#we...fully launched ourselves off the deep end with this one and I hope you all dig it

[firstelevens]

summer came like cinnamon, so sweet (epilogue)

( now complete on AO3 )

sam wilson/bucky barnes, matt murdock/foggy nelson, michelle jones/peter parker | rated t | 44K words (5/5 chapters)

co-written with @birdhapley

Once upon a time, there was a wedding, and then, a few years later, there was an all-stars season and some cute baking couple names and a conspiracy that centered mostly on cake. Then the internet had some thoughts. An epilogue for the Bake Off AU fic set during the Rogers-Carter nuptials, told in social media posts.

image IDs in alt text

#sambucky #mattfoggy #spideychelle #sambucky fanfiction #homelywenchsociety #NOW COMPLETE BAYBEE #we...fully launched ourselves off the deep end with this one and I hope you all dig it #my fic #the gbbo au

[conscious-love]

Why Holding On To Past Relationships Is The Worst Thing You Can Do For Yourself, Period

by Daniel Dowling via MindBodyGreen

Three years ago I was a 24-year-old failure-to-launch who lived on his mom’s couch and shared a bathroom with two teenage sisters. My friends had their own houses, degrees, and independence. And there I was, broke and depressed, totally reliant on my parents. It hadn't ever not been that way.

But in 2014 I made one small decision, which led to results I still sometimes can’t believe.

Today, I’m leading writers in a national campaign to rebrand my hometown, and I write for the best entrepreneurial and self-improvement sites in the world (mbg being my favorite; no lie). I make a great living coaching others to become the happiest and most successful versions of themselves. That’s a lot of change in just three years, from any perspective. And I can trace the transformation of my life back to one single thing: letting go of my exes—completely.

Breaking free from serial monogamy.

For most of my adult life I’d been a serial monogamist. I thought I just really loved love, but it turns out I was just really, really afraid of responsibility. So, for my personal dissatisfaction and unhappiness, self-improvement wasn’t the cure—it was a new girlfriend! And when that one didn’t work out, I'd find another. Yay for love!

Except it wasn’t love because I wasn’t becoming the best version of myself through these relationships. So after the last one ended ignominiously, I quit the love game—just not quite all the way.

I still kept in contact with my exes. And Jen—my former fiancee—was a particular crutch. We still visited each other even though we lived in different states. We kept in regular contact through texts and phone calls, especially during crises. I was still depending on her to make me happy.

Every time we talked, I renewed the connection to my former ways of thinking and behaving. It strengthened the conviction that, deep down, I could only be happy with Jen. She was my way out. If things got too tough, I could always come to her, and she could come to me. We even promised that if we weren’t married by 30, we’d get hitched. Talk about a safety net… (and, yes, also the plot of My Best Friend's Wedding).

Unfortunately, that safety net was keeping me from being the bold, successful, independent man I wanted to become. I just couldn’t seem to cut the cord on my own.

Flying without a net.

Then one day I was listening to an audio course from my favorite self-improvement mentor, Zig Ziglar. He was talking about how to right our wrongs and forgive ourselves. He advised writing apologies down and sending them to the appropriate people. But he had a special step for exes.

"When it comes to the forgiveness you want from your exes [Zig has a drawling Southern accent], I want you to follow all the steps I just gave you. But instead of sending off the letter, I want you to fold it up, light a fire, and burn the damn thing. Cuz there’s no point in renewing emotional connections with people who aren’t good for you. That’s why they're your exes! It’s time to move on from them and fully embrace your own life."

When one is slapped by truth, one’s jaw has a tendency of dropping, and the eyes have a tendency to glaze over, lost in a thousand-yard stare. That was the picture of my face. Might’ve even drooled a little.

I thought about Jen, and Em, and Katie. I thought about how important they’d been for me and how much security they’d brought me. And I knew I had to let them go for good. For good.

No more texts or calls. No more being Facebook friends. No email updates. No nothing.

I had anxiety about the decision, naturally—severing ties with my past and obliterating a huge comfort zone. But I had a future to step into. I had to do that on my own.

Dealing with the emptiness.

I missed my former girlfriends like crazy. But instead of feeling sorry for myself and longing for them, I prayed for them. I asked God for the same things I was asking for my own self-improvement journey—courage, faith, hope, positivity, inspiration, grace, and so on. I prayed for them to meet amazing and inspiring friends who could help them become their best selves. I prayed for my future wife. And I prayed that I would become the fully independent man capable of supporting her.

In all this praying, I completely changed my focus. Instead of relying on my girlfriends for faith and reassurance, I relied on God and my own ability to handle my problems. I took back the misplaced faith in my girlfriends and put it squarely in my own hands.

That’s when I finally launched.

Do you believe in life after love?

Just like Cher, I found my power only after letting go of my past relationships.

Without my exes as safety nets, it was just me. Nobody else was going to make me happy. So I did what I needed to do to make me successful—all the writing, studying, practicing, pitching, researching, and self-improvement. I actually become part of a community and made new friends. I fully embraced my own damn life.

Three months passed and I still missed my exes. But I was making money through my writing and making new connections.

Six months passed and I still missed my exes. But I’d started earning a full-time living through my writing. And I was growing more confident by the day, especially in my community.

A year passed and I still missed my exes. But I was fully independent through my passion. And I’d outgrown the anxiety and depression that had haunted me since I was a teenager—a by-product of my newfound faith in me.

It’s been three full years since I cut out my exes. I’m 100 percent over each one, but I’m human—I still miss them! Who wouldn’t? They were brilliant and beautiful women who were insanely fun to be with. I made thousands of joyful memories with each one.

Sometimes I’m reminded of them by hearing a certain song or watching a movie. But that’s just another opportunity for me to thank God for them and to pray for them. It’s another opportunity for me to be the independent and faithful man I know I can be for myself, for my wife, for my clients, and for my audience. It’s another opportunity to find security in myself and in a higher power. And through these opportunities, I’ve found the happiness and fulfillment I always wanted.

I advise all of my clients to go on a yearlong relationship fast, which most of them do. But the real growth comes when they fully let go of their exes and stop using them as crutches. It’s hard, hard, hard to do but absolutely essential if you want to grow.

Here are five tips to help you let go of your exes for good:

1. Start a self-improvement routine, complete with daily, weekly, and monthly goal setting.

Read this article as a primer.

2. Meet with someone weekly to discuss your personal growth and your journey.

This person will help keep you accountable to your goals and lifestyle choices. Can be a friend or an amazing coach.

3. Stay single for a year—totally single.

If you can’t be happy with you, you won’t be happy—truly happy—with anyone else. Love that you! Commit to being successfully single for a year. That means happy, connected in your community, fulfilled in your work, and in a state of continuous personal growth. (Your daily routines and long-term goals will be critical to this step.)

4. Surround yourself with positive, uplifting people.

Join a faith community where people strive to live out the values you identify with. This is where you’ll find the deep connections that you can grow with—and that will prevent you from leaning on your exes as crutches.

5. Pray or meditate often.

Use your emotions as mindfulness cues. When you miss someone, pray for them. When you’re lonely, pray for the courage, positivity, and fortitude to make good decisions. When you think you can’t go on—that happens to everyone—pray for what you need. This will help you grow faith in a higher power and yourself, which is an absolute must if you want to be happy alone.

And being happy alone? That’s an absolute must for loving someone unconditionally in a relationship that can last a lifetime.

Link to article on Mind Body Green

Author: Daniel Dowling

#Daniel Dowling #mindbodygreen #article #relationship #love #breakup #heartbreak #moving on #strength #recovery #healing #self respect #personal development #quotes

[rainydaydream-gal18]

(TFATWS) Bucky x Reader: Protective- Part 2

   (Link to Part 1)

   You exhaled in relief as you moved to walk beside Sam, looping your arm with his.  It was admittedly more comfortable since you and Sam went back years.  As the group neared the bar, Bucky became more rigid as he took on the appearance of his role.  Zemo led the way, standing as tall and confidently as someone who had the Winter Soldier for a bodyguard.  

   Sam exhaled sharply once the other two continued on their way, mumbling under his breath, “good ol’ Sam.  Always putting out fires.”  He gave your hand a squeeze.  “You good?”

   “Yeah, you?”

   “So far.  I wouldn’t say I’m totally into this plan, but hey, Zemo’s the expert I guess.”

   “An expert at being annoying sometimes,” you muttered.  Sam chuckled.

   You took a deep breath and put on a smirk, forcing your shoulders to relax a bit.  You caught the sight of several armed individuals scrutinizing the crowd.  You avoided eye contact and instead stole glances at Bucky.  He was already in the zone.

   Zemo set foot in the bar and uttered a few words in Russian- ones that you knew to be control words.  Several pairs of eyes were drawn to your group.  “Winter Soldier” was in the mix of whispers.  So many people appeared to be fascinated by the idea of having a human being under their control.  So many of these people hungrily watched your group pass through.  It was a struggle to keep from bristling with alarm.  The pounding music and bright lights only added to the stress, but you kept your cool as you shuffled past several unsavory characters.

  A man with large glasses behind the bar approached.

   “Hello, gentlemen.”  He nodded in your direction.  “Ma’am.  Wasn’t expecting you, Smiling Tiger.”

  You remained at Sam’s side, arm looped with his, and pretended to give him an affectionate look.

   “His plans changed,” Zemo answered smoothly.  “We have business to do with Selby.”

   The man hesitated, giving Sam an uncertain glance.  “The usual?”

   Sam nodded, and the man’s eyes flickered between the two of you before he set to work on preparing a drink.  You nearly froze as he reached into a jar for a dead snake and started slicing it open.  Sam caught your gaze, his eyes widening ever-so-slightly to show you his discomfort at the situation, and you returned the silent cry for help with a subtle shrug.

   “Ah,” Zemo broke the silent exchange with a smug look.  “Smiling Tiger, your favorite.”

   The glass of alcohol and snake innards was placed on the counter, and you feigned an impressed look while Sam gave Zemo one final glare before picking up the glass.

   “I love these,” he stated, though it wasn’t very convincing.

   “Cheers, Conrad.”

   You bit your lip to hide your amusement as Sam hesitated, tipping the glass back only to pull it away as he gathered his courage.  Finally, he gulped the revolting beverage and grunted as he struggled to keep it down.

   Another man approached Zemo from behind, not going unnoticed by you.  You kept smiling and pretending to be oblivious, though you turned so one ear was closer to the exchange to listen. 

   “I got word from on-high,” the man said.  ”You ain’t welcome here.”

   Zemo turned to face him fully.  “I have no business with the Power Broker, but if he insists, he can either come talk to me...” He gestured to Bucky, who leaned against the counter with a scowl.

   “New haircut?”

   “Or bring Selby for a chat.”

   The bearded stranger glowered before sauntering away, and Zemo turned around shaking his head in annoyance.  Bucky’s expression lost a degree of harshness.

   “A Power Broker?  Really?”

   “Every kingdom needs its king.”  He sighed.  “Let’s just pray we stay under his radar.”

   “Do you know him?” Sam asked.

   “Only by reputation.  In Madripoor, he is judge, jury, and executioner.”

   “Lovely,” you mumbled.  Before you could comment further, Zemo turned around and calmly called Bucky to attention.  The second an individual laid their hands on the baron, Bucky marched forward to grab their wrist with his metal arm, twisting it as he pushed them back. He glanced over his shoulder at the three of you before using his other arm to lock the attacker into a hold.  Something cracked as the man went straight down to the floor, groaning.

   Your heart raced.  You knew Bucky had the situation under control.  It was still unsettling to see him in a fight, especially using such lethal combat moves.  His eyes seemed to go blank as he executed his next attack on another individual that launched themselves at him.  The man went flying to the floor, and Bucky gave him a swift kick that sent him rolling.  Zemo took hold of another attacker approaching from behind and sent him Bucky’s way.

   A hand rested over yours, and you realized that you had been clutching Sam’s suit sleeve.   He leaned in a little to utter words of reassurance.  “Don’t worry, he’s got this.”

   That’s what worried you.  He ended the fights so quickly, so easily, with ferocity that you hadn’t seen since he fell under Zemo’s control before.  Despite his words, you knew Sam noticed too.  The first time you both even met Bucky was when he was the Winter Soldier.  Back then, you had no idea of the person that was underneath all that.

   “Didn’t take much for him to fall back into form,” Zemo commented.  As if on cue, Bucky dragged a man by the throat to lay him on the bar with his metal arm.  Choking sounds filled the room for a few seconds until you started hearing the click of guns being cocked and ready to shoot.

   On instinct, both you and Sam separated to intervene, but Zemo shot both of you warning glances.  “Stay in character,” he said quietly, “or the whole bar turns on us.” Sam took his hand from Bucky’s shoulder, and instead took your hand again.  Zemo turned to Bucky and spoke the words in Russian to end the attack.

   “Selby will see you now,” the bartender said.

   “Thank you.”

   Bucky finally released his hold, and the man gasped for air as he crumbled to the floor.  Sam took the opportunity to look Bucky in the eyes.  “You good?”

   Bucky merely exhaled sharply in confirmation, eyes falling to you for the first time since setting foot in that place.  Something flickered in them before he turned and followed after Zemo.

- - - - - - - -

   You slipped out of the dress and began changing into the new clothes Sharon provided, glad that this outfit was a little more on the casual side.  Both you and Sam struggled to keep up in heels after the Selby fiasco.  It was a relief to finally kick them off your feet.  You stared at your reflection in the full-length mirror after you were dressed.  What an evening it was turning out to be.  An undercover mission turned into a firefight and an escape with the help of an old ally.  Fortunately, Zemo had been able to get a name out of Selby.  The next step was finding Dr. Nagel.

   You emerged from the room to see Bucky leaning against the wall beside your door, already changed.  He looked up from the floor upon your approach.

   “Hey,” you greeted.  “You okay?”

   “Yeah.  You hurt at all?”

   “Thanks to Sharon, I made it out without so much as a scratch.”

   Bucky nodded in agreement, shifting so that he leaned on his other shoulder.  He averted his eyes and scratched the back of his neck.  His lips parted, but no sound came out when he met your gaze.  You waited patiently.

   “Look, I wanted to talk about earlier.  About Zemo.  About me and how I acted.”

   “It’s okay…” 

   “No, it’s not.  Not really.”

   “Zemo has been trying his best to push our buttons,” you pointed out.  “Sometimes it worked, and sometimes it didn’t.”

   “It’s not just that.”  Bucky tipped his head back to rest it against the wall.  “Zemo knows things about me- things that I’d rather you hear from me directly instead of through his weird mind games.”

   Concern bubbled up inside of you.  What sort of things was he talking about?  Were there indeed more signs of the Winter Soldier lurking underneath?  Did Zemo have something over Bucky?

   “I don’t understand,” you murmured, heart aching for him, as you reached out a hand.  Your fingers brushed through the short hair on the side of his head, and his eyes fell closed as he allowed the contact, even leaned into it.  Casual contact wasn’t uncommon between you two: the occasional brush of hands when passing something to the other, feeling his chest against your back when taking cover during firefights, or even on really good days a light punch to the shoulder with a laugh.  This was different, though.  This wasn’t a line you’d crossed before in the time you’d known him.  “I don’t understand, but you know you can tell me anything.”

   His eyes opened, and he angled his head to look at you fully.  “I know.”  Then, he pushed off the wall, gently taking your hand from his hair.  He held it in his own and studied your expression as he continued.

   “Zemo knows what you mean to me.  You, specifically.  I don’t know what you’d call it.  I don’t even want to say you’re my weakness because… the truth is, you’re my strength.”  

   Your lips parted at the tender words that you’d certainly not been expecting.  Bucky held your stare, though his mouth turned up briefly in a nervous smile. 

   “I know I probably sound ridiculous right now.  Here we are in the middle of a mission.  The thing is, every time we put ourselves at risk, I wanted to tell you.  But every time, I waited because, well, I still wasn’t right for a while.  It took time to be purged from the Winter Soldier.  Now, I just don’t have it in me to keep this from you any longer.”

   You offered a smile, though part of you was scared to hope.  Was this confession merely the result of the stress of Steve’s absence?  Zemo’s taunts?  You didn’t want this if that were the case.  “Are you sure this is how you feel?  I’m sure Zemo’s games haven’t really been helping.”

   “Trust me, he doesn’t have anything to do with this,” Bucky shook his head.  “I just don’t like him bothering you.  At all.”  He sighed.  “I’ve felt this way for a long time, ________.  Before the snap.  I know we weren’t here for those five years, but I came back thinking about you.  Haven’t stopped since.”

   Your eyes had begun to water as emotion gripped you.  Suddenly, it was hard to swallow, and it was hard to look at him when it registered that you were indeed crying.  You tried to hide your face, and Bucky put an arm around you to pull you to his chest.

   “Hey, it’s okay,” he mumbled.  “Obviously, you don’t have to feel the same way.  I’m not mad.  Just please, don’t cry.”

   “What?” you sniffled.  “No…”  You pulled away to face him with teary eyes and all.  “I do feel the same way.  I just can’t believe you do too.”

   He exhaled, pulling you to his chest again, and chuckled at the end.  “You had me there for a second.  But seriously, it would’ve been okay if you didn’t feel the same way.  I just had to tell you.”  He searched your face as if still unsure, as if giving you another opportunity to retract your confession.  Like you’d ever do that.

   With your hand still in his, you lifted the other to brush the stubble and rest on his cheek.  He raised his gloved vibranium hand to cover that one.  His eyes were magnetic, drawing you in.  Seconds passed before your lips met in a warm kiss that made you feel like you were flying.  He pulled away, keeping his forehead pressed against yours.  A smile unlike one you’d seen in a long time on him spread across his face.  Both of you chuckled quietly in the hall.  Despite what was going on in the world, at that moment, you felt so giddy.  You let out another chuckle as his stubble brushed your chin as he kissed you again.

   “Oh, well then.”  A female cleared her voice further down the hall, and both of you parted to see Sharon standing there with her hands in her pockets.  “This is a new development.”  She raised her brows at you.  “Everyone’s changed.  We’re heading down to the party so I can ask around about Nagel.”

   “Okay,” you nodded.  “Thank you, Sharon.”

   “Uhuh.”  She turned to head back out, pausing to give you another pointed look.  “Watch out for these types.  They sometimes have a habit of kissing you and then never calling.”

   You winced at the comment as she disappeared around the corner.  Bucky’s eyebrows raised as he let out an awkward whistle.  “Wow.”

   “I understand where she’s coming from,” you mumbled.  “I can’t believe all this time she was out here, and Steve just...”

   “I know,” Bucky said gently.  “Anyway, we’ve gotta’ go.”  He held your hand and began to lead the way down the hall, though stopped when you hesitated.   “You think she’ll say anything to the others about...um…?”

   “Doesn’t matter.”  He shrugged.  “I’m just glad it wasn’t Zemo, or else we wouldn’t hear the end of it.” 

#the falcon and the winter soldier #bucky x reader #bucky barnes x reader #tfatws bucky #tfatws bucky x reader #james buchanan barnes x reader #bucky reader insert #bucky barnes reader insert #tfatws reader insert #tfatws imagine #bucky #tfatws bucky reader insert

[guigz1-coldwar]

'Mind the Gap': New chapter for "Redemption in a Spirit in a Cold War" is out!

"Mind the Gap"

"Above all, Yiri, stay frosty!"

Chapter Summary: The time has come for Yirina, Park & the SAS to terminate the Perseus threat in London by launching an attack on their main hideout at Canary's Wharf but things can escalate quickly...

Link of the Picrew here!

To read it on AO3, click here!

Words : +3900

Taglist : @snowgoldwaylon , @clxudtea , @efingart

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

Stay frosty...seems like a new expression for me to say coming from Park and originated from the SAS, meaning to stay calm, and that before we got ourselves prepared for the mission at Canary's Wharf. I know that I shouldn't stress because I wasn't put on the same team as Park but I was stressing, there was Zasha with me along with their friends, Soap, Roach & Ghost but was it enough for me? I guess that I have to get along with it, I don't want to put myself into an argument with Park over her choices with Price, there was a Perseus hideout to raid.

Once that the preparation order was issued, I thought that we will have to do this without any equipment but thankfully, the team I was on took some better equipment for us than just our pistols: tactical vests, military outfit, gas mask...now looking like a true SAS soldier, and once that we were fully geared up and ready, it was time for us to leave Century House as the evening was falling on London, teams in their respective vans and the organization were pretty clear and well for my opinion.

Instead of two teams, there was a third one that goes with Park & Price one. This team was mainly composed of snipers but Zasha wasn't in it, staying with me instead and it was Portnova who put herself in it. I think that she did this to not let herself be captured if the mission goes wrong but it wasn't the moment to think about a mission going wrong...let's just hope that it wasn't going to happen...we're going to make this done and terminate that Perseus threat in London and soon...for good. Bellamy Petrov, Ingo Beck, Lukas Ritter & Harry Stone are our targets tonight, their capture is primordial but I don't think they will go down easily...

We arrived at Canary's Wharf at the beginning of the evening where Soap was the one driving the van before he parked it inside a hidden alley that was by luck just separating us by a grilled fence from the construction site and now, we were waiting for the right moment and until the signal to start the operation was given by Price, the leader of that operation with Park.

"Anyone's ready?" I decided to ask that question to everyone as I was checking up my watch at my wrist, the MP5 I was given on my lap.

"Yes, ma'am," Soap was the first one to reply to me, turning his head at me through the middle mirror of the van as the driving part and the transport bay weren't separated.

"All clear," Roach spoke with a low voice, giving me a nod as he was sit in front of me, his hands around the rifle that was an 'EM2' at what he said to us during the preparation time.

"Good to go," Ghost said with his muffled voice behind his skull-patterned balaclava, the same rifle as Roach between his legs. "Wallcroft, Griffin, good on your side?" He asked the two guys near him.

"I'm okay," It was Wallcroft, having a gas mask covering his face while his friend Griffin nodded at Ghost.

"I'm ready, Yirina," Zasha then told me in a more personal way as they were at my side, checking up the MP5 they were given to by the others, a gas mask on the crown of their head. "Between us, those uniforms are feeling great," They whispered at me discreetly, both of us dressed like SAS soldiers.

"I know, those are very cool," I exclaimed with a relaxed voice, looking at the blue sleeves of the jacket I was using, having let my former jacket back at our office in Century House, and the gloves, covering my both hands and that burn mark on my left hand. "Very cool," I repeated in a lower voice.

"What's very cool?" Ghost caught me saying that despite my lower voice, his head looking in my direction and unable to see his eyes hidden behind some dark red sunglasses.

"The outfits," Zasha answered at my place, not even letting me open up my lips to talk. "Didn't know that you guys are having good outfits," They explained.

"Yeah but we're getting hot with them sometimes," Soap declared, turning fully around on his seat to have a better look at us. "And...wait, why are you guys talking about our outfits? You want to join up the SAS?" He asked in a funny tone, a smile along with it.

"No, not at all," I commented, trying to not offend the guys to talk about it. "We were just saying that the uniforms that you're using are like...very good to look at," I revealed, having now everyone's look except Zasha on me. "It's been some time that I didn't get into something like that...and...it didn't end well," I added, my voice going down at the end of my sentence.

"Didn't end well?" I thought that no one will hear my remark but in fact, it was the farthest soldier from me that did hear me, it was this Griffin.

"Bad things, very bad things," I decided to tell it anyway but as I thought at first that I will have to explain myself about it, the sound of a radio buzzing in interrupted me to say more.

"Soap, do you copy?" That's the first thing we heard from the radio that was Soap's radio on his vest making noises. "Soap, do you copy?" The voice repeated, it was Price.

"Yes, sir, we're listening," Soap spoke up, his left hand over his radio as everyone stayed silent to hear perfectly, not any noises was made.

"Charlie team is in their position overlooking the site, you are clear to go," Price announced in a clear voice, launching the beginning of the operation. "We're waiting for you to enter the place," He added before the radio went off for the moment.

"Okay, everyone's ready?" I asked again and this time, everyone prefer to nod at me, checking in their moves everything on them: radio, smoke grenades, and our guns.

"Let's do this," Ghost exclaimed, taking his EM2 in his hands before Griffin opened up the back doors of the van, giving already on the grilled fence, him & Wallcroft going out first before we followed them behind, the rain that has been falling on the city since we left the MI6's building.

The fence was separating us from another alley that was small but having a perfect back entrance for us, me knowing a little bit of the site layout's but at least knowing it well. As I was the leader, I needed to be the one to take the lead but Soap who was the highest-ranked member of the SAS in the group proposed to help me in case during the drive to get here and I gladly accepted, me having trouble to find myself to lead a group of armed soldiers...

Our first step was to climb up that fence, going into a group of two while the others were looking at the surroundings to make sure that we weren't going to be jumped by Perseus in case. I did go with Zasha where I advised them to stay with me, no matter what will happen, that mission was dangerous and I needed to be there with them, not wanting to have them get hurt or worse...killed...no, Yirina, don't think about it...just...don't!

We passed the fence as Wallcroft and Griffin were the last to do it after Ghost & Roach, and then, we could proceed on the mission, me taking the lead towards the door that we're going to get us inside, Soap staying near me with Zasha behind me, followed by Ghost, Roach, Wallcroft & Griffin. I then opened the door discreetly, my silenced MP5 pointing in front of me inside my right hand and the door was opened, I could hear the sound of a TV, some people dressed up like Perseus's agent sat on a sofa, looking at it.

"Take them out," I ordered silently to Soap, aiming my MP5 towards one of the guy's heads, and in two seconds, I pulled out the trigger, hitting the man I was aiming in the back of his head, Soap following in a second to shoot a burst to the two other guys that were still alive, not letting them any seconds to react. "Nice shot," I complimented.

"Thanks," He simply said in a discreet voice as we got inside deeper the room, discovering that we were in the room at the back of the warehouse, seeing some lockers on the walls but we know that now, Perseus' agent was hiding here by looking at the guys that I & Soap killed. "We should get closer to the site," Soap suggested as we arrived near the door that was going to take us in the loading part of the warehouse.

"Sure," I agreed, trying to think of a plan to stay discreet in case there were people to greet us in that part of the warehouse. "Let's get in, prepare yourself in case," I warned everyone, my left hand going on the door handle, taking a deep breath before I open it.

I slowly get the door open, my MP5 in my right hand, ready to act as if a bullet was the first thing I could hear in here but instead, this was the big silence except for the rain falling on the rusty roof when my feet hit the floor inside the loading bay, this part of the warehouse looking more desert than the room at the back and not used at all, that was an advantage for us for the moment. My eyes looked around the place, seeing some stairs going up to some windows that could give us a viewpoint over the site.

"Ghost, Wallcroft, Roach, Griffin, you're staying down near the garage doors," I pointed out at the semi-opened doors at our level before I turned around, seeing Ghost nodding. "Zasha, Soap, follow me to the bridge," I ordered, gesturing at me to follow me to the squeaky metal stairs, prompting us to walk discreetly on it and the metal bridge before we reach the windows.

"Shit, that's looking more protected than I thought," Zasha exclaimed in a surprised voice, seeing through the windows the construction site...and its unusual armed workers, a part of it protecting the place while a little part of the others were loading things some white truck. "Wait, what are you loading?" They demanded.

"Let me see," Soap said, taking out some binoculars from his vest to look at the scene, seeing some hooded men putting some crates inside a truck. "Explosives, guns and..." He started before his voice went shut as if something caught his attention. "Shit, that's Stone, right here," He revealed in a shocked voice, making me take his binoculars as he was giving them to me.

"Fuck...that's him," I muttered, seeing the man supervising the loading before I could perceive next to him a man with a black leather jacket and some glasses as I could see. "Could it be this Beck?" I tried to guess but no one respond. "Take it back, I'm bringing the news," I handed back the binoculars to Soap before taking my radio in my hands. "Park, do you copy?" I started.

"I hear you, Yirina," Park's voice right now was like relieving me to hear it even in that situation. "What's the situation?" She asked.

"We got a view on the site, protected as we thought..." I started, my eyes focusing on the white truck with Stone near it. "Stone is here, should we proceed?" I demanded in a clear voice, not having any response in the few seconds that follow.

"Do it, Portnova's team is ready to act up," She replied, making her voice fully audible for me & the two.

"They're closing the door of the truck, it's looking ready to leave," Soap remarked as the truck's lights goes on, starting its loud engine that we could hear from our position.

"We can't let it go away, it will be too risky to chase it down in London," Zasha suggested and they were right, we were busy here and we couldn't separate the teams to chase a Perseus truck.

"Park, a truck is going to leave soon, your team should act now at the main entrance, it can't leave the site" I proposed, my voice sounding high to make sure that it was important to not let it go.

"Understood," She said before the radio went off, leaving us to get ourselves ready for the action.

"Okay, okay, okay," I breathed, taking some quick breaths before I look at Zasha & Soap. "On my mark, we blitz them," I got myself ready, aiming my MP5 through one of the broken parts of the window, and then, once the truck passed through our position, it was time. "Open fire!" I yelled at the highest I could do, hearing in the two-second, the garage doors below us getting fully opened and me, starting to pull the trigger...

I could see that our presence was a total surprise for the Perseus' agents, opening fire at them from the warehouse and killing in the first set of bullets from us, more than 8 guys as the truck that was going to left the site at full speed was suddenly greeted by a car getting in front of it, seeing some SAS soldiers on it blast their guns on the occupants of the truck as some of them were going out to enter the site but as we thought, resistance has to be made...

Once the first SAS soldiers from Park & Price team got inside that the first bullets coming from Perseus arrived, starting the real fight here, more soldiers of them coming out of another building on the other side of the place while few of them were coming from the underground access that was at our view from the warehouse.

"We should get out, the other team needs us," I suggested to Zasha & Soap as the three of us stayed on the metal bridge to provide some cover for the other team. "Come on," I then got up from my spot to start running, getting down the stairs to join the others, still in cover behind the walls near the garage doors.

"Time to bring up the fight," That was Ghost scoffing when he saw me arrive at high speed at his spot, the garage doors already fully opened to let us out and that what we did, me being the first one to get out, blasting some bullets towards two soldiers that were trying to run towards the entrance to stop the other team.

"Changing mags," Roach said as he step out of his cover to join another one outside, reloading his gun in a fast move that I could do before resuming fire.

"Shit, they're not joking," Soap complained, trying to peek his head out of the cover I was with him...some sort of concrete block but he quickly resigned to do it, some bullets flying over his head. "Not joking," He added, reloading his gun.

"Hey, hey, hey!" I suddenly heard Ghost's voice almost yelling, pointing towards a direction, to the underground access. "Stone is trying to leave with his buddies inside the Tube," He exclaimed, making me peek my head to the side of the cover, able to see Stone from afar, back turned against us, along with some people near him.

"We can't let him escape now," I reminded them before I took one of the smoke grenades off my vest to throw it on the main road of the site. "Follow me," I ordered to the others in the case before I start to run towards a little side path with a big container as a cover for us while I was providing support to the others that were joining in me as the smoke that I threw was going away.

"Hey, isn't that a train?" Roach said as his head was looking at the underground access, getting my attention as I saw a train stopped near the underground entrance. "Wait...shit, they're going to use a train to escape!" He yelled, everyone quickly realizing that we could have a bitter victory if Stone & co goes away.

"Fuck," I cursed, trying to find something until I saw a white pick-up parked in the direction of the underground entrance, big enough to let a pick-up or even a truck in. "I've got something," I started, turning around to the others. "Zasha, Roach, Griffin, you stay with me, we're stopping that train,"

"And us?" Soap demanded in a serious & curious voice, staying in cover.

"Help Park & Price's team to get inside, we'll come back with the others," I responded with all the seriousness I could bring.

"But..."

"There's no but, Soap, I'm serious," I cut him straight, knowing that he was going to protest against my order. "We need to stop Stone and the others but we also need to make sure that no one in here escape, me & the ones I said are going to stop that goddamn train," I continued, trying to not make me angry against him. "Do it now, I'm not allowing this to happen," I exclaimed before I looked up to Zasha.

"I'm good with that," They said, giving me a nod, same for Roach & Griffin.

"Good, so let's do this," I took a deep breath just seconds before we saw the train starting slowly to get away from us. "GO!" I shouted, making the four of us run towards the white pick-up we see earlier. "Griffin, you're driving, Roach & Zasha with me," I directed as I was climbing inside the back of the pick-up, waiting for the others.

"Buckle up, here we go!" Griffin stated as he was getting inside, Zasha & Roach were already near me starting the pick-up engine and drove away to enter the tunnel.

I was now finding myself on the back of a pick-up with Zasha & Roach while Griffin was driving it and pursuing a tube train that was going west of Canary's Wharf just behind it as we were trying to find a way to stop the train, our guns getting soon low on bullets as I was having only two mags remaining...that train needs to be stopped right now, no escape was allowed for Stone, not again...

"That train is on its way to Westminster, we have to stop it," Roach spoke, getting his voice higher because of the speed and the noises of the train in front of us. "Get down," He shouted when we saw an armed guy at the back of the train, trying to shoot at us. "Griffin, get us away from that guy,"

"Or shoot at him instead," Griffin suggested in a rather complaining voice, surely focused to drive while under fire and pursue a tube train.

"On it," Zasha said before they aimed in a second their MP5 towards the guy that was shooting at us and in a few bullets, despite the whole situation, they managed to hit the man perfectly, "He's down,"

"Yeah...but that train is still going away," Roach complained.

"We need to get to the first wagon and shoot the driver, that's our only chance," I told them, moving my head to get next to Griffin, his head looking in front of him. "You heard me? Try to get us near the leading wagon," I explained in a loud but clear voice to him.

"On it, ma'am," He replied with a nod before he got the speed of the pick-up faster, reaching the last wagon before he decided to get on the other tracks, the only way for us to get a clear shot on the driver and only a minute after we told him that, he was already reaching the left side of the first wagon but we didn't see Stone or any of his friends along the way, maybe there were hiding from us for the moment...

"I'm on it, let me do it," Zasha proposed themselves to shoot at the driver, having him at the sight of their MP5 but then...

"Fuck, I'm hit!" We heard Griffin shout in pain from his spot before the pick-up changed its path to go hit the first wagon at full-speed.

"Oh fuck, it's going to crash," Zasha said in a scared voice before the front of the pick-up hit the middle of the first wagon, hearing the first signs of something bad that will happen but then...it's all go black for me when the pick-up move on its side...

It was all black but my ears were still able to hear...and what I hear was the sounds of the pick-up crashing along with the train, louder but hearing Zasha & Roach's screaming at the same time terrified me at my highest point, sending the biggest scare I could have at the moment, did my decisions...killed them...no...please...I don't want to think about that...I just need to...open my eyes...and save them...

It took me a few moments before my eyes finally opened up again, finding myself with my chest against the ground and feeling a big pain inside of it, a taste of blood in my mouth before my head look up, seeing at a few meters from me, Zasha, back on the ground with behind them, the train that was completely crashed, flames taking over the wreck as a silence of death were taking over the accident.

I tried to get up to reach Zasha, impossible for me to see Griffin or Roach around me but the pain inside my chest avoided me to get up, causing me to reach Zasha on my fours, my breath going louder at each step I was making to get to them, fearing the worst...

"My head...fuck..." I heard them in a low tone, their left hand moving to get to the side of the head. "Yi-Yirina...where..." They tried to say as I arrive near them, having no blood on their clothes except on their face, some cuts, and bruises on it.

"It's okay, Zed, we..." I was going to say entirely before I suddenly got my shoulder grabbed behind me, throwing me away from Zasha and finding myself back at my spot I was when I got my eyes back before I got my head up..."Stone..." I muttered, his name going through my teeth as I saw him stand between me & Zasha in the same clothes I always saw him in pictures, a green hood over his head.

"Wrong answer, Grigoriev," I was surprised when...I heard him talk...it...it wasn't Stone but a woman...a woman that was dressing up in Stone's clothes...a familiar voice but I couldn't react that I suddenly felt something hitting me at the right side of my neck...

"No...not...again," I whispered, realizing that there was someone behind me that got something at my neck...not again...I couldn't resist that I fall on my knees, looking in front of me at 'Stone', hands getting on the mask and taking it off, revealing..."Sarah?" My eyes went wide at seeing her...the woman that was in Zasha's team...standing in front of me...

"Surprise, shithead," She scoffed before she landed to me right a punch to the left side of my face, causing me to get back on the ground, their thing taking effect as my mind was slowly drifting into sleeping and feeling myself getting dragged away...

"Let's get out of here, we got what we came for...Krypto...and Bell!"

#cod bocw #cod cold war #cod black ops cold war #cod cw #call of duty cold war #cod #call of duty #cod bell #black ops cold war #fem!bell #yirina grigoriev #helen park #soap mactavish #simon ghost riley #bell x park

[masterjedilenawrites]

The Helmeted Hunter: Chapter 27

Boba Fett x Reader

Chapter Warnings: N/A

AO3 Link (In case you like it better over there, it’s okay, no judgement)

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Chapter 27: Questions and Answers

Your legs had moved before you had fully processed what they were running toward. You embraced your mother, one of many loved ones you'd never thought you'd see again, in the little room on the strange planet you'd been brought to by the Empire. You would've cried had you not been so utterly dumfounded.

"Mom?" you whispered again, pulling away from her grasp to get a good look at her. She had tears in her eyes and was stroking your hair, also in disbelief over your presence. She looked as well as she'd ever been. Healthy. No signs of abuse or neglect. She even had a bit of make-up on, now smudged a little in the corner of one watery eye. She also wore one of those white suits you'd seen earlier, with an Imperial insignia that matched the one stitched on your jumper.

"I'm so glad you're alive," she said through her tears, cooing your name and bringing you in for another hug.

You stiffened in her arms, still not able to fully relish the moment with so many questions on your mind. You'd come looking for answers and were met with more confusion than ever. You'd had enough.

"Mom," you said firmly, pulling back and holding her at arm's length. "What is going on? How... why are you here?"

She wrapped her hands around to grasp yours, giving them a squeeze as she looked at you sympathetically. "It's a long story, hun."

"I have time."

Her face faltered in its relief as she now took in your features. Your even gaze, the seriousness of your voice. Your disheveled hair and the bags beneath your eyes. The tension you'd held in your shoulders for months. She looked at you the way she'd had whenever you'd been sick, or had had a bad day at school, or when you'd come home crying from your first rejected crush... Wanting to help you, to heal you, but knowing there was only so much even a mother could do.

"Very well," she smiled, motioning to a little sofa nearby. "We should sit. Would you like some tea or...?"

"No." You wanted answers.

She nodded knowingly and joined you on the sofa, sitting just close enough that she could reach back out for you should you want her to. She ran her aging hands across her face, through her hair, sighing. "Where to begin."

"Did the Empire take you when they invaded home?" you asked, too impatient to not help her start somewhere.

She gave you a rueful smile. "That depends. Which invasion are you referring to?"

You gulped and kept your eyes trained on her, not wanting to miss a single detail as she eventually leaned onto the backrest of the couch and launched into her story.

"The Empire claimed our planet a long time ago, when you were very young. We didn't have resources, we weren't in a strategic location for them... but we did have people, very bright people who were more than willing to work with this new group if it meant access to advanced technology. It was all behind the scenes. The Empire didn't have the strength to conquer through force yet, and our leaders didn't want the masses to be aware of other systems. Your dad and I... We got caught up in it by accident. They were mostly recruiting scientists, engineers, medical researchers.... But they also needed other support positions filled, too. We knew some people... We were struggling with loans... It just... happened."

Your mom sighed and ran another hand over her face, showing that despite her healthy appearance, the situation had taken its toll on her deep within. A part of you did want to embrace her again, but you also didn't want to get distracted. Krennic would be coming at any time; you needed to get as much of the story as you could before then.

"We ended up supporting projects around hyperspeed technology, which then turned into experiments with teleportation."

"The portals," you muttered.

She nodded slowly, her eyes far off as she looked into the past. "Dad and I weren't developing the technology ourselves, but we became very close with the scientists that were. We knew they could easily program the destinations and pick the people they wanted to move. But the Empire was growing stronger. There were threats of attack and even war. Other divisions would finish their work and then mysteriously disappear. Our scientist friends were scared to admit they'd succeeded. So they lied, said it would take time to figure out how to control it."

Your mom gulped, her hands wringing together in her lap. You could tell her voice was dry. "And then we came up with a plan. It was... difficult... But we didn't have many other options. We... We used the technology to get certain people to safety. But we had to keep up the appearance that it was random so... well, we couldn't save everyone."

She hung her head, as if in shame. Your stomach twisted. "One of us would pick someone from our family and send them to a random planet. And then we'd move some random people around other parts of the galaxy for a while. And then another would get to save someone from their family. Bounty hunters were hired to go collect them and take to a safe house. The decisions they had to make... who to chose, who to save...."

She trailed off, but only momentarily. "By the time it was our turn, one of the supervisors had caught on. Orson Krennic. He had been planning to shut down the department. The portal technology used up too many resources and there was more promise with some of his other projects. But when he found out it could be controlled, he struck a deal. He'd take us all, with our families, to this planet, Eadu, where we'd be spared from the impending attack on our home. We just had to share the codes to control the portals."

Your mom shook her head again, still avoiding eye contact. "We agreed, and your dad was sent to Eadu with some of the others for the first trip. The rest of us would be taken later. But then one night I got a message from him saying Krennic had gone back on his word, and that he had an opportunity to open one last portal before fleeing with the codes. We--"

She stopped short. A tear trickled down her cheek, pooling at her chin for a moment before she furiously wiped it away. She took in a deep breath and shook her head, trying to cast off the obvious guilt and grief. "We wanted to save everyone, all the people we loved. But we also knew there was going to be a war. We had to save others, people who could fight and stand up for our planet. It was the most difficult decision we ever had to make. But I told him to just take you, that I would find a way to get the others off the planet.

"After you disappeared, Krennic's soldiers came for me. They wanted to know where your dad went, how to recreate the codes he stole. I told them I could recreate part of it from memory, but only if they spared the rest of the family. They brought me here, and I honored the agreement, but I only knew so much. All the other scientists had chosen to be killed rather than give away their secrets. And in the meantime, the others that had gone through the portal with you were able to go back and sneak thousands of people off the planet. It sounded like the rest of our family made it out, but they won't give me details. All I know is Krennic's been trying like crazy to capture you, hoping it will flush your dad out of hiding with the codes. I figured that meant the others ended up in hiding too, or... well... you know...."

There was silence as you let everything sink in. Your mom took in a few more breaths to calm her nerves, trying for a smile as she finally looked up at you. "Don't get me wrong, I am so, so happy to see you alive and safe. But I'd been praying they wouldn't find you, that our bounty would've been enough to get you to your father instead of me...."

"Bounty?" you asked, discovering your voice was as dry as hers.

Your mom nodded. "We'd already done our research, so when it would finally be our turn to send someone, we'd have the best bounty hunter keeping them safe. But when your dad contacted me for our final plan, to send you, we knew the Empire could easily raise the price and have the guy turn you into them instead. So your dad set a bounty higher than we thought they could match. He gave all of our savings to the bounty hunter Boba Fett and told him it was an advancement. He said he'd figure out how to get you away from Fett later, all that mattered was just getting you off the planet. Krennic was furious when he found out, but then he kept talking about going after you, and I knew it meant Fett hadn't succeeded in getting you to your dad."

"No," you rasped, your voice sounding distant. "He didn't know where to find him. The transmission was cut off."

Your mom bowed her head knowingly. "He must have run into trouble. But the fact they've still be trying to get you means he's still out there somewhere."

You felt yourself standing up, pacing about the room slowly, but not really comprehending your own actions. Your mind was reeling, going through all the information over and over again in an effort to make sense of it... to accept it.

The buyer, the mysterious and wealthy person you'd been searching for, was your dad. He was out there, hiding, protecting the galaxy from a piece of technology the Empire would surely use for only more destruction and power. And your mom was just as much a part of that effort, doing what she could to quietly protect her family. Your planet had fallen to the Empire, but its people carried on elsewhere. Your family could very well be among them.

You weren't sure how to feel. You allowed a few tears to well in your eyes, but they stung. You wanted to be relieved, to bask in the sensation of finally knowing the truth. You wanted to feel free from the worry and fear that you were being hunted for no reason. And you supposed you did feel those things, but there was something else, too. Something you couldn't quite understand.

The sound of your name broke through your heavy thoughts. You looked over at your mom as she addressed you, preparing to say something else. Possibly a comforting word, or maybe a few questions of her own. But she wasn't able to get it out, not before you heard the door open and saw Orson Krennic emerge from the hall behind you.

"Done catching up?" he asked with a sly quirk of his mouth. "Good. Let's see if we can't get your father to join the reunion."

#star wars #boba fett #boba fett x reader #boba x reader #romance #fluff #mystery #team up #lots of planets #bounty hunting #making plans #the empire #orson krennic #family #friends #home

[rubysunnday]

Heroes and Villains

No one ever knows how they will be remembered. Authors never know if they will stand the test of time, painters will never know if their masterpieces will be viewed a hundred years later and musicians will never know if their music will become a part of history. Some say you either die a hero or live long enough to become the villain.

The way the Shelby’s were going, they were going to live long enough to see themselves become villains.

Living long wasn’t something the Shelby’s were known for, especially with their line of work. Their mother died young, leaving Polly to pick up the broken pieces of the shattered family. They were all prepared to die before their time, but none of them were prepared to die after their time.

Everyone had fully expected the boys to die during the Great War. When Polly and Ada had bid them farewell on that train platform, you and Finn hiding behind them, they knew, deep down, that it wasn’t likely they’d see them again.

“Do you think we’ll see them again, Pol?” Ada asked quietly as the train disappeared from view leaving a cloud of smoke in its wake.

“I don’t know, Ada,” Polly said, lifting you into her arms as you yawned loudly. “But, if we do, they won’t be the same men we said farewell too.”

4 years later, the news broke of the armistice and Polly and Ada hugged each other, tears streaming down their faces, knowing they were getting the boys home.

You and Finn were still young when they came home. Neither one of you really understood why they’d had had to leave four years previously, but both of you were thrilled to be getting your brothers back.

The train hadn’t even stopped before soldiers were throwing themselves out the doors and to their families. You and Finn spotted John first and the both of you screamed his name and charged towards him, John barely dropping his stuff and catching you both in time as you clung to him tightly.

Ada let out a squeal when she spotted Arthur and Tommy, launching herself at the two of them without giving them a chance to prepare. The three of them fell to the ground, laughing as they cried, all of them hugging each other tightly.

Despite no one dying, a piece of each of them died the day they left for the front. It was evident in everything they did. No longer did Tommy smile. No longer did John peacefully walk away. No longer did Arthur sleep peacefully.

Death had let them go.

For now.

It caught up to Danny Whizzbang first. He died a hero, one of the fallen from the war.

“He died in France,” John said quietly as the three brothers sat in the private room of the Garrison, drinking whiskey and smoking. “Danny, the real Danny, died in that fucking field.”

“We all did, John,” Arthur replied, a distant look in his eyes. “No one came back their alive, not really.”

“Everyone lost something in that fucking country,” Tommy said, his voice almost a whisper. “And if they didn’t lose it there, they lost it here.”

Watching Finn and you grow up was what hit home the reality of dying to the Shelby’s. They watched you and Finn argue, fight but ultimate love each other fiercely. It was a harsh reminder that your innocence and hope would ultimately be gone soon. There were rumours of another war brewing and the Shelby’s knew that being one of them wasn’t something that came with longevity.

Grace’s death hit it home even more than before.

You’d seen her die. Despite Finn and Isaiah trying to shield it from you, you’d still seen it. You watched your brother fall apart in his aunt’s arms, his wife’s blood all of him. Grace had died a hero, some, including Tommy, would say, saving her husband’s life. But you and the rest of the family knew she’d died a villain.

Suddenly death felt a lot closer than before.

You weren’t naïve of the fact that being a Shelby meant that your life wasn’t going to be a long one. It was one of the first things you remembered being told by Arthur. Being a Shelby, being known to know a Shelby all meant death. That was just the way things were.

But, despite knowing this, you never expected death to try and take your brother. Not Tommy. Yet, there you were, watching him slowly dying in front of you for getting himself in too deep.

You refused to leave his side the entire time he was in hospital, tied down to a bed to stop him moving. Ada had sat with you for a few days, trying to comprehend how your life’s got to be so cruel.

“Losing Freddie,” Ada began one night as the two of you stood outside smoking, “felt nothing like this. Maybe because I knew it was coming. I had time to prepare and brace myself for the onslaught it would bring. But this? This just like…”

“Like a bomb went off without you knowing,” you finished, and she nodded. “We’re just left to pick up the pieces of what it left.” You puffed on your cigarette and sighed. “Do you ever think about if we’re going to die heroes or villain’s?”

Ada looked at you as you watched your cigarette wilt away. “I think we’re fucked.”

You snorted. “You never choose to be a Shelby. It just happens.” You sighed, chucking your cigarette on the floor and stamping it out. “We’re destined to be the villain in our stories.”

“To some we’re heroes,” Ada said quietly, following you back inside.

“To Tommy, we’re heroes,” You corrected. “He’s determined to not die a villain.”

“Then he’s bestdie soon, then,” Ada muttered, “or he’s going to become the villain.”

Then came the conclusion to the business with the Russian’s. Isaiah had been the one to hold you back from punching the life out of Tommy as he announced the arrest warrant for almost the entire family. You’d refused to accept it being the only option left and had nearly ended up getting arrested yourself.

Then, when you found out all four of them were to be hanged, you’d stormed down to Tommy’s office and slapped him, yelled at him and then moved in with Esme and, once he’d been freed, John.

“He’s gonna die a villain,” you’d said to Esme one night as John put the kids to bed.

“You’re obsessed with that whole ideal, aren’t you?” Esme replied, sitting down next to you.

“I just find it intriguing,” you replied. “Someone does something good and they’re a hero. But, eventually, the bad things they did in the process of being a hero come to light and then, suddenly, they’re no longer a hero…they’re a villain.”

Esme nodded her head, fully agreeing with your logic, despite how weird it sounded.

She agreed with it even more when she was shoving everything she had into the back of a wagon, her husband’s body burning ten miles away.

You’d knocked on the door, your eyes red from crying and she’d hugged you tightly as you sobbed.

“I’m sorry,” you cried, clinging onto her.

“No, it’s not your fault, y/n,” Esme whispered, stroking your head. “He died a hero, like you said.”

“But he shouldn’t have,” you sobbed.

Esme sighed heavily as she hugged you. “No. He shouldn’t have.”

Esme had offered to take you with her, but you’d declined and told her about the promise you’d made John to protect Finn.

John had died a hero, but Tommy was still on his way to becoming a villain.

Everything calmed down after John’s death. You’d met Bonnie Gold and the two of you had become firm friends, much to Arthur’s disgust.

“He’s just a friend, Arthur,” you’d told him one morning as you made him tea.

“That’s what they all say,” Arthur retorted, and you rolled your eyes as you set his mug down a little harder than necessary.

“If something happens, then something happens,” you replied, shrugging.

“Hopefully I’ll be dead before then,” Arthur muttered, and Finn laughed into his tea. You laughed as well, although it didn’t reach your eyes. To speak of death in the Shelby family was almost asking for it.

You’d been too caught up in the emotion of Bonnie winning the match to notice Tommy barging through the crowd until he’d fired his gun into the air.

You heard nothing after he’d announced that Arthur was dead, a strange ringing in your ears muffling the rest of the words. Michael only just managed to catch you before you hit the ground as you tried to comprehend what Tommy was saying.

Ada had tried to speak to you, but nothing was reaching you. You were completely dead to them all. Nothing more than a shell. Michael had carried you home and kept you company until Tommy came back and took his place. He stayed with you and cared for you.

And, then, Arthur wasn’t dead.

And, suddenly, the love you had for Tommy diminished just a little. You no longer saw him as a hero. He was merely ruining his own life, determined to become the villain.

Arthur was the one to hold you when Bonnie died. He’d broken the news to you, caught you as you fell and hugged you as you sobbed. He rocked you through the nightmares that came, forced you outside everyday an made sure you stayed around, even if it was just surviving.

To you, Tommy had killed Bonnie. Tommy killed everyone he touched, in your mind. No one was safe from his touch.

“He should’ve died whilst he was still a hero,” you whispered to Finn one night as he laid next to you, an arm around your shoulders. “We all should die before we ruin ourselves.”

Finn hummed in agreement, stroking your hair. “We either die heroes or follow Tommy and watch ourselves become villains.”

But, all of a sudden, the villain became the helpless.

You’d followed Arthur and Tommy home after the failed assassination attempt, frowning when Arthur shrugged in response to ‘where’s Tommy’.

“He went into the field,” Arthur called as you headed in the direction he’d pointed.

You squinted as you stumbled through the field and the mist, trying to see where Tommy might’ve gone.

Eventually, you stumbled upon him.

A broken man, on his knees, sobbing.

You’d frozen, unprepared for the sight of your broken brother. The man who’d considered himself higher than God. The man who was determined to become a villain if it meant being remembered. The same man was now crying into his little sister’s shoulder as she tried to comfort him. Tried to fix it, despite not knowing what was wrong.

The role reversal felt strange, but not unnatural, you decided as you hugged him. After all, it’d felt like you’d become the oldest one over the past few months. Tommy had just slowly distanced himself from everyone and everything. He’d climbed higher and higher until there was nothing to do but fall. And you’d done nothing but watch.

You’d watched him become the villain. But, now you were watching him become the broken hero.

#Peaky Blinders #peaky blinders imagine #peaky blinders x reader #peaky blinder imagine #peaky blinder fanfic #sister shelby #shelby sis #shelby sister #platonic imagines #imagines

[rhiminee]

Therapy Sessions: Track by track feels

So ok I’ve had time to listen to David’s new album *mumble hundred* times since it came out earlier this week and I think I finally am ready to share my thoughts and feelings as I listen to each song. Sorry this took a few days. I’ve had some personal things going on and I wanted to be in a clearer state of mind before I wrote all this down. :) Here we go!!!

Track 1 - Paralyzed

This song. This song is like a whole different side of David. I honestly don’t usually have favorites of any album but this song is such a favorite of mine. I almost don’t think it’s fair because this is the only song off the album that I’ve seen him perform in concert and that’s a huge factor for me. He SLAYS this live. It’s been out since last August and it’s so next level. It’s almost like it comes from another universe??? Not that there’s a single thing wrong with the rest of the album it’s just that this song is WOW. Its like its own entity. It’s a banger and an anthem and I could listen to it 24/7. David wails on it and you feel every second with a sense of urgency. Honestly one of my favorite things he’s ever done. Wait. Change that. It’s my favorite song he’s ever done. Period. 

Track 2 - You Worry

This title is such a false lead! lol. I thought ok this is gonna be about trying to control your worries and how to be positive, etc. But spoiler alert: David Archuleta is a sneaky cupcake. DON’T YOU WORRY BOUT ME. icu what you did there David. This song is just such a mood. It starts off kinda slow but then it kicks up after the first verse and you know David is messing with you. It’s almost got a reggae type chill vibe to it with the ya-da-da-da-da and the melody. Or maybe that’s just me. “I’ve got my reasons why I am the way I am, so don’t you worry me”. “Living life in a bubble still comes with it’s troubles, I’ve still got a lot to learn about me but that’s ok.” This reminds me of a more mature version of Other Things In Sight from his last album. Like he was a bit bothered in OTIS but now he’s just like whatev. lol. I love it!! One of my faves from this album.

Track 3 - Ok, All Right

This is the 2nd of 3 songs on this album that we had already heard when the album was released. This song is fun and a good mantra for 2020 to try to keep ourselves sane. We need it. I like the sassiness of this and the unexpected changes in melody! David did an acoustic version of it during his launch party that I’m fully 100% in deep love with. Check it out if you get a chance.

Track 4 - Patient

Oh hi, song that I love! I don’t know why I love this so much but I would put it in my top songs on the album. Maybe it’s the stutter singing (is that what you call it??? Le-le-le-le-le-let me know) it makes my heart feel joyful. “I tell myself remember, remember to breathe, I’m trying to be patient, so won’t you please be patient, be patient with me” “Jump the gun, tend to run off at the mouth, I see that it’s in your eyes” “Find the beauty in the letting go, hurry up and learn to take it slow”. It’s almost got a bit of an R&B feel to it. Is that just me?? Maybe it’s just me. I have a pure love for this song. It just makes me so happy listening to it.

Track 5 - Need

This one of only two slower tempo songs on the album (Just Breathe is the other). David uses his lower register, especially in the first verse. Honestly when this song started I was like...is this a duet? Who is singing? Lmao. It was David. In addition to it being a lower register there’s almost a bit of a slurry quality to his pronunciation when he sings here. Or maybe it’s an overlay for the song? Idk. His voice just sounds different to me here. I’m gonna be honest and say this is my least favorite track on the album. Maybe I need to listen more. It’s not a bad song, just not my vibe and the vocals throw me off a bit. Listen and let me know what y’all think!

Track 6 - Brave

This song is such a change of pace from the previous one! It’s got an intriguing percussive cadence in the beginning, fast singing with short phrases and then bursts out into long soaring notes in the chorus, braaaaaaaaaaave!! It’s also has the honor of containing the lyric “bit me in the butt” and I laughed so hard I had had to start the song over. I really like this one!

Track 7 - Good in the Bad

THIS SONG. I wasn’t sure what to think the first time I listened. My brain was like, do I like this? Then the second time I was like, ok yeah. Then the third time and the next 500 times I was like, hi you are my true love. Seriously my level of obsession with this song now. If Paralyzed wasn’t on this album this would be my favorite song. I don’t think Paralyzed should count because yeah it’s a phenomenon and should not be compared to anything else. So. This is my favorite song on the album. I love love love love it. I can’t stop listening. “When it all goes wrong and you’re having a moment, you got to go all out, go bring back the sun out. And if it all goes wrong and you’re living in darkness, well that’s the only way the stars can shine” YES SIR “Fear is like a magnet that keeps pulling you down, so take another look because yeah it won’t take you long, give a break to your mind”. I don’t know why this song speaks so much to me but it does. Maybe because I tend to get stuck worrying about worst case and bad things that could happen and have happened. I know you can’t just ignore that stuff but idk this song just hit me different. Also the cadence and beat really drives the message. I just love everything about it.

Track 8 - Switch

Omg yep. #2 fav song after Good in the Bad. This is such an earworm! Honestly very radio friendly song. “why do i do that why do i do that” that hook. I always hit the switch and the tables start to flip, then the walls come up again, the beginning starts to end. why do i do that. Y’all. I feel that on every level. You need this song in your life. Along with Paralyzed it’s one of only two songs on this album that’s just plainly stating here’s my problem without offering a solution or “hey it’s ok we’re all like that”. I appreciate that David offers these songs too. I know and completely understand that for him music is about offering a message and hope and help to others. That’s one thing I love so much about him. But I also like that sometimes he just says here’s my issues. The humanity jumped out, that sometimes we’re just critical of ourselves without positive thoughts. Sometimes you just wanna be sad or mad at yourself. There’s time later to re-focus. It’s ok to just claim that personal honesty for a bit. If that even makes sense. But yeah. Love love this song. It’s a true jam.

Track 9 - Just Breathe

This song is like a bath in warm silk after you’ve been cold and lonely. It’s an experience. It’s like meditation in song form. Refreshing and hypnotizing. ‘I am not weak I am strong, there is still more I can offer. Someday you’ll see the better version of me. When it all stops spinning, when it all slows down. I was swimming deeper but I didn’t drown. Just breathe. So I open up to the flow and learn to love you as we go, until I don’t think I just know.’ It’s like a midsummer night’s dream in song form. <3

Track 10 - Future Self

So true and surprisingly funny! This is such a quirky song. Any song that references reddit and smash bros gets an A+ in my book lol. I was surprised because a lot of times the last track is kind of a throw way imho but this one had me smiling and bopping! It’s a love letter to finding yourself and being kind to yourself. 

Final thoughts:

You guys are gonna laugh because I feel like I say this anytime a new album comes out but I honestly think this is my favorite album that David has ever done. It’s cohesive and fun to listen to and says a lot without being too heavy. It’s so awesome to see the progression in David’s music but even more so to know it’s a reflection of the progression in his life. He’s not afraid to say he’s got issues but he has been working hard on facing those and making strides. It shows in his music. I feel a sense of joy I haven’t heard before. This album is so good. The production quality, the vocals are on point, the beats are stellar. Please check it out if you haven’t already!

http://lnkfi.re/TherapySessions

#david archuleta #therapy sessions #this album is amazing #thoughts and feels #lots of words #my wrists got sore typing all this

[zamoimagines]

This Means War

Word Count: 2001

Pairings: Venable x Reader, Cordelia x Reader

Chapters: 1, 2, 3

Summary: You’re sent to Outpost 3 on behalf of the coven with Coco to protect Mallory. A spell is put over you so that you forget anything you ever knew of being a witch, including all of your memories of your girlfriend, Cordelia. Without the Supreme and being confined to the Outpost after a nuclear missile launch, you feel empty for what seems to be no reason at all. That’s until a new woman, Miss Wilhelmina Venable takes an interest in you.

A/N: have some fuckin angst for dinner, hope ya’ll like it!

 The Outpost had become a horrific nightmare to all of you that resided there. During your stay, four greys had already been blamed for various “crimes” and were brutally executed by some guards. Gallant and Coco both continually got themselves into trouble. The two were constantly being punished or beaten into submission. Not to mention, the only thing all of you could eat were tiny gelatin cubes that were filled with vitamins and minerals. Death didn’t sound like such a terrible option anymore after being here for only a short while.

Though, you did what you could to stay safe. You had made much smarter decisions than the others did. You always stayed quiet at dinner, you never complained or talked back to authoritative figures, you went to bed on time, and you didn’t dare to talk about anyone behind their back. The only real problem that you had in the Outpost was the terribly emotional dreams you were having since you’d gotten there.

You stood in a space with pitch-black surfaces. The space around you was so dark, yet you could still see yourself clearly. You treaded carefully forward, familiarly confused about why you always ended back here. As you continued on, a breeze blew from behind you. An ethereal woman with long blonde hair began walking toward you. She was dressed in a long, white dress. It looked as if she was glowing. Every step she took, grass and flowers grew and filled the space around you. She was the most beautiful woman you’d ever seen.

She took your hands into hers. Feeling her against your skin, you felt an overwhelming sensation of sadness. Your eyes welled up with tears as if you were going to start balling. She gave you a sympathetic smile as she cupped your cheek.

“Everything will be resolved with time, my love. Just be patient for me.” she cooed.

There was a long silence between the two of you. Your brows furrowed. It always frustrated you to see her because you couldn’t place where you’d seen her from.

“Who are you? W-What am I supposed to do?”

“All of that will come in time, Y/N. You must keep going, no matter how long it takes. You must stay strong for me.”

“But… But it’s so hard.”

“I know, my darling.” She pressed a small kiss to your forehead. “I’ll be with you sooner than you think.”

Suddenly, the nature around you began to fade. The world around you grew cold and dark once again. The woman slowly pulled away from you, tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Wait!” you cried out. “Take me with you, please!”

“I’ll come for you, Y/N. I promise I will.”

Her body gradually grew transparent as if she was going to vanish. A wave of panic washed over you as you tried to sprint toward her.

“Don’t leave me here!”

“Goodbye, my love.”

You gasped as your body jolted upright. Cold sweat beaded at the base of your neck, your sheets sticking to your skin. You gazed at the room around you. It was that damn dream again.

You held your face in your hands. You wanted to be with that woman, for whatever reason. Tears continued to fall as you caught your breath. Why couldn’t you just be with her?

A small creaking noise came from your bedroom door. Glancing in that direction, your body tensed up.

“W-Who’s there?” you muttered.

The door opened fully with the touch of a hand. Venable stood in the doorway of your room. Instead of in her usual attire, she had on a long nightgown. Her hair was down, and it was much longer than you thought it would’ve been. It fell softly to the middle of her back. In one hand, she had a makeshift lantern, and in the other, she had her cane and was leaning up against it. She was frowning for some reason.

“I heard you shouting from down the hall… Are you alright, Miss Y/L/N?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Just another bad dream.” you tried to wipe your tears away quickly. “I’m sorry, I had no idea I was making so much noise.”

Venable entered the room before sitting down at the edge of your bed.

“It’s alright. Are you sure you’re okay? What were you dreaming about that made you so distraught?”

Ever since the first day of being here, Miss Venable had been nothing but kind to you. With the other residents, she was harsh, dare you say cruel. But when it came to you, she seemed to have some sort of a soft spot. It didn’t seem very soft since she was such a strict woman. Her definition of being gentle with you was giving you ten extra minutes to read before bed, or letting you leave the table early if you weren’t feeling hungry, or having the greys wash your clothes before anyone else’s. It was obvious that she was fond of you. She made you feel a little less alone down here.

“It’s nothing, really. I promise I’m okay.”

“You were crying out in despair. I’m not sure I believe that you’re alright.” she set her lantern on the nightstand next to you, then gently rested her hand on your leg. The feeling of her warm skin against yours made your heart skip a beat.

“I… I don’t know if I really want to talk about it… It’s stupid-”

“No bad dream is stupid. Try me.”

You took a deep breath.

“I uh- I keep having these dreams about a woman. It feels like I know her, almost. She’s so familiar to me… Each time I see her, I get overwhelmed with joy to just be with her once again. But then she leaves. She leaves me and the world gets so dark... “ you had to pause for a moment since you were choking on tears. “I never want her to go, but she always fades away.”

Wilhelmina looked concerned. She bit her lip as she tried to think of what to say.

“And you don’t know who this woman is?” she asked.

You shook your head. Venable tightened her hold on your leg just slightly as if to comfort you.

“I know that the apocalypse has brought us all immense despair and unresolved trauma. It’s as if we’re all living with amnesia. Many of us find that we’re forgetting who we are, or at least who we used to be. We forget our friends, our family, our lovers,” She gazed into your glassy eyes. “But everyone that we once knew is gone. They don’t matter anymore. What matters is survival and trusting the right people.”

It was a lot to take in. You hated to admit it, but Venable was right. You weren’t the type to just let go of something, but perhaps it was for the best. What else could you do?

I’ll come for you. I promise.

The woman’s voice sounded so clear in your head. You weren’t sure if you could let go quite yet. Though, you wouldn’t tell Venable that. It would be best to keep all of this to yourself. You didn’t know who that woman was, but you had a feeling in your gut that there was something much more important going on.

“You’re right.” You said softly. “I’ll forget about it.”

“Good,” Venable replied. “And if you ever have that dream again, find me and I will help you come back to reality.”

A small smile appeared on your lips. You had no idea that Venable was so caring like this, let alone sympathetic.

“Thank you, Miss Venable.”

“Please, call me Wilhelmina.”

“Okay… Thank you, Wilhelmina.”

She grinned back to you. Using her cane for support, she stood up from her seat.

“Try and get some sleep, my darling. It will make you feel much better if you wake up well-rested.” Venable leaned over to tuck a piece of your hair behind her ear. She then turned away toward the door. You watched her every move.

“Miss Venable?”

“I’m sorry?”

“I-I mean-” your cheeks turned bright red from embarrassment. “Wilhelmina.”

“Yes, darling?”

“Thank you. For everything.”

Venable didn’t dare to turn her head. She merely froze in her tracks, listening to your words.

“Anything for you, Y/N.”

As she exited the room, you hugged one of your pillows to your chest. Despite Wilhelmina’s kindness, you felt as if her words were meant to make you feel hopeless. You still couldn’t stop thinking about the woman in your dream. Something about her seemed so real. Maybe she was still out there and you didn’t know it yet.

The next morning, you woke up feeling rather groggy. The unsettling dream you had kept you up all night. You couldn’t stop thinking about that damn woman. Who was she? Why did the world around you fill with life when she’d enter your dream? Why does she keep speaking to you as if she were your lover?

You hadn’t found an answer to any of your questions. You were left to contemplate to yourself until it was time for you to get out of bed. The chiming of the morning bells rung out, signaling that it was time for all of the residents of the Outpost to wake up. A heavy sigh fell from your lips. The last thing you wanted to do right now was to interact with the other people here. Nonetheless, you found that your body sat up anyway while your legs swung off of the mattress.

The feeling of the cold floor against your feet jolted you out of your thoughts. Standing up, you made your way toward your wardrobe to pick out a dress for the day. You threw on the first one you saw, put on a pair of heels, and walked out the door of your bedroom.

As you made your way down the hallway, all of the others began to gradually come out of their room. Coco was still dressed in her nightgown when you saw her.

“Ugh, why do we have to wake up this early anyway? It’s the end of the world, it’s not like we have anything to do with ourselves.”

Mr. Gallant was already dressed in his usual suit. “You’re right, Coco. Maybe being on a schedule is supposed to make us feel better or something.”

“I don’t feel great with or without a schedule! Venable’s just being strict because she can be. What a load of bullshit.”

“Excuse me?”

Coco’s eyes went wide. From behind you, Miss Venable had been listening in. Mr. Gallant tried hard not to laugh.

“Venable… I didn’t know that you were around.”

“Perhaps you should be more considerate of those around you, Miss Vanderbilt.” Venable sneered.

“Yup. Definitely… Gallant, get your ass in here, I need you to do my hair.” Hurriedly, Coco pulled the hairdresser into her room and shut the door behind her.

You felt a hand rest on your shoulder. As you turned your head to look back, you saw Wilhelmina smiling at you.

“Good morning, Y/N.”

“Good morning, Wilhelmina.”

You could tell she approved of you remembering to use her first name. Her body was pressed into your back as her hand traveled down to softly squeeze your arm.

“Did you get any sleep after what happened?”

“I did, actually.” you lied.

“Wonderful. May I walk you down to breakfast?”

It made you blush the way she was so chivalrous. Her intentions were probably more friendly than anything.

“Sure.”

“I was hoping you’d say yes.” Venable hooked her arm with yours and led you down the hall. For a moment, you forgot all about the dream you had. The only thing you could think about was how right it felt to be side by side with Wilhelmina and how comforting her presence was for you.

You figured that all of these new feelings didn’t mean anything. Or so you thought.

REQUEST MORE HERE!

#this means war #venable x reader #Cordelia x reader #ahs #ahs fic #here ya'll hungry ass bitches go #jk I love all of you please enjoy dinner tonight

[coll2mitts]

#67 Muppets Most Wanted (2014)

"We're sorry, Kermit.  We're sorry we didn't notice you were missing.  We're sorry we didn't tell you often enough how much you mean to all of us.  We're sorry we ever took you for granted.  But, that’s never going to happen again...  Kermit, we convinced ourselves that evil frog was you because he gave us what we thought we wanted.  When what we really wanted... What we really needed... Was you, Kermit.  The actual, real you."

After The Muppets, I was fully prepared to eat my own shoes instead of watch this movie. My only motivation was the light at the end of the tunnel.  Much like the Genie at the end of Aladdin, I would have fulfilled my end of the bargain and finally be freed from having to watch any more Muppet movies ever again.  But something unlikely happened... They began The Muppets Most Wanted admitting their fans at the end of The Muppets were paid extras.  They were transparent about a sequel being a not-as-good cash grab.  The opening number was referential to the original sequel, The Great Muppet Caper, but the lyrics were self-aware, self-deprecating and peak Muppet.

I’ll even go on record as liking this movie a great deal.  I was able to forgive the product placement, the obligatory Disney references, the pop songs, and the 7000 cameos because this movie felt like... an apology?  Like they had watched the last movie and realized it was hollow, and the spirit of Kermit was steamrolled by their desperation to emotionally connect to the audience.  

True to Muppet fashion, their opening number states the stakes of the movie, Ricky Gervais (...ugh) approaches The Muppets with the idea of managing them during a World Tour.  Kermit, being a level-headed frog, is hesitant to sign with someone named Dominic Badguy, and doesn’t want to rush into something new without establishing a proper show beforehand.  Striking while the iron is hot with your new IP is not enough of a reason to rush out a project.

Kermit is eventually persuaded to hire Dominic, but books a series of smaller venues to ease them into the swing of things.

“Looks like they put the reviews up early!” “Yeah, or is that the suggestion box?”

The Muppets are disappointed by this, and are easily swayed by Dominic to bet big and rent extremely large venues under the assumption they will sell out their shows and make the money back.  Kermit is against this at first (voting for “just giving up” instead of “believing in themselves”), but he goes along with the group because he was outnumbered.  The content of the show is also a point of contention, as Kermit suggests they play to their strengths, because if the show isn’t successful, they might not have jobs after the tour.  This concern is also brushed off, as Dominic tells Gonzo sure, bulls running around the stage sounds like a great idea, the magnetic bomb-attractor vest will be a useful invention, and Miss Piggy should be singing 4 or 5 Celine Dion classics a night. 

While Kermit is disappointed, Dominic tells him to take a walk in East Berlin to clear his mind.  We then find out this is a setup to kidnap Kermit and send him to a Siberian Gulag so Dominic and the The Most Dangerous Frog in the World can schedule The Muppets to perform in venues directly next to museums that hold clues and trinkets that will assist them in stealing the Crown Jewels.

Much like The Great Muppet Caper, this movie revolves around case of mistaken identity between bad frog Constantine and good frog Kermit, with their only differentiating feature being a mole on Constantine’s face.  After Kermit is kidnapped, Constantine assumes his identity, and although Constantine has a Russian accent and speaks in Muppet one-liners, he’s covered his mole in green grease paint, so the cast has no idea anything is amiss.  

As artifacts go missing, Sam Eagle from the CIA and Jean Pierre Napoleon from Interpol are on the case!  They dislike each other at first, as everything Sam  Eagle does is comically overstated and American, while everything Jean Pierre does is comically understated and European.  They gradually come to respect each other, connect the dots, and determine The Muppets... are too stupid to perform a series of heists.

Meanwhile, Kermit is having a hard time acclimating to prison life.  Nadja, the prison warden, played Tina Fey (with a really terrible accent, which I can’t tell is supposed to be terrible as a gag, or it just is?) thwarts all his attempts to escape.  Kermit grows to accept he is stuck in the Gulag and his friends are not going to come and rescue him.  To distract him, Nadja puts him in charge of the annual lighthearted Gulag Review, and Kermit’s practice with wrangling the Muppets make him perfect for the job of wrangling hardened criminals, like The Prison King (Jemaine Clement), Big Papa (Ray Liotta) and Danny Trejo (Danny Trejo).

Walter is suspicious something strange is going on with their tour, because he seems to be the only Muppet with critical thinking skills.  He shadows Dominic and finds him bribing Robert Crawley to post good reviews of “The Muppet Show” and pay people to put butts in seats.  When Walter informs Fozzie, he laments they didn’t think of doing that before, but when Walter suggests that Constantine may have replaced Kermit...

They strike out to find Kermit so he can restore order to this entire debacle, but he’s now neck deep in Gulag Review rehearsals.  Even when his friends show up and convince him he needs to leave, Nadja is hesitant to let him go because she’s formed a mild attachment to him.

They stage a breakout during one of the Gulag Review musical numbers, which just happens to be about working in a coal mine, equip with pick axes that dig everyone out of the prison and to safety.

While they were gone, Miss Piggy begins to suspect something is off with “Kermit”, especially since he seemed OK with Fozzie and Walter leaving the show.  In an attempt to pacify her, “Kermit” escalates his affection toward her until it, of course, all culminates in a wedding between Bad Frog and Miss Piggy, even though the last time the Real Kermit spoke with her, they got in a massive fight about her obsession with planning a wedding when he hadn’t even proposed yet.  "Kermit” also books The Tower of London as the wedding venue, so Dominic can use the artifacts they’ve stolen to steal the Crown Jewels while everyone else is distracted.

The wedding does not go as planned, though, as Good Frog Kermit shows up and prevents Miss Piggy from marrying the wrong guy.  Upon being found out, Constantine decides to drop one more Muppet one-liner before blowing the place to smithereens.  Much like Chekhov’s gun, Professor Honeydew’s magnetic bomb-attractor vest aids the Muppets in discovering that Miss Piggy’s engagement ring IS the bomb, and Beaker, who is wearing the vest, is launched out the window, saving The Muppets and all their wedding guests.

Dominic and Constantine try to get away in a helicopter, but Piggy kicks the shit out of Constantine, because again, Piggy’s violence solves every problem in the Muppet universe.  With the bad guys captured, the Muppets apologize to Kermit for ignoring his concerns about the tour, and not noticing he was gone.  The decide to continue the tour, but first, they will play the Siberian Gulag as a favor to Nadja.

And the big climax at the end... fireworks.  In the shape of the Muppets.

The original songs are excellent again, because Bret McKenzie is excellent.  They do have a few non-original songs, but they aid the plot this time instead of just being included for whatever fucking reason (with one notable exception, as there is no excuse for “Moves like Jagger”).  The Gulag review auditions used these the best, because seeing a prison full of men sing “End of the Road” is fairly comical, and is only topped by the entire reenactment of A Chorus Line’s “I Hope I Get It”, including a costume change that involves “Gulag” crop-tops.

The best hybrid of pop references and original jams is “Something So Right”, which actually made me cry, until Celine Dion appeared and hammed it up.  Her diva energy in this movie was just perfect - I loved seeing her and Miss Piggy belt out a song while Rowlf was playing a grand piano.

Speaking of cameos, I feel like they service the movie a lot better than The Muppets.  Everyone outside of the celebrity guests on the tour were playing some sort of part, instead of just showing up and answering a phone and talking about how famous they are.  Josh Groban sang from inside a metal box several times, and you only see his face for maybe 2 seconds at the end of the movie, which make it clear he just wanted to be involved.  Seeing Ray Liotta and Danny Trejo singing and dancing so earnestly made me roll my eyes again at the thought of Sarah Silverman handing Amy Adams a menu and Selena Gomez telling Kermit doesn’t even know who the Muppets are.

The guests on stage were utilized well, with Christoph Waltz dancing the waltz in Berlin, Saoirse Ronan dancing a ballet in Dublin, and Salma Hayek, who is famously Mexican, getting run over by bulls in Madrid.  At least the Macarena is from Spain... lord help them.  

The Muppet spirit of Muppets Most Wanted is so drastically different than The Muppets to me, and I’m trying to pinpoint why that is.  Perhaps it was shifting the focus to the Muppets themselves in the story instead of attention being pulled to Walter and his brother and his brother’s girlfriend’s story arc.  Or maybe it was because the plot of this movie was referential to the previous Muppet movies, instead of reusing sections of the plot of the older movies to fill out the runtime.  Or maybe it was because this movie was fun, instead of the miserable time everyone in The Muppets was having, crushed under the weight of their potential failure.  Or maybe it was because they didn’t end this movie hoisting the Walt Disney puppet over their shoulders while an entire street of people cheer on their new corporate overlord.  Whatever it is, this movie is leaps and bounds better than the other.

This concludes Muppet Week!  I have consumed more Muppet content in the last few months than I have in my entire life.  The Muppets are cherished for a reason, with their ability to ride the line between comedy and emotional sincerity.  Their film catalog has increasingly skewed more family-friendly as time has gone on, and they certainly have leaned more toward comedy instead of Gonzo quietly singing about dreams on the side of the road.  I haven’t watched either reboot television show yet, and I need a break from Muppet content for a while, so I’ll hold off on my opinions there.   But, I love The Muppets, and I hope Disney continues to honor Jim Henson’s legacy with their work.

And with that, I’ll leave you with Kermit and Dolly Parton singing “Everyday People” on The Dolly Show, because I so badly wanted to include this somewhere and didn’t have the opportunity.

#unwarranted opinion #100 best musical movies of all time rotten tomatoes

[astrology-with-charu]

22-27 July Astrology Horoscope - Leo season begins with an activated Grand Fire Trine🔥 It’s courageous, it’s always attached with constructive productive bold actions. Check for your sign where our actions can positively manifest results this week💫

We have a very astrologically and politically active week.

22 July 10:50pm E.T. 🌟

Sun is coming back home to it’s natural abode - Leo. Alls right with the world when that happens, even when it’s not. Cause we feel equipped to achieve what we set out to do with directional shifts courtesy eclipse season. Sun in Leo will continue to brighten our heart for next one month, we will talk about it more in 31 Jul New Moon post/ video. Just know for now - shining bright sunlight is here about to fill our ambition, body & heart with fire, hope, boldness & desire to do our soul proud. It’s a season when we blossom, yield results, do what we can be proud of & do it with a flair & an air of lion/lioness royalty💫

While themes of eclipse season will continue in background, Leo flair & positivity becomes dominant in coming days easing the manifestation of eclipses

[Do check out themes of eclipse season as they continue to unveil fully over next few weeks ](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvSvY3h-vAPU0qnXPJM32PA)

23 & 24 July 🌟

Venus Mercury do a sweet deep dance this day so this is good day for ease in all negotiations business or love. We also have an active Grand Fire Trine activating us physically & mentally, sort of a wake up from a slumber of what has been to what we need to do to get going. It’s courageous, it’s always attached with constructive productive bold actions. Bold we shall be. Most importantly it forms a gateway to the very lucrative Mars Trine Jupiter meeting of 25 July.

25 July 🌟

Mars will trine Jupiter - this is us getting the boldness, dare, comfort, luck to do what we should have done long ago. Choose this day & 1-2 days before after to initiate what you want to grow in acceptance, popularity, impact; get support; start the projects you might have been waiting to get motivation for cause this aspect is motivation, dare central.

You can get positive manifestation of desires over August first two weeks if we act 23-26 Jul. What should I act on to manifest - let’s look at it briefly by sign - check rising / sun / moon sign (See precautions at bottom)

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

♈️ #Aries

Manifest progress in creative projects, investment/ business risk, romance, with children or in giving birth to something/ a business/ pet project who is like a child. This is bold trine in house of life, it gives us Aries an impetus to be us & set bold goals for future. If you had no sense of limitations - who would you be & who would you be that with. Its time to set that Creative high as your goal - it’s not a great time to dampen dream with current reality else we kill a dream before it began. These are lucky karmic houses working together for a brief moment around 14°/15° of Aries. 23/24 Jul can be a nice reset & we should take an active preparatory step on 25 Jul of whatever it is your heart’s desire to grow in areas highlighted above. ~14/15° Aries rising/moon or around 4 Apr born will feel most. If you are a parent or a business owner/ career person - lead - you are being asked to not wait - you are it - lead assertively.

♉️ #Taurus

Manifest progress with home, family, parents, fixed assets that give you comfort. This might require a few endings, moving on from old patterns, it would require us to go in deep, personally & emotionally to develop more trust in our relationships, partners, life, abundance of universe as a whole. This trust offers the kind of independence we crave - for fear of security drives unhealthy attachments. The 23/24 Jul grand furs trine can give impetus to go in or out of a personal situation related to home, family, parents, parental property, real estate, home decor even or if you are a 14°/15° Taurus or around 4 May born, it can even prompt you to ask for what you deserve to make your life more filled with love, comfort & security. Property repairs & renegotiations of lease, rentals, home loan, purchases to enhance property value can go fabulously well 23-26 Jul, good luck 💫

♊️ #Gemini

Manifest a commercial communication / deal or a marketing/ branding/ your own branding or positioning to the world / any written communication or verbal one that can commercially or contractually help you gain skills & commercial success. Learn a new life skill - having steep learning curve. Act on a bold idea - prepare pitch for it. Assertive communications & actions on your previously thought out ideas can be very lucrative - a lot can be done in a short time & you can make a positive impact on your immediate environment. Remember your ruler - Mercury - which rules all business communications is still retrograde & hence best to check, recheck any communication for slips & over expression of emotions in formal business communications. Share your life, talk, meet, travel stay abuzz especially ~14° Gemini/ 5 Jun born . Siblings or neighbours can come in focus.

♋️ #Cancer

Manifest material resources, self worth & networth through lucrative actions this week, directed towards creating more value from your skills. You take care of business in a realistic, practical way to do what truly works - taking charge of your financial destiny, asking assertively for what your talents deserve, demonstrating your personal values in your actions, reflecting your inner worth in outer abundance & fighting to enhance it greatly. Equal pay some say( Rapinoe Cancer Sun), better trade terms some say (USA - Cancer Sun), going to space cause that’s what I deserve some say (Elon Musk 14° Cancer) - whatever is your value system, what makes you proud, what gives you a sense of being in lead - do that for earning money. It’s a must for you take pride in your source of income & assets. 14° Cancer or around 6 Jul born benefit most like Elon Musk

♌️ #Leo

Manifest a new you, it’s time. We have waited patiently for our moment & this is it. Time to shine, feeling proud in who we want to be, putting our best foot forward for spotlight is on us. Grand expression, Color, dance, drama, flair, boldness, enthusiasm, the cheer - coming month & your season has all of it. Step forward into your destiny - do your thing - lead - don’t follow. Blossom, yield results, express - no suppression no hiding no clouds. You will attract every eye on you as you zoom from water to fire & fixed consistent diligent fire. What do you want world to see in you - bring that out. Get support, take your ambition one notch up when it comes to your worldly status by being you without any inhibition. Do your own thing, others will follow. 14° Leo or around 6 Aug born benefit most like Mueller. Set goals which are bold - set a target for next 30 days - this is a manifestation trine - set expectations 23/24 Jul - take an initial step & see it grow at a speed in coming month.

♍️ #Virgo

Manifest peace, bed pleasure, rest, restoration, spirituality, self care, Long distance travel to learn - disengage if required from wider world to gain speed. Active dream life, diligently working towards your season in September. You are supported deeply, profoundly, spiritually as you free yourself from what doesn’t serve you, what’s got to end & where you can gain by going in deeper. These are karmic spiritual houses - they build our trust in destiny, in powers beyond us & tell us to trust our destiny - act with that faith & plant seeds of something beyond public eye to grow in coming month for your season. Seeding for birth on your birthday or your season. If past review has brought us face to face with few errors in our ways emotionally or where we block us - take this week to have a healthy new trend created where we shift our emotional responses to these same impulses. This will feel deep, personal & impactful in a positive way - provided we hold our words for the time being - remember this is still under wraps for now - your ruler is retrograde, it’s not yet time to speak this discovery you make this week about you, your inner self & how to be more independent, free of addictions with more trust & faith. 14° Virgo or around 6 Sept born benefit most.

♎️ #Libra

Manifest a launch, a business network connection of significance, an online platform, a fan base, a supporter set of people who add to your shine in your work. Be visible be bold. Have a lucrative business discussion, breakthrough a tough business discussion, or a project that wasn’t lifting off the ground - this is aspect of getting stuff done that leads to a long term vision or dream come true. It’s a clear pathway to success to create what you would be proud of., your creation. Communicate share your ideas views hopes dreams with influential people, friends & your tribe. Your words can be very impactful - you can command leadership & speak important projects into existence, don’t back down. Don’t underestimate your ability, don’t compromise in name of being realistic. Take a lead, enamour, enchant, enliven with your natural charm - people want to hear from you. 14° Libra or 7 Oct born benefit most.

♏️ #Scorpio

Manifest career progress, formal titles, projects that use your creativity. Final lift off is achieved when it comes to visibility, work projects, authority approvals as we take care of business in practical and bold fashion - not taking no for an answer from ourselves & others. These are lucrative projects, they yield substantial monetary value & status with their manifestation. Charming those who need persuading, evolving from differences & blockages to find a firmer agreed ground is the theme. Ambitions are intensified, you intend to lead & lead you shall - just put one step in front of the other & see your ruler Mars unfold sucess in actions. Take the opportunity to act though, cause to reap rewards our initiative is a must here - “Ask and it’s given” - Ask is a big component of that - remember that. 14° Scorpio or around 6th Nov born benefit most

♐️ #Sagittarius

Manifest an adventure that makes you feel you again or more so fires you up -travel, publish, teach, legalise to a foreign country, expand your knowledge with on job training or a sabbatical, seek a mentor, wrap up a legal issue, deal with in laws positively. 23/24 is a grand trine in your positive karma houses - adding courage creativity to your ambitious actions - you do what you know will grow you on 25 Jul and achieve your ambitious plans when it comes to material progress. Take a step in terms of your future goals, no past discussions, no old remorse, no looking back to what has been - we are focusing on future here & a different one - manifestation power is high - positive thoughts, affirmations, actions are strongly advised as you are creating foundations of what you expect to build future upon now. Easy does it, it will feel natural, easy & meant to be - just as action should be for you. 14°Sagittarius or around 6 Dec born benefit most - faith in you is all you need here

♑️ #Capricorn

Manifest resolution on a joint situation - tough joint resources , loan, sponsorship, partnership, intimacy in personal partnership - proceeds of partnerships should be worked on & manifested. Whether that’s intimacy depth in personal relationships or monetary in business partnerships- its time to develop trust in that partnership, in your destiny & act towards what you deserve in a joint situation. Let go old emotional patterns here that you know aren’t you anymore, let fresh light in, don’t shy away from going deep as you transform your joint situation. Make hay in bed with any signs of friction in personal relationships, I mean that’s one way to use the hot energy - that would be you. Get an assertive stand going in a power imbalanced situation. These are house of karmic endings so if something is ending its for your benefit - don’t hold on to old baggage, karmic debt or emotional patterns that drain you in joint partnerships. Around 14° Capricorn or 4 Jan born benefit most.

♒️ #Aquarius

Manifest a powerful partnership, a business partnership, a client, a one on one personal relationship you would be proud of. Get the oomph in existing partnerships to next level, share your life, communicate, express, create commercial & personal success in unison with a special one. Life’s too short to not get your requisite rewards - this person or partnership could be key to more abundance - join forces here. But stand up for yourself in a partnership, speak up - openly & boldly, state what you want. It’s high likelihood you will get your way in joint situations, create acceptance of your ideas. Around 14° Aquarius or 4 Feb born benefit most

♓️ #Pisces

Manifest work project you have been waiting to create an impact on or in - get stuff done in a practical, bold & ambitious way to success. Bringing back order in life, in health, at work, with coworkers - any steps in this direction can be lucrative. It can be busy week but you are being assertive, getting stuff done without any hint of doubt, making sure your team is being led by a bold influential leader. It’s time to not wait anymore, to take effort required to get that project off the ground, get that diet in place - get a bright spot at work - your mind body connection s blessed here - actions productive & bold are met with peace of mind & health and vice versa. Result is a substantial success - not a metaphorical one. Around 14° Pisces or 5 Mar born benefit most.

Precaution Note - We can use 25-27 Jul Taurus Moon to firm things but know that Mercury is still retrograde till 31 Jul - when planet ruling business communication is in retrospective phase - we prefer to plan, review, absorb experiences versus formally commit to a choice as we are in discovery mode - in short hold off to August to sign on dotted line if you can - else use 26 Jul for relatively clear thinking. Recheck written & verbal communications for accuracy as we will be in a hurry.

#aries #taurus #gemini #cancer #leo #virgo #scorpio #libra #sagittarius #aquarius #capricorn #pisces #astrology #horoscope #freehoroscope #zodiac #july 2019 astrology #weekly astrology #daily horoscope #weekly horoscope #leo season

[eottoghe]

Little Boxes - Fourteen

A Jeonghceol Domestic AU where they live in suburbia with their six year old son Chan. Jeonghan is an active member of the PTA, a soccer dad and chauffeur, and a supportive parent all around. His loving husband cares deeply for his passions and will follow him to the end of the world if it keeps him and his family happy. Follow their journey as they get caught up in fun and zany adventures when they fall outside of the guide lines of your average neighbor. Don’t really know where I’m going with this, but I want to see how many different domestic prompts I can get out of this AU before I run out of steam.

First Chapter

Previous Chapter

________________________________________________________________

Author’s Note: For hiroi! WIll be posted on archive later.

It’s summer break! Chan’s favorite! The peanut butter to his jelly. The cheese to his crackers. There is absolutely nothing he loves more than his summer breaks.

Well… Okay. Okay. There are many times a year that rival summer in the Choi household, but Chan can truly say summers are his favorite. Really!

Right after Halloween…

And Christmas…

And his birthday….

Yes, okay. A lot of favorites.

But summer is an extra special favorite. It feels like school lets out for a whole year. He just wants to absorb every second of freedom like a sea sponge bobbing atop the ocean waves. Don’t get him wrong though, he loves school. Loves his patient teachers and his animated friends and the new class pet that kind of just sits there all day and computer lab where they get to play pizza parlor games and science projects with the fourth graders…

Where was he? Oh.

But he also loves spending long summer days with his dads. He loves traveling to far out places that he doesn’t get to visit often. Roadtrips where they listen to Smooth Criminal and Shinee and Suju. He loves getting to eat ice cream because ‘its just too hot’ and staying up past his bedtime to snuggle in between his dads while they watch his favorite movies. And one of the things he looks forward to most is going to the beach.

FINALLY it’s warm enough for it. Chan remembers squishing his toes in the sand and watching it bubble up beneath his feet. He remembers running right to the edge of the water as the ocean waves retreated and scurrying back as the water charges toward him. He remembers collecting seashells with unique swirls and ridges. And sandcastles. He remembers building a sandcastle only fit for kings. Chan has been told many times before that he has amazing patience. Patience is what makes his sandcastles the awesomest most bestest sandcastles on this entire side of Korea.

Chan is leaning on his dad’s shoulder, knees bent under him, bouncing on the couch like an energetic puppy. Jeonghan has on his reading glasses—the ones that make him look far older than he really is—as he looks over some paper with a long list of words scribbled down the middle. He pushes his glasses up and goes to write when a jolt creates a dark slash of pen markings on his paper. He sighs.

“Chan, baby. I need you to be still so I can make sure we have everything for the trip.”

And Chan stops immediately, frozen like a marbled statue. Patience. He’s just so excited, he wants to shake and shimmy and scream and play. Oh god, does he want to play. But Jeonghan-appa says he has to be still so they will have everything they need to go to the beach. So he challenges himself to be still.

Seungcheol walks down the stairs with a family sized beach bag slung over his shoulder. When Chan sees him, he flings himself off the couch. In a second, he’s clinging onto his leg, resuming his energetic bounce. The “stillness” didn’t last long. Not at all in this household.

Challenge: Failed.

“I can help! Lemme help!” Chan shouts. If he can pack quickly, they can leave even sooner. He’s determined.

Seungcheol puts his large hand on Chan’s head, smoothing the unruly hair from his face. He chuckles lightly, the skin around his eyes wrinkling up. His son is quick to grab his hand and pull him over to the couch where all of the supplies are sprawled out on the living room floor in front of it. Chan sits by them, pulling his dad down with him. Seungcheol has to squat slowly to get his knees to cooperate and damn, it’s slowly donning on him that he’s getting old.

“What have we got here?” Seungcheol scrunches up his nose at a pack of fabric, shower cap like accessories. He picks it up with two skeptical fingers while looking at his husband. Jeonghan shrugs.

“They’re shoe covers so we don’t track sand into the car. It stays in there forever and I don’t want to have to do a deep cleaning so close to the last one.”

Seungcheol laughs boisterously, catching Jeonghan and Chan off guard. It’s quite loud in the calm quiet morning. “Don’t you think that’s a bit excessive?”

“Ummm…” Jeonghan dramatically shifts his face into one of mock confusion. He even goes as far as to cupping his chin with his thumb and index finger. Seungcheol knows he’s made a mistake then.  Jeonghan continues, “Last time I checked, you weren’t the one who cleaned the car.” Jeonghan jabs a pointed finger at Seungcheol on the you and Seungcheol’s smile remains even as he’s being lightly scolded. His husband sits on the couch like it’s his thrown, one leg crossed over the other. He peers down at him through the reading glasses perched on his nose. From their position, Seungcheol stares up at him like he owns the world and his heart to go with it. The I love you plays behind his lips, but he knows Jeonghan already feels him thinking it with the way he unconsciously leans toward him and lets his smile grow exponentially.

Chan in his own world just now remembers some seashells he hid in the cup holder in the back back of the car from last time. He wonders if his dad has thrown them out since he cleaned the car. He hopes not so he can find more today and start a real collection.

“Alright!” Jeonghan claps his hands together. He begins rattling off supplies. Towels, bottles of water, flip flops. Seungcheol shouts a “got it” or some other acknowledgement after each one, packing them strategically in his beach bag. Seungcheol wants Chan to think he’s helping, but in all actuality Jeonghan is going so fast, his son’s tiny limbs can’t keep up. Before Chan can even process the word, Seungcheol is reaching for the corresponding item and guiding his son’s hands like he is the one to pack them. Eventually Chan falls into a fit of giggles at his dad’s frantic searching through the pile for an umbrella hat? He isn’t even sure what that is and swears it must be a joke. But he realizes it isn’t once Jeonghan concedes, “They were on sale.” As soon as Seungcheol grabs an item and places it into the bag, his husband is yelling out the next, leaving little room for air. They’re already in such a good mood and the day has barely started.

On their way out, Jeonghan grabs a cooler with snacks and packed lunches. Sandwiches and fruits and all the simple foods their hearts desired. And once the car is loaded, the drive to the beach begins!

~~

When Chan wakes up, he notices the car has stopped moving. In his disoriented haze, he rubs at his eyes. His body hasn’t fully booted up, but its easy to see the moment in which it does. There are blue skies. The bluest he’s ever seen. Blue like the crayon he uses to color his perfect sunny day. Blue like the popsicle that stains his tongue. And a long stretch of sand fading into the ocean makes him excitedly squeal.

“Seems like someone finally woke up.” Seungcheol teases. “We thought we’d have to go have all the fun by ourselves.”

“I’m up! I’m up!” Chan shouts, untangling himself from his seat belt.

They file out the car, Chan squinting from the bright sun. He’s ready to take off but forgets his floaties, pail and shovel. He runs to Seungcheol’s side and pulls on his hand. “Trunk?”

Seungcheol gets the hint and presses the small button on his key. The back door of their minivan begins rising. “Hold on, Chan!” He knows his kid. And his selective vision will have him pulling out his own accessories without realizing everything on top of it. He doesn’t want this beach day to end early because Chan buried himself under all the beach gear. Seungcheol runs to the back before anything gets tugged out of place. “Let me help you there, bud.”

Jeonghan joins them, grabbing the totes while Seungcheol carries the cooler. Chan has his accessories in a mesh bag and before they can set up a game plan, their seven-year-old is padding down the walkway, sand crunching under his flip flops.

“That nap in the car only fueled him. What have we done?” Seungcheol laughs beside his husband as they trail after the kid.

“No, the gummies you snuck him for breakfast fueled him. What have you done?” He accuses instead, but a warm smile shows his contentment. The sand sunk under their footsteps, temporary imprints leaving their mark. The sounds of the waves crashing upon shore lull them into a serenity the suburbs could never offer. Sea foam bubbles up at the edge before getting replaced by a new wave. Everchanging.

Chan seems to have found a spot. Although he could have chosen any with the relatively empty beach front, one certain spot calls to him and his parents allow him to guide them there. And the spot was perfect. The perfect distance from the water to protect his unbuilt sandcastle from the tide.

But first, a dip in the ocean!

Chan sits his things down and makes to dash toward the water, but lithe arms swoop him up. Chan yelps before releasing high pitched laughter. He has his back against his dad’s chest and wiggles his dangling feet.

“The ultimate Spider-Chan is trying to escape!” Jeonghan launches into a roleplay, wrapping his arms tighter around his son. “Quick! Stop him with the top-secret goop!”

Seungcheol makes a big display of shuffling through the tote bag to pull out the sunscreen. A diabolical laugh secures his spot in the roleplay as well.

“I have the top-secret goop! What shall I do with it?” Seungcheol approaches the pair. How silly Jeonghan looks with his nose scrunched up in mischief. A silly, beautiful display of candid bliss. His curved fingers tickle at his son’s sides and the boy dissolves into laughter, all but shrieking in delight. Seungvheol uncaps the lid, squirting a pea sized dot onto his finger and boops his son on the nose.

“Alright.” Jeonghan squats down until he’s sat with Chan in between his legs. He sticks out his palm and on instinct, Seungcheol is squirting the lotion into his hand. He takes some into his own and like the perfect team they are, they cover their son in no time. Seungcheol rubs at his round cheeks and rubs down his arms. Jeonghan rubs at his back and down his neck. And God, why does absolutely everything tickle this child? He won’t be stop moving, but they’re determined to go home without a sunburn today.

Chan escapes as soon as Seungcheol moves from in front of him. His beach toys went ignored for too long so he goes to keep them company. Seungcheol takes his place.

“Don’t forget your face this time, Cheol.”

“Got it.”

Hands massage his shoulder blades and rub down his back in a circular motion. Seungcheol has to fight the urge to lean back into his husband. Times like these, even the simplest of gestures makes him incredibly grateful for Jeonghan. He wouldn’t have anyone to rub sunscreen into the places he can’t reach. No one to remember to even pack it. No one to help him play with his son at the beach—no one to help raise him. No one to cherish this close to his heart. Why is he getting emotional over sunscreen? Because Jeonghan. That’s why.

Seungcheol returns the favor making Jeonghan sigh in satisfaction. He is melting in the palm of his hand. He watches as his husband tilts his chin up, closing his eyes. The sun kisses his skin and now Seungcheol has the urge to do the same. He leans forward and leaves a small lingering kiss on Jeonghan’s neck, ignoring the strong scent of the sunscreen. He wraps his arms around the other’s stomach and rests his head on the shoulder in front of him. They sit there for a few solitary seconds just breathing. Breathing in each other’s space and acknowledging each other’s presence.

“I’d go to the beach everyday if it meant getting a free massage.” Jeonghan jokes. Seungcheol can feel the vibrations of Jeonghan speaking, a light buzz of energy between them.

He grins then leans forward. His lips are close to the shell of Jeonghan’s ear. “All you have to do is ask.”

“Can we go in the water now?” Chan plopped himself into Jeonghan’s lap eliciting a startled “oof” from his husband.

Mood effectively killed.

“Of course we can!” Chan jumps back up at Jeonghan’s words.

Chan holds out his hands so he can help Jeonghan up. And Jeonghan doesn’t want to embarrass his baby so he pretends that he isn’t using his own strength (and Seungcheol’s hand on his backside) to stand. “Great job! You’re getting so strong!” Seungcheol beams at Chan and sends a sly wink toward his husband.

 The water is cool on the soles of their feet. With Chan in the middle, both hands grasped tightly by his parents, the family inch closer to the water. The waves come to greet them, drifting up to their ankles and back out into the ocean. A tiny school of fish swirl around their feet, traveling across the edge of the water. Chan gasps in wonder. Something so tiny working together to find their place in this world, Chan thinks it’s something to celebrate.

The further in they get, Jeonghan decides to hold Chan. He’s been practicing his swimming, but Jeonghan feels a lot more secure with Chan in his arms like this. Seungcheol does too with Jeonghan in his own. His hands guide his waist to give him that extra support. And each time a new wave rolls in, they welcome it with a hop.

Like this, Chan really thinks summer is his favorite. It’s fought its way back to the top. It proved its worth in the way both of his dads dote on him as they splash and swim in the ocean. As Seungcheol reaches out to rub mustard off his cheek from their mid-noon lunch. As Jeonghan falls asleep and they conspire to build angel wings out of sand around him, holding in their giggles long enough to not wake their sleeping angel. As Chan builds an even bigger, even better sandcastle (with help of course). And as Chan collects seashells in his little pail while the sun begins to set.

He knows he’ll go on many more adventures this summer. And no matter what, he’ll have the most fun when he’s with his parents. But for today, he’ll officially deem it the best one yet.

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

NEXT CHAPTER

#jeongcheol #coupshan #seunghan #seungcheol #jeonghan #lee chan #dino #seventeen #summer! #beach day

[goldenworldsabound]

Melding and Unmelding

Longer Across Time and Space chapter

Previous Chapter: https://goldenworldsabound.tumblr.com/post/181967654672/pre-launch

First chapter: https://goldenworldsabound.tumblr.com/post/181855410172/prelude

Wendy and Spock were out in Amanda’s garden.

“I don’t know if I can agree to that trade deal…” A young Wendy replied, trying her best to look stern, looking a little silly in the process, turning to Spock. “And how can we trust that you’ll hold up your end?” She stroked her chin thoughtfully.

Spock eyed her, hands behind his back, eyeing the ground as he considered a diplomatic response.

“I can give you my word as a fellow Ambassador...but I...we can also...meld.” Spock stuttered out the words a bit, refusing to meet her gaze.

“Meld…” Wendy murmured, intrigued, only barely aware of what that was. “What does...I mean...can you...show me?”

Spock nodded. The young Vulcan turned to face her, standing in front of her. Both of them were nervous, and it was visible on both of their faces, despite Spock’s attempts to appear otherwise. He clumsily put his fingers on the points on her face.

The connection of their minds was brief. Just a brush, but it was enough. It was electrifying. Neither of them had much control of their barriers - the feelings of friendship and warmth were wild and strong, and they pulled apart breathlessly.

The roleplaying was forgotten for the moment as they stared at each other.

“...do you...do you trust me?” Spock half whispered.

“Yes…” Wendy murmured, eyes still wide. She blinked, coming back to the moment. “Thank you. I, uh, agree to the deal.”

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

It had been about six months since the Enterprise had set sail on it’s latest journey. Wendy and Spock had been commended on their great teamwork on the latest mission, and Wendy’s heart had soared. She agreed that they made an amazing team. They hadn’t spent any time together outside of work, but she chalked that up to how busy life was on a starship. Maybe now that it was shore leave she could spend some time with him.

Lo and behold, such an opportunity presented itself.

“Wendy, could I speak to you privately in my quarters?” Spock asked as they stepped into the turbolift together, going off shift as shore leave started. “Some time before you go off ship.” He added, making it clear that it didn’t need to happen immediately.

“Of course, Spock!” Wendy felt her heart pound at the suggestion, and hoped she wasn’t blushing. It turned out that finding him attractive had transformed into a full blown crush once she’d gotten to know him. She was able to keep her cool, but sometimes she felt like a puppy with how just the slightest thing gave her a frenzied sort of happiness. This was one of those instances and she fought to keep herself calm, succeeding in forcing down a blush. “I do think I’ll freshen up first. Maybe once we chat we can head down to the planet together.” She suggested.

Spock made no response, but that wasn’t terribly unusual, and in her good mood Wendy brushed it off with ease.

“I’ll see you shortly.” She waved as she split off down the corridor towards her room.

“Indeed.” Spock replied, standing and watching her go for a minute. He noticed she was walking quickly, and raised a brow, before turning to walk to his own room.

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

Sometimes her friend came home with ugly green and black bruises. It wasn’t all that frequent, and they disappeared just as quickly, but even as a child Wendy began to doubt that Spock was simply “very clumsy” as he often tried to pass it off.

Something had come up with her parents, and so she was free to wander. Vulcan didn’t really have ‘crime’ in the way that Earth did, so her parents were typically unconcerned if she wandered a bit away from home, as long as she didn’t go into the desert or the mountains. They had told her enough stories about what lurked in those places that she would never considering visiting them.

She decided to meet Spock on his walk back from school. He had been working very hard the past week and they hadn’t had much opportunity to play, so she was eager to see her friend. She sipped on her water as she meandered to town in the heat of the Vulcan sun.

As she neared Spock’s school, she could see a small gathering of kids. She squinted, and could make out Spock, and about 3 other Vulcan kids. They were young enough that their expressions could still be read - some of them wore sneers, the other simply looking angry. Spock looked at them blankly, but she could see in his stance he was nervous.

One smacked him across the face, knocking him to the ground.

Wendy ran. “Leave him alone! Stop it!” She yelled, running to stand between him and the attackers. She spread her arms as if being a human shield.

“Wendy, run.” Spock said immediately, standing up quickly, pushing on her enough to make her stagger. “I’ll be okay, get out of here.” There was a rising tone of panic in his voice.

“Look, the half-breed has a human friend.” One of the other children commented.

“Neither half-breeds or humans have a place on Vulcan.” A second one chimed in.

“I don’t have a place anywhere.” Wendy replied, scowling. “My parents say that we make a place for ourselves. So I’m not scared of you.”

The young Vulcans tittered at that.

“Wendy, please, go-”

“No.” She looked at him with the same angry fire she had put upon the others. “I won’t let them hurt you!”

“Better worry about yourself.” A fist connected with her stomach and sent her sprawling. She heard Spock gasp, and suddenly it was mayhem. There were fists flying, from the Vulcans, from Spock, from herself.

She passed out.

When she came to, her hand was very warm. She opened her eyes to find Spock leaning over her, his hand grasping hers. He was bruised and battered, but he looked relieved to see her awake.

“I’m sorry.” He said, closing his eyes. “You weren’t supposed to be involved.” His voice trembled a bit.

“I couldn’t let them.” She sat up, wincing. “I had to. You’re my friend.”

He squeezed her hand tighter, before letting go. They both got to their feet.

“Let’s go home.” She said, offering her water bottle to him.

He took it.

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

“Enter.” Spock responded, and he remained at his desk until he heard the doors open. He stood to greet her.

“Thanks for inviting me to come chat.” Wendy said, grinning, taking in his room. “I was a bit bummed we hadn’t gotten to spend any time together. Well, outside of our duties, of course. Which has been great! I’m...really glad we can be friends again.”

Spock blinked at her. Despite his non-reaction, his heart warmed at her words, even as it made what he was about to do feel all the more painful. He noticed that she was dressed in civilian clothes for shore leave, a casual summer dress looking cute as ever on her. He himself had changed into a comfortable Vulcan robe, but he intended to stay on the ship.

“You’re the first friend I can remember having...and the only I had on Vulcan.” She smiled.

He was touched. “I can say the same for you, Wendy.” He replied, keeping his face carefully emotionless. Was he about to destroy that friendship? She blushed pleasantly in surprise.

She grinned broadly. “Oh, sorry, I was rambling a bit there, um, was there something you wanted to discuss?”

Spock closed his eyes. He had waited for this moment, with a sense of duty and a sense of apprehension. He had waited until such time as he felt that it would be okay to disrupt both of them, no, that it would be logical to do so. That time was now. Despite that, he found himself unwilling. But he had no choice.

“Yes.” He murmured. “There is something.”

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

After that first meld in the garden, the two had only become more curious about melds. Time and time again in their children’s games, they found reasons to brush minds, relishing in the feeling of companionship that neither child had experienced before. Both had spent so much time alone and alienated - it was easy to understand why they craved to be connected. There was an element of forbiddenness to it all, which only heightened the experience.

The constant touching of minds, even young ones, was not without consequence. Slowly, the melds got deeper, until they were deep enough that a fractional bond was formed. It was nothing more than a small presence in the others’ mind - neither child was fully aware of it.

Things felt different after that, but neither child understood. They both thought it was part of feelings of friendship, not realizing it was a connection. It wasn’t long after that that Wendy’s family departed Vulcan, and with such distance between them, the connection faded to the back of their minds.

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

“Here, let us sit down.” He pulled out a chair for her and they sat on opposing sides of his desk. Spock steepled his hands, resting his elbows on the desk.

“Wendy...do you remember...the melds we used to do?” Spock asked slowly, not meeting her gaze.

Wendy felt a surge of butterflies in her stomach, trying to keep herself from guessing what he was getting it, but unable to stifle her excitement at potentially melding again.

“Of course I do, Spock.” She mumbled. “It was...incredible.”

Spock remained silent and impassive for a moment. Finally, he turned his gaze back to her.

“The continuous touching of minds, even...clumsy, young ones...it leaves a thread between them. I am sure you have become aware of it now. Your ESP seems above average for a human.” Spock explained.

Wendy nodded. “Yes, I had noticed...when we first met again. I felt that you were...there.” She smiled. “I see...that’s amazing.”

Spock felt his stomach churn. He didn’t want to do this. But he had to.

“I am bonded, Wendy.” Spock blurted out, unable to take it any longer. “To someone else.”

Wendy felt like she’d been punched in the stomach. The color drained out of her face, and she stared at him, eyes wide. Of course he was bonded. Of course. That was what Vulcans did. They bonded as kids. Shit. How could she be so stupid?

And when had she decided to indulge this crush? Hadn’t she just wanted to be friends?

“...I see.” Wendy murmured.

“And so, to have this bond with you...it is...highly inappropriate, no matter how weak our connection is.”

She stiffened at his choice of words. The connection was weak? She was just a daydreaming girl with a crush on her superior. A crush on a friend who’d moved on and met the love of his life. This was...this was not about her.

“I understand. You’re going to remove it, right?” She replied, smiling wryly. She clasped her hands together in her lap. He nodded. She swallowed a sigh. “You...have my permission.”

He stood up and crouched next to where she was sitting, expressionless. He put his hands on the points on her face. She fought against a shiver at his touch.

The meld began.

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

The last meld they had shared had been different than all the others. The rest had been short surface level touches - feelings of friendship and the love of children.

But the last one had been deeper. The experiences of loneliness and hurt had begun to rise up, to be shared across the meld. Wendy had wept physically as they comforted each other with the presence of their minds, the pain of living and always being an outsider a shared experience.

But that too had ended. Things had been different afterwards. Neither child had shared those experiences with anyone. That had connected them. It had been emotional. It had been overwhelmingly emotional. It had been deeply personal.

It had not been long after that, that Wendy’s family announced they were leaving Vulcan. They did not give their child much notice - her parents worried that it would be harder for her the sooner she knew. A clean break would be easiest.

When she told Spock, she asked him to come say goodbye the next day, when they were scheduled to leave.

He didn’t come.

She cried, and cried, and cried. Why hadn’t he come? She would never see her only friend ever again.

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

Spock’s fingers left her face, and with that, she felt his presence fade away from the back of her mind. She froze in place, scared that if she moved, she would shatter in front of him. Something she had hardly realized she had was gone. He had always been there, a comfort in her mind, even if she hadn’t recognized that until now, and suddenly that was no more.

“Wendy?” Spock asked, watching her intently.

She met his gaze, and became able to move. She had to get out of here.

“Yes, I’m fine.” She stood up. “I’m going to head down now. Perhaps I’ll see you later.” She replied, robotically. Did he...look a little sorrowful? No, she must be imagining it. She practically ran out of the room, leaving Spock no time to say anything, which was just as well, she decided.

Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes almost immediately. She’d stop at her room before heading down, after all...

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

Spock remained in his room, crouching on the floor, as he was when she’d left. It had been the right thing to do, the logical thing to do, but it felt horrible. But it shouldn’t feel horrible. For once, he was glad his bond to T’Pring was weak. He didn’t want her to know. He felt regretful and guilty and shameful all at once. He needed to meditate, and clear these feelings away.

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

Spock had been devastated when Wendy had told him she was leaving, and even more so when his parents had confirmed it.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t wanted to see her off and say goodbye. He desperately wanted to. But he knew that he wouldn’t be able to conceal his emotions. And his father...his father seemed more disappointed in him by the day. He couldn’t let his father see such uncontrolled emotions.

So despite the burning shame in his chest, he hadn’t gone to see her off. He never forgave himself for that moment, when he failed to support his friend, who needed him more than anything.

He had figured he would never have the chance to right that wrong.

#across time and space #fic

[wine-anon]

Is it okay if I ask fora JoJo x reader fic??? Because, like, I love him and there just aren’t enough fics about him and honestly he’s just so under appreciated???

a/n: Okay so this took me ages to write because it deleted itself and then I had to re-write it and then I didn’t like it so I wrote it again. Yikes, anyway, I had this really cool idea after seeing the new Pacific Rim movie, I genuinely hope you like it! It’s a bit different to what I usually write, so tell me if you like it. I really, really hope you like it!!!

The Kaiju broke through the breach when you were only seven. You watched in horror as those monsters from storybooks and movies became real. The world changed that day, nothing was ever the same. When the Jaeger program was announced two years later, you knew in that moment that you would be a pilot one day. That’s all you wanted, you had to survive until you were old enough to pilot your very own Jaeger, no matter what it took. 

In 2021, you were recruited by Stacker Pentecost into the PPD Cadet program. You were only sixteen at the time and drifting didn’t come easy, you couldn’t find the right co-pilot to drift with no matter how hard you tried. You found a temporary co-pilot that you could mostly drift with just before the UN began pulling funding from the program to build the coastal wall. 

By 2025, at only 20, you were one of very few Jaeger pilots left, you were transferred to the Hong Kong Shatterdome. Not many were left open and after your last fight against a Kaiju, you were left with no co-pilot. Word went around that there were tryouts for two of the most renowned Jaeger pilots in recent history, so you took a leap of faith and signed up.

It was the morning of the tryouts, you had been running somewhat late and managed to run into someone in the halls.

“Oh, I am so sorry, sir,” you panicked at the man in front of you, “I wasn’t looking where I was going. I’m running late.”

“It’s okay,” his accent was rich, he was from New York, you guessed, “I’m running late too.”

“Where are you headed, er?”

“JoJo,” he smiled at you, he was gorgeous.

“Right, where are you headed, JoJo?” you looked at your watch at cursed silently.

“The pilot tryouts? I’ve never been here before, I got turned around.”

“Great, that’s where I’m headed,” you grabbed his wrist and led him down the halls towards the dojo. 

You arrived but sadly lost him in the crowd of people watching Raleigh Becket fighting Mako Mori. You watched in amusement as she beat him easily but frowned when Pentecost said that they weren’t to drift under any circumstances.

“Right, now that’s done,” Pentecost’s voice broke you out of your thoughts, “we’re testing compatibility with the one and only, JoJo de la Guerra.”

Shit. It was him. The man from before. He was the one you were testing against. 

“(y/l/n)!” your head snapped to Pentecost, “it’s your Jaeger. You’re up first.”

Shit.

“So, you think we’re actually drift compatible?” 

“We’re about to find out, de la Guerra.”

“Oh please, just call me JoJo.”

“What ever you say, JoJo,” you smirked at him from the other side of your Jaeger, your baby, your pride and joy. 

Cobalt Glory. She was one of the two Mark-3 Jaegers left in the world, she was launched by the British in 2017 and given to you five years later. The same year you graduated from Cadet to Ranger.

“What happened to you last co-pilot?” JoJo asked, his voice coming through the headset in your helmet.

“You’ll see in a second, you’ll be in my head remember?” you pushed some of the holo-buttons and set up your drift sequence. JoJo following your lead, “when was the last time you drifted?”

“Three years ago, in the Philippines,” you looked at him from across the space, his demeanour had shifted to a sad one. Whatever he was thinking was going to be in his head any minute now.

“At least you still look good in the flight suit,” you attempted to cheer him up, a small chuckle came through your headset and sent a shiver up your spine, there was something about him.

“I think I look great in this new style suit,” he grinned at you as the techs began to talk to you both.

“This is just a test drift, you’re not moving from this position, is that clear?” Pentecost’s voice broke through your headset, his voice commanding.

“You always have such a way with words, sir,” you joked at him.

“Watch the tongue, (y/l/n),” he chuckled at you, he always had a soft spot for you and you knew it.

“Drift sequence is ready, sir,” JoJo spoke clearly to the techs, he looked to you, “ready to get into this head of mine?”

“Let’s give them a show,” you winked at him, he winked back and your heart raced faster.

“Initiating Neural Handshake,” the robotic voice spoke to you both. Within a second every thought and memory JoJo ever had was passing through your head and yours through his. You tried to calm yourself at the influx of information and bad memories. You almost hooked onto one bad memory but quickly stabilised. 

“Left hemisphere calibrated,” the voice broke through again.

“(y/l/n),” Pentecost called through the coms, “you’re stable but JoJo is way off. Bring him back.”

“Yes, sir,” you spoke firmly.

“It happens to all of us, but we got there in the end,” you reassured JoJo.

“I almost blew up the Shatterdome,” he sighed heavily, “it was too much.”

“Mako almost blew it up too. Don’t worry about it. The memory was too recent for you to get over it quickly,” you put a hand on his shoulder and he looked up at you, “we completed the neural handshake didn’t we?”

“I guess you’re right,” he looked into your eyes and your breath hitched, “ya’know I say some interesting things whilst I was in your head.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you panicked and got up from your seat on the floor. You quickly made your way down the hall.

“Oh come one, (y/n),” he called to you, “I know what you think about me.”

“Goodnight, de la Guerra!” you called back, your heart racing in your chest at the thought of him again.

You woke up to the Shatterdome alarm and your door being banged on. You pulled yourself from your bed and ran to open the door. JoJo stood on the other side his fist raised. That stupid smirk back on his face.

“You’ve got two minutes to be at Cobalt Glory’s hub.”

With that he grinned and walked off, leaving you stand in the doorway watching people run past you. 

“Two minutes,” you sighed to yourself. He could have at least told you why, that boy and his stupid face. It was so beautiful, fuck.

You found yourself back in Cobalt Glory, hooked into her central hub and looked to see JoJo doing the same. 

“So, someone going to tell me what we’re dealing with?” you called out to everyone who could hear you through the coms.

“We’ve got a double event,” Tendo’s voice broke through for the first time, “we lost Cherno Alpha and Crimson Typhoon. Striker Eureka is powerless and we just sent out Gipsy Danger alone.”

“Why didn’t anyone tell me this earlier!” you panicked at them all.

“Calm down, we’ve got this, we’re running flank for Gipsy okay?” JoJo’s calm voice caused your heart to race faster but calm down at the same time. You nodded at him and took a deep breath.

“You ready for this, JoJo?” 

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” he looked at you, “are you ready?”

“Let’s do this,” you looked forward, “Tendo? Initiate neural handshake.”

“Neural handshake initiated.”

You were back in his head, this time his memories had you in them, they were focused on you. Your heart raced as the drift was completed successfully. There you both stood, the first fully successful drift between the two of you. 

“You okay, (y/n)?” you nodded at him, you couldn’t look at him, he was so gorgeous you’d get distracted, “stop thinking about me like that, you’ll make me blush.”

“Shut up, JoJo,” you moved in synch towards the drop zone, “we have a job to do.”

You were praised as heroes after the battle in Hong Kong. JoJo held your hand on the way back to your room and you swore that he was going to cause you to have a heart attack.

“I’ll see you in the morning at the meeting,” he kissed your forehead and left you leaning against his bedroom door.

“You’ll be the death of me, JoJo de la Guerra,” you sighed at his retreating figure.

“We’re doing what?” JoJo yelled across the room.

“Gipsy and Cobalt will be running point for Striker when we blow up the breach,” Pentecost informed the room calmly.

“But Herc is down,” Raleigh said, “you. You’re piloting her, aren’t you?”

“That’s our only option right now, does everyone understand?”

Multiple ‘yes sir’s’ echoed through the room. JoJo took your hand as he stormed out of the meeting room.

“Where are we going?” you spoke as he dragged you towards his room.

“We’re probably going to die tomorrow, not going to sugarcoat it,” he pulled you into the roo and closed the door, “I don’t want to die regretting never doing this.”

“Doing wh-,” you were out off by his lips crashing onto yours. You moaned at the feeling and wrapped your arms around his neck. You certainly wanted every part of this, especially considering the stakes of tomorrow.

“At the edge of our hope, at the end of our time, we have chosen not only to believe in ourselves, but in each other. Today there is not a man nor woman in here that shall stand alone. Not today. Today we face the monsters that are at our door and bring the fight to them! Today, we are canceling the apocalypse!”

The Shatterdome erupted into cheers at the end of Pentecost’s speech before it broke into a mad dash to launch the three Jaegers into the highest risk mission ever.

“Pilots to your Jaegers,” the robotic voice called out. You and JoJo made your way to Cobalt Glory’s main hub for the third time together.

“You ready for this?” he asked as you hooked into the system.

“No,” you spoke softly, “we might die this time.”

“Don’t think about that, doll,” he reassured you, “we can do this.”

“I hope you’re right, Jo,” you voice wavered.

“Initiating Neural Handshake,” the PON spoke to you both. 

The drift was easier this time, your connection to the man standing next to you was so strong that it took you mere seconds to be 100% connected.

“Cobalt Glory,” Tendo called to you, “you’re ready and have permission to go. Good luck.”

You moved across the ocean floor in the Jaeger, flanking left of Striker Eureka and the package, Gipsy Danger flanking right. Your ranks were broken when two category four Kaiju’s ripped through your formation.

Scunner bit at Cobalt’s arm and pulled you off to the side. You and JoJo slice at the Kaiju with your sword and punch it firmly in the face. It recoils and makes it’s way towards Striker and the package.

Yells are heard through your coms as a third Kaiju emerges from the breach, someone screams that it’s a category five, the first. A triple event. Your heart drops when you hear the yells from the Shatterdome.

You and JoJo make your way towards the break to help Gipsy with the other category four Kaiju. The two of you kill it within minutes but turn to see Striker being hounded by the other two.

In what felt like seconds, you hear the plan to detonate the package above the breach in an attempt to kill the two Kaiju.

In a moment, you’ve stabbed your sword into the ocean floor, tears racing down your cheeks as you watch Striker Eureka blow up itself, the pilots inside and the category four Kaiju attached to it. The water around you surges and creates a tidal wave. JoJo yells at you to brace yourself as the water crashes into the back of your Jaeger.

“What now?” Raleigh coms to your Jaeger.

“Um, we have to get through the breach and blow it up, that other Kaiju is still around here somewhere. We’ve sustained heavy internal system damage, what about you?”

“Same over here,” Mako calls, “look out!”You and JoJo turn in time to see Slattern coming towards you, you grip its head and throw it to the ground. It reels back up and launches itself at Cobalt again.

“The power core!” JoJo yells to you as your hold Slattern’s head in a death lock, “blast the head with the power core!”

“We’ll lose power!”“Just do it!” 

The two of you hold the Kaiju’s head and ultra-charge your power core. You release the blast straight into the Kaiju’s head, effectively killing it.

“Cobalt Glory!” Raleigh’s voice crackles through the coms once more, “how are you holding up?”“We’re dead weight, Gipsy,” JoJo replies, “Slattern is dead but we used the power core to kill it and we’re powerless.”

“Eject safely in your pods, we’ll take it from here,” Raleigh commands, “you’ve done well.”

“Will do, Gipsy,” JoJo speaks calmly, “good luck finishing the mission.”

“See. you on the other side, Cobalt.”

With that your communications are shut down, JoJo opens the escape pod override, you attempt to do the same.

“Shit,” you yell.

“What?” JoJo looks over at you concerned.

“My pod is damaged, I can’t use it,” you panic as your oxygen tank levels begin to decrease. 

“It’s okay, take a deep breath and disconnect, we’ll go in my pod together.”

You nod and do as he says. He grips you tighter than he ever could once you reach him and the two of you are ejected from Cobalt. Your heart drops at the fact that you have to leave her at the bottom of the Pacific.

You return to the Shatterdome as heroes once more, the four of you make your way through the crowds. Everyone watches as the clock is stopped for the last time. This was the end.

“I guess I should take you out on a date now,” JoJo smiled at you and pulled you into a deep kiss.

“I’d love that, de la Guerra.”

#jojo imagine #jojo de la guerra #jojo de la guerra x reader #jojo de la guerra imagine #newsies imagine #newsies x reader #pacific rim au #newsies x pacific rim #crossover fic #wine-anon things #wine-anon writing #wine-anon imagine #wine-anon asks #ask 🍷

[dailyaudiobible]

09/03/2021 DAB Transcript

Ecclesiastes 4:1-6:12, 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:7, Psalms 47:1-9, Proverbs 22:16

Today is the 3rd day of September welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I'm Brian it's great to be here with you today. Yeah, we’re moving toward the end of the week still getting moved into a brand-new month working our way through a new book, the book of Ecclesiastes, which we talked about yesterday as a part of the grouping of books known as wisdom literature. And Solomon in Ecclesiastes is kind of giving us the lay of the land from the perspective of a person who has lived their life with no boundaries, going after and having access to whatever they could dream of and what that perspective brings when you're older and looking back. So, Ecclesiastes 4, 5, and 6 today.

Commentary:

Okay, as we continue our journey through the book of Ecclesiastes, we are receiving cautionary wisdom. The book is articulating some things where we could be like, this is in the Bible? This is being said out…out loud out of the Bible? And it's not that it's so foreign or strange. It's our experiences. We have experienced many of these things and come to these conclusions of, what am I doing all this for? What is the point of all of this? Where is all of this going? Where does this lead to? Why am I killing myself to do this? Those kinds of questions are things that we arrive at in exhaustion and frustration at times in our lives. It…it's…just…just that when we…we do encounter those kinds of situations we have friends around us that are giving us…feeding us Bible verses of encouragement and we’re doing the same thing to ourselves, which is fine, it's just that Ecclesiastes is doing that. It's letting it be kind of what it is so that it can be a cautionary offering of wisdom. So, let’s just look back at a couple of points of wisdom coming from the book of Ecclesiastes today. And I quote. “I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person's envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” Right? So, this idea that we can one up or we need to stay in competition with each other, it does propel us forward, it does drive us but unto what? What do we get if we win? More stuff and less life? Ecclesiastes is saying this is kind of a…a pointless attempt. It's meaningless. It's like chasing the wind. Or “a dream comes when there are many cares, and many words mark the speech of a fool.” Right? So, restless sleep when there is anxiety, and many many cares and obligations and responsibilities that they…they just keep being churned in our mind, even while we’re asleep. And, so, we wake up tired. I am a person…I have definitely experienced this in my life plenty of times. And it goes on to say, “many words mark the speech of a fool.” Right? So, the one that's always gabbing, the one that's always talking, the one that never listens, the one that never understands the value of silence, that marks the speech of a fool. Or this, “whoever loves money never has enough. Whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.” In other words, enough will never be enough. And that is cautionary and important wisdom because we’re hearing this wisdom from someone who had it all. And, so, this idea, if I could just achieve this place, if I could just arrive at a certain level of security, if I could just have this much than that will be enough because then the things that I want to do I can do. What we’re being told is once you get on that treadmill, it's never going to be enough and in the end you accumulate a lot of stuff and chase the wind or miss life. Or this one. When God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them to accept their lot and be happy in their toil, this is a gift from God. They seldom reflect on the days of their life because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart. So, in other words, a person who is satisfied is a person who understands what they have has been given from God and accepting and appreciating that, having the ability to just enjoy where you are in the process. This is a gift of God. And those who have found that place, they're not always out in front of themselves and they’re…they’re not always living in the past mistakes because they’re occupied with gladness of heart in the now. Wow! Could we…could we use that lesson. So, what we’re seeing is wisdom being dispensed and given to us in such a way that cautions us about the natural tendencies…tendencies we have to try to create an identity that when we reach the conclusion the closing chapters of our lives, we will look back and feel like we wasted so much time, that there was so much meaninglessness. This is wisdom being given to us in a cautionary way so that we get off that treadmill so that we don't follow that path so that we find meaning in where we are right now instead of the hope for meaning in a future that we envision, that will still be in adequate when we get there because we will just need to go on to the next thing and never actually really truly and fully appreciate the gifts that are bestowed upon us by God that have less to do with accumulation and more to do with actually living.

Prayer:

Father, we invite You, of course, like every day, we invite You into what…what we've read, we invite and ask Your Holy Spirit to plant what we’ve read in our hearts and in our lives so that it will stick, so that it will become part of the fabric of who we are and so that the wisdom being offered to us can be heeded so that we can live an abundant life so that we can realize that what that looks like may be different than what our culture is trying to tell us. Come Holy Spirit. May we find satisfaction and contentment in You we pray. In Jesus’ name we ask. Amen.

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If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, thank you humbly, with deep gratitude. This mission that we launched…well…almost 16 years ago now and that we just began and have never stopped, and have never missed a day was always centered around bringing the spoken word of God to whoever would listen to it and knowing that it's a rhythm and knowing that so many…so many millions and millions of people start the Bible but so few finish it. So, to be able to navigate through a year to live a year of life together showing up every day around the Global Campfire taking the next step forward together and then praying for one another, if that makes a difference in your world than thank you for your partnership. We wouldn't be here if we weren't in this together. So, there is a link on the homepage. If you’re using the app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And, of course, if you have a prayer request or encouragement you can hit the Hotline button in the app or you can dial 877-942-4253.

And that's it for today. I’m Brian I love you and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Good afternoon Daily Audio Bible family my name is Josh from Omaha. I just wanted to call in today after attending a funeral of a young man a 53-year-old man. I was prompted to just call him the day before he passed away and I didn't. Again, I was prompted two weeks ago to call in an I didn't hear it and I'm doing it today. My daughter went to school at Creighton University and had an anxiety attack. And since then, we've gone…come to find out that so many young men and women are facing the same thing especially now in our nation today. And we just want to come against the spirit of fear and anxiety, and we want to cast that out. And if you want to join me in the prayer today, I'd really appreciate it. My daughter’s name is Emily and I just want to pray for anybody and everybody that's in our nation today, that they would be free of anxiety. So, would you please join me in prayer? Dear Jesus, we just come against the spirit of the evil one today and I call out him and I ask in Your name Jesus would You just call out anxiety, fear, angst, depression, panic, pain, and suffering and that You would crush them underneath Your feet in Jesus’ name. And I just put a call in and say that you have no hold on our children or adults today or ever from this day on and I cast them out and I pronounce that the battle is won in Jesus’ name. Amen.

My name is Dora and I want…can you please pray for me because I…I am scared and I…I don't want to be scared and I want to believe that God is with me every time I go…

Hello, DABbers this is God's Chosen from Georgia. I'm calling in to ask for prayer for all medical workers in different capacities. Pray for God's protection over them. Pray that God almighty would give them wisdom as to discharge their duties. Pray that God will give them compassion. We pray also, that in everything they do they will see the love of God and the peace that He gives. Pray also for all patients, those whose bodies are wrapped up with pain, those who are dealing with cancer, those who are dealing with terrible diseases and so many others whose conditions are beyond repair. Please pray that God will visit them in a divine way and pray for peace all over the world. We all need Jesus. So, come and save us from all the chaos, the uncertainty, and the decay of the society. Pray that peace would reign, that God will have compassion over all His children.

Hey DAB it's Emmy from Illinois I’m just calling asking for prayer for my dad. He is a retired pastor about to turn 80 this week and has had COVID the last two weeks and was put on a ventilator yesterday. There are thousands of people that he has touched over the years that are praying for him but I'm asking for additional prayer support from my DAB family. I am 28 weeks pregnant and would really love for my dad to meet my baby. So, if you could just pray for that. Also, I'm on my way right now to get my glucose test done for pregnancy. And while I'm not concerned just based on my overall health, but still a little nervous about the idea of having to deal with gestational diabetes. So, if you could just pray. I know that you will get this long after the test is done but just pray for healing in that way as…well…not healing but that I be healthy with that as well. And then just lastly just continued prayers for my marriage and that this baby and just life would settle, and my husband would reach back out to God, find satisfaction and contentment in God. Thank you.

Hi DAB community this is Jeanette from Denmark I wanna send a great big thank you for this continuing DAB ministry. I'm in my 11th year of listening. I was originally from the States and when I began, I really wanted something for my faith also in English that would keep my heart going. It's a little bit difficult when you're an expatriate. My husband started listening about four years ago and right now he's moved on to the chronological reading. He loves being able to listen in the quiet hours in the morning of the afternoon and we've been really blessed by the prayer time. We…we have a community of people who are strong believers here in Denmark. And you guys, we remember you in our prayers so much because there are strong heart ties between Denmark and the United States in the faith community. We love you so much and we want you to know that God is with you. No matter what is going on He is constantly with you and loves you so dearly. He loves us and He loves you and we are as the body of Christ with Christ at the head and Jesus a powerful God. He walked here He was resurrected from the dead and He indeed is coming for his people as well, the bride of Christ. We love you very much. Remember you are a part of something big and it's going to be wonderful. We love you.

[illyrianbeauty]

A Not So Chance Encounter: Chapter 4

Rhys is persuaded to attend a fundraiser by his cousin Mor. He didn’t expect to meet the girl of his dreams.

Fic Masterlist

Writing Masterlist

Chapter 4: The Shoe Drops

His cousin grinned wickedly at him. Rhys groaned and ran a hand through his hair.  Ugh, she was insufferable. Mor would make him beg before she told him one little scrap of information about Feyre.  

He was preparing to throw himself at her mercy when Mor squealed, “Holy shit, Rhys!”  He staggered back a bit as she launched herself at him, throwing her arms around his neck in an enthusiastic hug. What was it tonight with all of the perplexing females?

“Ummmm….. Mor? Not that I don’t love you and all, but... what the hell?” He hoped the look he was giving her conveyed the bewilderment he was currently feeling.

“You like her. I mean, you really like her don’t you?”

Rhys turned a deep shade of red and shoved his hands in his pockets. He wasn’t sure why, but talking about Feyre like this with Mor was making him feel incredibly self-conscious.  He kept his eyes on his shoes as he admitted, “Yeah. I really like her.”  Damn, he was acting like a love-sick teenager! He needed to get his shit together.  Rhys lifted his head and looked at his cousin.  Instead of the smirk and snarky response he was expecting, Mor stood there beaming brightly at him with a look that was full of love.            

“Why don’t we get out of here and go to Rita’s a little early? I doubt it’ll be that busy, so we should be able to get a table and talk for a bit.”

Rhys looked down at his watch.  It would be at least an hour before Feyre would be free to join them. As much as he wanted to go over to the bar and talk to her, he didn’t want to risk getting her in trouble with her boss.  

“Yeah, that sounds great. Let's go.”  Before moving though, he eyed his cousin suspiciously and asked, “Did you drive here tonight?” The last thing he needed was to have to worry about her leaving the club and trying to drive home drunk.  

“Hello! Did you see the shoes I wore tonight?”  She pointed down to the black stilettos she had on and huffed a laugh. Not that he knew much about high heels, but they did look rather perilous.

She flung her blonde hair behind her and smirked.  “Do you think I would be able to drive anywhere in these things?  Cauldon no, I didn't drive! I took an Uber.”

He let out a relieved breath and offered his arm to her. “Well, then.  It looks like I’m driving the two of us.  Shall we?”

***

Rhys looked around the familiar, upscale club and spotted an empty table near the back.  He had been to Rita’s plenty of times over the years.  Mor practically lived there and dragged him, Cass, Az, and even Amren along as often as she could.  There were plenty of other clubs in Prythian, but Mor favored Rita’s. Rhys never had been able to figure out why that was.  While he headed to claim the empty table before anyone else could, Mor went straight to the bar to order drinks. She joined him a moment later with a beer for him in one hand and an apple martini, her prefered drink, in the other.

He smiled as she handed him the bottle and said, “Thanks for the drink.”  Rhys clinked his bottle against Mor’s glass, uttering a quick, “Cheers.”

She tipped her glass slightly in his direction and said, “Cheers, cousin.”  

Rhys was keen on having a conversation about Feyre, but he didn’t quite know how to begin.  He didn’t want to seem desperate, or creepy, or anything like that.  

Feigning a disinterest he most certainly didn’t feel, he asked, “So, how do you know Feyre? You’ve never mentioned her before and I thought I knew pretty much all of your friends.”

The look Mor gave him suggested he hadn’t fooled her one bit and she was fully aware how eager he was to know more about a certain female. Nonetheless, she divulged, “A few semesters ago, my academic advisor convinced me to sign up for Art History.  It sounded like it was going to be an easy A, so I agreed.”  She rubbed her forehead and spat out, “Biggest.  Mistake.  Ever.  It was definitely not an easy A.  The professor was horrible.  It was the most boring class I have ever taken.  Anyways, I ended up failing my first few assignments and quizzes.  I thought I would have to either have to drop the class or fail it.  In a last ditch effort to salvage my grade, I decided to beg the Teaching Assistant for help.  I walked up to her after class one day  I think I managed to get about two words out before I started bawling like a baby. I made quite a fool of myself, actually.”

Rhys has a hunch that the TA in question was none other than Feyre.  Mor confirmed his suspicions by saying, “The TA took me into an empty office and attempted to calm me down.  As I’m sure you’ve guessed, that TA turned out to be Feyre. She helped me out; worked with me every week so that I would pass that Cauldron damned class.  She didn’t have to, but she did anyways.”  Mor smiled as she reminisced.  “Half of our study sessions ended up with us sprawled on my couch gorging ourselves on chocolates.  Even after the class ended, we still hung out together all the time.  I’ve considered her one of my best friends ever since.”

Rhys narrowed his eyes at her. “If she’s as good of a friend as you say, why haven’t you mentioned her before tonight?” Not that he didn’t believe her, it just seemed… odd.

Mor shrugged her shoulders. “I guess it just never came up.  And since she started working a second job, we haven't seen as much of each other lately.”

Rhys leaned forward and rested his arms on the edge of the table. “I don’t see how she does it.  Working two jobs plus going to school full time can’t be easy.”

“Well, let’s just say that Feyre hasn’t had the easiest life.  I think at this point, she’s used to it.  She probably wouldn’t know what to do with herself if she actually had any free time.”

That was a little too vague for him, so he said, “Mind elaborating on that?”

“Actually, I do mind. It’s not my story to tell. You’ll have to ask her if you want to know more.  What I will tell you is that, for years, she was responsible for caring for herself as well as her entire family. She wasn’t able to start at the University right after high school. She had to save up for a few years while at the same time being the main supporter of her family.  She’s actually just a year younger than you.”

For a moment, Rhys didn’t know what to say.  He couldn’t even begin to imagine what it was like to be financially responsible for your family at such a young age.  He said with all sincerity, “Thank you. For telling me that.”  Mor smiled at him, albeit a bit more subdued than before.

“Anything else you could tell me?  Cauldron knows I need all the help I can get to keep from making a total ass of myself!”

Mor bit her lip and a strange look crossed her face.  Was that… guilt?  Shame?  He couldn’t make heads or tails of the expression.  Just as Mor opened her mouth to begin talking, her phone started vibrating. She snatched her phone off the table looked at the caller id.  

“It’s Fey,” Mor said as she answered the call. “Hey. Is everything ok?” her voice was laced with concern.  Had Feyre decided not to come? Trying to keep his emotions in check, he waited for his cousin to finish the phone call.  He watched as her creased brows eased and her features softened.

“Yeah, we’re at the club already.  We’re sitting at a table in the back.  See you soon!” Mor hung up the phone and placed it back on the tabletop.

Turning her attention back to him, she said, “I guess they had too many people there to help clean up, so she got off early. She just pulled into the parking lot.”  His eyes instantly darted towards the entrance of the club.  It couldn’t have been more than an hour since he last spoke to her, bur Rhys found that he was thrilled to have the chance to do so again.  When she finally walked through the door, his heart skipped a beat. He had thought she was beautiful before, but that was nothing compared to how she looked now. Feyre was clad in a black dress that snug enough to show off her considerable assets.  It was also short enough so that it displayed her amazing legs.    

Feyre sashayed over to the bar, presumably to get herself a drink.  As he waited for her to join them, his thoughts drifted back to his conversation with Mor and all that he had learned about the woman who had so thoroughly entranced him.  From what Mor had implied, Feyre had spent a large portion of her life fighting tooth and nail for what she wanted. He sincerely hoped that she would succeed in opening her own art gallery someday soon.  She deserved that, and so much more.  He watched her approach the table and smiled a real, genuine smile.  

“I’m so glad you got a table. I’m exhausted,” Feyre said in greeting. She hung her purse on the back of the chair besides Mor’s and plopped down.

“Feyre darling, you look absolutely ravishing,” he drawled as he looked her up and down, not even trying to hide his appreciation for the form fitting dress.  He was pleased to see a slight blush creep up her neck and reach her cheeks.

She swiveled in her chair and faced Mor.  “Can you please get your cousin to behave himself?” she pleaded.

Mor looked as though she were trying extremely hard not to laugh in Feyre’s face. “No can do, Fey.  I’ve tried, and failed, to get him to do just that since I was eight.  You’re on your own tonight, I’m afraid.”  

Feyre said sarcastically, “Thanks for the help, bestie.”  Rhys and Mor both burst out laughing at the long suffering look she gave them both.  She muttered something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like pricks .  She wasn’t really angry though, if the twinkle in her eye was any indication.  

***

Rhys had probably smiled and laughed more tonight than he had in his entire life.  He couldn’t stop smiling, even if he had wanted to. The three of them got along so well, it was as if they had been the best of friends for years.  That was, in large part, thanks to Feyre. The more her got to know her, the more enamoured he became.  He would be well and truly fucked if she knew just how easily she had wrapped him around her finger.

His attention was brought back to the present when Mor suddenly stood up and declared, “I want to dance! Who’s coming with me?”  He glanced at Feyre to gage her reaction.  He would be more than willing to venture over to the dance floor as long as a certain golden haired beauty went along as well.  The look that she gave Mor clearly expressed her disinterest.

Laughing, she said, “I’ll take that as a no. Rhys, care to join me?”  

“I think I’ll stay here and keep Feyre company.”  

Mor rolled her eyes. “Suit yourself.”  Rhys watched her prance towards the dance floor, shaking his head and laughing. Realizing he was now alone with Feyre, his stomach did a little flip.

He turned his attention to Feyre and purred, “Alone at last. Whatever shall we do?”  He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.  

She snorted and replied, “You are such a shameless flirt!”  He smirked at her. Oh, she thought he was shameless, huh?  Well, he would show her exactly how shameless he could be.    

“Only with you, Feyre darling.  It seems that I just can’t help myself when you're around.”  She raised an eyebrow and he continued, “I think the only solution is for the two of us to go out to dinner sometime.”  His heart beat wildly in his chest and he nervously waited for her response.

Feyre refused to make eye contact with him, choosing instead to study her nails.  She shrugged her shoulders and said indifferen tly , “I really don’t think my boyfriend would think that is a good idea.”  

As her words finally sunk in, Rhys felt the world collapse around him.

#feysand #feyre #acotar fanfiction #au #feyre archeron #rhyspov

[craigwinslow]

2020: 🌘 Perpetual Pause

Every year, I enjoy making this animated map portraying my movement as a display of energy and progress through the year. Compared to a wildly active 2019, this year strikes a much heavier tone.

Ironically, the mantra I set for 2020 focused on slowing down, but this wasn’t exactly what I had in mind. Cancelled, postponed, delayed. Like many other people, the majority of my work for 2020 was filed into one of these categories. 

That said, I’ve been fortunate to continue work remotely, having spent most of the year getting frugal, and looking forward to whenever this ends. Aside from two camping trips, and one trip to the coast, I’ve been in Portland ever since May. 

Everything considered, I strangely accomplished what I meant to do in 2020. Hunkering down led to developing a solid daily routine— a far cry from my typical pace the past few years, but one that has helped manifest normalcy and structure. It became a year to truly slow down, realign, unlearn, and reassess. The best way I can describe this year is a 9-month weird dreamscape living in perpetual pause.

Here’s what I ended up doing in 2020:

Brilliant! Jackpot (Postponed)

Right after the Tim Burton exhibit launched, The Neon Museum and I knew we wanted to follow up with a brand new, drastically bigger, better version of Brilliant! called Jackpot. The plan was to install in April, so I was fully immersed in Brilliant! Jackpot the first three months of 2020—creating the most exciting, diverse, and nostalgic version of this exhibit. Everything was ready to install in March, and then the COVID-19 shutdowns began. We remotely installed the original version of Brilliant! while we put an indefinite hold on Jackpot.

This is when everything flipped sideways.

Lockdown in Los Angeles

The biggest positive of this year? It brought my partner and I much closer together. Looking back, I can’t believe we flew to Hawaii in February, but I’m so glad we did. Early March I flew down to LA, and cancelled my return flight. Jessica and I had only been dating for a few months, and suddenly found ourselves moved in together, during the start of a pandemic. It was either going to work out, or it wasn’t. 

Fortunately for us, it really worked. I lived down in LA for two months, during which Jessica lost her job due to the pandemic, and we ended up advancing rough plans for her to move up to Portland. On May 1st, we made the 15-hr drive from Los Angeles to Portland, and only stopped 3 times for gas (and one time for In-N-Out). 

XR Talk Interview 

I was very thankful to join Paul and Spencer on this podcast shortly after the world drastically changed due to COVID-19 shutdowns. This conversation happened as my focus turned from in-person projections to safe and distanced artwork and the ways I could take advantage of virtual mediums to bring people together. Watch here

Lockdown Letterheads

The first-ever virtual Letterheads! I previously attended Letterheads in Tokyo and London, which were wonderful experiences in their own right, but Lockdown Letterheads was special. A virtual meet-up with 24 hours of programming that any sign painter and guilder from around the world could attend! Sam Roberts, who has organized Letterheads in the past, asked me to co-host with several other Letterheads Alumni. I also led a presentation about Light Capsules, ghost signs, and shared some of Dr. Ken Jones' work.

The Wild VR Interview

I had a fantastic conversation with the team behind The Wild, a product instrumental in creating the Tim Burton exhibition at The Neon Museum in late 2019. This case study focused on my process of implementing immersive team collaboration in VR to build the exhibit from across the world before installation—an ideal tool for 2020. Read it here.

The Neon Museum 360 Virtual Tour

We had an opportunity to create a virtual tour of the boneyard thanks to global virtualization due to the pandemic. For the first time, the museum could give anyone across the world access to experience the museum. I built and shipped a Matterport kit, then worked remotely with Steve Siwinski of The Neon Museum to execute a full scan of the main boneyard. Working with their archival team, we created over 120 informational hot spots so virtual visitors could view historical photos and information about each sign along the way.

Pre-Visualization in Ventuz - under NDA

A continuation of a secret ongoing client project, due to launch to the public next year. I've been part of a team working on real time graphics and a new playback platform for a large scale integration. The creation of a custom pre-visualization environment led into the production phase of this long-term project.

Rise Up, Show Up, Unite

A call to action in support of the Biden/Harris campaign, started by Jessica Hiche and Adé Hogue. I created this 3-dimensional looping graphic in a day, first designing in illustrator, animating and modeling in Blender 3D, then exporting from Premiere. It was inspiring to see so many other creatives using different mediums come together and express their support using the same prompt. You can see more at riseupshowupunite.vote.

Intel Creator Spotlight

It's always exciting to dive back into a previous project with newfound hindsight and experience. For this artist spotlight with Intel, I discussed my concept design and creative direction for the pre-game intro with the Trail Blazers for NBA Playoffs 2018. 

Thanks to Intel for the opportunity and the editors at Art of Visuals for making magic out of the interview, b-roll, and behind-the-scenes footage we provided. Filming this in the middle of a pandemic was an interesting— but not impossible—challenge! Intel dropped off a lighting kit, and my partner, Jessica, filmed everything in 4K using her commercial photography gear.

This home studio structure ended up being advantageous for the next project...

Adobe MAX 2020 - Behind the Light, with Takuma Nakata, Sponsored by Intel

Dare I say... the most exciting thing that happened this year?! The opportunity to have a keynote spot at Adobe MAX, a conference I attended many times over the years, was quite an honor. I got to have a conversion with fellow Adobe Residency Alumni, Takuma Nakata, about where our work intersects and how light, design, and art inspire us. We wanted to push the limits of a typical virtual video interview by recording 3D point clouds simultaneously that Takuma combined together in a nature-driven point cloud backdrop. It created a very interesting and exciting way to bring us together from Portland and Kyoto in a virtual space.

ATypI 2020 All Over Conference - Light Capsules and Lettering, Projection Mapping with Craig Winslow 

Another virtual conference I spoke at this summer. I dove deep into the process behind Light Capsules with a live demonstration and discussed the next iteration of the project.

Concept: Beacon

As a result of my interview with XR Talk, HELO, a global talent agency, reached out with an opportunity to pitch a project bid. This led to some exciting creative conceptual design work for a potential client.

Concept: Telescope Tree

Another conceptual design worth sharing for a project bid that was brought to me through HELO. Sketches and 3D modeling came together quickly for this concept, which was pitched as "an artistic interpretation of a holiday display."

Vivid Coffee

For the past 5 years, I have led design at Vivid Coffee, creating everything from branding and packaging to merchandise. 

Vivid recently moved into a gorgeous cafe space in downtown Burlington, Vermont. We’ve been busy creating menu boards, exterior signage, neon art, as well as dozens of new roast labels, and a expansion into Snapchilled Coffee. I also helped design a mug with art by Keenan Bouchard to benefit Honduras after the Santa Barbara region was devastated by multiple hurricanes. 

The list of exciting things to come in 2021 is long, as I continue to help with creative aspects to building out the new cafe.

‘Glow’ with Hueman

Dr. Mabrie and his team reached out after seeing the Lightform AR Mural I created with Gemma O'Brien for Lightform. They proposed a collaboration with Oakland-based artist Allison "Hueman" Torneros on a brand new mural for their Union Square office in San Francisco. 

Hueman painted this entirely in B&W and the rest of the color was added with light. I worked closely with Hueman to brainstorm and define direction, responding to her vision as the artist to create all custom content to augment her work as a living, projection artwork. 

Perhaps the most '2020' feat was creating this work entirely remotely. With help from Dr. Mabrie's team to get measurements, I built the office in 3D, and used Disguise One to show an example of the final installation. After printing a scaled-down version of the mural, I built a mirrored set-up in my home studio in Portland, for testing and perfecting the animations in person. Once the mural was painted and placed, a local installer mounted the projector, and I utilized beta cloud tools in Lightform Creator to scan, deploy content, and publish updates remotely.

Representation with HELO

After a few conceptual design bids for projects, HELO and I started to discuss what official representation would look like. They were excited about my approach, and the cleverness of my previous projects. I’m pleased to share that I officially signed on with them as my EU and US representation! Excited to see what projects we collaborate on together next year, as I set goals for dream clients and projects.

2021

I’m proud to have done so well this year, despite... 2020. My growing focus on 3D pre-visualization really thrived in this new virtual world. 

I’ll admit, it’s hard to look forward to 2021. It’s going to begin the same way 2020 ended, but I remain hopeful that by summer or fall things will get moving again. Until then, I’ll continue to focus on working remotely, finding new projects, and expanding creative outputs.

An ideal 2021 for me is one where I get to see family and friends. I’m also turning my attention to my dear project Light Capsules in multiple ways: the first permanent Light Capsule installation, an augmented reality iOS app as an extension of the project and a platform for future AR capsules, alongside new projection installations.

It’s also safe to say we’ll finally see the new Brilliant! Jackpot in 2021, whenever it’s safe to bring our talented team from around the country to beautiful Las Vegas.

My mantra for 2021: Be healthy, stay inspired.

It’s a hope I share not only for myself, but for everyone else. It’s been one brutal hell of a year. —Craig