#I forgot the snorkel damn

[autistic-crypt1d]

Stargate SG-1 Live Blogging:

Season 6

I'm sad but ok let's go

Seasons: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Updates:

- Redemption: Part 1

- "I swear sir I thought they just wanted to smoke a peace pipe" BRUH XD

- not Jack trying to dodge the Russian General XD

- "over my rotting corpse, sir"

- Jonas is so adorable 😭

- HE'S SO FUNNY

- "I'll take anything over this" god I love Hammond

- I forgot she dies :(

- I honestly don't remember what happens in this episode regarding the gate, that's exciting

- I'm trying so hard to remember

- "why would he believe such a thing?" "because you are his father, and you have not told him otherwise" OOF

- his finger cross XD

- god I hate McKay in this show

- drama queen

- Redemption: Part 2

- the oops sorry nevermind bit was funny I'll admit

- damn it Rodney

- why don't they listen to Sam istg

- why does he have to ruin everything 😭

- she is an artist!!! She is such a beautifully inspiring artist that she fundamentally changed McKay's approach to science, to life

- I love Jonas and his little composition notebook

- this is so cool

- let's go Ryak!!!!

- HELL YEAH TEAM!!!!

- poor Jonas :(

- new ramp scene :(

- Descent

- ooooo if this is the one I think it is I'm very excited

- it is!!!!!

- always the rando scientist who doesn't listen and gets killed

- Davis is easily one of my favorite recurring side characters, love Davis episodes

- Jonas's gasp and Teal'c yanks him out of the way XD

- let's go Jonas!!!

- LET'S GO JONAS!!!!

- the greenscreen for Teal'c and Sam was so bad oml XD

- PFFFT Jack spinning Jonas, so cute

- Frozen

- this one already?? Neat!!

- omfg that's one of The Lone Gunman!!

- Jonas's facination with the weather forcast is so adorable

- this episode makes me really sad :(

- "more than that, we want you to live. I want you to live." "sorry" OW OW OW

- Nightwalkers

- another favorite!!!

- I love her telling Jonas and Teal'c to watch the other one XD girl is stressed out being on Earth with 2 aliens and no one to help watch them

- I love the random detail that Jonas I'd almost always snacking on something

- AHHH IT'S SO SPOOKY AND COOL I LOVE IT

- the tone shift when it gets dark is AWESOME

- I love that Teal'c was totally ready to beat TF outta those dudes

- I'm like 90% sure that the dude in the tan vest walking out of the diner was the director dude from Wormhole X-Treme

- ahhhhhh!!! The soundtrack as Carter realizes it's Goa'uld!!!

- I love Jonas and Sam so much, adorable duo

- Abyss

- ah man

- bro 2/3 of the Tok'ra blending experiences have been traumatizing af for these dudes. Jacob is literally the only one who had a good experience

- watching this episode and thinking about the fact that Jack has been a POW before is...

- "you're just gonna have to trust me" "I can do that" 😭

- Shadow Play

- the professor sounds so much like Jacob sometimes

- the whole thing with his professor is sad

- "you saved the world" 😭

- The Other Guys

- oh god

- "They're just tired of your butt snorkeling" BRUH

- poor Coombs XD

- "Jay, you just shot that guy. I mean, you really shit him" bro the way he says it is so funny

- their forehead "tattoos" are so bad oml XD

- "are you calling us fruit?"

- "you ended that sentence with a preposition. You bastard." PFFFFT

- Jonas looked like such a dork jumping out of that bush I love it

- HELL YEAH TEAL"C

- Jack is such a fucking dork I love him

- ugh

- Allegiance

- is this the supersoldier episode?????

- probably not i think that cimes later but one can hope

- wait is it??

- it is!!!!

- I don't get why Jonas was left out of this episode

- poor Jack, the tensions are HIGH

- ahhhh I'm so excited!!

- omfg the "EVERYBODY DOWN" scene!!!! Ahhhh!!!

- oh, it isn't the supersoldier storyline???? Why do I remember this as being a supersoldier????

- damn, still a fantastic episode though

- "by the hand of our common enemy, it has made us brothers." AHHHH!!!

- Cure

- tretonin time!!!! (I think?)

- yesssss

- ok here's something I don't understand, how tf does THAT go inside the lady Tok'ra eventually, that thing is huge!!!

- isn't the archeology woman played by thrle same woman who plays the doctor on Hoff that Beckett falls for?

- she isssss

- Jonas and this archeologist woman are the only cute alien/sg-1 pairing I've seen imo

- ooooh I looked it up, the queen detaches from the birthing sac in order to go inside a host

- Egeria's death is so sad 😭

- Prometheus

- oh this one!

- honestly I don't really care for this one

- KICK THEIR ASSES SAM!!!

- LET'S GO SAM!!!

- bro everytime the Asgard show up when SG-1 happens to need help it's this exact interaction "Oh thank god you're here to help!" "Actually, we need your help"

- Unnatural Selection

- Thor just completely commedeering the ship and everything in the SGC is so funny

- "we can only hope this will be the last footwear to fall" PFFFFT

- TEAL'C PEAKING AROUND THE CORNER XD

- I gotta say, I really wish they did human form replicators differently, at least for the milkway ones. Going from bug to perfect humanoid is so lame to me. I know that they had hundreds of years to evolve to that but it just took so much fear factor away from them imo. I wish we got horrifying mechanical amalgamation attempts at humanity

- 5 being left behind is really sad I will say that

- Sight Unseen

- BRUH they really used the same prop for this as the thing that held the giant dark cloud thing in SGA season 1

- poor Jonas

- Sam and Jonas are so silly and adorable I love them

- Smoke and Mirrors

- honestly I remember basically nothing from this episode

- oooooh the assassin used the mimetic alien tech I think

- I love Teal'c clotheslining people, so good

- YO THAT'S BRODY FROM SGU

- yuck

- ugh, hate kinsey

- Paradise Lost

- omg this one XD

- "nothing I love more than a good weiner" "well ya know what they say, you are what you eat" BRUH THESE TWO

- oh wow yeah I guess it is the furlings

- maybourne throwing the fish at him is so funny

- ow the locker room scene 😭

- poor Jack :(

- Metamorphosis

- they're so sibling coded I love them

- jeez I forgot how bad his death was

- this episode is really sad :(

- I really hate Nirrti, but her outfit in this episode is awesome

- another Sam/Jack episode!

- when the camera was on Sam and the Russian guy started coughing I immediately got a flashback to the Jolinars memory episodes with her dad

- :(

- ew I hate the Nirrti/Jonas shit in this episode

- Disclosure

- this is the one where thor shows up right?

- I kinda love this episode, watching poor Davis try to explain this shit is so funny

- "supreme commander Thor" I love him so much

- Forsaken

- oooo celtic influence that's cool

- hate these guys

- sucks that this whole thing goes to hell because the bad guys are human looking and the good guys are alien looking

- I also very very deeply hate this man flirting with Sam

- hate this girl for trying to mess with Jonas like this

- hell yeah Jonas

- The Changeling

- ah man this is the weird Teal'c one isn't it

- I really don't like the majority of this episode tbh

- Daniel!!!

- ow, the scene with him collapsing on the gateroom floor 😭

- OW, him and Bra'tac alone on the battlefield 😭

- Teal'c on the ramp finally awake 😭

- LET'S GO JACOB!!!

- I forgot Teal'c loses his symbiote this early

- Daniel visiting him 😭

- stop I'm gonna cry he misses him so much 😭

- Memento

- I remember nothing of this episode atm

- is this the gas cloud one?

- oooooh no it's this one

- this ship had rings????

- ugh, so much dick measuring in this episode 🙄

- I love that Teal'c sleeve are cut off, those biceps cannot be contained

- Jack doing the little glass bonk omfg

- leader guy is awesome

- that Stargate raising scene!!!! AHHHH!!!!

- Prophecy

- oh it's the prophetic Jonas episode! I remember almost nothing from this atm

- it's really refreshing to see people fighting back like this, taking initiative

- poor Jonas 😭

- HELL YEAH GIRL!!

- "we need you out there" AHHH BONDINGGGG

- Full Circle

- oh no

- "I swear that was an Aspirin I took this morning"

- I love them finding a way to argue even though one of them is literally dead

- the quiet little "Daniel told me" is so funny

- and everyone believes him XD

- why does Anubis have to have such a cool ship 😭

- Skaara putting Jack and Sam on the spot XD

- "is he not powerful?" "That remains unclear" ROASTED

- fantastic episode I am very excited

- LET'S GO TEAL'C

- "is that my stuff?" "You weren't using it anymore" XD

- oooo this is where they figure out that the Ascended beings are the Ancients!

- "is it really necessary to further antagonize him?" "Yes" might as well at this point tbh

- Skaara :(

- I'm sorry all I can notice is that the Anubis actor clearly misjudged where the throne was and was barely sitting on it XD you can literally see him hold onto the underside of the throne arm to keep from falling off

- Daniel really screws this one up :/

- "well spank me rosy" XD

- damn it Daniel, you should know better by now :/

- :(

Season 7

[singlemamachronicle]

XX

I don't know how we got here, but we did.

I recently shared a photo of you on my shoulders. Back then, not only did I carry you and your sister, but I felt like I carried the world's expectations, the critic's ill wishes to fail, and the pressure to succeed, on my shoulders. Things were heavy. Life was heavy. And dark. And so damn hard.

But there was always joy on your end. And because of the unmeasurable happiness you both gave me I felt strong enough to keep going. You couldn't tell me nothin'!

I take a look at the past two decades and all the joy you've brought, so here's 20 things that you have given the world, things that we love, and memories that I hope will make you smile:

2003 - You came to the world! That's it, that's the list (Just kidding!)

You said, I" love you mom" for the first time! (2007)

The way you've handled 6 surgeries - you've got more courage than anyone I know!

That time you wanted a mohawk haircut so bad...and got one!

When you dressed up like Abe Lincoln and performed in front of the class

Being the favorite at Saturplay! (shhh...no one's supposed to know that)

Our first WS Walk - and meeting our people!

Meeting a pilot and getting invited to the cockpit.

The White House Egg Roll and meeting DJ Lance!

Meeting Luciano and making him your instant best friend - proving you were a cat person

That time you were VIP at the Fair - and got to spend the day with the queen of the fair.

Your face when we took you to Disneyland. So much joy in one moment!

Your First Communion and Confirmation - where you read in front of the whole church!

Being the Best Man at our wedding and your amazing speech

You being a total natural in Paris & Rome

Following a lady around Petsmart because you fell in love with corgis and we ended up adopting one.But we forgot you were a cat person so Versace became the family's dog.

Mexico! Tequila, jet skis, snorkeling, and lots of dancing!

Finding your way through the Albania maze in El Salvador and ringing that bell

Your first job which earned you so much admiration from so many.

Transitions - adulthood. You continue to make everyone proud.

There are many, many, MANY more moments to come. I will continue to worry, and nag, and brag about you. I am immensely proud of the young man you are. When the cards were stacked against you, you effortlessly proved you can't be underestimated and that is perhaps, single-handedly the most important lesson you've taught me.

Let's see what this trip around the sun bring you, my sonshine.

All the love,

Momma

I will forever have your back. I promise.

[seabreeze2022]

2023 Bahamas Cruise, Part 18, Apr. 12. Weather hold on Long Island.

What do you do when the water is this clear and calm? Jump in! Bahamas are not all beaches, pina coladas and “green flash” sunsets. After these two flat calm days, the next two days we were surrounded by storms from a stalled cold front. Miami flooded with 8” of rain in two days. Yet, we never really got rain.

Easter Sunday, I dropped off Nancy at the closest dinghy dock to St. Joseph’s Anglican/Episcopal church in Thompson Bay. You can just barely see it in the background behind her. Around fifty people were in attendance. She had met most of them during our time on the Island. A much more reserved service, than last years service in Black Point. No tambourines, no kids choir, and a third the time. Fifty/fifty men and women, where Black Point was a high majority of women.

After dropping Nancy off, I swung by the Thompson Bay Yacht Club. Cruisers over time have set up a small picnic area on shore here, dubbed TBYC. No one was here. Only two of us are anchored in the bay now. Then I headed back to the boat for boat chores. Took the trash to shore. Filled the water tank using our water maker. Trickle charged the start battery and fixed a thing or two.

Nancy called on the VHF radio for a pick up at Basil’s dock. Once we got back to the boat, we lifted the anchor and headed north. Great wind from the west for sailing on a beam reach. Nancy baked bread while the boat was heeled 10-15 degrees to starboard.

Fresh Coconut cinnamon bread!

Just before the two loaves of Coconut cinnamon bread came out of the oven we sailed over the Tropic of Cancer northbound. Coordinates are displayed on the top left of the chart plotter, N23 26.031 Actual Longitude of the Tropic of Cancer North 23 degrees 26 minutes and 10 seconds. We anchored off of Simms Settlement on Long Island. That is where you see Nancy jumping off the boat. She paddleboared along the shore. While I made water on the boat.

Nancy caught mid flight playing around and cooling off some.

The next day we dinghied to Simms Government Dock where the mail boat comes in. With a west wind blowing the dinghy against the sharp rocks. I sent Nancy on walk about, while I oared around in the dinghy. She visited the prison and several graveyards. The prison and most buildings in town had outhouses near them. Not sure if either the outhouse or prison have been used in recent history. Think Mayberry RFD, Bahama out island style.

Just before we left for shore another monohull sailboat pulled into OUR anchorage. This is OUR anchorage damn it! As soon as we got back to the boat we pulled anchor and went north around the next point. I had gotten lazy and forgot to check the charts. We went from 7 ft. depth to 5 ft. in a couple of seconds. Oops! I went to idle and started the turn back to deep water. Too late…..squeakkkkk. We had skidded to a stop in pure white sand. Quick check of the shore for current tide. Looks kind of low. Pull up weather app. we are close to low. Had this been a sailing YouTube channel. All sorts of drama could be made up. Water was flat calm. First dropped the 55 pound anchor and twenty feet of chain that weighs 1 lb. per foot. The chain laid over the top of the anchor in a pile. Had some snacks and a beer. Went swimming. Walked chest deep around the boat. Nancy jumped off the boat and hit bottom doing so. Wind changed 180 degrees and picked up enough to move the boat when we floated free. So pulled in the pile of chain with the anchor suspended above the sand. Couple of hours later…..we floated free after dark. Waited until 7 ft. showed on the depth finder. Then drop the anchor and chain, then went to bed. Next morning we snorkeled around the boat.

This blue tip crab put up his dukes, when I stopped by. Reviewing weather, anchorages and possible plans we decided to sail back to Thompson Bay. Then rent a car and tour the north end of the island. Wind was on our nose, so we only sailed an hour; then motored to Thompson Bay. In between rain storms we took 4 jerry jugs to Long Island Petroleum for diesel and gas. Had a great talk with Walter Fox the part owner.

On Wednesday when the weather seemed to break. We hiked over the island to the ocean side, then south along the beach for a mile. Then back across the island to the “Sou’ side” (Sound side) of the island. Round trip walking was a little over 3 miles. We were hot and tired with nothing but photos to show for our beach hike. We are surprised that little to no shells on the reef side of the island. Today though we were both looking for Ambergris. Found lots of tar balls, but no ambergris.

On the way to the dinghy we stopped at the “Sou’ side” bar for a cold Kalik beer and cracked chicken. Then back to the boat.

Rainbow over Salt Pond at the end of the day.

S/V Sea Breeze, Thompson Bay, Long Island, Bahamas.

[jenomark]

Part 6: WinWin, The Catch

➔Pairing:  WinWin x Reader (Female)  ➔Other Members/ Characters: Lucas, Ten, Hendery, Xiaojun,  Kun, & YangYang ➔Genre: Smut (+ angst, + fluff, + plot) ➔Warnings: angst, mentions of sex, yelling, cursing ➔Word count: 6,455

➔Summary: You don’t know what you do. You don’t even know who you are. Some would call you a whore. Some would refer to you as a sex worker. All of your clients would say you’re damn good at your job.

MASTERLIST

FOUR MONTHS LATER

  Life is a whirlwind of many things: emotions, disappointment, new beginnings, and things too complicated to understand. It’s years of fuck-ups, of getting lost in the shit that hurts you, and finding out that sometimes the truth should stay buried. We’re meant to live life like it’s the last one we have, but a lot of us can’t even choose what to eat for dinner. Maybe that’s the joy in living, in just being. Maybe we should all be proud of being fuck-ups, instead of trying to be something we’re not.

“I don’t think life can get any sweeter than this.” WinWin said. 

 You tapped your glass against his, the frozen, pineapple liquid spilling down the sides. The taste of the drink is refreshing and so sweet it makes your teeth hurt, but you don’t care. You’re sitting on the beach in a plastic chair, the sun dipping into the ocean, and the company of a man you enjoy right next to you. Life, through its ups and downs, was finally looking up.

“I don’t want to go home.” you said. “Do you think people at work even miss me?”

WinWin laughed quietly, just a little wind through his nose. “I would miss you.”

“I bet you would.”

  Since coming to the island for the past week, you and WinWin left the hotel room many times. You went snorkeling, exploring different parts of the culture, ate gourmet dinners, and got massages by professionals who avoided your sunburnt shoulders. On the days when you couldn’t seem to make it out of the door, you both fucked on the beautiful white linen bed, sometimes with the sliding door open, and every time without any inhibition. 

“I miss you every day.” he said. He leaned over to kiss you, the taste of the drink on the edge of his lips. 

  When he brought out his phone to text his family back home, you let your eyes gape openly at his body. He was so pretty on the eyes, every muscle put to good use. You didn’t regret the order of the way things happened to fall together, just that you hadn’t met him sooner. It seemed lifetimes ago that you were hitting him up for one last bang of the century. You smiled at the memory, letting it salivate in your mind until he was done texting.

“Is everything okay?” you asked.

  WinWin took your hand, which was something he did whenever he was feeling affectionate. You liked the attention, the way he put his phone down and focused on answering your question. “My family are asking what time our flight home is tomorrow. And if I’ll stop by on the way back to my house.”

“Did you tell them yes?” you asked. “I miss your mother. She’s just the face I feel I need to see.”

“You don’t know how happy that makes me feel.”

  He leaned over and kissed you again. There was a cheeky look in his eyes, as if asking how easy it would be for you to straddle him on the beach chair and take his cock right there. Neither of you were sex fiends during your regular life back home, but vacation time meant making time for your relationship. 

  Luckily for the public, you were both interrupted by the waiter asking if you’d like a bite to eat. After declining, you both gathered up your things and practically ran back to the hotel for a night of fun and pleasure.

  It wasn’t love, exactly. You would be the first to admit that love was hardly a driving force in your life. At first, though lust was an option, you ruled it out fairly early. Your entrance into WinWin’s life was less about pleasing someone sexually and more about pleasing yourself. You stayed around him because he was different. Deep down, you hoped it wasn’t because he was a culmination of all the boys in your life- Ten and his safety, Hendery and his optimism, Xiaojun and his hunger for life, Kun and his stability, and YangYang’s wholesome friendship. He even had Lucas’ taste for laughter and fun. 

 For a while, you wanted it to be love. You wanted love at first sight to be a  real thing so badly. You saw WinWin, you knew he was the one, and you fucked him real good. You chose to let it be more. Still, months later, you chose to keep the relationship because there was always the possibility that you were both lovable. You could be normal, even get the 9-to-5 job and stop fucking people for money. It could happen for you. 

 The car ride home from the airport felt a little off. Being away from the ocean made you feel stale. You didn’t know how to face normalcy again, how to ease your way back into a city that held so many awful memories. But WinWin held onto you like he could solve everything, made you feel like you could be the adult you needed all your life. 

“We’re here.” WinWin said as the car pulled up to his mother’s house.

 She didn’t know her son paid for someone like you, or that he was the last one ever. As far as she knows, he met you out with friends, and the rest was history. She didn’t know about your past, didn’t seem interested in it either. She was the kind of woman that judged no one, that welcomed everyone through her door with a hug and a feast fit for kings. It was far removed from the family you had grown up with.

“You both look sun-kissed and beautiful.” she said, hugging you, and then tugging on the edge of WinWin’s ear. “ Welcome home. I made you a nice home cooked meal. I know it’s not as good as the 5 star food you’ve been eating for the past week.”

“Mom, I’m sure it’s delicious.” WinWin said. “And I am starving.”

“Me too.” you said. “It’s really nice for you to cook for us. I feel so thankful.”

 Being with WinWin’s family made you feel safer than you’d ever felt. They truly welcomed you into the fold. It was easy to imagine the rest of your life like this: taking vacations, coming back to meals cooked by a mother who cares, and being lovingly accepted into another family like you were one of their own. Your past could easily melt away, along with any of the bad taste that got stuck in your mouth.

  You felt yourself getting misty-eyed. Thankfully, WinWin’s mother didn’t notice. She walked away to tend to her meal, leaving both of you in her living room. Unfortunately for you, WinWin was also an attentive boyfriend. He noticed you were on the verge of tears right away. He wiped them away for you, his brown eyes looking concerned.

“Is everything okay?” he asked. 

You nodded. “Yeah, it’s fine. I think I’m just tired and overwhelmed.”

“Do you want to go home?”

“No, no.” you said quickly. “I’m happy to be here.”

  The smile WinWin gave you lit up your soul. He brought you in for a hug, his excitement growing in the childish way he had. You held him tightly, too afraid to let go.

No, it wasn’t love, but it wasn’t not love, either.

  That night, you made love.

  In the beginning of your relationship, all the men before him would pop into your mind. There was the roughness of Lucas, the tenderness of Ten, and the intensity of Hendery. Every so often, you wished WinWin was as good as Xiaojun was at oral. You incorporated the carefree attitude YangYang taught you into your sex life, taking WinWin for a wild spin. You avoided Kun, and every feeling he brought up within you. Every so often, you would dive back into the deep end and meet WinWin, and you would merge all the men together. He would never know, and you’d never ask if he had any inclination. 

  Something changed a few months in. The sex got better, and you were more present. You were with him for the whole time, pressing down on his chest and riding the high that belonged to only him. You fell hard. You two were good for each other, matched up right in all the best ways. He didn’t need help in any department. He was whole and complete, and he made you feel like a goddess. 

 “You’re thinking.” WinWin whispered, kissing your forehead.

 He pushed his cock deep inside of you, the words out of your mouth coming out breathless. “I’m not.”

  “Okay.” he said, giving up before he started.

 He fucked you so well that you both forgot about everything. It was only until you were dreaming that everything came rushing back. You dreamed of the men, of the paradise lost, of WinWin’s mother wishing you were her daughter-in-law.

  Office jobs on a Monday never once seemed glamorous, but it was all you needed to feel ordinary. You stayed at your desk and watched the screensaver on your desktop fade in and out, like a heartbeat. Cheek resting against the palm of your hand, you sighed. You waited for lunchtime like the rest of the office girls. You didn’t gossip, didn’t show anyone your new nails. Your desk wasn’t decorated, but you were settled in for a while. The company liked you so much that you moved on from being a temp really quickly, which either made people love you or hate you.

“How was vacation?” a colleague asked. 

  You had become one of those people that shows vacation photos on her phone. There was WinWin laying on the beach, his toned stomach covered in sand. There was a photo of you posing by the sign of a restaurant, your arms thrown around him and your leg popped up. You hardly recognized the girl in the photos, though you’d spent 20+ years in her body.

“I wish I were in your shoes.” she said. “Your boyfriend is dreamy.”

“Thank you.” you said. It was hard to keep the amusement out of your voice. You were used to women fawning over him because he was so handsome, but when it was a married women with five kids, it made you hope you’d never be like that. 

“It looked like such a nice little vacay.” she said. “So luxurious. How did you pay for all of that?”

“Savings.” you said.

  Though you weren’t doing sex work anymore, the money from your secret apartment felt like it was never ending. You had sold so many things that reminded you of the men you saw over the years, choosing the money and a better life for yourself. It didn’t bother WinWin that you had more money than him, though he wouldn’t let you buy him a damn thing.

“Lucky.” she said before moving back to her desk.

  Your eyelids were heavy, and the bottom of your feet sore. You dragged your feet through the doorway of your new, modest apartment, and threw your stuff down on the floor. You didn’t check your phone, just sat down on the couch and let your head fall back. You drifted off to sleep and only woke up to a knock on your front door. Picking yourself up, you walked over, swung it open, and screamed when WinWin picked you up and spun you around.

“What are you doing?” you asked.

 He kissed you passionately, letting your body slide down his before he let your feet plant on the floor. You felt breathless, and could tell that your face was hot just from seeing him again. There were days you kind of wanted to share a home with him, to see him every single day. Maybe then you wouldn’t be so taken aback by him every time you saw him in the flesh.

  You didn’t fully get a good look at him until he moved away from you and went over to the fridge for a drink. He was wearing a dark blue suit and his hair was slicked back from his forehead. He looked expensive, and the smell trailing behind him reminded you of the vacation you’d just left.

“What are you all dressed up for?” you asked.

“You and I are invited to a party.”

“A..party?” you asked. “On a Monday night? I’m exhausted. I just had my full day of work after a week of beauty and sunshine. Baby, the last thing I want to do is party.”

  Then, as if everything suddenly made sense, you remembered that your birthday was in a few days. Your mind was whirring. You didn’t want WinWin wasting money on some nice party when he’d put up more than his share for the vacation.

“Please.” he said, pouting. He took a drink from inside the fridge and set it on the counter. “I wouldn’t go without you.” 

“I don’t have anything to wear.”

“I’ve seen your closet. You have plenty of dresses.”

“I won’t know anyone there.”

He shrugged. “I didn’t tell you who was going.”

“I’m running out of excuses, aren’t I?” you asked.

  WinWin smiled and came over to hold you. “Yes. I’m not a party animal either, but for some reason, I really want to go to this one. It’s at that nice hotel downtown that was just built. Imagine a night full of cocktails and dancing, coming home and collapsing in my bed. Fun, right?”

  You closed your eyes. When you opened them, you said yes. After all, you didn’t want to ruin a possible surprise. WinWin picked you up and spun you again. ‘Round and ‘round in circles you went.

  The dress you wore was too tight. You felt so bloated in it that, on the car ride over, you kept fidgeting. WinWin calling you beautiful didn’t help, but the sulking definitely did. Arriving at the party made you so nervous that you forgot about the ill-fitting dress. You weren’t ready to be in front of people you loved, if it was a birthday party. You were stressed about who would attend, and who would not. 

“Holy fuck.” you said, looking up at the hotel it was being hosted at.

 In another life, it felt like you had been there before. It was much too swanky for your new taste, but there was something so familiar about the exterior that you couldn’t help but stare at it. The cream of the building and the black marble accents were stunning to look at, even more so than your date.

“We’ll stay no longer than two hours.” he said. “Does that sound good?” 

  You were unsure, but you did agree. He took your hand and led you across the street, the red satin dress you were wearing flying up with the wind. You smoothed your hair down with your free hand and walked through the revolving door with him. Inside, the building was even more gorgeous. It must have cost a pretty penny, and would have taken years to import all of the textures.

“Who invited you here?” you asked. “Someone from work?”

“My cousin.” he said. “ You’ve met him before.”

  You were whisked into a ballroom full of people. It was clear that, by the lack of people you knew, it was not a surprise birthday party for you. It made you a little sad, but you tried not to show it.

 Being among crowds was never fun for you, but feeling his hand on the small of your back relaxed you. You were thinking you could enjoy the night anyway, but WinWin walking away to fetch drinks made the fear creep up your spine again. You sat down at an empty table and scanned the hoards of people dressed in expensive designer clothes, your eyes raking it all in. You assessed that the reason you were so uncomfortable is because the environment reminded you too much of the life you had four months ago.

“Here.” WinWin said, setting your drink down.

  You took a big gulp and set it back down, watching strangely as the condensation from the glass formed a ring on the tablecloth. For a bit, WinWin sat with you and held your hand, his eyes watching people laughing and chatting along.

“I can’t find my cousin. He’s not answering his phone.” he said, not able to peel his eyes from the crowd. 

“Should we go look for him?” you asked.

  There was a weird tension in the pit of your belly. You pushed the drink away and vowed to not drink anymore. You joined WinWin in looking for his cousin, even though you didn’t know which one he was referring to. His family was big, and they all looked so different from each other, but they all had the same cute laugh and love of ordering things online. 

“Let’s dance.” WinWin said, rising to his feet.

  You looked at the hand stretched out before you. He was speaking and moving too quickly. You felt like you were being pulled in every direction. The lights of the ballroom chandeliers were too bright, the air too humid. Still, you took his hand and let him bring you to your feet.The heels were killing you, but they were the only shoe that matched the dress.

“Are you okay?” you asked. “You’re acting really weird. “

“Weird?” he asked. “How?”

“I don’t know.”

  You wiped sweat from your forehead and felt nauseous as he led you both around the floor. It was the first time you wished you were anywhere but with him. Being at home and sleeping sounded much more exciting than the truth of where you were. 

“Can I spin you?” he asked.

  Before you could tell him that he couldn't, WinWin spun you around. You held onto his shoulders and caught your breath. He spun you one more time, your body losing slight control, and then he let you go.

  All you could see were the lights in a blur before they stopped. You were too aware of the arm that had caught you. You looked down at the floor, at your feet crammed into your heels, then you closed your eyes tightly, and opened them again. You looked up and was met with a chest that didn’t belong to WinWin. Clutching the arms tightly, you used the body to bring yourself up all the way.

“Lucas.” you said, your voice shaky. 

 Dressed in a white button down and a light blue suit jacket, Lucas was there. His face was a little slimmer, but the same eyes were looking back at you. They were wide and hard, not a lick of concern in them. For a moment, you were transported back in time. It was where you were supposed to be, with the man you thought you were going to marry. You blinked and started looking for WinWin.

“You like him?” Lucas asked.

  You removed your hands from Lucas’ arms and he dropped them to his sides the same time you did. You looked into his eyes and tried to muster something to say. The last time you saw him, you couldn’t get the right words out. Your storyline was very much unfinished. 

“Does he check all the boxes?” Lucas asked. “Safe. Able to pay. Puts up with your lies and insecurities.” 

“What?”

  You looked over at the right time to see WinWin moving up to your side. You felt relief. You waited for him to berate Lucas for talking to you that way, a hero to save the day. Instead, he held out his hand to Lucas, as if asking him to dance.

“Four months.” WinWin said to him. “I want extra for having to sleep with her so many times.”

  Lucas opened his jacket and took out a wad of bills. He peeled out so many pieces of paper that you lost count of them all. “Here is half. You get the rest of the money in a while.”

  WinWin took the bills without counting them and tucked them into his own jacket. He gave you the tiniest apologetic glance before walking away. Confused, you started to walk after him but was stopped by Lucas' big arm.

“What are you doing?” you asked. “I’m following my boyfriend. Let me go.”

“Your boyfriend?” Lucas asked. “Wow, you really bought it. The con artist gets conned.” 

 Your brain was trying its hardest to make sense of what Lucas was saying. Any minute now, you would wake up from your nap on the couch and you wouldn’t be standing in the middle of a hotel ballroom with your ex-boyfriend. When that didn’t happen, you stormed off across the dance floor, your eyes searching for WinWin. You took out your phone and began texting, but a big paw of a hand snatched the phone from you.

“He won’t text back.” Lucas said.

“Give me that.” you said, swiping at him. “Why are you here? Did you follow us?”

Lucas laughed. “You don’t get it, do you?”

“Get what? You’re a psycho.” you said. “You broke up with me, remember? You left me. Let me live my life. I’m happy.”

  Without your phone, you walked outside, through the revolving door and down the rabbit hole. You could hear Lucas’ heavy  footsteps behind you. When you were out of earshot, he placed his hand on your shoulder gently and spun you around to face him.

“Give me my phone, or I will call the police.” you said, not enough bravado in your voice.

  Lucas handed you the phone, but you yanked it from his hands anyway. There were no messages from WinWin, and nothing of note. You looked for the car you arrived in but it was gone. You swallowed the lump in your dry throat and closed your eyes again.

“Why did you hand him money, and where did he go? What was he talking about?” you asked. It was the question you’d wanted to ask all along but was too afraid to ask.  “Please, nothing snarky. Tell me the truth.”

“The truth? Like you told me the truth?” Lucas asked.

“Lucas, please.”

“I don’t owe you anything.”

  You were facing him head on, tears rolling down your face. Everything felt too chaotic, too blinding. Your thoughts were swimming in your mind, each one making no sense from the last. If what you believed to be true was true, you needed to know how it all went down.

“I set you up.” he said. “Sicheng, that’s his real name, was never interested in you. I paid him to like you, to fuck you. “

“He was my client.”

“Wrong.” Lucas said. He moved out of the way so that people could pass by. “I paid him to pursue you. It wasn’t easy, I’ll give you that. I had actually given up hope, but then you came right in at the end.”

“You’re lying to me.”

“I’m not.” Lucas chuckled darkly. “I paid him thousands of dollars. I paid for your vacation. I’m thousands in debt, but hey, who cares. I finally did it.”

“Did what?” you asked, wiping a hot tear from your cheek.

“Humiliated you the way you humiliated me.” he said. “Fucking guys for money behind my back? Why couldn’t you just cheat like normal people? Fuck, I wanted to marry you.”

  It was quiet, the traffic from the sidewalk dying down. You leaned against the side of the building and felt how truly tired your body was. The fire in Lucas’ eyes calmed down a little bit, too.

“I know.” you said quietly. “I saw the ring.”

“Shit, you really fell for everything.” he said. “I planted that ring. I thought that if you believed I was going to propose, you would catch yourself in the lie. I thought you were smarter than me, but tonight proves that theory. You’re not smart at all. You should have seen your face when you saw the house key. ”

“Why would you do this to me?” you screamed, grabbing the attention of someone waiting in traffic.

“You did this to yourself, sweetheart.”

 You turned around and put your arm against the wall, leaning your head down against it. “I don’t understand. WinWin and I are a real couple. I’ve been with his family and his friends. I love him.”

“The family thing wasn’t my idea.” he said. “I had nothing to do with that, but I find it funnier this way. How does it feel being so blind-sided that it’s ruined your life?” 

“Fuck you.”

“No.” he said. “Fuck you. Exactly, how many people have you slept with? Did you get tested before you fucked me?”

  You walked away, walking down the street to God knows where. You groaned when he kept following you, and you stopped in front of a well-lit display window. In the light, you could see how beat your reflection was. The dress was pretty,  but your insides were shining out and they were ugly.

“You thought you could fool me.” Lucas said. “I followed you to some places, you know? Saw all the freaks you were with. That one guy? Hendery? I talked to him, acted like I was a stranger. He was so fucking in love with you that I was jealous. Can you believe that? I was jealous of someone who had you about as much as I did. It’s a real shame what you did to him.”

“Shut up.”

“He thought you would be together forever.” Lucas mocked.

“You don’t know a thing about Hendery.”

“Wrong again.” he said. “I know a lot about men like Hendery. The sad, rejected men that tried to love you. I was one of them.”

  You checked your phone again, your last attempt at hope. All you wanted was to see WinWin’s name pop up, to text you that he was bringing the car around, and that he was going to take you away from the crazy man before you. 

“If you knew....” you began, feeling dejected. “...why did you let it go on for so long?” 

  Lucas seemed to really think about the answer. In the light, he looked so handsome and young. You were reminded of the man he was when you first met him. You felt a little pang in your chest where your heart used to be.

“I guess I wanted to see if you would change, if you would love me.”

“I did love you.”

There was hurt and anger in Lucas’ eyes. “Loved me enough to cheat on me?”

“It was just a job.”

“Was I just a job, too?” he asked. “ I knew about the extra apartment. I really meant nothing to you.”

“This conversation is going nowhere.” you said. “I’m sorry I did that to you. I should have been upfront about who I was and what I was doing with my body. I fucked up, and I fucked your life up. And you, in return, fucked me up for the rest of my life.”

“This isn’t my fault. This is your fault.”

“I don’t care whose fault it is, Lucas.” you said. “You and I were done. We never would have lasted.”

“So, you strung me along to make yourself feel better?” he asked.

“No I-”

“-Like you did with Sicheng.” he said. “I’m not an idiot. I know the ins and outs of everything that happened in the last few months. It’s a cycle. The people you fuck keep you feeling better about yourself long enough for you to move on to a new one. I was just the unfortunate asshole getting caught in the middle.”

“I’m not talking about this right now.”

“And there it is, the denial.” he said. “Look at how you turn away from me when I tell you the truth. All those men and not one of them could ever call you out on your bullshit? Where is the love there, huh? Where are any of them now?”

You threw your hands up into the air. “I don’t know. They’re not here, Lucas. You hate me so much, but you’re the only one here. The last man standing. Congratulations, you did it.”

  A car pulled up to the curb. You texted a friend for a ride, someone you didn’t know quite well. You didn’t have anyone else. While Lucas was talking, you were figuring out how best to run away from him. The knowledge hit you hardest where it hurts. You didn’t think anything could ever be the same again.

“I have to go.” you said. “I can’t be here anymore.”

“Yeah? Just like that?”

You held the car door open. “Yeah. Just like that, Lucas.”

“And you don’t have anything else to say?” he asked.

“I do, actually.” you said. “To those I’ve fucked and fucked over, I’m sorry.”

THREE YEARS LATER- LUCAS

  He stood very still, so still that he could hear the tiny giggling coming from the other room. Lucas smiled to himself and tried to ignore it as best he could. If there was one thing he was good at, it was acting.

“Ready or not, here I come!” he yelled, his voice booming. He loved pulling silly voices. It was something that brought him so much joy. “You better not come out until I find you-u-u-u-u-u.”

  With the heaviest of footsteps, Lucas walked across his house. It was dramatic the way he walked, and it only brought out another tinkle of laughter from the east side of the house. Lucas walked into another room and made fake footsteps like he was walking away.

 There, in the corner, the top of a tiny head peeked out from behind a toy box. As if sensing him, the head poked back down. Lucas fought the urge to laugh. He played dumb and moved around the room, loudly checking behind places no human could hide behind.

“It’s very difficult to find her.” he said. “I wonder if she is in this room.”

 Another giggle, another pull at his heart strings. Before he could move over to the toybox, a little girl ran out from behind it and into his arms. 

“Daddy! Daddy!” she yelled, giggling as her father Lucas scooped her up into his arms. “You found me!” 

  Lucas swung her around and planted kisses all over her heart-shaped face. His happiness was always with her, even when it was hidden. Lucas set his daughter down and knelt down to her level.

“Now,” he said, his face serious. He tried not to laugh as his daughter put on a serious face, too. “Now, we have to find mommy.”

 With her hand in his, they walked through the house to look for the missing puzzle piece of their family. 

THREE YEARS LATER- TEN

“What is love to you?” 

 Ten sat across from his date. There was something in the question that made him cock his head to the side. His smile lit up when the person sitting across from him broke out into a similar smile, a clear embarrassment striking them unannounced. 

“Don’t be embarrassed.” Ten said. “It’s a fair question. Do you have an answer for it?”

“I don’t.” 

“Well, I do.” Ten said.

  It was Ten’s assertiveness that got him the date in the first place. That, and the way he was so open about everything. He didn’t know if the person across from him was his soulmate, or if he even believed in that. Still, it was fun getting to know someone. In a way, it was like getting to know yourself. 

“I think love is everything.” he said. “I think it’s in everything. It’s in the company you keep, in the weather you wish was different. Love is a painful reminder that not everything can stay the same. It’s the gentle way someone wishes you a good day. It’s an old blanket that smells like memories from long ago. Love is scary, but scary things are fun, too. We all want love, and we all want to be loved. It’s hope, and it’s full. I used to think love is never being left, but now I think leaving someone often means loving them so much that you do what is best for them. Love is...yeah..I love love.” 

THREE YEARS LATER- XIAOJUN

  He lit the candles, one on each end of the table. Getting lost in the flame was an option, but Xiaojun had many steps to take. He smoothed out the table cloth, the fine linen unwrinkling before his eyes. There was peace in watching everything come together, in the controlling things. 

“Perfect.” he whispered.

  Moving around the table, he fixed two of everything, even two napkins of the prettiest shade. The dishes resting on the table were cleaned so properly that not even a stray hair found its way there. The drinking glasses were sparkling. He could see his reflection in them both, his handsome face full of content.

“Whaaa, so perfect.”

 Xiaojun took a seat in one of the chairs. He felt the wood of the armrest, a seat fit for a king, and he smiled to himself. The dinner jacket he was wearing was a little oversized, but it was pressed in a way that made him feel happy.

 A man walked into the room and served food on both sides of the table, the tastiest feast money could buy. A bottle of wine was tipped into the glasses, not a drop wasted.

“Thank you.” Xiaojun said softly.

  After the waiter disappeared, he looked at the empty chair on the other side of the table. The steam from the food rose up high, and with it, Xiaojun’s expectations. He took one savory bite of food. After, he took a bow to the seat that would remain empty for the rest of his life.

THREE YEARS LATER- KUN

“Therapy is at five p.m, don't be late.” she said.

“I don’t know why we’re going to therapy if we’re not going to work on our marriage.” Kun said. “Please help me understand.”

  His ex-wife looked at him like she saw right through him. She was unbothered, not willing to waste a single emotion on the man before her. “It’s for the children.” was all she said before she got into her car and drove away.

  Kun sat by himself on his front porch swing for a long time. His new house was smaller and bought with his own money. There was only enough room for him, and for his children whenever they wanted to see their dad on the weekends. With the end of his marriage, everything else seemed to go, too. He no longer had a job after getting caught having an another affair with one of the real teaching assistants. He figured it was a fair bit of karma for all the bad things he’d done, but it still didn’t make it an easy pill to swallow.

 Occasionally, he would call your old phone number in hopes that you’d pick up, but you never did. It was probably for the best.

THREE YEARS LATER- YANGYANG

  The massive backpack on his back made him sway a little. He found it so funny that he couldn’t read any of the signs in the foreign language. He’d met a lot of people on his travels, and each one found it charming that he was so carefree and kind. All it took was a smile from YangYang and the citizens were cured.

“Where are you going?” a traveler he had just met asked. He was an older man, way older than YangYang’s grandfather. He’d decided to travel and live a bit after his wife died. He was everything YangYang aspired to be, maybe, without all of the death.

“I don’t know.” YangYang said. “I guess, wherever the wind takes me.”

“Well, that’s a start.” the man said. “The train is here. Best go on your way, then.”

 YangYang felt sad about having to say goodbye to the man. It was always like that over the last few years. He struck up conversations with so many good people, all of their stories worth telling, and then he’d have to say goodbye. Occasionally, they would exchange social media and whatever, but it never felt the same.

“This was nice.” YangYang said. “I really enjoyed hearing stories about your wife. She sounds like someone I would have liked.”

“You would have.” the old man said, his gaze on some distant memory. “Have safe travels and remember what I said, kid. Never stop. Take care.”

  YangYang accepted the man's clap on his shoulder, even though it made him sway even more. The train stopped before him, windows slipping by. In the reflection as it slowed down, he thought he saw someone that looked an awful lot like you behind him, but when he turned around, no one was there.

THREE YEARS LATER- HENDERY

  Since it was raining, the park was empty. Since he considered himself an idiot, he didn’t bring an umbrella. 

 Hendery approached the park bench like it was a bomb that could explode any minute. He looked around before taking off his jacket and stretching it across the surface to soak up some of the water. Then, he sat down and looked out over the grass. He blinked rain off his eyelashes and looked down at his lap. He did everything he could but check his phone. Over time, he looked up at the sky and let the water droplets hit his face. When he had done all the waiting he could do, he got up from the bench. 

“Well.” he said, looking down at his soaked jacket.

 Hendery picked it up from the bench and flung it over his shoulders. He took one last longing look at the bench for beginning to walk away. He was stopped by footsteps coming up from behind him. He turned around, placed the jacket back on the bench and sat down again. Hands on his knees, he stared straight ahead.

“You’re late.” he said.

  The person sat beside him on the bench, their hands on their knees, staring straight ahead. At the same time, the person and Hendery looked at each other. 

 There wasn’t an apology you could say that would fit the crime. Hendery knew that. He looked straight ahead again, but he moved one hand from his knee and used it to hold yours. Your clasped hands sat between you on the bench, solid and true.

 You looked at him before staring straight back ahead. Though it was pouring now, and your skin was slimy and your clothes wet all the way through, you didn’t seem to mind anymore.

[brokehorrorfan]

Mill Creek Entertainment has revealed the extras for its Hammer Films: The Ultimate Collection. Releasing on November 17, the 10-disc Blu-ray box set collects 20 films from British production company Hammer Films.

It includes: The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958), The Snorkel (1958), The Camp on Blood Island (1958), Yesterday’s Enemy (1959), The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1960), Never Take Candy From A Stranger (1960), The Stranglers of Bombay (1960), The Terror of the Tongs (1961), Scream of Fear (1961), Stop Me Before I Kill! (1961), Cash On Demand (1961), These Are The Damned (1962), The Pirates of Blood River (1962), The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb (1963), Maniac (1963), The Old Dark House (1963), The Gorgon (1964), The Devil-Ship Pirates (1964), Die! Die! My Darling (1965), and Creatures the World Forgot (1971).

Hammer Films: The Ultimate Collection is available to pre-order for $72.99 via Amazon. A 12-page booklet is included. Read on for the special features:

Special features:

The Revenge of Frankenstein audio commentary by film historians Constantine Nasr and Steve Haberman

The Old Dark House audio commentary by Monster Party podcast

The Gorgon audio commentary by House of the Gorgon filmmaker Joshua Kennedy

The Snorkel audio commentary by filmmakers/historians Phoef Sutton, Mark Jordan Legan, and C. Courtney Joyner

Never Take Candy from a Stranger audio commentary by film historian Constantine Nasr

Scream of Fear audio commentary by film historian Steve Haberman

The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb Retrospective

The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll Retrospective

Hammer at Columbia Pictures featurette

The Actors of Hammer Film featurette

12-page movie and feature guide

For more than four decades, Hammer Films’ unique blend of horror, science fiction, thrills and comedy dominated countless drive-ins and movie theaters. Enjoy this massive collection from the darkest corners of the Hammer imagination!

Featuring 20 cult classics from the infamous Hammer Studios produced in the 50s, 60s and 70s available together for the first time in high-definition!

[cowandcalf]

Writer’s Month 2020 - To Find A Way

Prompt No.14 - Metamorphosis Part II

Chapter 1 - 7

They watch Grace play. Danny stays close the to climbing frame with all the ropes to make sure he could run to the rescue if his girl should get into trouble. Steve mimics a statue and stays silent for a long time. Danny's tongue is stuck to the roof of his mouth. All the great remarks he figured he could throw at Steve dissolve into a fog.

He learns once more how difficult it is to transport a special, magical mood into a normal Wednesday. Steve seems to be miles away. The bonding moment they've experienced is non-existent. Danny can't stand the silence any longer. If he wants the quiet, he hikes to the top of a damn mountain or goes snorkeling. "Hey, you okay there, Steve?" He side-eyes the tall, dark, handsome guy next to him.

Steve licks his lips and squints into the bright sunlight. "Yeah, I'm okay."

"You had, uh, a scare this morning with Mary, rattles every man. We think pregnant women are fragile but God, believe me, they're not."

Steve shoots him a thoughtful glance. "You speak from experience, I think. You're a father. You have a sweet girl."

Danny knows Steve doesn't mean to sound reproachful, but his words affect him. "Yes, that's my baby girl. I'm a proud father. We have the life we choose. Or sometimes life chooses us."

"So, you're married? Do you plan on having more children? I haven't seen your wife." Steve gets braver. He even turns and stands closer to Danny. Danny likes where this is going. Steve's checking the turf.

"I was married. Rachel and I have worked hard to become friends for Grace's sake. And no, no more kids on the way. I'm divorced and, uh, I'm single." Danny can't look at Steve. The urge to explain is still pressuring behind his chest. He kind of swipes the playground with his eyes. He hopes he sounds nonchalantly enough. "I'm here for Grace. Today, I mean. It's uh, Rachel, her mother, has an appointment and her husband's not here yet. I'm an emergency backup. Didn't expect to run into you on the maternity ward, though." Danny twists his upper body to check up on Steve's mood. "I honest to God thought Mary's your wife." Okay, his heartbeat just picked up speed. His mouth is as dry as the Gobi Desert.

Steve goes quiet again. Danny senses his troubled mind and wished Steve would be a bit more responsive. It's no fun to talk to a menhir. Danny doesn't get easily pushed out of his comfort zone. But add emotions to the mix and he's as light as a feather in strong wind. Jeez. Danny purses his lips. He fights the urge to assure Steve he's into guys too and that there's nothing wrong with the circumstance to have a family with a woman and why the hell does he even bother? This guy drives him nuts. Danny's armpits are uncomfortably wet.

"No, Mary's my younger sister. I wouldn't be a good father, I guess. I wouldn't know what to do with a helpless bundle, too scared to mess up. I don't know. I've never had to make that decision –" Steve bends his head and watches his shoes, "if I wanna be a father I mean. Hasn't happened so far." He adds.

"Hey, you did well. You made sure Mary's well taken care of."

"We had a big argument before she let me maneuver her into my truck to drive her to the hospital. She's so stubborn. I found her on all four, doing garden work. I freaked. She had cramps and I was so scared. She said, she overdid it and that's all. She just wanted to lie down until everything would calm down. But I couldn't – " Steve rubs with his fist at his forehead. "I got so scared. I had this horror movie running through my mind. I saw how she gave birth, collapsing out on the lawn behind the house or something like this. I needed to bring her here. I can handle tough calls but not when it's my baby sister nine months pregnant with my niece. I've just lost my nerves, I guess." Steve laughs bashfully. "Not my bravest moment."

"You did good, Steve. Mary's going to be fine and she'll be okay. You'll see, nature knows how to do what needs to be done when it's time. Women give birth since humanity exists. Kawika is with her. You're fine and I know you're going to spoil your niece rotten once she's born."

Steve smiles at him and Danny's bones turn into useless goo. "Why haven't you texted? Called? I thought you wanted to get that rain check on lunch?" Danny chews on his bottom lip. His eyes scan the playground to make sure Grace isn't in any danger. "I've waited for your call." Should he have said that? Too much pressure, no, he shouldn't have said that.

Steve clears his throat. "Yeah, about that. I, uh, I was hungry, but I got caught up in work. You know, uhm, I had to get the seedlings into the ground. I would have – would have called, you know? But days," Steve steps closer, still with his arms crossed over his chest as if he has to hug himself, "days sometimes flow into each other and I can't really say how much time has passed. It's been almost a week since we've met and when time passes the things that happened start to shape in something else. I wasn't – it was an intense afternoon. I, uhm," Steve draws a breath before he continues, "you saw me at the worst. I wasn't sure if you wanted to, you know, go for lunch, have a chat. I'm not the funny average guy to talk about the weather over chicken salad."

Danny has his eyes on Grace. He wants to give Steve the space to have his mini freak-out about the fact he might have scared Danny off. He ignores how the heat in the pit of his stomach flows in all directions. "You forgot my number." Danny states calmly, "just say it, Steve. Be honest. I'm not offended. Okay a bit, yes, a bit. I'm offended a bit that you forgot my number." Danny rocks on his heels back and forth while he rambles. "I expected a SEAL, even a SEAL buried up to his nose in flowers and plants to remember a few, easy numbers. Don't you get trained for that? I thought you're tough multitasking guys. The Army is a fun club."

Steve stiffens and scoffs. "I haven't forgotten your number. It's 808-925-1717. Happy? And it's the Navy, Danny. The Navy."

Danny can't believe how fast Steve falls for that dumb joke. "God, you're so easy to tease. Don't be so uptight about it. Look at you, all puffed out chest and standing at attention. I know, man, it's the Navy. I didn't mean to offend you." He hopes his smile is appeasing. "Good to know you didn't forget my number." He darts a look at Steve and sees how he sets his jaw to keep his lips from being pulled into a grin. Instead, he gazes off into the distance and fishes his cell from the pocket and unlocks the screen.

Two seconds later, Danny's cell rings. He takes the call with the unknown caller ID. "Yeah, Detective Williams, HPD – who's it?" He frowns hard at Steve who stands there like a boy who has all fun doing a silly prank.

"Yeah, Detective Williams, McGarrett here, Steve McGarrett. Do you remember me?"

"Yes, you big goof. The Army guy, isn't it?" Danny can't control the laughter. He really needed to say that.

Steve glares at him, for real this time. "You owe me a fat rain check on lunch and for being too dense to know the difference between the Army and the Navy. I'm hungry. Lunch. Today. You're paying. You're in?"

"You know how stupid this is to stand three feet apart and to give me a call, don't you? I can hear you talking and the echo in my hear is strange. How old are you? Five?"

"You haven't answered my question." Steve still speaks into his phone and watches Danny at the same time.

"Yes. Lunch. Today. Good. I'm in. Where do you wanna go?"

"Have you ever taken Grace to Kame's shrimp truck for Kame's specialty of the day? She'll love it."

Whenever Steve says Grace's name, Danny gets kind of dizzy with something he doesn't want to explore. Steve watches him with a gentle, kind expression. Too much for Danny's heart to stand for more than five seconds. "No, I haven't but Kame's place it is." He hangs up.

"See?" Steve seems utterly satisfied, smug even. Danny notices Steve's faintly colored cheeks.

He has tried to keep the love at bay. The crazy beast of feelings is toying with him, tugging at the golden rope wound around his heart. But he can't hold it and he doesn't want to. The way Steve stands there, watching children playing, having a hawk-eye on Grace, makes it impossible for Danny to hold on to the rope that keeps the insane sensation in his heart controlled. He lets the leash go and stands his ground when the wave of feelings rushes through his body.

This guy is going to be the death of him. Danny's cell rings again. This time it's Stan. "Hi, Stan. Yeah, she's fine. Where are you? Give me a second. I'll meet you at the entrance. Yes, she asked me to make sure you'll find her." Danny's eyes search for Grace.

"Danny, it's fine. I'll take care of her. Go, go be with Stan. We'll wait for you right here, okay?" Steve squeezes Danny's shoulder with his large hand.

"You don't mind? You'll keep her safe?" Danny asks hesitantly. He never lets a stranger look after Grace. But Steve, Steve's different.

"Danny, I'll take care of her as if she's my daughter." This time, Steve blushes bright red but he doesn't correct himself. "I'm good at keeping people safe, especially your daughter. Go, Grace is safe with me."

Danny exhales and covers Steve's hand on his shoulder shortly with his own. He swallows. This man, God, he can totally feel the softness of Steve's lips pressed to his just by looking at his mouth. The bottom of his stomach drops out. Danny forces his eyes to stay above Steve's nose, but he gets distracted by the longest lashes he has ever seen on a guy. Steve waits for reassurance. Danny forces his eyes to focus. "Yeah, good. Thank you, Steve. I mean it. I'm back in a flash."

Danny still sees Steve's smile after he reunited Stan with Rachel and made sure they were good. He hurries back to the playground on the other side of the street. But –

He doesn't see Steve. Where the hell is he?

Danny runs faster. And where the hell is Grace?

For a split second, Danny's heart races and his muscles tremble faintly under the strain of too much tension. And then, he hears the lighthearted giggle from his little girl. He jogs over to where the sound comes from. He can't believe his eyes. This tough, combat-hardened SEAL sits on a seesaw with a bright grin on his face. Grace is safely tucked in between the handlebar and Steve's strong arms. He boxes her in to keep her safe. On the other side of the seesaw, three kids shout and laugh simultaneously. They try to fight the weight, to make the seesaw move.

Danny bites the thick rope of emotions back that tries to strangle his throat.

"Danno!" Grace screams and giggles with her head thrown back. She laughs at Steve and Steve looks down at her and answers her laugh with an even brighter grin.

No one ever has told Danny that happiness can be as sharp as a spear. The detonation of feelings almost has him bend over. "Monkey!" He waves and jogs closer. "What are you guys doing?"

Steve whispers something in her ear. "Winning!" His little girl screams on the top of her small lungs. The kids on the other side shout something back.

When they are safely back on the ground Grace throws herself into Danny's arms. "Danno, that was great! Steve is fun! We won!" She clings to him.

Danny hugs her extra tightly. He follows Steve's stance and the way his eyes search his, not letting go until he stands right next to Danny.

"Thank you," Danny whispers.

"You're welcome, Danno." Steve has a way to roll the letters on his tongue that makes Danny want to bury his face in the curve of Steve's shoulder.

Danny puts Grace down and keeps an eye on Steve. "Danno is –" he downplays how much Steve makes him want to reinvent the world. He can't let Steve have that name in his mouth. He can't. "Danno is Grace's endearment for me. I – You can't, it's –"

"I told Steve he could use it, too. He asked me." Grace grabs Danny's fingers and pulls him forward.

Danny blinks. How long has he been away? Two days? "How much have you guys talked? I haven't been away that long!"

Steve shrugs.

"I'm hungry, Danno. Can we go now? Steve said we're going to see a friend. He has shaved ice and French fries."

Danny gawps as Steve. Steve stuffs his hands down the front pockets of his cargos. He looks only half-guilty. "I told her Kame has also lots of different salads and shrimps. And that her daddy knows what she likes for lunch."

"Good choice of words. Good choice." Danny furrows his brows and almost drowns in Steve's gaze. "Yeah, let's head to Kame's. I don't have a car. My HPD partner drove me."

"If that's the only thing that's holding us back, then – we're good." Steve jingles with the car keys. "My truck is over there. Let's go."

Danny has no memory of how they've ended up talking about dolphins. The air is saturated with a heavy scent of wind and sea and a wild beauty Danny has never sensed before. Grace cheerfully answers Steve's questions about the animals she loves the most. Sometimes she also screams their names. "I love fishes! I love dolphins!"

"Baby, tone it down. My ears ring when you shout like that. Dolphins aren't fish, Monkey. They belong to the mammals. They breathe air just like you." He twists on his seat to wink at his baby girl.

She's tiny with the seatbelt across her small chest. The black back seat almost swallows her up. It's huge. Steve's truck is huge and everything in it. She bends her knees and tucks them to her chest. She smiles one of her staggering happy smiles. "I love mamas!" She shouts and giggles at the same time.

"Mammals. A difficult word but you're doing great." Danny's mood is dangerously close to soaring high. It's somewhere up in the stratosphere where rainbows get born and where space waste gets burned when entering the earth's atmosphere. But he couldn't care less.

Steve wears a small smile that makes him glow. Danny looks out of the window. His eyes would have betrayed him under one second flat. He inhales deeply to wallow in the scent of Steve's skin and the way his detergent wafts over to him, tickling his nose and making his heart ache.

"You love dolphins, Grace?"

"YES!" She yells.

"It's time we get some food into you, Grace-face. Look we're here!" Danny unbuckles the seatbelt and pushed the door open. Kame's place is busy with lunch guests. "Hey, Steve! Look! Isn't that Mary and Kawika over there? Whoa, Kono and Chin are also here. Kame's having the time of the day with all the money his getting out of us."

Steve jumps out of the car to scowl over where a bunch of people sit and talk. Danny touches his arm after he helped Grace out of the car. "Steve, you okay?"

"I – Mary's here. She should be lying in bed with her feet on a pillow not moving an inch until the baby's born. What is she doing here?"

"Come on, let's find out. And Steve, before you throw Mary in the back of your truck to drive her home, let Kawika handle it."

"I wouldn't do that!" Steve blurts.

"Maybe you believe that but the way you stare over at her I fear for her lunch. Go easy on her. She's fine Steve. Pregnant women gotta eat."

They get greeted with loud cheering. Kame is serving the first round. "Look what the cat dragged in. Danny with his little girl. It's time you bring her around. Sit down, pua li'ili'i. You hungry?"

Danny places Grace next to Kono. Too many people make her go all quiet and shy. Steve greets the bunch like they're old friends. Kono fires a gazillion questions at Danny only with her eyes. He just ignores her with an elegant move. "Mary, how are you. Is everything okay? Steve was a bit shocked to see you here. He's afraid you might overdo it again."

Mary wipes at her mouth with a napkin. "My brother," she makes sure Steve hears her, "thinks every time I get up our sweet little flower slips out as if I have any intentions to give birth standing upright." She laughs and Kawika pulls her protectively against his side.

"Go easy on him, darling." Danny hears Kawika whisper.

Steve glares at Mary and steals a shrimp off her plate. "Look at your belly. It's so big. You're ripe like an apple. Let me worry okay?"

"Punk, relax. I'm fine. I was hungry. After lunch, Kawika takes me home. Happy?"

Steve takes her hand and has her look at him. "I'll drop by to check up on you."

"I love you, Punk," Mary whispers. "Thank you."

Steve thins his lips. He gifts her with a small smile but doesn't say it back. He takes the seat across Danny and gets involved in a conversation with Chin.

Danny plops down on the bench. "Do you know each other?" He asked dumfounded over to where Steve catches up with Kono, Chin, and Kawika. Kono gifts him with a stupid face and completely slack-jawed.

"You're kidding, right, Danny?"

"No, I'm not. I – I haven't expected you to know each other is all."

"Kukui High, football, quarterback. Freaking Hawai'i, surfing. Brah, of course, we know each other. We hung out together at the beach. We all grew up in Hawai'i. Steve's ohana. He's gone to save the world and now he's back. We all make sure he's fine, getting along with life and all, you know." Kono slaps his back. "Dude, you didn't know that?"

Danny wants to scream. He wants to go for a walk. "How the hell would I know that? I'm the new guy, remember? You have never even mentioned anything about knowing a Steve!" He cuts Grace's shrimps in small pieces to distract him from this unveiling. He can't look in Steve's direction when he sees Steve matching names and events together.

"Danny's your partner?" Steve asks Kono with so much disbelief in his voice it's comical. "He's the haole you talked about?" Okay, that high-pitched voice is a bit unsexy.

After that Danny's memories are blurry.

He remembers a lot of laughter, especially Steve's low, rare carefree rumble. At one point, Kono punches Danny hard and makes faces at him. She points out how he hasn't checked his phone a single time since they've sat down. That got her thinking. She's about the figure out who he might have a secret crush on. Danny kicks her shin and pinches her thigh to shut her up. Kono gives him the stink-eye.

Danny stirs the attention immediately away from Kono with her razor-sharp mind. He calls over to Mary. He asks her if she could be a bit more specific about the details Steve has told her about him. Because that's what she said when they met at the hospital. Strangely enough, Steve chooses that moment to get seconds from Kame's hit of the day. The chatter dies as if well-orchestrated. All eyes are on Steve's sister.

"You have to know one thing, Danny. I talk Steve."

Danny forces himself not to cast a look over to where Steve chats with Kame. "That's a language?"

"Yeah, actually it is. And we all talk Steve. It's – it's a thing. When our mom died and when our dad got lost for some time someone needed to take care of Steve. We all did but I'm his sister. So, he doesn't say much and it's up to us to decipher what is hidden beneath the words he utters. We had a game going as teenagers. He never liked it when we did that. Steve doesn't do emotion; at least not the same way we handle them."

Danny eats. He's not hungry and he's not sure if his body is able to fight the tightness in his throat. He swallows and pretends his skin isn't on fire. "So, okay, what did Steve say that made you recognize me at the hospital?"

Mary's face morphs into a seriousness Danny wouldn't have thought possible. She looks as if she carries wisdom you only gain when of old age. She's calm when she answers his question. "Steve said just two words after a fruitless conversation to get more out of him. He said, 'he stayed' besides that, you're blond and asked all the right questions."

Rachel is downstairs resting from the day's treatment. Stan prepares a simple dinner in the kitchen. Danny tucks Grace in. It has been an adventurous day and Grace is tired. Danny reads to her from her favorite book, but she almost falls asleep. He puts the book aside.

"Did you have a good day, Monkey?"

"Mm-hmm. It was fun. Steve is fun."

"Yeah, he is."

"I asked Kono to take me surfing. Steve surfs too. He said he could teach me, too."

"Grace, baby, we've talked about this. It's still too early. Next year, okay?"

Grace plays with the bed cover before she whispers. "Steve has dolphins and he said he makes me see them."

Danny sits up. He doesn't lose his smile on his face. "He has dolphins. Really? Where?"

"He said, at the beach, where he lives. Danno, dolphins! Can we go see them? I want to go. Steve said we can come anytime." Grace glows and looks so hopefully at him. He knows how much she loves dolphins. "We can go tomorrow. Please, Danno, please." She whines, too exhausted and too hyper about the fact that Steve got miraculously some dolphins somewhere at his house.

"Let me talk to him, first, okay? And then we can go see them. But you might haven't heard it right, Monkey. Are you sure he said there are dolphins at the beach?"

Grace nods enthusiastically. "At the beach, Steve's beach. But we have to paddle out, to see them. He said he's going to show me. Can I go? Please, Danno." She begs.

Danny kisses her forehead and whispers in her ear, "of course, Monkey. We'll go visit Steve and he's going to show you the dolphins."

Back at home, Danny's finally alone with his thought. He can't stand that Steve told, promised even, his little girl dolphins. Real dolphins, the wild ones in the sea. No one promises a child something without keeping it. Danny doesn't know how he feels. Steve should have asked him. He should have consulted him. Danny can't stand the picture of his little girl far out on a paddleboard on the ocean. Not even a boat. Nothing, his girl has nothing lost on the ocean. Not yet, too dangerous.

Danny types already the words to send Steve a text. He's agitated and paces the small space in his apartment. He's also angry. What was Steve thinking to make such a promise?

Danny deletes the written text. He grabs his keys from the kitchen table instead and storms outside. He peels off the parking lot and heads towards Steve's place in the jungle. He needs to ask him in person what the hell he was thinking. Who has freaking dolphins at the beach at home?

Danny's headlights lighten the dark street on the freeway. It's late. The first drop of rain hits the windshield when Danny makes the turn to drive up the dirt road to Steve's place.

TBC

Also on AO3

[bangtan-madi]

First of all, I wish your new approach on your tumblr is a success! With that said, before you stop writing for MM, could you write a second part for the platonic headcannons with Seven and Yoosung, please? ♥️

For you, my dear, of course! 🙂 Thank you for being such a loyal reader and requesting so many headcanons/scenarios for MM. I really loved writing what you requested. Hope this is as cute as the last one turned out!

Yoosung

I can definitely see Yoosung being just as touchy as Zen, if not more.

This boy is such a cuddly little puppy, I swear to god. All he has to do is give you those damn doe eyes and you're being pulled into one of his many, many all-encompassing hugs. The kind that doesn't end for minutes at a time.

Doesn't matter where you are--school, work, home, with friends--Yoosung will take advantage of your touch any time it suits him.

Being best friends with this blondie means putting up with hugs that outlast what is useful. I mean, him holding onto you after hours or while relaxing is one thing. You don't mind the back hugs in the hallway or during a conversation with the other members of the RFA.

But when he refuses to let you move without him attached to you? That's when it gets both hilarious and slightly annoying.

Need to go to the bathroom? When Yoosung's in a clingy mood, not gonna happen.

In the middle of a research paper or cooking in the kitchen? You're gonna have to learn to move with a baby attached to your back and arms wrapped around your waist.

"Yoosung, you've got to give me some space. I'm trying to make snacks for when the group gets here!"

"You can do that with me here, can't you?"

"Not really...would you like to help? Then we can finish faster and go back to cuddling."

That's literally the only way you're going to get the toddler to detach himself. It's actually endearing, bringing a smile to your face.

But there are other forms of platonic affection that the two of you have.

When you actually set out time to study or get some other form of work done, whether at home or at the library, you can be sure that Yoosung is going to make sure you have everything you need.

Snacks? Coffee? Already taken care of. Can't quite reach that book on the top shelf? He's already pulling it down for you. Forgot to bring your notes on the assignment? He's sharing his with you, no objections allowed.

Reassurance comes constantly in the form of brief back rubs and knee pats. When you're struggling on a project or don't understand a concept, he's there to make sure you don't fall behind. Even if he doesn't quite understand himself, he'll make sure that you're confident enough to handle whatever the class or your boss throws at you.

I also see him being a shoulder to cry on, more than anyone else in the RFA (with Zen as a close second.) He's empathetic and knows how hard life can be sometimes. You can tell this boy anything and it stays between you two. Even if there's nothing he can do to help, he'll make sure you know you're safe and secure with him.

If that means staying over at his place for a while, so be it. If that means him helping you study or think out-loud on your assignment, he's there with you. If it's an issue with family, he'll be the anchor that keeps you from slipping into a darker place.

Basically, whatever you need, Yoosung is going to be one of the best friends you can ask for. This boy's the whole damn package, and now I want a Yoosung.

Seven

Having Seven as a best friend would be a wild ride, to say the least.

The boy's got so much energy, I only hope you can keep up!

That being said, all that energy gets focused on you more often than not. Rest assured that your friendship will be filled with plenty of activities. I'm talking amusement parks, water parks, sky diving (if you're up for it, if not, he'll probably do it himself lol), plenty of sports, snorkeling--this kid is gonna do it all. When the urge hits him to go out and explore, to try something new, rest assured he's gonna drag you along for the ride.

But there are few places you'd rather be than with the redhead when he's having so much fun his face turns the color of his hair.

Much of your friendship is based on experiences, but that doesn't mean you don't love a good night in, too.

I mean, the boy's kinda an enigma. One minute, he's ready to climb Mt. Everest because Zen dared him to. The next, he's curled up under a mountain of games and old movies, reclusively hiding in his signature hoodie.

He's more than happy to have you there for that, too.

It's in those times that you get to see the softer, less energetic side of Seven. You've spent entire weekends wrapped up with him, your head on his shoulder, watching the entire Star Wars saga from Episode I (a mistake, you both concur) to Episode IX (which you both end up debating quite ferociously.)

Seven isn't one for excessive skinship, unlike some of the other members of the RFA (lookin' at you, Zen and Yoosung!) That's something you pick up on pretty early into your friendship, and it's never really bothered you. You have your own ways of showing each other how much you care about the other. There's never been a doubt in your mind that your best friend is one of the most important people in your life, and vice versa.

However, when Seven is stressed about work or his relationship with his estranged brother, that's when he's more open to your touch. Not in an overly feely way, like Zen or Yoosung might be accustomed to, but he'll never push you away when you take a seat behind him as he works and play with his hair.

If this were the first few months, you might've asked him to put his work away and leave it be for a while. Seven doesn't work like that; he has to keep going until his genius brain figures out a solution. Now, you are simply there for him, reassuring him through your fingers along his scalp that he can figure it out.

You believe in him, and he feels that through your gentle caresses. In the end, when he does inevitably solve the problem, your rub the stress from his shoulders and let his head fall back into the curve of your shoulders.

"Thanks for just being here, babe. You don't know how much easier it is to focus when you do that."

To that, you smile and press a platonic kiss to his red locks.

"You do the same for me."

And he does. He's picked up on your stress triggers and anxiety warning signs. Whether it be from work, school, or some other source, he's concocted a few ways to get your mind off them.

For one, he returns the skinship you provide him. He knows how much you love it, and even if he's not the most comfortable person with touch, he'll do just about anything for you.

And unlike him, he knows that when a problem is irking you, it's best to put away the laptop and focus on something else. He'll gently push the device out of the way, turn off your phone, and bring your attention to him. He'll give you hand and neck massages until the tenseness shifts to relaxation. He'll drag you into a playful game of "who can create the most obnoxious snack" and force you to play games with him until you're completely occupied.

After the night winds down, he'll try his best to talk it out with you. You've found that, oftentimes, your issues are solved just by letting Seven make jokes about your classmates or coworkers. Even your boss gets made fun of every now and then. Even when he's kidding, Seven is a genius and provides plenty of ideas that return your spark and motivation.

He's not the best with advice, but if you need someone to get your mind off things, Seven is your guy. He may not be the most conventional of best friends, but you wouldn't change him for the world.

[lifeofafangirl2]

Jupiter Neptune and Gemini for the ask thingy🥰✨🪐

I forgot I had this I am so sorry...I forgot what each thing means but I will tel you three fandoms things.

1. I am terrified of swimming with fish (like snorkeling. It’s not the water that scares me. It’s the damn fish)

2. I really really want to get an anime tattoo but my mom would kick me out of the house lol.

3. I make a mean ass chiken noodle soup but I will burn myself at least once while making it. It never fails

[vintage1981]

Hammer Films Collection - Bonus Feature Preview - Hammer At Columbia

Enjoy this preview clip from the Hammer At Columbia - an exclusive bonus feature produced by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures and featuring film historian C. Courtney Joyner available on Mill Creek Entertainment's HAMMER FILMS - THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION Blu-ray mega-set!

Available from: Amazon - https://amzn.to/3lAsfob 

Deep Discount - http://bit.ly/HammerCollectionDD

For more than four decades, Hammer Films unique blend of horror, science fiction, thrills and comedy dominated countless drive-ins and movie theaters. Enjoy this massive collection from the darkest corners of the Hammer Imagination!

Featuring 20 Cult-Classics from the infamous Hammer Studios produced in the 50s, 60s and 70s available together for the first time in high-definition!

Featured films:

The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958)

The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1960)

The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb (1963)

These Are The Damned (1962)

The Old Dark House (1963)

The Gorgon (1964)

The Snorkel (1958)

Maniac (1963)

Die! Die! My Darling (1965)

Scream of Fear (1961)

Stop Me Before I Kill! (1961)

Never Take Candy From A Stranger (1960)

Cash On Demand (1961)

The Stranglers of Bombay (1960)

The Terror of the Tongs (1961)

The Pirates of Blood River (1962)

Sword of Sherwood Forest (1964)

The Camp on Blood Island (1958)

Yesterday's Enemy (1959)

Creatures the World Forgot (1971)

Special Features:

12-Page Movie and Feature Guide Booklet

Hammer Film Featurettes and Retrospectives

Hammer at Columbia Pictures

The Actors of Hammer Film

The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb Retrospective

The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll Retrospective

Audio Commentaries:

The Revenge of Frankenstein - Commentary with filmmaker/film historian Constantine Nasr and author/film historian Steve Haberman

The Old Dark House - Commentary with The Monster Party Podcast featuring James Gonis, Shawn Sheridan, Larry Strothe, and Matt Weinhold

The Gorgon - Commentary with writer/director Joshua Kennedy (House of the Gorgon)

The Snorkel - Commentary with writer/producer Phoef Sutton, writer/film historian Mark Jordan Legan, and screenwriter/film historian C. Courtney Joyner

Never Take Candy From A Stranger - Commentary with filmmaker/historian Constantine Nasr

Scream of Fear - Commentary with author/film historian Steve Haberman

[bluboothalassophile]

wow blu! your "The Wife & Ex-Husband" it's really good, very complex and a mess but really good, as always jay with his love for women, but he loves too much women hehe what have you got yourself in, jay? oh this is going to be fun, a little drama but can't wait to see/read the next chap. :))

Hello,

I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the first chapter of Forgot to Love You, I’ve actually got a whole story going for it for the time being so I hope you continue to enjoy it! Here’s the second chapter, also able to be found here:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/21209576/chapters/50517893

Not Ex-Husband...

Raven survived the rest of her night by the skin of her teeth, which was why she felt so utterly exhausted walking into her hotel room, peeling off her painful heels, and undoing her complicated Viking braids. Dolphin had had a lot of fun with Raven’s hair earlier today and she had just left her friend’s work in place. Gingerly peeling off the loose, soft, skimpy red dress she dropped it to the floor as she walked for her bed, collapsing on it.

Right now she was just immensely happy she hadn’t taken up her uncle’s offer on taking the guest room in his penthouse, she just wanted peace.

Rolling over she stared at the ceiling, pulling her covers up to her chin as she thought about tonight. Specifically her ex-husband was on her mind, it hadn’t been long ago when he had been on her mind last time.

‘So what’s a girl like you doing in a place like this?’ he had chuckled, pressing his glass to his bruised cheek.

‘Probably the same thing a place like this is doing in a guy like you,’ she mused.

‘Ooo! A Deadpool fan!’ he mused.

‘Obviously,’ she had laughed gesturing to her shirt; the crude drawing of Deadpool shooting Francis while screaming ‘Where’s Francis!?’

‘Well, love, it’s a pleasure to meet you,’ he offered his hand.

‘Raven,’ she had said as she shook his hand. His lips brushed her bruised and bloodied knuckles.

‘Jason,’ he smiled with his split lip. He was devilishly handsome.

It was only later, she thought bitterly, that she learned he was there trying to get over a heartbreak. His fiancée; Donna; had run off with his best man; Roy Harper, and Raven had watched it on the media. From the safety of her family ranch in New Mexico while she plotted out her next moves.

She had gone to Hawaii to study humpback whales with Garth. She had stayed with the Curry family for two years, and in that time she had mastered surfing, gotten over her heartbreak, lived on a boat, went swimming in the reefs, learned to snorkel, and scuba dive, and got to survive loosing her mom. Lucifer and Maze had been most sympathetic to her plight, but they didn’t know the whole story. Only that she had met a guy in New Zealand, fallen hard and fast for him and it was all a mistake. She had never told them she married the guy, or that she had married him in a drunken haze that she couldn’t remember.

Everyday since she had left was a struggle not to call Jason, not to turn around and go back to ruin his life. Raven couldn’t do that to the man, he was just too good for her. He didn’t even know how good he was, and that was what made it all the more painful in her mind. He didn’t know what she was capable of, or what she’d do, he didn’t know how far she could go to survive or how horrible she could truly be. They were friends, people who just clicked together like old friends, and it had worked. Jason had made her happy, and she knew she’d ruin him if she stayed. She ruined everything afterall.

Her phone buzzed which had her picking it up as she fought her heavy eyes and stared at the simple text from Jason.

-Can we grab some coffee tomorrow? We need to talk.

Simple, neat, to the point. He was always to the point. Raven looked at the clock, wincing at the time then she looked at the text again.

-Can’t do coffee in the morning, how about lunch?

She kicked herself for offering to spend more time with him, after all she was his vacation mistake.

-Sure, still like Thai?

-Yes.

-I got a place, want me to get you?

-Sure. I’m staying at LUX.

-I’ll txt before I come

-ok. Nite.

She dropped her phone before rolling over and staring out her window at the lights of LA. She had no idea why she was doing this. He was the ex-husband! They had parted, on good terms even. Though she supposed he had more questions for her because she had just left him with three things before she had run off.

Closing her eyes she saw that moment when she knew this was all a huge vacation mistake.

She had come rushing down to the lobby on the phone, negotiating with the airlines to get back to Colorado; Durango, where her mom was hospitalized. It had taken her an over a day, with multiple airlines, and her uncle fast tracking her money and getting her shortcuts, to get back stateside. Raven had jogged into the lobby to see him with a woman who looked like a gorgeous model.

The other woman; who she would later learn was Donna Troy, Princess of Greece, sister to the Queen; Diana Prince; was tall, almost as tall as Jason was, long curly black hair, and features of a Greek Goddess. Raven wanted to punch the woman in her stupid face, but knew she couldn’t, especially when the woman grabbed Jason, spun him to her and kissed him. Raven had bolted at that sight; because she knew she couldn’t handle that and she ran for a lawyer. Drawing up the divorce was quick and simple, because she and Jason had shared nothing and nothing was in each other’s name, she also laughed it off as a drunk mistake.

Once all that was taken care of, she had gone to her hotel, he wasn’t there, so she packed up. Leaving him with a brief note, the papers, and the ring she grabbed her bags and ran for the airport with her passport in hand. She had made it to her gate, barely, had her stuff mailed to her and made it to the States in the span of twenty-seven hours. Literally forty hours after she’d gotten the call from her aunt that her mom was in the hospital and her stepfather didn’t think her mom had much time.

~~~*~*~*~~~

Jason stood in his hotel, staring out at the city, smiling a bit at the text Raven had sent him saying night, and slipped it into his pocket.

He had never told anyone, but his grandfather, Alfred, that Raven leaving him had royally pissed him off. And even then, he wasn’t mad at her, he was mad with himself. Raven was, hands down, the best damn thing to ever happen to him at the second worst point in his entire life.

The day he was supposed to get married to Donna Troy, his childhood sweetheart, and first love, she runs into the room he was getting ready and demanded to know how he felt about her. Not the best timing, he got it, but him not giving her an immediate answer had her blurting out everything she felt. They’d been together for so long, even when they had both had wild affairs, or been broken up, that they just landed back together because it’s what everyone expected of them. They were expected of everyone, from around the world, and Donna said that she was tired of it. She wanted to know what they wanted, just them and not what the world wanted of them. Jason didn’t have an answer for that, because he had honestly never thought about it.

Donna Troy was his endgame.

Always had been.

When he was a PJ, when he was Bruce Wayne’s billionaire screw up, when he was the punk teenager, he had never thought about it. Donna Troy was just there, and they were the endgame for each other. Or so he had thought.

She had, in her frustrations and fury, blurted out that she’d been having an affair with his best friend; Roy Harper, for years, and that’s when he had started in on her. The only times he had ever dated anyone else or slept with anyone else was when he was certain they were not together. They both lost their tempers, she ran from the church in her wedding gown, with Roy in hand, and the media had exploded with it.

Jason, in his spiteful fury towards his family and fiancée had taken the honeymoon tickets and taken the trip. Two weeks into his running away attempt he had withdrawn a shit ton of cash, ditched his credit cards, and his former cellphone, taken his private passport, and left with nothing but his go-bag from France, and made his way to Australia. Somehow, and he still wasn’t entirely sure about how, he had landed in New Zealand, and the first night there; in some hole in the wall, divvy pub he had met Raven Rachel Roth.

She was in New Zealand, finishing her exchange program, studying to be a Marine Biologist to work with her best friend; Garth Curry; who was studying orca hunting patterns in New Zealand at the time. She loved to read; probably more than he did, which was a true feat in his mind; she adored New York pizza, rooted for the New York Mets, believed in Magic, loved dogs, and animals as a whole, wanted to help people, and was probably a bigger tea lover than Alfred. He thought her to be the most mesmerizing person he had ever met. She was beautiful, quiet, commanding and classy. She was classy as fuck when she was cursing like a sailor after kicking ass; she might be a pacifist, but she knew how to kick ass when the time called for it.

He found her to be the most interesting person he had ever met, though she was eerily quiet and gentle.

He didn’t know what it was about Raven, but they just clicked, it was like he had known her all his life with how they were. Which was the only reason when he had woken up with a naked Raven in his arms, and a marriage certificate he didn’t remember getting, that he didn’t freak out. While she finished her program, he sorted out his shit, picking up an odd job or two repairing boats, cars, and even a few planes. Raven hadn’t let him move in with her, her dorm was occupied by messy roommates, so he had let her live in his hotel room. He had been contemplating getting a flat so they could stay together and sort their shit out.

Though that all changed in the span of a day.

He’d been walking for his hotel when Donna had materialized in front of him. He had been texting Raven about dinner plans, intending to talk to her about their marriage and the next thing they should do. Her program was coming to a close, and he knew she had family stateside. He wanted her to meet his family, and he wondered if she wanted him to meet hers; she had talked animatedly about them, but also vaguely.

Donna was just standing there, dressed in cream, looking like a classic Greek goddess; not a single curl out of place as her dark eyes assessed him carefully for hints. He didn’t know what to think, brushing her off to try to escape, when she had pleaded to talk with him. Apparently, his family was freaking out because no one could find him, and she had hired a PI to track him down. Jason thought they were all being over dramatic, he was royally pissed, and hurt, and had every damn right to feel that way. Also humiliated, greatly humiliated.

But this was Donna and they were Donna and Jason so he couldn’t blow her off like he wanted to do. However, he would do anything to keep the Princess of Greece away from the woman he loved, because he did not need Donna to attack Raven. He knew she’d do it, Donna had done it to all his other exes in the past; Kara, Isabel, Artemis, Violet, so he wanted her as far away from Raven as he could get her. He’d been shocked when Donna had casually pulled him into a kiss; like muscle memory, but he didn’t kiss her back. Instead he had pushed her away and told her very firmly they weren’t do that again; ever, and if she thought differently, he’d happily escort her to the Greek Embassy and walk away. Jason had no problem walking away from her without talking to her, he had zero problems with it.

Instead they had walked, walked to a different, far more upscale hotel where his father was waiting for him with two of his siblings, and Alfred. Jason wanted to be pissed, he did, especially when he saw Roy, but he couldn’t find it in him to be pissed. He had Raven, and that didn’t make the world better, but it made him alright.

It had taken over a day of interrogation before his family was satisfied, he hadn’t been abducted, but they wanted to meet Raven. By the time he had finally gotten them to come around to the idea that he had made a friend who was not in the service with him, or someone they knew, and got them to want to meet her, she was gone. Hotel concierge had told him she had run out of here with her bags in a hurry for the airport, and that she looked panicked.

Jason had rushed up to their room to find nothing but the divorce papers, a note and the gaudy ring he had gotten her when he was drunk.

He had never felt so terrified as then, she was gone. Like she had never been there. All her things were packed and gone, not a stray piece of clothing or even the socks she’d stuff in between the couch cushions, a hoodie of his was also gone, and he didn’t know if she had done that intentionally or not. But whatever had called her off must’ve been important, because she’d have never left her program without reason. All he had was a note, the divorce papers, and that gaudy ring.

She had laughed at the ring, endlessly laughing and wore it on a chain around her neck, not on her finger; it was too big for her slim hands in her mind. Though she wore thousands of slim rings on her fingers, but not that one. That one was always worn around her neck on a chain. He hadn’t signed the divorce papers, he couldn’t, he didn’t know what went wrong with them to make her actually get them. The papers were straightforward, they had shared no assets, or joined households; they had been two independent people bound by a Catholic Captain; Daniel Cassidy, on a ship for whale watching, into the holy sacrament of marriage. Jason’s mom would’ve skinned him alive if she knew he had the divorce papers; as his mom had been Catholic and didn’t believe in divorce. That’s part of how he had become Bruce Wayne’s son actually.

But she was gone.

Her note was simple, straight to the point, and blunt.

Dear Jason,

Something’s come up, I must go, right now. I’m sorry. I don’t know what to do, but I feel this is for the best, it was a delight meeting you and I will always consider you my dearest of friends. But our time has come to an end, and I’m sorry. I wish you all the best. I’ll let you go, so I think it’s best you let me go.

Forever, with Love,

Raven

She had given him every out she thought he would need, but he couldn’t bring himself to sign those papers. Nor could he get rid of the note. He now wore her wedding ring on the chain, under his shirt, he kept her note neatly folded in his wallet, and the divorce papers in a folder in his suitcase; on the off chance they ran into each other and she truly wanted that bloody divorce.

He hadn’t looked for her, though he could easily track Garth down and demand to know where she was. Her line ‘I don’t know what to do’ always struck him as her way of saying she was scared, and she wanted to do this alone, the divorce was so she could do it alone. He wouldn’t file it though, he couldn’t.

With great reluctance he had followed his family back to Gotham. Dick was miffed when Jason bought a Mets mug, though Jason despised the Mets as the eternal rival of the Gotham Knights. Tim thought he was heartbroken over Donna and promptly tried to set him up on several dates with the help of Duke and Stephanie. Cass insisted he was sad and always tried to get him to talk about it. Damian thought he was dramatic and should take Donna back; which had had Jason punching his baby brother in the mouth, because he’d never go back to Donna. Terry, Helena, B Jr., and Tommy mostly thought he had a dark secret and tried to uncover it.

Jason had only told Alfred about Raven, and shown Alfred the photos, the proof that she existed; though she had tried to erase herself from his life pretty damn well. Alfred approved of her, and continuously tried to push him to hunt her down, even after Alfred had read the note. Jason thought Alfred had valid points, but he couldn’t.

Until Australia, he had actively not thought about Raven, until that terrifying call. Much to B’s frustrations, and his family’s fury, he had dropped everything at the drop of a hat and bolted. Alfred and Selina had arranged his flight.

She was gone by the time he got there, nary a trace of her.

It was B’s wife, Selina who had tracked her down and done a casual run in with her to confirm she was alive for him. Selina had run into Raven in Seattle, where she was at the time, dating a man named Garfield Logan, and living with a woman named Rose Wilson. She was alright, and in one piece, Jason had nearly collapsed at the news, but resolved to stay away from her so she could be happy. She was dating someone, she had built another little life for herself, and he wanted her happy.

It was the only time he had considered signing the divorce papers and letting her go fully.

He hadn’t though.

He could never figure out why. He could never get the nerve to call her, to reconnect, nor could he find it in him to sign the bloody divorce papers. He kind of hoped she’d find out and track him down to yell at him, but she hadn’t ever come. Five years and she had never come after him, it unnerved him until tonight.

Setting his drink aside he walked to his bed and sat on it as he thought over Raven and what seeing her had stirred up.

Tomorrow he would talk to her, tomorrow he would tell her they were not divorced and he would beg, on his hands and knees if he had to, beg her for a second chance. He would do whatever she wanted, but he didn’t want to let her go; never again.

Raven cursed God for creating morning, she cursed existence for it, and she cursed her Aunt for calling her about Passover plans, and if she’d make it to Long Island for the celebration with her grandfather and cousins. Raven had barely said sure before hanging up and cursing morning. Coffee was not her normal poison but after last night with Rose, Joe, Kyd, and Slade, she needed it. Glancing at the time she saw that it was almost time for lunch, cursing the existence of family, people, and general morning issues she stumbled into the shower. Once cleaned a bit, she twisted her hair up into a large bun pinned to her head with two heirloom hairpins. Her outfit was her Wright jersey, and jeans before texting her ex-husband she was ready for lunch with him while she sipped her coffee and walked out of LUX. Luci and Maze were not awake yet, so she didn’t have to deal with their interrogation; yet.

Jason texted that he’d be there in fifteen.

She just hummed to herself and sipped her coffee; wishing for the millionth time it was November or October so she could have pumpkin spice flavoring. But alas, it was February and not the time of year for pumpkin flavoring.

Jason pulled up in a black Audi, she got in before he could get the door for her and she sunk into the warm seat. Though she had a leather jacket, and didn’t get cold, she would admit she was exhausted.

“You look like death warmed over,” he remarked which had her glaring at him.

“Do you realize what a pain in the ass, not one, but three bridezillas are!?” she demanded. “I was up until three in the morning just trying to diffuse the flower crisis between Dad, Kyd and Joe! Then Alice calls me at eleven in the morning wanting to know if I’ll be home for Passover.”

“Really?”

“Wherever we’re going better have copious amounts of coffee because after lunch I have to go deal with the tailor.”

“Then I’ll take us someplace else,” he promised. “No Thai.”

“I want this wedding over with!” she whined.

“Could be a shotgun wedding they don’t remember,” he chuckled.

“That’s not going to happen,” she sighed regretfully. She was insanely happy for Joe and Kyd; especially because Joe had been so nervous about coming out as Pansexual, but Slade, Rose, Grant, and her had been prepared to be nothing but supportive; she still had the Pride banners shoved in her closet from the parade she did with Joe and Kyd last year. Though she was miffed at a lesbian trying to get into her pants; that had gotten ugly.

“Well, not everyone can be as fortunate as us,” he teased.

“Everyone else remembers their wedding,” she pointed out. “Also, if my family found out I got married but didn’t have a huge, traditional Jewish wedding, I think they’d perish!”

“You’re Jewish?”

“I love bacon,” she deadpanned.

He laughed. She forgotten how beautiful his laugh was; it wasn’t fair that he got to show up and remind her how beautiful and amazing he was. And it wasn’t fair that she couldn’t have him, Donna Troy was dating him again according to the tabloids; and she hated the Princess for it. But Jason deserved the best, and that was not her.

“Yes, my family is Jewish, my grandfather survived Dachau, his family was set to Auschwitz,” Raven answered.

“Damn, I didn’t know,” he said softly, his hand caught hers and his thumb gently rubbed her knuckles. “My mom was Irish Catholic,” he informed her.

“I bet our wedding would’ve been a riot then,” she decided with a soft laugh.

“Probably,” he chuckled. She withdrew her hand and wrapped it around her warm travel mug. “So the wedding, I didn’t know you had a brother.”

“I have two step brothers, and a step sister,” she answered honestly. “I have an adopted brother, too.”

He nodded as he drove them onto the freeway and started heading north.

“So how’ve you been Jason?”

“Fine, been nonstop work since New Zealand, I’m taking over the West Coast branch, Tim’s taking over the East Coast,” he answered. “I also have some international business I take care of.”

“That’s great.”

“I am just thankful to be moving away from my family finally,” he chuckled.

“You adore them and you know it.”

“That’s not the point, they’re overwhelming, other than Cat and Alfred.”

“Cat and Alfred?”

“Sorry, Selina is B’s second wife, and we call her Cat because she loves cats, and Alfred is kind of our grandfather.”

“Cool.”

“How about you?”

“Well, I move a lot, Garth and I still work together, with my brother Victor,” she answered. “My family gripes a lot that I’m not around enough because we travel all the time, but they get it. They’re supportive, even if that means a lot of Facetime calls.”

“That’s great,” he smiled; she saw it was a genuine smile which had her shyly returning it.

“So what about you? Anyone special?” she asked.

“Special?”

“Dating! I see the tabloids Jay,” she chuckled. “So you and Donna are you rebounding to serious again?” she questioned. She hated asking, mainly cause she still wanted to claw Donna’s eyes out, but the woman was a Princess, she was more than worthy for Jason Todd.

Raven didn’t notice his knuckles whitening on the wheel as they both stared at the road.

“No,” he answered softly. “I will never get serious with Donna again. We’re… we’re just trying to be friends, and it’s not easy,” he admitted.

“Being friends with exes is never easy,” Raven assured him.

“What about you?”

“Me?”

“You know, dating,” he chuckled.

She grimaced remembering her few failed attempts at dating. “No, not really. The last guy I dated had asked me out to make my sister jealous; it worked, they’ve been together for two years. And there’ve been a few dates, here and there, but no sparks or attraction,” she shrugged.

She didn’t notice him relax a little.

“Shame,” he decided neutrally.

“You know what I miss, and I blame you entirely for it,” she asked.

“What?”

“Sex,” she blurted out. He roared with laughter as they sped down the freeway.

“Really!?”

“Before you I had never had sex, because of you I have impossibly high standards for sex that no one will ever be able to meet!” she whined.

“I can solve that,” he offered.

“Maybe,” she shrugged dismissively; it’d never happen. Not with him. He was a galaxy away from her league.

“I missed you Rae,” he chuckled.

“Same,” she admitted with a smile. “So where are we going?”

“A place with sandwiches and coffee,” he promised.

“Oh Thank God,” she moaned. “Sorry, I haven’t eaten since yesterday afternoon, and I didn’t get a great nights sleep.”

“No need to explain Rae,” he promised.

“Well, it’s just…” she sighed as she rubbed her brow. This wasn’t about coffee and sandwiches with her ex-husband. “This isn’t just about having lunch with you Jason.”

“I kind of figured.”

“You did?” her head snapped over to study his relaxed profile.

“It’s not just lunch for me either Rae,” he said and looked over at her with a serious, guarded expression.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured. “For… for everything,” she sighed.

“No,” he said so harshly and firmly she just stared dumbly at him.

“What?”

“You have no reason to be sorry, for any of this,” he said. “You tried to do the right thing, I’m sorry I didn’t come after you five years ago so we could talk, a real talk, about this.”

“I…”

“No, let me say this because you talked last night and I need to say this.”

“Okay.”

“You met me after Donna had left me at the altar and ran off with my best friend, and brother in arms. And you helped me through a truly terrible, humiliating point in my life, and I never thanked you for that. You didn’t push or pry or try to make me feel things I didn’t, or were expect to. You were there, you were my friend, my wife, and I’m sorry I didn’t make you feel valued enough or safe enough to come to me for help when you needed it. I’m sorry you felt the need to run off on your own rather than come to me. And I’m sorry you saw Donna kiss me, and I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright, Jason, it was a vacation mistake,” she shrugged.

“No, it’s not alright, Raven,” he said it firmly. “Donna was the mistake. You were not.”

“She’s the Princess of Greece, Jason, I’m… me, I’m the mistake,” she said confidently. She knew she was the mistake here, no way in a million years he’d have even stuck with her once they got back to reality, and she went trapezing off with Garth and Vic to study the ocean he’d realize what a terrible mistake they were.

“Rae,” he spoke softly and she glanced back at him. “You are the best damn thing that has ever happened to me. And we’re here.”

“I dibs the tuna sandwich,” she warned him as they got out of the car. He got the door for her, she nodded as she passed. He got them a table, it was only after the starstruck waitress left that he turned his attention back on her.

“Tuna is all mine,” he decided.

“That’s declaring war,” she warned.

“Perhaps,” he shrugged.

“How about we split two sandwiches, I’ll give you half my tuna for the crabcake!”

“Deal!”

“Excellent,” she chuckled. “And Jason, just so you know, you don’t have to lie to make me feel better about us.”

“I’m not lying,” he said.

“Sure you’re not.” She snorted and smiled as she put the menu aside and sipped her coffee. She still wanted pumpkin spice, she cursed autumn for being so far away.

“Rae, you and I, it was the best damn thing to happen to me,” he stated it firmly.

“You are surprisingly happy about us for an ex-husband, are you all this way or just you exclusively?”

“Well, it’s not an ex-husband thing, because that’s kind of what we’re here to talk about,” he said.

“How is it not an ex-husband thing?”

“Kind of like how this isn’t an ex-wife meeting,” he answered. “I never signed the papers Raven.”

She felt all the blood drain from her face as the waitress came over to take their order. He placed the order and waited for her to respond.

“You… you what!?” she sputtered dumbly.

“Never signed them, Rae,” he answered. “So technically, we’re husband and wife.”

“But… but…” she stammered dumbly not knowing what to say to that. “I… WHY!?” she hissed.

“Because,” he answered.

“That’s not a reason to stay married to a person Jason! Especially when I’ve tried dating other people!” she hissed. She was so going to Hell for adultery now.

“No, you didn’t know,” he answered. “But I couldn’t sign them or file them.”

“You should! You should right now!” she insisted.

“No,” he repeated calmly.

“Jason!” she hissed.

“Raven.”

“This is SERIOUS! If you don’t sign those papers, and people find out that… and… we’ll, the media will crucify you! And your family will join them!” she hissed.

“Let them,” he shrugged. “I was serious Rae.”

“I don’t even remember us getting married!”

“Neither do I, but nonetheless, we are,” he said levelly.

She groaned as she hid her face in her hands and wanted to tear her hair out of her head in frustration now.

“Rae, love, look at me,” he pleaded. She glared at him through the fringes of hair now cascading around her face. Oh she was pissed, the hardest thing she had ever had to do, even harder than saying goodbye to her mother or watching her family fall apart because of her biological father, was saying goodbye to the man she had married. And worse, she had known it was the right thing to do. Drunken mistakes should not be consequences for life, and she had been able to fix theirs with a simple divorce!

“I’m… I fixed our mistake! I did everything to fix it!” she snapped.

“I couldn’t sign the papers because I never could view it as a mistake,” he answered levelly. “And if you’re willing, I would like to try again.”

“Oh no,” she gasped. She could feel her chest tightening in panic, as her heart slammed in her ribs. “No. I… No, I can’t do this, no.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m a mistake Jason!” she snapped. “I’m a mistake and this marriage between us, only happened because we were drunk off our asses and, on a boat, somehow; and I still don’t know how we got on the boat because the last thing I remember is the pub! Also, you’re… you were, are, engaged to a Princess, how the hell can I compete with that! You’re American Royalty, Jason! Your Dad is the richest man in the world, and I… I’m me!” she sputtered.

“You loved me when you thought I was just Jason Todd, mechanic,” he pointed out.

“This isn’t about the money Jason,” she sighed.

“Then what’s it about?”

“You deserve better than me,” she stated.

“I think it’s the other way around love,” he said softly. “The day you left, the day Donna came to take me home, I was coming home to you, to talk to you about us getting a flat, and seeing where you wanted to go from New Zealand. If Donna hadn’t intercepted me, I’d have come back with you, immediately, no questions asked, no expectations. You’re my wife Raven.”

“Doesn’t mean we should be together!” she snapped.

“I think you and I got married for a reason, drunk or not, and I think we should give this a real shot,” he said firmly.

“Jason…”

“I would have called you five years ago if I wasn’t so damn scared, or hurt, and I would’ve come for you immediately, always regretted that I didn’t. So please, please, I’ll do anything for a second shot with you,” he said softly.

“Jason, sign the papers,” she pleaded. “You’ll… you deserve to be happy; I don’t make people happy.”

“How about, we date, try dating, and if it doesn’t work out, I’ll sign the papers,” he bartered.

Raven stared at him; she didn’t know what to make of that.

“A date?”

“Can’t a man ask his wife on a date?”

“I…”

“We didn’t do the whole dating thing the first time around, and I would like to remedee that this time,” he said levelly.

“We skipped straight to the marriage, and wild sex,” she muttered as they were served. They both waited for the waitress to leaven before she automatically swiped half his sandwich and he took half of hers.

“I missed the sex too,” he chuckled. “You broke my standards, no one else compares.”

“Oh Thank God That’s Ruined For You Too,” she laughed as she took a bite of her tuna sandwich.

“You ruined many things Rae, like tea, I still can’t figure out how you made that one tea to make me sleep, but I can’t remake it for the life of me. I’ve almost cried craving it,” he chuckled.

“You ruined waffles for me,” she warned. “I mean no one can make them right, I cried on my kitchen floor one morning I wanted them so badly. The chocolate chip ones with strawberries,” she moaned at the mere memory.

“Good book conversations,” he stated. “I joined a book club I was so desperate to talk books, intelligently, turns out that was mostly a gossip group; all four of the ones I joined.”

“Ha!” she stuck her tongue out at him for that, he had told them to join a book club when they had first married and enjoyed talking books. “I told you they weren’t what you thought!”

“Some of them must be actual book clubs but I haven’t found one.”

“Could be because you’re Jason Todd.”

“Very possible.”

“But we don’t have to be married to do things like that, I can give you the tea recipe and we can be friends who talk books,” she offered.

“Rae, it’s not just about that,” he chuckled.

“Sure it is, I’ll be your friend, but I don’t think I should be your wife,” she said firmly.

“Little bird, I’m not divorcing you, besides you need to keep the insurance,” he said firmly.

“About that, I should pay you back.”

“Don’t you dare,” he warned lowly. She stared at his fierce, guarded expression. “And don’t even think about changing me from your emergency contact!”

~~~*~*~*~~~

He didn’t want her to pay him back for taking care of her, she would never understand how much she had taken care of him. And when she brought it up it reminded him how neatly she had erased herself from his life, how she had promised to remove him as her emergency contact. That had actually been a fight between them when they were barely friends. A bar fight landed him in the hospital, and he had to call someone, apparently, they were going to call his grandfather when he convinced them to call the girl he had hooked up with the night before, Raven. Raven had been shocked but had come to help him get discharged, and the ensuing arguments had led to them agreeing to be each other’s emergency contact while they were in New Zealand. The wedding had happened after that by about a week.

“I…”

“You terrified me, Rae,” he stated. “I came back to the hotel room and everything of you was gone, including our photos. You just… you erased yourself from my life, and I swear I couldn’t take it if you removed me as your emergency contact. I’m your husband, I deserve to know if you’re in trouble.”

“Ex-husband.”

“I haven’t signed the papers, and they’re safely hidden away so you can’t make me,” he pointed out. He felt a bit smug about that statement as she glared at him.

“I signed them!”

“I know, and it still terrifies me that you could do it so easily,” he stated. He saw her flinch, and he knew. Just one look at her and he knew, that it hadn’t been easy for her. None of this was easy, but he got the sense that this was also his fault for waiting five years. He hadn’t lost her yet, but he got a feeling that he was precariously close to if he wasn’t careful. There was very little about her, what made her make her decisions, that he actually knew and if he wasn’t careful he knew he could lose her. She already seemed to hold a low opinion of her value, and she seemed skittish about having someone in her life who wasn’t family. Though the skittish aspect of her was always there, if he moved to quickly, or raised his voice a certain amount she’d jump, she’d flinch, and he remembered her nightmares, though very few, were very intense. Something had happened to her, before he had met her, something that made her skittish; made her this way, and he should’ve chased her five years ago to not let it manifest further, but he hadn’t. Things to add to his list of regrets.

“I did what I thought was best, for us, as people in a situation we didn’t sign up for.”

“I have a marriage certificate that says we did sign up for this.”

“Jason, I… I’m not the best person for someone like you,” she started.

“I think you’re the best person I’ve ever met, Raven.”

“Jason…” she sighed as she dragged her hand through her hair.

“Can you please just consider giving us a shot, a real shot?” he asked.

“I…”

“I would like to take you, not my guilt stricken wife, out,” he reiterated it. “I would like to take you out.”

“Like a hit or a date?”

“I’ll leave that to be a surprise.”

“I don’t like surprises,” she muttered.

“Well, then we’re a hell of a surprise,” he mused. “Please Rae. I would like to take my beautiful, estranged wife out on a date, have fun, and no expectations.”

“I gave you the divorce papers so we wouldn’t have expectations.”

“You gave us an out, and I’m not out yet,” he said levelly.

“Fine,” she threw up her hands in defeat. “I’ll go on a date with my idiotic ex-husband.”

He smiled in triumph and stole one of her fries.

“HEY! Hands off!” she snapped as she snatched her fry basket up.

“We’re married, we’re supposed to share.”

“Only until you sign those damn papers!”

“Never,” he chuckled. “So when are you free from family and wedding obligations?”

“You are not going to my brother’s wedding, just so we’re clear about this. You are not going,” she stated that firmly. There was a bit of hurt in his heart that she wasn’t even going to offer it as an option, but he was sure that in time he’d win her over. Doing so at her brother’s wedding was likely too much pressure, and would require them explaining that they were married; which he didn’t know if her family would take that well. Going off Lucifer’s reaction he would bet they didn’t even know.

“That’s fine,” he nodded.

“I’m free after the wedding. The wedding is February fourteenth,” she sighed.

“So can I take you for dinner on February fifteenth?” he asked levelly.

“Fine,” she nodded. “But I’m leaving with Garth and Dolphin on the twentieth, we’re meeting up with Vic on a job.”

“Where’s the job?”

“We’re going back to Hawaii to research reefs. Garth’s family is there and they want to be close to his family,” she shrugged.

“I thought he studied whales.”

“Well, he’s a marine biologist, there’s a solid job for him in Hawaii, same for me, and Vic’s already there, so we’re going there. Dolphin also…” she clamped her mouth shut then.

“Also what?”

“She’s pregnant, she wants to be close to his family, but I’m not supposed to tell anyone that!” she muttered.

“Congratulations to Dolphin and Garth.”

“They’re excited, I’m telling my family I’m leaving after the wedding,” she said.

He nodded, he was already trying to calculate if he could afford to head of to Hawaii for a bit to continue wooing his reluctant wife.

“I’m still going to call and text you,” he informed her.

“You don’t have to.”

“We’re friends, it’s about time we act it. And we’re husband and wife.”

“Fine.” She rolled her eyes, and he smiled; this was going to take a lot of work. That was fine by him though.

[galaxyblake]

Bellamy has always been so damn sneaky in this show that my ass legit forgot that was the bomb and I thought he was somehow being a sneaky snorkeler ghhfddghvgh

[innerworks-asks]

Non chap (more good news)

So I forgot to post this here??

Whoops!

---

Ok guys sorry it's been so long but I'm still alive!

My back got a bit messed up thanks to a very rude and impatient tourist (life) and I was stuck in and out doing check ups to make sure that my spine didn't y'know die.

Thank fully it was some minor bruising but like, I didn't stop working during any of the check ups??? ^_^'

Like I didn't have the time to?

Ok ok so

If I hadn't mentioned it before, I'm a general tourguide, but since I'm on an island, I take people out to snorkel our Barrier reef (it's the second largest in the world!)

I guide them, point out the interesting creatures, give my people facts and such about their habitats, behaviors and the like.  So yeah I work as a Marine tour guide (but I have training for terrestrial aswell).

I'm also been getting up and ready for my Dive Master training (under the company I'm working with) but I've got one more speciality to get there, the Rescue Diver. In the meantime I help our guests gear up and get them in the water before following behind, either practicing my leading skills or trailing the Dive Master / Instructor. (So basically boat crew that gets to go on the dive lol)

And unfortunately for me, helping out that particularly rude and impatient tourist, who was a diver btw ended messing my back up with the tank becuase he was too impatient to put the gear on sitting down. Ya girl had to lift his tank and bcd(the dive jacket) which had his weights inside the pockets (as if the damn thing wasnt heavy enough).

But I didn't complain, I was very professional,  I simply helped him into the water  and geared myself up jumping in behind and proceeded with the tour in silent agony. (Cried like a mfo when I got home tho)

Anyway the tours, both snorkeling and diving have been going out every day for like 2 to 3 times a day with large groups of people, usually Highscool kids or college students on like a high end school trips.

I haven't been able to write becuase I've been so damn busy (and in pain) but mostly busy. To top it off the big project, ok one of the big projects I assisted in, was finally completed on the 27th of July.

It was a program that basically got the local children starting from 12 and up to get a chance to be a PADI open water certified scuba diver for free.

And that certification card lasts a life time!

It's a annual summer camp type program called the KIDS IN ACTION. This was the 9th one and it was most definitely a success!

All the Dive Instructors, who took their time out of their busy jobs to volunteer for the cause, dive shops that loaned us gear and tanks, and the kids themselves learning and enjoying the entirety of the program, it was hard work but well worth it! We got to video and their progress and display it up on their graduation day, home video style, so they could see how far they've come. There were tons of laughs and high fives, jabs and jokes but most of all the proud and happy faces of the kids themselves and their parents who came to support them.

I can't wait till next year to help out again.

Continuing now with the good news.

I'm heading to my University for the first time for Orientation.

I'm traveling tomorrow to reach with my auntie, where I'll be staying when the school year officially starts.

See the thing is, General Orientation is on the 31st, so I leave tomorrow. But Faculty Orientation is on Aug 7th and 8th. So I'm just staying with Auntie till the 9th.

On the 10th and 17th of August  I'm presenting and teaching a course about Mangroves and reef conservation to a new group of Marine biologists. They've done all their book work so it's time for the actual water works for them. It's a bit trippy becuase I'm basically teaching people that have a higher degree than I do and they should actually know this stuff, so I really gotta step up my game and make sure I don't screw up.

(Not exactly good for my anxiety lmao, wish me luck y'all)

I'll be back home on island from the 9th until the 18th. (Excluding my presentations of course)

Classes start on the 19th.

So between then (the 11th to the 16th to be more specific) expect the chapter. I'll make sure it's long and angsty I promise, cliff hanger included I swear!

I've just been so busy but it's really paid off!! Heres how things got awesome. Remember how I was checking for a scholarship? Well one of the Dive Instructors found out about my assistance in the Kids in action program and the other project and heard that I was going for my bachelor's in Marine Biology-

Guys, I got  a scholarship!

It's like a major weight got pulled off my chest. (Maybe a bit more placed on my shoulders cause maintaining a 3.25 GPA sounds scary, but I'll manage... I hope)

Anyway sorry about the ramble but I'm super excited and super nervous and I really really wanted you guys to know why the update is taking forever and a half.

But don't worry, the Angst train is coming, next stop...pain. ;)

[xo-dailypier-blog]

Hey People!

     It’s been such a long time since I’ve posted anything. But can you guys blame me? It’s been such a snore fest in Santa Monica, I almost just left you guys to you own devices to let you find out all the dirt by yourselves. But we couldn’t have that, can we?

     Anyways, while I don’t have a complete recap of the things going on (not that theirs anything interesting), you guys have sent me your BURNING CHLAMYDIA-LIKE questions that have piqued by interests. 

I would say things in this town are getting set in motion, but only time will tell…

But before we get into the questions, two things: 

1.) Everyone take a moment to say Happy Mother’s Day to QUEEN Phobe! Hopefully she’s been picking up her child from daycare. Am I right, guys? 

Hopefully you guys said HMD to your Mo -- Oh, Yikes ... um Moving on...

2.) Congratulations are in order! You guys voted and our Hottie of the Moment has been chosen…

     It’s none other than: Jason “Daddy” Sorrentino! With his ripped bod, and killer smile, Daddy Sorrentino has captured the hearts of Santa Monica one day at a time. I didn’t vote for him (I was torn between him and Daddy Lancaster, so I sat this one out), but it’s really no surprise. I mean, have you seen him? Ugh, soy hott. 

When asked about his Award Winning Hotness, Daddy had this to say:

“Everyone wanted to know what I’d do if I didn’t win, guess we’ll never know” (Jason Sorrentino, 2019).

... We love original quotes ..... Anyways! Let’s A some Q’s, yeah?

Q: singordie94 asked...

What is the Lipton on Myles Bennett and Julian Stark? The people are talking about seeing them at a bar eye fucking each other? What’s going on, DP? 

A: Hey singordie94,

     Sighhh, Shark Boy and Lava Top. Ok, so as we know, Myles gets pegged. Very progressive, love that for him. Now, the RUMOR (keyword) is that he ditched the strap and tried out the real thing with one Julian Stark. This, allegedly, happened a few months back according to sources close to the subject(s). Sadly, I honestly don’t believe this, this just sounds like fan fiction. Myles has a loving girl friend back home in Texas. It is PREPOSTEROUS to think our little sea critter would be a LIAR. I mean, could you guys really imagine OUR Myles letting Julian go snorkeling in HIS (chocolate) sea? HANG TEN in his boygina? Go KOWABUNGA in that ass??? (Let’s be honest, if this actually happened, there is no way anyone would actually believe that Myles was on top, we’ve seen him in his sea-diving-catsuit-thing, and … momma’s thicc with it). Anyways, I guess I’ll keep an eye on them just in case. But Myles just isn’t the type to cheat/leave his southern belle crying into the butter she has to churn for supper in the middle of her Amish village. (I’m assuming everyone in Texas is Amish. Look, I don’t know what the fuck goes on there, and honestly? I don’t care). Bottom line (tehehehe) is that Myles has his true love, the deep blue sea, and CHRIST as his main priorities, nothing more. Thanks for the question, singordie94, I’ll keep an eye out for ZESTY activity, but don’t hold your breath (like Myles did when he deep throated Julian, ALLEGEDLY).

Q: AshersBabyMomma asked...

Can we get an Aldridge update?

A: Well, AshersBabyMomma (cute name btw),

Keeping up with the Aldridge’s has been pretty dull this season.

Alex is, naturally, chasing after Award Winning Hottie, Jason. Their tumultuous relationship is one I’ll have to keep an eye on. You would think they were together by the way they interact, one minute their woohoo-ing in the back of an Uber and the next they need space? Maybe they should just call it quits? And apparently Alex was seen getting cozy with Logan Lancaster. I’m told that there was some serious flirting going on???? I heard that Jason totally came up in conversation too, and Logan called him like, a pussy, or something? (Fighting Words!!!) Whatever he said the two laughed about it, as they continued vibing. And to be honest? I kind of ship it. I mean I am obviously the president of the SorrentinHOEs, but ya girl Alex needs some stability. And hello??? Logan is as stable as they come! Daddy Sorrentino might be perfect at everything else, but maybe he should sit on the bench when it comes to Alex, Logan is scoring too high for him to keep up. #LoLex

Crackhead Asher is one that keeps getting written in about, though. A little bird told me, well, several little birds have told me that they’ve seen a guy (with a striking resemblance to our fav) out with several different guys since he’s been here in Santa Monica. I feel like Asher is a little fruity but is this something he would keep from his family? His twin? I feel like they would care less about this and more about his trips to San Diego to buy METH. The Quality Kind. Hmm, I suppose I’ll have to set up cameras inside his house, too, just to see if this story checks out. I’ll keep you posted.

The only Aldridge that matters is the MATRIARCH herself, Alegenda Aldridge. When she PUMPED IT into Santa Monica in kitten heels (because only SLUTS wear stilettos) I knew that she would be the saving grace of this DEMONIC town. We Stan Alegenda in this household, which is why If you use code SharkTop with your next purchase at Blush Boutique — The Anti-Fashionova, you’ll get 10% off, courtesy of The Daily Pier. Go on and immerse yourselves in the most sanctified of garmets, those floor length khaki skirts aren’t gonna wear themselves! Let’s hope that Alegenda does not fall into the EVIL clutches that have her siblings, and let’s hope that she can, instead, EXERCISE the DEMONS on her siblings KNEECAPS.

But honestly, who am I kidding. I enjoy her efforts, but in this town? She’ll probably be smoking the same crack rock as Asher by the end of the month. Tragic. I’ll keep you posted, AshersBabyMomma.

Q: dddonewiththebullshit asked...

I KNOW THAT JAMIE FUCKING CARTER READS THIS FUCKING BLOG AND I JUST WANT HIM TO FUCKING KNOW THAT I HAVE HAD IT UP TO MOTHER FUCKING HERE WITH HIS GOD DAMNED NOISE. HE IS THE MOST INCONSIDERATE NEIGHBOR EVER!!!!!!!!!!!! I HAVE TO DEAL WITH HIM CONSTANTLY WAKING UP MY PUPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!! BECAUSE HES CONSTANTLY BRINGING THE ENTIRETY OF SANTA MONICA BACK TO HIS PLACE TO BANG THE FUCK OUT OF THEM LOUD ENOUGH FOR THE ENITRE BLOCK TO HEAR, AND NOW I HAVE TO HEAR HIM FIGHTING WITH SOME TWINK!!!!!!!!!! ABOUT SOME FUCKING!!!!! PAINT!!!!!!! BRUSHES!!!!!!! HE DOESNT DESERVE RIGHTS, AND I WANT HIM DEAD. #ELECTRICCHAIR

A: I…. Hello?

     This is the only negative thing I’ve gotten about Jamie since I’ve started following him. If hoards of you thirst buckets aren’t writing in about want to “operate his ride” then you’re saying how he looks like a math teacher and you’d like to show him an acute angle (with your legs). Wait, is that last part just me? Yikes, this is awkward. Anyways, it’s true. Jamie and Mackenzie Westwood (the twink in question) dated for like 5 months, and when Mac ended things (because Jamie couldn’t commit) he packed his things and left. Apparently he forgot his paint brushes after his departure so he tried to BREAK INTO Jamie’s house and take them. And I guess they got into a fight. Based on the voice memos I got, it got pretty intense. Some people wrote in asking if Jamie got shot.

     Yeah he got shot … with love. The repressed feeling jumped out! This whole fight was laced with PASSION and I was waiting for them to rip each other’s clothes off and wake up your puppy (again). They TOTES still love each other. I mean hello??? Amazon Prime is right there and you choose to commit grand theft PAINTBRUSH on a random night, Mackenzie???? Give me a BREAK!

     I just hope that this doesn’t interfere with his work, and like, distract him while he’s operating a ride. Wouldn’t want him to ALSO cause a major accident which could kill people. #shade

I guess the final question I got a lot is what couple(s) I ship. And off the top of my head, my top 5 are ... Hmmm, I’ll have to say:

Well obvs, #LoLex

June Armstrong and an Exterminator. The Doll has roaches, and it’s fucking GROSS!!! Someone said she’s become acquainted with them and knows them by name. What a CREEP. Get an exterminator girl, know him by name. And while we’re on the topic of June, The Doll. I see right through her “innocent act”, I heard she hid a razor blade in her mouth in High School, and when she got into a fight one time, she SLICED her opponent. People who went to school with June contact me, and give me the scoop on this.

OLIVA AND DIANA ARE THE LESBIAN POWER COUPLE WE NEED!! I DONT NEED TO ELABORATE ON THIS, MAKE IT HAPPEN LADIES.

(and 5, I guess) And I am torn between Wes/Diana and Wes/Iris. You see, Diana and Wes have history and just thinking about them and all that they’ve been through, the fact that they can find solace through each other’s arms just …. sorry I need a moment. 

But Wes and Iris, it’s just … ugh … the flavors. Both of their pasts have been pretty hard, and I would love to see Iris in a happy relationship. Especially after that Sebastian guy (don’t ask).

So these are MY to watch list, lets hope something becomes of it! 

And with that, that concludes my comeback post, I guess. Hope you didn’t fall asleep reading this. And if you managed to to not be mentioned in this post, don’t you worry, this is only just the beginning. 

xo, DP

[kates-sweet-escape]

Day6 Moodboard Stories - Day 8: Beach

《 Wonpil - Sandcastle 》 "Sandcastles in the sand~" "Babe - are you really singing a Robin Sparkles song?" You looked up as Wonpil stared at you, eyes wide and cheeks turning red while his eyes were shifting towards the people lying closest to the two in the sand. He was embarrassed. And it was damn cute. You chuckled slightly, your inner demon suddenly awakened by his innocent embarrassment. "Sure as hell am. Why?" You looked around, very well aware that people were staring at you. A few of them even whispering to each other while pointing towards you. "Are you embarrassed?" There was an awkward pause before Wonpil smiled. It looked a little forced and absolutely hilarious. "Not at all." "You hesitated." Wonpil looked around again, his cheeks turning from red to crimson. "Maybe a little." "I knew you would be." You shrugged. "That's why I am doing it." Wonpil looked completely baffled by your words before he glared at you. "You little..." You leaned forward putting your hand on his mouth, forcing him to shut up. "Loosen up, would you?" Wonpil shook his head, breaking free of your grip. "But..." "Who cares what people think?" You pointed at all the people staring at the two of you. "They're gonna judge you anyway. No matter what you do." You'd learned the hard way. Only Wonpil had been the one to stay by your side while the rest of the town just ignored you once your former best friend had spilled the beans on your mental state. Like depression was contagious or something. Only Wonpil had never cared. He had stayed with you through it all. So it was time to repay his kindness by teaching him something you yourself had to learn the hard way. You smiled brightly at him before your hands dug into the sand. "So you better have fun while they talk trash about you if they're gonna do it anyway." You could feel Wonpil looking at you for quite a while as you started singing again, your hands digging deep into the warm sand as you started building a sandcastle. Maybe he'd be like all the others. Maybe you'd pushed him too far. You knew he was shy and concerned about shit like peoples opinions. Maybe he'd... Wonpil's hand suddenly appeared right next to yours, digging into the sand as he started to whistle. It was hardly hearable. Even for you who was sitting right next to him. But you could hear. And you understood. You two had started to build something up together. It was unstable, just beginning to develop. But it seems like Wonpil, just like you, was willing to protect it from the waves that were constantly coming in. And that fact alone made you grin like an utter idiot as you started singing that ridiculous song even louder. 

《 Young K - Surfing 》

What a show off! You scoffed as you watched Brian, or Young K as he started calling himself ever since high school, riding a wave high enough for a damn whale to hide in. His blond hair was wet and swept back while his forehead was slightly scrunched up from him concentrating so hard. He held himself well on the board, his posture perfect as he conquered that blueish monster created in the depths of hell. Nobody else was out there anymore. The wind was too strong. The waves too high and dangerous for anybody who was in their right mind. But not for Young K. He was that one reckless exception. The star of your little seaside town and... "Isn't he so damn hot?!" "Well, I would let him ride something else." "Young K is so cool!" ... an absolute playboy. You ignored Young Ks little fan club that was waiting for him, leaning against his black jeep like they owned it. "But isn't it dangerous?" You kept your mouth shut as the girls kept talking about the risk of Young K getting his pretty face scratched up on some sharp coral. They forgot about the risk of him hitting his head or getting dragged under by his board which would both result in him drowning and dying. But why the hell did you even care? Why were you even here, waiting for him to get out of the water and to safety? You had sworn to stay away from him. So how did you end up at the local beach, leaning against your motorbike, watching him being a total jerk? The answer was easy. Because you were in love with him. And you had been ever since grade school. Long before he became this pretentious, cocky bastard that got in trouble like every five seconds. And long before he started dating your little sister, who was completely unaware of the fact that Young K was a lot of things, but faithful wasn't one of them. As Young K got out of the water you finally felt like you could breathe again. He was okay. He was safe. So it was time to leave. And maybe this would be the last time. Maybe you'd be able to finally leave him behind. But as you started your motorbike you knew you'd come again, as soon as the wind picked up, turning the ocean into a death trap Young K just couldn't seem to stay away from. 

《 Sungjin - Shore》 Whoever said that road trips were romantic had absolutely no idea! You had been stuck in a stuffy car for the past 10 hours, only getting out for a few short minutes at petrol stations to fill up the tank and to get a coffee or an energy drink and some snacks. Your muscles were aching, your limbs felt stiff and the smell of Doritos made you feel sick at this point. But as you were sitting at the completely empty beach, watching the waves at half past five in the morning, it was so worth it. "I told you, you'd love it." Sungjin looked at you. The smile on his face almost blindingly bright. "I know you so well." Yeah - he did know you well. Almost scaringly so. There was nothing you could hide from Sungjin. And that was as terrifying as it was romantic. "Yeah... you do." You couldn't get yourself to smile as you felt your stomach sink. You'd never trusted anyone as much as you trusted him. This little adventure was the perfect proof of that. Never would you have said yes if anybody else had suddenly turned up on your doorstep with no plan whatsoever and nothing but two backpacks, one guitar case and a spontaneous idea. But it was different with Sungjin. Even though he kept pushing your boundaries, forcing you to constantly fight your fears and insecurities, you never once felt the urge to leave. Instead, you wanted to stay with him. For as long as he would let you. You were snapped back to reality when you felt his lips suddenly brushing against yours. "I love you." As always his confession came out of the blue, those three important words said in a moment when he really just felt that way. Honest. Pure. Without any second thoughts. "I love you too." You looked at each other for a few seconds before Sungjin turned around to get Atom from it's case. And as he started playing, singing along as the melody went on, you suddenly felt like crying. But for the first time in your life it wasn't caused by some numbing loss or overbearing pain. It was caused by pure happiness. And you didn't know what was more terrifying.

《 Jae - Seaside 》 As Jae watched the waves come and go he could feel the anger dragging him deeper and deeper into that downward spiral that he had been in ever since he heard you say those dreadful words. [I]I am leaving tomorrow and I'm never coming back. Leaving. Just like that. He gritted his teeth before standing up from the bench he sat on. He needed to move or he'd go crazy. So he got on his skateboard and started with a first forceful push of his leg. Leaving. He knew why you wanted to do it. This small hometown of yours had nothing for you to offer but pain. Your thoughts and dreams had always been too big for a place like this which had made you a social outcast early on in your life. Still... as your only friend Jae had thought that you'd stay here for him. That having him around would be enough to make you endure it a little longer. But it seems that he wasn't enough. That the friendship you had built since kindergarten wasn't enough. He kept on pushing, picking up speed at an alarming rate. The wind was howling in his ears and messing up his hair as he rode along the boardwalk. You two had spent hours upon hours here by the sea, sitting on the benches or on the beach while talking or drinking beer. Both not wanting to go home due to completely different reasons. And you just wanted to leave it all behind. Leave him behind. Jae stopped as he passed your favorite ice-cream stall and he stared at the colorful sign for a second. Another place he wouldn't be able to go to once you were gone. The memories would be too painful to bear. Might as well get a last one. Jae picked up his skateboard before walking over to the small stall. Today he didn't have to wait in line. It was windy and cold. He was almost alone at the beach and in this weather, nobody craved ice-cream. Nobody but him. "Hey Jae." "Hey, Steve. My regular, please." Jae took out his wallet and put 5 bucks on the counter before taking the ice-cream cone from Steve's hand. "You've been eating that since you were just a little boy" Steve smiled at him. "Some things really don't change, right?" Jae looked down at his ice-cream. Vanilla with sprinkles. He had never eaten anything else. Not even when his other friends made fun of him for eating something that childish. But he wasn't ready to give up on the sprinkles. It was the taste he was used to. The taste that made him feel safe and at home. The taste that gave him a sense of belonging. Without those sprinkles, the vanilla wouldn't be as special. It would be bland. Even boring. The sprinkles made all the difference. They made his boring and bland world sweet and colorful. They made it special. So he wasn't gonna give up on that. Just as much as he wasn't going to give up on you. He smiled to himself as he got back on his skateboard. Seems like he had some packing up to do.

《 Dowoon - Snorkling 》

Beauty could be found in a lot of things. That's what Dowoon figured out as he was snorkeling along that reef that nature had created with all the radiant colors it had to offer. Bright red was accompanied by an intense green with hints of blue and yellow. Nature had created this. Just like it had created you. When Dowoon had met you, you had been like his reef. Breathtakingly beautiful, radiant and a little too much to comprehend. And being with you, loving you, had been just like that. The world had suddenly turned colorful ever since he had met you. His toned down world suddenly turning into a colorful reef that had almost blinded him with it's brightness. But then the inevitable had happened. Nature's beauty had been destroyed by humankind. It had been a Wednesday morning. You had kissed him goodbye like every other morning when you went to university. If he would have known he would never see you again, he wouldn't have let you go. He would have convinced you to skip that lecture. He would have convinced you to stay cuddled up in bed with him. By his side. Safe and sound. But he hadn't known. Just like everybody else. He had let you go, to a lecture you had hated, just to lose you to some lunatic with a gun. A lunatic who never even knew he had ended your life with one pull of a trigger. Your life and the life of 30 other people. After your funeral Dowoon had been devastated, his life turning into a downward spiral he felt like he'd never be able to escape from. Until he had found your bucket list. You had kept two of them. One for you. And one for the both of you. And now - 2 years after your death - he was swimming in the Pacific ocean, mesmerized by the beauty you'd wanted to share with him. Even though he had lost you, it felt like you were right there beside him, swimming in the water right next to him, smiling while looking at the bright colors that no picture could ever truly capture. You were right here with him. And you'd forever be.

[onotherpeoplesheartache]

(not) your average superhero

For privacy reasons, namely the Protagonist maybe wanting to keep his secret identity, well, secret, I am not going to name any names here. But it is a story about A Hero; maybe not the one the world deserves, but the one it definitely needs.

****

People have no idea how hard it really is to juggle two identities.

Everyone knows him as pretty much just this regular guy, trying to make it in the City of Angels, endlessly working, acting, writing, trying to get his creativity out there, trying to get people to notice, to give him more opportunities to prove himself.

Of course, it’s probably not the best career choice if you want your other side to stay hidden.

Then again, Bruce Wayne? Batman. Tony Stark? Iron Man. T’Challa? Black Panther. Adrien Veidt? Ozymandias. All pretty damn well known billionaires underneath their superhero identities. Well, the latter may be more of a supervillain, depending on how you look at it.

Damn, he wishes he was a billionaire. It’d make funding everything so much easier. He could get all the spy tech he’d ever need. Plus that new cinema camera he’d been looking at. That’d be sweet.

Anyway.

If you hadn’t guessed already, yes, he’s a superhero. Not your everyday Dave Lizewski, going out and pretending to be a superhero just for the heck of it, but an actual one.

You’d think usually to become a superhero you’d had to have some kind of dark, tragic past. Most of time, involving the death of at least one parent, other close relative or both, and you probably there to witness but unable to do anything about it because the world is just that unfair.

Not in this case.

He’s had a pretty alright life, without getting into too much detail, and honestly? He just wants to help people. In any way he can. Sometimes it’s by writing, creating, teaching, talking to people and sharing his stories and listening to people tell him theirs.

Other times, it’s by running into the night and fighting bad guys.

And okay. Maybe his powers aren’t yet totally off the charts. He’s trying to convince himself they just need a little more time to develop before they can be fully discovered. I mean, Peter Parker didn’t get HIS superpowers just overnight, did he? Oh, yeah. He did. Crap. Are there any radioactive spiders around? Anyone? Maybe he needs to put up a poster in case someone finds one. ”MISSING: One radioactive spider. Or multiple, that’s fine too. Anyway, hit me up. Cool superpowers needed.”

Also, his tech is still kind of all over the place, but you can’t blame a guy for trying.

Okay, maybe he is kind of like your everyday Dave Lizewski. Minus the fact that he doesn’t go to high school anymore. And he’s got an awesome singing voice. Is there a superhero that can just sing all the villains to sleep or something? Maybe he could become like a, uh, non-metahuman heroic version of Music Meister? Would that work? He makes a mental note to think about that later.

Nonetheless, superpowers or not, he does his best, and sometimes it’s just enough.

****

The Protagonist stares at himself in the mirror, studying his reflection. Okay. A bruise here, a scratch there. Could be worse. If he had an audition tomorrow, he could pretend he’s Brad Pitt in Fight Club. Everyone loves Brad Pitt in Fight Club.

He washes his face, the cold water stings at a small wound on his jaw and he winces. Immediately, the bathroom door opens and his wife storms in, frowning.

BADASS PARTNER WIFE: Okay. What was it this time?

THE HEROIC PROTAGONIST: Just your regular mugging. No guns, no knives, it’s no big deal. By the way, are you absolutely sure you don’t have super hearing or something? Tingling Spidey senses? No? Nothing?

She can’t help but smile, and she shakes her head.

WIFE: Let me get that.

He sighs deeply, resigned.

Carefully, his wife cleans his wounds and patches him up.

WIFE: There. Good as new. PROTAGONIST: Thanks.

He smiles and gives her a kiss.

PROTAGONIST: So, how was your day?

Her eyes noticeably light up in excitement.

WIFE: Right! Yes! I actually meant to show you something! Come on!

He doesn’t even have time to react, she just grabs his hand and drags him downstairs and to their basement.

WIFE: So? What do you think?

He doesn’t know what to say. In the middle of the room, staring right back at him, is a suit. A proper supehero suit.

Okay, so I’m not going to describe the suit here. Everyone knows what a superhero suit usually looks like. The hood, the mask, the tech, and either it’s got all the protective metal armors and stuff with a built-in sixpack, or it looks like you’re about to go diving in a wetsuit but forgot both your snorkel and probably your location too because do you see any water nearby? I thought so.

So you, dear reader, can imagine in your tiny little head what this particular superhero costume looks like. If I’m being honest, it’s probably got one of those Batman-esque built-in sixpacks, because really, who wouldn’t like one of those? I know I would.

So. There’s this really cool superhero costume in the middle of the room, and the Protagonist is amazed. He loves superhero stuff and he’s seen tons of different suits worn by tons of different characters, but this one is by far the sweetest he’s ever seen.

I mean, our Protagonist here might be a little biased, because after all, it was his brilliant wife who put the whole thing together (and most of his little superhero cave, really), but it’s still a pretty amazing suit, and he is absolutely in love with it.

He walks closer to the suit, taking in all the little details she put into it, the fabric that feels both durable and comfortable as heck (and really, isn’t that the dream? Honestly, he would wear sweatpants all day every day if he could, because aren’t those the comfiest of all) and even on the chest there’s a little red and blue patch with a B on it.

The Protagonist turns to his wife, grinning widely.

PROTAGONIST: It’s fantastic. How did you…?

WIFE: It actually took so long you wouldn’t believe. I can’t believe I managed to keep it a secret from you for so long!

The Protagonist walks to her, lifts her up and spins her in the air. She laughs and the sound seems to fill the entire room.

He kisses her and she smiles.

PROTAGONIST: Thank you. Really.

WIFE: Be careful tomorrow, alright? I would hate for you to rip this suit or something.

He rolls his eyes, and she laughs again before looking at him with a straight face.

WIFE: Seriously, though. ****

The following night finds a dark figure standing on a rooftop, his cape flowing in the cool LA wind.

Cool tech? Superpowers? Just pure determination? No one really knows how he does it, but somehow, that night, the streets seem a little safer again.

[mcbastardsmausoleum]

Hammer Films - The Ultimate Collection 20-Film 10-Disc Blu-ray set coming 11/17  from Mill Creek Entertainment - SRP $109.00

https://mcbastardsmausoleum.blogspot.com/2020/08/hammer-films-ultimate-collection-20.html 

The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958) 

The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1960) 

The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb (1963) 

These Are The Damned (1962) The Old Dark House (1963) 

The Gorgon (1964) 

The Snorkel (1958) 

Maniac (1963) 

Die! Die! My Darling (1965) 

Scream of Fear (1961) 

Stop Me Before I Kill! (1961) 

Never Take Candy From A Stranger (1960) 

Cash On Demand (1961) 

The Stranglers of Bombay (1960) 

The Terror of the Tongs (1961) 

The Pirates of Blood River (1962) 

The Devil-Ship Pirates (1964) 

The Camp on Blood Island (1958) Yesterday's Enemy (1959) 

Creatures the World Forgot (1971)