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fishoutofcamelot · 4 years

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(for the ask thing) any book/tv show/movie/song recommendations?

BRO! I heckin got you man! Now, I’m gonna skip the song and book recommendation bit because that sorta thing isn’t really my scene. BUT! In terms of TV? My rec list is like a mile long. I’m gonna include a read-more line, actually.

BBC Merlin: You know I had to put this on the list. But the fact that you’re on my blog means you’ve probably watched this one, so I won’t go into detail about it. Available on Netflix

Mob Psycho 100: Just a cute, sweet story about a bunch of psychic kids trying to kill each other. A story with this much fighting has no right to be so wholesome. Mob is just a good boy, he doesn’t deserve all this! Fair warning, its messages about identity, self love, and growth WILL make you feel Emotions. Available on various anime pirating websites

Red vs Blue: The found family game is SO strong in this one. By far the best found family plot/dynamic I have ever and will ever experience. The characters are all so solid, yknow? Like it took me three rewatches to understand the plot, but I didn’t even care because I loved the characters SO MUCH. It’s also really, really funny (although some of the jokes have aged a bit poorly tbh). Basically about a bunch of space marines who goof off and accidentally dismantle corrupt governments along the way. Available on Youtube

Supernatural: Is it cringey? Yeah. Does the fandom suck? Also yeah. Is Destiel overrated? BIG yeah. But it’s got monsters, magic, family, and a plot that doesn’t revolve around romance - and really, what more could you ask for? And sure, a lot of people don’t really like the later seasons, but idk I actually prefer them. Season 15 has me THRIVING. I mean come on - character vs author?! Fighting the guy who literally wrote you into existence because he doesn’t want to give your story a happy ending?! Say what you will about Supernatural, but it’s one of the most imaginative shows I’ve ever seen. Available on Netflix

Avatar the Last Airbender: You like stellar animation, intricate worldbuilding/magicbuilding, and a perspective on war that is surprisingly mature for a kids show? Check it out. This show is without a doubt one of the best animated series of all time. Go on. Watch it. It’ll change your life. Available on Netflix

The Umbrella Academy: Time-travelling assassins. Superheroes. Ghosts. Talking monkeys. Murder mysteries. Baller soundtracks. This show will never give you what you expect. I don’t even think I could properly describe it to you. Available on Netflix

Detective Conan: An anime. It’s about a teen detective - think Nancy Drew but bloodier - who witnesses a crime and is fed an experimental poison in order to keep him from telling anyone. But instead of killing him, the poison turns him into a 6-year-old. So now he’s got to solve crimes and take down a criminal organization while in the body of a child. Naturally, shenanigans ensue. Fair warning, the main character becomes a bit of a Mary Sue in later episodes, but the first 300 or so are pretty fun. A few episodes are available on Netflix, but not any of the good ones. You’ll need an anime pirating website for that

Knives Out: My favourite movie ever, of all time. It’s a murder mystery that both subverts and pays homage to its parent genre in all the right places. It’s funny, it’s intelligent, and has a spectacular ending! Although I do wish the fandom would stop being so horny for Ransom, I mean he’s literally racist...No clue where you can find this tbh, I saw it in theatres

Derry Girls: Now I’m not normally a big fan of realistic fiction/sitcom stuff. Despite how funny they are, I’ve not even watched The Office or Parks and Rec because that normal daily life stuff just doesn’t peak my interest. And yet, somehow this story about a group of Irish high schoolers just has me enthralled. Very funny, very well-written, give it a watch. Available on Netflix

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood: Another anime. Phenomenal animation? Check. Fascinating plot and characters? Check. Detailed magic system that gets my lore-obsessed heart fluttering? Big heckin check. So basically two kids try to use Fantasy Science to bring their mom back to life, only the experiment fails and has some pretty nasty consequences - one boy loses his arm and leg, while the other loses his entire body and has his soul bound to a suit of armour. Now they gotta go through government conspiracies, ethical dilemmas, and Daddy Issues to try and get their bodies back. Available on Netflix

The Disastrous Life of Saiki K: Yet another anime. I know, I know, I’m a nerd, get over it. This show doesn’t have a complex plot or even complex characters, tbh, but what it does have is some amazing humour. It’s extremely funny, and it’s also just a nice show to kick back and relax to. Basically this guy who’s so op that he could rewrite the laws of reality on a whim is stuck dealing with relationship drama in high school despite being very, very asexual and very, very tired. Mostly he just uses his powers to avoid people and eat junk food, which is honestly a mood. Available on Netflix

Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated: Honestly I’d recommend almost anything that’s Scooby Doo-related because that was my childhood obsession. I used to have like 20 of the movies on DVD before my mom gave them all away. To this day I still love Scooby Doo, and watch it whenever I get the chance. But if you ask any SD fan, they’ll probably tell you that Mystery Incorporated is the best, most intelligent, most creative installment in the franchise. And they’re right (although I do wish there was less relationship drama...) Available on Netflix

Evil Genius: This is a documentary series about the Collar Bomb Robbery. Now, despite what the above list might indicate, I actually watch a LOT of documentaries, and if I were here to recommend all of them then we would be here all day. Not really ‘funny’ like the other entries on this list, it’s actually rather tragic, but definitely a cerebral viewing experience. Available on Netflix

Screwball: Now this is a documentary that IS funny. It’s about drug scandals in baseball. But the dramatic scene re-enactments are done with child actors that are all wearing fake beards and pretending to be drug dealers. It’s not only a fascinating subject, but it’s got amazing editing and visuals that have me in awe. Available on Netflix

Behind the Curve: Yet another documentary. This one’s about the rise of the Flat Earth movement. You’ll spend most of the time on the verge of having a stroke because of how stupid it all is. Available on Netflix

The Movies That Made Us: Okay okay okay last documentary on the list I swear. This one’s exactly what it says on the tin. It’s a series talking about the behind-the-scenes production of iconic movies like Home Alone and Ghostbusters. I eagerly await the second season. Available on Netflix

Monster Factory: If you’re familiar with the McElroy brothers and their brand of humour, you’ll love this. Griffin and Justin team up to make the most disturbing avatars they can create using video game character creators. The origins of the Final Pam meme. If I had a shirt with a quote from Monster Factory on it, I’d die a happy man. Available on Youtube

Baman Piderman: The dumbest show I have ever watched, but it’s so adorable and stupid and I love it so much. It doesn’t really have a plot, but later episodes allude to the presence of one and I’m upset because there are so many mysteries/questions hinted at and we’ll never get answers because it’s been abandoned. PLEASE watch it. Available on Youtube

Stranger Things: Okay, season 2 was a bit of a let-down imo, but season 1 was ICONIC and the Scoops Troop subplot in season 3 deserved its own freakin spinoff. I’m not joking. I didn’t even like s3 all that much, but the only reason it’s my favourite is because the Scoops Troop plot was so great. People call this show ‘horror’ but I don’t think it’s scary enough for that, although it is admittedly kinda spooky. If you like 80s nostalgia and the horror aesthetic, then I’d give it a watch (Do it for Scoops Troop. Do it for Robin). Available on Netflix

Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart: Despite my overwhelming love for this film, I’ll be the first to admit it’s kinda mediocre. The plot is weird and the romance feels forced, but despite its flaws it manages to be one of my favourite movies. Mostly I just like it for the unique concept and beautiful ending. Also the music is off the par man. Probably because the writer/producer of the movie was the lead singer for a French band called Dionysus (what? I do my research). Available on Netflix

Wakfu: I haven’t seen past season 3, but so far it’s pretty good. You go in thinking it’s just a wholesome action/adventure show about a kid who can create portals - but then it just. Sucks you in. From its bopping theme song to its fantastic found family to the unique worldbuilding, you very quickly fall in love with it. It’s got a cool plot and also talking dragons, and it doesn’t get better than that. Available on Netflix

Mystery Skulls Animated: Technically not a TV show so much as it is a series of animated music videos with a plot, but I’ll be damned if this isn’t one of the greatest things of all time. It’s basically Scooby Doo but if Shaggy got possessed by a demon and killed Fred, causing Fred to become a ghost hellbent on revenge-killing Shaggy in return. And if Scooby was an ancient Japanese spirit that bit off Shaggy’s arm, forcing him to wear a metal prosthetic. Yeah, MSA is wild. It’s only got three videos out so far, with a fourth one coming out this October, but there’s already so much lore! Available on Youtube

Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared: Ah yes, yet another cringey entry on this list. But you know what? Cringe culture is dead!!! And despite its fandom being...like that...DHMIS really is a cool show. Think if Sesame Street was like haunted or something. The episodes about creativity and telling time remain the most unsettling, imo. Definitely worth a watch. Available on Youtube

Inanimate Insanity: Oh boy. Am I seriously recommending you dip your little fingies into the object fandom? Yes. Yes I am. This show is so obscure it makes freakin Detective Conan look popular. At its core it’s a parody of Total Drama Island and Survivor but with anthropomorphized inanimate objects as characters (hence the name). Season 2 is actually really, really good and surprisingly competent. You just gotta get through season 1 first. Available on Youtube

The X-Files: Wow, a live action series on this list? Who woulda thought??? But seriously, this show is really fun. Memes and jokes aside, I love it. Scully and Mulder are fun characters with great chemistry (both platonic and romantic), the Lone Horsemen are hilarious, and every episode is a unique adventure into the most creative acid trips the human mind could conceive of. Phenomenal from start to finish (if you ignore the last season). I have no clue where you would watch this. Pirate it, probably

Buzzfeed Unsolved: Two idiots investigate cold cases and haunted locales while being utter dumbasses about it. You know the “hey demons it’s be ya boi” meme? That came from these guys. Available on Youtube

Kingdom: Ngl, I didn’t go into this expecting zombies. Or for it to take place during Korean feudalism, for that matter. But mediocre dubbing aside, this show has such a clever concept. It takes the zombie apocalypse genre and gives refreshing, unique twists to old tropes that they feel like something new. Seo-bi is my wife and she deserves all the love and appreciation in the world, and those are just Facts. Available on Netflix

My Hero Academia: Superhero high school anime. I personally am not a fan of later episodes/arcs, but the first three seasons are pretty dang good. Diverse, colourful ensemble cast that you easily grow to adore, interesting commentary on disability (although I’m not qualified to give any actual takes on that), and a school curriculum that makes me very, very concerned for the wellbeing of these children. Plus all the superpowers - aka ‘quirks’ - are super imaginative and, well, quirky! I just wish people would stop shipping the main character with his childhood bully...You’ll need to pirate this one too lmao

Danny Phantom: The highlight of this show is its ‘phandom’, because unlike someone (*cough* Butch Hartman), we’re not a bunch of cowards. It’s about a guy who messes around with his parents’ lab stuff and accidentally acquires the ability to die! Well, half-die. He can turn into a ghost and fight other ghosts. Although the show never explores the existential, traumatic fallout of being kinda-sorta-dead, the potential for something deep and emotional is there. Plus there is a LOT of accidental subtext for a Big LGBT+ Metaphor. So much so that the Trans Danny theory is basically canon. Uhhh not available on Netflix anymore so it’s time to whip out your pirate hat, matey

And there you have it! Like I said, I have a lot of TV recommendations. And I just KNOW I’m forgetting a ton, but this is already really long so we’ll have to cut off here.

Thanks for the ask! <3

#ask #fish post

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fahhhhq · 4 years

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Similar but Worlds Apart: Part 4

Fandom: Narcos + Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Pairing: Javier Peña x Fem Reader

WaRnInGs: Cursing.

Summary: Your heart aches for someone who no one has seen for weeks, but when you get new intel about their whereabouts, you’re stunned by what you find in Colombia.

If you’re new here, start hereee: Part uno, Part kinda dos, Part tres.

Note: Shit is going to start going down in this bitch starting next part. And I’ll post them more together since we’re all under lockdown, so timey off = more timey to writey. Hope You enjoy, xoxo

When you and Javier got to the restaurant, the same lady that had tended to you the last time, just looked at you and Javier with a questioning look. She was confused when she sat you two down in the same table.

“So, what do you recommend this time, Mr. Peña?” you ask as you skim the menu, feeling yourself starving by the second.

You peak up from your menu and he has a small smile on his face, “I pretty much always get the sancocho or the arepas.”

You put the menu down, “I’ll get the arepas since I got the sancocho last time.”

He smiles, “Then I’ll get the same as you.”

“Or am I getting the same as you?” you question.

Javier chuckles and waves over lady. He tells her what we want and orders two beers, too.

You cross your hands and lean against the table. You just stare at him and look at the likeness he has with Jack. Wishing it was Jack there with you eating arepas, but at the same time, you're enjoying Javier’s company.

“So, where are you from?” You ask, trying to pry as much information out of him about his background, as possible.

He smiles, opens the beers that the lady laid on the table, hands one to me, takes a swig from his and then says, “Kingsville, Texas, you?”

You take a drink from your beer and love the way the bubbles and the bitterness graze your throat, “God, that’s a good beer,” you say then laugh. He laughs too and his eyes squint, which makes you feel weak in the knees. “I’m from Southern California, moved a lot, so there’s no specific place.”

“Oh, were your parents in the military?”

“Something like that,” you fake a smile.

He nods, “Ah…”

You take a bigger swig of your beer this time, “Yeah…so do you have siblings?”

“No, just a lot of cousins. And you?” Oh, interesting… you think to yourself.

You shake your head, “No, just me, too. I’d be cool if I had a sibling, though, I wouldn’t be alone.” Shit, you don’t know where that came from, you just shake your head and try to reiterate, “I mean, I wouldn’t have to deal with my parents alone.” You laugh it off.

Javier smiles, “I get it, trust me. I always wanted a brother to do crazy things with, or to fight with. I always got in trouble and I wish I had someone to blame.”

“Oh, that would have been fun! I always got in trouble when I was a kid, so I would just deny, deny, deny,” you laugh.

“And Im guessing your parents never fell for it?” he raises a brow.

“Hey, I can be a good actress…but no, they never fell for it,” you pout, but you notice the way he stares at your lips, like Jack did so many times and then would kiss you and leave you breathless. And you were positive Javier would leave you the same way.

Your food arrives and you both enjoy your arepas in comfortable silence. Every once in a while, you both agree on how good the arepas are and then other times you guys just people watch quietly.

“You OK?” you ask Javier. “We don’t know each other that well but you seem quieter than you normally would be.”

He just smiles and stares down at his food, “Work stuff got me stressed.”

You can’t help but to feel sorry and worried for him, “I mean, you work for the DEA in a country that is consumed by drugs and drug cartels, I would be fucking stressed, too.”

He laughs and his eyes shrink, “Yeah, well I mean you work for a super-secret spy agency, so you must know how it is to deal with assholes like the ones I deal with.”

“Exactly,” you exclaim. “So, is your stress the kind you want to talk about and get it all out or is the kind of stress where you just don’t want to talk about at all?”

Javier chugs the whole beer, “I’m not a huge talker. Especially about work.”

“Ok, so what do you want to talk about?” you ask.

He takes the last bite of his dinner and puts it to the side. He orders two more beers and looks at you, “What are you really doing in Colombia?”

Your heart skips a beat. His question catches you off guard, but you decide to be honest, “I’m looking for my partner. He went missing three weeks ago.”

Javier looks at you curiously, “Your partner? You mean from the super-secret spy agency?”

You chuckled lightly, “Yep.”

He narrows his eyes, “You really don’t want to tell me what you're doing in Colombia?”

You laugh some more and drink the rest of your beer then open the new one, “You don’t trust a lot of people, do you?”

“Not really. Its what I’ve trained for my whole adult life.”

“That must be tiresome, to be on guard all the time, wondering if they have bad intentions.”

His eyebrows burrow, “A lot of people have a lot to hide. Its my job to uncover whatever it is they’re hiding.”

“Did you ever think that maybe people aren’t as bad as you make them out to be. That maybe they’re not hiding any bad intentions, and are actually being honest?”

He grabs his beer and avoids your stare. It looks like he’s thinking over what you said. “In my experience, everyone I've met has had something to hide. Maybe its not as bad as the previous, but they still surprise me.”

“Not everyone has something hiding under their sleeves, bud. Maybe if you’d trust more people, you wouldn’t have to be a ho who sleeps with random girls because you can’t trust someone long enough to have a serious relationship with,” you say. And yeah, it might seem like you're being a hypocrite, but when did you lie? Until that moment, you had been honest about your job and why you were being in Colombia, except for the fact that the person who was missing had a damn twin, but you couldn’t control that fact.

Javier seems to be taken back by your statement. He lifts his eyebrows in surprise and chugs the rest of his beer with purpose.

You reach over the table and grab his hand, he’s surprised by your action, “I’m not lying, everything I told you about why I’m here is true. You can trust me.”

He rolls his eyes, still serious, “Fine, but I don’t like that you called me a ho.”

You laugh, “You are though, I know one when I see one.”

He chuckles, drinking the rest of his second beer, “Whatever.” He motions for another beer to a waitress. “So, what happened to this partner of yours?”

You think to yourself; you mean your twin brother who even has the same moustache?

You finish the rest of your beer and then you realize that if guys continue to drink the way that you are, you're going to spill the beans about Jack. But at the same time, you needed this. You hadn’t “let loose” it seemed in so long since Jack went missing, so relaxing and having a regular chit-chat with someone who looked exactly like him, how could you not want to continue to drink.

You look at him and try to tell him the whole truth, but with some white lies, “My partner went on what was supposed to be a simple mission, yes with dangerous people, but Jack, he’s not someone to get beat so fast and easy…we just don’t know what happened to him. One moment he’s talking to us over his earpiece and then, nothing.”

He lifts his eyebrows in surprise, “You're actually telling me the truth?”

You just smile, “I don’t like to lie, unless I’m working, but I’m being honest, Javier.”

He crosses his arms over his chest and sits back, “Why are you trying to convince me that you’re not lying?”

“So that you can trust me and not be so closed off when we hangout,” you say. “I mean, I don’t know how long I’m going to be here, but we can be friends in the meantime, and you don’t have to have your walls up so high that Mount Everest looks like the wall of connect-four.”

“Ok, I believe you,” he laughs. “So, your partner, Jack is it? How long has he been missing? Maybe I can help.”

You feel your eyes bulge, “No, don’t do that, please. You already have enough going on and I don’t want to burden you with my nonsense.”

“Doesn’t seem like nonsense if you're in Colombia and out of your element.”

You wave him off and wink, “Trust me, Agent Scotch, I got this.”

He laughingly throws his hands up in a protective manner, “Fine, Agent Vino, but I’m here if you need any help.”

“Thank you.”

After you both finish your fourth beers, you decide to head home. It’s past midnight when you both get to your building.

You speak first, “Well, thank you for taking me to dinner. I seriously didn't know it was so late, you saved me.”

“I saved you from starving to death.”

“Starving to death is a bit extreme, maybe from getting a really bad headache and getting ‘hangry,’ but dead, no,” you declare.

He leans against the doorframe of your now open door, “You always have an answer for everything, huh?”

“Of course, I wouldn’t be the agent I am if I wasn’t quick on my feet,” you feel weird saying that you're an agent because you're not completely sure he believes you.

“Right,” he says smiling, crossing his arms over his chest, his leather jacket stretching a bit because of his muscles. “I’ll leave you to continue to work or go to sleep. Dinner tomorrow?”

You feel your cheeks get a bit hot, “Yeah, we can do dinner tomorrow, and this time I’ll be ready.”

“Ok, goodnight,” He just gives a small smile and walks to his apartment. But you don’t go inside until you check him out and make sure that he doesn’t stand outside your door and listen to the call that you were going to make. Nice ass, you think before closing the door.

You walk over to your makeshift office in the kitchen and grab your cellphone. You dial and wait.

“Statesman Kentucky, the best Bourbon Whiskey in the world,” a young woman’s voice answers.

“Get me Ale,” you say.

After a pause there’s an answer, “Ginger.”

“Ginger, I need you to look someone up for me,” you say.

“Go,” Ginger responds.

“Javier Peña, he’s DEA.”

“Give a second here, ok, yes, Peña, born in Kingsville, Texas, went to college at Texas A&I University where he studied sociology and psychology, he was then hired as a Deputy Sheriff by the Webb County Sheriff’s office in Laredo, seven years later the DEA hired Peña as a Special Agent for the office in Austin.”

“Is that it?” You ask.

“Hmm, yeah that’s all there is. What am I supposed to be looking for, Y/N?”

“Just information. Does it show his picture?”

“Let me see…” then you hear a gasp. “What?! Wait, so Jack is going by another identity?”

You shake your head like if she can see you, “No, that’s his brother, Ginger.”

“What the fuck!” that was the first time you had ever heard Ginger Ale curse.

“Ginger, what the fuck am I going to do?” In that moment you just want to leave Javier behind and forget that you found him. In that moment you wish Jack was there and you could both go home and forget about all that had happened. But you couldn’t.

You were in it, deep in it.

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#agent vino x javier peña #reader x javier peña #javier peña x reader #narcos #Pedro daddy Pascal #Take meeee #pedro pascal #max lord #agent whiskey #reader x agent whiskey #statesman #Kingsman

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bobdylanrevisited · 3 years

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Blood On The Tracks

Released: 20 January 1975

Rating: 10/10

Often regarded as Dylan’s greatest album, and potentially the greatest album of all time, it’s hard to disagree. Released on Columbia Records following Bob starting a relationship with an employee whilst his marriage to Sara was crumbling following the 1974 tour, the record is actually two different recording sessions. One was in New York, with a much more mellow feel, the other was in Minneapolis with a backing band, following Dylan’s brother stating that the New York songs sounded too similar. Whilst the original recordings are available on the Bootleg Series Vol. 14: More Blood, More Tracks, and are fucking fantastic in their own right, the final product is a thing of inconceivable genius. It’s an album that perfectly captures the turbulence of divorce, love, longing, and self reflection, and is easily the most beautifully written collection of songs ever released.

1) Tangled Up In Blue - Once again, Bob opens the album with one his best ever compositions. A non-linear tale of love and loss which would rival the postmodern writing style of Kerouac and Ginsberg. The story he tells here is both sweet and tragic, filled with nostalgia and longing for a companion. Potentially partially biographical in nature, the lyrics are among his very best, relatively simple at face value, but filled with references and meaning that could take a lifetime to fully digest. His voice continues to sound more mature and even quite commercial, though his brilliant nasal twang is still present, particularly when he hits the title line. This Minneapolis version is astonishing, it may be the perfect song, though the slower and more chilled out New York recording is equally as brilliant. Although for me the defining performance is the one found on his 1984 live album ‘Real Live’, which completely alters most of the lyrics, something Bob carries on doing to this day.

2) Simple Twist Of Fate - A beautiful track about the cruel nature of fate and losing a soul mate. The song talks of the life cycle of a relationship, through metaphor and abstract imagery that wouldn’t be amiss on ‘Blonde On Blonde’, and feels like a dream sequence that ends with waking up alone and confused. The walking bass in the background and soft acoustic strumming create a relaxed and almost floaty tune that only elevates the vivid lyrics. As this is the ‘divorce’ album, the song ends with the lover being gone and Dylan deep in regret, and whilst he says this record is based on the work of Chekhov, I believe this is how Bob viewed and dealt with his separation. Sara came into his life through fate, and he let her slip through his fingers, it’s a moving song that is drenched in a need to understand the confusing and painful side of love.

3) You’re A Big Girl Now - Bob is begging for forgiveness here, promising to change and asking to be taken back as he sings through tears. I do take issue with the idea of Bob saying it pains him to see Sara walking away from him given his infidelity, however he does accept that it is entirely her decision and he is pleading his case. Ultimately, despite the brilliant performance Bob gives of desperation and pain, along with some great piano and guitar playing from his band, I do think this is the weakest song on the album due to the lyrics bordering on self pitying. It’s still a great song, I just don’t think Dylan comes across the best here. The rest of the record focuses on either anger, sadness, or regret, whereas here it seems he’s focusing on himself and almost being absolved of his own wrongdoings.

4) Idiot Wind - Though Bob claims this isn’t about the causes of the breakdown of his marriage, I think we all can take that to mean that it definitely is. It also happens to be the best song on the album, Bob is snarling his way through an epic poem of accusations and falsehoods, betrayal and bitterness. It harks back to his finger pointing songs of 10 years earlier, and it doesn’t hold punches against the press and those who had been circulating rumours about both him and Sara. It’s fucking amazing, Bob sounds genuinely enraged and yet also confused at the exaggerated actions he’s having to defend or downplay. Not only are the lyrics both chaotic and fascinating, the organ playing is superb. Throughout the 7:47 minute song, every time Bob sings ‘Idiot Wind’ it’s like a direct insult to those who meddled in his relationship, as well as another nail in the coffin of his once happy marriage.

5) You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go - It’s been argued as to whom was making Bob lonesome, is it Sara or his Columbia girlfriend? Either way, it’s quite a happy sounding song that’s actually a heartbreaking tale of loss and reluctance to accept life moving on. Bob invokes the poets Verlaine and Rimbaud’s turbulent relationship, with Bob very much being the Rimbaud of the 20th Century, to describe the breakdown of love and happiness leading to feeling alone and self-reflection. As with the whole album, the backing band sound great alongside Bob’s relaxed vocal style and joyous harmonica, and the song creates a tragic feeling of putting on a brave, upbeat facade as life goes on. It’s undeniably becoming much sadder and, as the title suggests, much more lonesome, but Bob attempts to carry on and learn from his mistakes. It’s a hard message to convey in under 3 minutes, but Bob’s pained and honest writing from this period manages it perfectly.

6) Meet Me In The Morning - Musically, this is the best song on the album. All the instruments have a brilliant bluesy feel to them, and Dylan’s voice matches this style, with his nasal tone elongating phrases and making him sound like the blues singers of old. From what I can gather, the protagonist of the song is asking his lover to a rendezvous, but waits from dawn to dusk with no appearance from her. Throughout the song he wishes they could be elsewhere, and compares his love and longing to the darkness of the night and the setting of the sun. It’s a difficult song to unpack as Dylan is the master of mysterious and metaphorical storytelling, but understanding every line really doesn’t matter here. The song itself is a joy to listen to, proving that Dylan shouldn’t just be applauded for his lyricism, but also his ability to compose and record with various musicians to achieve a specific and memorable sound.

7) Lily, Rosemary And The Jack Of Hearts - I’ll quickly mention that Dylan and his harmonica sound amazing on this song, as do the backing band who evoke the sound and atmosphere of the cabarets of old. However, it would be impossible to do the lyrics to this song justice in one small paragraph. This song is the ‘Desolation Row’ of the album, a sprawling epic poem featuring a host of characters in various criminal and romantic encounters. It’s an incredible piece of work, more interesting and exciting than most of what we see on the silver screen. I urge you to fully immerse yourself into the world Dylan creates here, as for nearly 9 minutes, he and his band weave a perfect story worthy of Homer.

8) If You See Her, Say Hello - This song reminds me of ‘Girl From The North Country’. It’s about passing on well wishes to a former lover, letting them know you’re still thinking about them, even though they’ve left your life and moved on. The lyrics are heartbreaking, as Bob remarks that the love still burns within him, but he wants to ensure this information isn’t passed on to her. A brilliantly moving and desperate song once again, with another beautiful backing arrangement and a pained voice longing to rekindle what he has lost.

9) Shelter From The Storm - A love song that focuses on being saved, clearly Bob is talking about Sara and his needing to be rescued from the hurricane of fame, drugs, and parting of 1965 when they met. It’s a romantic story featuring religious imagery, showing Bob’s true feelings towards how he viewed himself and the period of life that was now being ripped apart by his actions. The near angelical way he describes Sara, and his ending thoughts on how he still feels about her nurturing and caring personality, are a far cry from some of the earlier tracks on the album, but this feels like perhaps the most personal song on the record. The stripped back instrumentation allow the bittersweet lyrics to take centre stage, with Bob again sounding much more mature and accessible with his relaxed vocal style. Whilst this version is incredible, I’d also recommend the live 1976 recording on ‘Hard Rain’. The song is much rockier, Bob barks the lyrics, and it sounds fucking brilliant.

10) Buckets Of Rain - The album closes with a genuinely lovely track, both simple and sweet as it addresses a lover. The melody is delicate and Dylan’s singing is soft and full of warmth. There’s not much else to say about this beautiful song, other than it feels like Bob showing us that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and that everything will work out in the end.

Verdict: I could happily just listen to this album until the day I die. If Dylan going electric is the most important musical moment of the 1960s, then this release is the 1970s equivalent. It’s pure art, it captures a feeling most struggle to internally process, let alone articulate in such a poetic and moving way at only 33 years old. The lyricism on this one record alone proves Bob is the greatest poet of the 20th Century. Even the outtakes from this album, especially ‘Up To Me’, are better than most artists creative peak. This may be Dylan’s most personal record (despite his insistence that it is not autobiographical), and I imagine it will be studied for centuries to come as his magnum opus. In typical Bob style, he would bizarrely head out on an exhaustive tour called the ‘Rolling Thunder Revue’, playing at small venues with a band that resembled a circus show, whilst his family life continued to disintegrate. But before he managed to capture the spirit of these carnival-esque performances, he gave permission for some mythical recordings from 1967 to finally be released.

#bob dylan #blood on the tracks

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rallamajoop · 5 years

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Some musings on symbiote morphology (AKA when size does matter)

So, back when Venom was still in cinemas, I saw it with a friend who (like me) enjoyed it mightily -- though said friend did roll her eyes pretty hard at the She-Venom scene, because of course the female!Venom has to be skinny and sexy. Of course she does.

I mean, the sexual dimorphism on display here is, uh... pretty extreme.

Usually, this would’ve gotten to me too. Few issues in genre film stick in my craw like the double standards applied to male and female bodies (ask me my thoughts on the likes of Wonder Woman or Gamora at your peril). So it was a little surprising to find that this was one I was mostly willing to shrug off.

Why? Well, that requires a bit of backing up and some more context. But mostly, it’s the perfect jumping-off point for a whole lot of rambling about visual shorthands and how symbiote morphology has been handled in the comics over the years, which apparently I had a whole essay’s worth of thoughts on. So here we go.

Now, Comic!Venom =/= Movie!Venom. They aren’t the same character, don’t have the same history, and their biology doesn’t follow the same rules. But one is still the basis for the other, so we’re going to start waayyy back at the beginning.

Since the symbiote's introduction back in '84, precious little about the species has remained consistent through the many writers and retcons, but one detail that Marvel was -- mostly -- consistent on back in the early days is that the shape a symbiote takes depends a lot on the body of its host. So when Spider-man was wearing the symbiote the result was (by design) literally just Spider-man-but-in-black:

But Venom's next host did not have the muscularly-lean body of Peter Parker, he had the jacked-up muscle-mountain that was Eddie Brock’s -- and the result is the Venom we all know and love.

Whereas when completely-normal-human-woman Anne Weying first bonds with the Venom symbiote in Sinner Takes All, we get a much slimmer She-Venom.

You can see the same trends at work with the Life Foundation Five and various other examples. So, in the comics at least, there’s some internal consistency explaining why He-Venom and She-Venom should look so very different. (Why Eddie and Anne should be such wildly different sized humans is a whoooole other topic, but best left in the Don’t Get Me Started pile for now.)

Of course, when the guy you've cast as Eddie has the physique of Tom Hardy rather than, say, He-Man, the logic of why Venom looks so huge falls apart.

⬥ Venom and She-Venom, actual size comparison.

While comic book writers of the 80's may have been able to convince a generation of fans not to question why a professional journalist would be jacked enough to dwarf Captain America, film adds a layer of realism and audience expectations that would make that a much harder sell (not to mention limiting your casting options to a much smaller pool). Casting Tom Hardy was inarguably the right call.

If Eddie no longer looked like Venom, the other solution would have been to make Venom look more like Tom Hardy--but good luck getting that past the existing fanbase. When it comes to pleasing the longtime fans, it's safe to say that Venom, not Eddie, is the character who has to look the part. Plus, Venom is entirely CG, so casting and realism no longer have to matter. Fanboys can have their giant Venom and tiny She-Venom, and the fangirls can have Tom Hardy getting all prettily roughed up. There are worse solutions.

Don't get me wrong: they could and absolutely should have evened up the difference on screen by giving She-Venom some extra body mass (she is on screen for like ten seconds, the fanboys can effing deal). But when the key decision that fucked up those ratios is making Eddie so much slimmer and sexier than he was originally supposed to be, I am unusually willing to give them a tentative pass. I mean, I love comics!Eddie too, but I can’t see him working on screen.

While I’m talking symbiote-bodies, it’s worth going into some of the other reasons to make Eddie+symbiote so huge, the obvious ones being to a) make him more threatening, and b) emphasise that Eddie's bonded with the symbiote in a way Peter never did. As a shape-shifter, Venom can make his host look bigger but not smaller (which is presumably why Rad Eddie may look younger than regular!Eddie, but is still suspiciously large for a skateboarder hanging with teens).

But size isn't the only way to make a character like Venom threatening. Compare Carnage, who is much more dangerous than Venom -- but (along with his host) fairly consistently drawn as smaller and leaner than the original.

He's still plenty threatening, though -- not because he's huge, but because he's completely bugfuck nuts and into murder for recreation. His design gets this across with a texture less like skin than a mass of veins and tentacles. Size is a good visual shorthand for danger, but it's not the only shorthand that works for symbiotes of the 90′s heyday.

You can see the same logic at work in Toxin too (a lesser-known and sadly mistreated Carnage-spawn from the early 00's). Precious little about Toxin's look remained consistent from one creative team to the next, but the impact of the host body is still there. His first host, Pat Mulligan, was a pretty average-sized dude, which is reflected in his bonded form (left), but when Eddie gets the Toxin symbiote later on, we get a much bigger Toxin (right). And Eddie's Toxin has more tentacles and rougher skin, so we know he's not going to be friendly (Eddie was really not in a good place at this point in his history).

Perhaps the most interesting example is Agent Venom, who turns up when the military bonds the Venom symbiote to Flash Thompson: disabled vet and card-carrying Spidey fan. His Venom-look is a brilliant bit of storytelling-through-design: the face and overall build hearkens back to Spider-man's time in the symbiote, the equipment signposts his military connections (past and present), and black will always be the signifier of a guy working black ops.

Perhaps most important, there's no mouth (compare both Spidey and Toxin #1), which is our sign that the symbiote's under control -- drugged into submission by the military, in fact.

But key to Flash's time in the role is that the Venom symbiote doesn't always stay drugged and docile, and whenever it starts to break free, Agent Venom morphs into Venom's traditional look -- gaping mouth, no belts or shoulder pads, and lots of bulky muscles a la the original flavour Eddie Brock (you can see him mid-transformation on the left below).

Does that make sense, when Flash is the host? Probably not, but comic book logic, as usual, is suspended for the sake of visual shorthand: fans know what Venom is "supposed" to look like, so that's what he looks like when the comic wants to telegraph that Flash is losing control. And that, I suspect, is why Lee Price's Venom (above right) looks more like Eddie's, even though Lee Price looks more like Flash. Price may be the one in charge, but he’s also a madman, so his Venom has to look out of control. The comics have officially hit Tom Hardy territory: Venom is huge now because people have come to expect Venom to look like the original Eddie-Brock!Venom, regardless of who’s inside.

There are bigger exceptions to the rule, however -- two of the more interesting turned up almost simultaneously in 2015, when both Venom!Flash and Toxin!Eddie got significant redesigns in the pages of Venom: Space Knight and Carnage (2015). Now Flash's Venom is the bulky muscular one, while Eddie's Toxin looks slimmer than Eddie has ever been before or since. What's going on here? Did the artists just screw up?

Well, not entirely -- the characters haven't just flipped looks, they've flipped roles. Now Toxin's the one being drugged into submission by a US agency (and we can only assume those drugs somehow prompt a symbiote to produce pouches, because we're two-for-two on that front). Meanwhile, Venom's been "purged of corruption" and has finally bonded with Flash as a full partner, which may be why they opted for something closer to his original look. Note that Venom has no mouth, and Toxin's is positively restrained by symbiote standards, which tells you a lot about the temperament we can expect from both of them.

That said, I don't think either design really works. Venom's new look is a real step back in creativity from his Agent Venom days, and the helmet-face would be better suited to a mech design than a symbiote who's being treated as a real character for the first time. Meanwhile, Toxin’s look doesn't really work for Eddie, for all the same reasons it did work for Flash: Eddie isn't a trusted agent in this scenario, he's more like an intelligent animal on a short leash. It isn't just the builds that are wrong -- none of the story comes across well in these designs.

All in all, the longer Venom’s been around, the less the standard host=symbiote rules seem to apply. Venom is huge because his look is sufficiently iconic that that’s what the fans expect, regardless of who’s on the inside, or whether we’ve just rewritten his entire backstory and made the jump to film.

Speaking of which, it’s worth pointing out that there is actually precedent in the comics for female symbiotes who aren't drawn like a bikini model in a layer of black body paint. One is Patricia Robertson, who bonds with the "Venom" symbiote (read: not actually the Venom symbiote) in the 2003 Venom series.

Though Trish is a woman of fairly average build, her "Venom" is virtually indistinguishable from Eddie's (too much so, if anything -- it's very hard to tell which is which when they clash). Unfortunately, the 2003 series is otherwise an ugly, incomprehensible mess of a comic, containing almost nothing that has ever been referenced again. I can really only recommend it to absolute completists.

Somewhat better handled is Tarna, a skrull Agent of the Cosmos who appears in Venom: Space Knight. Tarna's symbiotic look is not remotely feminine, and one suspects that's the point: it's ugly, threatening, and gives no clue as to who's inside. (Her symbiote can also separate from her while maintaining form, making the comparison pic unusually easy for me).

But as a shapeshifting alien bonded to a shapeshifting symbiote, Tarna perhaps doesn't make the best example for general principles. It’s worth keeping in mind that every design has a storytelling function too: Patricia’s Venom needs to be mistakable for the original Venom for plot reasons, and the reveal that Tarna is a humanoid woman under her symbiote is set up as a surprise. But the creators of the film wanted us to know that was Anne under the symbiote from the moment she appeared, so sexy!She-Venom it is.

All that said, at the very end of the day, I’d much rather not have to make these excuses for the film. I’d much rather see more Tarnas and fewer She-Venom’s, and both film and comics have a long way to go before we get there yet.

#Venom #Tom Hardy #She-Venom #Eddie Brock #Spiderman #Toxin #Flash Thompson #Lee Price #Tarna #Carnage #Venom: Space Knight #Anne Weying #Venom meta

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lucentshadow · 4 years

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Favourite stories

Or more like stories i still think about even thought it was years since i read/watched them. I made this list to kind of make myself think what i actually like about them. If you have any recommendations based on this list feel free to let me know. Here is just a list, more under the cut.

Psycho Pass

The Bartimaeus trilogy

Les Miserables

Brave new world

Démon súhlasu

Powers

Books by Jane Austen

Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron

Megamind

Martin Eden

My youth romantic comedy is wrong as I expected

Disclaimer: I just want to point out some stuff i personally liked about these stories. This is by no means a complete assessment of them, i know there’s more in them then i absorbed the last time i watched or read them.

Psycho Pass

In Japan Sibyl system judges people based on their crime coefficient – the likelyhood of them commiting a crime and being dangerous to other people. Those with high crime coeficient but no criminal history are called latent criminals and they are taken away from society and put into rehabilitation centers, which mostly means they’ll never get back out. Some latent criminals can under strict conditions leave the center and help in police investigation as Enforcers – hunting dogs for Inspectors.

There’s a lot i like about this series. The setting is interesting, the villain has kind of an interesting point, and then there are characters. Characters in this series are in my opinion not examined and developed as they could be, except for a few. That being said, Ginoza Nobuchika is one of my all time favourite characters. As an inspector, he wants to do what‘s right and believes Sibyl is the only right way to do that. So he strictly keeps in line, even tries to despise people closest to him who became enforcers, because if Sibyl is right, then they were in the wrong . Stuff happens of course and whole his character development is wonderful, but i won’t spoil anything more. And then there’s Akane. A role model. I love how Akane can think about crimes without ever affecting her crime coefficient (which is something that sent a few people to the enforfcers camp) and that’s because in the end her ultimate motive is to protect people and the law.

The Bartimaeus trilogy by Jonathan Stroud

The government of Britain consists of magicians – caste of people with knowledge to summon and control demons, who then have to obey them. With their powers, magicians control the rest of the population, keeping them away from education and true source of their power. We follow three main characters – Nathaniel „John Mandrake“, sold by his parents to become a magician and to believe magicians are what keeps the country safe, working his way up the power ladder to become part of the British government, djinni Bartimaeus, summoned by Nathaniel, and determined to make Nathaniels life as miserable and troublesome as he can while he is forced to obey him, and Kitty Jones, a commoner, determined to tear down magicians rule.

If you ever thought that it was unrealistic how wizards in Harry Potter decided to hide from Muggles instead of taking control over the world, than i present you with Bartimaeus, where privileged caste of magicians controls commoners by power gained by exploitation of demons.

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

So, i only watched two movies and read about 250 pages from the book, but let me tell you, Jean Valjean is one my favourite characters ever. I love what kind of a person he becomes even after everything he’s been through. I still have to read the whole book, though.

Brave new world by Aldous Huxley

People are born in the factory, they are conditioned to enjoy their life in a prescribed way, to fulfil every pleasure, to eradicate every negative feeling by drugs, and then to die and be recycled. People are conditioned to like the way they will lead their lives. So what is a meaning of life then? Is the meaning of life to find happiness? To be entertained? What if we get that and we are always etertained, we are always happy. What then? And what do we need to sacrifice to get that?

Démon súhlasu („Demon of consensus“ or „Demon of agreement“) by Dominik Tatarka

Written in 1963 in communistic Czechoslovakia, this short story talks about a difference between a public and private consensus and how there is a discord between these two when a person becomes a pawn. I don‘t think there is an english translation of this book, but thanks to the style of the writing I’m afraid about a half of the quality would be lost in translation anyway. But here is my rough translation of a short quote i like:

A pawn is a man, who in the name of his conviction agrees to be promoted to a position, for which he‘s not enough. A pawn is a role that a man plays, only plays, terribly plays. A pawn is a role, in which a man plays, that nothing is his fault, that over there higher up are the officials, who instead of him think, speak, plan, for him they decide, for him they take responsibility.

A pawn used to believe in his conviction, now he doesn‘t even believe.

A pawn can this way think,to be a righteous man, who got of the path only because of a general change.

A pawn is a beast, a pawn is a dangerous man, class enemy.

Powers by Ursula K. Le Guin

Main character grows up as a slave, but for a long time he doesn‘t see it as something that wrong, he doesn‘t rebel, and he even kind of advocates for it being that way. Family who owns him gives him education and he‘s growing up with children of the Family, playing games as if they were on the same side. There is a particular part of this story i think about from time to time. After stuff happens, he looses interest in the world and he‘s not in his actions, none of what he‘s doing has any meaning for him, everything he does is automatic and he let‘s the world decide his next course in life. And i can feel that.

Books by Jane Austen

I remember i read Pride and prejudice in the first year of high school when i started reading classics. To be honest, i did not really understand it, just some kind of story about love i guess. I picked it up a few years later and found a witty ironic narrator talking about a women from a social class, who can‘t work because they don��t have to and that way work is considered beneath them, and any exertion is considered unnecessary attention-seeking and is looked down upon. If there’s not much to inherit and you can‘t live of your work, the only way to secure a living is to get married well.

Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron

Okay, so, the main character is a horse. And he‘s the strongest willed horse alive. This story is basically the world trying to break him, and i have to tell you, i love seeing him disapoint . There is no need for a character development, Spirit is already perfect at the beginning, he knows his place in the world, cares about his herd and all he wants is to be with them and to be free. To be honest, the animals not talking is a great choice here. There‘s a line from one of the songs that i remember from time to time: If you loose yourself, your courage soon will follow. So be strong tonight, remember who you are.

Megamind

Megamind‘s whole life was dedicated to defeating Metroman and to rule Metrocity, altough because of Metroman mostly he just end’s up in jail. But finally one day (thanks to an accident) he beats the superhero and becomes the most powerful person in the city. That‘s about ten minutes in the movie. However, as days go by he comes to the conclusion that his life without Metroman, his nemesis, lacks meaning. So he devises a plan to create himself a new superhero to fight. Superhero burnout, how our surroundings influence if we become good or evil, power not corrupting people just giving them a way to show who they‘ve always been, and more.

Martin Eden by Jack London

Poor sailor saves a life of a man from higher society. When he meets the man‘s sister, he falls in love with her and starts educating himself to get to her level. And so the story of hypocrisy, shallowness and social injustice begins. As much as i’m still frustrated about the ending, the story itself still comes to my mind from time to time, but i have to reread it someday because i read it only once and it was a very long time ago, so i know there was a ton of themes and content that flew over my head at that time.

My youth romantic comedy is wrong as i expected by Wataru Watari

This has a certain similarities to Catcher in the rye, mostly in style. Main character Hachiman Hikigaya is an unpopular high scholler without friends but with massive defence mechanisms to help him deal with his life. Great inner monologues.

Honorable mentions: Gattaca, Interstellar, Dark knight, Truman show, Brothers Karamazov, Coco, Brother bear, Matrix, Hamlet, Mucha do about nothing, Aoharu x kikanjuu(no seriously, this is hilarious), King of Attolia, Epos of Gilgamesh, Into the wild, Back to the future, stories by Božena Slančíková Timrava, Mulan, Fate/Zero

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nastybuckybarnes · 5 years

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Bodyguard - Three

Pairing: Bodyguard!Bucky X Politician!Reader

Summary: As a young and controversial politician, you face some opposition. After a death threat is made and your security is at risk, you agree to get a bodyguard. You don’t expect him to be the most irritating and attractive man on the planet. With a history so deep and twisted you never thought you’d figure it out, a terrible corporation is determined to take you out of the political picture; using any means necessary. The only question is, how far is James willing to go to ensure your safety?

Warnings: Angst, Violence, threats, injuries, kidnapping, drugging, political talk (not a lot), terrorism (Wait for the plot twist tho guys), Smut, Fluff, PTSD, (More to Come)

Word Count: 3.5K

A/n: Part three. Oh fucking yeah it’s getting real. hang on to your grandmas cause we’re going for a ride.

BASED OFF OF THE NETFLIX ORIGINAL: BODYGUARD TAGLIST IS OPEN MASTERLIST Part one. Part Two.

~*~

It’s four weeks after the tea incident that anything remotely related to terrorism happens again.

“Yesterday afternoon, a van loaded with all kinds of explosives, was barreling towards an elementary school downtown. Luckily it was intercepted by armed officials and disengaged. All terrorists involved are now being detained and held for questioning. Secretary of State, (Y/n) (Y/l/n) had this to say on the matter:

‘Yes, we can now confirm that we are a target for a larger scale act of terror. We are considering moving the security advisory from high to severe. We do need more information before anything can be done, though.’”

You exhale deeply and turn off the radio, not wanting to hear your own voice anymore.

“President Pierce recommends sending more American troops out to the Middle East. To… frighten them I suppose. I think that won’t work,” you whisper to Wanda, rubbing your eyes tiredly.

“President Pierce wants more American men to give up their lives for a pointless war?” You nod your head yes and massage your temples.

“I think we should take a more diplomatic approach. I mean, we don’t even know if the Middle East has anything to do with it. For all we know, it could be a pissed off group of soccer moms.” You hear a snort and raise your eyes to the source, staring at your bodyguard.

“Is something funny, James?” He shakes his head, face stoic as ever. “No, ma’am.” You sigh and lean back in your chair. “I don’t know what to do anymore. I know sending more people over there won’t help. We need to find a way to actually interrogate these people. Fuck, why does nothing ever work?” You type away at your computer, trying to figure out any pattern between the attacks.

“Sergeant Barnes, who was the man outside my window again?” You ask, not looking up from your computer.

“Jack Rollins.”

You type the name into a google search and furrow your brows, searching and searching for anything that could be useful.

After nearly a half hour, Wanda excuses herself, leaving you and James in a comfortable silence.

“You haven’t been sleeping much,” he suddenly says, seemingly interested in a magazine.

“No. I haven’t. I could say the same about you, James.” He looks up for a moment then shrugs. “Doing my duties, Ma’am.” You nod then get back to work, trying desperately to find anything that could be helpful.

When alas, you turn up with nothing but a few pictures and the description of a tattoo, you shut your laptop and rub your temples again.

“Fuck, what’s connecting all this? Why doesn’t it make any sense?” You’re talking to yourself, but you know James is listening.

“If I don’t figure out a way to prove that this doesn’t have anything to do with the Middle East, then so many people are going to die.” James scoffs and you look up at him.

“Something funny?” He shakes his head and purses his lips.

“James, I don’t know if you understand the gravity of the situation. Innocent people will die if I don’t figure this out.”

“With all due respect, Ma’am, I lost half my battalion fighting overseas. And my arm. I’m aware of the risks. I know what loss is. What it feels like. I lost friends, brothers, people who I looked at like family. Who treated me like a brother.” He gets progressively closer to you, his chest moving more rapidly now that he’s upset.

You think back to the few times you’ve seen his left arm, pieces of the puzzle clicking together now.

“I lost all these people while fighting a war I didn’t believe in. While fighting a war I didn’t start. That’s all you politicians do. You’re all the same. You start wars that you have no intention fighting in or taking part in, bow your heads during the national anthem to ‘pay respect’ to those who, in all truth, you killed, then do it all over again. You talk about wanting to help people but all you do is hurt and kill and send people to their deaths.”

You back up until you hit the wall, almost afraid of the man in front of you. Almost.

“You’re nothing more than a spoiled brat who gets what she wants by hurting other people. Sometimes, I can’t help but think you deserve this. Maybe I should quit this position. See how you like a taste of having to actually defend yourself for once,” he snarls.

You stare up at him, his words like a harsh slap across the face.

“James, I’m going to say this once and once only. I am not like other Politicians. I am not someone who is unaware of what war brings. I don’t believe in settling things using guns. You’d know that if you knew a damn thing about me. If you paid attention for a single minute.”

You take a few deep breaths then shake your head and scoff, ducking underneath his arm and storming out of your office.

He curses to himself then follows after you, jogging to keep up with your quick pace.

“Wait. I didn’t-” “No!” You spin on your heel and glare up at him.

“You don’t get to say another word! If you don’t care about Politics, fine, don’t. If you don’t agree with my job, fine, don’t. But one thing I refuse to let you do is pretend to know what I do or what I stand for. You clearly don’t keep up with anything political. You want off this job? Fine. You’re off it. I don’t need you. I’ve defended myself just fine for the past five years. I don’t need you and your self-righteous ass trying to tell me what to do.”

You spin back around and nod at the guard at the door, watching as your car pulls up.

“Wait. I didn’t… I wasn’t thinking. Just hold on a minute, okay?” You glare at him and shake your arm out of his grip.

Right as you take a step towards the doors of the building, everything explodes as a bomb blows up, right where you’re meant to be sitting.

You can’t hear.

That’s the first thing you notice.

There’s a high pitched ringing and you can’t hear anything else.

With a great amount of effort, you push yourself into a seated position, coughing as dust and dirt invade your lungs.

Everything rushes back to you, hearing included, and you gasp.

Bomb. The bomb was meant to kill you.

You become aware of someone yelling your name and look up to the source, finding none other than Sergeant Barnes towering over you.

“You’ve gotta get up. We need to get out of here now, before-” a gunshot cuts him off and you can’t help but scream as a receptionist falls dead two feet away from you.

“Fuck,” he curses, looking around. “Come with me, now.” He grabs onto your arm and hoists you to your feet, supporting most of your weight as he runs you through the main floor of the building. Bullets ricochet off of different surfaces, none of them finding your bodies.

“In here, quick,” he pushes you into a washroom and grabs his gun.

“Stay in here, don’t move. We’re gonna get you out of here, okay?” You nod, whimpering as he leaves the washroom and closes the door.

He stays right outside, firing at the people shooting. He hardly hits any of them before his team is coming to back him up.

Once he’s sure the situation is handled, he opens the bathroom door.

When the door opens you scream and scramble back into the wall, closing your eyes and holding your hands out in front of your face to offer some kind of protection.

“Hey, hey. It’s me. You’re okay. It’s just me.” James crouches down in front of you and wipes some dirt off of your cheek.

“You’re okay. I promise.”

You shake your head and reach for his hand, needing the comforting touch.

“I promise you’re okay. We’ve got those guys in cuffs and on their way down to the station. You’re safe.”

The door opens again and you let out a strangled scream, looking up at the person standing there.

“It’s just Agent Romanoff. Everything will be okay. We’re taking you out of here and to a secure location now. Everything’s gonna be fine.”

The woman looks you up and down, her eyes zeroing in on a cut by your hairline.

“She’ll need stitches. The cars are all ready, maximum security. We want you in the back with her. Steve’s driving.” He wants to make a comment about Steve’s driving skills, but he knows now’s not the time.

“Alright. C’mon. We’re gonna go now.” He helps you to your feet and keeps one arm securely around your waist while walking you out of the building.

You can’t really process anything going on around you, only noticing you’re in a car when it starts moving.

“You’re okay. You’re doing great. Just a few more minutes then we’ll be fine. Okay?” You bob your head up and down, eyes unfocused.

“She’s in shock,” Natasha murmurs, watching the two of you in the rearview mirror

“Breathe with me, okay? Just take a few deep breaths with me. You’ll feel so much better. I promise.”

He takes your shaking hand and presses it to his chest, breathing deeply. You try to follow his breathing pattern but only manage a few breaths before coughing and hiccuping.

“Shh. It’s all okay now. I promise. We’re taking you somewhere safe and you’ll be stitched up and back to normal in no time. I swear.” You look to the front and the redhead nods her head in agreement.

“I promise you’re okay, Ma’am,” she says. You look back to the blue-eyed man beside you and take a deep breath.

Right as you feel yourself calming down, a bullet flies through the windows, the crunch of glass and the bang of the bullet doing fuck all to mask your scream of absolute terror.

“Shit! Get down!” The man driving yells.

James is suddenly on top of you, pushing you to the floor as three more bullets fly through the window.

“Stay down! The bullets can get through the window but they can’t pierce the armoured metal!” You grab his shoulders and cling to his body as bullets slam against the metal of the car door.

There are more gunshots, these ones coming from inside the car, and you scream again, holding onto the man above you tighter.

“I’ve got eyes on the suspect. Steve back us up about twenty feet. Then I’ll have a clear shot.”

“Nat, our first priority should be getting her out of here. We need to move! Now!” You close your eyes tightly as a bullet flies through the back windshield and embeds in the back of the passenger seat.

“Hang on!” Natasha jumps over both you and James and aims her gun out the window, waiting a moment before shooting.

When she does pull the trigger though, you know she hit the target.

“Got him. Now drive! We have no idea if he’s alone or not.” Steve starts driving quickly, navigating through cars and traffic.

“We’ll switch cars with Sam and Clint outside of the city then circle back in to the safe house.” You close your eyes tightly and relax your head back against the floor of the car, trying to block this nightmare out of your mind.

You pace around the room, hands trembling beyond belief.

“Ma’am, I need you to sit down.” You glare at James.

“Sit down? You want me to sit down?! I was just shot at! There was a bomb planted in my car, and I was shot at! Don’t tell me to sit down!” He walks to you, his intimidating stature doing little to ease your anxiety.

“I understand that you’re anxious and afraid, but for your own safety and health, you need to sit down.” You shake your head, fingers raking through your hair as tears spill down your cheeks.

“I-I’m not trained to handle being shot at o-or anything like that. You are. Remember that. You trained in the military then in special forces. Y-you know what to do and all those mental exercises. Fuck, I’m just that kid who got pushed off the playground again.”

He sighs deeply and takes your hands in his, pulling them out of your hair and guiding you to sit down on the couch.

“You’re right. But your safety is my main concern. I’m trying very hard to keep a clear head for both of us.” You shake your head a few times, eyes getting glossy.

“Y-you said you wanted me to go through this. Why? Why would you wish such a thing upon a person?” He flinches slightly and sighs. “I… I wasn’t thinking. I know… I know how hard it is to go through shit like this and I was insensitive. And you’re right. I know… nothing about you so I shouldn't have made so many assumptions.

“But what matters now is that you’re safe. This is probably the safest place on earth. We have ‘round the clock supervision, each entrance has three different locks with different passwords, and the entire area is surrounded by undercover squad cars and armed police. Nothing bad will happen to you here.”

Your eyes find his and he’s almost disturbed by how distant they look.

“I was there. On November third. I saw it all. I was in the backseat of the car, on my way home from dance. It wasn’t documented. The police and special forces were quick to pull me from the scene.”

He stares at you in utter and complete shock.

“I remember it all. The blood, the gunshot, the face of the man on the roof. It’s not something you forget. I was screaming and screaming… but no one came to help until the police arrived. It was very important not to document my involvement in order to protect my safety. So from there, I was brought to a safe house for two years. Lived my life out of a closet.”

He feels like absolute shit for everything he’s said and done.

“I’ve… experienced this kind of protesting before. But never directed towards me. So forgive me for being scared.” He looks down, trying to clear his thoughts again.

“I’m sorry,” he finally whispers. You look up in shock, not expecting to hear the raw vulnerable emotions in his voice.

“I’m sorry for everything. For what happened to your father, for what I said and did and assumed, and for everything you’ve had to go through in your life. I’m so fucking sorry for all of it.”

You shake your head and look into his blue blue eyes. “It’s not your fault. And there’s not much you could’ve done to prevent any of it anyway. I just… I feel lost now. And scared and so damn vulnerable. I’m not in control anymore. I’ve lost all my control and I hate it,” you confess, leaning your head against his shoulder against your better judgement.

Right now, all you need is comfort from someone. Anyone. Even your uptight pain-in-the-ass bodyguard.

He hesitates but eventually wraps his arms around you, hugging you tightly to his muscular chest. You clutch handfuls of his shirt to your face, shoulders shaking with sobs that are finally breaking free after the long exhausting day you’ve had.

He sighs and presses a soft, almost undetectable kiss to the top of your head, bringing you a sense of peace.

“I’m here. And I promise as long as I’m right here with you, nothing bad will happen. I swear.”

You cry and cry and cry for what feels like hours, holding onto him as if he’s your lifeline; as if you’ll die without him.

And he holds you the entire time, rocking you back and forth and whispering comforting words in your ear.

“You’re okay. I promise you’re okay.” You slowly pull away and look up into his eyes, sniffling slightly.

“How do you know? How can you possibly know that I’ll be alright? What-what if he finds a way in here? O-or what if he’s working with you guys? I… I’m not safe. I’m not safe and people want me dead.”

He cups your cheeks and sighs softly.

“It’s a hard thing to promise, I’ll admit. But as long as I’m with you… I’ll die protecting you. I swear on my life I’ll do everything I possibly can to keep you safe. You… you don’t deserve this stuff. And I’ll do everything I can to help you. You are my number one priority.” You notice how he doesn't say ‘your safety’ and you can’t help but shiver.

“Cold?” You shrug, looking down to your lap.

“Here, let’s bring you to the bedroom. You’re probably exhausted.” You nod and let him help you to your feet, leaning into his touch as he ushers you through the safehouse and to the bedroom.

“The, uh, the bathroom’s through there if you want to shower. There are some clothes that probably won’t fit you in the dresser, and towels in the bathroom closet. Stark has a cleaning crew come every two weeks so everything should be clean and perfect.”

You head to the bathroom then hesitate at the door.

“I… I... “ He walks to you and takes your hand, smoothing his thumb over your knuckles.

“Anything you want, (Y/n).” You shiver as he uses your first name. “Can you stay in there with me, please? I know… it’ll be awkward and weird, but I’m just… I’m scared. And I don’t want to be alone.” His expression softens and he nods.

“Of course.” You let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding and walk into the bathroom after him.

He does a quick check of the room then nods at you.

“I’ll… I’ll face the door while you change and shower. But I swear I’ll stay here as long as you want me to.” You nod and watch as he turns around.

You turn the water on, then take off your dirty clothes. As you peel off the remainder of your clothes, James can’t help but glance at you in the mirror, his eyes roaming your figure for a moment.

You look like an angel.

You step into the water and sigh as its warmth heats your skin.

Your shower is long and comforting and everything you need at this moment. ANd you can’t help but be a little upset at having to get out. But the cold water is less than inviting.

“James?” You ask, peeking your head around the shower curtain and looking to where he stands, back facing you.

“Yes?” His eyes flash to yours in the mirror and you shiver at the intensity of his gaze.

“Could you grab me a towel please?” He nods, opens the closet door, and grabs a fluffy white towel. You turn the water off and glance back over to him, eyebrows raising in surprise as he holds to towel open for you.

Too tired and mentally drained to question it, you step out of the water and smile softly as he wraps the towel around your body.

Did he steal another glance at your body? Absolutely.

Do you really care? No. Not at all.

He helps you out of the bathroom and stands by the bedroom door, back to you as you get dressed into a pair of basketball shorts and a tank top.

“I really don’t want to overstep… but could you maybe stay with me tonight?” He spins on his heels, a fire in his eyes as he takes in your frame and how fragile you look right now.

He nods, watching as you climb onto the queen-sized bed and tuck yourself under the covers.

He climbs cautiously onto the bed with you, eyes focused on yours as he crawls underneath the blankets.

He’s so close you can feel the heat coming off of him. It’s comforting and grounding.

“Thank you,” you whisper as your eyes flutter closed, the sheer exhaustion of the day almost crippling you.

“Don’t thank me, (Y/n). I’d do anything for you.” Your heart flutters and you open your eyes for a moment, reaching over to him and resting your hand against his cheek for a moment before lowering your hand and holding his.

“Goodnight, James.” Your eyes close again and you sigh softly ready for sleep.

The last thing you hear, however, is a soft “goodnight, (Y/n). Sweet dreams.”

And then you drift off to sleep, nightmares never finding you.

~*~

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the--blackdahlia · 5 years

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Too Young to Fall in Love Chapter 4 (Dirt!Nikki x Reader)

Title: Too Young to Fall in Love Chapter 4

Summary: Nikki Sixx was a hard partying musician on the strip. He never expected to fall in love with anyone, until a girl knocked on his dressing room door looking for a ride home and took his breath away. Just like everything else Nikki did; the drugs, the money, the music; Nikki went hard with love. (Y/n) Bass never expected the bassist of Motley Crue to be the one to shake her calm and calculated life up. She had a plan. Graduate school, become an epic producer, and watch from behind the scenes as her brother’s band rose to fame. Nikki and (Y/n) were perfect for each other, too bad her brother, Tommy, didn’t think so.

Series warnings: Smut (18+ Please), drug use, language, referenced miscarriage, drug overdose, mentioned attempted suicide, out of character moments for everyone in the band, the timeline might be a little screwy but it’s fanfiction!

Nikki got back to the apartment. Mick was the only one there, since Vince and Tommy were still out late. He looked up at Nikki from the TV show he was watching.

“Thought you’d be crawling in at the sunrise.” Mick commented.

“She has class in the morning,” Nikki sighed. “I… I really like her and I don't want to screw this up.” Nikki ran a hand across his face. “This girl isn't like the groupies at the shows… she different… I don’t feel the need to party when I’m with her. I just want to be with her.”

“That’s deep Nikki.” Mick said. “Don’t let Tommy and Vince hear you saying that though. They’ll start planning the wedding.”

“Shut up,” Nikki grumbled and grabbed a beer from the fridge. “What is wrong with me man?”

“Infatuation. That’s what’s wrong with you.” Mick said. “You give it some time. If the feeling sticks, you’re in love. If it goes away when a new flavor of girl walks by, you were just smitten.” He glanced over at Nikki. “I actually just had to have this same exact talk with Tommy.”

“He has a girl he’s interested in?” Nikki raised his eyebrow at Mick.

“Well, his was about Pop Tarts. So same thing right. Something you both want to eat?” He winked at Nikki.

“I mean… It would be nice but… I don't think she’s that type of girl for now… besides Vince cock blocked me tonight.” Nikki grabbed a chair flipped it so that the back of it was in front of him and sat down.

“How did he do that?” Mick asked.

“Brought over some girl name Tiffany or Tracy or some shit like that and just started running his mouth,” he took a big chug of his beer. “(Y/n) wanted to leave after that to go home.”

“Maybe she’s just a homebody? Not every girl likes to go out all the time you know.” Mick pointed out. “You said she was in school right? How old is she?”

“I’m not sure…” NIkki felt himself panic. “Shit what if she’s underage!”

“Well, what I saw of her, she looks like she’s probably eighteen or nineteen. And it sounds like she has a plan with her life. Maybe she doesn’t want to fuck it up and have to rely on a rockstar to support her through life?” Mick suggested.

Nikki let Micks words sink in, “meaning she is completely out of my league.” Nikki chugged the rest of his beer and grabbed the bottle of Jack taking a large gulp from it. “She should be with someone normal.”

“She comes to Motley Crue concerts. She’s not normal Nik.” Mick laughed. “Just be easy with her. If she’s young and never experienced life, those are the ones that have a tendency to go hard when they get a taste of it. I’d hate to see her be one of the girls that comes through the window.”

“Yeah, yeah I guess.” Nikki said. “I asked about having a normal date… what’s a day we don’t have a gig?”

“Do I look like a calendar?” Mick asked. He went to the fridge where Tommy had handwritten a schedule in crayon. “Looks like Thursday we’re good.”

“Sweet, I’ll call her tomorrow and see if that’s good for what I want to have planned… should get the phone book and look up a decent place to eat… maybe a movie or some shit like that.” Nikki rushed to his room and closed the door giving himself some privacy. He looked down at his hands he could almost still feel the softness of her skin on his fingertips. He wanted nothing more than to touch her again. Not even in a sexual way, like every other girl he had been with.

He knew in the morning, Vince would apologize and Tommy would tease him. But for the night, in his mind, it was just him and her.

****

“Here comes the king!” Vince said as Tommy made his way into the rehearsal space. They were working on some new music for their album that they needed to record. Tommy had a pair of sunglasses on that he had stolen from one of the girls, and a pair of Athena’s pants he had taken the last time he had stayed at her place.

“Relax dudes, I put my pants on like everyone else.” Tommy laughed.

“Yeah, but we aren’t wearing our little sister’s clothes.” Mick pointed out, making Nikki and Vince laugh.

“Hey,” he shrugged, “At least I look better in them than she does.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night.” Nikki said, shaking his head. “So, do you guys know what movies are out right now that a girl would like to go see?”

“Trying to tell us something Nik?” Tommy teased, making Nikki flip him off.

“Huh,” Vince titled his head in thought. “Could check the news paper for listings in the entertainment section… I mean are you planning on doing something with that chick you were with last night?”

“Well, yeah.” Nikki said. “Gotta make sure she doesn’t have anything going on Thursday, but I thought I’d take her out. But I’m not telling you fuckheads which theater, because you’ll show up and embarrass me!”

“Awwwww, come on!” Tommy got on his knees and crawled to Nikki to grab at his legs. “Tell us please I haven’t met this chick yet! That’s not fair!”

“Not my fault you left with half the Laker Girls last night.” Nikki told him, pulling his legs away. “I’m almost scared to introduce her to you.”

“Why? Cuz she’ll take one look at me and realize she’s been with a zero when she could’ve been with a hero?” Tommy laughed. Nikki smacked his arm.

“Are we going to do music or talk about you idiots some more?” Mick grumbled, messing around on his guitar.

“Come on, I got a new song I want to try out.” Nikki grabbed his notebook and showed the guys the lyrics.

“That sounds pretty good.” Vince said. “Let me look over the lyrics.”

“Got any directions for music?” Mick asked as Vince took the paper to work on finding the right way to sing it. Tommy messed around on his drums while Mick and Nikki worked on the music.

Nikki began playing a beat thinking of (Y/n) and the lyrics. Vince seemed to respond to the beat Nikki was laying down, Tommy adding in his drums and Mick finding a good riff. The song was coming together nicely.

“So, do we have a set track list yet?” Mick asked a while later while they lounged around.

"Don't know yet. Elektra doesn’t seem to want to approve anything," Nikki shrugged. "We can play around with the flow." Nikki looked at the guys and at the list. "Any ideas for anything?"

“I think we’re just missing one song. They recommend a cover.” Vince said. “But I dunno man.”

“We’ll figure it out.” Tommy said, hitting his drums. “Got a bit before our next gig and I think I’m gonna go get a new tattoo or something.” Tommy laughed. “Who wants to join me?”

"I'll go with you man," Nikki said. "I could use one."

“Gonna get your girlfriend’s name tattooed on you?” Tommy teased. Nikki smacked him upside the head.

“What? NO!” NIkki smacked him upside the head. “Not sure what I’ll get yet but something awesome. If I even decide to go with you, you asshole.”

“It’s amazing we’ve made it this far with you two at the helm.” Mick grumbled.

After rehearsal, NIkki closed the door to his room and dialed (Y/n)’s number. “Please be home and pick up please.” he said to himself as it rang.

“Hello?” (Y/n) finally answered.

“(Y/n)? It’s NIkki… NIkki Sixx?” he smacked his head and groaned.

“Well, hi there Nikki Sixx.” (Y/n) giggled. “You just caught me getting home from class.”

“Hi, yeah, hey… I already said that,” NIkki laughed nervously. “I’m glad I caught you… what are you doing Thursday?”

“I’ve got two classes in the morning and then I work until 4. Why?” (Y/n) asked. “Another gig?” She laid on her bed, looking up at the ceiling. She twirled the cord in her finger. It was times like this she was glad her siblings had moved out already. She knew they’d be listening in.

“Actually… a date,” Nikki jumped on his bed and looked up at the ceiling, his head resting on his arm.

“You want to go out on a date with me? I mean, we’ve been on two but...are you sure?” (Y/n) asked. Nikki could tell she was nervous and it was a little cute. “I mean, I haven’t been on many dates and…”

“Neither have I, but I am pretty sure I want to actually do something with just you,” he chuckled. “I mean we can go to a movie and then dinner or dinner movie and then a fun night out?”

“I love going to the movies,” (Y/n) said. “That sounds great. Your friends aren’t going to show up, are they?” She didn’t mind the band showing up, she just didn’t want to see Tommy’s face yet when he realized her and Nikki were going out.

“I am keeping the theater we are going to under lock and key,” Nikki felt himself smiling. “Besides, I won’t even tell them what restaurant we’re going to.”

“Well, I’d love to go out with you Nikki Sixx.” She giggled. “Just tell me a time and I’ll meet you, or whatever. I’ll eventually get a car.” She cringed a little. She was making herself sound so uncool.

“I can pick you up at your dorm,” Nikki smiled. “What do you say to 6 O’clock?”

“Oh, yeah! That’ll give me time to get in order.” She said, closing her eyes. She was eventually going to have to actually move to the dorm or tell him the truth.

“Good,” Nikki sat up and pumped his fist in the air. “Sweet girl, I’m going to show you a real good time.” Nikki found himself smiling brighter, “I’ll call you tomorrow. What time are you usually home by?”

“Tomorrow I work until the library closes. I think tomorrow is like eight.” She told him. “But summer is coming up soon and I won’t have to work as much.” She was all smiles. That’s when she heard a voice in the background.

“Hey Nikki! I gotta stop by my parents house first before I go to the parlor. Mom asked me to do something for her since I’m so tall.” Tommy said. (Y/n) gulped. She hoped that Tommy would come alone and not bring Nikki. She didn’t want him to see her here.

“I told you I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go with you or not. Why are you telling me this?” Nikki asked.

“Wasn’t sure if you wanted to tag along. You know mom loves you.” Tommy said. “Maybe I could introduce you to my sister.”

“Nikki’s too busy with his hot little number!” Vince yelled to Tommy.

NIkki grabbed some empty cans to throw at them, “Shut up asshole.” Nikki turned back to the phone. “We have a gig tomorrow so I’ll be in late. Maybe I can catch you the next day?”

“Maybe I could try to come by tonight. I don’t have class until ten tomorrow.” She shrugged a little. “If not though, have a good night Nikki.” She smiled every time she said his name. He made her heart flutter.

“If you come by that would be nice, but I know you’ll be tired from work and you should rest,” Nikki smiled. “I’ll catch you tomorrow… just listen for my message if I can’t reach you. Night (Y/n).” Just saying her name made his pulse race.

“Night Nikki.” She hung up then, laying back on her bed with a smile.

Nikki sighed and closed his eyes. He could picture her in his mind and he could feel a song coming on. Grabbing his notebook he began writing. He placed the title at the top: Use it or Lose it.

(Y/n) turned on her radio as Nikki was in his room writing. “Crazy on You” by Heart came on and (Y/n) felt like she could relate to the song. She laid back on her bed, thinking about him. She was starting to think about moving into the dorm with Vanessa, or even getting their own apartment near the campus. Athena had offered her a room once, and Tommy had said she could live with him if she would stop being such a nerd. But she really wanted to get through school. She was ahead of everyone and she was so close to graduating. She could taste it. If she took all the classes over the summer, she only had a semester.Tommy would call her a nerd, she would call herself an opportunist.

That’s when she realized she had no idea what to wear on a date.

“Oh come on.” She groaned. She was sure he wouldn’t mind the rock t-shirts that Tommy had gotten for her over the years, but she wasn’t to be a little classy or something. She knew Vanessa would help her in a heartbeat, and of course she would be there to help her pick out an outfit, but it was also time she called in the big guns. She picked up her phone then and dialed a number that she had recently memorized.

“Athena? It’s (Y/n). Can you come over tomorrow night or Wednesday? I need your help with something.”

“Why? Are you doing something for your class?” Athena asked as she sat on her couch and began flipping through the tv channels.

“I, uh...I have a date.” (Y/n) told her, making Athena sit up straight.

“You have a date?” Athena sat straighter. “Anyone I know?”

“I met him at the concert you ditched me at.” (Y/n) told her. “And no, I’m not telling you his name.”

“It’s not fucking Vince, is it?” Athena asked.

“No, no. It’s not Vince. Are you going to help me or not?” (Y/n) asked.

“Yes, I’ll help you,” Athena smiled. “But you know you can’t hide him forever.”

“Does Wednesday night sound good? Mom and dad are leaving for their cruise.” (Y/n) told her. “They’ll be in Greece for like a month or something.”

“Oh well, that sounds like you can have a house party if you wanted to,” Athena teased.

“No parties and no...anything else.” (Y/n) blushed. “Thanks Athena. I’ll get us dinner. There’s booze. We’re set.”

“Ok, I’ll help you out and bring over what I have that can fit you or we can go shopping!” Athena squealed slightly. “Night baby sis and maybe this guy can help de-flower you.”

(Y/n) hung up and sighed. She had jumped that obstacle but now she had to deal with Athena wanting to know who she was dating. And she’d have to figure out what to do if Nikki wanted to come back to her place. She closed her eyes. She had gotten herself in a deep hole.

Forever Tags: @anathewierdo @dekahg @marvel-af-imagines @feelmyroarrrr @nanie5 @imboredsueme @gemini0410 @aiaranradnay @babypink224221 @mogaruke @xxwarhawk @sandlee44 @shatteredabby @caswinchester2000 @supernaturalwincestsblog @lauravic @mrsambroserollinsacklesmgk @teller258316

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Too Young to Fall in Love Tags: @kingbouji3 @leximus98

#Motley Crue #too young to fall in love #nikki sixx #nikki sixx x reader #nikki x reader #dirt!nikki #dirt!nikki sixx #dirt!nikki x reader #dirt!nikki sixx x reader #the dirt #reader #reader insert #fanfiction

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a-writing-bear · 5 years

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[PruCan] Chapter 11: Soft-Spoken Calling, They Want Their Shyness Back

Ao3 Link:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/11159997/chapters/48552656

This Has been cross-posted onto FF & Ao3 under Aliases: BearBooper

You can read this Fic on Tumblr under ‘Keep Reading’ - Ao3 version is formatted, tumblr version is not. Ao3 is recommended.

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Fandom: Hetalia Axis Powers

Main Pairing: Gilbert Beilschmidt & Matthew Williams (Prussia & Canada)

AU: College AU - Art Student Matthew and Media/Film Student Gilbert

Age Rating/Mature: Teen And Up Audiences (12+ due to mentions of mature themes as well as swearing)

Trigger Warnings: Recreational Drugs & minor connotations of anxiety (Future addiction to mention themes such as addiction, rape etc.) WITHIN THIS CHAPTER - Mentions a lot of Weed. Unwanted touching (just mentions but slightly uncomfortable)

10 pm was a good time to arrive at a party, they decided. Vanilla milkshakes always made Matthew feel better- however maybe it wasn’t a good idea to have one after that coffee from earlier, and especially considering he was about to jacked up. Oh well. That’s something I'll deal with tomorrow. The Dutchman and himself had been on their way to Matthias & Lukas’ house, music-making his head pound already and feeling antsy over the prospect of more socialising. They had made very little conversation as the Mattie drove- only vaguely keeping attention to Tim’s random commentary and occasional directions. The Nordic couple had been renting out some house in the suburbs with 3 other students- very obviously avoiding living anywhere near the student dorms or the student housing as they liked to prevent interaction with the rest of Himaruya Academy; when you were hosting smoke outs and various amounts of overzealous drinkers and gambling, you tend to want to avoid the loud crowds. These events were closed doors, invite-only per se. Nothing like Alfred’s big bash parties that turned the university dorms into the likes of open summer festivals. They had only just touched the gravel of the house pavement when Matthew was hit with the familiar whistle of a certain Cuban man who had recognised their red car.

“EYYY LUKAS, TIM AND MATTIE ARE HERE.” the Cuban accent used to make Matthew shiver but was meaningless once he learnt Carlos was very straight, and if evidence needed planting then Carlos already on the porch with some girls he didn’t recognise and was flagged to go in after a friendly wave as he was too busy flirting to give Matt and actual hello. Tim had followed behind, loosening his tie as they sauntered up the door, only to have it ripped open by an unimpressed looking face of the shorter man known by Lukas.

The Norwegian seemed to raise his eyebrows to see that they both arrived together, usually, it would always be Tim first before Matthew came coming in. “Hej. Earlier than usual. Matthias is already down in the den with Jack.”

Tim had disappeared into the kitchen, making haste to avoid the heavy drinkers that surrounded the living room and especially avoid that Russian dude that seems to be pouring what looked like half a bottle of vodka into his cup. Meanwhile, Lukas had offered to stash away Matthew’s precious hoodie in the closet as he made their way down to the basement. The hypnotising dragging voice of Tame Impala's Kevin Parker grew louder as Matthew's sneakers hit the staircase floorboards down into the dreary but comfortable den. Jack must have picked the music, but I can dig it. Already he could smell the stink of imported kush, the haziness of what seemed like a spiked stream flowing around- only placated and diluted due to the small basement hopper window that let the smoke out. Matthew kicked off his sneakers at the bottom, already enjoying the vibe- or perhaps already being affected by secondhand smoke. Matthias had opened the basement bathroom to double steam the first few sessions of weed but it proved worthless as there seems to be a continuous stream of smokers mingling in and out of the den. Matthias was a tall blonde mess, a big optimist who wore long shirts under brightly coloured tees- a stark contrast to the bland wardrobe that Lukas wore (Opposites do attract I suppose) and the Danish guy was laying belly up on some very tacky shag carpet, at the feet of Jack who was lazed around on some beanbag, bong in his lap haphazardly.

“Oi Mate- bout time you showed up, I was getting bored. Where’s Timtam?” Matthew shrugged and sat cross-legged right near the dazed Dane’s face.

“Don’t call him that, he’ll throw a fit. What’s this? Yours or Tim’s?”

Jack snickered, the Australian clearly buzzed on something, “Buddy if this was Tim’s hooch I wouldn’t be sharing with goldie over here” he pointed and laughed as he listened to Matthias whine in offence. To be fair, the guy did go through more weed than Jack and Matthew combined so it was a fair enough statement. Matthew leant back, arms behind him as he dug his hands into the soft and a bit scruffy faux fur of the carpet- Matthias was giggling high about something and had pushed his head into Matthew’s lap.

“Hold kæft! I’m not that shit! Fuck Mattttt where’s Tim?”

“Upstairs I think- please pass the bong Jack” Matthew carefully stroked the hair that weaselled its way into his lap, he didn’t mind touchy stoners, he was the same whenever he got a hit- he just wished the big couch wasn’t full of clothes so he wouldn't have to sit on the floor. Just as he had the glass bulb in his hand Tim had marched in from upstairs, throwing a bag of chips and lots of biscuits into the beanbag next to Jack. Matthew tutted as Matthias apologised about not having those maple cookies he liked, whereas the Australian was more pleased to see some recognisable red liquorice. The green-eyed man had pulled out a pipe and dragged the spare beanbag to be behind Matthew, and it was not long before all four of the boys had taken a few hits and became a bunch of giggling messes.

“So whattya been up to mate?”

“Maybe he finally went back to Canada or something right Mattttt?

“Ahaha yea seen any geese or something mate?? Shit, we should have gone- BC bud hol-y” the conversation seemed disjointed and Matthew was already too far gone to think about going back to Canada. He notes that yeah, it’s been a bit since he’d come for a smoke out, and he didn't answer as he was too preoccupied with the stem of his bong and the noise of shouting celebrations of poker players upstairs.

“Schatje has a new uh...gig” Tim snorted, he, however, was definitely less jacked than the 3 who seemed to light up at the sentence.

“Oooooooo who be it?? Who is it, Mattie?” Matthew let out a wail of disapproval at the conversation, Tim was supposed to be his friend yet he’s pushed him into a corner of answers.

“Some dude..guy...fucking cute- uh Gil..red eyes oof real red...shiny eyes.” his mind wandered as he let himself lean on the edge of Tim’s beanbag, Matthias had already stumbled off the floor, excited and eager to hear like some high school girl. Jack had his eyebrows raised and the singlet wearing man moved closer from his position to meet Matthew’s rosy expression.

“Wow, Matties got the giggles for someone huh? Hah Timtam good luck mate.” Tim avoided any eye contact and instead focused on his pipe and refilled it with some mary jane from the communal bag nearby. An indignant noise came out of Tim as he growled at the stupid nickname.

“Wait- Gil? Gilbert? The band shirt guy? Isn’t he the one who got wasted at Francis’ big blowout last time” Matthias mentioned, arms waving and dismissed as he continued to squirm along the floor.

“Oh Gilllly boy, mates with uh Antonio or something, that bitch?”

“Fuck I don’t know...he listens to uh...mom jeans too ya know- fuck me.” the two laughed at Matthew’s comment but didn’t push for more- it’s been too long since Matthew had shown interest in someone, who were they to question. Especially not while they were all getting smoked. Tim looked disinterested in the topic anyway and was more concerned with tangling his fingers in Matthew’s strawberry blonde hair as the Canadian had sat between his legs. God fuck cuddles were nice. Matthew's voice broke out into more wailing as he sung along to Snowy Dunes. The music was soothing. He hoped there was more.

The music melted out into something he didn't quite recognise: “Who the FUCK put Queens of stone age on the queue?” Jack complained. ah fuck. he agreed over the change in the artist. shame, he quite liked Snowy Dunes more than Queens of Stone age At some point, Lukas had dragged his very giggly boyfriend upstairs and Jack had been huddled in a corner snacking by himself. Matthew didn’t know what time it was but he’d wiggled his way from his scarf-wearing friend and clambered up the staircase, laughing at the terrible decor on the walls- he could paint better graffiti than the shitty art pieces the house owners had displayed. He didn’t realise how he’d find himself on the couch near Ivan and some other foreign sounding students. Ivan was cool. Weird. Haha, I V A N. fuck ‘ee van.’ who names their kid Ivan anyway? Doesn't get more Russian than that. Shit ice hockey. Russian players are always so grabby. Man, I’d kill for some Cheetos right now.

There were about 10 people in the room- and some Matthew only recognised by name. Everyone here barely attempted to talk outside of this safe house. What happened on Saturday nights never got passed the lawn, it was an unspoken law. Matthew always wondered was that because of the copious amount of shagging that happened? The excessive card games or maybe the fact that all these people were just kids who can’t bear to go to the bigger parties. Matthew couldn’t decide. He couldn’t even figure out why he was here. Why was anyone here? Why are we still here? Just to suffer? He laughed at his inner joke.

The teen’s mind wandered in circles and had been offered a drink by some Finnish kid he recognised as Lukas’ housemate. The music up here was incessantly blasting rock- something that he’d love if it wasn’t so dizzy. He melted further into the couch, barely turning to watch the poker match of some guys a few meters away. Matthew liked this house. Even with people here, it wasn’t suffocating. He could feel someone touching his hair again. Hosers. Why always my hair. The fingers started roaming his shoulders...and his thigh. Suddenly Matthew felt more sobered as he shuffled away and tried to find a pillow to hide behind. He felt woozy and extremely giddy despite his anxiousness to escape anymore touching. He stood up throwing the pillow outside and went hunting for some water. He didn’t want to feel this light anymore. Not now. Matthew couldn’t remember feeling this light and heavy all at the same time. And suddenly, he just couldn’t remember a lot of things. There was a lot of loud singing. He laughed.

---

Alfred had been dropped off at his dorm building at around 9:20 pm, and by 9:30 he’d launched his discord chat and set up his microphone so that he could huddle on his bed without having to jostle his laptop so much later. The blue-eyed American had only one reason to not be out partying like he usually did with his cousin Francis, only one other reason why he was studying with his brother and one other reason why he hadn’t been chasing up local girls and guys

“Hey, Keeks!”

His voice rattled with poorly disguised joy as his Japanese friend had picked up. Alfred and Kiku had hit it off foundation year, and while it was upsetting that eventually, the black-haired beauty had to transfer back to the other campus, Alfred had made it his job to stay in contact. Kiku was a genius. On par if not smarter than Alfred and that was considered high praise. The two shared stories, For the Asian man it was only just the start of the day so Alfred accompanied him through his breakfast as they shared concepts for different additions to each other’s current project. Robotics has always intrigued Alfred but there was no secret that his wonder had not been merely just been present because of the technological prowess that his crush displayed.

“Alfred-kun. I thought you said you had something with your Brother tonight.” Kiku’s soft voice filtered through the screen, he knew all about Alfred’s personal life and was under the impression the call was cancelled for some family bonding.

“Nah, dude. He’s out with his not-boyfriend. I don’t know what he’s up to. Probably exchanging spit or reading together again.” Alfred Sighed. Knowing his boring brother, he was just watching some movie with Tim again. He’s probably just sleeping.

#prucan #HWS Canada #HWS Prussia #SoftSpokenCalling #prussia x canada #hetalia #hetalia axis powers #Axis Powers Hetalia #hetalia world stars #Hetalia Fanfiction #hetalia fandom #hetalia fanfic #hetalia fanfics #fanfiction #fanfic #APH Canada #APH Prussia #Multichapter

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babstheanimator · 6 years

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Inspirational shorts

I’ll be listing a couple of inspirational shorts in no particular order. I hope you can learn a bit from them.

1. what about a man? - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1urscLw2NN0

I first saw this video a few years ago, I guess I saw this one when it came out. You can learn quite a few things from this animation. Things like storytelling, voice acting and design. This animation is very well put together. I like that the story really doesn’t go anywhere and that there are twists and turns every time some sort of advancements happen. The way they talk is very simple and I really like the different characters. They are all very different but they all seem to be voiced by the same guy.

The designs are very simple. And that is not a bad thing. The colours are very nice to look at and are really catching. The character design is outstanding and look very slick. The backgrounds are also really well done and add as much as they should to the animation. Backgrounds are very important, but not always it depends on what story you want to tell and the feeling you want to leave people.

A thing I would change is probably some of the dialogue, although it is very fitting for this animation I’d write out the script a bit further and use more people to voice the characters to add more diversity. It’s ok to voice all the characters yourself but it does lead to a bit of a mess when all the characters sound kind of the same. 2. Pinched Animation Short Film. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmPvjZKBNYY

Also an animation I first saw a while ago. I was amazed at how cool the characters looked and how awesome the animation was. The whole tone throughout the animation is also one I really dig. This animation has al sorts of things that you don’t see often in shorts. It has stealing, drug use ,corrupt cops and mental illness but it all comes together so nicely and I don’t think the story would’ve worked without it.

I really liked the music allot too. Your soundtrack is very important when making an animation. It really helps selling a feeling or idea. If you go to school for animation or know other animators than finding people that could make a short soundtrack for you is amazing. If you don’t know anyone than you could always try making something yourself or using free stock music, nothing wrong with that right? You just might find the thing you’re looking for.

3. Entropy – Animate Short Film. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwltCgkB6Pk

Very well use of music again. The entire sound design really fills me with a sense of wonder. The feeling this animation left me with was longing. It did this with very effectively. The shapes and forms of the moonscape are just right. Really nice looking golden spirals all over the place, in contrast to the spiky look of what I assume to be Earth. I can’t really get over how much I liked the little cute tune? I will definitely re-watch this in the future. I’ve talked about the other ones allot so I’m going to keep the remaining ones a bit shorter.

4. Alight - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLZJ-E2CWuw

A story about two opposites and love. It's really fun to play arround with core subjects like these. These are used allot in shorts. While most not as literal like this one. Good bad, dark light, up down and right left. If you start looking for them they're everywhere.

5. Diamon Jack - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRpiBvwKX6c

Amazing use of animation. The lines are nice and messy. The characters are made of fun and simple shapes. I think the music is written specifically for this animation. The twist at the end is a real nice one. For a moment you think he's just stealing the diamond but then the song suggests otherwise and then we see what is actually happening.

6. Voodont - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9p1Yj28uts

A story about revenge perhaps? She doesn’t really have an obvious motive for torturing the cheerleader girl but not all characters should have obvious motives. Sometimes it’s better to leave the missing bits for the viewers to fill in. You shouldn’t narrate or give details about everything. Because, why would you? It’d take ages to complete everything. The backgrounds again, are filled with allot of fun little details that don’t take too much attention away from the story.

I hope this has been interesting and tell me if u guys want to see more of these recommendation kind of things. It really helps finding new and exciting inspiration for whatever you’re making.

#animation #student animation #inspiration #long post #tell me if you guys want me to talk about any specific animations they dont have to be student films

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prismatic-bell · 6 years

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How-Tos of Protesting: Student Walkout Edition

Hey guys! So I’m going to do something I don’t normally do, and ask you guys to blow this up, blow it out of the water, destroy my notes. (If this succeeds, I’ll probably end up deleting the original post to save my own sanity. That’s okay.) Here’s why: I used to be a protester, and I still would be if I had the time/money/energy/a job that wasn’t shit. I’m not going to tell you not to protest or talk down to you--I’m going to share the tricks and tips I learned over three rather volatile years in the queer rights movement, and those I’ve picked up from other large protest movements. Please consider this a basic guidebook, a gift from your pissed-off Millennial aunt to you, to protest safely and effectively. This guide is aimed at the upcoming gun violence walkout protests, but feel free to adapt and use as necessary for other movements.

(Just in case this does blow up to every corner of the internet: you don’t need to credit me. This isn’t about me. This is about something much bigger than me, or you. Just help these kids do what they need to do.)

THE MONTH BEFORE THE PROTEST:

1) Ready yourself mentally. Even when you’re pissed and ready to go, standing up to speak very brutal truth to power can be intimidating. Do what you need to do to center yourself and be angry, but calm--write things down, make private Tumblr posts, take some photos or make some art that explains how you feel. NONE OF THIS NEEDS TO BE PUBLIC AND IN FACT ANY WRITTEN RECORD SHOULDN’T BE. The reason is simple: during and after the protest, the media will be looking for a way to discredit you. Don’t give it to them. This is your chance to get your head in the game.

2) Start assembling a protest kit. If you are a student or teacher, this should fit easily into your backpack or briefcase. You’ll want bandaids, neosporin or triple-bac, an Ace bandage, a liter of potable water, some light nonperishable foods (I recommend Belvita biscuits for nutrients-to-size ratio), about $20 in emergency funds, and a portable charger if you have it. DO NOT TAKE ANY MEDICATION. If you have any kind of disorder or illness that would require you to take medication during the day--even if it’s something as innocuous as a sugar pill--it’s better for you to either sit out the protest, or stay home. If the protest fails, or the administration allows it to proceed but insists on their own security measures, and you are found with medication on you (yes, even your own), you can be in a LOT of trouble. We’re talking expulsion, legal problems, and so on. The only exception to this is if you have school clearance already (for example, for an emergency inhaler), and you should take only the medications you have clearance for.

3) Choose a book to read, if you’re doing a sit-in/walk-out with sit-in, and put it in your protest kit. For this purpose I strongly recommend books like Battle Royale, Firestarter, and The Hunger Games, which contain the themes of “our children are forced to die because we’re too fucking power-hungry.” There’s a triple reason for this: one, if it’s a successful sit-in, you’re going to get bored. (Sit-ins are literally a lot of “hurry up and wait.”) Two, a group of students sitting around rebelliously READING? There’s not much the media can do with that, and for this reason I also recommend you leave your DS or other handheld video-game device at home. And three: a sea of books about rebellion seeking justice? That is pointed. That’s deliberate.

4) If you plan to have a sign or banner, start planning it now. Because the majority of protestors are going to be students, I strongly recommend you paint your sign on cloth, which can be folded or rolled up to carry in your backpack and also would be very difficult to miscontrue as a weapon. Please remember that while it is a very old and time-honored tradition to share the names of previous victims on your sign, it is considered to be in extremely bad taste to use their images; this decision should be reserved for siblings or parents only.

5) Select a “buddy network.” This doesn’t have to be composed of your closest friends, as long as the people in it get along tolerably well. The purpose of this group is to ensure that everyone within it stays calm and hydrated, and to watch each others’ backs in case of emergency. This means everyone in the group knows where everyone else is at all times, and is prepared to give pertinent information to emergency services if necessary. Which relates to my next month-out point . . . .

6) We’re going to get kind of somber now, sorry. As an adult, the first thing I thought when I heard about these mass protests was “fucking YES!” and the next was “Jesus. Oh, fuck. Sweet G-d anybody planning a shooting knows exactly when to plan it for now.” Ready yourself mentally for the fact that a shooting may happen at your protest, and make yourself a prep kit for this. Save an ICE (In Case of Emergency) number in your phone. Make a clean document that contains your full name, ICE number, parents’ names (and phone numbers, if they’re different from your ICE number), and pertinent medical information (including “NO BLOOD DONATION” if that applies), and the day before the protest, take a clear screenshot of this and make it your phone lockscreen. For example, mine would look like this (although I rather obviously changed my parents’ names for privacy reasons):

NINA LASTNAME EMERGENCY CONTACT JILL DIFFERENTNAME [My mother’s phone number] PARENTS JACK AND JILL DIFFERENTNAME BLOOD TYPE O+

I take citalopram 20mg and Zyrtec daily and routinely take Aleve for inflammation. I have a severe allergy to sulfa and sulfa-derivative drugs. I am positive for genetic blood clotting disorder Factor V Leiden. I suffer from blood sugar crashes, but have no formal diagnosis. I am autistic and may be nonverbal under severe stress.

In an emergency situation, this information can save your life. Have it on hand, and make your buddy network save this information as well. Hopefully, you won’t need it and at the end of the day you’ll feel it might have been silly--but if you need it, you have it, immediately.

THE WEEK BEFORE THE PROTEST:

1) Check in with your buddy group. Be sure everyone has their kit assembled, and choose a meetup place for when the protest begins. The ideal buddy group should be no more than eight people; above that, it starts getting muddled. If your group is larger than that, I recommend splitting in two, and being clear about who belongs to which group. I know high school is a time of cliques and fitting in, but make it clear this is NOT about who likes whom--it’s for the safety of everyone involved. A smaller group is easier to keep track of. Period. If you’re a main organizer at your school, that’s great! You’re the head of a much larger body--but that body needs to have tiny bodies within it. You can’t be expected to watch over a few hundred or thousand of your peers alone. That’s ludicrous.

2) Select the clothing you’re going to wear. I recommend you go with “comfortable, but also dress for the job you want to have in ten years.” You want to be a teacher? Wear dress slacks or a dress skirt and a button-down. You want to be a programmer? Neat and clean jeans or cargo pants are fine, but wear a polo or button-down, no tee-shirts. You’re going into business? Slacks, button-down, tie. Your life plan is to be an artist with their own pants-optional studio? Wear the clothing you’d wear for your first big gallery opening. You want to be a singer? Imagine you won American Idol or The Voice, and this is your first big post-show interview. Your dream job requires a very specific uniform, like “chef” or “beekeeper”? Go with a nice shirt or sweater and good pants--the kind of thing your parents will call “an interview outfit.” If your school has a uniform, make sure yours is ironed. Be sure your hair is neat and clean.

Homework time! I want you to read this article. Ladies, if you’re wearing skirts, aim for knee-length AT MINIMUM, and tea-length is better. This isn’t me trying to crimp your style--it’s that you will be sitting and walking a lot, and a longer skirt will be easier to sit on the ground in. Remember: you are the future. You are our lawmakers, politicians, teachers, doctors, innovators, artists. Dress so that the media is forced to show images of hundreds, thousands, of teens who look like they got up that morning ready to kick ass and take names on Wall Street. There’s nothing wrong with tee-shirts or ripped jeans on your day off or in the classroom, but you want to show the image of “we’re here, your bright young minds of the future. How many of us will be here next month? Next week? Tomorrow?” A lot of people, especially those interested in shutting you up, won’t be willing to look past your clothes. Force them. You wanna really go the extra mile? Dress up and take your homework. It says “I’d be happy to learn, if only the teachers could worry about my grades instead of my life.”

3) Do an overview of relevant court cases, in case your right to protest is challenged. Here is an ACLU page on student protest in general to get you started. Here is their page on Tinker vs. Des Moines, which is a case you will DEFINITELY want to read about (the specific case was about the Vietnam War, but it will apply to you). I’d recommend not involving an American flag in your protest because it stands to overshadow what you actually want to say, but if you choose to do so, you’ll want to read about Texas vs. Johnson. To be sure what you’re saying and doing stays within legal safety parameters, read up on Bethel vs. Fraser. And while it’s not directly in line with the exact topic at hand, it’s always worth a look at West Virginia State Board of Education vs. Barnette. KNOWING THIS STUFF IS IMPORTANT. I know it seems like boring makework, but seriously, being able to say “with all due respect, Mr. Smith, the Supreme Court decided in Tinker vs. Des Moines that you may take my protest sign only if it’s disruptive in class” is important. When I attended protests in the late 2000s my group actually made Tinker required reading. You need to know this stuff.

And to top it off: at the March for Marriage Equality in 2009, we literally used the second half of the First Amendment as a protest chant because there were groups that had tried to block our license for the march. You can find the full text of it here, with annotations explaining its meaning and court cases related. It’s a very dry read, but please at least take a look at “Speech Plus” and “Rights of Assembly and Petition.” There’s no test on this stuff, I’m not going to quiz you to see if you got it right, just kind of . . . skim. See the background. Better still, have it bookmarked on your phone so it’s readily available if needed.

4) In case your group is questioned by the media, decide who your spokesperson will be. This should be someone who can speak clearly, is confident looking into a camera, and who can give a brief prepared statement without stuttering or sounding scripted and stilted. Why prepare the statement? Because you can be sure you’re including all relevant information without getting flustered, circling back, or being unclear, as may happen when speaking off the cuff--imagine having to give an English presentation in front of your class with no notes and no chance to go over it in the bathroom mirror. A good statement should be something like “My name is Nina Lastname, I’m a senior here at General McLane and we walked out of class today in protest against unchecked gun violence nationwide. Today is the 19th anniversary of the Columbine massacre. This year alone there have been over two dozen mass shootings, but in 20 years not a single piece of logical and meaningful legislation to protect students, moviegoers, church worshippers, or simply unarmed people on the street. It’s time that changed." The average local news piece is 32 seconds long (yes, I’m serious). You need your soundbite to be 15 seconds or less if you want to avoid it being edited, and 10 seconds is better. If your school has had a mass shooting of any kind, address it in your statement: “I’m a senior here at General McLane, where we had a mass shooting 20 years ago.” (Yes, that really happened in my school.)

THE DAY OF THE PROTEST:

1) When the protest begins, proceed calmly to your meetup place. Your school may have additional security measures in place, because make no mistake, I will not be the only adult who recognized the danger inherent in a walkout. If this is the case, be patient and calm with the adults who are doing the screening, lockdown, etc.; it’s very likely that they’re doing the only things they can do to keep you safe. Do not proceed until everyone reaches your meetup place.

2) Exit calmly. Don’t yell, swear, make threats, etc.; basically, pretend you’re getting on an airplane. If you want to play or sing protest songs, go for it, but steer clear of anything with cursing or language that could be taken as violent. (My go-to when I want to get good and pissed off and ready to fight is “Uprising” by Muse, but I’d never sing it at a protest because of the line “it’s time the fat cats had a heart attack/their time is coming to an end”.) If your school is in the South, consider “We Shall Overcome,” which was a very prominent song in the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Singing it in the South today would be a very clear and pointed reference. Since I am An Old, I’ll direct you to some older songs you may find relevant or a useful starting point:

Pink feat. Dixie Chicks, “Dear Mr. President” Sam Cooke covering Otis Redding, “A Change Is Gonna Come” Willie Dixon covering an old folk song, “Down By The Riverside” Crosby, Stills, and Nash, “Ohio” (trigger warning: this song is about a school shooting, linked video contains disturbing images of Kent State shooting)

(Please take note that each of these was used predominantly by a different protest movement, and be respectful. Respectively: the anti-Iraq War movement, the Civil Rights Movement, the anti-Vietnam movement, and I’m sorry to say, the fucking “can we stop shooting our kids at school” movement but in the 1970s.)

3) Keep tabs on your group. Ensure everyone is hydrated, and, if necessary, fed. If someone needs medical attention for any non-emergency reason (e.g. mild allergic reaction, overheated/too cold but not yet hyper/hypothermic, panic attack), assign a group member to help them seek care; if someone needs medical attention for an emergency reason, assign two people in the group who will call 911. (Why two? Because if your designated caller is the one with an emergency and you don’t have a backup, people will panic.)

4) If the media seeks a statement from your group, have your spokesperson speak. If they request to hear from other members of the group, be sure you deliberately echo what your spokesperson said--so if they say you walked out to protest gun violence, you would say “we walked out to protest all of the shootings that are happening nationwide.” The reason for this is because it’ll be a lot harder to paint the group as confused if everybody knows what it’s about. The “divide and conquer” method was used very successfully on Occupy Wall Street--don’t let it be used to undermine you.

5) If anyone asks to join your buddy network and you don’t know them at least by face (”I have algebra with that kid”), be polite, but cautious. Don’t be paranoid, but if you don’t know them, you can’t be sure they’re not an agent provocateur. If they say things that strike you as more than just a little bit weird, be doubly cautious; if at any time they hint at or suggest violence toward administrators, police, or other students, politely but firmly say “we aren’t having that kind of talk. We’re here for a peaceful solution to a violent problem, not to add more violence.” If they persist or say something explicit (e.g. “yeah? Well what if I told you I had a gun with me right now?”), find a safe way to exit the group, like going to the bathroom. Call law enforcement immediately. (If your school is doing a sit-in rather than a walkout, call the front office.) “My name is Nina Lastname and I’m a protestor at General McLane. A student none of my friends know has joined my protest group and [is threatening staff, says he has a gun, etc.].” THE ABSOLUTE LAST THING YOU WANT is for that person to be serious and either talk your group into a violent action, or to take a violent action against you. I know the police are kind of shit on Tumblr right now, and I understand why, but please believe I do not make this recommendation lightly. You want to keep your protest peaceful and organized. If the police need to be in the loop, please put them in the loop. They’re not going to want the bad press involved with hurting you guys, especially given what you’re protesting. Let them do their jobs. (This serves a second purpose: if that weird student is an agent provocateur placed by law enforcement, this tells them you’re not playing their game.)

6) If law enforcement tells you to move, be polite, but know your rights. “I’ll comply with your request, Officer. I would like to know where I may exercise my First Amendment right without compromising public safety.” It’s super-tempting to sass back. Believe me--I’ve been spit on and called “an animal” and “one of the whores of hell.” I know how tempting it is to fight back. Don’t do it. The only reason, the only reason, you should be engaging in physical or verbal violence at the protest (and that includes posts you may make on social media before, during, or after) is if there is an active attacker situation, and you are attempting to disarm the attacker. Otherwise, be polite. If your group is heavily nonwhite and you are white, use your privilege to their advantage: “My friends and I will comply with your request, Officer, but we’d like to know where, etc.” This avoids further confrontation. Intersectional problems at a protest are always bad news--they turn into thinkpieces, and thinkpieces are why people think my generation is a bunch of whiny babies. Don’t become a thinkpiece.

7) When the protest is over, ensure everyone in your buddy network is able to leave safely. Be responsible about your protest--discard any water bottles, food wrappers, or other trash you may have generated during the protest, and offer to assist nearby groups in doing the same. This is part of respectability politics--it goes hand in hand with the whole “show up in your Sunday best” thing. Don’t skip it.

Be safe, you guys. I have nothing more substantial than this to offer you. I wish I did. All I can say is this:

If you’re making a list of victims, make sure you go back to 1966 and the Texas Tower massacre. You’ll find fourteen dead, and a similar number wounded. Had they all lived, many would probably be grandparents today.

It needs to fucking end.

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movedto-dazaipositive · 6 years

Text

one guess where this started. couldn't have done it without @taggianto 💜 you.

CW: rape and resultant pregnancy; severe self-worth issues; mentally ill character with wrong ideas about what constitutes mental illness.

so, I've got a running headcanon that Kent's mom is alcoholic and she has ptsd.

rape & pregnancy TW // she was raped in college and that's how she got pregnant with Kent. she kept him out of choice, but she loves him no matter what

but that doesn't change the fact that she has ptsd and for many years while she was working 3 jobs to keep them alive and Kent on the ice, and she had to get through somehow. so she drank at home

and she wasn't ever really there for Kent. she couldn't be, between drinking and working. does Kent resent her? I don't think so. I don't think he knew it was even an option until he met the Zimmermanns and Jack

and saw the way they behaved with each other. but he loves his mom and he'd do anything for her. it's why he sticks with hockey even when it hurts–his mom worked hard to get him where he is, and he can't let her down now

but she crashes around the time Kent is 16/17. she's no longer got Kent around to survive for, and it really messes her up. and Kent watches Jack and his mom crash and burn, up close and from afar, and it fucks him up

like, bad. he can't stop thinking that it was him, that he's the reason they're the way they are. that he's the only thing they have in common and they're both–the way they are, and it must be him. it must be Kent

jack's OD breaks Kent, pushes him over the edge of a cliff he was already clinging to with his fingertips. he shuts down completely and only surfaces to a) send his mom to rehab with his first NHL paycheck b) and play hockey

he withdraws completely. cuts himself off from human contact at the exact time he needs it the most. he spends his rookie year with the Aces Captain, Patty, his wife and their two kids, barely holding on to his humanity

it's a good thing the team forces Kent out regularly, because otherwise he'd turn into an Actual Hockey Robot. it's not that he isn't friendly with them–he plays beautiful hockey and laughs and chirps with the rest of them, but there's something off about it. he's skittish and awkward, and he gets this look in his eyes sometimes, like he survived something awful but not really.

like he isn't all there. they worry about him. he's too small and too good at hockey and he needs someone to watch out for him

the first year, it's the whole team. all how-many-ever of them, looking out for Kent on and off the ice. the second year, Jeff comes to them

Jeff is...good with Kent.

Jeff's been playing on the NHL for a couple years, got drafted third or fourth to the Seattle Schooners. he's a good teammate, dryly funny, chirps that take a second to sink in. he plays good hockey, not as good as Kent, but good.

but he seems to know, instinctively, what Kent needs at any given moment

Jeff drags Kent into being social and actually, y'know, forming meaningful connections with other people by giving Kent puppy eyes until Kent agrees to hang out with Jeff and teammate of the week

and Kent, horribly unused to being someone people want to spend time with and nearly incapacitated by loneliness after a year of next to no human connection, says yes every time

and Kent is a person? under that weird obsessive hockey robot exterior? he's fun to hang out with. he's even funny. he's a bit a total dork and likes helping people and he always knows a good place to eat

so people on Kent's team start to seek his company even without Swoops around and Kent goes ? but he doesn't like to let people down or say no

Kent is still like, messed up inside. he doesn't sleep well and there are a lot of days when he won't get out of bed of he doesn't have to. but he's still trying

except... he's not trying to be better at Humaning for himself. he's doing it for Jeff and the people who depend upon him to show up and entertain their kids for two hours so they can go on a date

the only thing that's changed is the manifestation of Kent's chronic self-sacrificing and the people who receive it.

and Kent is honestly trying really hard and overcompensating for a year of not being a good Human Person so he swamps himself in helping people and overworks himself

and it's Jeff that picks up the pieces of Kent's dumbassery. it's Jeff that calls people to let them know that Kent has the flu, no they haven't been to the doctor yet, yes he's mostly okay he's puking right now, so no he can't come and take care of your kids Patty find a fucking babysitter you're a millionaire jfc

(Patty is kind of a dick)

Kent: [in between puking] but I promised

Jeff: shut the fuck up

Kent's bedridden for almost a week. he misses two games, both of which the Aces lose

it's during this week that Jeff realises just how fucked up Kent is, because in the middle of puking his guts out and shivering under six blankets he still finds time to blame himself for everything that goes wrong in that week. e v e r y s i n g l e t h i n g. it's not really Kent's fault, being sick pulls down all walls that keep him from airing the constant internal monologue of self blame and loathing, but Jeff calls his cousin Rashmi and has a slight breakdown

well, I say slight. he nearly cries

Jeff needs to talk about how much Kent is hurting and omg I never knew im a terrible friend eeeee

she tells him to a) calm the fuck down b) don't take this so personally, you can't help him if you think you're the one to blame, he's doing that already c) here's a bunch of helpful links on how to deal when you think your friend might be mentally ill

Jeff tries to be subtle about bringing up the 'you might be mentally ill thing'. Kent, however, is not dumb. he catches on to this really fast, and panics hard. his only experience with mentally ill folks is his mom and Jack, and they are not a good place to start–both addicts who've been unintentionally emotionally abusive to Kent. Kent draws the best conclusion he can with this data pool. the conclusion is I am a horrible person who will soon be drug addict and hurt the people around me, whoops time to Shut Down

Kent [shutting down] I am a horrible person that deserves nothing good, ever. Jeff: nO Kent: I can't hear you over the sound of my self loathing Jeff: N O

and Jeff does not know how to deal with a Kent who's gone straight back to rookie year levels of skittish I-am-a-virus-don't-touch-me. the team, on the other hand, knows perfectly well how.

or, at least, they know how they dealt with it. but they're hockey players, with the combined emotional intelligence of a nail clipper, and when they tell Jeff about it he's horrified. so he figures out his own methods–he sticks as close to Kent as possible while not overwhelming him, and he does his best to be Supportive

it is difficult to be supportive when the person you are Supporting does not want to be supported. so he does his research, and hits upon the perfect solution

he goes to the local pet shelter and asks for the most unlikely to be adopted kitten, because he knows that Kent has a soft spot for hopeless things

they give him a three month old Calico, blind and almost certainly headed to a shelter without a no kill rule

Jeff: ......I'll take it

Kent is baffled and enchanted. Jeff really thought it'd be harder to sell this to Kenny, but Kent's holding squirmy, curious little kit, already babytalking to her, asking her if she knows what a pretty princess she is, yes you are, aren't you and Jeff has a second where he thinks Oh, shit

bc this more humanity and interest than Kent has shown in almost a month, and then Kent is turning to Jeff to ask him questions about raising cats that Jeff didn't even know were a concern, but clearly this is making Kent happy, so Jeff gives him a book he'd picked up at the recommendation of the volunteer at the shelter, and drives Kent helplessly to the pet store and watches as Kent buys cat shit off Amazon

Kent doesn't realise she's blind, at first. kit (Jeff named her) has large golden eyes that are permanently dilated. Kent only figures out she's blind when he's sitting on the floor watching her toddle around, and she keeps walking into his outstretched legs. Kent calls Jeff in a panic, asking him if he knows what's with kit's eyes, and Jeff thinks I knew I was forgetting something

and then he explains the situation to Kent, and Kent reacts exactly the way Jeff expected him to–with a sudden fierce dedication to kit, even more so than ten minutes ago when he would have died for her

Kent cat-proofs his house–he pours a lot of time and money into getting everything exactly right so Kit needn't suffer more than necessary. he lavishes Kit with all the love he's capable of–and he's always capable of a lot more love than he thinks–and makes sure that everyone coming to his house knows that one move that frightens Kit is more than enough to get them banned

so Kent pours himself heart and soul into loving kit. he spends every second he isn't on the ice taking care of his beloved baby princess

and it's incredibly healing. he knows he has to get up in the morning and come back after runs (not walk into traffic) and that he has to get done on the ice so he can come back to her

there's a period of like, six months, where the only reason Kent does anything at all is because kit needs him to. and he won't let himself think about how Jeff could also maybe take care of her. he won't.

his mom's rehab clinic is expensive but ridiculously intensive and extensive. it's almost 14 months of rehab and therapy and relearning hire to be a person without addiction, as well as working through whatever led you to seek addiction in the first place

Diana Parson comes out of it changed. she feels more like a person than ever before in her life. she feels whole, healed still, but so much better

so she goes back home, and Kent is in Vegas depressed as fuck, and his mom is in New York living for herself, and doing things she loves, and discovering herself outside of therapy

she comes back home at a time when it's incredibly difficult for Kent to do even basic things like have a conversation. so all through the season, he doesn't visit her and he can't even summon up the guilt.

and her therapist tells her it's okay, that he needs time too. and she loves him and she gives him the time she needs, but she also decides that she's stable enough to foster a child

which goes well! Lydia is 7 and slightly untrusting but Diana has patience and love and she's been reading and she's financially stable and she has time (ask things she didn't have with Kent). she has time to ask Lydia how her day went. time to play and talk and do bonding activities with just the two of them

and soon enough she and Lydia love each other so much! and they have rough times but they get through it.

the season ends. and the aces lose. and Kent is probably even worse than before. and someone suggests that since the aces will no longer be in town to make sure that Kent buys groceries/stays a person, hey you should go visit your mom!

so Kent, depressed and hating himself, gets to watch his mom get her big second chance

and he tries do hard not to be bitter but it's killing him. he keeps wondering what his life would be like if he were Lydia. if he had a financially stable supportive mom. and he can't blame his mom so he blames himself

he blames himself for needing more than she could give him. because she did her best and she raised a pro NHL player and he doesn't have any right to expect more

and one night it gets so bad that drives himself to Jeff's place

this would be okay but Jeff actually lives in Canada

he's just. in this place where Jeff is the only person that Kent knows won't hurt him

and he's so, so tired

and Jeff, chilling with his family, suddenly has an armful of distraught sleep-deprived Captain

and he's just like ......sorry I gotta take this

Kent knows where Jeff lives bc he's been there at least once before

and Kent just. breaks down. he cries for hours. and Jeff can't do anything except drag Kent up to his room and cuddle him while he cries and pet his hair. Kent cries himself to sleep, but he wakes up with Jeff wrapped around him and there's like, 14 seconds where he just feels safe and good because Jeff's there and hugging him in bed so something somewhere must have gone right

anyway Kent wakes up and gets dressed with Jeff hovering gently over him, knocking into him once in a while to make sure he's okay

(like when cats wind around your feet because they're excited to see you. except they might trip you up. the issue w Jeff is that he is Big)

he finds his phone in some weird corner of his car and plugs it in. and finds out that he has 200+ missed calls from his mom

because his mom doesn't have the numbers of any teammates she can call and she's been so worried and he feels Horrible for Being This Way

so he calls her. and she picks up on the second ring and she's been having panic attacks and flashbacks for 4 days and she doesn't remember parts of her therapy

so she yells at him. and Kent is still way too fragile to handle this but he also has to do this? and he just. panics

mother-son bonding via hyperventilating to each other on a phone line

but Jeff gets so mad on Kent's behalf, and pulls the phone out of Kent's hand and cuts the call.

but then he feels guilty so he sends her a quick text message to let her know that Kent is safe and he'll call when he feels better

and the next few days are just Jeff hugging Kent and Kent wearing Jeff's clothes everywhere because he didn't bring his own

and when they kiss it's just so natural? Kent stops hiding how much he wants Jeff. it's too much work. and Jeff is close to Kent almost all the time. and they're so stupidly in love that Jeff's older brother walks into them making out against the kitchen counter and moon walks back out

they make out for so long that every member of Jeff's family sees them and walks back out.

#kent parson #parseposse #parsepositive #parswoops #swarse #lmao #that be #me #carysfics #omgcp #?????#p2 tag #original #i'm sorry about the lack of read more cut guys #tumblr hates me

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maldonadohoward · 4 years

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Can Jumping Jacks Increase Height Blindsiding Unique Ideas

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#Can Jumping Jacks Increase Height Blindsiding Unique Ideas #Increase Height In 20s

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mermaidsirennikita · 7 years

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Have you seen the movie Jackie? What did you think of it?

This is about to get REAL nerdy up in here anon. I had such a painfully obvious boner for Kennedy!history and legends for like... my last year of high school and most of freshman year of college that my mom gifted me with a first edition copy of Profiles in Courage by (but not rlly, he was too busy politicking to write a whole book) JFK for my birthday. And like, that wasn’t even the only Kennedy-related birthday present I got that year.

I have seen it! I think it could have been better as a story about Jackie and a Kennedy-oriented history fan (I hate myself for identifying with that) but as a movie it is a Work, imo. And I mean that in a good way, there were bits of the movie where I was like yeah I’m watching something really intentionally artistic here and it’s pulling it off.

The thing is that while the movie is OVERALL accurate (I’ll expand on my criticisms of accuracy later lol) the history isn’t the point, aside from when it relates directly to our perception of Jackie vs. the Real Jackie, and though obviously I don’t know the woman and I wouldn’t say this movie covers her entire personality (it spans over just a few days, it can’t) it nails certain aspects of her that we don’t discuss often, imo.

Jackie is as iconic as Marilyn Monroe, exactly because she was the antithesis, or so it seemed, of Marilyn. Marilyn was sex; Jackie was love (romantic love, maternal love, patriotic love). Marilyn was dirty, but in a touchable way that made you want to touch her; Jackie was clean, but in a way that made you want to put her behind a pedestal and maybe never even get to know her because that might ruin the image you have in your head. You don’t want her to be human. You don’t want to fuck her. You want to love her.

The thing is that just as with Marilyn, the image was really, mostly, a lie. Jackie actually had a lot in common with Marilyn--she probably wasn’t faithful to Jack, though he started it, I’m sure. She struggled with loving a man who could never really open himself fully to her (Marilyn chased these types like craaaazy). Hell, they both even had fertility issues (Jackie had multiple miscarriages and actually lost a two-day-old son less than a year before Jack died). She was saddled with legacy, and like Marilyn she really couldn’t be herself. Even their interviews, ESPECIALLY if you listen to them (as a MASSIVE DORK I really recommend listening to those, like, 18 hours of interviews with Jackie done after Jack died, which this movie definitely pulls from). She was never as raw, imo, as she even is to the interviewer in the movie. More vulnerable than usual, maybe, but never Raw. Like, the movie has her saw really honest shit and it’s probably what she was thinking but then she’s like--strike that from the record. Imo, the real Jackie slipped up and struck things from the record, but she never slipped up and was as honest with a reporter as she is in the movie.

Listen, I’ve got issues with Natalie Portman, but she NAILS those aspects of Jackie Kennedy that the movie is interested in, and I don’t like her as a person but she was robbed of a second oscar tbh. She wiped the floor with Emma Stone. There is more nuance to a single scene of her in this movie (the one where she’s sort of drunkenly dancing about the white house, as one example) than Emma conveys in all of La La Land, case closed.

The Jackie in this movie is an inner part of Jackie that I am certain existed. She’s constructing a legacy for Jack as soon as he dies, because he never got a chance to make that legacy for herself. She understand the myth of this family, of her, and she’s making sure that the myth lives on because that’s all they’ll have. He’ll never get to his second term, which some historians opine would have been much more groundbreaking than the first, as is often the case (first term presidents don’t want to offend because they’re thinking about reelection; second term presidents can lay it all out on the table). She’s been indoctrinated into this myth of this family (and the movie never covers this, but she was apparently Joseph Kennedy Senior’s favorite daughter-in-law, and maybe he was just being a creep and thought she was hot but I think he recognized in her a similar ability to go along and play for the cameras that his wife possessed, except better--she elevated the family, the Bouvier blood was much bluer than that of the Kennedys at that time) but she’s also making it what she wants it to be, because this is her greatest act as First Lady. As much as Jack and Joe Sr. and Bobby and Ted adored Jackie, she didn’t get along with the women of the family because I think tbh there was some intimidation going on within both sides and she never fit in, but damn, in this moment, she gets to MAKE the family.

The movie also both embraces and shies away from Sentimental Jackie, which we so often see. Jackie is usually either a bitch who didn’t really love her husband but is annoyed with his embarrassing infidelities and is in it for the glory, or a weepy messy who’s always on prescription drugs to dull the pain and going “Jaaaaaaack” whenever he comes home after fucking some lady. This Jackie is ABSOLUTELY played as deeply in love with her husband, and in some ways more sure of his love for her than I think most fictionalized Jackies are, in a very period-appropriate way. Sure, her husband has mistresses. But he’s also a brilliant man in her opinion, and he puts her on a pedestal and she’s the one he comes home to, she’s the First Lady, she’s the mother of his children, so... The infidelities are painful, but not the end of the world. There’s a line she says to a priest in possibly my favorite part of the movie where he sort of broaches another part of her pain they’ve only alluded to--the affairs. And she fucking SNAPS, it’s one of the only times she really loses control, being like “I was the goddamn First Lady of the United States, don’t you dare pity me” and it’s GREAT.

Now. If you’re looking for a biopic, this isn’t it. It’s a study in grief (grief for a beloved husband, trauma over how he died which is very graphically portrayed, grief for everything that will never be) and a character study of Jackie. The entire Kennedy story isn’t as delved into as it should have been. And to be honest, the biggest gap here is Bobby Kennedy. If you’re going to tell a story of Jackie Kennedy’s grief, you gotta feature more Bobby. I mean lbr I’m fascinated with the relationship anyway, but they completely turned to each other immediately after Jack died. Literally nobody else understood how they were feeling. Jackie devoted her life to this man, giving up so much to make his dreams come true... and so did Bobby. Shit, Bobby and Jackie could finish each other’s sentences, and both professionally and personally they were hugely codependent in the last years of Jack’s life. And Bobby, like I said before, worshiped Jackie at one point in his life. They were both into literature and poems (especially after Jack died, she got him into poetry to help him grieve) and they’d visit the graveside just them two. Bobby’s first concern after Jack died was Jackie; he immediately took up a more paternal role with Caroline and JFK Jr. But this wasn’t just because Jack died, they were genuinely best friends--when JFK was away on a yacht or something after Jackie’s first miscarriage, Bobby was in the hospital with her. Whether they ever crossed that line is irrelevant; if you’re doing a good “Jackie grieves Jack” moment you have to have a good Bobby and vice versa. This guy... has none of the literally insane grief Bobby had (people thought he was gonna lose it for real, including Jackie). He isn’t as acquiescing to Jackie as he reportedly was irl after the shooting, and yes he did resist the massive funeral she wanted from what I’ve read, but this is played a bit less like Bobby Is Going Into Guilt-Driven Paranoia and Is Worried His Niece And Nephew Are Gonna Be Assassinated and more like... ooh, this man is trying to put Jackie down, but she’s gonna have a Feminist Moment and fight him on it.

It’s the one big weak point of the movie, ESPECIALLY SINCE HE ISN’T DOING THE ACCENT AAAAAGH THE ACCENT EMBODIES THE FAMILY LINGUISTS HAVE STUDIED IT AND IT’S SO INDIVIDUALIZED THAT NOBODY ELSE REALLY EVER HAD IT THAT’S HOW RICH AND “YOU CAN’T SIT WITH US” THEY WERE. This is especially glaring because JFK doesn’t have an accent for his little speaking role either which could be fine bc he’s barely alive in the movie but theeeeeen Natalie is WRECKING the Jackie voice, she got it just right. Like fuck, I know this is a Portman Project but you’d think someone would want to not phone it in and maybe get some best supporting actor noms because Bobby Kennedy is a meaty role. Look at Barry Pepper, he was in a legit not great at all miniseries but he killed the role of Bobby and did the accent so well (and I admit Bobby’s is apparently harder to do bc his voice was also super distinct without the accent) and the awards just came rushing in.

Basically: this is a very, very good movie that should have won Natalie Portman an oscar, I think it got so much right about Jackie but it wasn’t quiiiiiite as fucking nerdy as I’d like. Also, I say this as someone whose favorite Kennedy is very obviously RFK (he was shady AF like all of them but he had good ideas and was viciously effective when he wanted to be, tbh his assassination is one of the great “what could have beens” of American history imo). But yeah, I think this is a really impressive, well-directed movie if not necessarily the movie I would have made about the family.

#jackie kennedy #i will... affectionately call her jackie o sometimes but aristotle was a waaaay bigger jerk than jfk by all accounts #so i think of her as a kennedy #Anonymous

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ktrosesworld · 7 years

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50 Questions for Fic Readers

I just felt like answering some questions (source post @braveten)

1. What fandom(s) do you read?

Doctor Who and TenInch Fic

2. If you could request more of a certain type of fic, which would it be?

I would love for more people to take up the challenge of writing TenInch Fic ... so many DT characters that need some loving

3. What is your favorite all-time fic?

It’s not possible to pick just one!?!?!?!? It would be a toss up between stories written by @whoinwhoville @kelkat9 @jellyneau-xo @studio-forty-two @natural--blues @licieoic @pipertennant ... okay i’m stopping there because this list will get really long

4. Do you ever re-read fics? How about triple-read?

I quadruple read, quintuplet read, sextuplet read, septuplet read ... some I read every six months or so because I need to live in those worlds

5. Do you prefer angst or fluff?

Yes

6. Do you prefer long fics or short fics?

Yes

7. Name some incomplete fics that you wish were completed.

Blimey ... umm ... okay ... here’s a short list

Bad Wolf by @licieoic Shades of Blue Series by @bluedawn0123 [Edit: oops I had the wrong author] Out of the Ashes by @mercwithamouth Meetings Series by @wildwinterwitch Every story ever abandoned by throughanamberfocus especially The Zeppelin Verse

8. Talk about the ships that you read.

Doctor x Rose is the beginning, the middle and the end but really I’m all about the story ... if it’s good and captures my imagination I’ll read all sorts of little and giant ships

9. Do you read smut?

Of course!!! And you do too ;p

10. What’s the most hard-core smut or kinky fic you’ve ever read (be honest)!

I’ve read some really weird stuff in the wee hours of the morning ... but as for the ones I really enjoyed

Claimed by @licieoic Metacrisis: Jack by @fogsblue Four Dimensional by Annissa

11. Do you read AUs?

I LOVE AUs!!!!!!

12. List a few of your favorite AUs.

Gallifrey Records by @allrightfine and @gallifreyburning Perfect Match by @lastbluetardis TARDIS Bookstore by @ofstormsandwolves A Ghost Story by @kelkat9 Evolution of a Scandal by @rishidiams Elsewhere by @fadewithfury Heartsmith by @licieoic Arkytior: A Snow White Tale by @natural--blues

13. What type of AUs are your favorites? Give a general description.

See the list above :D

14. What makes you give up on reading a fic?

Mainly if I don’t like the way the characters are written or if the story is not put together well ... having said that I’ve persevered with some really crappy writing for a story idea that captured by imagination

15. What makes you pick up a fic, what makes it sound interesting?

It’s different every day because my reading tastes change with my moods

16. Name a fic that made you cry (or that made you come close).

The Time Loop series by @weezly14 ... every single damn time my poor heart hurts just thinking about it

17. Name a fic that made you laugh a lot.

Psychedelic Pollen and Dalek Squirrels by @kelkat9 ... tell me you’re not laughing already just at that title :D

18. Do you have a fic recommendation page or master list?

Do @timepetalsprompts and @teninchfic count as rec pages???

19. How many fics do you think you’ve read before?

Easily tens upon tens of thousands probably even into the hundreds of thousands now

20. What’s the weirdest fic you’ve ever read? Describe it.

I read one where the Doctor’s penis had it’s own personality and I think it was detachable and possibly changed personality when the Doctor regenerated ... it was one of those that you kept thinking the author was on some fairly serious drugs when they wrote it but you just can't stop reading it

21. Do you read crack!fic?

I think we should just take it for granted that I read all types of fic

22. Name a few of your favorite crack!fics.

Once again favourite ... okay the first one I thought of was ...

Lordstorm and his LiveJournal Adventures by @kelkat9

23. Has fluff ever made you cry? What about angst?

Oh I’ve definitely cried at both

24. What’s the longest fic you’ve ever read?

The Life and Times of Daniel Ulysses Barrow by ceeare ... it was over 500k but unfortunately the author took it down to “break it up in to readable pieces” and has never finished publishing it again ... it was one of those ones that will rip your heart out

25. What’s your opinion on reading dubious consent or no consent?

Once again it all depends on the story ... there are some where its sex pollen induced which I’m completely okay with ... but then there are some stories that describe rape as if it’s just a normal sex scene which I am very much against ... I’ll stop reading those stories immediately and never look back

26. Name a type of fic you’ll never ever read.

I try not to say never ever because there are ships that I thought I’d never read but then got desperate for new stories and discovered some amazing authors who made me fall in love with ships I had in the notp bucket ... I’m looking at you @basmathgirl in particular

27. Name a type of fic that you wish there was more of.

teninch fic and doctor piper fic ... I just love authors challenging themselves to write new characters

28. Who are your favorite fanfiction author(s)?

This gets me into trouble ... okay authors I’ve not mentioned yet that I love to read ... @caedmonfaith @thedistortedmirror @emkaywho @faithosaurus-fics @justbygrace @lixabiz @lostinfic @nannyogg123 @nopondintheforest @perfectlyrose @doctor-who-hears-a-horton @rudennotgingr @tenscupcake @veritascara @whatwecanfic ... there are soooooooo many more but this is quick list from my following page

29. When you find an author you like, do you follow them?

Absolutely!!!!! If I fall in love with one of their stories I want to read everything they’ve written

30. How often do you read fanfiction?

EVERY DAY ... for many many hours ... before I go to sleep ... when I wake up ... whenever I can

31. Do people know that you read fanfiction?

Well everyone on here knows ... in RL ... well I’ve made vague mentions about reading Doctor Who and Broadchurch stories online but don’t get into specifics ... although I did get my Mum addicted to A Million Holes Poked in the Soul by @nannyogg123

32. Do you leave reviews after reading fics? If so, what do they sound like?

I used to write comments after every fic I read but it was slowing down my reading now I only leave comments on things I really enjoyed and felt compelled to comment on ... so they tend to be gushy :D

33. When you read a good fic, do you go to the author’s page?

Definitely, I always want to read more stories by a talented author

34. Name a common type of fic that you cannot stand.

You’ll probably hate me for this but ... I’m not a fan of the drabble ... there I said it let the backlash begin

35. Name all the Work in Progress fics that you are currently reading.

hahahahahahahahaha ... umm sorry ... currently I have 40 update notifications of individual stories in my email ... and that’s just the ones I haven’t caught up with yet ... oh and some of them I’m a few chapters behind so I’ve opened the new emails to keep the count down so I don’t feel so bad ... the reality is that I’m probably reading about 60-70 WIPs ... this post is long enough without me adding this list to it

36. Has a fic ever left you unable to fall asleep or think about anything else?

Heeled by @jellyneau-xo ... I don’t think I’ll ever be able to own a pet again ... actually all of Jelly’s stories have me thinking about them long after they’ve finished

37. Are you good about keeping up when reading Work in Progresses?

Despite what I’ve said above I’m not that bad ... although I tend to delay reading fics I love so I get a nice big chunk of reading in one go

38. Name some of your favorite fic recommendations pages.

See all the rec pages by @allegoricalrose ... definitely some quality reading there :D

39. Name a fanfiction author that you’re scared to talk to because they’re so amazing.

I remember being terribly scared about talking to @kelkat9 and @whoinwhoville because I am so in awe of their writing but they are both absolutely beautiful people and you should definitely reach out to them to talk about writing and all things DW and DT :)

40. Have you ever written fanfiction or considered it?

I once was strictly a reader only and then I wrote a little thing and then another and then @pipertennant and @studio-forty-two kept encouraging me to write more and more and well I guess I have to call myself a fanfic writer now

41. Name a fic that has a perfect ending.

Don’t make me choose ... as long as they have a happy ever after I’m good

42. Name a fic that you wish was longer.

ALL OF THEM. ALL! OF! THEM!!!!!!!

43. Do you read OT3 fics commonly? Have you ever?

I love ‘em especially ... Loved ‘verse and Lostverse by fid_gin and unfolded73

44. Do you mainly read TV shows, movies, or books?

umm yes?? DW and TenInch fic cover all of that don’t they??

45. Do you read fanfiction about Anime?

No, I’m claiming generational age gap ... I’ve never really got into Anime

46. If you could imagine the perfect fic, what would it be like?

The one yet to be written ... don’t know who the author is yet

47. If you had to introduce someone to fanfiction with a few fics, which would you suggest?

For TenInch Fic ... Providential Contingency by @studio-forty-two and tennantmeister ... they created the genre with this story ... I know I talked them into it ;)

For DW ... blimey there are just so many ... take a pick of any of the ones I’ve recc’d above

48. Have you ever read a fic containing character death?

Yep, and written one ... and writing another ... shhhhh it’s taking a while to write it and this time I’m not going to publish it until I’ve finished it

49. Do you have an AO3/Fanfiction.net/LiveJournal page? Link it.

This is me on AO3

50. What sites do you typically use to read on?

I started reading on Teaspoon but now I read almost exclusively on AO3 ... I like being able to leave kudos and get notifications of responses to comments :)

#sorry for the long post #i just felt the urge to answer these #make sure you read all the linked stories #and as always #remember to leave comments of love

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