#and while we get more actions and hints from Virginia almost all of them are cryptic or paint her in a bad light

[anxiouspotatorants]

I’m sorry but I don’t trust Virginia or Clémence. They’re the two passengers we learn the least about (unless you count the sexist doctor) and their whole deals are having unknown goals and needs.

Virginia is definitely the easiest pill to swallow, considering how she treats Ling Yi and Yuk Je. But I still feel like it’s particularly weird that we know so little about her. Why was she shipping what she initially thought was a sex-worker to New York? How did she get into it? And since this was all a simulation, what is the connection to her real life? Also, it might just be my general mistrust of her because we know so little, but I have a feeling Virginia knows something about or is very important to life outside the 1899 simulation. When Maura talks about truths to be found in the brain, Virginia immediately talks about allowing people to live in oblivion. She denies the simulation until pretty much the end, and while it could just be because Maura was a doctor, Virginia was very quick to assume that Maura could help her with the glitch corruption of her hand.

But Clémence though. Clémence I wanted to trust, but there’s just so much about her that is making me suspicious of her. First off: like Virginia she is drenched in important symbols. The most notable are the earth symbol/triangle earrings and hairclips, but she also has a flower embroidery on her collar that looks too much like a bug to be a coincidence. Secondly: we barely know anything about Clémence beyond the fact that she is married to Lucien and disillusioned about it. Yes, she’s drawn to Jérôme in a similar way to how f. ex. Ling Yi and Olek are drawn to each other, but it doesn’t really say much about Clémence as an individual. Jérôme and Lucien have a known simulated trauma story. We know what their moral compasses are and how they react or don’t react to injustice and what haunts them. Jérôme desperately wants things to be right. Lucien wants to live. Jérôme is constantly walking in ready to fight because he has no other choice. Lucien reacts to his deadly situation by taking it out on and isolating himself from Clémence. But what about her.

Most of the time she seems bored and stuck with Lucien, yet she actively seeks him out and seems to try and form some kind of relationship with him beyond a technical marriage. But why would she do that when she doesn’t seem interested in keeping up a facade for the other passengers and has a clear attraction towards Jérôme? When her and Tove go into the room where she puts on trousers, Clémence does tell Tove that she envies her (which... Tove is a rape survivor carrying a child from said horrible trauma who just lost both her siblings has a verbally abusive unstable mother a barely there father and is also a working class woman at the turn of the century, Clémence what are you on about) and tells her about how she wanted children until her sister had some and she began to find them annoying. Clémence expresses that she’s realized that you rarely known if you truly want what you want until you get it, but this doesn’t really say anything about her beyond what we already know about her marriage. 

And finally: we don’t get a single peek at her simulated trauma. Maura has one. Eyk has one. Lucien and Jérôme share one, and that pretty much seems to be the case for Ling Yi and Yuk Je as well, and Ángel and Ramiro (not to mention the Danish family). We don’t know of a single thing that could actually haunt Clémence. Even Daniel and Elliot get simulations, and we know there was one for Olek even though we don’t see it from his perspective, but there’s nothing for Virginia or Clémence. Not even as much as a hint as to what they might be.

Let me make myself clear: I highly doubt that either of them could be a Ciaran reveal. But I have this feeling that I can’t shake that the both of them are connected to the simulations in a way the others aren’t. They know something, or knew something that they came to forget similarly to Maura. But either way these two are hiding something, just something I just know it.

[dizzydancingdreamer]

I Need You | The Mikaelson Boys

Hey lovelies! Here’s another Mikaelson Brother’s fic. This time it’s a firefighter AU. I don’t know why I was so inspired but oh well, here it is anyway. Please do ignore the blatant plot holes and dropped plot points. I wrote this purely for the fluff so the rest doesn’t matter too much! I hope you all enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! Until next time, all my love!

Description: The brothers are firefighters and they come back to the station after a long day only to find an unconscious woman in their fire station. It turns out she’s their mate and she's seconds from death. From there it’s pure fluff/smut. Honestly the plot of this is weak, I just wanted something majorly fluffy.

Pairing: Female!Reader x The Mikaelson Boys

Warnings: THIS IS AN 18+ ONLY FIC!!! It’s not a full blown smut but it does get heated. It’s hella light smut. Honestly the warning should read something more like “inappropriate actions for on duty firefighters towards a civilian at the workplace”. Take into mind that I do not condone this behaviour outside of my fics but that they are soulmates and it’s all consensual! The other warning is angst. This is super graphic at the beginning but after that it gets better.  

Word count: 7.3k

Tags: Angst, smut, fluff

P.S. This is only in the boys’ perspectives for like five nanoseconds, after that it’s completely in the reader’s

Tag list: @activist-af​ @corishirogane3​

(Pictures not mine, mood board is!)

“Remind me, Elijah,” Klaus runs a hand through his hair, shaking some of the soot from his blonde hair, “why we decided to do this again?”

Elijah huffs indignantly, also shaking out his hair and shrugging the heavy coat off his shoulders. His hoodie underneath is soaked through with sweat and it follows the same path. Klaus already stands in just a t-shirt, the navy material glued to his skin. 

“Don’t you remember, brother?” Kol hops out of the truck from behind the wheel, his bare chest exposed, spare the straps keeping the bottom half of his turnout gear on, a cheerful grin on his lips, “He wanted us to give back to the community. I believe his exact words were firefighters or soldiers.”

It’s true, Elijah had wanted them to do something meaningful with their lives. Well, with a fraction of their lives. He wanted them to be a family again and what better way to do that than to take on a career built on teamwork. Honestly, he had expected them to last maybe six months before quitting but now they were three years deep and he couldn’t see them going anywhere for a while. Somehow station 32 in small town Virginia had become a home base for them.

Elijah leans against the brick of the old fire station, closing his eyes for a moment, “just be happy I didn’t suggest doing both.”

“What makes you think I would follow you to war,” Klaus laughs but it’s hollow, the strain of the day settling over his bones.

They haven’t had a day this strenuous in months, sixteen calls in one day and it’s only eight. Human or not, that’s a lot of heavy lifting. Klaus would do anything for some sleep. He sags against the wall next to his brother. Despite the sleep tugging at his body he can’t seem to relax. Something is keeping his spine rigid, something he can’t quite place his mind on. Oh well. 

Elijah chuckles, his eyes still shut, “you followed me here didn’t you? Face it, you needed this as much as I did.”

Klaus doesn’t speak, he just hums his agreement, something entirely unlike him but brought on from the exhaustion. His shoulders remain tight, his muscles stiff. The air feels like it's buzzing lightly, charged with something he doesn’t have enough energy to think about.

Kol laughs through his own fatigue, stretching his arms behind him, ignoring the way his bones click slightly, “I, for one, need a shower. I smell like flames and I hate it. I suggest you two do the same,” he turns from his slumped brothers, “I can smell you from here.”

Elijah pulls himself from the wall, rolling his shoulders and peeling his eyes open, “come on, Niklaus, you can take a nap for a few hours. I doubt the rest of the night will be eventful, half the town should be asleep by now.”

“I hope you’re right.”

The two brothers catch up with Kol easily, grabbing their discarded gear on the way and heading towards the locker room. Kol is the first to step through the door, adamant on jumping in the shower before his brothers take all the hot water like they usually do, when he stops suddenly, all of his senses on high alert. Something is wrong, terribly so. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, catching the faintest hint of sweetness, like vanilla and oranges, mingled with something sharper. Something too familiar. 

“Kol, what are you-” Elijah doesn’t get to finish his thought.

“Blood,” Klaus pushes past both of them, his eyebrows furrowed, “I smell blood. Someone’s here.”

Kol nods and steps further into the room, directly followed by Klaus and Elijah. As they push forward, towards the showers, the scent of fresh blood intensifies. So does the vanilla citrus perfume, magnifying and tangling around each brother. The room is electrified because of it, drawing them quicker to the heart of the locker room. The distinct sound of three heartbeats fills the room, each one louder than the last. Thump, thump, thump. 

When they turn the corner they freeze, each heart skipping a beat in the same moment. There, in the middle of the showers, is an unconscious woman. A naked, unconscious woman slumped over in a pool of her own blood. Her body is battered, more blue and black than any other color. Who knew a vampire's blood could turn as cold as theirs is right now?

“Fuck,” Kol’s voice is the first to break the tension, dropping to his knees with a dull thud, his heart strings snapping violently in his chest, “fuck!”

Klaus is in front of her in a flash, his teeth ripping into his wrist without a second thought. Kol turns his head away, squeezing his eyes shut. There’s no way he can watch this. The sweet smell wraps around him, taunting him almost. The overwhelming sense of loss wraps around him like a noose, his throat closing harshly. Why now, why like this?

“Is that,” Elijah, too, sinks to the ground, his hands splayed against the concrete, his eyes glued to the horrific sight in front of him, “is that who I think it is?”

His muscles tighten, an indescribable pain rippling through his entire body. He feels like he’s drowning. No, like he’s burning alive. Fuck, it feels like both at the same time. He wants to scream but no sounds are surfacing. This can’t be happening!

Kol’s voice is sharp and cracked, too many emotions to decipher leaking into his words, “yeah, it’s her. It’s our mate.”

Klaus presses his bleeding wrist to her mouth hard, tears streaming freely down his face. He couldn’t care less about how he looks, not right now. Not when it feels like someone is ripping his heart straight from his chest. 

“Come on, love. Wake up. I need you! Wake up!”

                         *          *          *           *          *          *

“Wake up. I need you! Wake up!” 

You tear your eyes open suddenly, bright lights flooding your senses. You gasp as you regain consciousness, something that you realize too late is a mistake. Your mouth is filled with a thick, hot substance, one much too metallic and familiar for your liking, that you inhale by accident. It fills your lungs quickly, your chest burning, and you roll over, hacking up mouthfuls of the disgusting fluid. It feels like your entire body is engulfed in flames. Like you’re dying twice. 

The concrete is freezing against your fiery arms and, when it finally blurs into focus, you realize it’s also covered in a deep red liquid. You run your tongue over your mouth, the tang making your eyes widen. Your heart stutters as you finally come to an understanding. Blood. The floor is covered in blood. Your blood. This time you vomit, and almost scream when you see it matches the liquid around you.

“Shit,” a voice sounds from behind you as a pair of hands slides over your back, startling you further into the sticky redness, “holy shit you’re awake. Oh thank god!”

You flinch away from the hands, turning too quickly to face whoever it is behind you. Mistake number two. The walls start spinning around you and you have to grasp the wet stone beneath you and close your eyes for a moment. When you finally open them again you’re met with a pair of warm, brown eyes. Your heart stutters again, but you don’t have time to wonder why you don’t feel as afraid this time.

“Who are you? What the hell is going on?” you run your eyes over him, wiping your mouth with the back of your hand, “I don’t- where am I?”

Each of your senses are on high alert, your heart beating so loud you’re afraid it’s going to jump out of your chest, as you allow yourself to finally take in your surroundings. You're in a shower room of sorts, with rows of lockers on your one side and the tiled rows of shower stalls on the other. The smell of fresh blood hits you full force and you almost vomit again. You suck in a deep breath, ignoring the burning in your lungs as you try to force the feeling away. Your eyes catch some writing on the wall; Station 32. You look back to the man in front of you, zeroing in on his navy t-shirt with the same logo. 

What the hell are you doing at a fire station? 

He shifts closer to you and you stiffen. A pained expression laces across his face and your chest stings, worse than it did when you were coughing up the blood. He closes his eyes for a moment and when he opens them again there’s a sheen of tears. You swallow thickly, your own tears forming at the sight of his. What on earth is happening?

He sits back on his knees and runs a red hand through his blonde hair, maring the light strands with blood. You tense further at the sight. For some reason you want to stop him from spreading more of the blood over him. He’s already kneeling in a puddle of it, and his arms are soaked, painted in a cruel crimson. Even his t-shirt is drenched.  You grind your teeth together, your jaw clenching harshly. He places both his hands on the floor and takes another few inches towards you.

His movements are slow as if not to startle you, “hey, it’s alright. You’re safe now. I’m Klaus, I’m a firefighter here. You’re at station 32, Lexington, Virginia.”

His voice is heavy with emotion, making what you can only assume is a strong british accent even stronger. Your heart tugs harshly when he speaks, begging you to move closer to him. You wrap your arms around yourself, ignoring the increasingly sticky feeling over your entire body. You can’t stop a few tears from slipping down your cheeks.

“How did I get here?” 

A new voice, one just as accented and gravelly, pulls your attention from Klaus, “we aren’t sure, darling. We just got back ourselves. Gave us quite a shock, actually. How much do you remember?”

Your eyes wander around the blonde and land on two more men, two brunettes. You lock eyes with each of them, your heat racing once more. You suck in a breath at the wave of emotions that hit you. Sadness, confusion, longing, comfort. Love. It all hits you at once and you have to close your eyes before the room starts spinning again. When you open them again, they’re closer. Far enough to keep you from tensing, settled next to Klaus. 

You tuck your knees to your chest, wrapping your arms around yourself, suddenly feeling very exposed. One of the men, the one with dark brown hair cut close to his head and concerned brown eyes, notices and wastes no time pulling the t-shirt from his chest and settling it on your knees. It’s warm and a touch damp but you don’t mind, gratefully shuffling it over your head and passing him a grateful nod. It lands mid thigh, circling you in a heady wood scent. Your cheeks flame as you try not to lean down and smell it directly. When you look back at him his eyes are glinting.

“I’m not sure,” you press your palms against your eyes and immediately regret it, the stickiness now smeared on your cheeks and eyelids, “I don’t remember much. Only bits and pieces from this morning but nothing after that. Wait, is that normal? God, why can’t I remember anything!”

All of a sudden you’re panicking and the room begins shrinking, at least it feels like it is. You can’t breathe, your lungs constricting painfully. There isn’t enough oxygen in the room. Was there ever enough? You’re racking your mind for any little thing that you can remember but it’s pointless, you’re going too fast and your mind can’t make sense of anything you’re seeing. You see a sink, one covered in blood. You see teeth. No, you see fangs. You smell the forest, one heavy with pine trees. None of it makes sense!

You claw maniacally at your chest, trying to suck in enough air to clear the fog in your head. Nothing is helping, your body is on fire and sticky and you just want to scream until it all makes sense. The shirt feels three sizes too small and you want to tear it over your head. Just before you can, though,  you’re pulled onto someone's lap, someone who smells like pure water, and you can finally suck in a proper breath. The flames that were lapping your skin slowly start to fade, giving over to a cool sensation that soothes your achy bones. 

“Deep breaths, love,” Klaus’ voice washes over you like a lullaby, his hands rubbing down your back, “that’s good, just like that. We’re going to figure this out but for now you just have to breathe. You’re safe now, I promise you that. We can start with an easy one, what’s your name?”

You sink into his chest more easily than you would like to admit. His arms circle you tighter, his head resting on yours in an entirely unprofessional way but you don’t care. You’ve never felt this kind of need before. You’re afraid that if you leave his arms now then the flames will come back.

“Y/n,” you murmur into his shoulder, “my name is y/n.” 

A pair of hands rub over your shoulders, drawing you into them slightly on instinct, “darling, I know you’re scared but we need to see if you’re seriously hurt. We found you in a lot of blood,” whoever is speaking his voice is rough and he has to stop to clear his throat, muttering a curse under his breath, “do you think you can let us check you over?”

When he brings up the blood, it’s all you can smell again, and you scramble from Klaus’ arms, narrowly making it before you’re vomiting again. This time you don’t puke up any blood, thank god. Just bile, which isn’t much better. The metallic scent is all around you and it’s all you can do to hang your head and suck in as much air as possible. You feel so dizzy it physically hurts.

“Shit, Elijah we gotta get this cleaned up. It’s only making it worse. C’mere love,” you’re pulled into the warm chest of a man you’ve yet to interact with.

You lock eyes with the last man, losing your breath at his honey brown eyes. He smiles softly and you feel your cheeks go hot. You bring your hands to your lips quickly, all too aware of how close you are to this man and the fact that you were just throwing up and are soaked through with blood. You blink back a few tears, embarrassment streaming through you. You glance down at his chest which is now covered in your blood. The man furrows his brows, shaking his head lightly. You can almost hear his thoughts; don’t worry. 

Elijah, the man who gave you his shirt, nods at Klaus, standing quickly, “you two take her to the captain’s bathroom, it’s nicer anyway and more private. I’m not expecting anyone else tonight but I’d rather them not see her like this,” he turns, locking eyes with you, his rough tone softening drastically, “baby, are you okay if they help you clean this blood off? They’re not going to hurt you, we just need to get you cleaned up and warm to make sure you don’t go back into shock.”

The word baby rings through your head, hitting you directly in the chest. Tendrils of warmth unfurl through your body and you find yourself nodding to everything he says. Elijah sags, relief taking over his body. It doesn’t last long though, the tension filling his frame as he looks back around the room.

“Kol,” the man under you tenses, “take her upstairs now. Niklaus, do you mind helping me with this? It’s-” Elijah looks at you again for a moment before he has to look away, “It’s going to take two people.”

Klaus stares at you longingly, the pained look back in his eyes. It makes you want to pull him into your arms, blood or no blood, and hold him. You tense at the thought. Where did that come from?

He looks at you a moment longer before crawling over to and running one of his stained hands over your cheek. He leans down and kisses the top of your head, rubbing his cheek against your matted hair. Sparks dance down your spine at the simple touch, lighting your body like a christmas tree. Too many emotions surface again, confusion and longing being the top contenders. 

“I’ll be with you as soon as I can, love,” he whispers to you before standing himself and addressing Elijah, “yeah, let’s get this over with.”

Elijah nods at Klaus, his shoulders sagging slightly, probably out of relief again. Looking around one last time it’s obvious the job is going to take some major man-power. Thankfully the blood is contained mostly to the showers, but even so it’s coating almost every surface from there on. Looking at it makes you chest heavy again but before you can lose it Kol stands, pulling you up with him. 

He holds you easily, bringing you level with Klaus and Elijah. Elijah strides over to you, taking your face in his hands. Your heart pounds mercilessly at his touch. It takes all your willpower not to jump into his arms and curl around his bare chest. You try not to stare at his taut muscles. Now is definitely not the time to let lust join the myriad of emotions  running through you. Even as you force your eyes away, though, your body ignites and you have to stop yourself from clenching your thighs around Kol. Fucking hell, what is going on?

Kol’s arms tense suddenly and when you peak back at him, his eyes are shades darker. You swallow thickly, trying not to think too much about the heated look in his eyes. Or how much you don’t want him to stop looking at you like that. You peer back at Elijah, who holds a similar expression. You have to suck in a breath, the room temperature instantly raising ten degrees. 

Elijah leans his forehead against yours, his thumbs grazing your cheekbones gently, “Kol’s going to take you upstairs now, okay baby? He’ll take care of you, help you wash some of this off. You’re in control here, alright? No one else is going to hurt you.”

You nod lightly, your forehead rubbing against his, “okay, Eli.”

He sucks in a sharp breath and presses a hard kiss to your head before releasing you. Kol shuffles you further up his body, drawing your attention to him. He grins at you but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. Before you can process what you’re doing, you’re cupping his cheek in your hand. His skin is soft and so warm. He sighs quietly, sinking his cheek into your touch, his eyes losing some of the tension.

“Let’s go get cleaned up, darling.” 

You lower your hand, choosing now to wrap your arms around his shoulders instead. His muscles under your fingertips are glorious, warm and firm. When you rest your face against his shoulder, you breathe in the faintest hints of nutmeg and flames. It’s absolutely intoxicating. His shoulder is hot against your cheek and you finally give into your cravings to curl your body around his, wrapping your legs tightly around his torso and clinging to him for dear life. He holds you against him with everything he has, taking the steps two at a time. 

You can’t bring yourself to open your eyes until you feel him enter a separate room, one much smaller than the locker room you were previously in. You’re greeted with a spectacular sight; a spacious bathroom with a wall of showerheads and the biggest clawfoot tub you’ve ever seen. You almost jump from his arms at how badly you want to get in it.

He sets you down on a vast countertop, the cool marble biting into your bottom. You shiver lightly, a warm blush spreading down your neck and chest. He places his arms on either side of you, staring at you with a mixture of tenderness and caution. You have to will yourself to keep looking into his eyes and not at the way his arms flex from how he’s leaning. God, where did all these wanton feelings come from?

“Okay, darling, where are we going from here? What do you need me to do?” his accent is fuller due to the acoustics in the bathroom and you nearly keel over from how hard it slams through your body, tugging at every nerve south of your belly button.

“Um,” you clear your throat lightly, swallowing the sudden scratchiness, “do you think there’s a toothbrush anywhere around here?”

Kol grins knowingly, leaning down and opening a drawer next to your thigh. The heat rolling off his body rushes into your legs and when he resurfaces with a new toothbrush and a cheeky smile you’re practically panting.

“Thanks.”

You brush your teeth quickly, making sure to scrub the remnants of the past thirty minutes or so from your mouth. It instantly makes you feel a little better, knowing you can speak to Kol without your breath being a biohazard. You set the toothbrush down, looking back to him appreciatively. 

Kol cups your chin gently, spreading heat like butter through your bones,“Do you think you can stand? If you can, I can wait outside while you get cleaned up. You can take as much time as you need, darling. I’ll be right outside the door.”

Your heart pounds quickly at his suggestion, your throat closing painfully. You don’t want him to leave you alone, even if he is just outside the door. You don’t know how to ask him to stay, though, and you don’t want to cross any boundaries. You’re so damn conflicted that your chest aches.

“Okay.”

He nods, his eyes a touch less bright than they were a few moments ago, and he backs away hesitantly. You use all your energy to push yourself off the counter, using it to keep yourself upright when your feet touch the floor. Your legs feel like jelly and you wonder for a moment if you have any bones. You shake your head lightly, scolding yourself. Don’t be stupid, y/n, of course you have bones. However, when you go to take a step towards the bathtub you almost revoke the sentiment. Your legs crumple around you, bringing you to a pile on the floor. 

“Fuck,” Kol is next to you in no time at all, his hands rushing over your legs, most likely checking for damage, “I knew that was going to happen I don’t know why I let you do that, darling. I was trying to give you space. Are you okay? Elijah and Klaus are going to kill me.”

He mutters the last part under his breath but you still catch it, “it’s not your fault, I was trying not to bother you. I thought I could make it to the tub, at least, and then figure the rest out from there. I, uh,” you scrub your hands over your face, covering your eyes with your palms, “I didn’t want to be a burden, more than I already am I mean.”

A few more tears slip past your guard, tracking lines through the dried blood on your cheeks. You swallow a sob before it can make any noise, your shoulders shaking slightly from the cold tiles underneath you. You’re utterly exhausted. You wish you could just click your heels and go home. The only problem is that something tells you that you’d only end up here again if you could do that.

“No,” Kol’s voice is low and strained, “no, darling, don’t say that. This isn’t your fault,” he wraps his arms around you, pulling you into his hot, nutmeg chest, “you’re not a burden to me. Or Elijah or Klaus. You’re a surprise and not an unwelcome one. If you need me to stay, hell, if you want me to stay I will. I’ll do whatever you tell me to do, okay?”

You peer up at him, clinging to his toned chest like you’re afraid it’ll vanish from underneath you, “please get this blood off of me, Kol. I can’t do it, I can’t even hold myself up. I need you.”

His eyes darken again, the honeyed brown turning a darker chocolate color, “you have me, darling, I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere,” he leans down and brushes his nose against yours, “never ever.”

A tiny giggle bubbles in your chest and it feels like freedom. It feels like falling asleep on the beach and hiking through the mountains and every good thing you’ve ever experienced. Kol’s eyes light up and he bites back a grin before doing it again, pulling a flood of giggles from you. Soon you're throwing your arms around him, laughing your head off for no reason at all, him joining you in the madness. You can’t stop and you don’t want to. You need this, you need him. It frightens you how intensely you feel connected to him already but you push the fear away for the time being. 

“Okay, okay,” Kol scoops you against him and stands, “enough of that, love, time for a bath.”

That effectively puts an end to your giggling, your body igniting at the thought of taking a bath with this second coming of adonis. You swallow the lump in your throat, this time caused by the rippling of his taut muscles against you. The t-shirt you’re wearing feels see through suddenly, the thin layer between your core and his stomach doing little to quell the heat seeping from the crack between your thighs. 

You dig your fingers into his shoulders a little harder than you mean to, pulling a soft grunt from him, one that you can feel in your own chest, “bath. Okay.”

Your cheeks flame at your idiotic response. Bath. Okay. What the hell was that?

He walks to the tub and sets you gently on the floor of it, the porcelain ice against your flesh. He turns, his back facing you as he pulls his suspenders off. You admire the fluid movement of his muscles as he steps out of his stained turnout gear, leaving him in a pair of grey sweatpants. His back is toned like a greek god’s and you would like nothing more in this moment than to know what it feels like to dig your nails into it. You squeeze your thighs together, trying to air the wanton out of your system. Don’t be a hussy, y/n. He turns back to you and your face flushes when he catches your lingering stare.

He hooks his fingers in his sweatpants and your breath catches in your throat. He lifts his eyebrow, silently asking if it’s okay for him to continue. Your mouth feels dry, your head is spinning. Slowly you nod, your eyes glued to his. He smirks lighty, an action so doused in sex that almost has you pulling Elijah’s t-shirt from your body and falling at his feet. You hold your breath as he pulls the sweatpants from his body and your heart almost falls out of your chest when they reveal a pair of grey plaid boxers. What were you expecting? Your subconscious taunts you mercilessly.

He steps into the bathtub behind you, kneeling and grabbing the showerhead on the way down. The heat rolling off of him seems to have increased, wrapping around you and daring you to melt into him. You want to, so badly you do, but you remain upright, your hands on the side of the tub, leaving rusty smudges on the crisp, white edges. 

Kol leans forward, his mouth right next to your ear sending shivers straight to your core when he speaks, “darling, I’m going to need to take this off,” his fingers tease the tops of your thighs, curling around the hem of the t-shirt, “may I do that?” 

He presses his face against your neck, laying a few soft kisses to the skin under your jaw. You roll your head back onto his shoulder, savouring his affection and warmth for a moment without overthinking it. 

You nod against his skin, “yes, Kol.”

You can feel the breath he takes against your back and then, when he releases it, against your neck. He takes his time, his fingers gently skimming your sides as he gathers the fabric up and over your head. You raise your arms to make it easier for him, gasping gently as cool air rolls over your exposed breasts. He tosses Elijah’s t-shirt to the side, running his hands down your back and planting another kiss to your uncovered shoulder. 

You know you should feel ashamed for being this naked with a man you just met but you physically can’t bring yourself to feel any of it. All you know is that you’re comfortable and that his hands on your skin feel like genuine magic. 

“Okay, I’m going to turn the water on now,” he rubs his nose down the back of your neck, “let me know if it’s too hot or anything.”

Your eyes prickle at how sweet he is, how gentle he is with you. He definitely doesn’t look like the gentle type, all tall, dark, and broody, but the way he’s acting proves otherwise. You nod your head, leaning your chin on the edge of the tub. He starts the water, a plume of steam instantly clouding the bathroom. The first stream to hit you is heavenly and you can’t help but close your eyes.

“Is that okay, darling?” 

You hum quietly, “it’s perfect.”

You let the water lull you into a daze, picturing the stream turning red as the water rolls off you and down the drain. It’s mesmerizing, the warmth of the water combined with Kol’s heady scent. When he touches you, though, it’s like a crescendo of feeling. His fingers run over your back, no doubt washing away the events of this evening, but all you can think about is how perfect his hands feel against your bare skin. 

Everywhere he touches blazes to life. You feel like putty in his hands, willing to mold however he needs you to. When his fingers glide down your sides your body reacts without warning, your back arching against his chest. You can feel his chest rumble under your back more than you can hear it. His large hands span your back easily, spreading over your ribcage, his thumbs gently grazing your breasts. You suck in a harsh breath, clenching your teeth to keep his name in your mouth. It’s begging to be said though. Said, screamed, praised. Anything. Fuck it.

“Kol,” you breathe, reaching back to grasp at his forearms for stability, “more.”

The growl that rips from his chest is unexpected but it lights every fibre of your being alive. He pulls you hard against his solid chest, falling against the back of the tub and shifting you so you’re perfectly centered on his lap. A flare of pleasure flashes up your spine when you land on something hot and hard. You hiss at the thin layer of clothing between you and Kol.

His lips find your ear, taking the lobe between his teeth and sending even more heat pooling in your core, “as you wish, darling.”

Your hands fall away as his hands cover your breasts, his thumbs skillfully sliding over your hard nipples. This time you don’t whisper his name, you moan it. Loudly. Every time he rolls your nipples between his fingers, you see stars. You see the whole damn galaxy. His lips find your shoulder, biting down gently but hard enough to pull a string of incoherent praise from your lips. 

His chest rumbles with every noise you make and the ball of heat between your legs grows brighter. You rock your hips against his, trying to build some much needed friction. The noise you pull from him is the epitome of heaven and it hits you right in the chest. It compels you to keep grinding your core against him harder, taking every sound he offers up and matching it with one of your own. You squeeze your eyes shut tightly, rolling your head onto his shoulder as the anticipation sings through your body. 

Your senses are flooded, your hearing muffled by the running water and your blood pumping through your ears, which is probably why you don’t hear the door open and someone step into the bathroom. It’s only when a pair of lips attaches to the base of your neck do you peel your eyes open. You meet Klaus’ stare with a gasp, just as Kol pinches your nipples harder than all the times before. 

Your orgasm hits you like a truck, tearing through your nerves without warning and rendering you to pieces. All the while Klaus takes your arm, placing tantalizing, open mouth kisses down your skin. When you finally come down from the climax, your muscles are layered with a sweet exhaustion. Kol nuzzles against your back, wrapping his arms around your waist. 

“Fuck, darling,” he nips at your shoulder and your skin zings lightly, “you have no idea how much I needed that.”

Your eyes meet Klaus’ and your cheeks flame from the intensity of his stare, “I didn’t do anything, you did it all.”

You want to look away from Klaus, you want to feel some inkling of shame, but you can’t. All you want is to do is hook your arm around his neck and bring him closer to you. Your body craves his and it’s all you can do to not melt into his palm when he cups your cheek. 

“That’s the point, love,” Klaus runs his thumb over your skin, “he just wanted to touch you.”

Kol hums his agreement into your flesh, his lips still glued to you. 

“Do you want to touch me?” The words are out of your mouth before you can stop them, your eyes widening as soon as you register what you just said.

In less than a second, the brown eyes staring into your turn a dark coal color. The skin around Klaus’ eyes turns a deep purple. Your breath hitches at this side of him, a deep longing settling in your chest the longer you stare into his eyes. He's ethereal and entirely unhuman but you can’t even think about that. You want him so bad it stings. He has to shut his eyes for a few moments and when he opens them again his eyes are back to normal, if not a touch darker. 

When he speaks his voice is gravelly, “I need to.” 

You swallow hard, forcing the words out before you have time to lose your nerve, “come here then.”

Klaus’ eyes widen before he stands abruptly, shoving his own jogging pants down his legs before stepping into the other side of the tub. Kol lets you go as Klaus settles against the porcelain. As soon as he’s comfortable he wraps his hands around your hips, pulling you onto his lap and against his chest. Your legs end up on either side of him, much like how you were with Kol, your core pressed against the hardest part of him.

His crisp scent folds around you and sucks you deeper against him until your chest to chest, your breasts pressing into his firm chest. His arms settle around your back, his palms splayed over your spine. Your flesh buzzes from the contact, goosebumps rising when he traces lazy circles with his fingertips. You meet his eyes again and involuntarily clench your thighs around his hips. He’s looking at you like you’re the only girl he’s ever laid eyes on. Like he’s in the presence of a goddess and that he would gladly lay his life down for you. 

Your eyes draw down to the tattoo on his chest, an image of birds in flight, and you run your fingers over it gently. He sucks in a breath when you touch him, closing his eyes and leaning back against the edge of the tub. Something about his reaction spurs you on. If that’s what your fingers can do, what can your mouth do? You lean down, gently attaching your lips to his collarbone and tugging his skin into your mouth.

He jolts up when you bite down lightly, jostling you further onto his lap and sending waves of heat rolling over your body, “fuck,” his hand wraps around the back of your neck, pushing you impossibly closer to him, “love, you have no idea how good that feels.”

You pull back slightly, your mouth still against his skin as your eyes bore into his, “show me.”

His chest rumbles under your lips before he pulls your head back gently and slams his lips against your throat. He sucks your skin into his mouth and, for the second time tonight, you see stars. You wrap your arms around his shoulders, lacing your fingers through his blonde hair. You tug him closer to you, crossing your ankles behind his back. You want every inch of his skin pressed against yours. 

He bites down, his teeth scraping pleasure into every nerve, and you pull at his soft hair, praises falling mindlessly from your lips, “Klaus.”

A second pair of hands glides over your back, “darling, let me wash your hair. I can feel Elijah getting restless. Unless you want three men in this tub with you, I need to finish getting you cleaned up.”

Your heart pounds at the thought of Elijah in the bath with you, his large body pressed against yours. You can practically smell his pine scent in the air, clinging to your skin. You bite your lip. You want to moan his name and he isn’t even in the room. You shake the thought from your mind, leaning into Kol’s hands.

Klaus kisses up your neck, peppering your jaw and cheeks with pecks before pulling you to lay against his chest. You close your eyes, letting the exhaustion that’s been building flood your system. Kol soaks your hair, the warm water pouring down your shoulders as you press your face into Klaus’ neck. His hands draw lazily up and down your sides as Kol massages shampoo against your scalp. You mewl at his touch and cling to Klaus. You could stay in the moment forever, it’s absolutely blissful.

Just as Kol is rinsing the shampoo from your hair, the door to the bathroom opens revealing a shirtless Elijah. He’s clad in nothing but a pair of grey sweatpants. In his hand is a large towel. His eyes zero in on you from across the room and, though you can’t see them clearly, you can tell they’re dark. Your head goes fuzzy as your eyes draw down his sculpted chest, lingering on his rippled stomach. You meet his eyes again and give into your instincts, reaching your arms out for him.

“Eli,” you call out to him, “I need you.”

You stand on wobbly feet, bearing everything to him. You don’t care, you just want to be in his arms. You haven’t had a chance to touch him yet and your body is screaming at you to get as close to him as humanly possible. Even more than humanly possible. Elijah closes the space between the two of you in seconds, wrapping the towel around you before pulling you into his arms. Your legs wrap around his waist, your arms circling his neck. 

He leans down, rubbing his nose against yours, “I need you too, baby.” 

You slip your fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck, playing with the soft strands mindlessly. He leans into your touch and your heart soars. He hikes you further up your body, leaning his face against your shoulder. You run your hands over his shoulders, sighing when the tension leaves his muscles. 

“I’m going to go sleep for a few hours,” Elijah mumbles into your shoulder but his words aren’t aimed at you, “do you think the two of you will be okay until then.”

Klaus waves his hand dismissively and Kol nods, still draped lazily over the edge of the tub, “yeah, yeah, go, we’ll be fine brother.”

Wait, what? 

Did you hear that right? Brother. Your entire body sets on fire. They’re all related. Well, there’s the shame you were missing at least. You push against Elijah’s chest, forcing him to meet your eyes. When he sees your expression his brows pull together, his brown eyes filled with concern.

“Baby-” 

“You’re all brothers?” you breathe, your face burning, “brothers? What on earth is going on?”

He stares into your eyes for a moment before laughing, turning with you in his arms and starting towards the door. You lock eyes with Klaus and Kol over Elijah’s shoulder. They, too, are laughing without a care. Kol tosses you a wink just as Elijah carries you into the hallway.

You circle your arms around his shoulders again, “Lijah this is crazy. Explain. Please.”

He pulls you through another door, exposing you to a comfortable looking bed. Just looking at it sends sleep pooling in your limbs. He sets you in the middle of it before climbing on after you. He pushes you backwards and you fall into a pile of pillows, the towel long forgotten as he crawls on top of you. Your body flares with something hot as he holds himself on his forearms, his hot chest grazing yours with every breath he takes. You wrap your legs around his hips, pulling him closer to you despite your still unanswered questions.

“Lijah,” you whine as his lips find your neck, arching into his touch like two magnets connecting, “I need answers.”

Elijah’s teeth scrape at your neck, pulling soft moans from your lips. You’re so tired but the want that swirls in your core demands anything but sleep. You grip his shoulders, digging your fingers into his firm muscles. You pull his hips closer to yours, rolling against him desperately. You press your head into the pillows, exposing as much of your neck as you can to him.

He pulls away and you have to swallow your protests. When you finally open your eyes, you’re met with the same dark eyes you saw from Klaus, only now they’re accented by a pair of sharp looking fangs. You suck in a deep breath, reaching up to cup Elijah’s jaw. 

“I know, baby,” he rubs his face into your hand, “I’ll give you all the answers you need and more but first I need you. I have waited a thousand years for you and now that I have you I don’t think I’ll be able to let you go yet. Please, baby, let me have you.”

His words wrap around you, every part of your being, and sink into your core. A wave of longing hits you again, and something else that you’re not ready to explore. It makes your heart warm and your body crave every inch of his. You already knew your answer before he asked. You’ve known since you woke up to the three of them.

Maybe you even knew before that.

You pull his face to yours, capturing his lips with your own, “you already have me. I’m yours.”

[river-bottom-nightmare]

Pepperony Valentine’s Day Fic Exchange

to the wonderful @pepperonyspizza ! i’m not used to writing high school aus, but i tried my best. i hope you enjoy!

It was the start of the school year, and Rhodey could honestly say this was the year he would help Tony blow the gym up. 

“You’re the one in JROTC,” Tony waved his hand around, as if gesturing vaguely to the gymnasium proved his point. “You can’t complain.”

“I am complaining,” Rhodey said. “I am complaining so hard. They said just ‘cause I’ve been in JROTC for three years, I can’t be in tech lab this year. Something about ‘conflict of interest,’ whatever that’s supposed to mean.”

“They’re not letting you take it? Like, at all?”

“Nah,” Rhodey sighed. “They don’t have any control over what classes I take. But the instructor’s got a lot of pull, you know? And he could make my life difficult for the rest of my high school career.”

“If you don’t take tech lab with me,” Tony announced, rounding a curve and nearing their lockers, “I will throw a fit. I will turn the slushie machine in the cafeteria into a hose that will not stop. I will break into the principal’s office and play the Siberian national anthem over the intercom. I will-”

“I know,” Rhodey laughed. “Don’t worry, I’m taking the class.”

“Good,” Tony said, and Rhodey leaned against the lockers to watch Tony struggle with opening the locker. To make up for the trouble Rhodey was having, the universe had decided to give Tony a top locker, and Rhodey was enjoying this immensely.

“You need some help over there?” Rhodey asked, amused, watching as the kid genius propelled himself to his tip-toes with all the energy in his body. He still couldn’t see the locker numbers properly.

“If you’d just let me climb on your shoulders,” Tony said between labored breaths, “we wouldn’t be having this problem right now.”

“Oh no, that would take away my entertainment!”

“You’re the best, Rhodes. Quite literally the most helpful friend.”

“Glad to be of service.”

“Um...excuse me?”

Rhodey turned to see a girl standing near Tony’s locker. She was tall, looking almost shy when she tucked her strawberry blonde hair behind her ear, but there was a steel in her voice that Rhodey wasn’t used to hearing come out of the mouth of a high school kid. 

“That’s my locker,” the girl said, pointing to the locker right underneath Tony’s.

“Yeah, well, I’m a little busy right now,” Tony said, tongue peeking out of his mouth. “I gotta get this open before class starts.”

“You’re not the only one with a class to get to,” she said.

“Well, I was here first.”

“Real mature,” she said, then dropped down to her knees and shoved Tony to the side. Ignoring Tony’s protested shout, she opened her locker smoothly, exchanging a couple books, then shut the door with a click, walking off without glancing back once.

After a minute of silence, Tony turned to Rhodey and said, “Did you see that? Did that just happen.”

“She had a point, y’know.”

“I know she had a point, but she shoved me to the side! I almost fell! Did you see me almost fall?” 

“You didn’t, though, did you?” Rhodey said. “So it doesn’t matter.”

“Thanks for your support, Rhodey,” Tony’s tone was mocking. “I guess I’ll just have to go into battle alone?”

“Battle?”

“War.”

“War?”

“With the girl. She dishonoured me, and now I have to figure out how to open this goddamn locker so I can win my honour back over a period of time that consists of me opening this piece of junk with the best lock-opening skills since, uh, who’s that one famous locksmith?”

“There are famous locksmiths?”

Tony waved his hand. “Of course there are famous locksmiths. Otherwise the famous locks would be stuck every time they needed to be fixed.”

“Your logic astounds me.”

“This is war, Rhodey!”

---

It was midway through the school year, and Rhodey was certain that Tony was losing the war.

The girl, Pepper Potts, had proven herself a formidable component, and Tony-wrangling had turned into a much easier pastime with her around. Initially wanting nothing to do with them, Pepper soon learned the lesson that Rhodey had figured out years ago: you don’t catch the attention of Tony Stark and not end up becoming his friend. Or his enemy, but Rhodey wasn’t sure any sixteen year old should have an “enemy,” no matter what Tony said.

Now, along with their locker espionage and warfare, Rhodey got to witness the absolute delight of Tony staring at Pepper’s chest without a hint of shame, but blushing as red as the colour of their school mascot the minute Pepper smiled at him. Rhodey was seriously considering recording all of this for blackmail material.

He was leaning against the wall near Tony and Pepper’s locker, a place he honestly probably spent more time in than his room. “The bell rings in two minutes,” Rhodey said.

“Shit!” Pepper exclaimed, shoving Tony off her books, where he’d been balancing on one foot, attempting to open his locker blindfolded. “I’m going to be late.”

“Looks like someone’s admitting defeat then, right?” Tony crowed, throwing his arms up in victory.

“No, you moron,” Pepper slapped his arm lightly. “I’m not admitting defeat, but I’m about to mess up my perfect attendance record.”

She rushed through getting her belongings together while Tony rolled his eyes. “Right, I forgot you care about this stuff.”

“I do, Tony. I really do.”

“Well what do you want me to do about it?”

“Here’s a thought,” Rhodey spoke up from the corner, exasperation filling his tone. “How about the two of you, wait for it, switch lockers?”

The two of them looked as if they’d never considered the idea before.

Then, Tony said, “You’re a genius, Rhodeybear!”

“I know,” Rhodey said. 

“I’ll give you my combo after school,” Pepper was walking backward, nearing the end of the hallway, “but if I don’t leave now I really will get a tardy. You two need to get to class.”

“I’ve got a free period,” Rhodey said.

“I’m making myself a free period,” Tony said.

---

“There’s no way she’ll say no!” Tony argued, and Rhodey sighed, putting his head in his hands.

“Tony, that is literally the worst line in the history of pickup lines.”

“You’re wrong, it’s beautiful.”

Sometimes, Rhodey really questioned the quality of his taste in best friends. 

“If you’ve been reading the entire situation wrong,” Rhodey said, “Pepper will slap you.”

“Do you think I’ve been reading the situation wrong?”

Honestly? No. Rhodey was pretty sure organizing Tony’s locker for him and giving him a custom planner for his birthday was Pepper’s way of flirting. Tony had, unfortunately, picked up on it, and the last couple of weeks had been full of Tony raving to Rhodey about how incredible Pepper was.

Rhodey could give Tony an itemized list of reasons why Pepper was incredible, none of them including a freeverse poem about the way she looked when she nibbled on a pencil, but he had to admit, Pepper had been good for him. There had generally been less miniature controlled explosions this year, so now, in May, Rhodey was hoping Tony’s frankly awful plan to ask Pepper would be successful so she would stick around for the near future.

“Oh wait hold on, she’s coming,” Tony said, and sauntered up to the locker, aiming for cool as he always did and ending up about two feet too short (as he always did.) “Pep, I got something for ‘ya.”

“Oh really?” she raised her eyebrows.

Rhodey mentally prepared himself.

“Mhmm. I changed the combination to your locker.” Tony handed Pepper a slip of paper. “Here’s the new one.”

And here it comes, he thought.

“Tony,” Pepper said slowly. “This is your phone number.”

Tony raised his eyebrows, smirking. “Why yes. Yes it is. I’m giving you my phone number. Imagine that.”

Then, enunciating each word as if talking to a toddler, Pepper said, “Tony. I already have your phone number.”

Oh dear God, Rhodey wished he had been recording this. A tremendous oversight on his part, because he was struggling to keep it together.

Tony blinked as if processing, then apparently decided the bluntest approach was the best approach. “Pepper, I’m asking you out.”

Pepper squinted. “Like actually?”

“Yes, Virginia, I’m actually asking you out. That’s what giving people your number means.”

“If I already had your number, though, the action’s redundant.”

“That’s not the poi-Jesus. Pepper. Will you go out with me or not?”

“Yes, Tony. I’ll go out with you,” Pepper said, but before Tony could properly celebrate this moment of elation, she also said, “Now move. You’re in front of my locker.”

Oh yeah, Rhodey could tell Pepper would be staying around for a bit longer. Maybe even more than a bit. And looking at Tony’s surprised blink and offended expression, Rhodey couldn’t find it in himself to be the least bit disappointed.

[hj-creates]

A Possible Scandal

So, I wrote a little Laurens/Madison fic. I’ve never attempted this ship before, but @layaisdaboss requested it and it’s honestly adorable.  The link to the fic on Ao3 is here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27359851 but feel free to read it here as well.

Pennsylvania, Fall of 1780

John stared out the window of the carriage as it rumbled over the cobblestones. His father, Henry, noticed his son’s dour expression and heaved a sigh. “You don’t have to pout you know, I promise you only have to stay a week or so.”

“I should be back with my men on the front lines.”

“There are many ways to fight for your country, my boy. Not all of them involve risking your life on the battlefield.”

“It suits me better then pontificating in stuffy chambers or arguing over fancy dinners.”

“The war won’t last forever, John. When it’s over, the colonies will need well-spoken, well-educated men to lead our new nation. As my son, you are in a good position to help shape the laws and create what this country can become.”

John turned quickly back to his father. “Doubtful. They don’t listen to me now. How many times have I begged them to create a militia of slaves and ensure their freedom once the fighting is over? We rail against the unjustness of the British, but they have given the enslaved that same opportunity. If for no other reason then we are losing thousands of smart, strong men to the other side should we do this, but no. People like Jefferson and even Washington himself refuse to see the hypocrisy of fighting for independence while keeping human beings in chains.” He gave his father a fiery stare.

Henry exhaled and turned away. “I did support your effort. I am sorry it didn’t pass the house.”

“And when, exactly, were you planning on freeing the slaves in your own home?” John said coldly.

“It’s not that simple, John. There are economic and societal-“

“With all due respect, father, stuff it.” John clenched his jaw. “I’ve heard all these arguments before.” He sat back and Henry tersely obliged, happy to see the State House finally coming into view.

John suffered through the numerous introductions and polite exchanges before he and his father finally took their seats in one of the many rows of benches that gave the Great Room the feeling of a church. Most of the discussions seemed to be more about accounting than the high-minded discourses on the birth of a republic that Henry had promised. As the older, fat statesmen argued over the budget of the Continental Army and how they simply couldn’t spare another dollar for those fighting on the front lines, John had had enough and stood up.

“We’re starving out there!” His impassioned voice filled the cavernous hall. “Do you have any idea how many men died during the winter at Valley Forge? How many soldiers perished not due to British muskets but hunger and frostbite? You ask these brave souls to fight for you and then you make them march over frozen fields without even socks on their feet! And that’s not even the worst part. These patriots are getting sick and dying. Forced to live in squalor and drink filthy water because we have no money for a decent shelter or proper sanitation. You should be ashamed of yourselves. Quibbling over a few coins for the army while you dine on fine china and drink from crystal goblets. As an aide of General Washington, I can attest that all in his house were forced to share the same plate at every meal. Militiamen are forced to steal from local farmers, even under penalty of death, just for a scrap of meat.” He felt his father’s hand on his arm. “But go ahead and debate the merits of fulfilling the latest request from the quartermaster. I hope your lavish feasts are worth the suffering of the men you claim to hold in such high regard.” He sat down and his nostrils flared, his anger apparent as Henry looked quickly at the faces around the room.

“Yes.” Henry loudly cleared his throat, obviously flustered and desperately trying to redirect. “We can certainly take into account what my spirited son has so passionately described for us. The well-being of those on the front lines should of course be considered when we deliberate how best to distribute our funds.”

John rolled his eyes. He glanced across the room and he noted most faces set in a frown as they regarded him with equal parts shock and disdain. Except for one. He looked at a face, younger than most of the other men there, who was actually smirking and seemed almost delighted. John gave him a little smile and the other man grinned in return. When his father was once again seated, ceding the floor to another delegate, John elbowed him softly and gestured across the room. “Who is that?”

“That is James Madison. A smart, young man from Virginia.”

John noted the name and let his gaze linger for a moment. Had he just found an ally?

As the day’s proceedings came to an end, John pushed through the throng of well-dressed men until he found who he was looking for. He stepped in front of the short, plump man and offered his hand. “Mister Madison? I am John Laurens. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

The other man smiled. “The pleasure is mine. That was quite the diatribe you gave today. It’s nice to have someone who has actually seen the atrocities of battle speak for our poor men out there fighting.”

Laurens scoffed. “All the impassioned words will mean nothing if we are not helped soon. Winter will be here soon enough and our soldiers still lack coats and boots and blankets. There is not enough food to eat since the locals have all decided to sell to the British now that American currency is worthless. These are dire times, my friend. I am sure you know as well as I. What regiment do you serve in? The Virginian Militia?”

“Oh.” Madison’s voice was soft. “I am unfortunately too unwell to serve in the field. I am second-in-command to my father though. A colonel in the Orange County militia. Since being elected to the Continental Congress, I have spent most of my time here. Your argument is something I have been pleading myself. The financial issues that plague us are quite a thorny mess but I am trying to amend the Articles of Confederation to let us impose a tariff on imports that we can use to support the army’s efforts.”

“You are?” John’s face softened and he smiled wide.

James nodded and he felt his cheeks grow warm, “I am trying. There is much resistance.”

“I will talk to Washington and Hamilton. Between the General’s sway and Alex’s persuasive writing, we can work to make this a reality.” John was talking faster, his enthusiasm growing.

“I would appreciate that very much.” James smiled.

“John!” The younger Laurens heard his father’s voice calling to him. Madison saw the change in John’s expression and recognized what it meant immediately.

“Lieutenant Colonel.” James nodded to Henry. “I was hoping your son and I could enjoy a hearty dinner and a robust exchange of ideas tonight. I am friends with the owner of the Orchid Inn. He can give John and I a lavish meal and some much deserved wine.”

Henry narrowed his eyes, knowing his son too well. “Oh, that’s not necessary. You can dine with us tonight. I’m staying at a lovely little home off Main St.”

John grimaced and James looked unsure of what to do. “I.. uh… that’s very kind of you sir.”

“Very well.” Henry seemed proud of himself. “See you at seven. I’ll send a coach.”

After an awkward dinner, John finally tossed his napkin on the table when he finished his dessert. “Well then father, if I may be excused, James and I would like to take our leave and relax a bit at the tavern across the street.”

Henry peered up at his son with an almost imperceptible scowl on his face. “We have plenty of brandy and cordials here, but I suppose you are hoping for a moment with Mr. Madison that isn’t under the watchful eye of your father.” John didn’t respond but pleaded with his eyes. “Fine. I can assume you will have the utmost respect for Mr. Madison’s stature… and dignity.”

John knew exactly what his father was hinting at. “Am I not always the pinnacle of honor and manners?”

His father arched an eyebrow. “Remember you are a married man, Jackie.” The fact seemed to take James by surprise.

John forced a smile. “How could I forget? I’m haunted every day by it.” With that he grabbed the coats that were hanging by the door and handed Madison’s to him.

They wasted no time hurrying to the tavern and finding a small, corner table near the fire. After the bottle of burgundy had been uncorked and their glasses filled, Madison eagerly started in.

“I must say, Colonel Laurens, your stories of action on the battlefield are most exciting.”

John shrugged. “There is much chance for glory while fighting. Me and my friends seem to be always narrowly escaping death.”

“Is that so?” James leaned in closer. “You must be very lucky then. I see no scars and detected no injuries.”

“Lucky, perhaps. But not injury free. There are mementos from the war all over my flesh, a slight ache in my leg from when my horse was shot out from under me and a mighty scar on my shoulder from where a musket ball went straight through.”

James’s eyes were wide. “Are you serious? How did your arm not get blown clean off?”

John smirked. “Didn’t let it. I had more important things to do than whine about being hurt. We were trying to ambush the Brits. I was leading a company of men. I got shot, tore off my sash, wrapped it around the hole to stop the bleeding and kept marching.”

Madison sat there in rapt attention. “That can’t be true.”

John drained his glass and set it down hard. “You don’t believe me?” He grinned and kept his eyes focused on James. He shrugged off his jacket and unbuttoned his waistcoat. He loosened his cravat and unbuttoned his shirt. James felt his jaw grow slack and quickly looked around the bar to see if anyone was watching this spectacle. John didn’t stop staring at James and yanked his shirt open, sliding one of the sleeves down his arm and revealing a circular-shaped scar, bumpy red skin, and stripes of white where the wound tried to heal itself.

James sat back and exhaled. He knew such an injury would have been the end of him. “That’s… impressive.”

John finally looked away and redressed. “That’s nothing.” He said nonchalantly. “I have scars like that all over.”

James didn’t know what to say and he certainly didn’t want to picture where exactly those scars would be.

After a few more drinks, Madison grew bold. “Why did your father have to remind you about being married?”

John snorted. “Oh that’s just Henry. He probably thought I was going to seduce you.”

“What?” James felt his heart race and he mildly started to panic. “Seduce me? What? Why would he think that? I’m- I’m a.. umm..”

“It’s not you. He’s caught me with men before.”

James felt as if the entire earth had shifted underneath him. “He what?”

John sighed. “If you want to leave because of that, I understand.” He looked at James who showed no signs of going anywhere. “Yes. I occasionally engage in ‘unacceptable’ affections with men. My father found me once with Alex.”

“Alex?”

“Hamilton.”

“Hamil-“ James gasped and slapped his hand in front of his mouth.

John rolled his eyes and poured another large glass of wine. “Aye. But he is engaged now. Set to marry in a few weeks. So, it appears our romance, or whatever you want to call it, has come to an end.” He took a long sip. “Which is better for him, I suppose. All his ambitions.” He emphasized that last word, like it was something he and Alex had fought over many times. “Better for him to secure a spot in an illustrious household headed by one of the most powerful men in New York.” He gulped more wine. “I mean, this fucking orphan is now going to be the son-in-law of General Schuyler. All because he wrote a few well-crafted love letters to the man’s daughter. I mean, you should see the things he wrote to me.” He laughed, a bit too loud. “Imagine being tossed aside by some simpering girl. To know that the letters he wrote to you weren’t anything special at all. It’s just how he talks to anyone he wants something from. To know that something you thought was monumental was just pedestrian to the person you loved. At least with Lafayette he is already married. He is open with how much he loves Adrienne and I know I will never compare to her. We just like having fun. But Alex…” His voice trailed off. “I just thought…” He sat back and let his head fall to his chest.

James watched him and a small smile crept over his face. “I understand.”

Laurens scoffed. “You couldn’t possibly understand what it’s like to be-“

“Jefferson.” James cut him off.

“I’m sorry?” John quickly looked up at him in confusion.

“Four years ago.  I first met him at the Virginia Constitutional Convention. I could barely speak. He’s very tall, you know, and quite handsome. He’s only eight years older than me but it felt like he had lived an entire lifetime more. Then last year, he became Governor of Virginia and I was on the Council of State. We worked closely almost every day and I thought…” he sighed. “We started working late into the night, just the two of us and we grew close. I didn’t dare initiate anything but eventually he did. I thought we could develop something, entirely in secret of course, but when I mentioned it, he laughed in my face. He asked if I really thought he give up all his other partners. He said he was sorry if I had gotten the wrong idea.” Madison swallowed hard. “But he didn’t seem sorry. He seemed… I don’t know. His smile was almost victorious. Like he had won something. I felt like an idiot of course. I haven’t even thought about a relationship with anyone since then.”

“Jefferson?” John looked deep in thought.

“Yes. I work with him every day still. It’s torture.”

“Jefferson…” Laurens still had a faraway look in his eyes. “You’re right. He is handsome.”

Madison’s shoulders slumped. “That. Was not the point of the story.”

Laurens laughed. “I’m teasing. But you know the best remedy for a broken heart.”

“More wine?” James smiled back.

“Not when there’s two of us.” John had a mischievous gleam in his eye and took Madison’s hand. He threw some coins on the table and led him to the door. “Come on. What do you say we get out of here? Find somewhere private and not think about Alex or Thomas or anyone else for an hour or so.”

“I’m not sure. It gets cold so quickly now. I really should be headed home.”

“Oh, don’t be a ninny.” He pulled the other man into the street. “Hmm... We could go down to the docks.”

“The salt water makes my asthma flare up.”

John looked up at the top floor of the tavern. “I suppose we could just sneak up into the attic. It’s just storage. No one ever goes up there.”

“With all that dust? Are you mad? I’ll be sneezing for hours.”

“What about the barn at my father’s house?”

“I’m allergic to hay.” John spun around in frustration and pushed Madison against the outside wall of the tavern. “What are you doing?” James whispered.

“Well, if we can’t go anywhere. Then I shall take you right here.”

“But what if someone sees?”

“I’ll say you were having trouble breathing. I was merely trying to keep your airways open.”

“With our clothes off?”

“Of course! Let that fresh air really get into your pores.” John grinned and James couldn’t help but chuckle.

“You’re as tenacious as you are charming.”

“Is that a yes?”

James took John’s hand and directed it to the growing bulge in his breeches. “What do you think?”

John sauntered back into the house and hung up his coat. He quietly crept up the stairs, trying to not make any noise.

“Must have been quite the conversation between you two.” Henry’s voice stopped him in his tracks. John turned and saw his father in the study. He sat in a chair by the window, smoking his pipe and facing the hallway.

“It was.” John said simply, without a trace of guilt in his voice.

“I assume you stuck with discussing policy and compromises between military and state?”

“Oh father, please. Of course not. That sounds dreadfully boring. We also talked about our families, what living in the trenches is like, and the different places we have visited in Europe.”

“I see.” Henry seemed to relax a little. “Well it seems like you two are building quite a friendship. I encourage you to get more acquainted with someone who comes from such a well-regarded family as Madison. That boy has a sharp mind and his father is quite wealthy. Well connected too. I think he is even mentoring under Jefferson.” John snorted at that. “What?” His father asked. “It’s true. I’ve seen them travel to and from Virginia together.”

“I’m not doubting you. James himself said he and Thomas are very close.”

Henry nodded and then started to pick up on John’s subtle comment. “Just understand there is much to be mined from a cordial relationship with Madison. He has already done so much at such a young age. He has the ambition and pedigree to really make it far. The two of you could be the future leaders of this nation. Taking after your fathers. I hope you plan on seeing him again.”

“Oh, I definitely do, father.” He sneered down at Henry triumphantly. “We have A LOT in common.” With that, he turned his back and went up to bed.

[theliberaltony]

via Politics – FiveThirtyEight

We’re fast approaching President Biden’s 100th day in office and already Congress has passed a massive $1.9 trillion coronavirus aid package; helped usher in Biden’s history-making Cabinet picks; and approved a measure in the House that would give undocumented immigrants, including those currently with temporary protections under the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, a pathway to citizenship.

To understand just how much of the president’s agenda is getting through Congress and the extent to which various members of Congress support that agenda, we’re once again tracking how often representatives and senators agree with Biden and how that compares with our expectations, based on Biden’s 2020 vote margin in the member’s state or district. (If this sounds familiar, it’s because we did the same for former President Trump.) We’ve also added a number of new features to help illustrate how members of Congress vote relative to one another and identify the outliers in each party. (Hint: Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Krysten Sinema of Arizona might not be the only thorns in Biden’s side for the next several years.)

A member of Congress’ “Biden score” is just a simple percentage of how often a senator or representative supports the president’s agenda. (We calculate this by adding the member’s “yea” votes on bills that Biden supported and “no” votes on bills Biden opposed, then divide that by the total number of bills on which that member has voted and we know Biden’s position.) As we did during the Trump administration, we’re relying on the Office of Management and Budget’s “statements of administration policy” to determine the administration’s stance on a bill. To read more about what types of measures we’re tracking, check out our detailed methodology post from 2017 — it’s about Trump-era congresses, but the same rules still apply. And, as a reminder, these ratings will update through the 117th Congress.

It’s early yet — we have just 13 votes that aren’t related to the confirmation of Biden’s Cabinet,1 but there are two interesting trends we’ve noticed at the margins so far: 

Republicans are not unilaterally voting against Biden’s agenda

After Biden was elected last year, story after story predicted that Republicans would thwart his agenda as control of the Senate remained in limbo and that Trump retained an ironclad grip on the party. And while the latter is still  at least partially true, it’s also not yet entirely clear the extent to which they’re impacting the GOP’s ability to compromise. Republicans, for instance, haven’t entirely stymied Biden’s agenda. 

Sure, no Republican in the House or Senate voted in favor of Biden’s COVID-19 relief bill. But in the Senate, many have backed his Cabinet picks, and in the House, Republicans and Democrats have found common ground on bills like reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act and allowing farmworkers a pathway to legal immigration status. 

Now, it doesn’t mean these bills featured overwhelming bipartisan majorities, but 140 different House Republicans have voted at least once for something Biden supported. And for some members who fall in this category, the choice appears to be a matter of political caution. Pennsylvania Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, New Jersey Rep. Chris Smith and Michigan Rep. Fred Upton — two of whom represent districts Biden either won in 2020 or was competitive in — are so far the GOP members backing Biden’s agenda most frequently.

House Republicans who back Biden the most

The 11 Republican House members who vote with Biden’s positions most often, and how often we anticipated they’d vote with Biden based on their district’s 2020 vote margin

Representative District 2020 vote margin biden score plus-minus* Brian Fitzpatrick PA-1 D+ 5.8 76.9% -2.1 Chris Smith NJ-4 R+10.5 61.5 +43.8 Fred Upton MI-6 R+4.5 53.8 +20.3 Carlos A. Gimenez FL-26 R+5.6 46.2 +16.4 John Katko NY-24 D+ 9.0 46.2 -42.3 Jeff Van Drew NJ-2 R+2.9 46.2 +6.2 María Elvira Salazar FL-27 D+ 3.2 41.7 -26.0 Don Young AK at-large R+10.1 40.0 +20.8 Tom Reed NY-23 R+11.2 38.5 +21.8 Mike Bost IL-12 R+14.2 33.3 +19.5 Adam Kinzinnger IL-16 R+16.0 33.3 +21.6

*Plus-minus is the difference between a member of Congress’s actual Biden score and his or her predicted Biden score.

Sources: U.S. House, U.S. Senate, Office of Management and budget, Daily Kos, @unitedstates

But not all House Republicans are interested in backing Biden’s agenda. About one-third of members — 72 total — have completely opposed everything on Biden’s agenda so far. This includes Biden’s coronavirus stimulus package, but also things like increasing the waiting period for background checks on gun sales, expanding unionization and collective bargaining rights and an omnibus police reform bill named after George Floyd. (Only a handful of Republican representatives supported these measures.)

One thing we found surprising, though, is that even some of the most pro-Trump House members, according to our tracker of Congress and Trump, have supported at least one item on Biden’s agenda. Take Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise, for example, the House’s No. 2 Republican who ended Trump’s term with a 98.2 percent Trump score rating overall. He was among the 121 House Republicans who approved a special waiver to allow retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin as secretary of defense. (Austin’s appointment required this waiver because he had only been retired from the military for four years, instead of the seven years required by law.) Even House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy — who supported Trump’s agenda 97.3 percent of the time — supported the same waiver. Granted, this is the only Biden-supported bill that they’ve backed; as such, both Scalise and McCarthy still rank very low in terms of backing Biden’s agenda with a Biden score of 7.7 percent so far.

In the Senate, every sitting member has supported Biden at least once (yes, even Sens. Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley and Mitch McConnell). An important caveat here, though, is almost all of the Senate votes so far — save for the COVID-19 aid package — were on or related to Cabinet confirmations.

However, the top Senate Republicans backing Biden’s nominations so far shouldn’t come as much of a shock, considering many were long seen as potential Senate swing votes or are members of the so-called G-10 — a group of 10 deal-making moderate Republicans who reportedly want to negotiate with Biden and other Democrats. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine leads the pack with a 91.3 percent Biden score. She’s followed by Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski (90.9 percent), Ohio Sen. Rob Portman (87 percent), Utah Sen. Mitt Romney (87 percent) and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham (78.3 percent).

The usual suspects back Biden in the Senate

The 10 Republican senators who vote with Biden’s positions most often, and how often we anticipated they’d vote with Biden based on their state’s 2020 vote margin

Senator State 2020 vote Margin Biden Score plus-minus* Susan Collins ME D+ 9.1 91.3% -1.4 Lisa Murkowski AK R+ 10.1 90.9 +18.9 Rob Portman OH R+ 8.0 87.0 +12.3 Mitt Romney UT R+ 20.5 87.0 +29.3 Lindsey Graham SC R+ 11.7 78.3 +8.7 Shelley Moore Capito WV R+ 38.9 77.3 +40.6 Richard Burr NC R+ 1.3 75.0 -7.6 Chuck Grassley IA R+ 8.2 73.9 -0.5 Mitch McConnell KY R+ 25.9 73.9 +22.7 Mike Rounds SD R+ 26.2 73.9 +23.0

*Plus-minus is the difference between a member of Congress’s actual Biden score and his or her predicted Biden score.

Sources: U.S. House, U.S. Senate, Office of Management and budget, Daily Kos, @unitedstates

To be sure, a lot of what we’re seeing now among Republicans is pretty small in the grand scheme of things (i.e., supporting Cabinet nominations isn’t that surprising when Republicans don’t have enough votes to block them). Perhaps we’ll get a better sense of which GOP senators want to work with Biden via Democrats’ big infrastructure proposal, but if Democrats move to pass that via budget reconciliation, we still might not have a sense of who those senators are, as Democrats won’t need their votes. At this point, it’s unclear how many real opportunities for bipartisanship there will be, especially if Biden tries to push items forward that are consistent with what Republican voters want, but aren’t necessarily in line with what their GOP representatives want.

Democrats who don’t side with Biden are in the minority

Meanwhile, most Democrats support Biden 100 percent of the time. 

In fact, the only time Senate Democrats have bucked the president’s agenda was when 14 of them voted against granting Austin’s waiver. This wasn’t a major flashpoint in the party, as Austin’s confirmation was never really in jeopardy. Instead, it mostly mirrored what happened when Congress approved a similar waiver in 2017, as many of the same Democrats expressed opposition to making a similar exception for Trump’s former Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis.

At this point, the two senators who have arguably received the most attention as being potential roadblocks to the president’s agenda — Manchin and Sinema — haven’t actually voted against any of the things Biden supports. Now, this is in large part because, again, almost all of the Senate votes so far were on noncontroversial Cabinet confirmations. And any controversial policy proposals both objected to, like raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour, have been cut from the final bill. So the two senators are still exerting their power to block legislation in ways that aren’t captured by our data. That’s why we should keep an eye on these two members — and others from the more moderate wing of the party — going forward, especially when it comes to their votes on Biden’s infrastructure and climate proposals.

In the House it’s much of the same: Representatives who don’t vote with Biden 100 percent of the time are the exception, not the rule. Even members from competitive districts that Biden lost — Iowa Rep. Cindy Axne, Illinois Rep. Cheri Bustos, Pennsylvania Rep. Matt Cartwright and New Jersey Rep. Andy Kim — are completely supportive of the president’s agenda. 

There have been some defectors in the lower chamber, though. And those members fall into two main categories: Progressive Democrats who were against supporting the Austin waiver and lawmakers from competitive districts. 

Let’s examine the latter category first. Maine Rep. Jared Golden, who won one of the most competitive House districts, only has a 53.8 percent Biden score — the lowest among all House Democrats. Why? Well, Biden lost his district by nearly 8 points last year and Golden only barely wrested his seat out of Republicans’ grip in 2018.

So far, Golden has voted against Austin’s waiver, legislation allowing farmworkers to get legal immigration status, increasing the waiting period for federal gun background checks, requiring background checks for all gun sales and the coronavirus stimulus package, among other things. Beyond Golden, other members in competitive districts to watch are Wisconsin Rep. Ron Kind (76.9 percent Biden score), Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar (92.3 percent) and Texas Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (92.3 percent). Biden either lost their districts or won by fewer than 5 points in 2020, so we can likely expect for them to continue to deviate from Biden’s agenda.

Progressive Democrats have long criticized establishment members of their party as too centrist and cautious, but so far the measure that the largest number opposed was also the Austin waiver. Excluding that, the most liberal Democrats — including New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Missouri Rep. Cori Bush, Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley and New York Rep. Jamaal Bowman — have supported Biden 100 percent.

So, to recap: Democrats in both chambers are, so far, largely unified, with some more interesting splinters in the House among members facing competitive reelection bids in 2022. And in the Senate, we’ll likely see more fissures among Democratic members as Biden moves to pass more controversial agenda items. At this point, though, it’s hard to know what the progressive wing will do with Biden’s later proposals since they don’t really have the votes to bring legislation to the floor on their own and their main power will be — similar to Manchin and Sinema — in blocking bills.  

There’s definitely not enough data to make sweeping statements about how senators and representatives are taking to Biden’s presidency. But at this early juncture, it’s fair to say Republicans might not be completely against compromise and most Democrats will be in lockstep with the president. We’ll continue updating our interactive as more votes are recorded along with publishing stories about the most interesting trends we see as the administration gets to work. 

[thescentifollow]

Neighbor - Part 5 (Final)

Reader x YoungK

Genre: Lecturer Brian au / neighbors au / romance

Word count: 2564

It took me a while to write and revise this part, so sorry for making you guys wait. I hope you like it! ｡◕‿‿◕｡

Those three days passed in the blink of an eye. He kept sending you bunch of pictures while he was in a conference, getting ready for one or just strolling on the beach under the light rain during his free time. You answered in the same way, that way it felt like he never left for Virginia.

Thursday night before going to bed, you got a text message saying, “Thank you so much again, my plants look healthier than before.” He was back home.

“As I said before, not a problem at all.”

He sent a cute emoticon and kept writing, “So, when are you free for our movie date?”

You were taken aback by his sudden word choice, a date. He didn’t even hesitate for a second.

“I am free this weekend. If you’re too, let’s check out the movies and the suitable times.” You answered, trying not to get impressed a lot. You were wondering whether he always behaves like this to everyone around him.

“We’re not going to the movie theater.”

You were confused. “What do you mean? We agreed on a movie date.”

“Relax, we are still going to watch a movie.” You were even more confused by this message of his, but you waited for him to continue and explain.

“I have a projector at my place, it’s more comfortable and cozier than a movie theater.”

His abrupt offer caught you by surprise. This developed quickly, you thought, but you decided to accept because you already don’t like movie theaters. The seats are not spacious and there is literally no oxygen in there, just popcorn smell.

“Saturday then?”

“Yeah, sounds good.”

Feeling excited about this “date”, you continued writing about your research.

-

Saturday morning you woke up late and therefore had a late breakfast. As you were busy with writing papers during the week you decided to clean up your place a little bit. You opened Spotify to play some music before starting. At that moment the thought of checking out Day6’s songs came to your mind. You listened to their entire discography while cleaning.

“They are pretty good. It’s a shame that they’re not performing anymore.”

Still having more than an hour until your date with Brian, you hopped in the shower and freshened up. In the shower you kept humming to that song called “I’m Serious.” Maybe you related to lyrics, considering your growing feelings for him. Even though he was away in Virginia, your feelings didn’t burn out because of the non-stop picture exchange between each other.

But you were still having second thoughts about telling Brian how you feel. You have never seen him with another girl except your friends Meg and Ashley. So, it was impossible for you to see whether he behaves like this only to you. Brushing off these thoughts you started to get ready.

Getting ready for a date is usually hard because you should consider the relationship between you and the other person, the date course, the weather… But this wasn’t too hard as you were going to stay home. The more you think about going to his place, the more you felt nervous about it.

For the past two years -almost- your relationship with men didn’t go further than a few dates. Going to his home? You must be crazy. But it was too late to turn back. As you put on the clothes you chose, you saw the pile of books in the corner. It reminded you of the conversation between you and Brian when you were cooking at your place with friends.

You took the book on the top of the pile and signed it before leaving.

“Dear Brian,

I hope you enjoy reading this book~

Warm wishes^^”

 He opened the door with a big smile on his face, you couldn’t help but smile the same way. You were glad that you wore a comfy sweatshirt as he was also wearing something similar.

“Hi! Come in.”

“Hey.”

As if it was your first time at his house, you didn’t know where to go.

“What are you doing?” He grabbed your ankle softly and pulled you in.

“Um… This is for you.” You passed the book.

He was glad that you remembered. He opened the book to check out how you signed it. His face was expressionless at first, then it turned to a satisfied smile. Truthfully, he was expecting more. Maybe a note that contains more emotion. But when he gave it a second thought, this was the best for now.

“Thank you so much. I’m sure I’ll enjoy reading it.” He put it on the coffee table gently as if it was a crystal wine glass and started speaking.

“I’ll go and set the projector first. Can you bring the popcorn in the kitchen?” He didn’t wait for your answer and rushed to his bedroom.

“To where?” You asked loudly so he could hear.

“My bedroom of course, you silly.”

“Oh, okay…” You took a deep breath and tried not to overthink about being in his bedroom. You had already been there before.

Popcorn in your hand, you entered his bedroom. Carefully sitting on his bed, you started speaking.

“So, you sleep on the floor too?” Why were you acting as if it was your first time seeing his bed?

“It’s the best for backache. You do the same too?”

“Yes, since I work a lot in front of the computer, I have constant backaches. Like you said, it’s the best for them.”

He smiled and nodded.

“Okay, it’s ready. We can start!” Putting on the movie, he sat next to you leaving a small distance between you two.

“I should get one of these devices too, convenient and pretty cool.”  You took a picture of the opening scene of the movie including the projector and post it online with a description that says,

“I totally need one of these. #moviedate #wishlist” It’s true that you had second thoughts about this “date” and Brian, but you thought to yourself, “What the hell? Let’s just do whatever we want.” You posted this picture with such mindset.

At some point your positions switched from sitting to lying down unintentionally. You were sitting on a bed, what could you expect? From time to time you could sense his gaze on you. At these moments you tried pay all your attention to the movie. But let’s be honest, you glanced at him a few times too.

As soon as the movie ended, he just turned to you in the bed and asked, “Do you want to grab something? I’m getting hungry.”  You weren’t even that close to each other, but your heart skipped a beat, seeing his sleepy eyes and disheveled hair.

It was almost midnight and you were up for a late-night snack. Before leaving the house, he gave you a jacket of his own. You look at him with a confused look on your face. Pointing out the rain outside, he said, “Don’t want to get sick, right?”  Then he took an umbrella and led you the way.

“Ah… Yes.” You answered and followed him.

He offered to take you to the best fried chicken and beer place he knows. Since it was not that far away from your apartments and it wasn’t raining as hard as you expected, you decided to walk there.

It was a small place with a small entrance and small windows in a secluded alley. You would never go into this dark alley at this hour of the day, if you were alone. Even if you did, probably you wouldn’t be able to see it clearly. Inside was the exact opposite of the scary alley outside. Thanks to him you were introduced to this dim lit restaurant with a cozy feeling. It felt like a speak easy in the 1900s.

There were so many beer glasses from so many countries and lots of handmade dishware such as bowls and mugs on the shelves.

“Wow, these are so cool.” You said, looking around in amazement as he ordered.

“Do you like it?” He asked expectantly.

“Yes! It’s great. How do you know about this place?”

“We used to come here with my members whenever we were in NYC for a concert.”

“Ah, I listened some of your songs.” Not wanting to tell him that you listened all of them.

“Really?” He was surprised that you checked them out and glad that you were interested.

“Which one did you like the most?”

You laughed at the expression on his face. He was smiling like a little kid that anticipates praising.

Not being sure whether you should tell him, you answered.

“I’m Serious is my favorite, I guess.” His expectant smile turned into a satisfied one. He had thought that you were a little slow-witted in such matter. To be specific, noticing the hints he has been giving.

But this action of yours gave him a hope, he understood that you are aware of them. When he was about to answer, the waiter brought your order. After thanking the waiter, he took a picture of the table to post it on Instagram. Seeing the jaw-dropping dish, he forgot what was on his mind.

Brian wasn’t exaggerating at all, it was delicious. After a few beers and a large serving of fried chicken was consumed, you wanted to check your phone but realized you had left it at his place.

He saw you sighing and asked,

“What’s wrong?” Then he took a sip from his beer.

“I think I forgot my phone at your place.”

“Ah, if you’re done with eating, we can finish our drinks at home then. And you can get your phone. Is that okay?”

“Yeah, okay.” Even though you insisted on going Dutch, it was his treat.

“Next time will be on you then.~” He was guaranteeing another date with you.

It started raining heavily on your way back home. He pulled you close for you to not get wet. Your heart started beating like crazy and you couldn’t differentiate if it was because of the alcohol or the warm body of his under the heavy rain. Not being able to take your eyes off him, you kept walking next to him. A few minutes later he said,

“Stop looking at me like that. It’s distracting.” You realized what a burden you were to him at that moment. Gathering yourself and pulling away from his embrace, you said,

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” You were about to put some distance between each other but then he held your both hands,

“No, it’s not that.” He lowered his face to look you in the eye and stayed silent for a moment. It felt like he could read your mind through your eyes. Through his dark, crystal clear eyes that draw you in.

“If you keep doing this, I won’t be able to take my eyes off you either.” You were dumbfounded by his intimacy and couldn’t find any words to say. Only thing you could was keep looking at his riveting face.

It was hard for him to refrain himself. Maybe it wasn’t the best time, but it was the right atmosphere. Under the rain, in the dim light, you were standing so close to him. But his righteous personality had the control over his actions. So, he just patted your head smiling and put his hand on your shoulder for you to not get wet and led you the way home.

He went directly to the kitchen after giving you a towel. Drying your hair, you went to his bedroom to look for your phone. When you saw countless texts from your friends on your phone screen, you decided to call one of them, instead of taking time to read the texts they sent.

“Hey Meg, what’s up?”

“A DATE? With whom? AND WHY HAVEN’T YOU BEEN ANSWERING ANY OF OUR TEXS AND CALLS?” It wasn’t something new to you, she gets quite anxious when one of us don’t answer her texts.

“God, stop yelling. I can hear you.” You sighed and started speaking again,

“I am on a date with YoungK. We were out for a night snack; I had left my phone at in his room.” You said, trying to act a little nonchalant about all this.

She couldn’t say anything for a few and just mumbled. If you let her speak, she probably wouldn’t stop speaking so you didn’t give her a chance to say anything.

“Look, I didn’t tell you anything because I didn’t want to make it a bigger deal than it’s supposed to be. I was planning to tell you later when we meet.” Your words seemed to calm her a little, and then she started laughing. You were taken aback by this laughter.

“Well, you know what? I am not surprised at all. I sensed it before, you know when we were at your house altogether. There was this tension between you two. So, do you like him?” Even though you were sure of the answer to this question, you felt overwhelmed by her words.

“Meg, I should go. It’s not a good time to talk about these things now.” You hung up before letting her answer. You sat on his bed to take a break. Then you saw his body leaning on the door trim. You hoped that he didn’t hear any of this conversation.

Without saying anything, he sat next to you.

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, it’s fine. I was talking to Meg. She thought that something is going on between us.” You answered and laughed as if you weren’t thinking in the same way.

His face changed when he heard your words. He didn’t know what to feel. Gathering up courage was not an easy thing for Brian, but he needed to come to a decision, now.

He slowly turned his head to you and looked you in the eye.

“Is something not going on between us?” He whispered, raising his eyebrows.

“I… I am not… Sure.” You wanted him to kiss you at that exact moment. It felt like the right time. Waiting for longer was meaningless. You couldn’t take your eyes from his lips. Instead of waiting for him to do it, you just went for it.

First it was a soft but a deep kiss. He stopped for a second and pushed a strand of your hair behind your ear. You could sense that he was asking you to give permission for more. As an answer you kissed him back. He was satisfied your answer.

In a few seconds you were making out all over his bed. None of you had control over your actions at that moment. You were just following your instincts.

One of your hands were on the nape of his neck, while other one was running through his hair. The more you kiss the more passionate it got. His actions towards you were kind but also aggressive in another perspective. They were demanding. His hands were on your waist, pulling you closer to him. To create a different sensation, you licked his lips briefly and this turned him on more. As he started to explore your body and moved to your neck, it was just the beginning of a long night.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

masterlist

[imagine-loki]

The Slutty Webs one Weaves

Title : The Slutty Webs one Weaves

Chapter NO. 4 of 10?

ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine Loki’s Asgardian wife learns women write fanfiction about him on a trip to Midgard. She’s edgy for the duration and lets him have it when they get back.

Author: lokilover9

Rating: M

Notes: Hello everyone. I will get to writing another chapter of Irked, but for now, here’s a mini crack fic. Should be good for a laugh or two.

That afternoon and throughout the evening, Brianna stayed in her room with Loki. He appeared once to make her a sandwich, assured everyone she was fine and returned to her without another word. At around midnight, he sauntered into the living room looking exasperated.

"She's sleeping. In the bed this time."

"Why hadn't she before?" Asked Pepper.

His fists clenched. "A fear of rats obtained on the streets. Which I assume happened during her traveling to meet me."

"You can't blame yourself for that."

Loki went to the kitchen, retrieved some expensive Scotch from a cupboard above the fridge and started chugging it. "Yes I can, Virginia. She knew I was her Father before coming."

"What?" Everyone joined him around the island. "How?"

"Her Mother kept a diary." He held up the Scotch. "And us magically inclined are astute at finding hidden treasure."

"Must be hereditary." Kidded Stark. "Little Warrior's a master tater tot thief."

"Fuck. She thought I'd abandoned her."

"Harsh, bro. Even I know you're incapable of that."

"Still impersonating a Prince, are you?"

"I'm serious." Said Thor. "Obviously you forgot that termination spell on someone. If it wasn't a woman from the dumpster night, then who?"

"It was."

"Huh? You had sex with a woman in a dumpster?" Asked Stark.

"He woke in one naked after tossed into it by three."

"You had sex with 'three' women in a dumpster?"

"No, I was drugged first. Hence the waking?"

"And razzed me about doing the same in a seniors tub?"

Pepper frowned. "You had sex with a senior in her tub? What the hell, Tony?"

Loki rubbed his brow. 'I'm surrounded by fucking lunatics.'

"Virginia, no! Remember my best friend Mike? His grandmother…"

"Which one was it?" Thor quietly asked.

"The sword swallowing wench."

"You sure?"

"Brianna described her perfectly and showed me a matching, heart shaped birthmark beneath her collarbone."

Tony continued… "Now Loopy, also known as Sasquatch..."

"I thought you couldn't remember anything after..."

Loki's patience ran out and he banged the bottle down. "I DON'T REMEMBER! Which means she rode me until the fireworks went off because apparently my dick stays erect while I'm unconscious! How the bloody hell I'll convince Astrid of this saga is beyond me!"

"Aren't you more worried of convincing Mother?"

"I don't talk to Mother about my dick Thor and hope you don't either."

"Uh, guys? Lady present. Change the subject, please?"

"With pleasure. Brianna's been alone for almost three months. Fending for herself on a realm where her own kind are willing to sell her off to the highest bidder. That's why her Mother, whose name I will not repeat, Claudia and Hannah, all took turns that night to see who'd strike gold. They were hoping she would inherit some of my powers.Thank the fucking norns two failed!"

"Oh my god." Pepper solemnly whispered.

"Stop shouting. You'll wake her."

Loki pensively stared at Thor. "I've silenced her room. Ironic how every realm thinks Frost Giants monsters. Call it a sixth sense, but I recently felt compelled to learn the Jotun language and began studying their history. For millenniums, they thrived in a predominantly wealthy, civilized and disciplined, family oriented culture. Just like Asgardians. Laufey's greed for power changed all that."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Brianna knows."

The older God responded curtly. "You told her she's a Frost Giant?"

The second Stark had revealed her ice capade, Loki knew she was his and conjured a back up plan to protect her. Testing Thor was part of it. If he couldn't accept her, Odin definitely wouldn't. Especially once learning of her true identity. 'Thanks for your honesty, brother. Now to put that plan into action.' "Brianna is six years old. She's lived in constant fear of those who should have loved her and of herself, because she didn't understand her powers, or where they stemmed from. I will not betray her by lying about her heritage, nor permit she lives ashamed of it. Certainly you understand?" He then addressed Tony. "Excuse me. I need some air."

Stark got the hint and knew where he'd be. "Who's Laufey?" He asked uncle oaf.

"Jotunheim's last King."

"What happened to him?"

"He was murdered."

"Nice." He quickly winked at Pepper. "Stay here and mind Little Warrior? I think Snowflake could use a friend." He joined Loki outside, sitting against the glass on his landing deck. "You okay?"

"Besides overly tempted to murder three sluts? Of course."

"Please don't?"

"Only for my Daughter's sake."

"What else was in the diary?"

"Brianna and I spoke about many things. Some I'll tell you, some I won't."

"Why?"

"We agreed it best. You've done everything to protect her and we want to return the favor."

"I can protect myself."

"Not from yourself, should I reveal too much.

"Spoiled sports."

"I thank you again for watching over one of my own and for keeping your promise to Brianna. She praised you both a lot. Calls you uncle Cootyoodles."

Stark proudly grinned. “She's an amazing kid, but I'm happy you came. If not, Pepper and I planned to ask Thor to take her."

"To Asgard?"

"Where else? We can't protect her from the bad guys. She'd either become a lab rat or be used as a weapon, here. Her Mother is a perfect example of such intentions. Evil bitch."

"Indeed, yet not the mastermind. Hannah was. Brianna was secretly born in the same house she was conceived in and never registered as a citizen. Most recently, they were living in a house in the countryside in State. One a carpenter and the other an electrician, they'd constructed her a hidden, sound proof, room in the basement and that was her existence. Always fed and clothed, but comforted only by her Mother, who snuck her out from time to time. Yet never outside the house and at every opportunity, taught her how to use the computer. They'd resided in two other States the same way. Forever keeping Brianna hidden from society, waiting for a sign she had powers. She cleverly hid them and eventually braved sneaking out alone when they weren't around. Always careful to conceal her tracks while learning all she could of your world through the internet. Until one day, she was mistaken when Hannah sauntered out of bed late and became enraged by her presence. They reinforced her rooms security and although Brianna knew it bypassable, she was terrified to try after the arguing started. It continued for days, often vicious sounding, but she couldn't decipher the words. The worst of it ended with a distant scream on the grounds and panicked footsteps amidst the house. That night, Hannah went to her with a look of insanity, tossing bags of nonperishable food into her room and threatening her harm if she ever came out without permission again. When Brianna heard nothing for days, she bravely disobeyed and carefully scoured every room for money. That's how she encountered the diary and learned about me. Research lead her to you and she mapped out a plan."

"I knew she was brave, but that's extraordinary." Said Tony. "How did she escape?"

"Easily. They never returned."

"They just..vanished?"

"Apparently. When food ran low, Brianna rode her bike to a neighbors, hid herself in the back of his pick up truck and hitched a ride into the nearest city."

"Shit. Does she know what they did?"

"No explicit details were written, but imagine a six year old seeking the word sex on dictionary.com to learn how she was created. The plot began when Hannah saw me leaving their local grocery store and followed me to my hotel. From there, I was stalked until they discovered my favorite hangout."

Stark imagined suiting up on the bitches. "Now I'm tempted to murder three sluts. Poor Little Warrior. What a shitty life she lead. Can I ask where she came from?"

"No, but it took her three weeks to reach you with the help of homeless people."

"What?"

"Two in particular who by the grace of Valhalla, were kind enough to protect her along the way. Neither knew where she was headed and kept her presence secret. All in exchange for food, clothes and periodic shelter. One a teen she sent home to her family, the other an older woman, who claimed to have none. Brianna bid her goodbye near the Lincoln bridge and from there, traveled alone for two days."

"Holy fuck. I still can't believe she made it here alive."

"The child's a genius." 'Who already knows how to make herself invisible.' Thought Loki. He silently recalled the day he'd scared the shit out of some maids with half his face, upper torso and one leg invisible. He was on his way to Frigga after failing to rectify the problem. 'Norns. Only a task that took me until adulthood to master.'

"True, but I gotta know. How did she get into my Tower?"

The God merely arched his brows.

"Nevermind. Like Father, like Daughter. What now?"

"We leave for Asgard tomorrow afternoon. Brianna can't wait. Presuming having new parents 'and' living on a new realm might've induced her reluctance, I've convinced her it's a months visit."

"She's never coming back?"

"As an adult maybe. Beforehand could be risky. Please play along?"

"I will, but she'll hate me for it."

"She'll think you didn't know. I'll take the heat."

"What about Thor?"

"He can't know until morning. Then he won't run ahead and announce it, grandstanding in the name of preparing everyone."

"He'd do that?"

"He might. Brianna is my daughter. My responsibility. I'll not have my wife learning of her through him."

"Don't blame ya."

"There's something else he can't know. I shielded us from Heimdalls sight's the moment we landed to keep anyone from tracing Brianna back to you and Pepper. You're my friends and if they decide to look for her, I won't have your lives torn apart again because of me."

Tony was so humbled and astonished by everything, he never thought to ask why Thor couldn't know this information, or how these women knew Loki's powers were so extensive. "Thanks, man."

"I'll do all the headhunting on my next trip back. For now, the sluts can stew not knowing where Brianna is."

"Serves them right. Too bad we won't witness their panic."

Loki inwardly snickered. 'I might.'

"Why did Brianna sleep so long after making all that ice?"

"Extensive use by one so new to their powers is exhausting. I've seen it before."

"There are more like you on Asgard?"

"Only a handful of us are Gods. Yet many posses lesser powers they are schooled to perfect. As adults, they are encouraged to join our military."

"And if they don't?"

"It is not enforced, Tony. They are allowed to exist freely."

"Oh. Why was she so angry we touched her stuff?"

"She wants to tell you tomorrow."

"Okay. You mentioned a Claudia and Hannah. What was her Mother's name?"

"Brianna's about to disappear and you're still snooping, knowing jail time could loom in the future?"

"Can't an earthling be curious? Liiike..of how extensive Brianna's powers are?"

"Classified."

Stark rolled his eyes. "Should I just not bother asking anything else?"

"I can stargaze while tuning you out."

"Fine. Wanna know some fun facts about your Daughter?"

"Sure."

"She grows on ya real quick."

"I know."

"Loves vampires and zombies. Plays a mean game of Mario Kart, is a mathematical, geographical and weird animal whiz. Knows what an Emperor Tamarin is. They look like a Teddy bear, raccoon, monkey combination, with a wild west moustache. Gets a kick out of quizzing Jarvis and laughs her ass off when he fucks up."

Loki smirked.

"Loves motown music…"

"'Motown?'"

"Come on, really?" Tony motioned movements of the Supremes. "Stop! In the name of love, before you break my heart… No? How about this one?" He imitated Stevie Wonder, grooving at his piano. "...Signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours!"

"You aren't my type." Teased Loki. "Nor am I familiar with that genre of music."

"Your loss, our gain. She also loves having stories read to her at bedtime and dancing. Tried teaching me how to moonwalk and I failed. Epically."

"Did she laugh her ass off at that too?"

"Yep. We'll miss her. A lot."

"I'll never let her forget you, Tony."

They started for the elevator.

"I hope not and that whole date rape thing? Be the victim male or female, the culprits deserve major jail time."

Familiar with Starks habit of finding amusement in the worst of circumstances, Loki sensed a punchline. "And?"

"Alter that part to your benefit in the future. Like you slipped and hit your head. A guys dick staying hard while he's unconscious? Great story to tell your grandson's around the campfire one day."

"Eh he he he. Maybe I will."

Loki settled into bed and conjured an ancient, Jotun text. He opened it to a marked page and silently re-read a prophecy he'd recently discovered. One written by a beloved seer of his ancestors;

'Gifted by the Norns, a child will be born on a foreign realm to a veiled, Jotun King and Mother of ignoble blood. A sorcerer by birth, he is destined to protect, guide and teach his sorceress daughter to cultivate and master her powers. For she will make history as a savior to the nine realms. Destined to unite them in battles against evil. A Queen who shall reign above kings. Jotunheim's Goddess of Ice.'

It vanished, replaced by Asgardian writing paper and a fancy pen as he thought of his wife. Her antics often drove people to drink, including himself, yet they loved each other madly. It was her bright blue eyes, perpetually cheery personality and spontaneity that first attracted him. A welcome change from the drudgery of structured royal life, but ultimately her sincere heart. She adored him, flaws included. And shite did she give good head. The only lover out of hundreds to pop his cork on the first try. Now, after their last conversation it saddened him to write this.

'Dear Astrid; Forgive me as I have a shocking confession to make. Foremost, I have no relationship of any kind with the woman involved and knew nothing of this until it was brought to my attention. It seems my carnal activities on Midgard have induced more than smutty fanfiction. I have a daughter, my lovely. A little girl who stole my heart with her smile. As you did. I would not recover from losing you, but owe her a chance. To breathe her realms air. Count its stars. Feel the sun and rain on her face. For myself to be the adult so she can be the child. I need time to earn her trust and hope we bond. I know it's a lot to ask, but wait for me? Give 'us' a fighting chance? Consider it at least?

Your adoring husband, Loki.'

He sealed it in an envelope and affectionately whispered to Brianna. "Our adventure begins, Og Min Lille."

Og Min Lille ~ My Little One in Norwegian

[an-avid-reader]

Opal (Lux #3) - Jennifer L. Armentrout

my rating: 3.5/5 stars

After losing her father, Katy and her mom move across the country to West Virginia. With her luck, Katy's new neighbour is pleasing to the eyes...maybe even abnormally so. But that's not all, this town has it's secrets--maybe that's just how small towns are. Little does Katy know that her new neighbours Daemon and Dee are more than they appear to be. As Katy is swept into Daemon and Dee’s lives, she quickly learns that they are aliens; as she spends more time with them, Katy has an aura which makes her a target to other aliens. Paradoxically, Katy must be protected by the twins while also losing the aura before she gets killed.

Note: this review is written after rereading the book

Link to Goodreads // book 1 / 2 // Spoilers in review!

Alright, where do we start--the I-told-you-sos or the this-needs-to-happen-but-morals-are-a-things ? Man, oh man, this book is literally chasing one goal: to get Bethany (and Chris *sigh*) out of the warehouse, but the obstacles and challenges?? What a ride.

I wanted to start off by talking about Armentrout’s writing and how I appreciate how it’s changed from book 1 onto this book (and undoubtedly changes with each book she publishes (or doesn’t)). I felt like while there wasn’t as much “action” happening in this part of the series, we got to delve into the characters’ relationship with on another--notably Dee and Katy’s relationship and how we can still build bridges after a fire *wipes single tear*. We obviously get to see Katy and Daemon’s relationship grow - which (assuming you’ve already read the book) damn some of those scenes are graphic ! But at the same time, it didn’t feel like it was overdone, if that makes sense. In terms of the plot, or the timeline rather, everything felt like it was happening naturally; we don’t just skip from one part to another without an explanation. Everything seemed to be meticulously planned out--some events having much more foreshadowing than others--and we never lost sight of the main goal of the book. I feel like sometimes we get sidetracked into smaller adventures, but in this case, everything that happened was done with the intention of rescuing Bethany and Chris, so it just reinforced the fact that the Luxen really care about them.

Alright, now onto other aspects of the novel--I will admit, when I started reading this book, I don’t actually remember what happened in book 3+4 of this series. It’s odd because I didn’t feel like this book was just filler (though it did feel more like a “bridge book” than Onyx. Nevertheless, we pick up on where we ended in book 2 (I’m telling you--you’ve got to binge these books!). We get to connect with Dawson and Katy-I found that their exchanges seemed natural, I’m not surprised that Dawson didn’t really feel like talking with his siblings. Katy was just there for him, she was willing to listen, and she didn’t push him into an interrogation session. She was just someone from the outside who he could talk to without feeling judged--that’s the type of person we all need in our lives to be honest. 

I honestly felt a bit bad for Katy, or rather for her mom, because it was just...wrong...to keep her mom in the dark about the Luxen, but more importantly, about Will. Not to mention, it’s a huge risk as Katy’s mom would become a liability. I also think that Katy’s mom wouldn’t believe her--I imagine she’d say something like “oh Will isn’t trying to replace your dad” blah blah. But now Will isn’t a problem anymore...while these are fictional characters, we need to consider the morals of the situation. Of course Will was a piece of garbage (just like another character we all know…) so I guess his death was kind of his own doing, but then again a life is a life. Murder isn’t right, and it shouldn’t be justified unless it’s for self-defense, but even then things are a little hazy. I think what we can take away from this book is that it’s a good sign that Katy and Daemon understand the consequences of their actions, and they regularly check-in with one another to ensure that they don’t follow the same dark path that Will and Blake did.

So that’s about it for the morals, I guess, but, for the I-told-you-sos...well there’s Blake and the attitude/confidence that everyone had. I’ll start with the latter: I think the most obvious foreshadowing was that “everything will go fine” pep talk that the characters had with each other for BOTH times they were going to the warehouse. Sure we might not have known what nor the magnitude of what was going to happen, but the who or why was pretty obvious: Blake. I felt like these pep talks--while it’s key to have a positive mindset when you do something that’s scary, I felt like it also hindered their (Katy, Daemon, Dawson, etc.) ability to plan just in case something went wrong. And how do we know Blake would have his hand in this situation? Because it’s Blake. After the first betrayal from book 2, anything that comes out of that man’s mouth can be taken with a bucket-load of salt. Not to mention he literally blackmails Katy into his plan, so that’s another warning that he must have some personal gain. Double agent? Big yikes. Luc’s comment on trust? Another big hint. Can I also just say that Luc acts like a spoiled brat who needs to get off his high horse?? He’s trying to replace Matthew by giving some advice, but he’s a smol child. Y’all can’t beat Matthew, he’s still the most underrated character! ANYWAYS, needless to say, I felt like everyone was just walking into Blake’s trap again and their lack of judgement and overconfidence was the cause of their downfall.

Gosh, I have to hand it to Armentrout, Blake is such a good villain--I honestly despise his guts and he’s a fictional character. I think what makes him a good villain is because he acts like a Venus fly trap--what he has to offer seems almost too good to be true and BAM you get sucked in and there’s no escape because he’s also a snake. The airborne onyx, the opal?? “Oh yeah those are minor details” BRO. He’s so manipulative and I feel like he tells little white lies which is how he was able to get away with his crap (in addition to the blackmailing). I think the worst part is that there are some people who are trapped in a similar situation--not the alien thing, but the manipulation of a partner or a “friend”, which stems from the same ‘methods’, if that makes sense. I also just have a question about a small detail that never made sense to me. So upon Blake’s death, Nancy would get a letter and she finds out about everything--Katy, Dawson, etc. But...how would the letter be sent???? Blake’s dead so that’s not an option, his uncle is in the same situation...unless there’s an implant watching Blake or there’s some sort of sensor that acts as a trigger...I mean I guess Blake also plays a pretty big role with the DOD so I feel like his death would be learned about pretty quickly, but still...these small details are still details!!

I just remember about halfway through the book, I was like how did we get into this mess. You know when you’re watching a movie or tv series and the characters are in deep trouble and they’re kinda stuck or have only a few options? Yeah, trusting that one person who ends up betraying you will absolutely blow up in your face, and hitting the rewind button isn’t a thing, unfortunately. Anyways, that’s the feeling I had when everything was heading south, and then it just kept getting worse and worse--gaaaahhh. I guess the only thing that wasn’t terrible was Katy and Daemon’s relationship. As I’ve already mentioned, some of those scenes were super steamy, and I’m sure the last two books will be no different (spoiler--I already know something that happens within the next two books but I forget when it happens lmao). Their relationship went from 0-100 quickly, but also because it developed over the course of 2 books, the pacing seemed reasonable?? 

And finally, I wanted to briefly mention Matthew and how he’s still underrated. LISTEN. This man literally says stuff aloud that’s on everyone’s minds; “Ash, you need to learn a tad bit more sensitivity". Get  W R E C K E D, Ashley (but for real, she’s developed a lot from book 1, and I think that has to do with maybe accepting that Daemon isn’t in love with her, as well as her brother’s death). Matthew is literally the glue that keeps the Luxen crew from falling apart, especially during those stressful times, such as the warehouse expeditions. He’s that wholesome but also high key broken character we need to appreciate a lil more.

So overall for me, this book felt slightly like a filler for what’s to come in the second half of this series, but with Armentrout’s writing changing from book one to book three, and the development of the characters and the timeline of the plot, I would say this installment falls between book one and two in terms of the rating. I sincerely hope that the characters continue to grow and develop some thinking skills, especially when it comes to trust and uhh...people whose names start with a B and end with a LAKE...You know the saying...seasons change but people don’t!! Ahhh something tells me Blake will still be in book 4 *sighs heavily*.

I’d love to know your thoughts on this book in the Lux series--how would you rate it compared to the other books in the series? Did you like it or nah? I’d love to know! =D

Thank you for reading my review, I hope you are having an outstanding day, wherever you are in the world!

- Cassandra / an-avid-reader

PS: Happy New Year everybody! I hope 2020 treats y’all well <3

[bubblyani]

Safe (Forrest x Reader)

Forrest Bondurant One Shot

Genre: Fluff

Author’s Note: Writing a Forrest story was such a goal for me. So happy to finally be able to think of one. I really enjoyed writing this. Plus my love for Forrest has resurfaced...HELP!!! Heh! Hope you all enjoy! 

Your heartbeat didn’t fail to increase in speed when he entered the store, slowly approaching you at the counter. You were definitely not ready for this. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’re here Y/N!” 

Maxine, your cousin happily shouted as she drove you to town. You were more than happy to manage yourself, but she insisted she’d pick you up from the train station. 

“Well I’m glad to be here with my favorite cousin after ages, so the feeling’s mutual” you replied smiling, brushing the hair off your face. Halfway through the journey, Maxine noticed the gas was running low. And that made you worry. 

“Perfectly alright...I believe we are saved” she assured you, indicating the gas station that was ahead of them. 

Cricket Pate emerged from the restaurant to find Maxine get off her car, along with an unfamiliar face. 

“We’re in need of gas, handsome “ Maxine called out to him. 

“You’re not even gonna introduce me to your friend Maxie?” Cricket asked, with an adorable smile. 

“Actually it’s my cousin...” Maxine replied, turning to you, “Y/N...Cricket...Cricket...Y/N!” She said, as you and Cricket shook hands. “Y/N is a wonderful Seamstress,” she continued, while Cricket helped out in filling the gas.

“Is that so? Maybe you can fix me up a nice suit...” Cricket said, “Heheheh...maybe I will” you laughed while you stood next to him. Maxine walked around to look. 

“The Bondurants ain’t around today?” 

“Jack and Howard ain’t ...but I bet Forrest is  ” you slowly moved back, while you looked at the restaurant, listening to Cricket’s reply, 

“Ah!-“ 

 You backed up too far, only to get your heel caught in the gas hose pipe,  thus falling backwards.

But suddenly, a strong hand caught you by the shoulder, letting fall on a broad chest instead of the hard ground.

“Just in time, Forrest!” Cricket laughed. 

For a split second you felt the safest you’ve ever felt, in the arms of a stranger you haven’t even laid eyes on. In that realization, you slowly turned to face him. He looked strong, but gentle. He seemed he could be tough, but the warm features in his face begged to differ. Enamored you were by him, that you were positively speechless. 

“Y’ alright?” The southern drawl was quite visible in his deep voice. 

You wanted to answer, but no voice came out.  

“Oh Forrest, thank you so much” Maxine’s voice made his hand leave your shoulder as if it caught fire. He grunted in acknowledgement, and then walked into the restaurant. But as you both got back into the car, you saw him come out, standing there by the porch to watch you leave. 

You let out a deep breath, as the car started to move, and his figure started to vanish from your sight. 

“What the hell happened to you??” 

You sighed, “I don’t know...” turning to face your cousin. 

“Sweetie, I think it’s time you learn about the Bondurant brothers ...including the Legend that is Forrest” --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A new town, a new workplace seemed quite ideal ever since your parents passed away. So your Aunt and Uncle were simply angels when they asked you to come live with them in Virginia. And helping out with their clothing store did not seem like a bad idea.

 The next morning, you stood behind the counter, ready to take on anything, excited to put your previous years of dress making experience to good use. Customers came in, and it was business as usual. You were carrying a few boxes of ribbons when Maxine called you over. 

"Y/N! I want you to meet Bertha Minnix" she said, putting her hand on Bertha's shoulder. The both of you exchanged greetings as soon as you managed to put the boxes down. 

"Maxine, is there a way I could get a dress made?" Bertha asked.

"I'd be more than happy to make one for you" you heard yourself reply in enthusiasm. You immediately liked Bertha, who seemed like a sweet soul. She smiled in glee. 

"Any special occasion, if I may ask?" you inquired, as you started taking in measurements with your tape. "I wanna wear this when I meet Jack" Bertha replied in a soft voice, looking over at Maxine with a smile, whose jaw dropped. 

"Jack? As in Bondurant?" Bertha nodded proudly, "Actually, we were talking just now... the other brothers came with him to town as well..." 

 Thankfully Maxine was present to listen to the rest of her story, for you didn't hear anything after 'other brothers'. Sudden excitement filled you, hoping you could catch a glimpse of Forrest. You focused yourself, as you wrote the measurements down in your book. The bell rang as the shop’s door opened, and a young man in his late 20's entered the premises. He seemed to know what he needed exactly, for he walked straight over to the elderly woman, who was looking through some material. 

Though you were far away, you did hear there was a slight commotion between them. You were not the one to pry, but you could tell the woman was in distress. In the corner of your eye, you caught the man forcefully taking a fistful of cash from her, and exit the shop.  

"Is everyone alright ma'am?" you asked the woman as you approached her. She sighed, 

"My son-in-law...Terrence...every time he's out of money for gambling…He’d come look for me. He-" 

You angrily stormed out, finding young the man on the road. 

"Excuse Sir! SIR! Terrence!" you called out loudly, stirring the attention of all those around him. 

The man sighed, turning around. You slowly walked out of the shop. "I believe you forgot to return the money to your mother-in-law" you spoke calmly but with a hint of firmness. "She seemed to have worked hard for whatever she had earned, so as the younger folk, we outta to be more appreciative, don't cha think?" 

Everyone's eyes were on Terrence, his eyebrows furrowed, as he clenched his jaw in anger. "Nobody asked you, lady!" he called out, as he started to walk towards you with fists ready. Your eyes widened in fear, regretting your actions completely. 

A huge force pulled you by the hand, and you were moved to the side, ending up behind Forrest Bondurant. Terrence stopped dead in his tracks by the mere sight of him. 

"Just give back the money Terrence, you know this ain't gonna end well" Forrest said casually, with his hands in his cardigan pockets. You stood so close to him; you felt his figure towering over you, as if he was a shield to guard you from all that was horrid. Terrence took a few breaths, before finally pulling out the money from his pocket, handing it over to you. 

You slowly reached out to grab it, still standing behind Forrest as Terrence left cursing.

You opened your mouth as Forrest turned to face you, but the moment your eyes caught his, you were suddenly speechless again. Your cheeks started burning, thus forcing you to close your mouth, looking down shyly.

Confused, Forrest cleared his throat to say something. 

"Forrest! Come on, we gotta go!"

The man, who could possibly be Howard Bondurant, called out to him. Forrest nodded at you, before leaving you to oneself as he headed to his brothers.

"Seems like that cousin of Maxine’s has some guts huh?" Howard chuckled, as he walked along with Forrest, who merely grunted at that remark. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You felt idiotic to even hope you'd see Forrest around the area the next day. You felt more idiotic when you realized what an embarrassment you were, every time you tried to talk to him. As you stretched yourself at the counter in the afternoon, you looked over at Maxine, 

"Would you mind if I step out for a minute?" 

"Sure thing doll..." 

With your hands behind your back, you casually strolled around town. Suddenly you felt a tug on your dress. You looked over to find a little boy next to you. 

"Mrs. Nelson wanted to thank ya for yesterday, so she was wondering if you'd like to come over for tea" you suddenly remembered the elderly woman from yesterday. 

 A few minutes later, you were walking yourself out of town, off for tea. Touched by her invitation, you accepted and promised to be there within an hour.

As you walked, Forrest stood a few feet away, watching you from afar. Motioning that little boy over, he asked: 

" Ya know where she off to?" --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Instead of human chatter and stuffiness, the sound of crickets and the cool shelter of the trees kept you company as you walked along the path in the woods. You've walked for quite a while, but so far no sign of any house or any place inhabitable.

Just when you began to question all this, you were startled by the sigh of Terrence, suddenly emerging out from the trees in front of you. 

"Terrence..." you said, "What are you doing here?" 

You almost lost your breath when Terrence pointed a gun at you, with his finger on the trigger. 

"You're such a pain in the ass, ya know that?" he said, through gritted teeth, "New girl in town...and going around tellin’ us what's right and wrong..." 

"I don’t blame how you feel..." you replied, putting your hands up, "But you shouldn't take advantage of people like Mrs. Nelson. I-" 

"SHUT UP!" he roared. You closed your eyes in fear. 

"Terrence!"

Opening your eyes, you found Forrest standing next to you, with a gun pointed at Terrence. But the stubborn young man did not seem to back down by Forrest, as he continued to point the gun at you. 

With a sound of a huge bang! You found yourself covering your ears as the gun flew off from Terrence's hands when Forrest expertly shot it off of him. The sound was so loud, resonating in your ears, you found yourself running into Forrest's arms, and he held you by the shoulder. 

 Hands shaking, Terrence looked down at his damaged gun, then over to Forrest. 

"Don't you ever lay a hand on her again, ya hear?" Forrest addressed him.

 Whimpering, Terrence quickly ran away, disappearing into the woods.

 You continued to take deep breaths to calm yourself, as his giant frame protected you. The soft cardigan of his that brushed against your cheeks, made you feel calmer. An indescribable feeling lingered in you, as if being near him brought you the best feeling imaginable.

Forrest grunted in surprise as he felt you wrap your arms around his back, embracing him tightly. 

 “I-I’m sorry...” you began, finally able to speak, “Thank you...” you continued softly, voice slight muffled as you spoke into his chest. You felt his body move a bit as he put the gun in his back pocket. 

“Ah...it’s alright” you heard him reply softly. Chuckling, you slowly looked at him, accidentally brushing your nose against his heavy stubble chin. Aware of your gaze, he quickly looked back at you with a wide-eyed expression.

Some Moments in life can be quite mysterious and unexplained, for at that point, you were feeling deep feelings of affection and attraction for a man you’ve only met 3 days ago. A man who has given you the best feeling of safety and comfort, with just his presence alone, a man who also happened to be quite easy on the eyes. 

Standing on your tiptoes, you balanced yourself by placing your hands on his chest. Forrest looked as confused as expected. Pushing yourself up, you closed your eyes, as you kissed him softly on the lips. His lips found it surprising in the beginning, but didn’t take that long till they responded in kind, by gently latching on to yours. A rush of euphoria went through you as his hand rested on your back. You moved your hands up, fingertips getting contact with his cheek in light touches, which made him dip his head lower, in hopes of getting a better access to your mouth. The hat slowly slipped off his head, causing both of you to break off the kiss.

Bending down quickly, you picked up his hat, dusting it off embarrassingly. 

“Uh...” clearing his throat, he went: 

“Go on home” 

You nodded without hesitation, handing him his hat. You felt his gaze on you as he stood there, keeping a watchful eye, as you headed back.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The magical encounter with Forrest Bondurant’s lips distracted you ever since you last saw him in the woods. And it distracted you still as you tended to customers at the shop the next day. The distraction was so strong, that some sentences that came out your lips didn't make any sense. Maxine simply blamed it on sleep deprivation in front of the customers. But the moment they turned away, you’d get a smack on the head with her asking,

“What the hell is wrong with ya today?”

Before you could answer, the door opened, revealing the one person you were aching to see.

Your heartbeat did not fail to increase in speed as Forrest Bondurant approached the counter. Taking a deep breath, your mouth formed a friendly smile.

“Good Morning, how can I help you?”

Contrary to his built, he appeared to look like lost puppy with dopey eyes, which you could not help but find adorable.

“I uh…” he began, “came to see…if ya were alright”

“Oh!” you quipped, “Oh…I’m fine” the more you spoke, the more confident you felt, “Actually, I wanted to say, you saved me so many times…and…. I never got the chance to properly thank you. Thank you” You added softly, with a warm smile.

Forrest nodded awkwardly, followed by a grunt. Nodding back, a part of you felt sad if this will be the only conversation you’ll ever have with him.

Suddenly he spoke:

“I don't think…we’ve been properly introduced”

You opened your mouth in realization; “Of course…” you extended your hand, “Y/N Y/L/N”

“Forrest Bondurant” he replied, taking in yours with his, giving a firm shake, “Miss Y/L/N…” he paused, taking in a breath:

“Would it be alright if I call on you sometime?”

The sun seemed to have hidden inside of you, for suddenly, it was dawn in your heart, and your face was adorned with the biggest smile in all your existence.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Check my MASTERLIST for more. 

[popculturespiritwow]

THE WICKED + THE DIVINE: 1923 AD AKA A WORK OF ART(IFICE)

This issue is the Peakiest of Peak Gillen -- Gillen to the Power of Peak to the Power of Peak, if you will, #MathisCool. It’s a comic book masterpiece of research, reference and storytelling and I’ve been so daunted at attempting to comment on that it’s taken me months to make the attempt. You only climb Everest once, people!  (Shut your mouth, Nat Geo.)

WAGNER VERSUS WARHOL, FIGHT!

In format the issue involves a back and forth conversation/rap battle between high and low art. On the one hand, we have novelistic chapters rich with description. “The island looked like a threat, a fist of rock that had forced its way through the waves.” The island and Ananke both...

Then we cut to what at first glance seems like your standard comic book, but in fact is actually a riff on the early days of film, complete with title cards (which themselves get so silly the font might as well be comic sans #IllBeHereAllWeek) and everything shot in a wash of black, white and brown, except for the splashes of red at the scenes of death—victims’ blood, Lucifer’s apple, and my favorite, the red seaweed around Neptune.

Love that red seaweed.

The heart of the plot follows a similar back and forth, as the elitist “classic” artists, the TS Eliot/Ezra Pounds and Ginny Woolf-ish-types of the Pantheon, want to kill the more popular art types, the Shirley Temples and Buster Keatons and Robert Johnstons, to initiate a nightmare scenario that will supposedly give them control over the zeitgeist of the future. It’s an incredibly disturbing take on some of the giants of the early 20th century -- and one Gillen found based in fact.

It’s fascinating, too, for as much as the real object of venom is the truly popular artists, the movie star types with their simplistic narratives and opium for the masses, the elitists focus on killing figures who from our perspective sit far closer to them – Lucifer (F. Scott Fitzgerald), Poseidon (Ernest Hemingway), Dionysius (Pablo Picasso) and the Morrigan (James Joyce). I wonder if it’s something about the chaos those specific figures represent, the way that their particular forms of art end up undermining not only the structures but internal belief system of the modern world. If Baal-Et-Al’s idea is to work with Joe Goebbels to coopt pop culture for their own We Will Keep Control project, in a sense a Picasso or Joyce was doing the reverse, presenting in the formats of the elites only to deconstruct their validity. (Gillen’s notes on the Morrigan point in this direction. Also, his description of Set as coming off “a little like Tahani from The Good Place made me laugh out loud.)

In the end our good guys will stop the bad using their own popular media, film from a train, which was in real life the very first motion picture, and terrified people back in the day for exactly the reason that they feared the train was real and was going to leap off the screen and kill them all. 

Writing perfection.

HISTORY IN REPETITION AND RHYME

As we’ve seen throughout these specials, we get lots of echoes between periods here. Lucifer is once again the first one killed, the Morrigan is once again a character all about voice and drama (I love his self-narration so much, please sir can I have a spin-off?), the Norns are still trying to figure everything out, Susanoo=Dandy Baphomet, complete with his own complicated dating relationship (those rings made out of light, though, such a pristine beauty of a moment that Baph never gets), and Woden is once again a gross racist hack misogynist -- that submarine has got to be phallic, right? -- who has stolen his tech powers from someone else to produce content that is entirely derivative while secretly playing the gods and being used by Ananke.

There is also another mechanical creature, “Little Brother”, which we see only for a few panels, and that is not nearly enough because it is an adorable looking flying squid. (SCREW YOU BABY SHARK, BABY FLYING SQUID IS EVERYTHING.) Ananke also works from her standard playbook here, the Prometheus Gambit – you can gain some life if you kill others, which Baal et al will then use for bat#!% crazy purposes, which of course is also part of her plan.

And Minerva is also once again a child who seems maybe to be working with Ananke. It’s clear right from the start that the whole Shirley Temple schtick, lots of Yays and Gollys, is just an act, part of her “character”. And we get a glimpse of the real her again at the end.

That doesn’t have to mean she’s in league with Ananke. (Just read the next arc; she’s totally in league with Ananke.) But she also comes to know what happened to Verdandi, when she wasn’t with the group that discovered him. (Dude: She’s totally in league with Ananke.) And it gives her an excuse to leave Morrigan at precisely the right moment for him to get murdered by Ananke. (Yes, exactly, because she’s in league with Ananke.) And she will kill Set herself without a second thought; it’s all still just hint and innuendo (UGH NO IT’S NOT STOP), but given what we’ve just learned in the present day that’s all we need for now.

Meanwhile Baal is in some ways the opposite of ours, a racist white elitist who dismisses James Baldwin-type Amon-Re as incapable of being an artist given his “nature”, and Set is her own thing too, a snobby name-dropping Virginia Woolf.  Most intriguingly, the Norns have internal divisions that break them down, which make me worry a little bit for Cassandra and her friends. 

Best take care of your family, Cassie. Remember, in #WicDiv no one is just a sidekick…

CREATURE(S) IN EBONY This is the second special where the Fall of the Gods involves the introduction of a new being created by the gods by way of a classic Ananke “Definitely Don’t Do This (wink wink)”.  In 1831, Lucifer and Morrigan resurrect Hades to create an energy vampire that after killing them merged with Woden Shelley to create Steam Punk Elsa. This time the being – again a woman – is described as “looking like some ancient ancestor of the Metropolitans, but made of living poetry and bleak lightning rather than simple metal.” Which sounds an awful like the 1831 Creature.

She also emerged from “an ebony luminescence with streaks of blue beyond blue”, which again, sounds a lot like Mary Shelley Elsa Frankenstein.

Almost 92 years later we’ve heard nothing from her. But Kieron never forgets anything, INCLUDING YOUR BIRTHDAY, SO WATCH OUT. What could this all possibly mean…

ANANKIERON CHRISTIE

For me the most interesting element of 1923, though, is everything to do with Ananke. We come into the special, like the last two, knowing she is our Big Bad (probably, I don’t know you guys, I think in the next arc Kieron’s going to make me feel bad for her and I don’t want to). (No worries, he didn’t, or did he, wait, there are two Anankes now, I don’t know, what?)

But here for the first time we enter into the story alongside her. In fact, in that very first shot it almost seems like she’s looking right at us.  

Time’s running out, she’s got to get to the murder-y and behead-yness stat, and this time we get to watch her do it. Awesome!

It’s almost like we’re partners in the exercise, even; right before they’re about to go in for dinner and discover Lucifer Ananke seems to stop and look at us again.

Us and the millennia-old serial killer of children--High fives all around!

For the last 30+ issues I’ve been asking why Ananke is she always wearing a mask, and now finally I get it: just like the Pantheon, she is an actor giving a performance.

Here specifically she presents herself as a classic Agatha Christie protagonist, finding herself along with everyone else in the Remote Place version of a locked room murder mystery and slowly working to uncover the truth of what’s going on while others continue to die. And Then There Was Fun!

Except in fact Ananke is not The Marple but Christie herself, author of the entire series of events that happen, which makes this to my mind pretty much the greatest Christie story ever, and also reinforces the belief of All of Us that Jessica Beatrice Fletcher is the Greatest Fictional Serial Killer that Ever Lived.  

But wait, though. Doesn’t that make Ananke basically…a writer? Like um, this guy…?

But that’s crazy. We’ve spent the last five years with him. He’s fine.

I mean yes, both he and Ananke fashion fictional Big Bads (Note: this issue has absolutely no trace nor mention of a Great Darkness, despite the fact that this entire Pantheon has been around almost to their Use By) and also Ways to Save the World which motivate the characters down paths which lead to their eventual destructions.

And okay, true, in this issue Kieron does spotlight/ridicule parts of the storytelling mechanic, the machines characters are always trying to find/build/repair as nonsense. 

Such rituals are actually simple. It is about will and art. The machines…in my experience, they are little more than props. All that matters is your action and intent. They killed so the world would die. You die so the world can live.

But still, if we were to accept that Ananke is Just Kieron’s, er, Mask, then it’s like this whole time he’s been the one doing terrible things to all these characters, including the characters that he made me want to love.

And then this question which I’ve been chewing on since 455 AD, whether the characters can ever be free of the roles they’ve been assigned, in a sense becomes a question about whether they can ever escape not Her but Him…

Or what about us? The Audience. The ones that Jamie and Kieron and the others are creating this for.

This isn’t And Then There Were None, is it? No, this is Temple of Doom. Kieron may be Mola Ram, but I’m the Ever-Hungry, Never-Satisfied G--D-- Kali.

All along, Kieron has thrown in these moments where we get glimpses of the broader world, the way it feeds on the Pantheon. And I can get to the end of 1923 AD and say there’s a fascinating battle going on here about the ethics and/or violence of being a writer. But maybe there are also deeper questions being asked of me as a reader.

Maybe the issue begins with Ananke looking at me like that for a reason.

STOP IT, ANANKE. YOU’RE MAKING ME UNCOMFORTABLE. LOOK AWAY.

WORLD WARS, IRL AND URL A last point: 1923 AD is unusual for the degree to which it is haunted by something external, aka war. Even as the story takes place in the effervescent champagne bubble oasis of the Roaring 20s, both the nightmare that was World War I and the possibility of another war which is somehow impossibly much much worse than it hangs over the characters. That’s an insightful take on the period, but also an awe-full twist on the sense of doom that we’ve witnessed in the 21st century Pantheon, their own personal oncoming catastrophes expanded to the scale of disaster for the whole world.

It makes me wonder whether the last act of The Wicked + The Divine will involve something of a similar scale, whether the underlying momentum of the book has not always been toward the culture of celebrity, insofar as it engenders adoration, mob-think and a lack of fundamental care for and curiosity in one another, as sign of our own massive social crisis. (See: Brexit. Trump. The Fights My Dad Gets in on Facebook.)

Are we doomed? Do I still have time to tweet a thread about it? I really think it could make a difference, you guys.

[filmista]

Out Of The Past (1947)

“Nothing in the world is any good unless you can share it.”

French director, Jacques Tourneur's ‘Out Of The Past’ has over the years become what’s considered the best Film Noir ever made, though it somewhat disputes over that title with ‘Double Indemnity’, a lot of people find one of the two the best. 

I have however during the time that I’ve been participating in Noirvember (there’s more to cover), obviously quite a few films in the genre, and I can instantly say without hesitation that ‘Out Of The Past’ has been my favorite one that I’ve watched so far.

It’s also save to say that outside the context of Noir and Noirvember, it’s simply one of the best films I’ve had the pleasure of watching, just one of those films that quite simply put leaves you feeling like you’ve just watched something spectacular and well crafted.

it makes me regret that I didn’t take the decision to participate in Noirvember earlier, anyhow it’s wonderful to immerse yourself fully in a genre, discover and learn about it and obviously watch a few films of it.

And Out Of The Past was along with Double Indemnity one of the films that my Cinema History book kept mentioning (probably one of the first books I’d try to save in a fire) and various corners of the internet kept recommending to me. By now I was immensely curious about the film, even so much as its film poster somehow exuded a certain cool.

So later I sat down to watch it. And I think it speaks very positively of the film, that I watched it with someone who’s absolutely not a fan of anything that’s not in color and so-called Classics, but she claims to have had as much fun with this one as I did.

When we were about ten minutes into the film, and the picture starts to craft an air of mystery and intrigue and you already know something’s wrong, she said “I love this”, “It’s already so suspenseful, it’s like one of those cheap detective books”.

And with that, she pretty much hit the nail on the head. I found out that Noir works closely with pulp fiction, which is actually nowadays usually considered quite cheap entertainment, the thing that’s considered a guilty pleasure to read; but they did sometimes have interesting themes in them, and filmmakers saw that and could work with it.

Noir’s a dark and pessimistic genre, it literally means black in French, that its name is European also has its reason, it’s what French critics started to call the genre, but it fits perfectly.

It originated in a pessimistic period, before and until after World war two, many of its directors and stars, we’re Europeans that fled Europe, so while it’s an American genre, it’s safe to say that it’s a genre in which both continents held each other’s hands.

War doesn’t bring out good qualities in humans generally, but even during wartime, people have been known to undertake courageous and goodhearted actions. And the genre, some films more than others reflect that.

Most of them very clearly seem to say the world is rotten and the people, even the ones that don’t know it are bad, sometimes they become forcedly so; but it very has the idea that everyone has the potential to become a bad person, a person capable of double-crossing and murder, murder seems to be written in capital letter M all over the genre.

Yet under all that seeming bleakness, pessimism, hopelessness and darkness, there are glints of hope and hints at the possibility of a happy ending, the tragic thing about the genre is that it’s acknowledged but it doesn’t go there, sometimes because it’s characters just can’t take that route, they just aren’t able to connect, and chose to either save their own skin or will take a route that’s going to going to endanger them.

And what I loved so much about ‘Out Of The Past’ is that it very much has those elements, and becomes in a way almost a retelling of a tragic, doomed to fail love story, only it shouldn’t have been doomed, the characters made it so themselves.

It very much plays with what other  films in the genre also play with, ambiguity between good and bad, and it has as I’ve mentioned all the elements of the genre, a troubled protagonist whose past comes back to haunt him, character’s smoking like chimneys, a femme fatale, pretty night scenes, and a large part of the story taking place in an urban environment.

But still something about this one is unique; as many people have recognized, out of all the Noir I’ve seen in November this is the one that’s really engraved in my memory. Some people say it doesn’t even seemingly look like Noir, at first sight.

It’s too bright and too sunlit, too much of it takes place in sunlight and in pretty surroundings, that have nothing to do with seedy, crime-filled streets of some films in the genre.

Still agreed it’s agreed that it is Noir, as it has in its storyline and in its cinematography typical elements.

But when I myself thought about it more deeply (and I’m not the only one) you can almost say that the film has two parts, one that looks less typically Noir and one that’s more typically so, night scenes, fights, double-crossing, playing with shadows. But amazingly it watches like one cohesive whole.

It might be somewhat of a lighter one in its genre, literally in its lightning, but also as in that it really builds your hope up and for a moment when you’re watching for the first.

You think everything even after the characters has been double-crossing each other like crazy, you still think it’s two lovers have a chance of being together, but then the film makes sure to remind you what kind of film you’re watching.

And that’s what I found so great about it, that it’s two lovers have moments of happiness and you see what could be there, and because of their own doing, it doesn’t happen, and it’s tragically and sublimely sad.

What I truly loved about this one is watching the relationships between characters, and watching Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer act opposite each other, there’s a ton of other actors in there (amongst them Kirk Douglas) but Mitchum and Greer compliment each other perfectly and it’s a joy to watch. Its storyline doesn’t even really matter too much, and it’s a challenge, to sum up...

Mitchum Bailey is a private detective who tries to say goodbye to his job after a few nasty experiences. As a garage owner, he tries to start a new life with his girlfriend Ann (Virginia Huston). His anonymity, however, is short-lived when thug looking Joe Stephanos (Paul Valentine) manages to trace him on behalf of professional gambler Whit Sterling (Kirk Douglas).

Whit was shot some time ago by his beloved Kathie (Jane Greer). Since then, she has disappeared from his life, as well as $ 40,000. Whit wants her and his money back and asks Jeff to go and investigate. Somewhat cautiously, Jeff takes the job, old habits die hard I guess.

He meets Kathie in Mexico. She tells him exactly what’s going on but nothing about the disappeared money. Jeff believes her, falls for the charms of this femme fatale and tells Whit that he was unable to find her. Soon, however, Kathie doesn’t seem as sweet as she looks anymore...

Does Kathie really care about Jeff? Does she love him despite her inability to endure difficult situations for him and despite her fatalistic attitude towards love? 

And how sincere is Jeff towards her? Has he succumbed to her again? These questions haunt your mind while seeing 'Out of the Past'. 

As traditionally in this genre, the riddles around a fateful love remain unclear. Who is lying, who is honest? Nobody can be trusted and that makes watching a film noir of this level is so irresistible.

And as it should be; you don’t get clear answers to all of these questions, and thus as I’ve seen in a lot of reviews, people speculate and come to their own conclusions when watching the film.

You see two interesting directions: In some Jeff is the victim. An innocent man, forced to make bad choices but who didn’t enjoy them, but who fell victim to the whims and seduction of a femme fatale, to them Kathie’s a monster, that tormented an innocent man, and there’s no real effort to look any further.

No one in the genre is entirely innocent, Jeff’s aware he’s being played but still consciously chooses for the woman he knows is no good, he still acted out of free will, no one really forced him into anything.

And then the femme fatale herself, a monster? Or just a flawed human being that made mistakes? As I mentioned when it comes to that, you see people mostly veering in one of these two directions.

Personally I think she’s one of the most brilliant characters in the film; Greer portrays her in a subtle yet confident way, that’s almost dizzyingly exciting to watch, she infuses her role with confidence (the kind of confidence of a woman who knows how beautiful she is) but at other times also a deep vulnerability and even fear.

Throughout the film she’s in a world that surrounds her with violent men she’s afraid of the man that she stole the money from, she believes he’d never leave her alone and would almost certainly come after her, and she turns out to be right. 

You can understand why she stole the money even, she hated the guy's guts and wanted to get away from him, and if you’re running away from a dude with anger issues, why not do it in a place with an agreeable climate? I certainly wouldn’t like hearing this: 

“You're gonna take the rap and play along. You're gonna make every exact move I tell you. If you don't, I'll kill you. And I'll promise you one thing: it won't be quick. I'll break you first. You won't be able to answer a telephone or open a door without thinking, 'This is it.' And it when it comes, it still won't be quick. And it won't be pretty. You can take your choice.”

The exciting element in Greer’s performance comes from, how composed seemingly even cold she seems throughout much of the film, but when you look closer there’s intense emotion, and she remains a riddle, a mystery.

I spent much of the film trying to read her, and she very much has both bad and good at her, she doesn’t regret shooting a man, and when Jeff fights another man, after she speaks the words “why don’t you break his head, Jeff?” she seems almost aroused watching the two men fight, which certainly indicates some twisted personality trait.

But then she also ultimately seems to really love him, as she later in the film goes back to Jeff and gives herself fully over to him, as she chooses to trust him fully, but he is at this point deceiving, maybe still in love with her, but certainly not willing to die for her, and he’s posing himself as more in love than he really is.

But at this time; Jeff has already decided she can’t be trusted, as he told her:  “You can never help anything, can you? You're like a leaf that the wind blows from one gutter to another.” and he’s unwilling to give her a second chance or to forgive, and on that tragic note, both their loveless fates are sealed. So it can also be regarded in my eyes as a tragic love story, maybe Jeff could even be seen as a coward in his inability to forgive in love. 

The big joy in the film, however, is how good Mitchum and Greer are (that and how beautifully filmed it is), while Greer seems to do not much else than bat her big doe eyes with their luscious lashes at Mitchum and make him fall head over heels with her, she has as I said a subtle emotionality, there’s depth to this femme fatale if it isn’t clear, I loved her performance.

And Mitchum’s Jeff has an air of indifferent, unforced cool, and seems to come across almost as if he doesn’t give a damn about anything or anyone that surrounds him, as if he’s somehow outside of present events, he only seems to care about either Kathie or ultimately himself.

Mitchum portrays this figure almost perfectly. Like Humphrey Bogart (who was considered for the role, but not even Bogie could be at two places at once ...), he has a certain inner peace about him, which gives him independence and self-confidence.

The man behind this film is French director Jacques Tourneur, who made his name in the United States in 1942 with both the artistically and commercially successful 'Cat People' (which is noted on my list of stuff I want to see). Tourneur was a master in creating the right mood and atmosphere and that skill came in handy when he made 'Out of the Past'.

The typical film noir look - with striking use of shadows and contrast - is certainly present here (the fight scene is a beautiful playing around with shadows as well as the scenes on the beach) but less dominant than in, for example, 'Double Indemnity' (1944). It makes 'Out of the Past' a film that looks pleasant and easy and literally and figuratively is somewhat lighter than its genre and contemporaries. 

Out of the past is a dark, cynical treat with an intelligent script, razor-sharp dialogues and a finale that stays with you. Highly recommended!

“If you're thinking of anyone else, don't. It wouldn't work. You're no good for anyone but me. You're no good and neither am I. That's why we deserve each other.”

[stunudo]

One of the Six: A Criminal Minds Fan-fiction

Featuring: OC x BAU Team     Setting: Prior to Pilot Episode

Huge shout out to @dontshootmespence for being amazing and reading this before anyone else.

Self-prompts: Who left the opening in the BAU for Greenway to fill? What was the BAU like before Gideon’s sabbatical?

My name is Bethany Devereaux. I was one of the six agents killed by Adrian Bale and this is my story.

Early Years: 12,865 until 6,075 remain

“I was born and bred in Virginia. So many of my family worked for the government or were military that I never considered doing anything else.”

I had two older brothers: Charlie and Manny. I don’t know how I would have turned out without them, but from day one I knew I was the baby. So I spent most of my waking hours trying to keep up with them and to prove that I didn’t need them to protect me. I got my first set of stitches at four, cut my fingers trying to re-thread the chain on my hand-me-down bike. I wasn’t even tall enough to reach the seat, but I tried fixing it anyway.

I broke my arm at seven after falling down a rocky hill near a creek. I don’t remember the pain. I do remember that it was Manny’s fault and how mad I was that he didn’t get in trouble for it. Even after I walked home by myself to tell my mother what happened. I learned quickly that it was not fair being a girl.

It was off that creek in a small pond that I almost drowned one day in autumn. It had been rainy all week, we were playing soldiers. We made camp along the clean waters. The ground slick in parts and mushy in others. I don’t remember why I got in the water, but I do remember how the sandy bottom held onto my shoes. The muddy muck trapping me, the sunshine fragmented through the splashes of the other kids.

Then suddenly I was above the surface, air stinging my burning throat. It was Charlie, he had found me. He slammed his palm into my bony back as I hacked up the water. He didn’t tell Mama or Daddy, and I didn’t say where the bruises came from neither.

Mama was Cuban, but we didn’t talk about it. She was beautiful: full lips, deep brown eyes. Her hair was long with hints of red in the ebony sheen. She came to America alone and in secret. Old money Virginians weren’t too keen on Communists in the sixties.

But my Daddy fell hard, or so he always told us. Mama didn’t talk about her homeland. The only time I remember her even flinching about it was when I walked in on her crying.

I was, maybe, six years old and I ran into the house to tattle on one of my brothers. She was sitting at the Formica kitchen table, a letter covered in international stamps clutched in her hand. A rosary fell from the envelope, my grandmother’s I later learned. Mama just hugged me tight, wiping away her tears. My mother, the strongest woman I ever met.

I remember the hills, the long drives we took as a family to Grammy and Pop-pop’s place. It was always sunny, I know that isn’t possible, but my memories are bleached in sunlight. We had our sweet tea on the huge porch, Grammy fussing over us and our cousins. She never liked me getting dirty, tried to get me in the kitchen instead of wrestling or climbing in the barns.

Pop-pop was my hero; he was a WWII veteran. He was injured in action which brought him home before VJ Day. Grammy always said it was the best-worst thing that ever happened. He himmed and hawed about it, feeling he still had a job to do. He loved his family, but he loved his country more.

Pop-pop never told me to help my grandmother in the kitchen. Instead he called me “Slugger” and gave me extra hard candies behind Grammy’s watchful eye.

Daddy was in sales, he sold anything he could. Or so we were told. His connections ended up getting him a job in D.C. lobbying for something or another. He was gone, a lot. My older brothers kept me in line though, being a southern girl from a good family meant being respectful.

Being sixteen, a tomboy and having overprotective brothers meant no dating, at least not outright. Charlie caught me necking with Hunter Ashbourne at the drive in one Saturday night. I was grounded for a month. Mama prayed for my soul a whole lot that summer. I can only imagine what we would have put on her tombstone had she known I learned to French Kiss from the neighbor girl Dottie Leland the summer before.

Soon my brothers were out of the house. Charlie joined the Army, while Manny  went away to college in Boston. It was just Mama and Daddy home when I announced I had applied to the Naval Academy. Daddy had never doubted my determination, but the flicker of concern on his face that afternoon hurt my heart.

Mama didn’t look at me, but nodded that it was a good thing while washing the dishes. “The military is a fine place to find a good husband, Bethania.”

My Plebe Summer was set to begin the Monday following the Fourth of July. Most of my friends had summer jobs after graduation, so I didn’t have a whole lot to keep me busy before heading to Annapolis. Pop-pop and Grammy had their usual cookout for the holiday. Pop-pop kept patting me on my shoulder, asking “You ready, Slugger?”

I told him I was, just couldn’t sit still. He laughed, “Well they won’t let ya there neither.” I nodded back.

“Bets? Why don’t you come meet Marcia’s boys, they’re about your age. You remember Marcia and Todd Stevens, don’t ya?” Grammy called from the porch.

I rolled my eyes, Pop-pop laughed before scolding her. “Bets is going to be a Plebe, Doris June, don’t you try making your matches now!” He winked at me, knowing I hated the forced politeness my Grammy insisted on me. I patted his knee, pushing myself up to be re-introduced to the Stevens’ boys, T.J. and Marcus, for the third summer in a row.

I remember the little cousins running with sparklers. I remember the bugs and frogs croaking into the night. But mostly I remember that was the last conversation I had with my Pop-pop. My hero went home while I was learning to salute.

Next Chapter: Navy to FBI to BAU

@criminalwriting @dontshootmespence @criminal-minds-fanfiction @hotchnerfuckmeup @reidoneshots @imagicana @reiding-and-writing @milkandcookies528 @lookingforgalifrey @reidbyers @rachficrecs

[sillyanimegamingroad]

15 worst PC games of all time

There are many best games on different platform like PC, mobiles and consoles. Of course, considering that a game goes unnoticed is a matter that obeys, to a large extent, the perception of the observer. You may well know many games on the list that follows, and that you have even had one of those passionate romances with some of them that last months and years and that have ended up becoming one of your favorite games of the last five years. We do not intend to belittle anyone. We have listed 15 worst PC games of all time that do not get noticed.

… but we do intend to recall some titles that we simply believe did not receive all the attention they deserved in their day . Or that, over time, they have fallen a bit into oblivion. In other words: these 21 games deserve to be rescued (if they are not already part of your day to day life) as quickly as possible, and to be enjoyed as when they arrived in stores. Or for the first time! Complete your summer with a few minor threats.

Far Cry Primal (2016) – PC, PS4, XOne

Far Cry Primal

A very rare installment of the Ubi Soft saga that did not receive much attention due to its radical change in setting (similar in some respects, however, to the first games of the series) and because it was embedded between the fourth and fifth main installments. However, his inventiveness is tremendous, and his approach is so simple and direct that it seems incredible that it has not been fully exploited before : you are a prehistoric man who has to defend himself against enemy animals and anthropoids with what you have at hand, from lean hand-to-hand combat with bows and other weapons of relative sophistication. The idea of ​​taming animals is extraordinary, and the cycle of day and night, each with its peculiarities, is very ingenious.

Virginia (2016) – PC, Mac, PS4, XOne

Virginia

‘Virginia’ takes a considerable risk by proposing a story with criminal roots , but where there is no dialogue. With a very short duration, just a couple of hours, the game is more concerned with its history than with its very simple mechanics, consisting simply of unraveling multiple flashbacks and abundant dream sequences linked to an FBI agent who goes to a small town to solve a problem. disappearance. Its very little interactivity earned it harsh criticism, but its delicious and dreamlike atmosphere is well worth a walk through its many mysteries.

What Remains of Edith Finch (2017) – PC, PS4, XOne

What Remains of Edith Finch

Not exactly a game that went unnoticed, but one that ran into a lot of misunderstanding since its launch, as it was accused of belonging to the (unfairly) hated genre of walking simulators . And although it has many elements in common with the foundational and superb ‘Gone Home’, it also goes much further: here we will walk through the enormous Finch mansion, passing through rooms of all its past and deceased members, and revealing the story of the death of each one of them at the stroke of minigames that transform the aesthetics and main mechanics . Very original and, at the same time, with a very classic and stimulating traditional narrative proposal.

The Surge (2017) – PC, PS4, XOne

The Surge

The sequel had much more acceptance, but the first installment, which went a little more under the radar, is the one that raised all the ideas that came later , and that its creators defined, with a confidence in themselves beyond any doubt, as a mix of ‘Rise of the Robots’ and ‘Dark Souls’ (!!!). That is to say: exoskeletons and robots that distribute firewood and lose limbs, and a meticulous, difficult combat mechanics with multiple possibilities for improvements for our hero. The result is much rougher and rougher than its sequel, and in a sense better, as it has fewer artificial additives.

The Evil Within 2 (2017) – PC, PS4, XOne

The Evil Within 2

A sales failure that neither the few fans of the original title liked nor those who kept asking for a rehash of what ‘Resident Evil’ already offers . However, it is one of the best survival horrors of this generation, much more concise and murky than the first installment, where the elements of action, exploration and crafting fit together perfectly, and which proposes a much more immersive semi-open world. An undeserved failure and a horror adventure, with the same protagonist of the first part but in a much more disturbing key, with a lot of tension to offer.

Nex Machina (2017) – PC, PS4

Nex Machina

This another worst PC games. With the collaboration of the legendary Eugene Jarvis (‘Defender’, ‘Smash TV’), Housemarque’s ever-trusted arcade masters pulled off what could well be described as the best double stick shooter ever . In fact, the game clearly pays homage to Jarvis’s ‘Robotron 2084’ with its minimal plot of mowing down waves of robots , and refines the company’s technique with a perfect action game and multiple extras (from score tables to dozens of challenges). Unfortunately, the failure of the game led the company to declare that ‘The arcade is dead’ and to launch other types of games: the next thing they will do will be ‘Returnal’ for PS5, in a different wave but equally very promising.

Ruiner (2017) – PC, PS4, XOne, Switch

Ruiner

A futuristic ‘Hotline Miami’, tremendously fun and violent, and with an aesthetic that anticipates what we imagine ‘Cyberpunk 2077’ to be. The story does not matter too much (someone hacks our mind and our brother has been kidnapped) when the action is so effective and devastating, but ‘Ruiner’ is somewhat more sophisticated than most games of its style, since it allows improvements in the weaponry, ammo, health and other aspects of the hero. A perfect example of how a simple mechanic like a punch does not necessarily mean neglecting the rest of the aspects of the game.

Echo (2017) – PC, PS4

Echo

Another worst PC games is Echo. A stealth action game with an absolutely devastating concept: you are in a strange palace in outer space (the settings are a true wonder of haunting originality) full of clones of you. Each action you do will be automatically learned by the clones, that is, if you attack frontally with shots, they will too. With this, the very mechanics of the game force you to limit your movements to the maximum so as not to give an advantage to the enemies. A concept so great that it is dizzying and, unfortunately, it did not have the impact it deserved: the indie studio Ultra Ultra had to close shortly after the game’s release.

Moonlighter (2018) – PC, Mac, PS4, XOne, Switch

Moonlighter

Moonlighter is also worst PC games in our list. Shopkeeper by day, adventurer by night. This is the fantastic idea behind this beautiful Spanish indie that mixes management and adventure. You will have to earn money by selling items to other villagers with an economy system that has a certain complexity, and at night explore four dungeons that are generated randomly and where we will find loot … to sell in the store. Let’s add a secluded weapon upgrade system and we have one of the best pixelated action RPGs of recent years.

Bad North (2018) – PC, Mac, PS4, XOne, Switch, iOS, Android

Bad North

Simple but deep strategy game in which you have to defend your lands from the waves of Viking invaders by placing troops on the coasts, improving them and withstanding increasingly ferocious attacks. The levels are generated completely randomly, but that doesn’t stop me from coming up with one of the most accessible and exquisite real-time strategy cases you can throw at your face. One of the best recent examples that simplicity is not laziness in mechanical design, quite the opposite.

State of Decay 2 (2018) – PC, XOne

State of Decay 2

This survival zombie has the elements that made the first installment famous, but enhancing the role-playing ingredients and with an addition to the mechanics: if you die, the perspective changes to that of another survivor in the camp that you had to build from scratch, enhancing the idea of ​​a collective protagonist so akin to post-apocalyptic zombie fictions. The idea of ​​multiplayer inviting friends or strangers is also very interesting, in games that cannot be stopped, to lay a cable with the construction and maintenance of other bases.

Furi (2018) – PC, Mac, PS4, XOne, Switch

Furi

Furi is listed in worst PC games that didn’t succeed. Hack and slash with hints of bullet-hell, focused solely on boss fights, and demanding as much skill as patience. Each combat requires between 15 and 20 minutes to be overcome, and requires memorization of patterns (which change throughout each confrontation) and a lot of tolerance for frustration, since there is no possibility of saving from the game until the boss of rigor has not been defeated. A unique aesthetic and an absolutely indie philosophy are the icing on the cake of a game that is best approached in an almost Zen mood.

Return of the Obra Dinn (2018) – PC, Mac, PS4, XOne, Switch

Return of the Obra Dinn

The creator of the must-have ‘Papers, Please’ gained much less impact with his next game, which deliciously mimicked the graphics of the early Macintosh, lending a perfectly skeletal atmosphere to the game’s plot. Here, an insurance inspector for the East India Company in 1807 boards a ghost ship to identify the sixty corpses of the crew with a contraption that allows him to observe the moment of the subject’s death.

A Plage Tale: Innocence (2019) – PC, PS4, XOne

A plage Tale: Innocence

A Plage Tale is also worst PC games. Dramatic and realistic, but at the same time endowed with a very careful and unique aesthetic, this indie is one of the most remarkable narrative games of recent times, which tells the escape of a couple of brothers in 14th century France from the forces of the Inquisition. The dilemma is simple: using force is not an option, but in the light areas you are in sight of the soldiers, while in the dark you are bait for the rats that transmit the plague. A delightful mix of historical adventures, survival horror, and stealth mechanics.

Arise: A Simple Story (2019) – PC, PS4, XOne

Arise

With mechanics, aesthetics and history that make simplicity its main virtue, this little indie narrates in a while the whole life of a man who has passed away. We will have to accompany him throughout the most significant moments of his existence, controlling small portions of time so that he can advance through his own memories. The small and simple puzzles are part of the game, but what is really brilliant about the proposal is the design and coloring of the scenarios and the striking metaphors about the key moments of any life.

Above are 15 worst PC games of all time that did not get noticed but there are many games that didn’t succeed.

The post 15 worst PC games of all time appeared first on Technoeager.

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[letsimportanttreecollection-blog]

Car insurance whats the diff?

"Car insurance whats the diff?

I got two insurance quotes and one is for 20/40 liability (the state min) and the other is for 100/300 what exactly does this mean.  I know its the amount that they cover, but I only have liability so whats the difference?? Please, help.

BEST ANSWER:  Try this site where you can compare quotes: : http://saleinsurancequotes.xyz/index.html?src=tumblr 

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How do I get affordable higher coverage health insurance?

I live in New York. I'm 22. I was on my college insurance plan, but I lost it when I went on medical leave. I had an extension plan, but that also expired. I have no job because I'm too sick to work. If I would go back to college before I got a job. Right now, I'm on a strictly emergency health care policy with no preventive care that runs me about $188 a month. I need more coverage though. The problem is that I'm not eligible for most plans because I don't work. For the coverage I need, it will cost over $1,500 a month. I can't afford that, I don't have income. What do I do? *Before my college plan expired, I was going to doctors. I am diagnosed with POTS, and I was having sleep studies where I was being treated for day time sleepiness. Never got an official diagnosis, but I probably have Idiopathic Hypersomina. Both of these require occasional tests and I will need to see doctors regularly until I have a treatment plan. I'm also a cancer survivor and need to go back in to get a battery of tests every year or so. Out of pocket, just a an office visit cost around several hundred dollars. (I have no lapse in coverage.)""

Which of these cars in cheapest in insurance?

Out of these 6 cars, can you list in number order from most to least expensive in car insurance? 1. Ford Mustang 2. Infiniti G35 3. Dodge Charger 4. Nissan 350Z 5. Cadillac CTS 6. BMW 3 series""

Car insurance whats the diff?

I got two insurance quotes and one is for 20/40 liability (the state min) and the other is for 100/300 what exactly does this mean.  I know its the amount that they cover, but I only have liability so whats the difference?? Please, help.

Where can I find health insurance as an 18 year old and I'm peregnant?

I'm an 18 year old, I live in Florida, I have a job as a CNA, I'm pregnant and married. I was woundering where can I go to get affordable health insurance and if it's likely that I'll get coverage. I would also like to know an average of what it would cost.""

When looking for car insurance..do I need a car to find car insurance?

I am planning on buying a cheap used car. I dont have it yet so I dont know the make and model yet. Also..is it better to say I got my license at 16? or at 22? Why do they ask all this? What is a good price for car insurance for a 22 yr old full time college student with a 2.98 gpa, im also a part time worker. i only make around 400 bucks a month. Can even afford it?""

Help with Car Insurance?

Can someone explain to me how car insurance works? I know a little bit about it, but I need to know what I'm dealing with because in a few months I'm going to buy a car. I have a lot of people that can help me definately but I wanna know for myself what its about. Thanks!""

Infertility insurance?

Does any one know of a good provider or some one with an insurance rider for infertility? I have great health insurance, except it dosent cover that! I should say that I live in Kentucky. Thanks""

Which type of ticket goes on your insurance?

I know a speeding ticket will show up on your insurance and cause it to be quite a bit more than it was, but do any other less than obvious types affect your insurance? For example, my town has a completely pointless ordinance in which their residents are not allowed to park their cars in the street between the hours of 2 AM and 6 AM, unless you call the police that night and let them know that your car will be in the street, and then they'll just ignore your car if they see it. Well, I decided to rebel and not call last night, so, I wake up this morning to find a nice (still cheap, luckily) ticket on my window. I didn't call because I have gotten away with it each time before, so I figured maybe they don't check my neighborhood. Go figure. But I just don't want my insurance going up because of this and I'm not sure if all tickets are sent to the insurance company. Thanks in advance!""

Was Obama's health care/college system comparison valid?

Tonight President Obama compared the public health care option to the public system of Universities and colleges. He said the public option will work the same way public colleges and Universities without inhibiting a vibrant system of private colleges and Universities. This is a fool's argument and a total apples to oranges comparison. Let me explain, first almost all private universities receive funding from the federal government. The federal government is not going to provide funding for private insurance. The second reason is it's common knowledge that the best Universities in the U.S. are private schools such as Duke, Stanford, and the Ivy League. These universities fill most of the highest paying jobs in the country. Some jobs even go as far as to require a degree from one of these schools (Stock Brokers on NYC Stock Exchange.) These highly paid graduates can donate larger amounts of money back to their respective colleges than the average Joe who graduated from a generic state funded university. No one is going to donate money to the private insurance companies. We can't even get all the people who qualify for insurance to sign up and that's the problem! Look, I have no way of knowing whether the public option will work or won't but when faulty logic is used to support it I become concerned. When most of the people supporting the public option are from California (a state where the middle class is few and far between) I become more concerned. When most of the Senators and Representatives who support the public option say they would prefer the U.S. had a single payer system (that's total government control of health care if you didn't know) I become very concerned. The reality is no one knows what the effects of public option will be. Also, the success of FedEx is not any proof that public option won't hurt private companies because an independent council regulates the mail industry. No independent council is mentioned in any of the plans in the House or Senate. yes or no""

How can I locate the Insurance Company that provides coverage for a California resident?

How can I locate the Insurance Company that provides coverage for a California resident?

17 year old auto insurance? new york?

okay so my parents don't drive...(my bro does tho...except he moved to LA for business for the next year :( ) so my parents want to get me a car...you know so i can chauffeur them places and stuff. thing is i'm 16 and i have a class DJ license (i was able to take the road test because i took drivers ed. ) i'll be 17 pretty soon and i'll have a regular class D license. So i wanted to know even thought my parents don't have licenses and don't drive can they legally buy me a car and auto insurance? please answer! can't find anything online! :)

Whats the cheapest car insurance YOU have ever paid?

Whats the cheapest car insurance YOU have ever paid?

My driver's license was suspended for driving without insurance/license and not showing up for court dates.?

My driver's license was suspended for driving without insurance/license and not showing up for court dates. I did have my license and insurance at the time but did not have my wallet with me. I was wondering how much it will cost me to reinstate my driver's license and if I might have to take the driver's test over again or not. If I have documentation that I had a license and insurance at the time would it help me? I'm in Alabama if that helps. Any answers are greatly appreciated.

I need health insurance as a student! Help?

My parents had the COBRA. Plan until my mompassed. Since then my dad and i have been self insured. My dad has some veterans insurance but i dont have anything. Im 18 and will be a full time college student in september. Are there any affordable plans out there? I make around 10,000 a year for my part time job..""

How much is insurance for a 16 year old boy?

my names Alex im 16 years old and i have my license and a job. i have to cars a 1978 Cadillac coupe Deville and runs perfect but really bad on gas and a 1980 camaro sports coupe sitting since 1994 but runs witch car would be cheaper on insurance

Why not lower heath care insurance than universal health care?

I pay $450 a month for my health insurance, why dont they just cut the cost in half? Then people could afford it. Its alot for me but worth it, i had spinal meningitis at 18 and without id be dead.""

Health insurance for someone under 25 in Georgia?

I was told today that there is a new law in GA that states that if you are under 25 (whether a full- time student or not), that you can stay under your parents insurance. Is this true? If so, when does it take effect?""

When I turn 25 does my car insurance automatically go down or do I have to notify them? (AAA car insurance)?

I heard when you turn 25 the car insurance rates go down a lot, but is it automatic or do I have to tell them?""

Is medicaid good insurance?

Im pregnant, nn I'm currently unemployed, without health insurance, and I was just wondering if medicaid ia good insurance?""

What is the cheapest van to insure?

Ive just passed me test (finally, at 21) and i havent had a car or van insurance quote under 1900.... The cheapest ive had is a peugeot partner pre yr 2000, even smaller fiestas and ka vans are 2000+ are there any vans out there at prices that arent gonna cost me 190 a month""

PPO vs. HMO Insurance?

I am trying to understand pros vs cons of HMO vs PPO. We are a family of three (myself, spouse and newborn). We do not have much health issues. Premium difference is about $150 per month (i.e. HMO cheaper than PPO). But need to understand any limitations of HMO. Is it tough to find a PCP who takes HMO insurance? Or is it people with health complications usually opt for PPO as it is more flexible?""

Health insurance?????????????????????...

should government help on health insurance? y or y not?

How much would a jeep commander insurance cost if you have state farm?

I was wondering how much would the insurance cost and what is the average pay for insurance?

""Who has the cheapest car insurance in Houston, Tx?

I have Geico right now.. I am a 17 year old boy who has a car accident on his record (in june 2010). My rates just went up 300. Who is the cheapest company for my situation. I drive ...show more

""How much should an average home insurance policy cost, for a 3 family home in Queens, NY?""

What coverage is mandatory, what is not but recommended? Thank you for your input. Also if you can suggest an insurance broker that would be really helpful""

Car insurance question ...?

Who is your car insurance company? How old are you? How much is your monthly installment? What kind of car do you drive? I am trying to determine weather my insurance is right for my age. I have Allstate, I'm 21 and I pay $143 a month for full coverage on a 2005 Honda Civic.""

Health Insurance For Full Time College Students?

I overheard another student in class talking about how she gets free health insurance coverage because she is a full time student? Has anyone else heard of any programs or companies that do that? if so can someone give me some links to the sites of those companies? (Because since im no longer in the class with the girl, i cant get it from her)""

Car Insurance?

I just got my license and my parents bought me a used car (03 Nissan Sentra). It has insurance under my mom's name, but not mine. Can I legally drive that car and if I do get into an accident driving it, will it be covered?""

Car insurance whats the diff?

I got two insurance quotes and one is for 20/40 liability (the state min) and the other is for 100/300 what exactly does this mean.  I know its the amount that they cover, but I only have liability so whats the difference?? Please, help.

Audi Q5 2014 car insurance cost houston?

i just moved to Us , Houston and i am 32 year old male so i would like to buy a new Audi Q5 2.0T any idea how much the full insurance ? and is it good car Q5 2.0 T ? Thanks a lot""

Good student discount for car insurance?

so...i just completed my first year of college, and quite frankly i finished up poorly. my GPA is like a little over 2.4-2.5 and my dad is asking if i'll be able to send my transcript to the insurance (my dad is unaware of my grades). no chance of getting some discount or any at all??...i've kept my grades from my dad for quite some time, and now this is totally gonna blow my cover. i'm screwed aren't i? i'm a full time student and the insurance company is american family. so i guess my question is, do they discount % based on intervals of GPA, or is there just a minimum requirement and it's either you get a discount or not?""

Wich car is cheaper for insurance?? 93 civic hb or 91 talon non turbo?

im 16 i would also like know how much cheaper sedans are on insurance than coupes.........and if hb are cheaper than coupes also thanks

Insurance question on a 2008 Hyundai Tiburon GT?

I'm a 16, almost 17 year old male. I got a citation in late May. I have a suspended license until November 3rd, my birthday. how much monthly, and yearly will insurance cost me on this car, roughly? I live in Ohio.""

Does my fully comp learner-driver car insurance cover the accompanying driver or must they be insured too?

I hold a UK Provisional Drivers License. I am insured (fully comprehensive) on my own car. Does the fully licenced driver which I have to have with me at all times have to be insured to drive my car as well (either as a named driver or covered by their own insurance to drive any car) or will my fully comp insurance cover them too? Please no answers telling me about compare sites as I am already insured, I just want more info as to whether my companion driver is covered by this. (I recently asked a similar question and got nothing but links to compare sites so decided to be more precise)""

How much would some general liability insurance cost for a start-up salsa company?

My wife and I are starting a small salsa company selling it at the farmers' market and hopefully some local grocers. We would have no employees and sales will be well below $50K for our first few years. How much would some general liability insurance cost for a this start-up? We are in Lancaster County PA if the area matters. Rough estimates would gladly be accepted!

Anyone have a cheap insurance for a young driver?

I am 23 and I got my license dec 2013 Clean driving record so far I own a hyundai accent 2005 Anyone has a cheap or affordable insurance and is young too? I am in California. Orange County to be specific.

Car Insurance - What kind of coverage is needed for an Occasional Driver...?

Okay, this is the deal, I have full coverage car insurance. This means that the insurance will cover me, if I have an accident that is my fault or if someone else hits me & it's not my fault. I also have insurance that covers me if someone breaks into my car & steals any kind of important items in my car. The Question... I sometimes let other people drive my car, to run errands for me (like driving my car home, cause I'm too sleepy to drive or I'm super busy & need an item from the store & I hand my keys to a licensed driver). I talked to my insurance company & was told they do not have coverage that will cover other drivers unless they are listed under my coverage. The problem - I don't want to list everybody in my family or all my friends. Isn't there insurance coverage that will cover anybody driving my vihecle as long as they are older than 25 & has a valid license? If so, what's the name of this type coverage - I nd to know the name b4 I call other companys. thanks""

What is a 2Dr car that has low insurance rates?

around $5,000 range runs well""

Insurance Car coverage?

My car got flooded bacuase of the Hurricane IKE in the houston area. The current market value of this car is 9k but I still owe 13500 and I do not have GAP insurance. I had an offer for this car three weeks before the hurricane for 12k. As we all know insurance will only pay what it worth now. What are my possibilities for having the insurance pay it off sice this was a natural disaster.

Car insurance.......?

I'm 25 years old and a first time driver and I am currently looking at car insurance and have some questions: SKODA FABIA 1 (60) 1198cc What does the (60) mean, is that the top engine speed? Also I was on Gocompare's car insurance website and I was wondering if the 'Proposer Excess' was added into the Annual Premium price or if it is to be added on top of it. I know these might sound like silly questions but I am new to this and any help would be appreciated. If you need more information just ask.""

Are insurance policies safe...?

I have a life insurance policy on myself that will hopefully take care of a minor. How safe is it now?

Any good dental insurance?

We live in the awesome country of America, oh wait, healthcare here sucks, so we need insurance. My family and I need some type of dental and health insurance, any good ones?""

How can I get cheap insurance for my 18 y.o. son? I got him a 2004 Accord and now we have 2 cars and 2 drivers?

He doesn't live with me - he lives at his moms' who has her own car. How can I make it so he is occasional so I don't have to pay $4000 a year in insurance? Can I just insure the cars and keep them under my name while letting him drive it while he lives at his moms? Will they accept that he doesn't live with me so should be occasional if both cars are in my name? Any ideas how I can do this?

Insurance for 16-20 year old Male?

Hello all, I am currently 16, and i have my drivers license. I am on my parents plan and i pay about $100 a month for full coverage with my parents cars. But here is my real question, I have been saving for a while (5 years) and i have enough to buy a car i have dreamed of buying for a long time. So i am going to, but my question is what would my insurence be if i did? the car is a 2002 BMW M3 SMG. It has 76,200 Miles on it. I am paying $20,000 for it. I am going to buy it weather the insurance is $1,000 or $100. I have a job and can pay for $1,000 if needed.. so if anyone knows a estimate of what it would be, let me know. If it helps, i have had my drivers license for a month. Also after i buy it, i may just not drive it, if it is too much $$$.. so if it would go down for me when im say 17-20 let me know how much =] Here are some pictures of the car: http://picasaweb.google.com/evanesterman/2002BMWM3SMG# Thanks""

How much is car insurance for a 16 year old driver?

I am about to turn 16 in August. And I'm wondering if you can tell me a estimated guess on how much car insurance will be. My family is insured with State Farm. If there is another company that may be cheaper please tell me. My family has several cars under Sate Farm if that makes a difference. I will be driving a 2007-8 Ford F-150 Lariat 2 wheel drive. I have all A's and have over 60 community service hours. If any of this makes a difference. How much will I start off spending and how fast does it get lowered and what will it get lowered to about?

How much do you think my car insurance would be/added on to my mother's insurance?

I'm 18 and just now getting my license. My car is a 2001 Ford Focus ZX5 that I bought for $2500. My mom is going to add me to her insurance which is $50 per month (I know that is outrageously cheap I'm so jealous lol). I just want a loose loose estimate because I'm also in college so I'm only working 15 hours a week at minimum wage.

""Does anyone know of an auto insurance provider that does not require a credit check in Vancouver, WA?

I switched from Progressive to Allstate online about a month ago. I started the policy and paid the premium. Now I get a letter from Allstate saying they are unable to carry a policy for me due to my poor credit. I'm angry and totally disagree with my credit score having anything to do with my driving ability. I refuse to do business with any company that uses a credit score to determine auto insurance rates or availability.

Do you have health insurance?

if so, how much is it per month? how old are you? what kind of deducatble do you have? Feel free to answer also if you do not have insurance and do you support obamacare?""

Which Governor of California made car insurance a requirement?

I was just wondering why car insurance companies make millions in profits and suck the money out of us (car insurance payers). But Since it is not a federal requirement to have insurance. It exist in a state level. so yea which governor of california made car insurance a requirement to have ? :)

About bussines car insurance.?

I have plan to be selfemployed(car mechanic) and I wanna use my own car for my bussines proposal.So what kind of insurance i need to buy? I have problem to choose between trade insurance and bussines car insurance. Sometimes I will need to use my customer's car to pick them up to garage, but mostly I will use my own car and I wanna put advertise sticker on my car with my contact details. (one time i was stopped by police and I had before adverise on my car without bussines insurance, but they let me go and I had to take the stickers off) Have you any idea about which insurance is better? Many thanks""

Cheapest Car insurance in New Jersey?

Looking for cheap car insurance companies in New Jersey.

Auto Insurance Traffic Violation Question?

Ok, I am trying to get some new auto insurance quotes from other companies. My problem is I have a few moving violations. One speeding ticket and one ticket for running a stop sign. They ask me if my violations have happened in the last 35 months. They said I can be 30 days off of the violation date, if I can't remember the exact date. I can't remember the date or even close. I know I can call the DMV and get a copy of my driving record for around $10. I am just wondering if there is an easier way of getting this information. Possibly through the internet. Thanks""

Applying for insurance?

if i have a title to a vehicle that has just been signed over to me can I purchase insurance or can i just give the vehicles description & get insurance that way. thanks for any help.

How much would I have to pay for car insurance?

I'm an 18-year-old male. I have been driving for almost two years, including permit time. I should have no tickets on my record (I had one but I was able to get it off with a kind of probation). I'm in college as a B average student. My dad has been with Allstate for awhile now, has had only 1 or 2 tickets in the past five years or so. The car I want to get insured is a '97 Acura 3.5RL with a Nav System and high security system. Any help is appreciated, but answers with numbers will be greatly appreciated. I know there's a lot of factors with car insurance, but if anyone can, I'd like to get an rough estimate.""

Car insurance whats the diff?

I got two insurance quotes and one is for 20/40 liability (the state min) and the other is for 100/300 what exactly does this mean.  I know its the amount that they cover, but I only have liability so whats the difference?? Please, help.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/newtown-square-pennsylvania-cheap-car-insurance-quotes-james-collins/"

[redwine-house]

Golden Years Ch.16 (Negan x Reader)

Sympathy for the Devil

Summary: You explore the infancy of your relationship with Negan as your drug operation takes off. Life is good until the satellite outpost is attacked. 

(Ao3) (Wattdpad)

(Masterlist)

Words: 1,945

As a recovering drug addict, it was obscenely ridiculous for you to be driving down an empty road with a few grams of heroin left in your bag, just itching to be shot into your bloodstream. However, this was the end of the world and you had to fight for every scrap of food and every sip of water that kept you alive. The old rules were a thing of the past and you had to do anything that kept yourself breathing.

You and Dwight had been sent out on the first heroin run and had been on the road for two days. Already the flatbed of your pickup truck was filled with canned goods, water, and even weapons. People had given up protection for drugs. Not a single bullet or drop of blood had come from either of you, and you were just under 20 miles from the Sanctuary, which meant that you were within radio distance.

Dwight picked up the two way radio, making sure to keep one hand on the wheel. “We’re about out. I think we’re going to head back and see if we can push the rest on our way.” There was a beep as he let go of the button. The response was almost immediate.

“See, I knew you two would kick ass!” Negan’s voice was static-y as he shouted into the speaker. “Come on back and we can talk shop. Now how much are we hauling?”

You took the radio from Dwight. “You’re gonna need a bigger truck.”

There was more static as Negan laughed. “Now you’re just whispering sweet nothings into my ear, sweet girl.”

Your cheeks dusted a light pink as you felt Dwight’s eyes briefly fall on you, and you were acutely aware of their scorn. It had been four days since you had first kissed Negan and it had been far from a one-time occurrence. The sudden outburst of emotion had spurred a romance between you and your fearless leader and it was both overwhelmingly exciting and bizarre. You quickly learned that Negan had invented PDA; he had absolutely no qualms with pouncing on you in the hallways. But for how tarnished his reputation was and how roaming his hands were, he never did anything without your permission.

You remembered your first day at the Sanctuary, when he showed you the rapist who had been condemned to the walkers’ yard and how disgusted Negan had been. It was confusing, how someone could be so adamantly against something while coercing five women to marry him.

You had decided to focus on his soft touches.

The part that had truly shocked you was the reaction of your peers. Suddenly there was an air of fear around you. Conversations would hush when you walked into a room and eyes were adverted when your gaze shifted.  Evidently, being the object of Negan’s affection put you in a place of authority. If anything happened to you, Negan would be furious, and no one wanted to step on your toes.

But what had changed the most was Dwight’s attitude towards you.

You slammed the radio onto your thigh. “Okay. What is your problem?”

Dwight looked back at the road. “Nothing,” he muttered.

You barked. “No. You have been glaring at me like I pissed in your cereal. Either knock it off or tell me.”

The Savior’s grip on the wheel tightened. “He’s a monster.” Dwight’s voice was dark.

One of your hands clenched into a fist. “You don’t know him.”

With a screech, Dwight stomped on the break, sending you flying against your seatbelt. He turned to you and you immediately shrank. There was a fire in the man’s eyes that you had never seen before. “I don’t know him? You’ve only been here a few months and you think you know Negan? That man is the devil.”

A need to protect your more-than-friend was overwhelming and Dwight’s words made you grind your teeth. “Why, because he kills people?  Just because he’s more…flamboyant about it-”

“He likes it.”

At that, you had no justification.

“He took my wife.”

It was as if the breath had been taken out of you. “What?” The truck continued to hum idly as Dwight gathered the strength to talk.

His words started off slow. “My wife's sister, Tina…she was diabetic. Obviously her insulin was hard to come by and it cost a lot of points. She ran out and Negan gave the option of marriage. We decided that running away would be a better option.”

You blinked. “That’s why he burned you.”

“I’d be dead if my wife hadn’t offered to marry him in Tina’s place.”

You turned and looked out the window. “Let’s go home.”

“So you’re just going to sweep this under the rug?”  Dwight’s voice had raised in volume and ferocity.

“Drive!”

You fell into an uncomfortable silence.

Negan and several cronies were outside waiting for your return. It took everything in you not to jump out of the truck like a bat out of hell, but you were able to maintain your composer and slid out onto the tarmac.

“Well, tickle my pickle!” Negan boomed as he crossed the yard. “That is one serious haul!” He leaned over to examine the goods and looked to you. He sent you a charming smile. “Did you find it?”

Dwight and his accusations melted away at Negan’s toothy grin. You sent one back. “Yes, I did.” You stepped onto one of the back tires and began to rummage through the supplies. You felt a pair of hands take a firm hold of your waist. Negan didn’t want you to fall.

It took you a minute to find what you were looking for, so you felt triumphant when your fingers finally wrapped around a jar of apple butter. “I got it!” You hopped down and handed over the jar. “I doubt it’s good.”

Securing Lucille under his armpit, Negan unscrewed the top and smelled the jam. With a gag, he closed it. “It smells like ballsack.”

You held your hands up. “I told you. I don’t know why you want it so badly. It’s a perishable. I’ll keep looking for it, but I doubt I’ll find something that’s edible.”

He wrapped an arm around your waist and brought you to his chest. “Because I’m a Virginia boy. I’d blow Dwight here for some soft serve from Carl’s Ice Cream.”

If Dwight heard Negan, he ignored him as he continued to unload the truck.

Negan pressed a kiss to the burned area of your face. Although you couldn’t feel it, your heart fluttered. “How can you stand it?” you questioned.

“You’re like a goddamn toasted marshmallow.” He lifted your chin, looking sly. “Everyone who’s old enough to jackoff knows those are the best kind.”

You pressed your fingers to his lips. “How many women have you kissed today?”

At this, Negan’s eyes narrowed and the corner of his mouth quirked upward. He looked impressed by your awareness of the situation. “None as pretty as you.” When you still looked unimpressed, he huffed. “Or smart? Jesus.”

“Smooth.” You smiled smally before touching your lips to his. Early on you had decided that Negan had to work for affection. Sure, you could accept the whole package, but you weren’t going to easily be like one of his wives - just another woman, an option he could choose like an outfit off a coatrack.

You slid your arms underneath his jacket and wrapped them around his chest. He was warm from the sun and heavy material. Somehow Negan always managed to smell good and it only made you pull him closer.

Negan sighed into your mouth. “Shit. No one’s kissed me like this in years.” He squeezed your hips.

“You mean I’m doing it on my own free will?”

Negan’s eyebrows shot up as he held you back. “Excuse me?”

Your heart skipped a beat as you desperately racked your brain for a cover. You ran your fingers through his hair, touching the hint of grey. “I just mean that a lot of women aren’t always so confident in their decisions.” You waited anxiously as Negan analyzed you, clearly still suspicious. If he didn’t believe you, he didn’t give any indication.

He ran his knuckles down your cheek. “Calm down, sweetheart.”

“Negan!”

You all turned at the sound of Simon’s roar. With a screech Simon pulled through the gate and jumped out of the van just seconds after it stopped moving. Slamming the driver’s side door shut, he stormed over to you.

Although Negan stepped away, he kept a hand on the small on your back. “What’s going on?”

“My men are gone!” Simon’s face was beet red as he shouted. “They’re dead! Every single one at the satellite outpost!” He formed his hand into a gun and touched it to his temple. “Fucking shot in their sleep!”

You heard the leather of Negan’s glove squeak as his grip on Lucille tightened, but it was the only thing that gave away his fury. “Get Gavin and Regina and go to the conference room. We’ll talk in ten minutes and if you get there after me, you’re late.” He looked at Dwight. "Dwight, follow Simon."

As Simon rushed off, you spoke. “Who would have the guts to make a move like that?” You were truly stunned and from the looks of things, so was Negan. “Certainly not Gregory.”

Negan ran a hand down his face. “Guy’s busy diddling kids or running around in some clothes that make him invisible.”

As stressful as the situation was, you couldn’t help the smile that blossomed on your face. “Hans Christian Anderson.” For a moment you had forgotten just how well-read Negan was and your attraction for him surged. Placing a gentle hand on his cheek, you left a soft kiss to his jawbone.

He pulled you to his side. “You’re coming. It’s a real dick disco in there and sometimes I think it becomes more about who is right than an open discourse about the most effective action.”

“Do you think they’ll be apprehensive?”

Negan snorted. “Perhaps you haven’t seen how things work around here…” he let his sentence trail off as the snarls of the walkers wafted into the air. Stepping aside, he opened the door to the Sanctuary for you. “They won’t even look at you wrong, now that they know we suck face.” He followed you inside, triumphant by your obvious embarrassment.

As you expected, the entire council was present and accounted for and as Negan said, none of the members batted an eyelash at your presence. Silently taking the furthest seat from Negan, you waited patiently for him to settle at the head of the table. Rather than sit, Negan placed Lucille on the table and gripped its edge with both hands. For a few seconds he stood there with his head bowed.

“I can’t think of an easy way to say this, so I’m just going to spit it out.” Negan looked up, making sure to catch the eye of each Savior. “Simon has informed me that someone has mercilessly taken the lives of some of our own.”

Regina was the first to speak. She jerked forward and slapped her palm on the table in fury. “Who?”

Negan sighed and shook his head. “We don’t know. But whoever it was, they’re cowards. Everyone was slaughtered in their sleep. They couldn’t even face us like men!” His shout echoed off the walls. “Now, we’re here to figure out who these people are and how we’re going to make them pay.”

“Well, how we’re going to deal with them isn’t really a debate, is it?” Simon asked. He leaned forward. “They murdered my men! So we kill every last one of these pricks!”

“You know that’s not how we do things here, Simon,” Negan said firmly.

You shifted in your seat. “These people killed a whole outpost of Saviors without detection. We could use them.”

Negan smiled. “That’s my girl!” He looked at Simon. “We make these pricks piss their pants. When they go to sleep, I want them to see this handsome face in their nightmares. When people are scared, they do what you want. It’s basic Machiavellian politics.”

You covered your mouth and looked at your lap, trying to hide your blatant admiration. Whether your comrades knew about Machiavelli and The Prince, you didn’t know, but Negan certainly did.

Simon sucked at his teeth, clearly biting back words. “I’m just…concerned.” Simon’s words were slow and well thought out. He knew he was dancing with the devil by questioning Negan’s judgment so blatantly. “This was a pretty fearless move.”

Negan grinned. “Oh, Simon,” Negan said softly, “everyone’s afraid of something.”

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