#(Also Cory someone remind me to post Cory’s story in the next two days)

[shywhumpauthor]

A Whumpee who is so touch starved that they will do literally anything for just a ghost of contact but who also hates being touched for whatever trauma reason, so they’re stuck in this hellish limbo between their desire to just be held by someone and the awful prickling feeling they get whenever someone so much as brushes against them.

Bonus points if their master/caretaker/teammates/whomever within the context has no problem being affectionate but they just won’t do anything unless they are literally asked or something of that sort.

This opens up a lot of potential for some really soft emotional scenes

(prompt 12)

[swiftgronmasterpost]

Spring/Summer/Fall 2013 - The End(?)

Click here for an appropriately sad Swiftgron breakup playlist.

I don’t know if it’s important or not but Dianna wishes several friends a late happy birthday on twitter, apologizing for missing the actual day through this spring and summer.  It seems like maybe she’s going through something (like a bad break up?) because it’s not like her to miss friends’ birthdays.

March 26, 2013 - Maybe a relevant tweet?

April 7, 2013 - Dianna tweets a photo of James Dean in a day dream like setting:

April 16, 2013 - The article that outed them:

Someone made a fake article that said Swiftgron was dating:

Dianna tweets seven times that day which is a bit much for her.

The hashtag here stands out to me:

The fake article goes viral and all week people are tweeting about the possibility that Dianna and Taylor are dating.

April 23, 2012

It seems to culminate on this day.  Many people are buzzing about Swiftgron and this actress tweets:

That’s right at midnight.

About 12 hours later Dianna deletes her public Tumblr:

On that same day Dianna reblogs several things on her private Tumblr.  These two stand out to me:

She reblogged both of these posts and the only hashtag they had in common was “#lost love” - she was searching that hashtag.

I think it’s very clear that today is the day Swiftgron 2.0 broke up.  I believe they were forced to by their management teams due to being outed.

April 24, 2013 - Taylor seems regretful/stressed out she screenshots her text to Austin and posts:

I think Dianna’s obviously upset about this and as an act of defiance she tweets at Taylor a few days later (Taylor does not respond.)

April 29, 2013

Instead Taylor posts on Dianna’s Birthday (April 30) a silly google search (very DIanna in nature tbh) with a play on the lyrics from 22:

Taylor had the week of Dianna’s 27th birthday off of the Red tour (it was scheduled like that) but as far as we know they did not hang out.

May 4, 2013 - Ours

At her first show since their supposed break-up, Taylor performs Ours as a surprise song. She introduces it by saying: “This is a song about how, when you fall in love everybody starts to give you their opinion. I imagine it could be really hard to make a relationship last, I wouldn’t know. But, given that everyone is giving you their own opinion about it, I think that the only opinion you should really listen to is yours and if you love that person, that should be all that matters.”

Dianna dyes her hair brown and goes to Morocco a week later with Ashley (”You searched the world for something else, To make you feel like what we had”) from about May 11 - May 14 or 15.  While there she attends the A Small World relaunch. ASW could be viewed as a bit “sketchy” if you will.  I think this is where she befriends Olivia Wilde.

This is Dianna’s first (known) trip to Morocco (Derek Blasberg is there too) but she seems to be drawn there over and over again after this, even marrying Winston Marshall there (and possibly meeting another boyfriend, Gus Wenner there.)

May 19, 2013 - Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas

Taylor wins 8 awards and says this during her acceptance speech:

This and the performance of Ours makes me think Taylor is bitter about a break up right now, even though publicly she broke up with Harry back in January.

This is also the event where Taylor is famously grossed out by Justin and Selena’s hetero nonsense and does this:

It seems like as always, Taylor has a lot going on right now...some kind of drama with Justin is boiling but it’s possible she’s also referencing her breakup with Dianna in her acceptance speech.

Dianna pops back up in NYC.

May 20, 2013 - WLW icon Kristen Stewart apparently spends the night at Taylors?

May 28, 2013 - Taylor plays Haunted on the Red Tour and gives a speech:

"This is a song that I haven't played on this tour so far. It came up when one of my friends tweeted the lyrics to it today and it reminded me that I haven't played this song in about two years. It has to do with the fact that, you know people talk about ghosts all the time. You just kind of imagine it being this supernatural thing, but there's another kind of ghost and it's just a person who is out there walking in the world or just doesn't love you anymore and that's a whole different kind of being haunted." Seems like she’s really going through it.

July 2, 2013 - Anniversary of Hyannis Port trip and interesting private Tumblr post from Dianna:

Bad things happen this summer.  Cory Monteith passes away and Taylor is assaulted at a meet and greet by a DJ.

July 2013 - Dianna buys a house in LA (I Wish You Would)

August 2013 - Dianna’s whosirmesir moniker gets outed and she stops blogging under that tumblr account.

August 14, 2013 - Taylor is in a weird place according to the Lover diaries:

1.  she seems to have basically written The Lakes here

2.  she’s really harping on themes she ends up addressing in I Know Places, Out of the Woods, and Wonderland

August 29, 2013 - Dianna steps out with restaurateur Nick Mathers.  

Not sure what to make of this one.  Dianna seems to date two types of men:  1. teeny bopper actors for bearding and pr purposes (it generally seems) and 2. rich businessmen.  Nick is type 2, but their relationship is reported on as if it’s PR.  “Sources” call up gossip sites to fill them in on the relationship and both their projects get plugged along with announcements on them as a couple:

I don’t know if they were more or less legit but she goes out with Taylor five days later...

September 4, 2013 - The Fun! Concert:

Swiftgron’s last pre-Kaylor public sighting - they go to a Fun! concert in LA

It’s just a split instant of video footage but Sarah Hyland uploads this to Vine and it does not look like Dianna is enjoying herself:

Note:  It kind of looks like DIanna has her arm around Taylor’s waist and also the person to the right of Taylor is Selby Drummond who is still friends with DIanna as of writing of this masterpost (December 2020) and who still appears to be a fan of Taylor’s.

Dianna does look miserable but I do think it’s interesting they seem to be making an effort to hang out on the two year anniversary of their public (perhaps private as well) first meeting.

Dianna tweets about the concert the next day:

September 6, 2013 - Taylor plays Speak Now as the surprise song on the Red tour.  Interesting given the timing of Dianna and her new boyfriend being public just one week before this.

September 8, 2013 - Taylor plays Sad, Beautiful Tragic for the first time ever live and gives this speech:

"I kind of feel like playing a song I've never ever played live before. This is um a song that I wrote about how you know just because something's over doesn't mean it wasn't incredibly beautiful. Cause another lesson I've learned is not all stories have a happy ending and you have to learn how to deal with that. So this is a song about a story that didn't end so happily but was still supposed to happen. This is called Sad, Beautiful, Tragic."

I don’t think this song was originally written about Dianna but I do think at this time while they stumble through the last phase of their relationship Taylor was inspired to sing it.

October 2013 - Taylor writes I Wish You Would, a song inspired by an ex who had recently bought a house near her driving past her house.  It’s thought to be about Harry but Harry didn’t buy a house in LA until March 2014.  But of course we know Dianna did buy a house near Taylor’s in LA earlier this fall.

November 11, 2013 - The music video for “She’s Just Another Girl” premiers starring Dianna looking stunning in high fashion drag, dressed up as the lead singer, and lip syncing the words to the song:

Some lyrics to the song include:

All of my friends say I should move on She's just another girl, don't let her stick it to your heart so hard And all of my friends say it wasn't meant to be And it's a great big world, she's just another girl

I could be reeling them in left and right Something's got a hold on me, tonight Well maybe all of my friends should confront The fact that I don't want another girl

I think it’s at least possible that Dianna was drawn to this project because the lyrics resonated to her given what she was going through with Taylor at the time.

November 12, 2013 - Day of Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show rehearsals and Dianna posts this (now deleted) picture:

November 13, 2013 - Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show where Taylor performs and Karlie Kloss walks the runway.

Dianna posts this picture (now deleted) of her at Emma Stone’s birthday party from 11 months previous:

It’s likely she’s looking at Taylor in this photo who was seated across from her.

It’s a very random picture to post.  It wasn’t titled as a throwback and it wasn’t an exact year after the picture was taken (prompting some kind of happy birthday shout out to Emma Stone or anything) - just a random picture of Dianna smiling, likely at Taylor. 

November 17, 2013 - Dianna posts a (now deleted) photo about missing someone:

November 21, 2013 - Taylor posts lyrics from a hopeful love song about a troubled relationship:

Lyrics:

December 9, 2013 - Dianna listens to Pale Blue Eyes

Lyrics are about being emo over a lost love with Blue Eyes:

Sometimes I feel so happy Sometimes I feel so sad Sometimes I feel so happy But mostly you just make me mad Baby, you just make me madLinger on your pale blue eyes Linger on your pale blue eyes

Thought of you as my mountaintop Thought of you as my peak Thought of you as everything I've had, but couldn't keep I've had, but couldn't keep

Linger on your pale blue eyes Linger on your pale blue eyes

If I could make the world as pure And strange as what I see I'd put you in the mirror I put in front of me I put in front of meLinger on your pale blue eyes Linger on your pale blue eyes

Skip a life completely Stuff it in a cup She said, "Money is like us in time It lies, but can't stand up" Down for you is upLinger on your pale blue eyes Linger on your pale blue eyesIt was good what we did yesterday And I'd do it once again The fact that you are married Only proves you're my best friend But it's truly, truly a sinLinger on your pale blue eyes Linger on your pale blue eyes

December 11, 2013 - You know the drill...Dianna posts a now deleted photo to Instagram:

December 13, 2013 - Dianna posts an attention grabbing photo on Taylor’s Birthday

Conclusions - Swiftgron very clearly goes through a rough breakup due to being outed. 

Then they attempt some sort of reconciliation - even hanging out (date night?) on the second anniversary of their Fairfax Flea Market meetcute, but it goes wrong.  

Taylor is on tour for much of this time and Dianna is posting angst ridden and peculiar Instagram posts exactly at the time Taylor meets Karlie.

Click here to keep reading!

[edie-k]

The Art of Segue

Title: The Art of Segue

Pairing: Ron/Hermione

Rating: PG (language and mild suggestive dialogue)

This is a sequel to a story I recently re-posted called “The Art of Christmas Tree Selection”. Originally written prior to the publishing of Half Blood Prince, this is slightly AU but not so much that it significantly bucks canon. It can be read separately but I really like the first one so, you know, read it.

Disclaimer: HP and it’s characters aren’t mine.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

“What has you so happy?” asked Warren Granger as he entered the kitchen of their home.

“Oh, it’s Christmas time! What’s not to be happy about?” asked Judy, drying her hands on a kitchen towel and turning from the sink where she was finishing washing the dishes. “Everything is so beautifully decorated, everyone is in such good moods, our daughter is home for the holidays…”

“With her boyfriend,” Warren said, as he pulled a chair away from the table and sank into it.

“Whom we both love,” Judy reminded him, as she opened a cupboard door.  

There was a lot of truth in all of her statements. Warren was ecstatic to have his little girl at home. Since Hermione finished school three years ago and the violence that troubled the magical world had been over almost as long, they were able to see her more often. Still it was never enough. Having your child home for the holidays was the best present a parent could receive. And Warren enjoyed having Ron there as well. After four years of dating Hermione, Ron seemed comfortable among their family.

Warren wondered if he was too comfortable.

“It seems different this year, doesn’t it?” Warren asked.

Judy smiled and turned to her husband. “Do you need me to explain why it’s different?”

Warren sighed. “Definitely not.”

Judy laughed. “It’s the exact opposite of Ron’s first Christmas.”

Warren chuckled at this as well. When Hermione brought her boyfriend home over Christmas holiday during her seventh year, Ron avoided the two of them as much as possible and clung to Hermione as a buffer. Warren managed to drag the boy away for proper questioning by forcing him to come along to retrieve a Christmas tree. Ron looked as though he might have jumped out of the moving vehicle. However, when pressed, Ron gathered up the courage to tell him in plain terms what Hermione meant to him and Warren admired his bravery in an uncomfortable situation. Warren felt a bit guilty for cornering the poor kid (although it lessened when he remembered how pale Ron became when he mentioned keeping his hands off his daughter) because he could remember very vividly being questioned by Judy’s father. Ron would understand someday when he did the same thing to his own daughter’s boyfriend.

He and Hermione’s daughter.

Because Ron wanted to marry Hermione.

Oh yes, Ron made it clear three Christmases ago that he wanted to marry her someday. And for the past three years, Warren happily lived in the world of “someday”. But this year was different.

“You can’t avoid him forever!” Judy said with a smile.

“I’m not avoiding him!” Warren insisted.

Oh Lord, was he avoiding him. Or at least being alone with him. Ron and Hermione had arrived two days earlier. During the day, both Judy and he saw patients at the office and the only time they saw Ron and Hermione were in the evenings. Today marked what was supposed to be the beginning of he and Judy’s ten-day holiday, but Warren had offered to fix a patient’s broken crown even when a perfectly capable on-call doctor was available. After this, he went shopping for Judy’s Christmas present, which occupied most of the afternoon. He arrived home shortly before dinner to a knowing but disgruntled look from his wife and a scolding from his daughter.

“Where have you been?” Hermione screeched the instant he entered the living room.

Warren stepped back, startled at her outburst. Ron glanced up from the magazine he had been flipping through and gave Warren a sympathetic look. Warren realized that Hermione had been fuming about this all day.

“I was out Christmas shopping,” Warren said quickly.

“All day? You were only shopping for one person!”

“I-I treated a patient this morning,” Warren said. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was reminded that even though she was an adult, he was the parent and Hermione was his daughter. However, it was hard to validate this when Hermione was in the right.

“Don’t you have a perfectly good on-call doctor for that?” Hermione asked.

“Love, maybe you should just-” Ron started to say but Hermione gave him a withering look and he mumbled, “Never mind.”

“Yes,” Warren said. “But this particular patient is very squeamish about dental work and he preferred to have me as the attending dentist.”

“Well, I hope it was worth wasting a day that you could have spent with your only daughter,” Hermione huffed, sinking into her seat on the couch next to Ron and returned to her book. Ron looked up at Warren and threw him another sympathetic smile.  

And he still had not found a proper gift for his wife.

“Are you continuing not avoiding him tomorrow?” asked Judy.

“Well I-I haven’t quite finished my holiday shopping,” he admitted sheepishly.

“Can I suggest taking your daughter along? She may be helpful and I think she would enjoy the time with you,” Judy suggested.

“An excellent idea. I think I could use a female perspective,” Warren answered. “But wait. That means you’ll be here alone with Ron tomorrow.”

“I’m not the one that’s scared of him,” Judy answered, a large grin forming on her lips.

“Ha, ha,” he said dryly. He stood from the table slowly and stretched. “I suppose I will find Hermione and run the plan by her.”

“Now wait one second,” Judy said, putting a hand up to stop him. “Hermione isn’t the only one who wasn’t happy with your all day disappearing act. But I do have a way for you to make it up to me.”

“Do tell,” he smiled, noticing his wife had gathered various bowls and other baking tools on the kitchen counter.

“You can run to the store and pick up these ingredients so I can start my Christmas baking,” she answered, handing him a slip of paper.

“I think I can handle that,” he replied with a smile.

“Can I come with you, sir?” The sound of the unexpected voice caused Warren to jump in surprise. He turned to meet the eyes of his daughter’s boyfriend. Warren could feel Judy’s smirk penetrating the back of his head.

“I’m just running to the store,” Warren said weakly.

“I know,” Ron replied. “But I’ve been cooped up in the house with two women all day. No offense, Dr. Granger.”

“None taken Ron,” she said, now smiling broadly. It was horrifying how much pleasure the love of Warren’s life could take in his pain. “And I’ve told you- Dr. Granger is unnecessary. You’re an adult, you may call me Judy.”

“Sorry,” he replied, ears reddening slightly. “So, is it alright if I tag along?”

“I think it’s a splendid idea,” Judy replied. “Warren got so distracted while shopping this afternoon, it will do him good to have someone to keep him on task.”

Warren nodded numbly.

“I’ll just run upstairs and get my coat,” Ron replied, turning and leaving the room.

Warren turned to his wife, mouth open.

“He is scary. Look how he crept up on you like that!” Judy exclaimed, the mocking evident in her voice.

“What should I do?” he asked.

“Get your keys and your jacket,” Judy said. “And maybe your checkbook. I heard that the wizarding world is a bit old-fashioned so they may require a dowry.”

“JUDY!” he cried. How could she even joke about this?

“Relax,” she chuckled. “You’ll be fine.”

He sincerely doubted it.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The first time he and Ron were alone together, there were a few moments of awkward silence before Warren began his interrogation. In the times they were together since than, conversation flowed naturally with comfortable pauses. But Warren knew that this time, if he left a lull in the conversation, Ron was liable to make his move. So in the five minutes Warren had prior to meeting Ron at the car, he brainstormed for every topic unrelated to Hermione that he could think of to fire off questions about.

“Is it difficult to be spending Christmas away from your family?” Warren asked first. Ron was related to so many people that it was a topic that could keep him talking for awhile.

Ron snorted. “It’s fine. I see plenty of them the rest of the year and we’ll be spending New Year’s there. Besides, I know exactly what I’m missing.”

“And what’s that?” Be descriptive. I want all the details.

“Bill and Fleur will be arguing over baby names. Mum will be nagging Charlie and Cory about when they’ll have a baby, Fred and Angelina about wedding stuff, George about settling down, and Percy and Penny about the baby’s cough. Dad will try out some Muggle device he has no clue about. Mum will continue to not-so-subtly hint to Harry and Ginny that the love of their lives may be right under their noses and make way too much food.”

“It sounds like you know the routine,” Warren laughed.

“Oh, there’s variation. Sometimes Bill and Fleur argue over who the godparents will be,” Ron said with a grin.

That exchange ate up about 45 seconds of the car trip. Warren grasped for another topic.

“Harry is joining your family for Christmas?” Ron nodded. “How is Harry? We haven’t seen him around recently.”

“He’s fine. He likes being an Auror and I think he’s enjoying no longer having the weight of the world on his shoulders.”

“Ah, yes. And how does it feel to actually be out in the field?” Warren asked. Warren glanced toward Ron. Ron was a specialized law enforcement officer now. He must carry some sort of weaponry right? Did he have it on him right now? Warren knew that Ron didn’t have a firearm because two years ago, they viewed a program on television and Ron had not known what a pistol was. Perhaps he carried some sort of knife? Or did wizards just hold the perpetrators at wandpoint?  Wandpoint did not sound very intimidating but then again, Warren was not familiar with what exactly a wand could do. Wandpoint also did not sound like a real word, at least not in his dictionary. He made a mental note to ask Hermione about it later.

“The increase in wages is definitely something that I enjoy,” Ron said with a laugh. “It’s nice to be out there making a difference.” Warren glanced at Ron and noticed that he looked a bit hesitant.

“Is something wrong?” Warren asked and then mentally slapped himself. Yes, he could be nervous about asking his girlfriend’s father for his permission to marry her, Warren chided himself. But don’t worry; you were right there to prompt him along.

“No, no. Not really. I’ve just had a difficult choice to make and I think I made it but- I find myself second guessing.”

This could not be regarding Hermione. Even if he did not want Ron to propose, he knew that Ron was certain about Hermione. So what was he uncertain about? “Maybe I can offer some guidance?” Warren suggested.

“The afternoon before I started my vacation, my sister-in-law called me in her office.”

“I thought she taught Interrogation to trainees,” Warren said.

“She does but Cory is also the assistant interrogator in the Auror department,” Ron said.

“I don’t understand why she would call you in,” Warren said, confused.

“She called me in to tell me she received a promotion. She’s the head of interrogation for the Aurors, in addition to her training duties.”

Warren nodded. He could see where this was going but was baffled as to what the problem was.

“She told me that her and Shacklebolt, who heads the Aurors, were offering me the assistant interrogator’s position. And that’s a huge job. There’s room for all sorts of advancement and the pay is excellent.” Ron paused for a second and reddened slightly. “Told me it’s rare that someone with as little experience as me would be offered the position but I was one of the best at interrogation. I mean, they have all sorts of other people that are already in the interrogation department that would die for that job.”

“Then I fail to see the problem Ron,” Warren replied.

“At first, I was worried about not making a difference. Field work, catching the bad guys- that’s why I have wanted to be an Auror since I was fourteen. It’s why I went through all those years of training.”

“But interrogation is an important part of the justice process,” Warren argued.

Ron chuckled. “Believe me, Cory made sure to point that out many times. The fact is that even three years after the war-” Warren still cringed every time he heard that word and thought of Hermione’s involvement in it. “Death Eaters and war criminals are still being caught. With all the rebuilding and with how corrupt the prosecution department was prior to the war… without thorough Auror interrogation, people are going free,” Ron said and his eyes darkened slightly. “I can’t stand the idea of any of those bastards- er, I mean-”

“No, it’s okay,” replied Warren, thinking of the man who left Hermione unconscious in a hospital bed for two painstaking days. Bastard seemed to be the only appropriate term.

 “I just don’t want any of them to go without punishment,” Ron said. “What’s the point of field work if they aren’t going to prison?”

“There isn’t one,” Warren answered. “That’s why they want the best people possible.”

“I feel sort of guilty being promoted above all these other people already in the department but Cory says we have personality traits that make us naturals for this work. She calls it persistence but I’m not sure that’s what our family members would call it.”

Warren laughed. He himself was feeling a bit guilty for avoiding Ron this week. He did like the boy. He liked that Ron was soliciting him for advice and seemed genuinely interested in his opinion. It was almost a conversation between a father and a…

Bloody hell.

“There’s another reason why I’ve decided to take the job,” Ron said and suddenly, Warren was thrown back in time.

It was two summers ago and Warren was sitting outside with Judy during a gathering at the Burrow. Ron, Hermione, and Harry were sitting at the opposite end of the picnic table as Warren and Judy. Hermione was quizzing both boys on terms for their Interrogation exam and Ron seemed to be doing well. Harry on the other hand-

“What’s the best way to get all the details from a reluctant witness Harry?” Hermione read from the pieces of parchment in front of her.

“Take their word for it?” suggested Harry. “Bloody hell, I don’t know! What does this have to do with being an Auror? Why do I need to learn about questioning witnesses? I’m never going to be an interrogator!”

“Not with that attitude!” scolded Hermione. Ron smirked at his friend from across the table. Hermione sighed. “Ron, do you know?”

“Make the witness feel comfortable, talking about matters unrelated to the case. Be sure to obtain responses from them. Smoothly transition into your actual questions and do not let up until you have your answers. The lull and ambush,” Ron explained.

Harry scoffed “That will never work.”

Without even realizing it, Warren had been lulled. And here came the transition.

“First of all, it’s safer. There’s still plenty of risks, although I do have to be on emergency field call two nights a month. Criminals have been stripped of wands and weapons prior to interrogation, so they can still be dangerous but much less so.”

“Uh huh,” replied Warren. He wanted to stop Ron so badly but he felt compelled to listen and respond. Harry was wrong; the lull and ambush worked brilliantly.

“And I already mentioned the raise. And the hours are excellent. Except for those two nights on-call and the emergencies that are few and far between, it’s daytime hours. Hermione hated me working nights. She’ll be so happy. It couldn’t have come at a better time.” Ron stopped and took a breath. “Because I have something to ask her and something to ask you as well.”

In her sixth year, Hermione wrote her mother a letter that he wasn’t supposed to read. She informed Judy that she and Ron were dating and exuberantly listed all his virtues. Of course, she had left “master of segue” off of the list.

They approached a stoplight and Warren let his eyes close. This was it. He had three options. He could throw the car in park, get out, and run like mad. He could shove Ron out of the passenger’s side and slam on the gas pedal.

He really didn’t like option one. He loved this car. He had waited years to have this car. The thought of abandoning it broke his heart. And option two seemed even less viable. Ron was a bit taller and due to his Auror training, much fitter than him. He doubted that he would be able to push him out. That just left option three.

Accepting his fate. Warren kept his eyes closed as Ron began to speak.

“D-Dr. Granger, I-I love your daughter,” Ron started. Warren’s eyes flew open. Was he actually nervous? After that brilliant ploy to lull him into complacency? He stared at Ron for a moment until he heard a car horn sound angrily behind him. Warren pressed on the gas and drove under the green light, still processing this shocking revelation.

“And she makes me- she makes me the happiest man in the world,” Ron continued. He was stuttering!

“Hermione, she’s-she’s perfect. She’s everything that a person could possibly be. There’s no one that is even close to being worthy of her, no one that can give her everything she deserves. But out of everyone, I think I would try the hardest.“

Ron looked so serious, so earnest. Warren had no clue as to how he should reply but before he could open his mouth, Ron charged on.

“Sir, I want to marry your daughter and- and I’m asking your permission to do that,” Ron said. He paused and wrung his hands. “To ask her to marry me,” he clarified unnecessarily.

Warren took a deep, calming breath and turned to take a good look at Ron. He was extremely white; his freckles standing out against his pale cheeks and his hands were shaking ever so slightly. Realization hit Warren like a ton of bricks.

He held the power. All week, Warren was- all right, Judy, scared- of Ron and there was absolutely no reason to be. Ron held no power in this situation. Ron was forced to seek out his permission! He was practically begging! All Warren had to do was say no, send this boy on his way, and keep his daughter a little girl forever.

But even as the delicious thought formed in his mind, he knew that it was wrong.

Here was a boy- no, a man- that promised him long ago that he would defend Hermione and do anything for her. He was a man whom his daughter loved and whose name never failed to bring a smile to her face. After today’s conversation, it was obvious that his job would allow him to be able to take care of her (not that his daughter could not take care of herself but it was reassuring nonetheless). Ron even admitted that he could never be worthy of Hermione but still swore to give her everything that he possibly could.

Could he really say no to that?

Sure he could. But Hermione was going to marry him whether she had his blessing or not. And since Ron had properly and respectfully come to him, Warren may as well resign himself to maturity as well.

“Well, Ron, if you’re going to marry my daughter, you’ll need to drop this ‘sir’ and ‘Dr. Granger’ nonsense,” Warren said, forcing himself to be more jovial than he really felt. “But uh, let’s hold off on, Dad. Warren will be fine.”

Color flooded back into Ron’s cheeks and his tense face relaxed began to relax. “Really?” he said, his tone a bit incredulous. “You mean, you’ll let me marry Hermione?”

Warren laughed, more genuinely this time. “Yes, I will.”

“Wow,” he said quietly. “Wow. Now I just have to get her to say yes.”

“I doubt that will be much of a problem,” Warren replied. Ron still looked somewhat uneasy about how Hermione would really answer.

“When’s the big day?” Warren asked.

“I don’t know, I don’t even know if she’ll agree to marry me yet.”

“No,” Warren chuckled. “When are you proposing?”

“Oh, um, I have it sort of set up for New Year’s Eve. Do you want to be there? I mean, you and Judy? My whole family is going to be there and I know my mum would love to have both of you there,” Ron said nervously. “We’re all- I mean, we’re all sort of going to be family I hope.”

Warren glanced back at Ron for a second. As Hermione got older, she became more and more involved in the wizarding world and one of his fears concerning Hermione marrying Ron was that it would draw her completely away from their world. Maybe those fears were unfounded. Ron often joined them for holidays and the Weasleys regularly invited him and Judy to join them for family gatherings.

“I’ll have to check with Judy but I doubt we have anything more important happening,” Warren answered, as he steered the car into a parking space. He and Ron exited the car and head into the store.

“Oh, and would you not tell Hermione?” Ron asked.

Warren laughed as he fished Judy’s list out of his jacket pocket. “I’m not going to ruin your proposal!”

“No, about the job. I haven’t told her about it yet. I was waiting- well, I was just waiting to tell her. I thought I would surprise her after I was able to actually accept the job,” Ron said. His ears started to turn red. “I just- I just thought it would be better to tell her once we were back home.” His face had begun to catch up with his ears. “So it wouldn’t interfere with our Christmas.”

Warren looked at him curiously. Why would he be holding off on telling her? “I would think that it would make a nice Christmas present for-”  

Ron was staring straight ahead, face aflame as Warren put the pieces together. Ron wanted to wait until he could properly celebrate with his daughter, which couldn’t happen under her parents’ roof. Warren glanced down at the items on Judy’s list.

He may need to add a bottle of scotch.

The Grangers’ parent names are shout-outs, Judy to sproutgirl and Warren to lavenderbrown. Love both of those stories.

Also, I want to thank allybee for permitting me to use Ron’s line about trying the hardest from her story “Love, or Something Like It” on Checkmated. It’s my second favorite romantic line (I swear, one day, Ron will say “I remember everything.”) and I’ve been dying to use it. Blatant plagiarism is only cool with permission.

[penguinssupersecretsafehouse]

Fox’s Batman spinoff Gotham is coming to an end after five seasons. After introducing the origins of Batman’s most noteworthy villains, young Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) is finally wearing the batsuit. The finale promises to take us 10 years into Gotham’s future to see what has become of all these famous characters.

After the last Gotham panel for the Television Critics Association, we spoke with Robin Lord Taylor, who plays the show’s Oswald Cobblepot. Taylor had promised that the flash-forward sees him in a fat suit as The Penguin. Gotham airs Thursdays at 8pm ET/PT on Fox.

Is there any chance of redemption for Oswald?

Robin Lord Taylor: “Oswald is a story of ultimate corruption and what it does to a person. We see someone who, even though he had been through a traumatic childhood with intense bullying as he was growing up, he was able to still retain a piece of humanity, a piece of empathy inside there. As we go along, that slowly dies, and dies because that’s what Gotham does to him.

His redemption will be in small moments where he chooses to respect life and he chooses to have an alliance with someone, like Ed Nygma, to trust them. Those are redemptive moments for a person who is on the ultimate track towards complete corruption.”

You’ve done the Penguin walk. Does the fat suit change that even more?

Robin Lord Taylor: “It just emphasizes it. I didn’t mean to sound too flippant about it. I felt very lucky again to have, as we go into the future, to have a physicality that represented those 10 years leading up to that moment. I talk about corruption and being unhealthy and someone slowly dying and punishing themselves, that’s what we get to illustrate in the final episode. Just to be able to inhabit an altered body and let those 10 years manifest itself physically was a really amazing gift for an actor.”

What was it like having Paul Reubens as your dad?

Robin Lord Taylor: “Oh, just a dream come true. I’m exactly that generation who watched Pee-Wee’s Playhouse when it was on Saturday mornings. When I was a kid, it was Michael Jackson and it was Pee-Wee Herman. I had also, as I grew older, learned who Paul Reubens was and how he created that character and also this other stuff that he’s done over his career with the Groundlings and what not. And then he’s playing my dad and to have him be the only correlation between the film universe and what we were doing on our show, to have it be related to The Penguin was just such an honor. He also played The Penguin’s father in Batman Returns.”

Did you fanboy around him?

Robin Lord Taylor: “Absolutely and then we became such close friends. I actually met him before he was cast to play my father. I became friends with Carol Kane who played my mother. First of all, I have the best TV parents you could possibly imagine, Carol Kane and Paul Reubens, forget about it. Carol and I live in the same neighborhood in New York so she invited me to breakfast one morning. She was like, ‘Oh, my friend Paul will be there,’ whoever Paul is. I walk in, it’s Paul Reubens. She of course didn’t even think that that would be startling or a big deal to me and she’s amazing.

Anyway, we met and we connected and he told me, and I knew of course, he reminded me, ‘You know, I played Penguin’s father. Who knows, maybe this could be a spinoff.’ We took a picture of a family photo. I hadn’t even sent it to Danny and he texted me, ‘Paul Reubens is going to play your father.’ It was meant to be and somehow we all knew. We knew at that diner in New York City. Then he’s been nothing but a dear friend, just lovely in person.”

How have you changed over five seasons?

Robin Lord Taylor: “It’s funny. I think we are so intrinsically connected to these characters. In certain ways, my connection to Oswald, the thing that we do share is going from a place of he’s insane, a place of just such strong ambition but very little confidence to having those two kind of meet up. I feel more confident. I can say that I feel proud of what we’ve done and what I’ve done. Just to be able to own that and say this was my stamp on this iconic character and no one can ever take that away from me, I feel so excited for what’s next because I’ve never had that feeling before in my career.”

What do you want to do next?

Robin Lord Taylor: “I just want to be better. I want to do something different than Gotham. I feel like going forward, any other sci-fi, comic book thing could never hold a candle to this character so going forward, I’d like to find something that’s a little bit more rooted in reality, whatever that means, if that’s theater, if that’s TV.”

Do people look at you now for villains?

Robin Lord Taylor: “It’s all types. Yes, typecasting is a reality, but at the same time, I recognize if the character is directly too close to anything that happened on Gotham, then it’s a hard no for me.”

‘Gotham’ stars Cory Michael Smith and Robin Lord Taylor during the 2019 Fox Winter TCA panel (Photo by Frank Micelotta / FOX / PictureGroup)

Is your hair and look part of changing your appearance post-Gotham?

Robin Lord Taylor: “This is just me going back to myself. I complained about it over the years with the hair dying and wearing the fake nose and being in extra makeup, it wears on you especially when you’re not able to be yourself when you’re not shooting. I would have to keep dying the hair over the hiatus. It got frustrating, but then at the same time, when it’s over, I have a physical reset as well as emotional one.”

Do people recognize you?

Robin Lord Taylor: “Not nearly as much. It’s fantastic. Flight attendants and TSA people, people who have to look at your face and engage with you, that’s usually when it happens.”

Were you afraid starting out that this could be it for you?

Robin Lord Taylor: “Absolutely. I was terrified. At the same time, it’s all relative. I think about right now having been through the polar vortex in New York City a couple weeks ago, it was about six degrees. Then the next couple days, it warmed up to maybe 25 and you’d go outside and you’re like, ‘I could take my clothes off and walk around, it’s so warm out.’ At the time, I was terrified but I was also coming off of 14 years of, again, how am I going to make my rent? Am I going to have to go back to graduate school? How do I explain this to my parents that it didn’t work out? It’s all these terrifying questions that working actors face every single day. So even if I knew, even if this hadn’t worked out, at least I had a job.”

When you go back home, do they see you as a successful actor?

Robin Lord Taylor: “My mom and dad, my parents, it was very important to them to make sure that we didn’t live our lives with regret. So they always very much believed in us, but yeah, there’s a little bit of my mom is very smooth and she’s cool, but I can hear that little tinge of relief every time she talks about, ‘The show is wrapping up but he’s in a good place.’ I can just hear those years of all that fear. She’s relieved which is good. That’s the best gift I could give them.”

[spaceorphan18]

Finding Kurt Hummel: Previously Unaired Christmas

Masterpost

5x08: Previously Unaired Christmas

Look - it’s no secret that I am not a fan of this episode.  It still makes my stomach twist a little for reasons that I can’t entirely articulate (and I suspect are far more personal than any real issue the episode presents).  I know people are split on either loving this episode or hating this episode - maybe doing this will help me figure out what’s really going on.  

I, personally, have two issues with the whole thing. (The second one I’ll explain within the narrative of the episode.)  The first is that it does kind of feel like an FU to pretty much everyone.  I don’t necessarily think it’s to the fans explicitly (though the stuff with Kurt kinda feels like that), but in general, I’m guessing they were forced into a holiday episode that they didn’t really want to do by the network.  Because more so, the nastiness towards Christmas feels like that.  

I also have to wonder if Cory’s passing plays a small part.  I mean - this is cracky Glee - it’s been cracky Glee for a while now.  We just had an episode about puppets, twerking, and dressing up in bizarre Lady Gaga outfits.  The show has been kind of off the rails for most of season 5, and this episode almost feels like the climax of that (after the break - things feel a little more...normal?)  

Anyway - I don’t know exactly how we ended up here - but I kind of wish that Glee didn’t end it’s Christmas run on a, well, whatever this note is.  

Oh! And one last thing.  At this point - season six was not shortened.  I wonder if they had another, more heartfelt, Christmas episode idea for their final one.  Hmmm.  

What If

We open with Jane Lynch talking about how this was a secret hidden away episode.  And I’m bringing it up because this whole set up seemed to confuse everyone.  No - this was most definitely not a lost episode, nor do I think it’s any more or less controversial than anything else they did on the show.  (I do think the writers didn’t give a flying fuck - and were warning about that...)  

However, this whole intro does seem to make things confusing.  Yes - it’s set in season 4.  Yes - I’ll bet they did, at some point, come up with the Rough Trade Santa thing the previous year, and just discarded it until now.  However, shout out to @ckerouac for bringing up the point that -- if Glee wanted to go cracky, they could have gone so much further.  I mean if you’re going to go AU - why not do something entirely wacky.  They kind of did in Glee, Actually with Artie’s fantasy.  So, I’m kind of in agreement.  Why bring it back to season 4 (other than you have newbies you have to deal with).  Why not shoot it into the future, or just switch everyone’s bodies again.  Glee can go that extra mile, why not?  Who knows.  

Meanwhile - I need to state that this did not happen in the main timeline.  It could have (sort of - there are so many continuity errors that it hurts my head).  But it did not.  This is completely AU.  And really, I could skip it if I really wanted to.  I’m going through it just the same because a) for completeness sake - it’d bother me if I didn’t, b) there are some interesting Kurt-meta points that I think are worth bringing up.  

That long winded, probably unnecessary preamble aside - here we go. 

Grandma Moses

So.  We open on the New York side with Santana crashing at the loft, buying Kurt weird doll heads and tickets to Dildo island.  (Are we being edgy yet - the writers ask? Just you wait ;))  Okay, so this scene kind of sets up what the whole New York act is supposed to be about.  It seems they want to address two specific things about Kurt (that I have at least seen in criticisms, and I’m pretty sure the writers did, too)  -- a) That he didn’t have enough of a “normal teenage reaction” to his break up with Blaine and b) that Kurt is an old grandma, desexualized gay.  

Well.  Glee being in its FU mode is going to rectify that - just not in the way that’s going to satisfy anyone (I shouldn’t generalize - I know there are people who love this episode, my regards).  

And - in a FWIW thought, Kurt is an old grandma.  He always has been.  That’s just part of the make up of the character.  

The point, however, of Santana’s little monologue of exposition here is to set the stage for what’s going to happen in the rest of the episode.  It reminds me of the Tattooo Guy in The End of Twerk - telling Kurt that if he’s going to go nuts, he has to go all out.  

[2 asides - 1. Santana is also getting rewritten break up stuff (I’m guessing in response to criticism), as they seem to retcon a ton about the Brittana break up.  2. This whole story seems to be a commentary about Kurt specifically, and not really about Blaine?  Blaine seems to be fine this entire episode - though he’s barely shown because he’s off screen with some weird yule log obsession ;)]  

Meanwhile - Rachel has gotten them all jobs as elves at the mall.  Which - I suppose makes sense.  Oh! And weirdly enough - there’s no discussion from Rachel about her own break up with Finn (which makes sense because of Cory), or about Brody, or Cassie, or any of the stuff that happened to Rachel in season 4.  Weird, right? Nah, she’s just a backdrop to the Kurt and Santana stuff.  I will say - Rachel saying that she’ll be the best Jewish Elf ever made me laugh. 

Bad Santa

Ah, the one highlight of the episode - Chris Kurt in that elf costume.  It was like he was born to play an elf.  Lol 

Anyway - they get to the mall, and Santa’s late, and drunk.  (Not really here for bad santa - but his line about them in an ‘equity card’ mindset had me laughing.)  So, of course Rachel takes charge and they try to calm the audience with Here Comes Santa Claus. It’s -- perfectly fine.  In general, I find the music of the episode, with the exception of Love Child, somewhat uninspired.  Oh, right, this is a musical show, we have to have music.  Here’s a Christmas song.  

Of course, at the end, the kids aren’t charmed - they throw crap at them.  Yeah - we totally didn’t see this happen in season 2.  

I have read some meta about how Kurt, Rachel, and Santana are stand-ins for the writers here -- that whatever they do, it’s gonna get crap thrown at them.  (The thought is echoed at the end, too)  Oh! I have lots of thoughts on this, but I should probably save it for another post, cause it’s not really about Kurt.  

So -- the next day? Later that day? Santana goes and takes a bath...in the loft? I have no idea what the time line is.  I haven’t watched the Lima side of this episode since it aired.  Anyway, Kurt and Rachel call her up and beg her to help them.  Santana gives another obligatory joke about Kurt being an old grandma - born to play Mrs. Claus.  (Um, Santana - I think we’ve established that Kurt was born to be that Elf.)  

Oh - this still says so much....

Santana arrives as Mrs. Claus and proceeds to be a bitch to little people under ten.  Kurt and Rachel rightfully look horrified.  Sorry.  I don’t like this sequence.  It’s mean spirited and awful.  I don’t think it’s funny when adults are mean to innocent kids.  Moving on...

And....then we have the arrival of “Sexy Santa” Cody.  (Dude - this guy is totally skeevy to me -- who arrives at a mall without a shirt? But whatever)  And the rest of this plot line gets played out like half baked smutty fanfiction.  

I will say this -- I do think all of this is completely in character for Kurt.  Remember Ricky Martin in season 3?  This is essentially the same reaction from Kurt.  Kurt finds lots of guys attractive -- and he is allowed to react to it.  (And we’re in cracky mode - this is totally played up for laughs, in the same way it was when Ricky Martin guest starred.) 

This is also not one of my issues with the episode. 

Anyway - Cody wants to “get to know” his elves before he helps them.  Ew.  Kurt those abs are clouding your judgment, buddy. 

That Godawful Chipmunk Song

Santana once again reminds Kurt that he’s a stick in the mud and convinces him to spike his own eggnog.  And then Cody arrives.  Again.  Shirtless.  **rolls eyes**  And obviously scoping out the place so he can rob it.  Maybe that’s part of the reason I can’t really get on board with Kurt hooking up with him.  Cause it’s obvious that this guy is gross and going to be bad.  Yuck. 

Anyway, we all know what a light weight Kurt is - and within a few sips of cooking sherry and eggnog, he’s all flirty mcdrunk pants.  

So - this whole Chipmunk thing - in bulletted form because my brain is currently working better that way... 

I, personally, think this song is dumb.  Sorry.  

It creates this super weird adult/kid vibe between Cody and the loftmates, which I find uncomfortable.  

Cody is obviously playing this all up because he’s going to rob them - which makes his actions later really awful.  

Trashed Kurt with anyone else (especially Blaine, but anyone really) would have been hilarious in just about any other context.  

Chris, obviously, had a lot of fun filming this - so I’ll let him have that.  

The point where SO goes on her diatribe - so feel free to skip

Oh, where to start.  

1. Cody is taking advantage of a incredibly drunk, barely legal teenager in order steal from him. I don’t think the writers put a whole lot of thought into it -- other than saying ‘hey, we can make Kurt a sexual creature’, but I do think it was kind of in bad taste. 

2.  I wasn’t personally offended by it - but there were a lot of people who were (especially when it gets to the being tied up, and Kurt telling Cody no), and a lot of people telling them to get over it because it was cracky glee.  The whole hoopla over that in fandom has always left a bad taste in my mouth.  

3. Gross Cody stuff aside, no I don’t think this is out of character for Kurt.  Kurt’s in a bad place about breaking up with Blaine -- and after being pushed by Santana hard enough, having enough alcohol in him, and being presented with the opportunity, Kurt’s trying to get out of his shell a bit and enjoy himself.  He’s perfectly right to do so, and I do think it makes sense that someone going through a hardship like a rough break up with a first love would try something new -- especially being a first time college student with no limitations. 

4. What about “you matter” and baby penguin Kurt?  Well - first of all, I don’t think Kurt has ever been a baby penguin, and I’m going to spend a lot of the second half of season 5 talking about Kurt being very much a sexual being.  I also think that Kurt does and will always be particular about sex -- again, the writers had to get Kurt incredibly drunk and in a very specific situation for this to even present itself.  I don’t think it’s that Kurt can’t (or won’t) have casual sex, but more so that it means more to him when it’s with someone he loves.  Had this not been a throwaway episode intent on being offensive and cracky, that thought might have been explored. 

5. It cracks me up that they kind of even half-assed Kurt being a sexual being.  Sure, Cody’s half naked in-between Kurt’s legs.  It’s more of a slight of hand, though.  The kissing is a) cut away from very quickly, and b) barely kissing (the first part when Santana and Rachel come in isn’t really even kissing - it’s like stage kissing, where you kiss their cheek, it looks like making out, but it’s not).  The whole thing looks way more provocative than it really is. 

6. I do think it’s unfortunate that they didn’t let Kurt be this provocative and flirty (and handsy) with anyone else on the show.  I do think Kurt has hotter moments (with Blaine - in various episodes, I can name them for you if you like).  But the whole being overtly sexual and gay and somewhat naked is limited throughout the show (this goes for Brittana, too, for that matter, and even the Quinn/Santana hook up - they were mostly covered and a good four feet from each other on that bed). 

6B. As an aside, though -- Glee doesn’t do overtly sexual very often, and nearly every time they do it’s for comedy.  It makes me wonder if there was some kind of limitations in general.  I mean, Finchel never got a mostly naked sex scene either - though Blaine and Brittany did -- for comedy.  

7. I do think there’s an interesting story about season 4 Kurt dealing with his break up -- which would have included more intimate moments with Adam, and/or other people.  But that wasn’t the story they chose.  

7B. I do think, ultimately, this was the writers saying - well we could have written that story - but we prefer the one we are doing.  I think it’s in part of the whole FU thing they were going for.  I mean, even for people who wanted to see Kurt get more action -- he’s going to get punished for it in a sec, so even that feels like a bit of an FU.  

Moving on... the next morning Santana and Rachel wake up to find that they’ve been robbed and Kurt is tied up.  

Kurt does say that when he said no to a sexual thing - Cody got aggressive and tied him up.  That is leaning on sexual assault there, show.  Again - I’m not personally offended, but I also don’t think it’s funny either.  

Oh, as an aside I want to mention the whole thrown in joke there about Kurt being sexy to kiss because it’s like he has no kiss (geez, is it just me or is there a blow job joke in there somewhere?) it is a comment on Chris’s physical attributes.  So, calm down people when we get to Santana’s rant in season six.  Every character gets pot shots about their looks. It’s part of being an actor in general.    

Go Feel Shame

It’s...the next day? And Kurt’s talking to Santana (seeming much more Kurt like than the rest of the episode) about how he just wanted to let loose and feel better.  (Well, alcohol rarely helps with that kiddo - but it’s a lesson nonetheless.)  It’s interesting that he says he feels ashamed (he shouldn’t - but I can see why he would).  And he also doesn’t want Blaine to know, ever.  (An odd comment for something that is an AU)  

I do understand some people’s thoughts that they wished Kurt had had a better experience about letting loose a little (and in some ways he did -- I mean that was what The End of Twerk was about).  And I agree in that not every poor decision in your life needs to be met with shame and being robbed.  

But I do think it’s also Glee’s way of saying - hey, we did hear you - and we’re going to continue to tell the story our way.  

They all look really lovely in this scene.  Rachel has a new gig for them - singing behind a wall of glass.  

It’s the fourth wall -- Kurt, Santana, and Rachel are the writers again.  It’s probably better that they stay there for their own safety.  But also - this episode is what happens when that wall is broken down between creators and fandom - a weird mess of....whatever this is.  

Oh! One last final side thought -- no, there’s no Klaine duet.  That doesn’t bother me within the context of this story - it wouldn’t have made sense anywhere.  That said, I’m sorry they didn’t get a final duet.  I think Winter Wonderland would have been a nice conclusion for them.  Let’s take a moment and lament that there was no season six Christmas episode to end on a high note with. 

Time to move on to the regular story at hand.  

[memekingjrsupreme]

Ask Away Anonymously Or Not.                        (◕‿◕✿) All My Asks I Answered On My Blog Deleted, So I Decided To Make An Ask Meme Thingyy.

(1) Do You Sleep With Your Closet Doors Open Or Closed? Closed, ain't no monster gonna get these feets.

(2) Do You Have Freckles? No, but most of my family does.

(3) Can You Whistle? Hell yeah, my only talent. I can whistle in and out too, I do a bomb ambulance impression.

(4) Last Song You Listened To. Brown Eyes by Lady Gaga I think.

(5) What Is Your Favourite Colour? Blue, Green, Orange. I don’t really like red or yellow, the rest are just okay.

(6) Relationship Status. Single but not wanting to mingle ;)

(7) What Is The Temperature Right Now? Cold? Like 68 degrees maybe (Fahrenheit because America is the only real country)?

(8) Did You Wake Up Cranky? Waking up makes me cranky, but I’m also sick so probably.

(9) How Many Followers? Only 204 rn, I don’t post content so whatchu expect (shoutout to all those pornbots following me).

(10) Zodiac Sign. Sagittarius

(11) What Is Your Eye Colour? Bluey-green

(12) Take A Vitamin Daily? I have some vitamin c chew things, but they kinda make me gag.

(13) Do You Sing In The Shower? If people aren’t home, or I can close all doors to ensure they can’t hear me.

(14) What Books Are You Reading? I can’t read.

(15) Grab The Book Nearest To You, Turn To Page 64, Give Me Line 14. I don’t have any books other than my yearbooks in my room.

(16) Favourite Anime? I’ve only seen one, so it’d have to be Cory in the House.

(17) Last Person You Cried In Front Of? My dogs? I don’t really cry unless I’m thinking about stuff late at night so.

(18) Do You Collect Anything? I really like figures like of any kind so like I’m one of the only people I feel that likes Funko Pop.

(19) What Did You Have For Lunch? Nothing, I woke up at like 12pm and I can’t cook well.

(20) Do You Dance In The Car? Not really, I sing though (I can’t drive so its only with other people).

(21) Favourite Animal? I literally would love to meet any animal ever, but I’ve always had a special place for dogs and elephants.

(22) Do You Watch The Olympics? Whom?

(23) What Time Do You Usually Go To Bed? 2 am is the max I really do anymore, usually around midnight.

(24) Are You Wearing Makeup Right Now? Full face obviously (jk).

(25) Do You Prefer To Swim In A Pool Or The Ocean? I don’t swim, but probably ocean since there’s some good sea boys up in there.

(26) Favourite Tumblr Blog? You’re all my friends and babies, but Otterlycrete since I tagged her ;) (how can you pick favorites though)

(27) Bottled Water Or Tap Water? Bottled unless I can have it from a filter.

(28) What Makes You Happy? Animals, family, friends, memes, graphic design (its my passion).

(29) Post A Gif Of What You’re Currently Feeling Right Now. Too lazy.

(30) Do You Study Better With Or Without Music? With, otherwise I space out and don’t do anything.

(31) Dogs Or Cats? All animals are good, but I really love doggos.

(32) If You Were A Crayon What Colour Would You Be? Black. It’s dependable and adds structure to pictures.

(33) PlayStation Or Xbox. No. I really only use my computer.

(34) Would You Swim In The Lake Or Ocean? This feels very similar to the other question, but lake or ocean to see swimmy animal bois.

(35) Do You Believe In Magic? Yes, as well as life after love.

(36) What Colour Shirt Are You Wearing? Black

(37) Can You Curl Your Tongue? Yeah

(38) Do You Save Money Or Spend It? Hnnnng, spend.

(39) Is There Anything Pink Within 10 Feet Of You? Mmyes, the merch of Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson.

(40) Do You Have Any Obsessions Right Now? I only really get obsessed over music and albums, right now I’ve been listening to things like “The Fame” (as a good throwback), “Rainbow”, and “Poppy.Computer”.

(41) Have You Ever Caught A Butterfly? Yes.

(42) Are You Easily Influenced By Other People? Depends on the person, I definitely second guess things if someone says something but I’m usually strong in my decisions.

(43) Do You Have Strange Dreams? I had a dream about being in kindergarten and playing with penguins and an elephant last night.

(44) Do You Like Going On Airplanes? I don’t like the idea of them, but I’m fine with being on them.

(45) Name One Movie That Made You Cry. Hidden Figures or Selena, both are ones I watched/rewatched recently.

(46) Peanuts Or Sunflower Seeds? Peanuts

(47) If I Handed You A Concert Ticket Right Now, Who Would You Want The Performer To Be? Lana Del Rey, Marina and the Diamonds, Poppy, Katy Perry (again), pretty much anyone except T*ylor Sw*ft.

(48) Are You A Picky Eater? I don’t eat meat so yes I suppose.

(49) Are You A Heavy Sleeper? Kind of, things wake me up but I usually don’t care enough to stay awake.

(50) Do You Fear Thunder / Lightning? Love storms

(51) Do You Like To Read / Write? Depends on what I’m reading, I like the idea of writing but not actually doing it because it makes me feel self conscious.

(52) Do You Like Your Music Loud? Yeah, as long as I’m not bothering people.

(53) Would You Rather Carve Pumpkins Or Wrap Presents? Probably carve pumpkins because I suck at wrapping stuff.

(54) Put Your Music On Shuffle, What Is The First Song That Came Up? Body Electric by Lana Del Rey (issa bop)

(55) What Season Are You In Right Now? (Weather) Winter (the best season).

(56)What Are You Craving Right Now? Nothing? Maybe the tofu from this one place (it's amazing), but idk.

(57) Post A Screenshot Of Your Tumblr Feed. Too Lazy (again).

(58) What Is Your Gender? I’m boy

(59) Coffee Or Tea? Both, those are my two favorite drinks how dare you pit them against each other.

(60) Do You Have Any Homework Right Now? If So, What Is It About? Yes. I gotta make some posters for a digital design class, but will I? No.

(61) What Is Your Sexuality? I’m not really into anyone in a very sexual way, I’d say I’m asexual. I’d rather be in a relationship with a guy though.

(62) Do You Make Your Bed In The Morning? No, its easier to get back into once I’ve decided I don’t want to face the realities of the modern world if I don’t make it.

(63) Favourite Pokemon? Arcanine? Charizard? Sceptile? Gardevoir? I love a LOT of them.

(64) Favourite Social Media? Twitter cause its like I’m friends with celebrities ;)

(65) What’s Your Opinion On Instagram Stories? I don’t use Instagram

(66) Do You Get Homesick? If I’m away for a little sure, I’m living at home before I go off to school so.

(67) Are You A Virgin? If you’re asking if I have a virgen de guadalupe candle, then yes.

(68) What Shampoo And Conditioner Are You Using Right Now? Some random stuff, it smells dank though.

(69) If You Were Far From Home And Needed To Sleep For The Night, Would You Choose To Rent A Crappy Motel Room For $60 Or Sleep In Your Car For Free? I’d go sleep in a car rn, idk why but I actually really don’t mind it. Maybe it's the cold or something.

(70) Are Both Of Your Blood Parents Still In Your Life? Yep.

(71)  Whats The Next Movie You Want To See In Theaters? Coco, it looks great :)

(72) Do You Miss Your Ex? WHOMST’VE?

(73) What Is Your Favourite Quote Right Now? “Pushing my ex husband off of his own balcony has been the highlight of my day.” - Joanne the Scammer

(74)  What Eye Colour Do You Find Sexiest? Not really that they’re sexy but I like blue eyes, brown eyes, idk they’re all nice.

(75) Did You Like Swinging As A Child? Do You Still Get Excited When You See A Swing Set? I could take it or leave it both now and then.

(76) What Was The Last Thing You Ate? Soup and salad.

(77) What Games Do You Have On Your Phone? Only Magikarp Jump and ACPC.

(78) Would You Give A Homeless Person CPR If They Were Dying? Why Or Why Not? Who would just watch and let someone die…. What kind of question is this.

(79) Been On The Computer For 5 Hours Straight? Of course, I’m a hooligan.

(80) Stalked Someone On A Social Network? Not really, maybe a person I thought was familiar and wanted to verify.

(81) Do You Like Meeting New People? Not really, unless its someone I’ve heard of beforehand.

(82) Do You Wear Rings? If You Do, Take A Picture Of Them. No, they give me anxiety (what if I lose them).

(83) Do You Sleep With Your Bedroom Door Open Or Closed? 100% always closed, I’m not trying to have someone watch me while I sleep.

(84) What Are Three Things You Did Today? Classwork, listened to music, played video games (lazy day).

(85) What Do You Wear To Bed? T-shirt and shorts (I can’t wear long pants and I’d never sleep without some type of clothing).

(86) List All Of Your Different Beauty Products You Have Right Now. I’m ugly, what are those.

(87) Are You A Day Or Night Person? Night, its way more calm.

(88) List All Of Your Video Games On Your Phone, Console Etc. Oh honey…. To many to name (my favorites are Overwatch, WoW, Smite, BattleRite, etc).

(89) Tell Me About A Dream That You Had And When It Happened. I once dreamed I was in an 8-bit arcade game a few years ago, nothing topped that one.

(90) Favourite Soda Drink? Dr. Pepper?

(91) What Sounds Are Your Favourite? I don’t understand this, but like animals and music I guess.

(92) Do You Wear Jeans Or Sweats More? Sweats, jeans remind me too much of where I live.

(93) How Do You Look Right Now? A mess, sis.

(94) Name Something That Relaxes You. Family (sometimes, friends (sometimes), animals, games, music, rain, snow, nighttime.

(95) What Tattoo Do You Want? A lyric/quote from the song “Spaceship” by Kesha. “Nothing is real, love is everything, and I know nothing.” or some variation of that.

(96) Favourite YouTuber? EthosLab, Xisumavoid (even though I don’t really care about playing minecraft), I also really like Jaymes Mansfield.

If any of you wanna do this, feel free :)

[katdvs]

Lucas Friar moved back to Texas at 17, now he’s running for Mayor of Rosewood Springs so best friend Zay and little sister Gigi decide he needs a little help from a political consultant.

Riley Matthews found her calling, she found a fiancé, but she never expected to find herself here, of all places.

Cross-posted to FF.net | Soundtrack | Past Chapters

Author Note: You guys are seriously the best! I do think you’ll be surprised by at least part of this chapter. . .maybe, at least I hope.

-the smell of your skin-

Riley slipped her key into the last lock on the door before opening it, and slipping inside. The apartment still had that familiar smell that was purely her family. It was sweet, warm, and homey, as soon as it filled her senses she knew she was home. But something felt different this time as she moved through the apartment.

“Who is it, I’ve got a gun.” Her father’s voice cut through the air.

“Daddy, it’s just me.” Riley rolled her eyes as she went to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.

Cory turned on the lights as he studied her, “Aren’t you supposed to be in…Texas?”

She sighed, “Smackle summoned me back for a meeting tomorrow morning here at the office.”

“Somethings different with you.”

“I’m tired, it’s three in the morning Dad, I should get some sleep before whatever Smackle drops on me.”

“No that’s not what’s different, it’s that you’ve been around Lucas.” Cory circled around his daughter, “I know the story.”

“Dad, I’m too tired to deal with the Cory Matthews experience.” She took her bag and went to the hall to her room, she could tell that her parents had cracked a window earlier that day to air it out. Her arrival probably not a surprise to them as it was to her. She quickly unpacked her bag, staring at the ring Dave gave her.

Why had she said yes to him?

She couldn’t remember now.

But she could remember why she’d said yes to Lucas years ago.

She put the ring on her nightstand and changed for bed, setting the alarm on her phone to give her enough time to get dressed before the meeting in the morning.

Closing her eyes, she could only see Lucas and the beautiful picnic they’d had. Then she remembered what he told her after he kissed her goodbye.

He remembered Las Vegas.

How long had he remembered?

What made him remember?

These were the questions running through her mind as she tossed and turned before falling into an unrestful sleep.

When her alarm blared, startling her awake she was sure she’d just fallen asleep. She sat up in the bed, taking a moment to look around the room, it had always felt like home, until now, something was different and she couldn’t put her finger on it.

She quickly got ready, dressing in one of the few suits she kept at home. She grabbed her bag and was already on her way out when her mother stopped her.

“Riley Chloe Matthews, breakfast.”

She slowly turned around, “Mom, I have to be at the office at nine.”

“Smackle and Farkle can wait.” Topanga guided her daughter to the table, “Sit.”

Riley obeyed her mother, wondering if this was really her life as woman in her thirties. She accepted the plate her mother handed her.

“So, California went well, and then where have you been?”

“Texas, helping Lucas Friar.” She picked at the food in front of her.

Topanga nodded, “How is Lucas these days?”

“He’s fine, he’ll be better when he wins the election, and all the single women in Rosewood Springs stop treating his existence like an episode of The Bachelor.”

Cory studied his daughter, “So, can you explain to your mother and I exactly what it is you’re doing down there?”

Riley shifted uncomfortably, feeling knots in her shoulders suddenly. “It is unconventional I know, it’s not what I normally would do, but the situation is abnormal.”

Topanga looked to her husband, “Riley, you and Lucas have always done things your own way. Nothing about you two has ever been conventional. So, what are you doing?”

“I’m pretending to be his girlfriend, it shows that he is willing to settle down, but also it calms down most of the women, except this one, Dixie, who I swear just does not get that Lucas isn’t into her. She’s always trying to get his attention, touching him…”

“You’re jealous” Topanga hadn’t meant to say it, but she saw that as soon as she did Riley knew already.

“It’s complicated, but its Lucas, when haven’t things been complicated with him?”

“How’s Dave?” Cory asked before shoving a forkful of breakfast potatoes into his mouth.

Riley took a sip of her coffee before rising, “I haven’t called him yet, I’ll call him after my meeting.”

Topanga and Cory exchanged another look as Riley left. “So, Dave doesn’t know she’s in town huh?”

“Nope.” Topanga allowed the P to pop as she spoke, “What is our daughter up to?”

Cory sighed, “I have no idea, I’m just worried she’s still has a road of heartbreak.”

“As the one with a broken heart or the one breaking hearts?”

“I don’t know.”

IRSM Consulting was housed in the Minkus building in Manhattan, the skyrise was high, one that Stuart Minkus had purchased sometime when they were in high school, slapped his name on, and inside created a home for up and coming boutique firms.

When Riley and Smackle came together to create their business, he had given them a nice break on the rent, and it helped that Farkle invested in them. Riley never spent much time in the actual office, in fact she was always shocked by how cold the office felt, not temperature wise but in the furniture, the lighting, it wasn’t really the way she would’ve had things.

She took a nervous deep breath as she opened the glass office door with the logo on it and made her way through the quiet lobby, past her office that over the last few years she had spent only a handful of hours in to the conference room.

The lights were bright, the walls a glaring white as Riley came in, seeing just Smackle and Farkle sitting at the far end of the table.

She looked up at the clock, 8:58, so at least she wasn’t late. But the fact that no one else was around had her nervous, if there was a crisis with a client shouldn’t it be all hands-on deck as it had in the past?

Suddenly she felt like she’d been called to the principal’s office as she felt both her friends watch her move down the table. “Where is everyone?”

“Riley, please have a seat.” Smackle sat up straight adjusting her glasses before folding her hands in front of her.

Riley sat down, trying to find some sort of clue as to why she’d been called back to New York, why it was so important she had to fly back right away. “What is going on?”

Farkle and Smackle looked to each other for a moment before looking back to Riley.

Riley studied them in their suits, designer, black, basic, nothing flashy about either of them. Really it looked as though they would just pop into a church service as soon as this was over. “I left a client in Texas to come here, so what is going on.”

“How is Lucas?” Farkle broke the silence from their end.

“He’ll be better when I get back, because if I’m gone for long the single women will start circling and next thing you know it’s a really weird version of The Bachelor.” She looked to them, “Okay guys, what am I doing here, what is the problem?”

Smackle cleared her throat, “I’ve been tapped to be nominated for a new government position.”

“Oh” Riley blinked wondering exactly what that meant, “For what?”

“I am not at liberty to actually discuss it right now.” Smackle put her hand over Farkle’s, “But due to this nomination, we would have to close the firm.”

Riley felt only an inch tall, “Why?”

“It could be a conflict of interest.” Farkle cleared his throat, “Before anything else goes forward Smackle and I wanted to make sure that you weren’t just left with nothing.”

Her entire body was shaking as she looked at them, “So everything we’ve built is just going to cease to exist?”

“Riley, you’ve done amazing work with our clients over the years.” Smackle reminded her, “We don’t want you to walk away from this without anything. We crunched the numbers, and we believe that what we’re offering to buy you out today, is more than fair.”

“You want to buy me out?”

Farkle stood up, holding his tie down with one hand and a packet of papers with another. “This is our offer, and the conditions that go along with it.”

Riley took the papers from him, trying to ignore the anger burning inside of her, the heartbreak, the tears threatening her eyesight now as she took in a long breath before she started to look it over.

“Is this figure right here correct?” She pointed to the payment she would receive the minute she signed.

“Yes, it is.” Farkle assured her.

She put the papers down for a moment, “I sign these, you two transfer an absurd amount of money into my account, and then what do I do? I can’t work on a campaign; the contract forbids that. What am I supposed to do with my life?”

“You finally live it.” Smackle rose and came around the table to Riley, “Are you good at helping candidates get elected, yes, because you see the good in them others don’t, and you help them show the voters. Is that what you were meant to do for the rest of your life, come on Bubbles, you know it’s not what you want. This life isn’t what you want, it’s never been what you wanted.”

Riley watched as Smackle picked up the papers and continued, “This is your out, before this job destroys your soul, before you use it as a crutch to stop living the life you should.”

Riley picked up the pen and rolled it between her fingers like a baton, “Can I volunteer for a campaign if the person running is my significant other?”

Farkle tried not to smile, “If you’re romantically involved with someone running for office, I think it would be cruel of us to come after you for helping out. It would actually look bad if you didn’t support him.”

Riley looked at the papers again, slowly going over the language that would dissolve her partnership with Smackle, that would leave her unemployed. She took a deep breath before signing her name and then watching Farkle as he went to his laptop and quickly clicked away.

“Congratulations Riley, you are now ten-million dollars richer.”

Riley rose from the table, “I’m just going to clear out what few things I have in my office. I wish you both luck.”

Farkle sighed as she walked out, “We did the right thing, didn’t we?”

“Yes, she’s in shock right now. But this was the push she needed, and that we needed.” She sat back in her seat, “I just hope Maya can push her in the right direction.”

“It’s Sunday morning this better be good.” Maya grumbled as she pushed herself up from the couch, amazed at how difficult that already was as she went to answer the knocking on her door. She looked through the peephole and undid the lock, “Riley, what are you doing here?”

Riley moved in past Maya putting the bankers box down before sitting on the couch.

“Shouldn’t you be in Texas playing the role of devoted girlfriend to Ranger Rick?” Maya sat next to her, still trying to understand why she was here and why Zay hadn’t told her she’d left.

Riley turned her body to look at Maya, “I don’t have a job.”

“Lucas fired you?”

“No, Smackle bought me out.” Riley blinked as the reality of the situation started to wash over her. “She and Farkle just paid me an obscene amount of money for my share of the firm.”

Maya rubbed her forehead, “Can you just backup and explain why you’re not in Texas?”

Riley sighed, “Smackle called, she’d already booked me a flight, she said there was an emergency. Yeah to get me out of the firm.”

“So, you came back thinking you had a work crisis.” Maya was putting the few pieces together, “And they paid you a lot of money, so now you don’t have a job?”

“Yes.” Riley sighed, running her hand through her dark hair.

“So, are you going back to Texas?”

Riley looked down at her nails, “How bad is it that I haven’t told Dave I’m in town?”

“You already know the answer to that.” Maya looked over at the time on the cable box, “Come with me.”

“Where are, we going?” Riley helped Maya up before grabbing her box.

Maya smiled as she grabbed her keys and purse, “First we’re going to drop this off at your place, and then you’re going to come with me to meet up with Charlie and the kids.”

Maya had insisted that Riley change out of her suit, into a pair of jeans and t-shirt. She’d also slipped Riley’s engagement ring into her pocket before they left the Matthews family apartment and got in a cab down to the Marina in Brooklyn.

Riley was pulling out her phone when she found the ring, “Why is this in my pocket?”

“I figured you should have it since you’re about to see your fiancé, put it on.” Maya nudged her.

“I can’t.” Riley looked at the ring, she was silent for a minute, “I’m allergic to it.”

“Why didn’t you tell him that when he went down to Texas?”

“It didn’t seem to be the most important thing, I didn’t want him to think I was doing what I was doing because I was upset about it.”

“Is that why?”

Riley shook her head before slipping the ring back into her pocket, “No, not even close.”

“So why? We’ve got time before we get to the marina, so how about you stop hiding and you tell me why you came up with this plan for Lucas’ campaign.” Maya had heard the explanations Riley had given her, the ones to Dave, even what Zay thought, but she really wanted Riley to think about it now.

Riley kept her eyes on the skyscrapers, “Have you ever noticed how claustrophobic New York feels?”

“Nope, that never occurred to me.” Maya watched her, “But I bet Texas isn’t claustrophobic at all.”

“Not at all.” Riley took a moment before she looked back to her friend, “He remembers Las Vegas.”

“What, since when, details woman.”

“I don’t know.” She confessed, “He kissed me goodbye last night, it was as though he was afraid he would never see me again, and then he told me he remembers.”

“He kissed you?”

Riley blinked, “It wasn’t the first time, I mean we would kiss in public like a normal couple would, but if we were alone together. . .”

“Did you two do more than kiss?”

“No, he stopped us, he didn’t want me to do something that would keep me from being happy with Dave.”

Maya nodded, “So, he stepped back, to let you have what he thinks you want, when in reality…”

“What I want is him.” It was the first time she said the words out loud, the first time she really heard herself.

“What do you plan on doing about it?”

“I don’t know.” It was the last thing Riley said the rest of the cab ride. Maya tried to get her to talk, but she was lost in thought.

“Maya you’re going the wrong way, Dave’s boat isn’t in this area, this is for the yachts.” Riley told her best friend, wondering just how bad her pregnancy brain was.

Maya stopped, giving her best friend a smile, “Honey, we’re going the right way, trust me.”

Riley’s stomach sank as she followed Maya pass the boats that continued to get larger before they came to the end of a row just as a large vessel was docking. “Is this why he only spent ten dollars on my ring?”

“Yup.” Maya waved to her children who were beaming after spending the day on the water.

It took a few more minutes before they were officially and safely docked. Before Riley realized what was happening Maya’s children were hugging her, “Aunt Riley!” They cried as she hugged them.

“Fallon, Drew, how are my two favorite kids?”

“Daddy took us out with Uncle Dave today, and Avery came with us.” Fallon twisted her dirty blonde hair around her finger, “Are you going to stay this time?”

“I still have work out of town.” She lied, “But I am thrilled I got to see you two while I was in town.”

“So, you’re just here for what the afternoon?” Avery’s tone was hard to miss as she stood next to Dave.

Riley stood up, looking at the woman, she’d always tolerated Avery, never gave her much thought, but she could tell at this moment that this woman wasn’t a fan of hers. She would probably get along with Dixie if she ever had the chance to meet her. “How long I’m here for is none of your business Avery.” She took a few steps forward, “Hi Dave.”

“Riley” he wrapped his arms around her, spinning her around, “God I missed you.”

Riley felt his lips press against hers, and she felt even less now than she had in July. “Are you going to show me the boat?” She smiled as he put her down, she couldn’t do this in front of everyone, this had to be between just them.

“Yes of course,” He looked to his friends, “Excuse me guys, but the future Mrs. Would like a tour, I’ll catch you tomorrow at work Av.”

Before Riley knew it, Dave was guiding her up onto the boat, she looked back at the dock where Charlie was on his knees begging Maya not to be mad at him.

Dave held her hand tightly as he took her to the main deck, “Okay, I know I should’ve talked to you first before I bought this, but I saw it, I knew this was the perfect place.”

“For what?”

“Our wedding, in November.”

“November?” She croaked, her eyes wide as he began to describe what he’d already arranged, “You’ve been meeting a wedding planner?”

“Well yeah honey, I know you’re busy with work, and you can’t plan the wedding, so I thought I would do it for you.”

“It’ll be freezing cold in November, we can’t get married outside then.”

“Oh, I was thinking we could go down the coast, get married down in Florida. Think of the beautiful sunsets we’d have as backdrop.”

“Who’s my favorite movie actor?”

Dave smiled, kissed her forehead as he moved to the bar, “Easy, Liam Hemsworth.”

“What am I allergic to?” She closed her eyes already knowing what he would answer.

“Nothing babe.” He opened a bottle of wine and poured two glasses.

“My favorite movie snack?”

“Corn chips of course.” He handed her a glass of wine before leading her to a small table that looked out over the water. “What’s with the questions?”

Riley looked at the dark red glass of wine he handed her, “What kind of wine do I like?”

“Burgundy of course. Riley what’s with all the questions?”

She put the wine down without even tasting it, “You say you love me, that you want to marry me, but Dave I don’t think we know each other. Chris Evans is my favorite movie actor, I’m allergic to Nickle, more importantly it’s what my engagement ring is made of, and why I don’t wear it. I got a rash, Lucas almost had to cut it off when my finger swelled.” She pulled the ring from her pocket and put it on the table next to the wine, “My favorite movie snack is popcorn, I have to get a small otherwise I eat too much and get sick, and I hate Burgundy, I’m a Moscato girl, pink to be precise.”

“We know each other Riley, we just haven’t been around each other enough lately.” Dave insisted.

“You know what, I do know you,” Riley cupped his face with her hands, “You love corn chips as a snack, you love them plain, with salsa, guacamole, melted cheese, ranch dressing, and even honey. Your favorite movie actress is Meg Ryan, because your mom made you watch every single movie she ever made growing up, you’re allergic to cats, and you prefer a good microbrew to wine.”

He smiled, “See we know each other.” Suddenly he realized he might just be losing everything.

“You love this boat, and I’m betting that’s why you spent ten dollars on my ring. And if you knew me, you would know that I really don’t care how much you spent, but you lied to me, and if you knew me, you would’ve known that I was allergic to it.”

He didn’t speak.

Riley stepped away as she looked at the man she’d promised to marry, “Who is Avery’s favorite movie actor? Let me guess, Liam Hemsworth, and I bet she’s not allergic to anything, she loves corn chips as much as you do—or at least she pretends to, to get your attention, she loves Burgundy, it’s why you had it ready here on the boat. She loves this boat, and I bet right now if you closed your eyes, it’s her you see walking down those steps in a white gown on a November afternoon.”

Dave closed his eyes, Riley was right he didn’t see her, he saw Avery.

“Exactly” Riley gave him a soft smile, “Dave, you are a nice guy, but I’m not the woman for you, I never could be.”

“You’re the woman for Lucas though, aren’t you?”

Riley shrugged, “I don’t know,” she took an unsteady breath, “I think I am, I want to be.”

“I hope he knows you’re worth it.” Dave sighed as he sat down, “Did you suspect something between me and Avery?”

“Should I have?” She sat across from him, looking at the ring, “I never worried about how much time you two spent together, and sometimes that worried me more actually. Especially once I spent some time in Texas with Lucas, I thought at first it was just me needing closure for how things ended when we were younger.”

He sighed, “I suspected.”

“Since when?”

“That night I arrived, Riley I saw the way you two kissed, I saw the way you looked at each other. When his sister stormed in after snooping around.” Dave swirled the wine glass on the table, “Whatever she found, it was from you, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah” she nodded.

“And you didn’t want him to know, because if he knew, then it would change things, wouldn’t it?”

“Maybe” She looked up, feeling her eyes welling with tears, “Lucas and I, we almost got married in Las Vegas during spring break one year. But he didn’t show up. I found out he didn’t remember, and he’d never opened the letter.”

“He’s an idiot.” Dave smiled, “But Riley, he’s an idiot that is very much in love with you. I might not know some things, but I do know that if you don’t chase after him, if you don’t take a leap of faith, you will forever be missing a piece of yourself.”

“Thank you” Riley rose from her seat, kissing Dave on the cheek, “A word of advice, if you do find that Avery is the one, double check she’s not allergic to any metals before buying the ring.”

He nodded, “I’m sorry about that.”

“I know you are, I’m gonna go, I have to pack, now that Smackle bought me out of the firm, I don’t think New York is where I need to be at all.” Suddenly she felt a weight she didn’t know she was carrying lift from her.

“Good luck” Dave stood up, “Let me walk you out, if anything happened to you, well Lucas would probably kill me.”

“Well to keep him from killing you, sure.” Riley smiled as they got down from the yacht, “So, is Avery seeing anyone?”

“Not that I know of.” Dave walked along with her, “I mean there was a guy a while ago she was telling me about. He’s a lawyer, likes boating, but he was seeing someone else.”

“Go to her Dave, tonight, talk to her, I think she was talking about you, without talking about you.” Riley explained as they made it to the street and she hailed a cab, “Good luck, maybe I’ll see you at the next reunion.”

“Oh, come on, you know our best friends are married, we’ll probably see each other before then, like when Grace gets christened.”

“You’re right, we probably will. Avery or whoever will be lucky, because they’ll be the one.” She slipped into the cab, not really saying goodbye as she drove away, she felt lighter, freer, like she was only moments away from everything she wanted.

[girlmeetsrileyandlucas]

Coffee, Cleaning, and Clumsy Kisses

Pairing: Rucas

A/N: This is a continuation of a oneshot I posted last week that you can find here. I also combined two requests into one fic. Hope that’s okay!

Background: Riley and Lucas are in their senior year of high school, but have decided to just be friends until they figure out what they’re going to do for college and the rest of their lives. However, Lucas has only agreed to this to make Riley happy. Can he stay true to his promise? Or will they both give into temptation?

--

Riley scanned the mess that was the current state of her mother’s bakery. She was so used to seeing it neat and tidy that it was a little hard to believe it was capable of getting like this. 

“Thanks for helping with the cleanup, kids.” Topanga emerged from behind the counter with a broom and dustpan in one hand and a garbage bag in the other. She kicked her way through the plastic cups and crumpled up napkins strewn across the floor and handed the broom to Riley “I severely underestimated the amount of trash a teacher-of-the-year party could accumulate.”

“We teachers know how to party, Topanga,” Cory informed her, snaking around the cluttered stack of chairs by the front door to meet his wife in the middle of the room. “I mean, it’s almost 9:00pm. Do we go hard or what?” 

“Yeah, Dad,” Riley lied, raising her eyebrows at him in mock-amusement as she took the broom from her mother and began sweeping the trash into a pile by the counter. “You’re real wild.” 

“Are you sure you don’t mind closing up by yourselves?” Topanga asked, leaning over the plush chairs to hand Lucas the garbage bag. “We can stay if you-“

“Go home, Mom. Lucas and I can handle it,” Riley assured her, glancing back at Lucas for confirmation as he nodded in agreement. “Besides, you should probably get him home. He’s starting to do the too-tired-to-function head bobble thing he does when he’s about to pass out.”

“You’re right. Last time he did that, he had to wear a neck brace for a week,” Topanga grimaced at the memory, linking her arm with her husband’s and turning to head out the front door. “Let’s go, honey. Call us if you need anything, Riley.” 

“Goodnight, Mr. and Mrs. Matthews,” Lucas called to them as they left the bakery. Riley locked the door behind them and fell onto one of the chairs in an exhausted heap. Lucas took the seat next to her and slowly turned his head to meet her gaze before bursting into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. 

“I am never going to look at any of our teachers the same way again,” Riley giggled, throwing her hands over her face as the images of her father’s colleagues celebrating his winning a special award flashed through her mind. 

“Did you see Mr. Ramirez shove all those mini quiches in his mouth?” Lucas asked. “I thought he was going to projectile vomit them all over Mrs. Johnson’s sensible loafers.”

Riley closed her eyes as she let the giggles take over, turning in her chair to look up at Lucas. 

“It was nice to see my Dad so happy though,” Riley admitted, a sincere smile creeping up onto her face as the laughter began to fade away.  “He deserved that award after working so hard to accomplish it. I’m happy for him.” 

“Yeah, I’m really proud to call him my teacher,” Lucas admitted. “Listening to the stories of how he followed his dream and married the love of his life. It really...“

Lucas trailed off, breaking their gaze to look into the abandoned cup of coffee someone had left on the table in front of them. 

“It really, what?” Riley pressed, nudging his arm playfully to encourage him to continue. But instead of answering right away, Lucas stood from his chair and crossed the room to grab a coffee mug from underneath the counter.  

Without looking back in Riley’s direction, Lucas filled two cups with the leftover coffee from the party and handed one out to her from over the counter. Taking the hint, Riley joined Lucas on one of the stools and took the mug with a grateful smile. 

Taking a sip from his cup, Lucas finally pried his gaze away from the tile on the counter and met Riley’s curious gaze. “Seeing your Dad so happy gives me hope that I can have that sort of life one day.”

“Of course you can, Lucas.” Riley reached out to place her free hand atop Lucas’, rubbing her thumb across his skin reassuringly. “You can have anything you want, as long as you’re willing to work for it. I believe that. And I believe in you.”

Lucas glanced down at their hands resting on top of one another. “And what about us?”

“What do you mean?” Riley knitted her brows together as she attempted to decipher what he was trying to say. 

“Do you believe in our relationship?” Lucas swung his legs around on the stool to face her, his knees knocking together with hers slightly as he adjusted his position in his seat. “Past graduation, past college, past wherever our careers might take us?” 

“It’s a little early to think about that, don’t you think?” Riley mumbled into her coffee cup, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she struggled to avoid his gaze. 

“Riley, I know what I want for myself right now,” Lucas said confidently, shocking Riley into snapping her head up to look him in the eyes. “And of course there’s every possibility that in the future, everything could turn upside down and I could be flung onto a path I never would have picked for myself in a million years.” 

Lucas’ eyes were dancing wildly as he finally gained the courage to tell her everything he had been holding in for the past few months. 

“But right now I know three things. The first is that I’m staying in New York for college.”

Riley’s eyes went wide. “Lucas, but your scholarship to UT Austin-”

“The second thing is that I am going to become a veterinarian,” Lucas announced, although this was not news to Riley. “I’ve wanted that since I was a boy, and I know now that I can actually make it a reality even if it might be the hardest thing I ever do.” 

Riley waited for him to continue, but when he didn’t she nudged his knee with her own so that he would turn to meet her gaze. “And the last thing?”

“The last, most important thing I know for certain that I want,” Lucas began, hopping off the stool and taking Riley’s hands in his own. “Is you, Riley.”

Riley chewed on her bottom lip as she listened to him, her heart beating fast in her chest as he took a step closer to her. 

“Who knows what might happen five years, one year, or even six months from where we are right now, but what I know in this moment is that I believe we are meant to be together,” Lucas placed a hand on Riley’s cheek as he locked in on her gaze. “I don’t care what might have happened in the past. I don’t care what anyone else thinks about us. The only thing I care about is that you know me better than anyone else on the planet. What I care about is how I’ve been in love with you since you fell onto my lap on that subway ride all those years ago. What I care about is that I can’t see a future for myself without you in it, Riley, and I don’t want to.” 

Riley took a step back, tears beginning to well up in the corners of her eyes. She knew how she felt about the boy who made her heart flutter in her chest every time he entered the room. The boy she could talk to about anything. The boy she trusted more than anyone. But there was still something holding her back that she couldn’t put her finger on. 

“You gotta stop doing that,” Riley whispered, repeating the same line he had used on her a few days ago at her apartment. 

“What?” Lucas’ breath caught in his throat as he waited for her to say something, anything, that might tear his heart into a million pieces. 

“Saying things that make me wanna kiss you,” Riley teased, smirking up at him as she watched him breathe a sigh of relief. To keep his hands busy, he picked up his coffee cup from the counter and turned to quirk up one eyebrow at her flirtatiously. 

“Well keep looking at me like that,” he warned, leaning casually into the counter and taking a sip of his coffee. “See what happens.” 

Lucas set his cup back on the surface behind him and pulled Riley closer, letting her lean into him as she melted into his warm embrace. 

“Lucas, I’m scared,” she muttered into his chest. “I want everything that you want, but what if-”

“We can’t worry about the ‘what if’s’ right now, Riley,” Lucas reminded her, pulling his head back and tilting her chin up so that she would meet his eyes. “And I know that’s been hard for you lately, but you have to have faith that things will work out somehow, just like I know you have faith in all your friends, present company included.”

Lucas leaned forward to rest his forehead against hers for a moment before pulling back to place either hand on her cheeks. 

“What matters right now is that we are graduating high school in a few days,” Lucas reminded her. “And we’re lucky enough to have the best friends in the world to graduate with. Not to mention that we have supportive parents who want us to achieve our goals. And-”

“We have each other,” Riley finished for him, reaching up to place one of her own hands atop the one he had resting on her cheek. 

“You mean that?” Lucas asked expectantly, hoping that he didn’t sound too relieved or desperate. Riley gently pulled Lucas’ hands away from her face and held them in her own. 

“You’re right, Lucas,” Riley admitted. “Things might not work out the way we want them to in the future, but I have to believe that they will turn out the way they’re supposed to. I mean, I’ve always done that, especially with the people I love the most. So why should now be any exception?”

Riley leaned forward to brush the tip of her nose with his for a moment before taking a step forward to meet his lips with her own. However, as she leaned forward, her foot collided with a plastic cup, causing her to trip and fall into Lucas’ arms. 

“Whoops,” Riley mumbled, pushing herself off of Lucas to stand up straight once again. “Guess I can always count on you to catch me when I fall.”

“Always,” Lucas assured her, brushing her hair away from her face and leaning in to finally meet her lips with a kiss. 

In that moment, Riley was reminded of everything she had missed about being in a relationship with him, and she savored every second of it, never wanting it to end. 

“And in case it wasn’t clear,” Riley whispered into his ear when they finally pulled back from the kiss. “I can’t see my future without you in it either.” 

[thisdaynews]

Why Symone Sanders Went From Bernie to Biden

New Post has been published on https://thebiafrastar.com/why-symone-sanders-went-from-bernie-to-biden/

Why Symone Sanders Went From Bernie to Biden

M.Scott Mahaskey/POLITICO

When Symone Sanders enters the Matchbox restaurant in Capitol Hill’s Barracks Row, she’s hard to miss: Big sunglasses, intricately painted nails and a shaved head. She walks through the door on a summer day, checking the phone in her hand every few seconds to see if she got a text message or new alert. Every millennial does this, but like most things with Sanders, she is one notch more intense about it. The texts and alerts come more often, and she checks them more often, too.

As she nears her lunch table, she spies Corey Lewandowski, Donald Trump’s former campaign manager, quietly eating lunch a few tables away.

This restaurant is one of Washington’s bipartisan hangouts, a regular spot for both Republicans and Democrats. Families come here to brunch. Congressional staffers and political operatives go here to get a little distance from the day job. Marginally famous political types use it as a reprieve from the grind. It’s rarely a site for any kind of conflict or open expression of discomfort. But when Sanders spies Lewandowski, one of the architects of her party’s defeat in the presidential election of 2016, she waves a hand dismissively in his direction, and trumpets to me and no one else in particular: “Under no circumstances!”

She shakes her head, without breaking pace and holds one hand out. “Absolutely not. No. I am not going to sit near Corey Lewandowski.”

Sanders is a household name among the political class in D.C., where a reference to “Symone” among journalists, congressional staffers and campaign operatives is understood to refer to just one person. While still in her 20s, she served as a top aide to two Democratic presidential campaigns and as a regular talking head on the cable news networks.

So it’s easy to recognize her. But on this day, Lewandowski either doesn’t notice Sanders or decides not to acknowledge the brush-off. Even so, Sanders and I moved tables.

“I guess for some people I’m an anomaly,” Sanders tells me once we are seated an acceptable 30 feet or so from Lewandowski, with glasses of sangria in front of us. In a company town where the stereotypical operative is a white Ivy league graduate, Sanders concedes that she stands out. “I’m a bald, 29-year-old black girl from the Midwest who does politics.”

In one sense, Symone Sanders is very much a recognizable Washington character, the archetype of an ambitious young operative—she’s now 30—comfortable in front of a camera, unafraid to claim a slot as the voice of a grassroots activist community, and very conscious of her brand.

In another, though, she’s an object of curiosity. In 2016, she hit the national stage as press secretary for Bernie Sanders, the uncompromising outsider whose progressive crusade galvanized the American left. This year, she’s a senior advisor and cable TV surrogate for Joe Biden, the centrist candidate whom Bernie supporters widely see as a rebuke, even a threat, to their entire mission.

“If anybody’s wondering if Joe Biden can take on Donald Trump and is ready for a fight I’d point you to the video in Iowa,” Sanders said during a panel of operatives held at POLITICO’s Women Rule summit this month. Sanders was referring to a heated—and controversial—exchange Biden had with a voter where at one point he called the voter “a damn liar.”

In her current role, Symone Sanders represents something that could become very important in 2020 Democratic politics: If Biden becomes the nominee, and the activated political left is going to get in line for Uncle Joe, they’re going to walk the path that Symone Sanders walked, from the lure of the purist to the siren song of a person who you don’t entirely agree with but says he can just plain oldwin.

If you tried to describewhat Symone Sandersdoes, exactly, there’s no quick way to capture her unusual position in the 2020 Democratic campaign world. She’s part behind-the-scenes campaign operative and part media personality. On paper, Sanders checks the boxes of the kind of Democrat the party thinks will help it to oust Trump from the White House. She is black, young, a native of a Great Plains state, and outraged by the current administration and its enablers like Lewandowski.

There are parallel universes where Sanders is making an argument for other presidential contenders. During the embryonic phase of the 2020 primary campaign, she found herself with connections to Kirsten Gillibrand, Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker and Kamala Harris. At the beginning of the Trump administration, Omarosa Manigault even felt her out about a job in the Trump White House (Manigault declined to comment for this story). She’d gone out drinking whiskey with Gillibrand, she said she had tea with Warren, and that she was close to Maya Harris, Kamala Harris’s sister who chaired her campaign. She was in contact with all of those proto-campaigns, to varying degrees. She even donated $250 to Pete Buttigieg.

Then, when Joe Biden formally announced his candidacy for president in April, Symone Sanders was listed as a senior adviser on a press release of “Key Campaign Hires” as part of the campaign rollout. Before the Biden campaign, Sanders was a frequent Democratic talking head on CNN and, for a short time, a regular guest on the Pod Save America podcast.

This was not, for many people, the Symone Sanders they knew. In the last cycle, she’d voice the Vermont senator’s opposition to super PACs and support for single-payer healthcare. Now she was signing up for a candidate who believed none of those things. The Black Lives Matter organizer Deray McKesson recalled asking her, “Why Biden?”—a question many other progressive activists were asking, too. She told McKesson that she liked the impression she got when she sat down with the former vice president. That wasn’t enough to sell McKesson on Biden.

“It hasn’t made me less critical of Biden,” McKesson told me over the summer. “I want to see what she saw.”

Similarly, Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, another Symone Sanders acquaintance, said “I didn’t see it coming” when he found out that Sanders had joined the Biden campaign.

What changed? Was it her, or the world?

“My politics are not tied to Bernie Sanders and they are not tied to Joe Biden,” Sanders told me when I asked her about this seeming contradiction. “I have great respect for Senator Sanders and I have great respect and admiration for Vice President Biden. If I didn’t, I would not be working for him right now. But he does not define me.”

This is a striking statement from a young staffer in a town where status is generally determined by how important your boss is—and your standing with your boss depends on how unquestioned your loyalty is.

It points to Sanders’ unusual status in Washington. It’s common for Democrats to build a career as a political operative and then transition to a role as a political commentator—perhaps while maintaining their work in politics. It’s much rarer to see someone rise through both spheres concurrently.

That might explain why Sanders seeks to separate her politics from her own candidate. “I’ve never agreed 100 percent with anybody I’ve gone to work for,” Sanders said. “Obviously I’ve disagreed with Vice President Biden.”

There’s also the possibility that thisisa kind of loyalty: She’s sending a pro-Biden message to her fellow skeptical progressives, reminding them that ideological purity may, in this case, be less important than waging the most competitive challenge to Trump. Sanders, like the rest of the Biden campaign, is insistent that her candidate is the best one, not because of any single policy issue or a vision of America, but because of Biden’s ability to appeal to two constituencies that the next Democratic nominee is going to need: black voters, and the Rust Belt workers who went for Trump in 2016.

After the Bernie Sanders campaign, Symone Sanders carved out a job as a CNN analyst and political commentator. She still appears on TV occasionally, but now the chyron no longer reads political analyst.

“When my niece and nephew ask me what I was doing to get Trump out of office I’m not going to say I was sitting in a fucking studio pontificating about what people are doing on the campaign trail,” she said. “I’m going to say I was actively out there working.”

Sanders’ job, in part, is to weave her boss’s decades of shifting political positions and comments into something that feels coherent, and palatable, to Democratic primary voters in the America of 2020. This is not always easy. Before a rally in Philadelphia around the start of Biden’s presidential campaign, Sanders was pressed by CNN’s Victor Blackwell over Biden’s defense of the 1994 crime bill, legislation that progressives say contributed to mass incarceration. Sanders couldn’t directly answer whether Biden now believed the bill contributed to mass incarceration or not. It was an uncomfortable position for someone who, before serving as Bernie Sanders’ campaign press secretary, was a volunteer for the Coalition for Juvenile Justice, a criminal-justice reform organization in Washington.

“I am not going to sit here and tell you the crime bill was perfect,” Sanders said, clearly taken aback. “At the end of the day no one is suggesting what has ravaged communities over the last 20 years does not need to be fixed.”

In backing Biden,Sanders hopes to woo her old ideological confederates—but she has alienated them, too.

For the grassroots Bernie supporters she was aligned with in 2016, Sanders is a textbook example of a political operative who started out in a party’s activist wing only to move away from those roots through advancement. Usually, the enmity is relatively minor.

In the case of Sanders vs. Sanders—Symone and the disciples of Bernie—it’s more extreme. “Bernie acolytes”—as distinguished from what she called mere “Bernie supporters”—have “a particular vitriol” when someone leaves the flock, the Democratic strategist Hilary Rosen told me.

During the 2016 campaign, Symone was regarded by some Bernie Sanders staffers as more of a hired gun than a true believer. That’s been on public display this cycle. After the second Democratic presidential debate, the one where Kamala Harris body-slammed Biden over his past opposition to using busing for school desegregation, the Justice Democrats, a group born out of Bernie Sanders’ 2016 campaign, spliced together a clip of Symone Sanders tying herself into knots trying to explain Biden’s position with one of Jesse Jackson criticizing Biden for being on the “wrong” side of history.

Coworkers friendly with her on the 2016 Bernie Sanders campaign say she was pushed out, and was a specific target of communication director Michael Briggs’ wrath. Briggs declined to talk about Sanders on the record. A top adviser on the 2016 campaign said Symone was essentially “sidelined” by some other operatives on the campaign. But some Sanders campaign operatives speak highly of Symone, and she regards the Vermont senator positively now, even as he competes with Biden for the Democratic presidential nomination.

“I think Sen. Sanders [and I] had a rapport but we didn’t have a relationship. But perhaps my time wouldn’t have been so tough the last go around if in addition to having a relation to [campaign manager] Jeff Weaver I had an actual relationship to Sen. Sanders,” she said. “I’ve built a real relationship with Vice President Biden, and I feel as though if anything were to happen he would have my back.”

After 2016, Sanders moved over to a number of more establishment roles within the Democratic Party, including working for Priorities USA, the party’s flagship super PAC, an unheard of move for a true Bernie Sanders apostle. It was the equivalent of being born Amish and opting to leave the faith to help run Microsoft.

Still, Symone acknowledges the allure of the Vermont senator and his policies.

“Why did I go to work for Sen. Sanders? Because I liked what he was talking about,” Symone Sanders says.

That’s a notable contrast to her explanation of how she decided to work for Biden—that he seemed like the best candidate to beat Trump.

Even so, it was clear to Guy Cecil, the president of Priorities USA who hired her to work there, that Symone never quite fit into the Bernie campaign. “She was too Bernie for the Hillary people; she was too Hillary for the Bernie people,” Cecil said. “Frankly, I think one of the biggest mistakes Clinton campaign did was not bringing Symone on. I think she could have been helpful to them in a lot of ways.”

Sanders grew up in Omaha, Nebraska.Her mother was a seamstress, then an event planner with a specialty in balloon artistry. Her father was a chemist for the Army Corps of Engineers. In 2014, after graduating from Creighton and becoming known as a blogger and a columnist at the Omaha Star, an African-American newspaper, Sanders joined the long-shot gubernatorial campaign for Democrat Chuck Hassebrook. She started out as the team’s communications assistant. Her immediate ambitions to rise in the campaign.

Sanders volunteered to drive Hassebrook around the state. She was 23. “In Nebraska, it’s eight hours from Omaha to Scottsbluff,” she said. “That’s a lot of time with the candidate.”

She seemed to instinctively understand how important thankless tasks, and a close relationship with the candidate, are to advancement in politics. Less than five months after joining the campaign, Sanders was its deputy communications director.

“She got things done that she said she would do. She was logical and rational,” said Hassebrook, whose campaign didn’t break 40 percent of the vote. “She didn’t just say what you wanted to believe.” He added, “You’ve got a lot of folks who are very committed to politics, but they kind of think with their heart. And she was logical and rational and thought things through.”

Sanders says her relationship with Biden, like her relationship with Hassebrook on that first campaign, is “very frank” one. She travels with Biden, too, and has served as a surrogate in the spin room at the Democratic presidential debates. “I help with everything from debate prep to the political team, I help support the comms team, obviously people have seen me on television for the president. I help with delegate chasing. I help with fundraising.” The former vice president is her direct supervisor, she said. When I asked her how much of Biden’s ear she has, Sanders said: “I’m engaged and involved in our campaign strategy. But it’s not just him. I speak with my colleagues, other advisers, the deputy campaign managers. I’m involved as much as I want to be or as least as I want to be.”

Sanders says her portfolio on the campaign includes progressives, minorities, and young voters, but she has also been a frequent spinmaster and part of the Biden cleanup crew. During a Twitter cycle that centered on whether a gang leader whom Biden said called himself “Corn Pop” was real, Sanders retweeted journalist Daniel Dale’s tweet about an article backing that up. “Okay now can we all get back to our Sunday?” she wrote. “Can’t believe this thread was necessary.”

That was an easy one, unlike the chronic repair over Biden’s age. Sometimes Sanders has used humor, as she did when Biden said parents should leave a “record player” on to improve children’s vocabulary. “You don’t know about the vinyl vote?” Sanders said on CNN.

At the Women Rule panel,Sanders sat on stage in a leopard-print dress and black boots, beside Nina Smith, the traveling press secretary for Pete Buttigieg, and Alencia Johnson, the national director for public engagement for Elizabeth Warren. All three are women of color in marquee roles on major presidential campaigns. At one point, Sanders was asked if her career decisions were scrutinized more than her male peers.“Yes,” Sanders said quickly. “I absolutely feel that way. I think it’s partly because folks are not used to seeing people look like me make the decisions that I’ve decided to make about my career.”

There is a small, elite group of Democratic operatives nicknamed the Colored Girls: four African American women who have reached the highest echelons of Democratic politics as senior advisers and campaign managers. The group is made up of Donna Brazile, Minyon Moore and Leah Daughtry and Yolanda Caraway. All have shifted into semi-legendary status among Democratic operatives. They are the literal party elders. Decades later, there’s a new, emerging wave of young and mid-level Democratic operatives who seem to be on a similar trajectory. They have a text chain together. Symone Sanders may be the most prominent.

Here Sanders was more modest than usual. When I recounted how other operatives I talked to—and Barnes, the Wisconsin lieutenant governor—predicted that Sanders could be the White House press secretary, the first black woman to rise to the most sought-after political communications job, Sanders said, “Oh wow.”

“It’s not like there’s a group of us that run around like we’re the Colored Girls 2.0 of young people,” she said. “But all of the young operatives of color, and even not of color, but typically the young operatives of color, we talk to each other, whether we’re on different campaigns.”

She mentioned Chris Huntley, a speechwriter for Elizabeth Warren, and Maya Harris.

My first lunch with Symone Sanders was in July. Months later, Biden is still the frontrunner, even as Warren and Buttigieg and Bernie threaten him in Iowa and New Hampshire. Not long ago, I asked her if she was surprised to find the field unsettled, when at the beginning of 2017 it seemed like Biden might coast to victory.

“It’s easy to say ‘I had an inkling that it would shake out this way,’ ” Sanders said. “I didn’t.”

Especially online, criticism of Biden from the young, progressive element of the Democratic Party is becoming intense. The hosts—her former colleagues—at Pod Save America complain that Biden hasn’t come on their podcast for an interview.

Symone Sanders emerged from the very liberal, extremely online part of the Democratic Party, but she’s on another team now.

They “are just not feeling Joe Biden in this election,” Sanders said. “The Pod Save bros think that someone else could be a better nominee. OK that’s the bros. The bros are not the voters of America across the country. The bros are not black people in South Carolina. The bros are not culinary workers in Nevada.”

Read More

[bountyofbeads]

Can we get past the idea that politics is a reality show? Not if CNN has anything to do with it.

https://wapo.st/2GFl2QR

Can we get past the idea that politics is a reality show? Not if CNN has anything to do with it.(AGREED)

By Hank Stuever | Published August 01 at 8:00 AM ET | Washington Post | Posted August 1, 2019 2:52 PM ET |

Lately there’s a strange caution in the air about the intellectual pitfalls of comparing American politics to the performing arts — or worse, to showbiz. Be careful what you say about optics. Watch your words on the subject of appearance and presence; be wary of identifying playfully fictional metaphors amid such serious national and global crises. Above all, stop comparing the gathering mess of the 2020 presidential campaign season to television, particularly to (insert moralistic scowl here) reality TV.

Funny, I felt that way all through the 2016 election that gave us President Trump: The glee of defining his rise as a reality show with a profane breakout star landed us right in the middle of the worst reality show ever made. Such comparisons portray the ­reality-TV genre in broadly demeaning strokes. It’s a characterization ginned up by the kind of people who never watch TV, except cable news.

So can we possibly get past the idea that politics is a reality show?

Fat chance. Having subjected us to two nights of garishly adorned, overproduced, conflict-obsessed live “debates” among a field of 20 Democratic hopefuls (its own delusional gridlock of egos), CNN and the Democratic National Committee summoned the worst aspects of some of TV’s most popular genres and visual tropes.

The overall tone, of course, was cable-news alarmism, but the ­debates also resembled those ­celebrity-packed, prime-time game shows that litter the schedule all summer. One also got wafts of the blaring bombast of professional football broadcasts, and, yes, the stage-managed awkwardness of the lesser styles of reality TV.

“We are playing right into Republican hands,” one of the candidates, Sen. Cory Booker (N.J.), said during Wednesday night’s debate, in which CNN’s tenor of questioning seemed determined to portray a gamut of Democratic policy and beliefs as chronic afflictions rather than workable ideas. Candidate Andrew Yang, in his closing remarks, also went meta in the moment, pointing out the absurdity of the format, the game itself, where more people will notice his lack of a necktie than his platform.

And while the candidates were necessarily prepared to spar with one another (otherwise known as campaigning), CNN’s format facilitated a frenetic game of human darts, with questions designed to goad the jabbing. It was a never-ending two-night competition of lightning rounds, in 30- and 15-second rebuttals to one-minute answers.

Tuesday night’s opening round felt like a series of people being interrupted in mid-sentence, with CNN anchors Jake Tapper, Dana Bash and Don Lemon calling time limits as soon as anyone had anything interesting to say. Wednesday night was only slightly better, but never quite achieved the mood of actual discourse.

Instead, we were watching CNN make television — pieces and bites and clips of which it can repurpose into more programming fodder, days’ worth of pundit banter, befitting the network that overhyped the event for weeks with name-drawings, a countdown clock and relentless reminders to watch.

Even the set for the debate in Detroit’s Fox Theatre, which CNN boasts took 100 people eight days to build (using 25 cameras, 500-plus lights and 40,000 pounds of equipment), seemed like a vulgar example of what we’ve turned our politics into. It overwhelmed the sturdy and ornate authenticity of the palatial 5,000-seat theater, which was constructed in 1928 and built to last. CNN’s frantic impermanence insulted the structure’s beauty.

But that could be any of us these days — lit up like Christmas, in a panic, short of attention, looking for conflict, and then moving on to the next thing. Less than reality TV, this week’s debates put me more in mind of Showtime’s occasionally entertaining but utterly useless political junkie show, “The Circus,” in which three insidery correspultants (my word) just sort of show up wherever “politics” seems to be occurring, so as to add to a heap of speculative analysis and then rush to the next airport.

That’s the state of the 2020 campaign right now — premature, oversupplied, overanxious and, as several of the Democratic hopefuls noted on both nights, prone to using Republican talking points to eliminate one another as too left or too centrist or just too-too. This is only great TV if you’re the guy in the White House.

If CNN were being run thoughtfully instead of manically, a debate this many months away from the primaries would look less like “American Ninja Warrior” and more like one of those nights when “This American Life” rolls into town and everyone gets a free tote bag. Let’s talk. Let’s explain. Let’s meet some candidates with some stories to tell about how they can win. The candidates could have been seated in wing-backed chairs. The lights could be lower. They could have been allowed to finish their sentences. The debates would run longer (maybe three nights), but more calmly.

The DNC itself set a more useful mood during the pre-show, bringing out the Perfecting Church choir on the first night, offering a rousing national anthem from Dee Dee Bridgewater on the second, and personable pep talks from DNC Chair Tom Perez, who on Tuesday night urged voters to “speed date” the candidates; don’t settle down yet. Date around, Perez said, “fall in love with multiple people,” until you find the right replacement for President Trump. Politics keeps trying to mimic “American Idol” and “The Apprentice,” but does a better answer perhaps lie in “The Bachelor,” with flirtation and roses?

Wishful thinking, I freely admit. I find it difficult to take CNN’s approach as seriously as CNN does — this many candidates, this early, trying this hard to get to a date on the calendar that (we can only hope) will get here when it gets here.

CNN got most of what it came for (jibber-jabber for future chyrons) but maybe not the ratings it desired. Around 9 million TV viewers tuned in Tuesday night, far fewer than the 15 to 18 million who watched NBC’s two-night debates in June. (CNN says another 2.8 million watched Tuesday’s debate online. Wednesday’s TV ratings improved, with an estimated audience of 10 million.) Better than a “Walking Dead” episode, but low enough to get a taunting tweet from the president.

The candidates got some good licks in, uttered some lines we’ll forget by the weekend (“Go easy on me, kid”; “Stop yelling!” “I don’t understand someone who takes the trouble to run for president of the United States just to talk about what we cannot do and what we shouldn’t fight for,” and so on.)

There was so much of it as to be too much of it, and unfortunately, that’s all CNN really wanted. After the first night, as some went weirdly gaga for Marianne Williamson’s intergalactic message of love and justice (she’s an expert at telling people exactly what they want to hear, and not a bad TV character herself, as if she were conjured out of old “West Wing” reruns), I found a curious affinity for the closing remarks of Tim Ryan, the Ohio congressman who wound up nearly riffing on an old pop song: “There’s not going to be a savior,” he said. “Not going to be a superstar that will fix all this. It’s going to be you and me — ”

And we just disagreeeee.

[gravetells]

Author Amy Lane on what makes Green’s Hill so special #Quickening #LittleGoddess #UrbanFantasy

If you’re a fan of urban fantasy and you haven’t read Amy Lane’s Little Goddess series, you MUST check it out. The series has a lot of similarities to Laurell K. Hamilton’s Merry Gentry series, but without the retina-burning horror elements and the out-of-control menage. Little Goddess is what Merry Gentry could have been. Don’t let that fool you into thinking this series is “safe”. Vulnerable (the first book in the series) will break your heart, and each new book after it will shock you in ways you can’t predict. But that’s what makes this series dynamite. Author Amy Lane is here today with some personal perspective into what makes Green’s Hill (the series’ home base) so very addicting.

Welcome, Amy Lane!

Why Green’s Hill

I’ve heard it from a lot of people over the years—they wish there was a place like Green’s hill. I mean it’s not perfect—privacy is an illusion, monogamy has all sorts of drawbacks and somebody is literally trying to kill you at every turn.

But the pros are also easy to spot: beautiful people, sexual freedom, guaranteed job security doing whatever you like that helps the collective, and let’s not forget immortality or at least a generously increased lifespan.

Who wouldn’t want to live there?

But people who stop at eternal sex and excellent job training are missing the point.

Mental health problems and drug addictions are sort of my milieu. Not mine personally—in fact, a lot of people I hang out with would be hard pressed to remember seeing me drink more than a glass of wine or a single mojito, and there’s a reason for that. But I’ve seen up close the damage done to lives and promising futures and families when self-medicating one problem with another gets wildly out of hand.

When I was teaching, there were a lot of times I saw the signs of kids who were about ready to fall through those same cracks. There wasn’t much I could do for them—helping them pass English, telling them they had a future, helping them find someone to talk to—in the end, I spent less than 4 ½ hours a week with a kid, and much of that was in the company of 35 other people. (California public schools, where class size is no joke.)

And I had a fondness for kids that nobody else seemed to see. The natural smartass—that was my kid. I didn’t care much if they were always on time—what I liked was a kid who knew how to be late. If a kid got to school late every day, entered the room, sat down, and started the warmup so silently that I didn’t see her, seriously? Why get mad? My personal rule of thumb was that if it didn’t disrupt the learning, I didn’t give a rat’s ass, and the kids who bought into that idea were the kids I showed up for every damned day.

So one day, I was driving to work, and got stuck behind a giant hulking land yacht, rumbling at the U-turn where most of the late-ish teachers were idling. As I was staring into space, pondering the latest urban fantasy novel I’d read, I saw a hand with a cigarette hanging out of the window—the sort of bored smoking that a veteran nicotine addict indulges in.

Then I recognized that kid.

I loved that kid.

She was one of my favorites—she’d already submitted to nursing school, and while she wasn’t top of her class, she was definitely going somewhere.

But the nicotine addiction made me so sad.

Because she wasn’t even eighteen, and that was a thing that would follow her through her entire life. I wanted a do over for her—a chance to re-negotiate that part of her life, to come out with the promising future she’d earned and the zero addictions she deserved.

And then (because seriously, this was a frickin’ long light) I thought about fantasy stories. Why did they only serve the introvert, the super smart kid, the exiled nerd? That always seemed sort of self-aggrandizing to me. I mean, yeah, I was that kid, but I didn’t see any of my favorite kids in my books. The disenfranchised. The ones who didn’t test well, or whose hostility got in the way of their brains sometimes. Remember—this was 2000/2001. There was an entire market of YA books of kids who got addicted to meth and then raped by their dealers (no, I’m not kidding!) but there wasn’t much hope in the way of redemption for those kids.

And not only that, but those books… they always made sex seem like such an awful thing. If you have sex, you’ll break up and you won’t be a virgin for your next boyfriend and that’s BAD! Don’t have sex or do drugs because you’ll become perfectly irredeemable as a person and nobody will ever want you again EVER. OH MY GOD, EVERY MISTAKE YOU MAKE WILL BE HELD AGAINST YOU AND YOU WILL BE JUDGED FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!

That’s not the way life works!

Or it shouldn’t be.

One kid doing X at a party shouldn’t get him put in jail for years. One kid who gets high and laid shouldn’t be given up on—ever. And once the addiction started, what then? What happened to that kid whose self-destructive spiral just can’t seem to end?

Because we all know where it does end, don’t we? We’ve seen the commercials and read the literature often enough.

I didn’t make a conscious decision to write Green’s hill that day—but I was writing. When I wrote Cory and Adrian—and then added Green to the mix, I needed Green and Adrian to have a bigger purpose than themselves. They needed to be doing something important, otherwise if Cory ended up with them, she was just trading in one small town dream for another.

And then I realized what job Adrian would be perfect for. What purpose Green’s skill at sex and healing seemed to lend itself to.

If your number one tenet is no shame, and your creed is sensual and consensual, you are the perfect beings to help unfuck the young and the lost, the addicted and the despondent

These two characters—they were agents of redemption. If your number one tenet is no shame, and your creed is sensual and consensual, you are the perfect beings to help unfuck the young and the lost, the addicted and the despondent, those who have been told that their mistakes have rendered them worthless, when the human being who made those mistakes is, in fact, shining and pure and good.

This idea of the found family has become the cornerstone of my writing since then. The theme of forgiveness and empathy being stronger than hatred and shame has crystalized as one of my most dearly held beliefs.

And when I write about Green and Cory, Bracken and Nicky, and dear, darling, beloved Adrian, I am drawn again to the magic of Green’s hill, and reminded that the true magic—forgiveness and unconditional love—are the most human of enchantments.

Forgiveness and unconditional love are the most human of enchantments @AmyMacLane #GreensHill Click To Tweet

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Quickening by Amy Lane Published by DSP Publications on May 2nd 2017 Genres: LGBT, Gay, Fantasy, Paranormal, Urban Pages: 316 Add it to your To Read shelf: Goodreads

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Little Goddess: Book Five, Volume One Cory thought she’d found balance on Green’s Hill—sorceress, student, queen of the vampires, wife to three men—she had it down! But establishing her right to risk herself with Green and Bracken had more than one consequence, and now she’s facing the world’s scariest job title: mother. But getting the news that she’s knocked up takes a back seat when a half-elf hunts them down for help. Her arrival brings news that the werewolf threat, which has been haunting them for over a year, has finally arrived on their doorstep—and it’s bigger and more frightening than they’d ever imagined. Cory throws herself into this new battle with everything she’s got—and her men let her do it. Because they all know that whether they defeat this enemy now or later, the thing she’s most afraid of is arriving on a set schedule, and not even Cory can avoid it. The trick is getting her to acknowledge she’s pregnant before she gives birth—or kills herself in denial.

About Amy Lane

Amy Lane has two kids in college, two gradeschoolers in soccer, two cats, and two Chi-who-whats at large. She lives in a crumbling crapmansion with most of the children and a bemused spouse. She also has too damned much yarn, a penchant for action adventure movies, and a need to know that somewhere in all the pain is a story of Wuv, Twu Wuv, which she continues to believe in to this day! She writes fantasy, urban fantasy, and gay romance–and if you accidentally make eye contact, she’ll bore you to tears with why those three genres go together. She’ll also tell you that sacrifices, large and small, are worth the urge to write.

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from Author Amy Lane on what makes Green’s Hill so special #Quickening #LittleGoddess #UrbanFantasy