someone that sat at a computer and wrote novels he just felt a bit rusty. He'd taken note of Irza working out his own frustrations and was just waiting for a good break to have a chat with the mayor. It finally came when they naturally broke at the same time for some refreshment. "Good to see you too, Mr Man," as he liked to tease the politician. Some sweat was dabbed from his brow with a hand towel. "Trouble with your constituents or you working out something else," he asked with a gesture toward the bag that Özer had been abusing.

closed starter @jakerandall

After his run-in with Yasemin, he needed to blow off some steam, and The Boxing Room was the perfect place to do just that. He started with a few light jabs, feeling the satisfying impact of his fists against the heavy bag. With each strike, he felt the tension in his shoulders begin to dissipate. He thought back to his encounter with his ex-wife and channeled that pain into his punches, his strikes growing more powerful with each passing moment. Sweat began to bead on his forehead, dampening his hair as he lost himself in the rhythm of the workout. By the time he was done, he felt spent, and as he sat on the bench—quenching his thirst—he took note of the person to his left. Jake. “I was wondering if you were going to show up. Great to see you, Jake.” 

#threads — jacob randall. #01 — irza özer. #thank you for the starter sweetness

[jakerandall]

Even though it might have seemed the obvious answer as he'd approached the blonde, Jake didn't like to assume anything about anyone. Time and time again he'd been shone differently by his experiences. People were layered and complex. "Ah, c'mon," with a soft click of his tongue and a tick of his head to the side. "We're talking about you. Not what the pressure of your peers wants you to say or even the approval of your daughter." Taylor Swift seemed like the easy, cop out answer. Not that she didn't have value, Jake understood she meant a great deal to her fans. He just sensed there was something more here. "I can see an old soul, some depth in your eyes," he added, blue eyes peering into hers with intrigue and perhaps a little coaxing, "what's your real answer?"

Part of her quest for self-discovery meant taking herself out on a date at least once a week. Sometimes, that meant a 'date' was little more than a bottle of wine and night with her vibrator, but other times, when Wren was still at school and she got off work early, it meant Mara decided to visit a new part of town she'd never been to. This week, it was the record store — in hopes that maybe she might discover a new taste in music. "I mean... I'm a millennial white woman with a 9 year old daughter. I say anything but Taylor Swift, I'm getting kicked out of the club," she shrugged with a teasing smile.

#threads — jacob randall. #01 — mara henry. #she's an actual swiftie and he's like nope don't believe it lol

[jakerandall]

CHRIS EVANS is PEOPLEs 2022 Sexiest Man Alive

#mirror — jacob randall.

[jakerandall]

A smirk played on his lips with the knowledge that he'd managed to catch her off guard. Jake wasn't sure something like that would ever get old. At her question, however, he shook his head. "Nah, then I would've just asked which song, you know?" Then after a moment of thought, he added, "I'll allow it if it's a compilation record. But I'm more interested in something that you can put on and not have to jump around from song to song with."

Making playlists was a good time and all. The variety and fitting things to a mood was the best thing about music services these days. Jake just missed when music was made with the artistry of piecing together an entire album. There was nothing better than that when it came to music for him.

"Oh god, here we go..." They were in a record store, and Liv could only assume she knew the exact question about to come out of his mouth. "Wait, my collection? Okay, you curveballed me there, hold on." She hadn't seen that one coming. Now she had to think.

Recently, she'd stocked up on a bunch of vinyls after the twins had given her a record player for her birthday (or well, one had and the other tagged along) but she had so many albums that defined her. How was she supposed to choose which one. "Curveball of my own; does it have to be an album, or can I throw a bunch of random songs at you?"

#threads — jacob randall. #01 — olivia logarzo.

[jakerandall]

As a once acclaimed journalist it was incredibly difficult to shake or unnerve Jake Randall. Not only was talking to strangers as easy as walking for him there wasn't a shy bone in his body. He wasn't easily pushed off by a dirty look or silence. Sometimes people needed a moment so he waited but didn't stand there just staring at the other male. It was more of a lingering and browsing with an occasional glance over the other's way. He was always easily intrigued by others and the response Jake had received from this guy had actually made him curious as to why his hackles immediately went up and nearly seemed offended.

What he had expected was the aggressive, or what could be conceived as, gesture of the other walking over and pushing a record into his chest. Jake was never easily pushed around. He'd gone to hell and back one too many times. But... he wasn't offended and instead of reacting in a way this guy was likely used to Jake simply peeled the record from his chest and looked it over. Occasionally his blue eyes would glance up and catch the other, mostly to get a read on him, then he eventually nodded. Impressed.

"Pretty good choice." Meatloaf wasn't a favorite of his but Jake would never deny that he was talented and some of the music was damn good. "I'm so glad you responded with something unique." A small smile formed. "Never got Meatloaf before."

Vinyls were making a comeback-- finally, a movement that Jackson could get behind. It was one of the last tethers to something innocent and pure, before all the latest technology came and destroyed everyone's brains and behavior. One of his best memories as a kid was laying flat on his back on the floor, in the middle of his bedroom, just listening to his favorite record from start to finish.

Jackson didn't have much cash on hand today-- did he ever?-- so he was mostly browsing through the gems of previously owned records that were reasonably priced. He was ninety percent sold on the Guns N' Roses he currently perused, not at all bothered by a few faded blemishes across the cover; as long as the record itself was in good condition and had no skips. Jackson's gaze lifted at the sound of someone's voice, looking over the male just before him for several long beats before it registered that this question was directed at him. A faint furrow creased his brow-- an expression that clearly said he wasn't used to anyone bothering him-- and dropped his stare as a quiet frown developed at the corner of his lips. It almost appeared that Jackson planned to ignore this man completely, especially from the silence lingering.

But then he plucked a second red-colored vinyl from the display before him and came around the aisle in approach of the other man. Jackson lightly pushed the record into the man's chest in answer to his question. "Best rock saga out there," he finally spoke in low tones. It was Meatloaf's Bat Out of Hell album, one of those Jackson had worn through as a kid. He'd never get tired of it.

#threads — jacob randall. #01 — jackson gallagher.

[jakerandall]

Truthfully, Jake couldn't blame Kian and his stunned reaction. If he were in the other man's position he wouldn't know what to think either. And Jake Randall had been in some serious compromising positions in the past. "Could just be something to rattle some cages and ruffle some feathers," he suggested and shrugged nonchalantly. Purposefully downplaying the severity to not make matters worse with dramatics. Plus, if he could nab any morsel of information it was best to keep cool. "It's not the way I had done things in the past, but think it of it as a glaring headline... gets people on their toes." Though, they seemed to be very specific toes someone was trying to step on. "No, I haven't," Jake admitted. However, he had been guilty of doing something terrible. Or, maybe not. It was something he still wrestled with daily. "If you're asking personally, then I would process it by getting some answers. Especially because it could affect you too."

Ever since the announcement, he’d been lost in thought. His uncle’s name had been dragged into the mud and he wasn’t sure how to react. Kian wasn't sure what to make of all this information. He finally glanced over at Jake, his expression blank. “What? No, I'm not looking for a fast car," he replied, shaking his head. "I'm just trying to wrap my head around what I just heard. My uncle... accused of being involved in Mayor Thompson's death? It doesn't make sense." The thought of him being connected to such a heinous crime seemed unfathomable. "I don't know what to think right now," he admitted, his brows creased. "Have you ever had someone close to you accused of something terrible? How do you even begin to process that?"

#threads — jacob randall. #01 — kian lawson. #idk if they're walking but i just matched your gif lol

[jakerandall]

❛ MAHI & JACOB. — AT WATERWORKS MALL IN MIDTOWN.

"Thanks for coming out with me," he laughed quietly to himself, "shopping for you women is so difficult." Even if it was for his sister's upcoming birthday and he'd obviously known her all her life. As adults there was distance because of them each traveling their own paths. The only time they really visited these days was during holidays and family events. Jake wasn't even sure when the last time they'd called each other was. "It's so crazy that you're here." Truly he'd had to pinch himself when they'd initially reconnected. The last time he'd seen @mahirayc was... when? "How much do you love me for inviting you out to a mall?" It had felt like an easy way to check in and get reacquainted.

#threads — jacob randall. #01 — mahira yoon castillo.

[jakerandall]

❛ OPEN & JAKE. — AT VINTAGE RECORD STORE IN MIDTOWN.

"Okay, loaded question coming at you..." It was a fair warning because he was about to be the most cliché person in the store (and likely of this person's whole week) and he was likely about to pose one of the most difficult questions. "What would you say is the most quintessential album in your music collection?" Jacob actually loved asking people these kinds of questions. Their answers usually said a lot about them and likely spoke to some of the paths in their lives, which he was always curious about.

#threads — jacob randall. #open starter — jacob randall. #wnc.starter #pls assume if you'd like

[jakerandall]

❛ KIAN & JAKE. — AT SPRINGTIDE BASH FOLLOWING THE PLOT DROP.

It'd been years since he'd hung up his hat as an investigative journalist. Yet, it seemed that journalism wasn't ready to cut the connection. There was always a little something that niggled at him here or there and he collected information somewhere in the recesses of his mind, as though he were storing it for a useful day. If you collected information it all tied together at one point, you just had to be patient. When his blue eyes landed on @kianlawson, someone he was sure didn't really want to be a face in the crowd at the moment, Jake couldn't help his instincts. "Looking for a fast car?"

#threads — jacob randall. #01 — kian lawson.

[jakerandall]

❝ NOTHING BUT THE OPEN ROAD AND THE NEVER ENDING WHY ❞

STATS:

Name: Jacob Randall

Age: 40

Face Claim: Chris Evans

Occupation: Former crime journalist & novelist

Neighborhood: Wrightsville Beach

Gender & Preferred Pronouns: Cis male & he/him

BIOGRAPHY:

trigger warnings: heart condition, death

Born and raised in Wilmington, Jacob Randall is the oldest of four children created by a construction worker turned developer and a dental assistant. They were a large family yet a genuinely happy and well-balanced family. His biggest obsession as a child was basketball. Anywhere and anytime he could play, Jacob had a ball in his hands and dreamed of one day being in the NBA. If at all possible he wouldn’t miss a game on television, and often got in trouble for dribbling and tossing that ball around the house. He played for the YMCA, youth leagues, and his schools. Which eventually earned him a scholarship to the University of Arizona.

Aside from basketball, the biggest dream he had was to be a writer. It was something he shared with his grandfather, his love for books and reading. They’d talk about all the books they read, sometimes even read the same so they could compare notes, and his grandfather had once told Jacob that he wished he had gotten into the publishing business. It inspired Jacob once in university, he studied english and creative writing, played basketball and picked up beach volleyball, and somewhere along the way he ended up taking a bit of a detour. In needing to fulfill credits and requirements, Jacob took a journalism class and his writing got him noticed. He ended up really loving the writing style and found that he had natural instincts as an investigator.

Once he graduated Jacob had a few daily newspapers seeking him out but he chose the The Charlotte Observer to return home and began working the crime desk. It turned into a bit of an obsession for Jacob. The job, he worked non-stop, covering the biggest crime stories in the state, and while he built up a reputation and eventually won himself a Pulitzer Prize it all came at the sacrifice of his family and friendships. Every single relationship he tried had failed due to him not being present enough. Jacob always put the work and writing first, he believed he was doing important work and was going to make a difference, and had always been very proud, but it eventually took too big of a toll.

When his mother was diagnosed with a heart condition, Jacob wrongly assumed he had more time than he did and not only missed out on most of her suffering and being there to be a support for her, he hadn’t been there when she passed away. Instead, Jacob had been off investigating a story. The story turned out to be one of the biggest of his career, and maybe also the most dangerous. One that challenged him as a human being; his values, what he stood for, who has the right of justice.

A woman had reached out to him, telling him about something that had been happening on cruise ships. It was something she had done her own little investigation into because her friend went missing at sea. Digging into it he found that there was a history to this, something that has never really been made hugely public and garnered enough press attention. So Jacob went on the investigative hunt trying to find out what happened with this missing woman and found out there was one before her and almost a year to the date. In the end, he uncovered the truth and found the person responsible, but committed his own crime in the process. Something Jacob now has to live with himself over.

After that and the passing of his mother, he kept the promise he had made to himself and quit investigative journalism. He’d always intended and had meant to be a novelist. Since then he’s written five New York Time’s Best Sellers. Using some of his experiences as a crime reporter for inspiration.

#wnc.intro #introduction — jacob randall. #biography — jacob randall.

[jakerandall]

We haven’t been fair to you, Kyle. No. I brought this on my myself.

ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO | Black Hole Sun (3x03)

#character study — jacob randall.

[jakerandall]

CHRIS EVANS 2023 | Stevie Dance ph. for GQ

#mirror — jacob randall.