#BUT...GUYS....IMPORTANT NEWS...BULLDOG'S IN THIS ONE??

[the-shedevil-writes]

Puppy Love Part 2! (Bob Floyd x Reader)

HEY! READ PART ONE HERE! From a request by @phoenix-rising-starbird-one DESCRIPTION: After the interview is posted, the squad goes viral- particularly and surprisingly Bob Floyd the most so. He visits you at the dog shelter and works up the nerve to ask you something important. WORD COUNT: 2.3k WARNINGS: Kissing, Online thirst comments (I'm holding up a mirror to ya'll), Foster dogs mentioned/Very cute bulldog puppy MY MASTERLIST - READ ON AO3!

“‘Gimme that dork in the back’.” Rooster read from the comments on his phone. 

“W-what?” Bob stammered. Almost a month after the Puppy Interview, it was finally published in the magazine, and the footage was posted to YouTube. Bob had woken up to a bombardment of notifications from people. Friends. Family. All asking him if that was really him, and why he hadn’t told anybody. At first, he was decently confused. How were so many people able to see it so quickly? He’d expected one or two people to go ‘Ha, it’s Bob.’ But there were so many missed calls and texts… Too many. 

It was when Y/n texted him 

Y: You’re going viral!!!!

He realized what had happened. He and Y/n had been going steady for the past month. A few dates over the past few weeks, but they hadn’t made anything official yet. Even though she ran marathons in his mind. Even though he wanted to ask her so badly that when he flew, his mind would wander to how he’d do it. Over text? In person? How should he say it?

“How on Earth is BABY ON BOARD blowing up out of all of us?” Hangman asked, throwing his arms up as they sat around the hangar during lunch. 

Rooster scrolled through his phone. “Yeah, like… all the comments are about him.”

Phoenix scrolled through her own phone as she ate her sandwich. She laughed. “I like this one- ‘Lieutenant Bob Floyd, the third amendment don’t mean shit to me.’”

Bob’s face turned bright red.

“There’s gotta be more on you guys. You’re pulling a joke on me.” He said, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Found one for you, Hangman.” Payback piped up from the back, “‘I would climb Jake Seresin like a god damn tree.’”

“Thank you,” Hangman said

“You’re welcome,” Payback said jokingly earnest.

Bob’s phone DINGED, and he was glad to have at least some sort of out of the conversation. He checked it, and it was a message from Y/n. His heart skipped a beat, like it always did when she texted him.

She sent a picture of Bob that had been featured in the magazine. It was a snapshot of him holding up the bulldog to his face. His little pout mirrored the dog's natural jowls. 

Y:  New contact photo unlocked.  Also… dinner to celebrate your newfound fame?

He couldn’t help the small smile that naturally came to his face. 

B: Absolutely. Pick you up from work?

Y: Yes <3

“‘I’ve never wanted to be a bulldog so damn bad.’” Rooster read, making Hangman groan again. 

After his shift, he rushed home to put on a pair of cleaner clothes than what he had packed in his duffel bag. He always wanted to make sure he seemed presentable for her. So he quickly regelled his hair, cleaned his glasses, and sprayed some cologne. 

Driving up to the dog shelter, he found himself back to square one of nervousness. He had frequented the shelter for the past month. So much so that the dogs had started to look forward to his visits. Yet with the article and video going viral, it added a new layer of stress. 

He parked his baby blue pickup and walked up to the doors of the forest green building. She worked at one of the bigger shelters. It was a little further out, but of course always worth the drive.

Through the glass doors, he could already see her sitting at the front desk. She was still in her uniform of a black polo and jeans. The bun that held her hair was messy from what Bob figured was surely a hectic day of work. 

She looked up, saw him, and her face brightened as he walked inside. Her smile was so contagious, and it made his heart skip. His own lips naturally curving.

“Hello, superstar.” She teased

Bob waved her off, “Oh, don’t even.” He walked forward and leaned onto the counter. 

“We all watched the interview on the TV here this morning.” She said excitedly, “To watch our dogs, of course… And not the very attractive military personnel.”

He blushed, but quickly shifted the conversation by drumming the table. “Can I see Dozer?” 

Dozer- short for Bulldozer- was one of the bulldogs that he had worked with.  He couldn’t help the fact that he had grown a little attached to the now 5-month-old chunky puppy. But he also knew that he couldn’t adopt a dog while living on his own with his line of work. He was constantly on the go. Sometimes gone for days or even months at a time. Adopting a dog would be pretty careless of him. 

“Oh, I have good news for you about that.”  She smiled, “The video has BLOWN UP the adoption interest, and Dozer’s gonna be going to a foster home in the next few days.”

Bob grinned, “What! That’s amazing.” He knew that Dozer had been in the puppy ward for quite a while. That was the area of the facility reserved for dogs who couldn’t find foster homes, and Dozer had been there for quite a while. “Well, let me say goodbye then.”

She walked over and opened the gate for him to come through. They had done this routine quite a few times now.

They walked through the halls, and when she opened the door, there was an eruption of yips and barks. But Dozer specifically was jumping at the fence, excited to see Bob again.

She very carefully opened the gate and kept the wiggling Dozer at bay as Bob followed her in. 

“Hey, big fella.” He said, immediately sitting on the concrete floor. Ironic considering Dozer was still pretty small in stature, but was naturally built wide.  “Are you finding a new home? Are you famous now?” Bob asked as the puppy jumped up onto his chest, and he scratched its back.

Y/n sat down next to Bob, her back against the wall. He still felt nervous being around her, but having Dozer in his lap calmed him down. The whole experience had really just made him wish that he could adopt a dog, purely for the emotional support.

“He’s gonna miss you,” She said softly.

Bob sadly scratched the top of Dozer’s flat head. “Yeah, I’m gonna miss him too. But ya know, I’m just glad he’s found somebody.” He said, nodding surely.

His glasses slipped to the end of his nose, and she gently reached up to push them back against his face. His cheeks warmed and she smiled at his flustered reaction. Gently, she leaned in and pressed her lips to his. 

This wasn’t the first time they had kissed, but it may as well have been the way Bob’s hair stood up. He sighed in relief. It was as if she were an oxygen tank and he had been suffocating for far too long. After long, tense days in the air, she was always so grounding.

He wanted to keep kissing her, but then impatient Dozer jumped up on his lap and bonked his head against Bob’s cheek, startling him. “Oh!”

She laughed and looked back down at Dozer. “Okay, okay.” She leaned over and kissed excited Dozer on the head. “There, now you’re equal.”

Bob looked at her with just… pure amazement. She was so gentle and understanding to all creatures, big and small. On their first date, Bob had accidentally sputtered out that she was like a Disney princess, and honestly, he still believed it.

Barbara, one of Y/n’s coworkers, came by. She recognized him instantly from all the times he’d visited. “Hey, Bob! How are you loving all the attention?” He shook his head. “I don’t wanna look at the comments.”

“Oh, stop it! They all love you.” She said, and then leaned over the fence, “And if that Hangman fella is single… send him my way.” She winked

Bob laughed. “Okay, I will.” 

As Barbara walked away, Y/n put her head on his shoulder. Dozer trotted away and grabbed his squeaky toy, shaking his head.

“I told you they all love you. Have you even checked Instagram today?” She asked.

Bob’s eyes widened. “Oh god. No, I haven’t.” He quickly dug his phone from his back pocket and opened it. A million notifications clogged his screen, but he opened Instagram to see a sight he had never seen before. 99+ Likes 99+ Follows. 99+ Comments. Usually, it was just his mom or Rooster commenting. He barely even posted. He used the app more as a way to access the Dagger Squad Group Chat, which consisted of stupid memes and drunken blackmail material. 

She rubbed her hands together. “Lemme read the comments.” 

“I don’t even- I don’t even know what they’d be,” Bob said honestly. 

“I have a feeling,” She smirked. 

Bob handed her the phone, and she immediately went to his most recent post. A picture of the squad where he was kneeling down in the front row in his flight suit. She opened the comments and covered her mouth, stifling a laugh.

“Oh god, what is it?” Bob asked nervously, “They’re all making fun of me, huh?”

She looked at him, surprised, “WHAT? NO! Bob, all these girls are in love with you.”

Now that was a sentence he had never heard in his life. He didn’t have much of a love life before Y/n. He had gone to Prom in high school with a date, but god, that was how many years ago now? It’s one of the reasons why he felt like he was having a heart attack every time he was near her. He didn’t want to mess it up… So hearing that girls across the world were in love with… Bob Floyd? That didn’t feel right.

“You’re lying,” Bob said in disbelief.

“No look-” She angled the phone screen between them so they could both read. 

Delilah-Davis: I can bark. Is that close enough?

Cowgirl23: ‘Til we-’ WE AINT STOPPING.

Adventuresome: Come home, the kids miss you.

Bob’s brows furrowed. He barely understood what any of that meant. “I don’t have kids. I hope you know that.”

She laughed even harder. “No, no, it’s like something girls say when they see a hot guy online.”

He tilted his head, confused. Dozer practically mirrored him as he laid in Bob’s lap, chewing his toy. Bob’s hands naturally ran over Dozer’s bumpy back.

Bob read over a few more. “What does… ‘Gnawing at the iron bars of my enclosure’ mean?”

She scream laughed. “STOP! I CAN’T BREATHE!” She buried her face in the crook of his neck. He flushed at both the feeling of her breath so close to his sensitive skin, and also the feeling of not being in the know. She took a deep breath “Okay- okay- it’s from this like podcast. And it’s like describing uh… a sense of ferality towards a person.”

“A sense of ferality?”

“She’s so attracted to you that she’s like going crazy.”

Bob laughed, confused. “TO ME?”

She shrugged and put her hands up. “I mean- I get it.”

He shook his head, letting the laughter breathe out of him. 

“This is so weird.”

She looked up at him, her chin still on his shoulder. “Why’s it weird?”

He threw his hands up, a little unsure how to start. “I mean, I’m- I’m Bob. The guy who sits in the back and gets shit on by guys who look like Rooster and Hangman. I was crapping myself over a puppy interview. And I can’t even get different glasses frames because these are military grade.”

Her eyes softened at him, and her head tilted slightly. “I like your glasses.” She said gently.

She reached between them and held his hand. 

“You know, Bob… I think you are very handsome.” She said, “You’re hot.”

He couldn’t help the laugh at that. “Hot?”

“Yeah. Hot. You’re sweet. Good with dogs. I mean- Jesus, look at your arms. You fly in jets. What else could a girl ask for?” 

Every single thing she listed made his face get redder and redder.

She continued, “You know, seeing all these girls thirsting after you is driving me a little insane.” He looked down at her. “Why’s that?”

“Because now I have competition.” She chuckled, but it was clear there was an obvious tension there. They weren’t official yet. 

He subtly shook his head, not taking his eyes off of her. “You really don’t.” He said softly.

There was a tense silence. 

“Why haven’t you asked me yet?” She asked

“Because I don’t want to mess it up.”

A small smile crossed her lips. “I have a feeling you won’t.”

More silence. He took a deep, shaky breath as he looked at her.

“I think I’ve thought over how to say this a million different times in a million different ways.” He said, looking down between Dozer in his lap and Y/n’s eyes, “But I guess to put it simply… I really like you. And I think you’re just… awesome.” He breathed out.

“Awesome?” She smirked

“Let me regret that more in a second.” He said, trying to fight through the internal cringe. “I would really like to be your boyfriend. Can I be your boyfriend?” 

He wasn’t expecting her to smash her lips onto his. A little surprised noise came from him before he kissed her back.

“Yes, you big softie.” She laughed. 

That night at dinner, Y/n showed him the ways of a hard launch. 

He posted a (Y/n Approved)  picture of her across from him with a glass of wine in her hand. She looked gorgeous in a fresh dress and her hair down. He quickly saved it before drawing a little heart and posting it onto his Instagram story.

Casually breaking the hearts of hundreds of girls simultaneously. But it didn’t matter because now he had locked down the girl of his dreams. 

Narcosfan65: FUCK. SHE’S BEAUTIFUL.

Bob smiled down at his phone after seeing that. He knew it was true. And he quickly replied-

JustBobFloyd: @ HangmanSeresin is single.

And put his buzzing phone away so he could look at his girl straight in the eyes.

[bumblingbabooshka]

Worst Guy Ever - Also, Unfortunately, Very Homosexual Convo. (subtextually)

[gatorbites-imagines]

If you're willing to, could you PLEASE do Immortal NSFW alphabet, I need that man so bad

The Immortal nsfw alphabet 

What's yall's fave tea? I've been trying out new flavors lately and need recs. 

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex) 

Immortal comes across as a dick to a lot of people, but honestly? I think hes a lover not a fighter, at least nowadays. So yeah, aftercare is extremely important, especially if you are his lover and someone whos gotten under all his layers. He loves caring for you, but part of him loves being cared for in return. Its really hard for him to accept you giving him aftercare, for a good while, but it gets better with time. 

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s) 

I dont think Immortal pays much attention to his own body at this point. Hes so old, and has been around for so damn long, that his own body barely registers anymore. I do see him taking pride in his beard though. And to sound cheesy, he loves every part of his partner. Can their heart be his favorite part? Like, laying his head on their chest and just listening to it. Sucker for their eyes too. 

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically) 

His loads are big and heavy, nowhere near viltrumite levels, but its obvious he's like “prime” specimen. He gets the shakes when he has a powerful orgasm, and he loves when you make him cum all over himself, or when you do it. 

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs) 

He likes being treated like a pet. Aka, he likes when you tell him to strip down, put on a collar, or a muzzle, or smth like that, so you can tell him what to do and he can go completely nonverbal. I think he sometimes takes comfort in the act of going nonverbal, so he does that during your times together too, and he's so embarrassed about it that he forces himself to speak or make noise. 

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?) 

Hes got a lot of experience. Immortal is well, Immortal, and has been around for so damn long. It's hard to imagine stuff he hasn't tried at least once. And he has experience with both men, women, the in-between. 

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying) 

Likes most positions tbh. I imagine Immortal would like stuff like the Bulldog pose, or doggy. And if hes flexible enough for a mating press? Yeah. 

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.) 

Immortal isn't the most goofy guy in general, so I don't see him cracking jokes or being too funny when you guys are going at it. Hes more likely to be overly affectionate or emotionally intense. 

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.) 

Hairy guy, idc what anyone says. Hes got a thick layer of hair over most of his body, but he does groom it, as its one of the few things he takes pride in. It's so soft, you would wanna sleep on his chest, just to nuzzle into his furry chest. 

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect) 

With their lover, someone he feels bonded too, Immortal is so intense, especially if he's had a hard day and just needs to affirm that love he has. Sometimes he just needs you to know he loves you, but also needs to know you love him too. 

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon) 

Doesn't actually jerk off a lot. I think with his age and experience, Immortal wouldn't have the biggest drive, and even less of a drive to take care of himself. And why would he do so, when he's got a partner, ya know? 

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks) 

Petplay (this is a secret, but you have a feeling) 

dom/sub 

Submission kink (aka him submitting to his partner) 

Chastity 

Edging and overstimulation 

Intimacy, if that can even be a kink 

Sweat, musk, etc. 

Lil bit of an exhibitionist, aka, he won't do it out in public or around people, but he likes doing it in nature, or the showers at the Guardians of the Globe hideout.  

Degradation 

Praise, even more than degradation, please praise him, it'll make him cry so pretty. 

BDSM and the dynamics that involves (master/servant, human furniture, etc) 

Sensory deprivation 

L = Location (favorite places to do the do) 

Immortal isn't as much of a prude as people think, but he also isn't the wildest. Like I mentioned, he can do it in the woods, in the showers, in alleyways, etc. But, his favorite would be in the cabin you guys share. 

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going) 

Your presence, your love, just... you. I think you could straight up do a backflip and he would feel warmth gathering in his gut. It isn't arousal he feels, but its more just, like, love. But that can quickly be flipped to arousal. One of the easiest ways would be you running your fingers through his beard, hair, or body hair. Or, if you start kissing at his neck and commenting about how attractive he is. 

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs) 

He wouldn't ever want to hurt you, or for you to hurt him. Hes fine with some degradation, even some hitting and all that, but Immortal would never want you to use his insecurities against him, unless you guys have agreed on it. 

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.) 

Prefers giving, but he also loves to just cockwarm you, or to suckle on your fingers. This ties into him going nonverbal at times, and it's easier when his mouth is busy with something else. He likes exploring with his mouth too, which might be tied to his lizard brain, or smth. 

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.) 

The pace depends a lot on the situation, I think. Most of the time Immortal prefers a slower loving pace, so you guys can consume one another. 

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.) 

Doesn't mind them, but also wouldn't crave them like some others do. If you guys do quickies, it would mainly be because you make the first move, or if both of you have been too busy to spend much time together. Immortal sometimes needs them when he's horribly stressed or messed up from hero work, it helps get his mind off things and focus on you. 

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.) 

Being his age and with all his experience, Immortal is willing to give pretty much everything a try, as long as it doesn't harm you both or others. 

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?) 

Has great stamina, and unless you are a hero too, then Immortal has greater stamina than you. Sometimes you guys have to work on tiring him out because he's so tense and on edge. 

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?) 

He owns a couple, but they aren't very interesting, like a stroker and maybe a toy he can ride. If there is anything wilder, then its smth you brought into the relationship. 

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease) 

Isn't that much of a tease, but he can be if he wants to. Immortal doesn't do it in public though, but will sometimes act like a little minx when you guys are alone. Hes got great resistance too, but Immortal is weak to your advances most of the time. 

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.) 

Isn't that loud when you guys are getting down and dirty. Mostly panting and some huffing, a few grunts. It's only when he's allowed to get out of his head that he starts whining and moaning, and Immortal gets flustered whenever he remembers how high pitched his voice gets. 

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character) 

Hes horrible at roleplays, mainly if you guys try to do like, historical scenarios. Because, guys lived so long hes probably lived through whatever you guys are trying to do, and he can't take it seriously, or wants it to be accurate. You guys did an Abraham Lincoln roleplay once, or twice... 

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes) 

Large and thick, not viltrumite levels, but still. Quite veiny, uncut. Heavy. 

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?) 

His drive isn't that high, blame it on all the years of living and how much trauma comes with that, and having had as many partners as he has had and how many of them he's lost. His yearning is mostly built on your own, but when you guys get more comfortable, then it starts bubbling up again. It's never extreme though. 

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards) 

Depends on when and where you guys are going at it. If it's in your shared cabin, and Immortal doesn't need to stress more than usual, then he will fall asleep after laying there for a while. If it's a scenario where you guys have worked him into a comfortable subspace, Immortal will allow himself to snuggle against you and will fall asleep almost immediately. 

[sorchathered]

Heard it through the grapevine

A/N- SNB Chapter 8 is coming on Wednesday, but to tie you all over here is a one shot of what’s been going on with Bradley in the aftermath of Mirage’s pregnancy announcement. Thank you guys for sticking with me on this journey!

Pairing- Bradley Bradshaw x OC (Mirage/Erin Riley)

Warnings- language, drinking, Bradshit being an idiot

Summary- Bradley is hungover as hell the morning after Mav’s wedding, what the did he get himself into overnight?

————————————————————————-

Bradley had fucked his social life up to the highest degree in the past 6 months but even he had to admit this shit took the cake.

He’d gotten completely trashed last night, after months of trying to get sober, because his biggest insecurity played out right before his eyes. He’d be an idiot to deny he’d never been worried about Jake getting in the middle of his relationship over the past few years, the man had an ego the size of his home state and he wasn’t bad to look at either. But you had always insisted it was platonic, never given him a single reason to doubt you, yet it somehow never stopped the jealousy that bloomed in him when he saw the two of you together. It was stupid really, he’d been the one to cheat on you in the end and burn everything he’d thought he wanted to the ground, but watching your former fiancée make out with the guy he’d always worried about and then get whisked away to no doubt fuck each others brains out stung a little. So he did what he knew best, drown himself in bourbon and promptly pass out at home, or at least that’s what he thought had happened.

He woke up the next morning feeling worse than he had after that rager in his frat house right before graduation, every step had him convinced he was going to throw up everywhere but his tiny french bulldog was a force of nature and she was insistent that they go outside. He was half dressed in his suit from the night before, no idea where his phone could be but that was a worry for future Bradley, right now he needed aspirin and coffee. Still trying to piece together what had happened in the aftermath, it looked as though he’d made quick work of destroying the leftover pizza and most of the lasagna he’d made earlier in the week, clearly couldn’t be bothered to close the fridge as the damn thing was wide open when he entered the room. The last of his expensive bourbon was gone, and it looked like he was out of beer as well. What a mess. As he set about to clean things up he heard his doorbell go off, then someone beating on his front door, what the hell could possibly be this important on a Sunday morning? He grumbled all the way to the entryway, flinging it open to find his best friend Natasha Trace looking even more pissed off than normal, clearly he’d fucked something up judging by the rage on her features.

“I’ve been calling you for HOURS! What did you do just fall off the face of the damn planet?!” She said as she elbowed her way into his living room, he didn’t have the energy for this he was sure but there was no point in stopping her now.

“I was asleep, and honestly I don’t know where the hell my phone went, I’m hungover as fuck right now Nat so can we just skip to the part where you tell me what I did wrong and yell at me?”

She rounded on him and he staggered back, a little nervous until he saw the look of pity across her face. “Bradley we need to find your phone, but first I need to show you something.”

He was going to pass out, he was sure of it. As she scrolled through her instagram to the profile of the girl he definitely shouldn’t still be sleeping with he was almost hopeful that she’d decided to move on from him and posted a new boyfriend, but he knew he couldn’t be that lucky and after all she had just been at his house earlier in the week, if she was seeing someone else she would’ve told him. Right?

What he most certainly didn’t expect was to come across a set of photos, pictures the two of them had taken and never posted because it didn’t seem right, and at the end a picture of a onesie and a positive pregnancy test. Oh he was definitely going to be sick.

Nat had shoved him into the bathroom to shower while she made a pot of coffee and Bradley was frozen in place as he watched the bathroom steam up. How the hell had he let this happen? Why wouldn’t she have said something to him before posting about it? He picked up his phone and looked at the photos again, he did like Mirage despite the circumstances that had started their entanglement, she was funny and very pretty, impulsive yes but he wouldn’t have thought she’d do this to him. He opened his texts to message her, they needed to sit down and discuss this in person, but as he opened them he realized just how drunk he’d been last night. There in the messages were all the answers he wanted, she had in fact told him first and he had told her to go for it about posting the announcement. He was such an idiot, how did he let himself get this way? He needed to piece together the rest of his night and fast, so he shot her a quick message to come over and jumped in the shower. He didn’t know how to fix this, but he knew he couldn’t avoid it this time.

Nat was furious with him, she’d found out through Stormy about everything leading up to their breakup and now finding out that he’d somehow green lit this pregnancy announcement while black out drunk had her fuming. “Do I need to pack you up and send you to a rehab facility Rooster?! What the hell has been going through your head lately?” She was shaking her head between death glares, in his entire navy career he’d always had Nat, since they met in training as young kids, and she’d never been angrier than she was right now. “I know Nat, I know I fucked it all up, but I can’t change it now. All I can do is sit down with Mirage and see how to go forward with this, I-I’m going to be a dad…Holy shit how the hell am I supposed to do this? What if I fuck this kid up? What if I-“ she puts her hand up to silence him, he’s spiraling now and that’s not going to help anyone.

“We are going to work this out ok? Just take a breath, we also need to find you a better therapist because this guy is obviously not teaching you anything beneficial.” She wasn’t wrong, the guy clearly just phoned it in and received his paycheck, Bradley had been going through the motions but not making any real progress. It was times like these he longed to have his parents around, maybe then everything wouldn’t have gotten so out of control.

Within the hour Mirage was at his door, Bradley let her in with a small smile and gestured for her to sit down, but when she saw Natasha she wavered; looking back at Bradley like a deer in headlights. “Relax Erin, I’m not here to whack you, I’m just moral support.” She says with an eye roll, and the girl, albeit irritated, finds a seat on the couch. “So I take it from your texts you drank a little too much last night, I had a feeling you’d be upset after the wedding but I didn’t think you’d forget our conversation entirely” she was frustrated, he knew she would be, especially considering how important that conversation was. “Look, Erin I know I keep fucking it up. I’m a mess, I never should have dragged you into it in the first place but here we are. I’m going to try at this, and you give me all the hell you need to because I really do want to make this work. If you want us to be a real family we can work at it, or if you just want me to co-parent I’ll respect your choices, but no matter what got us here I’m not going to keep letting you down.” He knew he didn’t have a right to promise anything, and he couldn’t guarantee that he wouldn’t make a mistake again, but he knew what life was like without a dad, and he couldn’t let that happen to his child. His child. He was going to be a father.

——————————————————————

Before he knew it 6 months had passed, He and Erin had been going to couples therapy on top of seeing a new therapist for himself and Bradley could say with confidence he’d been sober for all of it. He wasn’t going to the bar like he used to, instead choosing to come home in the evenings to binge tv and cook dinner with his girlfriend. They had found out just last week that they were having a little boy, Nicholas Bradshaw jr. and truly Bradley couldn’t believe how well things had been going.

He’d been transferred to the Golden Warriors, still working out of North Island but no longer actively working with the Daggers, and while initially it had hurt he knew it had been for the best. His relationship with Jake had boiled over into his work life and he agreed that it was best that they work apart. Life was going well, which usually meant the other shoe was about to drop but he was feeling pretty confident. Until one fateful evening when he received a call after work from a distraught Maverick, Stormy’s plane had gone down over the Atlantic and she was in critical condition. Jake and Admiral Simpson were heading to Walter Reed in Maryland to meet her and they didn’t know when or if she’d wake up. He didn’t know what he could possibly do to help, and without realizing he had already dialed the number of his old wingman. No answer, which he expected but he left a voicemail of support nonetheless. Whatever happened now all he could do was pray that the kindest girl he’d ever met would be ok.

————————————————————————

Tagging- @mamamaystbr @mamachasesmayhem @bobgasm @attapullman @roosterforme @floydsglasses @shanimallina87 @jessicab1991 @the-aspiring-fanfic-writer @djs8891 @mrsevans90 @pinkdaisies9285 @nouis-bum @86laura11 @angelbabyyy99 @dizzybee03 @mygyn @jostan456 @dempy @its-the-pilot @kmc1989

[tuxedokit-sys-selfships]

☔️ rain/storm + birds of a feather

where was that idiot?!

the clouds had gathered about an hour ago, dark and menacing, blotting out any hint of the warm afternoon sun. emeryst was annoyed as they soared away from their village to revali's personal training ground. what a prick. couldnt be bothered to come home in the face of a, judging by the general atmosphere, huuge thunderstorm. as rain started to dot their wings and cloud their vision, all emeryst could think about was how fucking annoying this guy was.

sure, he was talented, and definitely easy on the eyes. but good lord he was arrogant. he was self-absorbed, impulsive, selfish, and favoured by the PRINCESS OF HYRULE, as well as rest of the village despite constantly tooting his own horn, so to speak.. whether he'd earned those bragging rights was irrelevant, as far as emeryst was concerned. if he really was as great as he said, maybe he'd be courteous and come home when the weather called for it instead of dicking around until the elder sent some poor sap to go fetch him.

the rain was as quick as they were, and was coming down in full by the time they landed. going home was gonna suck. emeryst looked around and, lo and behold, there he was. flying circles around that.. rock. thing. to be honest, emeryst had never actually been here. most of the village hadnt. as previously stated, it was revalis ~personal~ training grounds, and they had heard he was a bit... particular about guests. oh well. sucks to be him.

they landed, taking a moment to breathe underneath the shelter. it was nice. after a quick shake, they approached the takeoff point, quickly finding revali with a new set of arrows ready to release. he was drenched, and it was visibly weighing him down.

"REVALI!"

he fired and he missed and he shouted something that sounded like a cuss. he glided a little closer, visibly annoyed.

"What do you want?"

"WHAT?"

the rain was loud. revali's irritation grew more obvious as he approached his shelter to find out what they had ruined his shot for.

"I said, what the hell do you want?"

"rude." emeryst grumbled, rolling their eyes.

"elder kaneli sent me... you do know theres a thunderstorm, right?"

their tone was between sarcastic and patronizing. honestly, they wouldnt have been surprised if he didnt.

the rain seemed to get a little heavier, as if to punctuate their question. thunder rolled quietly, distant. approaching.

"Of course I know that, you idiot. Training is important, regardless of the weather; war doesn't reschedule for a little rain, so neither will I."

he sounded so smug, satisfied. he had clearly decided that was all that needed to be said. that was that, he wins. not on your watch. for their sanity, emeryst elected to ignore his insult.

"this isn't "a little rain" revali, this is serious! it has to be, the elder wouldnt send one of us out here in this if it were. please, i just want to go home and wait this out, and im not leaving without you."

emeryst started strong, but by the end of it exasperation bled through. revali opened his beak to reply, but lightning struck before he could. not them, thankfully, but close enough to temporarily blind them. close enough to hear the noise only a moment later.

"well, looks like leaving is off the table for the both of us." revali looked so, so irate, until he smirked.

"guess i ought to get back to—"

"im not letting you go out there."

what followed was essentially the dumbest game of british bulldog ever seen by nobody. not that anyone here would know what that is. hell, i didnt even know. i had to google it. in case you also dont know, its a playground game where one person stops other people from getting past them via any means necessary. you can imagine how that goes. thunder crackles and booms throughout their 'fight' and neither of them notice.

it ended with the two rito in a heap on the ground, panting. emeryst glared down at the champion beneath them, and tried really, really hard not to get flustered by their proximity. or think about the way the rain had slicked back his feathers, or the muscles beneath them.

"are you done?"

[digitalspack]

Why Pet Walking is Important and Furry Laws

Furry Benefits of Pet Walking 1.Keeps Them Fit and Happy Physical Exercise: Pets need exercise just like humans! Walks keep them in shape, ensuring they’re not turning into furry couch potatoes. Strong Joints: Walking helps pets stay limber and active, especially older pets who might start to feel creaky without regular strolls. Happy Heart: Just like you, your pet’s heart gets a workout, boosting their cardiovascular health.

2.Sniffing Adventures for Mental Stimulation New Smells, New Friends: Each walk is like a doggy or kitty detective mission. They get to sniff around, explore, and maybe even make new furry pals! Brain Workout: Every new smell or sight triggers curiosity, keeping their minds sharp and engaged. It’s like an outdoor puzzle to solve!

3.Better Behaved Buddies Less Chewing on Your Shoes: Walking tires them out, which means less destructive behavior at home. A tired pet is a good pet! Calm and Cool: Walks release pent-up energy, reducing anxiety and hyperactivity. Say goodbye to your pet zooming around the house.

4.Strengthens Your Bond Quality Time Together: Walks are a fun way for you and your pet to connect. It’s their favorite part of the day, and who wouldn’t love being their best friend’s hero?

How PetMichi can help? Track Your Walks: With the PetMichi app, you can easily track the duration, distance, and route of your walks, making sure your furry friend gets the exercise they need to stay fit and healthy. You can even set reminders for those important walk times!

How Often Should You Walk Your Furry Friend? Dogs High-energy dogs (like Border Collies and Labs): 2–3 walks a day, around 30–60 minutes per walk. These guys are the marathon runners of the dog world! Low-energy dogs (like Bulldogs or Chihuahuas): 1–2 short walks of 20–30 minutes will keep them content. Puppies: Shorter, frequent walks of 10–15 minutes because their tiny legs tire quickly. Senior dogs: Gentle, shorter walks to keep them active and happy.

Cats Yes, cats! Some adventurous felines actually enjoy walks in a secure harness. Indoor cats benefit from short 10–15 minute walks to burn off some energy and channel their inner lion.

Lets talk some Pet Walking Stats US: 60% of dog owners take their dogs for regular walks, but half of them aren’t walking enough to meet their pets’ exercise needs. Looks like some pups need a bit more adventure! Australia: Only 40% of dog owners hit the trails with their pups regularly. And 30%… well, those poor dogs might need a few extra outings! UK: Around 70% of dog owners make walk time a daily ritual — hooray for British pups!

Pet Walking Laws (Yes, It’s a Thing!) Germany: Germany’s “Dog Welfare Act” requires dog owners to walk their pets twice a day for a minimum of one hour total. No more excuses for skipping those walks — it’s the law! Italy (Turin): In the city of Turin, you could be fined if you don’t walk your dog at least once a day. So, if you’re ever in Italy, remember your pooch is expecting some quality time. Sweden: Dogs in Sweden must be walked or allowed out every six hours. Puppies and older dogs get even more outdoor time to ensure they stay happy and healthy. Japan: In Tokyo, while there’s no national law, pet neglect — including lack of walks — can be reported, ensuring that pets get the outdoor time they need. Australia (New South Wales): Laws require regular exercise for dogs. If you’re caught slacking, you could face fines for neglect.

[tiarapets]

Uncovering the Charm of Imported Little Dogs: An Outline of Your Most Current Family Member

Welcome to the universe of imported little guys, where each paw print has an enduring impact on your heart and each sway of the tail gives joy. We are excited to present to you our assortment of Imported Puppies for Sale in Singapore; everyone is brimming with character and appeal. Set yourself up for an excursion that will be brimming with adoration, satisfaction, and extraordinary encounters as you welcome your most current relative.

Features

Our imported doggies are ensured to have the best hereditary qualities and wellbeing since they come from solid raisers everywhere. We have a broad determination of breeds to suit each taste, going from enthusiastic Brilliant Retrievers to modern French Bulldogs. To guarantee a smooth and safe transition into their new home, each dog goes through broad wellbeing assessments and immunizations before joining your loved ones.

Visit Tiara Pets SG to find the appeal of imported little guys and find your ideal creature companion at the present time. Our commitment to greatness and client delight implies you should rest assured that your new dog will fill your existence with never-ending joy and company.

[coolrahulsarin]

The Mavericks wing is tagged with a nickname every fan will love.

New Post has been published on https://bestcustomjerseys.com/the-mavericks-wing-is-tagged-with-a-nickname-every-fan-will-love/

The Mavericks wing is tagged with a nickname every fan will love.

Josh Green has become one of the most beloved guys on the Dallas Mavericks. His uncanny ability to run at 100 percent all the time, as his motor runs constantly over time, is also a big reason. The fans love a guy who won’t give up but will also give it his all, all the time.

However, there is something else Green is known for, and that would be his three-point shot at the corner and his defense. The shooting started to get really good during a stretch last season. Out of the blue, it’s the middle of the season, and Green is shooting over 40 percent from three at corners.

His defense is important, however, because he’ll likely have to protect the opposing team’s best wing or guard on the floor while Green is on the floor. He is just as good as a defender. One person recently described his defense in a way that fits the bill, and fans will love it.

At one point, Mavericks fans wanted Matisse Thybulle, who has made a name for himself as a very good defender in the NBA. Dallas signed Thybulle to an offer sheet, but Portland ended up matching it, forcing Thybulle back to the Blazers.

This upset fans as many wanted Thybulle as he is an elite defender.

Thybulle and Green play together in Australia, and it turns out that Green starts over with Thybulle. So in a way, maybe the Mavericks still have their man.

But now Green is being compared to Thybulle. and another Australian player.

“Defensively, he’s totally different from Matisse,” Australia coach Brian Goorjian said. “Matisse doesn’t have the ball; you’ve got these long arms; he’s interchangeable and steals the ball. (Green) is a bulldog on the ball, like Delly on steroids. The pressure on the ball was unbelievable.”

Saying it’s “Delly on steroids” is actually quite a compliment. Remember when the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors went head-to-head in the Finals all those years? Matthew Dellavedova was the man assigned to guard Stephen Curry in the 2015 NBA Finals. While, yes, that’s an impossible task, Dellavedova was constantly making things difficult for Curry.

If Green can be such a guy, the Mavericks have something special in Josh Green. The best part is that he is just starting his development process. This is just the beginning for Green, as he and the Mavs have begun contract extension talks. Green seems to want to stay in Dallas for the long haul, and fans should be excited for Dallas’ young core.

#Mavericks #wing #tagged #nickname #fan #love

[n3onguts]

pride and prejudice (02): niceties and pleasantries.

summary — in recent years, scientists found that the neurological line between the emotions of love and hate is much thinner than previously thought. beomgyu’s about to discover just how right they are.

genre&tags — written chapter, 1k+ words, angst-ish (?), tsuki the band makes their first appearance, soobin has a fat crush on kai (nothing new...), y/n and the park twins are assholes

warning(s) — swearing, alcohol consumption

a/n — tbh soobin’s probably soliloquized ab kai the way he does in this irl. also this incorporates the derogatory use of the term “bitch” towards a woman by a man which i do not condone however i think it’s important to consider each character’s perspective. other than that, enjoy!

She’d be cute if she wasn’t so goddamned rude — that’s Beomgyu’s first thought about you. His second thought is about how unfortunate that is. What a waste.

Jump back to 20 minutes ago at the Bulldog, before you’d entered his life and right after Yeonjun’s just demolished that last E-minor chord to cap off their performance. Sat on his makeshift throne at the back of the speakeasy’s rickety, pocket-sized stage, Beomgyu’s hands go limp around his drumsticks. Sweat-streaked and heart-flying, he’s got that addictive blend of applause-induced euphoria and post-show adrenaline running through his bloodstream all over again. The house lights are burning his retinas so that the audience is reduced to a blinding mass of indistinct bodies, and when he looks over to his bandmates (Yeonjun first, then Yeji, then Kai), he can’t help but grin at how they’re sure as shit going through the same manic high that he is right now, all flushed and glowing, as invincible as the gods themselves. Especially Kai — who’s beaming like he was born for this. And he probably was, Beomgyu thinks to himself, with that honey-coated voice of his that only knew how to sing of aching hearts: a mesmerizing contradiction if there ever was one. Beomgyu doesn’t care about winning anymore (and he never really did, in the first place), because in this nanosecond of time, they’re undefeated.

When he descends from the platform, his once-white towel slung over his shoulder, it’s a little past midnight and his ecstasy’s rolled over to let the inevitable fatigue kick in. Almost instantaneously, Beomgyu’s flooded by a raucous mob of well-wishers and the humidity emanating from the crowd overwhelms him. He’s grateful — truly, he is — but he concludes that he could definitely use a swig from whatever hard drink the Bulldog has in stock and trudges through the horde of people, churning out thank you’s in all directions.

He surveys the mellowed-out scene at the bar, squints when he spots Kai and his signature fluff of caramel-colored hair huddled in conversation with an unknown foursome a few steps away. He’s enjoying himself, it seems, from the way he throws his head back, unrestrained like sunshine, when he laughs. There’s an embarrassed grin permanently etched on Kai’s face as he speaks to the tallest of the group — this lanky, dimpled dude who’s nursing a beer in one hand and gesticulating wildly with the other. The moment’s broken, however, when Kai catches Beomgyu’s curious eyes and waves him over. The elder boy follows, greeting Kai upon arrival with a breezy hey, Hueningie! and sending easy smiles to the four strangers.

“Beomgyu-hyung, meet my new friends — Soobin, his sister, Y/N, and the Park twins, Wonyoung and Sunghoon.” Kai says, commencing introductions. “They go to UofS too and, get this, Y/N’s majoring in film, just like you!”

Across from him, the red-cheeked Soobin offers Beomgyu his hand first and refuses to let go as he rambles on, “Hey, man! Big fan. I actually hadn’t heard of Tsuki before tonight, but you guys were in-fucking-sane, like, deadass, I’ve never been moved like that by music. Not even kidding, I almost cried when you guys were playing that one song — ‘I Know I Love You’, I think? — ‘cause, I mean, just, y’know, Kai’s voice, like, c’mon.”

Soobin’s eyes are locked on Kai’s, shiny and glinting as he drowns the latter with stuttered compliments. This kind of attention is nothing novel to Kai, who’s had girls and guys alike turn soft at his finely-cut face and warm exterior, yet for this dorky kid, Beomgyu observes, his friend’s become all dopey and giggling. The air’s buzzing with a palpable inkling of something and Beomgyu swallows down his suspicions with a knowing smirk.

Stuck in their own little world, Beomgyu leaves the pair alone and scans the three that were camouflaged earlier by the flickering lights of the bar. Next to Soobin, clustered and cliquish as they sit idly atop the barstools, are the twins. Both sporting bored expressions, both tap-tap-tapping away at their phones. The chick is glossy, the guy is sleek, and the tableau of them together — looking like they’ve just lept right off the pages of one of those glitzy fashion magazines — clashes with the seedy interiors of the Bulldog. Beomgyu waits for a millennium and more, yet neither acknowledges his existence. Then, miffed, his gaze finally lands on you, leaned against the concrete counter. You swish the contents of your red cup around in a hypnotic circle, notice his stare. And when you return it, face him through the dingy blue glow of the night, Beomgyu is unnerved by the sight that greets him: a girl, intimidatingly stone-faced and utterly, frustratingly out-of-his-league.

“Y/N, right?” He slides it out, all casual, and it earns him a short, curt nod. ��You’re a film major at UofS too, huh? My condolences then if you’ve ever spoken to Professor Ahn one-on-one — his coffee breath has been smelling like literal ass ever since he got tenure.”

“Funny.” You deadpan, voice dripping with sarcasm.

It takes him by surprise, your iciness, but he’s undeterred regardless. Extroversion is inherent to his nature. Strangers are just friends you haven’t made yet — or however that cheesy saying goes, right? “So. Did you enjoy the show?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Did you like Tsuki’s set?”

“Yup.”

“Kai’s got a sick voice, doesn’t he?”

“Totally.”

And then, cocky and playful like it’s no big deal: “And that drummer’s pretty cool too, right?”

At this, you pause, halt to make a face like you’re mulling it over. “Debatable.” You finally spit out, facade-unimpressed. The message is undeniably clear — and it’s one that’s meant to cut.

Silence permeates the air between you two. What the hell is your problem? Beomgyu wonders. Acting all high and mighty for no fucking reason. Whatever heart-thumping attraction he’d felt initially had metamorphosed into animosity almost as rapidly as it had begun. He’s trying his very best with you, waiting for you to throw him some kind of lifeline, but you’re offering little niceties and even less pleasantries. It’s crueler than ignoring him, if anything. He’s now desperate to check the fuck out of this sad conversation and order some sweet relief in the form of a vodka shot. It’ll sting a lot — like you do — but at least it’ll go down way smoother and much easier.

“Well… It was nice to meet you.” A lie, undoubtedly. “I’m gonna head off, look for my other bandmates.” He doesn’t bother to wait for your response, just mumbles some half-hearted excuse to Kai and rushes away, thinking, heatedly, what a bitch.

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[cyberphuck]

ASSASSIN’S APPRENTICE ABRIDGED: CAST OF CHARACTERS

THE EXPLAINING REALM OF THE ELDERLINGS TO RAZZ PROJECT SO THEY DON’T HAVE TO READ THE BOOKS BUT THEY CAN STILL ENJOY MY SHITPOSTING ABOUT IT

PART ONE: ASSASSIN’S APPRENTICE PART ONE-A: CAST OF CHARACTERS THE FARSEERS (The royal family of the Six Duchies, every member of this clan is a hot mess. I will also be including Farseers-by-marriage in this category). Nameless/Fitz/Fitzchivalry: The POV character, King-in-Waiting Chivalry’s bastard whose name is literally “Chivarly’s Bastard.” Prince Chivalry: Fitz’s father who never has an on-screen appearance. He was first in line to the throne but abdicates when Fitz shows up. Prince Verity: Chiv’s younger brother, the Nice Uncle who becomes the new King-in-Waiting. Honest as his name and good at sports. Prince Regal: Chivalry and Verity’s younger half-brother, the Mean Uncle. Vain and power hungry and has like negative three redeeming qualities. King Shrewd: Current king, kind of getting on in years but not yet totally decrepit. He’s an ends-justify-the-means guy but not in an evil way. Chade: King Shrewd’s older half-brother on the wrong side of the sheets. An assassin. Lives in the walls. Has a weasel. August: Fourth? In line for the throne, he’s someone’s cousin, I forget whose, but he can do the Skill, so he’s here. Queen Constance: Chivalry and Verity’s mom. Shrewd’s arranged-marriage wife. Dead. Queen Desire: Regal’s mom. Shrewd’s midlife crisis trophy wife. Suffers from what we will discreetly call “substance abuse disorder.” Is a Mythic Bitch. Patience: Chivalry’s wife. Has ADHD. Can’t have children. Weird, but nice. (Kettricken is grouped with Rurisk so he doesn’t get lonely). CASTLE AND STABLE FOLK (and Molly) Burrich: Fitz’s pseudo-father and keeper. Stablemaster of Buckkeep, former right hand man to Chivalry. Was an adventurer like you until he took a pig to the knee. Cobb: Burrich’s apprentice. That’s kind of it, but he’s worth mentioning. Hands: A stablehand and Fitz’s friend. Likes redheads. Claims to have fucked a million women. Hasn’t. Lacy: Patience’s serving woman and bestie. Makes lace, nods indulgently and will stab you. The Fool: Albino freak-child who serves as King Shrewd’s jester. People are kind of afraid of him. Sometimes appears to yell word-salad at Fitz or walk his dog for him. Galen: Potions, er, Skill-master. Walks around the keep sneering at people. Supposed to teach people how to Skill, but isn’t good at it. Skill Students: Will not become important until next book. Molly Nosebleed: A pugnacious street girl who lives in Buckkeep Town. Fitz hangs out with her when he can. MOUNTAIN FOLK Rurisk: Prince of the Mountain Kingdom. Took an arrow to the chest and kept on truckin’. Used to be friends with Chivalry, is a pretty stand up guy. Hope nothing happens to him. Kettricken: Rurisk’s younger sister, betrothed to Verity (and later married) late in the book. Picture Gwendolyn Christie. Now give her a sword and a sense of duty that’ll blow you into next Tuesday. Jonqui: Kettricken’s aunt. No nonsense. Thinks Fitz is cute. PETS Nosy: Hound dog puppy. Bonded to Fitz. Smithy: I think Smithy’s like a French Bulldog or something? Fitz calls him a “terrier” but he’s not a ratting breed, he’s kind of muscly... anyway, bonded to Fitz. Sooty: Fitz’s horse. Best mare, perfect cinnamon roll and can do no wrong. Vixen: Burrich’s dog and Nosy’s mother. Good dog. Slink: A weasel belonging to Chade. MAGICS (I know magic is not a character, but they do have to be explained somewhere) The Wit: The ability to “bond” with certain animals and speak with them, as well as sense life force and to do a kind of mental shove at people. You tend to act a little like the animal you’ve bonded to. Witted people are considered gross and animalistic and are run out of town or put to death. The Skill: Telepathy. Considered the “birthright” of the Farseers. Most people can sense it at least a little, but it takes inborn talent and a lot of careful training to do anything useful with it. Skilling apparently feels awesome but if you give in to the temptation to fully open yourself to it you can get sucked out of your own  brain.

[workingforitallthetime]

trying my hardest to "#FOR MY FILES" this but raven boy/shane wright and also raven boy/mason mctavish. why does he have so many canadian bulldog shaped bfs. more importantly mason/shane and that picture of them cradling the u18 trophy. the vibes between them are completely undecipherable and also logical at the same time. i want more

all very important thoughts, anon. and pondering the vibes among those three has prompted me to write a little more into the single existing scene with mason and connor and shane that i have in my top secret raven boy files, and i will give that to you below the jump. contains no explicit material regarding minors but if anybody is squeamish about minors existing in an a/b/o world this probably isn't the WIP for you.

Wright starts shuffling the pizza boxes around, consolidating the spare slices into one box and stacking up the empties.

Guenther flicks his last hand of cards toward the center of the table. “Knock off the omega bullshit, Shane.”

“Fuck off.” Wright tries to close the lid of the overfilled box, jamming it down over the rest of the pizza. “I’m an alpha.”

The room’s too quiet, like all the sound’s been absorbed into the padded partitions that section off their quadrant of the hotel’s conference center. Guenther’s mean laugh breaks the silence. “Son, your balls haven’t even dropped yet.”

“I got tested,” Shane insists, indignant as everyone else around the table laughs. “They said my levels are super high.”

“That doesn’t mean shit.”

Privately, Mason agrees with Guenther. The genetic test is maybe 70 percent accurate before you present. Not worth paying for, his dad said. Said Mason could prove himself just fine without some bullshit lab report.

“Scouts care,” Shane mutters, and no one tries to tell him he’s wrong. They’ve all heard that a doctor signing off on an alpha prediction can be enough to bump you up a team’s draft board.

“Nobody knows, though.” Zelly flicks the edges of his cards through his fingers. He probably worries about it more than most of them do. He’s the kind of small skills guy who’s probably spending his draft year trying to prove he won’t turn out to be an omega. “It’s not like any of us are going to be MacKinnon.”

It was big news when MacKinnon presented early. Showed up at the combine reeking of alpha and everybody knew what Colorado was getting at first overall. Knocked Seth Jones right out of the top slot, even though eventually he turned out to be an alpha anyway. Most first rounders do. Although the ones who don’t usually come from the U.S. program like Jones did.

Zelly looks around the table in search of agreement, but everyone’s looking at Mason. Mason keeps his hand still, fighting the nervous instinct to rub his knuckles over his beard. He wishes he’d shaved after all. But he was winning when he left Switzerland, and he wants to keep winning here.

“You have got to be an alpha,” Guenther pronounces.

“Seriously,” Stanks agrees with him. Guys are nodding.

Two seats down from Mason, Connor isn’t. His face is impassive as always, hard to read. But he’s got an awkward set to his jaw with his lip curled back a little, same as he did on the bus from the airport when nobody wanted to talk to him. Mason’s starting to figure out how to read him. Or at least he can tell Connor fucking hates any topic that might remind somebody he’s fifteen years old.

“What do you care?” Mason leans back in his chair. “You lining up to suck my alpha dick?”

Guenther’s voice is loud over the laughter. “Wright might be.”

“Fuck off,” Shane snaps. It must be hard for the little robot to deal with something he can’t control. No matter how hard Shane tries to work hard and do the right thing and ace the genetic test, he can’t predict how he’s going to present. Mason’s never seen him get even the least bit rattled before. Usually Shane’s the guy you want talking to the refs. He’s a good captain. Nice to everyone, no special treatment for the guys he likes. You can’t even tell who he likes. Maybe he actually hates all of them.

“Okay, stack ‘em up.” Mason shoves his chair back from the table and slots his poker chips into the cardboard box without bothering to sort them. “I’m going to bed.”

Chips click together and someone gathers up the stray cards and shuffles the deck to put away. Guenther and Stanks start arguing about the pot for tomorrow night’s game. Mason picks up his water bottle and falls into step with Connor on the way to the elevator.

The awkward conversation lingers around them like a bad smell. Mason can’t think how to change the subject. Connor’s quiet next to him. He hits the elevator button with the base of his water bottle. The doors open and the up arrow chimes almost immediately.

They’re the only ones in the car. Connor leans back in one corner and lifts his feet off the floor, boosting himself up with his hands on the railing that runs around the edge of the elevator. “Can I ask…” One of his slides threatens to fall off his foot and he points his toes upward to catch it. He lowers his feet back to the floor. “Never mind.”

“No, what.” Mason’s pretty sure he knows what’s coming. He looks up at the floors ticking off on the panel. 

“You don’t have to tell me.” The elevator starts to slow.

“It’s okay.” The numbers stop at their floor. Mason slips his keycard out of his pocket and balances it on opposite corners between his thumb and forefinger 

“You didn’t say…” Just before the doors open, Connor finally spits it out. “Are you an alpha or what?”

“Shit, I don’t know.” The vestibule on their floor is empty except for a glass-topped table with a vase and a fanned-out set of magazines about things to do in Texas. The flowers in the vase might be fake. Mason can’t tell.

The ice machine rattles in its alcove as they pass. “You haven’t presented?”

“Don’t look so surprised.” Most people don’t present at eighteen. Every year there’s some group advocating to move draft eligibility back to age 20 or 21. It’s always based on some bullshit about growth curves and developmental years but everybody understands the real advantage for teams would be knowing more about what they’re getting, dynamic-wise.

“I don’t know.” Connor rolls his eyes. “You just look…” He waves his hand like Mason’s self-explanatory.

“It’s the beard, isn’t it?” Mason rubs his knuckles over it. He does like the beard.

Connor snorts. “Yeah, probably.”

“You love it.” Mason shoulders Connor into the wall next to the door of their room. “Maybe it’ll rub off on you.” He scrapes his jaw against the side of Connor’s face, feeling reckless and giddy. Connor yelps, startled, and hip-checks him out of the way. Mason stumbles sideways across the hall. He keeps getting surprised by the power stored in Connor’s short frame. He lunges back at him, jamming his chin against Connor’s cheek. “C’mon, get some beard.”

Connor shoves him away with both hands on Mason’s chest. “Dumbass,” he says, but the tense set to his jaw is gone. He might even be smiling.

[anothersievefistedfind]

Fugazi live photos © by George Curran

McGonagles street image © Patrick Brocklebank

Fugazi, McGonagles, Dublin, Ireland 9/17/1990 (FLS #0259)

The time of the recording presented here is September 17, 1990, Guy’s birthday, which makes this the first one out of Guy’s three “birthday shows” (although no mention of it can be heard on the tape), the other ones in Fitchburg, Massachusetts in 1993 and in Bremen, Germany in 1999.

The place of the recording is McGonagles in Dublin, Ireland, a venue the band played three times early on but would not return to after this show in 1990. In an interesting article from September 2, 2018, titled “McGonagles, Dublin: An icon of a gloriously shabby golden age”, author NickCD chronicles quite a bit of the McGonagles history. 

According to the author, the venue “[...] held a special place in the hearts of Dublin music fans since the 1950’s. Originally named The Crystal Ballroom, throughout the ‘50’s and early ‘60’s the venue played host to the Jazz and Swing Orchestras and Showbands of the day. These bands provided the musical backdrop for a whole generation of young Dubliners who would show up week-in, week-out to dance to the latest hits.”

After hosting Johnny Cash in 1963, Thin Lizzy around 1970, the revered place “went on to play a central part in Dublin’s music scene” in the course of the next couple of decades, not only doing regular all ages shows on Saturday afternoons or Heavy Metal nights on Fridays, but overall “hosting bands and club nights that spanned the musical spectrum.” Furthermore, the location turned out to be “a particularly important venue for U2” as well, and “Ozzy Osbourne’s rehearsal gigs ahead of his world tour in 1991″ or “the indie fraternity Sonic Youth’s blistering show the same year” are still well-cherished memories by those who were fortunate enough to attend.

However, due to Ireland - “the run-down European backwater” - catching an economic windfall since the mid-nineties, “[t]he writing was on the wall for McGonagles. What chance could a worn out music venue situated a mere 30 second walk from Grafton Street, one of the most expensive retail rent locations in the world, ever have had against the shiny new future promised by the developers plans? Closure and demolition followed and McGonagles was no more.” And so it goes...

The beginning of the tape appears to catch Guy telling the audience they got “spared” this year, alluding to the band being on time for the gig coming off a show in Belfast, Northern Ireland on the previous night, instead of being hours late having missed the ferry from the mainland like on their first visit on November 29, 1988.

The recording documents a set of just 12 live songs, which is short even by 1990 standards. Interestingly though, no less than 8 of these are taken off of Repeater, with 3 off of the 7 Songs debut EP and just 1 song off of the Margin Walker EP.

While a slow rendering of Blueprint, still true to the studio version on the Repeater album, eases the listener into the set, it quickly becomes clear that the band found itself in front of a lively, boisterous Dublin crowd of some 800 patrons.

The result is the kind of performance where Ian and Guy really lay into it, at times getting frustrated because of stage-diving or because of some people blocking the view of others (“first off, get the fuck down, you, you, you, you... get the fuck down... we got a responsibility to all the people in the back here, why don’t you let them take a look at the show”) yet always feeding off of whatever comes their way and taking it in stride.

A case in point is a particularly snappy and engaging rendering of Bulldog Front (Guy not only references “Beautiful Child” by the Blow Monkeys but throws in some obscenities as well), as is the unexpected drawn-out bridge during Bad Mouth or a tumultuous rendering of Suggestion where the band have a woman come up on stage to join in on vocals.

So in spite of this being a brief set, in spite of the guitars sounding rather distant or indistinct and the low end frequencies a bit murky, and in spite of a couple of seconds of Reprovisional missing because of the tape being flipped, it’s definitely cool to be able to enjoy this recording, and to be able to listen close and to listen carefully - in the words of NickCD mentioned above - to “hear the voices of the ghosts of gigs past roaring their joyous songs.”

And a happy birthday to you, Guy! 

The set list:

1. Intro 2. Blueprint 3. Greed 4. Brendan #1 5. Interlude 1 6. Sieve-Fisted Find 7. Interlude 2 8. Merchandise 9. Bulldog Front 10. Bad Mouth 11. Interlude 3 12. Margin Walker 13. Suggestion 14. Interlude 4 15. Two Beats Off 16. Repeater 17. Reprovisional 18. Outro

[sugar-petals]

Hey, Caro, can you please introduce us to that sweet beau, Lewis Hamilton?? He's a speed driver, right??

lemme talk about this champ and beautiful man — he is a must-know. 

lewis hamilton is a speed driver: in fact, the best racer in the world. with the fastest formula 1 lap in all history, and: if he wins this season (which has just started last week, your timing to get into this is perfect), lewis can boast a whopping 8 world championships. in short: you’re asking about the right guy. let’s go.

so i repeat, he won seven years (yeah, he’s a capricorn). which equals the current record holder, mister michael schumacher himself, i’m sure you heard of him. so, about time all the world knows more about this stunner as well, sir lewis carl davidson hamilton

lewis is so good and works his butt off so hard, he has more titles — he was knighted last year — and gigantic trophies than he can carry. since we’re talking f1 where drivers have to be light and agile inside the car, lewis is of course gloriously tiny, 5′7. so, the exhausted british short king on your news and twitter feed who walks around like this on a podium after doing 300 kilometers+ is dead sure to be him. can’t miss the guy.

wanna know more? lewis is an allrounder in every field and does everything what people say he can’t. unless he’s not somewhere modelling clothes being gorgeous (he collabs with tommy hilfiger for sustainable unisex collections)...

... taking care of his nieces or godson steve which regulary melts the f1 community...

... is using his favorite little scooter...

... showing up at the met gala as one of the few guys who really get the gist looking beautiful as always...

... playing with his cute crinkly bulldog roscoe who’s always by his side and F1′s most famously beloved driver pet...

...doing the absolute most with his activism and veganism — he even created his own plant-based restaurant chain — because as i said he’s a king, lewis never shies from taking a stand even if a lot of people hate him for it because it’s a white-dominated sport...

...or posts inspirational things that make you believe in yourself...

...lewis drives, can you guess:

for mercedes!

the #1 team which usually only red bull can currently challenge. which means he has a sexy, shiny, impossibly fantastic car — with his lucky number 44, that’s how you can spot it — that is almost always leading the field. if you see this on your sports tv channel on a saturday (qualifying) or sunday (race day), i assure you it’s lewis. 44, glossy black car, pole position, check. a great talent in a perfect car equals one hell of a winning streak.

— but if you ask me, the man is even sexier, cooler, and cuter and the real highlight. just so we’re clear on this. lewis is always a breath of fresh air. believe it or not: this guy is 35 (!!) years old. needless to say, prettiest fashion icon on the grid. and yes, he has amazing hair and tattoos.

killing it. 👍 lewis brings a presence to the grid.

who’s he making proud, then? now some notes on his circle, the people you spot him with. 

family hamilton first, who do we have: 

dad anthony, lewis’ former manager. at one point he worked 4 jobs so lewis could start his career in karting. carmen, his mom. linda, his stepmom, pictured below. his brother, nicolas, also a race driver. nicolas has a disability (cerebral palsy), he competes in the uk touring championship with a modified car since 2015. like nicolas, lewis is the only (!) black driver in his tournament and they are frequently sending out very important messages about it.

now for mercedes: accompanied he is by the calm and collected finnish valtteri bottas as his taciturn team colleague and runner-up champion. valtteri is the type to sit in a north pole sauna, lewis is ever-active, so they balance each other well. no trouble there, they’re a cool duo.

and i’m not kidding, valtteri is truly finnish. this is his twitter, summarized:

add the smart, austrian mercedes boss toto wolff who has the best height difference to him. these two get along very jokingly. where lewis goes, toto is not far. very dynamic duo, this is the success factory of formula 1.

while his most competitive love-hate relationship sparking the famous ‘silver war’ was retired german champion nico rosberg since day one. who came from priviledged backgrounds while lewis did not, they are the biggest team rivals of recent f1 times and people still talk about it. the ups and downs were huge but they sure had tremendous times as friends.

while the most smooth and consistent relationship — besides with roscoe — has got to be his bond with his whirlwind assistent/physio angela cullen! 

lewis credits her for so much and treats her reveringly. you haven’t seen anything like this, they are glued to each other.

lewis’ off-grid relationships come and go because he’s so busy, colleagues come and go all the time, but angela stays a constant. so if you’re asking about who the most important woman on the circuit is to lewis, that is his personal angel(a) indeed. look how wholesome.

i mean, a picture says it all.

last but not least. lewis’ best ever friend is german driver sebastian vettel (formerly ferrari, now aston martin, struggling a lot currently :/), former 4-time world champion. these two are THE match made in heaven and support goals. seb has the humor, lewis has the cheekiness, seb is a father, lewis has his uncle duties, it just fits. everybody should have a seb to their lewis.

(^this is vet having hurried to be the first one to congratulate lewis on his latest championship win)

so now you know more about sir lewis carl davidson hamilton! you will hear a lot from him this season, he’ll continue to champion many a cause, and be in the fast lane as always.

[mrsalwayswrite]

Say You’ll Stay - Chapter 8

Fury/Band of Brothers Crossover Fic

Guys, I’m so sorry its taken me so long to get this chapter out. My muse abandoned me and my laptop was being weird. But here we are! Let me know what you think!

Tag List: @happyveday​ @alwaysindecemberfeels​ @god-of-dramatic-death-scenes​ @saritanotserena​

Series Masterlist // Next Chapter

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

The sunrise lit up the morning sky with an array of beautiful, pastel colors. Anna could only hope it was a good sign for the day. She rubbed a hand over her tired eyes as she carefully walked over the rubble on the city's streets, dodging icy puddles and mud. Gene was going to be quite upset with her later, but she tried not to think about that now. 

 Quickly, she hurried up the creaky steps of the old two-story home. It looked similar to most of the other buildings but its door was dirty and faded red with a rickety looking porch only half standing. She made a mental note to thank Boyd for his surprisingly clear directions, otherwise she knew she would have been wandering for a while and on these streets, that was far from safe. As quietly as possible, she pushed open the door and stepped inside. She had been invited here, actually forced to come here if Boyd's look yesterday said anything, but she still felt like an invader. The idea of setting foot inside the men's barracks was something her mind fervently refused to acknowledge; it just was not even a possibility in her mind. Though this building was not technically an army barrack in the literal sense, she still felt like an intruder because it was sleeping/housing quarters for the men. 

 Her grandmother would be furious if she ever found out Anna entered the men's quarters…. especially letting herself in. The thought tampered down Anna's nerves slightly as she thought of the horrified look on the elderly woman's face, if she ever discovered this. It lightened her mood for a brief moment. 

 In the room to her left, a soldier sprawled on a mangy looking couch with an arm thrown over his eyes. If she had not been able to see his chest rising and falling, she would have gone to check his pulse for how still he was otherwise. In that same room another soldier sat in a high-backed chair with his head tipped back, eyes closed and snoring like a chainsaw. Not recognizing either man, she guessed they were from one of the other tank crews. The sounds of movement and soft talking to her right had her quietly turning in that direction, hoping to allow the soldiers their well-deserved sleep. 

 She startled when a head popped around the corner, covering her mouth quickly before a scream could escape. The man had a face that reminded her vaguely of a bulldog, thick jaw and deep-set eyes. He scanned her for a moment in a way that felt more like an assessment than any kind of leering. 

 He grunted then jerked his head back the way he had come. "This way." He muttered only to disappear just as quickly as he appeared. 

 Through her heart still hammered in her chest from the unexpected startle, she took a deep breath in an attempt to steel her nerves. Sudden, frightened screaming would most likely get her or someone else shot. It was too early to be shot in her opinion. Best she try to suppress any girly screams for now. Or at least until after she got some sleep. 

 She followed the man around the corner only to encounter what most likely used to be a kitchen but was missing some key utilities. The faded, peeling wallpaper only added to the desolate feel. Just off center and close to a window facing the river was a table with three men sitting around it. Two others leaned against a countertop, mugs in hand. What quiet conversation had been going before her arrival ceased as she came into view. 

 "Anna?"

 "Good morning." She attempted to smile but worried it came out more as a grimace. The need for sleep was beginning to claw at her mind. 

 "Sit down," Boyd immediately stood up, gesturing to his chair at the table. "You want some coffee? I reckon we got some left."

 "That would be lovely, thank you." Knowing she probably would lose the fight, she went ahead and took his seat. Something she had learned about Boyd Swan over the past almost two weeks she had known him, he was a gentleman but beyond that…. he was stubborn. 

 Don leaned back in the chair next to her, cigarette between his lips. "Morning." He stated in a gravelly voice, lingering traces of sleep apparent in the sound. He must not have been awake long. 

 "Good morning." She flashed him a quick smile, willing the warmth to dissipate from her cheeks, or at least hoping no one noticed the blush. This schoolgirl crush on him was ridiculous, and she knew it. A peek of those blue eyes and her heart beat a drumroll in her chest that rivaled any band. 

 Boyd set a tin cup in front of her, steam tantalizingly drifting out of it. "Didn't think you'd be here this early. Why ain't you sleepin'?" Boyd asked. 

 She took a sip, the warmth delightful even if the taste was less than desirable. "Um, well, I'm supposed to be but I wanted to see y’all before, or you might come busting down the door again." She directed the last part to Boyd with a mock glare. He was lucky none of the medics carried guns with how he burst into the aid station demanding to see her. 

 He shrugged unapologetically. "Just wanted to make sure you was alright. We didn't know where you disappeared to. I see you got some new clothes."

 "Yeah," she glanced down at the ODs she now wore. They were ill-fitting, clearly meant for a man, not a short nurse. She had to roll up the hems of the trousers and the sleeves multiple times and she swore she still looked like a child playing dress-up in their parent's clothes. On the other hand, they were far warmer than her nurse’s torn uniform and right now, that was more important. "Gene let me have one of their spare medic uniforms."

 "Mmm… explains the patch here." Don touched the screaming eagle patch over her upper arm. 

 It was an innocent, teasing gesture but it still shot sparks through her system. Her eyes jumped up to meet his lingering gaze. He gave her a quick wink before leaning his chair back. The warmth of a blush reappeared on her cheeks. Quickly, she took a sip of her watery coffee, well aware of the others sitting or standing around quietly in the room. 

 "Gene? That medic with the southern accent?" Boyd asked, leaning against the wall nearby. His question was innocent enough but the scrutinizing look on his face said otherwise. 

 "Boyd…"

 "He just seemed real protective of you, that's all."

 She groaned, setting her cup down on the table and dropping her face into her hands. A few chuckles drifted from around the room but she ignored them. Actually, now that she was sitting still with her eyes closed, she could feel a wave of sleep threatening to crash over her and pull her under, with or without her consent. The coffee should have been helping to keep her awake but at this point, the warmth in her belly only made her want to curl up like a cat and doze off.

 A conversation picked up around her, two of the men in the room speaking in a low drone. She recognized the sound of the man with the bulldog face, he made some kind of remark that had Don chuckle next to her before replying. Her mind refused to process the words though. The conversation became a background noise as she teetered on the edge of sleep and wakefulness. She should get back to the aid station. She needed to get back to the aid station to help Roe. Yet her body refused to comply. 

 "Anna."

 The soft whisper of her name caught her attention from the sleep-induced haze. She turned her head slightly to meet Don's concerned gaze. 

 "When did you last sleep?"

 "Mmm?"

 He huffed at her noncommittal answer. "Did you sleep at all last night?"

 "No…. I stayed up to cover so some of the other medics could sleep. I'm fine. I should probably head back."

 "Doll, I just watched you fall asleep sitting right there."

 "No… I was just… resting my eyes. I should get back."

 "Like hell you are." He raised his gaze to look over her head, his volume rising from the whisper they had been speaking in. "Boyd, take Anna upstairs and let her have one of the cots or bed. We'll take her back once she gets some sleep."

 "No, it's fine…." She weakly tried to argue but snapped her mouth shut when he turned his gaze back to her.

 "If you don't walk up those stairs right now, I'll throw you over my shoulder and carry you up them." Don stated, then took a hit of his cigarette. The statement should have sounded like a joke but with his matter-of-fact tone and the way he watched her, Anna knew he was serious. 

 "Come on," Boyd put a hand on her shoulder. "We was gonna ask you to check Norman anyway."

 That caught her attention. She whipped around to look up at Boyd. "Is he alright? What happened?"

 "He's fine. Think he's got a cold.... maybe a fever too."

 With that information, she more readily followed the gunner up towards the nearby stairs and up to the second floor. There were four doors in the hallway but he led her to the furthest one on the right. Inside was a bed big enough for two people, a large dresser, nightstand and a short couch off in the corner. What immediately caught her attention though was the figure lying in bed, curled up like a child and coughing with a dry and scratchy sound. Her own exhaustion was forgotten as she darted past Boyd to drop next to the figure under the thick quilt. 

 "Hey, Norman." 

 "Anna?" He blearily opened his red-rimmed, glassy eyes. He sniffled, wiping his nose on the edge of his sleeve. 

 "How are you feeling?"

 "Ok…"

 "Liar." She teased, running a hand through his hair gently after feeling his forehead. He felt mildly warm but nothing she was too concerned with yet. That cough had her more worried. "What all hurts, Norm?"

 "Boyd thinks it's just a cold."

 "I know. Running nose, scratchy throat, slight fever… anything else? Headache? Fatigue?"

 "Uh huh." He mumbled, eyes closing as he relaxed under her touch, sleep guiding him away from awareness. 

 He looked so painfully young, lying in the bed. It broke her heart to know this was someone who was forced to kill people on a regular basis. He should be back home and going to school or flirting with his crush or playing baseball with friends. He should not be here. None of them should be here. 

 Yet here they were. 

 She looked around her and found his canteen laying just underneath the bed. Picking it up she was pleased it was at least half full. 

 "Norm, I want you to drink some of this before you fall back asleep. Can you do that for me, please?"

 With a painful groan, he shifted enough to drink a couple of mouthfuls of the water before handing it back to her and slinking back down onto the bed. She stood up but was surprised when his hand darted out to grab hers. 

 "Don't go yet." He said just barely above a whisper. It was the pleading look in his eyes that convinced her. 

 "Ok, sweetie," she cooed, running her hand over his sweaty forehead again, "I'll stay a little longer."

 She looked back over at Boyd, hovering near the door with an expression on his face she could not distinguish. 

 "Can you fill this back up and get him some of those crackers from your rations?"

 Boyd nodded, moving to take the canteen from her hand. "Sure thing. Anythin' else you need?"

 "No, I'll stay just for a little bit. Can you come get me in an hour or two? I really need to head back to the aid station."

 "You also need to rest. Those bags under your eyes look like permanent bruises now."

 "I will." She snapped then immediately felt bad and sighed. "I'm sorry, I will. I promise."

 "S'alright. I'll come back in an hour."

 "Thank you." She smiled, even if it was only a twitch of her lips. As Boyd walked out, she knelt back down next to the young soldier. His eyes were already closed, breathing slowing as slumber took hold once again. She rested her head on the side of the bed, carding her fingers through his hair. A hacking cough overtook him, startling them both. Once he settled, she continued her ministrations, humming softly. She hoped it was just a cold. That it was nothing more severe. 

 She made a mental note that when Boyd came her in an hour, she would make sure to ask Gene if anyone had found tea or honey laying around. 

 *****

 Don watched Boyd and Anna go up the stairs. When he turned back, he saw a couple of the men's gaze lingering on the stairs. 

 "The nurse is off limits." He stated with such finality that had at least one of the men's heads snap towards him. As if his statement sealed an invisible decree, the men in the kitchen turned back to whatever they were doing prior. 

 Davis looked at him from his spot across the room, leaning against the kitchen counter. "She yours?"

 "I thought you don't participate in gossip?"

 The other tank commander shrugged, taking a sip of his coffee. 

 Don ignored the question, even if he could feel Davis' gaze frequently drifting to him. He focused on the map on the table before him. It was not necessary for him to study it but the action had become a habit of his whenever his crew moved to a new location. Knowing what other towns were nearby, rivers, roads, anything that could be of use later, he tried to memorize it. At this point, he figured by the time the war was over he would have most of Europe and North Africa geography permanently seared into his brain. 

 A couple minutes later, Boyd came back down and returned to his seat next to Don. He scrubbed his face with his hands and sighed deeply. "She's workin' herself too hard. Looks like she ain't slept in a week."

 Don kept his thoughts to himself but he was loathed to agree. Exhaustion hung off her like a heavy cape making her feet drag as she walked. Witnessing how easily she fell asleep just sitting at the table did not help her case. 

 "Told her I'd be back up in an hour to get 'er."

 Don raised an eyebrow, looking at his friend. "Are you going to?" 

 Boyd smirked. "I'll check on her but if she's sleepin', I'm gonna leave her be. Lord knows she needs it." He paused, glancing towards the stairs. "I'd bet my own Bible she's asleep right now."

 "Mmm… Norman alright?"

 "He's sleepin'. She's takin' care of him."

 He was not all surprised. Since they had arrived in Haguenau, Norman's health had plummeted. Don worried for his newest crew member. The poor kid looked miserable and these were certainly less than ideal conditions for someone sick. The kid had a bed and a roof over his bed…. he would pull through. He had too. Don would not even consider the alternative. Especially with Anna now looking after him. The small nurse would mother the hell out of whatever is wrong with the kid. With a smirk at the thought, Don went back to studying the map. 

 Several hours later, he headed up the stairs to the room he shared with Boyd and Norman. 

 A runner had come from Captain Winters requesting his presence at noon at HQ. Don agreed, sending the runner back on his way. Boyd met his annoyed gaze and they shared a mutual sigh. So much for them having a reprieve before being sent back out. 

 Up the stairs he went and down the short hallway. The floorboards creaked under his boots; a sudden memory of his childhood home crossed his mind. Whenever he tried to sneak out of this bedroom as a child, he never could get far because of the damn loud floorboards.  

 He opened the door slowly, not wanting to startle the room's occupants. As he registered what he saw, it brought a small smile to his lips and he paused at the sight. Norman was still curled up asleep on the bed, mouth open and breathing loud. On the other side of the bed, Anna lay on her side, hands tucked under her face, hair a wild mess around her. Boyd had mentioned when he came up to check on them, he had helped move Anna to the bed with her barely rousing. Clearly more tired than any of them assumed.  

 Instead of waking her up like he intended to, he found himself closing the door quietly and just watching the two sleep. Yes, he knew it was creepy and if Boyd knew, the gunner would rightly smack him in the back of the head. Would not be the first time after Don did something stupid. 

 War brings people together in the strangest of way. After the…. accident...he thought he would never have family again. That because of his stupid mistakes, he was destined to be alone forever. Which he rightly deserved. But then he went to war. He was thrown into a tank with four other men who quickly became brothers. 

 If he needed to be distracted from commands and his own inner demons, he knew sitting down with Gordo would distract him for a while with his crazy stories of home and the shenanigans he did as a teenager. Gordo always had a joke or story to share to lighten the mood. 

 Grady respected Don as a leader but never let him run him over; he could just as easily return Don's anger-fueled fire as follow his commands. It had taken some time for them to trust and respect one another, their tempers too similar. Now there was an underlying understanding between the two of them, that they took the worst of the jobs, that they would carry the most blood on their hands to spare the others. If Don had to get into a fist fight, there was no one else he would want more by his side. 

 Then there was the man who had become more than a blood brother, a confidante, a best friend, a moral compass. Even in the first week of tank school, Boyd had looked over at Don one day, said he was proud to be by his side and thought Don was a good man. Don had laughed in Boyd's face but somehow it sealed a pact between them. Boyd's calm demeanor helped keep Don's temper down and even when it did flare up like a roman candle firework, Boyd was always there to rein it in. Neither of them drank so while the others went off to drink away the night, Don and Boyd found themselves sitting together silently and both were more than alright with that. 

 Norman reminded Don of his little brother so much it physically hurt sometimes. He despised himself that it was HIS fault the boy was forced to lose that innocence he carried. It was HIM that made Norman kill. But this was war, and if they wanted to survive, they needed to be merciless. Don knew he overcompensated by making sure Norman ate and rested when they could. He showed the young soldier how to disassemble and reassemble his rifle, how to stab and slash, how to survive. He refused to let the boy die even through his own stupid mistakes. Somewhere in the recesses of his mind, the idea had been planted that making sure Norman survived this goddamn war would be his penance for his own failures.  

 Before two weeks ago, these were the four people that mattered most to him. Even more than what was left of his blood relations. Losing Red, Norman's predecessor, had felt like a knife to the heart, even if he masked it for all to see. He refused to let the others see him grieve, he had to be strong for them. 

 Now though, Anna had slipped past his heart's barriers and settled there in a place that he had not realized was empty until her presence filled the prior void spot. She remained in his thoughts more than he cared to admit. Her soft touch, her gentle spirit, those gemstone eyes, that faint scent… it all lingered with him like a summer's heat that no matter what you tried to do, day or night, you could not escape. He swore she was a siren, come to torment him. His life was proof enough he did not deserve someone like her, he never would deserve someone like her. She was gentleness and kindness wrapped up in a person. He was wrath and mistakes that cost people their lives. 

 Yet still her presence persisted. 

 Shaking his head, he pulled himself out of his thoughts and moved to her side. He hated to wake her. She looked so peaceful. 

 "Anna." He whispered. "Anna, wake up." 

 Overly aware of his actions, he squatted down to be eye level with her. He reached a hand over and brushed some loose strands of hair off her cheek. The sunlight coming through the dirty window made her red hair shine. "Come on, darling. Time to wake up."

 He was unsure where the pet name came from but once it left his lips, it felt right. Before he could think too long about it, she began to stir. 

 She sucked in a sharp breath. Her eyelids fluttered open but once the sunlight hit, they slammed closed once again. "No…" she whimpered, scrunching her nose up in dislike of either the sun or waking up. Either way, he was positive he had never seen anything as adorable before… and he never used the word adorable.  

 Oh, he was so fucked now. 

 He chuckled. "Come on, Anna."

 "What time is it?"

 "Almost noon."

 She peeked an eye open at him. "I told Boyd to wake me in an hour."

 "Yeah, well we thought you needed some sleep."

 Grumbling something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like "overprotective mother hen", she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and sat up. 

 Movement drew Don's gaze over to Norman who was shifting around. His eyes blearily opened; it took a few seconds to come out of sleep. Once his mind seemed to realize Anna was still half laying in the bed less than a foot away from him, he sat up like he had been shocked with electricity. 

 "Don, I swear nothing happened. We just sleeping, I mean… I don't think…" a bout of coughing interrupted his frantic and hasty explanation. 

 At that, the tank commander laughed loudly. "I know, Norman." He shifted back towards the door, watching the two amused. Anna's cheeks were pink now but she gave no other indication of hearing Norman's sleepy mumbling. 

 "How are you feeling, Norm?" She asked, placing the back of her hand on his forehead. 

 "Alright, I guess."

 "Think you can come down and eat?"

 He nodded sluggishly. They both rolled out the bed, him moving a bit slower. The whole way out of the door and down the stairs, Anna walked next to him, occasionally putting a hand on his shoulder or giving a word of encouragement.  

 Don led the way back down, still smirking about Norman's hasty and confused comment. He would have to remember it to rib the kid later on when he was feeling better. Finally making it to the kitchen area, they deposited Norman at the table next to Gordo, who was nursing a cup of coffee. Boyd meandered over from reading on one of the couches in the common room, glasses still perched on his nose. 

 As soon as Anna saw him, she stomped over and punched him in the arm. "You were supposed to wake me up in an hour."

 Boyd winced and tried to shuffle out of range of another strike. "Well, you looked tired."

 "What every girl wants to hear, Boyd, thank you."

 Don was not the only one laughing at the interaction. 

 Anna blushed as she seemed to notice the others about the area but ignored them, walking back over to Norman. "You just rest. I'll come back and check on you tonight. I'll see if they have anything to help at the aid station."

 The kid nodded then started coughing again. 

 "Don't worry, we'll take care of him." Gordo said, wrapping an arm around him and giving her a quick wink. 

 She smiled back, cheeks still pink from her prior blush.  "Thanks, Gordo."

 Don figured it was time to speak up now. "Let's go, Anna. I'll walk you back." He was surprised when she followed him without hesitation after a quick goodbye to those from his crew.  

 Don and Davis were lucky to have found an unoccupied house on the western side of Haguenau for their crews, further away from the river and the Germans across it. Binkowski and Peterson and their crews occupied the building just behind them. Here they did not have to worry so much about the frequent mortars and snipers. Though some of the holes in the floorboards were concerning, but it was a roof over their heads. 

 The tank commander and nurse walked in silence past the other houses and buildings towards the aid station. The frost, hidden in the shadows, crunched under their boots. An unusual silence permeated the air, no shouting or sound of gunfire coming from the river. It made Don wary and he slowed down his typical purposeful stride to match hers, making sure to keep his body between hers and the direction of the river. He knew the action would be useless against a mortar but it helped alleviate some of his worry. 

 They stopped at the back door to the aid station, the couple brick steps still intact, leading up to a small stoop and the back, wooden door. Don remained on the muddy ground while Anna stepped up onto the first step then turned around to face him. 

 "Thank you for walking me back." 

 He hummed, glancing further down the road. "You make sure to eat something now. Can't have you wasting away."

 "Isn't that my job to take care of others?" She said cheekily. 

 "Yeah, doesn't hurt to have someone looking out for you too."

 It was a simple, truthful statement. If war taught anything, it was the need for others to watch your back both in dodging bullets and to share meals. War and death were malicious bastards, dragging down anyone into a black hole of melancholy before they could even realize they slipped in the first place. Yet as soon as the words left his mouth, the weight of them hit him firmly in the chest. Instead of meaning it as a comrade or friend, he realized he meant something more. Someone to look out for her in more than just the little things, but in everything. Shit. 

 Her head snapped up, her gaze meeting his in a way that sent a tingle down his spine. Neither one moved as they stared at one another. The world threatened to fade away around them. She was beautiful, it was a fact. Even in ODs that threatened to swallow her, she still managed to radiate warmth and kindness. He had caught more than one soldier eyeing her up. It burned him up on the inside but he had no right to fight them over their actions. She was not his…. even if he was beginning to wish she was. She was too good for him. Too pure. Too beautiful. His presence would only taint her. 

 He needed a distraction, something to break the hold they both seemed stuck in. He blurted the first thing that came to mind. "You still have the knife on you?" 

 She blinked rapidly as if awakening from a dream. "Yes." She stuttered then leaned over slightly to lift her right pants leg up. 

 He looked down and noticed it strapped to her lower leg, just above her boot. "Good."

 Even though the conversation halted, it seemed neither one wanted to move away. Her eyes held his once again as if waiting for something. A sign? A word? A fucking billboard with neon lights? Hell if he knew. The problem was, he could feel it too. There was something shifting between them and it both terrified and elated him. 

 Before he could stop himself, he reached out and slipped an erratic strand of hair behind her ear. His thumb trailing down her jawline after, her soft skin like velvet against his own roughness. Fuck he had been dying to touch her again. Instead of alleviating the need, now it seemed to burn stronger in him. 

 "Don…" she whispered as his thumb hinted at touching her lower lip. 

 The way she said it in that breathy tone, the light in her eyes and the blush on her cheeks, all of it combined sent a bolt of lightning through him that threatened any self-control he had. He wanted to pull her small frame against him, to taste her and see if her lips were as soft as they looked, if that heavenly scent that surrounded her came from her skin or hair. He wanted her. Fucking hell, he wanted her. And if the way her eyes were dilated and her breathing uneven, perhaps she wanted him too. 

 The door beside them suddenly opened, jolting them both back to reality. Whatever moment they had, dashed away as a paratrooper glared at them then pushed past them. 

 "I should…."

 "Yeah," he said, pulling out a cigarette.  He needed to keep his hands busy otherwise he would be tempted to pull her against him. "I'll send someone to come get you later."

 "That's not necessary."

 "Maybe, but I sure as hell don't like you walking around by yourself."

 "Fine." She stood up on her toes and brushed a quick kiss to his jawline, an innocent ode to the last time she kissed him. "Be safe, Sergeant." She whispered against his skin then quickly turned and ducked inside the aid station. 

 "Damn it." He muttered after his brain finally decided to restart. Such a simple touch should not make him lose all sense. He kicked a loose rock, sticking the cigarette between his lips and lighting it. The smoke curled in his lungs, helping solidify him into reality. He glanced back at the door, briefly wondering what it would be like to storm into the building and kiss her like he wanted too. But before he could do something stupid, he headed towards the regiment HQ, the lingering hint of lilacs danced in the corners of his mind. 

[bossbex]

5x06 Reaction

JARCHIE!!! I missed their interactions so much... like honestly in S4 they barely spoke.  I’m loving the “roommates” dynamic.  

Ok the kevin/fangs/toni apartment(?) is... amazing!!

I love how they hired actual teenagers (or close to it) to play the high school kids... since all the “teachers” were playing high school students, what, 3 episodes ago?? 

Ok mechanic Betty is SO HOT

DORITOS I AM CRYING AT THIS PRODUCT PLACEMENT

Veronica’s taking over the Blue Velvet!!! Why not reuse that set lmao

Thoughts on this initial barchie interaction: 

I’ve seen all the discourse about it seeming like Archie doesn’t care about Betty’s problems, or not taking them seriously, and people comparing Archie’s “oof - that sucks” to jughead’s “white noise” speech in 1x08 (which I thought was cringy AF and I even liked b*ghead at the time) and here’s what I’ll say: 

His “oof - that sucks” comment as MATCHING Betty’s tone - she says it kind of matter of factly and with a bit of an eyeroll, she does NOT seem very upset about it, and she is a grown ass adult who DOESN’T need Archie’s condolences in that moment - and Archie knows that. 

She then brings up Polly, and Archie ASKS A FOLLOW UP QUESTION: “didn’t your mom say she does this? Takes off for a couple of days” which shows that he is referring to a previous conversation about this - they’ve BEEN talking about it and he DOES care (not to mention they showed that he had texted her about Polly at the end of the last episode)

She says she’s trying not to panic - because she knows this is something Polly does and may not actually be in danger - SO HE OFFERS A DISTRACTION during a time when she is basically asking for one, and then SHE COMES UP WITH THE IDEA OF WHERE TO GO HAVE SEX

Anyway I have argued with enough people on twitter about this lol.. I feel strongly.  Also, this scene was super cute and both Archie and Betty look so good in it.  

I love Tabitha.  Smart, enterprising, witty... I’m all for the Jugitha pairing. (seriously though, is a ship name decided for them? I’ve seen Tabhead and Jabitha as well, lol.  

Uhhhhh ok this car sex scene? It somehow feels even more explicit than the shower scene?? The moaning and breathing?? HOW DARE THESE STONEWALL KIDS INTERRUPT THIS

LMAO NIGHT JOGGING

Is it just me or is Sheriff Keller looking really hot? Silver fox??  

I have to note that Archie’s hair colour looks SO BAD in this whole episode but especially this football scene with the Reggie confrontation.  It’s like, almost burgundy? But somehow bright orange at the same time? I hate it.  

Ok Cole is absolutely nailing this “down on his luck, beaten down” adult Jughead.  His character is funny all the sudden?? I love that he kept the money in the tip jar like OF COURSE

Ok Chad coming into Veronica’s class HE’S THE WORST!!! And then SITTING AT THE BACK I HATE HIM SO MUCH FOR THIS

Alright, now we have another scene that has people talking, which is where Archie meets Chad.  My thoughts: 

Archie clearly sizes up Chad.  I mean, he dated Veronica for 3-ish years (in the show’s timeline) so yeah, it’s normal to meet your ex’s new partner and size them up.  It read more like “he thinks Chads a douche” as opposed to “he’s jealous of Chad because he wants to be with V”.  

They show makes a point of showing Betty’s reaction to them meeting.  THIS SHOT IS NOT RANDOM.  Yes, I’m sure the show will go there, she’ll get jealous of V at some point.  Betty thinking that Archie is jealous of Chad is not the same as Archie actually being jealous of Chad.  

I kind of loved how Chad just jumps in here to join in the karaoke night - he didn’t redeem himself from the previous scene where he SAT IN THE BACK OF HER CLASS WHILE SHE WORKED but I like how they’re not playing him completely evil

Next scene: BETTY AND TONI ARE TALKING!!! I REPEAT!!! BETTY AND TONI ARE TALKING!!! Seriously, it’s so refreshing that they’re actually letting all kinds of new dynamics and character interactions happen this season.  

Also, NEDSLIST!!!! THIS SHOW!!!!

I am living for Cheryl being completely beautiful whilst yelling at construction workers.  

So like... she actually doesn’t have that much money. She couldn’t really afford the donation for the school... I kind of wish that once she says “I can’t afford it” people would like, not keep pushing? I’m looking at you Toni, whom I absolutely adore, I just wish the writers didn’t make it like Cheryl’s being squeezed dry.  I get that it’s needed for plot purposes but I don’t love it.  

Kevin and Betty are friends again!!! Love it!!! 

Karaoke night thoughts: 

At no point is Jughead hanging out or interacting with the rest of the group.  He stays separate from them - with Tabitha, which I appreciate, but I am just noting this because I’m sure it was done purposefully. 

“She probably forgot it’s Gekko now” uhhhh didn’t Toni announce V as “Veronica Gekko” in the last episode?? LOL THE SHADE

I love Veronica’s voice

Ok so Chad actually comes off so great in this scene?? I guess this is part of his manipulation - come off as such a great guy in front of all her friends to get them to like him? 

Jughead’s reaction to the duet is so me every time I’ve watched people do karaoke lmao

During the “or do you need more? Is there something else you’re searching for” they cut to Archie’s and Betty’s reaction.  Archie is not thinking about V in that moment.  

I am not seeing one iota of jealousy from Archie.  He looks genuinely happy for them.  

This Chad and Veronica bed scene makes me uncomfortable.  But I’m glad they’re showing their softer moments! 

The Archie/football recruitment sequence... Chad in the back of Veronica’s classroom again??? HOW IS THIS HAPPENING I HATE THIS!! Also, this is another scene where Chad looks jealous of Archie... not the other way around. 

Britta!!! I love her.  And I feel like the writers inserted her in specifically for Britta Lundin, former Riverdale writer and acclaimed author (read her book Ship It, seriously, it’s so good), and I love that. BUT THE WAY ARCHIE LOOKS AT BETTY IN THIS SCENE IS THAT EVEN LEGAL

We get the first glimpse Toni’s “Operation Bring Cheryl Out Of Hiding” plan here, when Archie asks her for funding for the football team and says its earmarked for something else (hmmmmmmm... this plan has been in the works for a while... and I’m here for it) 

Ok. This scene where Archie goes to ask Cheryl for money is... a mess.  My first reaction is that it was so OOC for Archie to bring up Jason in that way.  Then I got to thinking... Archie probably would want to honour his dad in that way and was genuinely suggesting that as something that might actually be helpful to her, as opposed to purposely trying to manipulate her.  He knows what it’s like to lose a family member, he just didn’t realize that Cheryl doesn’t grieve in the same way. The boy doesn’t have a malicious bone in his body.  Anyway, now he’s been banished from Thornhill! But don’t we see him (and everyone) there in a bts photo from possibly 5x08? Isn’t that at Thornhill? Will this be addressed or will the writers just forget it ever happened?

I love Betty and Kevin investigating together. It’s so refreshing. 

Ok this place Jughead is going to is legit the creepiest shit I’ve ever seen.  I am having trouble making myself care about this “Mothmen” plot??

Betty’s “Straight to the Point” interrogation style is actually effective in this truck stop stakeout scene.  

Alice again with her wine... I wonder if there will actually be an “Alice is an alcoholic” storyline or is the wine just part of her personality now?

Ok like it’s so inappropriate for a teacher to be wearing an HBIC shirt BUT I AM HERE FOR THIS DRAMATIC VIXENS HALLWAY WALK!! And Toni is correct, Cheer is a sport so sit down, Archie.  Notably Toni adds in “not even Cheryl managed to do that” - I’m thinking she new Ms. Bell would be eavesdropping ;)

WHY IS THIS PORTAIT OF JASON WORTH SO MUCH?? 

Is this Minerva character going to be important?? I keep seeing people talking about how she and Cheryl are going to hook up but is that just because she’s a female character who interacts with Cheryl? I’m not seeing it yet but hey, it’s Riverdale.  

JUGHEAD BRINGING UP THE EPIC HIGHS AND LOWS OF HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL I SCREAMED

Seriously though, since we know Jughead wasn’t there when Archie said that, there’s two options: Either Archie told him he said it, or (my preferable theory) Archie used to just SAY THAT REGULARLY and has said it in front of Jug lmao.

Chad again seems legit supportive when she tells him about her jewelry store plan?? THEY’RE SO UP AND DOWN!!! 

Ok, so Betty is an FBI agent (trainee, whatever) and she JUST NOW THOUGHT OF TRACING POLLY’S CELL PHONE

This scene... when Veronica finds out Chad has been talking to Hiram behind her back... this is where she decides she’s done with Chad. 

Another scene with Archie - I am still getting zero vibes that he’s into Veronica? And zero vibes that Veronica’s into Archie? It makes complete sense that Veronica would want to help the bulldogs.  Chad is a total dick here and is definitely threatened by Archie... again, not the other way around.  Side note: Chad, if threatened by Archie, is a TOTAL IDIOT for suggesting Archie renovates the Pembrooke - like, he’s going to be working? All the time? Where Veronica is staying? And probably taking his shirt off because he’s sweaty from all the working?? WHYYYYY WOULD CHAD ENCOURAGE THIS

This little flirty scene between Jughead and Tabitha (and it’s the first that I would say has any flirty undertones whatsoever) is pretty cute.  

THIS BARCHIE PORCH SCENE I HAVE THOUGHTS

The fact that people are suggesting Betty showed up there because she wanted to talk to Jughead is SENDINNNNGGGGGG

Let’s be clear, she only asked about Jughead so she could make sure he wasn’t home so that she could bone Archie. There is no other interpretation for this. 

THIS IS THE BEST BARCHIE KISS TO DATE

They are playing the song from the porch scene in the pilot... DON’T TELL ME BARCHIE IS MEANINGLESS WHEN THEY ARE USING THIS SONG

I think the fact that this is the first time they had sex and we didn’t see it is meaningful - they are showing that the relationship is deepening and they are more than “just sex”

As Betty leaves, Archie looks like he wants to reach out for her and then stops himself - he is definitely falling hard and he’s afraid Betty isn’t feeling the same way

Ok, Cheryl is straight up wearing lingerie in Toni’s office!!! And the red lipstick is back - notably, throughout the entire show, she has worn the red lipstick as a kind of shield - she never has it for her “vulnerable” scenes.  Seems like that is still happening. AND this is where we see Boss Toni’s plan come into fruition - she started up the vixens and MADE SURE CHERYL FOUND OUT ABOUT IT because she knew that was the one thing that would make Cheryl come out of her Thornhill hiding spot.  Well played, Toni.  

Archie and Veronica announcing the bulldog funding... again, I’m not seeing ANY “romantic/attraction” vibes here? He does react when she says her last name is Lodge again but like, anyone would? 

MS. BELL YOU GOSSIP I’M OK WITH YOU REPORTING TO CHERYL BUT I DRAW THE LINE AT HIRAM

Is Reggie... filing his nails? Lmao

I really hope Polly isn’t dead?? Like I very much want a Polly redemption story!! 

Sooooo I guess Archie and Jughead are both going to die in this fire? Lol... well... they’re main characters so I’m sure they’re good.  

I’m doooone for this week! So far really enjoying the timejump? Obviously because of barchie but also, everyone is just - better. 

Well this turned out to be a novel.  If you made it this far, thanks for reading :) 

[insatiablewhump]

TW: (Major) suicidal ideation, kidnapping

-----

Linus was by no means a fan of Parker having joined the Bulldogs. He found out that summer break, and it was clear that Parker had no intention of giving up his new life of thievery and selling drugs. As usual, Linus blamed himself. Had he never left, Parker never would have become a Bulldog. Parker pointed out that this wasn’t necessarily true, that he could have met the gang even if Linus hadn’t gone away to school.

For as much as Linus hated what Parker had gotten himself into, Linus had to admit that Parker was taken care of in this way. Parker had explained that with the gang, he got food, a home, money, and a “job.” He managed to convince Linus to go back to school the following fall.

After his four years at college, Linus moved back home. He got a temporary job to save up for medical school, and he rented another flat, inviting Parker to stay with him. And Parker did sometimes. Other times, he was with the Bulldogs. Linus didn’t tell Parker how lonely he was without him. He didn’t tell Parker that when left alone, Linus’s mind swirled with dark thoughts. It’s my fault Mom died; Without me, Parker would have found a family to stay with; I created the mess my brother is, so what right do I have to judge? and finally, Parker would be better off without me. Luckily, Parker always came back just in time to distract Linus from his mental thunderstorm.

-

Parker fit in perfectly with the Bulldogs. He was close friends with Zion, and the group was like the family he’d never had. He genuinely laughed with them. They were always down for a game of cards or pool or soccer. It was… it was amazing. It was fun.

Some of the guys actually went out to a casino one night, and Parker had the oh-so-brilliant idea of showing some gratitude to Linus for always being there for him. Problem was, Parker didn’t have enough to make a real difference for Linus. But if he borrowed Linus’s savings and managed to double or quadruple them, surely Linus wouldn’t mind, right?

-

It was clear and gone. The money. All he’d saved. And his brother was gone, too, probably celebrating the steal with his street thug friends. Linus tossed his phone on the bed. He sat on the edge and put his head in his hands. Parker had known how important it had been to Linus to go to medical school, knew how badly Linus wanted to be an anesthesiologist. Linus wanted to be the one to numb the pain for people. His dream had kept him going when his father had died of a stroke and when his mother had died in the hospital after a car crash on the way to pick him up from school. Linus had felt so helpless then. He felt so helpless now. What was the point of doing anything anymore? He’d be stuck working at his dead-end job for the rest of his miserable life, and for what? What was the point anymore?

It was a question he’d been wondering for a while, another thing his dream helped him get through. Nothing was stopping him now except… ah, maybe he’d give it just a few more days. Two. He’d go with two and see what happened. Make sure he did whatever else he wanted to do before he went. He’d go see that Shakespeare play at the park. Linus hated Shakespeare, but that was pretty much the only event in town.

Linus stood up and stretched, grabbing his phone and his wallet, not that there was much in it, even with the hidden emergency money he put inside. He checked his phone again, just to be sure he’d really seen what he’d seen. Yep, bank account drained. There was no point in calling Parker. His brother wouldn’t pick up anyway.

Linus first headed to the coffee shop across from the park. Might as well spend the rest of his emergency money on whatever junk he wanted. When he’d ordered a caramel cappuccino, a bear claw donut, a chocolate croissant, vanilla pudding, three cookies, and a smoothie, the lady at the front politely asked who he was meeting. “No one, why?” Linus said back. The woman tried very hard not to look him in the eye after that.

As he struggled to carry everything he’d ordered between his arms, Linus headed awkwardly to the park, walking next to buildings and alleyways to get to the side with the stage. That was when someone yanked his arm, pulling him into one of those alleyways and then out of sight behind the other side of the building. A hand was over Linus’s mouth. He’d dropped his cappuccino and a cookie along the way.

Linus was by no means strong; in fact, he’d been made fun of in middle school for being puny, especially next to Parker, his younger brother. So it wasn’t as if a fight back would have lasted very long, but Linus didn’t fight back. He was knocked out easily with the cloth pressed against his nose.

-----

Okay the next one might take a bit because I’m scared, but once I do that, I think I’ll be able to be more consistent. I hope that’s okay. I’d love to hear your thoughts on Linus and Parker or how your whumping is going or anything, really!

@comfy-whumpee @myst-in-the-mirror @happy-whumper  @darklyria  @wonderful-whump  @markinvinsible