#mike shows his love through acts of service so let him do his thing and save his man okay 👌🏽

[loversdelusion]

softer

deacon st. john x reader

part two of two

previous

"You're going to ask Iron Mike to give you the damn directions over the summit?" you eyed Deek curiously, a brow raised "This the same Iron Mike that specifically told you to fuck off and that he'd kill you if you ever showed your face at Lost Lake again?" Deacon sighed, rolling his eyes "I knew you'd say that exact sentence but baby, listen to me" Deacon stood in front of you, taking both your hands in larger ones.

Deacon looked at you with hope in his eyes "This is the best shot for us, getting away from all this will do us both some good" you hesitated, not yet wanting to agree with him having to go confront Mike himself to help you both over the pass.

"Fine.." you sighed, Deacon smiled softly, placing a kiss on your forehead "Just stay here, I'll be ba-" Deacon halted in his tracks as your hand wrapped around his wrist "I'll ask, probably have a better shot than you" you said, pulling Deacon back against his bike.

,Deacon sighed as he waited for you to come out from lodge, hopefully with Mike in tow, his eyes perked up at the sound of your laughter, he chuckled breathlessly as you walked out of the lodge with Mike right behind you, in a cheerful mood than earlier.

The mood was tense yet again as Mike approached Deacon, you almost felt the need to chew on your fingernails "This sweetheart has somehow convinced me to drive you both over the pass" Mike gestured to you, you smiled softly "If it gets you out of here, I'm all for it, don't get me wrong" his face was void of anything positive. "There's a way over the summit and unfortunately you are the only one who knows" Deacon grumbled, Mike nodded "Get ready then because when we leave, you ain't coming back" Mike's gaze hardened into Deacon's equally steely stare.

-

The drive up the pass was cold, the winds nipped at your exposed hands and cheeks, you and Deacon rode on your own bikes - not having the heart to leave it behind with Boozer "You okay?" Deacon's voice called through the walkie talkie, you flexed your hands on the handles "I- it's fucking cold.." Your voice shook as you replied "We're almost there, okay? It's only cold on the summit" you nodded, steeling your nerves.

-

Hope filled you as you finally made it to the top, Deacon came to a stop, you rose a brow, still shivering from the winds that randomly whipped through you "What's up?" You asked, seeing his head turned towards what was on the other side - your eyes widened. Scorched lands stretched as far as you could see, there was no tree in sight or patch of green grass "What the fuck..?" You muttered under your breath, Deacon continued on, making the way down seemed a whole lot easier than driving up.

-

You came through a small gorge, you could hear screams and shouts ahead, a cabin came into view, along with two Militia looking men and - a huge fucking infected grizzly bear, Deacon grunted as he slammed on his brakes, you coming to a slow stop "Stay here, don't come out until that thing is dead" he stated, not bothering to look back at you, your gaze hardened "You sure you can do this alone?" You asked wearily, eyes darting between him and the crazed bear, Deacon let out a heavy exhale "I got this".

-

Just as Deacon said he would, the bear fell and the two Militia men climbed down from the roof of the cabin, you were leaning on your bike, elbows resting on the gas tank and your chin in your hands as you watched the whole ordeal, you listened as the two men thanked Deacon endlessly, watching their interactions with him carefully "(Y/n)!" He shouted, the two men looked confused for a second until you drove into view.

"(Y/n), this is Russell and Mullins" he gestured to the two men, you nodded at them "Corporal Russell was about to take us to their camp" he looked back at the man named Russell who merely nodded "Of course, c'mon" he said, mounting his own bike "Mullins, you stay here! Guard the pass" Mullins protested but did so anyway.

On the way to Russell and Mullins' camp, Russell tells you about life in the camp - a military camp, explaining how things are done, who's in charge, what they do there.

-

He lead you and Deacon to a gate, towering defense walls on either side "Talk to Captain Kouri, he'll get you both set up, he should be over in the corner there" Russell gestured to the far left of the camp, he left you after that, you and Deacon dismounted your bikes, leaving them beside each other. "Are you sure about this?" You asked, Deacon looked at you "New beginning, remember?" He smiled softly at you, eyes darting around you both before he pressed a quick kiss to your forehead "Love you, sweetheart" he muttered lowly, you sighed softly and followed after him.

"Captain Kouri..?" Deacon asked the man sitting on a bench, the man's brows rose and he stood "At your service" Kouri shook Deacon's hand, a shining glint flashed in your vision, you looked down to see a very familiar ring on Kouri's hand, the same ring that Deacon gave Sarah on their last night together, Deacon noticed it too. Deacon tensed, the action unnoticed by Kouri, he pursed his lips and swallowed the sudden lump in his throat, you subtly jabbed Deacon's side, he shook his head, sighing softly. "Deacon, Deacon St. John, and this, this is (Y/n) (L/n)" Deacon gestured to you. You nodded as Kouri shook your own hand, he eyed you down, seeming to size you up before turning back to Deacon "You're the man that saved two of our own?" Kouri asked, Deacon nodded "Well, your help was very much appreciated".

-

Captain Kouri showed you around the Diamond Lake outpost, introducing the two of you to the vendors they had, the medbay, the sleeping quarters, cafeteria, you stared at the group of soldiers, training - well, moreso getting orders and insults barked at them by their leader, it seemed a little on the dreary side but if it's what kept them up and running, it works. "I was in the 10th Mountain" you could hear Deacon and Captain Kouri still talking behind you "And her?" You heard the Captain ask "She's a biologist, started out as a nurse" Kouri hummed "A person with military experience and another who could potentially save the world and help save lives while she's at it? We might as well have struck gold".

"We have two scientists already, both working on the same thing, but only one actual doctor, we might have to divide her time equally, we'll see what the commander has to say at the recruitment ceremony" you and Deacon shared a confused look.

-

You, Deacon and some hipster named Wade Taylor were chosen to work in the main camp, the other woman who was with you three was put in the work camp, she had a loud mouth anyway. You were weirdly given the rank of Lieutenant for your bachelor's degree in biology, you had a feeling it was mostly just so Colonel Garret could keep you under a more guarded watch and order, Deacon was given the rank of Corporal for his military expertise.

-

Garret gave you and Deacon a tour of Wizard Island, even taking you through what they called the Ark which was a large cave system in the mountain "Lieutenant" Garret stated, your spine went rigid "Yes, sir" you replied "Considering you'll be one of our scientists, I think it's important that you meet your colleagues". You brought your hand to your forehead in a salute "Of course, sir" you said, mentally cringing at the way you were acting - your military experience was slim, the only experience you've had was your father, didn't really teach you much though, besides discipline when you needed it most "You too, Corporal" Garret eyed Deacon beside you "Yes, sir".

Garret brought you to two tents that were directly beside each other, he stood at the door to the one on the right, he pushed it open "Lieutenant Weaver" Garret barked, a man stood to attention, saluting the Colonel "Sir" Garret stood rigidly, beside the table in the middle of the tent. "This is you and the Witch's newest addition, Lieutenant (L/n), and this is Corporal St. John" you saluted again, Deacon doing the same, your gaze was on the man's dingy lab coat "James Weaver, Lieutenant Weaver" he introduced himself to you. "Deacon St. John" Deacon stated, his posture set in stone "(Y/n) (L/n), Lieutenant (L/n)" he chucked as you repeated his words back to him, your tone world's lighter than Deacon's "Are you taking them to meet the Witch?" Your brow arched slightly "Yes, follow me" Garret stalked out of the tent, walking to the door of the left one.

"This is the tent of the Wizard Island Witch" you were confused at the name "She's a botanist and research scientist" your eyebrows furrowed briefly "I can see where the Witch title comes from" the Colonel's lips twitched upwards, he pushed the door open. Your ears filled with the sound of a woman scolding a grunt for not knowing how to read, you couldn't see her from where you stood outside, your eyes glanced to Deacon's, his stare already on you, you could feel his hand softly brushing against the back of yours, you wanted to hold his hand but Colonel Garret made it clear that romantic relationships were not tolerated.

When the grunt moved out of the way, the Witch had her back turned, you could see blonde hair tied into a tight, neat bun underneath a green cap, she had a black tank top on and camo green cargo pants tucked into black boots, something about the way she carried herself seemed so goddamn familiar, but you couldn't put your finger on why that seemed, your eyes couldn't pull away from the back of her head.

"Lieutenant" Garret called, you blinked, pulling yourself out of your trance, and glancing at Deacon, who seemed to be in the same problem as you, you tapped his hand with your pinky, his gaze darted down to you, his pinky softly wrapping around yours "Yes, sir" she finally replied, attention still mostly on whatever she was doing beforehand "I have some people here who I want you to meet" you could see that she was visibly annoyed, but she sighed and turned around anyway, and your world seemed to come crashing to an abrupt halt.

Your eyes widened and your palms started to sweat, your whole spine went rigid as you took in the sight of Sarah - who was very much alive after all, your mouth was dry and your slightly agape, you could feel the shock in Deacon too, just from holding his pinky with yours "Lieutenant Whittaker, meet Lieutenant (L/n) and Corporal St. John" Garret held his arm out to you, you unconsciously stepped forward, your hand slipping away from Deacon's, her blue gaze locked on yours as you blocked her view of Deacon.

You could tell by the look on her face that she recognized you too, the look of shock not unnoticed, she shook her head slightly "Yes, the new scientist" she spoke, her voice wavering as she held out her hand, your body seemed to be on autopilot as you shook it "Yeah, I uh- I was a biology major before this" the words left your dry lips without thinking, she nodded "We- we definitely can use that brain of yours" she smiled, nervously.

You stepped aside, her stare immediately darted back to Deacon "Corporal" Garret snapped Deacon out of his stupor, he took a few steps forward, his eyes nervously looking at you as he questioned everything, you couldn't comfort him - not now at least, but now you questioned if you could ever after this.

"Corporal Deacon St. John" he said simply, you could see that Sarah was still stunned but trying desperately to calm down, Garret could feel how tense it was as he cleared his throat "Corporal St. John" Deacon hesitantly saluted. "You will be catering to our scientists, whatever they need, you go out and get" your eyes lowered to the ground, you could barely feel yourself, everything felt suppressed, you could feel tears welling in your eyes, you cleared your throat "Colonel, sir" you said quickly, all eyes were on you. "May I step outside? It's just- spaces with this many people, have me on edge" the Colonel seemed to dwell on your request "Yes, don't go too far though" you nodded and practically bolted out of the tent, the cool air did nothing to quell the attack coming on, your feet carried you to the small garden that was outside Sarah's tent, you dropped to the ground at the back of it.

Your fists clenched tightly, your knuckles turning white, your whole body shook in tremors, your breathing was coming out shakily, you closed your eyes as tears slowly fell down your face. You sighed shakily as your head hit the small wall that fenced in the soil, your gaze on the clear, dull sky, you could barely feel anything "(Y/n)?" You barely heard Deacon calling out for you, or his presence beside you now. "(Y/n), baby look at me" his voice was calm, his hands gently grasping your chin, bringing your gaze back down to him, his heart clenched, painfully as he took in your pained expression - you were heartbroken, plain and simple, but why?.

He held your face in his hands, his expression mirroring yours as realization set in on what was wrong, I mean what couldn't be wrong right now, not exactly wrong but still, tears still fell down your beautiful face and he wished he could erase all your doubts. "Hey, baby" his voice still held the same soft tone, your hands gently grasped at his wrists "I-..I'm scared" you spoke, your voice was so small and fragile, Deacon's heart could've shattered right there but he held strong "Scared of what, honey?" He asked, softly wiping your tears away.

"Losing you.." Deacon sighed softly, tears threatening to fall "Who said anything about losing me?" You swallowed down the pained lump in your throat "You have Sarah back again..I don't see why you would need me" your voice held steady this time, Deacon shook his head. "(Y/n), I made a promise to you back at Lost Lake, do you remember that?" Your eyes slowly closed as you recalled the day in the grove, where Deacon confessed to you "I promised you that I was yours always from that moment on, and you know that I don't break promises" you opened your eyes, his gaze catching yours. "Sweetheart, I'm yours, not even Sarah can take that away from you" his hands grasped yours, his thumbs rubbing slow circles on the back of your hands and over your knuckles "I'm sorry.." You said, your voice barely above a whisper, he sighed breathlessly "It's okay, baby" his whispered, laying two firm kisses to the back of your hand.

"They took all my rings but this will have to do for now" your brows furrowed, clearly confused at what he was doing, you watched as he pulled a string of red thread out of his pocket, he sat down in front of you, nimble fingers going to work on the thread, you wondered what he was doing. He was tying the string around on itself, creating a small braid, he chuckled softly, grabbing your wrist and gently pulling your hand to him "A temporary fix until the real thing" he muttered, tying the braided thread around your ring finger, your heart seemed to skip several beats at what you realized was happening.

"(Y/n), you are the light of my life, you have kept me going when all seemed..when all seemed hopeless, you were there for me through everything after Farewell" you eyed the fabric band that was tied around your finger "Honey, you are my reason for everything.." You could feel more tears welling in your eyes "Will you..will you marry me?" The question left Deacon's lips under his breath, but you heard him perfectly.

"If it means being yours for the rest of our days, how could I say no?" Deacon smiled widely at that, pulling you up to him, his arms wrapping around you in a firm embrace, he sighed breathlessly into the crook of your neck. You could feel his lips curl into a smile against your skin, his hold tightened around you for a second "Hearing you finally say that, its just-..it just-" Deacon stuttered, you smiled softly "I love you, Deacon St. John".

#days gone #days gone x reader #deacon st john #deacon st john x reader #deacon x reader

[hb-writes]

Tea Party

Summary: When Charlie and Harvey Specter fight, there’s a seventy-three percent chance one (or both) of them will end up at Donna’s door.

Prompted by: Word Challenge # 11 by @love-me-a-good-prompt​ 

Featuring: Donna Paulson, Harvey Specter, and Charlie Specter

--

Donna strolled towards the kitchen, knowing the kettle was on the cusp of boiling, just one of those things she had a knack for knowing, easily able to anticipate when things were due to boil over, whether it be a bit of boiling water in a tea kettle or her boss, or his younger sister.

"So, do you want my advice or do you just want me to listen?" Donna asked. She’d tried to ask the question of the girl once already, but Charlie hadn’t seemed to hear it, continuing through her rambling recount of the argument she’d just come from. 

"Are you capable of—"

Donna retreated from the kitchen, taking a few steps backward to meet Charlie's eyes. "Excuse me?"

Charlie's shoulders raised with a shrug and she pulled both legs up into the chair, slowly shifting one leg beneath the rest of her body, appearing to speak more to her lower limbs than to Donna.

"I don't know, I just…I've never known you not to give advice, solicited or unsolicited."

Donna leaned against the wall for a moment, settling her arms over her chest. 

"It's not a bad thing," Charlie added, sensing the answer hadn't satisfied Donna well enough. "You like to manage us is all."

Donna snorted at that, but turned away, continuing on her journey to the kitchen and the water she'd let come to a boil, the harsh whistle sounding just as she stepped up to the stove.

Charlie searched for something to fiddle with, something other than the phone she'd set just beside her on the table, but she came up empty in Donna's tidy, uncluttered apartment and settled for folding her hands in her lap as she waited instead, her thumbs twiddling of their own accord until Donna came back.

"Someone needs to manage the two of you."

Donna set a steaming mug in front of Charlie before taking the seat across from her, watching as Charlie processed the words, letting them simmer and settle as the girl idly let her feet down and sat up straight, tugging on the string of her teabag, dunking it over and over in the hot water. 

Donna smiled a little at that, a little gesture she had carried through from true childhood, and for a moment, it reminded Donna of their first tea party, back when Charlie Specter was just a little thing visiting her brother at work, caught admiring the name partner's tea service when she was supposed to be sat in Harvey's office waiting for him to finish a meeting in Conference Room B. Harvey had been ready to strangle her that day, both before the incident with the tea service, and certainly after, but Donna had assured him no harm had been done, and with Jessica’s blessing, they all sat down to tea.

So, yes, Donna supposed Charlie was right. She had been managing the Specters for as long as she'd known them both, somehow nestled right in the middle of almost every single disagreement or struggle, intimately in tune with their every quirk and overwhelmingly aware of their usual reactions, the stereotypical responses each took in the wake of a shouting match.

Charlie's presence at Donna's doorstep on this particular Sunday afternoon was unexpected, though not something entirely out of the ordinary. The girl chose to take flight from her brother after an argument just as often as she chose to continue the fight, and Donna wasn't entirely certain which response was worse.

Charlie's motivations came in parts, partly an act of self-preservation, partly an act to prevent one of them from saying or doing something they shouldn't, something they would quickly regret, but it was also partly reaction that was so intimately designed to draw out a certain response in her brother, a certain bit of fear and guilt and regret. It was partly manipulation.

And that was why when Charlie did run off, she never told Harvey where she was going, if she even told him that she was going in the first place. That was why she always took the ever-forbidden subway rather than hailing a cab, and though she could have simply shut her phone off or put it on silent, Charlie left it on, diligently sending her brother's calls to voicemail after precisely three rings so he would know that she saw and ignored his calls. At least with that he knew she was alright, alright enough to send him to voicemail at least.

Harvey had figured out where she had gone soon enough though, his phone call to Donna arriving shortly after his sister showed up on the other side of her door, concern lacing his voice until Donna confirmed that his sister was there safe and twiddling her thumbs while she waited for what she didn't even know she needed from Donna, a delicious mix of coddling, a lecture, and just the right amount of insight to get her and Harvey through the latest snag in their relationship. Even if he hadn’t called right away, Donna would have let him know though. And Charlie knew that, knew that the moment she showed her face at Donna’s Brooklyn address, or at Mike and Rachel’s place on the Upper East Side, whoever she’d come to see would send her brother a text or place a semi-covert call.

"So, advice or just listening?" Donna asked again, watching as Charlie pulled her legs up into the chair, curling them beneath her again.

"Advice, I guess," she said in between blows across the top of the steaming mug.

Donna picked up her own mug, wrapping both hands around the warm ceramic, unsurprised she was asking for advice after putting up a fight about it, contending with Donna over something trivial because she’d walked away from the fight with her brother prematurely. "You need to tell him the truth."

"I haven't even—"

"Doesn't matter what it is, little chick," Donna said. "Whatever it is, you need to tell Harvey the truth."

Charlie set the mug down, hissing as a drop of scalding water splashed onto her finger before she wiped it away on her sweatshirt sleeve. "And what if I don't want to do that yet?"

Charlie knew she would have to tell her brother the truth eventually, knew that they couldn't continue down this path much longer before ending up there, at the truth, but that didn't mean she was eager for the conversation. She liked inhabiting the ambiguity for now and was a bit resentful of him for things that weren’t entirely his fault seeing as she hadn’t actually communicated with him. Harvey was growing frustrated by her noncommittal attitude, with the nonchalance she seemed to hold over the whole college process, but Charlie had a feeling he'd like the decision she'd come to a whole lot less.

Charlie had always joked about not wanting to go to Harvard, had always joked about not wanting to be a lawyer, but because she seemed to enjoy being at the firm, and because she'd spent four years on the debate team, and because she could sit and talk to her brother for hours about cases, Charlie was quite certain Harvey, and everyone else, assumed her statements about career and college were all a ruse designed to tease Harvey.

Anyone who knew Harvey Specter expected that his sister would be enrolled at Harvard for the fall semester after she graduated high school. It was assumed she'd major in something typical of a student on the pre-law track, maybe political science or history, with a minor in something she found interesting, something that would be complementary when it came time to apply to law school, something that would be easily relatable to the type of law she'd like to practice someday. It would show forethought and passion. That, and a killer LSAT score and recommendations from the best law firm in New York City, would make her application a sure thing.

Because once safely tucked away in Cambridge for her undergraduate school years, Charlie would spend her summers at her brother's law firm, if not working directly for him, learning at the feet of someone deemed suitable, though Harvey's list of lawyers suitable enough to offer his sister tutelage was quite succinct.

Donna shrugged. "Maybe an attitude like that is why he thinks you're not trustworthy." She pulled the mug to her lips again, sipping as she watched Charlie through the wisps of steam. Donna knew that wasn't what the business between them was truly about, but trust was the argument Harvey and Charlie had decided on having, because they both knew Charlie was keeping something from him. Harvey hadn't figured out what it was yet, but Donna had been pretty sure about what it was for a few weeks now.  

"It's not like he tells me the truth about everything." Charlie finally stopped dunking the teabag and plucked it, dripping, from the mug to set aside. "He’s not as honest with me as he is with you."

Donna raised an eyebrow. Harvey told his little sister a whole lot more truth than most adults told their kids. It was usually reciprocal, and it usually worked out in his favor that they'd established that type of relationship, one built on trust and respect, centered on the two things most adults expected from kids but rarely afforded them in return, but just like her brother, Charlie held on to the occasions when Harvey hadn't been forthcoming, set much more importance in those than she did in the times he had.

"Did you come here to create a problem with me or to talk about the one you already have with your brother?"

Charlie's eyes went to her phone and she pressed the home button to check the time. It had been nearly seventeen minutes without a call from her brother.

"You know Harvey doesn't tell me everything, right?" Donna said. "Not even half."

"Right," Charlie muttered, flipping the phone over with the screen pressed flat to Donna's tablecloth and she settled her hand over it. "You just know because you're Donna and you're awesome."

"I don't appreciate you mocking my awesomeness, but yes, I do know because I'm Donna and he's Harvey, and it's my job to know… Just like it's my job to know what you need and when you need it, even when you don't."

"But—"

"Charlie, you don't need to tell me that you don't want to go to Harvard, but you do need to tell your brother."

Donna stood at hearing a knock, pulling open the door and holding out her hand without even offering Harvey a greeting.

"I'll go pick up lunch. If you’re going to fight, take it out on the sidewalk.”

Harvey smirked as he slipped a credit card from his wallet and set it in Donna’s outstretched hand. "You want us to have a shouting match out on the sidewalk?”

“I’d prefer no shouting match at all, but it’s better for you to ruin the energy on the curb than in here. I can’t do all of this,” Donna said, waving a hand and gesturing to herself, “without a little zen infused in all of this,” she continued with a wave to the room around them. “Don’t ruin my zen, Harvey.” 

Harvey rolled his eyes. “We’ll keep your zen intact, Donna.”

Donna leaned around Harvey to meet Charlie’s eye. “Little chick?”

“Yeah, yeah,” she answered. “Your zen’ll be fine.” 

"Good," she said. "Enjoy your little tea party, then." Donna smiled at them as she stepped through the door, smiled at their synchronized eye rolling, and their shared demeanor, the harmonious scoffs and matching dismissals, all of the overlap unintentional, but entirely unavoidable. "If you two behave yourselves and listen to one another nicely, you can have a celebratory dessert."

"Celebratory dessert?" Harvey asked, his question going no further than the door shut in his face before he turned back to his sister. "What's she talking about?"

Charlie had a few answers rattling about in her head, a few sarcastic quips she could direct at him and a handful of witty zingers about Donna just being Donna, but Charlie took a deep breath instead, biting on her bottom lip for a few moments before digging in her bag for the stack of thick envelopes, the acceptance letters she'd been hiding from him for weeks.

"Harvey, there's something I need to tell you."

He sat down, pulling the envelopes closer. "I'd say so," he offered as he sifted through, skimming through the return addresses, his eyes running over the handful of universities he had no knowledge of his sister even applying to.

"Sorry," he offered at Charlie's audible gulp, setting the envelopes aside and leaning back in the chair. "Go ahead, Charlie. Whatever you have to say, I'm listening."

“You want tea first?” Charlie asked, already standing up from her chair and taking one step towards Donna’s kitchen. “I’m going to make myself another cup.”

“Sure, Charlie.” Harvey nodded, figuring his sister needed the moment alone to gather herself, to figure out her thoughts and her words, and because it was a bit of tradition, a tea party at Donna’s to soothe the trouble, an integral component of sibling relationship restoration. 

--

Suits (Lines to Live By) Masterlist

#suits #suits usa #suits fanfic #suits fanfiction #donna paulson #harvey specter #specter!sister #specter sister #charlie specter #lines to live by

[boognish-worshipper]

Remember the Rain

praying this is the final part of “Sunrise, Sunset” by the time i’m done omg ,, lamar finally talks it out with frank. i was tryna keep the titles consistent with a sky theme? wasn’t sure what to name this one at first, but i settled on naming it after a i song that i felt was sorta fitting lol ,, also lamar’s dramatic when drunk, that’s jus how it’s gonna be

oh and i included one last convo w/ that psychic lady bc each character got three opportunities to speak to her lol

//

The night Franklin and him fought was the third night in a row Lamar couldn’t sleep right. Then it became four. Then five. Six. He had hoped after the first couple days of Franklin being mad, that it’d all blow over and things would go back to normal. That he wouldn’t ever have to say anything about what he felt deep down. Even though he told himself he had to, he wouldn’t. He waited it out, and still hoped it would all just fucking blow over. That wasn’t what happened of course.

An overcast sky was spread over LS, light rain tapping against Lamar’s window. As cheesy as it was, it reflected how he felt. Another day had passed. Franklin wasn’t picking up, not even reading his texts, nothing. He called a couple times at first when the fourth day of the silent treatment occurred, then tried a few more times to contact him in the following days. It had grown into a long and sad string of texts.

franklin.

dog

plz

pick up

answer me

plz?

c’mon frank i told you i have nothin goin on with yo auntie

i wanna talk things out with you.

u ain’t let me finish explaining

text me when u read this. plz bro

He sighed. This was hopeless. He set his phone aside, still laying awake. A buzz came right after. Fucking finally, something.

fuck you

we got nothin to discuss

He didn’t know how to feel. This was fucking him up and he couldn’t think straight. He tried calling him once more, the ringing as he waited for a pick up mocking him. Voicemail yet again. How many messages had he tried leaving at this point?

for fucks sake frank pick up

u ain’t doin this to me rn

jus let me explain myself

He stared at the ceiling yet again, like it would have all the answers sprawled out for him. As he did, he focused on how the rain had picked up, coming down harder. Then he felt his phone buzz.

no

now stop blowing my phone up

i’m tryna sleep

Lamar was never one to be sensitive, but he felt so crushed right now that all he could do was cry silently to himself. He didn’t even have Chop around anymore to comfort him like he normally would whenever Lamar was going through something. Would he even see him again? He lived over at Frank’s now. Fuck. Did this mean they’d have to share custody now? If he wasn’t so upset, he most likely would’ve laughed at the idea of it. He was letting bad thoughts consume him, turning to a last minute resort of drinking to try stopping it. This kind of thing rarely happened to him, these kind of feelings weren’t common. He knew no other method of trying to stuff bad feelings down, working through a 6 pack of beer on his own, followed by a bottle of some type of random liquor. Anything to stifle the pain in his chest, although it didn’t accomplish much other than making him feel even more queasy. He left one last voicemail, choking back a sob. Or what he had thought would be the last one. He lost count.

“Franklin. Please jus’ talk to me already man. You- you believin’ what you wanna believe right now, you ain’t even givin’ me a chance. You my best fuckin’ friend, don’t that mean shit to you anymore? We.. homies n shit.” He sniffled, cringing to himself when he said the words “best friend”. Franklin was so much more than that to him.

“Ion… Ion think I can live without you in my life. You can’t hate me man that shit.. that’s fucked. This is fucked. I’m fucked.”

A strong feeling of humiliation hung around him for many reasons, one being that he was fully crying now, over the phone. He couldn’t get any lower.

“You jus’ mad right now. But you.. you won’t be, eventually. Right? Please get back to me soon. Please. I’d rather fuckin’.. die or sum’ than have you hatin’ me n shit. At this point I might as well.”

After hanging up, he decided to visit that site one last time. His tears blurred his vision, making it harder to type. The shit in his system didn’t help either.

lady

i fuckef up

thsi is yo faukt

What now? Why are you back?

frankljn hates me

He does? That’s not right.

damn straighy it fuckign isnt

No, I mean that’s not correct.

There’s no way that he could, even if it seems like it right now.

jus fuckin tell me whst to do

That’s out of my hands.

is not u fuckin wirch

*withc

*witch

Look, I really don’t know how else to help you. I don’t have any other visions to offer. You’re on your own.

They do say though, that dreams are visions themselves.

dont fukcin speak in riddles rn

Precognition, Lamar. Just have faith

prewhatnow

n yeah. faith. bc that helps so fuckn much

All I can say to you is good luck - it’s all coming together. Just wait.

th fuck does that mean?

It means that you’re stressing too much - you better sleep it off. Farewell Lamar. You’re gonna have a killer hangover you know…

SERVICE UNAVAILABLE. PLEASE TRY AGAIN LATER.

The notification did nothing but make him more upset. He calmed down eventually, the crying and alcohol tiring him out. He blacked out soon after, not remembering when he fell asleep.

For the first time in a while, he dreamt about the two of them. The start of the dream showed a radiant sight before them, the sky lit up in a million shades. Chop was laying beside Franklin, head on his thigh. All three of them sat on a grassy knoll, a soft breeze blowing through each blade. Franklin turned, Lamar not taking his eyes off him since the dream started. He only noticed the sky’s wide color palette because the intensity struck Franklin’s face just right. He looked right into Lamar’s eyes, speaking softly.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“What?”

“You had so many opportunities. So many times, I thought that you would. I got my hopes up, you know. I waited. When Tanisha left.. I only had you.”

“Tanisha..”

“I still love her. I.. I think apart of me always will, but I love you just the same. Even if you drive me up a Goddamn wall sometimes. You both mean the world to me.”

Franklin looked back at the view ahead. A heavenly indigo replaced the vivid hues from before.

“But she’s gone now. Shit ain’t the same. All I know is you stayed when she didn’t. Even when she got pulled outta the hood and made some kinda new life for herself, you never left my side. Never changed yo loyalties.”

He turned back to face Lamar again. His eyes were glassy, the glow of the midnight sky reflecting in them.

“So why didn’t you say somethin’ sooner?”

“Franklin.. I ain’t deduce that shit ‘til now.“

“You really didn’t know?”

Even in the dream he could feel that previous frustration occur in his mind. Was he hiding in a glass closet or something? He could only let out a wry laugh.

“Yeah man. I was a fuckin’ fool, jus’ like you always said.”

“Damn straight.” He chuckled, and Lamar came to the conclusion that he could listen to that laugh forever. Franklin’s face then fell solemn.

“Y’know I really thought that.. I really thought that you jus’ got with someone else. Not even jus’ my Aunt. I saw how you wanted to get away from me, and I thought…” He stopped himself, petting Chop’s head.

“I.. wanted to be happy if you was, but the thought of that at all bothered me.”

“Why?”

“Cuz you were all I had, dog. Mike n Trevor, they have their own lives, their own history n shit. I can’t always rely on them. Denise don’t give a fuck what happen to me. You my lifeline dog, I’ve known you for years. I didn’t want you to forget me over a chick or sum’. That day you acted all different n shit, it worried me.”

“Hey man, y’know I ain’t ever gon pull that shit on you. I’m with you for life.”

“Then don’t pull other kinda stupid shit on me.”

“Whatchu mean?”

“You can’t ever die on me bro. That ain’t how this shit works.”

“Ay man, I don’t plan on dying jus’ yet. Not unless yo ass by my side. Not ‘til I tell you I…” He couldn’t finish the sentence.

Franklin got closer to his face, cupping his cheek. His eyes shone as the stars around them fell from the sky, akin to raindrops, hitting them. Everything about him was flooding Lamar’s senses, and it felt surreal, between his aroma and all the other things he loved about Franklin. Golden flecks covered them both, and the stars continued to crash down. The sky was growing darker than before.

“Just say the words Lamar. Say them and this shit’ll be over.”

“How?”

“Well first you need to wake yo ass up.”

“Huh?”

“I said wake up, fool!”

Lamar’s blissful dream had been interrupted by an unknown figure shaking him, literal raindrops hitting his face. He was still bleary eyed, only seeing a vague silhouette in front of him. A wet slap to the face rattled his brain around, the hangover settling in. Shit, was he still drunk? What time was it?

“Lamar! Get up!”

“Oh.. Th’fuck? Who- who that is?” He grunted out.

“It’s me you fuckin’ clown!”

“Frank?”

“Who the fuck else?”

“Why are you-”

He was abruptly yanked out of bed, thudding to the floor with a small “oof”.

“Get up you punk bitch!”

“Franklin what the fuck-”

He was grabbed again, tossed back onto his bed. Franklin straddled him, shaking Lamar by the collar.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?!” He said, Lamar getting another slap to the face.

“What in the fresh fuck is you talkin’-” Another slap.

“15 fuckin’ missed phone calls! 15! Are you fuckin’ nuts?!”

Lamar’s eyes practically popped out of his head. 15? What the fuck did he say to him?

“I did what-”

Franklin shook him even harder by his shirt, stretching the material out. He was straining his voice now.

“You had me worried like fuckin’ crazy! I thought you was in some sorta fuckin’ trouble again! You blew my phone up when I told yo ass not to, and then didn’t fuckin’ pick up after I heard the first couple special messages you left me!”

Oh God. This was it. He told Franklin everything, didn’t he? The color drained from his face.

“Oh fuck me..” He mumbled, putting a hand over his eyes.

“What?!” Franklin yelled, shaking him again. Lamar’s head was pounding.

“Franklin.. what.. what I say on there? I barely remember a thing, let alone callin’ yo ass.”

“You seriously don’t fuckin’ remember?!”

“Yeah. Seriously, man.”

Franklin slid off of him, putting a palm to his face. He breathed through his nose hard, trying to calm down. Lamar realized he was drenched from the small downpour outside. Pellets of rain thumped against the window as a reminder that the storm never went away.

“You.. fuck, man. You started sayin’ all this shit about how bad a fuckin’ friend you was. That you, you was hidin’ all this shit and couldn’t live another day without tellin’ me.”

Okay. Good. He didn’t tell him the truth.

“You told me you wanted to die dog. Didn’t realize yo dumbass was safe n sound asleep in yo fuckin’ bed.”

“Oh.”

“…’Oh’? Is that really all you have to say?!”

“F, I was jus’ drunk. It was dumb of me, I know, but I.. It’s nothing, okay?”

“Don’t do this shit to me man! I’ve already dealt with enough of yo fuckin’ schemes n shit-”

“Frank.”

“It’s 3 am! You had Chop barkin’ his Goddamn head off the whole night!”

“Franklin.”

“Then I race my ass over here to find yo drunkass self passed out in bed-”

“Franklin.”

“What! What?! You finally gonna put yo two cents in for once?”

“Stop yelling. My head hurts like a bitch right now.”

“Good! I’m fuckin’ glad because I know mine does as well you fuckin’ asshole!”

Lamar looked pathetically up at him. This was getting out of hand. He let it go on for too long.

“Why did you come here then?” He croaked.

“Because you were fuckin’ sobbin’ into the phone! All I heard was you cryin’ like mad fuckin’ crazy and it scared me. You don’t ever do that shit, not even when you fucked up.”

“How much I say?”

“I got the first message pretty fuckin’ clear, the rest was jus’ incoherent bullshit. I barely got through the second one before speedin’ on over. You sounded hurt n shit, I thought something happened. I thought you was a goner.”

“No weird shit though right? I ain’t say nothin’ bad?”

“What? Lamar, what the fuck are you on about? I just told you what yo ass cried out to me! I couldn’t even understand any of the other messages!”

“Okay, okay. That’s.. good I guess.”

“That’s good? Fuckin’ hell, why did I come here? You- ugh!”

“Franklin. Can you jus’ sit down before you pop a fuckin’ blood vessel? You stressin’ for nothin’.”

If anything, Lamar should be the one stressing right now. He had been so close to confessing without knowing. Franklin sat next to him, arms crossed.

“Franklin.”

“What.”

“I’m sorry that I scared you. I didn’t mean to.”

“Well good fuckin’ job, you accomplished that real well didn’t you.” He said, sarcastically applauding him.

“I thought you were cutting me off for good homie. You think I was gon’ let that happen?”

“Lamar, that still ain’t a good reason to freak me out like that in the middle of the night.”

“It’s only cuz you hadn’t been listenin’ to me bro. I’ve been wanting to tell you somethin’ so badly lately and I never.. got the chance.”

“Then do pray fuckin’ tell LD, what the fuck is so important that you had to do this shit to me at 3 AM!”

“Franklin man, c’mon-”

“No! Don’t start!”

Franklin stood, heading for the door as he spoke. He stopped in the threshold.

“Tell me what the fuck is goin’ on with you, or I’m leavin’ yo sad ass here to wallow. I mean it L.”

“Don’t be like that. Please man. I want to, but I-”

“Jus’ fuckin’ tell me! Why won’t you tell me?!”

“Frank-”

“I dragged my ass all the way over here for nothin’ didn’t I? You ain’t dead, you ain’t sayin’ shit, you jus’ bein’ so- ugh! Fuck!” He threw his hands up, exiting Lamar’s bedroom.

“I’m done man, fuck this.”

“Franklin wait- don’t go-” He pleaded.

Franklin did nothing but leave him stranded again, thunder rolling far in the distance. Lamar ran after him as he walked out the door, hearing the rain heavily hit the pavement. His mind was racing far ahead of him. Franklin was leaving, he was leaving for good, and he couldn’t. He can’t. That’s not how it’s supposed to work. Franklin can’t do that, he can’t-

His mind had gone so far away, that he didn’t even realize that he had tackled Franklin to the ground. The two of them fell to the ground with a loud splat, followed by sounds of pain.

“Lamar what the fuck?!”

“Don’t go! Fuckin’ hell, I gotta chase yo ass and for what?!”

“Get off me dog!”

“No!” Franklin was pinned beneath him. The raindrops that rolled off of Lamar hit him in the face.

It reminded Lamar of when they were younger, playing football or whatever sport they could outside even as the deluge soaked them both to the bone. The roles had been reversed, with Franklin constantly knocking him down onto the grassy sludge. They got quite an earful from Lamar’s mom as they tracked mud in the house upon returning. It was a memory amongst many that stuck with him like glue. Those memories couldn’t go away. Franklin couldn’t go away.

Tears mixed in with the rain as he yelled out to him.

“You fuckin’ idiot! Why you makin’ this shit so hard for me?! You keep leavin’ before I can even finish!”

Franklin struggled to break free from Lamar’s grip on his wrists, huffing as he looked away.

“Look at me!” Lamar shouted, grabbing his face with a free hand.

“I didn’t wanna fuckin’ tell you like this, but Jesus Christ! For fucks sake you stubborn asshole-”

He was doing it. He bit the fucking bullet.

“You know how we got into that fuckin’ argument last week? When I told you that I was dealin’ with that whole love thing, I wasn’t talkin’ about yo Aunt, a hoe, nobody else! I was talkin’ about you!”

Lamar threw himself off of him, stumbling backwards. Franklin propped himself onto his elbows. He finally said it. He said it, and he was far from finished.

“But you didn’t wanna fuckin’ listen! And now I’ve fucked our friendship over for a second time! All because of you! This whole thing has been drivin’ me fuckin’ insane lately, and I couldn’t do shit about it! I tried so, so hard to avoid this, but nothin’ ever goes my way, huh?! Every time I think a plan of mine’ll work, it doesn’t! You know why?!”

Opening his arms wide, he spoke loud and clear, finishing his rant.

“Lemme remind you: I’m Lamar fuckin’ Davis! The biggest fuckin’ fool, fuckin’ clown, fuckin’ whatever you wanna call me! Lamar Davis, the most naïve bitch on the planet! Fuck me for thinking that this would ever go well!”

Now it was his turn to leave. But he didn’t go back into his house. His legs moved for him, walking in no particular direction. He just needed to get away from Franklin, not caring about how damp his clothes were now. He was shaking, and he didn’t know if it was from the rain or the range of emotions he was flying through.

He could hear a pair of sneakers squishing behind him. Franklin was running, and he was catching up fast.

“Ay Lamar! Get back here!”

Oh fuck. He was chasing after him now. That’s not good. Lamar started running himself, not caring about possibly slipping and falling on his ass. Only a few hours ago, he had told himself he couldn’t be without Franklin. Now all he wanted to do was run away.

“Lamar!”

Fuck fuck fuck.

He wasn’t fast enough. The second time they hit the ground, Lamar had the wind knocked right out of him, the duo splashing right into a puddle. Hands gripped his shoulders, flipping him around.

“Lamar!”

There were only a few instances in his life where Lamar felt small. He’d always been big in character, big in height, and according to him, big in other ways. But this was one of those moments where he couldn’t help but flinch, wanting to collapse in on himself. He was so tired.

“If you gon’ beat my ass or somethin’ jus’ get it over with.” He sighed, shutting his eyes tight.

When he felt nothing but raindrops touch his face, he opened his eyes slowly. His heart sank when he did. Franklin was visibly upset, guilt in his eyes.

“Lamar. Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

A wave of déjà vu washed over him. Oh. So that’s what precognition meant. Motherfucking psychic lady.

“You should’ve jus’ told me man.”

“I tried dog. You wouldn’t hear me out.”

“Cuz I.. I thought you got with someone. I didn’t wanna hear it straight from yo mouth if you was.”

He shifted up, Frank sitting in his lap.

“Y’know I always thought that.. Part of me jus’ kinda thought that it’d always be the two of us. I’m never gonna get Tanisha back.. but you..”

Franklin looked away.

“You a crazy ass loyal motherfucker man. You stuck by my side no matter what, and some dumbass part of me was convinced that you… I mean fuck, so many times I thought you would jus’ flat out say something. Somethin’ so I could stop waiting for the one other person I had known forever to just say that they fuckin’ loved me like that.”

Lamar blinked, rainwater getting into his eyes. It wasn’t quite as serene as his dream had been, nor was it verbatim, but Lamar didn’t care. There was something about the way the water droplets sat along Franklin’s face, highlighted by a streetlight behind him that made him look angelic.

“When you started actin’ all weird it jus’.. made me so fuckin’ mad man. I thought you was gon’ pick someone else over me. Jus’ like Tanisha did.”

“Franklin..”

“So why didn’t you jus’ say somethin’ sooner? I waited. Hell, I don’t even know why I did at first.”

“Franklin.”

“But now I’m realizin’ you must not have even noticed yoself what you was feelin’, when I fuckin’ did. I noticed and you didn’t and-”

Lamar grabbed him by the face, grip surprisingly strong after being in the rain.

“How many times do I gotta say yo name for you to hear me?”

The rain kept falling, never slowing for either one of them. Yet, it felt like time stopped. Lamar chuckled lightly.

“Franklin Clinton and Lamar Davis. Two of the dumbest motherfuckers in LS. Homies for life.”

“Yeah. Homies for life.”

His hands never left Franklin’s face. He pressed their foreheads together, lowering his voice.

“I love you, bum ass bitch.”

“Yeah yeah. I love you too.”

He kissed the top of his head, moving his hands down to embrace him in a tight hug. When was the last time they did this? As he thought it over, he could hear Franklin’s voice muffled against his chest.

“Don’t scare me like that again. Next time save us both the trouble n jus’ spill yo heart out. Dramatic motherfucker.”

The words had no malice in them, Lamar feeling him smile as he said it. He kissed him once more, and they just sat in the rain, feeling it bathe them in fond memories.

//plz listen to remember the rain by 21st century it’s so good 💔😭 anyway ya i decided to end it on a sorta happy note !!!!! franklin is a stubborn guy smh,, sorry for any typos lol also i rlly had no idea where i wanted to go with this so sorry if it’s weird or whatever

#grand theft auto 5 #gta v #lamar davis #franklin clinton #franklin/lamar #framar #one sided pining #but with a twist #mutual pining #i told y’all frank was hiding sumn

[perthshirecottage]

I have been rewatching Deception lately and I forgot how amazing this show is! Seriously you should watch it. And I have so many thoughts! There are spoilers below.

So one of the things I don’t get is why everyone in the FBI is so distrustful of Jonathan. I mean I get that he is a convicted felon but like, it was for involuntary manslaughter. Which isn’t good but the word involuntary is also in the literal name of the crime. It means he did something reckless and person died and he is being punished for his stupidity but he also didn’t kill a woman on purpose?! And yes after the crash he ran. But they don’t act like there was a massive manhunt so it was more of a run in the moment panic but he also let himself get caught even though he is a master of disguise? Which could also be attributed to not wanting Cameron to go to jail for his mistakes because I doubt that the first thing the cops did after Cam said the man in the photo was his brother that they let Cameron go with a pat on the back. Cameron was probably brought in for questioning and would have been convicted if Jonathan hadn’t turned himself in to corroborate the story. So while he ran he did still make sure another innocent man didn’t take the fall for a crime that neither of them committed. But when Jonathan is let out of jail to help save Cameron Deakins and even Kay act like Jonathan is some master criminal who can’t be trusted in the slightest. Again it isn’t like it was purposeful and premeditated murder. It was literally an accident and is even how he was convicted. As in causing an accident in which a person died! And if the argument is that well of course he is bad he has been hiding his existence for 30 years...well, so has Cameron! And Dina and Jordan and Gunter! But they can be trusted. They also lied! I will come back to this in a minute.

Why is the FBI so mistrustful. Especially once they have evidence that maybe Jonathan isn’t making it up and is actually innocent. I can actually get on board with Deakins’ not trusting Jonathan. She doesn’t know him beyond‘convinced criminal bad’. But Kay believes Cameron when he says his brother was set up. She knows that she is getting an innocent man out of jail to help find his missing brother. And yet Jonathan is treated like a low life scum bag. Mike is just as distrustful but he also has personal issues with Jonathan so...and yet Mike treats Jonathan the best because he doesn’t actually think sending Jonathan back to jail is the right move because he knows he can help find Cameron. Mike even takes Jonathan back to the Archive to say goodbye to Dina despite the fact that Mike can’t stand him. Mike’s issues are purely personal and have nothing to do with Jonathan’s conviction and yet Mike puts aside those personal feelings. Mike has my respect for that.

It does make me wonder though why Jonathan isn’t allowed to benefit from this deal with the FBI. There are people who have done truly heinous things. People who murdered dozens of people and sold drugs and done a lot of horrible things and yet are allowed to go into witnesses protection or have lighter sentences in exchange for turning in people who are actually worse than them! And yet Jonathan who accidentally (again that is his legal conviction!) killed someone isn’t given any sort of incentive? In Escapology Kay straight up says that Cameron needs to be careful about having Jonathan ask questions in prison because people won’t be happy to find out that he is helping the FBI. So Jonathan is helping the FBI, is basically a criminal informant and is risking his own life to save a woman’s life and yet is not allowed to get some time knocked off his sentence. If he is helping the FBI why can’t Jonathan be allowed to go under house arrest instead? That way he can help while not being in prison and can a little more comfortable for his incarceration? Why can’t he get some time off his sentence for community service? The FBI wants to take and take from a guy who isn’t the worst criminal out there and yet despite all the help he has freely offered with nothing in return they act like he is the lowest of the lowest. Like if he was given the chance to run he would and he would gladly leave his brother to who knows what kind of fate. And in a moment of adrenaline and weakness where Jonathan pointed a gun at a woman (which he didn’t fire!) it confirms all their suspicious that he deserves to be labeled a criminal. Again, this is coming from Kay who says that she believes that he is innocent. Kay even made sure that MW was caught on camera because she believes that MW is the real criminal. I don’t get why Jonathan is given the short end of every stick and treated so terribly because he made one mistake. Even for the people who believe he caused that accident. No wonder Jonathan snaps at the end of the season. The FBI wants to treat him the worst bad guy, then fine he’s the bad guy. And unfortunately Cameron is the face the FBI sends in to talk to Jonathan for help and so Cameron gets the brunt of that anger.

And now back to the secret that has been kept for 30 years. Why is Cameron the scape goat for being the one to keep Jonathan trapped when there were 3 other people who knew? At least Cameron and Jonathan have the excuse of having an abusive father who pounded it into their heads that Jonathan must remain secret and I’m sure there is some leftover mental scaring which is part of what kept both of them in the cycle of keeping Jonathan secret even after their dad died. It’s the only kind of life either of them had ever known and it must have been terrifying to think about breaking out of that. And what is the crew’s excuse. They were all fully adults when they found out and none of them helped the twins get out of that toxic mindset because it does make a really cool show. Dina dated Jonathan and obviously liked him but she wasn’t any more willing to help Jonathan step out of the shadows than anyone else.

Why is Cameron blamed so heavily for Jonathan’s life being miserable? I mean think about it. Sebastian is obviously the one who started the whole mess and is truly to blame for everything. Cameron and Jonathan were just kids forced to do their dad’s bidding. Then after they became adults neither of the brothers revealed that there were two of them. Jonathan was legally an adult when their dad died. Why couldn’t Jonathan say screw the show and walk out on stage with Cameron and reveal the truth? No one was stopping him. And you can’t tell me that if Jonathan really and truly wanted out that Cameron wouldn’t have made it happen. Cameron spent a year of his life ruining his own career and driving himself crazy trying to find proof of his brother’s innocence long before meeting the FBI. Cameron refused to do anything to better his own life until he saved Jonathan. Cameron loves his brother more than anything and it’s so obvious. Cameron even turns his back on Kay, a woman he is starting to fall in love with. Cameron decided to become a criminal and go on the run because he loves his brother. Cameron would give his own life if it meant his brother could be free. Everything Cameron does is for his brother. And yes, Cameron didn’t steal the diamond but letting an innocent woman get in trouble for his own crime isn’t that crazy of a line to not want to cross. Cameron knows intimately what it’s like to feel guilty for an innocent person losing everything because of his own perceived mistakes. But when it’s just Cameron’s life on the line he is all in.

When I think about Jonathan wanting to end the charade I imagine the conversation going like this:

Jonathan: I want out.

Cameron: but we could do such a cool show.

Jonathan hesitating for a couple of seconds: ok.

I don’t think Jonathan put up that big of a fight. If he had made it clear that he wanted nothing more than to get out Cameron would have let him! Jonathan gave in easily and let himself stay there because it was easier than dealing with the consequences of actually going through with it. Again that mental scaring coming into play. Jonathan has only been known as himself by a very very small number of people. Everyone else in the world knows him as Cameron. So he is probably scared of what would happen if he were to reveal himself. He knows everyone loves Cameron but would people actually accept Jonathan? What if the answer is no? What if everyone is disappointed to find out that Cameron has a brother? What if Cameron is accepted and Jonathan is rejected? Would Cameron continue living his life and Jonathan would be forced out and stuck watching his brother from afar and wind up completely and totally alone? So Jonathan stays.

And Cameron loves his brother and knows his brother is amazing. What happens if people discover Jonathan and they all realize how amazing Cameron already knows he is? Will Cameron lose his brother? Will Jonathan realize there are people out there who are better than Cameron? And since Jonathan isn’t forced to spend time with only Cameron will he leave? Cameron couldn’t be truly known any better than Jonathan. Despite having a ‘life’ Cameron was just as trapped and isolated by this secret as Jonathan. Cameron lost a woman he loved because he couldn’t tell her he had a twin and so was accused of cheating because no one thought he should be allowed to trust her with something that important. I think the psychological toll this whole act took has been affecting the twins their whole life. It’s just that when the truth came out it was way worse than either ever imagined.

Again the crew sees themselves as family but they never did anything to encourage the twins to reveal the truth. I’m sure they heard Jonathan express his desire to stop hiding at some point. And none of them advocated for him. None of them helped the brothers to see that their life was actually messed up and that they both needed help. They saw Cameron devastated over his breakup because of this secret and they never said ‘hey, maybe it’s time you were both allowed to have a full life?’ Jonathan was able to actually maintain a relationship unlike Cameron because Dina was aware of both brothers and he didn’t have to hide from her. Jonathan screwed that up all on his own. Because at the end of the day Jonathan and Cameron were both victims of Sebastian’s terrible parenting.

This show has so much going for. I will be forever disappointed it never got the second season it deserves!

#deception #cameron black #Jonathan black #perthshirecottage posts

[bxcketbarnes]

Camping with the Boys

Pairing: Ashton Irwin x Reader

Words: 2800+

Request: Could you write one where you are camping with the guys & you end up fucking Ashton & the guys hear it

Authors Note: I love this fic. It's adorable. I was gonna write a bit of the smut, but I'm all smutted out at the moment, so I apologize. I hope you enjoy it still 🖤

"Why the fuck am I the only girl on this trip?" I ask the boys as we all squeezed into Ashton's black SUV. My eyes met Ash's hazel ones in the rearview mirror as he shrugs his shoulders. "Are you guys such dorks that I'm your only lady friend?"

"Aye!" The boys shout and look back at me.

I let out a laugh as I raise my hands in defense. "I'm just saying. I don't know why y'all didn't ask Bri or Steff. I'm sure they would've come. I mean, they have a crush on the two of you," I motion towards Calum and Mike.

The two of them part their lips in surprise at my words as I lean back in my seat and cross my arms over my chest. "You can't just say that! We're going away for like four days without cell service," Michael mentions and I scoff, looking back towards the blonde.

"Should've thought about that before only inviting me," I tell him with a smirk and he groans, leaning his head against the passenger seat. I watch as he took out his phone, assuming he's texting Steff right now.

"You have me!" Ash states and I smile at him, my heart fluttering in his chest.

Ashton and I have a special kind of relationship. We're super flirty and I'm pretty sure both of us know that we have feelings for each other… just haven't acted on them yet.

"You're not wrong there," I mumble and reach my arms around the seat, laying my hands on his chest.

"Yo, you two? Stop, now," Luke comments and I look back at the curly-haired blonde.

"We're not doing anything?" I question him with furrowed eyebrows and he scoffs.

Ashton's hand rests on top of mine, his thumb rubbing against the back of my hand. "Bullshit. He's rubbing your hand right now!" Mike chimes in and I roll my eyes, pulling my hands away from Ash.

"Yeah. You two don't know how to keep your hands off each other," Luke adds and I roll my eyes.

"Yes, we do."

"Wanna bet on it?" Calum smirks and I look towards the Maori boy. "I bet fifty bucks that y'all can't keep your hands off each other for the entire weekend."

"Fine, deal," I smirk and reach over to shake his hand, hearing a short groan come from Ashton's lips.

"Who the fuck am I supposed to cuddle now?" He asks and I give him a wink.

-

We made it to the campground after traveling for about three hours, loving the fact that I can still see the ocean from where our campsite is. The five of us get out of the vehicle, stretching our limbs as Ash begins to set the camper up. I set my gaze on him, watching his muscles work as he sets the blocks on the tires so the camper doesn't roll away and I bite my lip, kinda regretting this bet.

"You know, you can just give me the fifty bucks now, you know?" Cal says into my ear and I jump a bit, turning my head to look at him.

"What? Shut up," I mumble and the blue-haired man chuckles.

"Oh, come on, Y/N. I know you. We all know you and Ash have a thing for each other. Just admit you guys can't keep your hands off each other and it'll be over with," he states and I scoff, crossing my arms over my chest.

I smirk at the man and pat his chest. "Nah," I wink and walk over to Ash. "Hey, handsome. You need any help?" I ask while leaning against the back of the car.

His hazel eyes look back at me as he sets the wooden block under the hitch. "No, babe. I got it. Thank you though," he grins and I nod my head, smiling softly at him.

"I can get our stuff out of the car at least. We get the bedroom right?" I ask him and he lets out a, "duh." I giggle, shaking my head at him before leaning off of the vehicle. "I'll put our stuff in there then."

"Thank you, love."

I bite my lip, fighting the urge to kiss his cheek as I open the door to the backseat, flipping the seat down to grab mine and Ash's bag. By the time I grab a hold of both of our bags, Ashton had the camper's slides out. I could see him by the fuse box to hook up the plumbing system and electricity.

"How the fuck does this place have electricity but no cell service?" I could hear Mike ask as I walk up the steps of the camper. A giggle leaves my lips as I open the door before stepping inside.

There are two steps that lead into the bedroom and I do my best to open the sliding door without setting down the bags. A giggle's heard from behind me and I whip around, my back hitting the door as Ashton stands there with his arm crossed.

"Having trouble there, cutie?" He mentions and I huff.

"I mean, I guess. I'm just too lazy to put this down," I shrug and he steps onto one of the stairs, reaching around me to open the door. "Thank you." He smiles as I whisper to him, our faces inches from each other and my eyes flutter shut.

"Maybe we should just give Cal the money," he whispers and I look up at him through my lashes, my breath hitching in my throat. 

"Do you really think we can't keep our hands off each other?" I ask him and he tilts his head a bit while shrugging.

"We do the little touches, so I don't know what they're problem is," Ash states and I nod my head, agreeing with him.

The black-haired man raises his hand, moving some of the hair out of my face, his fingertips grazing my skin. "Ash…" I trail off as my heart pounds against my chest, the bags in my hands getting heavy. "Inside the room."

He nods his head and heads into the room before me. He grabs his bag from my hands, setting it onto the floor by the right side of the bed. I toss mine across the room, glad nothing breakable is in it as I close the door behind me. Ashton walks up to me, bringing my hand behind my neck and pulls me in to connect our lips together.

My hands grip his shirt, moving my lips against his as my skin was on fire. I've waited for years to be able to do this and now that we are… it feels amazing. I wrap my arms around his neck, my fingers carding through his black hair.

I pull away from him first, breathing heavily as I rest my forehead against his. Ashton moves his hands to my hips, his thumbs rubbing circles on my covered skin. "How have we not gotten together yet?" He whispers and I chuckle, shrugging.

"I have no idea, to be honest. Maybe we're both stubborn," I tell him and he giggles.

"Well, be mine?" He asks and I nod my head, smiling like a fool.

"Of course, Ash," I whisper to him before placing a quick kiss to his lips.

The two of us stare at each other for a few seconds before a familiar voice yells at us. "Yo, fuckers!" Loud bangs on the camper door make me jump as both of us glance towards the closed door. "Get the fuck out here so I can yell at you!"

I furrow my eyebrows, opening the sliding door and crouches a bit to see Bri standing outside. "Holy shit," I laugh before rushing towards the door. "Bitch! What are you doing here?!" I ask and quickly open the door, tumbling down the stairs before wrapping my arms around her.

Both of us laugh as her arms wrap around me and we sway a little bit, the boys’ eyes trained on us. “What am I doing here? What are you guys doing here?! And why didn’t you invite me?!” She asks and I scoff, pointing towards the three boys. 

“Ask them! I was the only female they invited!” I exclaimed and her brown eyes move to the three boys standing behind her.

“You told me you were camping with your family this weekend,” Cal defends, holding his hands up as his eyes were wide.

“So?! I would’ve still come with you guys if you asked,” she sasses and crosses her arms.

A giggle leaves my lips as the boys become speechless, Bri muttering how she’s going to grab her stuff to spend the rest of her time with us. I smirk while I watch Calum follow her like a lost puppy as he offers to help her with her things.

“He is so whipped by her,” Ashton mentions as he stands beside me. I chuckle, nodding my head in agreement as Michael and Luke grab their things before heading into the camper. I look up at him to see his hazel eyes already on me with a dimpled smile on his face, feeling his fingers graze against mine. “Wanna get some firewood?”

I bite my lip, giggling while nodding my head. “Let’s go handsome.”

-

“So, I think it’s safe to say that that you two owe me fifty bucks,” Calum mentions as the six of us sit around the campfire, the crackling sound filling the chilly air.

A scoff leaves my lips and crosses my arms. “What the fuck are you talking about, Cal?” I ask him and tilt my head to the side. “Ashton and I haven’t touched each other.”

“Bullshit,” Luke pipes up and I bring my eyes to the blonde, giving him a look to explain himself. “You two didn’t close the curtain to your bedroom earlier so we saw everything. We all know the two of you made out.”

Bri gasps as she slaps my arm. I let out a shriek, rubbing the spot she hit as her lips were part in surprise. “You two made out and you didn’t even tell me?! Am I not your best friend anymore?!” She asks and I groan a bit, shaking my head.

“Of course you are and I was going to tell you… after the trip,” I mumble the last part as I fiddle with the sleeves of Ashton’s hoodie. "And, at least I'm making moves with the guy I like."

Giggles leave my lips as I lean into Ash, her eyes narrowing at me while a huff of breath leaves her lips. "I'll show you moves…" she mumbles before getting up from her spot, walking over to Calum before planting her lips on his.

Whistles leave Mike, Luke, and Ash's lips as I can see Calum's eyes widen before fluttering shut. I roll my eyes playfully at how dramatic she can be. Bri straddles his lap as they deepen the kiss, his hands running along her back.

I clear my throat loudly and the two pull away from each other. I raise my eyebrow at them and Cal blushes softly and Bri shrugs her shoulders, a large grin on her lips as the dimple in her cheek shows. "Who won't be able to keep their hands off each other now?" I ask the blue-haired man and he scratches the back of his head as my friend moves to sit beside him, their hands locking together.

"Shut up, Y/N," he mumbles and I let out a laugh while leaning my head against Ashton's shoulder.

-

I lay my head on Ashton's shoulder, feeling his fingers glide up and down my back as the two of us lay in the queen-sized bed. "I guess two good things came out of this trip and were only on night one," he mumbles, feeling his chest vibrate as he spoke.

"Yeah, you're right," I hum and tilt my head to look up at him. "I mean, we're the same except we have a title now since we've been "coupley" for a few months. But, I'm happy for Bri and Cal. They've been pining after each other for like a year."

He chuckles and nods his head. "I'm just glad I can finally kiss you and think about kissing you without thinking that I'm gonna ruin our friendship," Ash mumbles and I giggle, laying my hand on his bare chest.

"You could never ruin our friendship. I love you too much," I tell him and he grins ear to ear before leaning down to press a kiss to my lips.

My hand moves to his face as I deepen the kiss, trying to pull him closer to me. Ashton shifts and moves me so I'm laying on my back as he hovers over top of me. "Isn't it kinda early to be saying I love you?" He smirks and I roll my eyes while shaking my head, a smile on my lips.

"Shut up and kiss me, Irwin," I whisper and he giggles before leaning back in to connect our lips.

I let out a deep sigh, running my fingers through his hair as the kiss only lasts for a few seconds before Ash's lips trail down my jawline. My stomach releases a bunch of butterflies and I start to breathe a bit heavier as I close my eyes.

"Ash…" I moan out softly as he bites down on my neck. His hot breath fans my skin, trailing his lips down towards my collarbone. "The others-"

"Then keep quiet," he states and I shiver at his demanding statement as his fingers grab a hold of my t-shirt, pulling it over my head. I begin to breathe heavily, looking up at him as I can see the lust swimming in his hazel eyes.

I bite my lip, suppressing my moan as his lips wrap around my erect nipple. I breathe heavily as his lips work their way down my torso, his eyes watching me the entire time.

"I'm gonna make you cum so many times. Let's hope you can keep quiet," Ashton winks before diving in between my thighs. A sharp gasp leaves my lips as my eyes widen, silently preparing myself for what's to come.

-

Chatter from the boys and Bri can be heard as I let out a groan. My arm drapes over Ashton's stomach, his body head keeping me warm. His hand glides up my arm before gliding into my hair, his lips pressing softly to my forehead.

"Morning, sweetheart," Ash mumbles as his voice sounds raspy. I tilt my head up to look at him, smiling softly.

"Morning, handsome," I greet with a smile as his fingers card through my hair. "Last night was…"

"Amazing?" Ashton finishes with a chuckle and I blush, nodding my head in answer. "I agree. It was amazing."

Giggles leave my lips as a deep sigh comes from my nose, nuzzling my face into his chest. We laid in silence, his thumb stroking the back of my forearm. I almost fell asleep again when the pounding on our door snaps me awake.

"Next time we're going camping alone," I mumble to him and he chuckles. I pull away from him, getting out of the warm bed to hear a groan leave his lips.

I glance over my shoulder to see his hazel eyes roaming over my naked body. "You look like a goddess, baby," he compliments and I blush, grabbing his shirt off the floor.

"If I'm a goddess then you're a god, babe," I tell him and he grins. I slip on my sweatpants, winking at him before sliding the door open. I make my way into the living area, greeting everyone. "Morning, guys."

Luke grumbles and I glance towards the blonde-haired man. "You know these walls aren't exactly soundproof, right?" He asks and takes a sip of his coffee, his blue eyes burning a hole in my face.

"I don't know what you're talking about…" I trail off and grab a water from the fridge, sitting beside Bri.

She snorts, covering her mouth as Ashton walks out of the bedroom while running his hands through his hair. "Ah, the man of the hour. The guy who can get my best friend to moan super loud," Bri comments and I slap her arm, feeling my cheeks heat up in embarrassment.

Ashton chuckles and leans down to press a kiss to my head. "My bad. Couldn't resist," he shrugs and sits down across from me.

"Yeah, well, let's not do that for the rest of the trip, yeah?" Cal asks and I nod my head immediately, fiddling with my coffee cup. "But, I'm glad you two are finally together. We all are."

-

Taglist: @myloverboyash​ @itsasadfishworld​ @tea4sykes​ @abb-lan-5sos​ @sexgodashton​ @here-for-the-uproars​ @bloodmoonashton​ @gigglyirwin​ @h0tsos​ @galcalirwin​ @mysticalhood​ @lmao5sosimagines​

#ashton irwin #ashton irwin x reader #ashton irwin imagines #ashton irwin imagine #ashton irwin fluff #ashton smut #ashton fluff #ashton 5 seconds of summer #ashton fic #ashton irwin x you #ashton irwin onehsot #ashton irwin one shot #ashton irwin fanfic #ashton irwin fanfiction #ashton irwin fic #5sos #5sos imagine #5sos imagines #5sos smut #5sos fic #5sos fanfic #5sos fanfiction #5sos fluff #5sos oneshot #5sos one shot #5sos x reader #5sos x you #5 seconds of summer #5 seconds of summer imagines #5 seconds of summer imagine

[mikemoon]

                                 FOOLSHQ TASK 001: THE INFODUMB.

template credits © go to @yeonjvnz 

“hello and welcome, my 10 subscribers. how’s it going? good? good.” mike grinned at the camera, his silhouette was so terribly green-screened onto his gameplay screen. his character was already running around his animal crossing island as he talked. “i think youtube should make a 10 subscriber play button. but they won’t answer my email about that, so… that’s why i made my own.” he pulled up a piece of paper ripped from a notebook with a makeshift youtube play button drawn on it with a green marker. ‘presented to HATSUNEMIKEY for reaching 10 subscribers’. cut to a clip of mike sticking it on the wall behind him and giving two thumbs up with a grin.

“if you’re wondering what we’re doing today, we’re building a playground. my villagers need a fun place to go to, and so we’re making it!”

“we’re also here today because i’ve got some shit to say… again.” mike grinned once again. “i’ve made a list of things that… well, they need to change. and some things i’m just not vibing with but they can’t change… does that make sense?”

“first on the list: nintendo! please!!! for the love of god!! let me fucking craft multiples of the same item at the same time!!!” he said with frustration, meanwhile his pink haired character was putting down a path on the ground. “okay, listen. the fishing and bug tourneys are two of my favorite events in the game. heck, i even time travel just to play them again with my friends. but the fishing tourney is the worst to play when you gotta go collect clams last minute and make some fish bait and then your friend beats you to the diy table, and then you gotta wait for them to finish crafting their 20 fish bait one at a time. like, dude… the event has ended by the time i got to make the darn bait.”

“speaking of crafting, i would really fucking love it if i could craft in my house and i don’t have to grab things from my storage to do so. the pain of going to the diy table, finding the diy you want, and then realizing you don’t have everything in your inventory, so you have to click out and grab shit from your storage again… it’s not that hard to fix!”

“anyways,” he sighed as he put down some country fences. “my list included the very limited design slots. however, i don’t have to annoy you with my whining about that today because holy shit, the new update?! the extra 50 slots?? i actually lost my shit.” he laughed. “the fact that we have 100 design slots in total? i feel too powerful and i don’t know what to do with that power. it’s like… i already have all the codes i need for the designs on my island, but the extra 50… they’re so empty… so lonely… i feel like i Must fill them and use them. it’s a struggle… trust me. you must’ve felt it too.”

“next on the list…” an edited zoom on mike’s very traumatized face. “zipper.”

“since we’re currently going through the bunny day event, let me just say… i’m still traumatized by zipper from last year. the fact that i ran into him again the other day… dude, the war flashbacks.” a clip appears of mike playing animal crossing a few days ago where he was casually collecting eggs and sees zipper the bunny in the background, only to scream and run the other way. “this is the bad place.” real time mike deadpanned.

“all i’m saying is, they either change the dude’s creepy eyes, or they get rid of him completely. i’m still having nightmares because of the way he dances and turns towards you as you run by… unpopular opinion, though… the overalls he’s wearing are kinda cute and i wish able sisters were selling them.”

“next!” he says as he puts down a bunch of flowers. “why, oh why, are we limited to eight bridges and inclines?” he paused to think for a moment. “is it eight or seven…? whatever! either way, you’d think tom nook’s greedy ass would let you have more bridges and inclines. meaning: he gets more money! right? no! change it! i need more inclines! i’ve got way too many cliffs and i’m tired of taking out my ladder.”

“okay, this next one, i’ve seen someone say it and... i need it. please, just make a bin in the airport that you can throw your spare diys in and visitors can take them. at least isabelle would stop nagging me about there being items thrown around the place.” 

“speaking of isabelle... make her give the weather report or something. it would be so cute. her currently dialogue at the start of every day is so boring. i want her to tell me about the weather, or maybe about which npcs are visiting that day. it would be so helpful. it’s such a wasted opportunity that she talks to us every morning and only talks about her sock that she found behind the washing machine.” 

“next, the ability to move resident services. listen, some of us don’t have enough space to make epic entrances. moving it would be such a good addition. also, shit, remember when you could change the way the ‘mayor’s office’ looks... or whatever it was called in new leaf. i wish we could do that here.” 

“okay, hear me out... what if backpacks acted as extra storage? like, they’re not just some pretty things you’re wearing. they could give you extra space to hold stuff in your inventory, and that would be so helpful, especially when you’re making a build... like i am right now. speaking of that,” mike opened his inventory in the game, which was completely full of flowers. “i need some help here.” 

“and... last but not least. villager dialogue. did you know that one villager dialogue from new leaf equals at least 3 villager dialogues in new horizons?” he said before dropping his jaw in shock. “how insanely sad is that?? they’re seriously so boring, i want to listen to them talk on and on about something, and i could actually choose where the conversation goes. i don’t know if you noticed, but in new horizons, if a villager asks you something, they just go ‘oh okay’ and end it right there. like...? there’s no substance.” 

by now, mike had finished building his little playground in the game, and his character was walking around, showing it off. “we finished the playground, it’s so cute.” he smiled. “i love it. nintendo, please let the villagers interact with it, it’s too precious!”

“anyways, i’m gonna end it right here-” he paused, looking like he just remembered something. “actually, one more thing. nintendo, imma need you to fix your online service. just get rid of it. no one needs to pay twice to play something; once for the game, and once again for the service. it’s useless as hell.”

“anyways, thanks for watching. see you when i reach 11 subscribers. bye!” 

#foolstask #–– . ▴ task !’ #THIS IS A MESSSSSS #i rly just wrote a whole youtube video #embarrassing ]

[titan-fodder]

Hey, I have anxiety and your fics really help me through it recently I've been having a different type of anxiety-like what if the person I love decides they just don't anymore. Or what if one day in the future I have a husband of like 20 years and he just gets up and leaves me. I know you said you're married and I was just wondering do you have any advice.

alright, i’ve been sitting on this ask all day because i had to think, but i honestly don’t think i’ll have the right words to say. this is kinda long. 

that fear is always gonna sit with you. it’s something my husband brings up sometimes when we get real mushy and lovey or talk about the future or his parents... a lot of things bring it up lol. but anyway, he wonders what will happen if one of us just decides one day. and it’s a scary thought because life happens sometimes. as you grow, you change. you can grow apart, you can get to different parts of your life at different times. a multitude of things can happen. 

but there are ways to try to counter it. 

for one, work on communication skills. it’s hard (like, we just got over a spat from two nights ago), but it’s so worth it. even if it means swallowing your pride or taking space for a little while. you have to be able to step back, assess the situation and decide if whatever you’re arguing about is a hill you’re willing to die on. usually it’s not.

secondly, have hobbies together. make sure you spend quality time with each other. mike and i watch anime and movies together. he lets me talk about my experiences in the hospital and my friends and stories. and i listen when he vents about his day or when he beats a monster in a video game. just show interest in one another, you know? be an active participant in the relationship. 

and thirdly, it sounds cheesy, but make each other laugh. even if it’s dumb. just make your partner smile. mike and i make dumb faces at each other. we have weird little inside jokes, like one of us will be completely quiet and the other will go, “oh my god, could you please quiet down??” and it makes us giggle every time cause it’s so fucking stupid. 

do your best to speak their love language even if it isn’t yours. mike’s is physical touch. mine is words of affirmation and acts of service. i hold his hand wherever we go and cling to him like a koala bear, give him little kisses. and he pumps my gas and opens my door, etc. it’s the little things. 

so yeah, there could be a day when one of you just doesn’t feel the heat anymore, but you can do things to try to prevent that from happening. don’t let them fall out of love, and don’t let yourself fall out of it. 

#mels nonsense #Anonymous

[himbowelsh]

I clicked on your "Love language" band of brothers post and almost passed out with inexplicable emotions... don't know if you've done one for the Pacific, could you do that + including Daniel Jackson?

right, so it took me genuinely forever to write these up, because there were a lot of boys here...  and in the meantime, i answered this ask about the pacific characters falling in love which turned out super similar.  give that one a look for more gushy romantic content!  i also included all the spr boys, because just doing jackson felt...  lonely, idk.  anyways here’s wonderwall

The Pacific

John Basilone: Acts of service. John’s the sort of guy who needs to be needed by his loved ones. He gets restless whenever he starts to feel stagnant, so always having something to do  ---  especially if he’s doing it for others  ---  keeps life interesting. Sometimes, John does favors for his partner before they even realize the favors needed doing. No, they didn’t notice the sink was leaky, but it’s great that it no longer is now; no, they didn’t see their mailbox get blown away by last night’s storm, but this brand new one is certainly nice...  it can get a bit overbearing if he doesn’t have much else to do. John’s good at focusing all his energy into things, which is frankly why he needs hobbies. Just take up couple’s yoga or rock climbing, he’ll love it. (Yes, Quality Time is also one of his love languages.) Robert Leckie: Words of affirmation. How cliche can Writer Man get? Very, and he only gets worse from here. Honestly, though, Bob is always verbal about his affections. He likes putting things into words, is the thing  ---  it’s how he makes sense of his own emotions as they run through his head. He speaks in metaphors and poetic phrasing, romanticizing emotions that aren’t always gentle...  but when he loves someone, his partner gets to hear about it. His friends get to hear about it. His neighborhood mailman gets to hear about it. This man cannot, and will not, hold back. Giving gifts might also count as a secondary love language, because he particularly enjoys showering his partner with surprises  ---  like a sonnet he wrote himself, a piece of jewelry he thought they’d like, or dinner reservations at their favorite restaurant together. He just...  loves seeing the surprise on their face. Eugene Sledge: Quality time. Eugene is a simple man who prefers a quiet life  ---  he really doesn’t need much. Spending time around someone is good enough for him. As an introvert, he values a partner who he can share space with, without feeling weighed down; when Eugene is close to someone, he ceases to be drained by their presence, even sometimes recharged just by being around them. His love language is calm and quiet, each partner doing their own thing in the same room, utterly content. If he gets to share things with his partner, like interesting books or sketches of birds he’s done...  well, that’s even better.

Chuckler Juergens: Physical affection / Acts of Service. Like...  Chuckler has a dozen ways of showing affection, and is very open about it. He doesn’t hold back in any way; physical affection comes easiest to him, being an enthusiastic tree of a man, so he’s more than willing to hug and even lift people off their feet under the right circumstances. He enjoys touch; he loves receiving touch, and it makes him feel most loved. It’s hard to call that his primary love language, though, when that’s not really how he gives affection. Chuckler’s care is made obvious through his instinctual doting, the way he gives to his loved ones constantly without the expectation of recieving anything in return. He looks after them...  but to be looked after in return isn’t something he’d know what to do with. He’s at his happiest being hugged by a partner as they stroll through a rainstorm, while he holds an umbrella over their head  ---  the best of both worlds for him. Runner Conley:  Literally a mess. He doesn’t have a love language, he just bounces back and forth with a little bit of everything. Look, he got them something cool at the store, because it’s a funny shade of purple that reminded him of them! Look, his favorite movie’s playing, let’s watch it together! Look, their sink pipes are making a weird noise, he can totally fix them! (No, he cannot, but he did pay the plumber who cleaned up his mess generously.)  One of those people who genuinely don’t have a love language, because they’re a little bit of everything. A relationship means figuring out what your partner needs in real time. Runner just rolls with the punches. Hoosier Smith: Quality time.  Hoosier is very particular about who he spends his time with; the sheer act of accepting someone into his space means he cares about them. He betrays his affection for his partner in fond smiles and tiny gestures, like sharing a blanket or offering a bit of the food he’s eating (!! generous hoosier spotted in the wild!).  Should he actively seek out his partner’s company, it’s a revelation for everyone involved  ---  there’s no surer sign that Hoosier’s truly in love. Sid Phillips: Physical affection. While Sid is absolutely a gentleman in love, he’s also a very physically demonstrative lover, and enjoys physical affection in return. He can get a bit clingy at times, just because he enjoys being close to them. Tucking his arm around their shoulders or feeling their body against his side comforts him; he needs physical touch to be assured that they’re still there. Nothing makes him feel more loved than when his partner dotes on him, cupping his face and peppering kisses over his brow. He’ll turn bright red, but won’t be able to keep the grin off his face, which makes it all worth it. RV Burgin: Acts of service / Words of affirmation. Burgie’s a generous lover in every sense of the word. His instinct is to give  ---  after all, what better way could there be to show someone he cares for them? While not shy about his verbal praise, and he certainly grows more confident in speaking his feelings aloud over time, Burgie’s willingness to help his partner with anything  --  even things he knows nothing about, like fixing a car or shopping for a new toaster  ---  shows exactly how devoted he is. He’ll rearrange all his day plans just because someone he cares about needs something. Jay De L'Eau:  Quality time. Literally he just wants to be around his partner  ---  he enjoys it so much, and is so happy just to be with them. Yes, this means he occasionally gets dragged into things he’s got no interest doing. Does he really want to be involved with brunch? Did he needs to volunteer at an animal shelter for six hours? No, but it meant spending more time around his partner, and getting to know them more, so it’s worth it. He doesn’t ask for the same in return, but a partner who took interest in his interests would absolutely delight him  ---  he’d feel so loved. Bill Leyden: Acts of service. As mentioned in the previous headcanons, he’s...  such a nice person when he’s in love that it’s weird. He won’t just do favors for his partner  ---  he’ll do them for his friends, without being asked, and without bitching about it once. Usually, he’s doing these favors while his partner is around to witness it. (Wow, look what a great person he is! What a generous friend! What husband material!) Bill knows what’s up. He’s doing fine.   Snafu Shelton: Giving gifts. Are they gifts any sane person would necessarily want? Not really. How’d he get into their house to leave a doll made of sticks on their pillow? Who the hell knows? Is it a threat? Possibly. He just... he doesn’t really know how to go about it any other way, so he gives things. They’re not expensive things, cause damn him if he’s got money to burn...  but if he were to splurge on anyone, it would be on his partner. If he spots something he knows they’ll like on the store shelves, or just something that reminds him of them...  hell, he might even save up for it. Just for them   ---  nobody else in the world. Andy Haldane: Quality time. He really adapts to the other person, trying to figure out what they need/want the most. Andy can perform of the five love languages well, and it’ll mean the most coming from him...  but he’s most comfortable just spending time around his partner. That’s all he needs. Intimacy, emotional and physical, is so important to him...  being able to have a companion who he can share space and thoughts with makes all the difference. He wants a confidante. He wants someone to share with  ---  not his thoughts, all the time, but everything he loves the most about life.  If they can find moments to simply revel in each others’ shared company, Andy’s a happy man. Hillbilly Jones: Acts of service. Devotion is Hillbilly’s greatest virtue; when he’s in love with someone, they become priority, and he’ll have their back through anything. This includes doing anything for them. Not little things, like tying their damn shoes, because a body has to be able to stand on their own  (and frankly, Hillbilly loves a partner who can look after themselves)...  but big things. If he knows something is stressing them out, he’ll try to take care of it behind the scenes to make their life easier. He wants to manage problems before they become problems, just to keep them off his partner’s plate...  but the quietest gestures, like the plate of breakfast he puts together in the morning or the massage he offers after a long day, speak the loudest for how he truly feels.

Saving Private Ryan

John Miller: Words of affirmation. He understands keenly the value of words, and what impact the right ones can have. John is never careless with what he says; he always means them, and expects those around him to mean them too. When he says he loves someone, there’s no room for interpretation: he loves them. He’s best with verbal interaction, values communication in a relationship, and will often hold onto a fond word said by his partner weeks  ---  even months  ---  after it leaves their lips. John’s got an elephant’s memory for words, and each one has meaning to him.

Mike Horvath: Acts of service. Of course, Mike’s more than willing to tell people what he’s thinking outright, but to him, caring for someone is more about what’s done than said. He’s an action guy. Being able to help someone he loves in any way  ---  whether it’s fixing a leaky sink, pushing a broken down car, or getting them take-out when they don’t feel like making dinner  ---  means enough in the long run. He doesn’t make a big deal about it, but Mike’s a reliable presence; when he cares for someone, he’s always there when they need him, ready to help.

Stanley Mellish: Words of affirmation. Just because he’s a loudmouth doesn’t mean he doesn’t care; Stan shows his affection through teasing and remarks that are half-straightforward. It’s hard to tell when he really means it sometimes, but he’s not shy about talking to his partner. What he thinks, what he wants, what he loves...  they all come out eventually, in a trickle or a flood. Stan’s feelings only grow stronger when they’re spoken out loud. He’s not a big fan of vulnerability, even alone with the person he loves, but sometimes he says something without a single ounce of sarcasm  ---  confessions of love and admiration so blunt, so devastatingly sincere, that there’s no doubt he means it.

Adrian Caparzo: Physical affection. With big body comes big responsibility, and Caparzo’s happy to rise to the task. It helps that he grew up in a big, loud family, where the go-to means of affection was smacking and tackling each other. Physical affection is the best way he knows how to show affection. Yes, he’s a hugger. Yes, he sometimes lifts people up. (Yes, he’s lifted Mellish a few times, but it was an accident, and Mellish doesn’t like to bring it up.)  Honestly, he can be a little careless with it, too free with physical contact at times...  but nothing makes him feel more reassured than having another body near him, available to hug or seek comfort from if needed.

Irwin Wade: Quality time. Wade doesn’t demand much in a relationship, but he also doesn’t impose. He’s got a naturally mellow presence   ---  “calming”, some people have said, and he’s not sure how he feels about that  ---  but while he wouldn’t mind being caught up in the bustle of a louder partner, he’s just as happy spending a night in. Just enjoying time with them, relishing the quiet moments when both of their guards are down and they’re at their most natural...  those moments are precious to him. He feels like he learns more about his partner then than any other time.

Daniel Jackson: Acts of service. Jackson doesn’t need lots of words to tell someone how he feels  ---  and frankly, if he can show it without words, he will. He was raised to believe a man’s words ain’t worth much if he can’t back them up with action, and that’s exactly what he does. Lord knows, Jackson would never tell someone he loves them if he couldn’t show it in twenty different ways. Doing things for them makes him feel useful, gives him a rush of pride whenever they smile at him; he might not be able to afford fancy gifts, but he can do chores to make their life a little easier, massage their sore muscles after a long day, cook breakfast and run errands when they need it. 

Richard Reiben: Words of affirmation. Local Man Does Not Know How To Shut The Hell Up. He’s really good at talking, even if he’s not saying anything at all  ---  it’s a talent. Expecting Rich to shut up is like expecting a frog to grow wings. When he feels something strongly, he’s learned to say it loudly. Full disclosure, he’s not the best with feelings, and being sentimental out loud makes him feel like an idiot, so no eloquent declarations of eternal love here...  but he’ll think of two dozen ways to say it in the meantime, like “those pants are working wonders on you” or “your presentation’s gonna be better than all the rest of ‘em”, or “no one does that better than you”. His partner doesn’t have to dig too deep for hidden meanings to realize he’s actually saying “I love you”.

Timothy Upham: Giving gifts. Don’t get me wrong, he’s read love poetry in half a dozen languages, and even enjoyed some of it...  but ultimately, Tim is better at giving words, rather than saying them. He’s thoughtful, noticing what authors they like to read, what their favorite genres are, favorite topics of conversation... picking out books is like a game to him, and he’s got a talent for finding what other people will enjoy.  He likes to surprise his partner, presenting a fresh volume somewhat nervously, rambling about exactly why he picked it until they take mercy and interrupt him. Sometimes it’s fiction; sometimes, it’s learning hobbies; sometimes it’s little volumes of philosophy or poetry that remind him of his partner...  he’s even written his own poems, once or twice, though his face was so red when he gave it to them that they almost thought he needed medical attention.

James Ryan: Acts of service. He can be overeager at times, but gosh, does this boy mean well. It’s most important to James to show how much he cares for people; he loves spending time with them  (ideally showing them his hobbies or going on “adventures”, which might involve a spontaneous hike or going to a diner at 3am) but more than anything, he loves doing things for them. He’s eager to. Throw him a bone  ---  or a task to do  ---  and he’ll jump on them. It gives him a sense of purpose, and the earnest feeling that he’s giving back to his partner all the love they show him.

#spr #saving private ryan #the pacific #hbo war #headcanons

[harley-sunday]

Final Approach [01]

Summary: Something’s different at Sandspit Airport when you return after some much needed time off. 

Pairing: Chris Evans x reader (f)

Warnings: Language

Word count: 3352

AN: This has been sitting in my drafts for a while now and I think I’m finally ok with putting it out there. You can blame my endless love for NGC’s ‘Air Crash Investigation’ (no crash involved here though!) and having worked in aviation for this. That it involves Chris Evans is somehow a given for me because he just seems to ‘fit’ the story.   For the observant reader - yes I already posted this a week ago, but I didn’t like the direction it was taking and so I changed some things around. You might want to reread :) 

Masterlist

You stifle a yawn just as Deb appears at your table with the Cobb salad you ordered a couple of minutes earlier, earning you a kind smile from the older woman before she says something that you don’t quite catch. Like pretty much always, Mike, the bartender, has turned the music up way too loud and so you point to your ear before you shake your head to let Deb know you didn't get any of what she said.

"You work too hard," she says, her voice raised just enough for it to reach you over the outro of Bruce Springsteen's 'Born to Run', the look on her face nothing short of judgmental, her arms now crossed in front of her chest for good measure. When your parents moved back to the mainland a little over ten years ago, Deb promised them to take good care of you and so you’re used to this by now.

There's a lull in the music then, in which you assure her you're fine even though you know she doesn't believe you. You sit upright to appear more awake but the scowl doesn’t disappear and you know there’s nothing you can do to convince her otherwise. She’s right, of course she is, but you can’t let her know that, now can you? “Must be because I just had a couple of weeks off,” you try in a last ditch effort, “too much sleep, I guess.”

The way she nods lets you know she doesn't really believe you but that she'll let it go for now. It's at that moment Mike turns up the volume even more for Chumbawamba's 'Tubthumping' to let everyone know happy hour is about to begin. A loud cheer erupts inside Don Cherry’s Bar and so all you can do is smile in a way that you hope tells her there’s nothing to worry about.

Deb just winks and mouths, "Enjoy your meal!" She never could stay angry for too long.

Like every Friday night the bar is slowly filling up, most if not all of the patrons Prince Rupert locals who have known each other, and thus by default you, since pretty much the day they were born. The high table you're sat at is closest to the door and so all throughout your meal a chorus of, "Hey, how are ya?" and, "Good, how about yourself?" echoes around you as more and more people make their way inside.

There’s chatter all around you but you eat in silence, eager to finish your meal and head home. No happy hour for you tonight, you still need to unpack and get some laundry done before you get back to work on Monday.  

As if on cue Deb brings your bill the moment you push the plate away from you, because that’s how well she knows you. You hand her your card and while you wait for her to return it you grab your jacket off the back of your chair and put it on, pulling the zipper all the way up because you know it’s going to be cold outside. They’ve predicted some snow over the weekend, which is unusual on the island, but there has been a chill in the air that tells you the forecast might be right.

Deb hands you your card and the receipt back with a smile and tells you to enjoy your weekend.

You’re about to tell her you will, but she’s already rushing off to another table and so instead you wave to Mike who winks at you from behind the bar. You greet a few other people on your way out and nod to the guy who’s holding the door open for you, who you recognize as someone you went to Kindergarten with.

It’s dark outside even though it’s still early, but that’s how it is this time of year. You hurry towards your car, hands deep in your pockets and shoulders up high, trying as much as possible to shield yourself from the cold. It’s not much better inside though and you’re quick to start the car so you can at least get the heater going. It takes you a few tries to get the engine running, but your car is old and always acts up when the temperatures drop below forty degrees and so you are not too worried.

That is until you’re almost halfway home and all of a sudden there’s a weird shudder that runs through your car before the ‘check engine’ light comes on. Before you even have a chance to react everything shuts off and you come to a complete standstill on the middle of the road. 

“Fuck.” 

Sixth Avenue isn’t a particularly busy street, day or night, and there are street lights on either side, but you still turn on your hazard lights, relieved to see they at least still work. With a sigh you get out and kick the front tire for good measure before you realize you’re going to have to push your car off the road until it can get towed. Leaning back in you put it in neutral and grab a hold of the steering wheel before you try to push it to get it moving. 

It won’t budge.

Fine. It’s fine. You’ll just leave it here for now and call Burt to come pick it up. His tow trucking service’s only a few miles away so it shouldn’t take too long. You take your phone out of your back pocket and push the home button only to see the screen light up with a battery warning. Of course. Unlocking your phone proves to be too much and so that dies on you too then. 

It takes everything you have not to scream in frustration and so you aren’t really paying attention to what’s going on around you.

“You ok?” 

The voice comes out of nowhere and scares the shit out of you and so you can’t help but curse, “Jesus!”

“I’m sorry,” he takes a step back, hands up to show you he means no harm, “I’m sorry. I just wanted to see if you were alright and if you need any help.“

“Well, you scared the shit out of me,” you say even though, in all honesty, you’re glad there’s someone kind enough to come up to you. You take him in and realize you don’t know him, which is weird, because over here there really are no strangers. It’s hard to get a good look at his face though, because he’s wearing a baseball cap that’s pulled low over his eyes, the logo on it not one you recognize. It’s then you notice a dog sitting next to him, patiently waiting for whatever comes next. 

You’re about to ask him if he’s new here but then he interrupts your thoughts, “But you’re alright?”

“I’m fine,” you assure him. You motion towards your car then, “This thing though, not so much. And my phone’s dead, so you know, double the fun.”

He chuckles, “What’s wrong with it?”

“I think it’s the battery. I mean, you get an iPhone and you would think that by now they would have figured out how to make the battery last longer than one day, but no-“

“I was talking about the car,” he interrupts you and laughs, “but if you want to talk shit about Apple products for a little longer, please, be my guest.”

You smile and shrug, “It’s an old car, who knows what’s wrong with it? Maybe you could have a look?”

He puts his hands in his pockets and kicks the gravel at his feet, not looking at you now, “I’m not really that great with cars.”

You snort, “So much for helping a lady out.” 

“Hey,” he crosses his arms in a defensive manner, but smiles anyway, “at least I have a cell phone that’s fully charged, thank you very much.”

You throw him a wink, “That’s the one thing you have going for you at this moment.”

“Listen, why don’t I call someone for you and I’ll wait here until they arrive?”

“That’s really not necessary,” you hold up your hands when you see his eyebrows knit together in confusion, “I mean the call, yes, please, but really, you don’t have to wait here with me. I’ll be fine.”

“You sure?” He doesn’t sound convinced. “Let me at least call first to see how long it’ll take.” 

“Fine.” You give him Burt’s number and listen as he tells him where you’re at and what’s going on while you take a step closer to pet his dog, his tail wagging when you scratch him behind his ears. You can’t hear what’s being said on the other end, but he ends the call with a “Thank you,” shortly after.

‘He’ll be here in five,”

“See,” you nod, “I’ll be fine.” 

“Well, if you’re sure,”

“I am.” It’s not that you don’t want him to stay, it’s just that you don’t want to hold him here on a Friday night, you’re sure he’s got other things to do. You smile at him, “Thanks for your help though.”

He lets out a low whistle that has his dog jump to its feet, “No worries.”  

You’re quietly singing along to the song that’s been stuck in your head since the moment you got up this morning when a flicker of light on your left draws your attention. A quick glance over your shoulder and out of the window has you smiling, the reflection of the sun in the water of Mathers Lake bouncing around beautifully, like a welcome back sign from Louise Island. All around the lake there are flecks of orange and yellow, surrounded by fir trees that stay a dark shade of lush green all-year round.

Seeing Mathers Lake lets you know you’re almost at your destination and so you hit the switch to transmit the call to let Joanne know you’re on your way, “Sandspit Tower, this is PASCO seven five, fifteen miles out south, requesting inbound.”

“PASCO seven five, report over channel three for runway one left.”

You’re about to respond, almost absentmindedly, like you’ve done a hundred times before, but then you realize something’s off. It takes you a moment to realize what it is. Because unless Joanne’s voice suddenly dropped a few octaves, there’s someone else in the tower. Panic hits you almost instantly, knowing Joanne would never give up her seat out of free will. Hell, she tends to joke she’ll be at Sandspit until the days she- Oh shit.

“PASCO seven five?” The unfamiliar voice returns. “Report over channel three for runway one left.”

“Who the hell are you and what did you do to Joanne?” It comes out more like an accusation and less like the question you intended it to be, but you’re freaking out just a little bit because why isn’t Jo answering your call? Jesus, you were only gone four weeks.

“PASCO seven five, please confirm.”

There’s a lot more authority in his voice and it sets you on edge almost immediately. This can’t be a good sign. Right? You let out a frustrated sigh with the mic still open before you respond, “Sandspit Tower, PASCO seven five, reporting over channel three for runway one left.” Then, as an afterthought, “You still owe me an explanation though.”

“PASCO seven five,” there’s a hint of irritation seeping through now, “do I need to remind you of protocol?”

You roll your eyes even though he can’t see you, but also because you know he’s right. You’ve broken just about every aviation protocol there is, but things like that never really mattered at Sandspit Airport, not until now anyway. Apparently whoever took over from Joanne is a stickler for the rules. Cursing quietly, you switch to channel three even though he’ll still be the one taking your call because Sandspit Airport isn’t big enough for Tower and Ground to be separate departments. And because you’re still a little upset and want to stick it to him, you put on the voice you only ever use at Bella Coola airport, where the woman working at ATC is an absolute bitch, “Sandspit Ground, PASCO seven five, requesting inbound on runway one left, if it so pleases you.” Then in a sing-song voice, “Thank you.”

The reply comes almost immediately and is as unfazed as it was before, “PASCO seven five, enter right for runway.”

Shaking your head ever so slightly you try to regain your focus - you have an airplane to land, after all. You’ll figure out what happened to Jo once you’re on the ground, you decide, before you sit up in your seat and relay the latest information, “Sandspit Ground, PASCO seven five, entering right for runway. Seven miles out.”

You’ve just started the checklist needed before you can start your descent when his voice returns, a little kinder now, “Joanne retired two weeks ago, by the way.” 

“I’m sorry, what?” Any concern for protocol has disappeared, knowing full well things aren’t as strict once you’re on Ground frequency. At least that doesn’t seem to have changed.

“She didn’t tell you?”

“No,” you shake your head even though no one can see you, “no, she did not.”

“I’m sorry.”

Realizing how defeated you must have sounded, you clear your throat before you continue, “Sandspit Ground, PASCO seven five, four miles out, please stand by.” You end the call and try to clear your head, knowing you need to focus on the task at hand. No matter how small the plane, taking off and landing are where most fatal errors happen and so there’s no room for distraction. But the checklist isn’t long and everything is as it should be and so you call back not much later, “Sandspit Ground, ready for final approach, please advise.”

“PASCO seven five, confirmed on runway one left.”

Even though Joanne won’t be there to greet you, you can’t help but smile when you see the Sandspit Air Traffic Control Tower in front of you, the two runways of the small airport looking as pristine as ever, no doubt thanks to Joe’s commitment to the place and his new sweeper. “Sandspit Ground, PASCO seven five, ready for touchdown on runway one left.”

“PASCO seven five, landing confirmed. Please taxi via Delta over to parking nineteen, one-niner.”

You scoff, pretty sure you heard the hint of a snicker coming through over the radio, “All the way in the back? Really?”

“Protocol, PASCO seven five," he replies almost instantly, but he doesn't sound all that serious.

“Fine,” you mutter before repeating, “Sandspit Ground, PASCO seven five, parking one-niner, taxi via Delta confirmed.” You lean forward in your seat a little as you fly past the tower, trying to catch a glimpse of this mysterious new air traffic controller. No such luck of course, because the mirrored windows only show the reflection of your plane. 

Almost there, you think to yourself then, as you take a deep breath that you hold in until you feel your wheels hit the tarmac and you get to add another successful flight to your record. Superstitious? Maybe. But you’d rather be safe than sorry.

“Nice landing, PASCO seven five,” he compliments once you’ve touched down. “Dave will be your valet for today. Please standby.”

“At least Dave’s still here,” you joke quietly. “PASCO seven five, standing by.”

Your smile only grows wider when you see Dave guiding you onto your parking spot, because like Jo he’s been at Sandspit for as long as you can remember. Once you’re in the right place you kill your engine and wait for the propeller to slow down somewhat before you open your door and jump down onto the tarmac, “Hi Dave!”

“Hey kid, how have you been?” He gently slaps your shoulder, always considering you one of the guys albeit being a little less rough with you. Which you appreciate. “How was your holiday?”

“Good, good,” you reply while you take off your sunglasses and put them in the pocket of your jacket.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, it was nice to be away for a while,” you admit easily.

Dave nods understandingly, “Sort of like a fresh start, eh?”

‘I guess it was,” you agree, although you don’t really want to talk about it. Not now. And so you change the subject rather abruptly, “But what’s this I hear about Jo retiring?”

“Well, you know she was long overdue anyway,” Dave explains as he opens your cargo door, “and then Roger had some troubles with his heart a couple of weeks back, right after you left, and I guess she decided enough was enough, ya know?”

“Hmm,” you respond absentmindedly, trying to figure out if you have time to go see Joanne and Roger soon, a little disappointed when you realize it won’t be for at least another couple of weeks. “Roger’s ok now, though?”

“Sure is,” he says with a wink, “they’re tough, those two.”

“Just like you,” you offer kindly, even though you absolutely mean it. Dave is one of the most dedicated ground crew out there and always ready to give you a hand even though you’ve told him many times already you’re more than capable to handle your own. Something Dave somehow never seems to remember.

“Oh stop it,” he grins, as he reaches into the cargo hold and grabs the first bag of mail, “you’re making me blush.”

“So…” you draw out, “who’s the guy replacing Jo?” You take the bag from him and place it on the back of his truck, “Sucker for protocol or what?”

“He’s not that bad,” Dave offers, “came in right after Jo left, from somewhere on the east coast I think. We still busy teaching him how things work around here.” He laughs then, “Don’t worry, kid, Joe and I will have him whipped into shape for you in no time.”

“Ah, thanks Dave,” you reply as you take another bag from him, “I knew I could count on you.”

“You know I got your back, kid.” He turns to you then and nods to his truck, “Let’s get some coffee before we load you up for your trip back, eh?”

Enjoying a cup of freshly brewed coffee you listen to Dave as he brings you up to date to the latest news and gossip at Sandspit Airport. Turns out none of the crew particularly liked the guy they sent in to replace you while you were on holiday, and once you learn it’s Chad Dave’s talking about you can’t help but agree. The guy’s a dick.  

“Alright, kid,” Dave grunts as he gets up out of his chair after putting his now empty cup down on the table, “let’s get you loaded.”

There’s just one mail bag to take with you this time and some empty crates you know have to go back to Vancouver Airport eventually, and so loading only takes a couple of minutes. Before you know it you’re back in your seat, calling the tower once you’ve filled out the departure forms, “Sandspit Tower, PASCO seven five, at parking nineteen, one-niner, ready for departure.”

There’s no immediate reply but you decide to give him a couple of minutes, after all you’re not really in a rush. Plus, you figure, he might be occupied with some of the sightseeing planes that always circle the island in the afternoon and so you busy yourself with the weather forecast instead.

He comes on not much later, sounding a little out of breath as though he has been running, “PASCO seven five, hold short for runway two right via Charlie.”

You decide to ignore the probability of having caught him on a bathroom break and instead confirm, “Sandspit Tower, PASCO seven five, holding short for runway two right via Charlie.” As you line up at the runway you glance at the tower again, but of course there’s nothing to see from the ground and so you shrug and call him instead, “Sandspit Tower, PASCO seven five, ready for takeoff.”

“PASCO seven five, fly straight out until advised, runway two right, cleared for takeoff.”

“Sandspit Tower, PASCO seven five, taking off, flying straight out.” You open the throttle and build up speed as you move along the runway until finally there’s liftoff and you’re steadily climbing higher and higher. Some people ask if it never gets old, flying from one small airport to the other, the flights only three and a half hours at most, but you always assure them that even after seven years you still get as excited to get airborne as you did the first time.

“PASCO seven five,” he says, his breathing back to normal, “turn at your discretion.”

“Sandspit Tower, PASCO seven five, will turn at my discretion.” Then, because there’s no need to blame him for Jo’s departure and it’s always nice to be on good terms with ATC, “See you on Thursday.”

“Safe travels,” he responds and you swear you hear a hint of a smile.

“Sandspit Tower,” you scold, already starting to laugh at your own joke, “do I need to remind you of protocol?”

#Chris Evans x reader #Chris Evans fanfic #Chris Evans Imagine #Harley Sunday x Chris Evans #Chris Evans

[midnightactual]

@mysteriousshopkeeper submitted:

“Yoruichi-san! I’m glad I caught you. I… thought you might be on a beach somewhere by now, since you just hosted a significant holiday party. In any case…” His fingers were idly tapping on something clasped between them as a subtle change came over his demeanor, like curtains being drawn open. “There are some… things I’ve been meaning to say. And considering my track record… I thought it best to let someone else say them.” His hands moved forward, and before she could object, he’d captured one of hers and pressed his gift into it.

Once she’d unwrapped it, she’d find herself holding a vintage, authentic Sony Walkman WM-D6C, in perfect working order, pre-loaded with a cassette – not just any commercial label, no, no – but a genuine, bona fide, old-fashioned mixtape. He’d invested considerable time and effort in selecting songs that suited his sentiments, first building a playlist on Spotify. He hadn’t even known all of them before he started searching, but he certainly did know them when he heard them. A tentative smile encroached on his lips. “At first it didn’t have tangible form, but as you can imagine, it proved difficult to wrap, so… I made this.”

The exercise had presented him with a delicate balance to maintain. His relationship with Yoruichi was… complicated. Lately, he’d come to the reluctant realization that what he’d been giving her was not what she needed from him, at least not here, not now.  But disillusionment had proven a sticky, time-consuming process. Would-have-beens and could-yet-bes clung like lint to an old sweater; every time he looked, he found more, and some were nearly indistinguishable from the knit. He’d begun the process at the outset of what had become an unexpectedly eventful couple of weeks, but it had been time well-spent; the effort had had a clarifying — and surprisingly calming — effect. Each day was a process of refining and crafting, loosely following a rubric laid out in a movie he’d seen once. As a finishing touch, he’d even added liner notes, just to arrange specific lyrics into a unified narrative. The result was a musical, emotional journey that moved through a spectrum of humor, introspection and encouragement.

Because there was still, at the base of it all, that deep and abiding foundation of their friendship. The pedestals and shrines he’d erected in her honor weren’t serving either of them; it was time for a little iconoclasm, a little restructuring.  Perhaps they could begin afresh and he would, again, be dependably her friend. He was aware that this playlist may not reflect her musical tastes, but it wasn’t so much about winning her heart as revealing his —she’d long deserved that much from him. Besides — at this point, what had he to lose? He’d quit castles in the sky for solid ground.

“Happy birthday, Yoruichi.” His face met hers with a soft, bright smile. “If you go, you’ll have something to take with you. And if my company would be welcome…” And here, the smile grew a bit dubious. “—I’d offer to go with you. I’d even make the arrangements; I could use a change of scene myself. You’d get good massages given on good behavior, with no lip service—” He smirked grimly, realizing how difficult it was for him to suggest without selling. “That is to say, I’d enjoy giving them. Quietly. But should you choose to stay, and celebrate your birthday here with us this year, I wouldn’t min—" Again, he caught himself; his face clouded for an instant, then cleared, transparent and a bit wistful, as he half-turned to make his graceful exit. “Rather, I would very much like that.”

Liner Notes

Listen on Spotify!

We Go Together / David Tennant & Catherine Tate - Lyrics We go together like the news and the weather / We fit like hand in glove! It’s All Been Done / Barenaked Ladies - Lyrics And if I put my fingers here, and if I say / “I love you, dear” / And if I play the same three chords, / Will you just yawn and say ‘I’m bored’ / It’s all been done Partners in Crime / Arkarna - Lyrics  As I feel, we are, we must go on, I will stand, with you, forever / Ever more / But without you it’s a bore, It’s no fun breaking the law / Anymore, anymore, my partner in crime True Colors / Justin Timberlake & Anna Kendrick - Lyrics Show me a smile then / Don’t be unhappy, can’t remember / When I last saw you laughing / If this world makes you crazy / And you’ve taken all you can bear / You call me up / Because you know I’ll be there Paradise Valley / Honey and the Sting - Lyrics  Take what you want from me / I bring it willingly / The paradise valley  Got Your Back / Mike Taylor - Lyrics If you need a friend to party - I got your back / If you wanna get naughty - I got your back / Just tell me where to hide the body - I got your back

Somewhere Only We Know / Keane - Lyrics And if you have a minute why don’t we go / Talk about it somewhere only we know? / This could be the end of everything / So why don’t we go / Somewhere only we know?  We Belong / Pat Benatar - Lyrics We belong to the light / We belong to the thunder / We belong to the sound of the words / We’ve both fallen under / Whatever we deny or embrace / For worse or for better / We belong, we belong / We belong together

I Won’t Give Up / Jason Mraz - Lyrics And in the end, you’re still my friend at least we did intend / For us to work we didn’t break, we didn’t burn / We had to learn how to bend without the world caving in / I had to learn what I’ve got, and what I’m not / And who I am  Clear the Area / Imogen Heap - Lyrics You find your way back down. / And I’ll keep the area clear…please clear the area. /  When you find your way back down…in one piece / Then I’ll just be waiting here…right here. / Slowly…darling…nobody means any more to me than you. Fortress Around Your Heart / Sting - Lyrics And if I’ve built this fortress around your heart / Encircled you in trenches and barbed wire / Then let me build a bridge / For I cannot fill the chasm / And let me set the battlements on fire

Undercover / Pete Yorn - Lyrics And we held and we tried / There was hardly lust between us / I will love you / I won’t let go / ‘Cause we are one inside these walls / Undercover

Black Heart Inertia / Incubus - Lyrics You’re a mountain that I’d like to climb / Not to conquer, but to share in the view / You’re a bonfire and I’m gathered ‘round you / Set this old black heart inertia aflame Invincible / Muse - Lyrics ‘Cause there’s no one like you in the universe / Don’t be afraid / What your mind conceives / You should make a stand / Stand up for what you believe / And tonight / We can truly say / Together we’re invincible

Yoruichi was actually a bit surprised when her hand was taken and the classic piece of audio kit was pressed into it, not having expected such a forward approach. For want of any other recourse—it was her birthday, and it was a gift, apparently given very sincerely considering his affect… what else could she do but take it?—she willingly grasped the Walkman and heard him out.

She was in for another surprise at how little he had to say, comparatively. Sure, some of the usual banter and salesmanship eventually filtered in, but the facade was cracked and the underlying sincerity streamed through the act like sunlight through mist, burning it off right before her very eyes. It was striking, and she stared at the spectacle of it, growing increasingly uncertain.

And then, just like that he… left? She was sufficiently taken aback by what he’d said—and how he’d said it—that she hadn’t yet had time to formulate a reply when he was turning and departing. Her mouth opened, but no sounds came out of it, and by the time she thought of something to say—even just, ‘Wait’—he was gone.

She stared after him for long seconds before shutting her mouth and looking at the Walkman that’d been handed to her. She considered it for several moments more before going to a closet drawer. She already owned a pair of vintage Walkman headphones with orange foam earpieces; they seemed the most appropriate thing to use to listen, and listening seemed to be the only thing to do.

Considering both components, she put the headset on, plugged it in, and clicked play. There was a delightfully mechanistic moment as the button sank in, giving that chunky, electromechanical experience you simply couldn’t get with fully digital electronics. It made her nostalgic as the first song began, and she listened, at first just standing where she was. The first song was a bit cornball, and she wondered if the whole mixtape would be that way, eventually sitting on the edge of her bed. But by the third song she was up and pacing about as she listened, a pit growing in her stomach.

By the seventh, she had retreated from her bedroom entirely, going to her bathroom almost on autopilot. Some part of her knew it was even farther away from scrutiny—harder to reach, harder to be heard from, even if her rooms and the building itself were very well soundproofed. Some other part of her felt almost ill. And then there were her eyes.

Crying had never been acceptable. That had been made abundantly clear to her from the very beginning. She didn’t cry. She hadn’t since she’d been a toddler. She’d watched her kōhai have a breakdown without crying. She’d torn off her own arm without crying. She’d cradled her little brother after he’d been shot through the heart three times without crying. As she leaned on the wall beside the tub, she almost didn’t recognize the pressure around her eyes. Her motions were automatic, and she clambered into the dry basin while she fought to keep herself under control. Things started getting blurry as a titanic clash raged within her.

Yet the music kept going, and she refused to stop it. Trembling with held in sounds, she finally punched the stone tiles before her. The strike wasn’t very hard by her standards, although it pushed her gigai—but it wasn’t enough to even chip the rock. Her arm stayed extended and she ground her knuckles into the rough surface, before retracting and striking again. And again. And again and again and again, until the stone was smeared with her blood and her hand throbbed and ached in protest.

The pain wasn’t enough. It wasn’t enough to compete with what was already filling her, and she gasped as it became overwhelming, hot tears spilling down her cheeks as she lost and it became entirely impossible to see. Her sobs were silent at first, wracking her whole body, before she smacked the bottoms of both fists against the wall, leaning forward to put her forehead on it as she finally let out a noise, something between a growl and a low wail.

She beat against that wall ineffectually, clenching her jaw as she still tried to keep it all in, trying to refuse this, but it was no use. ‘Volatile’ was wholly inadequate to describe the mixture of emotions flowing through her—it was a hypergolic cocktail that was already ablaze and demanded venting. And so, finally, she tipped her head back and screamed. Agony. Frustration. Despair. Self-loathing. Rage. Sorrow. Regret. It had all built and built, not just lately but for far, far longer, and she had no choice but to let out all the fruits of her failures at once now, like some kind of ravening nuclear death beam rendered in sound.

What her reiatsu did in response, she had no idea and no care to know. Presumably the gigai kicked in to contain it, but she was caught up in the maelstrom, a billion light years away from such concerns. She cried out and pounded at the wall until there was nothing left, until she was hoarse, until she was empty, until she was panting from the intensity of the chemicals unleashed, until her tears carried away enough of their torrent that she could breathe.

Spent and dazed, she slumped back, then outright toppled back against an edge of the tub, sinking down and shivering. Still, the music played, and it drew her back to the moment. She could think of doing nothing but flopping onto one side and curling up in a fetal position, desperately hugging herself and simply trying to be small, wishing to just disappear entirely. She stayed that way for a long time.

#In Character #Long Post #Music #submission #mysteriousshopkeeper #Identifier: MERCURY GREEN #Verse: BLEACH MAIN #Era: IMPERIAL

[travasourus-rex]

DC’s Stargirl soars high and shines bright! (Spoilers.)

I logged into my DC Universe account last Monday totally ready to my hopes surpassed by the service’s newest original program Stargirl after I was pleasantly surprised by the complete balls to walls delightful wackiness of the Harley Quinn Animated Series. Now, I confidently say that DC Universe has hit another home run with Stargirl’s pilot episode, and I’d like to explain why. To say that I was simply interested in Stargirl by the end of the pilot is a vast understatement. No, I was completely captivated by the show’s superhero world and sophisticated action by the time the pre-credits sequence was over, I couldn’t to see what else the show had in store throughout the episode, to the point where I was actually sad that I had to wait a week when the end credits rolled.

 The pilot begins ten years ago on Christmas Eve with Luke Wilson’s Pat Dugan racing down a Los Angeles street in a retro red and white Chrysler as his superhero partner Starman/Sylvester Pemberton fights alongside the Justice Society of America battles against the evil Injustice Society of America led by the villain Brainwave in a knock down drag out fight for the ages,which the JSA is desperately losing. Unfortunately Pat arrives too late with Sandman, the Golden Age Flash, Dr. Mid-Nite, Wildcat, and Hourman dead or currently dying, meaning Pat has no time to worry about the rest JSA as he searches the battle site for Joel McHale’s Starman, who’s busy kicking the ISA’s asses with his Cosmic Staff, but Pat’s presence at the battle causes Starman to become distracted and be fatally wounded before Pat is able to drag to him to safety in his car, which is capable of more than meets the eye, because it can fly for a hot second until Solemen Grundy forces it down. The night ends with Pat’s car totaled and Starman dying in Pat’s arms, but not before telling his soon to be former sidekick that the JSA’s legacy must live on, and someone with honor, strength, grace, and heroism must carry the Cosmic Staff. 

Elsewhere in LA, a young five year old named Courtney Whitmore waits to give a Christmas present to what later will be confirmed as her absent father by Courtney’s mother Barbra played by Amy Smart, as the present remains unopened even up to the present day ten years later when Courtney and her mom are about to move cross country to Blue Valley, Nebraska with Barbra’s new husband Pat Dugan and his son Mike played by Trae Romano. Courtney mopes about missing her friends in LA and pretty much ignores her family in the process, especially Pat’s attempts to bond, until lunch time of her first day at Blue Valley High School when Courtney sits with a table of outcasts right before the school’s meathead jock Henry King Jr. begins slut shaming a girl who will become the new Wildcat alongside his band other meatheads, they even go so far as to steal the girl’s phone until Courtney steps for her and pushes Henry into a juice tray, an act that lands Courtney in detention on her first day, which isn’t a bad thing when you do it for the right reasons. and it’s shows Courtney as being someone with strength and heroism to stand up for others like Starman said, 

Long Summary kinda short, Courtney continues to mope about the move and be frustrated with Pat’s attempts to be fatherly to the point where she takes her frustration on a box of Pat’s stuff in the basement, where she discovers box of his old JSA stuff, including files on the ISA  a picture of the entire JSA team as well as Starman’s costume, which causes the Cosmic Staff to become  sentient to Courtney’s command, leading her and the Staff to teach the meatheads by kicking their asses and blowing up their ride home after the group is bullying some other kids at the town drive-in. Pat is able to catch Courtney and the Staff in the act as they return home through the basement window, which brings me to my favorite parts of the episode as Courtney and Pat confront one another about the secrets they hiding, and the two are finally able to bond over the lameness of Pat’s code name Stripesy, I do hope their bond continues growing in future episodes

The action-packed episode doesn’t end there, because Henry confesses that the car was blown up by a masked person with a glowing staff, catching the attention of Henry's father who just so happens to be Brainwave, still alive and even aniger. Another thing that I love about the first episode is the relationship between Courtney and Stafie, as I'm calling it, Stafie clearly adores Courtney and follows her around like a little puppy who is ready to take her on superhero adventures, even if that over excitement leads them directly to Brainwave before he easily trounces the girl with mastery of his telekinesis powers against the relative inexperienced Courtney, who struggles to get away from the villain, until Pat comes to her aid while sporting a gigantic robot mech suit in a cliffhanger to end the episode.

Now that the overly long summary is finished, I'd like to give some positives and negatives that I haven't mentioned yet. First, the positives.

Geoff Johns: It's clear that getting Stargirl on the air was a passion project for the character's co creator, Geoff Johns, who based Courtney off of his own sister of the same name after she tragically passed away in an airplane accident. Johns also has an affinity for the JSA, I mean, it's pretty obvious since he had notable runs writing about Stargirl and JSA, but that love doesn't hinder his ability to write a gripping episode of TV that pays respect to the past comic books with clever easter eggs, yet tells a new origin story for Stargirl than the one seen in the comic books, which is friendly to those unfamiliar with the character. Plus, some of the jokes in the script got an honest chuckle out of me, like Michael Dugan asking what sports team Gerald Ford played for and Pat's response.

Brec Bassinger as Stargirl: I was pretty unsure how to feel when DC Universe cast a relative unknown actress as the lead of one their shows. If you asked me what my reaction to the casting news was, I'd say that I was cautiously optimistic and wanting to see more, as it turns out, I wouldn't have to wait long for a first look, because Stargirl and The JSA had cameos at end of Crisis on Infinite Earths. Now that the show has premiered, I have nothing but positive things to say about Bassinger's performance of Courtney, she plays the character with an understated confidence which she grows into as the episode continues, and she also plays the role with a great deal of physicality and physical reactions to things happening around her, such as the reaction Courtney has in school ID photo, as well as the reactions she has when Stafie tries to drag her along for the first time. It will be interesting to see how the character will evolve over the first season.

The production and the world building: Maybe it's because the show is co production between DC Universe and the CW Network, but the budget has put to good use by the production team, I mean, they built an actual S.T.R.I.P.E robot for use in certain shots, the show should be commended for that alone. The costume design and special effects are all top notch, as usual in any superhero show nowadays, but I want to bring special attention to spectacular background details used in things like ISA's criminal files, the photos of the JSA, and the photo between Starman and Stripesy, pretty much everything in Pat's box of JSA memories gets a nerdy chief's kiss from me.

Luke Wilson as Pat Dugan: To put it simply, I can describe the way Wilson plays Pat Dugan as a good dad who rolls with the punches life throws at him and tries to do the best thing in every situation to keep his family safe, even when he's overwhelmed, but he doesn't let that fact dampen his positive and charming attitude. Honestly, I'm rooting for him to succeed as much as I am for Courtney.

Now, the negatives.

The New JSA: I wish the kids who will eventually become the new generation of JSA had more to do in the two episodes of Stargirl released so far, or at least had their characters set up. Only the new Dr. Mid-Nite played by Anjelika Washington has a small handful speaking lines over the two episodes and any character establishment as a girl named Beth Chapel, who is in need of friends so much that she talks with her parents over video chat at lunch instead of the other kids, while the new Hourman played Cameron Gilman only has one line before leaving the scene to probably get in trouble because he's in detention in the following scene, so I guess he's the bad boy/powerhouse of the team. The same one line treatment wasn't given to the new Wildcat played by Yvette Monreal, who must sit in shy silence as the meatheads bully her until Courtney steps to her defense. I know the new JSA members will become more confident and open up emotionally once they adopt their superhero personas, but I would've liked a hint of the heroes that the kids would become during these two episodes, or at least have the new Wildcat work up the courage to thank Courtney for what she did for her.

Travis: One of kids in Henry King Jr.'s band of meatheads has the audacity to besmirch the good name Travis with his repulsive douchey behavior, putting other people who just happen to have the same name to complete shame, but I want to tell you that not all people named travis are the alike.

For the last section of the post, I'd like to ask some questions brought to my mind after watching the first two episodes of Stargirl, which I hope will be answered in the remainder of the first season.

Is Sylvester Pemberton truly Courtney's Biological father? Sylvester seems like an obvious red herring, but I wouldn't be surprised if the show decided to change Courtney's Bio Dad from who he is in the comics, they changed Courtney's sport of choice from cheerleading to gymnastics.

If Sylvester isn't Courtney's Bio Dad, and Pat said the Cosmic Staff only worked for Starman, then why does it also work for her?

What's up with the janitor of Blue Valley High? Something's up with that bearded janitor who gave Courtney weird looks during her first day of school, like he knows more than he's letting on, maybe he's an old JSA member. My guess is he's Doctor Fate because he wasn't one of the confirmed dead on the night the original JSA team perished, I think he used his magical powers to peer into the future on that night and saw what Courtney and the new JSA would become, so Janitor Fate planted himself in Blue Valley to watch over them. Either that, or he's just a crazy man

Does Rick Tyler know what his father did with the JSA? In the second episode, it's revealed that the original Hourman, Rex Tyler also survived fight against the ISA, at least long enough for him and his family to follow the villains to Blue Valley before he and his wife are killed in a car accident, so does Rick have a clue about his father's superhero life, or was it hidden from him like Pat tried to do with Courtney? Does Rick become the new Hourman to get revenge for/honor his father?

What else could Pat be doing in Blue Valley? Is he following in Rex's footsteps and completing his mission to stop the ISA, or it just a fresh start for his family?

How will the different members of the new JSA assume they're superhero roles, and how they help Stargirl stop the ISA?

How does "The American Dream" initiative to help Blue Valley prosper factor into the ISA evil plans?

Do the ISA's children factor into their parents' plan as well?

Will the new Wildcat finally get to speak in episode three?

Suffice to say, I love the new Stargirl TV series quite a bit, it has quickly become my favorite thing DC is producing right now and it's even gotten me interested in the comic books Stargirl is based on, which I believe is the job of any adaptation from page to screen after delivering a compelling story and characters.

Thanks for your time.

#stargirl #courtney whitmore #brec bassinger #dc stargirl #pat dugan #luke wilson #dr. mid nite #anjelika washington #hourman #rick tyler #cameron gellman #Wildcat #yvette monreal #starman #sylvester pemberton #joel mchale #barbara whitmore #amy smart #mike Dugan #trae romano #justice society of america #JSA #injustice society of America #dc universe #dc comics #geoff johns #harley quinn animated show

[auntynationalsblog]

Fargo: Top 10 Characters

Television shows like Breaking Bad, The Sopranos and The Wire are definitely three of the greatest in the genre of non-fantasy dramas, thrillers, and crime fiction. If you love those three shows, but you are unfamiliar with Fargo, stop whatever you are doing, and watch it now. Right now. Thank me later. 

One of the reasons why Fargo is a work of genius is the intensity and depth of its characters. These characters, in my opinion, have earned the right to be categorized alongside Walter White, Tony Soprano, Omar Little and Don Draper, as some of the legendary TV characters of all time. This blog takes a look at eleven of the most astonishing characters Fargo has provided to the world of television. 

Beware of spoilers, obviously. 

Consolation Prize: Lester Nygaard (Season 1)

“Old Lester, now, he would've just let it slide. But not this guy.”

Played by Martin Freeman, or better known as Dr. John Watson from the twenty-first-century version of Sherlock Holmes, Lester Nygaard is a loser. Like all losers, we tend to feel bad for him, until his personality develops in a way which makes us abandon our pity for him. Pity is replaced by disgust, and sadness is replaced by anger. Lester’s transformation from a good-for-nothing non-achiever to a devious and heartless criminal and fugitive is definitely one of the most subtle character developments I’ve seen on TV. His role is often overshadowed by two other characters from the same season. Very important character nonetheless, brilliantly portrayed by Freeman.  

10. Wes Wrench/Mr. Wrench (Season 1, Season 3)

“ “

Played by the deaf, yet brilliant actor - Russel Harvard - Mr. Wrench also can’t hear. What can do is kill. He is an assassin, and he is loyal and lethal. He appears in the first season as one-half of the committed team of Mr. Wrench and Mr. Numbers (Grady Numbers). Wrench’s childish attitude is quick to win the hearts of the audience, while his kill skills and will-power earn him a spot on this list. After losing his partner (Mr. Numbers) in a gunfight, he is spared by his partner’s killer because the killer was himself impressed by Wrench’s skills and character. He reappears in season three as an invaluable accomplice to another character on this list, a role which makes us love him even more. 

9.  Molly Solverson (Season 1)

“Got to love a man who keeps his word, right?“

Played by Allison Tolman, Molly is the walking-definition of a young and hungry-for-justice police officer. A daughter to a police officer and a granddaughter to a sheriff, Molly is the character that makes us nurture the hope that there is hope for goodness and justice. After losing her murdered chief early on in the show, who is replaced by an incompetent one, Molly takes up the challenge of solving her chief’s murder all by herself, and she quickly finds herself trapped in a world of assassins and conspiracies. But despite being shot and hospitalized, she just does not give in, acting as the top cop that she isn’t. The character even earned Tolman the Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. 

8. V.M. Varga (Season 3)

“The past is unpredictable.”

Played by David Thewlis, or as we know him - Professor Remus ‘Mooney’ Lupin - from the Harry Potter world, Varga is sick, and in all likelihood he will make you sick to the stomach. Sadistic and ruthless, with a portrait of Joseph Stalin on his desk, Varga uses a businessman hitherto leading a happy and normal life to further his money laundering scheme. Intimidation and disposal seem to be his key tactics to success, apparent when he makes the businessman’s subordinate drink his own urine as a punishment for acting suspiciously. With the worst teeth on the show, and probably suffering from bulimia, Thewlis’ villainous role does not allow us to take even a one minute break between episodes.    

7. Floyd Gerhardt (Season 2)

“Three times, I sent men to do a job. Three times, they come back unfinished. I'll handle this myself.”

Played by Jean Smart, Floyd Gerhardt inherited one of the most difficult jobs in the world. After her husband Otto, the head of the Gerhardt crime syndicate, suffers a stroke and is unable to lead the mafia any longer, Floyd takes over all the guns and the money. Her eldest boy, Dodd, is unwilling to accept a woman, who is also old, as the new mafia don. However, throughout the season, Floyd shows us who’s boss as she uses an iron hand to deal with a rival gang from Kansas City and to investigate the homicide of her youngest son. One of the characteristics of Floyd which makes us like her so much is her love and concern for her granddaughter, who is mostly abused and humiliated by her father Dodd. The characters in season 2 are the strongest, but without Floyd, none of the other characters would be as appealing as they are. 

6. Gloria Burgle (Season 3)

“There’s violence to knowing the world isn't what you thought.”

Played by Carrie Coon, Gloria is the older version of Molly Solverson. After finding her stepdad murdered via asphyxiation, Gloria’s investigation leads to bizarre outcomes that find her entwined in something very big and very dangerous. A recently divorced woman, whose position of Chief also got taken away, her new Chief is simply intolerable, who demands of her to let go of the investigation. But like Molly, she just doesn’t give up, and her relentless pursuit constitutes the heart of the third season. Gloria is an example of how some police officers simply cannot be intimidated or corrupted into submission. The final scene of Fargo is a conversation between Varga and Gloria, and arguably, that tense scene is one of the best dialogue exchanges in the series. A true superhero. 

5. Lou Solverson (Season 2)

“Am I the only one here who’s clear on the concept of law enforcement?”

A loving father, a caring husband and the hotshot cop of town, Lou Solverson, played by Patrick Wilson, is your Marvel/DC superhero. Lou actually made his first appearance in the first season, as Molly’s father - former cop currently running a diner. In the second season, we are given a glimpse of Lou’s glory days as he single-handedly takes on both the Gerhardt Family and the Kansas City Mafia. Two things to note about Lou’s character - fearlessness and morality. Lou just does not submit to intimidation, as is seen in his confrontations with Mike Milligan on one occasion and with the Gerhardt Family on another. On the latter aspect, Lou is forced to take in his long-time friend Ed Blumquist on charges of murder, but the element of friendship does not deter Lou to do what he knows is his duty and is morally right. 

4. Mike Milligan (Season 2)

“If the goal is to kill those who oppress you, what does it matter who goes first?”

Played by Bokeem Woodbine, Mike Milligan is the epitome of suave. A well-read man, who often uses poetic quotes out of nowhere to dramatize his point, Mike is an assassin working for the Kansas City Mafia, and is in charge of ripping the Gerhardt Family apart. Arguably the most cunning and nefarious character of the second season, what sets Mike apart from other villains is the unbelievable aura of calm he brings to a seemingly tense situation. Varga does that too, but Mike does it better. Intelligence is his most lethal weapon, as his loyal henchmen, known as The Kitchen Brothers, carry out most of the bloodshed for him. At the end, although Mike meets a fate worse than death, most of us would die to be him during a gang-war.  

3. Lorne Malvo (Season 1)

“There are no saints in the animal kingdom. Only breakfast and dinner.”

Played by the former husband of Angelina Jolie, Billy Bob Thornton’s portrayal of Lorne Malvo goes down as the greatest villainous role in Fargo. Malvo, in simple words, is pure evil. He does not care. He is a predator, with an ideology best put as, “kill or be killed”.  He begins an unusual friendship with the Lester Nygaard, whose character is antithetical to that of Malvo. He even saves Lester from arrest and gradually, through his venomous words, turns him from an innocent loser into a evil loser. Eventually, Lester tries to show him who’s boss, realizing he couldn’t have made a worse choice about who to fuck around with. The personification of evil that is Malvo, can be categorized with characters such an Anton Chigurh, the Joker and Hans Gruber (who has an unusual physical resemblance with Malvo) on the list of the greatest villains of all time. 

2. Ohanzee “Hanzee” Dent (Season 2)

“ “Send the Indian,” they'd say. “Who cares about booby traps? Give Hanzee a flashlight and a knife and send him down into the black echo.” ” 

Played by Zahn McClarnon, Hanzee Dent is not an evil guy. He is a bad man, sure. But he is not EVIL. He is not a villain. Society alienated him, treated him like a mongrel and made him a ticking time-bomb only seconds away from the boom. A native-american assassin recruited by Otto Gerhardt from a very young age, Hanzee appears to be a loyal hit-man for the Gerhardt Family, until he loses his shit. An unstoppable force and a ruthless killer with a history of military service (Vietnam), Hanzee has an agenda of his own. His killing spree is triggered by a sign outside a pub boasting about murders of 22 Sioux Indians who were hung there, with a puddle of dried vomit beneath it. Arguably the most complicated character of the show, with an intense development of personality, Hanzee Dent is the only character in the show who is a lethal assassin but makes us pity him and root for him. 

One Last Consolation Prize: Peggy Blumquist (Season 2)

“I just wanted to be someone.” 

Played by Kirsten Dunst, or Mary Jane from the Tobey Maguire Spiderman series, Peggy Blumquist is the source of all the drama. After she accidentally runs over the youngest Gerhardt son, Rye Gerhardt, her husband, Ed Blumquist (another brilliant character) becomes number one on the Gerhardt Family’s blacklist, and acquires the nickname - The Butcher of Luverne. Peggy should not be perceived as stupid or a trouble-maker. Throughout the show, she feels what many of us also feel, that we are not living up to our potential. Her interests conflict with her husband’s interests, but eventually she does everything in her capacity to clean up the mess that she (unintentionally) created, and to save her husband from the cops and the mafia. Her portrayal by Dunst was vastly appreciated by critics and fans alike, but in a show comprising of so many awesome characters, it was impossible for me to include Peggy in my top ten.  

1. Nikki Swango (Season 3)

“You've made me the happiest woman ever. Now, let's make a sex tape.”

In Fargo, we have super-heroes, heroes, villains and super-villains, and we have Nikki Swango, portrayed by Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Right from the moment we saw her eliminate a threat to her grand plan with the help an air-conditioner, Nikki provided Fargo with the most unique ‘unique character’. A genius who utilizes her intellect in a professional game of cards (Bridge), she may be, at first, perceived as selfish and shallow. But towards the end, it is evident that she actually did love her fiance Ray Stussy, and wasn’t just using him for her personal ambitions. It is hard to put a hero/villain label on her because she embodies the key characteristics of both roles - empathy, willpower, deviousness, ruthlessness and a thick skin. Her partnership with Mr. Wrench, her plan to execute the entire squad led by Varga AND extort two million dollars from him has to be one of the most memorable moments of the series. Not to forget how she, along with Wrench, hijacked the truck carrying all the documents needed by the IRS to prosecute Varga. Simply put, Nikki Swango is the badass of the show. 

So that’s my list. I won’t ask you to like or comment on my blog (some feedback would be appreciated though). All I want from the world of Netflix, is that this TV show receives the viewership and appreciation that it deserves, which it hasn’t gotten yet. 

#netflix #fargo #television #thriller #movie #coronavirus

[rantshemlock]

It: Chapter 2

It: Chapter 2 is an almost three hour movie in which just about nothing of value happens

this review contains implied spoilers for the movie! if that bothers you, don’t read ahead.

It (2017) had some incredible setpieces with brilliant monster designs and fantastic practical effects, bolstered by a couple of excellent performances from the show-stealing Finn Wolfhard and Jack Dylan Grazer, along with an outstanding performance by Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise. this, and the simplicity of the plot, make up for the fact that the character writing was often shallow and the dialogue laden with exposition.

It: Chapter 2 has almost all of those qualities, but also one major flaw: it's a bad movie.

there’s a lot to unpack when it comes to why exactly It 2 is such an extreme drop in quality to the first movie; the biggest is the story, which is a mish-mash of new footage of the child actors and the characters as adults, and is probably the biggest pisstake in film history in terms how much of an extreme waste of time it is. for a film to so thoroughly enforce the idea that the characters’ actions are pointless and serve nothing is unbelievable. as a movie that should be a triumphant ending to the saga, we’re given what is explicitly told to us to be pointless.

It 2′s sin is that it doesn’t build up to anything. not storybeats, not relationships, often not even scares. things are laughably obviously telegraphed, even more so than It 2017′s often heavy-handed exposition. the movie wants us to care about the characters because of their past together, but rather than building off the first film’s two hours of story it instead patches in new settings and scenes that no viewer has any attachment to.

“remember the club house? you love the club house!” the film says, showing us to a set we’ve never seen before and have no reason to care about other than it dictates we have to now care about it. the first movie was incredibly well received and is now beloved, it has more than enough emotional moments to build off of, but the film rejects all that in favour of bringing up new ideas, new concepts that hardly get built upon. it demands you care, but doesn’t earn that compassion or attention.

unresolved issues is the name of the game in this movie; characters are constantly shown to have problems, huge, serious problems. Beverly is being abused by her husband, something we’re shown in overly graphic detail. Mike is suffering from untold trauma from standing vigil over Derry for years. Bill is fucking up his movie and his relationship with his wife. Richie is living a lie, deep within the closet. what’s most egregious is not just that these issues don’t get resolved, but that they never get addressed.

we are meant to believe that these characters care about each other, care deeply, have a connection that would drive them to die for each other, but no one notices that Bev is covered with bruises and is desperately avoiding home. no one questions Mike’s erratic, terrified behaviour. Bill forgets his wife exists. as i watched the movie i found myself asking, if Ben loves Beverly so much, why can’t he see her pain?

in the first movie, the characters’ issues were deeply entrenched in their psyche, were part of what Pennywise used to manipulate and attack them. in this movie, they haven’t moved on from their childhood issues and their adult issues are merely tacked on, lip service to the idea that they have grown up but a refusal to actually spend time examining what their issues as adults are. all the characters are suffering in some way, but they never share these things. for all their love and trust, they never developed past their childhood and they never learned how to be adults. their arcs from the first movie are reset completely; their development in that film never happened. for how little that film ties into this one and how much this one wants to retell history with new content, it might as well not have existed at all.

if It: Chapter 2 lacks anything, it’s tact. it’s carelessly violent and shallow, throwing around horrifying concepts and spending no time to flesh them out. while the idea in the book that Pennywise’s presence leads to more violence, abuse and bigotry deserves criticism, this film manages to do an even worse job. what in the book might be questionable and in need of updating becomes uncomfortable and thoughtless in the movie. the gay hate crime at the film is one of the most prominent examples; always a horrifying thing to read in the movie it serves even less purpose, exposes even less about the town, adds nothing, means nothing. goes nowhere.

let’s talk about being gay. let’s talk about Richie.

here’s a fun fact; discounting Nightmare on Elm Street 2 (as painful as it is for me to say this, as someone who fucking adores that movie) It: Chapter 2 is the first horror movie in a big franchise to have a gay hero, unless there’s some information i really badly need to be updated on. making Richie gay was a good move, and i think Richie was the perfect character to pick for it. he’s by far one of the two most likeable characters in the film, the most memorable, gets the best moments and the best lines.

but the conclusion the film gives him, combined with the hate crime earlier in the movie, after he spends the entire film in the closet letting no one know he is suffering, is that he will never be happy. he can’t open up to anyone about what he’s feeling; he never tells any of the others, even Eddie, the character strongly implied to be the love of his life. while Ben and Beverly are given one of the best and most visually striking setpieces of the film to reunite in, there is no such moment for Eddie and Richie. there is no catharsis for either of them.

while making Richie gay was an excellent idea, to try and throw a bone to us starving gays to have someone to cling to, but the ending of the movie left me feeling completely hollow. i did not want my takeaway from his character to be that he is traumatised beyond the point of any healing.

the politics of gay representation in this movie are bad, and so is race.

Stephen King is a writer with a dirty reputation for his habit of using “native americans” as shorthand for something magic and not understandable, and this film manages to not only dig up the few traces of this from the book but also make it worse, turning the ritual of chud (something that the book implied only worked because the characters believed in it and had no tie to native americans) into the act of ignorant, misinformed indigenous people who get not a single line to explain or defend themselves but are only allowed to be set dressing to later be ridiculed and demonised.

Mike, the sole black character of the movie, is served horribly in this film. while in  the novel he was one of the most important characters, a thoughtful librarian and historian carefully gathering the history of Derry to research the truth of It’s influence, he was given no screen time in the first movie and in this one is the detested outsider of the group. he is pushed into the position of mentor and guide, rather than friend, and comes across almost like the old stereotype of the magical black character, someone who is only there to provide guidance to the white leads through insight he mysteriously and magically possesses. the film stripped away his position as historian and researcher from the first movie and now scrambles to make up for that, leaving him without the history and characterisation to allow us to understand who and why he is.

on top of this, despite the enormity of his sacrifice to stay in Derry and the clear mental strain it’s put him through -- Isaiah Mustafa gives Mike more depth and thought than anyone else did and brings in his performance layers of subtlety this film doesn’t deserve -- the other characters are mocking and derisive of his attempts, don’t trust him and accuse him repeatedly of lying to and betraying them. these moments go nowhere, also. he is always immediately ‘forgiven’ without any thought as to his own suffering or the continual selflessness of his actions. he’s the thoughtless punchbag to a film in which the character continually martyrs himself for the comfort of others.

he isn’t even given the dignity of being called the leader of the group, despite doing everything for them and coming up with every idea. for some reason, the leader is nominated as Bill, despite James McAvoy’s performance being lackluster to the point of fading into the background entirely and the character of Bill doing next to nothing in the film at all.

but again -- the characters in It are not allowed to care about each other’s pain and suffering outside of a few moments. they come with their mental turmoil and they are either completely cured of it or allowed to remain in it, unmentioned again.

there’s not a bad actor in this -- James Ransone is astonishingly good, pitch-perfectly recreating Jack Dylan Grazer’s every mannerism, Bill Hader is both funny and heart-rendering when needed, Isaiah Mustafa moves mountains to make the script give him some depth, and Bill Skarsgard is again incredible as Pennywise -- but there’s also not an actor who isn’t horribly, horribly maligned by the script. Jessica Chastain, an actress of tremendous power and presence, is given next to nothing to do or say. more thought and care is given to Stephen King’s cameo as a shop owner than the role of Henry Bowers.

the film has its moments. Richie and Eddie are a delight, and the monster design and practical effects are again top of the line. it’s just a painful shame that so much talent and craft, the skills of the incredible artists and designers, the hard work of the enthusiastic and engaged cast and the intricacy of the sets are wasted on a movie that has no direction, no idea where it’s going and no point to make about anything.

also, it’s pretty fucking galling for a movie to continually make jokes about how despised a writer’s endings are only for it to take the far better ending of the book and discard it for something so ridiculous it was a strain not to laugh in the theatre.

It: Chapter 2 has no reason to be as bad as it is, but all the goodwill in the world can’t save a story this fragile, this pointless, and that refuses to engage with any of the subject it brings up to this degree. It wants us to take it very seriously indeed, but there’s nothing here to latch onto; this movie is someone screaming ‘oh the horror’ in a beautiful room filled with set dressings that crumble to ash.

#rantsfilmwatch #my writing #it 2017 #it chapter 2 #justice for richie :(

[jq37]

thoughts on this week's ep?

**spoilers for broadway brawl**

***Before we start, I remembered as I was typing this one of the important notes I lost from last week’s recap: Interesting that Christmas seemingly went off without a hitch. I expected Santa to come back into play somehow (like, someone would check on him to make sure Christmas was still on or he’d call them in to help or something) but he hasn’t, at least not yet.***

My guys, my guys, my guys. Was that something or was that something?

I think I am on record as saying that combat is my least favorite part of ttrpgs generally speaking because I’m here for the RP but when a combat episode shines it really freaking shines (see eg: that first combat ep of Bloodkeep where everyone went full Galaxy Brain except for Matt who couldn’t hit a single thing) and this is such a good example. This is easily a top five ep of the season for me, maybe top three so let’s get into it and break down why it was so awesome.

We start right where we left off with Titania and members of her court having come into the theater to beat the tar out of Misty mid-show.

Quick note: At the end of last ep, it was set up so that Misty was thrust on stage right after hearing the mirror was on stage which would place this fight right at the top of Act 2 but at the start of this ep, Brennan seems to indicate that it’s taking place during what would be the closing number. Which would make more sense but imagine you go see a play, the first act is super dope, and then the second act is an insane, minute long fight that’s pretty unconnected to the plot and then a buff, naked, beautiful man tells you the show is over and you should leave. Wild. Anyway.

Pixies with tommy guns in inherently funny.

So one of the things that makes this fight really great is the way it directly ties into the story in a way besides “These bad guys are in our way.” Misty is using this show as a part of her reincarnation spell so if the show is messed up, it fails and she’s on her last life. Brennan has a cool mechanic of making her roll death saves every round at a difficulty lower than her modifier (which is s/t crazy like 11) but that gets harder with damage done to her and performance checks failed by other players who decide to jump on stage. It’s a great way to make the battle feel like it has more personal stakes and it’s my fave original Brennan mechanic since the Family in Flames Sophie’s Choice situation.

(I love that the death save counter is changed for theater comedy/tragedy masks for this. Nice touch.)

Em, Esther, and Wally are also at the fight which is clutch.

Also, Sondheim is specifically here which is an insane detail to add just because.

WILD that no one knows what’s going on with the ritual initially because, as Lou almost does, getting all the civilians out is the smart move and it would COMPLETELY ruin Misty’s plans instantly.

Lou having Kingston take the stairs bc’s he’s 50+ years old and has no time for that nonsense has equal but opposite energy to him doing extra rolls for Fabian to do unnecessary parkour before a simple attack because Fabian’s Like That.

Murph fireblasts the hell out of Titania’s foot soldiers right off the bat from outside of counterspell range which is very cool.

“Give me a performance check for the cockroach.”

“You’re upstaging me bitch?”

Another great thing about this fight is that because of it’s theatrical nature, everyone’s RPing it more than a usual battle ep (or more intensely maybe is what I mean).

Titania hypnotizes Don Confetti and his goons into fighting for her.

“She doesn’t know she’s in a play but she does sing most of her dialogue which is helpful for you.” Titania is just Like That.

Pete drops an erupting earth and drops a sick 37 damage on those same minions Kug got.

I didn’t notice before but yeah, Ally does roll die like a f-ing beyblade champion.

Emily hearing Murph’s low key, offhand comments and cracking up is great.

“Get Sondheim!” (Emily and then Ally: WHAT?!)

Actual living dude Stephen Sondheim being involved in this fight is just so ridiculous and fun and crazy.

We go around to Misty’s turn and she has to beat a 28 (upped from 10) and she fails which feels worse than a normal failed death save somehow.

Lou, in a very good RP move, tells Pete to tell Misty to end the show so she can tell them not to so the group has a valid reason to not evacuate which is a thing they (or at least him and Ricky) would obviously want to do.

Sophie, the madwoman, jumps out of the balcony, grabs a costume, then runs on stage. Emily’s glee at being told that her grabbing the costume will give her advantage is great. She’s always trying to figure out how to make the most of her moves. She is the living embodiment of the concept of method to madness (which is from Hamlet since we’re talking Shakespeare today). 

Ox is constantly dying (Brennan!) but also it’s like, why was he even there before the fight started? I’ve never seen a non-service dog in a theater.

Ricky: Is this part of it?

Oh, forgot to mention that everything that happens on stage is kinda shielded by the Umbral Arcana so everyone watching thinks it’s part of the show, which is a cool plot detail.

Ricky gets fULLY NAKED (Emily, with perfect comic timing: Now do I roll with disadvantage?) and leaps into the fray. He casts Protection from Evil and Good on her which (1) He does by Magic Mike body-rolling on her while he’s naked and considering how much shorter she is that her raises some interesting questions about positioning and (2) is the most clutch use of this spell I’ve seen in a while. It’s a spell I always wanna take as a Paladin because it makes sense character-wise, but I’ve never been able to actually use it because we’re never fighting fiends, fae, or celestial.

Brennan’s dime change change reversal of the critic’s comments on Ricky’s body rolls when Zac re-rolls his 11 makes me glad I never had to face him in a debate team setting.

Ally: What’s Esther’s deal ;)/Brennan: *Esther’s Weapon Stats*

“Your only secret you’ve ever had in your life is that you have a crush on her.”

Wally has a beautiful singing voice and a working knowledge of Midsummer's which is wild.

Lou’s periodic, “My man”’s when Ally/Pete does something cool. He’s very dialed into being Kingston.

Ricky’s aura keeps everyone near him from being charmed and Misty saves everyone else w/ a nat 20 counterspell. Few things in D&D are more satisfying than a well executed counterspell.

Titania trying to get Pete to be her consort or something when he just over the super posh Priya is very funny.

“I mean between me and Sondheim, get Sondheim!”

“DO WE HAVE HOMEWORK TONIGHT?” (“We did have homework.”)

Anyway, Misty has one success now!

Misty tries to use puppet to get Titania to drop her crown and it doesn’t work. Brennan says the crown is Crown of Stars which I looked up and it’s actually a spell, not a physical crown, but I’m assuming he used the mechanical effects of the spell on a physical item.

Brennan doing all these musical/singing bits when he absolutely doesn’t have to. I love it.

I love Ricky and Sophie being the two martial fighting heavy hitters of the group. Like, the two fighters, having the spellcasters’ backs.

I hope the one kung fu fan in the back of the theater never sees another Broadway show again because he’s gonna be so disappointed. 

“I’m just so inspired by that beautiful penis.”

Murph, out of character, verbally acknowledging how insane what they’re doing is. I love when someone pauses in a game of D&D to just recite what’s currently happening out of context so everyone can appreciate how crazy it is. D&D. Gotta love it..

Emily and Siobhan have a quick conversation in the background about whether Sondheim did Les Mis or not (not, that’s Claude-Michel Schönberg) while Brennan and Murph are Ring nonsense.

I also was mildly suspicious of Alyssa so I’m glad Kingston checked her out.

The entire roast of Brennan when he’s selecting D6s is an instantly iconic D20 moment. I can’t do it justice. You kinda just have to see it.

“Someone call Wizards of the Coast!”

Em, Wally, and Alyssa go out when Titania puts out a huge spell that blinds Kug.

“Yummy, yummy, tastes like ass.”

On Misty’s next turn, she rolls a fail which makes it 2 failures to 1 success. Brennan mentions that a nat 1 counts as 2 failures and a nat 20 counts as 2 successes. I’m sure that won’t be relevant later because you can’t foreshadow things when dice rolls are completely random.

Misty fails on puppet again again and Titania goes full Wicked Witch of the West on her and starts Jonesing for those shoessss.

Emily’s Emily(tm) move of the session is doing a flying leap at Titania, hitting her with a stunning strike and having Brennan retract the Box off Doom he was pulling out because she can’t save when she’s stunned. She just plummets out of the sky.

Don Confetti respecting the sacrament of marriage as he goes full Opera ghost and tries to garrote Sophie.

Ricky (still naked) grabs the crown from Titania, tosses it to Misty, and, with some improv and a good charisma roll, makes the show suddenly make sense to the very confused but entertained audience.

I’m so glad that Murph decided to turn into a bear and that they made the Winter’s tale ref. I should have had faith in Brennan and Siobhan, the theater nerds. Exit pursued by a bear y’all.

Lou and Emily bonding over being proud of their die for rolling well when they lend it out for a big roll.

Really wish Pete had wild magic surged in this fight. Just to add that extra bit of chaos. 

With a very good turn (no damage taken, no performances failed) Misty only has to avoid snake eyes to get through this turn. She leapfrogs over that low bar and rolls a nat 20, instantly fulfilling her win condition. At this point, the play is superfluous and Titania is still down.

“Brennan lost and now he knows reddit is gonna eat his ass.”

OK, remember how I said earlier that Misty seems like the kind of character you nudge a little temptation at just to spice things up? Yeah, her killing Titania and getting the crown of the Seelie Fae makes me a liiiitle apprehensive, but we’ll see how that turns out.

“I killed my queen! This is America we don’t have royalty here.”

“Bear, I don’t know who you are, but take me on your back, let me ride on stage.” —creator of West Side Story, Stephen Sondheim

Misty charms the critic at the show to make sure they get a good review which is such a fae thing to do.

Kingston’s clearly not loving attacking Don and Co. post “real fight” what with his whole Do No Harm thing (well, that’s Dr’s but same principle applies I assume) is a good character detail. For that matter, so is Ricky just taking Titania’s crown and not beheading her which he super could have done while she was down but it would have been very incongruous with everything else about him.

Brian “This isn’t Loony Tunes” Murphy throws Sondheim as a projectile weapon at a pixie who snaps the pixie’s neck and then does a monologue at the audience.

I love it when someone rolls low on an insight check and Brennan gives them useless info and then they repeat it in their character’s voice.

4 mins from the end of the ep, Siobhan realizes there are two Perrys in this story for the first time and has a bigger reaction to that than almost everything else in this ep except her nat 20.

Ricky looks for costume faun legs to cover his fully out dick instead of costume pants or even his own pants.

Misty starts glowing with reincarnation energy and she runs into her dressing room for privacy. Also, she still super hasn’t told anyone what’s going on. (ALSO, assuming she’s gonna make the world think she died, it’s gonna be wild for the company of the show to have their leading lady put on the performance of her life and then die on opening night).

“Who am I to refuse a crown when it’s placed so deftly upon my head?”

You know that behind the scenes thing where Brennan is like, “Yeah, I knew Siobhan was gonna steal that book,”? I got some of those vibes during the crown scene.

The implications of what Misty did are gonna be left until next ep but Brennan says something about her creating her own court and it looks like she’s recruiting followers in the promo. IDK how I feel about that (these stories tend to have great power--especially tied to powerful magical items--as a corrupting force) but I am very excited to see how it goes down! See you then!

#the unsleeping city #dimension 20 #asks #galfast

[kariachi]

Some more Levinstar. Fight me.

~~

Mike’s life was going fairly well, if he did say so himself. He was wrenching a successful acting career essentially out of the aether with naught but skill, good looks, and his own riches. One of his best friends was a member of the Elite Four. The other was a big name in tech circles around the globe. Young mutants everywhere looked at him as an idol. His pokemon were healthy and vibrant enough to feature in magazines across the region. Yes, he and Elena’s elementary school ‘if neither of us are married by thirty’ agreement was looking more and more likely to be followed through on, but really in the end life was good. Very good.

Which is why he was kicking himself about his inability to just cross a fucking room and-

“Mike, if you don’t go talk to him I will.”

“Fuck off, I saw him first.”

Galas were essentially Mike’s lifeblood. He could schmooze and socialize with the best of them, a master of social maneuvering before he’d even started his pokemon journey. But tonight he’d found himself hopelessly distracted, enough so that Elena had been forced to rescue him before he made of fool of himself in front of somebody important. So there they were, stood at the edge of the room with glasses of champagne Mike’s service Delcatty was very cross at him about. But what could you do, when nobody ever planned for non-drinkers at these things and you were stuck staring at a very handsome man from the other side of the crowd.

“I can’t believe you’re too nervous to go talk to somebody. You flirt like attention is air!”

“I am not nervous, I just… am waiting for the right moment.”

Kevin fucking Levin was at this event. Mike had three of his books at home. Two of his sculptures. He was, at that moment, wearing a Xerneas brooch on his scarf that had been designed and handmade by the very bastard. What did you say in that circumstance? He couldn’t pretend to be unfamiliar with the man’s work, he was wearing it and the people who came to events like this knew everything about what they wore, but he didn’t want to risk coming across as some obsessed fan, no matter what the evidence might say. Normally if he met someone he was a fan of at these events it was other people in film and media, and he could use work as an icebreaker. If they were trainers he could turn to Elena for an introduction, which made things easier. It was only a good impression he wanted to make, there wasn’t really any pressure, but here, with Kevin…

He’d seen the man and his insides had done things that hadn’t since he was a teenager.

Across the room, the artist broke away from the little group he’d been talking with a smile, beelining for an empty spot near a far wall.

“Now’s your chance, he’s alone and unprotected!” As subtly as she could- they were at a formal event- Elena began shoving Mike in his direction.

“Hey!”

“I don’t want to have to marry your flat ass, move!”

Sending a glare over his shoulder at her, Mike did as instructed, weaving around the crowd toward what was, if he was quite honest, the most handsome man he hadn’t met yet. There was only a brief pause in his forward momentum, a stop by a decorative mirror to fix his hair and clothes, check his makeup. Perfection was required for these events, yes, but something like this called for an entirely new level of it. He didn’t just want to make a good impression, he wanted to dazzle. To that effect he also took the time to check Elissa for any out of place fur or loose threads in her vest.

Perfection.

Kevin was stood with his back to the crowd, fingers buried in his service Espeon’s fur as he inspected one of the sculptures on display. It wasn’t fair, no man should’ve had arms like that. Or a jawline like that. Or cheekbones like that. If Mike hadn’t been so into it he’d have had to kill him for daring to look so good. As it was it was surprisingly difficult not to reach right out and touch him. With an easing breath Mike slipped casually into place behind him, pulling out his most charming smile.

“What do you think, was it worth what they paid for it?” There was no sign of surprise when Kevin turned- people with Espeon were rarely surprised by anything- and holy shit his eyes were even browner in person. How was that allowed? At least there was a bit of a victory to be gained as Mike’s heart lodged itself in his throat, the other man going pink as soon as he saw him.

“I don’t think so,” he said, “but then abstract has never been my style.” He glanced back at Mike, going a shade darker, and the blond silently cheered what he was going to call a success. “Nice brooch.” Fuck.

“Thank you,” he said as if he wasn’t worried about coming off too big a fan, “was made by a very talented artist.” Kevin shrugged.

“Couldn’t get quite the colors I wanted,” he said.

“It’s perfect,” Mike replied almost before the other’s sentence was done. Kevin took a deep breath, rolling his shoulders as the color began fading from his face, then turned to face him completely with a smile that could’ve melted butter.

“So, Mike Morningstar.” He knew his name. This wasn’t surprising- he was a famous actor for fucks’ sake- but it still set his heart jumping.

“Kevin Levin.” And the man went pink again, at least this time he stayed looking at him.

“You know,” he said, “I’ve been watching your movies since I was yea big.” He put his hand as a spot just below his waist. Mike chuckled.

“Give I’ve been making them since I was that size, it’s quite a compliment.” Kevin shrugged again, still with that damn smile.

“You’re good, and most of your films are up my alley. Especially since you stopped being the bad guy.” That had been part of what had him using his own riches- if he was the one funding the movies then nobody could try to shoehorn him in as a villain, or brush off his auditions with excuses that barely hid the actual ‘there’s no place for chompers like yours in this’ reasons. Besides, it meant he could get more mutants involved, as much out of spite as anything.

“I try.” He considered and discarded several directions to take this conversation. “I don’t think I’ve seen you at one of these events before?” He knew he hadn’t, he’d have noticed, but if he said that it might come off creepy.

“Everyone kept telling me to come to one of these and network,” Kevin groaned, throwing an exaggeratedly put-upon look Mike’s way. “It’s not really my thing. I like my workday chill and my parties loud, ya know?” Mike didn’t know. He could make any social gathering work, but this was his native habitat, and work for him was hustle and bustle and at least one case per film of someone threatening to quit over something inane. (The last one had involved one of his costars sneezing on a camera and the man behind it, already stressed by a long day, late dinner, and impending wedding, throwing up his arms and swearing he was abandoning the industry entirely. He’d come back, but Mike had still made sure he had the week until the wedding off alongside the time he was already taking for his honeymoon.)

He didn’t necessarily understand it, but he knew the area, as well as an opening when he saw one.

“Well,” he said, inching just a bit closer and internally preening when Kevin looked him over instead of moving away, “if you’d rather, I know a few bars around here where we wouldn’t get too many strange looks for showing up in formalwear.” The smile that crept onto Kevin’s face was sharper this time, more purposeful. This time he was the one in motion, scooting just close enough for his hand to brush against Mike’s.

“Do you now,” he replied. “Ya know I haven’t really gotten to explore around here before, I would love to get the tour.”

Yessss.

“Well then-” Mike put out his arm, actively preening when Kevin took it with an appreciative look and a flash of teeth. “-let’s get you someplace less stuffy, hm?” It wasn’t too early to go, nobody would even miss them. Well, the paparazzi might, but he got gossiped about constantly anyway, and Kevin was very attractive with those coffee dark eyes, so… Fuck it.

“Lead the way, Mr. Morningstar.”

It didn’t take them long to reach the exit, especially as they skirted the crowd, evading the people already too drunk to respect their pokemon were working and saying goodbye to enough people that there wouldn’t be excess talk. Given the way Kevin bristled when people approached his Espeon, Mike was glad he was getting him out then, before he could make a scene and cause himself trouble. He lead him quickly past those sorts, throwing a wink at a grinning Elena before he slipped them out the back doors.

If he played his cards right, his life was about to get a whole notch better.

#fanfic #levinstar