#special guest appearance by the bradshaws

[callsignthirsty]

ur reblog of slider’s playlist has me thinking: could u perhaps write something where he fucks you like an animal .. because now that’s all i can think about. love your writing, you’re very talented !!

Hey Nonnie!

Hope this was animal enough for you (I may or may not have been listening to one song in particular while writing this).

And for those of you who missed the Playlist: you’re welcome.

Pairing: Ron “Slider” Kerner x F!Reader Word Count: 3820 Warnings: Smut, breeding kink (I went a little heavy on it this time… I refuse to apologize), under-negotiated kink (?), dirty talk, language Minors DNI

You Get Me Closer to God (I Wanna Fuck You Like An Animal)

It's a smooth flight into San Diego, and despite your early morning, you're practically bouncing in your seat as the plane taxis to the gate. There's a window somewhere behind the businessman to your left, but you can't see the tarmac around his padded shoulders.

Each minute feels like an hour as you wait for the plane to come to a final stop and for the flight attendants to open the cabin door. Then you're retrieving your weekend bag from the overhead compartment before you step into the mid-morning sun. The breeze rolls in from the sea, updrafts playing with the flirty hem of your skirt, coating everything in the unmistakable brine you've come to associate with Family Weekends on base.

The stairs down to the tarmac are steep, and you're forced to pay attention unless you want to fall flat on your face. When you look up, a blonde woman is reuniting with her husband. Your lips curl at the way she tosses his flower to the side so she can fling herself into his arms and give him a smooch before he squats down to pick up his kid. It's horribly endearing. Something straight out of a movie or the feel-good stories covered in the nightly news.

Bubbles erupt in your stomach when you spot him among the crowd. A hot, overpowering, all-consuming flutter that works its way up your throat until you're unsure if you'll laugh or throw up butterflies. He's a head taller than anyone else at the gate and as subtle as a sledgehammer when he elbows his way to you. He hasn't bothered with flowers; instead, he wraps you in his arms and trails a hand up your short skirt with none of the decency that his uniform demands. Luckily he isn’t dressed to the nines for your arrival. No. Just his usual, unassuming t-shirt and jeans. Because, after weeks of separation, with your face pressed into his chest and his palm cupping your ass before God and everyone at the gate, he isn't Lieutenant Ron Kerner. He's yours.

"Slider, come on," Ice says from somewhere over Slider's shoulder. "Goose's kid is right there."

You press a sweet kiss to the corner of Slider's lips, grinning at his grunt of disappointment before you turn to pull his pilot into a much shorter and far more platonic embrace. "Sli didn’t mention he was bringing you. I’d have dressed up.” Iceman chuckles with a roll of his eyes.

The three of you make your way from the open-air gate and into the terminal, and Ice shoves your bag into Slider's arms with a comment about keeping his hands busy that has you giggling. But it doesn't unglue you from Slider's side. He holds you close, an arm around your waist as you walk through the airport and toward the short-term parking garage.

You're ready to climb into the backseat when you reach Slider's car, but it seems Ice isn't coming with you. He pulls you into another hug before he lets you know it was nice to see you and offers Slider a quick wave before heading back the way he came.

"Where're you going?" Slider shouts in his direction while simultaneously tossing your bag into the backseat.

"Back to the terminal," Ice says as if it's obvious.

"Yeah, but why?"

Ice fiddles with his watch. "To hail a cab."

Slider rolls his eyes. "Don't be ridiculous."

But Ice shakes his head. "I'm not getting between–" he gestures vaguely at the two of you "–this." You thank your lucky stars for Tom Kazansky and his powers of perception — though you suppose it doesn't take a rocket scientist to piece together that you and Slider are itching to get your hands on each other. You figure Ice has heard all about Slider's intentions throughout many whiskey-induced ramblings. So if he'd been expecting Slider to insist, he'd be sorely mistaken. But you doubt that Ice is when he throws "I'll see you back at base" over his shoulder before vanishing in his venture back to the terminal.

"Don't wait up," Slider exclaims as he drops into the driver's seat and leans over to unlock your door. He has plans for you that involve a hotel and a king-size bed. Maybe even a couple noise complaints.

You study his profile as Slider puts the key in the ignition and the Trans Am purrs to life. But instead of releasing the clutch and putting the car in reverse, he turns your way. The hunger in his eyes is the spark, and you're the gunpowder. You meet in the middle. A frenzied locking of lips over the center console as your fingers tangle in his hair.

You grin into the kiss and nip at Slider's bottom lip, eagerly following when he retreats. The buzzing beneath your skin demands that you pull him in for more, but Slider really needs to get you both to the hotel. You clock the sympathetic look he gives you as he shifts the car into reverse. He gets it, you know. There isn't a doubt in your mind that he'd fuck you right now if it wouldn't get you both written up for public indecency. Reluctantly, you settle into your seat and fiddle with the radio.

The drive from the airport to your hotel isn't that far.

Well, it isn't supposed to be.

You've caught every red light along your route so far, and as another light in the distance turns yellow, your luck doesn't appear to be shifting any time soon.

“Fucking lights,” Slider grumbles. He didn’t buy a muscle car to drive the speed limit, but that’s exactly what he’s doing.

You lick your lips as the car rolls to a stop, savoring the taste of him that lingers there and growing increasingly impatient. "How much further?" You know you sound like you're six, whining in the back of your parent's station wagon an hour into a week-long road trip. You don't care.

"Five minutes," he answers, glaring at the red light. "More if this shit keeps up." You let out a discouraged whine. "I know, baby. But we're almost there." A gentle squeeze to your thigh has you melting, but it returns to the gearshift as the light turns green. You can't help but pout. It's a special kind of torture having Slider so close, feeling the ghost of his lips against yours but unable to touch him like you’ve imagined all this time apart.

Epiphany strikes as you drum your fingers in your lap.

Approaching what must be the millionth red light, you run your hands up and down your thighs, steadily inching your skirt higher and higher. Slider looks like he's about to ask you what you think you're doing when you maintain eye contact and carefully slip your panties down your legs. They fly into the backseat. Gone to the ages.

The hunger is back. Eyes dark as Slider drinks you in. Trailing up your legs to your fingers where they toy with your skirt and dip beneath the loose fabric.

"Eyes on the road, Sli."

The light's green.

The car rocks back as Slider steps heavy on the gas. His hand is on you as soon as he shifts gears. He tugs your thigh closer to him and flush against the center console before you let the other fall open with an encouraging moan designed to rile him up just like your skirt. Calloused fingers waste no time on your sensitive inner thighs, and he knows he's got tone when they zero in on your needy cunt. You shift in your seat to give him better access and are rewarded when he drags two fingers through your lips.

"Fuck, baby."

"Missed you," you say as you return the favor and cup Slider through his jeans. Palm grinding down against his fast-growing erection.

"I can feel that," he groans as his fingers leave you to switch gears, but they return before the car rolls to a complete stop. "Can't even wait until we get to the hotel, can you?" He doesn't wait for you to answer before easing a thick finger into you, and you toss your head back with a breathless, shameless shake. "That's why you wore your pretty skirt, isn't it?"

And why your panties are so kindly decorating his backseat. "Wanted your hands all over me."

When the light turns green this time, you put your hand on the gearshift so that Slider's can stay right where it is. You're rewarded with a toothy grin and a crook of his finger that has you keening, your fist tightening around his thick cock behind rough denim. "Soon," he promises, leaving you empty and patting your thigh. "We're here."

True to his word, you've pulled into the hotel's parking lot. Once you've parked, you straighten your skirt and step out of the car.

The concierge is a small desk near the front door set before an awful pistachio green wall. But Slider hadn't picked this hotel for its luxurious accommodations. Quite the opposite. Neither of you is willing or has the money to spend on something ostentatious — God knows the Navy doesn't pay Slider enough. You just need a door that locks and a big bed.

"Checking in?"

"Yes," you say, making your way to the desk and the man behind, cocking your hip as you lean forward ever so slightly to put your ass on display. A tease.

"What's the reservation under?"

"Kerner." Slider sidles up next to you at the counter, and you tune out the rest of the check-in process, more interested in guiding Slider's hand to cup your ass. For what it's worth, Slider doesn't skip a beat, reminding the concierge of his military discount as he kneads the cheek in his big hand. The desk clerk isn't paid enough to care and goes to retrieve your key with a near-dead look in his eyes, handing it over before mumbling something about calling the front desk if you need anything.

Slider stops by the car to pick up your bags before herding you toward your room like an over-eager cattle dog. He's right behind you as suddenly-clumsy fingers fumble the room key. The door unlocks with a heavy clack, and you have just enough time to register that one of the walls has been painted in the same offensive green as the concierge desk before the door slams shut, and your bags are unceremoniously dumped.

You’re crowded against the wall as greedy hands pull you up until your tiptoes barely graze the rundown carpet. When Slider bows to kiss you, you turn your head. "Sli, c'mon," you feign annoyance, gently shoving at his shoulders as he bites sweet bruises into your collarbone. "I wanna put my things away."

A thick thigh slots between your own, flexing against your throbbing clit as hands find your ass and hoist you the rest of the way off the ground and into strong arms. "Don't act all shy now," Slider husks into the curve of your neck, hot breath chilling the spit-slick skin and forcing a shiver up your spine. "We both know you want me to fill up that pretty pussy." And like that, he's reduced you to a pile of goo.

Breath hitching against his lips, you give up the ghost. Fingers tangle into his curls as you rock your hips over stiff denim, too drunk off the taste, the smell, the feel to stop even as the rough weave scratches your sensitive skin. He's already got you soaked, innermost thighs slick from where your needy cunt has begun to drip, so you tear into each other.

You pull Slider's shirt off to wind your fingers around his dog tags and give them a tug, explore his broad chest — smooth skin and well-hewn muscle at your fingertips — and he does the same. Gets rid of your bra only to mouth at your tits while you tug at his belt so you can get his pants pushed far enough down to get his cock out.

The sting of sharp teeth has you arching into Slider's mouth, distracted as his hands ruck the body of your skirt up around the waistband, the fabric wrinkling and creasing between you. It's the furthest thing from your mind as he helps you wrap your legs around him. "You ready?" he asks, and the heels of your white sneakers dig into his lower back as you nod and try to pull him as close as possible; then he pushes into you with a groan.

You love how Slider towers over you, muscles flexing as he holds you steady against the wall, precisely where he wants you, as his cock stretches you wide and fucks up into you with a pent-up, feral passion. How his curls begin to dampen and droop into his eyes. Your toes curl in your shoes, your head thunking back against the wall as he brushes against your sweet spot.

When Slider steps back, and your shoulders come off the wall, your whole body clenches. You bite back a startled yelp, fingers desperately trying to hold on but only succeeding in marking him with angry red lines.

He pulls out to set you on the bed, kicking his pants off as you toe off your sneakers before the mattress dips beneath his weight. The duvet is scratchy, but it's easy to forget when his lips trail fire from your hip up to devour your own, a heady buzz under your skin when he hauls one of your legs over his shoulder before he sinks back into you. And it's deep. Further than your fingers or toys and so much better because it's him caging you against the bed, bringing you to the very edge of sanity, and kissing you until you're breathless. Your cheeks burn with the wanton noises that tumble out your mouth as he leans forward, your hamstring threatening to cramp as he folds you in half, your ass lifting off the bed to give him a better angle to piston his hips into yours with a wet slap.

It doesn't take much in this position to push you over the edge. His gaze piercing as you cum with a cry, fingers twisting in the duvet.

Slider pulls out while your walls are still tensing, his fingers filling, crooking, and teasing to try and draw out your pleasure. But his fingers — while delightful — are a poor substitute for his cock. You whine, body shaking at the loss and the overstimulation as his fingers attack your sweet spot.

"Sli," you gasp, head thrown back and eyes closed, sneaky tears leaking into your hair.

"Hmm?" His free hand kneads at your hip, the crease of your thigh, the dip of your waist while he sloppily kisses across your neck, chest, middle.

"Baby, please."

Slider leans over you, lips inches from yours before he ducks to the side, your belly swooping when he captures the corner of your jaw between his teeth. "Don't wanna cum yet," he rasps, swallowing your mewl in an eager kiss. His fingers continue to tease you until your hips roll into each shallow thrust instead of jerking away.

You luxuriate in the closeness. Opening your eyes to see him above you. Gasping for breath and finding him there, too, in the hints of minty aftershave and the musky cologne you'd bought him for Christmas two years ago. Goosebumps everywhere you're pressed against each other as if your very skin is reaching out for a better taste of his tan skin covered in a sheen of sweat. A warm, tingly feeling blooms in your chest as you wrap your arms around his neck, and he holds you in turn. A lightheaded, giddy feeling that's never gone away when you're around him. One that only seems to grow with each passing day.

Slider isn't quite wrecked, but he's definitely on his way there. Pupils blown wide as he lines up with your quivering cunt and slowly buries himself back in you. Big hands press your thighs into the mattress, keeping them spread wide as he drives his hips into yours and sees to another bruise — this one indecently high up on your neck.

"God," he groans, "you're so fucking wet." His hips grind sinfully into yours until you're writhing, and your pussy gives a slick squelch as if to prove his point. Teeth tug on your earlobe. "What's got you so wet, baby?"

"You," you breathe out. "Fuck, Sli. You."

"Fuck yeah," he grits into your cheek before recapturing your lips in a filthy kiss. "So good for me, baby. So perfect. So wet." Calloused hands circle your waist before dragging down to frame your hips, pulling you onto him with every thrust. "You been waiting for me to make a mess of this pussy."

Your head thrashes to the side with an obscene moan, heat blooming from your cheeks down your chest as your cunt throbs. "Sli–"

"That's right," he purrs, thumb petting your pussy lips where they're stretched and tight around him as your mouth hangs open in silent arousal. "Gonna fuck you right through this mattress, get you all pretty and dumb on my cock, then I'm gonna make you forget what it was like to be empty. Keep you stuffed and dripping for days."

"I'm not on birth control."

Everything stops.

The creaking of mattress springs.

Your breathing.

Slider.

Your eyes, closed in pleasure a moment ago, open, but the look on his face is unreadable. You should say something. You open your mouth, hoping the words will come to you, but you're being manhandled onto your knees, face pressed into the mattress before you can get your hands beneath yourself, and Slider is so deep inside of you that you can practically taste him. He folds over you, one hand fisted in the skirt bunched around your waist, the other braced near your head as he all but growls: "I'm gonna put a fucking baby in you."

And oh.

Teeth clamp down on the skin behind your ear, hips humping and grinding filthy against your sopping core as he tries to work himself deeper. But it isn't enough. He pulls out and pounds forward, grunting in self-satisfaction as you scream.

You're far from the only one making noise now. Slider runs his mouth between moans that he's no longer trying to hold back. Can't seem to keep it shut. "You like that?” he pants against your shoulder blades. “I know you do. Can tell from the way you moan and clench around my cock." He's got your back bowed so much he's practically fucking down into you, trying to drill you through the mattress just like he promised.

"God, you're so fucking perfect. Taking it so good for me." Your face is hot, your heart catching in your throat as each heady groan vibrates through his chest and serves to wind you tighter. Slider nuzzles into the crook of your neck, mouthing over your fluttering pulse as one of his hands clutches possessively low over your belly. "Gonna keep you full of me." You keen, head thrown back to give him more access to a long line of unblemished skin. "Not gonna be able to go anywhere without it dripping down your thighs, and when it does–" he grunts, hips stuttering "–I'm gonna fuck it back into you. Fill you up again until your pussy's all sloppy, and you can't walk."

"Oh, fuu– Ron. God. Yes! Give it to me. Please, Ron, please.” It’s desperate, pleading, and needy all in one heaping moan. You're going to cum and he hasn't even touched your clit.

"That's it," he says, brows drawn in a determined line as he unglues himself from your back. "Gonna– fuck– you gonna cum for me?" His hips crash into yours without rhythm, chasing his own end and knowing from the way your walls quiver and try to suck him deeper that you're just as close as he is. But you shake your head, stubborn and desperate to keep it going, to ride this high for as long as you can. "Yeah, you are." His palm is sweaty where it still rests over your womb. "Then I'm gonna fuck you again. And again and again, until it takes."

You lock up, vision whiting out as pleasure overtakes you, starting where you clench around Slider still so deep inside you and radiating to your fingertips. And Slider's right behind you.

Usually, he likes to make a mess of you. Pull out and cum all over your pussy. Leave the tip inside so he can watch his cum dribble down your thighs and onto the sheets. But this time, his hips press tight to yours to ensure nothing goes to waste. He groans into your shoulder, pulling you back onto his dick as it pulses, and makes you take every last drop, a shiver running up his spine and his ears staining red.

When he finally pulls out, you stay where you are, too fucked out even to slump against the hotel linens. But you don't have to move a muscle. Slider slips your skirt down your legs and gathers you in his arms, surrounding you in warmth. You catch your breath between kisses, fingers twirling and catching in his sweaty curls and tracing over the day-old stubble that lines his jaw.

He presses a kiss to your forehead as your breaths even out. He opens his mouth, then closes it to collect his thoughts. "You didn't actually stop taking your birth control, did you?" he finally asks, voice uncharacteristically soft and brows raised.

"Ew. No," you huff into his chest. "I was horny, Ron, not stupid." Besides, that's something you need to discuss together before you start flushing pills down the drain. You feel his chuckle bubble up in response as he presses a kiss to your hairline.

You idly draw circles into Slider's chest as the sunlight creeps through your blinds and tracks across your bed, the tv remote lost somewhere on the other side of the room. Neither of you is willing to get up and find it.

"So…" you drawl as your fingers begin to trek lower than is purely innocent. "You want to put a baby in me, Sli?" And there's no way he can hide how his dick twitches with your legs are tangled together as they are.

"What can I say?" His fingers card through your hair to angle your face toward his and whispers against your lips, even though it's the world's worst-kept secret: "It's hot."

Your eyes droop to half-mast. "Well, I don't see any reason why we can't practice." You have the entire weekend and have yet to rack up a single noise complaint.

Slider's lips part in a dagger grin. "God, you're perfect."

#thirsty answers #thirsty's masterlist #fic: you get me closer to god (i wanna fuck you like an animal) #top gun 1986 #top gun fanfiction #ron slider kerner x reader #female reader #ron slider kerner x you #top gun smut #ron slider kerner smut #slider smut #ron slider kerner x reader smut #playlist inspired #song: closer — nine inch nails #no i will not stop thirsting over this man #the author's breeding kink may or may not make an appearance #(no i'm not sorry about it) #special guest appearance by the bradshaws

[paxny]

Crack fic idea where instead of dogfight football, Mav makes the dagger squad do an obstacle course like on the game show Wipeout

#top gun maverick #crack fic #top gun #pete maverick mitchell #dagger squad #tom iceman kazansky #icemav #because obviously ice doesn’t die in this #he has to torture the kids with his husband #penny helps ofc #Maverick hosts from down on the course and keeps the kids going #penny and ice are making commentary and observing from the box #featuring special guest appearances from the ‘86 flyboys #most notably #ron slider kerner #but also wolf and Hollywood #bradley rooster bradshaw #natasha phoenix trace #jake hangman seresin #robert bob floyd #javy coyote machado #mickey fanboy garcia #rueben payback fitch #callie halo bassett #billy fritz avalone #neil omaha vikander #brigham harvard lennox #logan yale lee #penny benjamin

[wannabeschyulersister]

flash me (rooster x reader)

*based on the episode of new girl where Jess walks in on Nick*

“I have to move out.”

Natasha set her drink back on the table, “Did Bradshaw finally drive you crazy? I told you having him as a roommate would eventually make you want to pull your hair out. Is he leaving the toilet seat up all of the time?”

“No, that’s not it.”

“Is he having too many “special” guests over?”

You shook your head, “Nope.”

“Then what happened?”

You looked around to see if any of the squad members were close enough to hear your conversation.

“Uh, I walked in on him.” You whispered.

Natasha leaned close, “What did you say? I can barely hear you.”

“I walked in on him in the bathroom.” You quickly said.

Your best friend looked a little confused, “Was he on the toilet?”

“I walked in on him naked!”

Natasha froze and the started laughing as if you said the funniest joke she’d ever heard. It annoyed you but you knew if situations were reversed you’d be laughing your ass off too.

Just then, Jake sidled up to you as if appearing out of nowhere, “I heard the word “naked” and Phoenix laughed so hard she has tears coming out. I have to get in on this conversation.”

“(Y/n) walked in on Bradshaw naked.” Natasha blurted out as she wiped away her tears.

You tried to pinch her but she moved out of your grasp, “I wasn’t trying to tell the whole damn bar!”

“I won’t say anything, sweets.” Jake promised, “Now, what did you see? A little backside? Full frontal?”

You looked down at your hands, “Uh both?”

“You poor lady. Seeing Bradshaw naked can be absolutely traumatic for anybody.” Jake joked.

You rolled your eyes, “I’m not traumatized! I just can’t look him in the eyes anymore which makes our living situation awkward.”

“How did he react?”

“He tried to cover himself as much as he could but it was too late. This is why I always scold him to lock the damn bathroom door!”

“You know what you have to do right?” Jake asked.

“Move out, change my name and run to Europe.”

He chuckled at your plan, “No, sweets. You got to show him something of yours.”

“Hangman, you’re an idiot.” Natasha told him.

He ignored her, “Think about it. You’d be even and not at all embarrassed every time that you see him. A flash is all it takes.”

“Please don’t listen to him. You don’t have to flash Bradshaw. Just talk to him. Acknowledging how awkward it is and moving on like adults is the right thing to do.” Natasha gave sound advice that you should definitely listen to.

“Phoenix, that sounds like the logical thing to do but I might go with Jake’s plan.”

“Why do I even bother to give out advice?” Natasha mumbled to no one.

“I appreciate your advice but I feel like I’m always going to feel awkward if things are even.”

Before Natasha could respond with how ridiculous you were being, Bradley walked into the bar. He looked around and spotted you instantly. It wasn’t hard to detect the pink tint that dusted his cheeks.

Bradley went over to the bar and planted down on one of the stools. Any other time, he would’ve pulled up a chair with the three of you and joined in.

“See. I can’t live like this. Bradley won’t even sit with me now.”

“Wow, maybe you do need to flash him.” Natasha said.

“So, what are you going to do?” Jake asked. He was clearly enjoying this more than he should.

You wished that Bradley would’ve just locked the damn door that morning so you both would’ve avoided all of the mess.

“I guess I’m going to flash Bradley.”

#bradley bradshaw x reader #rooster x reader #bradley bradshaw imagine #top gun x reader #bradley bradshaw fluff #bradley rooster bradshaw #bradley bradshaw #rooster x y/n #top gun maverick x reader

[bellaireland1981]

Classroom Visits

Summary: Your principal asks if you’d be willing to host some aviators to read to your second grade class for Read Across America... you don’t expect the Navy to send two very attractive men to entertain your students, but they end up capturing the hearts of your students...and one of them may just end up capturing your heart. 

Pairings: Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw x Female! Reader, Jake “Hangman” Seresin x OC Shay, appearances by other Daggers. 

Word Count: 5110 ( I have zero chill, I swear)

Warnings: None- pure FLUFF

A/N: I do not own Top Gun Maverick characters but all OC/Reader inserts are my own. DO NOT COPY/TRANSLATE/REPOST my work to other platforms, I do NOT give permission to do so. Reblogs are ALWAYS welcome! SPECIAL thank you AS ALWAYS to @waywardodysseys​ and @beyondthesefourwalls​ for bouncing ideas, proofing, and encouraging me!! Y’all are the BEST!! 

Masterlist 

“Alright my little chickadees, it’s that time of day again!” You called to your class, “Chairs up on your tables, take home folders in your backpacks. Line up at the door!”

Your classroom was a flurry of activity, everyone gathering their backpacks and putting up their chairs like you’d asked. You helped a few of your students put their papers into their bags, helped another with a stuck zipper, and another with a stubborn knot in their laces. Finally, everyone had their belongings and the bell rang to release them.

“Have a wonderful weekend! I will see all of your smiling faces on Monday!” You said, high fiving them one by one as they filed out of the room heading on their way.

You spent the next half hour straightening your classroom and prepping it for the following week so wouldn't have to worry about it Monday morning. With everything set up and organized, you grabbed your bag, shut off the lights and headed out for the weekend. You loved your students, but by the time the weekend rolled around, you needed the time to reset. Teaching a room full of second graders was exhausting.

“Y/N, before you leave, real quick,” your principal, Mrs. Owens called from the office as you passed. You stopped and stepped into the office to see what she needed.

“You need me to do something before heading out?” You asked her.

“Nothing right now, I just wanted to let you know I just got off the phone with a friend of mine who’s husband is an Admiral over at Top Gun.” she said, “Next week is Read Across America, and I reached out to see if we could get some Naval aviators to come read to the kids. Would you be interested in some guest readers in your class next week?”

“I would love that, Mrs. Owens.” You smiled, “The kids would be so excited. A few of my students have parents stationed at the various bases around here, so they get excited about all things Navy.”

“Perfect!” She said, “I’ll let you get out of here. Enjoy your weekend!”

“You too, Mrs. Owens.” You replied, “See you Monday.”  

The next week, as promised, Mrs. Owens arranged for two aviators to come read to your class. You had spent the beginning of the week prepping your students for the visitors and they were all very excited. On the day of the visit you wore a simple blue maxi dress with denim jacket over it, pulling your hair back into a loose side braid, leaving some tendrils out to fall around your face in soft waves.

“Miss Y/L/N, when are they coming to read to us?” Jackson asked, as you were helping them get settled in from recess.

“They should be coming soon, Jackson.” You replied smiling, “Mrs. Owens said that a bunch of them were coming to read to several classrooms this morning. Are you all excited?”

“YES!” They all exclaimed, their energy level had been buzzing all day.

Before you could direct them to the next lesson, there was a knock at the door.

Mrs. Owens stepped into the room followed by two very tall and impossibly good looking aviators in service khakis. One had brown hair that looked to have been slightly lightened by the sun and a mustashe that should look ridiculous but he managed to make it look good. The other one was slightly shorter, but would still tower over you and had blonde hair, cut short and styled neatly.

Your kids stood frozen in awe of the men, you chuckled, looking towards Mrs. Owens, amused by their reaction. She had a warm smile on her face, amused by the kids as well.

“Good morning boys and girls,” She said greeting your class, “You have some special visitors today who would like to share a couple of books with you. I trust you’ll show them your best behavior and make them feel welcome!”

“Yes, Mrs. Owens!” They assured her, suddenly unfrozen.

“Miss Y/L/N, this is Lieutenant Bradley Bradshaw and Lieutenant Jake Seresin,” Mrs. Owens introduced you to the aviators, “I’ll leave them in your care. Gentlemen, thank you once again for taking time out of your busy schedule to come read to the kiddos, it means so much to them.”

“It’s our pleasure ma’am.” Jake said.

“It’s very nice to meet you Miss Y/L/N.” Bradley said, smiling at you.

“You too, Lieutenant Bradshaw.” You replied, returning his smile “Welcome to our classroom.”

“We’re happy to be here.” Jake said.

You turned to your class, “Alright my little chickadees, since our visitors are here to read you some books, I think it’ll be easier to assemble around the reading rug.” You directed, “Quickly and quietly find a spot on the rug and don’t forget to give your neighbor some elbow space.”

“I’ll let you decide who gets to go first.” You said, smiling at the men, “Once they’re settled you can take a seat at the front of the rug.”

“I’ll kick it off.” Bradley offered.

“Perfect” You smiled, handing him ‘Horton Hears a Who’, “This is one of their favorites.”

You walked him to the front where the kids were all settled and waiting patiently.

“Give your best listening ears to Lietuenant Bradshaw, chickadees.” You said. “He’s going to read, ‘Horton Hears a Who’.”

“Yes Miss. Y/L/N.” They said, smiling at you, giving you a thumbs up. You chuckled, making your way to the back where Jake was sitting against the back counter smliing and taking git all in.

Bradley captured their attention and started to read the book to them. He changed his voice for different characters and made the kids giggle throughout the entire book. The kids weren’t the only ones captivated by the mustached aviator, nor the only one to notice.

Jake glanced over at you, noticing your attention fully engaged on Bradley and smirked. He was apparently going to be wingman for Rooster at a reading event today.

“So you call them your chickadees, huh?” He whispered, flashing a smile.

“My best friend and coworkers accuse me of being a mother hen to my students.” You chuckled softly, glancing over at him, “So they started calling my students my chicks.”

“Guess it’s fitting that Rooster is the first to read to the Chicks then today.” He winked, then seeing your confusion smiled and explained, “It’s his callsign.”

“That’s perfect” You replied, smiling widely and stealing a glance at the man still reading animatedly to your students. “What’s yours?”

“Hangman.” He answered.

“Like the word game?” You asked. “The kids love that game. You should play it with them before you leave.”

“That would be a much better reason for the name.” He replied, smiling, “I do ejoy the game though and would be happy to entertain them.”

Your gaze wandered back to man reading and you laughed softly his antics as he read. He was really good with the kids, they were all completely engaged and hanging on his every word.

“He’ll be a tough act to follow.” Jake said, playfully. “He’s good with crowds though. You should see him on a piano.”

“I’m sure you’ll have them eating out of your hand.” You said, smiling, “Piano, huh?”

“Yeah, he entertains the crowd at The Hard Deck most nights we’re all in there” He said, “You should come check it out sometime. It’s a great place.”

“I’ve heard of it.” You said, “My friend recently went with a guy she’s started to date.”

All of your students started clapping and cheering for Bradley who had finished the book and was standing up, taking a bow, smiling at your class.

“Are you all ready for another book?” Bradley asked the kids.

“YES!” They all said cheering.

“Alright, my friend and wingman, Lietuenant Seresin is going to read the next book to you,” Bradley said, “I think he needs some cheers to come up here, can you do that?”

They all started clapping and cheering again as Jake made his way to the front of the class, laughing and tagging out with Bradley, who came back to stand next to you in the back.

Jake started reading ‘The Cat in the Hat” to the kids, another one they really enjoyed. He too got into it with different voices and was an animated reader. Whoever chose these two to come into the schools, knew what they were doing, that’s for sure.

“You did fantastic.” You whispered, smiling over at Bradley.

“Thank you.” He replied, pink tinging his cheeks as he smiled back. “They’re great kids, very well behaved.”

“They are pretty amazing.” You agreed, “This group is probably one of my favorite groups I’ve had since I started teaching.”

“I bet you say that about every class.” He said, smirking. “Like every parent says every kid is their favorite.”

“There might be a little truth to that.” You chuckled.

Jake had the kids giggling at the voices he was using and the way he was reading the book. Your heart melted at the way these two interacted with your students. You would definitely be having them all make thank you cards to send to them later.

“I’m not sure how the two of you ended up on reading duty, but they couldn’t have chosen better people for the job.” You said softly, smiling over at Bradley.

“We volunteered.” He replied returning your smile, “Our whole squad is actually here today. The admiral asked for a couple of volunteers but we all started arguing over who should get to come so he told your principal he’d send us all and we could be her problem for the day.”

“I love that.” You chuckled, “Thank You, it really means the world to these kids…and to me.”

“We’re more than happy to do it.” He replied, “It’s fun and to be fair most of us are still just big kids anyway.”

Jake finished the book and the kids gave him lots of cheers and applause.

“Miss Y/L/N told me you all like to play a fun little game called… Hangman.” Jake said, smiling, “That just happens to be my callsign, which is like a nickname we get as pilots. Who feels like playing a few rounds with me?”

Needless to say your entire class was on board.

“Alright, everyone back to your desks.” You instructed, “Once everyone is seated we’ll turn on the board.”

You made your way to the front of the room where your smart board was and waited for the kids to get settled.

Jake followed you up and you gave him a quick tutorial of the board after turning it on, showing him how to use it.

“There’s a word wall at the back if you need words they’ll be more familiar with.” You smiled, “Or this week’s spelling words are on the bulletin board to your right.”

“Perfect.” He said, smiling.

Several games of Hangman later, and with promises for them to come back and visit again another day, the Aviators are saying their goodbyes to your class.

“What do we say to our visitors for coming in today, my little Chickadees?” You asked your class.

“THANK YOU!” They all called to the men.

“You’re welcome.” The two answered, both smiling widely.

You walked with them to the door, thanking them again for taking time to come in.

“Anytime, Miss Y/L/N.” Bradley said, smiling. Had he met you anywhere other than in a class full of seven and eight year olds he’d have definitely asked you out.

“Maybe join your friend at The Hard Deck one evening and we’ll see you again.” Jake winked, trying again to help his wingman out.

“You never know.” You chuckled, “Stay safe. You’ve now got a classroom full of little fans.”

“Will do.” They agreed.

The rest of the day went quickly after that. Your students were very keyed up after the visit, so not a whole lot got done until after lunch.  The next day you had them all create thank you cards and write messages to Bradley and Jake. You bundled them all together with a ribbon, adding a note of your own thanking them again, and put the bundle into a large manilla envelope writing their names on the outside. During your lunch break you walked it down to the office to your principal to see if she had either an address to send it to or if she’d be able to deliver it via her friend.

“Mrs. Owens, do you have a minute?” You asked, knocking on her door.

“Of course, Y/N!” She smiled, waving you in, “What can I do for you?”

“The kids really loved having the aviators in yesterday to read to them.” You said, “They made them both thank you cards, I was wondering if you had an address we can send them to or if your friend could deliver them for us?”

“That’s such a sweet idea.” She said, “I’m actually having lunch with her today to talk about how it went. I’ll take them to her! I’m assuming it went well then?”

“It was amazing.” You gushed, “They were so good with the kids and read to them with so much enthusiasm. The kids loved them. They stuck around for a bit after reading and played a few games too. It’s something my kiddos will remember for a very long time.”

“Fantastic!” Mrs.Owens beamed, “We’ve tried to get something like this up and running in the past, but it just never seemed to stick. I think we’ll try it again next year since it was such a success. Others have said their students loved it too.”

“Thank you so much for organizing this.” You said. “Here’s the cards from the kids.”

By the time Friday rolled around again you were definitely ready for the weekend. You decided to pick up groceries on the way home so you could spend the weekend relaxing doing stuff you enjoyed rather than running errands.

You were tossing coffee pods in your cart when you heard someone call your name. Turning, you saw Jake walking towards you.

“Thought that was you.” He smiled, “Would have been kinda awkward had it not been.”

“I’m sure you’d have recovered.” You laughed.

“Probably.” He shrugged, “The cards from the kids were cute. Thank you. Bradley and I had a blast reading them.”

“I’m glad you liked them!” You beamed, “They had so much fun with you two visiting and they poured their little hearts into making the cards special. They even cut into their recess time to finish them.”

“Wow, now I’m even more honored.” He said, “The rest of the squad was jealous that we got individual cards from all the kids. They got a generic card signed by students.”

“I’ve always been accused of being a little extra…” You shrugged, “My co-workers usually tell me I do too much.”

“Nah, you’ll be the one those kids remember for years to come, Y/N.” Jake assured you. “Don’t let anyone dull that sparkle.”

“Thank you.” You replied smiling, feeling your face heat at the praise.

“So I learned something very interesting last night,” Jake said, a mischievous glint entering his bright green eyes. “We have a mutual friend in common…”

“We do?” You asked, “Who’s that?”

“The friend you mentioned? The one who told you about The Hard Deck…” Jake replied, “I’m the one she was with.”

“You’re the one that Shay’s dating?” You asked, smiling brightly, “That’s amazing!”

“She’s pretty amazing.” Jake agreed, “It’s still new, but I really hope to keep seeing her. We’re actually going to The Hard Deck tonight. Bradley will be there… you should definitely come.”

“That’s super subtle.” You laughed. “If you’re this good of a wingman in the air as you are on the ground, I have no doubt that your team’s in good hands up there.”

“I didn’t used to be.” He admitted, “But, there’s not much I wouldn’t do for them now. But honestly, Bradshaw’s one the best guys I know. You made quite the impression on him too.”

“I’ll think about coming.” You said, “It could be fun. It’s been awhile since I’ve been able to hang out with Shay too.”

“You definitely should.” He insisted. “You won’t regret it. I’ll have Shay text you when we’re there.”

“Ok.” You said, “I guess I’ll see you later.”

“Yes!” He cheered, “I’ll see you later!”

After leaving the grocery store you headed home and put away the groceries. You were making dinner a while later when your phone started to play your ringtone. You smiled, seeing it was Shay.

“Hey!” You answered, “What’s up?”

“Holy Shit, I didn’t realize it was Jake that was in your class this week!” She exclaimed, “Y/N! You absolutely have to come tonight!”

“So I take it he’s talked to you since the grocery store run in.” You laughed.

“Yeah, he just got here.” She said, “I was actually trying to figure out a way to get you and Bradley to meet after meeting him the first time because you two are honestly PERFECT for each other. This is fate Y/N. You’re coming tonight right?”

“Wow, no pressure though, right?” You asked laughing, “Yeah… I’ll come.”

“I’ll send you a text when we’re on our way to the bar.” She replied. “Can’t wait!”

“I’ll see you later. It’ll be fun.” You said.

After hanging up you finished making dinner then decided to grab a shower and get ready. You didn’t want to go overboard with your outfit, so you decided on a simple short  floral skirt with a white button up shirt that you left unbuttoned at the bottom and tied it up at the waist. You decided to leave your hair down, letting it fall in soft waves  down your back. You put on light makeup and sprayed on your favorite perfume before slipping on a pair of sandals.

You’d just finished getting ready when Shay texted to let you know that they were just heading out to The Hard Deck now. You sent a text back letting her know you’d meet her there shortly. Needless to say, nerves were now starting to settle in. You didn't want things to be awkward. What if Bradley wasn’t really interested? Jake could say he was, but he could be wrong. Bradley had been sweet when he’d been in your classroom but that didn’t mean he was interested in anything with you. Now that you knew Shay was seeing Jake, odds were if they continued to date your paths would cross, so if tonight went badly, it would make for really awkward get togethers in the future.

It had taken a minute to give yourself a pep talk, gather your purse and head out the door, but you’d made it to The Hard Deck not too long after Shay had texted you. After finding a parking spot, you headed into the bar.

“Y/N!” You heard your name. Glancing over in the direction it came from, you saw Shay waving and Jake smiling where they were sitting at a high top table close to the dart board. A few others were with them, you assumed other officers, possibly aviators in the same squadron with Jake and Bradley. You didn’t see Bradley though. You headed in the direction of your friend, zig-zagging between people in order to get there.

“Popular place tonight.” You said, as you finally reached the table. Shay hopped off the chair she’d been sitting on to hug you. With both of your schedules, it had been a bit since you’d been able to actually hang out. Jake stood up, grabbing a chair to scoot it up to the table for you to sit down next to Shay.

“Glad you could make it out.” He smiled, “What can I get you to drink, Sparkles?”

“Sparkles, huh?” You laughed, questioning the nickname. “That’s what you’re goin’ with?”

“Absolutley.” He smirked, winking, “It was that or Little Hen.”

“If those are the choices, I think I’d go with Sparkles,” Shay laughed.

“Ok then.” You smiled, accepting your fate. “Sparkles it is?”

“Perfect!” Jake agreed, “Now that that’s settled, watcha drinkin’, Sparkles?”

“Vodka cranberry, please.” You replied, “Thanks, Jake.”

“My pleasure.” He smiled, then turned to Shay “Sweetheart, you need another while I’m up there?”

“Yes please!” She said.

“Sit tight,” He said, “I’ll be right back.”  Jake headed towards the bar, easily making his way through the crowd.

You turned to Shay and smirked as you caught her watching him walk to the bar.

“Things seem to be going really well so far with you two.” You said, “From the couple of encounters I’ve had with him, he seems like a really great guy.”

“It’s going really well, Y/N.” She gushed, “I REALLY like him… like REALLY REALLY like him. He’s so attentive when we’re together and he’s fun, and sweet, and charming, I mean…you have eyes… you can see he’s pretty much sex on legs.”

“I did notice the extreme attractiveness of the two aviators that came to my classroom, yes.” You laughed. “I’m glad it’s going well. It’s nice to see you so happy.”

“We’re definitely taking it slow.” She said, “We’ve both been burned but can see this being the real deal and don’t want to mess it up.”

“Then slow is a good idea.” You agreed.

“Here you lovely ladies go.” Jake said, placing your drinks in front of you. “Did I miss anything?”

“Just talkin’ about you.” Shay winked, “Thanks, Jake.”

“Uh oh.” He winced playfully. “That could potentially be bad.”

“Nah,” You denied, thanking him again for the drink, adding, “We were actually commenting on the Navy’s abnormally high number of unfairly attractive aviators.”

“And now you’ve gone and given him an even bigger ego.” A female voice groaned coming from your left.

“Ignore her.” Jake winked, “Keep the compliments comin’, Sparkles.”

“That was pretty much the extent to the conversation.” You shrugged, smiling apologetically, “Sorry, Jake.”

“It’s ok, Sparkles, this is Natasha or Phoenix.” Jake said. “Phoenix, this is Y/N.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” She said, “I’ve actually heard all about you from Hangman and Rooster. Seems they won the classroom lottery this week.”

“Nice to meet you too.” You replied, smiling, “My students were still giddy about their visit when they left for the weekend.”

“The cards were adorable too!” She said, “Our whole squad was actually saying we might all adopt your classroom.”

“I’ve got 24 little chicakdees that would adore that.” You beamed.

“Wait, hold up!” Jake complained, “Those little chicks belong to Rooster and me! We had them first.”

“Sharing is caring Hangman.” Phoenix said, “Right, Y/N? I’ll bet your students even know that rule.”

“It’s one they’re still working on.” You admitted, “But by second grade they’re better than in kindergarten.”

“I should have put that together when you were talking about the little chicks you read to that night after going into the school.” Shay laughed, “I can’t believe it took until you showed me the cards. I thought the classroom must have had literal chicks in them.”

“They matched the two of you to the perfect room” Phoenix laughed, “Rooster got to read to little chicks!”

“He did,” Jake agreed,winking at you “And a certain Sparkly little Hen caught his eye too.”

“I’m gonna need someone to fill me in here.” Phoenix said, looking confused.

“We’ve always said  Y/N is a mother hen to her students…and people she loves.” Shay explained. “So she started calling her students her chickadees or chicks.”

“That’s adorable!” Phoenix exclaimed, looking over at you. You could feel heat creeping up over your neck into your face. You busied yourself with your drink to avoid eye contact.

“Alright, no embarrassing Sparkles” Jake said, “Come play a game of pool with Coyote, Fanboy and me. Let’s give Shay and Y/N a chance to catch up.”

He dropped a kiss on top of Shay’s head and sent a wink your way before leading Phoenix away, giving you and Shay a chance to talk.

“See?” She said, “He’s perfect.”

“He’s pretty great” You agreed. “Honestly… the anticipation of seeing Bradley is giving me serious anxiety. It might have been better for me to just wait and show up later in the night.”

“It’ll be ok.” She assured you. “He usually comes in not long after everyone else, so I’m guessing he’ll be here any minute.”

“Unless he’s got a hot date tonight and isn’t coming.” You reasoned.

“Well if he does it’s his loss and you’ll get to hang with us and have fun!” She said, “Plus there are other hot aviators in the bar!”

“Don’t let Jake hear you say that” You teased, taking a sip of your drink. “Although, I am starting to think that’s a prerequisite for being accepted into flight school.”

The two of you sipped your drinks and got caught up while watching the very lively game of pool happening not far from where you’re sitting. When your drinks are out you offer to go grab refills while Shay goes to determine who’s currently winning the game of pool.

You make it to the bar without too much trouble and hop up onto a barstool to wait for the bartender to be done serving another customer. You let your eyes wander over the bar, taking it all in. You chuckle when you look over to the group at the pool table even more animated than when you and Shay were watching them.

“What can I get for you?” The bartender asked, smiling warmly at you.  You gave her Shay’s and your drink orders and she started making them immediately. Once done she slid them over to you, looking behind you and smiling widely, “Hey Rooster, figured I’d see you at some point. Usual for you?”

“Hey, Pen.” He replied, smiling, “Yes please, add this lovely lady’s drinks to my tab tonight too.”

“Was gonna throw this round on Hangman’s.” Penny winked. “Want me to add yours to his tab”

“Tempting.” Bradley laughed. “Nah, put it all on mine.”  She nodded and reached into the fridge and pulled out a bottle of beer, handing it to him once she’d popped the top off. “Thanks.”

“Hey,” You smiled, “Thanks for the drink.”

“It’s good to see you again.” He said, smiling back at you, “And it’s my pleasure. I was really glad to see you sitting at the bar when I walked in.”

“It wasn’t in my original plan for tonight.” You admitted, “But I ran into Jake at the grocery store after work. Turns out the person he’s been seeing is my best friend. Between the two of them, they didn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”

“No kidding?” He chuckled, “Shay’s your best friend? She’s great. Jake’s a lot… more settled, happier since they started seeing one another.”

“Shay’s really happy too.” You smiled, “It’s nice to see.”

“Want to head over and join that chaotic crew?” He asked.

“Sure.” You laughed. “They were in a very… lively game of a pool. I’m not sure who was winning but it was getting a little exciting from what we could tell.”

“That’s every game of…everything.” Bradley laughed, “We’re a competitive bunch.”

“I can see it.” You acknowledged.

You grabbed your drink and Shay’s and walked over to the group, handing Shay her drink when you got there.

“About time Bradshaw!” Jake said when you walked over, “Phoenix was telling Sparkles the rest of the squad is going to try to poach our chicks! I told her they were ours first. Back me up here! We don’t have to share our little chicks!”

“Sparkles?” Bradley asked chuckling, glancing down at you. You smiled and shrugged. “Didn’t the rest of you get classrooms of your own? Can’t you keep going into those rooms? It wouldn’t be fair to the other kids if only Y/N’s students got regular visits.”

“SEE?” Jake exclaimed, “Y’all have your OWN classrooms. Sparkles’ classroom and chicks are OURS.”

“I’m really feeling very loved here.” You laughed. “I don’t think I’ve ever had people fighting over volunteering in my classroom before.”

“Seriously?” Bradley asked, shock on his face. “Sweetheart, I’d bet my paycheck that you have people lining up to volunteer in your classroom. I bet you never have problems filling spots for field trips or class parties or any of that.”

“I mean…” you hedged, “I don’t, but that’s because I just get really lucky and always have strong parent/guardian vounteer numbers in my classes each year.”

“Y/N, do the 1st and 3rd grade teachers report the same thing?” Shay asked pointedly, “Or do they mysteriously have issues finding volunteers again?”

“I don’t know” You said, “They might have issues… maybe they just get busier? Things come up.”

“OR….” Jake intejrects, “It’s YOU that they gravitate towards, Sparkles. Remember that conversation earlier? Being ‘extra’? Adding the sparkle? They volunteer because of YOU. Years down the road, those kids remember YOU.”

“I see where the ‘Sparkles’ came from now.” Shay said smiling. “It fits.”

“Yes, it does.” Bradley agreed, smiling at you. “So it’s agreed, Jake and I have claimed your classroom. The chicks are ours.”

“And Sparkles is Rooster’s” Jake adds, winking at you.

“JAKE!” Shay said, elbowing him in the side.

“What?” He asked, feigning innocence. “I swear, y’all yell at me when I’m not your wingman and you yell at me when I AM your wingman… this is exhausting.”

“YOU’RE exhausting Bagman!” Phoenix said, rolling her eyes.

“I’m not opposed to that statement.” You said, smiling softly at Bradley, who had turned absolutely red at Jake’s words. His eyes shot up to your own, gauging if you were serious. Seeing the answer he was looking for, he let out the breath he’d been holding, smiling back at you.

“I didn’t feel like asking you on a date in front of 24 second graders was probably appropriate,” Bradley admitted, “But I wanted to.”

“We’re not in front of my second graders now.” You pointed out, smirking.

“No we’re not.” He agreed, “Y/N, would you like to go on a date with me?”

“I would really love to go on a date with you.” You said, smiling brightly.

“OOOO, Rooster’s gotta DATE!” Coyote called, cheering loudly. Jake and Fanboy joined in. Shay just looked over at you helplessly laughing.

“Shut it!” Bradley called to them, rolling his eyes, “Act like y’all are old enough to be in a bar.”

A/N: Let me know what you think! :-) 

Taglist: 

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#bradley rooster bradshaw #bradley bradshaw x reader #top gun fanfiction #Miles Teller #Jake hangman seresin #glen powell

[aestheticsuwu]

Blurrin' the lines between real and the fake

Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky x Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell

Mafia x Hitman/FBI Au

(Click pic for better quality)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~💸💎💸~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IceMan ; One of the top most wanted criminal in the world. Known for the successful running legacy of being the coldest and feared mafia boss in Russia and now expanding his name in United States in all its glory.

Each day theres a different price for his head. The reward get higher by the second but the task becomes harder to accomplish. After all no one has seen his face, and the ones that do , Are now 6 feet under the ground.

The overachiever hit-man Pete Mitchell, ‘Maverick’ ,that has been hired by Charlie Blackwood an FBI agent, takes on the task thinking of it as a challenge . What he doesn’t know is that Ice is always 2 steps ahead and is already waiting for him.

Ice is not going to get wiped out in his watch, especially for his youngest sister Carole wedding .

—————————💸💎💸———————

“Behave.”

Maverick wanted to bite his hand , wants to scream and disrupt the guest but he knew better and having the man hand squeezing the back of his neck in warning made him clamped his mouth shut . Maverick still threw him a hard glare.

A young women , dressed in a floral white dress, shoulder length blonde hair and a big smile on her face spots them and comes running towards them. She screeches when she sees Ice. She throws herself into his arm . Ice twirls her around making her squeal and sets her down.

“Tommy , You promises not to bring none of your boy toys . It’s my engagement dinner.” The blonde woman whines , her arms crossed on her chest with a frown adorning her beautiful face. Her kind blue eyes flicker to his and he wanted to protest . He was not a twink nor Ice boy-toy but Maverick just averted his eyes down to his boots and stayed quiet. Biting his tongue . Tom. The long mystery of the real name of Iceman. And all for what. He might never get to tell anyone.

The poor woman was about to get scolded , she didn’t need Mavs.

“Carole , This one special. “ Ice brings back his hand to Maverick neck . Maverick can taste blood from how hard he’s biting his tongue.”Didn’t i promise you that I wouldn’t work or do anything that will prejudice your wedding. Aren’t I a man of my word“ Ice spoke gently and in a tender voice . It gave Maverick goosebumps. It was like a different person in contrast to Ice, the man holding him hostage and holding his neck like he was some damn puppy( and threaten to kill him once his baby sister has gotten married .

“You did gave me your word and in writing.” Carole sunny smile appears making Ice content .

“Where’s Nick ?” Ice smiles proudly , looking around for the man.

“I will go get him. Oh - I forgot where’s my manners. I’m Carole , soon to be Mrs.Bradshaw” Carole waited for his response but Maverick was having a quick debate in his head.

He didn’t know if he was allowed to speak but if the pressure of Ice thumb on his jaw making his sister wait was anything. Mav wasn’t sure what to say , does he say Maverick or Pete Mitchell?

“Im Pete Mitchell but your brother likes to call me Mave-rick , Nice to meet you . Congrats on your wedding .” Maverick mimics the way Iceman pronounced his name. He decides to be honest. He doubts Carole will try to search him up and look at his background. Besides he has a feeling Slider had already wiped his info off the system by orders of his boss. He gives her his best smile which she returns . She looks like a sunshine compared to this cold criminal man beside him.

The last name spiked a curiosity in him, he knew a Bradshaw but it couldn’t be the same person , Goose was dead. He’s snapped out of his thoughts when he feels Iceman press behind him.

“See,” Ice deep voice has Maverick nervous “It wasn’t that hard to be a good boy”

Maverick hates himself for his body reacting to those words. It send a shiver down his spine. He just hope Iceman didn’t see. Iceman goes to take a seat , front and center, assigned for him only. Maverick stands there dumbly not knowing what to do. “Sit” Ice pats his thighs with an amused smirk . This was embarrassing. He refuse to do it. He silently glares at the man making Iceman lose his patience. He moves forward and speaks lowly just enough for both of them to hear,”I wasn’t asking. Sit now. “ Ice tone of voice left no room for discussion.

Maverick balled his fist . He was fuming from the inside . He swung his leg over and sat down on the mans lap. He felt the blondes large hand grab his hip and pulled him closer. Maverick could feel the eyes of everyone on him making him flush down to his neck. He turns to his right, ‘Slider’, Iceman’s right hand and bodyguard ,snicker at him making Maverick feel embarrassed .

Carole comes back with a drink on her hand , vodka on ice , and on the other, a man. A man that makes Maverick go pale . He was dead. How could he be here? Goose?

The man hasn’t notice him yet. He sees his lip moving and feels the rumble of Ice voice against his back . He look exactly like him. The eyes, the height and the stupid porn mustache . It was him. His only family he had left. Here he was marrying the sister of a cold hearted criminal . Nick Bradshaw.

Slider stands up and put his arms around Goose and Carole and begins flirting with them both. Something that looked like something they did . He’s saying something along the lines that he wouldn’t mind being part of the wedding. It’s kind of mushy in his brain, he snaps out of it when Ice laughs at his friend. He doesn’t know why , but he hands go straight for the hand on his hip , needing the reassurance he wasn’t hallucinating . Ice goes rigid behind him.

Maverick takes a strong grip on Ice fingers . He feels eyes boring holes to the side of his face . His breath quickens , he feels like his heat had leapt out of his chest. He hears a glass clink against a surface , then suddenly he feels three cold fingers on his jaw making him face Ice. Who looked laser focused on him, his brows furrowed and eyes high on alert.

Ice opens him mouth to ask him something but Goose beats him to it. “ I didn’t realize you brought someone new. Let me introduce myself I’m Goose .”

“I think he’s shy . “ Carole says making Slider snort at the ridiculousness .

Ice has gone deadly silent and still holding his jaw . His blue eyes flickering all over his face, trying to read him. Suspicious on what was going on, he turns to Goose . With a sharp smile he answers for him, “This is Maverick. Why don’t you say hi , Sweetheart.”

Maverick turns around and faces Goose. Now is his turn to look like he just saw a ghost. Ice clenches his jaw , not liking the situation , He looks at Slider, whose already catching on , and gives him a sign to take Carole and Goose away. They had to deal with this later .

“I was promised a dance . Shall we ?” Slider doesn’t let them answer and is dragging them away . Maverick just listens to Carole laugh and watched Goose look over his shoulder with a fallen expression.

“Mitchell, Your dangerous , and I can’t have you going around behaving like that. Can’t have you snooping around in my business .In the meantime , your going to keep that pretty mouth shut and be on your best behavior until I decide how to get rid of you. Got it.” Ice says in a cold tone , a void of emotions. Like he was randomly talking about the weather.

“What if I don’t . Your going to kill me? I’m not scared of you …Iceman.” Maverick is not backing down. They stare at each fro way too long. His chest is still heaving and Iceman is just calm and collective . It made him tick.

Ice moves his hand up to Maverick face with a mocking smile. The man was hard to read but clearly he was angry.

“You should be , Baby.” Ice thumb touch Maverick’s bottom lip, slightly pulling it down making Maverick freeze , his greens eyes widen. “You’re in enemy’s territory. No one’s going to help you, Not even …Goose.” Ice chomps the air showing perfect rows of teeth. The man still remained dispassionate and composed like he didn’t just threatened to end his life .

The words felt like a slap to his face. He wasn’t expecting the chomp , the action reminded him of a feral dog wanting to bite him. Wreck him. Ice picks up his glass , the one Carole had give. him , and takes a huge gulp trying to shoo away the migraine that was try to creep up on him ever since Maverick appeared. Ice smiles at Carole who’s looking at their direction as Slider twirls her . He keeps his smile when Goose make eye contact with him, he looks away when Slider is trying to get his attention .

“Smile. Everyone’s looking.” With no other option , Maverick smiles that doesn’t reach his eyes . He really wants to kill the guy. Right about now. Like if he was devil , the man mutters, “Keep those thoughts for later , Nobody is dying today. What your pretty little head should worry about is that your sleeping in my bed tonight.”

———————————-💸💎💸———————

Sidenote: okay so I saw in a fic where Carole is Ice sister, so I had to use this opportunity to add it in here. Goose and Maverick were best friends and worked together until one day a mission goes haywire and Gooses is presumed dead. But In reality , Slider finds Goose in the middle or fight with another drug lord and Slider gets injured and Goose helps him. Making Slider feel gratitude towards Nick , he takes him in and does everything he can for Ice to let him (Goose thinks Mav is dead too)

The FBI thinks they have a lead on Ice and know who it is , (they think it’s Slider ) Charlie knows Mav (they’re dating or hooking up or whatever ; either ways Mav still ends up with Ice) and she gets him on the deal .

Ice gets all the information back to him. He done his research on Mav by the time he has him close. Ice can’t kill him yet since it’s Carole wedding . He decides to have him by his side 24/7 to keep an eye on him. Literally. And uses this excuse to have Mav sit on his lap like all the time. (Slider sighs because the one time Ice is acting like love sick fool and it’s for the idiot that they’ve taken hostage. He rants about to Goose and Carole )

Maverick is just trying to find ways to escape but at the same time he struggling from keeping himself from throwing himself at Ice.

(Also if anyone writes a fic , can you guys write a scene where Maverick is lying in thousands of dollars and Ice is just having his brain go offline. Mavs wants to have sex on the money even though the money is dirty.)

#icemav #icemav au #tom kazansky #tom iceman kazansky #pete mitchell #pete maverick mitchell #mafia au #mafia au moodboard #hitman au #moodboard #carole bradshaw #nick goose bradshaw #goose #ron slider kerner #ron kerner #nick bradshaw #in this au Carole is related to Ice #tom cruise

[blue-aconite]

between the wolves || prologue

Summary: She was, after all, running away from him. From their future. A future she didn’t want.

Warnings: None

Word Count: 1.1k

Pairings: Bradley Bradshaw x Jake Seresin x OC 

Authors Note: It’s finally here. Thank you to my werewolf love @anniesocsandgeneralstore for beta reading. Thank you for cheering me on, listening to me rant and being my best friend. This fic would not exist without you.

New Message

To: Sam H

“I’m sorry. I need some space. I need to breathe, to be alone. Take care. I’ll miss you.”

The last part was a lie, she thought as she stared at the screen before locking it and putting her phone away. She wouldn’t miss him. She was, after all, running away from him. From their future. A future she didn’t want. 

Cassandra leaned back against the uncomfortable seat and closed her eyes. Check-in had gone smoothly and she wasn’t set to board her flight for another thirty minutes. She double checked her boarding pass and passport when her phone went off again.

There were four messages from Sam and two from her mother, including three voicemails. She had opened neither. At the top was a new message from her father.

1 New Message

From: Dad

“Be safe. Text me when you land. I’ll deal with your mother. And Sam.”

She smiled before setting the phone on flight mode and pocketed the device. Looking up, she saw people were beginning to move, anxious to board the plane but Cassandra stayed put. There was no point in rushing. 

She might have been in the middle of one of the busiest airports in New York but she had never felt calmer. Leaving had been the right decision. 

‘Good afternoon passengers. This is the pre-boarding announcement for flight 75B to Anchorage, Alaska. We are now inviting those passengers in first class, and any passengers requiring special assistance, to begin boarding at this time. Please have your boarding pass and identification ready. Regular boarding will begin in approximately ten minutes. Thank you.’

Cassandra gathered her things and joined the queue, letting an older couple through first.

“Thank you dear. Travelling alone?” the woman smiled kindly. She reminded Cassie of her own grandmother.

“Yes ma’am. A break from everything.” she smiled. The woman patted her arm before joining her husband again. 

While settling into her seat Cassie couldn’t help but to think about what she had told the woman. A much needed break. She was aware that she was running but she didn’t know what else to do. So much of her life had been planned for her but wasn’t what she wanted. Not anymore. 

Her mother had insisted on this ridiculously huge graduation party. Cassie hadn’t cared either way. She would have been fine with a family dinner. But appearances were important. 

“I’m going to get another drink, be right back.” she patted Sam on the arm before heading inside. She smiled politely as she passed people but hurried out of sight as soon as possible. 

She spotted the twins on her way up the stairs, talking with some of their father’s work associates. Cassie debated interrupting the conversation but continued walking. She didn’t stop until the door to the guest room was shut and locked behind her. 

Leaning back against the door, she slid down onto the floor, not caring if she messed up the dress. 

This was supposed to be a happy day. But all she could think about was the ring she had found in Sam’s bedside table a few days ago. She wasn’t stupid and she had seen the ring before, on his grandmothers hand. It was a family heirloom. Meant for one thing. Marriage. 

Sam proposing wasn’t a surprise though. They had been together since they were sixteen years old and known each other longer than that. Sam was, in many ways, her best friend. Her first love. Her rock, her confidant. She loved him. Or at least she thought she did.

The thought of spending the rest of her life with him had her stomach in knots. She could see it so clearly, the future laid out in front of her. All planned. And she didn’t want it. 

There was a point in her life where she wanted nothing else. At sixteen, Sam was everything she ever wanted. But she had never realised how much of it had been planned. Their mother’s had made suggestive comments for years, talking about her and Sam’s future before it had even begun. How much of it was true and how much of it was built on expectations?

Of course the love between them hadn’t been fake. She could truly say that she loved him. She just wasn’t sure she was in love with him anymore. And the ring had only solidified what she already knew. She needed to get away, to sort out her feelings on her own. Without Sam, without her mother’s constant meddling. 

Leaving the bedroom, she went back downstairs only to run into Sam in the kitchen.

“There you are. I’ve been looking, you’ve been gone for a while,” he said as he wrapped an arm around her.

“Sorry, I got caught up in my own head. I’m actually not feeling very well. Would you please distract my mother while I slip away?”

“Leaving your own party, bold. But I’ll do it.” Sam leaned in for a kiss but she turned her head just in time for him to kiss her cheek. 

“Thanks. I’ll see you later, yeah?” she slipped away before he could answer.

Cassie didn’t slow down until she was in a cab on her way to JFK, no destination in mind. All she knew was that she needed to leave.

When Cassandra lands in Anchorage, she already knows it isn’t her final destination. She doesn’t need another big city. Alaska had seemed perfect when she left New York but she wanted somewhere small. But she had no idea where that would be. 

Cassie trudges along with the rest of the passengers towards baggage claim. The eleven hour flight had taken its toll. Not to mention the different time zones. She spotted her bags fairly early and grabbed them off the conveyor belt and made for the exit. 

Sitting down on a bench, she digs out her phone and resets the airplane mode. Several messages pop up on her screen but she ignores them in favour of texting her dad that she made it. The clock on the wall shows four am and Cassie realises how tired she is. 

A quick google search lands her on a hotel fairly close to the airport and then she orders a uber. Fifteen minutes later the driver is helping her into the lobby with her bags. She books a room for one night only and collapses onto the bed immediately. 

She has no idea where she’s going next. But the growing anxiety is lessening by the minute and when sleep claims her, she isn’t worried. She would be alright. No matter what.

The Wolf Pack; @anniesocsandgeneralstore @wildbornsiren @imjess-themess @princessmisery666 @princessphilly @antiquitea @fuckyeahhangman @writercole @hederasgarden @therebeccaw

Taglist: @yanna-banana @hollandorks @somenamewithepineapple @callsign-phoenix @greenorangevioletgrass @green-socks @indynerdgirl @gigisimsonmars @kkrenae @khaylin27​ @oneelleandaneye @crescentwolf

Let me know if you want to be added/removed

#bradley bradshaw x oc #jake seresin x oc #jake seresin x oc x bradley bradshaw #fic: between the wolves #fe writes #top gun maverick fic #rooster x oc #hangman x oc #alpha!bradley #alpha!jake #top gun maverick au #werewolf!au

[greensparty]

Album Reviews: Hollywood Vampires / Tommy Stinson’s Cowboys In The Campfire / Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds

This week I got to review three high-profile rock albums being released this week. No not the new Foo Fighters album (stay tuned for my thoughts on that), but three albums with band member who have quite a few albums in my collection:

Hollywood Vampires Live in Rio

Around 2012, Alice Cooper formed a super group with Aerosmith’s Joe Perry and Johnny Depp, the Hollywood Vampires. The name was a clear reference to the 70s group of Hollywood drinking buddies Cooper was a part of. The group released a self-titled album in 2015 filled with mostly cover songs and loads of guest stars. I included it in my Best Albums of the 2010s list. In 2019 they released Rise, which was all originals. Due to the band members busy schedules they don’t tour or record as frequent as one would hope. This week they were supposed to play a rare Boston show and it was postponed to late July. Fortunately to hold me over until that show, they are releasing a CD and DVD live album Live in Rio of a 2015 live concert they did at Rock In Rio for 100,000 fans. The main three are joined by Tommy Henriksen (he’s a frequent collaborator of Cooper’s). Much like the albums, there’s special guest appearances at the concert featuring Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses), Matt Sorum (GNR and Velvet Revolver), Zak Starkey (The Who) and more.

album cover

For this review I got to hear the album, but not the DVD. But even with audio only, you can hear this band holding court for a stadium full of fans. The set is very heavy on covers (from their peers like Jimi Hendrix, The Who, John Lennon and more) and Alice Cooper standards, but it’s worth picking up if you’re not an expert because of how this super-group interprets the covers. It really is a meeting of the minds to hear these three come together and play off each other. I’m a super-huge Joe Perry fan and he it having a ball covering rock classics here, but best of all is the Aerosmith standard “Train Kept a Rollin’” (originally by Tiny Bradshaw). Can’t wait until I get to see this band live now!

For info on Hollywood Vampires: https://www.hollywoodvampires.com/

3.5 out of 5 stars

Tommy Stinson’s Cowboys in the Campfire Wronger

Tommy Stinson has long been a secret weapon in rock and roll! His band The Replacements were one of the all-time great alternative rock bands ever (one could argue they inspired the alt-rock movement of the 90s). After The Replacements (or The Mats for short), he has been in some big and small musical endeavors. He joined Guns N’ Roses from 1998 to 2014, replacing Duff McKagen on bass, for the Chinese Democracy era of GNR. He was also an on-again off-again member of Soul Asylum from 2005 to 2012. He has also had various other musical endeavours included his short-lived band Bash & Pop, who reunited in 2016 (read my review of their 2017 album Anything Could Happen and their 2017 Boston concert). Now Stinson is back with a new project with Chip Roberts, Tommy Stinson’s Cowboys in the Campfire and their debut album Wronger drops today from Cobraside.

album cover

This is kind of different from a lot of Stinson’s previous bands. There’s always been an element of folk, country and Americana sounds in his music, but here it is on full display. Ironically, it reminded me a ton of his former Replacement bandmate Paul Westerberg’s solo work. The name is fitting because in some cases it’s just a few guys playing by a campfire. This might not have the drunken rockers that Stinson is known for with Mats and Bash & Pop, but in terms of flexing his musical muscles and showing his range, he’s more than exceeded expectations. At times it felt like a 50s or 60s pop country album. Way back around 1996, I saw Westerberg in some interview and he said of his Eventually album (paraphrasing) “Pick it up and give it a chance. If you don’t like it, put it away for 5 years and listen again. I’m sure you’ll like it by that time.” That’s kind of my feeling about this Wronger album. It’s good, but with time it might be even better.

For info on Tommy Stinson’s CITC: https://www.tommystinson.com/

3.5 out of 5 stars

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds Council Skies

Since the 2009 break-up of Oasis, there’s been a few releases including the live album Knebworth 1996 and the 25th anniversary edition of Be Here Now. Both of those served as reminders of what a great band Oasis was back in the day. As everyone hopes that the fighting Gallagher brothers Noel and Liam make up and reform the band, that has yet to happen and both have had their own musical endeavors. Liam has actually surprised everyone with some solid albums like As You Were. Noel, who was the chief songwriter and leader of Oasis but not the singer, formed Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. Expectations have been high for that band, but their albums have been mixed. The band’s first new album in over 5 years Council Skies drops today from Sour Mash. 

album cover

Up until this point, the High Flying Birds have had moments of greatness, but mostly it’s felt like more of the same from lesser Oasis albums. I am super happy to report that the new album is not only the band’s best album yet but Noel’s best non-Oasis work too. Noel’s brand of Britpop is on full display here and the band really is trying a lot harder than they have on previous albums. While we all hope for an Oasis reunion (well, let me clarify that - a Gallagher brothers reunion since they are the only constants from start to finish of Oasis), this is about the best Noel has delivered since then! Amen!

For info on Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds: https://www.noelgallagher.com/

4 out of 5 stars

#album reviews #hollywood vampires #joe perry #Alice Cooper #johnny depp #tommy henriksen #tommy stinson #tommy stinson's cowboys in the campfire #noel gallagher #noel gallagher's high flying birds #music nerd

[alj4890]

Hi,if Liam would sing and play guitar to pregnant Riley,what song would it be?Please use the guitar of Liam's mum 😊

😭 WHY DIDN'T PB LET THIS HAPPEN???? Oh goodness. That would have been a scene I would have thrown diamonds at to get. It would have been so sweet! I doubt I can do it justice, but I will try 😭

I'm using the lullaby that was sung in a classic movie from the 1950s, Bundle of Joy. My mom is the one to give me my love for classic cinema and she had this particular movie playing often when I was little. I ended up memorizing this song along with the others in it, LOL. I also sang it to my boys when rocking them to sleep. Poor things. They were stuck with my awful singing voice. No wonder they fell asleep so quickly when they were infants 😂

Lullaby In Blue from Bundle of Joy.

@gkittylove99 @darley1101 @krsnlove @kingliam2019 @texaskitten30 @yourmajesty09 @mom2000aggie @ofpixelsandscribbles @twinkleallnight @lodberg @twinkleallnight @amandablink @neotericthemis  @mm2305

Masterlist

Sweet Memories

"Liam?" Drake rounded the corner when he heard something he hadn't heard since he was little.

He saw his friend sitting outside, strumming an old guitar.

"Is that your mom's" he asked.

Liam's cheeks heated with color. "It is." He set it aside and stood up.

Shoving his hands into his pockets, he avoided eye contact.

"I didn't know you played guitar." Drake muttered.

He was curious at Liam's reaction to being caught with it.

"I learned how after her death."

Drake's eyebrow lifted. "You did? How come you never told any of us?"

Liam shrugged. "It was a way for me to hold on to her memory." His brow furrowed. "Now that Riley is pregnant, I want to pass that on to our child." He hesitated. "But I've been trying for weeks now to remember the lyrics to a song my mother used to sing to me."

He felt such guilt over this. Each day, he would tell Riley he was going for a walk around Valtoria. He had been using that as a time to practice and hopefully jog his memory.

It was eating him up inside that he couldn't remember the very song his mother would sing to him at night if he had a nightmare or felt unwell.

"Why is it that I can only recall the melody?" He raked his hands through his hair. "I wish Father was here. Perhaps he knew the song."

Drake folded his arms and tried to think back to anyone who might have heard it. "I bet my dad knew it too."

Liam sat down once more and picked up the acoustic guitar. His fingers moved over the wood as he willed his memories to come back to him.

He could see her so clearly. Her blonde hair in a neat bun. The blue dress that perfectly matched her eyes. Her bright smile as she let him strum while she made the chords.

He could almost hear her laughter when he made up silly lyrics to go along with the music she created. Her sweet encouragement that he too had musical talent.

"Do you like my song for frogs?" His six year old self had asked.

"Like it?" Eleanor reached out and gently ruffled his hair. "I adore it, dearest. I've never heard a more perfect ballad for amphibians."

"I'm running out of time." Liam explained. "In a couple of weeks, the baby will be able to hear us." He turned to Drake. "I wanted one of the first sounds that he or she heard be a song from their grandmother."

"Somebody has to remember it." Drake argued. "Maybe Maxwell or Olivia. They spent time with her too."

Liam felt a glimmer of hope. "They are supposed to arrive tomorrow for a visit." He set the guitar back in the guest house he had hidden it in. "I'll find a way to talk to them without Riley knowing."

"She doesn't know?"

"I wanted it to be a surprise for her too." Liam smiled softly. "I told her I played guitar during our date at Ramsford. She's never heard me play before. This can be something special for her and the baby."

****************

"I remember that!" Maxwell exclaimed. He hummed the rest of the tune.

"You do?" Liam felt his hope grow. " Can you remember the words?"

"Sure." Maxwell hummed the beginning. "Um...it went...hmm." His brow furrowed. "What were the words?"

Liam practically deflated. If Maxwell couldn't remember a song then all hope was most assuredly lost.

"I remember snippets." Maxwell paced back and forth. "Like, Sandman is commin and he'll be here--"

Liam sat up when those words jogged his memory. "Mighty, mighty soon. And if you don't cry--"

"He'll be dropping by with the great big lollipop moon." Maxwell belted out. "I always loved that part of the song. Who wouldn't want the Sandman to bring them a moon shaped lollipop for going to sleep?"

Liam strummed along, repeating the words Maxwell had remembered. He stilled at not recalling any of the others. "How does it begin? Or for that matter, end?"

Maxwell sat down beside him. "It'll come back to you." He patted Liam's back. "Just keep at it."

****************

The next day, Liam took a walk with Olivia.

"I've been digging around some more about Bradshaw and Isabella. Nothing concrete yet, but it never hurts to have something on them." She told him.

Liam wasn't overly concerned at the moment with the monarchs wanting an alliance with Cordonia. "Do you remember my mother's songs she used to sing to us?"

Olivia stilled. "What brought that to mind?"

Liam averted his eyes. "I've been trying to remember a song she would sing to help me sleep. It was some type of lullaby that made me smile. Maxwell remembered part of it, but the beginning lyrics have eluded me."

Olivia began to walk forward again.

He couldn't help but notice how tense she appeared.

"Olivia? Is something wrong?" He jogged to catch up.

He then saw the tears in her eyes.

She took a deep breath. "What difference does it make if you can or can't remember a song?"

He stepped back from the bitterness in her tone. "I wanted to sing it to the baby." He slipped his hands into his pants. "I've been practicing on her guitar and wanted..." He sighed. "I wanted my child to have something precious of my mother's. You remember how much she loved music."

Olivia lowered her eyes. "I do. Queen Eleanor would hum and sing even when walking down the halls."

"I didn't mean to upset you with my question." Liam apologized, regretting the fact he had dragged his friends into this.

"No. I shouldn't have reacted the way I did." She sniffed and squared her shoulders.

Although thoughts of her childhood held a great deal of bitterness, Liam and his mother had been the one bright spot in her lonely existence. She couldn't deny him her help, no matter the heartache those memories contained.

"Now. What song is it?"

Liam led her to the guest house. He strummed the tune and noticed her expression light up in recognition.

Before he could even ask, a clear alto slipped from Olivia's lips as she sang the song.

🎵Hushaby... rockaby. Listen to my lullaby in blue

Bluelululululululu

How I love my pretty baby

Sweet and precious pretty baby

How I love my pretty baby

Honest to goodness I do

See here, Sandman is commin'

And he'll be here

Mighty mighty soon

And if you don't cry, he'll be droppin' by

With a great big lollypop moon🎵

Liam joined in, remembering how the rest was sung with two people. That thought reminded him of the times his mother encouraged his father to join in, their voices blending into a sweet note as they focused on their young child.

🎵Dream dream dream (How I love my pretty baby)

Be an angel

Dream dream dream (Sweet and precious, pretty baby)

Be a darling

I love my pretty baby (How I love my pretty baby)

Honest to goodness I do

Honest to goodness I do

Bluelulululululu🎵

"It's called Lullaby in Blue." Olivia told him. "Your mom sang it to me when I first came to live with you." Her eyes became distant as she thought back. "I asked her to teach it to me so that I could sing it to my stuffed dragon when he had trouble sleeping."

Liam reached over and grasped her hand. "Thank you. I know you don't like thinking of the past," he squeezed her fingers, "but being able to share this song means everything to me."

Olivia slowly smiled. "You better practice then. Your child deserves nothing but the best."

She wrote down the lyrics and left him alone to practice.

When he began to sing the words, he could hear his mother's voice singing too.

***************

A few week's later...

"How are you feeling, my love?" Liam asked one evening.

Riley rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm fine. I think the baby is not too happy I ate those brownies Hana made, but i am determined to not throw them up."

Liam pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I have a surprise."

"You do?" She sat up with a big smile. "What is it?"

"Wait right here." He left her on the couch to retrieve the guitar.

Her eyebrows raised when he returned with it in hand. "Liam! Is that your mother's?"

He paused before her. "You remembered."

"Of course I do. How could I ever forget our first date?" She patted the spot next to her for him to sit. "You promised me that night that one day you might play for me." Her eyes twinkled with mischief. "I didn't know a girl had to get pregnant to get serenaded around here."

Liam chuckled at that. He was touched that she recalled their date so clearly. That was the best night of his entire social season, well other than seeing her again at the Masquerade Ball.

Hearing she loved him during the Coronation Ball was also up there. If only it had ended differently.

He pushed those memories to the side. "I thought it might be time to start sharing with the baby a song my mother used to sing to me."

Riley's smile turned tender. "I think that sounds wonderful."

She watched, fighting back tears, as he positioned himself on the floor so that he could sing directly to her belly. The expression on his face as he began the lullaby was one that touched her heart.

His love and wonder for their unborn child was stamped across his handsome features. Each word he sang was done so with a smile unlike any she had ever seen before.

When he ended the song, he pressed a kiss to her baby bump.

"I hope you liked that." He gently rubbed her tummy. "It was a favorite of mine from my mother. I wish you could have met her. She was the kindest, most gentle woman I have ever met." His hand moved to hold Riley's. "We're lucky though that you have a mother just as wonderful as mine was."

"Liam." Riley gave up on not crying.

He pressed a kiss to her hand before continuing. "I love you and your mother more than anything. I intend on you hearing that every single day I am blessed to have with you." His fingers tangled with Riley's. "That song is a reminder of just how beloved you already are to both of us."

Riley tugged him back on the couch. She kissed him, whispering how much she loved him, how happy he made her.

The two cuddled together and thought of the day coming soon when their family would at last be complete.

#liam x riley #choices the royal heir #King Liam #choices trh #choices the stories you play #choices fan fiction #requests

[gorogues]

Spoilers for comics in May!

Pretty sparse again, and it’s really just collected editions which are of interest...though Len appears on the variant cover of the Super Sons issue.  I don’t think he’s in any of the stories thus far.

You can see the solicits in full at CBR.

CHALLENGE OF THE SUPER SONS #2 written by PETER J. TOMASI art by MAX RAYNOR and JORGE CORONA cover by SIMONE DI MEO card stock variant cover by NICK BRADSHAW ON SALE 5/11/21 $3.99 US | 32 PAGES | 2 of 7 | FC | DC CARD STOCK VARIANT COVER $4.99 US Okay, Robin and Superboy saved the Flash from certain annihilation...surely the day is saved and everyone can go home and watch TV, right? Wrong! Once the Doom Scroll inscribes a name on its mystical list, the bearer of that name will be imminently killed—and the heroes of the Justice League are being targeted one by one! Next up? Wonder Woman! Plus, see just what happened when the boys were snatched from reality, and how they first encountered the Doom Scroll...in medieval England?

From here, we’ve got a ton of collected editions.  The Mark Waid book has some Replicant and Piper.  @one-rogue-army

THE FLASH BY MARK WAID BOOK EIGHT TP written by MARK WAID, BRIAN AUGUSTYN, and JOE CASEY art by PAUL PELLETIER, DUNCAN ROULEAU, SCOTT KOLINS, DOUG BRAITHWAITE, and others cover by STEVE LIGHTLE ON SALE 6/15/21 $34.99 US | $45.99 CAN | 368 PAGES | FC | DC Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-77951-010-5 As this latest collection of Flash tales written by Mark Waid begins, meet Walter West, a Flash from a parallel reality where his beloved Linda Park died and the speedster doles out brutal justice to criminals as a response. Can the two Flashes co-exist long enough to stop Replicant, a villain with the combined powers of the Rogues Gallery? Better find out fast—the longer Walter West stays on Wally’s Earth, the more he poses a threat to all of reality! Collects The Flash #151-162, The Flash Annual #12, and pages from The Flash Secret Files #2.

This Justice League trade has a classic Eobard story, from the Secret Society of Super-Villains (he acts like a creep towards Black Canary).  There’s also a good Kadabra and Sam story reprinted here.

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: THE BRONZE AGE OMNIBUS VOL. 3 HC written by GERRY CONWAY, PAUL LEVITZ, MARTIN PASKO, and STEVE ENGLEHART art by DICK DILLIN, GEORGE TUSKA, and others cover by KARL KERSCHL ON SALE 7/6/21 $125.00 US | $163.00 CAN | 1,192 PAGES | FC | DC Hardcover 7.0625" x 10.875" ISBN: 978-1-77951-016-7 The JLA moves into the second half of the ’70s with tales guest-starring the Justice Society of America, the Legion of Super-Heroes, and heroes from the long-gone past including Jonah Hex, the Viking Prince, Enemy Ace, and more. Plus, the League’s mascot, Snapper Carr, turns against the team, the Phantom Stranger helps the team battle a returning pantheon of ancient gods, the Martian Manhunter faces Despero for the lives of the League, and the Secret Society of Super-Villains swap bodies with the World’s Greatest Superheroes. Plus, Black Lightning is invited to join the JLA—but turns down the invitation for mysterious reasons. Collects Justice League of America #147-182, Super-Team Family #11-14, DC Special #27, DC Special Series #6, Secret Society of Super-Villains #15, DC Comics Presents #17, and pages from Amazing World of DC comics #14.

If you missed the digital releases, here’s your chance to buy this cool AU Hartley story!

DCEASED: HOPE AT WORLD’S END HC written by TOM TAYLOR art by DUSTIN NGUYEN, RENATO GUEDES, CARMINE DI GIANDOMENICO, MARCO FAILLA, KARL MOSTERT, and DANIELE DI NICUOLO cover by FRANCESCO MATTINA ON SALE 6/15/21 $24.99 US | $33.99 CAN | 176 PAGES | FC | DC HARDCOVER ISBN: 978-1-77951-128-7 In Earth’s darkest hour, heroes will bring hope in this new addition to the DCeased saga, taking place within the timeline of the original epic! DCeased became a smash horror hit in 2019 by offering a twisted version of the DC Universe infected by the Anti-Life Equation, transforming heroes and villains alike into mindless monsters. DCeased: Hope at World’s End, previously only available digitally, expands the world of that original DCeased series by filling in that story’s time jump and focusing on characters including Superman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Stephanie Brown, Wally West, and Jimmy Olsen. In DCeased: Hope at World’s End, the Anti-Life Equation has infected over a billion people on Earth. Heroes and villains have fallen. In the immediate aftermath of the destruction of Metropolis, Superman and Wonder Woman spearhead an effort to stem the tide of infection, preserve and protect survivors, and plan for what’s next. In the Earth’s darkest hour, heroes will bring hope! The war for Earth has only just begun! This volume collects DCeased: Hope at World’s End Digital Chapters 1-15.

And this is for the AU Eobard story.

TALES FROM THE DC DARK MULTIVERSE II HC stories and art by VARIOUS cover by DAVID MARQUEZ ON SALE 6/8/21 $34.99 US | $45.99 CAN | 368 PAGES | FC | DC Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-77951-007-5 The gateway into the Dark Multiverse has been opened...what stories will emerge? Follow Batman, Wonder Woman, and the Justice League as our heroes battle their way through these crumbling and shattered worlds! Collects Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Batman: Hush #1; Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Flashpoint #1; Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Wonder Woman: War of the Gods #1; Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Crisis on Infinite Earths #1; and Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Dark Nights Metal #1, plus the stories that inspired these tales from Batman #619, Flashpoint #1, Wonder Woman: War of the Gods #4, Crisis on Infinite Earths #12, and Dark Nights: Metal #6.

#Captain Cold #Professor Zoom #Pied Piper #Replicant #the Flash #solicits #spoilers: comics

[imagine-loki]

Irked

Title: Irked

Author lokilover9 Chapter 8

Warning: Teen

Original Imagine: Imagine due to having highly effective telekinesis, Tony Stark seeks you out and hires you. Loki’s been forced to live there by Odin and help on missions when needed, making penance to Midgardians. Prior to moving into the Tower, you learn of his superior and arrogant attitude and upon being introduced, immediately dislike him. Particularly because he looks at you like your his next meal.

Tony had been collaborating with Phil and several others for almost three weeks when requesting Loki, Shandi, Natasha and Clint for a meeting in the main staff room. All sat clueless as to why when he and Thor entered.

“Good morning everyone, I’ll get right down to business. I’m sure you’re all familiar with an old ‘acquaintance’ or preferably an ‘asswhole’ I once knew named Obadiah Stane?” They nodded and he continued. “It would appear said asswhole sold one, or possibly more copies of the technology for my Sonic Tasers while alive.”

Shandi seemed unsure of what he was referring to so Loki spoke up. “It’s a weapon that incapacitates one by exposing them to a specific sonic frequency.”

Everyone stared at him with raised brows, including Tony. “I’m impressed Cactus.”

Loki responded matter of factly. “It’s wise, to one’s best ability, to be educated on the weapons of our enemies. Is it not?”

Tony’s brows furrowed and Loki rolled his eyes.

“I mean when we were as such? To remain prepared for war, we were taught as Asier princes to learn what we could of the arsenals of other realms.” He looked to Thor. “Correct?”

Thor nodded. “That is true.”

“Fine.” Said Tony. “On a forward note, an investigation of the criminals from the last bank robbery Cactus halted, lead to the investigation of a particular street gang. The leader’s home was eventually searched and twenty prototypes of my Tasers were found hidden in a ‘secret’ sub room off this idiots basement, amongst several other illegal weapons.”

“Shit.” Said Clint.

“It gets worse.” Said Tony. “He wouldn’t talk and when questioning his counterparts, we discovered one was not only seventeen, but an illegal immigrant whose mother and younger sister are too. After a year of living in here squalor, he was befriended by another member and offered a job. Desperate, the kid took it.”

“Oh no.” Said Nat. “Tell me S.H.I.E.L.D didn’t?”

Tony shook his head. “No, he was terrified and wouldn’t talk either. With no proof he’d committed any crimes, I convinced S.H.I.E.L.D to let him go and agreed to ‘keep an eye on him?’”

Nat smiled and nodded, suspecting what he’d done. “Details?”

“Later Toots, I’m short on time.”

“Carry on then.”

“So yeah. This kid had overheard some conversations amongst his so called peers and after ‘pressuring’ these bastards and S.H.I.E.L.D doing some further investigating, it was discovered these prototypes may be connected to a ‘Mr. Shamus O'Donnell’ of the O’Donnells of New Jersey.”

Clint sat back in his chair. “You’re shittin’ me.”

Tony shook his head. “I’m afraid not my friend.”

“Who is this person?” Asked Shandi.

“He’s a Federal Court Judge Doll.”

“His father was a Supreme Court Judge.” Said Clint.

“Yep. Shamus Sr. was found shot to death on a country road with his mistress in the late seventies and the murder was never solved. It was rumored shortly after he had links to organized crime, but nothing was ever proven.”

“Were he and Obadiah connected in any way?” Asked Nat.

“Good question. Out of concern for my company, I did some investigating into Stanes financial activities after his death. He sat in on four high stakes poker games in Vegas and L.A. two years prior and on a hunch, I recently obtained a guest list from his hotels. Shamus was there on three out of the four occasions. A coinkidink, don’t ya think?”

“I’ll say. So now what?”

“Shamus resides in the Palisades. As it turns out, I’ve a friend who owns a house there he rarely uses.” He looked to Loki and Shandi. “You two are now Mr. and Mrs. Clifford and Elizabeth Bradshaw, who will be renting the place until searching for your own home after your baby is born.” Then he turned to Nat and Clint. “And you two are Gustav and Ella Shriner, a retired couple in their fifties, who will be renting a nearby cottage for the summer.”

Shandi cleared her throat. “Might I ask something Tony?”

“Sure.”

“Is the mission actually expected to take that long?”

“Hopefully not Doll, but the house is high atop a hill. When you need a break from Loki, you can shove him off the balcony that overlooks the woods and watch him roll down.”

She pursed her lips in a smirk. “I was just curious.”

Loki rolled his eyes then snickered at Clint and Nat. “He he. You two have to wear troublesome disguises.”

“Seriously?” Said Tony. “Let discuss yours.” What he said next wasn’t spoken rudely, just firmly and to the point. “Out of concern for trust issues I still have with you, I sent big brother here to visit dear old dad and learned something very interesting. As a result, he’s now put Heimdall on higher alert. If you even ‘attempt’ to use ‘any’ kind of trickery to slip through my fingers, or intentionally screw up this mission, you’re back in Asgard. Is that clear?”

Not once did Loki look away from him and responded with no rudeness, or sarcasm in his tone. “I understand completely, but what did you learn?”

They’re eyes remained locked while Tony attempted to read any disdain within Lokis. “I’ll get back to that. Let’s finish with O’Donell first.” He re addressed everyone. “We’ve learned Shamus is quite the snob and very choosy of his friends. Only a select few are ever invited to his house and it’s rumored many have desired to be on that list.”

“Why?” Asked Shandi.

“He and his wife are the pillars of their community. To be accepted by him means you’re ‘special’ and could gain you prestige amongst others like them.”

“Oh brother.” Said Nat. “Time to polish your sharp wit Loki.”

“Apparently so.” He replied. “And thank you for the compliment.”

“It’s not only sharp wit you’ll need to hopefully earn a step through his door.” Said Thor. “Shamus is quite the intellect and is known to choose his peers based on theirs. We know of some hobbies he enjoys and learning what you can of them could be good conversation openers.”

“If this man is so snobby, how will I get chance to interact with him?”

“Through the wife.” Said Tony. “Alice is said to be much friendlier and adores children, especially babies.” He looked at Shandi. “Which is where you come in. We’re hoping your pregnancy will spark a friendship, eventually earning you both a step through the door.”

“He must be ‘very’ snobby if that’s our only hope. How did you learn all of this so fast?” She asked.

“S.H.I.E.L.D found some previous maids who were willing to reveal what they’d learned of the couple. They’ve no clue why the information was requested, but were pissed they couldn’t tell us more. Not only does Shamus rule the household, but he’s very secretive and very sneaky. Each claimed he sexually harassed them, yet were too afraid to report it.”

“Sounds like a real peach.” Said Shandi. “So how will I get a chance to interact with Alice?”

“It’s a tight knit community Doll and she’s very curious of newcomers. You and Loki will need to be seen amidst it every day prior to the county fair, so she can learn of your existence. Her closest friend owns a maternity store in town and after the grocery store on your first day, this should be your next stop. That’s when you four meet for the first time and Nat will strike up a conversation. I’ll explain more later, but what’s to happen during this encounter is ‘extremely’ important because of your empathy bellies.”

“When’s the county fair?”

“In two weeks.”

Loki was grinning inside like a Cheshire Cat, yet hid it extremely well.

“Alice and her friends are famous for their baked goods there.” Tony continued. “Hopefully, you can strike up a conversation with her and get the ball rolling. Without any definitive proof against Shamus, you and Loki are our only hope of getting this done quickly without anyone knowing we were involved. Legally, it could be disastrous.”

After Tony explained all the remaining details, everyone watched with curiosity as he presented a magazine before Loki. “And now back to what I’ve learned about you.”

“Designer Suits 2017. What’s this for?” He asked.

“Father was uncertain if Tony knew of your shape shifting abilities and I was told to inform him.” Said Thor.

Loki remained silent as everyone’s mouths fell open.

“Holy fuck.” Said Clint. “And I thought the clones were clever.”

Shandi still hadn’t completely processed either of the God’s natural abilities, including Lokis clones, so this really had her baffled. “P..pardon? How can one..I mean…”

Nat slid a hand over her forearm and she went quiet.

“Hence Heimdalls thicker glasses Doll.” Said Tony. He looked back at Loki and gestured towards the magazine. “Now pick a model likenes please?”

Loki gandered through it and chose a man with wavy Raven hair that was cut just below the ears. His lips were a little fuller, face a little rounder, body a tad more muscular, but his skin tone and height were the same. “May I at least keep my own eye color?” He asked.

Tony crossed his arms. “Let’s make a deal, shall we? As I’m so familiar with how annoying you can often be, promise you’ll refrain from being so to your new ‘wife’ and you may keep your shiny emeralds. If not, I’ll come toss you over that balcony myself.”

“What makes you think I annoy her now?”

“Oh I don’t know.” Said Tony. “Her abrupt concern for the missions length maybe?”

“Let him keep them.” Said Shandi. “Even if he becomes so, he’s nothing I can’t handle.” Everyone cackled when the front legs of Lokis chair hastily lifted from the floor, tilting him backwards and his limbs slightly flailed. She stared at him while still addressing Tony. “See? It’s all good.”

‘Very amusing darling.’ Loki Thought. ‘I do love a challenge.’

Tony replied with a smirk. “Okay then. All of you need to come to S.H.I.E.L.D for ID photos.” He handed everyone but Loki a duffle bag. “You’re dismissed Cactus until everyone’s ready. Can you stay behind a minute Shandi?”

Loki was the last one out and purposely left the door open. “Thank you God of annoyance!” Tony shouted.

“You’re welcome Tin Lips! Kisses!”

Tony got up and closed it. “Blech, where’s Caps shield when I need it. Nice move with the chair by the way.”

Shandi chuckled. “Thanks.”

“You are aware this is Lokis first mission, right?”

“Yes.”

Are you ‘sure’ you don’t mind working with him? He may be an arse of sorts and I can switch you with up with Nat.”

“He might be dead before the fair then.”

Tony thought about that for a minute. “True, good point.”

She chuckled at him again. “I’m okay with it, honest.”

“Alright then Doll, I just wanted to make sure.” He headed for the door. “Nat will show you how to properly apply your wig, contacts and makeup. She’s probably already at your door.”

He opened it and Nat was staring at him.

“Or she’s stalking me outside mine.”

“You’ve set that kid and his family up haven’t you.”

The three began walking together.

“Right, details.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Last I heard, they disappeared.”

“Uh huh. Suuure they did Tony.”

“Honest. For all I know, they could be in another state, starting whole new lives..with brand new identities.”

Both women smiled and Nat nudged him with her elbow. “I always knew the Tin Man had a heart.”

“Yeah well, don’t be spreading that around as I’ve a reputation to keep up. Genius, billionaire, playboy..infamous hard ass. You know the drill.”

Nats brows rose. “Playboy? Does Pepper know this is still a hobby?”

“Yeah boss.” Said Shandi. “What up with that?”

“You ladies aren’t going to snitch on me are you?”

They spoke in unison. “We are.”

Tony shrugged his shoulders. “Okay. We can always pretend I never said that, right?”

They spoke in unison again. “Good idea boss.”

Tony stared at them as they walked away. “That was weird.”

#Loki #Angst #God of Mischief #Submitted fic #submission #irked #chapter 8 #lokilover9 #tony stark #hires #odin #mission #penance #tower #superior #arrogant #introduced #dislike

[loki-subterfuge]

CHAPTER 8 Tony had been collaborating with Phil and several others for almost three weeks when requesting Loki, Shandi, Natasha and Clint for a meeting in the main staff room. All sat clueless as to why when he and Thor entered. “Good morning everyone, I'll get right down to business. I'm sure you're all familiar with an old ‘acquaintance’ or preferably an ‘asswhole’ I once knew named Obadiah Stane?” They nodded and he continued. “It would appear said asswhole sold one, or possibly more copies of the technology for my Sonic Tasers while alive.” Shandi seemed unsure of what he was referring to so Loki spoke up. “It's a weapon that incapacitates one by exposing them to a specific sonic frequency.” Everyone stared at him with raised brows, including Tony. “I'm impressed Cactus.” Loki responded matter of factly. “It's wise, to one's best ability, to be educated on the weapons of our enemies. Is it not?” Tony's brows furrowed and Loki rolled his eyes. “I mean when we were as such? To remain prepared for war, we were taught as Asier princes to learn what we could of the arsenals of other realms.” He looked to Thor. “Correct?” Thor nodded. “That is true.” “Fine.” Said Tony. “On a forward note, an investigation of the criminals from the last bank robbery Cactus halted, lead to the investigation of a particular street gang. The leader's home was eventually searched and twenty prototypes of my Tasers were found hidden in a ‘secret’ sub room off this idiots basement, amongst several other illegal weapons.” “Shit.” Said Clint. “It gets worse.” Said Tony. “He wouldn't talk and when questioning his counterparts, we discovered one was not only seventeen, but an illegal immigrant whose mother and younger sister are too. After a year of living in here squalor, he was befriended by another member and offered a job. Desperate, the kid took it.” “Oh no.” Said Nat. “Tell me S.H.I.E.L.D didn't?” Tony shook his head. “No, he was terrified and wouldn't talk either. With no proof he'd committed any crimes, I convinced S.H.I.E.L.D to let him go and agreed to ‘keep an eye on him?’” Nat smiled and nodded, suspecting what he'd done. “Details?” “Later Toots, I'm short on time.” “Carry on then.” “So yeah. This kid had overheard some conversations amongst his so called peers and after ‘pressuring’ these bastards and S.H.I.E.L.D doing some further investigating, it was discovered these prototypes may be connected to a ‘Mr. Shamus O'Donnell’ of the O’Donnells of New Jersey.” Clint sat back in his chair. “You're shittin’ me.” Tony shook his head. “I'm afraid not my friend.” “Who is this person?” Asked Shandi. “He's a Federal Court Judge Doll.” “His father was a Supreme Court Judge.” Said Clint. “Yep. Shamus Sr. was found shot to death on a country road with his mistress in the late seventies and the murder was never solved. It was rumored shortly after he had links to organized crime, but nothing was ever proven.” “Were he and Obadiah connected in any way?” Asked Nat. “Good question. Out of concern for my company, I did some investigating into Stanes financial activities after his death. He sat in on four high stakes poker games in Vegas and L.A. two years prior and on a hunch, I recently obtained a guest list from his hotels. Shamus was there on three out of the four occasions. A coinkidink, don't ya think?” “I'll say. So now what?” “Shamus resides in the Palisades. As it turns out, I've a friend who owns a house there he rarely uses.” He looked to Loki and Shandi. “You two are now Mr. and Mrs. Clifford and Elizabeth Bradshaw, who will be renting the place until searching for your own home after your baby is born.” Then he turned to Nat and Clint. “And you two are Gustav and Ella Shriner, a retired couple in their fifties, who will be renting a nearby cottage for the summer.” Shandi cleared her throat. “Might I ask something Tony?” “Sure.” “Is the mission actually expected to take that long?” “Hopefully not Doll, but the house is high atop a hill. When you need a break from Loki, you can shove him off the balcony that overlooks the woods and watch him roll down.” She pursed her lips in a smirk. “I was just curious.” Loki rolled his eyes then snickered at Clint and Nat. “He he. You two have to wear troublesome disguises.” “Seriously?” Said Tony. “Let discuss yours.” What he said next wasn't spoken rudely, just firmly and to the point. “Out of concern for trust issues I still have with you, I sent big brother here to visit dear old dad and learned something very interesting. As a result, he's now put Heimdall on higher alert. If you even ‘attempt’ to use ‘any’ kind of trickery to slip through my fingers, or intentionally screw up this mission, you're back in Asgard. Is that clear?” Not once did Loki look away from him and responded with no rudeness, or sarcasm in his tone. “I understand completely, but what did you learn?” They're eyes remained locked while Tony attempted to read any disdain within Lokis. “I'll get back to that. Let's finish with O’Donell first.” He re addressed everyone. “We've learned Shamus is quite the snob and very choosy of his friends. Only a select few are ever invited to his house and it's rumored many have desired to be on that list.” “Why?” Asked Shandi. “He and his wife are the pillars of their community. To be accepted by him means you're ‘special’ and could gain you prestige amongst others like them.” “Oh brother.” Said Nat. “Time to polish your sharp wit Loki.” “Apparently so.” He replied. “And thank you for the compliment.” “It's not only sharp wit you'll need to hopefully earn a step through his door.” Said Thor. “Shamus is quite the intellect and is known to choose his peers based on theirs. We know of some hobbies he enjoys and learning what you can of them could be good conversation openers.” “If this man is so snobby, how will I get chance to interact with him?” “Through the wife.” Said Tony. “Alice is said to be much friendlier and adores children, especially babies.” He looked at Shandi. “Which is where you come in. We're hoping your pregnancy will spark a friendship, eventually earning you both a step through the door.” “He must be ‘very’ snobby if that's our only hope. How did you learn all of this so fast?” She asked. “S.H.I.E.L.D found some previous maids who were willing to reveal what they'd learned of the couple. They've no clue why the information was requested, but were pissed they couldn't tell us more. Not only does Shamus rule the household, but he's very secretive and sneaky. Each claimed he sexually harassed them, yet were too afraid to report it.” “Sounds like a real gentleman.” Said Shandi. “So how will I get a chance to interact with Alice?” “It's a tight knit community Doll and she's very curious of newcomers. You and Loki will need to be seen amidst it every day before the county fair, so she can learn of your existence. Her closest friend owns a maternity store in town and after the grocery store on your first day, this should be your next stop.” He gestured towards Nat and Clint. That's when you four meet for the first time. I'll explain more why soon, but what's to happen during this encounter is ‘extremely’ important because of your empathy bellies.” “When’s the county fair?” “In two weeks.” Loki was grinning inside like a Cheshire Cat. “Alice and her friends are famous for their baked goods there.” Tony continued. “Hopefully, you can strike up a conversation with her and get the ball rolling. Without any definitive proof against Shamus, you and Loki are our only hope of getting this done quickly without anyone knowing we were involved. Legally, it could be disastrous.” After Tony explained all the remaining details, everyone watched with curiosity as he presented a magazine before Loki. “And now back to what I've learned about you.” “Designer Suits 2017. What's this for?” He asked. “Father was uncertain if Tony knew of your shape shifting abilities and I was told to inform him.” Said Thor. Loki remained silent as everyone's mouths fell open. “Holy fuck.” Said Clint. “And I thought the clones were clever.” Shandi still hadn't completely processed either of the God's natural abilities, including Lokis clones, so this really had her baffled. “P..pardon? How can one..I mean…” Nat slid a hand over her forearm and she went quiet. “Hence Heimdalls thicker glasses Doll.” Said Tony. He looked back at Loki, gesturing towards the magazine. “Now pick a model likeness please?” Loki gandered through it and chose a man with wavy Raven hair that was cut just below the ears. His lips were a little fuller, face a little rounder, body a tad more muscular, but his skin tone and height were the same. “May I at least keep my own eye color?” He asked. Tony crossed his arms. “Let's make a deal, shall we? As I'm so familiar with how annoying you can often be, promise you’ll refrain from being so to your new ‘wife’ and you may keep your shiny emeralds. If not, I'll come toss you over that balcony myself.” “What makes you think I annoy her now?” “Oh I don't know.” Said Tony. “Her abrupt concern for the missions length maybe?” “Let him keep them.” Said Shandi. “Even if he becomes so, he's nothing I can't handle.” Everyone cackled when the front legs of Lokis chair hastily lifted from the floor, tilting him backwards and his limbs slightly flailed. She stared at him while addressing Tony. “See? It's all good.” ‘Very amusing darling.’ He Thought. ‘I do love a challenge.’ Tony replied with a smirk. “Okay then. All of you need to come to S.H.I.E.L.D for ID photos.” He handed everyone but Loki a duffle bag. “You're dismissed Cactus until everyone's ready. Can you stay behind a minute Shandi?” Loki was the last one out and purposely left the door open. “Thank you God of annoyance!” Tony shouted. “You're welcome Tin Lips! Kisses!” Tony got up and closed it. “Blech, where's Caps shield when I need it. Nice move with the chair by the way.” Shandi chuckled. “Thanks.” “You are aware this is Lokis first mission, right?” “Yes.” Are you ‘sure’ you don't mind working with him? He may be an arse of sorts and I can switch you with up with Nat.” “He might be dead before the fair then.” Tony thought about that for a minute. “True, good point.” She chuckled at him again. “I’m okay with it, honest.” “Alright then Doll, I just wanted to make sure.” He headed for the door. “Nat will show you how to properly apply your wig, contacts and makeup. She's probably already at your door.” He opened it and Nat was staring at him. “Or she’s stalking me outside mine.” “You've set that kid and his family up haven't you.” The three began walking together. “Right, details.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Last I heard, they disappeared.” “Uh huh. Suuure they did Tony.” “Honest. For all I know, they could be in another state, starting whole new lives..with brand new identities.” Both women smiled and Nat nudged him with her elbow. “I always knew the Tin Man had a heart.” “Yeah well, don't be spreading that around as I've a reputation to keep up. Genius, billionaire, playboy..infamous hard ass. You know the drill.” Nats brows rose. “Playboy? Does Pepper know this is still a hobby?” “Yeah boss.” Said Shandi. “What up with that?” “You ladies aren't going to snitch on me are you?” They spoke in unison. “We are.” “Okay. Can't we pretend I never said that?” They spoke in unison again. “Good idea boss.” Tony stared at them as they walked away. “That was weird.”

[mariaclaragomez276]

The Cosy Edition: 20 hotels with fabulous fireplaces

From wood-burning stoves to roaring mantels, moments of relaxation don’t get much better than sitting beside an open fireplace with your tipple of choice. Here are some of our favourite cosy corners to warm up in and while away a winter’s day…

Storfjord, Skodje – Norway

With an open fireplace at every turn, including the lounge, dining room, and suites, this secluded woodland retreat lives up to its log cabin look and Scandinavian folktale feel. The scent of timber hangs in the air at Storfjord, while a calming combination of traditional Norwegian features and über-modern design, with a soothing palette, snug corners, and carefully selected art and antiques awaits guests inside. For spellbinding views over the fjords, make yourself comfortable on the outdoor patio complete with a Viking-esque pan-fire.

Susafa, Sicily – Italy

This 200-year old Sicilian farmhouse is a taste of rustic simplicity at its best. Exposed brick and beams, oversized blown glass lamps, and weathered wooden furniture make up the lived-in luxury feel of Susafa‘s interiors. Sample some of the estate’s organic produce beside the spacious open fire in the bar, including fresh ravioli, homemade tomato sauce, olive oil, cherry jam, and sommelier-selected wines.

Cordée des Alpes Hotel, Verbier – Switzerland

A warm welcome awaits every guest at Cordée des Alpes Hotel, a stylish wooden ski lodge which has been thoughtfully designed to integrate with the surrounding alpine architecture. Step inside the chalet-inspired reception to a crackling fireplace, decorated with vintage skis. Many of the rooms and suites come with their own hearths, including the Prestige Suites and Cordelette Penthouse, to let your muscles thaw after a day on the slopes.

The Fish Hotel, Cotswolds – UK

This village-style collection of houses, huts and hideaways set within the 400-acre Farncombe Estate is made for cosy Cotswolds getaways. Classic country styling meets pared-back, Scandi chic design at The Fish Hotel, with quaint wood-burning stoves in most of the huts and suites, and roaring fires in the lounge and Nest areas to enjoy with a post-walk hot chocolate in hand.

Foxhill Manor, Cotswolds – UK

Another member of the Farncombe family, Foxhill Manor is a charming home-from-home with a ‘whatever you fancy, whenever you fancy’ motto. For some serious indulgence, opt for The Oak Suite, which comes with twin free-standing bath tubs overlooking rolling Cotswolds hills towards the post-card worthy Broadway Village, and a snug lounge area facing a feature fireplace.

Ett Hem, Stockholm – Sweden

The whole concept of this Scandinavian bolthole is perfectly summed up by the translation of Ett Hem – ‘at home’ – which welcomes guests into its warm embrace of informal elegance. Make yourself at home beside the flickering fire in the eclectically styled lounge of this Arts and Crafts townhouse, or retreat to one of the Junior Suites complete with four-poster beds and their own period fireplaces. The low-key luxury continues through to the Ett Hem Suite, which features a marble bath tub and tiled stove for maximum warmth and comfort.

Le Refuge de la Traye, Méribel – France

Taking inspiration from classic Savoie design, the eco-luxury chalets of Le Refuge de la Traye are dotted about a miniature hamlet hidden away in the Alps. After a day on the famous slopes of Les 3 Vallées, hang up your boots and relax by the fireplace with a glass of fine Savoyard wine or a locally inspired cocktail.

Castle Hot Springs, Arizona – USA

An oasis of calm surrounded by the sepia-hued slopes of the Bradshaw Mountains, Castle Hot Springs fuses its early-20th-century glamour with an off-grid ethos of farm-to-fork dining and back-to-nature exploring. Take a dip in the bubbling thermal springs known for their healing mineral waters by day, and watch the desert sky come alive each night from one of the resort’s open fireplaces, or the expansive private decks of the Sky View Cabins, equipped with a telescope and outdoor tub ready to be filled with hot spring water.

Villa La Madonna, Piedmont – Italy

An effortless blend of sophisticated styling and the authentic influences – open hearths, exposed-brick ceilings and handpicked furniture – Villa La Madonna makes the most of its enviable location in the Bormida Valley. Verdant hills and vineyards surround this slow-living retreat, while the Alps are only two hours to the north, and the Italian Riviera one hour to the south.

Boutique Hotel Wachtelhof, Hinterthal Maria Alm – Austria

With a fireplace in almost every room of Boutique Hotel Wachtelhof, this ski-in ski-out alpine hideaway is filled with intimate spots to enjoy life’s simple pleasures. If you can tear yourself away from the warming interiors, a winter wonderland of powder covered slopes, hiking trails and back country adventures awaits.

Stein Eriksen Residences, Utah – USA

Wrap-around windows framing mountain views. Soaring ceilings and crackling fires. Fire pits, grills and hot tubs for al fresco evenings spent in the peaks. Stein Eriksen Residences are striking ski retreats that make the absolute best of their breathtaking setting. Being able to ski straight in and out from your hotel to some of the world’s best powder is the icing on the cake.

Grand Forest Metsovo, Metsovo – Greece

A secluded hideaway above Metsovo town, this boutique hotel is your gateway to one of northern Greece’s best-kept secrets. In winter, skiers can head to nearby Anilio, before returning to a cosy nook beside a fireplace at Grand Forest Metsovo overlooking the Pindos peaks. Dine at altitude at the Metsovo 1350M restaurant – high up on the mountainside, the sublime backdrop is accompanied by tempting plates of Epirus specialities from local producers.

Eichardt’s Private Hotel, Queenstown – New Zealand

With the best spot on the shores of mountain-backed Lake Wakatipu, Eichardt’s Private Hotel is both sleekly designed and serenely placed. Each suite and apartment frames awe-inspiring lake or mountain views, and balances antique furnishings with contemporary style notes. For peak privacy, choose The Residence – while The Penthouse boasts the best views in the house, along with its own outdoor grill.

Hotel Haven, Helsinki – Finland

Calming colours meet bold, patterned furnishings at Hotel Haven, a sleek city sanctuary just a stone’s throw from the capital’s Market Place, picturesque harbour, and Art Nouveau buildings. Downstairs, the snug fire and armchairs make the lobby ideal for relaxing with coffee and a paper.

Hotel Firefly, Zermatt – Switzerland

This all-suite refuge at the foot of the Matterhorn offers a contemporary take on the traditional alpine lodge, surrounded by the soaring peaks of the Valais Alps. Hotel Firefly is home to just 16 spacious suites – all individually decorated to reflect the elements of fire, earth, water and air. Many take this elemental inspiration further, with open fires encased in glass, and balconies for taking in the mountain air.

Hotel de Orangerie, Bruges – Belgium

Engravings, tapestries, silk-lined curtains and antiques infuse this former 500 year-old convent with nostalgic charm. Get cosy in the oak-panelled dining room at Hotel de Orangerie, then settle down by the open fire with a pot of fresh coffee – or a sparkling aperitif.

Trout Point Lodge, Nova Scotia – Canada

Surrounded by swathes of forestland in the wilds of Nova Scotia, Trout Point Lodge provides the perfect mix of luxury in its remote setting. Reflecting its environment with furniture made from the saplings, burls and branches taken from the site when the lodge was built, the deep porches, hand-cut stone fire places and wood burning stoves are designed with eco-friendliness in mind.

Les Manoirs des Portes de Deauville, Canapville – France

Circled by six acres of sublime gardens, Les Manoirs des Portes de Deauville is only a short drive to the Normandy coast and the seaside town of Deauville. Dotted across the beautifully restored Norman manor house and nine cottages, rooms and suites contrast crisp white and pastel tones with original fireplaces and exposed wooden beams. Curl up with an apple tasting platter beside the fireplace in The Great Lounge, washed down with some of the region’s famous calvados (apple brandy).

Schlosshotel Kronberg, Kronberg – Germany

Built in 1893, Schlosshotel Kronberg was originally home to Empress Victoria Friedrich, the eldest daughter of Queen Victoria. Step inside a grandiose hall with an imposing fireplace and antique furniture all around, many of which belonged to the Empress herself. History decorates the walls of this elegant castle – expect to discover original paintings by Rubens, Titian and Gainsborough.

Art & Relax Hotel Bergwelt, Obergurgl – Austria

Set high on a sunny plateau above the pretty ski resort of Obergurgl, Art & Relax Hotel Bergwelt is a delightfully traditional-looking alpine lodge that is directly connected to the ski slopes. With unexpectedly modern, stylish interiors this chic chalet retreat has a panoramic restaurant, a spa with the highest pool in the Alps, and a welcoming bar with a blazing fire.

The post The Cosy Edition: 20 hotels with fabulous fireplaces appeared first on Small Luxury Hotels.

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[delfinamaggiousa]

A Power Ranking of Cosmopolitans from ‘Sex and the City’

In the final moments of the 2008 “Sex and the City” movie, the HBO hit show’s four lead characters — Carrie Bradshaw, Miranda Hobbs, Samantha Jones, and Charlotte York — enjoy a nostalgic reunion with an old friend, Cosmo.

“This is delicious!” Charlotte exclaims, as she sips a shimmering pink Cosmopolitan cocktail from an oversized Martini glass. “Why did we ever stop drinking these?” Miranda wonders. In turn, Carrie quips, “Because everyone else started!”

Their conversation is loaded with intentional irony. Many people did, in fact, start drinking Cosmopolitans (or Cosmos) during the late ‘90s, arguably because of the drink’s association with the show and its sex-column-writing protagonist, Carrie Bradshaw. Whether or not the Cosmo is, as Charlotte says, a “delicious” drink, is historically and hotly debated.

Before “Sex and the City” (SATC) first hit the small screen in 1998, the bright pink cocktail had already amassed an impressive following among New York socialites and celebrities in the late 1980s. Bartender Toby Cecchini is widely credited with introducing the drink to high-profile regulars at TriBeCa brasserie The Odeon, where he worked at the time.

Cecchini, who now owns Long Island Bar in Brooklyn, has often recounted how he “adapted” the recipe from another pink cocktail called the Cosmopolitan, which was doing the rounds in San Francisco gay bars. Cecchini learned of that drink from a colleague, who was introduced to it by friends visiting from the West Coast.

“It was gross, but it looked pretty,” Cecchini told Punch in a 2017 interview. “I went about reconstructing it.” He upgraded the drink’s ingredients, swapping out rail vodka and store-bought lime juice with new-on-the-market Absolut Citron, a lemon-flavored vodka, and freshly squeezed citrus. In place of grenadine, Cecchini used cranberry juice to give the drink its signature hue, and added triple sec (Cointreau, by many accounts) for sweet balance.

Ironically, the ingredients hardly mattered. What shot the drink into popularity was its instantly recognizable pink hue. “It was always made wrong, and you could tell, because it looked like a Negroni,” Cecchini said. “Nobody was doing the proper amount of lime juice. … There was too much cranberry. And still, to this day, people never get it right.”

The Cosmopolitan’s hit-or-miss ubiquity, and the countless overly sweet, artificial-looking recreations, sadly led to its downfall. But at its core, the Cosmo belongs to the “sour” family of cocktails, and is a sibling of other hugely popular drinks such as the Margarita and Daiquiri. In capable hands, and by avoiding gimmicky tools and ingredients, both can be crafted into stunning drinks. So is the Cosmo, too, worthy of a second chance?

VinePair decided to find out. To do so, we thought it would only be fitting to give the drink another go at the major New York bars and restaurants that featured in “Sex and the City.” After all, this was the show that helped make the drink famous.

Helping this writer on the Cosmo-fueled bar crawl was VinePair’s director of marketing, Jeff Licciardello, a late-to-the-game “Sex and the City” fan who regularly watches reruns of the show. VinePair columnist and cocktail enthusiast Aaron Goldfarb was also on hand to share his knowledge and palate (Goldfarb has been a regular fixture on previous VinePair bar crawls).

And making a special-guest appearance was Melissa Stokoski, an actor and comedian who leads guided “Sex and the City” tours two to three times a week for On Tour Locations.

To set the stage, our tasting began at the Cosmo’s original NYC home, The Odeon.

Our judging process was simple: If the establishment featured a Cosmo on its menu, we’d order that. If it didn’t, we would ask for one to be prepared according to the house specifications. Each taster scored each drink on preparation, presentation, ingredients, balance of flavors, and value for money. Scores were then averaged to determine our final ranking.

Setting the Standard: The Odeon

The NYC home of the Cosmo never featured in SATC, but it feels like the type of restaurant where the bougie leading characters would start the night. The TriBeCa institution captures a traditional French brasserie’s comfort and sophistication, while a long, incredibly well-lit art deco bar dazzles. (It also reportedly cost close to 10 percent of the restaurant’s opening budget when it debuted in 1980.)

The tasting team told our bartender about the Cosmo crawl, and he reacted excitedly, recounting the drink’s ties to the restaurant and detailing its popularity — he prepares 20 to 30 per shift, on average.

The perfectly pink Cosmos he served arrived in sturdy Martini glasses. In other, more modern establishments, the thickness of the glass would have felt tacky; but in this nostalgic setting, they were perfect. While our bartender free-poured the ingredients, the drinks were remarkably well balanced: tart, fruity, and acidic, with just the right amount of sweetness. Average score: 21.75/25

6. Cipriani

In SATC Season 3, Episode 3, “Attack of the Five Foot Ten Woman,” the girls brunch in SoHo’s Italian eatery, Cipriani. Flicking through The New York Times wedding section, they learn that Carrie’s ex, John James “Mr. Big” Preston, has married his girlfriend of five months, Natasha Naginsky.

Credit: Cipriani / Facebook.com

Drinking a Cosmo at Cipriani in 2020 proves to be a similar assault. The service is elitist, and the experience resembles an awkward first date you really want to end and will pay any price to get out of. In this case, that was $22. In return, we received a tiny, foamy Cosmo, served in the type of thick, stemmed water glasses designed for large-volume catered events and not expensive New York restaurants.

Cipriani’s bartender opted not to shake our drinks, but instead mixed them using a milkshake frother. The result was undeniably attractive, but not a classic Cosmo preparation by any parameters. It contained (unflavored) Stolichnaya vodka, tasted like pink lemonade seasoned with sour mix, and arrived with a clumsy lime-wedge garnish. While the Cosmopolitan has come to embody free-spirited fun, drinking this frothy concoction at Cipriani feels anything but. Average score: 8/25

5. Cafeteria

Chelsea’s Cafeteria restaurant, known for its 24/7 service, is also the location for numerous brunch scenes throughout the SATC series. Nearly two decades since the show finished, Cafeteria’s ambience evokes that late-30s friend who, rather than settling down like many of their contemporaries, is trying to keep the party going for as long as possible. The music, a compilation of Ibiza dance hits from the early 2000s, blares multiple decibels too loud, and the after-dark lighting is inappropriately low for any restaurant — even one that never closes.

As for its Cosmo: a modern interpretation that deserves some acknowledgement for effort, but the delivery, much like the bar/restaurant in general, is off. Served in a Nick & Nora glass, this Cosmo smelled like Starburst-infused vodka and tasted like an overly sweet passionfruit-spiked Sex on the Beach. Bearing as much resemblance to a classic Cosmopolitan as an Appletini does to a Martini, this is an accomplished Sandals resort cocktail at best. Average score: 12.25/25

4. Grand Bar & Lounge at the Soho Grand Hotel

Featured in Episode 15 of Season 4 (“Change of a Dress”), this hotel bar and lounge played host to a charity event put on by (fictional) hotel magnate Richard Wright, Samantha’s soon-to-be ex-boyfriend. During the formal “Black and White” party, Samantha learns Richard is seeing other women, and is shocked to discover how much it bothers her. “I think I have monogamy,” she tells her friends. “I caught it from you people.”

IRL, the Soho Grand delivers an authentic, glamorous SATC experience. The decor seasons stripped-back regal fittings with sleek 21st-century details. Both the bar and lounge feel expensive without being stuffy, and the staff provides remarkably friendly service.

Credit: Soho Grand Hotel / Facebook.com

If it’s Cosmos you’re looking for, you’ll need to order off-menu and there’s no Absolut Citron on the bar. The cocktails arrived in a stiletto-thin, oversized coupe glasses, garnished with a large orange twist. The sweet citrus fruit garnish ultimately hijacked the drink, and the mixture lacked boozy punch. As this Cosmo’s beauty is only skin-deep, it’s acceptable for a one-time fling but definitely not worthy of long-term commitment. Average score: 13/25

3. Onieal’s Bar and Restaurant

The most-recognizable bar from the show (On Tour Locations finishes its tours here), Onieal’s is better known to SATC fans as Scout, the bar co-owned by Steve Brady, Miranda’s husband, and Aidan Shaw, Carrie’s two-time boyfriend and one-time fiancé.

The main appeal of this Nolita bar today is its familiarity from the show. But past that, it’s hard to pin down exactly what the space serves as. “Is it a pub, lounge, or a dive bar?” we wondered. It’s dimly lit, has TV screens behind the bar, and is furnished with a mismatch of multicolored faux-velvet booths.

Sipping a Cosmo at Onieal’s is an obvious must for SATC fans, but for cocktail enthusiasts, the experience doesn’t deliver the same appeal. Served in a robust Martini glass (read: chunky), the cocktail had a vivid red hue, leading us to question whether there was too much cranberry juice in the mixture, or perhaps even an illicit splash of Rose’s Grenadine. Either way, the drink lacked tartness and acidity, and arrived with undesirable hints of Luden’s cough drops. Average score: 13/25

2. Buddakan

Featured in the 2008 “Sex and the City” movie, Carrie and fiancé Mr. Big choose Buddakan as the location for their wedding rehearsal dinner. During the course of the evening, Miranda accidentally plants seeds of doubt in Big’s mind, paving the way for numerous plot twists throughout the movie.

Situated in a nondescript (from the outside) industrial warehouse in the Meatpacking District, the cavernous bar and restaurant epitomizes everything you want from a SATC experience. There’s sushi Lounge music, courtesy of a live DJ who’s tucked away beside the bar; the kitchen serves Asian fusion dishes, like edamame dumplings, while the bar area, which overlooks the vast dining room below, seems custom-designed for bottle service.

Credit: Buddakan / Facebook.com

Of all the locations we visited, this was the only bar where we weren’t the only ones drinking Cosmos. We surely weren’t alone in enjoying them, either. A booze-forward cocktail, Buddakan’s Cosmo is rose pink, suggesting just the right proportion of cranberry juice (a notion that was backed up by its slightly astringent flavor profile). Tasters docked points for insufficient lime juice, but we doubted this would have been a major problem for Carrie and co. Average score: 16.5/25

1. Balthazar

“The most powerful woman in New York is not Tina Brown, or Diane Sawyer, or even Rosie O’Donnell,” Carrie says during the opening narration of Season 1, Episode 5 (“The Power of Female Sex”). “It’s the hostess at Balzac, which had overnight become the only restaurant that mattered.”

“Balzac,”the fictional French restaurant, proves too exclusive for even Carrie and Samantha to get a seat, so they opt to leave and eat elsewhere. The scene’s external shots are of bona fide Soho brasserie Balthazar.The restaurant also has interesting ties to the Cosmopolitan: Its owner, restaurateur Keith McNally, also founded The Odeon — he opened Balthazar in 1997 after selling his stake in The Odeon.

The brasserie shares similar DNA to The Odeon in both its decor and ambiance. But the energy is livelier and you can easily imagine the girls spending Friday night here, animatedly discussing the past week over a few rounds of Cosmos.

While the drink doesn’t feature on the menu, our bartender, Willis, informed us he had all the ingredients to whip up authentic Cosmos, including Absolut Citron. Within no time, he served a picture-perfect round of cocktails that accurately recreated The Odeon’s version, down to the bubblegum-pink hue and slightly dated, but not-out-of-place, Martini glasses. Refreshing, balanced, and sweet, without tasting cloying, these were amazing Cosmos. While The Odeon’s version was sharp around the edges, Balthazar’s slightly sweeter version was well rounded and perfectly balanced.

Sitting there with our perfect Cosmos in hand, we couldn’t help but wonder: Was this not only the best Cosmopolitan of our “Sex and the City” crawl, or does Balthazar offer the finest version of the drink in Manhattan, period? Either way, the jury was out: The Cosmopolitan is a delicious cocktail, after all. Average score: 22.5/25

The article A Power Ranking of Cosmopolitans from ‘Sex and the City’ appeared first on VinePair.

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[papermoonloveslucy]

LUCY GOES ON STRIKE

S1;E16 ~ January 20, 1969

Directed by Jack Donohue ~ Written by Mel Diamond and Al Schwartz

Synopsis

Harry refuses to give Lucy a raise so she goes on strike.  When she overhears Harry taking out a life insurance policy on her, she mistakenly thinks he is trying to murder her and cash in!  

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carter), Gale Gordon (Harrison Otis Carter), Lucie Arnaz (Kim Carter), Desi Arnaz Jr. (Craig Carter)

Guest Cast

Mary Wickes (Isabel) was one of Lucille Ball’s closest friends and at one time, a neighbor. She made a memorable appearances on “I Love Lucy” as ballet mistress Madame Lamond in “The Ballet” (ILL S1;E19). In her initial “Lucy Show” appearances her characters name was Frances, but she then made four more as a variety of characters for a total of 8 episodes. This is the first of her 9 appearances on “Here’s Lucy.”  She will also play Isabel in “Lucy Gets Her Man” (S1;E21).  Their final collaboration on screen was “Lucy Calls the President” in 1977.

Isabel is a secretary in the same building as Lucy. In “Lucy the Fixer” (S1;E14), Lucy spoke to someone named Isabel on the telephone so there may have been an attempt to make Isabel a recurring character, much like Frances was in the first season of “The Lucy Show.” Although all three episodes were written by different people, script supervisor Milt Josefsberg may have been watching for continuity.  

Whit Bissell (Ted Driscoll) specialized in playing doctors, military officers and other authority figures. On television he was a regular on “Bachelor Father” (1957) and “The Time Tunnel” (1966). He also served on the Screen Actors Guild board of directors for 18 years. This is his only appearance with Lucille Ball.

Ted Driscoll is Harry's insurance agent.  

John J. “Red” Fox (Policeman) was best known for playing policemen, which is what he did on five of his eight appearances on “The Lucy Show” as well as three of his five episodes of “Here’s Lucy.”

Joan Carey (Striking Secretary, uncredited) is one of the few actors to appear in “I Love Lucy,” “The Lucy Show”, and “Here’s Lucy,” all as background characters. She also served as Lucille Ball’s camera and lighting stand-in. 

The other striking secretaries, and the passersby on the street are all played by uncredited extras.  

The date this episode first aired, Richard M. Nixon was sworn in as President of the United States. Spiro Agnew (a surname mentioned in the previous episode) was his Vice President.

This is the only collaboration of writers Mel Diamond and Al Schwartz. It is Diamond's only episode of “Here's Lucy” and his final screen credit.  Al Schwartz had won a 1961 Emmy for “The Red Skelton Show.”  This is the first of his 11 scripts for “Here's Lucy.”  

A donut costs Lucy ten cents. Today a donut at a local chain donut shop costs about $1.00.  

Lucy calls Harry “Gentle Ben.”  This was the name of a nature series starring Dennis Weaver and Clint Howard that aired on CBS from 1967 to 1969. Ben was the name of a grizzly bear. The day before this “Here’s Lucy” episode first aired, the “Gentle Ben” episode was titled “Keeper of the Glades: Part 2” directed by Laurence Dobkin, who had acted in three episodes of “I Love Lucy.”  

Harry wants Lucy to complete the Phillips Report.  

The Unique Employment Agency is inside the Bradshawe Building.  

Craig says Lucie's boyfriend looks like “Rosemary's Baby.”  Rosemary's Baby was the name of a supernatural horror film written by Ira Levin and starring Mia Farrow and Ruth Gordon, who won an Oscar for her role. It premiered in June 1968.  

Lucy writes her request for fringe benefits on a parchment scroll.  Harry compares it to the Dead Sea Scrolls (above). This refers to manuscripts from a larger number of sites from the Judean Desert, near the Dead Sea. The scrolls were discovered from 1946 to 1947. The scrolls are dated as early as the 8th century BCE and as late as the 11th century CE.

Lucy wants three weeks paid vacation in Hawaii. Harry offers her three days in glamorous Pismo Beach. Pismo Beach is located on the coast of central California in San Luis Obispo County. Like Catalina Island, Pismo Beach is one of the locations Lucy and Ethel want to visit before returning to New York in “Lucy Gets Into Pictures” (ILL S4;E18). In the Warner Brothers cartoons, Bugs Bunny burrowed to Pismo Beach for “all the clams we can eat.”  Lucy Carter will get her two-week vacation in Hawaii at the start of season three. 

Some of Lucy's homemade picket signs include:

“Even the birds have a word for Harrison Carter - Cheep, Cheep, Cheep!” “If Harrison Carter was kind and loyal --- he'd give a raise to a working goyal!”  

Harry takes out a $100,000 double indemnity insurance policy on Lucy's life with Harry as sole beneficiary, which Lucy accidentally overhears. After she leaves, he changes the beneficiary to Kim and Craig. Although it is not specifically mentioned, when Lucy Carter hears the words “double indemnity” she is undoubtedly thinking of the 1944 film Double Indemnity starring Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyk in which an insurance policy is the incentive to commit murder.

Driscoll invites Harry to the opening night of the ballet, so he forfeits going to see the LA Dodgers play.  

Just as Lucy Carter thinks Harry is trying to murder her, Lucy Ricardo thought the same of her husband Ricky in “Lucy Thinks Ricky is Trying to Murder Her” (ILL S1;E4), which was actually the very first episode of the series to be filmed in 1951.  

In “Ricky's European Booking” (ILL S5;E10) Lucy Ricardo goes on strike at home because Ricky won't take her to Europe with him, going so far as to march around the apartment with a picket sign. As history tells, she got her way. She usually did!  

Idiot Cards! Lucy's picket signs are actually studio cue cards. They are even written in the same bold marker and lettering as traditional cue cards. Unusually, the cards Kim and Craig read aloud have the same text on both sides. This is likely to include the studio and viewing audience in the joke. Lucille Ball disliked the use of cue cards and rarely used them.

Knob Prob! When Lucy unfurls her scroll of fringe benefits, the knob on the end of the dowel comes off in her hand. Lucille Ball gives the prop a dirty look but continues the scene.

Headhshot! The black and white photo of Harry that Lucy plasters on the drum is the same photograph of Gale Gordon used on posters and billboards when Mr. Mooney ran for comptroller in “Lucy Goes Into Politics” (TLS S2;E25).  

Cue Jumper! As Mary Wickes is making her exit in Lucy's house, she talks over Lucille Ball's line.  

“Lucy Goes on Strike” rates 3 Paper Hearts out of 5 

#Here's Lucy #Lucille Ball #Gale Gordon #Desi Arnaz Jr. #Lucie Arnaz #Mary Wickes #John J. Fox #Lucy Goes on Strike #Picket #Whit Bissell #Mel Diamond #Jack Schwartz #Jack Donohue #Gentle Ben #Dead Sea Scrolls #Rosemary's Baby #Cue Cards #Richard Nixon #Pismo Beach #Double Indemnity #1969 #CBS #TV #Joan Carey

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5 June 2020

A quiet week

Yeah, right.

It was Data Bites #11 on Wednesday. It was good. You can watch the video here. It will also appear here soon. There's a Twitter thread here. Previous events are here. The next one will be on 1 July. And Glyn made paella.

I wrote 3,000 words explaining how government is planning to use our personal data to combat coronavirus - contact tracing apps and much else besides...

...and I discussed data on this week's IfG podcast with team IfG, and special guest Rowland.

I wittered on a bit more on Twitter about the tenth anniversary of David Cameron's open data letter.

What are you doing this Monday morning at 0930? You're watching me interview digital government rockstar and revolutionary, Audrey Tang, about Taiwan's coronavirus response, aren't you? Register here.

We're doing a short report on digital government and coronavirus - how did existing services cope, how has it accelerated change, etc. If you're a UK civil servant, we'd be very grateful if you could spend two minutes filling out our survey on remote working tools. Thank you!

Don't forget our spreadsheet of data-related developments in the UK government's coronavirus response. And don't forget to add anything that we've forgotten to add.

There's just under a week left to enter the Orwell Youth Prize. If you know any 12-18 year olds, let them know!

Some good people doing good things:

Julian (and other former colleagues) have just launched Engage Britain, a new approach to tackling the biggest challenges facing the UK (using, in part, the same platform Taiwan uses for public engagement)

Rachel has helped bring together a number of charities to call for a data collective to get charities the data they need to make a difference; and

Hera is leaving the Open Contracting Partnership to go full-time at Chayn, a global volunteer network providing resources to help women experiencing abuse.

Giuseppe highlighted Loud Numbers, a new data sonification podcast coming later this year. Here are my data sonifications from late last year.

And to bring it full circle back to this week's Data Bites... I couldn't resist illustrating just how stupid this week's developments in parliament have been by comparing how long the voting queue of MPs was to London buses and Big Ben.*

Finally, the excellent Ben Worthy has a plea to anyone who's used parliamentary data:

Who’s Watching Parliament: help with our survey of data users

Our new project, funded by the Leverhulme Trust, looks at how new data is being used to monitor parliament. We want to know more about who is using data, what they are using it for and how this could impact on their thinking about Parliament and democracy in the UK.

If you have used Parliament data, please help us by filling in our short survey.

The project is being overseen by Dr. Ben Worthy, an academic at Birkbeck College. Please ask him any questions via email.

Have a great weekend

Gavin

*Yes, I know, Big Ben is the name of the doctor.

Today's links:

Tips, tech, etc

How to hold an unconference online (James Cattell)

How Hansard is reporting parliamentary business during lockdown (Parliamentary Digital Service)

Join the COVID-19 Response Network: A Slack Workspace for Public Servants (Apolitical)

Power Dynamics and Inclusion in Virtual Meetings (Aspiration)

Working from home (Andrea Cooper)

Graphic content

#BlackLivesMatter

Minneapolis Police Use Force Against Black People at 7 Times the Rate of Whites* (New York Times)

Covid-19 pandemic hits black voters’ incomes hardest, FT poll shows* (FT)

Photos From The George Floyd Protests, City By City* (New York Times)

1,023 people have been shot and killed by police in the past year* (Washington Post)

W.E.B. Du Bois’ Visionary Infographics Come Together for the First Time in Full Color (Smithsonian Magazine)

W. E. B. Du Bois’ staggering Data Visualizations are as powerful today as they were in 1900 (Nightingale)

What W. E. B. Du Bois Conveyed in His Captivating Infographics* (The New Yorker)

Viral content: cases

UK excess deaths during pandemic reach 62,000* (FT)

UK coronavirus death toll passes 50,000, official figures show (The Guardian)

Coronavirus excess deaths: UK has one of highest levels in Europe (The Guardian)

Coronavirus in charts: the fact-checkers correcting falsehoods (Nature)

Democracies contain epidemics most effectively* (The Economist)

A deep dive into testing statistics (Ed Conway)

Disparities in the risk and outcomes of COVID-19 (Public Health England)

Exclusive: Government censored BAME covid-risk review (HSJ)

This is how many tests have been done, and those that were sent out in May (Paul Bradshaw/Flourish)

There Has Been an Increase in Other Causes of Deaths, Not Just Coronavirus* (New York Times)

Where U.S. coronavirus cases are on the rise (Reuters)

British nursing homes in crisis as deaths mount (Reuters)

Revealed: the coronavirus death toll across Britain - how many excess deaths has your area had?* (Telegraph)

Viral content: consequences

Coronavirus and unemployment: a five nation comparison (IfG)

The vaccine: the only way back to previous life (El Pais)

Trust and Behavioural Responses to COVID-19 (trustgov)

Trust in UK government and news media COVID-19 information down, concerns over misinformation from government and politicians up (Reuters Institute)

Next Wave of U.S. Job Cuts Targets Millions of Higher-Paid Workers* (Bloomberg)

American retailers have laid off or furloughed one-fifth of their workers* (The Economist)

Only 12% of Brits think MPs should have to physically be in Commons to vote during COVID-19 crisis (YouGov)

Is Britain easing lockdown too soon?* (New Statesman)

Anti-viral content

Environmental justice (IPPR)

The hospital corridor (Dr Kate McLean)

Ministerial directions (IfG)

Ministerial moves (me for IfG)

Air pollution in China back to pre-Covid levels and Europe may follow (The Guardian)

‘Going in the Wrong Direction’: More Tropical Forest Loss in 2019* (New York Times)

Meta data

Viral content: contact details

Personal data and coronavirus (me for IfG)

Spot the difference – explaining the Covid-19 apps (ODI)

Germany and Korea expose flaws in the NHS track and trace plan* (Wired)

The coronavirus pandemic highlights the need for a surveillance debate beyond ‘privacy’ (Inforrm)

UK ‘test and trace’ service did not complete mandatory privacy checks (Politico)

Book excerpt: Developing for privacy in the pandemic (Heather Burns)

Viral content: lies, damn lies and...

Sir David Norgrove response to Matt Hancock regarding the Government’s COVID-19 testing data (UK Statistics Authority - more)

Statistics Watchdog Still Not Satisfied With ‘Trustworthiness’ Of Covid Test Figures (Huffington Post)

Informing the pandemic response: What’s next from the ONS? (ONS)

‘No part of the economy remains untouched’: update on how the ONS is measuring the impact of COVID-19 (ONS)

Interview with Sir Ian Diamond, National Statistician of the United Kingdom (UN)

Viral content: everything else

Why we’re calling for a data collective (Catalyst)

The problem of modelling: Public policy and the coronavirus (TLS)

Excess mortality during the Covid-19 pandemic (FT)

AI firm that worked with Vote Leave given new coronavirus contract (The Guardian)

Flawed data casts cloud over Spain’s lockdown strategy* (FT - thread)

Vital data and research projects to tackle COVID-19 searchable via new developments in online health data portal (HDR UK)

Covid, hysteresis, and the future of work (VoxEU)

Big tech

Welcome to the United States of Amazon* (Tortoise)

Whole Foods Just Fired an Employee Who Kept Track of Coronavirus Cases (Vice)

Facebook’s Smooth New Political Fixer (Politico)

Facebook Employees Stage Virtual Walkout to Protest Trump Posts* (New York Times)

Anti-viral content: digital government

More must be done to realise the value of geospatial data (Public Technology)

Facing up to the digital identity challenge (HM Land Registry)

Vision, Voice, and Technology: Is There a Global “Open Government” Trend?* (Administration & Society)

Archival Catalogue Record Identifiers (Down the Code Mine)

SHARED, CROSS-GOVERNMENT PLATFORMS (Jerry Fishenden)

Anti-viral content: everything else

When the Robot You Consider Family Tries to Sell You Something (Slate)

Measurement for Learning: A Different Approach to Improvement (Centre for Public Impact)

Fact-checking the president:  A study in post-truth (Martin Gurri)

Us folks at @fullfact have produced a prototype API for how our fact checks related to the coronavirus could be made available as a machine readable view (Andy Dudfield)

Who governs? A new global dataset on members of cabinets (Jacob Nyrup and Stuart Bramwell, via Tim)

The police want your phone data. Here’s what they can get — and what they can’t. (recode)

Why Information Matters (The New Atlantis)

Eye-catching advances in some AI fields are not real (Science)

Opportunities

EVENT: How Taiwan became a coronavirus success story (IfG)

JOB: Head of Geovation (Ordnance Survey)

JOB: Head of Digital Inclusion, Accessibility & Standards (HMRC)

JOB: Technical writer (GDS)

JOBS: Product people (GOV.UK)

JOB: Senior Data Analyst (Lower) (Citizens Advice - more)

JOB: ANALYST, DIGITAL RESEARCH UNIT (Institute for Strategic Dialogue)

JOB: Data Scientist / Mid-Level / Senior Data Scientist (Flowminder)

JOB: Technology Editor (Rest of World)

JOB: Research Fellow, TrustGov Project (University of Southampton)

JOB: Learning and Development Specialist – Data Trainer - maternity cover (ODI)

And finally...

Urban henges… or streets of the rising sun (Victoria Crawford)

Taking Lessons From a Bloody Masterpiece* (New York Times)

When you're building a general course about artificial intelligence, you come across some good memes. (Mindy McAdams)

How Pi was nearly changed to 3.2 (Numberphile)

next slide please (Darren Dutton)