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icarusthelunarguard · 1 year

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This Week’s Horrible-Scopes

It’s time for this week’s Horrible-Scopes! So for those of you that know your Astrological Signs, cool! If not, just pick one, roll a D12, or just make it up as you go along. It really doesn’t matter.

This week’s inspiration is going back to its roots - hitting SHUFFLE on the giant music collection and seeing what comes of it. So with nothing more to explain, here we go!

Aries

Your song is “Bohemian Rhapsody”, originally performed by the legendary group ‘Queen’... except it’s played by a 100+ year old organ, like what you’d expect in the center of a classic carrossel. Before you think it would sound bad, SHAME ON YOU! Imagine everyone on the ride suddenly singing full throat, finishing the song just as the ride finishes. This week, find out where your country fair is and go ride the rides. Just don’t eat the Fried Coke Syrup. (Yes, that’s a ‘Thing’.)

Taurus

We have a classic live performance for you this week; Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble performing “Pride and Joy”. Yes, it’s The Blues. Yes, it’s as predictable as every other blues song, but damn if it doesn’t get your toes tappin’ and your booty slappin’! This week replace your office chair with an inflatable office chair ball. You’ll thank us later.

Gemini

Oh, NIFTY! Instead of a normal song, you get a piece of symphonic orchestral music: “New and Improved” from the 2004 movie “The Incredibles”. It starts just as the Omnidroid attacks Mister Incredible in the meeting room and continues through Syndrome’s monologue. This week re-watch that movie and realize… the helicopter crash that Frozone sees outside his apartment is the same one from the end credits scene of “Avengers: Infinity War”.

Cancer Moon-Child

We bring you to 1982 and the late-great Eddie Money’s “Think I’m In Love”. He was a cop in New York City, but quit because he wasn’t allowed to grow his hair long, and he got kicked out of the band he was in because they didn’t want a cop in the group. So this week just check out how screwed you can be from all sides and do the only logical action: quit everything and move to California.

Leo

Talk about a Left Turn at Albuquerque! Your song is Rihanna’s “SOS Rescue Me”. It’s got the unmistakable electro-synth “BOO-BOO!” from Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love” in the rhythm track. It’s not a cover song by any stretch, but it does rely heavily on that hook and the lyrics. This week look around and realize how much you’ve been influenced by people all around you, and be grateful for it.

Virgo

Not only are we going to give you a song to remember, we’re gunna prove that you know how to dance, even just a little. Your song is NSync’s 2000’s hit “Bye Bye Bye”. Pick up your hand, hold it in the Kermit The Frog position, and open and close his mouth three times as you say “Bye Bye Bye.” See? You’ll be winning talent contests in no time. This week, find an elementary school holding open tryouts for a talent show, but don’t be disappointed if they turn you away.

Libra

Let’s haul out the 8-Track player and pop in Booker T. & the M.G.’s 1969 hit single “Time Is Tight” - and before you say you don’t know it, you HUSH! You TOTALLY know this song! Back in 1980 it was the opening vamp at the Palace Hotel Ballroom just before The Blues Brothers performed on stage! This week… fix the cigarette lighter.

Scorpio

Sorry, but you’re not getting a specific song. Instead we’re giving you an entire band and for good reason. So, Riddle Me This, Scorpio! What do you get when your married band members get divorced, but stay together for the sake of the band - and attack each other with some of the greatest hits in music for over a decade? You get Fleetwood Mac! This week keep your animosity with your photo editing software to a low simmer.

Sagittarius

(GROAN!) We’re going back to 1982– AND NOT BY CHOICE! This damned song has been a perennial thorn in our sides since it was first released… because no matter how many weddings we all go to we can’t escape the damned thing! That damned OOM-PAH song.. “The Bird Dance” by The Emeralds! Yes, you know what song that is - stop saying you like it. It is objectively HORRID! The same way that Liverwurst is only eaten by children because they don’t yet realize how truly horrid it is. This week buy a copy of that album… and leave it in your car, in the sun, so it melts into a puddle.

Capricorn

We want to know… what was the musical group named Scooter, smoking in 2001? ‘Cause they did some weird-assed, mad-whacked remix of “The Logical Song” by Supertramp and called it “Ramp!” The problem is they make the singer sound like Alvin from The Chipmunks, and not in a way that makes it an enjoyable listen. This week buy some classic 1975 paper car speakers and run unrectified 110v 60Hz Mains Power into them, just to punish the world for having that song existing.

Aquarius

We already touched on this band appearing in this list. So for you we’re bringing on Supertramp’s song From Now On recorded live in concert. The song isn’t super-memorable, but it’s a 7 Minute long track. As for as live song performances are concerned, that’s not bad at all. It’s not like it’s a quarter-hour jam session by King Crimson, just because they can. This week remember - you’re not NEARLY as long-winded as you think you are. That’s a good thing!

Pisces

Oh, Pisces, this one’s gunna hurt. The randomizer brought us to a fixed point in space-time that’s been seared into the collective hearts and psychies of every youngster of the Mid-80’s. For you we are presenting “Dare” by Stan Bush.. straight off the original, AND ONLY CANON TRANSFORMERS’ MOVIE! Yes, Leonard Nimoy was in it. And Orson Wells, we know, we know. So was Weird Al, but… and we say this with all the hate and bile we’ve collected for 40 years… SCREW YOU, RHODIMUS PRIME! This week, Pisces… It's the Information Age. Find the Studio Executives in the U.S. who authorized the death of Optimus Prime… and strike FEAR in their hearts!

And THOSE are your Horrible-Scopes for this week! Remember if you liked what you got, we’re obviously not working hard enough at these. BUT! If you want a better or nastier one for your own sign or someone else’s, all you need to do to bribe me is just Let Me Know! These will be posted online at the end of each week via Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook and Discord.

#parody #horrorscope #funny #horoscope #humor

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latestflix · 2 years

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youtube

Marlowe

Release Date: February 15, 2023 | Theaters

SYNOPSIS:

A gripping noir crime thriller set in late 1930’s Bay City, centers around a brooding, down on his luck detective; Philip Marlowe, played by Liam Neeson, who is hired to find the ex-lover of a glamorous heiress (Diane Kruger), daughter of a well-known movie star (Jessica Lange). The disappearance is the first twist in a series of bewildering events, and soon Marlowe is embroiled in a deadly investigation and web of lies that he’s determined to bring to light.

REVIEW:

Open Road Films has acquired the North American rights to the highly anticipated gripping noir crime thriller MARLOWE, starring Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, Jessica Lange, Danny Huston, Alan Cumming, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Ian Hart, Colm Meaney, Daniela Melchior, Francois Arnaud. Wide Domestic Theatrical Release Set For Feb. 15th.

MARLOWE brings together this talented cast and crew to tell the riveting story of detective Philip Marlowe, originally created by Raymond Chandler in such classics as The Big Sleep, Farewell my Lovely and The Long Goodbye and based on Booker Prize winning author John Banville’s book The Black-Eyed Blonde, an original novel authorized by the Raymond Chandler estate. It will also notably mark Neeson’s 100th film to date, an incredible milestone in his storied career.

CAST: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, Jessica Lange, Danny Huston, Alan Cumming, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Ian Hart, Colm Meaney, Daniela Melchior, Francois Arnaud

#youtube #latestflixofficial #latestflix

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nickydestati · 4 years

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duolingo tog prompts #13

prompt: Now he is just a normal citizen (Adesso è solo un cittadino normale)

i am aware this is a superhero au for what technically is a superhero movie already but oh well, i hope you enjoy it anyway!

In general, Yusuf likes being Joe. On some days, though, he feels like screaming. Only yesterday night he was chasing down some stalker scum to teach them a lesson and make sure they would never even think of harassing anyone ever again, and now he is just a normal citizen. Just a face in the endless, dreary morning commute.

He wants to grab someone by the shoulders and yell his secret in their faces. Just so someone knows he’s doing it all for them.

But he buries his hands in his pockets and walks on.

A bell rings when he enters the antique shop. The Old Guard, it is called. And of course, it’s just a facade, but to his surprise, Joe genuinely likes working there. He likes being surrounded by ancient and not so ancient objects, he loves walking around in the chaotic assortment of precious art pieces and absolute junk. He often wonders how Andy has gotten hold of all these things, but however sneakily he tries to coax it out of her, she always sees right through his schemes and just shrugs.

He puts everything ready and turns the sign of the door around so the ‘open’ side is facing the street. He glances at the numerous grandfather clocks lining one of the walls. Booker is late. Maybe on a job Joe forgot about, so he guesses he’s on his own for today.

He’s staring at some lists with a lot of numbers he doesn’t understand much about because 1) this is usually Booker’s job and 2) he’s running on three hours of sleep and caffeine, when the phone rings. He picks up immediately, grateful for something else to do.

“The Old Guard Antiques, with Joe, how can I help you?”

“I’ve got a job for you.” Andy.

“Hello to you, too,” Joe says, glancing about for customers, though the bell hasn’t made a sound yet all morning. He lowers his voice just to be sure. “And a job? So soon? I just finished the last one this night.”

He can barely hide his excitement, he quickly checks his free hand, making sure he doesn’t start glowing by accident.

“It’s urgent. We’ve got word that someone is after Lykon’s bracers.”

“Lykon’s bracers?” Joe’s happy mood sobers. Lykon was one of their team once. But the life of a superhero is never without danger. Things went terribly wrong on a mission a long time ago, and Lykon had sacrificed himself so the rest could get out with the people they were saving. They went back later, but despite his healing powers, he hadn’t been able to use them on himself in time.

His bracers still hold fragments of his powers, though, just like Joe’s rings will when he dies. Every hero has such a token, and there are rumors it might grant the powers to someone else if used right. But so far, no one has tried yet. All superheroes agree that it’s simply too morbid and intruding.

“Yes.” Andy sighs. “I knew I shouldn’t have given it to the museum. It would’ve been safer with us after all.”

“Hey, boss, don’t beat yourself up. It was the best option back then. So, who’s after it?”

“Some rich megalomaniac called Merrick. You know, the usual. The theft is planned for this Friday. Booker is at the museum now to find a way to get you inside and get a layout from the building. He’ll be on it for the rest of the week so you’re on shop duty alone for a while.”

“Got it.”

“I’ll send you some more details you can look through. How did it go last night?

“It went well,” Joe answers, but it’s a tad too late and of course Andy notices.

“But?”

Joe sighs. “But the Shadow showed up and I had just gotten them right where I wanted them, but when I rounded the corner, he’d taken care of them already.”

“The guy’s good,” Andy says and the appraisel in her voice makes a spike of jealousy flash through his chest.

“Maybe you should ask him to join us, then,” he says and he hates how annoyed he sounds.

Andy chuckles on the other end. “Have to figure out who he is first.”

Just some pretentious bastard thinking he’s too good to talk with other superheroes. But Joe is tired talking about him.

“So how are you and Nile? Have you found her yet?”

“No, no sign yet.” All mirth has left Andy’s voice and Joe’s heart clenches.

“It’s only a matter of time. We’ll find her. Or she’ll find us again, she wouldn’t leave us like that.” She wouldn’t leave you.

“Let’s hope so,” Andy says with a heavy sigh. “Gotta go, I’ll send you the information. Keep me updated, okay?”

“Sure thing, boss. Say hi to Nile from me.”

He’s breaking his head over the lists again when the bell makes him startle.

His throat runs dry when he looks up because the most beautiful man in all the universe has just entered the shop. Joe really shouldn’t be so dumbfounded by the man, because objectively speaking he is rather plain-looking with that simple hair cut and those pants that are really doing nothing for him, but still. Even like that, he has something incredibly mesmerising to Joe.

He pretends to look back at the lists for a while, but glances at the customer every now and again from the corner of his eye.

When the man has been wandering around for a while and has been staring at those small angel statuettes for five minutes already, Joe slips from behind the counter and goes to him.

“Good morning, sir, can I be of some assistance?”

The man turns around and a small smile appears around his mouth when he sees Joe, melting Joe’s heart into a puddle.

“Maybe. I’m looking for a birthday gift for my nonna, but I don’t know which archangel she would like more.”

And to Joe’s surprise, the man goes on to explain the different meanings behind them which is incredibly fascinating - and not only because his hand gestures are so elegant and his eyes are alight with a passionate glow that Joe would describe as moonlight in one of his poems. And Joe is all too happy to chip in with his own knowledge of art and iconology.

They get so caught up in their conversation that Joe jumps when the grandfather clocks start their various announcements of the fact that it is twelve o’clock. The man startles too by the cacophony and glances at his watch.

“Oh, I should get going. I’ll take this one.” And he picks out Joe’s favorite.

He follows Joe to the cash register and pays.

“I am Joe, by the way,” Joe says when he’s wrapping the statue in bubble plastic to protect it.

“Nicky, nice to meet you,” Nicky says and Joe can’t keep the wide smile from his face.

“We should do that again some time,” he says, gathering all his courage. “Talk, I mean, not necessarily buying or selling angel statuettes.”

Nicky laughs, and the little snort makes Joe’s heart jump to his throat. “Let’s grab some dinner then, when are you available?”

“Only Friday wouldn’t work for me,” Joe says.

“I can’t make it on Friday either, so let’s say Saturday? Here, let me get your number,” Nicky says and picks his phone from his pocket.

They exchange numbers and say their goodbyes, Nicky flashing a last smile at him from the door before leaving Joe helplessly lost behind his cash register.

Focus, Yusuf! Yusuf chastizes himself when his mind has wandered off to what he’s going to wear for his date tomorrow for what must be the millionth time. You’re supposed to be watching out for a thief, focus!

Yusuf takes a deep breath and scans the room again. He’s hidden in a very uncomfortable position against the ceiling, holding on to a pillar that grants him a view of the entire exhibition room. If he didn’t have his powers, there was no way he could have endured this position for so long, and while it would have been even easier if the sun was out, he manages.

The minutes are ticking by, no sign of a thief yet. The bracers are still safely in their display case beneath him.

Then there’s a movement, ever so slightly, by the windows. Yusuf’s eyes latch onto it, but it’s gone so soon that he almost thinks it’s a trick of his mind.

Always trust your instincts, Andy told them over and over again. Our minds don’t play tricks on us.

Sure enough, there’s another flutter in the shadows. No, not in the shadows. Of the shadows.

One of them is moving.

Joe curses inwardly, of course Merrick has hired the Shadow.

He waits for the Shadow to reach the display case. Then, when he reaches over the glass, Yusuf slides down right behind him. He reaches for him, letting out a sound of victory when his hands guess correctly and circle around the Shadow’s neck. He lets his hands glow, unleashing the heat he’s always containing.

Surprised by the sudden attack, the Shadow turns visible and Yusuf stumbles back out of pure shock.

He’s all clad in black, with a balck version of a mask not unlike Yusuf’s own, but Yusuf would recognise the eyes peeking through it anywhere. Those eyes that are unmistakably glowing with moonlight now.

“Nicky?” Yusuf exclaims.

“Joe?”

Nicky seems just as confused as Yusuf who’s still looking him up and down as if he might change into someone else after all - and oh man, these tight pants are definitely doing things for him. Nicky recovers faster from the shock, though.

“Sorry, but I really gotta take these,” he says and before Yusuf can make his muscles move again, Nicky already has the bracers in his hands and is dashing for the windows.

“Wait no!” Yusuf sprints after him, but Nicky whisps away into shadow-form again and slips through a slightly opened window.

“Nicky!” Yusuf screams after him. He opens the window wider - not alarming the guards be damned - and looks out over the city. But there’s no trace of Nicky.

His heart is pounding. Nicky, the beautiful man he is already head over heels with, is the Shadow. Not only is he the Shadow, but he has also stolen Lykon’s bracers for some capitalist asshole.

Shit.

“Is our date still on tomorrow?” Yusuf calls weakly into the night.

#this got way too long i'm sorry #i got so carried away with this au so yeah there will be more most likely!! hence the cliffhanger hehe #anyway i hope some of you like this silly au too!#duolingo prompts #superhero!au #the old guard #joe x nicky #joenicky #immortal husbands #kaysanova #userbooker #usertriz #swquser #demonicneonfishy

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jwillgoose · 4 years

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The record is finished... what now?

We finished our fourth album last week, so I thought it might be interesting (spoiler alert: it probably isn’t) to do a quick post about what happens once a record is ‘finished’ these days, and why it can seem to take so long between an album being completed and actually being released.

Before I stumbled upon a career in making music, my attitude would’ve been similar to that of many fans, I imagine - why not just put the record out as soon as possible? It’s done, you spent (presumably) ages on it, surely you just want people to hear it and shower you with praise and damning reviews? After all, that’s what Radiohead and Beyoncé seem to do, and they don’t mind if the vinyl follows several months later.

Well, Radiohead are Radiohead and Beyoncé is Beyoncé, and both of those artists (and only a handful more) releasing records is Big News in and of itself. Smaller bands and artists need to use their new record as something to build around, to try and fight desperately for attention in a very competitive industry, to route tours around, even simply to remind people that you still exist (often, admittedly, to their distress). Otherwise it’s all too easy to put something out only to see it burn out very quickly, for it to fall to the bottom of people’s ‘recently played’ streaming algorithms and swiftly fall out of the public consciousness pretty much altogether.

That's why it’s better for 99% of bands and artists to wait until everything is ready and to try to go for one big, focused ‘bang’ (often still a whimper, admittedly), rather than trying to hit the front page of Pitchfork with a near-instantaneous release. And the main thing we’re all waiting for these days, especially with its continued resurgence and importance to artists, labels and fans, is vinyl.

Vinyl lead times pre-pandemic were already a bit ridiculously long because a large number of the pressing plants from back in the day went under or severely reduced their capacity, so we’ve been left with a relative handful of potential suppliers and an awful lot of demand from all corners of the music industry. I think The Race For Space (released Feb 2015) was mastered at the end of October 2014, so made it out there in just over 3-and-a-bit months, and that was with two test pressings after the first failed. By the time Every Valley rolled around (released July 2017) we were already at four-months-and-counting, and don’t even get me started on the White Star Liner EP (tail end of 2018, and the vinyl was late because of test pressing issues).

Anyway, you get the picture, and that’s all pre-COVID, which obviously has done precious little to improve any aspect of the economy, besides enhancing Jeff Bezos’ already undignified / obscene wealth. We were initially quoted 7 months for this album but have managed to get it down a bit from there - still, you’ll no doubt have noticed a lot of delayed releases recently and I am taking nothing for granted, on any level, with this record.

We might seem like a modestly successful band but we are also still very much a small team of people. The sheer amount of work it is to get everything ready, besides ‘just’ the music itself, necessitates a bit of a delay between completion and release. Even now, the artwork, liner notes, credits, administrative aspects (PPL IDs and so on) are queueing up for attention; that’s to say nothing of band photos, press releases, updated bios, pitches for various media features (often with ridiculously long lead times of their own), music videos, remixes, instrumentals... in short, a lot.

Then for a band like us there’s the whole tricky chicanery of designing, building, programming and rehearsing a quite fiendishly complicated live set, all while navigating the risks and uncertainties of doing so during what we hope is the tail-end of a pandemic. It normally takes me about 2-3 months to get an album ready to play live, and that’s just the music side of it - then I need to edit videos to run concurrently, give various assets to Mr B so that he can have more to play with than just an on-rails video, then all get together in a room to see what works (hint: not much) and what needs more work (hint: nearly everything). Mr B also needs a lot of time - justly so - to put together his fiendish set creations as well as creating a lot of original video output himself. Popping up on the radio to do a quick session somewhat belies the amount of work it takes to get new material ready for that stage (should it arrive - we certainly don’t assume it will).

But the main thing, still, is to try to garner as much attention, wake as many people as possible up to the fact that yes, you still exist and yes, you’re still flogging the dead horse that is your band and creative output in a perhaps vain attempt to try to prolong an unlikely career and yes, you can order the Amazing New Record soon in at least 5 different colours to ensure its safe arrival in your homes at the very second of its official release. Hello! We’re still here! Hello! We have a new record! Er.. anyone?

Anyway, that’s just a few items from the very long list of things preoccupying me and the other denizens of PSB Towers between now and release. Hopefully everything will run smoothly, the record will come out when we say it will come out and we can even entertain modest hopes of another reasonably-well-charting album. On that note, a brief aside - chart positions are still incredibly important, if only within the record industry itself. A high chart position makes a lot of people sit up and take notice - bookers, agents, festival promoters and so on - which is another reason why it’s important for those of us who aren’t in Mr Yorke’s merry gang to try to get everything out all at once (in its right place, if you will) rather than staggering digital / vinyl release dates.

Hopefully you found this mildly diverting. It’s mostly served as a nudge in the ribs for me to remind me how much I still need to get on with, so without further ado, off I will go, and on with I will get.

Yours pre-releasedly,

J. Willgoose, Esq.

(PS I’d like to make it clear I love Radiohead, and none of this is even a mild dig at them. They are one of the most wonderful musical outfits ever, and they also have the rare privilege of being able to do what they want, when they want to, which really must be lovely.)

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aphroditestummyrolls · 3 years

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Okay! One more character ask! @yunamchill21 gave me the option of a few different characters, and I’m choosing my GIRL.

NILE FREEMAN

First impression: “fuck, another US army hero”

Impression now: I love her SO MUCH I LOVE HER SO MUCH. She’s got big Steve Rogers vibes to me? Obviously, they’re not the same, but they have these points of connection that really speak to the American experience and inform my characterization. Nile is the kind of American hero that I want to see more of, and I feel so soft and protective of her.

Favorite moment: kiki’s facial expressions are one of the many highlights of this movie, and I testament to both her incredible ability, and some incredible casting because I say this about just about every character. Every moment with her is my favorite. If I had to choose, though, the dinner scene at Goussainville has to be the fave. If you look closely, it’s really the hotel scene inverted. It shows everyone at their most vulnerable, but without the comfort of familiarity.

Honorable mention also to the end of the fight with Andy on the plane! Niles face when she’s grasping at these straws to be like “I gotta get home” and Andy shoots down her last ditch effort “you’re not a marine anymore— they’re going to lock you up” !!!!!!! NILE’S FACE. WHEN SHE CRUMBLES AND FINALLY SHOWS HER TERROR AND HELPLESSNESS. KIKI! KIKI PLEASE SPARE MY HEART!!!

Story idea: ive had an idea— not even an outline because this would be long and involved and my mental health tanked this year— since the movie came out. So Andy killed a shitload of people in that church, right? What kind of French keystone cops stumbled on that scene and were like “MERDE! WHAT THE FUCK!”

My story idea is that they had to bring in the big guns, and Interpol gets involved as the prints from the guard turn out to be unidentifiable, but also everywhere— crime scenes are suddenly linked from all across the world, with the stray fingerprints of four different people, and then A FIFTH. Niles records have only been mostly wiped— her fingerprints are still on file. So a dead marine has shown up??? At a vicious crime scene outside Paris??? Copley gives them the bad news while they’re on a mission in America, and all of a sudden, they have to lay low.

This becomes a crazy Catch Me If You Can between the guard, particularly Nile, and an intrepid FBI agent who is in way over their head and a total asshole. This story has it all— more historical background for the guard, Nile backstory, nearly running into her brother at a park in Michigan... another tantalizing opportunity to reconnect with her family, despite the mammoth implications.

I don’t think I’ll ever write it. But it’s a fun daydream, for sure.

Unpopular opinion: my only request of people is to let her be whole and complex, just like the rest of them. I want to see her cared for.

Favorite relationship: ANDY! And the boys— like I mentioned before, I was rereading In Loving Memory the other day, and I had some big Joe and Nile feelings. I also love LOVE what could be between her and Booker. The growth, the banter, the tentative sweetness— Thats potential, baby!

Favorite headcanon: Nile had a hard relationship with her mom. Not a BAD one, just... some animosity. Some resentment at having to be the secondary parent after her dad died, and needing to get a job all the time, taking care of her brother— she understands! Don’t get me wrong! But there’s part of her that always wondered “what if dad didn’t die? What if life was different?” And those questions would sometimes come out in her relationship with her mom. When nile says that she just wants to hear her moms voice one more time? It sounds like someone who’s last conversation might have been negatively charged. When she’s telling Andy about all the ways her mom made sure they were raised to have futures against all odds? That sounds like someone who is realizing that they never said thank you enough. Shes young, it’s human— things are complicated. But she didn’t realize until she was too late for one last call to say “there’s something to that saying, that your mom is always right. I love you, and you were right— about everything, Mom. Thanks for a good life, even when I didn’t know it.”

Thanks for a great character to play with, Yuna! ❤️

#ask game #the old guard #nile freeman #my girl

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defensefilms · 3 years

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Embiid, Sixers And Everything Else In A Wild NBA Post Season

1. Sixers And The Joys Of The 1 Seed

This is it.

This is what it’s all about. I can’t remember having this type of optimism about the Sixers during any post season. The 2018/19 Sixers were close but they didn’t validate that optimism the way this year’s team has as far as regular season performances.

These guys have done that and then some.

We’re no longer a team devoid of shooting or ball movement. We’re no questioning what our best line-ups are and who our best player is. We now have an experienced post season coach with the cache to make demands of these players.

This is the best any Sixer team has looked in any post season. We put the mollywhopping on the Wizards. From the head coach Doc Rivers, his staff and then all the way down to Shake Milton and Mike Scott off the bench, no one even entertained the idea that we weren’t going to sweep these guys.

Now we’re facing an obstinate Atlanta Hawks squad. The Hawks have no way to stop Simmons or Embiid 1-on-1 but they got shooters for days and Trae Young’s averaging 27.7 points on 48.4% from the field. We need to put some respect on his name. Get the ball out of Trae’s hands because he was doing too much in game 1.

First there’s the fact that we’ve had our struggles defending elite scoring point guards this season. Then there’s the fact that Trae Young has done us dirty a few times before. The Hawks gave us hands in game 1 of the 2nd round. We we’re down early and didn’t get close to coming back until it was too late buts its far from curtains in this series.

One thing that has definitely been of huge concern is the health of Joel Embiid.

How is it possible that a man tear his meniscus on May 31st and then drop 39 points, 9 boards and 4 assists in the playoffs on June 3rd? How? He can’t be healthy and I don’t know if it’s smart for his long term health to play right now. He was one of the bright sparks of the game. It’s not just this specific injury either.

This season has been hell on Embiid’s body. You have to wonder how much their gonna risk it or if the team are even halfway considering giving him a rest. Embiid spoke about managing his injuries after game 1 against the Hawks. Honestly doesn’t sound good. He’s talking about managing the swelling in his knee. This on top of ACL injuries sustained towards the end of the regular season. He’ll have had five days rest before game 2 so hopefully that helps remedy what is way more alarming than the Sixers front office is making it seem.

2. Lakers Flame Out

It’s been a dramatic season for the 2020/21 Lakers and typically speaking I don’t think that a team seeded so low are worthy of a list or breakdown like this but this is a special case. These Lakers are likely a way better team than seeding suggests.

Injuries to their 2 best players, saw the Lake-show lose number 1 seeding and then slide further down.

Roster-wise the Lakers tried their utmost to replace the production that they got out of Javale McGee and Dwight Howard. Marc Gasol just can’t be an active defender anymore and his inability to cover the perimeter and post at the same time became a huge issue. Montrezl Harrell has averaged 23.7 minutes off the bench and Dennis Schroder stretches the court as a shooter and a tertiary scorer but is more turnover prone than Rajon Rondo was.

The signing of Andre Drummond was a great idea and his rim protection and big body offense are valuable assets but he was never on the court with the team’s top stars long enough for any kind of chemistry to develop.

The big issue is that as a team they are not the defensive powerhouse they were last year. The issue with that is that this team doesn’t have the kind of offensive scoring and 3-point shooting that can allow them to rely on blowing teams out the water and outscoring the opponents.

The signs were ominous from pretty early on but stop lying to yourself. More importantly, stop lying to the people. Don’t pretend you knew the Lakers would lose this series to the Phoenix Suns.

Anthony Davis has had his well covered and documented struggles with injuries throughout the season. As a an on looker, I gave the Lakers the benefit of the doubt every step of the way. I felt like we knew how this goes and the team with winning pedigree would get it together. LeBron’s injuries were something I felt he could overcome because he’s LeBron. It just never happened. That moment when Lebron takes over like he did against Boston in 2017, just never happened.

I’m hesitant to say it’s over for LeBron or anything even remotely similar to that. However it might be a wrap for him in Los Angeles.

3. Brooklyn Looking Nasty

Are the Brooklyn Nets Nasty or are they playing against a team that lacks versatility?

I’ve watched a lot of this team since 2017 and you know what I realized, that they’re a well oiled, championship caliber team until oppositions shut down the 4-out-1-in strategy. The meltdown they suffered in the 2018/19 post season against the Toronto Raptors was bad but still left room for optimism. The massacre they suffered against the Miami Heat in last year’s second round was a signal for change.

Yet I don’t feel there has been a lot of change. So the onus falls on Mike Budenholzer to come-up with a convincing second act to his game plan. Two games in to the 2nd round series against these Nets, Bud has failed spectacularly.

Then there’s the flipside of the coin, which I hope just isn’t true.

The Brooklyn Nets are looking untouchable. Kevin Durant is among my least favorite players but he’s killing it. The confidence he’s showing taking defenders off the dribble and pulling up is incredible and to be fair he’s always been really good at that.

Durant slapped the Bucks up for 32 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists in game 2 and then had one of the snidest post game interviews you’ll ever witness from an athlete.

The hope here is that Giannis and the Bucks can get it together because we need someone to take some of the steam out of this Nets squad.

4. Kristapz Porzingis Hates Being A Mav

There is an absolutely hilarious 5 minute clip of Luka Doncic just refusing to pass the ball to Porzingis throughout the 2020/21 season. Click here and witness basketball comedy.

Luka Doncic absolutely dominated in a losing effort against the Los Angeles Clippers in round 1. However it was clear that he was only going to push the Clippers and the only way to do better than that would be to take the pressure off of Luka and some one else to help carry the scoring. If only the Mavericks had a big man to compliment Luka, you know, a guy that can create his own shot and still be a mismatch when Luka forces bad switches and he finds himself guarded by smaller guys. Oh wait.

The world has finally taken notice of everything happening in Dallas and most importantly everything that’s not happening in Dallas. Luka’s growth and development is something for the organization to be proud of but this was supposed to be complimented by the growth of Kristapz Porzingis and that just isn’t happening.

The word on the streets is that Porzingis is frustrated with his role on the Mavs and may seek a trade but after some of his performances in that round 1 series, I think the Mavs will have a hard time convincing anyone to take on his contract.

5. The West Can Call Itself Wild Again

This here is by far the most open Western Conference playoffs in over a decade,

I don’t buy the hype about how the Western Conference teams are better and more competitive but the record is the record and it can’t be argued with.

No so this year.

The Lakers falling out of the race has definitely gifted us a conference where we just don’t know who is going to emerge as the representative in the finals.

The Phoenix Suns have definitely racked up the most street cred by beating Lebron’s Lakers in 6. Devin Booker is simply awesome and I don’t say that as a fan of his. He average 29.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists against the Lakers and they also overcame an injury scare to Chris Paul. They have a very interesting 2nd round series against the Denver Nuggets, who lost Jamal Murray to injury and found a way to keep winning and also overcame a near super human scoring output from Damian Lillard in round 1.

Then there’s the 1st seed Utah Jazz, who will go down in history as the most disrespected and underrated 1 seed in recent memory. They’ve been matched up against the Los Angeles Clippers who looked like they were reeling in the early part of their round 1 series against Luka Doncic and the Mavericks, then Kawhi and Paul George composed themselves and took the series in a thrilling 7 game series. The redemption story is definitely still in progress.

That’s 3 different 2nd round playoff match-ups that will probably provide a high quality of basketball. Well worth the watch.

#nba #nba 2021 #nba playoffs #philadelphia 76ers #joel embiid #los angeles lakers #lebron james #brooklyn nets #kevin durant #dallas mavericks #denver nuggets #utah jazz #phoenix suns #los angeles clippers

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myriadimagines · 4 years

Note

Can I get headcanons for dating Booker? 😍

DATING BOOKER:

Booker was hesitant to start a relationship with you, no matter how enamoured he was by you

He was just afraid of getting hurt again

Even when the two of you start dating, it takes a while for him to open up and be vulnerable

It may seem like he’s open to you, but you don’t realise how much he keeps to himself until one night when you’re talking and he talks about his old family

He’s an excellent listener, and will listen to you talk about everything and anything

He just loves the sound of your voice, and it soothes him

Buying books for one another that remind you of the other

Booker’s taste is very specific, but he’ll treasure any book that you buy him

Him always carrying whatever book you get him with him if he needs to go off on a mission with Andy and the others

Books aren’t the only thing that he likes to get you, any little trinket or small gift that makes him think of you, he’ll get it for you

Meeting the rest of the team, and they all adore you

They’re also just super happy for Booker that he found someone who makes him happy

He’s incredibly protective of you, and would never want to put you in harms way

Which can sometimes be a bit overbearing, but you know he means well

Trying to help him cope with his alcoholism

It’s obviously a long process, but you’re always there for him, no matter what

Holding him at night when he has nightmares about Quyhn

Comforting him when he’s exiled from the group

Lots of late nights and lazy mornings together, since Booker likes staying in and just being with you

He loves being in your arms and being held, or when you play with his hair

He just adores you so much, and is grateful for every second you get to spend together

tag list: @ruvaakke / @lxncelot

#the old guard imagine #sebastien le livre imagine #the old guard #the old guard headcanon #sebastien le livre #sebastien le livre headcanon #imagine #imagines #reader insert #headcanon #headcanons #anonymous #idk if the reader was supposed to be immortal or not but #I DID NOT DO HIM JUSTICE

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judylicious · 4 years

Text

“I’m glad we both have found back to you.”

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Preamble: Sooo... our BluesBrothers Discord Server made me do it. I wrote my first very own fanfic. 😊 It has gotten a lot longer than I intended it to be, so please bear with me, if there’s not too much going on in part 1 but part 2 will follow asap :)

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Alan Rubin x fem!Reader (chapter one)

Word Count: 2.060

Fandom: Blues Brothers

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Blues Brothers characters or movies.

Warnings: none

The story takes place before the movie and before Jake went to jail for sticking up a gas station.

It was one of those afternoons Kelsey spent at the Soul Food Cafe at West Maxwell Street. She was sitting at her “regular” table at the window, sipping a cup of coffee and listening to those beautiful tunes from John Lee Hooker and a few other musicians who were performing outside in the streets. Occasionally she took a look at the opened book in her lap but couldn’t seem to focus on anything she read. If only he would stop staring.

Across the room 2 guys were seated dressed like Hasidic diamond merchants, black suit and tie, black hat, black boots, they even wore their dark sunglasses inside. Kelsey wondered if she had seen them before, surely they must have caught her eye. In any case one thing was certain. The taller one was permanently watching her. Although he was wearing his glasses she could feel his eyes on her and it annoyed the young woman to no end. She usually came her after work to relax and calm down but being watched certainly didn’t make that any easy. From the corner of her eye she saw the tall one getting up and walking over to her table. “Hiya, how are you doing? I’ve seen your face a couple of times before.” Slowly the girl turned her head from looking out the window to the man who, without asking, took the seat at the other side of the table. “Err… Hi, thanks I’m… doin’ good?” Was that a question? Get a grip girl “I spend quite a few afternoons here, that’s right. What about you?” As the man spoke the blonde girl took a closer look at him. He was actually kinda cute, well, from what you could see under all those black accessories. “Same here. Me and my brother play in a band”, he said as he pointed to the shorter guy who still sat at their table but gave Kelsey a small nod. “The two guys in the kitchen are also in our band, they work here for some side cash.” She chuckled “Sounds like your band isn’t in great demand then.” He gave her back a little smile “You know some times are easier and some are tougher on us. It ain’t easy out there. But perhaps you’ve heard of us…? The Blues Brothers?” The girl shrugged her shoulders. “Well, one more reason to come by when we’re playing our next gig. This Saturday we’re at the…” He got interrupted by his brother, who was standing in the door, followed by a slightly pale, thin man with long, blonde and fluffy hair and a dark skinned, very muscular guy in a tight shirt. “You comin El?” “Yeah s-sure!” He assured the three men then turned back his attention to Kelsey. “Listen I gotta go, we’re on our way to rehearsal. Can I meet you again sometime? How about tomorrow, same time, same table?” And before Kelsey could agree or disagree the strange dressed man was dragged on his collar and out of the cafe by his brother.

“Jake we weren’t finished you know?” His brother sighed “I love you Elwood but you’ve been working up the courage to talk to that girl for what feels like weeks now. Thought you’d speed it up just a little once you finally did make a move.” Elwood looked shyly to the side “Yeah.. it’s just, you know I’m looking for something serious, that takes some time.” “I do. And I do want you to be happy. But I don’t wanna be late for rehearsal, everyone will blame me again, when it clearly was your fault.” Jake joked and gave his brother a soft bump with his elbow. The next day Kelsey left work, as she checked the time she still felt unsure about what to do. Usually she would go to the cafe but then again there could be that guy waiting for her. Was he even coming? Kelsey never agreed on meeting him again though. Did she even want to meet him again? He definitely was cute and I barely know any people in this city beside my coworkers, so why not? And so she found herself sitting at “her” table again, waiting for the man in his suit to show up. When the doorbell of the cozy dine up rang she was torn from her thoughts but greeted with a friendly smile by him. “I wasn’t even sure you’d come but here you are, I’m so glad.”, the handsome man spoke as he took a seat. “My name’s Elwood by the way.” “Hi, I’m Kelsey. Yeah you got torn away rather quickly yesterday.” “Sorry for that, today I’m all yours. We only rehearse on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. So.. you enjoy music?” “Oh absolutely. I adore jazz and blues and cannot do much with today’s music to be honest. I don’t know anyone who feels the same so this feels like my sanctuary. Did you grow up in Chicago” And so Elwood told Kelsey about the St. Helen orphanage where he and Jake grew up, how they became interested in music and founded the band. And Kelsey told him how she was raised in NewYork and only moved to Chicago a couple of weeks ago since she needed to leave NY and her past behind, to make a fresh start.

A couple of days later Elwood and Kelsey met for their 2nd date. They agreed on Kelsey picking him up right after rehearsal and they’d go out for dinner. Fortunately there was enough time for her to go back home after work and before her date. She took a shower and made sure to take extra care of her blonde, curly hair. Typical. When it matters those curls do what they want. She decided on her favourite dress, a black sleeved gown with golden ornaments, tied around her waist with a cute matching belt, ending just above her knee and a pair of black laced boots. Kelsey rarely felt self-confident. Over the years she did realise that she was pretty but her figure always made her feel unsexy. She wasn’t much overweighted but simply curvy, with a wider hip and some bigger thighs and butt. That dress though made her feel pretty, so she was satisfied with her look in the end as she left the house with a few butterflies in her stomach.

The young woman took a glance at the note the musician gave her and looked rather insecure at the building in front of her. No doubt this was the address Elwood had written down for her but this looked nothing like a place for rehearsal. Well, how does Bo Diddley state so well in one of my faves songs “Can’t judge a book by it’s cover” She started humming the tune as she entered the old, abandoned-looking building. Not having a clue in which room the band was practising she simply followed the sound of music and as she got closer and the sound become clearer she could identify the song. It was “Green Onions” by Booker T and MGs. Wow. She hadn’t heard that one for ages but she instantly started to feel the vibe. When she finally found the boys, their rehearsal had already came to an end. What a shame, I’d love to listen to some more songs, they sound quite talented. “Kelsey! There you are!” Elwood yelled from the other side of the room, raising one arm. The girl felt uneasy being on display but as she let her gaze wander through the room she noticed that aside from Elwood, Jake and one of the man she had seen in the cafe before no one else as giving her great attention. Most of the band members were busy with their instruments, they were either cleaning or doing some maintenance work on it. Elwood took a few big steps to catch up with the blonde girl “Hi, glad to see you!” He seemed to be pure excited for her to meet the guys. “C’mon I’d like you meet the rest of the band. You know, they became like family to me. Hope you like ‘em too. I know you will!” he said eagerly. “So you already know Jake of course and I believe you have met Blue Lou and Matt before.” “Yeah I have, nice to see you again.” Kelsey stammered. Wouldn’t say I “met” them but rather took a short glance at them. “Sure, we know ya’, a regular at our diner. 2nd table at the window…” Matt started “A chopped cheese and one big white coffee.” Lou finished for him. Yeah okay that’s crazy. The girl laughed nervously “Haha, alright, you scare me! Think I might order something different next time.” She then got introduced to Tom Bones at trombone, Donald Dunn at bass guitar, Murphy at keyboards, Steve at lead guitar and Willie at drums. One man was left, he was standing with his back to Elwood and Kelsey and seemed incredibly deepened in whatever he was doing, looked like the zipper of his instrument case was stuck. They approached him when Elwood continued “And last but not least of course we have Mr. Fabulous…” The man quickly turned around as he heard his nickname when not only his jaw dropped a few inches. “Alan?” “Christ Almighty! Is that the McAllister girl? I didn’t know you where in Chicago!” “Well right back at you!” Kelsey grinned. “You.. two know each other?” Elwood asked confused. “Yeah, Alan was my trumpet teacher back in NY.” “Oh didn’t you tell me you had just started learning since you moved here?” “Err.. right, I.. err.. quit and picked up playing again”, Kelsey stumbled somewhat embarrassed. She felt strangely awkward admitting that she had quit at some point in front of Alan. She swore she could see some disappointment in the trumpeter’s eyes or perhaps it was the disappointment in herself. “Well if you need a brush-up I’d be glad to help.” Alan smiled. “Really?”, Kelsey bursted out and tried not sounding too excited as she went on. “I sure would appreciate that.” “How are Mr. and Mrs. McAllister doing?” That question caused a sudden change of the girl’s mood, Alan could read her facial expression immediately. “How about we catch up over coffee sometime? Guess you might be pretty interested how I ended up with these lunatics!” He laughed and gave Elwood a little flick against the brim of his hat. She gave him a little smile when Elwood grabbed her hand “Shall we?” Before neither one of them could say anything, he twisted her around, leading her to the door. “He really has a talent to kill the mood, hasn’t he?” Elwood joked. “Nah, everything’s alright”, she assured the handsome man at her side but turned around to meet Alan’s gaze who was looking after her.

The trumpeter closed the door and threw his keys at the table, letting his instrument bag slide off his shoulder onto the sofa. He then grabbed a bottle of beer, a cloth and the tube of polishing creme from the drawer, unpacking his horn. He couldn’t believe he stumbled into her today. It had been ages. Back in NY her parents had hired him as her trumpet teacher. That was over 10 years ago, she was only 14 back then. A teenager. Not the kind of girl that stood out in the crowd to be honest but that girl today, that woman - looked nothing like the teenager from NY. She really had grown into a looker. He remembered how she used to straighten her hair when she was younger, what a shame after seeing those beautiful blonde curls today, she looked like an angel. That dress perfectly hugged her curves and loosening it up with those black boots suited her a lot. He couldn’t stop thinking about her, that smile simply didn’t want to disappear from his inner eye. We was torn out of this thoughts when he’d realised he almost put the entire tube of polishing creme on the cloth - and into his lap. He sighed in annoyance and went to the kitchen to clean himself up. After getting rid of the mess, he made a couple of sandwiches and slumped in front of the telly… with a certain young woman on his mind.

chapter 2

chapter 3

chapter 4

#blues brothers #blues brothers fandom #Alan Rubin x fem!Reader #Mr.Fabulous #fanfiction #blues brothers fanfiction

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seance · 4 years

Text

2020 content creator tag

RULES: answer the questions and then tag 10+ other creators to answer the questions!

finally got around to do this, terribly late i know and i’m sorry but i swear i wasn’t ignoring all the incredibly talented people who tagged me! thank you so so much for thinking of me guys ♡ probably lost some @ in the process cause my notifs are a mess. @goinesjennifer @juliesmolina @faeryglass @almondchestnut @olisgifs @andyoudoctor @yenvengerberg @iridescentides @juliesmolinas

first creation and most recent creation of 2020: god, i already said this but giffing really became my #1 coping mechanism this year so i have a LOT of stuff just from this year. the first one is this THE WITCHER INTRO CARDS gifset and the most recent is actually my julie’s gifset from yesterday but i’m not satisfied with it so! i’m gonna say this KLAUS AND FIVE PARALLELS gifset instead.

one of your favorite creations from 2020: oof, this is super difficult because i get attached to most of my creations, even if they don’t come out as i initially hoped. i’ll go with this five gifset BIRDS HOVER THE TRAMPLED FIELD just because it’s a perfect example of a rare occurrence aka when both my inspiration and my vision and my skills align and i manage to create something exactly how i first imagined it. and also because i think there’s not better fitting poem for this man.

a creation you’re really proud of: i have a few but maybe this ODE TO NUMBER FIVE gifset just because i had a very specific vibe i wanted to give off and i think i managed alright with the colors, texture and design choices! and then i can’t not mention this YOU WERE ALWAYS GOLD TO ME gifset just because i literally poured all my heart into it. this song and these people mean so so much to me.

a new style you tried this year and a gifset that uses it: my style really evolved at the speed of light starting july and i still can’t believe the things i learned once i just let myself try. i keep having new ideas and trying really hard not to dismiss them and see if they work out, telling myself it’s okay if they don’t! i think this ALLISON HARGREEVES gifset basically has it all: the blending, the font work, the shape play. or even this JATP + BODIES OF WATER type of style, complex blending such as this one WILLEX SUPERSTAR is slowly becoming my trademark and i’m not mad about it, i love playing around with fonts like i did in this ALEXREGGIE gifset even if i know it gets really crowded and hard to read sometimes, or even with lines and block of colors like i did here JATP BORN FOR THIS, i finally got back to play around with textures JATP SCRAPBOOK and even JATP DISCOGRAPHY i also tried my hand at creating entire new “atmospheres” playing with specific visual choices like i did in the HARGREEVES AS PARANORMAL INVESTIGATORS set.

your favorite coloring: okay you guys know coloring is easily my favorite thing to do in the world and i’m usually pretty proud of every outcome because i remember how difficult it was for me, for years i thought i would never learn but i still did it, all by myself just keeping trying like a madwoman lmao basically all my the umbrella academy gifset are my pride and joy because did you see that show? how shitty the lighting is? gifmakers need a miracle every single time. so i’m gonna list a few that i still look at fondly ♥

THE SEVEN HARBINGERS OF THE APOCALYPSE

WILLIE AND CALEB

YOU CAN SET YOURSELF FREE (HARGREEVES)

SEASON ONE FAVORITE EPISODE

ALWAYS GOLD TO ME

THE OLD GUARD + RICHARD SIKEN

a creation that took you forever: basically everything i do ahah just because one way or another i always get stuck on something for hours at end be it the fonts or the colors or the scene choices. but i’d say this STRONGER + HAGREEVES SIBLINGS gifset just because my inspiration went off and i decided i wanted to try a bunch of different techniques all at once and my brain didn’t let me rest until i did it all. to think it all started with just that “everyone will know me by a different name” line, oh my god.

your creation from 2020 that received the most notes: this VANYA + HER SIBLINGS LOVE gifset with 15.406 notes that i kinda hate because what’s up with that font? and the ugly coloring?! totally gonna remake this one because they deserve far better.

a creation you think deserved more notes: oh my god deep down i want to be selfish and say so many because that number never really match the effort i put in most of my gifs but i’ve also learned not to get too bitter about that, few people rb it, even fewer people comment on it but those people are worth more than anyone else. if i had to chose i’d say either the ALWAYS GOLD TO ME set just because it means so much to me, this ALEXREGGIE set that was so fun to make and i love how the colors and the font work came out, this VANYA + EMPATHY set, and this SWEETIE LITTLE JEAN one.

a creation with a favorite scene/quote: i rarely do actual, canonical quotes and i never use just one scene gsjds- so i’ll go with this DIEGO + LOVE FOR HIS FAMILY one even if i don’t like the font and again ALEX&REGGIE being themselves.

a new fandom you joined and a creation you made for it: considering i was already the umbrella academy and the witcher obsessed i’d say the old guard (YOU KNOW ME WELL) and julie and the phantoms (FAVORITE FRIENDSHIP)

a creation you made that breaks your heart: oh, if you know me even one bit you also know i thrive on angsty feelings, they’re usually my main inspiration not gonna lie so choosing is not that simple! again, this KLAUS AND FIVE parallels gifset because of the sheer tragedy of their lives, this SWEETIE LITTLE JEAN five gifset, this KLAUS HARGREEVES one and this I WANNA BE NUMB AGAIN, this DEAR FORGIVENESS, YOUR BOOKER because this man is a walking tragedy (and this PIECES OF ME DIE ALL THE TIME too for good measure) and then this HARGREEVES SIBS + DAUGHTER gifset.

a ‘simple’ creation that you really love: i have brainworms and once i’ve learned how to do something i never manage to come back to the things i did before so i’ve rarely made “simpler” things lately. maybe this JATP + TIMES OF DAY still qualify.

a creation that was inspired by another one (add both your creation and the one that inspired it!): this FAVORITE JATP CHARACTERS with the circle text inspired by this gifset by the loml @evakant // this JATP ROLES with the triangles technique inspired by this work of art by @anya-chalotra and this WARRIOR JULIE set with the text layout inspired by a lovely gifset that now seems to be deleted :(

a favorite creation created by someone else: i love everything my mutuals make but there are some people who really pushed me to always learn more and their gifs are still my absolute favorite thing to date. for example: this THE OLD GUARD TAROTS set by @milkovivhs // this incredible HARGREEVES SIBLINGS one by @yenvengerberg // this GERALT OF RIVIA masterpiece by @anya-chalotra // this CROWLEY set by the queen of colors herself @meliorn

some of your favorite content creators from the year: really too many to count, my mutuals inspire me every single day, the keep my creativity alive and seeing their creations on my dash is always such a treat! so, all the above for sure and then: i‘m stupidly proud of @sunsetscurving i saw her grow into the giffing process with such speed and such vision, everything she does is so pretty, but all my mutuals are incredibly talented. they don’t do anything half-assed, everything they do perfectly mirrors their efforts! @captainheroism @emeraldphantoms @nora-reid @amandaseyfried @rockyblue @juliesmolina @juliesmolinas @lettersdeeplyworn @jakeperalta @kennyortegas @merceralexs @alexreggieluke @calebcovington @andyoudoctor @almondchestnut @iridescentides @number5theboy @evakant

and for good measure, another a couple more creations of yours that you love: excluding all the above i’ll go with

JATP FAVORITE QUOTE

HARGREEVES AS GREEK DEITIES

YOU ARE HERE TO RISK YOUR HEART

THE JATP GEMSTONE SERIES x / x

SOBRIETY IS OVERRATED

AMOR C’HA NULLO AMATO

IF MEMORIES COULD BLEED

this took me so long that everyone else already did it before me so i don’t think i can tag anyone, if you’re reading this and feel like doing it please feel free!

#text #creator tag meme #ari.txt #my eyes are burning so bad this took SO LONG #aodgsd- how did you guys do it so fast?!#maybe i just gif too much sh*t lmao #love you all with ALL my heart

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chaoswillfallrpg · 4 years

Photo

RODOLPHUS LESTRANGE is TWENTY-NINE YEARS OLD and a DEFENCE BARRISTER in THE DEPARTMENT OF MAGICAL LAW ENFORCEMENT at THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC. He looks remarkably like JACK FALAHEE and considers himself NEUTRAL. He is currently TAKEN.

→ OVERVIEW:

tw: death, murder

Raised to have a strict worldview due to the fanatic attitudes of his parents, Rodolphus Lestrange has never had reason to question the nature of his reality. Rodolphus and his family resided in the beauty of Lestrange Manor in Nottinghamshire, Rodolphus’ childhood family home stood secluded on the outskirts of Nottingham. A gothic chateaux that took inspiration from their family home of the same name near Paris, it was surrounded by fields and trees, far away from muggles and cloaked in magic in the event any came for a walk in the forest. Brought up away from the Muggle world they detested, with only his mother and father for company until his younger RABASTAN was born, Rodolphus was absorbed in the thinking of his parents with very little reason to doubt anything outside of their word. MARIE LESTRANGE loved her children more than she loved herself and showered both Rodolphus and his younger brother in affection. Whilst most Pure-Blood families they associated with had nannies and school masters to aid in the raising of their children, Marie disagreed with handing her children over to someone else and insisted on doing everything herself with only the aid of a single house-elf Posy for help. She taught her children to read and write and ensured they were fluent in French by the time they went off to school and well versed in many authors that had been pre-approved by Marie for them to read.

Rodolphus and his younger brother were raised given almost everything they could ever ask for with a childhood spent taking afternoon tea in the garden and discussing the future she wanted her boys to have. His mother upheld tradition and longed for her children to make respectable Pure-Blood marriages to people who loved them. The relationship his mother and father shared captured the attention of a young Rodolphus, who longed to have a relationship like the one his parents shared and provide for them and the rest of his family. Though the Lestrange family were wealthy, their ancestors had wasted a lot of the Lestrange family fortune throwing balls and having custom couture outfits made to line the walls of their wardrobes. The building of the British Lestrange Manor cost their family a great deal and began the long tradition of the Lestrange family working in government and slowly rebuilt the fortune the rest of the wizarding world had no idea they had slowly lost, beginning with Radolphus Lestrange of who he was named. His father THIEBUAT LESTRANGE worked directly for The Minister as her Senior Undersecretary, a job which he believed was beneath him especially in a traitorous administration and had aspirations of climbing higher. His plan would be to groom Rodolphus to work in government and have him infiltrate The Department of Magical Law Enforcement to keep an eye on the goings on there and report back to him.

Before Rodolphus was sent off to Hogwarts he was given one particular request from his parents and that was to grow close to influential families within the wizarding world, particularly the Pure-Blood families who his father remarked he might need in the future. BELLATRIX BLACK was of particular interest to his parents, with a father who worked in Wizgamot and wealth and beauty that would make a good wife. Rodolphus went to school in the knowledge she’d be someone he’d need to at the very least befriend but was disappointed with the person he found. Bellatrix was incredibly loud and opinionated with a fondness for torturing other children and an inability to follow even the most simplest set of rules as did her friends CASTOR WILKES and EVAN ROSIER. An intelligent young man, Rodolphus had a high opinion of himself which was solidified by the praising of teachers and almost flawless grades which made hanging around Bellatrix and her posse even more difficult for him. He tried to keep them sweet by sitting with them at parties and occasionally handing in a page of homework for them but mostly preferred to seek the company of his roommates LUCIUS MALFOY, ARISTAEUS GREENGRASS who he found far less tiresome despite Lucius’ over inflated ego and Eirik’s constant mood swings. Though he narrowly missed out on being a Prefect due to PROFESSOR SLUGHORN’s clear favoritism of Lucius, Rodolphus did graduate a celebrated member of the Slytherin Quidditch team and Slug Club which greatly pleased both his parents.

Upon graduating from Hogwarts, Rodolphus was quickly swept up into a job at the Ministry and began training under Bellatrix’s father CYGNUS BLACK. Rodolphus wasn’t quite sure if it was his legal knowledge, spotless record from Hogwarts or a polite word from Bellatrix or his father that had made Cygnus agree to be his mentor, but either way he was glad to have such a respected name in the wizarding world teaching him how to practise law. Training to become a barrister was certainly grueling and required Rodolphus to sacrifice the majority of his personal life in order to be taken seriously by Cygnus. When he wasn’t at the office, he spent the majority of his time at the Black family home helping Cygnus prep for his cases and eating dinner with his family who had come to slowly replace Rodolphus’ own due to the amount of time he spent with them. Bellatrix thankfully was hardly ever home, supposedly travelling or working on personal projects her father hoped would be beneficial to their family Rodolphus had chalked up to meaning a polite term for finding some direction beyond sneering at mudbloods and barking at her sisters. The Black family seriously lacked direction from Rodolphus’ point of view, NARCISSA seemed harmless but if you looked at her often enough you’d see the way she looked at men with eyes like a snake, burrowing into the souls of helpless men.

Rodolphus had been suspicious for some time that Narcissa's trained gaze had been on his younger brother, considering he’d notice him acting strangely lately and spending a lot of time at the Black home, which he disliked. Bellatrix was Bellatrix. Then there was ANDROMEDA, the middle daughter who was quiet and studious. She cared not for parties and rolled her eyes at the idea of finding a husband often along with a rude quip that made Rodolphus chuckle to himself. The two exchanged the odd piece of polite conversation, though Rodolphus only fully began speaking to her when he took over her father’s job when he became a judge. Andromeda had graduated from an accomplished witch with a longing to learn and better the world she’d been raised in which he found both admirable and misguided considering she came from wealth and privilege as he did. Nevertheless he agreed to train her using the same methods her father had used on him. The life they had chosen was a lonely one and whilst Andromeda did have friends and a personal life he noticed she spent the majority of her evenings in his apartment in High Gate attempting to find something useful which would help them win their cases and slowly became more than just his mentee. He began to learn things about her that he found interesting, her relationship with her sisters and her theories on blood purity he hadn’t really considered before.

Rodolphus still thought being a Pure-Blood made you better than others, but he did consider those he knew of the same blood as them who were not fit to wipe their shoes. As Andromeda nears the end of her training, Rodolphus has come to regard her as a close friend of his and a much needed warmth in his life he’d been missing in the pursuit of greatness. Though their caseload is often petty crimes such as underage wizards using magic, there have been a few more interesting cases recently that have kept both him and Andromeda busy as Aurors attempt to find the culprit of those kidnapping and killing multiple people across London. Most recently the pair have been defending SILAS CRUMP, an unregistered werewolf frightened he’d be framed for the killing of his daughter. Supposedly found by a witch and wizard he can’t recall the names of, Silas was put under the Imperius Curse and given a false memory both he and Andromeda can’t seem to break through. Curious, the pair have been trying to find other cases of other magical creatures with similar stories, until the case took a turn. The Minister’s son BOOKER BAGNOLD was found dead in the Ministry’s fountain on Halloween with one named attached to the killing. Silas Crump. Confident there is more lurking underneath the case, Rodolphus won’t rest until he has won his case but with his client missing, people closest to him keeping secrets and dark forces at play has no idea what else he may be uncovering in the process.

→ ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Blood Status → Pure-Blood

Pronouns → He/Him

Identification → Cis Male

Sexuality → Up To Player

Relationship Status → Single

Previous Education → Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Slytherin)

Societies → N/A

Family → Thiebaut Lestrange (father), Marie Lestrange (mother), Rabastan Lestrange (brother), Ilar Travers (uncle), Vivienne Travers (aunt), Isolde Travers (cousin), Evora Travers (cousin)

Connections → Aristaeus Greengrass (best friend), Andromeda Black (close friend/mentee/potential love interest), Lucius Malfoy (close friend), Decius Flint (friend), Bellatrix Black (friend), Castor Wilkes (friend), Isolde Travers (friend), Cygnus Black (ex-mentor), Silas Crump (client), Regulus Black (assistant)

Future Information → Eventual Member of The Death Eaters, Husband of Bellatrix Black

RODOLPHUS LESTRANGE IS A LEVEL 7 WIZARD.

#rodolphus lestrange #jack falahee #connor walsh #how to get away with murder #htgawam #harry potter rp #wizard #neutral #magical law enforcement #wizgamot #magic #lestrange #taken #taken wizard #taken neutral #tw: death #tw: murder

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high-tidethunder · 4 years

Text

like cymbals crashing, like molars gnashing

Nile is on her own for the first time in a long time and she’s—

Well, she’s adjusting.

And Detroit isn’t too horribly different from the city streets she’s used to. A little emptier, maybe, and, well, the roads are more pothole than concrete at this point, but there’s a familiarity in the buskers and graffiti and nighttime bustle and it almost makes up for the fact that… the public transit is a joke.

Almost.

She’s still not over the fact that she’s going to have to walk from her apartment to class every day. It’s a good job she grew up in Chicago and knows how to layer appropriately.

She’s not quite comfortable in the bigger lecture halls yet, always feels like there are too many variables out of her control for her to truly settle down and pay attention to the lesson, but she knows it could be worse. She’s privileged to have been able to leave the hell she’d signed 10 years of her life away to. She has the opportunity to let old wounds heal.

There’ll be scars, but fresh blood will not pour from them.

She can deal with scars.

~*~

A month into her first semester she makes her first real friend in this place. He’s a man about 10 years her senior in her metalworking class who invites her out to lunch at a felafel place near campus and, almost without her realizing, gets her to talk about the problems she hasn’t wanted to burden her mom with on their calls.

It’s a little hard to separate the gratitude from the guilt when they’re done talking. They’ve knitted themselves together with a yarn spun of worry that she’d unduly encumbered him with her problems and striated with an anxiety that there was some kind of con at play. She really hopes not.

They part ways when they get back to campus, him to go to work and her to another lecture, but not without exchanging phone numbers and a promise to meet up again. He leaves with a smile that’s almost sad, there’s definitely something in the eyes, and Nile abruptly wonders if her smiles are like that, now. If, maybe, he saw the storm that swelled and crashed around inside her, if he’d recognized it from his own tumult and decided to extend an offer of help without having to use so many words.

And so, the gratitude said to the guilt, tink, tink, tink.

~*~

She discovers the dreaded walk from her apartment to campus yields blessings, too, when she spots the flyer for a fight gym that’s hiring trainers stapled to a telephone pole towards the end of September. She pauses to take a picture of it before carrying back on to class and resolves to call them when she goes for lunch, making a mental note to ask Sebastien if he knows the place before she does. He might not outwardly appear the type, but Nile has been around enough fighters to recognize it in the way he holds himself; whether it’s bare-knuckle in a back alley or gloved up in a ring, he’s no stranger to a brawl.

And besides, he’d told her he had a little training when she’d mentioned that she was coming into college late (he’d scoffed at that) because she’d been a Marine.

Sebastien, as it turns out, is the trainer the gym is hiring to replace. Nile feels a rush of embarrassment when he tells her so, quickly followed by guilt when she sees that he’s distressed for having upset her. It only eases when he assures her he still teaches there, it’s just that an old injury keeps him from drilling groundwork and he’s forced to stick to beginner classes.

Their lunch outing turns into an impromptu job interview when he realizes that she’s available to cover his grappling classes and the gym won’t have to cancel them. At the end of it he tells her that he’ll talk to his coworkers and, if all goes well, bring her in to meet them that night.

~*~

All goes well.

Sebastien picks her up from her last lecture at 6:30 and drives her along a familiar route to the gym that she realizes is only a 5-minute walk from her apartment building. There’s a boulder outside with “The Motor City Old Guard” engraved in block letters on it, and a recurve bow made to look like a stylized D painted below the name.

Otherwise, it’s an incredibly nondescript building. There are a few signs on the whitewashed brick that claim parking spots outside as reserved for gym-goers and an old leather medicine ball props the door open, but there are no flyers or advertisements on the outside and the shades have been drawn over the windows. It doesn’t look much like a gym.

Maybe there is some sort of con at play.

The worry is dispelled as quickly as it pops into her mind when Sebastien guides her inside and the first thing she sees is two men circling each other in a boxing ring in the middle of the room. Nile notes that they’re clad only in fight shorts and hand wraps and wonders if this is an impromptu sparring session or if these people are just a little bit insane.

The taller of the two, a white man with shaggy brown hair that suggests he’s put off going to the barber a few weeks too many, makes the first move. He springs forward, feinting to his left and narrowly ducking the right hook that his opponent swings in retaliation. He drops low, grabs the other man around the waist, thrusts his shoulder into his abdomen, and sends them both to the mat. His opponent, a brown man whose curls are already escaping the bun they’re tied back in, hits the floor with a grunt. Barely a second after he goes down, his legs have already locked around the other man’s back, but the guard is down before the other man can even try to break it. He’s flat on his back just as quick, hips now straddled by the shorter man. There’s a pause, then, both seeming to be in some kind of haze as they stare at each other, chests heaving with effort.

It’s now that Nile notices the women who have been watching this. Or, well, more accurately it’s now that her brain registers them as something that needs her attention, as the taller of the two inexplicably snaps, “not on my mat!” and her companion snorts out a laugh.

When she looks back at the men, the taller of them has his legs clinched around the other’s neck, relaxing only when a hand comes up to tap his thigh.

The other man pops up with surprising ease considering he’d been in a chokehold only a few seconds prior, and offers a hand to help his opponent up. He turns, then, and sees Nile, face brightening.

“Ahlan! You must be Booker’s friend! Nile, right? You’re here for the job?”

She smiles, tentatively, and looks at Sebastien (Booker?) out of the corner of her eye. “Uh, yeah, that’s me. Are you-”

He shakes his head before she can finish the question and gestures vaguely at the women standing at the side of the ring. “Andy’s the one who’ll be conducting the rest of your interview.” He pauses and inhales sharply, squinting at Nile. “Good luck,” he finishes, nodding at her before turning and ducking out of the ring. His training partner, now standing still enough that Nile has time to notice the mirrored scars on his chest, gives her a brief nod and tight smile before following him.

“Not in my showers, either!” Maybe-Andy calls after them, pushing herself off the rope she’s leaning on and circling the ring so she’s standing in front of Nile. She feels something nudge her arm and looks over to see Sebastien holding track pants and hand wraps out to her, shaking the bundle at her when she doesn’t take them immediately. She does so, cutting her eyes back to the woman who stands in front of her and watching her carefully. “Put those on,” she instructs, “bathrooms are down where Joe and Nicky went, then, you’re gonna show me how much of what you told Book here was true.”

Ah. So this is Andy. And this is why Maybe-Joe-or-Maybe-Nicky had wished her good luck.

She probably should’ve just gotten a job at the university library.

But her mom didn’t raise her to back down from a fight, so she skirts the ring and turns down the hall where the two men had gone. The door at the end of the hall is marked “Employees Only” in screaming red letters, so she turns to the two on either side of the hall. Where there once were signs that likely demarcated gender, there were now only 4 bolts in the center of both doors, so she listens, and pushes through the door she doesn’t hear a shower behind.

She slips into one of the stalls and makes sure she hears the soft snick of the door close before taking off her boots and jeans and pulling on the pants Sebastien had given her. The fabric is stiffer than she’d expected, they must be straight from the shop she had seen tucked into one corner of the gym, but she can move freely so she’ll deal with the slight discomfort. She exits the stall, putting her folded jeans and boots into one of the cubbies on the opposite wall, then heads out to the main room again. She shucks her jacket, which Sebastien takes from her, and steps into the ring where Andy is waiting.

Right into a punch.

She ducks in the nick of time, taking the opportunity to push in closer to Andy and grab her by the shoulder, driving her knee into the other woman’s gut. There’s a hand clawing at her arm and a quick strike to the hollow of her neck and suddenly she’s halfway across the mat, staring down an indifferent Andy.

So that was how this was gonna be.

She advances again, pivoting to send a kick to Andy’s hip. Her gratification at seeing the other woman go down is stopped in its tracks when she feels a hand clamp around her calf and she crashes to her knee, one leg still held fast to Andy’s side. She twists, plants her hands on the mat behind her, and tries to push herself out of Andy’s grasp, leveraging her free foot against the other woman’s hip bone and coming away with surprising ease. Andy stands, then, exhilaration burning in her eyes, and backs away slightly.

Then there’s a kick headed straight for Nile’s face and she forces herself forward, arms looping around Andy’s thigh as she drives her shoulder into her gut and folds at the waist, slamming the other woman down. Almost immediately a leg wraps over her shoulders and the world tilts and she feels her back hitting the time-worn mat. Andy stands over her, delight evident on her face, and reaches a hand out to help her up.

By the time Nile stands, Andy’s face has dropped into something sharper, more analytical, and she looks Nile up and down. “So, Booker says you were a Marine.”

Nile nods, finding herself itching to stand at ease.

“Well,” she purses her lips, then takes a breath. “We forgive past transgressions,” she says, looking pointedly at Booker, though a twitch in her jaw betrays a smile. After a moment she looks back at Nile, light dancing in her eyes. “Welcome to the crew. I’ll go get the paperwork.”

Nile is left feeling a little too dazed to truly process that she just got her ass handed to her and then offered a job by the person who did it in the span of five minutes until a hand claps down on her shoulder and she whirls around to see Sebastien. There’s a proud look on his face, though his smile is still small, still a little sad. “Congratulations, Nile,” he says, and the warmth in his voice reminds Nile very suddenly of her father.

It must show on her face because Sebastien looks concerned, now, brow furrowing. “Are you ok? Did you get hurt?”

Nile shakes her head, swallowing around the tightness creeping up her throat. “I’m fine, she manages to choke out. “Thank you, um, for helping me with this, I really appreciate it,” she says, trying to steady her voice. She takes a deep breath, looking out behind Sebastien for a moment before focusing back on his face. “I should, uh, get changed.”

“Oh, yeah, totally, ok. Well, hey, since you don’t have classes tomorrow and I only work in the morning, how about I take you out to celebrate, huh? It might help to know a thing or two about the kind of people who come to train with us.”

Nile smiles at that and the pain twisted in her stomach starts to ease into something more comfortable. “You’re paying,” she says and sees Sebastien’s lip tick up.

“Taking my job and my money? You’re going to fit right in,” he laughs. “You go take care of the paperwork, I’ll wait outside to drive you home,” he says, giving her one last smile before turning and leaving the gym.

She notices, then, that the two men who had been sparring when she’d entered the gym have emerged from the showers. They’re standing just at the entrance to the hallway, the shorter of the two leaning against the wall, and the taller leaning against the shorter. They’re watching her closely, but Maybe-Joe-or-Possibly-Nicky smiles at her when he notices her looking, pushing off the wall and stepping forward to extend a hand. The handshake is brief but firm. “Hey, welcome,” he says, in a voice that rasps warmly. “That was a good fight, Andy married the last person who got that close to beating her.”

“Quynh did beat her, tesoro,” the other man says, though it’s somewhat hard to make out between his quiet tone and thick accent.

“You say potato,” the man says over his shoulder, turning his attention to Nile again. “I’m Joe, he’s Nicky. You’re taking the Tuesday and Thursday night classes?” He waits for Nile to nod before continuing. “We’ll be seeing a lot of each other, then,” he says, smiling and clapping a hand on her shoulder. “We’ve gotta head out, but don’t be a stranger, yeah? If you’ve got any questions we’re more than happy to help out.”

She nods, smiling at Joe then behind him at Nicky, “Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.”

~*~

She runs into the woman who had been by Andy’s side as she’s leaving the bathroom and Nile is entering and gets a soft smile. “We’ve heard a lot about you, Nile,” she says, her accent light and lilting. “And I’ll let you in on a secret, Andy had no doubts about hiring you the minute Booker mentioned you were looking for a job. You’re a good friend to him, he needed that.”

“So, wait, she-”

“She fought you because it is the vetting process. You fight like a caged animal, you throw everything you have into it, but you control the violence. You never did anything you didn’t have to. We have had some...unsavory trainers come in. Students, too, but that’s harder to account for. She had to make sure you understand the gravity of fighting and the responsibility of teaching it. You do. So, welcome aboard.”

“Thank you, uh-”

“Quynh,” she supplies, smiling.

“Thank you, Quynh.”

“Of course.” With that, she ducked down the hall, leaving Nile alone to think.

She does understand, maybe all too well, the consequences of violence for violence’s sake. She’s still kept awake by the faces, still haunted by the bodies in her dreams. Every day is a step forward. Sometimes accompanied by a few back, sometimes a step through an ocean in the midst of a hurricane, but slowly, slowly, she’s getting to dry land.

#the old guard #the old guard fic #nile freeman #my fic #my writing #ignore the time disparity between when i posted this on ao3 and when i'm posting it here #didn't know if i wanted to but i got nice comments so here we are #don't worry my roasting of detroit is loving #i'm from the area and there's a lot of wonderful culture #but seriously man once you hit like ferndale? it's a miracle anyone's tires are still round

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dipulb3 · 3 years

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Knicks win 9 straight on hot streak - It's been nearly a decade since all eyes were turned towards Madison Square Garden but with the Knicks chasing a 10th consecutive victory the Mecca of basketball finally recaptured the world's attention. An in...

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/knicks-win-9-straight-on-hot-streak-its-been-nearly-a-decade-since-all-eyes-were-turned-towards-madison-square-garden-but-with-the-knicks-chasing-a-10th-consecutive-victory-the-mecca-of-basketball/

It’s been nearly a decade since all eyes were turned towards Madison Square Garden, but with the Knicks chasing a 10th consecutive victory, the Mecca of basketball finally recaptured the world’s attention.

An incredible month of April propelled the Knicks all the way into the East’s 4 seed, leapfrogging the Atlanta Hawks in an overtime thriller to climb the standings.

Sitting a handful of games behind the Bucks for 3rd with just a fraction of the season left, it’s not likely the Knicks will continue to rise, though New York has effectively solidified their spot in the playoff picture.

Over the last month, the hard work and constant effort put in by the Knicks finally came to fruition. The dedication from a young and hungry team almost got out of hand at times, with head coach Tom Thibodeau even banning the team from practicing so they could rest.

“I want to sneak into the gym to get some more shots up,” said rookie Immanuel Quickley, who has become a big contributor off the bench in his first year.

On April 9th, the Knicks stood in 8th place in the Eastern Conference, but after winning their next 9 games they had risen to 4th. The 4-10 seeds in the playoffs are still wide open in the East, and with contests heating up for vital playoff positioning, New York’s wins couldn’t come at a better time.

The streak started with a tight Overtime finish against the Grizzlies, followed by a strong win over the Raptors. An early highlight came soon after, as New York toppled the defending champion Lakers, although LA came to New York with Anthony Davis and LeBron James out.

From then on, the Knicks refused to lose. In the blink of an eye the streak was the longest active one in the league, and the Knicks the most red-hot team in the NBA.

Over their next nine, it was no surprise that Julius Randle continued to lead the way on offense. Randle averaged an incredible 30 points per game during the streak, highlighted by 40-pieces against Dallas and Atlanta.

Derrick Rose played a big role for New York as well during the run. In the last 5 games of the streak, Rose averaged 20 points and provided New York with another dangerous presence on offense.

Unfortunately the streak fell short of double-digits, as the Phoenix Suns came back late to defeat New York at MSG on Monday night.

Despite the strong defensive effort, the Knicks couldn’t stop Devin Booker, who coasted to 33 points. Chris Paul also dazzled for the Suns, picking up some massive points in the final minutes to close out the contest.

Nobody expected the Knicks to be in the playoff picture at the start of the year, but after already shattering their projected win total of 27, it’s almost certain they’ll tip off in late May when the postseason gets underway.

The last nine to be easy if New York wants to earn home court advantage in the first round. With eight games coming against playoff opposition, the final stretch of the season will test where the Knicks stand against the league’s other top teams.

New York will start a 6-game road trip on Sunday as they take on the struggling Houston Rockets. The final three games of the year will be played at MSG, as the Knicks are certain to be hunting for key wins to clinch favorable positioning.

The Knicks are back in the limelight, and with the last days of the regular season ticking, it’s time to see what New York can do in their playoff push.

Where will the Knicks finish in 2021?

#10th #attention #basketball #chasing #consecutive #decade #eyes #finally #Garden #hot #Knicks #Madison #Mecca #recaptured #Square #straight #streak #turned #Victory #win #worlds

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saffiealbright · 4 years

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well, looks like i accidentally deleted saf’s intro post, because i thought it was a muse photo post (lol @ me). so here it is, rewritten! i’ve added/edited some trivial things, too, so here we go!

(ellie bamber, she/her) - have you seen seraphina albright? saffie / saf is in her junior year. the computer science major is 22 years old & is an aquarius. people say she is ambitious, candid, petty, and headstrong. rumors say they’re a member of hastings society. i heard from the gossip blog that she hacked into her schoo’s grading system and changed her grades to prove she could get into yates without her family’s help. (tessa. 24. pst. she/her.)

name: seraphina ivy albright nicknames: saffie, saf, sera, ser, s age, birth date: 22; february 14, 1998 hometown: new york city major, university: computer science, yates university sexuality: pansexual

past

“she debated our civics instructor so hard that he conceded so that he could go outside and take a smoke break.” “i watched her hack all of her ex’s social media during our cyber security class. didn’t look up from her laptop once.”

and that’s me, john booker rutledge.

no, it’s serphina ivy albright

seraphina is the daughter and only child of ethan and annabeth albright—a new york state senate field representative and a british transplant museum donor/philanthropist. (making it canon that saf has a few british english speaking tendencies—word choices, cadence, pronunciations, etc.)

does albright sound familiar? saffie is cousin to darby and leo (and the late james) albright through their fathers. ethan albright works for his brother, the state senator.

throughout her young life, both sides of the family were very tight knit. they’d take holidays together, have weekly dinners, attend events side-by-side.

all of this change after ethan and lucas got into an altercation. one moment they were standing in the hall, talking business and having a drink. the next they grew hushed and moved into a nearby home office. by the time ethan left his relationship with his brother was irrevocably broken.

no one knows exactly what happened in that room, but the parents will swear up and down that their side was in the right. this caused a deep split between both sides.

still, in order to maintain the image of a loving family and well-oiled machine, ethan continued to work for his brother. the only times everyone would really see each other, though, were briefly at events, during necessary business, and at james’ funeral.

you’d think the latter would’ve brought them together, but it didn’t!

saffie was slowly influenced not to like her cousins, her parents likening them to their parents in, well, not the nicest ways. to put it simply, they told saf that it’s probably best if she didn’t trust them.

being the young, trusting kid she was, she took their word for it. even if the whole ordeal revealed sides of her parents—of the entire family—that she began to strongly oppose.

teenage years / personality shift

suffice it to say, seraphine wasn’t a big fan of what she found made the albrights the albrights. for years she strove to impress her parents and meet their incredibly high standards: look perfect, speak correctly, present yourself with impeccable poise. learn three languages so that one day you can speak to a number of high-ranking business officials. pick up piano so you can “spontaneously” play at events and gatherings and impress your peers (oh, it happened! time and time again!).

a childhood nearly wasted, by saf’s standards. it wasn’t until she entered high school—about the time the debris settled from the family split settled—that she began to branch out and discover what she enjoyed. what she wanted to spend her time on.

her friend group expanded to those outside of her prestigious school, rapidly expanding her small world view and perspective on just about everything.

very quickly saf saw her path—and it wasn’t acting out like darby or grasping at the idea of perfection like leo. it was not giving a fuck. her family’s problems seemed abysmal compared to everything else happening in the world.

around this time she gained an interest in two things: the world and the computers it’s so obsessed with. thus her passions for current events/world news and computer science began.

quickly she became the black sheep within her household, a fact as amusing to her as it is frustrating for them.

look—all saf wanted to do was go about the city (and her life!) on her own terms. go see live music, attend her own peers’ parties and events, and god forbid have some time for friends.

an unspeakable offense in her parents’ perspective, especially because at this point her grades began to go down. it wasn’t that she wasn’t smart—she had the makings of any upper east side prodigy—she simply focused them elsewhere.

secret

that being said, by junior year it hit the girl that she’d need to step things up. attending yates, her father’s alma mater, was still the goal despite her own falling out with him. it was a damn good university and she had a deal to make. if she could get in on her own, she’d study there on her own terms. doing what she wants.

and you know what!? she did! after cheating her way through the system. lol.

it started with hacking one teacher’s grading system to change a few grades. then, slowly, it grew. midway through the year all of her teachers were lauding her turn-around. by senior year she was a “model student.”

cheers to the TAs for the assist! they did all of the actual assignment grading. saf bargained with them to not to say anything.

in the end she got her yates acceptance letter in the mail, packed her suitcases, and ended up in preaker.

present / personality / little facts

now she’s studying computer science and taking extra classes that capture her interests.

at the same school her estranged cousins attend. fun!

gave calloway, her father’s society, a big pass. went with hastings.

some quotes to capture her personality:

i hate it when people ask, “do you trust me?” like... don’t call me out... the answer is no.

if you have beef with me it’s one sided, because i literally don’t care

some tiktoks for more of a feel: one, two, three

so, yeah, she’s a bit apathetic and no-bullshit and that might be a bit polarizing to some!

but she genuinely doesn’t try to be mean to people. she’s just, uh, blunt. lol.

the type to write in sharpy in a bar bathroom stall, but it’ll say something like, “damn, you’re mad cute”

can’t drive for SHIT! always took taxis, public transport, and town cars in new york. probably learned how to drive a little... while in the UK... so, the opposite-sides-of-the-street thing disorients her

fact: she’s naturally a blonde and dies her hair red. every few weeks it looks like a blood bath in one of the hastings bathroom sinks/showers.

fact: when she’s about to do just about anything with a computer she does the violet baudelaire thing where she pulls her hair up into a messy ponytail

the rest i’m just!! figuring out as i go luv!! x

#yatesintro #did not reread this or proofread bc i'm over it adlfkjgal lmao

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doomedandstoned · 4 years

Text

Doom in a Time of Corona: Konvent Speaks From The Lockdown

~By Shawn Gibson!~

Hello, Ladies! Nice to catch up with you again. Thank you for your time. How is everyone?

Hi, Shawn! Great to talk to you again. Everyone is absolutely fine, but as you may know this is a pretty weird time with the COVID-19 situation going on. But we’re all safe and happy at the moment and we really feel like that's the most important thing right now.

How are you dealing with novel coronavirus and what are you doing to stay busy in this down time? Any writing or recording?

It's no secret that it's a boring time for everyone. We are so used to meeting a lot in the band and going to concerts, etcetera, but right now we can’t do that. So we actually watch a lot of Netflix, HBO, and get early to bed -- like true rockstars. (laughs)

We have no recording right now. It is also almost only three months since we released our album, so we took the time to breathe out after a stressful period of album release, tour, etcetera, but we are currently focusing on writing new material for our next album. Sara and Heidi have been doing some new riffs and we’re working at our own place with the new material. It feels like the perfect timing to start experimenting with different things musically. It is also important for us that we have time to immerse ourselves and retain the joy of creation.

I hate that this virus has affected everyone from musicians, fans, venue owners, festival promoters, labels, and so on. Tell me about some of these kick ass festivals Konvent was supposed to play? Will they be rescheduled? Who was on the line up?

Yes, we really hate it too. But we were incredibly lucky because the lockdown happened only a week after we finished the last show on our release tour. So when our government announced the lockdown here of all schools, universities and jobs, we’ve just stayed home and worked from our apartments and have not met since, to follow the regulations and stay safe.

It’s no secret that the virus will have some consequences according to cancellations of the summer festivals. Some of them have already been announced and some of them not, so we’ll keep you guys updated about it. We had been looking so much forward to playing at the festivals this summer, but of course we hope to be booked for 2021.

Generally, we feel very lucky with some of the offers we have been given and this really gives us the courage to keep on going and make it even bigger for 2021!

Film by Black Label Pictures

Konvent has been very busy! Your newest album 'Puritan Masochism' (2020) is excellent. I have heard nothing but praise for this album. What has Konvent been up to since we last had a chat?

Thank you so much. It makes us so happy to hear people saying that they like the album. When we signed the deal in 2018, we only had a few finished tracks, so we were far away from going into the studio. Since we had quite many concerts in 2018, we didn’t have a lot of time to work on the album. So half of the record was made in the beginning of 2019 and some tracks were even made one day before going into the studio with Lasse Skov at Ballade Studios in Copenhagen. Napalm knew this and we agreed with them to have the album out either in late 2019 or 2020, so they were very patient and weren't rushing us in any way.

Going on the Puritan Masochism tour has also been amazing! This was our very first headliner tour and we got to go to Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, and the UK. We have met so many cool people and we really love to go to places we’ve never been before. We have really been blown away by how many people who want an interview and how incredible people have been when it comes to buying our merchandise and album. We have gained more confidence as individuals, but also as a band.

We also experienced all the things that could go wrong on a tour. (laughs) The support band cancels, the car broke down, the guitar and drum broke on stage, but we somehow managed to defeat all these challenges and we couldn’t think of a better experience than we had on the tour.

How was the recording process for 'Puritan Masochism'?

We really wanted that raw, gritty sound, as if the music is coming from the abyss! And that’s why we chose to work with Lasse Ballade because he had made a bunch of cool records that we really admired. Lasse Ballade has a studio in the center of Copenhagen and we got together for 14 days and recorded the whole album live. I (Sara) think we have allowed ourselves to be more creative with playing with different riffs and rhythms this time.

When we recorded the demo we weren’t as relaxed with our instruments as we are now. It comes more naturally and we’re only getting better at experimenting with new stuff.

Our producer Lasse Ballade used a lot of time together with Sara and Heidi on finding the right sound for the guitar and bass and it was his idea to record some of the drums in his basement, to give it a more deep and kinda creepy basement sound. So he was definitely the one who really helped us find our sound, and we couldn’t be happier!

How is it being signed to Napalm Records?

We love working together with Napalm Records and they are very professional. We have come a long way since we signed the deal and Napalm plays a big role in order to make most of our dreams possible so far. We couldn’t think of any better label for us right now.

We would really like to go on bigger tours and play more festivals, as long as it can work out financially. And we are steadily getting more offers, so that’s really exciting! Our booker Thorsten from Napalm Events is handling all our offers, but we often get messages directly from bookers who want to put on a show with us and then we just direct it to him.

We are already so happy with what’s happening for us at the moment and we just try to enjoy it as much as we can and not put too much pressure on ourselves.

What are some death/doom bands that have inspired Konvent?

Almost all of our dads raised us on Black Sabbath. When Julie was little, she and her dad also listened to Kiss and led Zeppelin a lot. When Sara first learned the guitar as a teenager, her biggest influence was Nirvana. Heidi was a big fan of The Darkness in her teens. In Rikke’s early high school years she was listening to Red Hot Chili Peppers a lot, but then she discovered Rammstein and became a huge fan.

As we got older, our taste in music developed and we got more and more interested in metal genres like death, black, thrash, tech, hardcore, slam, and also punk. We still listen to a lot of different bands, but we all like bands such as Yob, Mantar, Candlemass, and Paradise Lost.

Konvent is one of the heaviest death/doom bands I know! The vocals still kick my ass, Rikki! Some guys can't sound like that!

That’s a huge compliment. (laughs) Thanks!

I'm very proud to have bought the CD and t-shirt bundle for 'Puritan Masochism.' I hope Konvent has great success with the album and merch sales.

Thank you so much for buying it. We really appreciate people supporting us. We have been really overwhelmed by how many people are supporting us with buying our merchandise.

Tell me about signing with Barsk Management Agency.

Our new manager Esben, who just started Bask Management, is a friend of the band and has earlier been the lead singer of Hatesphere for the past decade, where he's gathered invaluable knowledge about the music business and the metal scene, especially.

We realized a few months ago that we needed someone to help us with the practical stuff and tour management, in general. We are actually not a super structured band and we often forget things when we go on tour. (laughs) Esben contacted us a few months ago and we had a few meetings and agreed that we would like to start a corporation about management. We couldn’t be happier about this decision. It has really removed burdens from us according to the practical stuff so we’re are able to focus on the most important thing: music!

What are your plans for Konvent when this pandemic is over? Live shows and re-scheduled festivals?

We had some festivals and shows which were cancelled, but we have already been rescheduled to 2021 for some of them -- and we are really happy about that. We know that some bands are suffering a lot more than us so we just try to be happy over the fact that we got to release the album and finish the tour before the pandemic. But we have HRH Vikings Chapter III in the UK this Autumn, which will be our first time playing at a viking festival. (laughs) But we have a pretty crazy announcement very soon and we can’t say anymore at the moment, but we are pretty stoked about it. We’ll keep you updated.

What is in the future for Konvent?

We are already so happy with what’s happening for us at the moment and we just try to enjoy it as much as we can and not put too much pressure on ourselves. We have pushed ourselves out of our comfort zones many times now and that in itself is something to be proud of. Looking back, we feel like we have accomplished much more than what we could have hoped for, for example getting a record deal, playing at Copenhell -- Denmark’s biggest metal festival -- in front of 4,000 people, and playing Roskilde Festival, which is the biggest festival in Northern Europe!

At the moment, we are just really blown away by all the positive feedback on our debut album. But, of course, we still dream big! We hope to visit more countries around Europe and we would love to go overseas, as well -- the US, Canada, South America, Australia, you name it! But our biggest dream is to play at 70,000 Tons of Metal. (laughs)

Thank you for your time. I hope you all and your families are well during this tough period.

Thank you so much. Hopefully we’ll see you in the crowd someday!

Puritan Masochism by Konvent

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#D&S Interviews #Konvent #Copenhagen #Denmark #Doom #Death Doom #Doom Metal #Metal #Napalm Records #Shawn Gibson #Doomed & Stoned

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seromreven · 5 years

Text

title: blue velvet | prologue.

pairings: john lennon/male!reader & paul mccartney/reader | various pairings both including and not including the reader.

summary: it’s the turn of the new decade; you’re the leader of a band that has its residency in a popular nightclub in Hamburg. One fateful night you meet The Beatles, a band new in town, and things take a turn as your relationship with two of the members of the band evolves.

author’s note: if you can’t tell where i’m going with this; then we’re two. but the writing bug bit me and i’m all out of bug spray.

also on ao3!

The dirt and broken bottles on the asphalt cracked loudly under your feet as you crossed the old pitiful road towards the back entrance of the Kaiserkeller to meet your bandmates for a night of senseless fun.

They had raved on and on for forever about the two new bands that had started to play there earlier that month and insisted that you just had to see them perform. You knew not much else than their apparent capabilities to play as your friends had neither disclosed their names or anything else, for some unknown reason.

It was early October and the few trees that proudly stood in the nearby patches of grass had turned various colours of yellows and oranges. It was all a pretty sight, really. Probably would be even more so during the day when it wasn’t highlighted by sharp neon and blinking lights from the nearby shops, nightclubs and what else.

You went around the building to the front entrance and looked around. The line wasn’t terribly long, it being late in the night on a typical workday. On the other side of the street stood men promoting their business, trying to lure tourists and locals equally inside. Few pairs of sex workers stood scattered around, scantily clothed as they waited for customers.

You went straight to the bouncer and in, alright, German explained that your friends were already inside. It was a tough sell but eventually, with your grace and charm (and a few marks), he let up and stepped aside so you could pass. Good thing your German was more than adequate, otherwise, it would have been completely impossible. Few locals had the patience for English speakers.

The inside of the club was warm and you immediately shredded your vintage long coat, bought cheaply in a flea market once upon a noon, exposing your navy blue t-shirt that fitted tightly around you and one you thought made you look very attractive, if you could be so bold to say.

You headed straight to the bar as you decided to grab a beer before you went looking for your friends, or before they found you. Either way, beer was the main priority.

You shoved yourself through the crowd of dancing and talking people, careful in pushing them aside as you neither were in the mood for getting drinks spilt on you or getting hit by some pissed German; pissed in both senses of the word, mind.

The bar wasn’t all too busy as most people were far too focused on the performing band. You quickly ordered your drink in German and glanced to the stage.

The lead singer looked tall from where you stood. Blonde and in a bright blue suit, matching the technicolour pink suits of the rest of the band. He was attractive and while you had heard better singing; it wasn’t all too bad.

Though what grasped your attention more so was the drumming. A good beat and great timing, something you could imagine would at least have had your own drummers attention. Nevermind that, the man behind the set was interesting as well. Hair in a messy quiff that curled at its edges; presumably from sweat, with a prominent white streak going down one side of his hair. Genetic or dyed, you couldn’t tell from this distance. His drooping eyes and large nose made him look rather intimidating, though admittedly; it gave you a different effect than fear and thoughts of what those hands could do arose in your mind.

Man, not even halfway through your beer and your thoughts were getting frisky… This could turn into an interesting night.

You bottomed your drink. The warm and stinging sensation as it went through your throat was just what you needed. You turned away from the stage and leaned your back against the bar, nodding along to the beat, and looked around the large room and over the crowds.

You easily found them. Booker, your bassist, had his arm slung over the shoulder of your eternally sulking drummer, Wolfgang. The local to the area of the band and a man who had been an enormous help in communicating with managers and finding food and board. Not only because of his fluency in German but also because he was simply more logically minded than other two of the band. And even if you were the official leader of the band; you just never had patience with men in suits.

You sneaked your way over to them; slowly, in hopes of taking them by surprise. The last member of your band, Charlie, spotted you but as you showed him the universal sigh of ‘keep quiet’ and silently shushed him. He rolled his eyes with a small smirk and went back to his conversation with a young brunette at his side.

And, well, it was pretty easy. Booker and Wolfgang both had their backs to you. Booker too distracted by his own loud voice. Wolfgang probably trying his best not to kill the guy and doing his best to just watch the performing band.

And, so it was incredibly hilarious when you finally got up behind them and yelled in their ears.

The music stilled for a short second before picking up again at the commotion you had created by taking Booker by a big enough surprise that he fell off his chair with a yelp, dragging Wolfgang down with him as his arm was still around the poor man.

You stared down at them while laughing loudly.

“Guten Abend,” you managed to push through your laughter as Booker blinked dumbfounded up at you with a Wolfgang pinned underneath his arm. Wolfgang threw off the renegade arm with a groan and quickly got to his feet with a scowl.

“I am getting a drink,” he growled and shoved past you. You weren’t worried about his anger. Pour a few beers in him and it’s all forgotten about. So you shrugged and dumped yourself down in his now abandoned seat while ignoring Booker’s struggles in getting back up.

“Not cool,” Booker muttered as he finally found his way back to his seat.

“So!” You energetically clasped your hands, getting Charlie’s attention back away from the girl, and looked to the stage. “This one of the bands you talked about?”

Charlie nodded, “yes. This is…,” there was a pause as he was trying to remember, ”Rory Storm and The Hurricanes-“ you snorted into your drink at the name, “-the other band we talked about will be on afterwards.”

“And they are…?”

“The Beatles!” The woman beside Charlie erupted with a bright smile, taking you slightly by surprise as you had completely forgotten she was even there. Clearly a fan. Charlie glanced shortly at her before looking back at you.

“You’ve heard them before?” You asked the stranger.

“Oh, yes! They’re great! And so cute,” she gushed. She was clearly blushing and you assumed it was from the thoughts of these Beatles guys rather than the warmth of the room. Charlie seemed mildly irritated at the prospect of new competition.

You hummed in thought and looked to the stage. Cute, eh? We’ll see about that. So far the selection of cute guys was rather slim to none if the current band and your friends were ignored. Even slimmer when counting the possibilities of them even being interested in other men. You sighed; it was rough but you weren’t going to give up just yet.

The announcement of the band getting to their last number filled the room and was accepted with protests and groans; much to the amusements of the members of the band. The singer reassured the audience with charm that they would be on stage soon again and then continued informing them of when.

Just as they stepped off the stage, a new one entered. They were a sharp contrast to the colourful suits of the Hurricanes. All in this band but the drummer were dressed in attire typical of what was pretty known as Teddy Boys back in England. Leather jackets and drainpipe trousers abound. They also wore boots with what looked like thick heels. Much more rough in appearance than the band before them, so much you could say.

The leader, or so you assumed, stepped to the mic with a guitar in hand and introduced them as The Beatles. Huh.

He introduced himself as John. His eyes were slim and narrowed. And though you couldn’t see the form of his nose from where you sat; it had a prominent presence on his face. He wasn’t… unattractive, with his leather jacket and quiff he actually made a striking picture.

He made a few jokes, none were paid attention to as you were far too busy studying him and the other members.

On both his sides stood two men; one with a guitar and one with a bass. The bassist looked bored. Or unimpressed by something, you couldn’t tell. He wore dark shades that helped to give him a mysterious air around him. But honestly, it made you lose your interest in him.

So you looked to guitarist and found that you had to begrudgingly agree with Charlie’s date.

He was cute. With a baby face, high raised eyebrows and pouting lips; he stood out from the otherwise masculine players of the band. Sure, he tried to fit in with his hairstyle and similar clothes but he still lacked the rough edges and defined jaws that the members had.

Speaking of; the last member for you to look at had some prominent cheekbones and jaw. But what most stood out to you about how was how young he looked. Surely he didn’t belong in a bar? You could be wrong but, man, you felt a protective instinct rush over as you watched him play.

You had studied them for a while now and they were well into their second number as you looked at them in silence. It wasn’t until you felt a tab on your shoulder that you finally looked away from them.

“Seeing something you like?” Booker smirked at you from his seat next to you. He probably knew that you had at your uncharacteristic silence. You huffed in response and took a big sip from his large glass of lager.

“Hey, get your own, you cheap ass,” he pulled the glass away from you as you snickered. The amber liquid almost spilt over the edge of the glass as it was pulled across the table. You glanced to the bar and saw that some of the band members from That Guy and The Hurricanes stood at the bar.

“...Maybe I will,” you muttered and stood up with your eyes back unto the stage. They were deep into a Buddy Holly number and as you went across the room to the bar; your eyes met with the leaders as he sang. A chill shot through, one which you ignored and chalked up to be the drinks getting to you. You broke the staring contest and continued to the bar.

There you found Wolfgang grovelling with a woman hanging on his arm. It seemed his dark and mysterious act was having some success. Now, it was up to you if you wanted to meddle in that or not. You know, for the hell of it.

You decided to get a drink first and see where it went from there.

A bejewelled hand rested around a glass beside you as you leaned across the bar due to the lack of available stools. The hand was large and masculine, adorned with multiple rings. Curious, you looked to your right and saw that it was the drummer from the previous band. He was alone, the rest of the members scattered around the bar, and still wore the brightly coloured suit.

And as you got your drink; you turned to face him and asked, “hey, you’re a Hurricane, right?”

He turned to you, confusion clear on his face, and blinked. It was rather cute and did its work on slowly tearing down the otherwise intimidating look he had about him.

After a few seconds, he chuckled with a slight nod of his head, “I am.”

You smiled and reached your hand out for him to shake. “First time seeing your guys today but I gotta say; already a fan. Of you especially.” Your hand was met with the mixings of warm skin and cool metal of his rings. It was a nice sensation on your heated skin. He thanked you with sweet laughter.

“Now,” you leaned forward, “doesn’t this joint have a backstage room for stars like you to hang around in?” You finished off with a slow sip of your beer.

“Yes, but they don’t serve beer there. Nor do they have the presence of delightful company of men like you,” he leaned forward too and you said with a low hum, “well, that could quickly be arranged.” His brow raised as he smirked but just as he opened his mouth to say something; you felt a tab on your shoulder and you sighed, closing your eyes for just a second before turning around.

It was Booker with a red-headed girl hanging around his arm.

You raised your brow at him; indication for him to speak.

“This is, um, Flora. And we gotta, uh, go. Home. Now,” he nodded. Most likely to himself than anyone else. He was drunk. You hadn’t been at the club for long so either he and the others had been here early, or Booker suddenly had been busy while you weren’t looking.

“...Sure, you go do that.”

You weren’t quite fond of having been interrupted in your chat with the drummer… Who’s name you realised you still didn’t know. But you understood why you had been. The four of you in the band shared an apartment so it was important to know when there were guests.

Booker left and you turned back to face the attractive drummer only to find him missing.

“Damn it,” you whispered to yourself and gave all your attention into your beer as you looked around the room to see if you could spot him.

You had no such luck and you soon resigned yourself to watching the band. The babyface was singing now. And for all his adorable traits, your eyes constantly wandered to the leader who was strumming along with the beat on his guitar.

Why? You weren’t incredibly attracted to him and yet there was something that drew your eyes to him. And how his fingers moved across the strings. Could it be his defined jaw or narrow eyes that drew you? Or simply the way he played?

You had to distract yourself away from… that. And so you looked anywhere else until your eyes landed on your former table where Charlie now sat alone. Your eyes met and you waved him over.

“What happened to the bird?” You asked him after he ordered a beer.

“A hurricane swept her up,” he answered and causing you to snicker. He shortly frowned before joining in on the laughter.

Something was tucking your gut and you asked, “short one with a white streak in his hair?”

He nodded as he drank from his glass.

Damn.

“So,” quickly changing the topic from your defeat, “Booker left. With a girl.”

He nodded.

“And where’s Wolf?” You asked and looked around. You hadn’t seen him in a while and, honestly, you were starting to fear he was mad at you.

“He left. Probably to have a shag on your bed,” he laughed and patted you on the back. Fuck. Definitely still mad then.

You sighed, “so much for a guys night out, eh?”

Charlie just shrugged, “it always goes like this so it’s no big surprise, really.”

You nodded with a sigh as he looked around the bar. “Now let’s find you a handsome lad so you’re not the odd one out when we get back.”

You were lucky with friends like these. Homosexuality was not something that was discussed. It was frowned upon. And more importantly; it was downright illegal. Though the legality of things was constantly ignored in this neighbourhood. And same-sex relationships weren’t exactly uncommon. Your friends were understanding for the most part. While they didn’t pretend to understand it, the certainty tried. And would defend you when the need to arose. And you would forever be grateful about it.

But getting back to the topic, you asked Charlie; “And what about you?”

“I got me trusty hand,” he laughed and you rolled your eyes at him before breaking out in a burst of tipsy wheezing laughter.

Hours passed of fooling around and joking. And drinking. Neither of you had felt a hurry to get anywhere or get with anyone.

You didn’t know how many hours passed but it was enough for an entirely different band to be playing as you glanced up and over to the stage. Didn’t these bands perform for hours on end? Huh.

You looked around and saw that the crowd was significantly less crowded than a few hours ago. Or more than a few. Man, time could fly when you had fun.

Charlie had, with your permission, slinked off with a busty blonde only a few minutes prior which now left you to be all alone in the bar. Aside from the sea of strangers, of course. It was well past midnight and you were about to call it a day and bottom you lager when you felt a light shove on your right.

It was the baby faced guitarist from earlier. Though it weren’t him that had pushed you but rather a man whom he was having a heated discussion with. His back was turned to you but from the smooth leather jacket, you could only assume it was another Beatle. Auburn hair met the collar of the neck of the jacket and you tried to recall the different hair colours of the band. But the lighting of the stage had been to no help.

He backed into you again, almost causing you to spill your drink, and you sighed. You would have to say something to home but drunks could be so damn temperamental with a taste for blood. Eh, well, here goes nothing.

You tapped him on the shoulder and as he turned, you said; “guy, you need to watch your steps or I’m gonna spill my drink.” And turned back to quickly take a sip of said drink.

“And so what if you do?” Was barked right back at you and as you turned with a frown and slowly blinked as you faced the source. It was the frontman of The Beatles. Who was now stepping closer to you in a threatening fashion. Wonderful.

His breath smelled of alcohol and cigarettes and the way he looked down on at you affected you in such a way you felt that you should be ashamed of. But that could come later. Right now you needed to focus on not getting into a fight with a guy you’d rather do much else with. The young man behind him placed a gentle hand on his bicep as he whispered a name, John you thought you heard, but it was quickly pushed away.

“Look, pal,” you started but quickly was interrupted by a swinging fist.

Damnit.

#the beatles #john lennon #george harrison #paul mccartney #ringo starr #male reader #reader insert #reader #beatles fanfiction #fanfiction #fanfic #hamburg days #blue velvet fic

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