#also lou is making it very hard not to like tommy so

[mazzystar24]

Asking this under anon bc i don’t wanna get any backlash in my inbox lmao

but to start this off: i love oliver stark, and i am so appreciative of how important he views this storyline and the representation it provides

however

i am going to be very disappointed in him if we get through the next few episodes, and it becomes clear that they aren’t going to further develop buddie anymore. he has always been so careful and cautious when it comes to implying things in interviews/press stuff, but lately with this resurgence in his response to fandom interest with buddie (liking fanart, reposting it, talking openly about buddie in interviews, confirming things like buck thinking eddie was attractive, etc.) if they don’t go that route, it will honestly severely hurt me.

i have very mixed feelings about what is and isn’t “queerbaiting” (most of my friends would say i tend to not believe that it’s a thing, and to an extent i agree) but there are certain situations in which something does blatantly feel like baiting… to me this is one of those situations.

with both lou and edy still being around, as well as ryan’s sudden stint in pr jail, the fandom’s obsession w lou/tommy, and tim minear’s seeming interest in complying with fan-service… it’s hard to remain optimistic that they will actually give us buddie. the past two weeks have given me whiplash as a buddie fan and i am getting tired of the show using our desperation and love for this ship as a marketing tactic when they have no intention of going there (tim minear himself saying things like “i don’t like to plan endgame relationships” or “there are no plans for buddie at the moment”).

that is why the media’s sudden obsession with asking about buddie, as well as oliver’s willingness to interact with buddie content online combined with the constant flow from the set of things not going in the direction of buddie… it feels very intentional to drag us in. and if oliver is participating in that, then i am going to be very disappointed and hurt by that. he used to care so much about not getting our hopes up, but lately it feels like that isn’t the case anymore, and that getting our hopes up is their way if getting us to continue watching the show because they know that people will stop watching after having to watch years of buildup and (at times admittedly) roment subtext between them just for all of that to be completely retconned and them to say “no-homo, bro” in favor of a character/ship that came out of nowhere and has had no development.

obviously, i don’t blame os for the storyline- he’s not a writer, he doesn’t get to dictate what does or doesn’t happen. But he is the one getting all of the media attention, and using that to shine a spotlight on buddie when (if) he knows that buddie isn’t happening? it feels very icky to me and i really don’t want to have a reason to dislike him.

unfortunately it’s seeming more and more like a possibility each day as we get inundated with bts info that doesn’t bode well for us at all.

I’m afraid I’ll have to disagree with you anon sorry😭🫶

If buddie doesn’t go canon/ they don’t show they’re heading in that direction in the next few episodes, I still would not blame Oliver at ALL for his recent more openness about buddie

(Idk how familiar you are with me and if you are you’ll know this but if you’re not lemme clarify I use bulletpoints a lot but not to be curt or rude I just like breaking things into chunks🫡)

1. He has made sure to constantly clarify that he doesn’t know how things are gonna go and he has no control over things- i mean EVERY time he spoke about buddie

2. He’s also a fan of the show guys, yes yes he’s an actor and it has different implications I agree 100% but also if he’s choosing to ship his character or enjoy fan work that’s his prerogative and sure he can lurk privately like he has in the past but also he probably knows that implications aside fans who make that work will be ecstatic to see him actually liking the stuff

3. The man legit said he deleted social media at one point cos he didn’t wanna like or share stuff that’d accidentally give people false hope for buddie or bi Buck but he has silently agreed for years and he hated not being able to confirm bi buck till now

4. He’s been a HUGE advocate for us both on the buddie front and bi buck front and that deserves recognition

5. As you said there is a LOT of bucktommy love rn which is great and all but may draw focus away from buddie, if Oliver is intentionally trying to get buddie fans to keep going it could genuinely just to show that buddie fans are still aiming for buddie endgame and that they still make up a huge portion of the fandom

6. Writing is CONSTANTLY in progress on 911 so again buddie fans being more vocal and abc and writers seeing such positive responses to him so much as interacting with buddie posts or answering buddie questions give them a gauge of audience’s wants (granted Tim has stated it’s not a HUGE factor for him) and also keep in mind s8 is still in the books so even proposals of storylines may be in the talks rn

7. When he talks he is VERY careful about his words and is very well spoken on the topic like yes there have been more stuff we can read into and be optimistic about but you can tell that he in no way is saying specific things to bait people, when talking about existing buddie things he talks about HIS interpretation and uses lots of maybes and might’ve beens and I see how that could be and when he talks about future buddie he talks about being open to it talks about what he’d want from it and he talks about not having control or knowledge of it happening

So yeah he has done/said things that I absolutely think warrant optimism (I made a whole post about it) but if it doesn’t pan out that optimism should a- still be there b- not turn into blame for him

Okay now Oliver aside- the questions being asked about buddie and all the buddie promotions I would be side eyeing the higher ups for if it’s for nothing because yes all the articles and stuff are stuff being pre-approved by abc and the people higher up than cast members or the journalists but I would also keep in mind that s8 is still in the works so hope is not lost even if s7 isn’t what we hoped for because keep in mind we had only 10 eps to work with too

#911 #buddie #evan buckley #thanks anon! #911 abc #eddie diaz #911 fox #evan buck buckley #911onfox #buckley diaz family #asks open #send asks #send me asks #answered asks #asks

[purgatory-jar]

Who's excited for tonight's episode???? I am!!!

A lil bit of buck/tommy as a good luck charm for tonight!

*

Want something like this? Commission me here: x

#buck/tommy #have we decided on a ship name? #evan buckley #tommy kinard #I feel like I need to say this #I am absolutely a buddie endgame truther BUT I am also very happy with Buck figuring out he's bisexual and I really like Tommy #we should keep Tommy even if it looks like he's just here to ease our disaster boy into his bisexuality #as a bi woman honestly I care more about buck figuring this out for himself #let the boy have some fun #we can add the enourmous complications of finding out you're in love with your best friend later #also lou is making it very hard not to like tommy so #he's *cool* #911 spoilers #911 on abc #thunderjellyfisharts

[m3r1m4r5u333]

I feel like many people misunderstand us, the unhinged, insufferable people with OTPs so. Here's a quick guide into the mind of an rabid buddie shipper.

I'm not clinging to buddie because I fail to see how awesome Buck's bi growth is. I AM BI!!! You think I don't get how awesome this bi character, this story arc, this bi representation is? Get out. Don't tell me, a bisexual how I should watch and experience a bisexual character. I drive my own brain, thanks.

And I know that it's possible to multi-ship. You don't need to tell me that!!

People need to understand that multi-shipping isn't some grand, epic personality trait that always comes with maturity, that the people who don't multiship are just wee dumb babies.

I may sound like I'm 14. I am not. I am very much not. I'm OLD. So old. And guess what that means? I know myself!!! That's maturity, too. And who I am... Is someone who falls hard, and obsessively.

I know I am just not built to be a multi-shipper. I have tried, sometimes. I have tried so hard. And realised, that's just not me. Multi-shipping is never as fun, and interesting or rewarding to me as focusing on my One True Pair. It just makes me feel suffocated, to attempt to like something I don't really find much joy in.

That doesn't mean that I hate the actors or characters who are "getting in the way" of my ship. Nope. I actually often adore the characters and actors, and the writing. I can also see and appreciate what some other character means for my OTP's growth.

Like in this case... Lou, playing Tommy? Not only do I love his acting choices (so funny, so skilled) but he also, he sounds like a lovely guy. I'm a fan!! Also, damn he's fine, I need a bucket for my drool.

And Tommy, the character...? I think the character is interesting - and don't get me started on "problematic", the shaming is futile. I am all in for fucked up, problematic characters. If you don't get why, you should really read some literary classics. Fucked up, problematic characters are art, they make you think, they broaden world-views. My best educators have been the monsters, and I will take this stand to my grave.

Demand for "unproblematic" is demand for censure, and censure is just another form of oppression. Want characters without flaws? Go watch Teletubbies. Ffs, even moomins have flaws. (Of course they do, Tove Jansson was a freaking amazing writer.)

Anyway. The point here is.

I am a mono-shipper. And I love slowburns, I love the romance of them, I get attached to ships. And I'm queer.

But where are the queer slowburns? I have been waiting for a slow-burn queer romance for so long. I CRAVE IT. Getting that, truly, would be queer history, a revolution.

And I see the potential for it in buddie!! The spark, the history, the journey. It has the potential to be the greatest queer slow-burn I've ever experienced.

You think I'd just abandon a ship like that, a slowburn like that, for some fast food, cooked up in what... Two episodes? Pffft. I invest. I am waiting for my roast to cook.

So yeah. I'm not going anywhere. I will watch, and let my freak flag fly, and I will have the time of my life. If buddie never becomes canon? Well so what. I can deal. It's not my first rodeo. Disappointment isn't actually deathly, you know. Trying to avoid disappointment kills hope, and enthusiasm. So yeah, I refuse to manage my expectations. I'm all in, and enjoying this mad ride.

"Well, I'd still take you."

"You think so?"

"I KNOW."

#911 abc #911 buddie #evan buckley #buddie #eddie diaz #buddie 911 #911 on abc #evan buck buckley #tv: 911 #eddie díaz #tommy kinard #bi buck #queer media #abc 911 #abc buddie #let the freak flag fly #lbgtqia #oliver stark #lou ferrigno jr #ryan guzman #mono-shipping #otp #delusion for the win

[diazsdimples]

What do u say about these supposed hard core fans that are shipping buck Tommy? They gonna make the writers keep that homophobe around 😰

I am entirely the wrong person to ask about this.

Firstly, I ship Bucktommy AND Buddie. And this is possible! You are allowed to see Buck be happy with a man for the first time (how fucking good!!) but also wish upon the nearest star that he ends up with Eddie in the end. I truly believe Buddie is endgame but at the moment, I am more delighted at the fact that Buck is happy, with a man, experiencing a positive queer relationship.

The reason I ship Bucktommy is because look! at! how! happy! this! boy! is!!! I will ship ANY person that makes my little blorbo as happy and blushy and giggly as Evan Buckley is when he's with Tommy Kinard. He is SMITTEN. Do I think they're endgame? Not at the moment, no. Would I be upset if they were? I'd mourn the fuck out of Buddie, but I would be glad that Buck is finally happy and comfortable in a relationship. His happiness is paramount.

For the reasons why Buck's bisexual arc is more important than a ship, please read this post. It talks about the importance of representation in current media, and my own experiences of coming to terms with my bisexuality just before this arc was aired. What we're seeing with Buck's story is revolutionary, really. We haven't seen this kind of thing happen in media much at all and it is so important to show.

For any issues regarding Tommy, please read this post by the lovely @slightlyobsessedwitheverything. They beautifully go through all his appearances and break them down for us and I would urge you to read it with an open mind.

Now, about Eddie. I am an Eddie girlie (gn) through and through. That is my babygirl and I adore him with every fibre of my being. I would love nothing more than to see him go through a queer arc. However, right now, Eddie is not in the place to do so. We saw from the last episode that he's an untapped reservoir of Catholic guilt, and it's gonna take a lot to work through that, before he can have any kind of realisation re: Buck. He's very much in his comphet days but is starting to take some steps towards undoing some of his old habits, like getting Marisol to move out when he realises they're moving too fast.

With this in mind, I think it would be too rushed and too early for Buddie to get together right now. Yeah they've had many seasons of being married and living out of one another's pockets but given the stages of life they are both in, I feel it wouldn't end as well as we'd like it to. Eddie isn't in the right place for it. Buck is exploring his sexuality. They need time to learn and grow and do some serious thinking and realising before they can even begin to contemplate a relationship together.

Regarding the "homophobe", I am assuming this is referring to Edy Ganem and not Lou Ferrigno Jr. I would like it noted for the record that I cannot stand Edy and therefore cannot stand Marisol. If Meddie were to be endgame, I'd fume. They have no chemistry. They do not suit one another. And I don't believe Edy should be given a platform to spread her hateful rhetoric, and I hope the last we see of her is 7x07. I'm a little mad it wasn't 7x05 but there we go.

However, Tommy and Buck's storyline and Eddie and Marisol's storyline are entirely separate. The only thing that links them are Buck and Eddie, and their friendship. I don't believe that Tommy's existence means Marisol is going to stick around and I find it a little odd that you do. Buck can and has had relationships that aren't Eddie. Eddie can and has had relationships that aren't Buck. Buck being in a relationship does not mean Eddie will also be in one. Tommy's existence does not confirm Marisol's continued existence.

My current best case scenario is Eddie being single by the end of 7x07 (please god), and Buck and Tommy continuing their relationship, so Buck has the opportunity to learn and experience same-sex relationships while Eddie has the time to deconstruct his true feelings, get therapy, work through 30+ years of repression, and then they'll be ready.

ALSO I DO NOT WANT BUCK TO CHEAT ON TOMMY WITH EDDIE. WE ARE NOT HERE FOR THAT.

Best case scenario, sometime towards the end of s7 or beginning of s8, Buck and Tommy decide that they both want different things out of life, have an amicable split that doesn't leave either of them hurt, Tommy sticks around as a recurring character because he's ingrained in the 118 again, Eddie's doing his therapy thing and then maybe mid s8 him and Buck can start coming to some realisations with a potential for Buddie moments towards the end of s8. Honestly anything else would seem too rushed.

The final point I'd like to make is that I find it extremely odd that you call people who ship Bucktommy "supposed hardcore fans". Shipping anything other than Buddie doesn't make you any less of a fan. Actually, I'd argue it shows a bit more commitment to the characters as you're willing to be open to them growing as humans and expanding on the personalities that we love. If Buddie is the only reason you watch the show, I feel you should re-evaluate your motivation. This show has so many great ships, such as Bathena, Henren and Madney, as well as Buddie and Bucktommy, and considering this is an ensemble show, we should show all of them as much love as the other. These characters are so intertwined with one another and that's what makes this show so worth watching. Watching for 2 characters and 2 characters only is not getting the full enjoyment out of it.

I hope this answered your questions and gave you something to reflect on. As I say, I'm not the right person to ask about this as I too ship Bucktommy, currently have 2 Bucktommy fics in my drafts and watch them kiss at least 10 times a day. And for future reference, I will be unfollowing/blocking people who throw tantrums about not getting Buddie so far, or who believe you can only ship Buddie and feel superior for doing so. Have a good rest of your day.

#james answers things #james says things #bucktommy #buddie #evan buckley #eddie diaz #tommy kinard #fandom discourse I guess? #911 abc #911 season 7 #911 buddie #911 spoilers #anon #asks #this ended up a lot longer than I thought it would #but this question pissed me off a little dskjdsk #thank you for coming to my TED talk

[deluweil]

It's hard to take the Tommy storyline seriously especially knowing that it was supposed to be Eddie and Tommy. People say the chemistry is through the roof with Buck and Tommy, but I barely saw any and most of it was cringe. (They had three scenes together and people are throwing Eddie out. Yeah just prove that it's not buddie they want, but more kissing other guy. They don't accept girlfriend, but the first guy is the perfect one. Be for real.) The way they wrote episode 4 was done for Eddie so all of this comes out of left field with the Tommy and Buck.

I can't take it seriously and honestly I hope he's gone soon. Like usual Buck gets all the storyline and Eddie is left with barely anything. Also I'm sorry, but I find it funny that this was all last minute planning and Buck got Eddie coming out storyline.

Sorry I had to vent. It's feeling like the Buck show again.

My dear Anon,

I have to admit, it is kind of hard to take the pairing seriously when we know Tommy was supposed to be with Eddie originally, another "fine patchwork" from the 911 creative team.

I hate last minute patches, those make for dumb storylines, like a nun Marisol, like wtf? Most men catholic or not usually fantasizing about nuns, religious or not. - I'm guessing gay men, don't lol

I have to say that both Oliver and Lou are giving it the old college try, but to be honest, the "platonic" bromance we saw between Eddie and Tommy had more chemistry than Buck and Tommy.

And even if they decided, last minute, to get Tommy with Buck, they could have written it so much better, than Buck OOC hurting Eddie physically for attention from the virtual stranger Eddie hung out with for two weeks. (Speaking of dumb storyline and patches).

I do agree that the whole TommyBuck became a thing very quickly, like buddie never existed and Tommy and Buck have been together for almost a season, which would have been more time to actually prove this match worthy of the praise it's getting after a couple of episodes.

Also, not to antagonize anyone, we all know if they'd brought back Lucy like it was originally planned (though how it was supposed to lead to a gay storyline is beyond me) Arielle would have gotten so much backlash that it would make ppl wonder about the selective feminism in this fandom. (though I have to say that Lucy being besties with Eddie could have been epic).

I also have to say that dazed and confused Buck is so not how I thought bi!Buck would look and I thought by Maddie's comments over the years that it would be anything but surprise for her. Sometimes the continuity of the show is a bit... wonky.

And indeed episode 4 that was originally written for Eddie does feel a bit left field with Buck, but I think Lou and Oliver handled it well. I love Lou's expressions to be honest, they tell a lot that isn't being said. - So much like Ryan now that I think about it.👀

Making it all about Buck again, is indeed a bone of contention I have with the writers and showrunners. This story was tailored for Eddie and they should have followed through, the catholic guilt, the internalized homophobia, and all the mixed feelings would have been delicious and made more sense than the nun crap we got.

I have a lot to say, some flattering, some less.

On the bright side this season have hope yet, I doubt we get much of Tommy for long, I was already spoilered that he is not here to stay, but he will play a part at Chimney's rescue, I love that idea.

I just hope he doesn't get killed off.

Also I wouldn't mind a threesome before we get buddie, if we get buddie lol

So yeah, the Evan Buckley show indeed, but Buck has always fan favorite so no surprise there.

I love Buck, but 7 seasons later demand that there will be some growth that sticks, what drives me crazy that we're still getting the same childish pouting mannerism from him and that it is all good somehow because that's Buck. 🤷‍♂️

I do love Lou/Tommy, he's perfect for this storyline. As someone who is observing without the "OMG TOMMYBUCK" glasses, 7x05 pretty much seals the fate of TommyBuck, Tommy's "You're adorable" is a death sentence for a relationship in any standards, many things could have been said, "I find you hot/sexy as hell" "I would really like to be with you" anything except you're adorable, adorable is a thing you say about babies and puppies, and though we all consider Buck a golden retriever puppy, he's a "hot hot firefighter man" - not adorable. - adorably confused maybe. An Ally if you will 😂

Also, I have yet to gif it, but in that last scene between them Tommy's smile looks like he's happy, but his eyes tell a different story, one that says "As much as I would like to believe I am the one you want I know better." He knows they won't last long.

And that "Evan" felt to me more like, "We have barely made it past the first date, and we barely know each other, A WEDDING? Are you serious rn?"

Obviously everyone else would disagree with me, but COME ON, who invites a failed first date to a wedding? Like Buck lost all sense of direction in his effort to prove his okay-ness with his new bi-ness.

At least he has a rainbow in his instagram lol

Anyway, all that's left is set the clock and wait for Madney's wedding, a wedding has a way to rectify things or just throw everything into utter chaos, either way we get a married Madney and an adventurous wedding. - That will be an episode I watch, solely for Maddie and Chimney. - Anything else would just be bonus ;)

#911 ask #unpopular opinion #eddie diaz #evan buckley #buddie #ryan guzman #oliver stark #lou ferrigno jr #tommy kinard #911 spoilers #911 cast #911 speculation #madney

[alrightbuckaroo]

Hello hello! Hope you're well 💜

Popping into your ask for nice ask day to ask you this because tis the season even tho it's still September: what do you think the 126 (plus Carlos and Grace) would dress up for this Halloween? Is there someone who adamantly refuses to put on a costume? Someone who goes all out every year cosplay style? What are your thoughts 🤔

Hi there!

This was hard because I'm not a huge Halloween person myself (I'm more of a Christmas person) but here's what I've come up with:

TK dresses up as Steve Irwin and proceeds to make Carlos take dozens of photos of him and Lou II.

Carlos strikes me as a big bookworm so I can see him dressing up as Hercule Poirot. He looks ridiculous with the fake mustache and TK can't wait to kiss him so hard it falls off.

Judd and Grace have been watching Frozen on repeat so of course they're Kristoff and Anna respectively and Charlie is Olaf.

Mateo and Nancy are doing a couples costume and have made the executive decision to be the Mayor of Townsville and Miss Bellum. Mateo goes the campy route, Nancy goes the sexy route and he can't keep his eyes off of her the whole evening.

Marjan would be Captain Amelia from Treasure Planet and would look ridiculously good and make everyone else look they didn't try at all. I like to think she'd wear a brown hijab under her hat, her way of doing Captain Amelia's hair.

I feel like Paul would do something very punny and dress up like a french kiss, and when you see him, he's a mime holding a fake baguette and has his make up done like the way the band KISS does their make up.

Tommy would be Jessica Pearson from Suits. Everyone's been telling her that she looks just like the actress who plays her, but Tommy doesn't see it. (I also just want an excuse to see Jessica Pearson again.)

Owen definitely would go as Don Draper from Mad Men and would subject everyone to this new voice he's putting on. Everyone would say he's just a guy wearing a suit and would then be subjected to why Don Draper is not just a "guy wearing a suit".

#i thought this was going to be so damn difficult but now i want to see this because i had so much fun doing this #nice ask day #asked and answered

[a-shakespearean-in-paris]

Thoughts on The Last of Us Part 2

This critique is spoiler heavy, so tread with caution. I also talk about more than the game. However, non-spoiler opinions: (and again, I want to stress this is my opinion)

This game does not have the same DNA as the first last of us. That’s not a total strike against LOUP2. Yet the first game succeeded so well in creating a relatively simple road trip narrative that was rooted around character growth, with the provoking questions it raised comknf naturally. TLOUP2 revolves so heavily on the message it’s trying to send, that the character and narrative writings suffers to mold around the parable...which doesn’t fully even succeed in that regard. Environments and game play however are pretty solid, and if you liked those aspects of the first game, they outdid themselves here, so you’ll probably like this game’s go around. Does it make it worthwhile to play? That’s a case by case basis, but I have to say that exploring the world made me want to continue the game. And if anything, I’d say this game is a relatively easy platinum trophy to collect. And despite this very long critique where I really dive in, (because that is what I do, it’s in my nature.) I’m glad I played, because I had an enjoyable experience.

anyway, on with the nitty gritty. Please keep in mind that even as I seem harsh, I did not hate this game. Aspects of it pissed me off , and I think it’s broken in a lot of respects, but certainly not a failure of design, game build, and acting.

When I think of the perfect sequel, (and please, bare with me) Shrek 2 comes to mind. It expands the world in a meaningful way, introduces new characters that seamlessly fit in with the dynamic, lets the established characters have more growth without cheapening what happened in the first part, and stays true to the core DNA of the first film. I’m not saying that all sequels need to follow this formula, (I love Silent Hill 2) but The Last of Us 2 was not a fulfilling sequel in any of these regards. Joel and Ellie in the first game, as well as the other characters, felt like real people who made decisions that made sense for their characters. In this game, we have a clumsily patched together narrative that is simultaneously simple and yet far too much for it to handle. This is not a narrative-driven story, but a parable about the dangers of revenge. And while not a bad parable to tell, I could easily pick up Moby Dick or a myriad of other works that detail the “revenge is all consuming and unhealthy” narrative. Now, was LOU particularly new with it’s story? No. But the characters made it worthwhile and fresh. Additionally, the narrative of this game is so riddled with hypocrisy that the parable it’s trying to tell almost misses the mark.

Before further diving in, I also want to talk about one more detour as a preface: Game of Thrones season 8 (and please, bare with me again.) My biggest issue with season eight was how unearned everything was. Most egregiously and infamously, Dany and Jaime’s fates was not rooted in her past actions, therefore making their fates make sense, but rooted in the final outline Benioff and Weiss had. The writers had a plan, and they made the characters fit that plan no matter what, no matter that the characters had grown and changed and had arcs that didn’t make sense with the final plan, leaving a lot of people, including me, note how unearned everything was. LOU2 feels similar. Druckman had a plan, and he made the characters fit that plan, no matter how many gaps in logic there was, no matter how unearned it was. Joel dying the way he did was not very Joel-like as established in LOU. That man noticed an ambush right on sight as he was driving with Ellie into Pittsburgh, while this Joel walks right into an ambush and let’s himself be cornered by a group of unknown people. Maybe you can say that he got softer living in Jackson, or the storm gave no alternatives, but it reads to me as more as Druckman needed Joel to die to set off his plot.  

And with that, now’s a good time to talk about Abby, because rather than being an organic character that fits seamlessly into the narrative, she feels inelegantly shoved into the game to fit the message and parable. In the prologue we learn little about Abby and are forced to run away and learn about the game mechanics with her, and most players are here to continue Joel and Ellie’s story, so cutting away to this new character away from Ellie is intrusive. You as a player may have also have heard Druckmann say Ellie was the only playable character and purposely avoided the leaks, so you’re bamboozled as well. It gets worse after we shift to Abby for a good ten hours after Ellie kills Owen and Mel. We’re supposed to feel compelled to play as Abby for a ten hour needlessly complicated side quest when the game jarringly cuts to her...even though she mercilessly beat Joel with a golf club and just shot Jesse, who, IMO, is one of the most likable new characters (and also one of the many minority characters in the LOU franchise that serve as props to the main characters and ultimately meets a sad end, but that aspect of the game is worthy of a whole other post.) 

Playing as Abby for as long as you do at the halfway point is a tough and unearned pill to swallow, not helped by the fact that we know how this long extended flashback is going to end, so the stakes are never high. No matter what happens, Owen, Mel, Nora and Alice are going to die, and Abby is going to find Ellie. Furthermore, you’ve spent a long time as a player buffing Ellie with supplements, upgrading weapons, and using her arsenal. Suddenly, you have to rewire you’re playstyle and get used to new weapons. They’re not totally different, but I can see how going back to square one when you’re halfway through the game can put a player off really quickly. I read the leaks so I knew this was coming, but I had no clue how bloated this section would be with the meandering plot and WLF/ Seraphite conflicts that still somehow aren’t explained well enough. In Abby’s section, plot things and character development things go at such a hyper speed, with relationships developing mega quickly, that I had a hard time believing it, especially compared to the first game when relationships took time and were earned. I think the sex scene is a good metaphor for this section of the game as a whole. they talk, talk, talk about unrelated things, Abby pushes Owen, and then they randomly have sex. which by the way, was done pretty tastelessly in my opinion. ND could have just cut away when they started making out, or if you absolutely had to hold the frame, if you really had the actors to do that in mocap suits, maybe make the situation more morally grey...because it is morally grey. Owen has a baby on the way with another woman. What a way to endear these two characters. I’m not one who gets squeamish with sex in media, and I understand the game’s M rating has a warning. But when you cut away a love scene between two women before things get too heated, but have no problem with showing that, I’m going to raise some eyebrows. 

Abby’s section is like an overly complicated side quest in the larger narrative, with missions that have little to nothing to do with Ellie, so watching Abby’s story play out doesn’t feel like a meaningful look into the character and world we don’t get as Ellie, but an overtly complicated way ND created to get us to like Abby and invest us in her found family. But it took a whole game and about a full year for Ellie and Joel to be father and daughter, and by the end of Abby’s section we’re expected to believe she and Lev have that same bond. It’s so glaringly apparent that they were trying to mirror Ellie and Joel with Abby and Lev, but they banked so hard on us as the player assuming and understanding that aspect, that the development wasn’t cultivated well enough for me. I think more time was needed--especially since you don’t even meet Lev and Yara until you’re an hour or so into her story. Abby’s section feels like a whole other game was tacked on, and not a piece of the puzzle that neatly fits into the larger narrative.  In fact, both Lev and Yara feel like tacked on props to make Abby more likable. 

However, ND is inconsistent with this likability factor, because there are key elements to Abby’s writing that don’t make her endearing to the player. Unlike Ellie, who is visibly shaken with each kill, Abby displays no regrets whatsoever. She doesn’t have any qualms killing her fellow WLF soldiers later in the game, but more infuriating for players, she has no regrets about killing Joel. She does it, and she moves on. The game even seems to celebrate her, with some of her friends saying he deserved worse, despite the fact that  Ellie was on the floor crying and begging for her to stop. (BTW Mel is pretty hypocritical to me. At one point she says she regrets taking part in Joel’s murder, but during it, she wanted Ellie killed. Then later says Joel’s death was too brutal...even if he deserved worse? It’s just another thread of inconsistency in this game.) 

Abby not thinking things through when Ellie is crying on the floor before Joel’s murder is another example of characters making strange, if not outright bad decisions because Neil needs his plot. Abby could have put the pieces together, realized Joel wanted to save Ellie because clearly they care about each other, and yes he did a bad thing and killed her father, but if there’s a crying girl on the floor, maybe he did it because of love. (Or she could have just killed Tommy and Ellie because what’s stopping her from thinking they won’t want revenge like she does? But again, Druckmann needs his plot.) 

But no, Abby is merciless, and then suddenly in her POV chapters she’s pretty cool to Yara and Lev and wants to help them out. And yes, they saved her from death...but Joel saved her from death too. It could have been so interesting if Abby and Joel were forced to work together longer, maybe she meets Ellie, and then she’s conflicted about extracting revenge. But okay, fine. She takes her revenge and the game moves on. Okay. But Ellie, who I remind, is vilified and punished by losing Dina and the baby in the game, has regrets and is shaken up by her revengeful deeds, while Abby, who is also pretty bad, gets rewarded. If Druckmann wanted to really write a revenge parable, it needed to be clearer that revenge didn’t make Abby happy or fulfill her. If that would have happened, and if time was taken to develop the Lev and Yara subplot, it could have been interesting to see Abby’s story.

Ellie’s characterization in this game is a point of contention for me as well. Some reviewers have said she makes decisions that are so outlandish it’s akin to Dany in GOT season eight, and I don’t disagree. Now, the game implies Ellie continuously puts herself at risk, leaves her friends, and sets off on a near suicide mission because she has PTSD from what happened to Joel, along with a lot of guilt for not patching things up to him. Druckmann and Halley Gross even confirmed in an Indie Wire interview that Ellie has PTSD. Now, there are so many negative stereotypes against people with PTSD as outlined by Psychology Today and other sources. There’s misconceptions that they’re violent and dangerous, and it can’t be treated. I don’t think Druckmann was outright suggesting Ellie went on her rampage of revenge specifically because of this, in fact I think the truth of the matter is he wanted to say something deep and artsy with this game, and Ellie and Abby are props to the message. (Supported by pre release statements of ND saying they wouldn’t call this game fun--it’s art.) That being said, this equation doesn’t sit right with me. More broadly I don’t like the fact that Ellie has been a prop in this game so Druckmann can say something deep (tm) especially when the last game did such a good job molding her character and honoring her in an organic way as the plot moved forward. The way they used her here just didn’t feel right.

Also, like to mention Ellie didn’t go to Santa Barbara to meet Abby again until Tommy’s major guilt trip at the farm, which was a wildly out of character moment in itself. But again, in this game, there’s a script, and we needed a way to trigger Ellie’s journey to Santa Barbara. But looking at the first game, Tommy berates Joel for the lengths he went to to ensure their survival, even saying at one point “it wasn’t worth it.” Now Tommy is all of a sudden going to not take the high road and demand Ellie extract revenge when he can’t? Heck, when Abby had Tommy pinned to the ground in the theatre he told her to go and save herself. When tommy came to her after Joel’s death he actively tried to talk her out of going to Seattle. Now maybe you can say that “oh Abby shot Tommy and now he’s relationship with Maria is in shambles...” but it didn’t compute with me. (And damn, can anyone be in a happy romantic relationship in these games?) But again, Druckmann wants a final fight, where the biggest waste of opportunity is squandered. We could have had a moment where Ellie and Abby talk it out, maybe Ellie telling Abby that she cared for Joel despite what he did (though ho boy, more on that later.) and Abby realizing hmm, maybe what I did was kind of morally grey and we’re not so different at the least. If this parable was going to work, Abby had to have an epiphany about her own deeds in addition to Ellie, and Ellie can’t be vilified while Abby isn’t. 

This game also cheapens the last game’s ending. Joel’s morally grey choice at the end part one is rendered into an indisputably bad choice, because he took away Ellie’s choice. Are we forgetting the fireflies, and Jerry, Abby’s dad that we’re supposed to like, (based on the flashback, which, BTW didn’t work for me, I think Jerry’s an ass) weren’t giving Ellie a choice either? The ending of TLOU asked some fantastic questions about the nature of love without forcing it, and this game completely does away with that ending via telling us how bad Joel is and how he wronged Ellie. I can’t really replay the first game now without thinking of how the sequel cheapens that ending. Overall, the message and thought-provoking questions in LOU came naturally with Joel and Ellie’s development. It was elegantly done and expertly crafted. However, this game is so focused on it’s message and so focused on being an art house drama, that not only do the characters bend to fit the message, but it’s rudely it’s beaten over your head with the final shots of a lone guitar. However, playing through the game for me, seeing the cracks, the message fell flat. Want to tell a parable like this? Go ahead, but make sure it’s delivered well , paced well, and crafted well. I don’t think this game succeeded in any of those regards.

As others have stated, the game is needlessly dark, and though there are moments of calm and light, they are not as frequent as the first game, and all but dissolve toward the end of the story. Obviously ND couldn’t help the current situation of the world the game was released into, but I am tired of this trend of dark narratives and SuBerTing ExpECtatIons that Thrones also pulled, and the easiest, laziest tactic media has used lately to get people talking about their stories: doing things for shock value. Expectations were maybe subverted and there was definite shock value by having Joel die at the beginning, but the events that follow are so bizarre and unearned with Ellie’s vilification and Abby’s “redemption,” that I’m not mad that he died, I’m mad he was fridged to make way for this sloppy mess of a story.  And I have to point out that so many of us had a feeling Joel was going to die in this game, that frankly my expectations would have been subverted if he lived. 

Now with this segue, I think now I should probably mention the elephant in the room: the pre-release footage. Images were altered to make players believe Joel meets Ellie in Seattle, but we know now that it was Jesse. Sony was banking on the fact that fans of the first game love Ellie and Joel so much, that they used their relationship to sell the game and pretty much deceive the player. The fact that the game is very much not about Ellie and Joel’s further development is not only deceptive, but kind of cruel. Games are expensive. People pre-ordered this game expecting one thing and got another. Doesn’t sit right with me. If Sony/ ND had faith in Abby’s story the secrecy wouldn’t have been necessary, but keeping her out of the marketing save for one time, with Druckmann out right lying at one point by saying you only play as Ellie, it just proves that someone in the marketing department had no faith in Abby. Now, I think this is all rooted in anti-spoiler culture, and no doubt that had a big impact on this game and the marketing behind it. Though this is another, albeit related rant, I am tired of the current climate of “keeping the secrets and remaining spoiler free.” Sure, spoilers can ruin some surprise, and it’s not cool to needlessly spoil something for someone, but spoilers should not ruin the experience of seeing a story unfold. We all know the damn ship is going to sink in Titanic, and a lot of people love that movie. Heck. I played the first LOU completely spoiled. I wanted to see what the fuss was about and read the Wiki page. I still cried, I still fell in love. I get maybe wanting the player to be surprised that Abby has such a big section, or even that’s she’s playable, but when Abby’s story can make or break how you feel about this game, I raise some eyebrows at the marketing.  

As I said, I did read the leaks when they came out. Why? Well, I’m not averse to being spoiled and GOT kind of burned me before. I am glad I read the leaks because knowing what to expect certainly eased things for me, and got me used to playing as Abby in a way that going in blind wouldn’t have. It was easier for me to bunker down and accept playing as her, but her story is so needlessly bloated and has nothing to do with Ellie’s up until the end. Her section solely exists just to get the player to like her. As I outlined however, the fragments in her story are broken and don’t come together to form a flattering picture. Sure in her sections you get some, albeit, minimal context to the goings on of Ellie’s chapters and the whole WLF/ Seraphite conflict, but not much to make it interesting or illuminate things further. A lot of it was there just to make you feel like crap for the things you were forced to do as Ellie. Alice was a good girl wasn’t she? Shame on Ellie for killing her in self-defense! And I understand the flashbacks were supposed to mirror Ellie’s flashbacks, but part of me rolled my eyes as I realized I was enduring a damn flashback within a flashback. What kind of a meta world, and an uncool one at that, is the game in? (Heck at one point Abby said “fucking video games” so IDK) I think the game could have been better if you played both sections concurrently--some of Abby’s, some of Ellie’s instead of having an entire flashback to play through as Abby. But I can only guess the game did it this way because of good old spoiler culture and they only wanted early reviewers to talk about certain things. (Heck early reviews pre release had an embargo. Reviewers were forbidden from mentioning anything in the last half of the game.)And truth to be told I think Abby’s sections needed a huge overhaul. Actually I think the whole story of the game needed a huge overhaul, but that’s probably apparent from this long diatribe. However, I maintain that this was the Last of us sequel ND wanted to tell, the crafting needed to be improved.

So what did I like? Well, I liked exploring the world and I liked the ease of the beginning of the game, and...the boat section was kind of cool? now initially I thought Ellie’s romance with Dina seemed pretty rushed, but as you play the game, you realize they’ve known each other for a long time at this point, and it makes more sense. The two have a lot of chemistry that makes the relationship feel more authentic, especially as you roam Downtown Seattle. Playing as Ellie and exploring Seattle was my favorite parts of the game. I really liked the semi-open world section at the beginning, though it didn’t mesh well with the rest of the linear narrative. I hope in future games ND does do something similar and makes the whole game have pockets of open-world esque exploration throughout, and not just one part

I tore Abby’s section apart a lot, but there was also good stuff going on there too. I did Yara and Lev a lot, just wish there would have been more time to develop them. The hospital chapter was wild and fun...the most effective horror chapter in the game, with a big ass monster straight out of Resident Evil. Even if it was gross. And of course, the environments were downright breathtaking, and exploring Seattle made me want to continue. The Aquarium was my favorite location overall, as I found it beautifully rendered and a good focal point for the game. I also find it super fitting Abby and Ellie have their first fight in a theatre. It’s almost like Druckmann’s trying to make a point about how violence is a commodity...kind of like us playing this really violent game and they’re using violence to sell it to you, even though the game punishes you for doing actions you have no say in.

I may have been a tiny bit sarcastic there, but I did enjoy the Ellie/Abby fight, and even if I knew the outcome, it did a great job of putting me on edge. I really didn’t want to hurt Ellie, but seeing how Ellie fights from the other angle was pretty interesting. After that fight however it was pretty draggy to have to do it again in Santa Barbara as Ellie. On a related note, there were too many brawls like that in the game. You have no weapons, just fist brawls twice with cult randos as Abby and then two with Ellie and Abby in the game. Could have trimmed those down, because they kind of wore out their welcome. And while we’re at it, good grief the ending DRAGGED. Maybe that was done on purpose to prove the lengths Ellie will go, but I wasn’t a fan.

Look, a part of me can kind of appreciate what ND was trying to do with this game, I just think that the execution was poor, and a lot of small specifics of things that happened in the game were done in poor taste. Pieces of the puzzle didn’t fit a cohesive whole, and the message is pretty grim and broken because of hypocrisies in the narratives. A lot of people are saying its an apocalypse game, of course it’s going to be dark and nihilistic, but the first game wasn’t nihilistic. It was hopeful, and benefited from the simple story it told. Druckmann always said Part 2 would be a hate story, and that’s fine, but I think it was just so committed to that idea the game suffered and became manipulative. I think now we’re now entering a debate about “can video games be art and have messages?” or “should video games just be fun?” and I really think video games can be art. However, there has to be something in the game that makes you want to continue, and that something is usually “fun.” Video games aren’t like movies. We’re not voyeurs that watch. We’re actually in control of the characters. That has an impact. 

if you read all of this, I commend you. thanks! Really needed to pound out all my thoughts and now I can (hopefully) move on with my life.

#tloup2 spoilers #tlou2 spoilers #the last of us part 2 #the last of us part 2 spoilers #I just want to write this and be done because I'm tired #this got long #lou2 #tlou2

[puffinsional]

hey! so in honor of good omens’ 30th anniversary and the drama’s 1st anniversary, here’s something i’ve been working on and off for about a year now...

presenting our side, a good omens story playlist!

i was inspired after coming across so many fantastic songs that work for aziraphale and crowley (many from listening to other peoples’ playlists, actually) and i thought it would be interesting to recount their entire journey through those songs. my goal was to make it feel like you were listening to the story just by listening to the playlist.

you can listen to the playlist on spotify or youtube! track list, lyric links, and story markers are under the cut.

special thanks to @rcmclachlan, @askazicro, and other good omens playlist makers for helping me discover many of these songs. i’m also including their playlists/tags under the cut if you wanna check out even more songs! also thank you to thomas ginnona for some classic rock consultation.

extra special thanks to my fantastic friend @humananalytica for helping me this entire time i’ve been working on this, sending me songs to listen to, helping bounce off ideas and give a second opinion every time i pester her, beta-ing, and for just in general being someone i can share my love of good omens with.

i’ve worked really hard on it so i’d be delighted if y’all can give it a listen! thank you very much!! m(_ _)m

TRACK LIST:

OVERTURE: A Tale of an Angel and a Demon

“Come With Me” - Chxrlotte

“A Rainy Night in Soho” - The Pogues

“I'll See Your Heart and I'll Raise You Mine” - BellX1

ACT I: The History of the World, Before the Armageddon

It Starts With a Garden

“From Eden” - Hozier 

"I'm With You" - Vance Joy

“An Act of Kindness” - Bastille

Hereditary Enemies

“Iris” - Goo Goo Dolls

"Losing Battles" - Josh Ritter

Policy Decisions

"The Garden" - The Crane Wives

“A Thousand Years” - Sting

"The Only Way (Hymn)" - Emerson, Lake, & Palmer

"Antichrist" - The 1975

Invitations

"Valentine" - Hope Tala

"Sit Next to Me" - Foster the People

"Try to Be" - Bonny Doon

The Arrangement

"Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)" - Kate Bush

"Heads/tails" - Hotspur

"Walk Across the Water" - The Black Keys

Fraternizing

"How Does a Duck Know?" - Crash Test Dummies

"Monster" - Pomplamoose & dodie

“Chasing Twisters” - Delta Rae

Sorry, Consecrated Ground

“Do I Wanna Know?” - Arctic Monkeys

"What Kind of Man" - Florence + The Machine

A Bag of Prophecy Books

"The Thief" - Brooke Fraser

“Who Is In Your Heart Now?” - Studio Killers

“I Can't Behave” - Caravan of Thieves

“Devil's Backbone” - The Civil Wars

A Thermos Full of Holy Water

"Pick U Up" - Foster the People

“Holy Water” - Tommy Newport

“Waiting for the Miracle” - Leonard Cohen

Slowing Down

“How Long” - Matchbox Twenty

Delivering the Antichrist

"So Desperate" - The Mountain Goats

"The Things We Do For Love" - 10cc

“Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy” - Queen

Purely Social

“Drink!” - They Might Be Giants

"Heroes" - David Bowie

The Gardener and the Nanny

"Keep Her Closer" - Swimming Tapes

"Snakes and Lovers" - Spandau Ballet

"Five Years" - David Bowie

Harry the Rabbit

“Just Like Heaven” - The Cure

"1999" - Prince

"Someone's Missing" - MGMT

The Naming

"Apocalypse Please" - Muse

"London Calling" - The Clash

INTERLUDE: Crowley Yells at Some Plants

“Music to Soothe the Savage Snake Plant” - Mort Garson

ACT II: The World Has Started to End

To a Little Village in Oxfordshire

“Absolutely No Decorum” - The Ark

“Ride” - Clans

Tip-Top Shape

“Damn Your Eyes” - Etta James

Four Letter Words

"I Am Not a Robot" - Marina and the Diamonds

"When You Die" - MGMT

Velocipede

"Pedal Your Blues Away" - R. Crumb and the Cheap Suit Serenaders

Foolish Principalitie

"Put Down the Duckie" - Sesame Street

"Baby Blue Eyes" - Peter the Human Boy

"666 Conducer" - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

The Third Alternative Rendezvous

"Just Between You and Me" - Lou Gramm

“End Love” - OK Go

"Allies or Enemies" - The Crane Wives

“Stomach It” - Crywolf

“December” - Collective Soul

It's Over

"Leaves" - Gregory and the Hawk

“Silence & Sirens” - The Narrative

"Drowning Shadows" - Sam Smith

A Plea (If She's Listening)

“Bad Blood” - Sleeping At Last

The Lords of Hell

"Warrant" - Foster the People

“What If the Storm Ends? (The Lightning Strike, Part I)” - Snow Patrol

Alpha Centauri

“Something Happened on the Way to Heaven” - Phil Collins

“Origin of Love” - Mika

"Eternally Missed" - Muse

“Flowers for a Ghost” - Thriving Ivory

God's Spokesperson

“The Truth” - Foster the People

"All These Things I've Done" - The Killers

How to Navigate

“Gravity” - The fin.

"Dear Wormwood" - The Oh Hellos

“Hold the Line” - Toto

No Longer Keeping Score

“Hurts Like Hell” - Fleurie

"Can't Smile Without You" - Sleeping At Last (cover of Carpenters)

“Never” - Seira Kagami*

Aziraphale's Plan

“The Sunlight Through the Flags (The Lightning Strike, Part II)” - Snow Patrol*

“Sure as Hell Not Jesus” - Cosmo Jarvis

Crowley Drives Through the Flaming M25

"Get Yourself Together" - The Black Keys

“Burnin' For You” - Blue Oyster Cult

"Dreams and Disasters" - Owl City

Things That R.P. Tyler Would Like to Say (But Can't)

“You're On Fire” - They Might Be Giants

Aziraphale and Crowley Watch the Others Stop the Apocalypse

“Dream Sweet in Sea Major” - Miracle Musical

Adam's Satanic Father

"Hells Bells" - AC/DC

“Get It Together” - Mystery Skulls

Beside You

“The One Moment” - OK Go

“Daybreak (The Lightning Strike, Part III)” – Snow Patrol*

Agnes Nutter's Last Prophecy

"Butterflies and Hurricanes" - Muse

If You'd Like

"Breakfast Square" - Hana Vu

"Landscapes" - Gregory and the Hawk

The Swap

“Heaven or Hell” - Digital Daggers

Holy Water and Hellfire

"Crossfire" - Brandon Flowers

“Sinners” - Lauren Aquilina

Temptation Accomplished

“In Our Bedroom After the War” - Stars

"Heaven Is a Place on Earth" - Belinda Carlisle

CONCLUSION: The Very First Day of the Rest of Their Lives

“First Day of My Life” - Bright Eyes (covered by Jesse Daniel Smith)

“Nobody” - Hozier

"Our House" - Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young

“A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square” - Vera Lynn

* indicates a song that’s only included in the YouTube playlist

Sources: rc’s music tag/playlist, askazicro music tag/community playlist, michael sheen’s hardcore gomens playlist, other referenced playlists (x x x). also my local cvs. yes really

#i wanted to make it 6 hrs exactly like the show but it ended up being a little over... 6 and a half hours....... OH WELL.... close enough... #also if anyone wants an explanation for why i chose a certain song feel free to shoot me an ask! #good omens #good omens playlist #ineffable husbands #ineffable partners #prints #relief #misc

[earthnashes]

LAST OF UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!

I started playing the very second it was made available to play and just finished it last night at like 4 in the morning. And of course it destroyed me. I love this series man so much man. ;w;

SO! I don’t usually do this but I’m like, fuckin’ dyin’ to talk about it a lil bit so if ya have plans to play it, SPOILERS BELOW THE CUT. <:

-Aight so lemme just say right off the bat that this game is fucking. Gorgeous. The environments, lighting, visual design, the level design, everything was spot on. And don’t get me started on the CHARACTER MODELS. AND ANIMATION. Like bro that shit was lifelike in not just appearance, the characters emoted and carried themselves with so much life they felt legitimately real. They were all so unique too; characters had unique special ticks to just them (Like Ellie pinching her fingers when nervous or upset, or Joel standing taller and squaring himself when talking about hard subjects like he’s bracing himself for it, or Jesse giving his stunted headtilt when he talks) and expressed in a way that was just. Bruh. Aight I’mma stop but fuckin hell what they pull off with the characters in specific in LoU (both part 1 and 2) is just somethin’ outta this world.

-For anyone interested in playing it, the game is roughly 22-30 hours long if you’re just focused on the story, and much longer still if you take the time to explore and find all the little secrets. Some secrets include unique cutscenes and dialogue that are well worth the look; I haven’t found all of ‘em yet but I’m considering trying a completionist playthrough.

-Joel’s death fucking destroyed me. I’m in no way surprised he died, but it hurt regardless, just how quickly things went south for him and Tommy there. And ELLIE. FINDING HIM AND WATCHING HIM GET REKT WAS PAIN INCARNATE. Set the tone hella hard and I’m fuckin’ here for it.

-I’m not gonna lie I fully expected to dislike Abby given she rekt Joel, even though I figured it was for a pretty good reason before it was revealed her pops was the doc Joel killed. But damn. I really enjoyed Abby, a lot actually. From a gameplay standpoint I dare say I enjoyed her section more than Ellie’s since you were BLASTING ENEMIES with those fuckin’ GUNS of hers. And by guns I mean her arms’, jesus she was shredded. As a character, she felt a lot like Ellie from a different perspective and mindset, and I really appreciated the reflection the two of them had. Two sides of the same coin, basically. Also I really, really liked how killin’ Joel brought absolutely no peace to Abby at all, and you caught her beginning to regret it. And it kinda sorta acted as the catalyst to her shift in how she viewed the world. I think that’s a good portion why she latched onto Yara and Lev so hard. Perspective is everything, and there is always more than just one side of a story.

-In the same vein I had a blast learning more about Abby’s friend group, dynamics, how she lived, who she worked for and her past and everything. Of them all I think I liked Nora the most, but Mel and Manny were both reaaaalll close seconds. O:

-Speaking of, DOGS. DOGS DOGS DOGS. So many dogs man and you got to play with and pet them! Fuck yeah. That should be a rule in gaming; if you have a cat or a dog in the game, you should have a button to pet it. Also good gorl Alice is best doggy don’t fight me on this. uwu

-Jesse and Dina were the beez knees I fuckin loved them man. They were exactly the sort of folks I can see Ellie being best friends with. ALSO, this one isn’t major, but I really appreciated that there was no love-triangle here? Dina and Jesse dated, smashed, didn’t work out but they still remained good friends. Ellie’s first reaction to seeing Jesse is to confess that she and Dina kissed, and Jesse readily accepted the fact that Dina moved on (and he had too). It’s just refreshing. No bullshit love triangle there, just three people who really understood each other. Also jesus christ, I really didn’t want Jesse to die. Goddamnit. But I’m so glad they didn’t kill Dina too like, I was fully prepared to see her get fucked up. Base rule of LoU: anyone you like has a high probability of dying. ;w;

-BRO THINKING OF JESSE, ELLIE, AND DINA MADE ME REALIZE THE PARALLEL OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO MEL, ABBY, AND OWEN. Ellie’s triangle was essentially non-existent; no feelings of betrayal or anger, just understanding and love, like there was a deep-seated bond here that would weather anything. If Jesse had lived, I wouldn’t doubt he, Ellie, and Dina would have lived together to raise the baby together. Meanwhile Abby’s triangle had Owen seeming to unable to let go of the past he and Abby had together, that poor bastard was still in love with her, and how that supplemented the slow deterioration of all three’s friendship. I was sad to see Mel turn on Abby the way she did but like. I mean.  Dude was ready to leave Mel in the dust for Abby despite HIM GETTING MEL PREGNANT. Abby also kinda did drag everyone into this, even if it was of their own violation. Oof. Though it did feel like she was angry at both Abby and Owen equally, not just blaming Abby for everything there... or at least the romantic relationship part. Honestly probably one of the few times I actually enjoyed a love triangle in a story, or at least of this caliber.

-Isaac, the leader of the WLF? He was cool as fuck. I love how much character they packed into him without even showing him too much. Like there was a scene where Nora mentions she tried to question Isaac about Owen and she said “he gave her that fucking look and told her to drop it”. Hell, when he was talking to Abby, he isn’t that much taller than her but he felt like he outright dwarfed her with the way he carried himself and how they reacted to him. I love shit like that man. But anyway fuck Isaac. uwu

-Not gonna lie I kinda wish I got to see the leader of the Seraphites, but it was hella cool to learn that she had been dead already and how the Seraphites operated with and without her. I don’t think I found everything regarding that specific point in game, but it sounded a lot like a peaceful religious leader who’s words and teachings were twisted to suit the goals of corrupt members of the tribe. She was essentially an equivalent to Jesus, at least to the Seraphites.

-I honestly really loved all of the characters introduced but I have to admit that Lev and Yara were standouts. Yara’s one hell of a big sister, lemme tell you, and the lengths she went through to make sure Lev was safe really shooketh me. AND LEV. MY CHILD. MY SON. To those of you who are familiar with the LGBT+ controversy around the game, he and Ellie are what people are complaining about. Ellie because she’s gay, Lev because he’s trans.

Lev in particular was heartbreaking. His tribe were outright hunting him for who he was, as well as Yara because she chose to protect him. The mindset the tribe had was pretty much isolated to them though.

And jesus. That scene with him and his mother? Fuck.

-YARAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA :( BRUH that scene pissed me off, fuck you Isaac, you bastard.

-THE SCENE. WHEN YOU PLAY AS ABBY. AND YOU FIGHT ELLIE. WAS SO FUCKING COOL. AND SCARY. Ellie man, that section really showed how efficient and smart she is. She legit tricked me a few times not gonna lie, like I thought she didn’t see me but she’d pretend she wouldn’t, only to ambush me with a FUCKING MOLY. Also the fact that the game outright says “hey uhhhhh you can’t actually take her head on, she’ll fuck you up in a heartbeat bro”. Welp. A really strange mix of horror and sadness and pride there. Hm. :/

-Mom!Ellie was so fucking sweet to see. And it made me catch a glimpse of hope that Ellie actively tried to soldier through for her fam’s sake. But she clearly had demons she had to confront and I’m angry at Tommy for disrupting her and Dina’s life, but it felt necessary. Still made me sick to my stomach to watch her go after Dina fucking BEGS HER TO STAY. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

-Speaking of Tommy, it was so sad to see how much he fell after Joel’s death. It really showed just how much he was like his brother though; underneath a gentle man is someone you best not trifle with, and is very familiar with doing horrific things to reach a goal. Because fuckin hell, Tommy is legit a badass. That sniper part was SO. COOL. Aaaaand terrifying. RIP Manny. :/

-Bro, I’m very curious to see more about the Rattlers but. They were fucked up in a special kind of way. There’s no telling what they did to those people they captured and enslaved. Seeing Abby in the state she was in after seeing her throughout all the game in tip-top shape was painful. That poor girl was literally skin and bones and... just beaten down.

-ELLIE AND ABBY’S FINAL FIGHT WAS SO SAD. I HATED (but I loved) EVERY SECOND OF IT. I was so scared Ellie had fully lost herself there, when she threatens an unconscious Lev to force Abby to fight, who at that point, very clearly didn’t want to. Honestly. Ellie clearly didn’t either, far as I could tell, but it felt like it was the only way she knew how to confront everything. Fight it, until you kill it, or you die. It also felt like Abby understood that since she was in Ellie’s shoes once upon a time.

-I don’t care what anyone else says I’m so happy Ellie let Abby go. I’m so glad she chose not to go through with it. For so long Ellie has been angry and resentful about a lot of things, and she never got a choice once throughout the majority of her journey. As much as I will 100% agree with Joel sayin “fuck this supposed cure, fuck the Fireflies”, it’s not fair of him, or the Fireflies, to just outright take that choice from her, that she didn’t really have one to begin with. She was justifiably angry with Joel and the moment she chooses to try and forgive him, he dies. Another choice stolen away from her. The fact that she chose mercy despite everything, and it was prompted by a memory of Joel, the very reason she was doing this, is profound to me. Like she finally understood why he did what he did, and why he said he’d absolutely do it all over again. Hell, she probably even reached the understanding that her and Abby really aren’t that different from one another in that aspect.

-Ellie returning to an empty home, with Dina and JJ gone, was heartwrenching. I fully understand why Dina left and she honestly had every right to, but it still hurt man. :C AND ELLIE. PLAYING THE SONG JOEL MADE/SUNG FOR HER. ALWAYS KILLED ME. But this instance in particular was something else man like fuck I balled like a baby. Especially when it was followed by the fact that Ellie and Joel were on the cusp of mending their broken relationship only for it to be ripped away man. Goddamnit.

-ELLIE AND JOEL DUET NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. FUCKIN HELL I love this game.

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

So, this isn’t really a review more than it is me just sharing some of my thoughts on the game, but if ya want me to give it a rating? 10/10. If not a perfect score? At least a 9/10.

The Last Of Us as a series is one that’s moved me more than any other game I can think of honestly (outside of Telltale’s The Walking Dead), and just like the first one, LoU2 left me thinking about it for hours after. It’s thought-provoking, it’s compelling, it’s fun as fuck, aaaaand it’s made me cry like a baby a good number of times. I also really appreciate the fact that, in this game, they actually show the consequences of your actions. Like, they made you consider the fact that you aren’t just killing grunts to get to the next enemy or mowing through mindless drones. You’re killing people, who have lives, and friends, and families.

We got to see Joel for who he was: a very broken man, with a very dark past, who has done very horrible things in this shitty post apocalyptic world, but he is a father, and protective, and loving and thoughtful, who will do anything, anything, to protect Ellie. Blood or not, Ellie is through and through his child. But Abby only saw a monster, and could you blame her? He killed her father, and countless others, and she never got the full story. Just that a man came in and killed the entire hospital, put an end to even the smallest possibility of finding a cure, killed her dad in cold blood, and walked away no problem. And then it cycles right back to Ellie, where Abby becomes her monster.

It’s just some grade-A storytelling as far as I’m concerned, and I’m someone who usually prefers happy endings. LoU always leaves me feeling bittersweet but goddamn do I love this series. I’m kinda hoping for a DLC, to be honest? Like LoU part one, where you found out about Ellie and Riley. I wanna see what happens to Ellie; I get the distinct feeling she returns to Jackson and hopefully scrounges out some semblance of a decent life there, after confronting Tommy and (hopefully) making peace with Dina. But we’ll see! uwu

#earthsong talks

[ugly-crying-over-bucky-barnes]

Burned Part 15

Summary:  Alfie Solomons is in need of a secretary. Tommy Shelby mentions a young woman in need of employment. From there the two step into a dangerous dance together.

Part 15: Serious discussions are had. 

         Alfie had some experience with caring for children. He helped his mother as best he could with his younger brother. But he was a bad influence on Adam and it showed early on. His mother urged her youngest to pursue a more respectable life so she didn't have two sons stuck in a cycle of crime. Perle encouraged Adam to focus on education and was extremely proud when he joined the military. Alfie didn’t do anything to pressure his brother into the life he led. If anything, he agreed with his mother and steered Adam away from a life of crime. The last thing he wanted was to have his baby brother’s blood on his hands. His mother would never forgive him.

           Adam Solomons was a family man. He loved his wife and son. He also loved his country and proudly marched off to war. His body was never recovered from Gallipoli. Alfie promised to look after Rose but she was distrustful of the gangster who was making his way through the ranks of the underworld. When he returned from the war, he had no family left aside from his nephew and sister-in-law. Rose, overwhelmed with grief and her reckless seventeen-year-old, took off. Goliath was dropped off on Alfie without any notice.

           He didn’t raise the boy though and couldn't teach him anything of much use. He was already too set in his ways.

           Alfie had been around Ollie’s children before. They all pounced on him the second he walked through the door screeching about lord knows what. They called him Uncle Fie and the oldest boy said he wanted to be a boxer, always trying to get Alfie to fight him. Aside from a tousle of the hair and the occasional piggyback ride, he was uneasy around them. Children were so fragile and vulnerable. He was accustomed to men who could survive a severe beating and get right back to it. Ollie’s wife would smack him if Alfie so much as uttered one swear around the kids. But Alfie saw the pride on his assistant’s face when his children were around. Ollie lived for them and he spoke so fondly about them. It made him wonder what it was like to be a father, lighting up at every mention of his pride and joy. To boast about their achievements and how they made him smile. To see Louise pregnant and thrilled to be a mother. It was tempting.

           Inglewood needed work before they could have any function, especially their wedding. But Louise was thrilled to take on the project. She talked endlessly about the memories she had in each room. How she bruised her knee sliding down the banister, the first pony her father bought her, the stories her mother would tell her at night, and the chocolate cake made for her birthday each year. She wanted to bring those memories back to life as best she could by reviving Inglewood. Improvements and cleaning were left to staff that Alfie hired after a strict vetting process. But Louise wanted to be involved because she felt protective over her home.

           Alfie had never seen her so interested in anything. She paid attention to the restoration process and even began gardening once the overgrown yard was cleared. He could fondly remember one of the early days they were there. Louise had gone out into the warm sunshine, clad in pants and one of his old shirts. She wasn’t afraid to get dirty in the soil and eagerly showed Alfie what she’d planted by the end of the day.

           She was happy and that made him as happy as could be.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

           One week, Alfie returned back to Inglewood from Camden Town. Louise had stayed, working from the office that had just been redone and furnished along with a portrait of her father proudly hanging by his original desk.

           Alfie stepped out of the car and noticed a few kids bicycling down the driveway. There were three of them, a boy around fourteen, a girl about nine, and another boy that couldn’t be more than seven. They were dressed well, albeit most likely their play clothes, and he could guess they were from around the area.

           When they saw Alfie, they screeched to a halt.

           “Sorry, sir.” The oldest apologized. “This home’s usually empty so we ride up the drive and back.” He explained. The boy was the complete opposite of how Alfie was at the same age. Clean-cut, well mannered, and cautious.

           “S’alright.” Alfie didn’t see the harm with the kids riding their bikes up the way.

           “Are you moving in here?” The girl asked. Her blonde hair in a short bob with a silver clip parting her bangs to the side. “We live down that way.” She pointed past the front lawn of Inglewood where a foot-high stonewall divided the land.

           “Erm, yes, just doing a few renovations.” He nodded and felt out of his comfort zone. He had enough sense not to act the part of the big scary gangster boss in front of children. So that just left him as plain old Alfie.

           As if hearing his silent pleas for help, Louise stepped outside. “Alfie?” She had heard the car pull up and expected him to rush inside to embrace her. “Oh, hello.” She smiled when she saw the children.

           “Do you have any kids our age?” The youngest boy asked hopefully. “I’m seven ‘n a half.” He beamed proudly.

           “I’m afraid we don’t have any children, darling. We’ve only just got married.” It was a lie simply to throw a veil over the situation. Despite the distance between neighbors, word traveled fast in upscale country settings. None of the fashionable ladies of the manors would want to hear that Louise and Alfie weren’t married but still living together. It was the 1920’s but some people were still stuck in the past.

           The little boy pouted. “That’s okay.” Even though he was disappointed, he managed to keep the politeness instilled in them by their nanny.

           The eldest leaned forward, resting his forearms on the handlebars of his bike. “Mum will want to have you ‘round for tea.” He told Louise.

           “That would be lovely. Alfie and I will come and visit once we’re all settled.”

           Alfie furrowed his brow. Afternoon tea in Surrey was not on his to-do list. He cleared his throat and nodded. Whatever Louise wanted and whatever would make her happiest. “Yeah, we’ll pop on by soon. And don’t worry ‘bout us, you can ride your bikes wherever. We don’t mind, yeah?” He looked to Louise who was smiling.

           “Of course not.” She agreed.

           “Thank you!” The littlest shouted a bit louder than necessary and rode off. His sister followed, the wheels kicking up bits of gravel as they went.

           The other boy lingered, glancing at Alfie for a moment. “Well, thank you. Have a good day.” He nodded and went to catch up to his siblings.

           “So sweet,” Louise said softly and linked arms with Alfie to walk inside.

           “Yeah, proper posh kids, aren’t they? You like that when you were that age?” He wondered.

           “Well…I suppose.” She shrugged and led him into the office. “Wasn’t much else to do around here besides spending time outside and with friends.”

           He sat down on one of the couches near the unlit fireplace. Louise happily sat beside him, tucking her feet under her. “Were a lot of things to do in Camden growing up.” He chuckled. “Bad things, yeah, but things all the same. Was probably robbing people at his age.”

           Louise wrapped an arm around his shoulders and snuggled close to his side. “I think we might have gotten along. I got bored easily here.”

           “And you would be the beautiful posh girl that I would do anything to win over.” He nearly laughed at how sappy he was being.

           She watched the lines around his eyes wrinkle in happiness. Her fingers grazed over the nape of his neck, dancing along the edge of his hairline. “You wouldn’t have to try very hard.”

           He chuckled and stretched his legs out in front of him. “Well, m’fraid I won’t be a very good socialite.” It meant to come off as humorous but he couldn’t ignore the passing look the neighbor’s son had given him. Alfie knew he didn’t fit into that society and part of him was perfectly okay with that. But the other part was guilty about not giving Louise everything she wanted.

           “Alfie.” She sighed and turned his cheek so he was looking at her. “I don’t want you to change just because we have this home now. Where we are or who we’re around doesn’t matter. I just want you to always be my Alfie. And I never wanted to be a socialite and I sure as hell don’t want to be one now.” She wrinkled her nose in distaste. “All I want is to have a life with you.”

           “Lou…” He rested a hand over hers. His blue eyes shining with adoration and a bit of relief. “I don’t want you to ever change either.” He agreed softly.

           She smiled and touched her forehead to his. “I love you.”

           “I love you too.” He closed his eyes for a moment and let his thumb graze over the sapphire embedded in her ring. “D’you want kids?” He asked before he really thought about what conversation he was possibly opening up.

           Louise drew back in surprise. “I-well I suppose we haven’t talked about it.” She agreed without outright answering him. She wasn’t in the mood to strike up a heated debate over the issue. Especially when they weren’t even married yet.

           “I think we should.”

           The admission came out fast and for a moment, Louise thought she hadn’t heard him right. “Well, I…yes I agree.”

           They let the words sit in the air between them. They were thrilled that they were on the same page but both very worried in their unique way. The decision seemed much larger than anything else in their lives.

           “I just know you’d be a good mum, s’all.” He shrugged sheepishly and looked down at her hand still resting in his. “Like to have kids of me own.”

           “I think you’d be a wonderful father, Alfie.” Louise murmured truthfully. “You might not think so but I know how much love you’re capable of having.”

           “I could protect you both.” He vowed. “Would fucking never let anything harm you. I’ve made mistakes that put you in danger but I-”

           She pressed a finger to his lips. “You don’t need to explain yourself to me. I know you could take care of us, I trust you. You’ve earned my trust and I know we’ll be able to keep that as we create a life together.” Her voice was breathless with excitement. It was surreal to imagine Inglewood full of life again. Not the hollow, stone building that had been drained of the love it once held. But a child, maybe even more than one, running around the home and playing in the yard. A little boy or girl with Alfie’s beautiful blue eyes. She could easily picture the smile on her fiancée’s face as he picked up a little child that so closely resembled him.

           It nearly brought tears to Louise’s eyes. “I can’t wait for forever with you.” She whispered and took his face in her hands to kiss him.

           Alfie wrapped his arms around her, letting her take his breath away like she had done many times before.

~~~~~~~~~~~

           Alfie stayed the night in Inglewood. Louise fell right to sleep but he was restless. The silence of the countryside was bothering him and his own thoughts were much too loud.

           So, he decided to take a lap around the home just to clear his head. He cursed the draft in the large halls and crossed his arms over his chest. The stairs creaked under him as he made his way downstairs. He passed through the foyer and wove through the parlor, the dining room, the front hall, and to the office.

           The large portrait of Mr. Barnes startled Alfie for a moment as he passed by the doors. He paused and decided to go in.

           Henry Barnes was a younger man when the portrait was painted. He had only just met his wife-to-be, but he was still the son of a wealthy aristocrat. He stood tall and proud like in the foyer portrait with his wife, Lily. His gentle eyes appeared to be looking down right at Alfie.

           The gangster faced the painting and took a deep breath. He felt like a Christian going into confession. “I know that…” He sighed as he realized he was talking out loud to a piece of canvas. Nevertheless, he continued on. “Maybe m’not the best for her. Could be better men out there, right, that she could be with. All I know is I would do anything to keep her safe and happy. Would fucking die for her in a heartbeat if I had to.”

           Henry didn’t move. The placid expression on his face remained just like it had for decades.

           Alfie ran a hand through his hair and nodded absent-mindedly. “Never loved anyone like I love her.” He mumbled. “Fucking hurts me chest when I think ‘bout it sometimes. Yeah, dunno if I’m enough. Or if I’ll ever be.” He swallowed hard and took a few steps back. “Fucking talking to myself.” It was enough to get the words out of his head though, and he felt a bit lighter as he left the office. No matter what insecurities he might have, he knew for damn sure he was going to marry the love of his life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

           While London was swarming with whispers of Alfie’s marriage, Camden Town had its own take on the matter. Simply put, Alfie was Jewish through and through. He was raised that way and despite his criminal activity, he would stay that way. Louise was not Jewish. Baptized in the Church of England, she had lost most faith in God. As far as Jewish law was concerned, they would not be allowed to wed.

           Ever since he hit puberty, Perle would say Alfie needed to find a nice Jewish woman to marry. He never did, most fathers didn’t want their respectable daughters around the hellish Solomons boy. That didn’t bother him because he wasn’t interested in settling down. As a young man, he was more interested in laying out his empire.

           Now that he had, Alfie only had eyes for one woman. Jewish law wouldn’t’ stop him. He tended to disregard all laws except his own.

           Ollie and Alfie were inspecting areas of the bakery, making sure everything was running smoothly.

           “Ollie, mate, can I ask you something?”

           “Of course, sir.” The curly-haired man nodded. He looked up from his checklist.

           “You said you and Shayna went to temple in Hampstead? What’s the rabbi’s name?”

           Despite years working for him, Ollie was never able to guess what his boss was about to say. But they normally didn’t talk about religion. Alfie celebrated holidays typically with friends of his late mother or Ollie’s family. Camden embraced him because he gave to the Jewish community. Men tipped their hats and greeted him politely. Grandmothers often scolded him, saying he looked thin and promised to bring him heaps of food.

           But they all knew what he did and how it conflicted with their shared beliefs. A busy man, Alfie attended temple when he had the chance. He sat in the back, a silent and domineering figure.

           “Rabbi Mayer?”

           “Right, you know him well?” Alfie continued to be cryptic.

           “I suppose.” Ollie shrugged. “He married Shayna and me.” He reminded his boss who had been present.

           “Thought so.” He scratched at his beard. “You think he’d be willing to overlook a few things?”

           Well, Ollie had been asked stranger things before. “Like what?”

           “Small bits ‘n bobs. Louise’s religion mostly.” He answered casually.

           Rose had told her husband about what the other Camden women were gossiping about. How was Alfie, a Jewish gangster going to marry someone of a different faith? Certainly, no rabbi would conduct the ceremony. So would he neglect Jewish tradition? That was simply unheard of.

           “And what if they have children?” Shayna had asked, throwing her hands up in disbelief. “It’s in his family. His brother did the same thing! He had some legal ceremony and never taught his son properly. Look at Goliath now.”

           Ollie could understand his wife’s opinion. The community struggled to keep their traditions and identity. But he also knew Alfie would do as he wished. Hence, why he was asking for a rabbi who would break the rules.

           “Sir, I’m not sure-”

           “Look, I fucking know.” Alfie cut him off. “Not s’posed to do this but I ain’t going back on what I said. I’m marrying her.” His tone was firm and unyielding.

           “Sir, even if he does marry you, everyone will know.” His assistant pointed out.

           He grimaced. “Fucking gossips.” He grumbled under his breath. “Fuck it. You go to the rabbi, yeah, and let him name his price. If not, I’ll do it me own way.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

           Louise was back in Camden that same night. She was getting dressed for bed when Alfie arrived home. He entered the room with a smile.

           “Love that color on you.” He admired the indigo nightgown she was wearing. It was one of many that Alfie had shipped in from Paris.

           Louise smiled. “You say that no matter what I’m wearing.” She sat at the vanity to carefully undo the pins from her hair.

           “Well, then.” He chuckled and stood behind her to rest his hands on her shoulders. “Maybe that’s ‘cause you’re beautiful in everything.” He murmured. “Also beautiful with nothing on too.” He touched his lips to her neck.

           Louise rested a hand over his. She nuzzled his cheek lovingly. “How was your day?”

           “Fine, nothing to write home ‘bout.” Alfie shrugged. He drew away and sat on the bed to remove his boots. Cyril curled up by his feet begging for a pat. He obliged, scratching behind the bullmastiff’s ears.

           “Evelyn was talking to me about the wedding.” She informed him.

           “Yeah?”

           “Telling me about Jewish traditions.” Louise turned on the vanity seat to face him. “We can’t be married by a rabbi, can we?” Guilt hinted at her features.

           “Well…” Alfie rubbed the back of his neck. “Not too sure yet.” He admitted.

           She played with her engagement ring, circling the band around her finger. “Maybe I could convert, that way we won’t be breaking tradition. I don’t want people looking at you badly because you’re marrying me.”

           Alfie frowned. “Lou, we just discussed this. I ain’t gonna make you change who you are for me.” He held his arms out for her.

           She gladly curled up on his lap. His arms cradling her close and keeping her safe. She rested her cheek on his shoulder.

           “I’m marrying you whether anyone likes it or not, yeah?” He kissed her hair. “Our wedding, our relationships, s’none of anyone else’s fucking business. If you want Jewish traditions then we’ll do them. Don’t fucking care if a rabbi’s there or not. Only care that you are.”

           Louise frowned and chewed on her lower lip. “But your family…” Alfie came from hardship. Most of his family had been killed because of their religion. Perle had fought against all odds to deliver her sons to safety and provide for them. She raised them in a Jewish community to keep the culture alive even if they weren’t in their homeland.

           “Lou, me mum only wanted me to be happy.” He assured her softly. “She probably would give me hell for it but at the end of the day, yeah, you make me smile. Not a lot of people can do that.”

           She gently touched the corner of his mouth. “I want you to be happy.” Her eyes locked on his. “Whatever makes you happiest.”

           Alfie could appreciate where he’d come from. He couldn’t neglect his past and what it took for him to get to the place he was. But of all the ways he had sinned, he decided that marrying Louise would be the least damning. “You make me the happiest.” He murmured and traced his thumb over her cheek. Her skin was warm, a faint blush forming under his touch. He briefly thought back to his monologue in front of her father’s portrait. “D’you ever get that feeling when your chest, right, when you love someone? S’like…” He scrunched up his nose in thought.

           “It’s some sort of ache?” She suggested because she knew exactly what he was talking about. Her hand pressed to his chest, right above his heart. “It hurts because you had no idea you had the capacity to love someone so much.”

           He nodded and let out a small laugh of fright. “Fucking afraid m’gonna wake up tomorrow and you’ll just be a dream.”

           “One day you’re going to wake up in Inglewood, next to your wife.” She lovingly rubbed circles over his shoulders and the back of his neck where he held all his stress. His tense muscles started to relax after a bit of coaxing. “Your son or daughter will run into the room to wake you up and beg for you to come and play with them.”

           He closed his eyes for a moment to picture the scene she was painting for him. “Sounds too good to be true.”

           “It isn’t. Because you deserve peace and happiness, Alfie Solomons.”

           He opened his eyes to find her looking earnestly at him. He tilted his head to the side and grumbled in protest. But he couldn’t argue with her. She held firm to her beliefs. “And that’s why no one can say anything ‘bout us getting married. ‘Cause you’re fucking perfect, ain’t ya? I’m going to marry you and our wedding, yeah, we’re doing it our way.”

           She cuddled close to him. “Don’t tempt me with a good time, Captain Solomons.” She teased softly and tucked into the crook of his neck.

           He chuckled and rested back into the pillows. “Go to sleep, love, we’ve got lots to do tomorrow.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

           Evelyn was thrilled. Life seemed to be going so well for her and everyone she loved. Alfie and Louise were getting married, it was about time, and they had given her a hefty raise to come work at Inglewood every other week. She adored being in the countryside but she could still go back to Camden to see Ishmael. The young man's face always lit up when she came back. He'd tell her how much he missed her and asked when they could see each other again. Things just seemed to be going so well. She was completely oblivious to the threat that Alfie and Louise were well aware of.

         That weekend, Evelyn was accompanying Louise to try on her wedding dress one last time and make sure everything fit. They were only going down the street, but Alfie insisted Ishmael and another young man go with them along with Cyril.

           “We’re not going downtown, we’re going to Nessa’s.” Louise told her fiancee, as he was busy sorting through shipment papers.

           “I know, I put a call into her this morning.” He didn’t look up from his work, his blue eyes peering from behind his glasses at Ollie’s slanted handwriting.

           “So I don’t need Ishmael and Nathan to come with us.” She said and knelt down to clip the leather lead to Cyril’s collar. Of course, she wouldn’t argue against taking him along. The mastiff’s tail wagged wildly, thumping against Alfie’s desk.

           “I’ll just be a block away, Evelyn and I don’t need to be escorted.” She argued and stood up.

           Alfie paused and dropped his papers to the side and opened the top left drawer. He pulled out a telegram and handed it to her without a word.

           Uneasy, Louise took the paper from his hand and unfolded it.

Dear Mr. Solomons,

I hope to hear from you. I will be arriving in London soon. Mr. Shelby and his family have been notified.

Luca Changretta

           She swallowed and absent-mindedly folded the telegram back to its original form. Her hands trembled. “What does he mean by notified?”

           Alfie’s jaw was tight from the worry he was attempting to conceal. He reached for his empty revolver and spun the barrel a few times to keep his hands occupied. At that point, he wanted to get rid of Luca himself just so the man didn’t interfere with his life. The gangster would be damned if that Italian did anything to disrupt his wedding plans. “I contacted Tommy, they’ve all received black hands in the mail.”

           “I’m not sure I know what that means.” Of course, she could guess it was nothing friendly. Cyril sensed her anxiety and pressed against her leg and nosed at her hand. She stroked his ears a few times to try and calm herself.

           “Death threat. Changretta’s marked them as dead, all of them.” He rubbed his eyes and placed his gun down. “Lou, m’not sure what he’ll do to get me involved.” He admitted wearily. The telegram had only arrived that morning but it had already drained him of his energy. “The Shelbys are fucking scattered ‘bout and aren’t speaking to each other like fucking children.” He sighed. “I need to play me cards right.”

           Louise wasn’t sure she liked where his line of thinking was going. “You better not be thinking about helping him.” She whispered.

           He put a hand over his mouth and averted his eyes. A clear sign of deception. “Didn’t say that, did I?” He muttered.

           “You were thinking it.” She accused. “Alfie, just try and stay out of it. You don’t have to team up with the Shelbys but you can’t help to kill them!” Her hand was wrapped tightly around Cyril’s lead as she tried to steer clear of an argument with him. She couldn’t risk getting into a fight a week away from their wedding.

           “Lou, I told you it weren’t that simple.” He stood up and walked around his desk to stand in front of her. He slipped the paper out of her hand. “Yeah?”

           Louise pressed her tongue to her cheek and exhaled steadily. “What are you planning to do?” It was the same question she asked months earlier when Luca sent the first telegram. But things had advanced even though Alfie had been static.

           “Wait.” He replied. “My focus is on our wedding. Changretta ain’t here yet so there’s no need to fret. The Shelbys will get their act together once they realize what they’re fucking up against. Whatever comes our way, yeah, we’ll handle it.” He lifted her chin gently.

           “I’m worried that your judgment may be clouded if Luca threatens us.” She admitted.

           A stormy look dashed across his eyes. “Sabini would be wise to inform them of the consequences.” His voice was low with anger. Even the thought of Luca going after Louise made his blood boil.

           She sighed and touched his cheek to distract him from his obvious displeasure. “I may be naïve to a situation like this. But I urge you to talk to me about it so you don’t make any unnecessary sacrifices.”

           Alfie had a feeling that she didn’t know how much he’d be willing to sacrifice if he was forced between a rock and a hard place. “There’s a Yiddish saying, right, ‘for a little love, you pay all your life’. I can leave this be.” He gestured to the telegram still in his hand. “You’ll go back to Inglewood tonight and get ready for the wedding.”

           Indeed they had spoken about traditions and which ones Alfie wished to respect. When Louise got word of her fiancee trying to bribe Rabbi Mayer, she had to step in and stop him from extorting a man of God. After the weekend, Louise would leave Alfie behind in Camden Town and they would be apart for a week for Kabbalat Panim. Now that she knew about Luca’s message, she was hesitant to leave just in case Alfie decided to make a move without telling her.

           “And what will you do?” She inquired.

           “Nothing.” He tossed the telegram onto his desk. “Just keep listening for news and stay neutral. Focus is on you, love.” He promised softly. “We’ll get married and be off to Paris ‘fore you know it.”

           “What about the Shelbys?”

           “Not much I can do, can I? Fucking got themselves in this mess.” He shrugged. “Tommy clearly has a plan, don’t he?”

           She nodded slowly. There was a knock on the door and Evelyn’s voice piped up from the other side. “Louise, are you almost ready?”

           “I’ll see you tonight ‘fore you leave.” Alfie kissed her forehead. “Try not to worry too much ‘bout all this. Nothing will happen until I decide what to do.” Of course, he couldn’t promise that. He had no control over what Luca did once he crossed the Pond. He could show up at the bakery door the same day he arrived with a proposition for Alfie. And he sure as hell didn’t have any clue what Tommy was planning. To say Alfie wasn’t worried about his wedding day being ruined would be a lie. He was desperate to make Louise happy and if his dealings interfered with that, he would be upset with the perpetrators, of course, but he’d also be upset with himself. She deserved a quiet life in Surrey with her husband. But with the danger looming, Alfie could only hope that they would have an interrupted wedding. After that, he could handle the chaos. He could take care of what he needed to and take care of whoever was in his way. Whether it was Luca Changretta or Tommy Shelby.

Permanent Tag: @sansajonsastark​ @giftofdreams​

Tag list: @vehement-care​ @kimmietea​ @eleventhdoctorsangel​ @fire-treasure-iii​

Masterpost

PB Masterlist 

#alfie solomons #alfie solomonsxoc #alfie solomons x oc #alfie solomons imagine #ofc #oc #tom hardy #tom hardy character #peaky blinders #peaky blinder imagine #peaky fookin blinders #peaky blinders fanfiction #peaky blinder fanfic #ollie #cyril solomons #luca changretta #tommy shelby

[nerianasims]

Billboard #1s 1966

Under the cut.

Simon And Garfunkel – “The Sound Of Silence” -- January 1, 1966

This song is beautiful and thoughtful and I love it. People apparently talk about its naivete, but it's more a sermon than a political tract. And, above all, it is gorgeous and interesting music.

The Beatles – “We Can Work It Out” -- January 8, 1966

You'd have a better chance of working it out if you weren't blaming the whole fight on the other person, Paul. But that's so often the case. Thinking you're the only one trying, when the other person is trying just as hard, and you're talking past each other. I really like John's interlude, which also makes me think he's the one fighting with Paul. It happened plenty. This isn't a top tier Beatles song, but it's good.

Petula Clark – “My Love” -- February 5, 1966

Her love is greater than any other great thing in all of the entire universe, apparently. Sunshine? Oceans? Stars? Nothing compared to how great she is at love. Petula Clark could always sing, but by the time the chorus comes around the second time, she sounds sort of embarrassed. She doesn't hit the notes with her normal confidence. It is a thoroughly embarrassing song.

Lou Christie – “Lightnin’ Strikes” -- February 19, 1966

Well I'm creeped out. This belongs a few years back, if it had to exist at all. It starts with "You're old enough to know the makings of a man" -- just how young is she? Young enough not to smack him with a brick when he tells her he just can't help but cheat on her since that's what men do, but she needs to stick around waiting for him and not do the same. If she does, he promises he'll marry her... eventually. Plus falsetto. I hate this song.

Nancy Sinatra – “These Boots Were Made For Walkin'” -- February 26, 1966

And this song is a good answer to it. Lyrically, it's the pinnacle of what a country song can do. "You keep thinking that you'll never get burned/ Ha!/ I just found me a brand new box of matches/ And what he knows you ain't had time to learn." The narrator's cheating scumbag whom she's in the process of dumping is so low, she's not even bothering to get angry with him. She's got a new, far hotter guy anyway. Musically, the instruments are themselves a Greek chorus making fun of the guy and heralding the singer's triumph. Love love love it.

Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler – “The Ballad Of The Green Berets” -- March 5, 1966

More machismo, but of the lawful rather than chaotic variety this time. This must have made a lot of people very angry at the time, but it also must have felt triumphant to a lot of others. "Fearless men who jump and die" -- that's not good! It's The Old Lie! A man dies because apparently that's just what Green Berets do, and his last request is that his son be a Green Beret too. For what? The song doesn't even say what they're fighting for! There's a line about dying for those oppressed, the same bullshit we've been fed for so long, but absolutely no details. Because it's a death cult. Oh, and the song is musically terrible too. This is horrific.

The Righteous Brothers – “(You’re My) Soul And Inspiration” -- April 9, 1966

It's another heartbreak song from The Righteous Brothers. She wants to leave, but she's his "soul and inspiration." I would like it better if it weren't a heartbreak song. It doesn't have to be. The chorus would go perfectly well with a song about how happy they are together. Meh.

The Young Rascals – “Good Lovin'” -- April 30, 1966

He says his doctor has prescribed "good lovin'". He's got the fever, you've got the cure. This could easily be creepy. It's not, because it's so fun. It's a seduction song where the seducer is trying to make his target laugh, which is the right tactic if you're light about it. Fun, good song.

The Mamas And The Papas – “Monday, Monday” -- May 7, 1966

John Philips was one of the worst people in pop music, and that's saying something. The Mamas and the Papas were a good group musically, though. This song is about how Mondays typically suck, but the narrator is happy because this Monday morning, his girlfriend is still here. And then Monday evening, she's left. He doesn't sound too upset. I find this song repetitive and boring.

Percy Sledge – “When A Man Loves A Woman” -- May 28, 1966

I don't like this song. Sledge's version is obviously better than Michael Bolton's, but the problem is the lyrics. The song doesn't say so directly, but the implication is that a man should never fall in love with a woman because she'll bring him nothing but pain. Nope.

The Rolling Stones – “Paint It Black” -- June 11, 1966

The song is about depression, specifically the depression coming from the sudden death of one's romantic partner. Which makes it a love song, in a way. It's rock, and it goes hard, and it's more achingly sad than thousands of schmaltzy songs about the same thing. It makes me cry every time. Amazing, heartbreaking song.

The Beatles – “Paperback Writer” -- June 25, 1966

This became a #1? It's mean and petty. Someone who has made it as thoroughly as it is possible to make it should not be scoffing at the little people trying to claw their way up. Musically it even sounds kinda half-assed, for the Beatles. Very much a lesser Beatles song.

Frank Sinatra – “Strangers In The Night” -- July 2, 1966

He and some woman were strangers in the night, but fell in love at first sight and became lovers, and are still together. I love the song. Sinatra was getting older, and that comes through -- his voice doesn't have the modulation and delicacy it did when he was younger. At the same time, that age gives the song a lot of heft and truth. "And ever since that night/ We've been together/ Lovers at first sight/ In love forever/ It turned out so right."

Tommy James And The Shondells – “Hanky Panky” -- July 16, 1966

His girlfriend fucks. And he shouts this fact to us over and over and over and over and... okay, look. I understand being thrilled with your first relationship in which you get sex. A lot of sex. A looooot of sex. But it's generally much more interesting to the people doing it than the people being told about it. Dull.

The Troggs – “Wild Thing” -- July 30, 1966

I don't understand anyone who doesn't start dancing, even just in their chair, when this song comes on. It's a rocking love n'sex jam with an ocarina in it. There is nothing not to love.

The Lovin’ Spoonful – “Summer In The City” -- August 13, 1966

This song comes down to: It's hot in the city during the day, but cooler at night, plus you can pick up chicks at night. The lyrics are a big nothing, but the music is great. Somehow the song got associated with the various protest movements happening at the time. Is that gonna happen with W.A.P.?

Donovan – “Sunshine Superman” -- September 3, 1966

It just occurred to me that R.E.M. may have been inspired to write "Superman" by this song. It's the same basic premise, except that unlike R.E.M., Donovan doesn't realize he's being egotistical to the point of being scary by saying he will use every trick in the book to get this girl. Well okay, "Donovan" and "scary" are tough to put in the same sentence. The song is musically great. Think about the lyrics for a minute, and they're disturbing. I don't really know what to do with this.

The Supremes – “You Can’t Hurry Love” -- September 10, 1966

"Love don't come easy/ It's a game of give and take." Yep. And if you do try to hurry it, you're likely to end up with one of the jerks from the first few Supremes hits. Normally I would say to avoid getting advice from pop songs, but I'll make an exception for "You Can't Hurry Love." This is a welcome evolution, and an excellent song.

The Association – “Cherish” -- September 24, 1966

Glurge. Such glurge, I thought this was a 70s song before now. I actually cannot listen to the whole song. The music hurts me somehow. So I read the lyrics to see what they are, and blurgh. It's about how he can't figure out how to say he wants her and none of the other guys really care for her and that's it I'm done. Atrociously bad.

The Four Tops – “Reach Out I’ll Be There” -- October 15, 1966

A phenomenal song. You need a hand to hold. Yes, you. And The Four Tops will be there for you. Huge numbers of pop songs -- a plurality, at least -- are sung to "you." But this one feels like it really is. Levi Stubbs is going to be there for you. And this song has been there for me throughout my life.

? And The Mysterians – “96 Tears” -- October 29, 1966

So, this guy renamed himself ?. I would expect a song that involved someone named ? to be much odder. Maybe it was at the time, though the organ sounds mostly like Baby Elephant Walk (though not as good.) ? speak-sings that he's gonna get the person who dumped him back, and then he's going to dump them, and they'll cry 96 tears. That is odd, admittedly. Why 96? That doesn't sound like very many. One good cry would probably do it. The organ is the most interesting thing about the song, which is sadly not nearly weird enough for the band's name.

The Monkees – “Last Train To Clarksville” -- November 5, 1966

One of my friends was a huge Monkees fan when we were teenagers. She was born in 1977. The Monkees were on Nick at Nite (I think), so I did see a few episodes. She watched them religiously. She insisted their music was great, and I was like... really? Sadly, I was snobbish about it, and entirely because the show was so doofy. Their music really was pretty damn good. Though this song sounds like the younger brothers of The Beatles trying to copy them. Still, they did a pretty good job of it.

Johnny Rivers – “Poor Side Of Town” -- November 12, 1966

The narrator's girl left him to be with a rich guy. The rich guy discarded her, so now she's back on the poor side of town. The narrator rubs it into her face for a verse and a half, but then he says that to him she's "the greatest thing", and he doesn't blame her for trying. By the end of the song, he says he and the girl will be able to make it together. The lyrics are good. Unfortunately, the music and singing are dull. Someone should take these lyrics and make a much better song out of them.

The Supremes – “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” -- November 19, 1966

For once, Diana Ross gets to be appropriately angry at a jerk. By the end of the song, she's commanding him to get out of her life. I have been where she is in this song, and it ties you up in knots. It deserves more of a full opera than a high-energy dance song. But this song is still great.

The New Vaudeville Band – “Winchester Cathedral” -- December 3, 1966

This is a British music hall song. Whether you like it will depend on whether you like that very singular genre. I do, in small doses. If it had been a #1 hit at any time when I was listening to radio, I'd have hated it. I can only identify "Winchester Cathedral" out of the lyrics, and the rest don't matter anyway. The song is fun and annoying in equal measure, and hearing it once every five years or so sounds about right.

The Beach Boys – “Good Vibrations” -- December 10, 1966

This is my favorite Beach Boys song. Musically, it's astonishing. It's the song that persuaded me of the "Brian Wilson is a genius" stuff I kept hearing. It also has much better lyrics than most Beach Boys songs, as they are like the lyrics of a typical pop song. Except with a lot more "om bop bop" and the word "excitations." It sounds like it's going to have a slow, soft fade-out, and then the main chorus comes roaring back. One of the great pop songs.

The Monkees – “I’m A Believer” -- December 31, 1966

I think this is the best Monkees song. He didn't believe in love, then he "saw her face", now he's a believer. Has he even talked to her? Doubtful. That's okay, it's not meant to be anything but a cheery pop song. The beginning guitar does sound sort of like George Harrison, but the rest of the song is a bit more distant from the Beatles than "Last Train to Clarksville." They sound like a confident, real pop group, though they weren't allowed to play the instruments on it, which most of them were not happy about. They still ended up participating in a memorable song.

BEST OF 1966: This one is hard. I was tempted to make it a tie between about a half dozen songs. I think I have to give it to "Paint it Black" though. Maybe. Then again, "I'll Be There" is a heartlifting titan. And "You Can't Hurry Love" is timeless and something more people need to hear. And "Good Vibrations" is a musical triumph. Then there's "The Sound of Silence." And... discuss amongst yourselves. WORST OF 1966: No question. "Ballad of the Green Berets." Nothing in any year is worse.

#billboard number ones

[popularryculture]

Author Reveals (February)

Tell Me Your Secrets (17300 words) by dimpled_halo/ @dimpled-halo

Chapters: 3/3

Fandom: One Direction (Band)

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson

Characters: Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, James Corden, Original Male Character(s)

Additional Tags: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, but they're enemies for like two seconds haha, Friends to Lovers, Dirty Talk, Phone Sex, Phone Sex Operator Harry Styles, Phone Sex Operator Louis Tomlinson, 69 (Sex Position), Blow Jobs, Dildos, Anal Fingering, Falling In Love, Humor, Fluff and Angst, Roommates, Chicago (City), Movie AU, Virgin Louis

Summary: “You!” They both yell in unison.

Niall looks between the two of them. “You know each other?”

Harry scoffs and looks away from Louis Tomlinson to meet Niall’s gaze. “Remember that guy in college I told you about? The one that was at that frat party and drunk as fuck and then I gave him a ride to his dorm but on our way there he decided to pee in an empty cup in my car?”

Niall’s eyes widen and he stares at Louis laughing. “You mean the one who spilled his piss all over you?”

“Hey, that wasn’t my fault. Harry here was being a little priss the entire time and he ran over a speed bump without slowing down and it caused me to make a mess. You also didn’t have to leave me stranded in the middle of the night for something you caused.” Louis snaps back.

Harry rolls his eyes. “Whatever.”

A For a Good Time Call au where Harry and Louis get off on the wrong foot when they first meet. When dire circumstances forces them to become roommates, Harry finds out some things about Louis that he doesn't expect will help him discover some things about himself.

*

what, like it's hard? (25337 words) by starkidpatronus/ @thewriternotthemuse

Chapters: 1/1

Fandom: One Direction (Band)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson

Characters: Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Simon Cowell, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Nick Grimshaw, Lou Teasdale, Caroline Watson

Additional Tags: Girl Direction, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Alternate Universe - Legally Blonde Fusion, compulsory heterosexuality, Angst, First Kiss, Getting Together, Past Nick Grimshaw/Harry Styles, Humor, Fluff and Humor, Alternate Universe - America, Harvard University, POV Female Character, POV Third Person, POV Third Person Limited, Girl Power, this fic is all about loving women in every sense of the word!!!, Minor Nick Grimshaw/Louis Tomlinson

Summary: Louis sighs contentedly. “I’m just so marvelously happy, ya’ know?”

“Good for you.”

“It really is. It’s--it’s quite grand, actually. I’m going to my dream school with my dream man, to whom I am engaged. I have great friends. Life couldn’t be better.”

“Very happy for you.”

“Thanks.” Louis beams before her expression falls. “And then you had to come here and ruin everything.”

“Yeah, I know,” Harry snaps. “I’m the bane of your existence for some reason.”

“You certainly are,” Louis says, considering Harry.

~~~

In which Harry goes to law school to win back her man, but gets a lot more than she bargained for.

*

It's the Climb (25031 words) by lululawrence/ @lululawrence

Chapters: 1/1

Fandom: One Direction (Band)

Rating: Not Rated

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson

Characters: Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Jay Tomlinson, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Original Female Character(s)

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Hannah Montana Fusion, Hannah Montana AU, Louis gets the best of both worlds, if you get what I mean, famous/non-famous, Tennessee - Freeform, Fluff, Pining, Secrets, Secret Identity, Songwriting, No Smut, Alternate Universe - Farm/Ranch, Horses, Musician Louis, Singer Louis, Songwriter Louis

Summary:

Louis stretched out his back and turned around, startled to see the most beautiful man he’d ever encountered in his life riding towards him on a horse.

He had to still be asleep. This was one of those super weird dreams people had where the knight in shining armor (or in this case, red sleeveless flannel) literally rode up to them calling their name.

-

The Hannah Montana AU where Louis is a world famous punk rock singer with a stage name of William and Jay drags him back to Tennessee for the summer. In her attempt for Louis to get back to his roots, he just so happens to reconnect with Harry, and things never go quite as Louis expects them to.

*

your rainbow will come smiling through (17062 words) by hazkaban/ @hazkabaan

Chapters: 1/1

Fandom: One Direction (Band)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson

Characters: Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne, Original Characters

Additional Tags: a cinderella story au, you know that 2004 hilary duff movie? yeah, harry is hilary duff and louis is chad michael murray which i think he'd like, Minor Character Death, more info about that in the beginning notes, Original Characters - Freeform, Fairy Tale Retellings, ish, minor allusions to a drunk stepfather, very inaccurate information regarding post graduate degrees in england, Alternate Universe - College/University, slight bullying from harry's stepbrothers

Summary:

when harry isn't working at his stepfather's cafe, he's trying to make swim captain and trying to finish all his coursework on time. when he's not doing any of those things, he's talking to the boy he met on the oxford hopefuls subreddit. when they decide to meet, he's elated. he finally gets the chance to meet the boy he's been crushing on! when the day comes to meet his prince, he learns that his online crush is none other than louis tomlinson, captain of the football team and friend of his terrible stepbrothers. now harry has to decide whether telling louis the truth is the right choice or if it's better to just let sleeping dogs lie.

a cinderella story au

*

If You're The Storm, Then I'm The Chaser (21651 words) by LiveLaughLoveLarry/ @loveislarryislove

Chapters: 1/1

Fandom: One Direction (Band), Ed Sheeran (Musician)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, Xander Ritz/Harry Styles, Tommy Napolitano/Lottie Tomlinson

Characters: Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Xander Ritz, Lottie Tomlinson, Jay Tomlinson

Additional Tags: Exes, Exes to Lovers, Rebound, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Post-Break Up, Self-Esteem Issues, Guilt, Abusive Relationships, Unhealthy Relationships, Healing, Louis broke Harry and Harry broke himself and Xander broke Harry and Louis just wants to fix him, Songfic, Angst with a Happy Ending

Summary: An AU based on Ed Sheeran's song "New Man"

Louis is back in town for the first time since he and Harry broke up six months ago. He's not sure what would hurt more, if Harry has moved on or if he's still as torn up as Louis is. He never even considered that Harry would be acting like a completely different person. And maybe he really is as happy as he keeps insisting, but Louis really doesn't think so.

~*~*~*~

“Who are you and what have you done to Harry Styles?”

It sounds corny as fuck, and Harry bursts into laughter, but Louis means it. He barely recognizes Harry, every word out of his mouth sounding like it belongs to someone else. This isn’t him. This isn’t him at all.

“I’m the same person,” Harry says with a shrug. “I just get what I want now. And tonight, that means you.”

"This just isn't you,” Louis says, shaking his head. “This isn’t the Harry I lo – the Harry I knew at all.”

Harry stares at him for a long moment. “Maybe you didn’t know me as well as you thought,” he says at last.

#author reveals #popularry culture fic fest #larry fanfic #popularry culture #larry fanfiction #based on a movie #based on a tv show/movie #based on a tv show #based on a song

[purplesurveys]

530

What’s the most shocking thing that’s occurred in your life lately? Losing a good friend is a big one. The entire university is walking on eggshells in dealing with everybody from my college, because everyone was friends with N and are still upset about what happened. There’ve been free therapy sessions available all week and the building is just generally quieter nowadays.

How’s the weather been at your part of the world in the past week? You know the weird thing is it’s been sunny and humid for the past few weeks, but it’s been raining nonstop and incredibly hard just this week alone. It’s like the universe knows.

Anything fun planned for this weekend? No. My org has a scheduled journalism workshop in Bataan this weekend, and since it’s pretty far we’ve taken to booking a beachside Airbnb. It was super tempting, but honestly I’ve been so drained this week that not even a trip to the beach could lure me in a weekend getaway trip. I just plan to bum around for the next three days and am gonna be happy about it, because this week has just been either 1) filled with grieving, or 2) hectic as fuck.

Besides your keyboard, what’s a sound you hear right now? The electric fan is being super loud right now and I can also hear Gabie’s occasional sniffles on the phone.

Have you given something up recently? (for ex., candy, red meat, etc.) Uhh no, I don’t think so.

What’s your favorite type of tea, if you drink any? Just iced tea. I don’t really drink any other kind.

What’s the worst thing about autumn? I don’t know what and how autumn is supposed to be like.

Does it feel like you’re sure you’ve forgotten to do something? At the moment, no not really. I did everything I told myself I wanted to accomplish by tonight.

Have you ever seen or read The Life and Loves of a She-Devil? No, never even heard of it.

What is something you enjoy doing, even if you’re not very good at it? Take photographs.

When was the last time you baked something? And what was it? First week of August, 2018. We made chocolate chip cookies at Angela’s place right after classes were cancelled in the middle of the day because of the weather.

What’s your Bzoink routine? I don’t have an account on Bzoink, but my ~routine – if I can even call it that – is to check the popular surveys for the day, then for the week. I move on to recently-taken surveys if I see nothing; then if nothing still interests me, I have a whole folder on my Google Chrome that’s composed of bookmarked surveys, so that I never run out of surveys to fill up haha.

Do you work hard for your money? I don’t do that yet.

What’s a song that most people interpret entirely wrong? I don’t know, actually; I don’t really pay attention to lyrics. I may be one of those who tends to misinterpret songs, haha.

When’s the last time you had cake? A few weeks ago, I think. I got a cheesecake slice in Starbucks.

Name something that is perfect according to you. Food from Mama Lou’s.

Does your family consist mostly of people who are not related to you? Yes. My friends are my family more than my own relatives are.

Are there milestones you’re trying to actively reach? Yep, I’m working on my thesis so I can graduate from college durrrrr.

Have you ever made your own soda from scratch? I haven’t.

How about your own jam? No, I don’t really make my own food.

Or pickled something? I hate pickled anything.

Did you grow anything in your garden this year? No.

Or did someone give you something they grew in theirs? Also nope.

Do you get cold easily? Or are you more the sort who gets too warm? Yeah I really do, mostly because I’m really skinny. I’d rather be too cold than warm though.

When you go to bed, do you fall asleep when your head hits the pillow? It still depends on how tired I am for the day.

^If so, how the heck do you do that?

Have you ever taken part in Inktober or NaNoWriMo? I don’t do Inktober and I’ve never heard of the other thing you said.

Have you ever seen The Room or any other Tommy Wiseau movie? No, but I know both because of Pewdiepie.

What’s the most romantic gift anyone’s given to you? A scrapbook.

Do you like woolly socks? If so, do you ever make your own? I’m sure I’d like them, but they seem kind of thick and warm for where I live.

#survey #surveys

[perfectirishgifts]

Nickelodeon Needs To Make Another ‘Rugrats Chanukah’ Special And This 2018 Comic Is The Perfect Basis

New Post has been published on https://perfectirishgifts.com/nickelodeon-needs-to-make-another-rugrats-chanukah-special-and-this-2018-comic-is-the-perfect-basis/

Nickelodeon Needs To Make Another ‘Rugrats Chanukah’ Special And This 2018 Comic Is The Perfect Basis

It’s been 24 years since Nickelodeon first aired “A Rugrats Chanukah” and with a reboot just on the horizon, I say it’s high-time for another special inspired by the Festival of Lights. The original Rugrats was rather groundbreaking in the way that it embraced Jewish culture, which can seem idiosyncratic at times, without trepidation.

The show’s decision to produce episodes centered around Chanukah and Passover was incredibly bold because neither holiday has the near-universal appeal of, say, Christmas or Halloween. Jewish kids who grew up watching these specials never forgot them (and continue to watch them every year) because a children’s network — one that probably worked hard to appeal to the widest audience it could — was willing to acknowledge a small portion of its viewers, affirming that while their religious observance was different, it was no less deserving of media representation.

Nickelodeon needs to remember that with the upcoming revival, which should totally make another Chanukah special based on Daniel Kibblesmith and Cullen Crawford’s C is for Chanukah. Published by Boom! Studios’ KaBOOM! imprint in 2018, the one-shot comic is a perfect example how the IP can distill centuries of Jewish tradition and folklore into fun and easy digestible content for consumers of all ages.

“The fact that so many people have such intense memories about the Rugrats Passover [and Chanukah] special[s] really reveals how little Jewish media representation there is for young kids,” Kibblesmith told me via email. “I’d love to see more Jewish holiday specials and the Rugrats seem like a perfect vehicle for it, because they’re babies and it’s built-in that they’re learning all the stories and traditions for the first time.”

What makes C is for Chanukah so exceptional is the unexpected plot. It could’ve been a lazy rehash of the original special meant to cash in on ‘90s kid nostalgia, but that’s not the case. When Grandpa Boris (Tommy’s maternal grandfather) sits the babies down to tell them the true story of the holiday, he accidentally recounts the tale of Prague’s Judah Loew ben Bezalel and his Golem. Staying true to the legend, artist Kate Sherron perfectly renders the Golem in all of its imposing glory, right down to the Hebrew word for truth (“Eemet”) branded across its forehead.

“It’s always fun getting to work on properties from my youth!” Sherron said. Rugrats in particular was a favorite of mine — I’ll always remember what a treat it was when I got to watch the show over at my grandma’s house, since we couldn’t afford cable at home. As an adult, it’s been a blast getting to find ways to celebrate the original while also infusing a bit of myself in the art, as well.”

Bringing a famous bit of Kabbalist mysticism into the equation turns the comic into a lively romp with deep roots in Judaism’s rich past. It’s not afraid to get a little weird as the titular group of toddlers (Tommy, Chucky, Lil, and Phil) imagine themselves as “Golem-busters” looking to use the lights of Chanukah in an effort to defeat the clay-born creature. Simply put: Kibblesmith and Crawford were able to concoct an inspired remix of Jewish tropes and traditions.

C is for Chanukah is a perfect introduction to the culture on multiple levels, which is why it would work so well in animated form. It’s also got an important message about acceptance and multiculturalism as Boris clashes with Tommy’s non-Jewish paternal grandfather, Lou over holiday traditions. Whether you want to see Reptar aiding the Maccabees or Phil and Lil arguing over who the Golem will eat first, this one has it all.

Raymie Muzquiz, director of the original Chanukah special, is all for an adaptation of the comic, describing its art style as “fresh.”

“I would welcome any new Chanukah-themed stories into the Rugrats canon,” he said. My work isn’t so precious that there can’t be other Rugrats specials. The more the merrier.”

A veteran animation director of golden age Nick shows like Rugrats and Hey Arnold!, Muzquiz is still on the fence about the aforementioned reboot, which is being rendered with CG in favor of the original 2D/hand-drawn look.

“Remakes … mostly tread on and devalue the original shows that usually have earned their place in our culture and a fondness in our memory,” he added. “Sure, the remakes can be slicker, faster-paced, and [include] contemporary references, but this kind of revisionist history discounts the ineffable charm the original shows had due to their vintage limitations and aesthetics. Something is inevitably lost in a remake, so it better be loaded with loads of reasons and exciting new notions to legitimize being remade.”

That said, Muzquiz is open to realizing “an animated Purim spiel” he once pitched to Rugrats’ studio, Klasky-Csupo. “My heart’s desire would be an adaptation of the picture book, Queen Ester The Morning Star by Mordecai Gerstein. The art is very inspirational and well-suited for animation. I particularly like the flat, pre-enlightenment tableaus that eschew traditional perspective, giving it a provocative art direction.”

Sadly, he never locked down the rights to the book “since there was no demand for my idea (the usual state of affairs).”

“A Rugrats Chanukah” is currently available to stream on CBS All Access.

Rugrats: Building Blocks, a paperback collection that contains C is for Chanukah, is now available on Amazon AMZN .

From Hollywood & Entertainment in Perfectirishgifts

[201901499]

Manila, Where Dreams Are Left In Question

Introduction

   Maynila, sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag is a 1975 Filipino drama film directed by Lino Brocka based on the novel In the Claws of Brightness by Edgardo M. Reyes. The film stars Hilda Koronel as Ligaya Paraiso, Rafael Roco, Jr. as Julio Madiaga, Lou Salvador, Jr. as Atong, and Tommy Abuel as Pol. The film is produced by Miguel de Leon and Severino Manotok, written by Clodualdo del Mundo, Jr., the film is distributed by Cinema Artists Philippines. The film was released on July 16, 1975 and was re-released on August 7, 2013.

Maynila, sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag is a story about the grim realities people face in the dreamed city of Manila, where the crooked and unjust prey on the unsuspecting. The story follows Julio Madiaga (Rafael Roco, Jr.), a fisherman who travels to Manila in search of his beloved, Ligaya Paraiso (Hilda Koronel), who was promised of proper education but suddenly vanishes.

The film won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actor at the 1976 Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Science Awards. The film is considered by many to be one of the greatest films in Filipino cinema.

Body

Perceived Meanings

1. Referential

Manila, the capital of the Philippines, the promised paradise for the hopeful, is the haven many others dream to go to but are not aware of the harsh realities that one must face. After the disappearance of the love of his life, Julio Madiaga must search the streets of Manila to find his lover while discovering the struggles of everyday life for the citizens of Manila as well as the cruel and unjust ways to survive firsthand.

2. Explicit

A provincial fisherman travels to Manila in hopes to find the love of his life after she was promised a better life but suddenly vanishes. Now, it is his job to find the woman he loves while overcoming the obstacles and troubles that are ahead of him.

3. Implicit

A provincial fisherman travels to Manila in search of his lover after she was persuaded into traveling to Manila in hopes of a proper education but is soon dragged into a prostitution ring and is then sold to another man and is kept under captivity with their son. They reunite and attempt to run away together but as their dream turns to a nightmare, his lover dies. Following a vengeful act towards his lover’s captor, the fisherman finds himself facing the wrath of a vengeful mob that witnessed his crime.

4. Symptomatic

In a world where the poor continue to struggle, a city like Manila is a place where you could support yourself and your family and ultimately; survive. Many provincial workers tend to travel to Manila to find work and more opportunities, but often find themselves fighting to survive as jobs are scarce to come across and pay isn’t enough to fuel your needs. Many find themselves working odd jobs, cheated out of their pay, and end up homeless finding themselves in the same situation as before.

Film Criteria

1. Realistic

The film Manila, sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag is very realistic considering the year it was made, which makes it more concerning because issues then are still current issues now considering our current situation and economy. The film lets us cling to a sliver of hope towards a problem that seemed lost after the going gets tougher and tougher, much like how the characters migrated from their hometown after suffering through the hardships of poverty hoping to seek out the promised Capital and make their lives easier and their dream a reality, much like real life.

2. Moral

Morally I found it difficult to accept the harsh reality one would do just to survive, personally I am thankful for how I was raised but I couldn’t believe how one could bear to do these things that were portrayed in the film so I can’t help but empathize with the characters of the film. However it’s with these additions in the film that helped project the message of how hard life can be and how unjust our system is, it made the film way more believable because up until now these things actually happen and I find that a timeless problem our country can face.

3. Coherence

The film is a linear story that is told directly. There are scenes that involve some flashbacks, this however, is no problem at all. The film delivers a clear story that provides no confusion whatsoever in relation to storytelling and directory.

4. Complexity

The complexity in the film involves scenes that include our protagonist talking about, finding or, is at least, close to finding his lover. These scenes include flashbacks of key people that serve as a clue towards his search or flashbacks of his time spent with his lover, Ligaya. The flashbacks however, are clear and added at the right moment when necessary providing no confusion but adds a mix of suspense or mystery to the movie.

5. Originality

I personally see the film as not original anymore, but it certainly stood out at the time as it was meant to show the harsh realities one can face in our country and it did that very well. At the time, it was original, and now at this time and age I feel as if films that tackle hardships and realities of the everyday man have the same feel to it now, we have films of lost lovers that reunite with one another while the other has a child with another man, just like Ligaya’s situation. Regarding the ending where she dies and ultimately ends the film sadly is also common and a cliché.  

Regardless, the film stood out at the time and was very original but from the perspective of watching it in the year 2020, 45 years since it’s release, gives me the impression that it is not as original as it was.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Maynila sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag conveys a strong message on how hard life can be and how hard it really is the less fortunate, it hits you, the viewer; hard, because if it was a problem then and a problem now, you can expect the film’s character’s problems is still an ongoing issue for the less fortunate. The film’s story perfectly portrays the social issues we still face with its involvement of prostitution, unjust treatment of the labor force, the struggles of the slums, and what we do in order to survive. The film’s grim and dark love story left me thinking how many injustices people had to go through and still continue to just to make it survive another day. Followed by superb acting from, at the time, upcoming actor Rafael Roco Jr. and the film’s cast, you can’t help but feel sad for the characters they portrayed yet amazed at how well they did.

What felt like another love story turned out to be so much more than that. My personal film viewing of this movie ended with me watching through it with my mother who joined in shortly after, and my brother who missed out on half of it but asked to replay the entire thing the next day. The film is a must recommend if you want a look into the life of the average person in the 70s era and if you’re looking for a drama film.

Maynila sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag is a must watch and a great eye opener for the Philippines’ social issues. I truly believe it when critics said it is considered one of the best films in Philippine Cinema.

[peakyblinders1919]

The Answer Pt. 5

Elouise puffed out her cheeks as she ran down the street, throwing unapologetic sorries over her shoulder as she weaved in and out of people on the sidewalks. They hurled angry swears at her as she still bumped into them, her feet pounding the pavement as the betting shop came into view.

She threw open the doors hard, making them swing back and hit the wall with a loud bang, causing everyone to stop what they were doing and look at her.

She stood in the doorway, hands on her legs, huffing loudly to catch her breathe. “A…am I late?” She managed through her jagged breathing, her eyes scanning over their annoyed faces.

“No, not yet,” Arthur said, swirling the liquid around in his glass and taking a sip. “But that's only because Tommy’s not here yet. You got lucky this time Lou. Next birthday I'm getting you a watch.”

“I already have a wa-”

“One that works.” He clarified and she scoffed but he ignored it. She made herself comfortable next to him, Arthur knowingly pouring her a glass, if only to keep her quiet when it came time to actually start the meeting.

“Where’s Tommy and John?”

“Getting Pol.”

“She’s not gonna be very happy about that.”

“When’s she ever happy about what we do?” He mumbled under his breath, loud enough for everyone else to hear and laugh along in agreement.

“Too right you are, and you’ll never hear the end of it this time. She’s just got her son back, and now you're stealing her away from him.”

He sighed, throwing back some more of his drink. “Right, the kid. Michael’s his name?” She nodded, unable to say anything else as her lips were pressed to the glass. “You think he’s cut out for all...this?”

“Hard to tell,” was all she said as she thought about Michael again and almost as soon as she did, wished she could stop. Staying at Maggie’s last night hadn’t helped ease her feelings at all. Instead, her friend had worked her up, embarrassing her by claiming she liked the boy.

“Like, I hardly know him. I just…something’s off. It’s this...feeling.”

“Like an omen?” Maggie had asked giddily.

“No, more like a premonition. Except not because there’s no such thing,” Elouise had smiled at the end of her words. “Gypsies don’t have premonitions and incase you’ve forgotten again, I’m not one of them.

“Well you hang around them so much I tend to forget.” Maggie smirked, giving her best friend a nudge. “Or maybe they’re just rubbing off on you and you are becoming one.”

Gyspy or not, as Elouise stood there now, in the betting shop next to Arthur, talking about Michael, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was brewing. The air hung differently, her stomach felt queasy as she thought about him.

But thankfully a commotion in front shook her from her thoughts and she jumped to the back of the room as she heard Polly’s voice, knowingly complaining about ruining her holiday.

Elouise tried to lay low in the back, but she perked up when she heard Arthur ask about Michael. Now that she looked, she didn’t see him anywhere.

“Where’s the boy?”

“In the back room.”

“He wanted to come in and say hello-” John started but Polly shut him down rather quickly.

“There's nothing of interest to Michael in this room.” Polly said, looking around as her eyes landed on Lou. She gave a small smile but her face was still ridden with annoyance as she waited for the boys to tell her their amazing plan so she could get back to what she was actually doing.

They first talked about the real company issues, Sabini and the body of the dead, innocent boy left in the green. Elouise tried to remain calm, none of this new to her, but she still wasn’t accustomed to it. It takes something traumatizing to make you cold and unfeeling towards the evil in the world. Something like war, or seeing a loved one die.

“Did you come up with this idea in a pub by any chance?” Polly’s anger raged, making Elouise pay attention again. That’s when the women turned on her heel and looked at Lou in the back. “Did you know about this?”

When all the men looked at her, she stood up straighter, not knowing what to do with her hands. She couldn’t shake the glare Polly was giving her but she caught Tommy’s eye and subtle nod. “Yes.”

“And you didn’t tell me beforehand?”

“She doesn’t have to tell you everything Poll.” Tommy interjected, making Elouise sigh in relief as the attention was pulled off of her. She was back in the shadows, trying to steady her beating heart as they continued to talk about the sale. And they were so immersed in the conversation of business, no one but her heard the back door opening. She stood up straight, trying to get a look at the door, never knowing who was trying to spy on the Blinders and get information. She was slightly relieved, however, to find Michael step into the light. She tried to remain quiet, but also tried to get his attention. He shouldn’t be in here. She tried everything, even whispering his name when he walked further into the room, closer to her. His head perked up, catching her eye. She shook her head as a warning but he didn’t listen, strutting further into the room so everyone now saw him. She sighed angrily, crossing her arms. She wondered when it would stop; everyone ignoring her, underestimating her. She was ready to leave at this point, so close to the door she’d slip out and no one would notice, but she couldn’t sabotage her position in the company again.

“I thought I told you to lock that door.” Polly cried.

“He did. I used the key on the nail. Look, I’ve been listening. I want to go with them.” Elouise perked up at this again, ready to hear Polly go off the deep end and deny him. She never let Elouise go, and she was like a daughter to Polly. She’d never let her own son go, but Elouise admired him for trying.

“I love horses. I could even help.”

“Over my dead body.” Elouise snickered, a few of the older men turning to look at her. She rolled her eyes, ignoring their looks as Michael spoke again.

“It’ll be alright Mum.” He said, Elouise shaking her head.

“Fucking unbelievable.” She let slip, louder than she thought too as everyone stopped talking and looked at her for the uptinth time that day.

“What’s that Lou?” Tommy asked. She wouldn’t meet his icy stare, glancing at Michael.

“Oh, nothing. Sorry.” She lied, and the look he gave her as he moved on said he knew something was up. And something definitely was up. A few days ago Michael had barely been able to acknowledge that Polly was his mum, and now here he was, using it as a means to let him be involved. She wasn’t about to watch this new kid walk in and go to a business deal, when she’s been working for Tommy for years and was never allowed outside the betting shop.

“I’ve been to loads of horse auctions before with my uncle. They’re very respectable. People bring their butlers.”

“Yeah, and their posh wives.”

“And their mistresses.” Once again, Elouise perked up at the sound of John’s voice. That was it. Her way in. She tried to hid her sly smirk on her face as ideas were already racing through her head, but she couldn’t get too excited just yet.

“No. Fucking no.” She said, only making Elouise smile again. She caught Polly’s eye momentarily before she watched Michael walk out angrily, pushing a huge pile of papers a desk. He looked back at Elouise right before he left, and all she did was smile at him wildly. There was a long moment of silence as everyone calmed down again, as Tommy told everyone to go back to work. And the second he sent the men back to their desks, Elouise shimmied her way to the front.

“Aunt Poll,” John said, causing Elouise to stop in her tracks. She saw the look on Poll’s face, she wasn’t about to lose her son after just getting him back, and she knew if she let him go she’d lose him to this lifestyle forever. But the way John talked, her face was changing.

“If you want him to stay, let him come.” John finished, waiting for her response and when she stayed silent, he walked away, throwing Elouise a smile.

“Poll…” Elouise tried silently, reaching out to console her with a squeeze to the arm. The sudden contact made her jump a bit, and look at Elouise with soft eyes.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes, aside from being so blindsided,” she said, running her fingers through her hair, “but I’m alright. I just don’t know what to do.”

“You heard John Poll. You want to drive him away then keep doing what you’re doing.”

“But who knows what’s going to happen tomorrow. What if...”

“No what if’s Polly. You can’t control everything. You have to let them go. If you want...I can go with them and make sure everything’s fine.”

“You would?”

“If you wanted, yes.”

She sighed heavily, contemplating the offer on the table. Elouise waited anxiously for her answer, hoping she’d cave.

“Ok fine.” She gave in, causing Elouise to lurch forward and hug her hard.

“Thank you Polly.” She said into her ear as she rested her chin on her shoulder. “We’ll be fine. Now go tell him so he doesn’t resent your guts.” Elouise said, making them laugh together as she headed out.

With a smile still on her face and a deep breath, Eloise walked over to Tommy’s office, knocking on the door and waiting for him to let her in.

“Shouldn’t you be working Lou?”

“All done.”

He looked up from his paperwork momentarily, shocked to hear that something was on time for once. “Then what do you want?”

“I want to go with you guys tomorrow.”

“No.” He said without hesitation, his glance lingering on her a second before he took his pen back to his paper.

“Why not?”

“You don’t know what you’re doing. You’re young.”

“Michael’s going! Plus, Polly already said I could.”

“Well I’m the boss and I say no.”

“You don’t always have the last say. You heard Michael, people bring their posh wives and mistresses, bring me. We’ll blend in.”

He just shook his head, refusing to answer her. When the silence overwhelmed her, she turned around, kicking the chair angrily, finally getting Tommy’s attention.

“I’m capable Tommy. You said so yourself, I’ve been an asset to this company, why can’t I go?”

“You’re. Not. Ready.” He said calmly, indifferent to Elouise’s outburst.

“Let me prove to you that I am.” She said, planting her hands firmly on his desk and leaning over, leaving just inches in between their faces. She held strong, staring into the depths of his eyes, leading into his soul, her gaze never wavering. If she didn’t get the chance now, she thought she never would. “I’m ready Tommy. Trust me.”

A few moments later Elouise was handing her book into Tommy and walking down Watery lane, a huge smile on her face. Hoisting herself up into the car, she twisted the key and the engine roared to life. She pulled out without looking again, the sound of screeching breaks sending shivers down her spine behind her.

“Fucking git!” She heard through her window, causing her to yell back as she hurried on down the road.

When she got to her destination, she turned the car off and jumped down, skipping up to the steps. She hopped from foot to foot, waiting anxiously for the door to open.

“Elouise…” she was greeted by a confused Maggie. “What…”

“I need a dress. Tomorrow. I’m going to an auction.”

surprise chapter release lol! lmk what you think and please like or comment or something if you’re still reading this one and are interested!

#peaky blinders #peaky blinder imagine #peaky blinders imagine #peaky blinders fanfic #peaky blinders fanfiction #michael shelby #michael gray #michael gray imagine #michael gray fanfic #michael gray fanfiction #michael gray X OC #peaky blinders oc #theanswer