#Come Away film streaming gratuit

[comeawaystreamingvf]

Come Away Film Streaming VF 2020 Regarder Complet

Come Away Regarder Film - https://come-away-vf.blogspot.com/

Imaginez un mélange de JM Barrie et Lewis Carroll, avec un soupçon de Charles Dickens pour la misère victorienne et une distribution stellaire qui comprend Angelina Jolie, David Oyelowo et Michael Caine, et vous commencez à entendre "Come Away", une reprise engageante de " Peter Pan »et« Alice au pays des merveilles ». Ici, la scénariste Marissa Kate Goodhill imagine que Peter et Alice sont frères et sœurs, élevés dans la maison de campagne idyllique de Rose et Jack Littleton (Jolie et Oyelowo), parents aimants qui élèvent Peter, Alice et leur frère aîné, David, pour être Créatif. et les esprits libres. La maison Littleton est une admiration presque constante, car Alice (Keira Chansa) propose du thé pour son lapin en peluche bien-aimé, son miroir à main est généralement prêt, et comme Peter et David (Jordan A. Nash, Reece Yates) l'ont mis scène l'imaginaire. raid sur un navire abandonné découvert dans une rivière voisine.

C'est un concept intelligent et entre les mains de la réalisatrice Brenda Chapman («Brave»), il est exécuté avec bon goût et une riche palette visuelle. Faisant écho à des films récents tels que "L'histoire personnelle de David Copperfield" et "Enola Holmes", "Come Away" se déroule dans une Angleterre très pluraliste du XIXe siècle, donnant à l'histoire plus de vitalité et de résonance. (En plus de Caine et Derek Jacobi, qui apparaissent dans de brefs camées, le film est honoré par une représentation fantastique de Clarke Peters en tant que personnage au chapeau flamboyant du passé énigmatique de Jack Littleton.) Si le matériel thématique de «Comment Away »peut être parfois difficile et long (le film traite de la mortalité, de la dépendance et des dysfonctionnements familiaux, entre autres angoisses), Chapman l'anime avec les belles couleurs et textures du temps, en s'inspirant des motifs floraux de William. Morris sur les murs de Littleton, les velours et la dentelle extravagants portés par Rose et sa sœur affectée Eleanor (Anna Chancellor, dans sa forme la plus glorieusement imposante). Il y a des moments où la spéculation fanfique de "Come Away" semble très forcée et complètement absurde; l'intrigue probablement inévitable devient sommaire et l'état presque constant de la pensée magique trop collant et doux pour les mots. Mais la société est anoblie par le sens du style de Chapman et par une large gamme de performances, en particulier de Jolie et Oyelowo, ce dernier des producteurs du film. Comme Away, il n'est peut-être pas comparable aux histoires auxquelles il se réfère, mais il brille avec sa propre lumière illuminante et aspirante. PG. Disponible sur demande. Il contient de forts éléments thématiques matures, de la violence, une action fantastique et des images inquiétantes. 94 minutes. Brenda Chapman (Prince of Egypt, Brave) fait ses débuts en tant que réalisatrice avec cette comédie un peu charmante qui gagne de nombreux points pour avoir placé des acteurs non blancs dans des rôles traditionnellement inversés. Come Away (à ne pas confondre avec le récent Come Play) imaginez ce qui aurait pu se passer si Alice au pays des merveilles et Peter Pan avaient été frère et sœur. Alice (Keira Chansa) et Peter (Jordan A. Nash) partagent une enfance imaginative avec leur frère aîné David (Reece Yates), jouant aux pirates et buvant du thé; des épées et un bateau pirate remplacent comme par magie des bâtons et une vieille barque brisée. Ils aiment leur mère Rose (Angelina Jolie) et leur père Jack (David Oyelowo), qui vit en construisant des maquettes de bateaux. Malheureusement, une tragédie se produit, Rose commence à boire et Jack commence à jouer (et perd une vente importante), et c'est à Alice et Peter d'apporter un héritage familial spécial à Londres pour vendre et sauver la famille. Là, ils rencontreront de nombreux personnages et verront beaucoup de choses qui deviendront des éléments des célèbres livres de J.M. Barrie et Lewis Carroll et les fans s'amuseront à relier les points. Comme Away, il décolle plusieurs fois du sol, mais ne monte jamais trop haut; cela semble un peu sans magie. Mais ça vaut le coup d'œil et probablement mieux que Wendy de Benh Zeitlin plus tôt cette année. Gugu Mbatha-Raw apparaît comme Alice adulte dans un dispositif d'encadrement. Pour certains, la perspective que l'ancienne réalisatrice de Pixar Brenda Chapman ("Brave") fasse ses débuts en direct rendra "Come Away" passionnant. Pour d'autres, c'est le concept littéraire du film qui séduit: et si Alice au pays des merveilles et Peter Pan étaient frères? Et puis il y a le casting d'Angelina Jolie et David Oyelowo en tant que parents, qui suggèrent certaines possibilités quant à la façon dont l'histoire peut gérer certaines dynamiques sociales qui sont rarement examinées dans sa période historique - des possibilités que les trolls Internet ont prises. ciblez les commentaires racistes.

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[josy57]

Philosophy 101 (reprise)

Philosophy 101

I.

It's now drawing to a close, This encore, this year as an echo I will depart again shortly and this time, it will be for good So this is a curtain call A bow so low my forehead grazes these old floorboards Their wood creaking untold secrets Splintering under the weight The compounded stampede of dozens of generations Layer after layer of teenage specters Hurrying down the hallways long after the bell has rung I watch them shuffle away Knowing I’ll soon join their fading ranks

This last month will unfold as a slow ritual Counting the steps of every flight of stairs Touching each wall, each yellowish stone Following the grooves in the bark of the chestnut tree in the courtyard Letting it memorize the swirling lines on my finger tips This place and I, united in shared remembering

II.

Yesterday I came back to your class For the sake of circularity So things can conclude as they began A page folding on itself in perfect Rorschach symmetry That day, the topic was freedom Whether such a thing even exists Whether man stands above Nature He alone, capable of choice Or whether we, like every other creature Are subject to the same cruel, unchanging rules Living on a tight leash A chain of causes and effects That, try as we might, we can never escape Are we tossed about in an uncertain flight By a thousand random happenings By our own misguided decisions? Or do we suffer to a precisely set tune As sure as water's boiling point Or the orbit of celestial bodies?

I jotted down your every word In a comfortably familiar frenzy But this time around, unlike I used to at seventeen I kept my mouth shut I did not raise my hand to offer my observations To remark that the question of free will can be rephrased thus: Is life drama or tragedy? Did we get a chance and failed? Was there a way out of the maze we missed? Or do we walk, from cradle to grave, in a trench so deep We never see the sky The hedges around us shifting Giving only the illusion of diverging paths?

III.

You don't say it, but I have an inkling what side you favor And so I’m curious what you think How you make sense of my presence here How you fill in the blanks In your attempt to unravel the strings of consequences That led me right back to where you first met me Part of the answer is that I love this place That in many ways, I was born here It was where my life first became something I actually wanted to live I emerged from the mire, a soot-black mass of clay And slowly took form Like a flipbook of evolution A fish out of water, growing lungs, legs And painstakingly becoming human Learning to stand, to pile each vertebra like a game of Jenga And see the horizon

Yes, these corridors, these classrooms That's where I discovered the great loves that shaped me Language, poetry, and him Because, of course, the truth is that he had a hand in it In my second coming I returned, not searching for myself but for a ghostly closeness to him Whichever spin you’d like to put on it He was my fate, the gravitational force pulling me in

I know you would not approve You never did like him But following your logic, you cannot blame me It'd be ironic for you to throw the first stone After explaining that a pebble thinks itself free Only because it doesn't know who cast it Pathetic as it is, it was all written from the start There is no alternative version of that story In which we pass each other by without a hitch Without some part of me getting caught and torn clean off The ripping sounding like a great gust of wind I love him and it's enmeshed in everything In the grief I feel at the thought of leaving once more No one in this world knows the extent of it How long I've carried it with me, How marrow-deep it runs But this place does It knew and held both him and me Enclosed together Two chambers in the same beating heart

You'd probably laugh at all my pretty excuses You explained that every action, even the seemingly gratuitous Is only us acting out some forgotten trauma Some imprint left on an impressionable mind So early the slate was wiped clean but the mark remained You'd most likely say that this fluttering in my chest Is just me trembling in the aftershock Of something from childhood that shook a screw loose Those insane recurring thoughts, merely its rattling in my brain And you’re likely not wrong It fits neatly, doesn’t it? The girl whom no one loved Choosing a boy who won’t ever look at her Because of the familiar dynamics The safe, distant yearning Or because of the mad thought That changing his mind would shift the whole world

IV.

Still, even if it did not come down To a simple game of mechanics If it wasn't ordained or predetermined It would still mean something That you and I stand here again That I have passed my disease along I can see it Kind as you are, it permeates our clumsy exchanges As we watch each other, you peer into me Trying, through the cloudy film of today Through the tarnishing of the last ten years To catch the gaze of the stubborn, bright, smart-mouthed girl Who once sat in the front row You wade against the current, And see the past, alive, squirming silver Strikingly vivid in the murky stream of present consciousness If I could speak plainly and turn the tables on you That’s the answer I would give That’s what I would teach A lesson like a curse Those who cannot seize the day Strive to recapture the eve Groping blindly for what couldn’t be grasped Closure or justice or vengeance Those who did not live the first time around are bound to return.

@lexiklecksi  @distilled-prose

[aion-rsa]

Anime For Beginners: Best Genres and Series to Watch

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The past decade has seen anime’s popularity increase in dramatic ways, whether through a much broader spectrum of series receiving dubs, the growing success of anime feature films in theaters, or the sudden prominence of streaming services. There’s never been a better time to be an anime fan and the medium has become more accessible than ever. There’s a lot of anime out there, but the wealth of new series can often blend together or not be given a fair chance. Additionally, there are definitely certain types of anime that are more prominently showcased outside of Japan. 

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For the uninitiated it’s easy to assume that anime consists of giant robots, monsters that battle, and strong fighters and magical girls that transform, but that’s really just a fraction of what the medium has to offer. Words like shonen, shojo, isekai, and even reverse harem are used in reference to anime, which can sometimes feel overwhelming when someone just wants to watch a silly romantic comedy or superhero clone. Here’s a helpful breakdown of all of the major anime genres and where to get started with them all.

Shonen

The shonen genre is by far the most popular brand of anime and the majority of breakout hits and major successes like Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, and One Piece all fit into the shonen brand. What’s interesting about anime genres is that they’re treated more like demographics and shonen is content that caters to boys with a young male protagonist. Shonen is so accessible because beyond this basic disclaimer, it’s able to cover a wide berth of content and a show like My Hero Academia can be completely different from Yu Yu Hakusho, yet they can still fall back on the same values. 

Shonen anime has largely been generalized to be series that feature lots of fighting and battles, which isn’t always the case, but has become quite representative of the genre. Shonen series are ideal for people that want lots of action and are hungry for a show that has hundreds of episodes to consume.

Notable Series To Watch: Yu Yu Hakusho, Hunter x Hunter, My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Attack On Titan

Shojo

Shojo is the female counterpart to the shonen genre that caters towards an audience of girls rather than boys. The shojo genre isn’t entirely bereft of battles, but it’s a style of anime where relationships and emotional drama is the priority or the source of power. There are many eclectic kinds of shojo series that are content to explore awkward relationship drama where there’s typically some kind of atypical supernatural element afoot. 

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However, the most popular style of shojo that’s largely become emblematic of the genre are “magical girl” series where regular girls transform into powerful warriors. There’s also typically a bright and pastoral aesthetic to shojo series and characters, both female and male, are beautified. Shojo anime is absolutely the place where the power of love will triumph over evil.

Notable Series To Watch: Sailor Moon, Cardcaptor Sakura, Fruits Basket, Vampire Knight, My Love Story!!

Seinen

Seinen is the R-rated evolution of the shonen genre that’s geared towards a more adult male audience that can handle mature storytelling. That’s not to say that shonen series can’t be violent or deal with adult situations, but seinen series often center around antiheroes and adult characters who are disenfranchised as opposed to optimistic youth that want to save the future. 

Some of the most sophisticated and challenging anime series come out of the seinen genre and it’s a great place for people to jump in that are looking for a story that’s not overly drawn out and achieves the same dramatic peaks as prestige television. Seinen once more comes down to the viewers’ preferences and there are science fiction, horror, and fantasy seinen shows that all deconstruct their material in different ways. As a point of comparison, major anime movies like Akira or Ghost in the Shell both fit into the seinen genre.

Notable Series To Watch: Kill La Kill, Berserk, Ping Pong The Animation, Vinland Saga, Dorohedoro

Josei

Josei is the more mature version of shojo content and it’s full of series that are designed for women as opposed to girls. Romance is a big component of josei series, but it’s more concerned about the harsh realities behind relationships than the flirtatious courtship that kicks things off. Josei love stories are messy and full of heartbreak and they’re less romanticized than shojo’s interpretation of love. 

A trashy way of putting it would be to say that Twilight is shojo, but Fifty Shades of Grey is seinen. Matters of the heart don’t always have to fuel josei series and there are also plenty of shows that center around adult women as they negotiate through professional and creative endeavors. It’s a place to find less flowery female-driven stories.

Notable Series To Watch: Chihayafuru, The Gokusen, Honey And Clover, Nana, Princess Jellyfish

Isekai

The isekai genre is perfect for fans of fantasy and this style of anime has become wildly popular over the course of the past decade. Isekai anime is any show where a character gets transported away to a fantastical new world. It’s a classic storytelling idea, but anime has been able to run with it in some creative new ways. There’s an abundance of isekai series that incorporate video game aesthetics and there are now just as many series where characters are trapped in a video game world than some alternate fantasy dimension. 

Isekai can focus on the protagonist’s mission to return home, act as a savior in their new world, or simply kill time and enjoy the vacation. There are even reverse isekai anime where a supernatural character gets stuck on Earth and must acclimate. Arguably the biggest most mainstream example of isekai content is Spirited Away, but even something as foundational as Alice in Wonderland would qualify.

Notable Series To Watch: Overlord, Re: Zero – Starting Life In Another World, That Time I Got Reincarnated Into A Slime, KonoSuba, No Game No Life

Ecchi

Ecchi is that brand of anime that’s generalized to be the oversexed content that’s likely to make someone blush if they were watching it in public. Ecchi is any sort of anime series that prioritizes a certain sexiness and isn’t afraid to showcase its assets and indulge in “fan service.” Ecchi anime usually has a lot of skin on display, but it’s far from empty content and there’s an important distinction between something like this and actual pornography. 

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Ecchi series titillate, but they still are concerned about their story and characters. There’s inevitably going to be some overlap between ecchi and seinen content (Kill La Kill is a series that really tows the line between both), but there’s often more of a gratuitous playfulness that drives ecchi content. Sexualized characters may bring in the audience, but the series are still deep enough to maintain their interests.

Notable Series To Watch: High School DxD, High School Of The Dead, Rosario To Vampire, Strike The Blood, Prison School

Mecha

Mecha anime are widely prominent and the visual of gigantic robots locked in combat as they fly through outer space feels like a tentpole of the anime industry. There’s a large awareness towards mecha series and it’s even entered mainstream live-action content through works like Pacific Rim. However, this visibility also makes mecha content easy to generalize and some may write it off without understanding the versatility of the genre. Mecha anime can be broken down further into real robot and super robot series, each of which apply a different level of realism to these unrealistic creations. 

Real robot series might focus more on the humans that pilot the machines and the politics that surround mecha, whereas super robot content can feature robots that destroy planets with giant lasers. There can be a lot of gratuitous action in mecha series, but the human element in shows like Appleseed and Neon Genesis Evangelion, or how various Mobile Suit Gundam properties are dedicated to the casualties of war, is proof that mecha anime can be a lot more than just giant robot battles.

Notable Series To Watch: Mobile Suit Gundam, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Appleseed, Mobile Police Patlabor, Neon Genesis Evangelion

Harem

Romance is popular in any medium and there’s often exceptional tension that’s created from out of a love triangle. One genre of anime takes that idea and seriously exaggerates it in a way that can sometimes be problematic, but has spawned a popular style of anime all the same. Harem series center around a hapless male protagonist who stumbles into some incredible situation where a large group of girls–all of contrasting personalities–fall head-over-heels in love with him. 

Harem anime can come across as baseless wish fulfillment fantasy, but the broad structure allows many other genres to mix together with it in a productive way. A lot of the time these series will center on the actual characters and the complex relationship dynamics involved and try to say something that may not be explored in a josei or ecchi series. There are also reverse harem series, which take the same idea, but flip the genders where multiple men fawn over a woman.

Notable Series To Watch: Tenchi Muyo!, The World Only God Knows, Nisekoi, To LOVE-Ru, Ouran High School Host Club

Gag

Anime series are able to achieve a lot of things that just can’t be accomplished in other forms of animation or programming. Comedy is something that’s able to connect extremely hard in anime and operate at an absurdist level that uses visuals, timing, and premises that are rare to find elsewhere. Many anime series have a sense of humor or are even specifically designed as comedies, but gag anime are a different breed that operate at an overwhelmingly relentless pace. 

Reality and the fourth wall are just things to break in gag series, which often engage in wild parodies and lampshade anime as a whole. Some gag anime have extended storylines, but they often operate in shorter vignette style sequences that allow the comedy to really pop. Gag anime thrive in pop culture references and some of the hardest times I’ve laughed in my entire life have been at gag series like Mr. Osomatsu and Gintama where comedy is king.

Notable Series To Watch: Gintama, The Disastrous Life Of Saiki K, Pop Team Epic!, Mr. Osomatsu, Excel Saga 

Slice Of Life

Slice of life anime are those endlessly soothing series that don’t try to create major spectacles where the planet is at risk, but instead celebrate the mundanity of life. Slice of life series may center around the staff at a job, a group of friends in a high school club, or just a loner that’s moved to a new community. These are series that elegantly display the tiny moments that make life important and the bonds that create eternal friendships.

The stakes are often more muted in slice of life anime, but that doesn’t mean that they’re without tension or can’t dabble in fantastical material. There are still slice of life anime series that involve magical creatures or are set in unbelievable worlds. It’s sometimes even more humbling to learn that some planet in a far away solar system has a struggling chess club or that a dinosaur can be obsessed with different brands of candy.

Notable Series To Watch: The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya, Toradora!, K-On!, Dagashi Kashi, Clannad

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[jj-lynn21]

Thank you, Mommy: Bill Skarsgard (AU) & X-reader/Princess

Warnings/Notes: Smut and fluff. Happy Mother’s Day to all kinds of Mommy’s taking care of their loved ones

 Bill reads over a new script he got in the mail. As he reads the script for the third time, he tries out different vernaculars and facial expressions for the character. The writer and director want him to send in a video test screen. This is the new normal for his audition process.

With not much to get in the way of the creative process since everyone is still on lockdown in Los Angeles, screen writers are turning out loads of projects. Meetings with studios and directs are all on video conferencing. The Corona-19 virus may have brought filming to a halt, but it could not stop future projects from starting. Bill gets a load of scripts in the mail daily. He reads over the synopsis before deciding if he wants to dive into the whole thing.

While he is working in his office you spend your time cleaning, reading, and watching either television or a movie. He only locks himself away for four to six hours a day. Sometimes a few hours more or a few less. You think this is definitely better than when he was gone for months at a time. Having Bill with you every day is a good dream you do not want to wake from.

On the other hand, Bill did not know when he would be working again. He has always saved for a rainy day. The two of you were never that extravagant on purchases but since the CDC and WHO suggested the virus could quarantine some people for up to eighteen months, he wanted to make sure money would last. No more random shopping online. He assured you, you had enough cloths. He would stop ripping your under garments off in the throes of passion so you did not have to replace them. He stopped the house keeping service not wanting anyone in and out of your home, so that saved money.  

Bill did not think you needed to worry about money with as much as he saved for a rainy day, but it was best to cut back on just a few things. He still had residual checks being deposited from merchandise sales for movies and memorabilia people were still buying. Right now, movie sales and rentals were up since everyone stayed home more so he still had a steady income. He was glad he opted in for a part of sales over a bigger paycheck.

 You laid on the couch. Feet flung up on the arm. A few pillows under your head in the center. You were reading The Institute by Steven King. Getting the chills, you decided to put the book down to watch something with some comedy in it. You flip on the television to Hulu. The first thing listed is Villains. You giggle that your man’s movie is the number one suggestion, as it should be.

Bill never watches his own movies unless he was forced to do it at a premiere. He fidgets the whole time. Picks out things he thinks he did wrong. Talks to you for hours after about how he could have done things different or better. You tell him how much you loved the acting choices he made. And remind him of the crowd’s reaction. He still insists he could have done better.

Since he should be in his office for three more hours you decide to watch. You were not able to make the film festival premiere, so you never got to watch this film yet. You prop your pillow against the arm rest so you can comfortably snuggle in to watch Villains.

You giggle a few times. Smirk as THAT ACTRESS gropes your man. Of course, you are not jealous. You know it is all part of the job. Plus, you watched him bang a chick up against a wall and do other things much more gratuitous than this. Then you bit your lip when Mickey was handcuffed to the bed letting out a slight, “Oh,”.

When Mickey says, “I know I was a bad boy. But I promise you I’ll be a good boy if you just give me one more chance, Mommy.” Your eyes are wide.

“Fuck,” you murmur as you continue to watch.

You go through the gambit of emotions while watching the rest of the movie. By the end your knees are curled into your chest as you ball your eyes out. Blanket wrapped around you. You use it to bury your head down as you continue to sop.

Bill sits next to you. He takes the controller and turns the television off. Then he pulls you into his arms. “Its just a movie Princess. I’m right here. I’m fine.’

“But Mickey’s not fine, Bill.” You look up at him tears still streaming down your face.

Bill’s lip twitches as he does his best not to laugh, “It wasn’t all sad. I heard you laughing. And um other sounds come out of your mouth while you were watching.” He pauses a few seconds, “Mommy.”

You stare at him frozen for a minute, “How long were you watching?”

“I was watching your reaction for long enough,” Bill grinned.

You blushed, “how was work today? Any great scripts come your way?” You change the subject.

“Some possibilities,” Bill leaned in to give you a lingering kiss. The blanket you held in front of you slid to the floor. “I want to wait until dusk to record a video outside of me as one of the characters that intrigued me.” He kisses you deeper as you slide under him. One of his hands reached to slide off your shorts and panties. “You will always be the best part of my life.”

Bill stood to strip his dress cloths off. He still dressed as if going to an important meeting daily, incase he had to video chat with industry people. You pulled off your shirt and sports bra as you looked up at his perfect body. He leaned down to swoop you up. You held on to his neck kissing along his jaw as he carries you upstairs to the bedroom.

He puts you down in the bed slowly as he hovered a moment with a sweet smile on his face. He grabs a condom from the draw putting it on quickly. Then pushed some phantom hair from your forehead. Repeated himself in a huskier tone that gave you chills, “you will always be the best part of my life.” Bill linked his hands with yours as he slid inside with low groan.

You whine as he filled you. He moved slower than his usual pace. It was almost torcher as your passion built up.

“Are you alright?” he murmured as he looked down at you so innocently.

“Yes,” you murmured looking in his eyes as you figured out why he seemed different.

He picked up speed with his thrusts. You mewed as you dug your fingernails into his back. You rolled your hips harder into his every thrust. He sucks in his breath. Then lets out a whine. He changed potions slight to go into it to hit your g-spot. You moan out as your orgasm hit your body. Head back as your mouth forms the perfect O. Bill breaths heavily as his balls tighten. He groans three times before he finishes. Forehead to yours as he slows.

He kisses you softly before pulls out to lay beside you., “Nothing will ever feel like this again.” Bill tosses the condom in the bedside trashcan. he  pulls you to him holding you closes quietly for while before speaking, “I hope you didn’t mind helping me getting ready, Princess. It wasn’t the same, but it was still good, right?”

You turned to look at him your hand stroked his cheek, “whatever I can do to help. You need me to be your camera person tonight?”

“Can you tape me without giving any emotional response until I am done runny through it a few times?” Bill said seriously.

“I could try,” You murmured.

“How about you make us some dinner while I work.” He kisses your lips before getting up. “I don’t want to ruin anything for you in case I get it.”

“You are so secretive about your projects,” you giggle. “I love it. I’ll make us some bison burgers and poutine. You go do your thing. Break a leg.”

Bill puts on the loosest fitting jeans he has that he uses for auditions. And a dark blue t-shirt. His cloths need to be within the character description but not take away from the dialogue.  He heads out by the pool where the twinkling hanging lights illuminate his face perfectly as he sits in a straight back chair. Two tables are setup in front of him. One for him to rest his hands on fingers laced together, forehead down touching them to start. The other table is where his phone sits on a tripod. He let the camera start filming as he positioned himself. He looks up at the camera. Eyes red as if he had not slept or has been crying. He starts his monologue.

“As I said, we had our first date night. She invited me inside. While we watched a movie, I leaned in to give her a lingering kiss. She turned off the television. I slide her panties off. She took her shirt and bra off as I took my cloths off. I kissed her again and picked her up to take her upstairs. She told me where to go. I laid her down softly. Slowly penetrated her. I know it sounds strange for a first date, but I told her how she would always be,” his voice hitched as tears streamed. “the best part of my life. She was. We had been video chatting for six months before this first date. I thought the sex was good for our first time. I took her slow and easy. I would never hurt her.” He pounded on the table. Paused a few moments reacting as if someone else was speaking. “I’m sorry. After I went outside for a smoke,” He voice crescendos, “I do not fucking know what happened.”

Bill performed this monologue for the camera on his phone a dozen more times different ways before calling it a night. As soon as he slid the glass door open the aroma of what you made him made him smile. He practically floated into the kitchen. You were setting the dining room table when you saw him. His eyes still red.

“No picking at the poutine Bill,” You knew he was going to if you didn’t stop him. “I poured the wine. Come sit. I hope your eyes aren’t red because you didn’t like how your video turned out.”

He walked over wrapping his arms around you, “I still have to edit which performance I want to send but I did the best I could. Had to make myself look upset so that is why my eyes are still all red.” He kisses you on the cheek and sits down.

“If your character cries, I’m going to cry,” you pout.

“Sometimes that’s the point, Princess,” he grins.

The next couple of weeks you notice he is growing some facial hair. Getting a bit sexy scruffy. You love the feel of it when he goes down on you. The more his mustache and slight hair under his chin come in the better you like it. Of course, you love him clean shaven. But something different is great to. It must be for some role he needs to send a tape in for, you think.

You lay in bed snuggling. Tomorrow is Mother’s Day.

“We have to make sure we video chat our Mother’s tomorrow.” You remind him.

His lips resting on the back of your neck as he dozes off, he murmurs, “ok.”

When you wake, you sit up and stretch before seeing Bill at the door holding a tray with your breakfast. “Oh, breakfast in bed.” You smile.

Bill puts the tray on your lap. He nuzzles his nose through your crazy morning hair to whisper low and airy, “I wanted to do something special for you today,” he pauses for effect, “Mommy.”

Your body stiffens. You hold your breath a moment. Did you hear him correctly?

“I’ll try to be a good baby boy today, Mommy.” He murmured. “If I’m not you can punish me, Mommy.” He got up and went to the toy chest. Tossed the handcuffs on the end of the bed. “I’ll try to be good, honest.” He snuggles back by your side kissing on your neck.

“Um let Mommy eat baby boy.” You manage. “Be a uh good boy.”

He looks at you pouting, “I need to touch you.”

“After I eat sweet boy or Mommy will have to punish you.” You try not to laugh but you are also very turned on by this little game Bill has devised.

As soon as you drink your coffee and have eaten a few bites of breakfast he starts nuzzling against you again. Kissing the back of your ear. Sucking on your neck. You love it but you also told him to wait until you were finished.

“Stop,” you ordered. “Mommy told you not to do that until she was finished. “

“But Mommy,” Bill whines. “I don’t want to stop.”

“Take the tray to the kitchen,” you took your last bite.

He got up reluctantly, grabbed the tray and gave you a big pouty face at the door before turning away.

“Come right back here when you are done young man,” you commanded. You giggled when he left.

He heard you and grinned. It all felt a little strange for Bill to not really be the dominate personality you usually craved him to be, but he also noticed you were enjoying this game so would keep it up just for you.

You attached the cuffs to the headboard how he always did. When he came back you were standing the end of the bed with a sweet smile on your face, “You’ve been a bad boy.” You smacked him lightly across the face. Then bit your lip hoping you didn’t go too far.

Bill looked shocked for a moment. “I’m sorry I didn’t let you eat your breakfast in peace Mommy.” His bottom lip stuck out.

“You know you have to be punished for being a bad boy.” You grinned. “Go on, go on. Get in bed. No touching Mommy now since you did it when I said no.”

“Yes, Mommy,” Bill whispered.

He got into bed. Your hips grinding against him as you put his wrists in the cuffs. You leaned back up on your knees looking at him in this position.

“Mommy?” he whispered as you did nothing for a for moments. “You alright?”

You leaned back to kiss up his neck. Lips brush over his as you murmur, “Such a good boy.”

You get up to take your panties off. You go to the bed and slide your hand up his leg. “Big boy needs to come out and play?”

Bill’s cock twitches, “Yes, Mommy.” He sucks in his breath. Then lets it out slowly.

You pull his boxers off. Kiss his tip making his cock rise completely. You straddle him not easing down until you kiss his lip. His eyes wide watching you as you take him in with a small whimper. He pulls at the restraints. He loves putting his hand on your tits running them down to your hips as you ride. He seethes pulling at the restraints more as you roll your hips getting into a good rhythm.

“Mommy, please let me touch you,” Bill begs as he pushes up into you powerfully.

“Patience,” you breath heavily.

You undo the cuff whimpering as he slides out a little. Bill sits up. Looking right in your eyes as he positions you over his lap better. Your knees up around his body. You both gasp for breath as his thrusts hit your core. Panting he keeps eye contact.

“Fuck, I love you.” He manages between breaths. “I should, I should pull out. No condom.”

“Don’t stop, don’t stop,” you moan. “almost there. Don’t stop.”

He holds your back. Your arm wrapped around him. Fingers holding on to his shoulder blades. Moving together in perfect sync. Your back arches as you come. Bill can’t help himself as your walls squeeze his phallus, he paints them with his seed. Your foreheads find there way to one another as he slows inside you. He lays back pulling you with him. You stay there a few moments catching your breath. Then lays beside him.

“I love you to,” she sighed exhausted.

“Happy, Mommy’s Day.” Bill pulls you in to spoon as he drifts off to sleep.

You giggle holding his hand close to your heart ready to rest.

[bitsandbobsandstuff]

Best. Date. Ever.

Summary: This wasn’t quite what you had in mind.

Characters: Bucky x Reader Warnings: Bad language. A smidgen of murder. A splash of fluff.

A/N: This was written for the lovely @abovethesmokestacks ‘s summer challenge, and I’m a slacker who’s a week late, so thank goodness Pia’s amazing! This story came about because I was seriously coveting these shoes and because Pia gave me a super cheeky dialogue prompt, which you’ll find bolded in the story. Enjoy!

A/N 2: Check out Best. Proposal. Ever. to read more of these two!

If you want on or off the tag list, send me an ask!

MASTERLIST 

Dress up, he ordered. Something fancy and sexy. I got a plan.

It sounded promising. A night at the ballet perhaps, or tickets to the opera. Dinner and dancing, maybe. Something classy. Something elegant.

After eyeing them in the window, you decide to buy that pair of outrageously expensive Jimmy Choo’s for the evening, anticipating something spectacular.

Well.

It was something alright.

*****

Black satin clutch tucked tight beneath your arm.

Quiet steps on the balls on your feet.

Gun drawn, cocked and aimed, you tiptoe down the dim hallway, keeping to the shadows, avoiding the puddles of yellow light spilling from vintage sconces lining the wall. 

The target looms ahead, a heavy black door at the end of the corridor and a steady stream of quiet curses slips from clenched teeth as you move, damning his dumb ass to hell and back. 

Eyeing the narrow beam of light lining the bottom of the door, you pause when muffled laughter slips beneath the crack. Momentarily confused, you wonder if you have the wrong room.

Nope.

“Answer the fucking question,” a frustrated voice suddenly shouts, followed by the dull thunk of metal slapping skin. Bucky’s responding groan is long and low, a guttural sound ripped from deep in his chest.

It sounds desperate.

It sounds wounded.

It sounds – excessively theatrical.

Of course.

Is it possible to roll your eyes so hard you see your brain? 

Leaning into the door, you press an ear to the thick ebony wood. There’s a hum of unintelligible muttering and then plain as day, you hear Bucky’s cheerful response.

“Yeah, no. Feels like you’re hard of hearing there, big boy. You wanna hand me that knife? Let me clean out your ears real nice and careful like? Or maybe you were that stupid kid sitting too close to the TV growing up, watching cartoons while your Mommy was running around banging the mailma – ow! Fucking ouch god dammit, what the hell’s the matter with you?! Who the hell stabs someone? That fucking hurt!”

Pinching the bridge of your nose, you sigh. 

Here’s the thing.

Now and then, the avenging gets slow. It happens occasionally, not often, but enough for you to discover an interesting personality twist. When the avenging gets slow, Bucky Barnes gets bored. And a bored Bucky Barnes is – concerning. Full of pent up energy, leaking sarcasm and sass, he has a small tendency to find trouble.

It’s not trouble, it’s called saving the world, he always argues.

It’s not saving the world, it’s called gratuitous chaos, you always respond. 

The voice comes back, full of fury. Electricity pops and sizzles and suddenly Bucky swears at the top of his lungs.

“Wait, wait, wait, stop! Damn, fine, fine. You got me, just stop, please, I’ll talk, I’ll talk, let’s talk…about the fact that your mom was totally fucking the mailman, I mean come on – “

The sound of electricity buzzes louder and he howls in pain.

“Say it again,” you hear the voice snarl, followed by Bucky’s breathless reply.

“No joke man, you touch me with that thing again, I’ll shove it so far up your ass you’ll shit sparks for a week.”

In addition to the whole trouble thing? He’s also a massive drama queen.  

“This is bullshit, Bucky” you hiss at the door, glancing at the absurdly expensive heels and reaching to brush dust from the toe. “I’m so fucking pissed at you.”

Seriously. 

Clutching the gun tight, you carefully turn the knob and with a deep breath, hip check it open. And yep. The reveal is exactly what you could have anticipated, because you know Bucky Barnes way, way too well.

Dangling by his hands from a wide steel beam, his wrists encased in what appears to be a reinforced cuff, Bucky swings gently, the toes of his black boots barely brushing the ground. His faded grey t-shirt is slashed down one side, soaked through with thick splotches of blood and clinging to his body like a second skin. Twitching his head to shake away sweaty strands of dark hair, you see the impressive array of purple bruises painting his face, extending down his neck.

He looks terrible. Awful. A beaten man in terrible pain. 

Except – 

The anguished grimace fades when he sees you, morphing into a shit-eating grin. Wiggling his fingers in a mocking little hello, he gives you a wink.

What an ass.

Hearing the swinging door, the man in front of Bucky spins, raising a gun in one hand and a taser snapping lime green sparks in the other. Frustration is etched in every line of his face, which is, to be fair, a common expression for anyone talking to Bucky. 

“Drop the gun,” he bellows, shaky hands holding both weapons in front and sounding for all the world like a two-bit security cop in a low-budget heist film. 

Throwing him an impressively impatient scowl, you shake your head.

“Listen, I’ve had a long day and these heels are killing me and I just wanted to spend one night without worrying how I’m getting blood out of my clothes in the morning. So since that fantasy’s shot to shit, can you please just not?”

“Don’t try to distract me!” he yells in response. “Drop your gun or I’ll shoot you both!”

Looking past him, you meet Bucky’s wide-eyed, innocent blue eyes.

Innocent blue eyes. Seriously. What a crock.

“I’m fucking pissed at you,” you warn Bucky, pointing the gun down at your shoes. “These were expensive.”

He pokes his lip out in an exaggerated pout and swings himself playfully in the restraints. “Don’t be mad honey baby, it’s all part of the plan.”

“Jesus. I shudder to think what else you have planned.”

The guy follows the exchange like a tennis match, head swiveling in confusion, until he focuses on you again and opens his mouth to shout another disappointingly dull threat, but you hold your hand up to silence him and he looks unbelievably put out by the gesture.

“Look, I’m really not in the mood, alright? I gave you a chance.”

Flicking your eyes to the bloody, sweaty man dangling behind him, you cross your arms and wait. 

Here it comes.

Vengeance fills his features, a blinding smile of murdery glee, and in the blink of an eye, Bucky curls his knees to his chest and hoists himself up with the metal arm. With a casual kick, he hooks his thighs around the man’s neck and squeezes tight.

Dropping both weapons, the man scrabbles at the dirty legs locked around his neck, panic flashing through his face.

“You sir,” Bucky states, as the man chokes, trying to wrench free, “are a real dick.”

With a graceful twist of his hips, he snaps the neck with a jarring crunch. The body collapses in a heap and Bucky glares contemptuously for a second and then proceeds to aim several childish kicks at the head, but his toes are just out of reach and he flails uselessly in the air.

He looks up in annoyance.

“Hi. Little fucking help here please?”

Stepping over the body, you rummage through the pile of electronic gadgets and random torture devices strewn across the table. Locating a small purple device attached to a SpongeBob keychain, you dangle it in front of him.

“Apology first.”

“No worries, I accept your apology,” Bucky says graciously. “Now get me down.”

“No asshole, I want an apology. You said dress up and now my Jimmy Choo’s have blood on them.”

“Okay fine, I’m sorry.” Skeptical of his quick submission, you punch the unlock button slowly and the cuff releases. Bucky drops to his feet, rubs the red chaffing around his wrist, and gives you a wide smile. “I’m sorry you’re a wet blanket who doesn’t appreciate fun, but anyway.” 

He anticipates the move and ducks when you snatch a knife from the table and fling it at him, letting it smack harmlessly against the concrete wall behind him.

“I swear to god, you’re lucky you’re hot Barnes. It sure as hell’s not your personality that keeps me around.”

“The hell do you mean? I’m charming as fuck,” he argues. Wetting his busted lips, he uses the collar of his shirt to wipe away the pool of blood caked in the corner of his mouth, while interested eyes trail down your outfit.

Strapless black silk dress falling to your knees. Diamonds dangling from your ears. Bright red lips. Black Jimmy Choo heels with a flirty little feather on the side. 

His smile turns a shade darker and ten shades filthier.

“You look smokin’ hot. Nice.”

“And it’s apparently a waste. When you said dress up, I sort of assumed we’d be doing an activity other than murder.” Tossing the keychain on the table, you come closer to scan his impressive mess of injuries. Probing the thick muscle below his ribcage, he sucks in a strangled breath as your fingers brush the source of blood still soaking his shirt.

“Buck – “ you start, but he cuts you off.

“Don’t baby me, I’m fine. Me and that bag of dicks just had a little disagreement over one of his brainless questions.”

“How did he go from asking questions to sticking a knife in your gut?” you ask, trying to tug up his shirt to confirm the damage.

“No, I will not have sex with you!” he says loudly, pushing your hands away. “God woman, keep it in your pants.”

“I’ll punch you in the knife wound Bucky. I really will.”

Sighing loudly, he stops struggling and lets you pull apart the remaining shreds of his shirt. Examining the blood under his fingernails while you examine the slow leak of blood down his side, he shrugs nonchalantly.

“If you must know, he just got a bit pissy because apparently suck my dick wasn’t the correct response to that question.”

Life with Bucky Barnes is akin to chasing an aggressively accident-prone toddler, so you’re actually prepared for this situation. 

Opening the silver clasp on your clutch, you search for the extra-absorbent bandages you threw in earlier. Folding his hands obediently, Bucky rests them on top of his head and watches with a serene expression while you wipe away the blood from around the wound, before ripping open the bandage and applying it carefully to his skin. 

“Has it ever occurred to you,” you ask, paper held between your teeth, “to try being a little less mouthy?”

Straightening the remains of his bloody t-shirt and wiping your grubby hands on his jeans, you look up to find him grinning.

“It did occur to me. But where’s the fun in that?” He holds his hand out expectantly. “On to part two. Did you bring my gun?”

The worst. Honestly. Sometimes he’s the worst. 

“Yes, I brought your gun, you ungrateful douche.”

Lifting the edge of your skirt reveals the narrow straps of a black thigh holster, with Bucky’s favorite Glock strapped in place. He bites his lip and gives you that filthy smile again, crowding in close. 

“Ugh. Dammit that’s so hot. Here, let me help,” his fingers snag the silky fabric, trying to pull up your skirt. 

Slapping his hand and giving him a warning knee in the balls, he grunts and backs away with his wounded puppy face. Unclipping the gun, you flip it around and hand it over.

“Keep it in your pants Barnes, we don’t have time. The show’s about to start.”

Standing up straight, he salutes you with the barrel of the gun and cocks it dramatically.

“You’re the boss. Lead the way, you sexy little minx.”

*****

Navigating the labyrinth of halls, you find the back staircase leading up to a maze of crevices and hidey holes helpfully built into the rafters of the enormous ballroom. Finding a slot near the edge, you crawl into position, the smooth silk of your dress picking up the thick film of dust, making the slide easy.

God. Dammit. Bucky’s spending tomorrow morning getting this dress dry-cleaned and you better not hear a breath of argument from him.

“Seriously, I’m so fucking pissed at you,” you whisper, knowing full well his annoying super hearing will pick it up and sure enough, he rewards you with a stifled laugh.

The space is dark, muted light from the ballroom’s sparkling chandeliers allowing you to stay hidden from prying eyes down below. Bucky follows close behind, wiggling in next to you. Getting comfortable, he sighs happily and turns to you, gaze drifting from your face down your bare shoulders, over the swell of your ass, and that filthy smile appears again. Reaching down, he massages the back of your knee and runs his hand up your thigh, trying to pull your dress up again.

“Lemme see your panties.”

“For god’s sake, do not say panties, you weird fuck.”

“Fine. Lemme see your underpanties. Are they lace? Tell me they’re lace. You know how much I like lace.” His hand wanders further up to find your black lace covered bottom and he gives a whispered yes of delight. 

Ignoring the wandering hand squeezing handfuls of your ass, you open the black clutch again, extracting four paper-thin pieces of metal. Clicking them together reveals a lightweight air-rifle with a narrow scope affixed to the top.

Bucky’s eyes light up.

“Gimmie,” he says breathlessly, releasing his death-grip on your ass and reaching grabby hands toward the weapon.

Still ignoring him, you prop the rifle on the ledge in front of you and peer through the scope, searching for the reason you’re stuck in the dirty ceiling of this exquisite ballroom, instead of somewhere fashionable with people making jealous remarks about your amazing shoes.

Bucky nudges you.

“Gimmie,” he says again.

“No, Bucky.”

“Yes, Bucky,” he insists, now trying to tug it from your grip. “Did you forget I’m the best shot the US army ever had? I even have a certificate that says so. You can’t argue with my certificate, it’s not patriotic. Captain America’ll arrest you.”

Still searching through the crosshairs, you peel his sticky fingers from the barrel with one hand.

“You drawing a picture of a gun, writing ‘Bucky rules’ on it, and taping it to the refrigerator does not mean you have a certificate.”

He gives an indignant little squawk. “Uh, I didn’t tape it to the ‘fridge, I superglued it to the ‘fridge. That fucker’s never coming down.”

“Can you please shut up? I need to focus.”

“Come on honeycakes, let me have the rifle,” he whines softly, resuming the light strokes down your thigh.

“No. I know you. You’ll shoot the guy in the eye just to prove you can, he’ll realize something’s up, and it’ll blow our cover.”

“Why would I do that?” His voice oozes shocked sweetness.

“Because you’re a showoff,” you mutter.

“I’m not a show-off,” Bucky argues and somehow in the narrow space he manages to crawl on top of you, straddle your hips and start licking your neck. “Sometimes I’m just vindictive, I can’t help that. Now come on and give me the rifle, hmm? Please? I got stabbed earlier, you should let me have my way. If I have internal bleeding and I die later, you’ll feel really bad about not giving me this one little thing. Come on, hand it over.”

He sucks your earlobe and tugs with his teeth. 

Long ago, this strategy might have worked.

He is charming.

He excels at sweet talk.

He is murderously adorable.

The only thing working against him now – is that you know he’s completely full of shit.

“Get off me, you weigh a ton,” you respond instead, wiggling your shoulders to shrug him away.

“Did you just call me fat?” he whispers. He bites your ear harder.

“Maybe,” you shiver at the petulant huff warming your neck.

“I am offended.”

“No, you’re not.”

“No, I’m not, but someone with less self-confidence might be and would you like that on your conscience?”

“I’ll manage.”

In that moment, the crosshairs find him, a tall man dressed in an impeccable black tuxedo, his blond hair slick and shining. Even though he’s dead set on being an annoying little shit, Bucky instantly recognizes your posture change and goes motionless above you. Taking a deep breath, focusing on the small mole on the back of the blond’s neck, you gently squeeze the trigger. With a twitch, the rifle silently expels the microscopic dart and you know it’s a direct hit when the man scratches absently at the patch of skin above his collar.

Bucky gives a hum of approval and plants a sloppy kiss on your neck. 

“Nailed it. High five,” he says and reaches between his legs to slap your ass. “But how come you’re always so mean to me? And why the hell does it turn me on so much?”

Breaking down the weapon, you pack it back in the purse and snap it shut.

“Because you’re a fucking masochist.”

“True. So – now what?”

“Now we wait.”

As the words leave your mouth, the chandeliers begin to dim, the hum of voices dropping as the crowd of people shuffle to their seats.

Folding your arms, you lay your head down to wait. Bucky finally stops fidgeting, settling on top of you, balancing his weight on his forearms and resting his chin on your shoulder. He smells like attic dust and irony blood, but his heavy presence is a warm and comfortable weight.

All fades to black. Absolute silence.

The single note trembles in the darkness, the vibrating twang of a cello. Low lights slowly illuminate the small platform at the front of the ballroom, revealing three musicians and the sudden haunting whine of a violin shatters the stillness.

The air overflows with music, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Bach, a symphony of classics bleeding together, never pausing. Bucky stays still above you, his only concession to movement when he occasionally presses his lips to the space behind your ear, breathing in the familiar lingering scent.

And sure, he drives you bonkers half the time and he may be utterly full of shit, but a simple fact remains.

Nothing in the world, beats the feel of his mouth on your skin.

Ninety minutes of magic fly by and applause fills the room as the lights come up for intermission, the audience leaping to their feet. No one notices the blond man seated halfway back, slumped in his seat, nor the shadowy figures of two people energetically arguing as they slip from a hidden exit in the back.

*****

From a distance, you spy the neon sign, the only beacon of colorful life along this desolate stretch of highway. Bucky perks up and bounces in his seat. 

“There it is! Pull over.”

“Bucky, no. I’m tired and you’re bleeding on my leather seats and I want to go home and shower.”

“But I’m hungry. I’m literally wasting away.”

“Figuratively. You are figuratively wasting away.”

“So, you agree then, I’m wasting away and we should stop.”

“Oh my god, fine.”

Swerving into the parking lot with a screech of tires, both of you clamber from the vehicle still debating his rampant disregard for basic language definitions and stomp into the brightly lit Taco Bell. At this lonely hour, it’s nearly empty, minus the energetic high school kid with headphones using his mop as an air guitar, the line cook playing Jenga with a towering stack of tomatoes, and the bored woman behind the counter, chomping her gum and watching your bickering approach with interest.

Glancing at Bucky, you flinch at the image. The harsh light throws his wounds into sharp relief, bruises already fading from dark purple to sickly greenish-yellow. The gray t-shirt is shredded and stiff with blood and sweat and what appear to be chocolate fingerprints, lifted from the half-melted M&Ms he found in your glove box. 

To be fair, you don’t look much better. The previously elegant heels dangle from loose fingers, speckled with blood and holding two wilted feathers. Covered head to toe in dust and cobwebs, your knees are scraped up and your polished toes curl bare against the floor.

What the hell possessed you to walk barefoot into a 24-hour Taco Bell you’ll never know, but alas. Here you are. 

Bucky saunters up to the register and slaps his grimy hands on the counter, giving the woman his most charming smile and what he believes to be a sexy wink. She simply raises an eyebrow and snaps her gum.

“Hello. I want the dollar menu,” Bucky says, squinting up at the sign.

“Which items?”

“All the items,” he replies promptly. “And a diet soda please, not a regular one. I’m cutting back on the calories, apparently I need to watch my weight. The lady here says I’ve been pudging out.”

Pinching the non-existent fat on his washboard of a stomach, he gives her a conspiratorial nod and points back to you.

“I most certainly did not say that,” you huff, glaring at him.

“Yes, you did, you called me fat earlier,” he reminds you. “Remember? When I was on top of you and tried to pull up your dress?”

The woman stares at him and blows a pink bubble. Her eyes slide to you and she gives you a slow nod, the kind that clearly says nice.

“No,” you say sternly, pointing a warning finger. “Christ no. Do not encourage him.”

Bucky laughs, the sound of his husky voice echoing through the restaurant and dammit, he looks like someone threw a brick at his face and used him to sharpen their knives, but he’s still the most attractive man you’ve ever met and how’s that for annoying? 

Fifteen minutes later, you’re back on the road, flying along as Bucky holds tight to his food and watches the highway intently, counting out road signs. Finally, he points to a small green number.

“This is it, last stop,” Bucky says, his voice brimming with excitement. “Slow down, the road’s there.”

Arguing is futile, so you follow his directions, turning off the highway and bumping down a narrow strip of unmarked road. The path winds further and further and you wonder at his end game, until the trees suddenly clear and you hit the brakes in surprise. 

The night sky extends in front of you, an infinite black road to the stars twinkling above the black ocean waves, a dazzling full moon low on the horizon. The secluded beach is empty, a quiet world existing for you and Bucky alone – and when you turn to him, you see him watching you with an adoring grin.

That damn smile. It gets you every time.

“I swear Barnes, you’re good. You’re really good,” you admit and Bucky tips his head back and starts to laugh.

Climbing from the car, you dig out a plaid blanket from your trunk, and with heels and soda in hand, the echo of crashing waves pulls you through the darkness. Finding a flat space, you fluff the blanket out and collapse, stretching out with a soft groan and closing your eyes.

Bucky drops his bag full of cheesy beef burritos and chicken quesadillas and caramel apple empanadas and kicks off his boots with a matching groan of pleasure. Falling to the blanket he rolls onto his stomach and tears into the food, making his way through each item in silence. Long minutes tick by as the damp breeze blows over your skin and you begin to doze.

“You know,” he finally says, chewing thoughtfully. “I’m calling it. Tonight? Best. Date. Ever. Gonna be hard to top this.”

Rolling to the side, you prop your chin in your hand. “Come again?”

“Yeah, I planned it perfectly! The whole night, it was all things you wanted to do.” He finishes chewing the last bite, tucks the wrappers into the bag and sits up on his knees, ticking off the evening’s events.

“So first, we did a fun couples activity.”

“Me saving you from an ass beating and you snapping a guy’s neck isn’t exactly a couple’s activity, but sure.”

“Second, I got us private box seats, so we could go to a – sold out I might add – classical music concert.”

“I mean, again with the murder and now a massive dry-cleaning bill, but okay.”

“And to cap off the perfect date, we’re having a romantic moonlit picnic on the beach.”

The sarcastic quip balances on the tip of your tongue and in all fairness, Bucky expects a sassy response. Sass is the bedrock of your relationship.

But the words don’t come.

Instead, you absorb the pure beauty of the glowing white sand and of Bucky’s handsome face, reflecting on everything about him that led you here tonight.

He’s incorrigible.

A pain in the ass. 

Ridiculous.

Passionate.

Hilarious.

Adorable. 

The love of your life.

Damn. You’re head over heels for this idiot.

Nodding slowly, your lips curve into the smile he loves so well, the one that melts his heart, the one he went to outrageous lengths to pull from you tonight.

“Yeah. You’re right Buck. You pretty much nailed it.”

Bucky grins at the compliment. He picks up your left hand, brushes specs of sand away, and places two kisses on your finger.

One above your wedding band, one below.

Contentment sings through his veins and he threads his fingers through yours.

“Happy anniversary honey.”

“Happy anniversary Bucky.”

“Do me a favor, yeah?” Bending closer, he rubs his mouth lightly against your forehead, your nose, your lips. He drinks up the word with a blissful sigh when he hears your reply.

“Anything.”

“Get those heels back on, I ain’t letting them go to waste.”

Laughing, you hand him the shoes and he pulls your legs apart and crawls between them, slipping the heels gently on your feet one at a time, leaving wet kisses on each ankle.

The filthy smile is back.

He tugs up your skirt.

And this time, you go with it.

*****

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[hearts-hunger]

Right in the Middle

Summary: Ben comes down with a head cold and worries he might be more trouble than he’s worth. Even though it’s four in the morning, Gwil and Joe are more than happy to prove their boyfriend wrong. Hurt/comfort, a tiny bit of angst, and lots of fluff!

Pairings: Ben Hardy x Joe Mazzello x Gwilym Lee, poly!borhap boys

Word Count: 5k

Warnings: None!

A/N: Alright y’all, this here is the most gratuitously fluffy thing I have ever written to date. It’s so sweet it’ll send you into a diabetic coma. It’s mostly me just uwuing onto a word document and hoping it turned into a story somewhere along the line. I really enjoyed writing it (shoutout to fics that remind you of how fun writing is!) and I hope you enjoy reading it! ♡

Usually Ben loved to sleep in the middle. What could be better than being sandwiched between his two favorite people, the two people he loved most in the world? He hadn’t thought too deeply about sleeping arrangements when they’d started their relationship, the practical and domestic aspects of it put on the backburner as he had the most mind-blowing sex of his life. Of course, there had never been a sense that their relationship would be purely physical; they were too close, loved each other too much, to consider anything other than building a committed, exclusive relationship once they’d crossed the line from friends to lovers. But the furthest thing from Ben’s mind in the early days had been what life would be like if they moved in together. He’d been too consumed with the raging desire that seemed never to die down and only increased when he was with them to think about the little things, like who would make coffee in the mornings (Gwilym, committing their cream and sugar preferences to memory almost immediately) and who would most often forget to turn off the oven (Joe, a talented but nonetheless scatterbrained cook).

Sleeping arrangements had been one of those little things that Ben hadn’t thought about until they actually slept together, intentionally going to bed as a threesome instead of just crashing after sex. Not that they didn’t still crash after sex - living together made it ten times easier to give into every little flame of desire, and they kept busy. But until now, Ben had always slept on his own. His only bedmates had been dates, not partners. He didn’t know what it was like to just sleep next to someone for the sake of sleeping next to them, especially not more than one person at a time.

Determining where they each wanted to sleep on the king-sized bed had been easy enough, though. Joe admitted to being slightly claustrophobic and Gwil was resolute in his desire to be on the right side of the bed, and Ben happily put himself in the middle between them. The first night in their apartment had been some of the best sleep of his life, tucked between Joe and Gwil, Joe’s legs tangled with his and Gwil’s arm over his waist. Gwil and Joe had woken him up with kisses, telling him how cute it was that he was so cuddly. He’d blushed and buried his face against Gwil’s chest to hide it, beaming under their attention and praise, loving the feel of his boyfriends on either side of him and content to be the one in the middle for the rest of his days.

Tonight, though, for the first time ever, he was wishing he wasn’t the one in the middle.

He muffled a few rough coughs in his sleeve, wincing at the scratchiness in his throat. He held his breath and waited to see whether he’d woken either Joe or Gwil; he relaxed when neither stirred, their breathing still deep and even. Still, he was bound to wake them up if this kept up much longer, and that was the last thing he wanted.

He didn’t know why he was so paranoid about it. They’d seen him sick plenty of times, including that less-than-sexy bout with the flu in the first few months of filming that had kept him from work for a good week. But that had been before they were dating; the most they’d had to do in response was send a “hope you feel better soon, mate!” text and check up on him every once in a while if the thought occurred to them. This was the first time any of them had gotten sick while they were actually together, much less living together. Ben sighed. Of course it had to be him.

They’d given him no reason to think they’d be frustrated or annoyed with him if he was sick, but he didn’t want to be the one to ruin this perfect romantic comedy they’d been living since they moved into the apartment less than two weeks ago. Everything was perfect - they never argued, they had amazing sex all the time, they woke up to each other sleepy and soft in the morning sunshine that streamed through the balcony windows and caught in Joe’s tousled ginger hair and brought out a shade close to violet in Gwilym’s eyes. Ben didn’t want to be the one to bring them crashing down to reality and risk how picture perfect their life was together.

His eyes widened at that thought, gripped by a sudden panic. He hadn’t thought his imagination was willing to go to gloom and doom that quickly, but now that he’d had the thought he couldn’t shake it. They’d have to deal with him being sick - utterly inconvenient and the exact opposite of sexy - and they’d realize that they’d just wanted sex all along. It really wasn’t worth it for the realities of domestic life. He wasn’t worth it.

God, Ben, dramatic much? he thought, chiding himself. Gwilym and Joe had given him no reason to think that. They’d shown him nothing but love from the very beginning.

But then again… that little voice said in the back of his mind, the voice that had made its appearance when he’d first felt the pressures of objectification on the set of Eastenders and had never truly gone away. They’ve never had to deal with you when you’re ill.

He tried to ignore that voice but found it difficult to keep his mind from following that train of thought. Since they’d started dating, Gwil and Joe had only really seen the side of Ben that was easy to love and therefore easy to share - his body, his cocky bravado, his sexiness. He knew those were the reasons people liked him, and he knew they were definitely high on the list of why Gwil and Joe liked him too. Gwil and Joe often told him they loved him, but would they still mean it when Ben couldn’t live up to that version of himself?

As if on cue, he had to scramble to pull the collar of his shirt up over his nose to catch two sneezes that tumbled out one after another, trying to keep as quiet as he could. He caught his breath in a soft gasp as he laid back on the pillow, looking up at the ceiling but not really seeing anything, slightly dazed and aware of the beginnings of a headache.

He felt his pulse jump as Joe rolled over to face him, his hand going to Ben’s torso.

Joe nuzzled against Ben’s shoulder, not really having woken. Though Ben normally would have relaxed into Joe’s closeness, at the moment he felt that it only made his dilemma worse. What he really needed to do was get out of bed so he could go sleep on the couch and keep from waking them, but trying to disentangle himself from his boyfriends would defeat the purpose.

He couldn’t stay in bed, though. He decided to try and get up as carefully as he could; he gently moved Joe’s hand and took his time easing off the bed. Gwil’s hand went to Ben’s empty spot, seeking his warmth, a soft noise of surprise escaping him as he realized Ben wasn’t there.

“Benny?” he murmured, his voice heavy with sleep. Only Joe and Gwil were allowed to call him that, and even then it didn’t happen often unless they were tired or drunk or feeling very affectionate. It wasn’t like calling Joe “Joey”, which he adored and answered to faster than any other nickname.

“Shh,” Ben soothed. “Go back to sleep.”

Joe stirred too and Ben grimaced.

“What’s going on?” Joe mumbled.

“Nothing,” Ben said quickly, keeping his voice low. “Just going to the bathroom. Go back to sleep.”

Though that was a lie, it was a reasonable answer, and Gwilym and Joe were content to settle down and fall back asleep. Ben gave a sigh of relief; they wouldn’t know until morning that he hadn’t come back, and maybe by then he’d be feeling better, or at least able to look and sound better than he felt.

Ben padded out to the living room, rubbing a hand over his chest in an attempt to soothe the tightness that had taken up residence there, along with a wet crackling sound every time he breathed. God, he was freezing - without Gwil and Joe to keep him warm, he’d actually started shivering. A sweater of Gwil’s was draped over the back of couch, but he didn’t put it on for fear of stretching it out. Though Ben knew his muscles drove Gwil wild, he wasn’t sure Gwil would appreciate how they stretched a sweater fitted to his lean frame.

He laid down on the couch, curling in on himself, wishing more than anything that he could get back in bed with his boyfriends. With the next volley of coughs that racked him, though, he knew it had been the right choice to leave their bed. Gwil and Joe needed their sleep, and Ben had had plenty of practice being on his own when all he really wanted was to be held. He crossed his arms over his chest to try and warm up as he drifted in and out of a restless sleep.

Gwilym didn’t know what had woken him. He vaguely remembered Ben getting up from bed; he reached for the blonde to see if he was back and was met with empty space between him and Joe. He frowned, glancing over to the bathroom; the door was open and the lights were off.

He ran a hand over his face as he got out of bed, seeing 3:28 am glowing in red digits from the alarm clock on the bedside table. Joe and Ben both had told him it was a good idea to keep the alarm clock on his side, since he was the only one out of them who could be counted on to not consistently snooze the alarm. Gwilym usually woke earlier than either of his boyfriends, which was fine by him, and he was happy to take the responsibility of setting an alarm more suited to when they wanted to get up after he rose to begin his day.

Pausing to make sure Joe was sufficiently covered - the boy got so cold at night it was almost comical, eliciting protests when his cold hands met his warm boyfriends - Gwil left their bedroom and headed out to the living room, his brain still sluggish from sleep but working to determine why on earth Ben wasn’t in bed. Maybe he hadn’t been able to sleep and had come out to watch tv; whatever it was, Gwil wanted to try and do what he could to help and convince Ben to come back to bed.

The sight that met him in the living room nearly broke Gwilym’s heart. On the couch, Ben was curled in on himself as tightly as he could manage, his cheeks bright pink despite the way he shivered. He was asleep but Gwilym guessed only barely so, each breath heavy and rattling in his chest.

Gwil went over to the couch and knelt by Ben, stroking a hand over his blonde curls. He was burning up, the poor thing. Ben stirred at Gwil’s touch, his pretty green eyes fluttering open and taking a moment to focus. In that moment of waking Gwil saw a vulnerability in Ben that the younger man couldn’t help, revealing a softness and relief mixed with a kind of fear that Gwil didn’t understand but immediately wanted to soothe. He pushed aside the worry that shocked through him, studying Ben’s face and trying to think of how best to help him.

“Ben, sweetheart,” he said softly. “What’s wrong?”

The relief that Gwil had seen on Ben’s face when he first woke was quickly replaced by panic. Ben rushed to sit up, swaying slightly as he instinctively pressed a hand to his temple. Gwil reached out a hand to steady him, taking his arm in a gentle grip.

“Slow down, love,” he chided. “Easy.”

“‘M fine,” Ben said in a painfully hoarse voice.

“You’re not fine,” Gwil said as Ben shrugged his hand away, wishing he knew why Ben was being so flighty. “You’re out on the couch at four in the morning. What’s wrong?”

Ben’s broad shoulders shook with muffled coughs; Gwil winced at the sound, knowing it couldn’t feel good.

“Nothing’s wrong.”

“You don’t have to put up a strong front for me, Ben, you know that,” Gwil said. “I can tell you’re not feeling well, but I would have thought you’d be more comfortable in bed. Why’d you come out here?”

Ben’s cheeks flushed with more than fever. “Didn’t want to wake you,” he mumbled.

Gwil gave him a sympathetic smile. “You’re sweet, angel, but I’m afraid it didn’t really work. Joe’s going to be coming out soon enough to see what’s taken us from bed.”

Ben looked down at his hands. “Sorry,” he said softly. Gwil was surprised to see Ben’s eyes pool with tears.

“Ben, sweetheart,” he said worriedly, taking Ben’s hand in his own. “You don’t have to apologize. You’ve got nothing to be sorry for. Please don’t cry.”

Ben ran the heel of his palm over his cheek, unable to stop a few tears falling. “I didn’t mean to wake you,” he said. “I tried to keep quiet but - ” He cut himself off with a series of painful coughs, burying his face against the crook of his arm; Gwil moved to sit next to him, rubbing his back in an effort to soothe him.

“Obviously I can’t,” Ben said when he was able to draw a full breath. The embarrassment in his voice made Gwil want to cry. “So I came out here.”

“Oh, sweetheart,” Gwil said gently. “That’s ok. You didn’t have to come out here. We wouldn’t have minded being woken.”

“Yeah, but you don’t want to deal with me like this,” Ben said, the frustration in his voice directed at himself. He didn’t say it as an accusation but as more of a fact, and it broke Gwilym’s heart to know that Ben thought that. “I’m not… I can’t be what you want me to be. Of course it’s me, of course I’m the one who messes everything up ‘cause I can’t handle a bloody head cold without making a fuss.”

He grew more and more agitated as he spoke, his embarrassment and frustration only aggravated by how miserable he felt. Gwilym found himself at a bit of a loss for how to comfort his boyfriend, never having imagined that this was how he felt and feeling guilt shred through him that he hadn’t noticed before now. Had it really taken a high fever and desperate tears for Gwil to notice something he should have been attuned to and fixed way before now?

He put a hand to Ben’s warm and tear-streaked face, turning his head to make the blonde look at him. Ben’s eyes met his, seeking desperately for assurance even as he thought the very worst of himself.

“Listen to me,” Gwil said gently, desperate for Ben to know how much he meant what he said. “You haven’t messed anything up, Ben. You could never mess this up, no matter what you did. Joe and I love you more than anything in the world, and a head cold isn’t going to make us stop loving you. Nothing in the world could do that, do you hear me?”

Ben just nodded, his tears hot against Gwil’s hand. Gwil leaned close to kiss the tears from his boyfriend’s face, wanting him to know how deeply he was loved.

“It’s ok to be sick, sweetheart,” he said softly. “You’re only human. You’re exactly what Joe and I want you to be, which is just you, fever and all. I love you, and Joe loves you, more than anything. Of course we want to take care of you. In sickness and in health, hm?”

Ben managed a watery smile, leaning into Gwil’s touch. “We’re not married.”

“Not yet,” Gwil said, kissing Ben’s cheek. “But it’s still true. You don’t have to hide anything from us, sweetheart. Not ever. Let us take care of you, because we want to, I promise.”

Ben sniffled. “Not very sexy though, is it?”

Gwil gave a soft laugh, drawing Ben close and letting the younger man lean his head on Gwil’s shoulder.

“It doesn’t have to be,” Gwil said, running his hand up and down Ben’s arm. “That’d be like living in a movie. Real life is messy and broken and sometimes not all that sexy, and it’s ok. I want real life with you and Joe, in all its mess and all its beauty.”

Ben took Gwil’s hand in his own. “I want real life with you, too.”

Gwil kissed Ben’s forehead. “Glad to hear it, love. You need to be taken care of, and you don’t know how happy it makes me to be one of the ones to do it.”

Ben laughed, the sound devolving into a cough. “You’re joking.”

Gwil chuckled. “I’m not, I promise. This is exactly what I’ve always wanted. It’s better than what I’ve wanted. Being able to love you and Joe like this… it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. You two are the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I would gladly spend my days taking care of you if you needed me to.”

Ben looked up and met Gwilym’s eyes. “I love you.”

Gwil smiled. “I love you too. Let’s get you feeling better, hm? How does some tea sound?”

“Lovely,” Ben admitted. “Thanks.”

Gwil rose from the couch and hesitated before heading to the kitchen, seeing the way Ben crossed his arms over his chest to compensate for losing Gwil’s warmth. Noticing one of his sweaters on the back of the couch, he took and and handed it to Ben, wondering why he hadn’t put it on earlier.

“Here, put this on before you freeze to death,” he said.

Ben took the sweater, looking up at him with a bit of confusion. “Are you sure? I don’t want to stretch it out.”

Gwil softened. “I don’t mind, love. You look better in it anyway. Or you will, once you get it on and warm up a bit.”

A gentle smile crossed Ben’s face as he pulled Gwil’s sweater on, breathing in his boyfriend’s scent.

“See?” Gwil said. The sleeves were a bit long on Ben, covering his hands. “Told you, it looks much cuter on you. I’ll go get you a blanket as soon as I’ve got the kettle on.”

“Somebody called for a blanket?”

Both Gwil and Ben looked towards the hallway at the sleepy voice, smiling as they saw Joe coming in with the comforter wrapped around his shoulders like a cape. He looked still half-asleep, but he gave each of his boyfriends a drowsy smile.

“Four a.m. seems like a weird time to be hanging out in the living room, gentlemen,” he teased. “Especially since I wasn’t invited.”

“Didn’t want to wake you,” Ben said.

“I was freezing,” Joe said. “You try going from two boyfriends in bed to no boyfriends in bed and see how long you last.”

Gwil chuckled and gave Joe a kiss on his way to the kitchen. “Sorry, love. Seems like you’ve got the solution, though, taking the whole bed with you.”

“Yeah, well, if you two won’t come to bed, I’m bringing the bed to you.”

Slipping the blanket from his shoulders, Joe came over to the couch and sat leaning against the arm, stretching out his feet towards Ben.

“Come here, Bear,” Joe said, calling him by the nickname he’d given him one night when they’d virtually the whole time just cuddling. Ben went happily into Joe’s arms, lying between his legs and resting his head on Joe’s chest. Joe covered both of them with the blanket, tucking it securely around Ben.

“Sorry you don’t feel good, baby,” Joe said, running his fingers through Ben’s hair.

“How’d you know?” Ben asked, his voice muffled against Joe’s chest.

“Besides the fact that you’re, like, a million degrees right now?” Joe said. “I’m attuned to these kinds of things. Plus, you only sneeze in doubles when you’re sick.”

Ben propped himself up on his forearms, frowning as he looked up at Joe. “What?”

Joe cracked a smile. “What do you mean, what? It’s true. When you’re sick, you always sneeze twice in a row.”

Ben considered that. “I mean… I guess? I’ve never really thought about it.”

“Trust me on this one,” Joe said, amused. “Anyway, I’m right, aren’t I? Why didn’t you say you were feeling bad?”

Ben laid his head back on Joe’s chest. “I dunno. Didn’t want to cause trouble.”

“Well, Gwil and I love trouble,” Joe said, scratching Ben’s back like he knew he liked. “Don’t we, Gwil?”

“Adore it, in fact,” Gwil agreed. “Joey, do you want some tea?”

“Of course he does,” Ben answered for him.

“Lots of sugar,” Joe added.

“I’ll give you one spoonful,” Gwil said. “You’ll thank me when you’re trying to get back to sleep.”

Ben could feel Joe’s laugh, the sound warm and comforting.

“Whatever you say, mom,” Joe said. Though they were the same age, Gwil was objectively the more mature one. Gwil smiled and shook his head in affectionate exasperation, bringing two mugs over to them and setting them on the coffee table.

“Earl grey for Joe and lemon ginger for you,” he told Ben. “It’ll help your cough.”

“Aren’t you coming to sit with us?” Ben asked.

“In a moment, my love,” Gwil assured him. “Let me get you some medicine.”

Gwil went back to their bedroom to retrieve some medicine from the bathroom cabinet and Joe shifted on the couch.

“Here, baby,” he said. “Sit up so you can have your tea.”

Ben moved so Joe could sit up against the arm of the couch, leaning his back against Joe’s chest when they were settled. Joe handed Ben his tea before grabbing his own.

“I love you, Benny,” Joe said softly. Ben shivered as Joe pressed a tea-warmed kiss to his shoulder.

Joe gave a soft laugh. “Still cold?”

“No,” Ben said truthfully. He snuggled closer to his ginger boyfriend. “I’m perfect.”

“You will be once you’ve got some medicine into you,” Gwil said, coming back in with two pills in hand. “I reckon your fever’s high enough that you should take both.”

Ben did as Gwil said, taking the pills with a sip of his tea. “Thanks.”

“No problem, love,” Gwil said. He sat against the opposite arm of the couch, his long legs finding someplace among Ben’s and Joe’s underneath the blanket, his own cup of tea in hand.

“I guess we should tell Rami not to expect us for lunch tomorrow,” Gwil said, absently running his fingers over Joe’s calf.

“Oh, I completely forgot about that,” Ben said, feeling guilt flare again. Rami was coming into London for a few weeks to stay with Lucy, but he’d wanted to see them as much as he could and they felt the same. They were supposed to all go out for lunch together tomorrow while Lucy went for a cover shoot.

“You don’t have to cancel on account of me,” Ben said. “You two should still go.”

“No way,” Joe said. “Who’s going to make sure you’re alive if we’re gone?”

“We’re not leaving you when you’re ill, sweetheart,” Gwil said. “What kind of boyfriends would we be then?”

Ben smiled. “You’re wonderful boyfriends,” he said. “The only boyfriends I want, anyway.”

“Oh, glad to hear it,” Joe teased.

Ben’s laugh quickly dissolved into a coughing fit; he leaned forward, trying to ease the ache in his chest that accompanied every inhale. Gwil took Ben’s tea from him before he spilled it, Joe rubbing Ben’s back as both grimaced at the painful sound of Ben’s coughs and wishing there was more they could do.

“Deep breath, baby,” Joe soothed when Ben had recovered. “It’s ok. Take a deep breath.”

“Sorry,” Ben croaked.

“Nothing to be sorry for, sweetheart,” Gwil reminded him. “D’you want your tea back?”

Ben made to take it but hesitated with his hand outstretched, a glazed look crossing his face. Gwil patiently held onto the mug, not surprised when Ben ducked his head and caught two sneezes in the crook of his arm.

“Bless,” Gwil said.

Ben gave a slight groan at the pounding headache at his temples. “Thanks.” He took his tea back from Gwil, the hot lemon and ginger brew soothing the scratchiness in his throat.

“Told you you always sneeze twice in a row when you’re sick,” Joe said smartly.

Ben gave a weak laugh. “I think a simple ‘bless you’ would have sufficed.”

Joe chuckled and wrapped his arm around Ben’s waist, drawing the blonde to lean back against him again. “Bless you.”

Ben set his tea of the coffee table and followed Joe’s lead, his head resting right at Joe’s collarbone. He turned his head and bumped the bridge of his nose against Joe’s jawline, breathing in his scent; he could feel Joe’s heartbeat against his back, strong and steady.

Gwil ran his hand over Ben’s thigh, his touch intended to soothe rather than stimulate. He smiled to himself as he saw Ben visibly relax, leaning into Joe; he noticed Ben was wearing a pair of his wool socks as he rested his foot against Gwil’s thigh. Ben would be sound asleep in a minute, the medicine and his boyfriends’ warmth having the desired effect. His soft lips parted slightly as his eyes closed, a rosy pink over his nose and cheeks, his breaths congested but steady.

Joe met Gwil’s eyes and gave him a tired smile that Gwil couldn’t help but return. It wasn’t how they’d thought their night would go, but tangled up on the couch with their boyfriend between them, they wouldn’t have changed a thing.

“I love you, you know,” Gwil said softly. He knew the next few days would have their attention turned towards Ben, which he didn’t mind in the least, but he wanted to make sure Joe didn’t feel pushed by the wayside.

Joe smiled. “I know,” he said gently. “I love you too. And it’s ok. We’ll figure it out, right?”

Gwil felt a weight off his shoulders knowing Joe understood what he meant, knowing he understood the uncertainty that cropped up in a relationship like this. They each knew that balancing two people in a relationship was hard enough, but three? There were sure to be plenty of difficulties, plenty of moments of confusion and hurt and misunderstanding as they tried to work out how to be together and love each other well.

But then again, there were sure to be plenty of times like this, and Gwil couldn’t think of anyone else he’d rather figure this out with than Joe and Ben. The loves of his life, his best friends in the entire world.

“What’s say we take our boy to bed?” Gwil said.

“Good deal,” Joe agreed. He let Gwil wake Ben gently, running his hand up and down his arm.

“Was’ going on?” Ben mumbled.

“Time for bed, love,” Gwil said tenderly. “Come on.”

Ben nodded. “You’re coming too?”

“Right behind you, sweetheart,” Gwil assured him. “Go on and lay down.”

Ben reluctantly left his spot against Joe and headed towards the bedroom, rubbing his face with his too-long sleeves. Gwil smiled as he saw the way Joe looked at Ben, the affection in his expression matched by how Gwil felt about both of them.

“God, he’s cute in your sweater,” Joe said.

“Cuter than me?” Gwil teased.

Joe gave a soft laugh. “That’s not fair and you know it.”

Gwil kissed Joe’s cheek. “I know, and I’m horrible for it. But he is cuter than me in it, so I don’t mind if you say so.”

Joe turned his head towards Gwil and kissed him, drawing a contented sigh from Gwil.

“Ready for bed, love?” Gwil asked.

He could feel Joe’s smile. “I love it when you call me that. It’s very British of you.”

“You mean you don’t like it when I call you darlin’?” he joked in an exaggerated Southern accent.

Joe laughed. “Alright, cowboy, yeehaw to you too. Lucky for you, I like good old southern boys.”

“Too bad you’re dating two Brits,” Gwil teased.

“Mmh,” Joe agreed with a grin. “A shame, really.”

They kissed again, feeling a flicker of passion despite how tired they both were, and perhaps would have followed up on it had it not been for Ben’s feeble call of “Gwil? Joey?” that immediately had them heading to the bedroom to be with their poor sick boyfriend.

“Right here, baby,” Joe said, laying on Ben’s left side.

“Sorry we took so long,” Gwil added, taking the other spot opposite Joe, tucking Ben securely between them. “Everything ok?”

“Perfect,” Ben said, his voice hoarse. “Don’t be sorry, though, I’m just sad I missed the makeout session.”

Gwil and Joe laughed.

“Makeout session, huh?” Joe teased, brushing his knuckles over Ben’s flushed cheek. “You always let your imagination run that wild?”

“Only when I’m with you,” Ben said with a yawn, tucking against Gwil, happy to be the little spoon. “I expect to live vicariously through you two while I’m sick, you know. Hot makeout sessions and everything.”

Gwil chuckled and kissed Ben’s cheek. “Whatever you want, love. But for right now, why don’t we all try and get some rest, hm?”

“And when you’re better, we’ll kiss you senseless,” Joe promised.

Though he would gladly have stayed up and listened to his boyfriends’ bantering all night long, Ben felt the effects of the medicine take hold again as he lay safely between the two people he loved most. He felt Gwil’s arm go over his waist and Joe taking his hand and holding it close to his chest, their breathing evening out as they fell asleep. The last thought Ben had as he drifted off to sleep was that he was back where he belonged, right in the middle, and that he was silly to have ever thought he should have left.

[aracelisrobison-blog]

MP4 To MP3 Converter

Convert APE to MP3 with APE Converter for Mac APE Converter for Mac serves knowledgeable changing program to assist customers remedy the issue of incompatibility points on APE. After all, if you want to play APE information on Windows Media Participant, Home windows Film Maker or edit APE files on QuickTime, iMovie, and so on Avdshare Audio Converter also provides you the chance to convert APE to WAV, WMA, AC3, AAC, and many others. This going through a wave file intermediate is a more durable means. For Home windows use Foobar 2000 with monkey audio decoding help and lame mp3 encoder to go direct fromape tomp3. Some may inform you that it goes by a wave intermediate, but Foobar 2000 does it transparently to the person if it certainly goes by an intermediate. All free software program. Above FLAC Converters are all easy to install, use and convert, chances are you'll discover that some FLAC Converters can support multiple audio formats, however can't support the batch audio conversion. Some FLAC Converters allow you to do the batch audio conversion, but solely present restricted audio formats, in addition, you can't be sure that the audio conversion speed and stability if you find yourself doing the batch audio conversion. Considering these circumstances, you should wish to get a FLAC Converter which might support multiple audio codecs, can do batch audio conversion. Pavtube Video Converter Final is the perfect FLAC audio converter you're looking for. Moo0 Audio Converter lets you simply convert audio files into totally different codecs. I searched google for an answer of this downside and finally bumped into Audio Converter Studio It is a first rate software program capable of converting nearly each audio format and does it within the batch mode. It might aid you guys too. Click on Convert button to begin to convert APE to MP3 or different audio format you desired. A conversion dialog will seem to indicate the progress of ape to mp3 conversion If you want to cease the method, please click Stop button. After the conversion, you possibly can click on the Output Folder button to get the transformed files and switch to your iPod, iPad, iPhone, mp3 player or laborious driver. 2nd, edit thecue file: Search for the road which lists the file title of theape file. - Audio Converter: Assist to keep MP4 tags whereas audio conversion. The Audio House Recording Act explains the legalities concerned with recording audio from streaming companies. Basically, it's legal to report a streaming service if it is accomplished at your property and for non-business use. This article summarizes the regulation's definition and what it means for somebody who buys audio converter software for that function. You can change the observe's title, artist, album, 12 months and style. Tags are supported for mp3, ogg, flac, wav. Noise Removal - this is important if there's background noise in your recording, for example: A continual hum out of your pc whilst you recorded. The way in which it really works is that you choose a period of "silence" in your recording, where there may be only "noise" but not your voice or music (this is the "Noise Profile"). Then this system removes that "noise" from the complete recording. Very cool, however leads to minor distortion.

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[falkenscreen]

POLAR

A rare deed of terrible filmmaking emerging from a unique combination of guileless over-confidence and frightful neglect, Polar is one to scroll past.

Testing this author’s ability to see this film through, a rare feat in itself, sparingly has a picture so tonally disparate and ill-judged been backed by such recognisable talent.

Hannibal veteran Mads Mikkelsen, who should have known better, stars as the Black Kaiser, an assassin whose ‘guild’ would have him retire at 50 and collect his $8 million pension. Fast approaching that date and unwilling to pay him out, Matt Lucas’ absurd and utterly unwatchable villain dispatches a motley crew of colleagues to collect the sum for themselves.

Commencing with Johnny Knoxville partaking in drugs and being gunned down in front of his mansion while engaging in a sex act as a demonstration of this crew’s capabilities, somehow Polar only gets worse. The assassins, none of whom receive anything beyond bare characterisation, run amok tracking down the Kaiser, proffering needless, vilely gratuitous acts of violence; the repeated attempts to assassinate a very obese man being an especially low point.

Most short-changed of all is Ruby O. Fee as assassin Sindy whose skills seems to relate largely to her wearing very little clothing if that; the actress herself the subject of low-lying camera-angles and the like that might just make the most dated of 90’s cinema blush.  

No it is not uncommon for stated thrillers to have one or more glamorous female and/or male members of their cohort; for an example of how a nominally comparable role can be better handled see, say, Baby Driver. Eiza Gonzalez’ character, overwhelmingly distinguished for having a role largely comparable to the rest of the robbers, was too memorably glamorous in the likes of sequences and turns too permitted her male co-stars. Sindy, worlds apart, is a one-note role done no favours by Polar’s single-minded Direction.

Buttressing all this is the Kaiser slowly settling in to retirement in far-north USA – in solitude but for one neighbour and one alone, played by Vanessa Hudgens. The earnestness with which the film pursues this storyline is woefully undermined by both the corresponding assassins’ pursuit and an absurd twist you’ll see coming several sights away.

The hallmark and much-publicized centrepiece, a bloody showdown in a warehouse, delivers its punch and retreats all too quickly; leaving us with nothing but this repeatedly paining narrative. The hallway scene, intendedly another highlight, falls largely flat amid too many quick cuts and even more so coming off the heels of three seasons of Daredevil and it’s ilk.

Yes the violent cruxes are pursuing an overblown, Tarantino-esque aesthetic but for all that Tarantino musters in his most blood-filled shockers he spends time, both before, after and during key sequences, establishing the breadth of their impact and allowing us time to breath. There is none of that here; no reckoning, no time to process the abjectness we’ve seen and no attempt to portray the impact of violence depicted on any individual, save one denouement central to Hudgen’s ridiculous arc and admittedly a moment in a rental apartment portrayed by Fee.

Failing to at all marry it’s tonally divergent ends, what emerges is a regrettable picture that deserves to be confined to the depths of Netflix’s catalogue if it is indeed to be featured. Avoid.

Polar is now streaming on Netflix

[ihsentertainmentlatest]

‘hypothetical’ Change Idea For 49ers Involves Wr On Identical Boat As Samuel

GettyDeebo Shttps://www.hihonor.com/tr/club/topicdetail/topicid-76260/ amuel as opposed to https://www.hihonor.com/tr/club/topicdetail/topicid-76247/ https://www.hihonor.com/my/club/topicdetail/voir-film-les-animaux-fantastiques-3-streaming-vf-gratuit-sans-compte/topicid-68496/ https://www.hihonor.com/tr/club/topicdetail/topicid-76863/ the Cowboys for the duration of the 2022 NFC playoffs.

Deebo Samuel of the San Francisco 49ers isn’t the most effective NFL wide receiver who could doubtlessly transfer groups.

There’s any other wideout who plays similar https://www.hihonor.com/tr/club/topicdetail/topicid-76239/ versatility for his group who is now the subject of alternate rumblings with the aid of his franchise. And like Samuel, he’s on his very own rookie deal.

Kadarius Toney of the New York Giants has long gone from the 20th normal pick out of the 2021 NFL Draft to the difficulty of his personal alternate possibilities, with Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News reporting that the Giants are seeking to deliver their https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/9612953/ first rounder on Friday, April 22. And one analyst has a “hypothetical” concept regarding Toney, the Giants and the 49ers.

ALL the brand new 49ers news directly in your inbox! Join the Heavy on 49ers publication right here!

Join Heavy on 49ers!‘Hypothetical’ Idea Involving Both Receivers

Bleacher Report’s Paul Kasabian proposed a listing of thoughts that could contain a capability exchange bundle for Toney on April 22.

And here’s the wondering he has on what the 49ers may want to offer for the 6-foot, 193-pound Toney: The No. sixty one, No. ninety https://www.hihonor.com/tr/club/topicdetail/topicid-76809/ three and No. one hundred and five pick.

That’s right, the 49ers ship all 3 in their first three alternatives come day two of the NFL Draft for Toney.

“A Day 2 select might truly seem like the most draft capital Toney may want to internet,” Kasabian writes.

He includes others teams who appear like a suitable partner for the Giants: The Atlanta Falcons (who preserve 4 2d day of the draft choices), the Green Bay Packers (two 2nd round alternatives and a third rounder for the 2022 draft) and the Kansas City Chiefs ( 2d rounders and 0.33 rounders).

However, is Samuel concerned in this pass? Kasabian most effective wrote “The 49ers might be within the market for a receiver following Deebo Samuel’s trade request” as his most effective Samuel reference.What Has Gone Wrong so Quickly in New York for Toney?

It’s no longer regularly that a franchise places a person they drafted within the first round at the trading block so early. Moves like that normally comes within the NBA in particular if the opportunity affords itself to land an All-Star expertise.

So here we ask: What precisely has long past incorrect so fast in New York for Toney?

Toney has proven flashes of ability. During a 3-week span in opposition to the New Orleans Saints, Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams, Toney averaged among 12 to 18.nine yards a trap. Included in that trio of video games: His 10-catch, https://www.hihonor.com/latam/club/topicdetail/topicid-68496/ 189-yard overall performance against the department rival Cowboys.

However, he become indexed as “inactive” or “did no longer play” in seven video games remaining https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/9612995/ season as injuries rattled his NFL debut. But there has been every other motive as Kasabian talked about.

“The Giants’ https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/9613086/ offense being in a tailspin didn’t help matters either, and a few questionable decisions had been made. For starters, the Giants didn’t throw the ball a great deal down the field, and Toney’s gambling time was confined off the bat (5 targets in Weeks 1-3),” Kasabian wrote.

Leonard, but, pointed out the motives why the Giants have become interested by shipping away Toney — even describing him as “excessive-maintenance.”

“There become a few inner momentum for bailing on Toney in the course of his tumultuous rookie season a yr in the past. His commitment came into query backstage at some point of his rookie yr due to lack of playbook look at, negative meeting conduct and common accidents. The excessive-renovation wideout hasn’t proven as much as any of the team’s offseason application yet underneath first-year https://www.scoop.it/topic/voir-sentinelle-sud-en-streaming-vostfr-vf-2022-complet-gratuit train Brian Daboll, both. So the Giants are trying to move remaining yr’s No. 20 average pick,” Leonard wrote. Final Idea Regarding Move

In conclusion, this has the texture for a circulate that could pair Toney with the disgruntled Samuel. The 49ers, consistent with the NFL Network’s Peter Schrager, have no preference to alternate their All-Pro.

.@PSchrags on the #49ers probably trading Deebo Samuel⤵️

"I've texted loads of the GMs of those groups that are stated [to be capability landing spots for Samuel], and they're like, 'They're no longer buying and selling Deebo Samuel. Kyle would never change him. He's too important.'”

— Sterling Bennett (@49ers_Access) April 21, 2022

But, Samuel continues to be displaying signs he played his final game as a 49er — which includes sharing this reaction caught on camera that changed into posted Sunday morning.

[bad-idealist]

Report (got bored...wrote an Overwatch, or rather Blackwatch fanficion...enjoy?)

Blackwatch mission report: 35-E

Source:  Digital reconstruction of the Mental Image Recording from [REDACTED]

Designated operation title: ‘Moonshine’

Mission site: ‘The gutter’-East London

Date: 07/04/2058

Time of commencement: 0200 hours GMT

Active agents: Gabriel Reyes, Genji Shimada, Jesse Mccree,  Technical specialist [REDACTED]

  A spring breeze snaked its way through east London’s herds of sleeping houses. Lending its frosty bite to the street ridden Omnics, who huddled in every nook and cranny, and scarpered when met with human eyes. The Scents of the days industry where wafted away and shepherded into one, particularly dark corner, bogging it down in a mire of oil and sweat so thick what few stars were still visible above London town would seem snuffed out. The cloud was constant, unflinching against the nightly storm of angry shouts and spilt Omnic fluids. Unflinching even still, as its veil is pierced by series of lights, from which dropped 4 silhouetted figures, before vanishing just as quickly as it came. The shadows stood on the edge of a defunct factory, scanning the landscape.

“Well...” Jesse Mccree lit a vintage cigar, and warmed his hands on the lighter’s flame before stepping to the rooftop’s edge. “Not hard to tell why they call it ‘The Gutter’.” A second figure sat leaning over the edge. Binoculars in hand, Gabriel Reyes. “It’s well known for its violence between humans and Omnics, especially at night. And we don’t wanna’ provoke any more tension than this place already harbours. So stay out of sight, especially you tin-man.” He ordered half jokingly. The third, more slender figure kept its distance from the pack and let out only a   disgruntled Hmph. Finally I spoke up “So what exactly are we doing here sir? You were all pretty hush hush on the way over here, and I get the distinct feeling this isn’t going to be mentioned to commander Morrison is it?”

 “Nope.” Reyes replied nonchalantly before rising. “Don’t worry [REDACTED], it’s not the first time. If anything we’re  saving him the extra paper work.” He pointed to a more remote warehouse of some kind “That’s the place. And we’re just here to investigate.” Without warning the trio took off, and I followed,  diving and sprinting from roof to roof. I noticed a faint rising from the structures roof windows and, as we drew closer, that it was flickering. Once we arrived we peered through inside, Genji scoffed in disgust but the others watched un-phased. Below us was a table, on it was an Omnic, half stripped of its parts but still functional, a crowd of rough looking thugs, a gang of some sort, cheered and chanted from afar ‘SCRA-AP THE CLANKER! SCRA-AP THE CLANKER!’, whilst a man in an expensive looking suit paraded about beside the   Omnic. “This part of town is practically swarmin’ with anti Omnic gangs, but none more brutal than this bunch.” Mccree elaborated, his smoke fogging the glass slightly. “But we’ve got a hunch that there’s something more to these guys than just your bog standard Omnic hatred.”

 “We needed someone low-profile, but knowledgeable in the more technical surveillance stuff. That’s why you’re here [REDACTED].” Reyes passed me a data tablet smirking. “And if you tell Morrison, I’ll just have Genji kill you.” Sweat nearly erupted from my forehead, despite the cold. The cowboy and him laughed and he patted me on the back. “I’m joking...Mccree’d do it. Now, can you get us into the cameras? We need full audio and video feed.” I open the tablet and get to work, trying not to think too much about what was just said.

 After some fiddling it  and a fuzzy image crackled across the screen. Centred on the “Presenter’s” show. Behind him there was revealed yet another Omnic held in chains, its muddied clothes torn and even seared in places. The victim on the table squirmed and sparked violently from its wounds. ‘So whaddya’ say  boys? This one look about ready for the scrap heap!?’ He roared in a thick cockney accent, bashing and prodding with a crowbar, and shocking with a stun gun. Taking special care to drive it into the broken or missing sections of its faceplate. I’d never seen an Omnic die, I was almost surprised at how similar it felt to  watching a human suffer. I wondered if any of the others felt that way, then returned focus to the mission. After gratuitous amounts of riling up the crowd, the man revealed a small orb from his jacket, who whooped at its presentation. “It’s an EMP?” I question aloud, “No.”Even Reyes seemed surprised. “It’s called a ‘Bluescreen’. It’s an EMP, but specifically designed to terminate an Omnic component by component, to make it suffer. They’ve been outlawed since the crisis...” As the host crammed the device into a gash in the Omnic’s chest Mccree flicked his cigar aside and sighed “Makes ya’ wonder where the law’s    gone.” And as the Omnic spasmd violently, releasing a final garbled scream Genji scowled “It makes me wonder, why you are familiar with such things, Reyes.” Reyes ignored the comment, instead watching the feed even more intently. The host flung the scraps of the victim into the crowd, who cheered and clambered for pieces, And then spoke.

 ‘Now, before we entertain our next guest, I’d like to give a special mention to our sponsor, the ones who see  the truth! Who paid for our wonderful toys, and to keep the cops from stickin’ their nose in! Please put your hands together for the ones who see things as We do! Talooon!’ with this a holographic video began on stage, displaying row after row of soldiers in red and white armour, in the style of Omnic crisis propaganda, I had heard of Talon, but only in joshed tones. There was a series of k-tink’s behind me as Mccree loads his     revolver “Looks like you’re lead was right boss, dunno’ what business a hacker has with any of this but at  least they’re reliable.”

“I-I thought this was just surveillance?” I stammered. Reyes drew his shotguns and inspected them closely, dismissing me “For you, it was. If Talon is involved, and I presume you’ve heard of them, then we need to change our mission parameters a bit. To interrogation. You ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.” Mccree grinned, his revolver’s laser sights flickering to life. “Let’s make this quick.” Shimada counted his shurikens before retracting them back into his mechanical hand with what looked like pain. Gabriel pressed the barrel of his gun to the glass before turning to me,“[REDACTED], you did good. Now just stay put and tomorrow you can forget this ever happened. I stood back from the window and nodded. “Mccree. Flash bang, On my mark.” Mccree drew one of several from a clip on his belt. There was a moment of silence, the wind howling softly and the faint monotone ramblings of     the film almost  overtook a shared deep breath.

 Then, there was a bang! Mccree casually tossed the flash bang down, and in an instant the trio were down there. The chill of night seeping in behind them. Amidst the shocked roars I can make out Reyes. “You’re coming with us.” He snarls. There is the clatter of weapons being drawn and the half blind crowd erupts into a violent stream of battle-cries. I watch over the scene from the window. The host drew a machine gun. Spraying at Blackwatch. Bullets tearing through the blood red hologram. The gang members charged. Reyes gestured and Genji immediately drew his blade and dashed back, whilst Mccree steadied himself, taking aim.The captive Omnic curled up in panicked screaming. Reyes ran for the ringleader, bullets grazing his chest piece. As the wave of bodies hit him, Genji leapt, sprinting across the wall, his sword dancing from neck to torso to limb in one fluid motion. Any stragglers were swiftly met with a precise Pitew! As Mccree unloaded into the crowd. All the while Reyes threw a barrage of punches at the leader, sending them flying. Cackling maniacally, he unloaded another hail of bullets, this time at the ceiling. Shattering most of the lights. And the window.

The pain hadn’t finished shooting through my midriff when I hit the floor.

 The glass shards jammed themselves into my hands and face. The already lightning fast skirmish was now a blur, cut into brief segments where my consciousness and the flickering of the remaining light fixtures aligned. The noise was just a static fuzz of yells, and the sights just blood and muzzle flash. Broken only by a bright streak of green. My sight finally focused enough for me to make out Genji stood before me, repelling the stampede of bullets headed for me with a miasmic flurry of his blade. “Stay. Awake.” Is what it sounded like he said. But by that point all but my sight and sound were faded...

Everything came rushing back once more, if only for a minute. I saw the corpse of the gang leader strewn beside me, and the Blackwatch team standing ragged and bloodied over it. “Well that got...ugly” Mcree sighed, lighting another cigar. “Doesn’t matter. We got what we came for. We know at least some of what talon is up to. And we can start making some progress where Morrison won’t look. ” Reyes was examining another data tablet.

“But at what cost?” Genji sank his head, observing the body count, including me. Mccree whistled “Now that’s why we should’ve brought Moira.” “Damn, [REDACTED].” Genji leant over me. “They won’t make it.” He said.

“At least take his M.I.D.” Reyes sighed. “It’ll make the report much easier.”

The End

[aion-rsa]

Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow, and the Legacy of Ninja Movies

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

This article contains Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins spoilers.

It’s been a long time since we’ve been to the movies and an even longer time since we’ve seen a ninja flick on the big screen. Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins is a dazzling return to the underrated ninja genre – a breakout premiere in the shadow of the pandemic. 

Ninja films rarely earn a theatrical showing anymore. They are pigeon-holed as B-grade movie fodder, and justifiably so. Back in the 1980, ninja films proliferated when second and third-run movie theaters ruled. Campy, low budget ninja pictures were popular fare there back then, right alongside slasher films and teen sex comedies. But with the advent of home entertainment, those cheap flea-ridden theater seats atop soda-sticky floors are long gone. Nowadays, most new ninja films go straight to streaming so to see one on the big screen is quite a treat for fans of the genre.

Above and beyond the G.I. Joe franchise, Snake Eyes rides on the cloak tails of a massive colorful genre (even if that color is mostly black splattered with sanguineous red). In Japan, ninja films are part of their venerated cinematic category known as Jidai-geki, or “period dramas.” Silent Japanese movies about ninjas can be found as early as the 1910s – silent like Snake Eyes himself. 

Ninjas still proliferate Japanese cinema, especially in anime. Who can deny the impact of Naruto? And as anyone who has seen it knows – Batman Ninja is an uncommon treat of an anime mash-up. There are literally hundreds of Japanese ninja films – anime, classic historical, modern depictions, tokusatsu stories, even a whole sub-genre of erotic ninja films. 

And ninja movies are still popular in Japan. In 2019, director Yoshitaka Yamaguchi delivered his highly regarded dual ninja films, Last Ninja: Red Shadow and Last Ninja: Blue Shadow. Like Snake Eyes, that was a creation story circling around a ninja rivalry. 

Early Hollywood Ninja Movies

The immigration of ninjas to Hollywood goes back to none other than James Bond. In 1967, You Only Live Twice introduced Bond (Sean Connery in his final appearance as 007 in an Eon Production) to a clan of ninja accomplices. The film marked a significant departure from Ian Fleming’s original novel. You Only Live Twice was the conclusion of Fleming’s “Blofeld trilogy” where Bond finally gets revenge on his arch nemesis and murderer of his bride. Bond finally tracks down Blofeld in Japan, hiding in his “Garden of Death,” a restored castle surrounded by poisonous plants, and dispatches him in a brutal sword fight. 

The movie script was written by children’s book author Roald Dahl, who pirated the plot of the second book of the Blofeld trilogy, Thunderball, in which SPECTRE steals a missile, but instead of atomic bombs, it’s a manned spacecraft. In retrospect, it felt right to have Her Majesty’s top assassin introduce Japan’s elite killers to Western audiences. 

In 1975, celebrated action director Sam Peckinpah reintroduced Western audiences to ninjas in Killer Elite. James Caan and Robert Duvall play former covert operative partners, Mike Locken and George Hansen. Again akin to Snake Eyes, Locken and Hansen are split by a vengeance-filled rivalry. Hansen is in cahoots with a ninja clan, led by Negato Toku, played by renowned real-life Karate master Takayuki Kubota. Kubota invented a popular self-defense keychain that he dubbed Kubotan and instructed many celebrities, notably Martin Kove who plays Kreese in Cobra Kai. Sadly, Peckinpah succumbed to cocaine during production and Killer Elite is regarded by many critics as his worst film. 

The 1980s: The Golden Age of Ninja Movies

The addition of Snake Eyes into the G.I. Joe universe came as a reboot of the toys that reflected the times. Originally G.I. Joe dolls were 12” military figures that were introduced in the 1960s. These were reality-based figures, each emulating the authentic uniforms and gear of U.S. armed forces. In 1982, the toy line was rebooted at 3 ¼” scale, the same size as the popular Star Wars figures introduced in the late 70s. 

These new G.I. Joe came out with an accompanying marketing plan that included a simultaneous comic series from Marvel that revealed the rivalry between the “Real American Hero” G.I. Joe team and the villainous terrorist organization known as Cobra. The campaign was so successful that the first animated G.I. Joe TV show came out the following year. 

And at the movies, the great ninja wave began with Chuck Norris’ 1980 flick The Octagon. Regarded as one of his stronger films, Norris played Scott James, a retired Karate champion, who has to face his rival half-brother, the ninja terrorist Seikura, played by another renowned Karate master, Tadashi Yamashita. Yamashita is credited as the man who taught Bruce Lee how to use his signature nunchaku. Norris opened the door for the ninja invasion of the ‘80s with The Octagon, as well as inspired the UFC’s trademarked octagonal ring, The Octagon, which has become a hallmark of the brand.

Following Norris’ lead, Sho Kosugi emerged as the leading ninja in grindhouse cinema. He starred in a series of ninja films beginning in 1981 with his preposterous yet entertaining “Ninja Trilogy,”  Enter the Ninja, Revenge of the Ninja, and my personal favorite, Ninja III: The Domination (although most feel his 1985 film Pray for Death which falls outside the trilogy was his ninja masterpiece). 

The other leading ninja franchise of the eighties was the American Ninja pentalogy. Michael Dudikoff played Private Joe Armstrong in a franchise which echoed the paramilitary ninja connection from G.I. Joe. In the first film, Armstrong faced the Black Star Ninja, seeing Tadashi Yamashita once again playing a ninja baddie. 

Dudikoff was an exception to the rule that ninja film leads must have a martial arts background. However he was athletic and a quick study, and became a dedicated practitioner from his involvement with the franchise. Dudikoff starred in three of American Ninja films. He skipped American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt because he didn’t want to get typecast as a martial arts actor and was anti-apartheid (it was filmed in South Africa). He returned for American Ninja 4: The Annihilation but didn’t appear in American Ninja V. Both Kosugi’s films and American Ninja franchise were produced by that goliath grindhouse of the eighties, Cannon Films. They made ample bank slinging ninja films back then.

The ‘80s ninja craze helped inspire G.I. Joe’s Snake Eyes, and he quickly rose to become a favorite character. The pivotal G.I. Joe comic issue #21, “Silent Interlude,” was published in 1984 (coincidentally the same year the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic was released). This was one of the first modern comics to be told entirely without word bubbles. It helped set the tone of silence for Snake Eyes’ character. That issue also marked the first appearance of Storm Shadow. 

As with all comic-to-cinema characters, Snake Eyes has several incarnations, depending upon which story you follow. In the comic canon, Snake Eyes suffers a horrible helicopter crash while saving Scarlett’s life. His face is burned and he loses his voice, something very different than what we see on screen in Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins. 

Meanwhile, Hong Kong was getting into the action by infusing Kung Fu movies with ninjas. Leading the charge was the ultimate martial arts rivalry between China and Japan, 1978’s Challenge of the Ninja (a.k.a. Heroes of the East) in 1978, Veteran Kung Fu star Gordon Liu played Ho Tao, who must match his skills against his Japanese bride’s family. Got ninjas? According to Liu, the solution is scattering your yard with peanut shells! 

In a savvy move for those times, Challenge of the Ninja depicts the Japanese respectfully instead of as caricatured villains, with the exception of the ninja who Ho declares to be dishonorable. Challenge of the Ninja is widely considered as one of the all-time best Kung Fu films and in its wake, dozens more ninja films came out in Hong Kong and Taiwan.  

In 1982, the legendary Kung Fu grindhouse Shaw Brothers studios delivered the outrageously imaginative Five Elements Ninjas, directed by the legendary Chang Cheh who dominated the Kung Fu film genre with his gloriously bloody epics. 

The last major ninja film that was released theatrically in the United States was Ninja Assassin in 2009 (coincidentally the same year that G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra came out). It was James McTeigue’s second directorial effort following V for Vendetta, and starred K-pop singer and dancer, Rain. For ninja fans, it had a fitting homage by casting Sho Kosugi as the villain. Ninja Assassin was Kosugi’s final theatrical film role to date. The film hoped to continue as a new ninja franchise, and although it was profitable, it failed to attract enough of a following to warrant a sequel. 

The Rise of Snake Eyes

It’s a bold move for Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins to premiere exclusively in theaters. Not even Black Widow was so daring with the Delta variant looming. As theaters reopen, it seems telling that several of the first theatrical films coming out are about stealthy martial arts masters. 

You could argue that Natasha Romanoff is an MCU ninja (Elektra is the real Marvel ninja but Jennifer Garner’s film doesn’t count in the MCU “sacred timeline”). You could also argue that Mortal Kombat is a ninja movie. Both have black clad assassins wielding martial arts weapons. 

However Snake Eyes is a pure ninja film, unabashed and unapologetic in its style and gratuitousness. Regardless of its G.I. Joe origins, the Joes are peripheral. Snake Eyes evades that with a glorious reboot, shifting away from the canon established in the previous two live-action G.I. Joe films and forging its own path.

Snake Eyes is Hasbro’s Batman Begins. It’s a completely novel creation story for the characters that defies what the film franchise has already established. The origin story of Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow was already told in the first film, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. While not the central tale, it was a significant story arc that forecasted how the ninjas would eventually eclipse the Joe’s paramilitary characters in popularity. 

In Paramount’s previous G.I. Joe films, Wushu champion Ray Park played the silent Snake Eyes, and taekwondo practitioner Lee Byung-hun was Storm Shadow. Byung-hun is constantly twirling a shuriken like a fidget-spinner, predating the 2017 fad by eight years. Park never speaks or shows his face, in character with the Snake Eyes of the comics. Their teacher the Hard Master is played by another real life martial arts master Gerald Okamura. 

The sequel, G.I. Joe: Retaliation added another ninja, Kim Arashikage, a.k.a. Jinx, played by Elodie Yung, a black belt in Karate. Yung went on to play Elektra in Netflix’s Daredevil. The standout act was a thrilling ninja battle while rappelling down a Himalayan cliffside. That show-stopping scene put the sequel above the original film, especially if you saw it in 3D IMAX. In a sneaky way, the ninja story arc creeps up on the G.I. Joe films from behind, and now it’s all about those ninjas. 

Bringing Ninjas Back

Compared to the CGI bombast of the earlier two films, Snake Eyes has cool cinematic style, bathed in Tokyo neon and split with flashing katana blades. And when it comes to action, it cuts quickly to the chase. Like any good ninja flick, there’s just enough plot to get to the next sword fight, no more, no less. And in contrast to previous outings, Snake Eyes tells a completely different origin story for the mysterious Snake Eyes. 

In this reboot, Snake Eyes (Henry Golding) and Thomas Arashikage (Andrew Koji) meet as adults, not as children. The Hard Master is played by Iko Uwais, a genuine master of the Indonesian martial art of Silat. A practitioner of Taekwondo and Shaolin Kung Fu, Koji best known as Ah Sahm, the lead role in the Bruce Lee inspired Cinemax series Warrior. 

Like Dudikoff decades ago, Golding had no martial arts background prior to accepting the role. Once he landed it, the Crazy Rich Asians star spent four hours a day training with the stunt team in preparation. 

With the exception of Golding, the casting of genuine martial arts practitioners underscores a critical element in ninja films. Ninja films are about martial arts fights. No matter how good the story and acting might be, a ninja film fails if it doesn’t bring great action. Consequently for a ninja film to work, it needs a cast with a genuine martial arts background. 

Golding makes up for his lack of skills with his smoldering screen presence, but much credit must be given to the film’s fight coordinator, Kenji Tanigaki. Tanigaki is one of Asia’s top choreographers who has been in the business since the mid ‘90s. Just prior to Snake Eyes, he oversaw the action on Donnie Yen’s last two films, Enter the Fat Dragon and Big Brother, and completed two more installments of the five-part samurai manga-turned-movie series Rurouni Kenshin. 

Snake Eyes is poised to spin off into its own franchise. The end credits scene with Storm Shadow declaring his new identity to the Baroness (Úrsula Corberó) was hardly a surprise to anyone, but it teased the possibility of a sequel. Back in May 2020, Paramount and Hasbro were in negotiations with Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse to write the script, but then the world plunged into the pandemic and no more developments have been announced at this writing. Will the sequel be Snake Eyes’ The Dark Knight? For ninja fans all over the world, we can only hope. 

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Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins is now playing in theaters.

The post Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow, and the Legacy of Ninja Movies appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[fuckyeahjamieandclaire]

This week, a Twitter exchange between the writers' account for a popular TV show, its lead star, and the series' fans received some attention. The latest episode of the show — the sixth of its third season — depicted a long-awaited reunion between its star-crossed protagonists, and fans had things to say about how the scene had deviated from the original source material (the books on which the show is based). Tweets flew between fans and the show's writers, then the star himself stepped in to explain why he'd enacted the scene the way he did, and finally, the writer of the original books retweeted it all, to settle the matter.

Welcome to the world of Outlander.

In the Golden Age of Peak TV, small screen series — Game of Thrones, Stranger Things, Sherlock, to name just a few — have gone on to become global phenomenons, and inspire devoted fan followings (Orphan Black) in a way that would make Hollywood envious. Outlander has fans who're a little more invested than most — and the show, which premiered in August 2014, deserves every bit of the fandom.

The story so far

For those who haven't seen Outlander (it streams in India on Netflix; a new episode goes up every Monday night), here's a quick lowdown:

Based on the Outlander novels by American author Diana Gabaldon — the first was published in 1991; the series comprises eight books so far, with a ninth on its way — the story spans the genres of historical fiction, sci-fi, adventure, fantasy and romance. It begins just after World War II, when English nurse Claire Randall disappears in Scotland while on a second honeymoon there with her husband, a historian called Frank Randall. Frank and the authorities search high and low for Claire; what they do not know, is that Claire has slipped through a time portal while visiting a mysterious stone circle (a small-scale Stonehenge) in a place called Craigh na Dun, and inadvertently travelled 200 years into the past. Having hurtled into the year 1743, Claire finds herself navigating the social mores of 18th century Scotland (at a troubled point in its history), and also a passionate marriage with a Highlander called Jamie Fraser.

Showrunner Ronald D Moore has stuck pretty closely to Galabaldon's books in his screen adaptation. So Outlander's season 1 followed the happenings of the eponymous book 1 (nearly) to the letter: Claire's tumble through time, establishing herself as a healer of some repute, marriage with Jamie, and their run-ins with a sadistic captain in the British Army, Jack Randall (an ancestor of Frank's). Season 2 (based on book 2 — A Dragonfly in Amber) saw them escape to France and get embroiled in the court politics of King Louis XV there, before returning to Scotland. The larger narrative arc for both these seasons — covering a span of about three years — is the Jacobite rebellion brewing in Scotland at the time, with several of the clans declaring support for Prince Charles Stuart's uprising against the English king George II. Knowing as she does that the revolt will lead to the destruction of the Scottish clans, Claire works with Jamie to stymie it.

[Spoilers ahead]

The end of season 2 saw Jamie send a pregnant Claire back through the stones at Craigh na Dun, to the future; he believes he will die in the battle of Culloden, where the Jacobite rebellion was crushed by the English. Claire returns to the 1940s, to Frank; they move to America where Claire trains as a surgeon and they raise her child together. Twenty years later, after Frank's death, Claire revisits Scotland, and happens to discover that Jamie was not, in fact, among the men who were killed at Culloden. A painstaking search over several months with help from a historian friend helps Claire track Jamie down — from years of hiding in a cave near his ancestral home, to several more in prison, then as an indentured servant on parole, and finally as a printer in Edinburgh (with a profitable side business in smuggling fine liquor). Her daughter is all grown up, and has (after some disbelief) accepted her mother's time travelling past, so Claire decides to go through the stones, once again, and reconnect with Jamie.

It was this reunion — dubbed 'the print shop scene' by fans, because it takes place in Jamie's print shop — that caused the recent Twitter eruption. In Diana Gabaldon's third book (titled Voyager, the chapter is called 'A. Malcom', as is episode six of season 3) Jamie breaks down after Claire shows him photographs of their daughter Brianna. In the show, actor Sam Heughan preferred to take a more restrained approach, and while he depicts a man in the grip of great emotion, didn't actually break into tears. With Heughan, the writers and Gabaldon herself all presenting their points of view, the fandom seems to have been appeased, for now.

The story now

Outlander stars Caitriona Balfe as Claire Beauchamp/Randall/Fraser, Sam Heughan as Jamie Fraser, and Tobias Menzies as Frank Randall/Captain Jack Randall. Balfe is a wonderful Claire, playing her with all the gutsy gumption the character demands. Claire has been called many things — the female character Game of Thrones should have had, a true feminist heroine etc — and Balfe brings all of that strength into her portrayal. Tobias Menzies is a revelation: both his roles, as the sensitive/disappointed Frank Randall and the utterly villainous Jack Randall are so finely etched, you wonder why the Game of Thrones showrunners decided to waste his prodigious talent by casting him as the wishy-washy Lord Edmure Tully. The supporting cast also boasts several gifted actors — and yet, Sam Heughan towers above them all (figuratively, and literally considering he stands at about 6'3"). Over much of season 1, Heughan played Jamie Fraser with a carefree insouciance, although there were flashes of intensity that promised greater depths. Then, over the last two episodes of the season, came what for most fans was an Outlander rubicon — the depiction of Jamie's rape by Captain Jack Randall. Menzies was pitch perfect, but Heughan's performance was something else altogether. The violence was brutal — but not gratuitous, the scene stark — yet oddly intimate; it won rave reviews for showing the aftermath of rape, and survivors' state of mind. (It was also a winning argument for why we need more women directors on big-ticket TV shows, but more on that later.)

While Outlander, for the most part, is told through Claire's perspective, it does delve into Jamie's frame of mind as well, on occasion. Those occasions give Heughan a chance to shine. Season 3, especially, has offered many of those. As a fugitive from the law, then a prisoner, and 'lowly' servant, this Jamie Fraser is a far cry from the devil-may-care lad we first knew, and Heughan invests the weight of all these life experiences into his portrayal. Much has been written of how the characters were not aged in a very physically obvious way, even though the story has taken a leap of 20 years, but there are subtle changes that do make a marked difference — the way Heughan moves, or the air of reserve, of sorrow held in check that wasn't present in his portrayal earlier.

Filming for season 4 is currently under-way, and season three is only at its halfway point, which means fans have a fair bit more of Outlander to look forward to. With the story moving away from Scotland, as the reunited Jamie and Claire set off for fresh adventures in France, the West Indies, and finally America (by the end of book 3), there's quite some exciting ground to cover.

Outlander and the female gaze

Feminism may seem like an odd thing to bring up in connection with a TV show about time travel and Scottish history, and yet, that's among the most discussed things about this series. The obvious way in which Outlander is feminist is in its heroine, of course. As a nurse and later, surgeon, Claire is in her element — whether she's in 18th century Scotland, or 20th century Boston. Season 1 saw her grapple with patriarchy and superstition — all while she plotted with Jamie to save the Highland clans. Sure, she gets into situations where Jamie needs to rescue her — but she's no damsel-in-distress, and saves Jamie's life just as often. Then again, it isn't that we haven't seen strong female protagonists like Claire in popular culture.

Outlander's feminism comes from its adoption of the female gaze — not just because the story is written by a woman, but also in the way women directors have shot crucial episodes. Game of Thrones has often been criticised for its lack of female directors; Outlander, by contrast, shows you what women bring to a scene when they're placed behind the camera. So season 1 had critical episodes being shot by Anna Foerster (Underworld: Blood Wars, White House Down) — the season finale and the penultimate one (Jamie's rape and torture at the hands of Jack Randall) and also Jamie and Claire's wedding episode. The wedding episode offers a case study in the difference between how men and women film sex — how male and female actors (and nudity) are portrayed depending on who's behind the camera. Season 3 again features three women directors on its roster — Norma Bailey (who shot the print shop reunion episode), Jennifer Getzinger and Charlotte Brandström.

Some may argue that the reverse of what we see in other shows has happened with Outlander — it's the male lead (Sam Heughan) who is now objectified. However, the appreciation for his Greek Scottish god looks has also been balanced with the acclaim for his histrionics.

Those Outlander-Game of Thrones comparisons

That they feature well-known actors from the UK, are based on sprawling epic historical/fantasy sagas by immensely popular American writers, are inspired by aspects of the UK's history, have gorgeous music (Bear McCreary's score for Outlander is as good as Ramin Djawadi's for Game of Thrones) and are produced by premium networks make Game of Thrones and Outlander comparisons common. Of course, they're vastly different — and those oft-listed similarities are superficial at best. Still, fans of one show will find much to love in the other.

As Game of Thrones heads to its finale season in 2018, there's going to be a big, fantasy epic-sized hole in our pop culture lives. Outlander — with its well-entrenched fan base and potential to grow bigger — could be poised to fill that gap.

[rtlsrd]

Death Note (2017) and the Comparative Lens

I’ll be honest. When I found out that Death Note was getting an Americanized live action adaptation, I wasn’t too thrilled. In fact, I was terrified that something I loved was going to be straight up murdered before my eyes  — and I wasn’t ready to give it a shot. In fact, I was really unwilling to budge on this until recently.

However, about three hours ago, the movie came out on Netflix. Sitting there with my housemates, I decided to give the movie a shot and check it out. for those of you who would like to avoid spoilers, this is the cutoff point for spoilers. There are an awful lot of them beyond this point.

Death Note is not a particularly new thing to many of us. If you’ve spent an hour talking about anime or reading manga, you know that Death Note exists. Finding out about the series or the source material that preceded this movie is not particularly hard; the hard part comes in discarding the source material to give the movie a fair shake.

When you look at something like this, you have to discard your comparative lens at the start of the movie to suspend your disbelief. When you sit down to watch something like, say, Game of Thrones, you are undertaking that viewing with the understanding that it’s not going to be exactly like it was in A Song of Ice and Fire.

The same thing must be done for Death Note (2017). When you sit down to watch this movie, you have to decide if you want to give it a fair shake. If not, that’s fine, but that’s what I set out to do.

Starting from the top, the movie itself isn’t bad. If you hadn’t seen the anime before watching it, it holds up to a 6/10 or a 7/10, but likely doesn’t pass an 8 on most scales. Let me explain by starting with some discussion on the main cast before getting into the actual synopsis and response.

The casting of Lakeith Stanfield as L is great, and he dramatically outperforms the rest of the cast; his take on L is both familiar to those who want similarities to what they know and slightly more emotive and human to appeal to the audience. His grasp of the character is magnificent, and I’m sure he studied for this role. I’d highly recommend watching this movie just to watch his performance if nothing else.

There’s only one problem with this: his performance feels slightly hollow when put next to Nat Wolff and Willem Dafoe. Willem Dafoe is a great man and a talented actor… but this is by no means his best showing. 

Nat Wolff, comparatively fresh to the silver screen (or technically not, since it’s closer to a direct to DVD release), paints a picture of a very fragmented Light. At times too comedic, too frustrated, and too unbelievable, his portrayal of his character comes across as transparent. It surprised me to find that his version of Light didn’t hold up to the “judge and jury” that the film tries to make him.

Light is at times frustrating and all said, a little annoying. My favorite moment of his in the film comes three minutes in, when a bully punches him in the face and knocks him out.

The funny thing about the casting, though, is that it gives Margaret Qualley, playing Mia Sutton (analogous to Misa, from the series) the chance to shine in a dark way.

Since we’ve now discussed the cast, it’s important to note that the casting for this movie is not to blame or to praise in its success or failure. Whether or not this movie is good does not depend entirely on the choices made in its casting.

The movie itself revolves around Light Turner (an Americanization of Light Yagami), the son of a “hippy” and a police chief. Light, after passing off some homework for money to one of his fellow students, finds the eponymous Death Note when it falls from the sky in the middle of a storm. Light, after meeting Ryuk, is forced to come to terms with the power he now holds… and the consequences that accompany that power.

One of his first confidantes is his fellow student, Mia Sutton; Mia is initially skeptical, but after Light kills a criminal on a live stream, she comes around to his side and the two quickly enter into a strange love affair based on his ability to kill these criminals. Light takes the name “Kira” in order to make law enforcement suspect that he’s actually based in Japan, as “Kira” is a true cognate for the English word “killer.”

Hot on Kira’s heels are his father, who doesn’t know his son is involved, and L, a young detective with a murky past. L quickly deduces that Light is based in Seattle based on the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of a hostage taker, whose name was only released in the Seattle area.

Correctly linking Kira to Light’s father, L begins the investigation in earnest, accidentally pushing the inexperienced boy and his new powers too far. After quick, dazzling victories over the danger known as Kira, L confronts Light in a coffee shop one night, convinced of his foe’s identity.

It’s at this point that things take a sharp turn. Light, in the films, is just a schoolboy in over his head, eager to impress his girlfriend with his “wicked cool” murder powers. He is not the character most loved in the manga or the anime, and this is why the adaptation must be viewed differently. Light’s identity is discovered after the death of several task force members and the public revelation of his father’s name and face on TV. Unbeknownst to Light, Mia murdered those men with a page from the note, attributing it to Ryuk.

When Mr. Turner isn’t killed, L confronts Light in a cafe at night, revealing to him that he’s aware of the high schooler’s alter ego. After Light tries to explain that he didn’t kill the task force members, his pleas fall on deaf ears, and L tersely informs him that he’ll be brought to justice.

After this, things take a steep, steep increase in pace. Light and Mia manage to take control over Watari using the Death Note, with the rule in place (via the notebook) that a person can be controlled for two days before their death. Light, in order to circumvent Watari’s death, intends to burn the page containing Watari’s name before he dies, sparing him.

Unbeknownst to him, Mia takes the page from his notebook… throwing a spanner in the works.

After the death of Watari, Mia reveals that she’s been planning to take the Death Note for herself. Light is then forced to flee by a vengeance driven L, given the ultimatum that if she doesn’t get the notebook by midnight, that he will die (as she’s written his name on her page).

L catches up to Light in the back of an alley as Light tries to meet Mia at the spot of their last date to hand over the notebook. He tries to explain what happened, but L doesn’t listen… and despite having Light at gunpoint, is knocked out from behind by a nearby citizen who overheard Light admit to being Kira. Grateful for what Kira has done, he lets Light go.

Light makes it to Mia atop a ferris wheel at the pier… and tells her not to take the book, as he’s written her name in it, putting them at a stalemate. Only one page of the book can be burned by its holder (Light), and unbeknownst to Mia, Light has made her death conditional. If she takes the book, she will die.

She takes the book and dies.

Light, having written his plan out in advance before fleeing L earlier, is saved when he falls into the water below the pier and is rescued by an old man, whose name he wrote in the book earlier. At the same time, another old man (both criminals) takes the Death Note for two days while Light recovers, filling out pages for him to give him an alibi.

This is explained to Light’s father while Light recovers in the hospital. The movie comes to an end as L realizes the meaning of a clue Light left him during the movie’s main chase scene; finding a stray page of the Death Note, L contemplates writing Light’s name… and Ryuk comments on the interesting nature of mankind.

Back to the review, though. The narrative pacing of the movie is rushed in the front half, for obvious reasons. The pacing that ensues around the climax of the movie, though, is great. The reveal that Mia is actually the antagonist of the movie makes sense and was well thought out. It’s not blatant, but it is foreseeable if you pay attention to her character throughout.

The cinematography is… amateur. It’s not very refined, and most shots make up for in color what they lack in substance. The camera work, for the most part, resembles a college student’s final short film.

Characters often abandon the rules established for them by their characterization in the first half of the movie in ways I’m unsure of. L turns into an action star in the last thirty minutes, and Light is… well, he’s annoying all the way through, but he never really gets a solid definition. The only way to sum up his character in the film is “inept,” but it does bring you to mentally treat him like a villain, which is good.

Its ending is vastly different from its source material (as L is alive), but ultimately more satisfying. The problems that plague the movie throughout, though, never really go away.

Despite this, most cast members put on a strong performance at least once in the film, and the movie follows a nice, neat arc. Reveals are carefully done and at multiple points, I was on the edge of my seat. Gorey action scenes (usually gratuitous deaths) aren’t cheap; they reinforce the notion that what Light is doing is wrong, even if he’s doing it for the right reasons. At no point do I sympathize with the character, which is a little frustrating, but also familiar.

The soundtrack… I don’t like it. It’s too “eighties” for me. It tries too hard to sound like Miami Vice, for unknown reasons. The music is too heavy handed, and often too easily applied to each scene. At no point am I left to wonder the nonexistent subtleties of its soundtrack.

This movie is a solid thriller, with a satisfying ending, a decent cast and a good narrative arc. Despite this, Death Note (2017) does not follow well with its source material, which it uses primarily as a guideline. If you’re expecting to see familiar faces from the manga (or even the anime), you will be disappointed.

Lakeith Stanfield kills it, though. 

[starspatter]

Saving Today

Title: Saving Today

Fandom/Universe: Wonder Woman/Justice League (DCEU)

Summary: For two people, the time that froze slowly starts to move again.

Rating: PG

Genre: Hurt/Comfort/Friendship/Romance

Word Count: 2,519

AO3 and ff.net links. I read in an interview that Henry Cavill thought Superman's answer to the kids' question at the beginning of the movie would be "Love", which fits well with the theme of WW. (Personally I expected there to be a bookend of Superman's response at the end of the film, and to be something along the lines of "anyone can be a hero/take his place", but I accept that it was left open to interpretation and so did the same here.)

“What’s the best thing about planet earth?”

Superman pauses, taken aback.  Deliberating deep, he meditates off to the distance, squinting at the sky. Into infinite blue space, the place where he once came from.  The sun and source of all of his strength, of life and warmth and cheer.  Soaking it in as he ponders, selecting his words carefully, then smiles.

-

Diana switches off the recording, leaning back from her laptop as she peers towards the photo propped on her desk.  Her fingers extend out, ghosting over the glass, running faint along the gray and grainy faces of ghosts long gone from this world.  Longingly.

“What do you think, Steve? Is he right?”

In lieu of an answer, her phone starts to ring.  Glancing at the Caller ID, she sighs at such inconvenient timing.

It’s true what they say about little boys: Once you share with them, they won’t ever leave you alone.

-

“I want to show you something.”

She trails behind as Wayne guides her through the entry hall of the old, abandoned building.  A cathedral-esque monument, stone worn and sagging with the weight of age on its foundations, yet still standing proud as a testament to time.  Her echoing heels click across the concrete, littered with dust and doves taken roost amongst shattered chandeliers, sent aflutter as soon as the grand doors fling open wide to its central atrium.  Feathers float down from the few decorative hangers still suspended above, dangling crystal shards and stars overhead as they refract shafts of light streaming through the curtains, filtered red and white and gold.

“Must be 100… 150 feet.”

Her host declares with gusto, gazing eagerly around the empty room like a child opening his presents on Christmas day.  An artist before his blank canvas, envisioning masterful brush strokes of an image yet to come into being.

“Must be.”

The butler beside resounds the obvious, with all the clearly learned patience of humoring his master’s many whims.

“Big round table – six chairs – right there.”

Bruce indicates vaguely before him, as Alfred sports an unsurprised smirk, merely grunting softly in acknowledgment.  She struts between the two, chiming in with the words on all their minds:

“…But room for more.”

-

Later, by the lake. Where they walked before, and she spoke of the Motherboxes, of the history of mankind, and their ancestors’ alliance with Amazons and merfolk – and more.  Where he told her not to count on the “tribes of men”, but instead to ask people they didn’t know to risk their lives, and battle beside them for the fate of the world.  To place her faith in the hands of total strangers. To lead again, after what happened to…

“Did you want one?”

“What?”

Diana startles out of her reverie.  She sees Bruce pointing at an ice cream cart by the park path, predictably surrounded by a crowd of kids clamoring for their parents to purchase them frozen treats. Compared to the peaceful environs of their prior private conversation, a part of her prefers the bustling scene during peak hours, as an energetic jogger sprints past, followed by a couple happily holding hands…

“Probably because they’re together.”

“You were staring at it for a long while.  I’ll buy you one if you want.”

Diana shakes her head.

“No, that’s all right. Thank you.”

“Please, allow me,” he insists, reaching for his (no doubt overflowing) wallet.  “As an apology, for the things I said before…”  He hesitates.  “About Steve Trevor.”

She gives him a sidelong glimpse, gauging sincerity.

“You already apologized, Bruce.  You don’t need to do anything more.  Besides,” she breathes a low exhale.  “You were right.  I’ve been using Steve’s memory as a crutch, preventing me from doing the thing I came here to do: Make the world a better place.  Even now,” she confesses quietly, “I have my doubts about returning to be a part of a ‘team’ again.  To step back into the spotlight after all these years…”

She looks out over the still surface of the lake, hugging arms to her breasts in conflict as Bruce heeds her air uncertainties (understanding perhaps all too well).

“You know, I bet an ice cream will make you feel better,” he quirks a grin, coaxing gently.  “C’mon, my treat.”

Admittedly, she can’t help but be amused by his persistence.  Thus despite her reservations, she relents.

“All right,” she agrees at last with a laugh.  “But only if you join me.”

Bruce blanches a bit at the reverse requisite, backpedaling.

“Oh, I uh-” he coughs, belatedly recognizing his own hypocrisy.  “I don’t really eat sweets.”

She doesn’t need to ask to know the answer why.  She can tell just by looking: From the beginning, it was evident that this was a man who’s denied himself the simple joys in life for so long, ostensibly as part of his dedicated crusade for “justice”.  But even underneath that strict self-disciplining façade, a pristine pretense of devotion to one’s trade – the “mission”, as he calls it – it’s easy to discern the raw regret buried deep down; no Lasso of Truth necessary to reveal that much.

“To be honest,” he muses, marveling as if in awe at his own self-realization, “I don’t think I’ve eaten ice cream since I was eight years old.”

“And I haven’t had it in over 100 years,” she rejoins, teasingly rolling her eyes.  “Your point being?”

Bruce rubs the back of his neck, unable to argue with such effective (if extreme) logic being thrown back at him.

“Guess this’ll be a renewed experience for both of us then,” he chuckles, conceding defeat.

They take two scoops: vanilla for her and chocolate for him.  As promised, he pays for her fare.

Etta would be proud, Diana thinks to herself as she tentatively ventures her tongue to taste the delicacy, daring but a delicate dab at first. If only she were here to see as well.  Bold and ever-buoyant despite the loss of her own beloved employer, the bubbly redhead had unabashedly invited her many times to partake in parfaits (no doubt as a benevolent effort to brighten her spirits, albeit framed as but an affable gesture between friends), but she’d always declined, feeling such indulgent fluff forbidden while the wound in her heart was still fresh. Perhaps now, after all this time, she could stand to stomach the superficial associations and permit herself pleasure for once instead of sorrow.

As soon as she bites into the savory snow-white sweetness, rich and airy as a cloud of cream, the dizzying memories melt in her mouth.  Of swaying under a flurry of flakes as people laughed and sang around them, safe and sound after their town had been liberated by a band of heroes.  Of hands grazing tender across her cheek, his lips on hers like the heat of a match spark, kindling tinder in their hearts.  Of a pinned paper princess, watching her steadfast tin soldier go up in flames, wishing to dance with him just once more…

She stops, swallows sugar mixed with salt.  Peeking over at her partner, she observes his own hand halted, cone hovering far from his feeding orifice as dark brown droplets drip down the sides.

“You haven’t touched yours.”

“Huh?”  He blinks.  “Oh…  Sorry, guess I got distracted.”

She traces the direction of his sight, sensing it focused on a particular familial pair nearby: a small boy and his father, as the former tugs on the taller’s sleeve, begging for his favorite flavor.  The man obliges, ruffling his son’s scalp as he gleefully laps up the goodie.  Diana notes Bruce’s grip tighten on his own confectionary, contemplative wrinkles written on his countenance.  A visage veiled with wistful mist.  His eyes are remote, ruminating; like black moons eclipsed by smoke, seemingly somewhere else.

Diana knows that look. She’s seen it in tears of Lois Lane as she cradled her lost love in her limbs (reflecting her own when she witnessed the explosion that took Steve Trevor away from her), crying and kissing his cold skin repeatedly as if it could somehow bring him back to life.  In Martha Kent’s grief at Clark’s – not Superman’s – funeral. …In the mourning of mothers and fathers whose sons never came home from the war.

She knows, he’s lost someone dear to him as well.  It’s forecast in his features, the heavy hunch of his shoulders, bearing an invisible burden on his back.  In the way he watches the two amble away, reuniting with a waiting woman by the water, who welcomes her young with open arms.

It’s no wonder who it was. She saw the suit in the cave, tailored to fit someone of slighter stature.  A costume further customized to fulfill some clown’s sick idea of a joke, defaced with gratuitous graffiti to taunt its presumed maker.  Memorialized in its case (or perhaps more accurately a casket, in this case) like an artifact in a museum.  Doesn’t take much guesswork to connect the gaps, and she deals with historical analysis of such findings on a daily basis.  She doesn’t know the details (nor does she desire to pry), but she can conclude there was another presence there to fill it, once.  …And then there wasn’t.

And yet…  He continues to fight.  For Gotham, for the world, and for his fellow comrades – fallen though they may be.  While a part of her was paralyzed stiff by the all too painful parallels of Superman’s heroic sacrifice, he didn’t let that deter him either, spurring to action instead. To honor his memory by stubbornly seeking out and recruiting those that could take his place.  (…Granted, guilt got to him eventually, to the point of attempting something so implausible that she could hardly believe it even worked.)

…Meanwhile, what has she been doing?  Hiding away in the shadows for a century?  As much as she correctly pointed out Bruce’s personal agenda to absolve himself of blame, he’d retorted right back at her how she’d been holding herself back out of remorse.  …And he was right.  Loathe as she was to announce it aloud, if there was one thing they apparently shared in common, it was their mutual inability to move on.

Maybe it was time to change all that.

She taps his elbow to draw his attention, smiling as she suggests:

“Why don’t we bring some back for Barry?”

Bruce bats his lids in confusion, then seems to light up at the proposal.

“That’s a good idea.  Kid’s like a trash compactor.  I swear he ate almost everything in the manor when he was there.  Alfred complained about having to order more food when he just went grocery shopping.  Speaking of which, remind me to install a fridge at the site.  We’ll need to have supplies handy in order to keep up with his metabolism.”

He approaches the snack stand again, and while its vendor is somewhat stunned by the volume of the request, nevertheless can’t say no to the number of bills being waved in his face and hands over a whole carton.  Bruce beams in satisfaction as he carries it in the crook of one limb, the other still occupied with his original serving, leaving the delighted peddler to count the (many times over) earnings from his secondary sale.  They resume their stroll along the promenade, enjoying their well-deserved desserts whilst Diana listens to her companion carry on about his plans for the “Justice League”, as they’d decided to dub themselves.  There’s a fevered enthusiasm to his tone that she’s sure must have been absent for a long time, and while he’s still a man of many mysteries to her, she finds she doesn’t mind being in the close company of a “stranger” again.  …No, not a stranger.  A teammate.  Someone she’s stood beside in combat (against a conqueror of planets no less), whom she can trust to have her back – and vice-versa.

Who knows.  Perhaps someday he’ll even tell her his story.

And maybe one day she’ll tell him hers.

-

Morning.  Across the pond.  She wakes up. Has breakfast.  Reads the paper.  There’s a major front page headline that catches her eye, about a recent string of museum robberies all across Europe, having now just hit the Louvre. Hitting home.  Before, she wouldn’t have bothered a second thought, believing it none of her business.  (Or rather, not worth garnering too much awareness from the public eye over.)  It was only petty theft after all.  Nothing the Paris police couldn’t handle.  …But then again, priceless antiques were her business, weren’t they?  She had a duty to protect the precious works of art she and others had worked so hard to preserve and maintain.  Besides, as a man once chided her when she temporarily “borrowed” one of his toys: “Stealing’s not polite.”

She places the parchment down, and pupils slide pensively towards the framed picture once again.  Her lips spread as she presses her palm to them, passing fondness on to his behind the pane.

“We saved the world, Steve.  And now I’m going out to save the day.”  With a wink, she turns to fetch her sword and shield.

“Wish me luck.”

-

“Look, it’s Wonder Woman!”

The warrior rotates as a group of youngsters gather excitedly around her, expression widening warmly as she gingerly restores the carved effigy back to its box.  Behind her, uniformed authorities diligently jot down dictation of the already apprehended culprits as they recount exactly how they stole the statuette – amongst numerous other rare and exotic items.  Coming completely clean to every single unresolved crime their gang was behind, courtesy of the compulsion of the radiant rope binding them – even up to and including the minor sin of pinching biscuits from grandmother’s jar at age nine.

Meanwhile, the animated adolescents similarly interrogate their idol, keen interest abundant as they bombard her with an assortment of rapid questions.

“Can I please have your autograph?”

“Is it true you come from an island of all girls?”

“Are you really over 100 years old?”

“Have you ever fought a dinosaur?”

“Um, what’s your favorite ice cream flavor?”

At the last inquiry, the lady’s eyes lower to meet those of the auburn-haired lass, shining up at her with cat-like curiosity.  Her crest is crowned with a black band like a tiara, and a pair of cute kitten ears aptly poke out from her curls, ringlets reminiscent of someone from long ago.

The hero mulls over the query for a moment, considering it with as much momentous import as any other.  It was a tough decision after all, what with so many options to pick from.  (But then “variety is the spice of life”, as they say.  Who would she even be if she stayed the same always, and never tried something new?  To see the beauty of this planet and everything it had to offer with her own eyes, meet and get to know its inhabitants?  Strive to both inspire and learn from their forever changing society, love and cherish and defend – no matter how scared she was of losing them in the end.)

…Finally, she makes her choice – and smiles.

[junker-town]

20 sports movies we love that will ease your boredom

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It may be hard to find real sports to watch right now, but there is an ABUNDANCE of great fictional sports at your fingertips.

Televised sports are on hiatus for the foreseeable future. It’s a tough (but obviously necessary) blow, considering we’re all stuck inside with little to do, and sports would be the perfect diversion right about now.

Thankfully, there are hundreds, or possibly thousands, of sports-centric movies available to wile away the hours. Some might even be convincing enough to get you to yell at your screen, or feel the inimitable catharsis that comes from watching your team (the good team, obviously) win.

Below are some of the SB Nation staff’s go-to sports flicks, with information about where to stream them included. The majority are also available to rent via Amazon, YouTube, Google Play and the like.

Hot Rod (2007)

Available on Netflix, Prime and Pluto.

Insofar as failing to jump over things with a moped is a sport, Hot Rod is about sports. It’s an extremely dumb, pleasant movie with no stakes whatsoever, and it is my number one.

— Seth Rosenthal

Yes, it’s hilarious — but even more importantly, it has the ability to absorb you before you realize it and not let your mind wander out of its grasp. Distraction grade: 10 out of 10

— Will Buikema

Creed (2015)

Available to rent

Too many Rocky sequels to count, but this one really engages with the mythos around the character and who gets to take part in that myth. Michael B. Jordan and Tessa Thompson are two of Hollywood’s brightest stars, and while it’s frustrating they were not awarded like Sylvester Stallone for their performances, all three are terrific here. Also: unlike the original Rocky, this movie recognizes that boxing includes dodging and blocking as well as punching!

— Pete Volk

Goon (2011)

Available on Netflix.

You could probably analyze Goon for commentary about how we glorify violence in hockey, or you could sit back and enjoy a genuinely hilarious movie. It has everything you want in a hockey film. There’s a dim-witted but lovable bouncer who gets a chance at a hockey career in the minors, and a grumpy Quebecois prodigy with a physicality issue. There’s gratuitous blood and gore, and Liev Schreiber getting into fights, and a hint of bromance. There are even cameos from former NHL players, and one from current Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin in the film’s 2017 sequel, Goon: Last of the Enforcers, which is also on Netflix.

If you don’t mind some exaggerated violence and slapstick comedy (and particularly if that’s what you’re into), I highly recommend it. Plus, the soundtrack slaps.

— Sydney Kuntz

Bend it Like Beckham (2002)

Available on demand with Starz and DirecTV

It’s funny, it’s sweet, and the fact that you’ve definitely seen it before doesn’t mean you shouldn’t watch it again. It made Keira Knightley an international star, and Parminder Nagra picked up the FIFA presidential award. Beyond the film, it represented a crucial moment in David Beckham’s relationship with his country. He’d gone from villain in 1998 after that red card against Argentina, to hero in 2001 after that free kick against Greece. Eight months later this came out, and canonized him as a national treasure.

— Andi Thomas

High Flying Bird (2019)

Available on Netflix

What better to watch during a period without basketball than a movie about basketball personnel that takes place during a time of no basketball? High Flying Bird, shot entirely on iPhone by Steven Soderbergh, follows a top rookie and his ambitious agent during an NBA lockout, as they try and change the owner-heavy economic structure of the NBA.

— Pete Volk

Escape to Victory (1981, also just known as Victory)

Available on demand with Cinemax and DirecTV

Sylvester Stallone is an Allied solider in a Nazi prisoner-of-war camp. So is Michael Caine. In there with them, for some reason, is Pele, Bobby Moore, Ozzy Ardiles, and half of Ipswich Town’s 1981 UEFA Cup winning squad. And wouldn’t you just know it, they have to play an exhibition against a handpicked German side, for reasons of propaganda. Will they escape … to victory?

— Andi Thomas

Goal of the Dead (2014)

Available on Shudder

”Some kind of a riot. They are burning cars.”

”Given the refereeing, no wonder.”

French football superstar Samuel Lorit faces off against his hometown team in a cup game. His formerly adoring fans now all despise him. And then a tainted steroid injection turns pretty much everybody into zombies, straight from the 28 Days Later school of hard-running mouth-frothers. Good blood-soaked fun, if probably a bit too long. But then all films are too long these days. Return of the King won a million Oscars, and that didn’t have a ‘roid-raging zombie kicking a man’s head off his neck and into the goal.

— Andi Thomas

Fighting with My Family (2019)

Available on Prime and Hulu

Maybe the only worthwhile WWE Studios release ever? I’ll await the flame from fans of The Marine 5: Battleground in the comments. What would have otherwise been yet another vanilla sports inspiration story is elevated by a terrific cast, led by newly Oscar-nominated Florence Pugh.

— Pete Volk

The Damned United (2009)

Available to rent

An adaptation of a brilliant but bleak novel about Brian Clough’s doomed spell at Leeds United, the film dispenses with most of the book’s harrowing existential loneliness and discovers a surprisingly soft-hearted buddy story underneath. Michael Sheen disappears uncannily into his role, absolutely nailing Clough’s astringent self-possession, but Colm Meaney almost steals the film as Clough’s nemesis, Don Revie. A reminder that English football, back in the ‘70s, was a strange, drizzly place full of strange, compelling people.

— Andi Thomas

Hoop Dreams (1994)

Available on HBO, Kanopy and DirecTV

One of the best American documentaries. Also one of the best movies about dreams, who crushes them and how they evolve. It is also one of the best movies about race and poverty in America. All in all, this is one of the best movies about the allure and grace of basketball. A phenomenal film!

— Pete Volk

Horse Feathers (1932)

Available via the Internet Archive

I grew up watching the Marx Brothers with my dad, and I would be remiss not to mention this college football-centric classic. Turns out the “amateur” status of college football players was a joke in the 1930s, too!

— Pete Volk

Minding the Gap (2019)

Available on Hulu

Only tangentially about sports, since the group of kids at this documentary’s focus are skateboarders, but this is one of the great modern American documentaries about growing up, difficult friendships and toxic masculinity. Highly, highly recommend.

— Pete Volk

Starship Troopers (1997)

Available on Showtime, CBS All Access, DirecTV and Vudu

There are several reasons Starship Troopers is memorable — the broadly written anti-nationalist commentary! The exploding bugs! The co-ed showers! That one fight scene soundtracked to Mazzy Star’s “Fade Into You,” for some reason! — but space football is the only one that fits with our theme. In the future, America’s favorite sport is played in high school gymnasiums on old wrestling mats. There are no special teams or roughness penalties. The ball is Nerf’s rough approximation of a baked potato wrapped in foil.

Johnny Rico, our protagonist, wins and is escorted off the field a hero. Roughly 20 minutes of film later, he’s left to die on an alien planet. Shit’s real, yo.

— Christian D’Andrea

Rush (2013)

Available on HBO

If you liked Ford V. Ferrari, you’ll probably love this. Retelling the true story of James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Niki Lauda’s intense Formula 1 rivalry, Rush has fantastic racing scenes and benefits from focusing on the wildly different personalities and approaches of the two rivals.

— Pete Volk

A League of Their Own (1992)

Available on Showtime, and very often randomly on cable

It almost feels redundant to list this classic, which you’ve probably already seen once or dozens of times. But if you have seen it, you know it holds up better than most of the feel-good, strings-swelling-styled sports hagiographies of the 1990s. A more-or-less accurate retelling of a vital and often ignored part of American sports history, conveyed via an all-star cast and too many quotable lines to count. The “hard” may be what makes it great, but there’s nothing hard about watching this iconic and genuinely uplifting movie. (I also wrote more about it here.)

—Natalie Weiner

Speed Racer (2008)

Available to rent

One of my favorite movies of all-time, taking many aesthetic cues from anime and seamlessly bringing them into the live-action world with breathtaking visual effects. Speed Racer is visually explosive and a delight for the senses, with a grounded conflict at its core (a family business getting bought out by a heartless corporation). In my opinion, this is sports + movies in their best balance with each other.

— Pete Volk

The Heart of the Game (2005)

Available to rent

A hardscrabble team works diligently to overcome the odds, with a few twists. The movie centers on a girls basketball team from Roosevelt High School, 10 minutes from where I grew up in Seattle, and the star of the team gets pregnant. Bring tissues.

— Natalie Weiner

Uncut Gems (2019)

Available to rent

No movie better captures the anxiety of being a sports fan, or the bad decisions you make because of your fandom. Also sports luminaries Kevin Garnett and Mike Francesa deliver excellent performances. My favorite 2019 release! Louis wrote more about it here.

— Pete Volk

Undisputed II: Last Man Standing (2006)

Available on Starz and DirecTV

This is the height of me on-my-bullshit, but please allow it: Scott Adkins and Michael Jai White are generational action stars, and this entry in the excellent Undisputed series shows their singular talents at their best. White plays an ex-boxer framed for a crime and sent to prison, where he fights for his freedom in an underground MMA ring. Adkins plays the terrifying Yuri Boyka, the reigning prison champ. This is so up my alley it’s not even funny, and hopefully it’s up yours, too!

— Pete Volk

More Than a Game (2008)

Available on Starz

It’s very easy to take LeBron James for granted. After all, he’s been doing otherworldly things in the NBA for almost two decades now. Sometimes it just seems like he’s always existed, like he’ll just be inevitable forever. At a time when we’re (hopefully temporarily) deprived of watching him play basketball, it’s worth revisiting this great documentary about his origin story. Yes, he overcame seemingly insurmountable odds, but the part that sticks with you is the people around him — those who believed in him completely, and who he has been just as loyal to in return.

— Natalie Weiner

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Three Groups Who Clutch Jimmy Garoppolo Right Away If 49ers Cut Him

Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San https://www.hihonor.com/tr/club/topicdetail/topicid-76809/ href="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/9613086/" target="_blank">https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/9613086/ https://www.scoop.it/topic/voir-sentinelle-sud-en-streaming-vostfr-vf-2022-complet-gratuit Francisco https://www.hihonor.com/tr/club/topicdetail/topicid-76863/ 49ers (Photo by using Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

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The 49ers have run out of most options to alternate Jimmy Garoppolo and https://www.hihonor.com/tr/club/topicdetail/topicid-76260/ https://www.hihonor.com/tr/club/topicdetail/topicid-76239/ can be pressured to reduce him outright. If so, these three groups should come calling.

Perhaps the San Francisco 49ers overplayed their hand inside the preference to alternate veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo this offsehttps://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/9612995/ ason.

Or, simply as probable, the Niners were merely the victims of a completely unpredictable development of quarterback motion in 2022, the likes of that have highlighted what’s been a wild offseason thus far.

It’s difficult to say. Without corroborating reviews and actual statements from San Francisco’s front office, none folks may also recognise for quite a while.

What is quite clean, however, is the alternate market for Garoppolo https://www.hihonor.com/latam/club/topicdetail/topicid-68496/ has all but dried up, the https://www.hihonor.com/tr/club/topicdetail/topicid-76247/ reality he’s a middle-of-the-road 30-yr-old quarterback with a $25.5 million put up-exchange cap hit for 2022 and one who’s coming off a big shoulder surgical treatment that’ll keep him from throwing till education camp.

The 49ers may be confronted with the https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/9612953/ tough fact of now not being capable of alternate him at all this offseason. And with the choice to clean that $25.five million so that you can pave the way for last 12 months’s excessive-profile rookie quarterback, Trey Lance, definitely liberating Garoppolo outright as soon as he can medically bypass a physical is probably the Niners’ final option.

It could be one factor for other groups to pass on Garoppolo if it worried taking over that cap hit and meting out reimbursement for the right to achieve this.

It could be https://www.hihonor.com/my/club/topicdetail/voir-film-les-animaux-fantastiques-3-streaming-vf-gratuit-sans-compte/topicid-68496/ every other if the ones teams could simply sign him as a loose agent, negotiating their own market-price deal instead of getting to change for him.

If San Francisco does emerge as liberating Garoppolo this offseason, these 3 teams probable choose up the phone and make contact with his agent proper away.

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