#Silver Bullet (OVA)

[mysteriousdragon2]

Hello everybody once again. Since my thoughts are still scattered all over the place, here's another rambling post to distract myself and feel hopefully a little bit better. Only this time....with OVA Hol Horse. Again, took these screenshots by myself when watching the OVA.

First of, a golden Emperor! Ain't that neat? Instead of silver like the anime Hol Horse, I think it's an interesting take for a gun. Oh, and let's not forget the "Yes sireeee!" that OVA Hol pulls off with his silly southern accent, it's something I've picked up on doing because of him lmao.

Again, wish to be Nena in this scenario because he just looks so...comforting, even with those stone-blue eyes. Being held gently...told that I'm great...that I'm doing the best I can in life...all I need to hear from a cowboy like him..

These scenes man...the shadows on OVA Hol's face on the first 2 screenshots...he looks funny, but menacing at the same time...and Avdol's death is drastically different in the OVA as well. Where instead of Hol Horse in Part 3 letting out a brief laugh, OVA Hol Horse REALLY goes wild on the laughter, he sounds like an insane and goofy cowboy and goes on for quite a while with it, as if he's real proud of what he's accomplished.

Oh man this scene too, it's so cool...having OVA Hol actually shoot DIO instead of what transpired in Part 3 with Hol and DIO is so...it's a nice change. Plus, the way Emperor is being summoned in the OVA, it's crazy...it looks like Emperor is ripping his flesh, it's almost painful to see, makes me wince a bit haha. And in the OVA, this was a dream that had occurred to OVA Hol. Poor guy...must've been hellish to endure.

Speaking of hellish, this scene always infuriates me somehow? It's just. The dude is LEFT to ROT in Pakistan, and the Crusaders VERY clearly see him there! The least they could've done is take him to the hospital, NOT leave him in the middle of nowhere to lay there dead on the ground! Ugh, and even worse...is that I felt like he at least could've joined the Crusaders after his hospital visit. Besides, Avdol in the OVA for SOME reason is just. Fine after getting stabbed in the back by The Hanged Man, and only had Emperor's bullet graze his forehead. Appears out of nowhere in the Justice Arc just a-okay. Sure, the Crusaders explain to OVA Polnareff about everything but still. Stuff don't make sense man. Missed potential..

[gundamfight]

[thunderheadfred]

🤚The Second Worst (Pt. 1/?)🤚

Part 2 of my Shigaraki Thesis Headcanons. HC's // The Second Worst: 1 - 2

The half-mad ghost of Shimura Tenko is in love with you, and your life is about to become a tragic wreck. -- AKA here's when I gave up on bullet points and went off the fuckin rails

I'm self-conscious about writing so much, so uhhhh, please be kind, hahaaa. This is rather long and involved. Are these still even HCs or just a self-indulgent AU outline? There are some mysteries we may never solve.

This is on AO3 now, if you prefer reading there. Anyway. Minors do not interact.

- - - - -

You met Tenko before the League existed.

Believe it or not, there are a million ways it might have happened, but in the end: you were both bargain-binning in Akihabara.

You reached for a copy of a collectible bullet-hell cute-'em-up (near-mint! CIB!!!) and accidentally bonked hands with a complete stranger. He flinched about five million feet away from you. Ouch. You're just a nobody, quirkless and average, but you didn't think you were THAT repulsive.

(You're not. Hell, even if you were, this guy couldn't care less. He barely registers that you have a face.)

(Shigaraki is accustomed to getting in and out of this shop in seconds. He always comes in before anyone else and goes straight home. -- Is that really home? Is 'home' a real place? -- ANYWAY he's already pirated this shit, god, why does he even care? He doesn't need to be here. Father doesn't like it. Is that why he's here? Just to do something Father doesn't like? That's pathetic.)

He's had at least ten complete internal arguments with himself before he so much as looks at you.

You know in the tenth of a second he actually meets your eyes... this fucker is going to fight you to the death over this game.

- - - The death match ends in a draw. He was not expecting you to know the first fucking thing about this game. Nobody knows about it, even in Japan. Who the fuck do you even think you are? Oh, no, he's still taking it. But... maybe he can show you how to play it it. He'll give you a little taste, just to make you jealous. He's got his hoodie pulled down like he's going to commit an act of terrorism. What little you can see of his face looks twitchy and messed up. If you have any survival instincts at all, they're kicking in right about now. But... why not. You're not going anywhere with this dude unsupervised, so you suggest a crowded web cafe down the street. The cafe has the necessary console... but the retro gaming booth is laughably small. The TV is about four inches across and you end up having to practically sit in his lap. You were sure this guy was a nasty fucking creep, but he's................ only mostly terrible. Way too angry, for sure. Has no idea how to have a normal, friendly conversation. Inadvertently insults you every other sentence and seems to have a deep-seated persecution complex.

You'd prefer to be mad about the awful company, but... he's obviously deprived of human contact. When it's established that you two share a lot of media fixations, he calms down and starts treating you a little more like a human being. Or at least like a fellow elite.

Wherever he came from, he doesn't seem to want to go back. He keeps pushing you to play one more level, pretending he wants to beat your score. You feel kinda bad for him. You get the distinct feeling that his life is a disaster. He looks like he's never had a full night of sleep in his life. He trips your trigger hairs in that 'is he gonna follow me home?' kind of way, but... up close, he's a lot more depressing than scary. At the very least, you want to buy him a stupidly cute dessert. Just... as thanks. For letting you try out the game and stuff. It's not a big deal, so just pick a flavor, okay? The world isn't actually that awful, y'know.

It's not even that impressive... Definitely not a great cafe. But he takes practically a full hour to eat a single slice of strawberry cake.

When the hoodie comes down. He's all shriveled and dried out, like someone left him him in the desert to die. He chews on his peeling bottom lip and nervously scratches his neck. He doesn't thank you for the cake. Which is fine. It's not a big deal. Actually, you wish he would eat faster; you feel weirdly responsible for him now.

Under all that mess he's... gorgeous? His hair is stunning: a bright, gleaming silver that catches the light. His bone structure is flawless. If it weren't for all the scars and the misanthropic slouch, he'd look like a fairy fucking prince.

You were not prepared for that. In another life he could have been a model, the type of guy who would never even look at you. But something bad happened to him. Something... very bad. Do you even want to know? You have no idea how to ask. Has anyone ever been nice to him? It doesn't seem like it. Should YOU be nice to him? You sort of want to try. - - - This becomes a regular thing. This weird little secret. You should probably tell someone when you see him, just in case you don't come back one day, but you say nothing; how the hell would you explain why you want to see him so bad? You don't know his full name. Maybe he's on a watch list. When he gives you a long string of random numbers so you can schedule meet-ups (is THAT his e-mail, really?) he tells you to just... call him Tenko. Or whatever. It doesn't matter. (He sneaks out when Father is deep in his plots. As long as he comes home on time, it doesn't really matter where he goes, right?) He brings a different game every time. He has an insane collection. Where does he get the money for all this? You know he doesn't work. God, is it drugs? It's probably drugs. Wherever these hidden gems came from, he proudly shows them off to you, like he's never had an audience before. It's sort of cringe-inducing, the way he one-ups and rubs every little victory in your face, desperate for attention.

But at the same time, you are becoming too... something...to mind. Do you... like him? He's not funny, but he thinks you are. His mouth is huge when he laughs. He seems to hate everyone but you, and you've had to earn the distinction of being merely tolerable. Still, he gets really excited about random shit like the garage kit black market and haunted dolls and the price of weed on the dark web.

And... strawberry cake. The realization hits you both at the same time when the waitress brings one piece with two forks. God, what the fuck, are you... are you dating? Quick, think. You look forward to seeing him, and don't even mind sitting close to him anymore. Sometimes you push your leg up against him just to see if he'll still flinch away... and he doesn't.

You jealously notice the way he touches everything but you: with delicate precision, one finger at a time. His large, elegant hands always have a pinky up like he's aspiring for a fiefdom, and you wonder what his skin feels like. You go home and dwell on the way he plucks flowering weeds out of the pavement in front of the cafe. The way he stands rooted to the spot as you leave, just... looking at nothing, unsmiling.

You watch his lips too much, and not just because you want to buy him chapstick. You catch him gaping at you all the time. You thought he was just creepy like that, but maybe... Yeah. I guess you are dating him. Shit. - - - Okay, so, yeah. Bringing him back to your place was definitely a bad idea. You know you shouldn't trust him, even if he is... apparently... your boyfriend? Sort of? You still don't have his phone number. So. Um. What now? You order overpriced pizza and queue up a campy horror movie. What the fuck are you even doing. You don't really think he's going to murder you anymore, but... still. Is the suburban massacre scene gonna give him ideas? Turns out, no. He doesn't like gore, even when the blood is neon pink. He gets upset. Like, really upset. Shaky and green, like he might puke on you. He can't stop scratching that scaly spot on his neck.

Tenko, are you crying? Fucking hell, did you just trigger him? Of course he has a traumatic past, it's carved all over his face. You're so fucking stupid. You don't know how to make it right. You want to hug him, kiss him... anything. But he's never really touched you, and you're too afraid to push now. It ruins the whole night. He leaves without explaining anything. Doesn't even say goodbye. He just. Leaves. Maybe you'll never see him again. Maybe that's for the best. Your chest hurts. - - - He shows up at your door a few weeks later. You haven't heard from him since that disastrous movie night. You had pretty much accepted that you'd broken up with a boyfriend you never actually had. But no. Apparently not.

This time, he’s brought his own entertainment. He's holding a boxed set of some show you're not familiar with. You're distracted by these weird little half-gloves he's wearing, like a cyberpunk hacker. That's a new look, and even if it's a bit edgelord adjacent, he makes it look cool. You tell him as much. It's the first time you've let on how attractive you find him. He's wearing a tight black shirt with a deep, deep V-neck. That's distracting too.

He clears his slender throat and doesn't look at you.

You try to apologize for before, but he's acting like it never happened. What are you even talking about? Have you seen this OVA or not? Get out of the way and let him in already. You've watched three episodes now, but you still have no idea what this stupid anime is about. You can't pay attention to a single frame. All you can think about is how his arm has crept up behind your shoulders. A few inches more and he'll be holding you. Does he... want to hold you? You lean toward him so slowly your spine creaks. One molecule at a time. After a thousand years, your head slides nervously under his chin. His arm comes down, locking you in, fingers clutching your sleeve in a death grip. Even that snobby little pinky. His head tucks down into you hair. A sharp collarbone bites into your cheek. His heartbeat is hard, fast, and irregular. There's not a scrap of fat on him, and as you wrap your arm around his stomach, you think you see a twitch in his pants. Is that just you being desperate? Or... hopeful? This is really happening. --- Soon, you learn that Tenko is a clumsy kisser. It doesn't matter; the fact that he's kissing you at all is good enough for now. His lips are dry, but not half as dry as you expected. There's a slick of menthol helping things along; he's been using something medicated on his lips. Plus, his mouth tastes like he drank a gallon of mouthwash.

All this thrills you more than a little, because it means he came here wanting to impress you. Wanting you. Full stop. Underneath that minty sting is a strange, worrisome aftertaste, like something rotten. Your brain fires off an alarm. Stop kissing him. Right now. This thing will make you sick. But his hands nervously slide over your body... and you decide not to worry about it. Instead, you kiss him deeper. He makes a sweet, startled little noise. Your brain is a fucking liar. It occurs to you he's probably never done this before.

When you lace your fingers in his and try to pull one of his gloves off, he rips his hand away.

Don't. That’s the only explanation he gives.

No need to ask if it's a quirk thing or a trauma thing. Judging by how jittery he gets, it's probably both. You remember the way his hands almost float over objects without ever holding them. Maybe his touch is dangerous. Maybe that's why his face looks like that.

Maybe you should learn more about him before things go way too far...

No. It can't be that bad. Now that he's in your arms, everything frightening about him evaporates. He's vulnerable. He's alone. He's shaking a little. Has anyone else ever seen this side of him? You want to keep him all to yourself, just like this.

So what if he has to touch you with gloves on? You've heard of worse quirk-related inconveniences.

It's okay, Tenko. Do you want to keep going?

You put his hands back on you and wait for him to kiss you again. It doesn't take long.

---

You open his pants. He's long and thin, calloused even here. Every part of him feels untouched, unloved. You hold him tight and squeeze.

It doesn't seem to occur to him to please you in return. He looks afraid. Confused. You're sure you scared him earlier with the glove thing. Is this too much? No. He gasps and leans into you. The tiniest, broken please.

He cums in your hand right away, face buried in your shoulder, his eyes wet and hidden.

I have to go, he says. Over and over and over.

It's okay, Tenko.

You know he doesn't want to.

- - - - - (oops I wrote more)

[loveianneblog]

Guide in Rewatching Detective Conan for (Manga Canon-Only Watchers)

*Includes only Manga Canon Episodes, OVAs, Magic Files, Pre-stories/Post-stories of Movies, Movies, and Specials

Note:  The only Manga Canon are the series Episodes.  The movies and some of the pre-stories/post-stories are non-canon but hey, it’s fun. ^_^

SEASON 1

1

2

3

4

5

7

8

9

10

11 (1 hour special)

12

13

15

16

18

20

22-23

27-28

SEASON 2

31

32

34-35

38

39-40

42

43

46

48-49

50

52 (1 hour special)

54

Movie 01:  The Time-Bombed Skyscraper

SEASON 3

57-58

60

63

68-70

72

75

76 (1 hour special)

77-78

81-82

SEASON 4

84-85

86

91

96 (2 hour special)

Movie 02:  The Fourteenth Target

98-99

100-101

102-103

104-105

SEASON 5

112

113

114-115

116-117

118 (1 hour special)

121-122

128

129 (2 hour special)

130-131

132-134

SEASON 6

136-137

138-139

Movie 03:  The Last Wizard of the Century

141-142

144-145

146-147

153-154

156-157

162 (1 hour special)

 SEASON 7

163-164

166-168

170-171

172-173

OVA 01

174 (2 hour special)

176-178

Movie 04:  Captured in Her Eyes

188-193

SEASON 8

194-195

199-200

205-206

212-213

SEASON 9

217-218

219 (2 hour special)

220-221

222-224

226-227

228-229

230-231

Movie 05:  Countdown to Heaven

OVA 02 (Movie 05: Post-story)

233-234

238-239

240-241

242

243-244

246-247

249-250

253-254

SEASON 10

258-259

263 (2 hour special)

266-268

269-270

271-272

274-275

Movie 06:  The Phantom of Baker Street

277-278

279-280

284-285

SEASON 11

286-288

289-290

291-293

301-302

304 (2 hour special)

305-306

307-308

309-311

312-313

OVA 03 (Movie 07: Pre-story)

Movie 07:  Crossroad in the Ancient Capital

SEASON 12

316-317

323-324

325-327

329-330

331-332

333-334

335-336

338-339

340-341

343-344

OVA 04

345 (2.5 hour special)

346-347

350-351

SEASON 13

354-355

356 (1 hour special)

S1:  Time Travel of the Silver Sky (Movie 08:  Pre-story)

Movie 08:  Magician of the Silver Sky

358-359

361-362

366-367

371-372

374-375

381-382

383 (2 hour special)

OVA 05

385-387

SEASON 14

390-391

394-396

Movie 09:  Strategy Above the Depths

398-399

400

401-402

406-408

411-412

415-417

421-422

425 (2.5 hour special)

SEASON 15

427-428

429-430

431-432

Movie 10:  The Private Eyes’ Requiem

OVA 06 (Movie 10: Post-story)

435-436

438

443-444

445

446-447

449 (1 hour special)

453

454-455

457-458

460

462-465

SEASON 16

466-467

OVA 07

469-470

Movie 11:  Jolly Roger in the Deep Azure

472-473

474

476-477

479 (2 hour special)

481-482

484-485

487 (1 hour special)

488 (1 hour special)

490 (1 hour special)

OVA 08

S2:  Black History

SEASON 17

491-504

Magic File 02 (Movie 12:  Pre-story)

Movie 12:  Full Score of Fear

505-506

507-508

509-511

513-514

515 (1 hour special)

516-517

521-523

524-525

526

SEASON 18

528-529

S3:  Lupin vs. Detective Conan

530-531

Magic File 03 (Movie 13:  Pre-story)

Movie 13:  The Raven Chaser

532-535

OVA 09

537-538

542-543

545-546

549-550

551-552

557

558-561

563-564

SEASON 19

568-569

OVA 10

Movie 14:  The Lost Ship in the Sky

Magic File 04 (Movie 14:  Post-story)

Magic Kaito 01

571-572

573-574

575-576

578-581

583-585

586-587

589-590

592-593

597-598

600-601

SEASON 20

608-609

610-613

Movie 15:  Quarter of Silence

Magic File 05 (Movie 15:  Post-story

614-615

OVA 11

616-621

622-623

624

625-626

Magic Kaito 02-03

627-628

Magic Kaito 04

632-633

Magic Kaito 05-06

642-643

644-645

SEASON 21

646-647

648-650

651 (1 hour special)

652-655

Magic File 06

Movie 16:  The Eleventh Striker

OVA 12

656-657

659-660

661-662

Magic Kaito 07-08

667-668

Magic Kaito 09

671-674

Magic Kaito 10

675-676

Magic Kaito 11-12

SEASON 22

681-683

684-685

690-691

694 (Movie 17: Pre-story)

Movie 17:  Private Eye in the Distant Sea

699-700

701-704

705-706

710-711

712-715

SEASON 23

Lupin III vs. Detective Conan Movie

722-723

724-725

727-728

731-732

734 (1 hour special)

735 (Movie 18:  Pre-story)

Movie 18:  Dimensional Sniper

738-739

SEASON 24

740-741

744-745

746-747

748-749

751-752

754-756

759-760

S4:  Fugitive Mouri Kogoro

S5:  The Disappearance of Edogawa Conan

763-764

765-766

770-771

772-773

774 (Movie 19: Pre-story)

Movie 19:  Sunflowers of Inferno

 (Note:  Magic Kaito 1412 may be watched after Season 24)

 SEASON 25

779-783

785-786

787-788

792-793

808-809

810-812

813 (Movie 20: Pre-story)

Movie 20:  The Darkest Nightmare

814-815

SEASON 26

822-823

827-828

830-832

836-837

S6:  The Great Detective Turned Small

843-844

847-848

849-850

853-854

855 (Movie 21: Pre-story)

Movie 21:  The Crimson Love Letter

SEASON 27

861-862

863-864

866-867

872-874

878-879

881-882

885-886

887-888

889-890

894-895

896-897

 SEASON 28

898 (Movie 22: Pre-story)

Movie 22:  Zero the Enforcer

901-902

909-910

916-917

919-920

925-926

927-928

936 (Movie 23: Pre-story)

Movie 23:  The Fist of Blue Sapphire

941-942

952-954

971-974

 COMING SOON:

Movie 24:  The Scarlet Bullet

[arr-jim-lad]

2, 6, 9, & 10?

2: Has an anime ever made you cry?

Violet Evergarden, episode 10… You know what you did.

6: List your top [5] anime OSTs

Ok so I spent like an hour making this list I really hope you appreciate it lmaowhy am i like this

Macross 7 / DynamitePretty much the entirety of M7′s OST is comprised of Fire Bomber’s music, which consists of classic rock’n’roll, with vocals provided by the amazing Yoshiki Fukuyama as Basara and Chie Kajiura as Mylene. I basically loved Fire Bomber before I even watched Macross 7 and I listen to their music pretty regularly, to a point where I consider them to be one of my favourite bands. Some choice songs include Holy Lonely Light, Remember 16, Planet Dance and, of course, my favourite song, Totsugeki Love Heart. Dynamite OVA also has a number of amazing songs, such as New Frontier and the breathtaking and iconic Angel Voice!

Stardust CrusadersSDC has one of my favourite OSTs to listen to as background music when I don’t want to listen to something with vocals. I especially love the more upbeat tracks, Departure is my favourite album with tracks like Setting Off, Silver Twist, VIRTUOUS POPE (one of the most perfect character themes I’ve ever heard), Calm Sightseeing, Wind in the Wilderness and of course, Stardust Crusaders. I love how often the last one appears in other tracks too, I’m a sucker for leitmotifs lmao

Vento AureoAnother Jojo OST, and another one of the OSTs I put on when I want some instrumental background music. I love the calmer funky tracks in this one, Dawn, Restaurant Bar, Bullet and Favourite Songs being one of my favourites, and some other tracks that come to mind are Fierce Fight, Pure, Serenely and of course the iconic Golden Wind

TsuritamaThe music in this show is extremely, extremely comforting, lively and homey, it’s perfect for the semi-urban island setting and the overall bright, heartwarming vibe of the show. A lot of the tracks encompass woodwind instruments which is just… beyond charming and peaceful. Some choice tracks are; Morning Enoshima, Family, Adventurers (Feel, Think), Adventurers (Pleasant Sea Breeze), and the legendary DUCK headquarters, respond!. Also the ending is a really cute and comfy cover of Sora mo Toberu Hazu

K-OnAnother band OST like Macross 7, K-On also have some really awesome vocal tracks by the in-show band HTT, as well as some wonderful instrumental OSTs that I find very memorable! The music sounds so playful, lighthearted and calming, it suits the show perfectly and it’s adorable! Some tracks I really like are Koneko no Ensou Kai, Pinch Daisuki!, Happy End, Asahi wo Abite and Ano Hi No Kaerimichi, while my favourite HTT song is… oh man i love so many of them lmao, let’s say I’m feeling Pure Pure Heart right now

Honourable mention: Stardust Crusaders OVAI really wanted to squeeze this one in here because of literally ONE SONG that I love with every molecule of my being, and that song is DIO’s Theme. I am absolutely in LOVE with his OVA theme. It’s tied with Virtuous Pope as one of the best character themes I’ve ever heard. I could write in detail about why this theme is so amazing. My god, is this song bloody amazing.

9: Name an anime character you absolutely hate

I have a really hard time thinking of any?There’s only one character I can think of that I ever hated, but she’s not an anime character, so she’s not fit for this answer.

I can easily say who my least favourite character from a certain show is, for example, Angelo is my least favourite Jojo character; I think he’s uninteresting, disgusting and irredeemable, but I don’t really hate him because?? He’s there for like 2 episodes lmao I don’t really give a shit about him

Hate is an exhausting emotion that I don’t generally evoke when it comes to my hobbies, u feel? I’m here to have fun and I’m trying to keep my vibes positive.

10: Which [3] animes would you most recommend?

Macross 7, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (the entire thing because skipping parts cheapens the experience) and Tsuirtama!

[mrderwrtr]

A Hero Dead & Gone

     It was snowing again. An inch or more had fallen, covering the slush and ice the thaw from the last two days had left behind. He liked the snow. It made everything quite.

     Rush hour traffic was dying down.

     A pair of police cars blew through the intersection at the far end of the block, siren blaring, breaking the quiet. Red and blue lights glittered off the fresh blanket of snow.

     Alec Dorsey tapped another Newport out of the hard pack, pinched it between his chapped lips then tucked the pack back into the inside pocket of his baggy leather jacket. He watched the two patrol cars as they disappear into the lights of the downtown skyline.

     A cloud of smoke rose up around his head. He turned his attention from the street to the fluorescent bathed entrance to Ellis Memorial Veteran’s Hospital. He took another drag on the cigarette then pressed the palms of his hands against his eyes.

     He felt for the little green bottle in the right hand pocket of his jacket, found it then gave it a quick shake. There were less than a dozen pale blue football shaped pills left.

*****

     Snow flurries swirled around the scrap yard, whipped up by the frigid wind sweeping over the levee of the Little Cree River. A tall, wiry red-headed man dressed in a pair of Carhart overalls and a baggy black t-shirt made his way across the yard, a battered black cellphone pressed against his ear. He threw a half-hearted wave back at the heavy-set man in the shack by the scales.

     The rumble of a diesel engine caught his attention. He stopped and looked up to see a dirty white box truck roll through the gate by the office. His attention turned to the dock of the warehouse. He frowned as he pulled the phone away from his ear. “Dorsey…,” he shouted.

     The truck swerved around him, made an arch through the loading dock then came to an abrupt halt.

     The man shrugged.

     Alec sat back on the toilet of the Port-o-Let and stared at the powder blue, oval shaped pill in the palm of his hand. He closed his eyes as wind buffeted the outhouse. His heart was pounding. A film of sweat coated his forehead. He took a deep breath, quickly swallowed the pill then ran the back of his hand across his brow.

     After a moment, he forced himself to stand and pushed open the door. A rush of cold air swirled around him. He stumbled out into the scrap yard and saw a dirty white box truck backing into the dock.

     “Dorsey,” the red head shouted. Alec looked over at him. “Let’s go…,” he said and gestured to the truck.

Another gust of wind whipped through the dock. Alec pulled the collar of his jacket up around his ears and turned his back to the wind. He leapt up the cement stairs, grabbed one of the pallet jacks parked by the bay doors and hurried toward the truck.

     “Cesar,” he shouted. “What we got today?”

     The man shrugged out of his parka, tossed it onto a stack of plastic skids then looked back at him. “Shit,” he yelled back. He ran toward the edge of the dock as the truck smashed into the rubber bumpers.

     The passenger door of the truck swung open and a beefy blond haired man hopped out. Alec threw up his hand, waving him off. The man stared at him a moment, shook his head then turned and made his way around the front of the truck.

     Cesar knelt at the edge of the dock, unlatched the rear door of the truck and shoved it open. He stood, flipping the metal ramp on the edge of the dock with the toe of his boot. It landed with a thud against the floor of the truck

The sound of it banging against the roof of the truck echoed off the cinderblock walls. Alec felt his body shake. He stared at the truck. The sound echoed in his head. He took a quick step backward and stumbled over the steering wheels of the pallet jack.

     The back of the truck was filled with old kitchen appliances, broken furniture. Half a dozen battered cardboard boxes were filled with empty bottles, cans and bundled newspapers and magazines. Another pair of boxes held an assortment of computer parts. The load shifted, sliding forward and the headboard of a wrought iron daybed fell, bouncing over the shell of a refrigerator.

     “What are you staring at?” Cesar said then quickly turned and grabbed the handle of his hand truck. “Let’s go, bro’…it’s cold.”

     A tall, pale-skinned man with a stocky build in a dirty orange and black windbreaker and desert camouflage pants came out of the warehouse. “Hey, Dorsey…,” he said, slapping him on the shoulder.

     Alec jumped, startled and faced the man. “Jesus, Cody…,” he said and shrugged him off.

     “You got a cigarette?”

     He dug a pack of Newports out of the inside pocket of his coat along with a chrome Zippo. “You need to start buyin’ your own.”

     Cody chuckled. He glanced over at Cesar heading into the truck then pried one of the cigarettes out of the pack. “Fuck you,” he chuckled and lit the cigarette. His attention turned to a primer colored Chevy S-10 rolling past the loading dock. “Looks like your friend’s back.” He handed the pack and lighter back.

     “Fuck,” Alec hissed and shook his head. He caught Cesar as he came out of the truck with a box of computer parts. “You and Cody handle this ‘till I get back?”

     Cesar looked past him at the big red-headed man. “Come on, man,” he groaned, trying to keep his voice down. He shook his head angrily and pulled his load off the truck.

     “It’ll only take a minute.” He turned away from him and jumped off the side of the dock then headed for the scales.

     A thin, brown-skinned man in an ill-fitting green and white Philadelphia Eagles starter jacket and jeans slid out from behind the wheel of the Chevy. He smiled at Alec then raised his arms. “What up, Money?” he bellowed.

Alec grinned. He grabbed the man by his arm and pulled him into a shoulder hug. He glanced at the load of copper wire and car parts in the bed of the truck. “What ‘cha got there?”

     “It’s all good,” he said. He looked over at the shack beside the industrial sized scales then back at Alec. “Got it from that school demo ova’ on Broadway.”

     Alec threw a glance at the booth and exhaled through his pursed lips. “You get it legal?”

     “How you gonna ask me dat, Alex?”

     “Jay…,” he started and slowly made his way around the truck. “You know the deal. A guy nearly fried himself two weeks ago trying to steal this shit.”

     “It’s all clean,” Jay said. “Trust me.”

     Alec looked over the collection of scrap metal, copper wire and assorted car parts again. A metal box lay on its side in the corner of the truck under a coil of tangled cables and what looked like pieces of a carburetor. “What’s that?” he said, staring at the box.

     Jay looked into the truck. “Shit…,” he said and reached for the box.

     “Woah…,”Alec said and stiff armed him.

     “What?” He reached into the truck bed and pulled the box out by the handle. “It’s just my gear…forgot I put it in there.” He opened the driver’s door and tossed the box onto the seat.

     Alec closed his eyes a moment, took a deep breath, let it out slowly. “Pull…pull it up,” he said, then turned and started for the shack.

     “You alright, man?” Jay said as he watched him walk pass.

     He nodded then hurried over to the corrugated metal shed by the scales.

     Nicky Combes sat behind the cluttered metal desk refilling his coffee mug from a tall, bullet-shaped thermos. “It all on the level?” he said, not bothering to look up at Alec. He glanced out at the truck through the scuffed Plexi-Glass window and sipped his coffee.

     “He says it is,” he said and leaned against the doorway. “You give a good deal?”

     “It is,” he said and snorted. He gave him a sideways glance as he screwed the top back on the thermos. “And you believe him.”

     “Yeah, I trust him,” Alec said and stared at the ruddy faced man. “He said he got it legal.”

     Nicky swallowed another gulp of tepid coffee then looked up at him. “Where’s his paperwork?”

     “Come on,” Alec said and pushed away from the doorway. “Why you gotta….”

     “Alec…,” he said, cutting him off. He stood. The bulk of his six foot frame seemed to fill the room. “You’re a smart kid. You know half the scrappers come in here grabbed the shit while somebody’s back was turned.”

     “He says it’s clean, Nick,” Alec snapped. “He got it from a school demo.”

     “What school?”

     Alec turned and watched the skinny black man unload the truck.

     Nicky swallowed the last gulp of coffee then stepped around the desk. “Weigh him up and get ‘im the fuck outta here before Dennis sees ‘im,” he grumbled as he brushed passed him and walked out of the booth.

     “Where you goin’?”

     “To take a piss,” he shot back.

     Alec watched him amble out of the shack. A boy on a BMX bike pulled up behind the truck towing a make-shift trailer loaded with bags of empty cans.

     “Take care of that one too,” Nicky shouted

     He sighed angrily then grudgingly slid into the chair behind the desk.

*****

     Alec Dorsey took one last drag on his Newport then pitched the butt into the puddle of rain water collecting under the wheel of the silver and black Lincoln parked at the curb. His hands were shaking. He brushed rainwater off the shoulders of his windbreaker as he jogged down the redbrick steps and pulled open the mahogany door of the Red Bull Tavern.

     The late afternoon crowd was thinning out when he walked in. Half a dozen regulars sat at the bar while another dozen or so were scattered around the bar at the black lacquered tables. A heavy-set, gray haired man in a camouflage jacket and khakis sat on the edge of a stool at the end of the bar. He turned to see Alec walk through the door and his weathered face broke into a smile. He slid off the stool and snapped a salute.

     Alec let a crooked grin show on his face. He lazily made his way over to the bar.

     “How ya doin’, Specialist?” the big man said and laid his meaty hand on his shoulder.

     He nodded. “I’m alright,” he mumbled. He looked past the man at the curly haired blond woman behind the bar and nodded to her then found a seat at the water-scarred redwood counter.

     The big man sat beside him. He glanced down at his trembling hands then reached for his bottle of beer. “You sure you’re alright, son,” he said.

     Alec looked over at him then quickly curled his hands into fists. “Yeah…I’m fine, Russ.” He shrugged. “Went by mom’s this morning.”

     He turned up his bottle. “Yeah…,” he said and swallowed a gulp. “How’s she doin’?”

     Alec smirked. “She’s ok…Rob’s wife’s pregnant again.”

     “What can I get ya’?” the blond said and leaned against the counter.

     He looked up at her. “Hey, Katie,” he said. He threw a glance around the bar. “Can I get a beer?”

     “That depends,” she said flatly and tossed her hair back from her face.

     “Come on, Kate,” Russ grumbled.

     She turned her steel gray eyes toward him a moment then back at Alec. “You want something to eat with that?” she said and pushed away from the bar.

     “A burger…please,” he said. “And some onion rings.”

     Russ held up his empty bottle and waved it at her. He watched the woman turn to the cooler then looked over at Alec. “So Sarah’s pregnant again,” he said and chuckled. “What’s that three for him now?”

     “Yeah,” Alec yawned. He laid his hands flat on the counter. Katie set a frosted pilsner glass in front of him along with an aluminum bottle of Bud Light. He nodded his thanks. “Two boys plus this one…whatever it turns out to be.” He stared at the bottle a minute then picked it up and slowly started to fill the glass.

     The big man watched him a moment. Katie popped the top on a bottle of Sam Adams and slid it in front of him. “Good thing you ain’t got no kids,” he said and swallowed a gulp of beer.

     He glanced over at him as he sipped his beer. “What…why you say that?”

     Russ shook his head and glanced around the bar. “Nothin’,” he muttered and turned the bottle up again.

     “I wouldn’t make a good father?”

     “I didn’t say that.” A chubby brown-skinned woman in a tight black skirt and a tighter black t-shirt weaved between the tables carrying a tray of empty glasses. He followed her with his eyes as she made her way back to the bar.      

     “You’re a good kid, Alex.”

     “Just not good for kids.” He took another gulp of beer then set the glass down and drummed his fingers on the bar.

     Russ hissed. He looked over at Katie drawing a pint of Guinness from the tap, made a circle over Alec’s head then raised his index finger. “How’s that job workin’ out for ya?”

     Alec shrugged. “It’s….” He turned, startled as one of the chairs fell over. Russ followed his gaze. Two men, both dressed in shirt and tie, stood at a table by the windows laughing. One bent over to pick the chair up as the other slipped on his sportcoat. Alec let out a heavy sigh.

     “Well…,” the big man said, finishing off his beer. “I gotta get back across the street. He tapped Alec on the shoulder and turned away from the bar. “Next time you stop by your mama’s, tell her I said hey.”

     Katie looked the bar over. The lunch crowd had dwindled down to a handful of tables. She cleared the empty glasses from the bar and set them in the sink beneath the counter then made her way back down the bar to Alec.  

“Your burger’ll be up in a couple minutes,” she said and leaned against the counter.

     “Depends on what?” He gulped down the last of his beer and pushed the glass toward her.

     She stared at him. “You see your doctor today?”

     “Nope,” he said and swallowed a gulp.

     “Alec…,” she whined. She looked across the room at the two men heading for the bar.

     “It’s a waste of time,” he said. “Ain’t nothing Doctor Trudeau can do for me…besides….” He wrapped his hand around the glass and finished it off.

     Katie whipped her head around to look back at him. “Besides what?” She turned to the two men. The taller of the two handed her a black leatherette case, his credit card protruding from the top of it. She quickly swiped the card then handed it back. “Thanks, guys.”

     The taller one winked at her then turned and followed his partner to the door.

     “So why won’t you go to the doctor?”

     Alec ran the back of his hand across his mouth and looked up at her, a hint of anger in his eyes. “Can I get another one, please?” He quickly looked back at the door as it slammed closed. “I’m fine,” he said, turning back to her. He brought a tiny green bottle out of his pocket and shook it at her. “Long as I got these, I’ll be alright.” He tucked the bottle back into his pocket.

     “Alec…,” she whined. “Doctor Trudeau….”

     “What?”

     She shook her head then grabbed another bottle of Bud Light from the cooler. “Sooner or later you’re gonna need some help.” She turned to see Benita waving a check at her. She slid the bottle toward him then walked away.

Alec filled his glass then pushed the empty bottle aside.

*****

     A thin, dark haired woman in a grey turtle-neck sat behind the faux-stone and redwood desk. A thick paperback book with a bright, lime green cover was lodged between her long slender fingers. She looked up at the man stumbling through the automatic revolving door. He hesitantly made his way across the marble floor toward her.

“Hi…,” she said and set her book aside. She stood, smoothing the lines from her black pencil skirt.

     Alec Dorsey glanced over his shoulder at the door. “Hey…,” he whispered. “I…I’m…I…a friend of mine is here.” A nervous smile tugged at his lips. “I finally got up the nerve to see him.”

     “Name…?”

     “Alec,” he said then chuckled. “Oh, you mean his name…Brian…Brian Higgins.” He watched her turn to the computer beside the desk.

     She brought up the name then turned to face him and caught him staring at her ass. “Your friend is on the sixth floor,” she said and grabbed the stack of Post-It Notes beside the keyboard. She scribbled the room number on the note pad then peeled it off and handed it to him. “Room sixty-three twenty-four.” She pointed to the trio of elevators on the far side of the lobby.

     Alec stared at the note a moment then looked across the lobby at the elevators. His heart pounded against his chest.

     She gave him a puzzled look. “Is everything ok?”

     He looked back at her and nodded. “Yeah…thanks.” He took a deep breath then willed himself to move.

     She watched him walk away then slid back into her chair and picked up her book.

*****

     The snow the Channel 23 weatherman had predicted was falling as freezing rain. Alec Dorsey’s kale green overcoat was soaked. He threw a glance back at the glass and brass doors of the Holt Street Theater. The skinny, baby-faced security guard was already turning the key in the push-bar, locking the door. He pulled the collar of his coat up over his ears then sprinted for the bus stop at the corner opposite the theater.

     The fifteen minute trip downtown to pick up his check had turned into more than an hour. He stared down the darkening street as he paced the curb in front of the bus stop. It was too cold, he surmised, to chance walking home. The Clancy Street Bridge would be a sheet of ice soon. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and shuddered, cursing under his breath.

     It was another ten minutes before the dirty yellow and white PTA bus pulled up to the corner. The doors stuttered open and an elderly black woman slowly made her way down the steps. She opened her tattered purple umbrella, spraying Alec with rain water. He gave her a perfunctory smile then quickly stepped past her.

     A little more than a dozen passengers were scattered through the bus. He dropped his token into the fare box then started down the aisle. A woman in a white, fur trimmed parka sat on the aisle just past the handicapped seating. He stared at her a moment. The bus lurched to a start and he found himself stumbling toward her.

“Excuse me,” he said, sliding into the seat beside a heavy-set, dark skinned man.

The woman looked over at him and a smile curled the corner of her full pink lips. “Alec…?” she said surprised.

He looked back at her, turned in his seat to face her. “I thought that was you,” he said. He glanced back at the front of the bus, catching the eye of the bus driver through the rearview mirror. He turned back to the woman. “How you been?”

She nodded. “Ok.” Her smile widened as she stared at him. “I didn’t know you were back in town.”

“Yeah…,” he mumbled. “Didn’t really leave.”

“I thought you were off to art school…Pittsburgh, right?”

Alec lowered his head briefly then shrugged. “That didn’t work out too well.”

She glanced at the back of the bus. A group of teenagers were gathered in the rear corner talking loudly. She rolled her eyes then turned back to Alec. “So what have you been doin’ with yourself then?”

“Freelancing mostly,” he said with a smirk. “Doin’ some carpentry work over at the theater.” She gave him a quizzical look. “I know, it ain’t exactly sculpture, but it pays.” Again he shrugged and looked away.

“Well…,” she sighed and watched him shift uncomfortably in his seat. “I ain’t exactly Doctor Crawford yet either.”

Alec smiled. “But you will be,” he said. “You wanted to be a doctor since what, sixth grade.”

A chuckle bubbled up out of her throat.

The bus turned onto Upland Avenue, making its way toward Cornell Hills. The man sitting beside Alec signaled for his stop then gathered up his collection of grocery bags.

He stood as the man squeezed past him and headed for the front of the bus. He turned his attention back to the woman as he sat down. He stared at her a moment. “You and Brian still…?”

She gave him a surprised look and shook her head and turned her eyes to the window. The rain had turned to a slushy snow.

The crooked smile on his face faded. He watched as she fidgeted with the straps of her purse. She looked over at him as he settled back into his seat and their eyes met. “What’s he been up to?”

She quickly turned away again and stared at the back of the seat in front of her. “He was deployed a little bit over a month ago,” she said and glanced over at him.

Alec felt his face flush. “Oh, wow,” he sighed. “You heard from him since he left?”

She nodded. “He sounds like he’s doing ok.”

“Brian…,” he said and chuckled under his breath. “He always was a jarhead.”

She nodded and stared ahead as the bus made the turn onto Clancy Street, heading for the bridge.

“Shannon…,” he said. “You ok?”

“Yeah,” she said and reluctantly looked over at him. Their eyes met.

“You wanna…get a bite to eat sometime?”

She took a deep breath. “Alec….” The bus made a wide turn as it crossed the bridge. She slid forward in her seat. Alec lunged forward to catch her. His hand landed on her breast. She looked at him startled and braced herself against the seat in front of her.

“Sorry…sorry,” he said embarrassed.

Shannon shook her head. “It’s ok.” She stood. “This is my stop anyway.” She pulled the yellow cord above the handrail then started toward the front of the bus. She glanced back at him. “It was good to see you.”

Alec watched her hurry to the door. The bus came to a halt in front of Jackson Elementary School. She looked back at him again then hurried up the walkway to the school.

“Yeah…,” he said to himself. The door closed behind her and the bus bolted away from the curb and continued on its route.

*****

It was hot.

The M4 felt like it weighed a ton. A sinking feeling lingered in the pit of Alec Dorsey’s stomach as he followed the three strong convoy of Humvees through the cluttered, narrow streets. He threw a glance over his shoulder. The last thirty yards, give or take, were clear. As he swept the barrel of the gun across the street, he thought he saw a puff of dust lingering in the air behind an overturned bus.

“Sarge…,” he barked, staring down the site of the gun as the dust settled. “Looks like we got Hajis in the midst.”

The gunner atop the rear Humvee eyed the rooftops. “Roger that…,” he shouted back. The sound of gunfire cut him off. He whipped the .50 caliber machine gun toward the rooftop of the four story building to his right and fired back.

Alec raced toward the bus, firing in quick burst. Crumbling plaster rained down on the street. He made his way around the end of the bus as an explosion erupted on the third floor balcony. He spun around as chunks of hand carved wood and stone shattered behind him.

The torso of a young boy lay among the rubble.

The lead Humvee rolled through the next intersection. An RPG caught the tail end of the truck. It spun sideways. The rear axel buckled and it rolled onto its side, blocking the street.

The gunner atop the rear Humvee let loose another salvo of rounds from the .50 caliber tearing through the lower floors of the building.

Alec stared at the boy’s torso. A tattered khaki colored smock was wrapped around his slender frame, splattered with blood. In his left hand he held what was left of a smaller hand.

“Move it, soldier,” the gunner barked. His Humvee bolted forward, following the caravan.

He staggered across the road and pressed himself against the stucco façade of a storefront. His eyes slammed shut. Gunfire pelted the doorway spraying bits of ashwood and mortar across his face.

The second Humvee sped through the intersection, swerved right. The gunner swung the turret of his machine gun left, spraying gunfire across the street. Another RPG shot through the cloud of dust. It missed its mark and smashed into the front of a café on the corner.

Alec slowly opened his eyes. His chest was pounding. His head was pounding. He felt dizzy. The sound of gunfire filled his ears. He peered out of the doorway and saw flames racing up the front of the café.

He staggered out of the doorway. The overturned Humvee was less than a block away. He found his footing and hurried toward the corner. Cover fire screeched over his head. He turned left and fired at the barricade of cement blocks and burned-out cars at the far end of the street.

The third Humvee made a hard right onto the cross street, gunfire trailing behind it. The gunner slumped over the turret then slipped out of sight.

Alec broke into a sprint. He spun to his right firing blindly at the terraces above the downed Humvee. A bullet grazed his helmet. Gunfire ripped through the air as he dropped to the ground. He could see the rest of the unit scurrying from the second truck.

A stocky Hispanic man leapt out of the truck. He looked down at Alec struggling to his feet. His head tilted back as blood squirted from the gaping hole that had opened in his neck.

Alec stood. He whirled around and fired back at the makeshift barricade then scrambled toward him. “Brian…,” he shouted. Blood was pooling in his mouth. “Fuck…medic….”

His eyes fluttered.

“Brian….” Alec said. Gunfire pinged off the side of the truck. He raised his rifle. Through the scope he could see three figures in black moving over the concrete barricade. He squeezed the trigger.

*****

“You alright?” she said.

Alec looked up at the woman’s reflection in the bathroom mirror. She was naked except for a pair of powder blue panties. Her strawberry blond hair was pulled back from her round freckled face into a pair of pigtails. He closed the lid of the toilet then sat down. “I’m fine,” he exhaled.

Katie Lightcap leaned against the doorway and folded her arms across her pert breast. Her vanilla colored skin glowed in the early morning light. “A little morning sickness, then?”

“Funny,” he said and smirked. He reached behind him and flushed the toilet. “Must’ve been something I ate.”

She walked over to him and straddled his lap. “Is that a shot at my cooking?”

He chuckled, leaned forward and kissed her gently between her breasts. “Maybe it was something else I ate.” She gasped then drew back her hand to slap him. He caught her by her wrist and they stared at each other a moment. He let go of her arm and shoved her back against the wall. Her feet slid out from under her and she fell to the floor beside the tub.

“Fuck…,” Katie groaned.

Alec stood. “K….”

She scrambled away from him. “Jesus,” she said and stood then walked out of the room.

“Katie….” He let out an angry sigh then ran his hand over his nearly bald head. After a moment, he followed her into the bedroom.

She was sitting on at the foot of the double bed wriggling into a pair of faded black jeans. She sat up, stepped into a pair of crimson and black Bordello boots then stood. A black V-neck t-shirt lay on the bed beside her. She fastened her jeans then grabbed the shirt.

“I’m sorry,” he started.

She pulled on the shirt, glanced over at him then slowly walked across the room. “I gotta get going anyway,” she said.

“Ka….” He exhaled loudly and rubbed his eyes. “It was the dream.”

She grabbed her pack of Marlboro Lights from the nightstand. “What was it about this time?” She tapped one of the cigarettes out of the pack then reluctantly pushed it back in. She glanced over at him as she dropped the pack into her purse.

Alec shook his head. “Nothin’,” he mumbled. “Just a bad dream.”

“You’ve had these dreams every night I’ve been here,” she said and combed her hair with her fingers. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing.”

“You wanna talk about it?”

He shook his head. “It was just a bad dream, Kate,” he said.

“Well…it didn’t feel like just a dream,” she said.

“I’m sorry,” he said. He stared across the room at her. “I…I didn’t mean to….”

She gave him a half-hearted nod then slung the strap of her purse over her shoulder. “I’ll see you later then.”

Alec watched her walk out of the room. He made his way over to the dresser. A green pill bottle lay on its side among the collection of crumpled lottery tickets, cologne samples and a chrome plated lighter. He opened the bottle and tapped a pair of oval shaped, pale blue pills into his palm.

He slumped to the bed as he swallowed the pills and stared up at the ceiling. His eyes were almost closed when the cellphone on the nightstand began playing Oye Como Va. He reached for it, saw the number scroll across the screen then tossed it aside. The song ended abruptly.

*****

“Katie know you’re here?” Benita said. She pulled one of the round cardboard coasters out of the caddy at the far end of the table, set it in front of him then followed it with a frosted pilsner glass.

He shook his head and glanced up at her. He took the bottle of Bud Light as she handed it to him and filled the glass. “She lookin’ for me?” He set the bottle aside.

She threw a glance around the bar. The evening crowd was starting to file in. She slid into the seat across from him. “What happened wit’ ya’ll?” she asked, lowering her voice.

“She didn’t tell you?” Alec said and swallowed a gulp of beer.

She quickly shook her head.

“Then I won’t either.”

Benita smirked. “You two get into a fight?” She looked over her shoulder at the tall, skinny man behind the bar and saw him talking to Russ and another man in a leather jacket and jeans. She turned back to Alec. “Come on…,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I saw the bruises on her neck.”

He set the glass down and stared at her.

“…or was that from something else?”

“Benita….”

“What?” She gave him a crooked grin and winked.

He picked up his drink. “There goes your tip,” he said and sipped his beer.

“Like you tip all that much.” She slowly pushed away from the table and stood. “If you hurt her, you know I’ll fuck you up.”

Alec rolled his eyes.

“You know I can.” She backed away from him then turned and headed for the bar.

Alec swallowed another mouthful of beer then set the glass down and pushed it away. A stocky man dressed in desert camouflage passed by him heading for the pool tables. He turned to follow him and he was gone. He shook his head then finished his beer.

After a moment he stood and dug the deer skin wallet out of his back pocket. He rifled through the wallet, found a ten and slid it under the glass then turned and made his way across the bar to the door.

*****

She was sitting on the stoop of the brownstone when he rounded the corner of Williams Street and Fifth Avenue. A bottle of Bud Light dangled between her legs from the tips of her fingers. Beside her sat two plastic grocery bags. He smiled then jogged across the street to meet her.

Katie took another sip of her beer then dropped the aluminum bottle into one of the bags. She looked to her left and saw Alec darting across the narrow street, a grin on his face. She brushed the flakes of snow from her hair then stood and started down the steps.

“Hey…,” he said then threw a quick glance over her shoulder at the bags. “You movin’ in?” He looked back at the corner as the number thirty bus rumbled through the intersection then tucked his hands into the pockets of his jacket.

She smirked. “Funny,” she said brushing her dirty blond hair from her face. “Where you been…I’ve been out here almost half an hour?”

Alec shook his head. “Had an errand to run.”

She stared back at him a moment, started to say something then sighed. “You alright?”

He gave her a curt nod then stepped past her. “What’s in the bags?”

“Dinner,” she said and followed him. “Thought you might be hungry.”

He fished his keys out of the pocket of his windbreaker then grabbed the bags from the stairs. The rattle of beer bottles caught his attention. “How long’d you say you were out here?” he chuckled and opened the door.

“Long enough,” Katie grumbled. She pulled open the glass door then followed him into the building. “Your neighbors are at it again.” She nodded toward the apartment at the far end of the hall.

Bass heavy rap music blared down the hall. Alec stared at the door then handed her the bags. “Take these upstairs,” he muttered. “I’ll….”

“No…Alec….” She jerked her head toward the stairs, her hair falling across her pale blue eyes. He let out an angry sigh then reluctantly followed her up the steps.

The apartment was dark except for the fluorescent light over the sink and the flickering glow of the television in the living room. He set the bags on the counter then tossed the empty beer bottles into the trash can. “So what’s the occasion?” He grabbed a bottle from the remnants of the six pack and headed for the living room.

She pushed her hair back from her face and took a pack of chicken out of the bag. “No reason,” she replied and set it in the sink. The tap sputtered as she turned on the cold water. “What was your errand?”

“I…,” he started then turned her attention back to the TV. “Nothing.” He flopped onto the couch and laid the remote on the coffee table. The second round of Jeopardy had started. A stoutly built dark-haired woman was trouncing her two male competitors. He laid his head back on the couch and pressed the cold bottle against his left temple.

A collection of mismatched steak knives lined the drawer to the right of the sink. She grabbed one, popped the plastic wrapping covering the chicken and peeled it away. “What was that?” She washed the wrapping under the tap then tossed it in the trash. A slight smile lit across her face. She turned the water down to a trickle then leaned against the doorway. “You go see your doctor?”

He looked back at her then quickly turned away.

The hint of a smile disappeared. “I’ll take that as a no,” she grumbled.

Alec stood and faced her. “Katie…,” he started. She turned away from him and walked back into the kitchen. “I….”

“Whatever,” she shot back. She shut the water off, grabbed a glass pie pan from the cabinet beneath the sink and emptied the last of flour from the tin on the counter into it then slammed the cabinet closed.

“Katie.”

She turned to face him. “What….” A sneer turned the corner of her mouth. “Oh…was that too loud for you?”

He stared back at her a moment. “Fuck you.”

“See, this is why you need to go see that doctor.”

“What,” he said. “Because of a little noise?” He watched her turn away from him then sat back down. He grabbed the remote, flipped through a half a dozen channels then tossed the remote aside angrily.

Katie brushed the back of her hand across her cheek. She found a half empty bottle of worcestershire sauce in the cabinet over the sink and slammed it on the counter. Tears slowly welled behind her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she said and threw a quick glance back at him. “But, Alec, you need to talk to somebody.”

“Kate…,” he sighed.

“…and I can’t be that somebody anymore.”

He looked back at her then stood. She was leaning against the sink, her head down. He slowly walked toward her. “What?”

She turned to face him. “You need help, Alec.”

“You’re leaving me?”

She shook her head quickly. “No,” she said. “But I’m not gonna watch you do this to yourself.”

“Do what?”

[soundout12]

This week on Gunpla News Round-Up, we have five P-Bandai kits and one retail kit! While not the most preferable ratio of retail to exclusive releases, we still have some great stuff to talk about. As usual, we are going to go from the largest scale down to the smallest one.

  MG Qan[T] Full Saber (Special Coating Ver)

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Releasing in July 2019 for 11,800 yen is a re-release of the MG 1/100 Qan[T] Full Saber now with a special coating on several of the parts. This Gundam 00V design has now been given a sparkly overlay which allows for a second chance at releasing the kit.

  MG GM (Cold Districts Type)

Teased via a magazine scan is the Master Grade 1/100 RGM-79D GM (Cold Districts Type) from the first episode of the Gundam 0080 ova. No other details are available beyond the kit being a Premium Bandai exclusive.

  RE/100 Gun-Ez (Ground Type)

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Following up the release of the RE/100 Gun-Ez last December, the RE/100 Gun-Ez Ground Type will be released via Premium Bandai. This Gundam Victory MSV will ship in June 2019 and cost 3780 yen. 

  RG Gundam Astray Gold Frame Amatsu Hana

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Releasing via Premium Bandai, is the White colored version of the Gundam Astray Gold Frame, known as the Gundam Astray Gold Frame Amatsu Hana. This Real Grade release will be released in June 2019 for 3240 yen. 

  RG Gundam Exia Repair III

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The third version of the Gundam Exia Repair from Gundam 00V is joining the Real Grade line-up by way of Premium Bandai. Gundam Exia Repair III releases in June 2019 for 3024 yen. 

  HG Silver Bullet Suppressor

  Hot off its surprise appearance in the Gundam Narrative film, our first Post-Blu-Ray release kit based on the film will be a retail release in June 2019 for 2916 yen. More pictures are sure to follow when the kit officially becomes available to order.

  Source: MG Qan[T], GM, Gun-Ez, Gold Frame, Exia Repair, Silver Bullet

Gunpla News Round-Up – March 26, 2019: Silver Bullet Suppressor, Exia Repair III & More! #Gundam

This week on Gunpla News Round-Up, we have five P-Bandai kits and one retail kit! While not the most preferable ratio of retail to exclusive releases, we still have some great stuff to talk about.

Gunpla News Round-Up – March 26, 2019: Silver Bullet Suppressor, Exia Repair III & More! #Gundam

This week on Gunpla News Round-Up, we have five P-Bandai kits and one retail kit! While not the most preferable ratio of retail to exclusive releases, we still have some great stuff to talk about.

Gunpla News Round-Up - March 26, 2019: Silver Bullet Suppressor, Exia Repair III & More! #Gundam This week on Gunpla News Round-Up, we have five P-Bandai kits and one retail kit! While not the most preferable ratio of retail to exclusive releases, we still have some great stuff to talk about.