#are there even still sonny with a chance enjoyers out there

[myloveforhergoeson]

all i’m saying is james diamond and chad dylan cooper should meet okay?

[bettycanavosio]

For all your ocs, so you have something to do hehe :3

👪 💐 (that's something I really wanna see because you create such a good pictures :33) 🎵 🔫

cracking my knuckles. buckle up!!!!!

👪 / what is their family like? what is your ocs relationship to them? does your oc have any siblings?

💐 / create a bouquet for them! what do those flowers mean? are any of the flowers their particular favourite?

🎵 / what is their playlist like? their favourite artists? do you associate a particular song with them?

🔫 / do they trust people easily? how easily will they turn their back on someone? have they been backstabbed before? will they betray someone if given an ultimatum?

cain romero

👪 THE WORST. he had a brother and killed him in a play fight gone horribly wrong but it was believed to be out of envy (it wasn’t, his family were just very catholic). they’ve blamed him ever since. as a child he thought prayer would bring his brother back to him. it never did.

💐 i see a variation of white flowers for him idk. daisies, lilies, etc, but regardless they all blur into a white flag

🎵 not sure tbh but now i think about it, that one line from sun bleached flies by ethel cain that goes “god loves you, but not enough to save you” reminds me of him

🔫 yes and no. yes because who else does he have to trust? no because if he has nobody to trust, why start now? it’s very complicated for him and often ends in broken friendships

nina romero

👪 not great. love was shown through money (ballet lessons) and it was only given if she was good at what she did.

💐 orchids, tulips, and daisies <3 orchids and tulips often reflect luxury and love and daisies are new beginnings :) there’s also something childlike about daisies. and she is always reaching for her childhood

🎵 she pretends she likes classical music to cope with what she dances to but let’s be real. she loves rock n roll but would never ever admit it. ever

🔫 no <3 she doesn’t trust anyone and only just trusts her husband. but she’d never turn her back on someone, especially if it’s to win something. otherwise she’s just proving she really is bad at the skill she claims to have

lou camelio

👪 they hate him. a lot. they hate him for being loud, his identity, his clothes, his arrogance. the list goes on. but to him it’s alright, because he hates them too

💐 in my mind i immediately saw dead, dried roses. he would probably tear them up and put them on a cake. don’t tell him they’re not edible because he doesn’t care

🎵 love that burns by fleetwood mac for his dramatic ass

🔫 yeah to be honest. he trusts a bit too easily, especially when he’s not sober. i think he’d give a stranger the keys to his car for fun. he hasn’t got it in him to turn on someone, but if he did, it’d be him turning on himself

andie franklin

👪 i mean. they’re fine. passive, but quite supportive too. “idk what you’re doing but i love it sweetheart!!!” kinda parents. until she went a bit crazy

💐 peonies, water lilies, and lavender!!! mainly for the smell to be honest, i feel like she’s very physically affectionate and brings you close and you think wow you smell good. also i think it’s a fun mix

🎵 she is a bob dylan enjoyer and she’s way too vocal about it in interviews!!! however she’s mainly inspired by the artists of the new york school, so john cage, earle browne, etc

🔫 no. but when she trusts, she trusts hard. however, if you break her trust, she still might give you a chance. but just one!!!!

sonny dresden

👪 oh they do not get him. they’re all so angry all the time where sonny is quite literally. well. like the sun!!!! he doesn’t know where he gets his optimism either

💐 you can’t pinpoint one flower because sonny loves them all. you could bring him a dead flower and he’d be like aww :) for me? :) but i think he encapsulates a sunflower <3

🎵 hmm i’m not sure. good old-fashioned lover boy by queen seems very him

🔫 yes!!!! because there is so little life why waste it!!!! (<- him even after dealing with the consequences of trusting too hard)

seb van doren

👪 he comes from a family that value rich people although they’re… not rich. no it doesn’t make sense but in summary: he was raised to be a pompous asshole

💐 hmm. he strikes me as a hydrangea kinda guy. i feel like he’d just stand there and look at a bush full of them and be like wowww. then realise he’s looking too vulnerable and look away

🎵 he is so annoying about jazz. big charlie parker enjoyer. you’d think being in a rock band he’d let the jazz go. but no. “maybe we should do more jazz” “jazz is dying” shut up seb!!!!!! nobody cares!!!!! (i care)

🔫 no. end of

bobby montgomery

👪 what family! there is only music!!!! no but really he has no parents. he was raised by his aunt like peter parker. and she’s sweet! but she is also scared!!! scary rock music oh no

💐 violets and bluebells!!!! there is something so delicate and deep about them both. quite like bobby

🎵 he is one of those “i like everything” people. which is actually true. he enjoys listening to lou and seb bicker about different music genres because he thinks it’s funny they’re valuing one over the other. he reminds me of violin by kate bush

🔫 yeah but it’s not deep. when lana said “i’ve found that when you keep secrets, your secrets keep you.”

from here

🔫 no way. as you can imagine her marriage is very healthy! but she’d never betray someone, especially not in the name of a competition. otherwise she’s just proving how bad she is at the skill she swears to have

lou camelio

👪 ummm they hate him. oh they hate him so much. he was

from here

[latex-gloves-fetish]

Sports Betting Strategies That Work

These days there are a number of on-line alternatives that use these solutions free of charge or for a reduced fee. It takes a little bit of job to find out to use them initially once you learn just how to make use of these tools they can be an outright game-changer for your results. Removal video games https://medium.com/@casinohowtowin/a-comprehensive-comparison-of-major-gambling-and-betting-strategies-74099f8fd8bc are additionally essential as they supply possibilities to make the most of the despair of a team that's up against the wall. If the leading group has won by close margins the public might still miscalculate them by emphasizing the collection lead as opposed to a rational analysis of just how the video games actually played out. The primary idea to soak up here is that oddsmakers don't established chances and lines based entirely on what they think the game's end result will certainly be. Sportsbooks additionally intend to draw in approximately equivalent activity on both sides of a wager to safeguard themselves from a potentially huge loss.

What is the most effective betting method?

An over or under bet.Over or under bets per team.Handicap success, i.e. victories with

a distinction of numerous goals.Low winning odds.Half-time bets.Early or late objectives.

The bankroll is the amount of money you will deposit for your betting endeavors. This quantity, no matter your scenario, must be a sum that you can pay for to lose. Where lawful on the internet sports wagering is not presently offered. If you have actually experienced a streak of losses, don't attempt to offset it by making fast bets with a lot of money. Hold your horses as well as make certain to wager properly so things don't get out of hand. Produce accounts on as many different sporting activities betting websites as feasible.

The Pareto Concept In Sporting Activities Betting

This rings true, especially when it involves basketball groups which have actually seen particular changes of current. It goes without claiming that the most apparent distinction between the fundamental and also the advanced NBA betting approaches originates from the truth that the last require much more know-how. Simply put, so as to see to it that you will be able to use these techniques correctly, you ought to add to your knowledge regarding NBA.

Occasionally you'll see something like "Ohio State is 7-3 versus the spread as a favored at home this year" in sporting activities betting coverage.

Despite how much you can manage to play, wagering is an enjoyable method to match seeing sporting activities every week.

You are free to develop any system you want in order to place the high quality of teams or specific athletes, but Elo Ratings can be an excellent starting point.

Continue till all numbers in the series have been crossed out.

Bookies enjoy new clients, which is why they use great welcome promos. These range from Bet £ 10 Obtain £ 20 offers to a return of investment if your bet loses, and many more. Tony Blossom is a popular sporting activities gambler from Britain, and also is well known for making big amounts of money from sporting events. ' The Lizard' additionally took part in several distinguished online poker competitions. Sonny Banks, or So Cash as he's recognized on Twitter, is a Canadian sports punter, with a reasonably huge audience of 24,000 followers.

Associated Live Roulette Overviews

But you need to be able to remove yourself from the result you desire and also instead select one of the most likely to happen. The other hand is that you can squander when your choice is losing. It might reach a point where the video game is tied or even really close, permitting you to squander for a small loss or perhaps to recover cost. In the 2022 NFL season, the Kansas City Chiefs were priced as high as 1000 prior to the very first game of the period. So, if you positioned a $100 wager at those chances you would certainly obtain make a $1,000 earnings. You need to have greater than just a suspicion or feeling concerning a wager and also rather, back that up with information that can be related to guarantee you get on the right lines.

Heat vs. Knicks odds, betting strategy: Simulation value, series pick ... - SportsLine

Heat vs. Knicks odds, betting strategy: Simulation value, series pick ....

If the bet sheds they need to include the complete amount bet to the right of the line after that return to tip 4. This suggests that assuming they take the very same amount of cash in wagers on both heads and tails, for every 1 unit they take, they pay 0.9 devices, and keep 0.1 devices as revenue. If you were to do this then you would certainly need500 winning runs without a losing streakof approximately 7 simply to break even. That's virtually difficult and the primary factor whyThe Martingale technique does not function. Actually, most individuals are going to run out of money much faster than they make it. The benefits are extremely small as well as risk, for most people at least, can be very high.

ECOGRA is a global testing firm that recognizes as well as manages the globe of online gambling. It examines to see whether on the internet gambling establishments are sincere, fair and safe. ECOGRA is words on accountable gaming and also secures gamers against unfair methods. The roulette video game that you pick can have a big effect on your technique. Our tip is to always adhere to solitary absolutely no wheels like European or French live roulette.

Matched Betting - Get the best matched betting offers & tips... - talkSPORT

Matched Betting - Get the best matched betting offers & tips....

Make sure to pick a live roulette method that deals with your play style and also money. Prior to you choose an approach, check that it compares with the wagering limits of your live roulette game. Some dynamic systems can require bigger maximum wagers that may not be possible. For example, if the minimum bet for a game is $10 and the maximum is simply $500, then you can just double the minimal wager 6 times before striking the optimum.

[anyathefandom]

*Plays wii mii theme song* Hey y'all...so I'm back again with another post nobody asked for but I'm here to deliver. Here with another post of who can FUCKING GET THE STEPPING RIGHT THE FUCK NOW!!!! and who can stay because ✨Y'all are my problematic angels✨ So heres the list...☺

These raggedy bitches can leave

Carly: I was entertained by one scene and then right back to hating her screeching ass.🤷

Willow: She was never my favorite but damn the writers really obliterated any chance of me really liking her. I mean as soon as they tied her to michael it was downhill from there🤦

Michael: How does carly's and aj's son turn out to be so damn boring? No spice. No flavor. Just bland.

Sonny/mike: Haven't been interesting in forever. Honestly let him live out his cowboy dreams and leave the mob.🤠

Peter: A deranged Great value William Shakespeare. That's all I have to say about this whiny man child.

People who are skating on thin ice

Cyrus: Stop obsessing over your mama and laura so much. That shit is creepy my dude. Otherwise I don't care if you fuck up the corinthos fam.🤷

Cameron: I'm going to need liz to take him to get some counseling because I'm over this wild behavior (over franco of all people)

My problematic angels that can stay

Elizabeth: *Quotes an historical saying* *clears throat* 🎶I love you bitch!*strums guitar* I ain't never going to stop loving you bitch🎶

Trina: She deserves only good things and whoever opposes can perish🤷 (no problematic energy in sight)

Sasha: That's my girl😘 She's been through so much and things are looking up for her and I'm going to need it to stay that way.

Brook lynn: I just love how chaotic she is even though it can get her into trouble most of the time🙈

Kristina: I wish they would show her more often. Honestly her and brook lynn would be besties because I've always said they have the same energy.

Alexis: I've always loved alexis. I know she can be a hypocrite at times but she knows that and tries to be better and has character development unlike some people on this show. She is a mess but always strives to be better and I hope she comes out stronger than ever from jail. 😘

Chase: I swear the only people who legit hate chase are hardcore millow stans who just want to prop michael up. Because how could you ever hate chase. The guy is an angel (not even problematic).💫💫💫

Valentin: Ask me two years ago how I felt about I would be happily drinking his tears of pain but now valentin is one of my favorites. He's so enjoyable to watch.👌

Spencer: I have a feeling he'll defiantly add some fun drama to teen scene. They need it after all this traumatic shit they've been through. Can we please let the teens have fun this summer?!!

Britt: She better not get done dirty because of jason. I love her more than jason and that's just facts.

People who need to come back!

Johnny fucking zacchara: I love this man your honour.

Ethan: It's been years and still want to see kristina and ethan have an honest shot together and I miss the brotp of ethan and johnny.

People who can come on down!

Alec barrett: Give me the josslyn x Alec pairing. Brenda and carly would be livid. I want all the romeo and juliet shit.🙌

Lila rae alcazar: Don't know a thing about her but I just know she's that bitch. I don't make the rules.🤷

*Sidenote*

So I know there are people I didn't list and thats because I kind of don't care that much about them. I don't hate them. I don't love them. I'm just fine with them being here.🤷

[cycat4077]

Valentine’s Day S&M

A Sonny x Reader Valentine’s Day fic  Rating: Safe for work despite the title :) Words: 1064 Inspired by this post comparing 20x11 and 21x11. I actually had to look up the exact definition on urbandictionary too don’t judge me and found an oddball entry that had Sonny written all over it. Headcanon accepted! (Special thanks to @clevervonskelli​ for bearing the brunt of all my Sonny ramblings.) Links: Below the cut or on AO3

You had gone out with Sonny Carisi over a dozen times, each as enjoyable as the last. The two of you had met by chance, starting out with coffees, then dinners, followed by other activities which allowed you to enjoy one another’s company. He was a complete gentleman and courted you like one too. You had yet to visit each other’s apartments, which is why it was a bit of a shock when Sonny revealed his plan for Valentine’s Day. It was the first one you would spend together and he told you that he wanted it to be special. You were to meet him at his apartment and he’d let you in on the surprise once you arrived.

The anticipation of spending a romantic evening with Sonny, whatever it may be, made you completely giddy in the days leading up to February 14th. You were falling for him hard and you were ready to tell him as much. You went out and purchased a box of chocolates from the local confectioner Sonny had been eyeing up for a while and hand-crafted him a card. It was decorated in lace, lightly fragranced with your perfume and signed with a few x’s and o’s.

Finally, Valentine’s Day was upon you and the Italian detective instructed you to text him when you arrived at his building. Within a minute of doing so the door was swung open and a full blown Carisi-smile greeted you. Stepping inside the building’s foyer, he placed a soft kiss to your cheek and handed you a bouquet of deep-red roses. He already knew you so well. You thanked him, breathing in the floral scent and finally allowed your eyes to scan him bottom to top. He wore a crisp white dress shirt and a tie that matched the colour of your roses. His hair was expertly styled, as always, and his blue eyes were gazing at you with the utmost affection. Your heart swelled in your chest.

“You look stunning,” he breathed even though you hadn’t yet removed your coat. You blushed and your mind drifted to how he would react when he finally saw the little red number you had on underneath.

“You look handsome, yourself,” you replied with a grin. Sonny’s smile widened.

“So, I know we usually go out,” began Sonny, his smile turning mysterious, “but I was wondering if you’d like to come up to my place for some S&M.”

You nearly dropped the bouquet in your hands. Your brain short-circuited, leaving you baffled and completely speechless. You just stared, wide-eyed and petrified.

Then Sonny began to sweat. Beads of perspiration formed at his graying temples. His brow grew worried and he didn’t know what to do with his hands. With each soundless second that ticked by he became more and more troubled.

You took a step back from him. You and Sonny were taking things slow and it had been perfect. A few soft kisses to say good night and some light caresses were as far as the two of you had gone. You couldn’t believe what he was now proposing, but you guessed that people start to expect things once you have been dating for a while…

“Doll, what’s wrong?” he finally stuttered, breaking you free from your shock. “Do you not like that? I thought I’d surprise you with my cooking but if you don’t like spaghetti, we can go out instead.” He was wringing his hands together nervously, worry consumed his features.

“Spa-spaghetti?!” you coughed out, knees giving out a little.

“Yeah…” his voice trailed, clearly not on the same wavelength as you. “Spaghetti and meatballs, S&M.” Sonny’s blue eyes were as innocent as ever as he stared at you expectantly.

He doesn’t know.

“Sonny,” you lowered your voice to a whisper in case someone was nearby, “that’s not what S&M means.” He quirked an eyebrow at you, lips pursed in confusion. “Here,” you stated. Pulling out your phone, you called up Google and turned the screen towards him.

His eyebrows shot upwards. The further down his irises flickered, the redder his face became. Sonny’s mouth parted but no words came out as he shifted his head back up to look at you. “I’m…I’m so sorry,” he managed. “I – I didn’t know. I would never expect – Oh my God.” His hands grasped the back of his neck in panic as he continued to profusely apologize.

“It’s okay, Sonny,” you attempted calmingly.

“I feel like such an idiot!”

You couldn’t help but chuckle. “You didn’t know! It’s okay! But now you can see why I was spooked there for a minute.” You were all smiles now. Only Sonny Carisi would think S&M meant spaghetti and meatballs and you adored him even more for it.

Sonny was still embarrassed and too nervous to reply. You could tell by his frightened eyes that he truly believed he had ruined Valentine’s Day.

So, you decided to set the record straight. “You know, I really do love spaghetti and meatballs, especially homemade. And after all the bragging you’ve been doing,” you winked playfully at him, “I hope your cooking lives up to the hype.”

Sonny finally relaxed and allowed a warm smile to spread across his face. “Great!” he replied eagerly. “I’ve had the sauce simmering all day!” He then grabbed your hand and led you up the stairs to his apartment.

Once inside the cozy little flat, your senses became overwhelmed by the aroma of Sonny’s cooking. It smelled heavenly! He took your coat, momentarily rendered awestruck at your outfit underneath. Snapping himself out of it, he delivered you a compliment on how gorgeous you looked before he headed into his kitchen.

The two of you sat down to eat at an intimate little place setting. There were candles scattered about, low lighting and a decorative vase for your roses at the center of Sonny’s dining table. The two of you laughed lightheartedly about the earlier misunderstanding but also shared in deep conversations. You presented Sonny with his gift which led you both to confess just how much you cared for one another; a passionate kiss across the table affirming that love in a tender and intimate way.

That night you enjoyed the most delicious rendition of spaghetti and meatballs that you had ever tasted. But as for dessert, well, that was still left to be decided…

 Happy Valentine’s Day! 😘

[realize-who-i-need]

MID SPOILERS(?):

ok so, i just finished midnight in salem 10 mins ago let me discuss some things. lets go likes and dislikes:

likes !

- more characters (though i feel like they could have been fleshed out more, didnt care for anyone other than the hardys, mei, deirdre, and lauren)

- the pancake and potion making games were fun

- drama with ned (i wish there was more, its so fun to see them argue and make up)

- the hardy boys were the saving grace of this game, i love them so much, even if they looked a little strange in this game

- dad actually answers back?? woah

- connections to history (tituba, the hathorne/parris name changes, etc)

- NANCY WENT OFF ON THE CULPRIT! actually showed a true confrontation where the culprit argued back and it almost seemed like the judge was gonna believe them over nancy. nancy really held her ground and presented the evidence well

- the town was cute if u put it on high quality

dislikes !

- i could make a whole post about how this game is clearly unfinished but we’ve all heard that and we all know, her interactive did not make this game, it’s a shell of a nancy drew game, but it was still enjoyable if u forget that it’s supposed to be connected to the previous 32 games

- if you’re gonna make a crowd in the town (it wasn’t really necessary) at least make enough npc designs where there isnt 3 of the same person next to each other. lmao.

- why the fuck can you not call bess and george?? they weren’t even mentioned? we got hardy boys ned dad and deirdre but.. bess and george,, her best friends,, arent in the game at all

- the new voice actress has a nice voice, but she is not a good actor. god. even the side characters had more emotion when speaking. she sounded so flat, like she was reading the script out loud for the first time. it really fucked up the flow of the conversation, when someone would say something like a normal person and nancy replies like a person actually trying to sound like they cant act. it wasn’t unbearable but it just made me skip thru most of the conversations

- there were like, no puzzles. a nancy drew game with like 5 puzzles max? fr?

- there was no danger to die throughout the game. nancy drew games are known for the strange and creative ways to “die” and use the second chance, but were there any at all? like maybe with the drowning part but other than that??

- there were no parts where nancy had a limited time to sneak thru someone’s stuff. there wasn’t any sneakiness at all really, and the closest that it came to was finding the tituba letter which causes lauren to find u immediately and have no repercussions. this game is way too safe

- nancy is a coward omfg. she wouldnt even attempt to get into mei’s room or the evidence room or anywhere she wasnt allowed, which is her THING! nancy sneaks and snoops and does questionable legal things like breaking and entering and flat out stealing for her cases. it makes u feel like there is real risk. there was none of that in this game :/ not my nancy

- soooo many cut scenes. it felt like watching a movie rather than playing a game

- this game wanted to force you to play how they want (ex: not letting you leave an area before finishing talking/looking around), while in past games, u could fuck around for hours and explore and play minigames wherever without having the game hold your hand or force cut scenes onto u. it was so jarring, id get annoyed when characters would randomly stop me while im trying to follow my own path

- the jumpscares? thats when i was fully thrown off and it felt like a movie. they were unnecessary tbh, nancy drew games have never relied on jumpscares to create the atmosphere of the game

- the characters speaking did not match their lips it was kinda funny

- there’s definitely more i can’t think of but these are the main points

- no actual easter eggs, and not enough reference to older games. no sonny june??:?:?

in conclusion:

i enjoyed it as a game but not as a nancy drew game. everytime i remembered i was playing as nancy drew, i would notice the bad stuff and get annoyed easily. i think everyone in the clue crew should play it, but expect it to be very very different than any other game. this is not only a new game design, a new voice actor,,, this is a new nancy. i hope the future games consider the fanbase and the charm of the original games :(

[carisi-dreams]

ik your not taking asks rn but hear me out: nick bottoming for sonny for the first time in the polyam!au [please]

u got lucky because I’m not taking requests without prompts right now...but I forgot about that and started writing this. so here it is!

“I want you to fuck me,” Nick gasped into Sonny’s mouth.

You paused where you were stripping your shirt over your head and nearly tumbled over as you took a step forward and collided with the dresser. Twin noises of concerned went up, but you concentrated on finishing pulling your shirt over your head and tossing it to the side carelessly. When you could see again you were met with twin looks of concern and amusement, although Nick’s had a layer of embarrassment over the top like a thin layer of cling film.

“I’m okay,” you hurried to say as you crossed the room. You climbed up onto the bed and kneeled up. “As you were.”

You gestured to them expectantly with a matching look on your face. Or maybe it was impatience. Probably excitement, too, now that you thought about it. When they didn’t immediately resume kissing you tried to tamp it all down. The last thing this moment needed was more pressure, but you couldn’t help how much you were looking forward to finally seeing Sonny fuck Nick. It was going to be amazing.

You slid a hand into your panties and arched your eyebrow.

“I was kind of enjoying the show…” you drawled with a teasing smile.

Sonny shook his head and laughed before dipping in to kiss Nick’s cheek and then backing away to push his pants down over his hips.

“Well, if it’s a show the lady wants…” Sonny sang.

He sat on the edge of the bed and beckoned Nick over to him. Nick leaned down to kiss him and Sonny began unbuttoning his pants. He was taking his time and he whispered something to Nick that made him laugh and had you pouting. Nick glanced over at you and upon seeing your pout pulled away from Sonny and pushed him back on the bed.

“I think someone’s feeling a little left out.”

He finished unzipping his pants and stepped out of them, taking the time to fold them in half and then toss them into the chair in the corner. Next went his socks and when he caught your eye again you licked your lip at him.

“C’mere, doll.”

Sonny interrupted your eye fucking in favor of dragging you across the sheets towards you. He pulled you down into a kiss and held your head in place with one hand and slipped his free hand in your panties. You jumped a little when he stroked your folds lazily and he chuckled into the kiss before probing with more intent. He circled your clit once, twice, three times before backing away and resuming his lazy petting.

“Sonny,” you gasped into his mouth.

Beside you the bed dipped as Nick climbed onto. Sonny chuckled and rolled you under him.

“Need something, doll?” he quipped even as he coaxed your legs over his shoulder and began slipping your panties off your hips.

“Don’t be a tease,” you chastised.

The stern look on your face was exchanged for another open mouth gasp when Nick leaned down and swirled his tongue around your nipple. He used his other hand to massage your breast, plucking at the nipple and coaxing it into a hardened peak even as Sonny let your legs fall open and back to the bed. You were caught between sensations, Sonny kissing his way down your torso and thumb petting your clit, Nick pressing hot kisses to your breasts as you tugged at his hair. You were damp immediately, feeling sweat begin to collect around your temples and your lower back.

“Going to make you come first so you don’t feel left out,” Sonny mumbled before dipping down to press a kiss to your wet core. He kissed you there again and you squirmed and tensed your toes.

“I definitely don’t feel left out,” you managed to squeeze out breathlessly.

When he finally began eating you out it was as if time suspended. The only thing you could concentrate on was sensation. The subtle roughness of Sonny’s tongue. The warm and heavy grip of Nick’s hand. The slickness of Nick’s lips when he swallowed up your moans and caught you in a kiss. Sonny was doing something fancy and pulling out all the stops to bring you to and over the edge. His tongue swirled in a steady pattern of what seemed like shapes or maybe letters and he had two fingers inside of you. You could hear how wet you were and you fought the urge to squeeze your legs shut amidst being so on display. As if he could read your mind, Nick’s warm palm drifted down your body and landed on one of your inner thighs. It was a weighted reminder and a comfort and it was only a few more minutes before you were coming hard and squeezing your eyelids so tightly you saw stars when you finally relaxed back into the bed.

Sonny slunk up your body and pressed kisses to your skin along the way. He pressed a kiss to your chin and cheek before nudging Nick to the side and slipping his tongue into your mouth. You could taste yourself and rather than flinch away you let him continue to devour you. When he finally pulled away you more breathless and you still couldn’t bring yourself to open your eyes.

“Now.” Sonny’s voice sounded slightly farther away and the weight on your body lightened. “I’m going to fuck Nick and he’s going to come for me just as spectacularly.”

You shuddered at the rawness in Sonny’s voice and slit your eyes open just in time to see Nick’s face slide from nervousness to arousal. He was propped up on his elbows on his back and Sonny leaned down to kiss him slowly. You watched as he took his time again, slowly pressing Nick back into the mattress and taking him apart piece by piece before there was even the rustle of a condom or the slick dribble of lube.

“Going to take it nice and slow,” you heard Sonny murmur.

Nick’s arms were wrapped around Sonny’s torso and he had an ankle wound around his shin.

“I’m ready,” Nick muttered back.

“Maybe,” Sonny allowed. “Still going to take this slow.”

He resumed kissing Nick and started to pet along his body. His torso, his arm, his side, his thigh and then back to cupping his face. All the while rolling his hips into Nick and seeming to delight in the way Nick’s strained up to meet him. The friction wasn’t enough, even you could see that, and now that feeling had returned to your fingers you turned to fumble on the nightstand for a condom and lube. Sonny was just pulling back, mouth open in question and delightfully flushed, as you turned back around and tossed the items next to Nick’s hip. He smiled at you in response and you winked.

“I’m definitely going to come again,” you said under your breath to yourself.

You squeezed your thighs together to feel the friction and watched rapt as Sonny drizzled lube over his fingers before going back to kissing Nick. His hand disappeared between them and you could tell by the intake of breath when Sonny’s fingers had found their target. This continued on for another several minutes with Sonny fingering Nick and Nick rolling his hips into Sonny and beginning to make these delicious moans that you hoped you’d never forget the memory of.

“C’mon, Sonny,” Nick urged. “Can’t wait much longer.”

“Oh, you’re definitely going to come from my dick. Don’t you worry.” Sonny’s smile was wide and only slightly smug when he pulled back again. He caught your eye and gestured to the condom. “Care to do the honors.”

You nodded and wiped your fingers on your inner thigh before snagging the foil packet and  carefully ripping it open. When the condom was in your hand Sonny backed away. You caught a glimpse of Nick’s face, wrecked, and swore you may come without any friction at all if this kept up. Sonny’s dick jumped in your hand when you rolled down the condom and you took your time making sure it was on, with an added stroke just for your own enjoyment, before resuming your place on the bed beside them.

“Think you should turn around,” Sonny encouraged lowly with a private smile. “Will probably be more comfortable.”

Nick shook his head.

“Want to see your face.” A beat and then quieter. “Please.”

Sonny leaned down and kissed him hard.

“Course. We’ll go slow. No rush.”

“Yes, there is,” Nick grit out. “Unless you want me to come before you’re even—oh.”

Mid-sentence and Sonny lined up and then slowly beginning sliding inside. He paused when the head was in, enjoying Nick’s momentarily speechlessness no doubt, but also scanning his face for signs that he should stop. When he didn’t see any, he continued at the same pace. You watched as a bead of sweat gathered in his hairline and then dripped off his forehead and onto Nick’s torso. Before you could think more of it, you leaned over and lapped it up.

Nick groaned loudly and you shared a smile with Sonny before pressing a sloppy kiss to the head of Nick’s cock. His groan turned into profanity.

“Oh, shit.” You backed away and when he strained, first towards Sonny and then you, you took pity on him and took the head in your mouth again.

“You feel okay?” Sonny asked.

“I…” You pulled off to give him a chance to catch his breath and find his words. Sonny was completely inside him now. “Yes, I feel—you can move,” Nick encouraged. “It feels—oh, right there Sonny, right there, oh, fu—“

With a kiss to the underside of his jaw you felt back to the side and enjoyed the show as your hands drifted between your thighs.

[thesportssoundoff]

Playoff Droughts And Who Can Break Theirs

Joey

Baseball season is approaching and in the interest of breaking up the monotony of what figures to be a LONG and painful spring training, I wanted to take a peek whimsically while looking backwards. There's no more enjoyable story than when a team that's been excluded from the postseason dance for quite some time gets their invite. Sometimes it's years of hard work and team building and other years its due to ownership just throwing money around and sometimes? It's just a fluke luck circumstance not to be repeated for quite some time. For the sake of doing something of a bit of a project, I decided to take a brief look at teams that have not made the playoffs in over five years. I chose five years arbitrarily I suppose because to me five years or more without a playoff run is a genuine drought whereas four or less just feels like a lull regardless of expectations. Yankees fans may consider three years without the playoffs to be a drought whereas that's if anything a lull or a break in tradition. Teams that have been out of it for five years or more are teams that are either mired in long term BAD baseball or embracing mediocrity at best and so five years just felt right. Also I wanted to do it since the invent of the two game wild card but then it would be literally just three teams and nobody wants that.

Of the eight teams who have missed the playoffs for five years straight or longer, who are most likely to break that streak and join the dance? Well...

1- Philadelphia Phillies Last Playoff Appearance: 2011

Last year's darling picks, the Phillies have been out of the playoffs since 2011. For fun facts, 2011 was also the first year of the Chromebook, snapchat and the release of Elder Scrolls: Skryim. If you read this space for MMA? 2011 was the year Jon Jones beat Shogun for the LHW title, the Strikeforce HW Grand Prix started and Alistair Overeem's UFC debut. It's been a while and to the credit of Philadelphia, they've tried a multitude of ways from riding out the final years of aging veterans to rehauling their farm system to spending and spending big. It's not for a lack of trying they haven't made it back to the playoffs! Last year they seemed armed to roll through a perceived weak NL East with big names and big money across the board. Of course little did we know the Nationals would be better without Bryce Harper and the Phillies wouldn't even crack the top two of the division. Out goes Gabe Kapler and in comes Joe Girardi who will be tasked with VETERAN MANAGING his way through this ultra talented and underachieving roster that has added the likes of Zach Wheeler, Didi Gregorious as well as Andrew McCutchen who was lost early into 2019 with a torn ACL. The Phillies boast an insane line up as if Didi and Cutch are healthy and productive then you've got a core of Jean Segura, JT Realmuto, Didi, McCutchen, Rhys Hoskins and Bryce Harper. The rotation is pretty damn spiffy (health permitting) with Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Zach Eflin and Jake Arrieta plus flostam as a fifth if need be. The Phillies are always going to be a team that has slumps magnified and streaks glorified (such is life with Bryce Harper) but I can't see them not cracking the playoffs in some form or fashion this year. If they don't make the playoffs, we may need to try and discuss if there's some kind of a curse out there on the Phanatic.

2- Cincinnati Reds Last Playoff Appearance: 2013

Gotta admit I had no idea the Reds had a playoff cameo back in 2013. Guess that's just one of those years lost to time. Fun facts of 2013? Grand Theft Auto 5 came out that year, Yahoo purchased this hell site and the UFC brought women into the organization for the first time ever. The Reds spoke openly about wanting to spend a bit in the offseason and so they did, flexing some financial muscle with deals for Mike Moustakas, Shogo Akiyama and Nick Castellanos to help out a lineup featuring the likes of Joey Votto, Nick Senzel and Eugenio Suarez. If the Reds are going to make a serious run of things, it'll likely be on the arms of a rejuvenated Sonny Gray, mercurial Trevor Bauer and the league's best kept secret to casual fans Luis Castillo. There's obviously going to be concerns about a team that hits a lot of dingers but strikes out a bunch and a somewhat unheralded bullpen but the Reds have power, they've gotten better and they've got a cadre of arms to flex at any time. Also? The NL Central figures to be up in the air as the Cubs seem to coast with the core they have until the rebuild comes around, the Cardinals and Brewers underwent massive changes and the Pirates figure to be flat out bad. There's never been a more clear path for the Reds to make some October noise.

3- Los Angeles Angels Last Playoff Appearance: 2014

The year is 2014. In the real world,  Colorado legalizes the purchase of wacky tobacky, selfies became "a thing" in need of forever going away and the occulus rift creates a youtube grift genre. Sports wise? The MLB struggles through record rating woes, the Cowboys finally break through in the Jason Garrett tenure with a 12-4 record, the UFC is undergoing massive upheaval as stars retire or are suspended for PEDs, Bellator hosts its first PPV which in turn leads to the ousting of Bjorn Rebney for Scott Coker and LeBron James leaves Miami to go back where it all began in Cleveland. That's the last time the Angels saw a playoff game and it's been beaten to death at this point. "WHY DON'T THE ANGELS MAKE THE PLAYOFFS DURING MIKE TROUT'S PRIME?!" is tired and done to death but for those of you who feel the same way, 2020 marks the BEST chance for that to become a fad question (or perhaps just morph into "WHY CAN'T THE BEST PLAYER IN BASEBALL WIN THE WORLD SERIES ON HIS OWN?!") since the Angels are pretty damn loaded for bare. With the Astros about to endure a pretty weird season and the A's always lurking, the Angels will roll into the year with three bonafide superstars in Anthony Rendon, Shohei Otani and Mike Trout. The pieces around them aren't bad shakes either as Andrelton Simmons is a defensive whiz, David Fletcher is one of those solid under the radar types and the rotation isn't flashy but it should be competent with minor league depth to make moves if they see a big fish out there. The Angels would've been higher up had they gotten Ross Stripling and Joc Pedersen in a deal but since that fell off, I feel like 3rd behind the Reds and Phillies is a fine spot to put them in.

4- Chicago White Sox Last Playoff Appearance: 2008

2008 will probably best be known as the year of change headlined by the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States. It was the year Fidel Castro stepped down in Cuba. China got the olympics in Beijing and people were TOTALLY cool about that with nary any controversy whatsoever. Beyond that? 2008 was the year I got into MMA and that was a special time, dudes. It was also the year where the White Sox saw their last real sustained succeed with its last postseason appearance. The White Sox feel like they've been in a rebuild since pretty much the end of the Ozzie Guillen tenure and despite multiple managers, multiple attempts to figure it out, rebuilds aplenty and some damn good talent coming through the organization, it's been a rough go of it for the majority of 2010 to 2019. Put it this way, the LAST time the White Sox made the playoffs, Chris Sale was a 22 year old rookie and Paul Konerko was still an active player. They've got a chance to kick off this next decade as a bit of a sleeper team in the Central. This team can hit and one can assume that another year of development for phenom talents like Yoan Moncada and Eloy Jiminez can only help. Tim Anderson for better or worse has a style and swagger that generates attention but it is fair to remember that for at least one half a season, he was a phenomenal player worthy of the acclaim. The White Sox have tried hard to secure elite free agents (Manny Machado and Zack Wheeler) but it's been a bust so at this point it's going to be up to them to draft, develop and trade for it. It would not surprise me if the White Sox are good enough in June and July to make a big deal to try and push them over the hump and chase for the second wild card.

5- San Diego Padres Last Playoff Appearance: 2006

The Padres last made the playoffs in the year of the Nintendo Wii. Floyd Mayweather hadn't even come up with his Money Mayweather gimmick yet! Lost to baseball obscurity, the Padres had at the very least an interesting team out west. The likes of Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr, arguably the worst defensive outfield in the history of the universe and freakishly good young arms like Chris Paddack and Joey Luchessi at least made them fun to watch. They weren't "good" but this is a team that was still struggling to balance expensive veterans with clout (Machado, Eric Hosmer, Will Meyers) with really good young talent trying to figure things out. The Padres figure to be better with a full season of Tatis Jr, more production from guys like Hosmer and Machado plus improvements in the outfield with Tommy Pham and Trent Grisham (hold your jokes, Nats fans) figure to give this team a chance. There's a pretty good bullpen (Emilio Pagan is a sneaky nice pick up) and plenty of talent in their 26 man roster. The NL West has so much legit top talent with the D-Backs and Dodgers figuring to be really good that it's hard to make an argument for the Padres to be a playoff contender but they figure to try and trying is truly half the battle.

6- Miami Marlins Last Playoff Appearance: 2003

It's kind of a bummer that we didn't get our decennial Marlins "The fuck?" World Series win but they made up for it by giving us Jeffrey Loria and David Samson fucking things up for most of the decade leading to Derek FUCKING Jeter opting to get into the management game much to the chagrin of most folks on all sides. The Marlins are in the midst of rebuilding....again. Don't expect them to compete but they've got some good talent to at least want to see play. Brian Anderson, Caleb Smith, Jorge Alfaro and a bundle of veteran signings that will at the very least make the Marlins a fun trade partner in July will keep this team relevant. Wouldn't surprise me if the Marlins flirt with a 20 win swing from where they were last year.

7- Seattle Mariners Last Playoff Appearance: 2001

My god man. The Mariners were SO close in 2018, winning 89 games and finishing a few spots out of a Wild Card spot. As if they decided that this core couldn't do it, the Mariners went to work tearing their team apart and were rewarded with a pretty blegh squad that was once again picked apart at the deadline. To their credit they have some spiffy talent worth watching, namely the infield duo of JP Crawford and Shed Long. They’ve also got some fun young arms who might take the next step. Just don't expect them to win many games.

8- Detroit Tigers Last Playoff Appearance: 2014

The Tigers are aways away from being contenders. They're not trying to be contenders. They're in the midst of what could best be described as a multiple year rebuild after riding out the end days of the core from the start of the 2010's. They will be bad but god bless 'em for embracing it.

[pika-ace]

In the Heights AU-Watership Down plot,part 7

((Hey @kikabennet, @thisstableground I got some bunny!Ruben for ya :3 ))

Back with Usnavi,Kevin, and Pete, the next day they wake up to their guard harshly yelling at them to wake up for the day. Their mark drinks in the morning and eats in the evening, being stuffed in a den for the rest of the day. Lee comes by to taunt them as they huddle together inside, asking Kevin specifically if he has anything to say. Kevin wisely stays quiet, though he defiantly glares at Lee,who makes a point to shove Pete over,as he’s the smallest one there. When he leaves Kevin remarks to Usnavi, who is helping Pete up, that Lee makes his blood boil. Pete says if he was a little bigger he’d be able to beat him up, he’s sure of it. Usnavi agrees that he’d love to rough him up, but if they do anything right now,they’d be swarmed with Owsla. They have to wait for the right moment so they can escape. They begin to try and talk with the other Efrafan prisoners, though only Vanessa is really willing to talk. She tells Usnavi not to hold it against them,everyone here has been through a lot. When asked about how long she’s been here, she replies that her mother and her were captured when she was still a juvenile. Her mother is already dead however,killed by a buck who found it enjoyable to beat her up. She’s not going to have that happen to her,she’ll either escape from here,or die trying. Usnavi tells her that she must be incredibly strong to have gone through this so long and still have hope. Finally,after hours of waiting, it’s their mark’s turn for silflay. They go up to feed on the little grass left over from the other marks,Usnavi carefully watching for any moment they can take to escape. As they feed another buck is paraded around the mark by an officer. His eyes are downcast,and his ears are ripped to shreds. Vanessa has a pained,saddened look in her eye. That was the rabbit she was telling Usnavi about, Ruben. The escorting guard calls for the marks attention, introducing Ruben to them. He says that Ruben is not allowed to eat at this time. He glares at him and growls at Ruben to tell them why he’s here. Ruben tells them that he’s here for the Mark to see him. He’s speaking quietly, so the guard, named Ian, hits him and yells at him to speak up. He repeats his sentence louder than before, also adding that he’s been punished for trying to leave the warren,and that the council was merciful to him. He’s shaking as he says this,and all the others feel sympathy for him and horrified at his treatment. Ian advises the mark to let Ruben be a lesson to them. If they try to leave,the punishment will be even worse. He escorts Ruben back into a tunnel. Vanessa explains that Ruben is their friend,even though he could have been part of the Owsla he never even thought about it,instead trying to orchestrate escape attempts, despite the danger. She fears that it’s becoming too much for him however;buck prisoners are generally punished worse than does, and she wonders if he’ll ever recover from this trauma even if he does escape. Usnavi,knowing that they must take the chance in a few moments as silflay is about to end,urges Vanessa to go with them. They can still come back and get the others after forming a plan. She refuses, saying that she’s staying with the others here;if she leaves them,who will keep their hopes up? She’ll distract the guard as the others make their getaway. Usnavi promises that they will come back for them,and to not give up hope. She’s ultimately a little confused that this rabbit who she’s just barely known for a day is making such a big promise, but there’s something in his eyes that tell her he’s not lying. Usnavi thanks her for her help and silently communicates with Kevin and Pete with body language, telling them to get ready to run. Vanessa calls out that she sees a fox,it’s coming to eat them all! This causes a panic from both the guard and the mark as everyone wildly runs back into the burrows,except for Usnavi,Kevin and Pete, who tear off away from Efrafa. They head in a different direction than The Heights, so as to not lead anyone back to there home. It isn’t long before they hear a patrol of rabbits after them, led by Lee. He demands for them to halt! They won’t get away! Of course this only causes them to run faster,towards some hard metal tracks in the ground. A screaming long beast(train) is flying down them,with a bright shining eye and smoke coming out of its head. Kevin yells for them to keep going, don’t be afraid, and don’t look in it’s eye, you’ll freeze up! Usnavi and Pete make it across,but two of the Efrafan officers,tackle Kevin just as he’s about to cross over. It’s a struggle for a few seconds and torturous for Usnavi and Pete because they can’t do anything. Just at the last second Kevin is able to knock them down and jump out of the way,leaving the two officers to get crushed by the smoking long beast. Captain Lee catches up finally,but can’t follow due to the beast blocking the way. He swears with hatred that he WILL find them again,and when he did,their whole warren would pay for the deaths of his strongest bucks. The recently freed prisoners don’t go home right away,they decide to try and cover their tracks by crossing a small stream,and hopping in wildly different directions, before being convinced that they aren’t being followed. Then they make their way back towards The Heights, making sure to be alert for nocturnal predators. When they finally make it back, Eliseo, who had been keeping watch while the others were still discussing what to do,happily greets them and calls out for the others that they’re home! Everyone is so very relieved to see them,they were so worried, what happened!? They go inside to the main den, where it becomes clear from the deep scratches on their hind legs and exhausted faces that they’ve been through some bad times. Sonny after quickly nuzzling all of them,goes to grab some of Abuela’s herbs that’s she’s gathered for these types of situations, though she hates that she has to use them;she doesn’t want anyone to be hurt! As their wounds are being tended to Benny raises the question again: What happened? Usnavi sighs and tells everyone to settle in,(even Eliseo is poking his head in) and tells them the horrific tale of Efrafa. (Freedom! :-D I’ll be changing a couple things from what I said in character descriptions, so when I’m done with the whole story,I’ll edit it and resend it.)

[supernatural-rewatch-3]

Bloodlust

And enter Gordon Walker, an antagonist that we have for a few episodes to come. This episode picks up a little after the previous one. Dean has finally rebuilt the Impala and is ready to go. He’s not as strung out as before and has calmed down quite a bit. To the point where Sam even notes that he is in a good mood. They head out to find a case, thinking it has to do with a cult or something and instead stumble on a mess that changes Dean’s entire world view.

I have said before, not on this blog, that Sam and Dean seem to represent different generations of hunters, or rather different ways of doing things. Dean is the old fashioned hunter. He has the classic car, listens to classic rock, still uses cassette tapes, has the whole ‘shoot first and ask questions later’ mentality, an still sees the world in black and white. Dean still has the idea of hunters are heros, they protect the innocent normal people from the supernatural, and if there is something supernatural then they kill it.

Sam is the more progressive of the two. He doesn’t follow a ‘commander’, he doesn’t see the world in black and white. This might be in part because of his childhood friend Amy, who killed her own mother to save Sam’s life, or it might be because of Sam’s time away from hunting, or even because of Sam just hating hunting; but Sam believes everything has to potential to be good and they only need to kill the monsters that do evil things.

Combine this different world view with they new loss of their father and the other issues going on in Dean’s head and we already have a recipe for a bad confrontation. Enter Gordon. Like Dean, he has a black and white view of the world. Like Dean, he gets a certain level of enjoyment out of hunting, and like Dean he has a more accepting attitude to being a hunter. Unlike Dean he is very closed minded. He can’t even imagine that anything supernatural has the capacity for good even when the evidence is in front of his face. Dean had actually liked Gordon a lot at first, Sam even saying he was trying to fill the void John left with any other hunter he could, and Gordon just happened to be there. However Dean isn’t blind and when he sees just how far Gordon is willing to go and how sadistic he is because he doesn’t even see the supernatural as living beings, he is disgusted.

Sam risked his life in this episode to prove to Dean that not all monsters are bad. Some like Lenore just want to live in peace. And Dean, the moment he sees that Lenore has the capacity for good, flips a switch. Instead of helping Gordon like he was intending to do, he told Gordon that he would have to kill Dean if he wanted to get to the vampire nest. Dean is treating these vampires just like any human he would be trying to protect, putting his life on the line to protect them because even if they aren’t exactly innocent they didn’t deserve to die. We also see Dean’s whole world view is shattered, and he even asks Sam how many monsters did they kill as kids that didn’t deserve to die. And Sam, being the amazing little brother he is, is telling Dean that what matters is that Dean didn't kill the vampires, even if he still hated them and wanted to kill them. Sam is trying to tell Dean it is all going to be alright.

I also am thinking about the story Dean told Gordon and I have pretty much made a headcannon that the incident Dean is telling Gordon about happened directly after the episode ‘Bad Boys’. I think that that whole experience changed Dean significantly, because it was the closest Dean ever got to getting out, that Dean had been offered a chance to have a normal life with Sonny and dean chose to go back with John and Sam to go on a hunt because he had to be with them. And that after they killed the thing they were hunting, after they finished the job Dean realized accepted that decision. He had given up on the dreams of being a rock star and a mechanic, the idea of ever having anything ‘normal’ or getting out of hunting when it was all over because this was his life and even if he was offered anything else he would still return right back to hunting afterwards.

[heroquills-a]

✮  : ━  ROMANCE HEADCANONS ! ❫

tagged by: nvm @babylonbrains tagged me and i didn’t see bc tumblr is a BITCH ASS MOTHER F tagging: if you haven’t been tagged yet, i tag you if you wanna do it

NAME: Sonic 

NICKNAME: Sonny, Blue / Big Blue, Blue Blur, Faker, and an assortment of insulting nicknames from various enemies

GENDER: Cis Male

ROMANTIC ORIENTATION: Demi-panromantic demi-pansexual

PREFERRED PET NAMES: i dunno if he really prefers any of the ones he has ? unless it’s from someone special to him then he’ll probably lean more into favoring it so uhh i guess faker...

FAVOURITE CANON SHIP(S): i don’t believe there are any canon ships for sonic ? besides... sonamy maybe, since it’s kinda implied here and there, and i do like the ship but i’m not a huge fan of how canon typically portrays them anyway so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

FAVOURITE NON-CANON SHIP(S): i think most sonic ships can be enjoyable if written well but...if it wasn’t glaringly obvious already i’m very biased towards sonadow

OPINION ON TRUE LOVE: it probably exists ? sonic’s been all over the world and has seen plenty of examples of true love. he just never experienced it himself but he’s fine with that but ofc in recent times he’s fallen quite hard in love and he can say its a messy, difficult experience but the pay off is turning out to be quite lovely after all

OPINION ON LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT: pffft, yeah right. crushes and attraction at first sight, sure. but love at first sight ? to put it in the words of garnet steven universe, ‘love takes time, and love takes work. you have to at least know the other person. and you literally have no idea who or what i am.’

HOW ‘ROMANTIC’ ARE THEY?: sonic... doesn’t usually have the intention to be romantic, he’s just got a natural charm to him and enjoys flirting only because... he just thinks it’s fun. but i don’t think he actually realizes or intends to come off as romantic when he does so lmao. he just likes being a charmer bc it’s exciting and he likes exciting things. although it’s a completely different story when he’s actually in a relationship with someone. i say sappyness isn’t his style but it turns out sonic’s the biggest sap out there when it comes to who he’s in love with. ‘cause when he’s in love, that person tends to occupy his thoughts a lot and he’ll end up showering them in non-verbal affection via doing nice things for them, being physically affectionate if they’re comfortable with each other, and inviting them to ‘go out’ (aka go out on some crazy adventure that’ll likely result in death defying stunts) he’s not very good at expressing his feelings verbally, and when he does it usually ends up coming out really sappy and cheesy (which he’ll embarrass himself over)

IDEAL PHYSICAL TRAITS: i don’t think he has a preference really? because what really wins sonic over is personality and that’s what matters. but uhhhh,, anyone who can keep up with him or beat him in a fight/put up a good fight he’s sure to find attractive... 

IDEAL PERSONALITY TRAITS: patience definitely, sonic’s very spontaneous and has little patience himself for most things, so anyone who’s willing to put up with that along with the many adversities he has towards relationships & everything that comes with is a plus. having a good heart w good morals is good too. he also likes banter and playfulness and just having a general sense of ‘this is someone i can have fun with’. 

UNATTRACTIVE PHYSICAL TRAITS: ehhh... i guess lack of hygiene upkeep ? even sonic who runs all the time and tends to work up a sweat a lot and has nomadic living tendencies still values hygiene maintenance so like. there really is no excuse

UNATTRACTIVE PERSONALITY TRAITS: excessively annoying or pushy people who don’t mind his personal boundaries, overly boastful, mean spirited attitudes that put other ppl down, boring/no fun allowed types

IDEAL DATE: you know that one scene in sonic x where theyre on prison island and amy busts sonic out and she’s like ‘so will you finally take me to go do something fun?’ and sonic’s like “whats more fun than this?”? yeah anyway sonic’s ideal date is as stated earlier, going on some kind of death defying heart racing high intensity adventure that probably involves lots of running and fighting robots. but honestly anything that gets the blood pumping and the heart racing is sure to be ideal in sonic’s mind. he also doesnt mind sharing a good meal. but honestly, all it comes down to is getting to spend quality time with his partner. thats what he loves about it the most

DO THEY HAVE A TYPE?: uh... red......strong.......temper..........sharp teeth..... can keep up with him.................. can kick his ass,

AVERAGE RELATIONSHIP LENGTH: assuming sonic actually agrees to a relationship it’d probably be long-term ? if he really loved them and they were willing to stay that committed

PREFERRED NON-SEXUAL INTIMACY: just sharing physical contact in general. while it’s a scary thing for sonic considering he’s touch repulsed over pushy fans/ppl invading his personal space he’s also simultaneously very touch starved and craves physical contact that he can consent to, so chances are if he’s that comfortable w someone he’ll likely just initiate cuddles or physical contact all on his own bc he wants to be closer to them

COMMITMENT LEVEL: when sonic falls he falls hard, and he’ll stay fully committed to his partner so long as they remain the same. if sonic isn’t committed to something, he was never in love with them to begin with

PAST RELATIONSHIPS?: i wouldn’t really say he had any past relationships besides a brief one that was lowkey forced on him back when he was still with his band mates. it wasn’t really much of a relationship anymore than it was sb who was manipulative and pushy and tried to get sonic to do things w them,, and sonic almost let himself go down a dangerous path bc of it but thankfully left before it got too bad

[reviewmedia]

I, Robot

Disclaimer this review contains spoilers for I, Robot (2004).

“What does this action signify ;)”

Bio

I, Robot is a sci-fi thriller, released in 2004. Set in 2035 the story follows Del Spooner, a detective with a chip on his shoulder as he investigates the death of scientist and founder of USR, Alfred Lanning.

Acting

Will Smith (who plays Del Spooner) clearly gave this his all and it’s one of his better performances. It doesn’t matter if he’s delivering one liners (which there are plenty) or giving an emotional performance because Smith hits the right notes. Similar can be said for his co-star Alan Tudyk (who played Sonny). Unfortunately, Bridget Moynaha (who played Susan Calvin) performance fell a bit flat but does improve through the course of the film. While I didn’t have an issue with any of the other actors’ performances, I was disappointed with the lack of time spent with these characters. This became frustrating as I was curious to get to know these characters but the film never got further than outlining their relationship with the protagonist and demonstrating how Spooner was alone in his distrust of robots.   

Writing

For the most part I didn’t have an issue with the writing. The characters all had clear opinions and felt unique. Smith is given a lot of jokes to work with and I found these to be genuinely funny. That being said the writing wasn’t perfect. As mentioned above the side characters were severely underdeveloped and to a lesser extent so were the lead roles. An example is that Lanning (portrayed by James Cromwell) hints that his relationship with Spooner isn’t normal, yet we never find out why. We know he worked on Spooner’s prosthetic arm but it felt as if there was more history between them that wasn’t explored. There were also some inconsistencies such as Spooner being afraid of heights near the end of the movie, but leaning over the edge where Lanning had been killed at the beginning of the movie. The later scene would have been more consistent and tense if Spooner had displayed how uncomfortable he was in the beginning of the film when he was in Lanning’s office.

Story

At its heart I, Robot is a crime story in a futuristic setting and for the most part it’s done well. I liked that Sonny was originally portrayed as an antagonist. I thought it was convincing due to his introduction and the chase that followed. I also really enjoyed how the story was told, seeing Spooner investigate Lanning’s death never felt like a chore. This was of course due to how fast pace it was, which was at times to its detriment. Certain elements could have been explored more. But the positive was that the film never stagnated and remained engaging. The villain’s motive was nothing new or ground breaking. I personally liked that V.I.K.I’s goal wasn’t to end mankind, but was a misguided attempting to protect humanity as a collective. My biggest complaint in regards to the story was the lack of themes explored and the lost potential. For example, V.I.K.I (portrayed by Fiona Hogan) claimed that humanity was destructive and was set on its own extinction. Yet we see no evidence of this in the film, in fact the lack of world building is such a shame because the movie would have really benefited from it. We see many examples of how society trusts robots and I really do like how they’re implemented into the world. But we never go beyond that, leaving the world feeling two dimensional. The other issue I had was Lanning’s overall plan relying too much on chance. He essentially kills himself with the assistance of Sonny and expects Spooner to figure everything out. I also didn’t understand why he had to die as at the time of death the NS-5’s weren’t connected to V.I.K.I. Meaning there wasn’t much threat of being attacked. The film tries to suggest no one would believe him, but even if that was the case (which I don’t know why they wouldn’t as he’s a well-respected expert in that field) he could have just gone rogue and killed V.I.K.I himself, sure he’d be sued and lost lots of money but he’d be alive. The final issue I had with the story was the lack of consequence, by the end of the movie the only characters to have died (excluding Lanning) were the villain (V.I.K.I) and the antagonist who we had been lead to root against until the climax of the film.

Cinematography 

In regards to cinematography I, Robot takes inspiration from The Matrix. This is defiantly one of the films strengths. Seeing Smith wield a giant futuristic machine gun, tearing apart robots. While the camera moves around the interior of a sky scrapper, showing not just how outnumbered the hero is but also how easy it would be to fall was disorientating in the best kind of way. Fortunately, there are many moments like this that do a really good job at creating tension and setting the right mood. There are some truly epic action sequences that kept me on the edge of my seat. The director (Alex Proyas) proves he’s capable at pulling off more than action scenes. With flashbacks, tense chases and even a montage, all of which I’m happy to say still hold up.

Visuals

The visuals for I, Robot are a real mix, the NS-5’s and other robots have aged surprisingly well. Obviously if the movie was released today, I’d expect them to look better than they did, but fifteen years later I’m defiantly not complaining about their appearance and similar can be said about the vehicles. This being said, there is a very heavy reliance on CGI and it shows. Not only does some of the CGI not hold up (exterior of USR building) but the arguably over reliance meant that places that weren’t CGI looked out of place as these scenes didn’t match some of the other scenes and as a viewer this constant switch between CGI and none CGI became jarring. Costumes like the soldiers and S.W.A.T police also looked really cheap and un-tough, resembling something closer to a laser tag outfit.

Audio

Sound design was really good. Marco Beltrami has added so much emotional depth with his music, it doesn’t overstay its welcome and is one of the highlights of the film as it’s cleverly used to create tension. The guns and cars sound believable, with no real negatives to speak of. The audio was clear and impactful with certain moments being very satisfying to hear, such as Sonny using a wire to ping himself to save Calvin.

Misc

I had an issue with how Calvin was treated. When Spooner is first introduced to her, he laughs at her and doesn’t take her seriously. While you could interpret this as Spooner being arrogant and it being an area that we’ll see him grow away from, I wasn’t convinced. This is because near the end of the movie Farber (portrayed by Shia LaBeouf) openly sexualise Calvin in front of her and the only part that Spooner objects to is the use of the word “shit”. This to me comes off as the leading female role being objectified and really didn’t need to be included, it makes for uncomfortable viewing and took away from the experience.

While I, Robot is the name, product placement is the game. I personally didn’t mind this too much and found it humorous. However, the Audi logo sticking out from Spooner’s headrest just seems kind of uncomfortable, but that’s just my opinion.

Verdict

To conclude I rate this film 4/10. I, Robot is a very enjoyable film that’s funny, action packed and is well paced. I had a blast watching this and there really is a lot of fun to have with this film. However, I was really disappointed in the character development and lack of world building and as enjoyable as this movie is, it doesn’t take full advantage of its setting or explore the themes in a meaningful enough way. The reason I, Robot isn’t spoken about as much as other films from 2004 or earlier isn’t because the visuals don’t 100% hold up, it’s because it doesn’t make you think. Sci-fi is a genre where you can explore the impossible, get lost in complex socio-political structures that as alien as they are reflect our own reality. And go beyond the questions of what a soul is. But unfortunately, I, Robot doesn’t do that, instead the film plays it safe with underdeveloped character in a 2D world. The movie has other issues too like some mild sexism (compared to other movies), plot holes, some pretty awful costume designs and CGI, an in-consequential ending and some minor issues like the occasional bit of inconsistent dialog or some bad acting. 

Recommendation 

Would I recommend this film? That depends what you’re interested in. If you want a fast pace action movie in a sci-fi setting, then yeah you won’t be disappointed. But if you yearn for a film that makes you question if humanity is going too far creating artificial intelligent and whether or not robots/AI should be entitled to the same rights humans are or other similar question. Then I’m afraid no, I cannot recommend this.

 PUNISHMENT: Converse all stars vintage 2004

[jo-the-schmo]

Red, Dead, Reflections Ch.2

Chapter 1

A/N: Finally! Chapter 2! Remember how I kept saying I was trying to get to a certain part and that’s why it was taking so long? Well, I decided to keep that until the next chapter because it was taking so long and I was already pushing a hefty word count as is. Also, the writing in this chapter isn’t as good as chapter 1 and I’m sorry about that. I’ll do my best to make chapter 3 more enjoyable. I tried really hard with this one but it just didn’t stick. It happens to all of us. I hope you still like it, though! 

Word count: 9,150 (I’m so sorry)

Warnings: Blood, animal death, explicit language, mentions of racism (not expanded, I’m white, I don’t want to be disrespectful) 

Summary: At the age of 23, you and your pseudo-family perform a heist gone wrong, leading you into a dangerous position. Discover your own history, the story of those around you, and gain new relationships along the way in this (eventual) choose your own adventure. 

Tags!: @zoilalove213 @eccentricc-catt 

A/N pt.2: THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO LIKED CHAPTER 1! Special thanks to those who wanted to be tagged and those who gave me nice reviews, I love you guys so much! I’m also super sorry that this chapter is mostly character introductions and being on the mountain. I promise you’ll get off this mountain soon! I refuse to have y’all still up there at any point during chapter 4. Hopefully that’ll make up for this gross writing. If the read more function still isn’t working, I’m gonna break Tumblr in half. 

Edit: Holy shit I’m a moron, I forgot to add the title omg I’m a fucking moron

Keep Your Eyes On The Prize

Warmth enraptured your being, wrapping around you. Your eyes fluttered open, the first thing you saw was a fire a few feet away from you. That and the pile of blankets on top of you would explain the all-consuming heat. Where am I now? You heard a light patter coming towards you. You threw the blankets off to ready yourself, worried it could be someone trying to get the upper hand on you. You were surprised to see a small figure with dark hair, who had frozen himself in place. It was a little boy. You raised your hand to surrender.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” You took a deep breath, you lowered your arms when he resumed his approach.

“Don’t worry, I’m not scared.” He hopped up to sit next to you. It just occurred to you that you had been laying on a cot. “Uncle Arthur says you’re a friend, so I wanted to watch out for you.” So that wasn’t a dream.

“Oh, well that’s very nice of you. What’s your name, buddy?” You took on a softer tone, it made you sound more feminine, but you weren’t worried about that.

“Jack Marston. My momma’s been helping to take care of you. Her and Uncle Hosea. They said your name was James?”

“Yes, sir.” You smiled. You thought it better to be safe and keep up the act.

“Uncle Dutch wants to say hi to you now that you’re awake. I can take you to him.” He jumped up, he seemed to be excited that someone new was around You conceded and pried yourself from the cot. Your chest ached. I’ll have to loosen this band again soon, no more sleeping in this thing. Your wig felt askew, so you quickly moved it back in place before the two of exited the room. You left the cabin with Jack, he led you to another one close by. You passed by a woman with long brunette hair who sent you a curious glance. Jack grabbed your hand and pulled you through the door, there was a parade of men all around.

“Ah, it seems our young gentle-friend has awoken from his slumber.” Dutch announced, everyone looked in your direction. No matter how tough you were, a group of this many people would intimidate you. You recognized Arthur and Micah on opposite sides of the room. Jack tugged on your arm again, prompting you to take a few cautious steps into the herd of questioning eyes.

“Is one of you Hosea by chance?” You asked, already slightly out of breath. You still felt exhausted, and your head was killing you. An older man with a stripped scarf stepped forward, a warm smile on his face.

“That would be me, young man.” You weakly gripped his shoulder, partly for a support and partly to show appreciation.

“Jack told me you were one of the people to take care of me, thank you.” His smile widened.

“Oh, it was no trouble, young man.” He looked over at Dutch. “You were right, Dutch. Boy’s got good manners.”

“I told ya you’d like him!” He bellowed humorously. “Young Jack, could you please help Mr. West over here by me?” Jack nodded, ushering you over to the man in the dense black coat. Dutch wrapped an arm around your shoulder to keep you steady, but it was also so that he could present you to the crowd of men in front of you. “Now, gentlemen. This here is James West. He’s a fellow from California who’ lost his way. But make no mistakes, Mr. Morgan and I have both seen the carnage this boy can cause with just his bare hands. We believe that he was captured by those nasty O’Driscolls and took quite the beating because of it. Unfortunately for both us and poor James here, it seems that the injuries he sustained have given him some memory loss.” Memory loss? “He couldn’t even believe what year it was. But he is coherent enough to remember his name and state of residence.” He looked over at you. “Now young man, we know this could be difficult, but you could you try and tell us the last thing you recall.”

These people were insane, or at least you thought they were. You wouldn’t know until you got off this mountain and found some other people, which was clearly not happening any time soon. For now, this was your situation. You were stuck on some mountain in the middle of who-knows-where with bunch of people who thought the year was 1899 and that you were some man who experienced enough blunt-force head trauma to get some mild amnesia. You were never one to bite the hand that feeds you, so you made an executive decision. Play along until you can get to safety.

“I was…with my friends.” These people were willing to kill, so there was no way crime bothered them any. “We were robbing a bank, it went wrong.” You recalled the image of Eli, Austin, and Miguel running away from the scene.  “I got hit…and that’s all I remember.” The only parts you were excluding were the fact that you were shot multiple times and that it was 2019.

“Robbing a bank, huh?” You peaked his interest. “So, you’re an outlaw then, Mr. West.”

“You could call me that, I suppose.”

“Can you shoot?” Micah chimed.

“Oh, I can more than shoot, pal.” This guy rubbed you the wrong way, and you could see a sort of look of approval from Arthur after you said that.

“Wonderful! That means you may repay us for our kindness. I don’t have all the details worked out yet, but I’ll call for you when the time comes. For now, I’d like for you to get situated among our presence. Go on now, introduce yourself to everyone.” Dutch gave a firm pat on the back, your chest tightened. Gasping for air, you checked around the room. There was a room with a door nearby, you stumbled inside, hearing the suspicious whispers of the men behind you hushed by the closing of the door. 

You pressed your back against the wood to keep it shut, stripping out of your jacket and shirt. Your ribs ached while you fumbled around. Eventually, you were able to unwind the band almost fully, the long appendages hanging loosely around your form with your left arm holding the rest of it in place. Your whole chest felt like it was on fire.

“This is what you get for leaving it on, idiot.” You whispered to yourself. You weren’t sure what you were going to do. There were a bunch of people out there waiting for you to come out and you were trapping yourself inside with your secret. “I just need a minute…shit, that hurts.”

You saw your reflection in the window across from you. Well, sort of. It was more like a clouded outline. But you could see the shift in color where the band had been wrapped. Your skin was raw. You could also see two bruises that blended into each other on your forehead, and a dark one on the bridge of your nose. That guy really got you. You pushed yourself off the door, already wincing from the anticipation of needing to bind your chest again. You readjusted and began to wrap. Not so tight this time. You would just be walking around today, there shouldn’t be an issue of it staying in place. You finally managed to get it mostly back together and went to pick up your shirt when you heard the door knob turning. You scrambled to the ground, throwing your jacket over your back. You were surprised to only see Hosea walk in and shut the door behind him. The look in his eyes was knowing and curious. You stood to your feet, arms invisible from underneath the jacket. He looked at your shirt on the ground.

“It seems my suspicions were correct. You aren’t being entirely honest with us, James.” His tone wasn’t worrying, but you thought you’d better explain yourself, fast.

“I’m so sorry, it wasn’t my intention to-“

“Don’t worry about it, son.” He interrupted, leaving you confused. You turned around, using your hand to clasp the jacket closed, hiding yourself from view.

“What?”

“I’ve met many folks in my life, young man. I won’t ask what your situation is, I don’t believe that’s my place yet. But I won’t speak a word of this, just a secret between us.” You breathed a sigh of relief, at least you knew now that one of these men was decent.

“Thank you, Hosea. I really appreciate this, you have no idea.”

“I think I can get some of the picture.” He smiled. “You’re an outlaw, sonny. An outlaw is whoever they want to be.” He turned back towards the door. “Now I’m supposed to be in here checking on you, making sure you aren’t up to anything.”

“That’s fair.” You chuckled.

“So, I have to stay in here with you until you’re ready, but I’ll give you your privacy, don’t worry.” You were thankful that one of these people may be able to keep you on everyone’s good side.

“That’s very kind of you, I can’t thank you enough for this.” You made sure to hurry up and get your shirt and jacket back on. You fixed two of the pins for your wig while you were at it. You were glad Hosea seemed smart enough, you wouldn’t take his kindness for granted, no matter how crazy these people seemed. But you had to be more careful. This wasn’t a time for everyone to be finding out you were not only lying, but the vast list of other things wrong with your situation. The further you could separate yourself from what you had gotten up to the better. These men were killers, but they weren’t you.

“Are you ready, James?” Hosea asked.

“Yes, is everyone still out there?”

“I believe only Dutch and Arthur stayed behind. Arthur and I are supposed to introduce you to everyone.” You nodded, he opened to door and you followed him out to where Dutch and Arthur were talking.

“Ah, thank goodness! What came over you, friend?” Dutch questioned.

“I believe we pushed him too far with the questions, Dutch. He lost his head for a moment.” Hosea excused.

“Yes, I’m sorry for that rude exit. Not sure what happened entirely.” You tried to reassure.

“I see, perhaps we should let the boy rest a bit longer.”

“Thank you, sir, but there’s no need. I don’t wanna be a bother, the least I could do is help around, be of some use.” Now was the time to suck up. You had to repay your debt to him and gain his trust. He liked your answer. He was clearly the leader of the group, and from the few interactions you’d had, you could tell they were tight knit. If you wanted to get off this mountain and not end up like those men at the cabin, you’d have to play into their hand.

“That’s a good man right there, I think we struck luck with this one!” He gestured between Arthur and Hosea. “Could you two show him around, we want him to get acquainted with everyone in camp before we get any further.” They agreed and led you back outside.

“Okay, Hosea, where should we start first?” Arthur asked, fixing his gloves.

“Well, I have some business to discuss with Miss Grimshaw, so I would prefer we find her first.”

“Will Jack’s mom be there? He said she was looking out for me too and I’d like to thank her personally for that.”

“She may be, but we are sure to run into her soon, so don’t fret.” Hosea said. Your group walked trudged through the snow to get to a wooden cabin. You saw mostly women inside, including the brunette who looked at you earlier and Mrs. Adler.

“Fine weather we’re having, ladies.” Arthur joked.

“Yeah, real funny.” A blonde woman rolled her eyes.

“It was. Anyhow, this here is James West. I know y’all have been real curious about him.” You followed their lead and walked over to the group of women. An older woman came forward with her hands on her hips.

“This here is Miss Grimshaw, James. You best respect her, Dutch may want to think we’re his people but we’re really hers.” Hosea’s eyes wrinkled at his own humor.

“Of course, thank you for showing me kindness, Miss Grimshaw.” You made sure to sound serious. You weren’t planning on disrespecting anyone, let alone someone who seemed so important. She cracked a grin and pinched your cheeks. You almost squeaked in surprise, but you managed to hold it in.

“Boy’s got a prettier face than you, Arthur! How old are ya?” She teased.

“23, Miss, that is if my memory serves.”

“Ah, we got ourselves a young one! He’ll be able to do some mighty fine work once he’s back in order. You be sure to repay our kindness, ya got that, young man?”

“With pleasure, Miss. I always repay my debts.” That was certainly true in most cases.

“You also best be careful-“ She grabbed the edge of your jacket and yanked you closer. She lowered her voice in your ear. “Don’t try anything with my girls, ya hear? If I find out you’ve been disrespectful to any of them, my face will be the last thing you see.” She let go to gauge your reaction.

“Of course, Miss Grimshaw. I would never dream of overstepping my bounds. You have my word.” You bowed your head at her as a sign of honest intentions. Her smile returned.

“Fantastic!” She hooked her arm around yours  and lead you closer to the women. “I’ll introduce you then.” She pointed to the blonde with the whole body eyeroll. “The smart mouth is Karen Jones.”

“Howdy.” She waved. Next to her was a red head.

“That one’s Molly O’Shea.” Miss Grimshaw looked at the woman with warm, dark skin in a yellow skirt. “That’s Tilly Jackson, don’t let her sweet talk ya.”

“Hello.” Tilly said with energy in very voice. It suddenly dawned on you that these people were surprisingly less racist than to be expected out of anyone who thinks it’s 1899. You felt lucky for that one. It would tear you up to discover that anyone was being treated badly. These guys may have lost their minds, but intolerance wasn’t something that you tolerated. Especially after everything in your life.  

“That’s Mary-Beth.” She pointed out the brunette from outside, she smiled sweetly up at you.

“Nice to meet you.” She went back to writing after hitting you with that same glance from earlier. The last woman looked up from what she was doing, she was wearing a black hood over her head. “Abigail Marston, she’s my hardest worker.” You recognized the name.

“Are you Jack’s, mother?” You asked.

“Yes, I am.” You carefully stepped over and kneeled down to the level she was sitting at.

“He told me you were one of the people to take care of me while I was out, I wanted to thank you personally for your generosity.” You bowed your head and stood up. “Thank you, Mrs. Marston.”

“Well ain’t you just the definition of a gentleman.” Arthur was clearly trying to tease you, boys were usually like that.

“Don’t get anywhere in life without being kind to those who are kind to you.”

“Fair enough.” You were glad he agreed. You turned your attention back to the women.

“It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance, my name is James West, by the way. I know Arthur already said that, but I try my best to be polite.” Try is the operative word here. Karen whispered to Mary-Beth and Tilly.

“Arthur, take James over to meet the boys and make a good second-impression. I have to speak to Miss Grimshaw for a moment on matters of housing. I’ll meet you over there.” Hosea said as he pulled Miss Grimshaw aside. Arthur lazily waved you over and you made sure not to delay this. You looked back at the group as you walked.

“Thank you for your time, it was nice to meet all of you.” Arthur let you walk out first. The wind hit you like a truck. Arthur held your shoulder to keep you in place and make sure you wouldn’t blow away.

“Ya alright there, partner?” You steadied yourself, he released his grip.

“Yeah, I’m good. Not used to this kind of cold. Thanks for the help.”  

“Everyone went back to their cabin after your episode.” The two of you marched toward the cabin you had woken up in. There was muffled yet loud conversation happening inside. The second the door opened, everyone got quiet. “Hello again, gentlemen.” The room sounded with a few ‘hey Arthur’s before going back down again, everyone was locking eyes on you. It wasn’t a good idea to hide behind Arthur and let him do the talking, they’d prefer you explain yourself.

“Hello everyone.” You stepped around the bulky blue coat, throwing yourself into the spotlight. “My head was unwell back there, I apologize for that. My name is James West, I’d like to help you in anyway I can. I’d hate to mooch off of your hospitality.” They seemed to approve of your answers so far.

“Well don’t be shy, ya idiots, introduce yourself, shake the boy’s hand or somethin’.” Arthur really did have no filter, huh? The first person to approach you was a man wearing a giant black hat and an equally frightening mustache. He took your hand in an eager handshake, which surprised you to say the least.

“Reverend Swanson, Orville Swanson.” Ah, a holy man, a bit ironic for the situation, isn’t it? You coughed and got your voice back into place.

“Good to meet ya, Reverend.” You pushed past him and put yourself in the center of 3 men who were sitting near each other. The youngest one stood up first. He looked to be around your age but definitely younger, which made you kinda mad that everyone was acting like you were so young. That told you they were trying to prove a point.

“Lenny Summers, nice meeting ya.” You gave him a firm handshake. You felt surprisingly comfortable with him, since he was about your age, time to lighten the mood.

“Summers? Don’t’cha mean Winters?” You pointed at the window that was mostly boarded up but showed some of the snow outside through the cracks. He held in some kind of sound, only a little creak escaping. You considered that to be a win in Y/N’s a Comedy Master, Volume VI. The other two squinted there eyes, but you could tell they were hiding their amusement. Lenny sat down, the man with very interesting facial hair stood up. It didn’t look bad on him, you were just confused as to what you’d classify it as for a second. If anything, the hat was what threw you off the most. It suddenly dawned on you that a lot of these guys would look better without their hats. You paused that thought for a moment.

“Javier Escuella. Pleasure.” He smirked.

“It’s good to meet you, Javier.” His handshake was not as hesitant as Lenny’s was by comparison, but it was fairly quick. The last man in the semi-circle stood. And he was a giant. You had seen him earlier but for some reason his height and just overall existence didn’t hit you until that moment. He had the longest hair of anyone in the room. Maybe you’d be able to get out of wearing the wig over time. With some lying, obviously. You held your hand out to him first.

“James, it’s nice to meet you.” His handshake was unexpectedly gentle.

“Charles, Charles Smith.” His voice was also softer than you’d have predicted. You supposed he didn’t need to compensate for presence so there wasn’t a point in being loud. You could tell right off the bat that he was a quiet type, but you were used to that from Miguel, so it didn’t matter much. You turned away to face the 3 other men on the other side of the room. You already knew the blonde one.

“Micah, right?” You asked. You didn’t particularly want to get near him, but you conceded and held your hand out. He squeezed your hand just a little too hard, you did the same in return, and a little too much energy was put into it. He was still mad about your first encounter with him in the cabin. “Good to finally get a proper introduction.”

“Yeah, right.” You made the mental note that he was for sure an asshole and to watch out for him. A different man grabbed your attention, he didn’t seem pleased.

“My name is Simon Pearson, I’m the cook around here, and with you and that new woman hanging about, you better be helping enough to get your share.” You remember Arthur mentioning him. You shook his hand with both of yours to signify peacemaking.

“Of course, sir. I’ll do more than my share. I’m always willing to help.” You were aware that a lot of the things you were saying were repetitive, but that was usually how mass introductions went. A man with a very full beard was the last one at the moment. “Hello, I’m James West.”

“Bill.” He answered simply. Okay, not in the talking mood right now. Got it. You heard Arthur’s voice again.

“John’s out of commission at the moment, we won’t be worried about that dumbass.” You heard a familiar patter on the floor coming in your direction.

“James!” Jack rammed into your leg before you got a chance to react. He almost knocked you off balance.

“Woah, hey there, buddy.” You knelt down in front of him to get on his level. “What have you been up to? On patrol?” He seemed to be the only kid here, that’s gotta be stressful on him.

“Yeah! Been waiting outside Papa’s room since you’re awake now.” He informed.

“Wow, strong and vigilant? You’re a real power house there, little man.” You balled your hands into fists and lightly bopped him on the chest, one with each hand. “Pow, pow!” You exaggerated onomatopoeically. You could tell this was more interaction than he was used to. You were more than happy to brighten his mood.

“Uncle Dutch says you’re a good fighter.”

“Uncle Dutch would be right, gotta hit ’em with that one-two!” You hit him two more times, a wide smile on his face. He mimicked the way you blocked your face with your hands. His small fist gingerly punched your forearm. “Come on! You can do better than that, buddy!” You stood up, bouncing and shifting your weight between your feet. He tried to do the same, but it came out more as an awkward skip-in-place. “See? You’re a natural, little dude! A little practice and you could pin all of us.” He hit your knee a couple times, making little ‘psh’ sounds when he did.

“Will you teach me?” He was elated, you weren’t sure how long you’d be with them, but it seemed like you’d be up here for a while. Might as well, it also might win you bonus points with the others. But in all honesty, you weren’t thinking about that much.

“Sure thing, buddy.” He was really happy for that answer. “But…” He paused. You swooped down and picked him up, resting him on your shoulder in a fireman’s carry. “Lesson number one, never let your opponent take you off guard, or something unexpected might happen.” You were suddenly very aware that you weren’t alone in the room. You got so distracted by Jack that you forgot that you were in a room full of people. Jack squirmed around, laughing with the kind of energy you’d expect from a kid without child interaction and stuck on a recluse mountain with a bunch of sad-sack adults.

“Uncle Arthur! Javier!” He took a breath between fits of giggles. “You’re upside down!”

“Alright, little dude.” You made sure to be gentle as you set him back down to his feet. “I’ll teach some more later, okay?” You looked over, everyone was staring at you with varying looks about them Confusions, amusement, conjecture. “Oh, don’t look at me like that, how could any of you say no to this face?” You ruffled Jack’s hair. “That’s an objectively sweet face that you can’t say no to.”

“I don’t know ‘bout sweet, but he’s rambunctious that’s for sure.” Arthur commented with the knowing nods of several men as their response. You crossed your arms as Jack ran off to do something else.

“How long have you all been stuck up here?”

“A few days,” Charles started, “A few bad days at that.”

“We’re running low on supplies, food most importantly.” Pearson added. “I haven’t been able to do my job properly since we got up here, ever since Blackwater.” Blackwater? You wanted to ask, but the look on everyone’s faces told you you’d be overstepping your bounds. You decided to go a different direction.

“I know we’re in the middle of winter, but there’s gotta be animals, yeah?”

“Everyone I’ve sent out as come up empty-handed.”

“No, James is right. There’s game on this mountain, we just aren’t finding it.” Charles gestured to his wrapped hand. “And this certainly isn’t making me feel better about it. I’m going hunting.” He stood and walked over to a corner where some things were sitting.

“Yer hand’s burnt, you won’t be able to shoot.” Arthur’s accent slurred. Charles was about to say something, but you cut him off.

“Yeah, and? His hands don’t need to work for tracking. Just send someone else up there with him who can kill.”

“That’s a great idea! You and Arthur can go with him!” Pearson sassed, “That man’s been irritable with nothing to do.” Arthur grumbled in response.

“I’d be more than happy to help,” You really wanted to get back in your element. All this social work was more Austin and Gina’s speed. “but I’m not sure how helpful I’ll be.”

“You ever been hunting?” Charles went and handed a bow to Arthur.

“Something like that.”

“That’s better than nothing in my opinion. Come on, you can borrow one of the others’ horses.” Someone walked in.

“You can take mine. Silver Dollar should be pretty tame for you.” It was Hosea.

“Meet us there my ass, old man.” The blue-clad cowboy mocked.

“Apologies, got a bit held up with preparations. Charles, Arthur, bring back something good and make sure the kid gets the hang of things.” Hhhhhh, Hosea you’re really nice, but please don’t call me kid. Now wasn’t the time for corrections, you could do that later. They agreed and motioned for you to follow them outside.

The window was starting to slow down, which was more than welcome in your opinion. The snow crunched lightly, the way it does when multiple people have already walked on it. You missed California’s ridiculous heat. Despite the air being cold though, it was much easier to breathe than that smog. Your eyes burned from the sun reflecting off the plush snow. This is fucking blinding, how can any of you see ever? The three of you approached what was, basically to you, a herd of horses. They mounted their horses on silence, you approached a grey one.

“I’m going to assume this is Silver Dollar?” Arthur nodded to confirm your suspicions. You pulled yourself up and adjusted. Alright, just a group of guys going huntin’, just a couple of dudes, some good’ol’boys…how do I make this thing go? You looked up to try and learn through observation. Okay, I’ll just…give him a little- you lightly tapped your heel against the side of the horse, he came to a trot, following behind Charles. Don’t show any fear, they can sense it. Just be chill and respect the animal, and he’ll do the same for you. You at least would hope that for the time being.

Charles and Arthur picked up the pace, so you followed suit, not nearly as fast, but you were at least keeping up. There was a gaping silence that didn’t bother you. It finally gave you a chance to take in your surroundings. To say that the scenery was breathtaking would be an understatement. You weren’t sure if you had seen anything more beautiful in your entire life. Why had you never gone this far out? It seemed like a good a place as any to hide away, other than the blizzards. Charles broke that silence all too soon.

“What did you mean earlier? About hunting.” He clarified. You recalled your answer from earlier.

“Yeah, I was wonderin’ ‘bout that.” Arthur added. You tried to think of a way to phrase this without giving too much away.

“It wasn’t so much hunting as it was scavenging at that point. Can’t hunt something that’s already dead. Tracks and all.”

“Scavengin’?”

“Times were…desperate.” You decided to leave it at that for the time being.

“Have you ever tracked a deer?” Charles asked.

“Not a deer, but if you point some out to me, I should be able to find it pretty easily.”

“Good, we’ll need 2. You and Arthur get one each.” It wasn’t long before you passed through a stream and then came upon a clearing where Charles told you two to slow down. You followed in his example when he dismounted. “We’ll need to continue on foot from here.” He pointed at a trail of imprints in the ground. “Think you can find that?”

“Yeah, no problem.” You followed along it, just walking for a few steps to make an assessment. “She definitely isn’t far. The snow is deep, and the tracks are undisturbed.” You had never been out looking for food in the snow, but it seemed easier than dry ass California. You stopped to look ahead, listened closely. You could hear another part of the stream you passed earlier. Animals get thirsty too. “Alright, get down low, don’t wanna make too much noise.” Arthur seemed reluctant, but Charles was pleased with your competence. It was odd to slink around in broad daylight, but there was no helping it. You saw one in the distance.

“Arthur, ready yourself.” Charles took the lead now, inching the group a few feet closer. It was a buck. But there did seem to be a few others scattered about. If y’all were quick, this should only take a few more minutes.

“This is probably a good time to remind you both that I’ve never used a bow for hunting or anything like that, so maybe Arthur should handle this one.” You whispered.

“Don’t worry, they’ll scatter once Arthur shoots. We’ll have to track them a bit further. Shouldn’t take long, though.” You were crouched down in between the two of them, Arthur was lining up his shot. “Aim for the neck.” It was only a moment later that you a quick, air splitting sound. The buck fell to the ground. The rest of the deer, having heard him collapse, scattered themselves about just as Charles said they would. “Okay, go ahead and haul that one. James and I will keep going to save us a few minutes.”

“You got it.” He sighed, standing upright and walking over to the now dead animal after handing you the bow with a few arrows in its quiver. Now separated, you and Charles continued to skulk about. Most of them ran upstream, so that was your best guess on where to go. Luckily, Charles was still leading, and you were satisfied to see he took the same direction you were taking. A doe was in the distance, you could already see her heavy breathing from running when Charles had you stop.

“Okay, draw your bow.” You slid the arrow weakly into place. “Don’t over extend the string, but don’t be too free with it either.” You tried to do what he said, Your dominant hand held the arrow in place, the other gripped the wooden curve. You drew back. “A little more.”

“Like this?” You corrected yourself.

“Yes, but don’t fire yet.” His hand reached forward, grasping at the base of the bow just under where yours was located. You let him guide your aim to the side. He stopped moving but kept his position.

“Now?”

“Take a deep breath.” Inhale. “Release when you breathe out.” Exhale.

You let loose. The arrow flew through and made the doe squeal and fall to her side. The rest of the group fled. Leaving the body behind. You mentally high-fived yourself. Hell yeah!

“You did a good job. Come on, it’s time to collect.” Both of you stood, roaming towards the carcass.

“Thank you for your patience.” You replied with a smirk. You’d like to say the sight of something dead was what made you feel sick, but it was the blood. You chose to believe it was the way the color popped against the pure snow. The way it looked like cherry cough syrup or Kool-Aid left a terribly familiar taste at the back of your throat. But you decided not to show hesitation. Weakness will show more of you than any words people can claw from you. The words rang in your head. You pulled the arrow out of its windpipe.

“I’ll carry it back to horses.”

“But your hand-“

“I don’t need one hand to use the other’s arm.” His tone was more relaxed than it had been before, less formal. He hefted the body and carried it over his shoulder. “Come, Arthur’s bringing over the horses.” And he was. Arthur was a little over five yards away. You were surprised by how little time you all spent doing this. With both deer slumped on the back of Charles and Arthur’s horses, you started the ride back to camp. I’m kinda getting the hang of this. It’s kinda like driving a living motorcycle, but it can go slow without cruising.

It seems you spoke too soon, as a sudden howl in the distance caused Silver Dollar to buck you off. Your back hit the ground, Arthur hopped down. He held the reins of his horse to make sure they wouldn’t run off. You hurried to your feet.

“Arthur-“

“I know, I’ll handle it.”

“I’ll lead the horses a little a ways while you deal with them.” Charles took Arthur’s reins and then turned to look at you. “James, you-“ The barking was getting louder, grey spikes of fur were sprinting towards your group. You knew there was no way you could get back on and start moving in time.

“Go on ahead, I’ll be fine!” Besides, this was your field of expertise in one way. Hunting wasn’t your strong-suit, but defense sure as hell was. You darted off to the side, swinging your jacket off, raising the shoulders as far as your arms could reach while running. You let out a loud scream as one approached you, not out of fear, but to make it fear you. It still charged toward you with less ferocity. You managed to kick it in the side and ran, side-stepping your way to Arthur. A shot rang out, one of the three wolves fell over, dead. The other flanked and clamped its maw on Arthur’s arm. His gun fell to the ground. You rolled to grab it.

You pulled the hammer back and fired at the beast the second Arthur was able to force himself free. Pull back, turn. You used your opposite hand to grab your wrist and steady your arm. One last shot pounded just as the wolf you had kicked was about to pounce. Arthur clutched onto his right arm, bloody holes blotting through. You picked up your jacket and shook the snow off before sliding it back on.

“You’re a good shot, boy. I know who’s getting a gun as soon as we get off this damn mountain.” He laughed, ignoring the pain that should be in his arm.

“I make it a habit of having one, so yeah.” You flipped the revolver in your hand, handle facing Arthur. He took it and tipped his hat to you.

“Thank’ya, Mr. West.”

“It’s no trouble. You probably could’ve handled them, you aren’t the damsel type.” Charles trotted back over with Silver Dollar and whatever horse Arthur was riding trailing behind him.

“You two handled that quickly.”

“You mean James handled that quickly. All I went and did was get my arm bit.”

“One outta three ain’t bad.” You retorted.

“Y’know I knew someone who died from getting bit.”

“You’re not gonna die from a little wolf bite, Arthur.” Charles sighed.

“But you don’t know that!” Arthur was surprisingly funny for someone who looks so sad. Then again, it shouldn’t be that shocking to you. Charles snorted but did not give further response. You and Arthur got back on the saddles and began the journey to their camp.

“You’ll be fine as long as that thing didn’t have rabies. Just keep it clean and dry for the time being.”

“They call me Rabid Morgan.” Arthur stared into the distance.

“They say you can see his red eyes from a mile away.” Charles joined.

“Rabid Man Morgan, the shredder of limbs, no matter whomst they belong.” You let a chuckle slip.

“Dutch and Hosea are gonna think you’re dying if they hear all this talk.” His long hair shook in motion with his head.

“All the more reason to keep talkin’ if ya ask me.”

“Well, I’m calling you that from now on. I’m never going to explain what it means.” You warned.

“Perfect.” You had barely noticed how close to the camp you’d gotten. Good conversation makes for easy travel, you supposed. Pearson was the first to greet you at his station.

“Sounds like a bunch of gossiping milkmaids are invading the camp.”

“Never heard of laughter, Mr. Pearson?” You teased. You were aware you were acting a bit too comfortable, but this would give you a good idea of where to draw the line.

“Not that I recall. You bring anything useful for me?” You slid off the side and took initiative of hoisting the doe onto your shoulders. It was heavier than you expected, but you were able to get it into the open area Pearson directed you towards. Albeit, you didn’t do it as gracefully as Charles had or how Arthur was doing it now, but you did it, nonetheless.

“Ever skinned a de-“ Charles was interrupted,

“WEST YOU SACK OF SHIT!” by the obnoxious wailing of a blonde idiot. Micah was stomping his way through the snow, eyes burning into you. You squinted in distrust of the situation. By the time he was two feet from you, you’d expected him to slow down.

“What do you want Mi-“ But he didn’t. He shoved you back, making you hit a cleared part of Pearson’s desk. He pulled you forward by the collar of your jacket and the center of your shirt.

“I don’t know who the hell you think you are gettin’ special privileges around here, but ya best watch yerself and how you carry. I got my eye on you.” He was trying to assert his fragile dominance over you.

“I don’t know what you’re on about, dickhead. But if you don’t get your filthy paws off of me in the next two seconds, I’m gonna make sure we have matching bruises.” You wrinkled your nose.

“Micah, put the poor boy down right now!” You heard Dutch’s voice coming closer but didn’t break eye contact with Micah. He threw you further onto the table before turning away from you.

“You seriously trust this runt, Dutch? Look at him. Maggot’s got lies smeared all over his face.”

“And you’ve got brown smeared all over your nose, back up.” You practically vaulted off the table, using your forearm and pressure to Micah’s chest to force him back.

“The god damn kid get’s his own space but not any of the others who been here longer? Here I am having to-“

“Don’t call me kid, ever again. Unless you want a broken neck.” Nothing got to you more than that, especially when someone was using it the way he was. Your stare was enough to pierce skin. Arthur grabbed Micah’s shoulder.

“And I’d thank you kindly to not even try and finish that sentence. We already heard you whine earlier. The way I see it, yer at least two against one right now, and that ain’t even including everyone here that would beat you the first chance they got. I don’t care how tough you think you are, those aren’t good odds. So, I suggest you shut that trap of a mouth you have.” His voice was low, there seemed to be some history behind that response, but you couldn’t think about that too much right now. Micah shook away his touch, pushing past Dutch and Charles, he mumbled something to himself as he stormed off. You could feel the pressure of your jaw clenching and your nails digging into your palm.

You paced about, narrowly avoiding the deer corpses around you. Remember to breathe, Y/N. You can’t pass out again. Control yourself. You’re alright. No point in getting mad over the stupid, you’ll scream all day. You wanted to destroy something. You couldn’t stand people like him, it ripped at your gut like a beast starving for your insides. You took a few deep breaths before pacifying yourself enough to address the men around you.

“Forgive me, gentlemen. That situation was a bit too tense for me to bear.” You tried to resist the urge to pull at your hair, considering it wasn’t your hair.

“You reacted better than most people would, nothing to apologize for.” Arthur was steadfast in watching Micah leave. Dutch stepped forward and held you still with both hands just under the joint of your shoulder. He had to bend down a bit to get at eye level with you.

“He can be rough around the edges, but you’ll get used to him. I can see that fire in your eyes, boy. There ain’t nothing wrong with it, but I’d like you to hold that fire close for a few hours more.” He sounded like Austin, which was simultaneously comforting and nerve-wracking. He traded glances with the two men you had rode back with but staying in the same position. “While you boys were gone, I had some of the others ride out to scour the area, and we’ve struck gold.” He stood up straight, still holding onto you. “The O’Driscolls have a camp a little a ways from here. Mrs. Adler informed me of some of the talk that was happening in her house, and apparently there was word of a train.”

“A train?” You questioned.

“That’s right, young man. We need money.” Doesn’t everybody? “I only send my best men for these jobs, but I wanna see how good you really are, Mr. West.”

“Oh, he’s good. Even Arthur was impressed.” Charles elbowed Arthur’s arm.

“That true, son?”

“I saw him kill two wolves today. Only used a bullet for each. Hit ‘em both right here-“ He tapped the middle of his forehead with index finger. “-so, yeah, I’d wager he’s pretty good.” A grin stretched across Dutch’s face.

“Fantastic, let’s hope your as good at shootin’ O’Driscolls as you are at shootin’ wild animals.” He gave you an affirming pat on the bicep. “Ah hell, who am I kiddin’? They’re the same thing.” He turned to walk out, calling back to all of you before being out of earshot. “Ill see you gentlemen in the morning, we leave at 10 o’clock!” The excitement was clear in his speech.

This place was weird. These people were fucking weird. The more you stayed here, the more convincing these people seemed. What the hell was their deal? They acted like normal people, not like cultists or anything. How did they think it was 1899? It would make sense if they’d been on the mountain for years, but they just got here not too long ago. It gave you a headache just thinking about it. You needed to ask more questions without seeming eager to leave.

“Sorry about Micah, he’s like that with almost everyone.” Charles’s voice broke your thoughts.

“I’m fine. He’s lucky Dutch stepped in. I don’t let anyone push me around.” Anymore.

“You’re on edge. There’s not much to do up here but work. You can help Arthur skin the pelts. Might help distract you.” He suggested, pulling what looked like a hunting knife from his belt. You took it reluctantly, knowing you’d need something to do to keep yourself from losing it. You got down on one knee, waiting to follow Arthur’s lead. Time to talk.

“How far are we from Blackwater?” You pretended to know what that place was.

“Not far enough if you ask me.” Pearson complained. “Then again, we left a lot down there.”

“Like food?” Arthur muttered.

“A comedian as always, Mr. Morgan.” Pearson was not amused.

“What happened to you guys over there?” They were hushed by that question for a second.

“I don’t think any of us are entirely sure.” Charles contemplated for a moment. “But now we’re wanted. Every last one of us. We won’t be able to go back for some time.” His eyes met yours, halting the slide of the blade. “I hope that doesn’t interfere with you staying with us for the time being.” You were sad that you weren’t bothered by this, not in the slightest. People being hunted didn’t even phase you.

“I’d be a hypocrite if I let it.” You sighed, you let your guard slip. “I’ve been on the run since I was 19. This doesn’t change anything.” You immediately caught your mistake. Shit. No, it’s fine. They still don’t know who I am. I’m fine. But something suddenly struck you. How could these people be on the run from the law if they thought it was the 19th century?

“What got you?” Arthur asked. It floored you mentally, no one had ever asked you that question. Mostly because you never told anyone who didn’t already know. It wasn’t something you exactly go around flaunting. Him and Charles could see the alarm in your expression.

“Just…” How do you say it? “I made some bad choices.” You don’t. You hurried to finish the carving, wanting to get out of the conversation as fast as possible. You could tell they wanted to press but, lucky for you, decided against it. You rolled the fur up and hooked the cadaver onto a bare wall next to Arthur’s. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” You kept your head down as you walked away.

This wasn’t the time to be thinking about that. You had to think of a way to get back to the others. Where would you go once you got off the mountain? What would even happen when the others got off? There was no way they could avoid cities. You could hardly believe their entire reality hadn’t broken already. Blackwater had to be a town or something. And they were running from the law. The more you heard and thought, the more it didn’t add up. You got lost in that pensive side of yourself.

Something hit your chest, well, someone. You saw the book fall before the girl. It was the brunette you met earlier, you thought Mary-Beth was her name. She was quiet when she fell initially, but as she leaned forward on her elbows, she let out a grunt of pain. You snapped out of your trance and quickly bent closer to her, holding out your hand.

“I’m so sorry, miss.” She took your hand, the back of hers facing up to the sky. You pulled her up halfway and used your other hand to press the space between her shoulder blades. You did this to avoid pulling her too hard as helped her back to her feet. Once she was balanced, you let go and snatched her book from the snow. Fortunately, it fell cover side down. “I should have been looking where I was going. Are you alright?”

“I’m alright, thank you, Mr. West.” She took the book as you presented it to her. “I should’ve been paying attention too.” Her eyes squinted, inspecting you closely, like she was trying to figure something out.

“Well, I’m still sorry.” Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit. You took a step back and turned away.

“Wait!” She grabbed your wrist. “Hosea wanted us to let you know Miss Grimshaw set up a space for you.” You looked back at her.

“A space?”

“Yes! He told us about how common it is for people in your condition to episodes, especially in their sleep. So, he had us make something for privacy.” Seems a few of your questions were answered.

“Is that what Micah was upset about earlier?”

“Yes, I’m sorry about him. He doesn’t know when to keep himself in check most of the time.” She pulled you toward the cabin you had been placed in. When you walked in, Bill and Javier were the only ones in the main room. You attention immediately went to what looked like a make shift tent at the right end of the room. It looked like what would happen if you split a tent in half and let it rest against a wall. Or like something a few kids would make, not in terms of quality but rather conceptually. It was very well done by blanket fort standards.

“Wow, Mary-Beth, that looks really nice.” You did appreciate the effort genuinely. You reminded yourself to thank Hosea for saving you some trouble. “How many of you worked on this?”

“It was mostly Tilly, Karen, and I. I wasn’t sure if you were much or a writer, but I left an extra pencil and a few sheets of paper to keep yourself entertained.”

“Thank you so much, this is very nice of all of you to do for me.” You smiled at her. “Be sure to let me know if there’s anything you need, I’d feel bad if I didn’t repay you all in some way.” Your request tickled her fancy.

“You sound kinda like Arthur.”

“That a good thing?”

“Yes, I’d reckon so.” Her expression was tender and thoughtful. “I’ll let the girls know you appreciate our hard work. Hosea said you should rest to not create any more discomfort.” She pivoted back towards the door. “Oh! And be sure to eat something in the morning. No telling when the last time you ate was…Actually, I’ll see if I can drop any off to you when it’s ready.”

“You don’t need to do that, you all have done-“

“Nonsense! I’m surprised you were well enough to go out in the condition Dutch said you were in. ‘Sides, y’all are going out again tomorrow, right?”

“Well, yes, but-“

“But nothing! You go and rest right now, young man!” You couldn’t tell if she was older than you, but she sure didn’t look it. Regardless, you conceded.

“Yes, ma’am.” She left you to your own devices, Javier and Bill were focusing on their own activities. You took it upon yourself to crawl into the makeshift tent. It was wide enough for the cot you woke up on. The blanket making the fake wall and roof was high enough for you to sit on the cot but not much else. It was a good thing that’s all you’d need.

You sat down in the middle, letting the blanket curtain to hide you from everyone else. Taking off your coat and lifting up your shirt, you felt joy well up in your chest, joy mixed with a stiff pain. Even with it barely being able to stay up, it was still painful to keep the fabric wrapped around you. You could feel your skin rejoice as you removed it. Once the manila colored cloth was all unbound and sitting on your lap, you let your shirt fall back down. You decided to hide it under the cot for the time being. You were surprised to find a canteen and the items Mary-Beth had mentioned earlier. Thankfully, the contents of the canteen was water, which you happily swigged. You laid back on the cot. This was the first time you’d gotten conscious alone time.

Okay, time to figure this out. I was shot 6 times. I should be dead. But somehow, I ended up on a mountain in winter. I was trapped in a barn and rescued by these guys who think it’s 1899. What’s weird is that Mrs. Adler didn’t object to that, even though she was introduced to everyone the same night I was. None of this is adding up…

You massaged your temples.

If I’m gonna start thinking crazy, I might as well go all out right now. I’m either dead or I traveled back in time. And either way, I can’t do anything about it. Death is inescapable and time isn’t tangible, it isn’t even real. I’ll have to take this one goal at a time… Damnit!

You wanted to cry. Not because you felt sorry for yourself, but for them. Miguel, Eli, what would they do without you? You knew Austin would be fine, and Gina would have the others for support. But Eli and Miguel relied on you to a certain extent. You were their glue. That’s one of the reasons you never left, even though you should have. You should have left a long time ago. There was no way to tell them you were okay, or at least as okay as you could be.

No! There’s no way that’s the answer. I can’t believe it…not yet. You didn’t allow yourself the indulgence of shedding tears. You had to be strong until you could get back to them. You just had to figure out what was happening. But there was no way you’d be learning anything new from these people. You couldn’t get out of this place without their help. You were a lot of things, but you weren’t a defeatist. Going out without a plan in this kind of temperature was a death sentence if you weren’t already dead. You didn’t want to be stupid and take that kind of risk.

If I play along, I might have a chance.

And that’s all I need.

[cooperjamesanders]

Self-Para: Love Yourself

Music had always been a large part of Cooper’s life. His mother had taught him the piano from the minute he was able to sit up on his own and he’d tinkered around with different instruments throughout his school years. Thankfully, he’d had a very patient music teacher who was willing to support him.

A career with something to do with music had always been in his sights. Whether that was a stage hand or an accompanist. The dream of course was to be a singer, just to perform like his idols. Fame was never something that interested Cooper, doing something he loved for a living was. He would be happy scrapping around for money and sleeping on friend’s couches if it meant he could exist on the world, doing something he had a true passion for.

Now Cooper had tried, he’d spent every waking minute he could trying to pursue that career. Whether it was practising or writing songs, he was always up until the late hours of the night under his desk lamp, scribbling down chords and lyrics. He’d even set up a YouTube page which he posted covers on. Just anything to get his music out there to other people. To share that love.

It had been Pam who suggested the Boston’s talent competition. There was a notable artist in the panel and being noticed by the right people was a stepping stone. Plus the prize was getting a sum of money and the opportunity to perform at one of New York City’s top venues for the Christmas festivities. That meant more agencies and a chance to get noticed, a chance on that dream he sort for.

Cooper had played shows before, he often sang at church or family occasions. He had won his school talent competition at aged six with a cover of Hallelujah and a slightly oversized guitar for the slender boy’s frame. He was certainly not shy in anyway when it came to singing in front of a crowd, he thrived on it.

He was fine in the waiting room, he’d taken his Mom with him of course. She and him just chatted idly while they waited patiently. It was the first round, they’d see everyone and then take the best six for a re-audition. The winner would be chosen from that. He didn’t mind waiting, Cooper could see some kids getting nervous and agitated but he was more than happy playing candy crush on his phone and idly chatting to his Mom. There must have been about fifty kids there.

Then came his name from the kind woman who waited near the door.

Walking with his mother was when he started to feel his heart race. This was important to Cooper, he wanted it, but he also didn’t want to disappoint his Mom.

He’d chosen Love Yourself. Admittedly he wasn’t a fan of Justin Bieber but he adored Ed Sheeran’s writing, which was why he’d chosen to do his own cover. He found it easier to project himself into the words he sang when it was to do with relationships. His were always all over the place and without stability. 

As the track played and he began singing, he felt confident and passionate. Putting his all into that song as he could spy his Mom in the corner of his eye from the side of the stage. The reception was one he couldn’t have been more pleased with, yet he kept himself neutral and focused. The lights dazzling him as he managed to separate into his own void of pure enjoyment.

As the noise from the room dissipated, a boy was left stood on the stage nervously with the microphone grasped tightly in his hands. Awaiting a judgement on a performance he’d put his all into. “Maybe try working with a voice coach and try in a few years time.” That had been the line that crushed him. Nodding in response and accepting the criticism given, Cooper thanked them before he headed offstage and followed his mother out with a hung head.

“Sweetheart, don’t take it to heart.” his mother rubbed his knee in support, worried about her son who hadn’t said anything during the ten minutes they’d been driving home. His eyes clearly fixed on the window but absent from the world around him. She couldn’t help but feel a little guilty for his heartbreak.

“Was I really that bad Mom?” “Nobody said you were bad Cooper-” “He told me to get a vocal coach, Mom.” “Yes, he said you needed more training. You’re young and, well, a boy-” “Don’t fucking bring puberty into this.” “Cooper James.” “It’s not an excuse Mom, you can’t just throw that one at me.” “So that’s just it is it? You’re giving up?” “Yes.” “Cooper” “Mom, I have been working with a singing teacher.” “And one person’s comment is enough to ruin everything?” “It was humiliating. All my friend’s were there. I gave it everything!” “I know you did. I know, Cooper. I’m the one who’s been up with you late nights rehearsing and helping you because, I believe in you Cooper. I do.”

Pamela paused the rising argument between her and her son when she realised he’d fallen quiet with his attention returned to the window. She knew he was upset, she knew from the moment his bright-eyed face fell at the feedback.

“You think Freddie and Frank were liked by everyone? You think when Freddie first showed someone Bohemian Rhapsody that they liked it? You think that Frank gave two hoots what someone thought of his writing? Cooper, as long as you have one person, one person, who is willing to love your music and your talent, then it’s worth trying. And you know what?” she asked, getting a grumpy “What?” from her teenager, still with his eyes out of the window.

“You will always have that one person, because that one person is me.”

Cooper swallowed hard as he felt his shoulders soften slightly at his mother’s words. The anger leaving and vulnerability setting in. Pamela picked up on it straight away, the soft, slightly awkward silence settling between them. She decided she needed to lighten the mood for her son’s sake if anything.

“And to hell with it. I’ll even force your brother to like it too. There. Happy? You’ve got two people. So don’t you dare give up on us, sonny boy.”

Cooper couldn’t help but let a small smirk slip as he never heard his mother swear, even if it was only the word hell. His gaze travelled to the foot-well as he thought on what she said. His Mom always seemed to know what to say.

Pamela glanced across at her son as she registered his emotions. “Am I getting a hell yeah to that or what? You’re leavin’ me hanging here kid..”

“Hell yeah..” “Nope. Can’t hear you.” “I said, hell yeah!” “We’re not giving up are we?” “No we’re not.” “We don’t care what some dumbass says do we?” “No we don’t.” “Good.... You’ll never let me down Cooper but don’t stop trying, okay?” “...Alright Mom.”

“Good... now how about get some Taco Bell? We’re going to have to try and tell your brother that he’s now contractually obligated to liking your music. I feel like food might be a way to win him round.” Pamela rambled before glancing over, pleased to see that her son now had a grin on his face instead.

She’d done her job.

[ahumanfemale]

Drabble request! I was actually just re-reading your AU where Rafael is a dancer and partners with Amanda and Sonny is in love with him. I need more of them dancing and getting all steamy!! Please. :) xoxox

HEY BABE!  So sorry this took so long.  Writer’s block had me dead to rights but I’m weaseling my way out of it now.  Thanks so much for sending this in and I loved making it for you.  - xoxo, ahf.

Sonny Carisi was gorgeous.

Tall and fair, with skin that pinked under Rafael’s gaze and eyes the color of flawless aquamarine.  A quick mind, a loud mouth, and spine enough to back it up.  Hair a kaleidoscopic array of burnished gold to tarnished silver to deep, raw honey.  Rafael had been watching him for months, long before the fateful night when he realized that Sonny wasn’t Amanda’s partner.  Before that it had been a guilty pleasure.  Something taken in surreptitious glances and long drinks of study while the man’s back was turned, only barely managing to convince himself that he could feel guilty for objectifying his business partner’s significant other.  

After that night, the views changed.

After that night Rafael knew Sonny was looking back.  

He probably should have noticed before, but the damage was done and after their win it didn’t matter - he’d pulled Sonny onto the dance floor, into his arms, and they’d been together since.  Of course, Sonny was in his arms again tonight and it had less to do with romance and more to do with outright exasperation.

“So on the beat your right foot will go back and my left will go forward.  On the next beat it will be the opposite, your left foot forward and my right will go back.”

“Raf-”

“No, don’t argue, just listen to me.  Stop thinking and move when I tell you, got it?”

Sonny leveled painfully blue eyes on him.  “Bossy much?”

Rafael raised an eyebrow.  “Is that a complaint?”

In less than a second their bodies were pulled flush, the width of Sonny’s hand wide between his shoulder blades.  

“Not a bit.”

Rafael smirked.

Sonny’s sister was getting married in two weeks and wanted to impress her guests with a theme.  And a themed dance - salsa, of all things, much to literally everyone’s horror.  It had taken until very recently for Sonny to start to worry, putting an unreasonable amount of trust in the fact that his boyfriend was a competitive dancer with more than one title under his belt.  What he hadn’t planned, of course, was how uncoordinated he was.  How very little Rafael’s patience really stretched.  How their lessons either ended in shouting or sex, if not both, and Sonny was no closer to knowing how to salsa than he had been two weeks before.

A fact Rafael hardly lamented, not with Sonny pressed so close and smelling like cologne and clean skin and the red wine they’d had with dinner.

He was happy to be here.

For another second, anyway, until Sonny disobeyed a direct order and brought his foot down on Rafael’s toe rather than moving it backwards.

His smirk transformed into a grimace and he hissed a breath through his teeth.

“You realize that at some point I’m going to assume you’re doing this on purpose,” Rafael told him.

“You know I’m not,” Sonny complained, looking perfectly miserable.

“Logically, maybe.  No one could be this intentionally clumsy.  Unfortunately for you, searing pain overrides my logic.”

“Oh come on,” Sonny scoffed unhappily and tried to drop Rafael’s arms, stopped when Rafael only held him tighter, “You’re being dramatic.”

“Says the man who’s stepped on my toes no fewer than twenty times in the last hour,” Rafael shot back, only barely suppressing a smile.  Of course Sonny hadn’t managed to hurt him - not really, anyway - but exasperation was a good look for the man in front of him so he leaned in.  “I had no idea the depth of your ineptitude when we started this.  You’re a terrible student.”

“There are no terrible students,” Sonny shot back, “Just terrible teachers.”

He probably had a point.

Rafael had been teaching adult classes in Amanda’s studio for almost six months and while it was enjoyable, while he knew what he was talking about, instruction did not come naturally.  Rafael was more than capable of propelling his own body into a series of steps ingrained into him for so many years now that it hardly bared remembering.  Giving into his own muscle memory and training another body to do the same were two different matters entirely, and the latter was not his forte - even when it was a body he knew so well.

Every narrow slope and plane and angle.

Rafael had spent every available moment learning the strength contained in the lithe muscles under his fingers, knew how Sonny could bend and stretch and take them both infinitely higher.  He knew every heartbeat, every breath, and what they meant.  It was all knowledge gained over months of late nights, talking and laughing, making it only halfway through dinner before needing to feel skin.  Of waking up with the sensation of Sonny’s lips on his neck, over his heart.  Rafael wasn’t sure he’d ever known a body other than his own in the way he now knew Sonny’s and now here he was, entirely at the mercy of it.

“Hey, where’d you go?” Sonny wondered, bringing Rafael back to the present.  “I was insulting you, remember?”

His voice was low, rough.

Undoubtedly he’d managed to catch the look in Rafael’s eyes.

And even if he didn’t, the way Rafael’s eyes flitted to admire his partner’s lips were indication enough of where his mind had gone.  

“Really, Rafael,” Sonny admonished playfully, “We’re working here, remember?”

“I’m working,” he corrected, “You’re stomping around my mat with your massive feet, sacrificing my toes in the process.”

“You saying I got big feet?”

“Yes.  I said that literally just now, or were you not listening?”

“I can’t believe I put up with you,” Sonny told him, shaking his head sadly.  Rafael only narrowed his eyes and spun them.  Quickly and without warning, without any help from the gangly chef in his arms.  They turned in tight circles until they reached the end of the practice mat, Rafael’s heels ever so slightly floating off the edge as he brought them to an abrupt stop while Sonny gasped in a few quick breaths.  

“Christ,” he huffed, “Was that necessary?”

“Absolutely,” Rafael answered and let go of Sonny’s arms to place two fingers on his chest, just over his heart.  All it took was a gentle shove - only a hint of pressure - and Sonny fell backwards.  Back hitting the mat, head still spinning and looking up at Rafael with accusatory eyes.  At least until Rafael moved to stand over him, feet planted on either side of Sonny’s lean hips.  

“You pushed me,” he said but his hands were already reaching out, training up the backs of Rafael’s calves.  

“You mouthed off.”

Sonny grinned.  

“Can’t help it,” he allowed and gripped the taut muscle of Rafael’s thighs in each hand.  His voice turned low, sweet.  “Get down here, Rafi.  I’ll make it up to you.”

Rafael sucked in a quick breath while Sonny’s left hand ventured higher, up his inseam and into dangerous waters.   

“We’re working.”

“No, we’re flirting.”

He cocked an eyebrow.  

And really, he couldn’t argue.  

“The wedding-”

“Forget the wedding,” Sonny said and brushed daring knuckles up under his sac while Rafael’s breathing grew heavier.  “We’ve got time.  Time that can be better spent if you’d just get down here and let me touch you.”

And really, who could say no to that?

…

Later, when they’re both breathing heavy and Rafael has forgotten what the world looks like without stars in his eyes, Sonny ran long fingers through the gray at Rafael’s temples while his heart hammered under Rafael’s ear.  

“We’re going to have to Lysol the mat,” Rafael commented brusquely, ever the romantic even while firmly in his afterglow.  Sonny hummed a mild agreement but his attention was elsewhere, pressing breathless kisses onto the top of Rafael’s head while sweat cooled on his chest.   

“Sonny?”

“Hmm.”

“I’m happy.”

“What?” he asked, slightly slurring.  

“I said I’m happy,” Rafael repeated and sat up to rest on his elbow at Sonny’s side.  “With this, I mean.  With us.”

Sonny’s smile would have lit the city for a month.

Every word he didn’t say worried Rafael, sent him spiraling into the worst case scenario, but Sonny seemed oblivious.  He only turned on his side and cupped the side of Rafael’s face, brushing a sweet, indulgent kiss across his lips.  And just when Rafael couldn’t take it, just when he was sure Sonny would segue into needing some space, his perfect mouth parted and he stole the breath straight from Rafael’s chest.

“Move in with me,” Sonny breathed against his lips.  

This time, it was Rafael who was speechless.

“Come on,” he argued, interspersed with more kisses, “My place is bigger anyway, and it’s closer to the studio and the restaurant.  My shower is better.  You can bring your fancy coffee pot and I’ll put my old, ugly one away.”

Reeling, Rafael huffed a laugh and kissed Sonny back for the first time in long minutes.  They were chest to chest, hip to hip, arms and legs tangled with bare skin slicked with sweat and drawn together seemingly of their own volition.  

“You’re making a very practical argument,” he said, bracing himself against the happiness welling up in his chest.  “Are those the only reasons?”

“Move in with me because I love you.”

Sonny wrapped an arm around Rafael’s shoulders and upper back to hold him in place, so he could stare into Rafael’s eyes and be faced with just how much those words were true.

“Move in with me because I’m crazy about you, because meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me.  Move in with me because I think we’re perfect together,” he continued and Rafael’s heart threatened to burst.  “Move in with me because every morning I don’t wake up next to you is wasted and I’ll never get it back.  Move in with me because I love you and I want to show you that every chance I get.”

Rafael grinned, nodding before he’d even realized he was going to answer.

“Yes,” he breathed and it was possible his heart was beating harder now than it had a few minutes earlier with Sonny’s mouth around him.  “Yes, I’ll move in with you.”

Sonny beamed.

Rafael kissed him.

“But the old, ugly coffee pot is getting thrown out completely.  It gurgles and whines when you brew it, for God’s sake,” he argued and a laugh punched its way out of Sonny’s chest before he laughed and kissed Rafael again, rolling them over on the mat and breathing into the angle of Rafael’s neck.

“Whatever you want, babe,” he said and sucked a kiss into his collarbone.  “Whatever you want.”

[barisifictionarchive]

Top 10 Alternate Careers - Rafael Barba 

Ascending By Kudos: 

10)  A Missed Opportunity by Robin Hood (kjack89)

(Teen)

Barba’s scowl deepened when he went back into his blazing hot office, where the temperature seemed to have ticked up a few degrees higher still. He sighed and reached up to yank his tie off, tossing it unceremoniously onto his desk. He took off his cardigan and untucked his shirt, but he still felt hot and sweaty, and neither were looks that he wanted to show to the attractive young detective when he stopped by.

Not that he cared what the detective thought of him.

Or at least, under ordinary circumstances, he wouldn’t have cared, but he’d spent the vast majority of the day thinking about dimples and blue eyes and surprisingly soft-looking lips that he would very much like to kiss. And Barba was old enough and experienced enough from his time as an ADA to know that chasing after hot, young and quite possibly closeted detectives was a fool’s errand for anything other than a single night of fun.

It’d been far too long since Barba had been lucky enough to have a night of fun. And he’d be damned if he was going to pass up this opportunity.

9) So It Went by tobeconspicuous

(Teen)

“All the tables are full.”

“Well it is Valentine’s Day.”

8) It was marvelous to know you by Lifeisruined

(Teen)

He must be squirming because Gina elbows him sharply.

This is fine. He can handle this. He is thirty-four years old. He is an SVU detective. He’s a fucking lawyer, too. He can handle some handsome guy.

7)  The One With The Graveyard Shift by Skysquid22

(Teen)

Barba works the graveyard shift at a grocery store and meets Carisi as a result. He witnesses Carisi's life through the stuff he buys at a grocery store, at 2 am.

6) A Technical Relationship by tobeconspicuous

(Teen)

Whenever Rafael came into contact with detective Carisi something was bound to go wrong.

This time though, Rafael was prepared.

5) Criminal Behavior by barbaXcarisi (barbaXbenson)

(Explicit)

“You do know that phones exist?” Sonny asked. “If you want to see me you don’t have to commit a crime.”

“But where’s the fun in that?” Rafael reached for him again, trying to pull him close, but Sonny took a step back.

“Stop.” He reached to the back of his belt, removing his cuffs. “I have to take you in.”

“You know those aren’t going anywhere near my wrists unless they’re hooked to a headboard,” Rafael practically growled and Sonny hated himself a little when he felt his blood run south at the memory.

4)  Sin and Intrigue by keraunoscopia

(Teen)

In the opposite corner, his eyes came to rest on a man, sitting alone in a booth. His hair was swept into a neat wave, his suit jacket cast over the back of the booth, sleeves rolled up to his elbows as his eyes scanned a newspaper clasped in long fingers. Even across the room, through the smoky haze, the languid jazz, the crowd of people, Sonny watched the man look up for a moment, and their eyes locked. His throat went dry.

3) A Second Chance by Robin Hood (kjack89)

(Teen)

Columbia Law School professor Rafael Barba receives a surprise visit from an NYPD detective looking for his help.

2) End of Line by blithesea

(Mature)

In a cybernetic brothel, Detective Carisi finds something he did not expect.

1) The Professional by AHumanFemale

(Explicit)

At twenty-eight, Rafael is looking to retire.

His law degree is finished and, more importantly, it’s paid for. No crushing debt over his head, forcing him to sell his soul to get out from under it. He’d never have to work corporate for businesses looking to crush victims with lawsuits, he’d never sit behind the defense table in the interest of his student loan payments. Working as an escort has allowed him to do what he wanted all along - prosecution, putting dangerous people away. His body was an acceptable offering, especially considering the enjoyment he found in the act of selling himself. Some other day he would have to examine the part of his brain that made prostitution appealing to him but today wasn’t that day, not with the man in front of him waiting for his company.

A young man who looks eager to please, much to Rafael’s delight.

Just a few whispered words of praise and Dominick would melt into him.

He’d bet on it.